An indignant frown was pressed upon Roslyn's lips as she trudged her way across this bar of sand between two beaches. The towering gate in the distance was her target, a figurative light at the end of the tunnel to keep her walking onward even without any real promise of hope. Her frame was far thinner than she normally kept it and her pelt was coated in dust blown about by the windstorms, no proper shelter to keep her safe from them. Inwardly, she cursed her brother for getting separated from her. There was no telling how she would survive, now.

|| april Y7 | one year old | rogue yearling | at maua's passage | AW ||_{BG — ART — CODE}

Well he hadn't been here in a good bit and therefore found himself traveling to the passage again. Large paws carried the white beast towards the sands and fiery jewels scanned the area before him. Tilting his head upwards slightly to breathe in the air and soon finding one that would bring him to a yearling. She was thin and frowned and that worried him as he got closer, calling out to her so that she was aware of his presence. Welcome to Amaryllis. You look like you have traveled far, perhaps I can offer you a place to rest and call home? I am Drakon Tollaire. He would introduce himself. Though he knew claiming was welcomed with Seneca, he had gotten out of that for so long it felt strange to do it unless it was a cub.

@Roslyn

irish

One moment was all it took as he watched her approach the sandy passage way into what was proving to be a vast wasteland of putrid desires. That was all it was to the young Dieudonne but he was willing to invite the lioness in if she was willing to partake. Though, he was quick to find that another came upon her from the side. Big and white, a lion that he wasn't sure was ally or enemy but he strolled in with neutrality set on his face. Regarding @Roslyn carefully, with great consideration. And Mithros Dieudonne, from Wolfbron Bluffs to the north. Also a home, should you desire. Even if he didn't say the words outright, he wished she'd come to the Bluffs. Desired it, even. He could be positive that he wanted her more than the older gentleman but sometimes what one wanted wasn't enough and he was more than prepared to settle for rejection.

_{© LARS}

Since becoming Sovereign, Maia had found herself a frequent visitor to Maua’s Passage. Perhaps it had become a habit she didn’t need to break, or a welcome distraction from the tension that had been simmering away within Amaryllis these last few months. The journey from the Mire to the barren entrance had become much more exhausting as of late, and the ashen Tolkien was beginning to notice that she was growing rather large. The woman made a mental note to speak to Jafar — she knew why this was occurring, and there was a warmth within her chest at the thought. Without realising it, she had found herself back within the reaches of the neutral territory. Fiery eyes fall on two figures, and without a second thought, the lioness approaches. Hello there, She hums, looking first to the rogue and then to the white lion. Wait — @Drakon? It had been at least a year since she had last seen him. Drakon? How are you? She asks, her tone one of disbelief and shock. It was good to see him again. Attention turned to the rogue yearling and she greets them with a smile. Welcome to Amaryllis. Perhaps if Drakon’s home is not one you desire, then I extend an invitation to Ecrosia Mire. We’re small, but a tight knit community. You’d be welcome there, and protected too. But before she could say anymore, another lion entered. She dipped her crown to him in a brief and civil greeting, noting that he was Dieudonné. For now, that did not matter. What mattered was finding @Roslyn a suitable home.

IMAGE BY ULFANA • CODE BY KOI

This particular rogue - young, perhaps around the age of his eldest children; and rather impatient-looking to boot - was well-accompanied by the time Magnus arrived on the scene. It was with a blink and a glance that he would note that not only @Jewel (of course) was present, but so was @Drakon; he hadn't seen the other man in a while, and so would offer him a nod of greeting before shifting his attention onto the clay-pelted girl. Wasn't @Roslyn lucky, having all of this choice? "Magnus Sigrún," he introduced himself, once there was opportunity to do so, "of Scilla Lagoon. There is always room amongst us for skilled, ambitious individuals of any age." He would not discriminate against the young or the old; experience had taught him that a vast array of different life stages were valuable within a pride. The younger members would carry them on to greater things - perhaps Roslyn would be one of them.

@Maia @Mithros

the finest fury is the most controlled

code by corvus

As she neared the towering stone in the distance, it seemed she was nearing company, too. Roslyn gave a startled jump at the sight of a large white lion, recoiling with fear as she struggled to find any quick route of escape.

"Don't hurt me! I am very valuable!" She cried out as she raised a paw to cover her eyes from witnessing her own cruel end. Roslyn braced herself for what was to come, instead hearing the kind concern in the stranger's voice where she expected wickedness. She lifted her paw hesitantly to look at him again, finally processing that he was offering her home and rest. "Oh, yes, I need to rest," she exhaled and visibly deflated as she released all of the tension she had been holding. She parted her jaws to begin the grand tale of what had led her there when she caught a scent on the breeze, alerting her to the immediate arrival of another lion. He was younger than the last one, with eyes teal like the sea and a fiery curled mane.

"Home? Oh, I miss my home. You see, I have been through so much to get here," Roslyn explained with a simpering pout on her lips. She let out another sigh and attempted to rest her heavy head against the boy's shoulder for some relief. Another arrived quickly, this time another lioness like herself with a charcoal gray pelt. She nodded along to the woman's greetings and offering, speaking of a small and tight-knit community. Finally, a massive, black lion appeared, darker than any she had seen before. Her gaze widened and she straightened up stiffly, his voice telling her that (despite his lack of mane) this was a male.

"You are all so kind," Roslyn drawled with a pleading gaze. In all her days spent dragging herself forward in search of rescue, she had thought that this was what she deserved-- a crowd to listen to her woes and provide all of their services to right the wrongs that had been committed against her.

"You see, I am not from here. My father is the great and noble King of Forest Rhone! Oh, that woman," she growled, "my stepmother really did it this time. You know what they say: you give an inch and they'll take a mile!" Roslyn glanced around at her audience, eager to see how enraged they would be with her stepmother's audacity. "She is only his newest wife, but that just wasn't enough for her. She took over as head of household against my mother and cast us out! My brother and I, Prince and Princess of Forest Rhone, left in the wastelands to perish!"

@Drakon @Mithros @Maia @Magnus
+5 Tell a story
+5 Socialize with 2 other characters in a thread
+5 Learn about another pride’s laws or culture_{BG — ART — CODE}

Other's soon arrived and Drakon would watch as each of them arrived. He didn't know the first (@Mithros) he was knew and unfamiliar but Drakon would listen as he spoke of where he was from. It was curious to see someone other than Amara out in the Passage attempting to get another into her home. The next to arrive was @Maia and even he was a bit surprised to see her and would give her a gentle nudge with his shoulder. I have been good, I hope you are doing good Maia. He would state as her attention went to @Roslyn. Finally it was @Magnus that arrived and Drakon would dip his head at the male before giving the rogue lioness his full attention.

Roslyn began to speak about her home. Of what had happened and Drakon felt pity but none of those emotions showed on his features as he would listen and wait for her to stop speaking. I am sorry for your troubles that has happened to your family. Amaryllis can be a fresh start for you and your family if they are coming too. He would state, now Drakon wouldn't go out of his way to travel to this girls home and fix what her stepmother did. He wasn't a knight.

irish

The rogue lioness was certainly nice to look at and he hoped that she was useful beyond good looks. Just as he expected that others looked at him and saw something nice to look at but that there was more beneath the surface. A few more lions showed up that he was vastly unfamiliar with -- @Drakon Tollaire, the one who had come before him. Then there was a gray lioness that hadn't given her name outright but had offered Ecrosia Mire as a home for her. Then there was @Magnus. He knew that one well enough. Knew that there was some hard feelings perhaps between his family and the Dieudonne but Mithros remained stoic. He had nothing to prove and nothing to hate.

There was concern boiling in his mind as he watched @Roslyn scramble at the prospect of those that had come to her. A small crowd had surrounded her but her unease made him wonder if she was skittish or just good at putting on a show. Mithros knew too much about the tragedies that befell family time and time again. Of how scorned women took to being second fiddle mates -- that was partially why he was thankful that his family were hard-pressed into their ways of monogamy. One partner, that's it. Any more and you're disgraced and exiled. If he weren't surrounded by other prides and other higher-ups he might've said something like some women can't handle being a second. Mithros needed to socially ignore the ties between his pride and theirs at the Passage.

Thankfully, Drakon gave a name to the silver lioness -- @Maia to which he committed to memory quickly. A fresh start for you and your brother. And your mother, too. Should she also be in the mix of those that were cast us. From the words she had used, he could only make out that her brother had been cast out but the mother might still be there. Struggling to make things work with the mate that she'd made a life with before this stepmother. What more could or should he say? He'd never been very good with words or sympathy.

table by sentinel

It had been a long time since Maia had attended a rogue calling with this many pride representatives. In fact, as she thought about it, she didn't think she had actually ever attended with this many representatives. Admittedly it lessened her chances of successfully recruiting @Roslyn, but she would sure as hell try. @Magnus was the next to arrive, and her gaze turned to the melanistic man. She noted who he was, and of what pride, and how his words gave her an incline of what the Lagoon was like. Briefly, she turned back to @Drakon. I am well. I have some news to share with you - I'll come by and visit the Oasis some time soon to share it with you. But it was the screeeeech of the brown lionesses voice which caused her attention to snap away from the Tollaire and onto her. Her distressed tones were certainly irritating, but regardless the Tolkien would continue to have a neutral expression on her features as she explained her trials and tribulations. It sounds as though you have been through quite the trauma, Maia begins with a sympathetic drawl of her words. I can assure you that you are safe here in Amaryllis. You're some distance from your stepmother, and she can do you no harm here. Words of reassurance were what Maia could offer at this moment, unsure of just how traumatised the rogue was. Where is your brother now? And your mother? She asks, wondering if they were close-by too, or if they had gotten lost on the journey. Perhaps we could help look for them. Maia offers, looking around the Passage briefly.

IMAGE BY ULFANA • CODE BY KOI

Magnus did not bother to feign interest as the girl began her spiel; some great tale of being a lost princess, of all things. The Sigrún could not relate. He did, however, still see potential in the yearling - she was a little talkative, but that was not always a bad thing. He'd learned that through Desdemona, though his wife (biased though he may be) had a certain refinement that had most likely come with age and experience. It was doubtful that @Roslyn had much of the latter, and she was certainly lacking in the former. "Amaryllis is a big place. If you're going to look you're best off starting now. What does your mother look like? I am not opposed to keeping an eye out for her, or the rest. Many lost souls wash up on the Stygian shore, which is only a stones-throw from the Lagoon." Not always alive, but there we go.

@Maia @Drakon @Mithros

the finest fury is the most controlled

code by corvus