[CHALLENGE] Another Warband (Vir x Hila)

[Epine de Rose]

So this was one of the prides that regarded itself as the 'elite'? The lioness had taken to wrinkling her nose at the salty air, to her senses it wasn't the most pleasant of regions. She wasn't one for high, cutting winds and more to the point, the strong scents in the air rather disrupted the ability to detect much of anything.

...Was it always so foul?

She shook her head, regardless of her views on the weather the group of lionesses had come for a reason. They'd followed a rumour and had challenged various prides and rogue bands in an attempt to find somewhere worthy of their attention. So far they hadn't found it and their last lead had brought them here to where it was said two of their very band had a parent.

Something to do with their father if she remembered right, but their mother had always had an eye for high quality males.

Thus she now turned her attention to those who guarded the borders - some seemed disinterested, but others seemed to have a fire in them that indicated more than just a little, that they had something to prove. She'd sooner deal with those filled with fire than those who were bored, their slovenly nature wasn't exactly appealing to her...

Vashtya

 

[Vashtya]

Hila had been growing frustrated - not only had she been restricted from leaving on Vikings after already having gone on multiples, but then, to add to it, when she'd decided she'd prove her worth by raising her rank (unnecessarily, in her mind, but she'd prove the many naysayers wrong in regards to a female belonging in a Viking party), she'd had little luck in finding challengers to duel.

Today was her...lucky day, apparently, as the young lioness came across...not one, not two, but five lions who were clearly not stormborn...although one of them sported a facial marking that was familiar, indicating at least some degree of a familial tie. While taking on a group of that size was not a smart move, Hila had too much pride to call for any sort of aid...especially with no overt indication that they were aggressive (and more importantly, that they'd all engage her at the same time). So instead of backing down, or even revealing any hesitation, the dark-pelted lioness lifted her lip into a sneer, almost a snarl.

She stepped forward to face Vir, tail lashing with pent-up energy.

"You've come into the lands of the stormborn, so if you're not up to a challenge, for the right to continue farther in, I'll give you a chance to turn around now," she said, giving her a chance to back down, if their presence was indeed a mistake. She was anxious to prove herself, after all...but she'd become even less inclined to senseless violence since taking on her sole thrall, who remained...traumatized by the events that had led to his thralldom (and a long convalescence).

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

Vir's eyebrow lifted as the lioness spoke - clearly there were those who did have some fire left in them even if the rest didn't show it. Granted, this still didn't convince the cream lioness that Hila's declaration was anything to be concerned over, if they were all layabouts like this then wandering further in was something she sincerely doubted any of these individuals would have the capacity to stop her.

...For all their talk she didn't appear to have bought into the spiel of 'mighty' lions.

Still, rather than delay the inevitable and to ensure that the young lioness knew her place, Vir chose to step forward without any further conversation. She was the eldest of the females in the group and had existed in the Nergui since before the other four had been born. Consequently it was her duty to set an example and it would have come at no surprise that she had gone first if this had been known.

Unsurprisingly she had a much calmer demeanour and it was with scarcely a twitch that she plunged forward and lashed out with a paw to start the proceedings off.

Given time, Hila would no doubt have an audience beyond that of the five females!

Vashtya