"speech."

Teeth sank into tender flesh, blood painting his tongue and muzzle and spurring him on, despite the pain in his shoulders and back. The warmonger would growl through the pain, teeth snapping as she clawed her way up to put herself in a precarious position. Her weight damn near fully on him, he couldn’t stay like that for long and so, the warmonger would roll his weight to the side, knocking @Erna off balance. Claws would drag from their purchase down his side as she fell. Ronin would twist, straightening to his full height as he positioned himself over her, paw on her shoulder with enough pressure to show intent. Stay down. It said, as if to make the point clear the beast would snarl, ears coming forward as he lingered for a moment, making sure she got the message before taking a step back and away from her.

Mismatched gaze would shift from her in an almost dismissive fashion as he sought out @Alaric. Tongue rolled over bloodied lips as he straightened from his defensive posture, he had won and he waited for the King to give him what he had earned through blood and effort.


--permission to pp Erna given by Rabbit--
Barbarian

+10- win a fight {2/2}
+5 - complete a fight {2/2}
+5 - challenge for rank {2/2}

code by corvus

And just like that, one moment she was atop him and the next she tumbled down with a hard thud. She snarled at both the pain and out of anger as the muck thankfully softened her collision with the swamp floor. Just as she was about to stand up and launch another assault on her opponent, her pressed onto her shoulder and stood above her. She dared not move, realizing that this signified the end of her fight. She had lost again. Erna's lips remained peeled in a threatening snarl, letting @Ronin know that it's best he backs off. She was having none of this compromised position she was in, in front of all of this audience.

Shame swept her, but it quickly morphed into fury. She wanted to lash out at something, to sink her teeth into anything. Get up! Her mother's voice rings clear in her ears. Get up, you useless child! The memory was as clear as day. Her mother yelling from the sidelines after another defeat during Erna's battle training against her siblings. Her stronger and far more capable siblings. So many years had passed since those days, and yet here she was again. In the mud. Defeated.

The bearish Rike scrambled to stand on her feet once more, taking her time due to the numerous wounds and the pain from her ugly fall. She felt her eyes sting, spurred by anger and frustration. By the constant reminders of her weakness and the painful memories returning and opening old wounds. No tears would be allowed to flow freely. She already looked pitiful enough.

Her eyes avoided @Alaric, or anyone else's. She wanted to fight more. She wanted to prove that she was capable, that she was better than her opponent. If Erna could, she would be throwing another punch now - but her body was not cooperating.

coded by flea + art by rabbit

TASKS: +5xp - Observe a fight (Erna vs Ronin) (1/2).

Ilarion would hum in faint sympathy for @Sláine and her plight. "Da, I've been there." A voice sounds from somewhere in his peripheral, and Ilarion would turn his head to watch the approach of an unfamiliar woman; @Nusura. She says little aside from affirming her status, and the wounded lioness would respond - accepting the assistance, but only once the brawlers had been seen to first. Seemed fair enough. Upon the conversation turning back to him, the Rurik would offer a dip of the head in official greeting. "Ilarion. And you?" Attention shifted quickly then to the young girl that approached - the loud child that he recognized from the meeting. "Well met, little one." As the fight continued, Ilarion rocked back on his haunches to watch, green gaze shifting between the King's wife and the piebald male. Once the scrap was over it appeared to him as if @Ronin had won, but - as it was with these things - it would ultimately be down to the ruling of @Alaric.

ART BY RABBIT, CODE BY DEE

as much as slaine's injury concerns him he knows well the perils of the hunt, and a wry grin twists his lips. "indeed. met the wrong end of a horn myself, once," a vague tip of his head towards the knotted scar that stretched the length of his side, a nasty wound that had almost succeeded in killing him. "make sure you have it attended to once the dust settles." it is not fully an order, but close to one -- alaric would not see her felled from an infection.

his attention shifts briefly to @Ilarion, a small nod of acknowledgement and greeting but little more than that. instead his focus turns back to the fight, watching @Erna and @ronin fight with a fierce brutality that did not surprise him. it is something like disappointment that swells when he sees his wife felled, even if he had expected the male to win. there is another part of him (however small and buried) that wanted to tear ronin's throat out for making her bleed. it is a ridiculous thought and it brings a sneer to his lips -- one that could easily be misinterpreted by disgust for the loss of his partner.

he stands, then, to address them all. "ronin is your new sovereign. i expect you afford him the same respect you give me. well fought." the latter two words directed to the male, before his focus slides to his wife. despite her loss she had fought, and she had shown the drive and initiative he knew she would always have. not only that but she was the mother of his children, and had been by his side through every step of this climb to the top.

so for her -- "erna will take the place of noble." there is a warning flash in his venomous green eyes meant only for her, a reminder that she was still on a chain, even if it had been lengthened.

"@Nusura, if you would?" he gestured towards the two combatants with a jerk of his head. "if there are any others that seek the medic trade, now is a good time to help and practice." a sweeping look over those that had come to watch, curious if there were any among them that would learn how to patch them back together after the inevitable fights.

where innocence burns in flames

i'm frozen to the bones

image by yumpy, code by corvus

and we don’t need saving

We’re hell raising

The lioness returned @Alaric's grin, sapphire eyes flickering across his large scar and taking in the extent of the injury he had suffered. She understood his point, neither of them were particularly young and knew that dying from a festering wound was a very real possibility. Indeed, she would find the healer Nusura later.

Sláine's attention slipped toward @Ilarion then, her sculpted head tilting upward to meet his gaze due to his mammoth size. "A'm Sláine Armour" She returned with a friendly curve of her lips, she didn't know that Ilarion had been in the swamp all along, but was glad to have more males in the pride. The number of females had increased quite rapidly.

@Kinki came up alongside and was met with a warm look from the gentry and she was pleased to see that Ronin's young charge seemed to be imitating her, how very flattering. "Hello Kinki." Sláine rumbled softly, remembering her name from a previous conversation with Ronin.

Sláine's attention was taken then by an approaching lioness, one unfamiliar to her but that she had seen before, speaking with Ronin at the training. The clanswoman admired the white fur of her new companion for a moment before she spoke. @Alyvia's words would seem to have a curious affect on the blue lioness, her smile remained but she appeared quite thoughtful as she turned her steady gaze on the tail end of the fight as she replied. "Aye, Ronin is a bonny fighter. Though he insae mine." She hadn't really considered the possibility before now, did she have feelings for the man? Did he for her?

Just as her thoughts churned, @Ronin ended the fight victorious. Sláine felt somewhat sorry for Erna, who had made a valiant effort. But her breast swelled a little with a mix of unknown feelings and pleasure at witnessing Ronin's success. The warrior woman stood up, her injured limb still somewhat raised from the floor. There was moment of pause as Alaric made his speech, but Sláine could barely listen to her chieftain as she looked on at Ronin, wishing she could kiss those bloodied lips.

code by corvus / image by kim

Her husband sneers in evident disgust and Erna feels her pride and confidence hit rock bottom as if it could go any lower. Her fury continues to bubble, her skin hot to the touch beneath the dark brown of her fur. She stands up to all her fours, unwilling to be left in the mud even now. Her expression is stone-cold, not an ounce of her inner turmoil evident upon it, aside from the clench of her bloodied jawline.

@Alaric bestows Ronin his new title, and gives Erna the man's previous rank of Noble. She couldn't give two shits about it. Spitfulness rises within her when Alaric mentions that Ronin was to be given the same respect as himself. Perhaps she wouldn't have been equal to her husband even if she had won, but that doesn't mean it hurt less.

@Nusura was tasked with the job of patching up the fighters. However, Erna had no plans to stay any further. "Enjoy it while it lasts," she spoke to @Ronin. "I'll be back." To show them that she was stronger. That this defeat against the man would be the first and the last loss against him. She turned, then, and let the greenery of Ecrosia swallow her.

exit

coded by flea + art by rabbit

+5 Attend a challenge 2/2

Her gaze would drift between the female she had dared to speak of. To test the waters of the relationship she held with the brute that had caught Alyvia's interest thus far. Her answer was enough to cause her stomach to tighten, yet her expression remained just as pleasant as it was upon approach. She may have denied mateship- but Alyvia was not oblivious to the flick of emotions and the woo of her voice that she made no tries to cover.

The battle ended and the fighters separated. Ronin had, of course, taking the victory. The other was quick to rise. The look slaine gave him (so very obvious and no attempt to hide it whatsoever) was almost enough to sicken Alyvia who had to force any reaction to remain hidden. She would rise to her own paws, purposefully attempt to cut between the two- and pin Ronin with a, "I know something" glance before she took her exit.

-exit-

"speech."

Alaric’s wife had fought well, there was no shame in losing. He would now have an interesting set of scars to talk about, that was for sure. The warmonger would not afford much attention to her as she sulked before her husband, his attention remained where it needed to be- on Alaric. In his periphery, near the King he could see Alyvia and Slaine speaking, the blue woman’s gaze lingering on him but he wasn’t sure if that was appreciation he saw from the fight or something else…or if he was imagining it all together. He would need to seek her out again to talk to her. He enjoyed her company and her insight.

Alaric’s voice would catch his attention, telling all gathered that he was the new Sovereign and should be given the same respect as the King. Eyes would flicker in surprise at that, but he masked it quickly, nodding to the King as he finished addressing him. Then he would speak to his wife, giving her his old rank. Gaze would finally shift to Slaine offering a faint smile, but it would falter as gaze shifted between her and Alyvia. The white lioness would rise, cutting between he and Slaine to give him a look. Expression remained impassive, a flick of his ear the only acknowledgement that he got her message. He would seek her out soon. The wounded victor would approach casually, ignoring the sting that was quickly turning to a burning throb down his back and side. @Illarion’s oversized form was not missed. Gaze flicked to the man, curious, “I don’t think I’ve caught your name. You fought well in the uprising.” He would comment, gaze shifting to Slaine curiously, before he would smirk as his mismatched gaze found Kinki. She sat mirroring the posture of the blue warrior. A flicker of approval would shift through his eyes, happy that she had taken to the woman so quickly.

At the mention of medics, he would frown slightly, but would relent to the Kings wishes and lay down so that Patchouli or Nusura could have easier access to them, if they chose to tend his wounds- if not, he wouldn't be offended.

code by corvus

she does not bother to stick around at the court of her masters calling for medics. she is one, but not of the trade that requires assistance such as this. though - there is a sweeping inkling within her mind that bites like a ravenous dog to annoy the rike woman with her quelling of fortitude. though, before she can make her wares known to erna she is gone. leaving behind a life of shame and guilt with her tail tucked, much like she had within her loss to her own hellish desire. it makes Neèra smirk with glee. oh, how fun is it to get underneath the skins of those who think they are better than you. to watch them wilt in the dirt as they succumb to not one loss, oh no-no, but two in their own realm. how pitiful. she seemed to be proving herself as more bark than bite in these coming days. it was a sad sight; Neèra had truly hoped for better from her, but disappointment is something that is tinged heavily upon the brow of her shawl. with a tsk of mock disappointment, Neèra would arise from her space next to the wintery lioness. casting a faux forlorn look back at her as her serpentine tongue coils in hellish languages. what a pity. I do say I was expecting more from her. as she turns to depart, neera casts one last proverb unto their firey pit of hell “Qui court deux lievres a la fois, n’en prend aucun” then, she is gone just as quickly as she had come.


~ Exit ~
+5 Attend a spar or challenge to assess the wounds

WIDE AWAKE IN THIS VIOLET CITY As @Sláine responds, Nusura’s head tilts and a subtle grin warms to her lips. There is something about the woman’s voice that charms her. There is a vibrant warmth to it, something rare in Ecrosia. "Indeed, my tree is on the south end of the mire. I expect to see you there and see you fixed up, and to hear more about this mighty battle with a buck." She grinned, milky eyes strained in the dim light to make out their shapes but failed, but even so her eyes would flicker toward @Ilarion at her side, even as Ronin with Alaric’s blessing to fight Erna. The battle was swift and by the end of it, he had proven himself victorious. There is a twinge of empathy for Erna that unexpectedly lodges itself in Nusura’s chest. The dense sound of a voice directed at her, @Alaric ’s, makes her stiffen straighter and listen with ears perked. She nods in compliance, blindly throwing her voice into the crowd for Patchouli – whom she knew to be a medic. Her mind momentarily goes to @Neèra, and then coils in on itself like a snake that had just been stepped on. No. No, you keep your thirsty little assassin paws away from my people. In the course of her duties, she is not even bothered by the cognitive dissonance of her thoughts. Here, she is healer. Here is she is doing good. Here she will die to protect these violent, angry people. They were her violent, angry people. Before Nusura can reach her, she sees the slumped form of Erna’s distinct body slough away from the crowd. "I shall tend to her. Ronin, if no one has seen to you – come to my tree in the south." She said, matter-o-fact, hoping that @Patchouli would take the opportunity to prove herself, but Nusura wouldn’t dare put the humming girl on the spot. As it were, she chose Erna as her quarry because somehow, despite the fear and wariness in her chest – she felt she could handle her. At least while she was wounded. Hopefully she wouldn't come out with hunting accident wounds like Slaine. As she navigated in the direction of Erna, hoping it was the right direction, she gathered some vines and some leaves to look like she knew exactly what she was doing. -exit Nusura, to follow Erna