LOCATION: NEBRORA PLAINS

So this is how it's gonna work! Lucien is gonna call a meeting for the event/assume lions are gonna show up and start to explain what this is. From there is where your lion can challenge for any rank up to Duke. Challenges end on SUNDAY, AUG. 4TH, meaning no other lion can challenge for a rank after that time. All the fights are gonna happen in this event thread so keep it short and to the point, as well as making sure you're reading correct posts if you're fighting! Easy enough, yeah? And don't forget to familiarize yourself with both the combat guide and rank guide!

Nebrora was bustin' at the seams and it was a glorious feelin'. Seein' how quickly the new pride had grown was a bit of a surprise to the dun man, but it was a welcomin' emotion. He never thought he'd have such a followin', and it only caused for his confidence and pride to swell inside his chest even more than normal. Large paws carried a large frame toward an open area (like the Plains wasn't an open enough land), large enough to hold multiple brawls with multiple lions. Golden eyes survey his surroundin's, makin' sure that no debris would get in the way of what was gonna happen. Raisin' his maw up into the air Lucien would let out a series of loud chuffs, callin' out to any Nebrora pride member that wished to advance up the hierarchical ladder.

Ambitious lions of Nebrora, thick, drawlin' voice would boom out, his tail flickin' behind him and ears prickin' forward, it's time t' see who has the most ambition in takin' on a rank! Ya' want a rank? Challenge for it! Let's get the blood runnin'! This should definitely be fun and interestin', and it would give the Plains King a chance to observe which lions were hungry enough to help the pride, as well as givin' him a chance to see how they all fared in battle.

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She had bided her time, and perhaps it had been well worth it. Arsynia was one of the first to arrive to her King's call (something of pure luck, she'd just happened to have been lurking nearby). A swell of changes had stirred her desire, and time had given her the strength she needed to take and conquer. As much as she wanted to seem an asset to a King she considered a friend and ally (to whom she still owed a debt, she felt, oddly), there was a part of Arsynia that yearned for recognition. Never was she one to lust for power outright. A rank and title meant nothing if she did not command the respect it fear it took to wield it, and never would there be any such a weight as heavy enough as Queen, but to fill his ranks nonetheless and show her display of power would be enough for the lioness to flourish. Arsynia Tollaire approached the battlefield with a sense of resolve. Her gaze focused forward, her eyes narrowed; she came to stand along the King's left side, but left a good two or three feet of space, in case her declaration was challenged by another ambitious lioness. Her defenses steadied; her eyes narrowed, her neck bent to protect her throat, the fur on the back of her neck raising and fluffy outwards to protect the tip of her spine. Her legs spread to increase her balance and fortitude, and her tail flared out to assist with her defensive posture. She appeared ready to fight, and though her claim were low and meant for Lucien, it was the signal of her assertion for any nearby to watch and listen as Arsynia Tollaire conquered. Arsynia vs. ??? for Duchess o of v

His calls rang out across the land and Adrestia could feel the adrenaline already beginning to course through her veins. This is what she had been waiting for. The peach colored lioness had been here prior to Lucien's reign and she had no intentions of giving up her previous rank, Baroness. It was a title that she had been proud of, one that called for recognition within the pride as well as ample responsibility. Although she could easily allow herself to melt into the background of the pride Adrestia Casimir had no intentions of doing so. This was her time to shine, to prove that she was worthy, and she was ready to take anyone on head on if it meant securing the rank for herself. When she arrived to the battlefield Lucien was already joined by the chocolate hued lioness that Adrestia hadn't been familiar with, then again she hadn't been familiar with hardly anyone that had come to join the plains. However it seemed that she was challenging for the rank of Duchess, a rank that did not interest her. Adrestia moved to make her way further from Lucien and Arsynia, this would be ample space for the battle that would potentially take place. She squared her shoulders, muscles tensed, and let out a low snarl. "Baroness." She declared for Lucien to be made aware before she shifted her gaze, watching and waiting for anyone who might think to challenge her. Her neck craned downward so at to protect itself, her fur rippling and spiking with suspense. Her tail flicked once before lowering itself to help provide her balance and then she waited, would there be challenges for her and Arsynia?

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Adrestia Casimir vs. ???
for Baroness
0 of 4
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@lucien @arsynia

In another life, the call would have held no pull for the silver beast, but things had changed. He had change, if only a bit. He may have spent his youth as the carefree spare to the spare, willing to let his sisters shoulder all the political burden, as it was their place. Now he had come to realize that his name only meant what he made it mean. A smirk of amusement pulls at his lips as he approaches through the sparse trees. Arsynia, of course, is the first to call out her challenge. As he comes into view, he sees the large lioness he'd seen around claiming her own rank, rather than fighting for Duchess. The tension between the predators gathered was already palpable, and as he reached those gathered already, he glanced at Arsynia with his own look of thrill on his features, knowing she would likely enjoy this very much. He took his place opposite of Lucien after greeting his king with a respectful nod.

His limbs steadied themselves and he shook out the dark curls of his mane, thickening the barrier around his neck and chest. His shoulders rolled forward, balancing his weight in preparation of an attack. His eyes were closed momentarily as he steeled his resolve. It had been a long time since he'd been in a fight. There was a deep animistic desire that had been long-suppressed after their journey and his weakness. But he was weak no longer. Silver hide gleamed in the sunlight, muscles filled out the way they'd meant to be, broad shouldered, heavy limbed. Blue eyes opened, though remained narrowed slits, and without moving his head from front he grumbled, "Duke," to Lucien, before dropping his jaw to announced his challenge to the rest of the valley. Ivory claws slipped out to sink into the earth in anticipation as he lowered his heavy skull to protect his throat, tail twitching out behind him anxiously. The look on his face and in his eyes was ice and stone.

Dresden vs. ???
for Nebrora Plains Duke
0 of V

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@lucien @arysnia @adrestia

Tintalle was not ambitious, far from it. She had been born in the middle of her siblings. Keya, Tintalle, Dresden. Keya was set to be The Crow for their family and did not intend on ever picking the title up if Keya decided she didn't want it. Tin would forever believe that ranks were of little importance and she could easily pull her weight without a shiny title. It didn't mean that she would avoid her pride, though. The maiden made her way to Lucien's gathering and eyed her brother first and foremost - much healthier than the weeks prior - as he called for a rank. Tintalle wasn't too sure if he was truly ambitious but at least he was making an effort somewhere. Tintalle looked to Lucien, her King, and gave a polite and whimsical smile. More than anything, she hoped that her lack of participation would not be met with mirth and irritation. Tin was a woman built on knowledge and not brute strength, perhaps over time Lucien could see that about her but for now she simply had to hope that he would be forgiving for her sideline behavior.

PANDORA The woman stirred from her task; she tended to end up in a zen like state when organizing her cache of herbs. A call from her king cutting through her trance, the last bundle of plant gently placed on the ground before her niches. She would finish later; they would keep a couple hours or however long the meeting would take. With one last look to make sure everything else was tidy and neat, the woman pivots. Emerging from the hollow she had claimed on a upper slope of a hill. Blinking at the blinding sunlight with her mismatched eyes, she took a moment to orient herself and then set off. When she had pledged herself to the Cowboy king, she had mentioned she liked to be useful. As she arrived the words falling from Lucien's mouth brought the smallest of smiles upon her lips. Here was her first chance to prove how useful she would be. Another lioness had arrived and laid claim to the rank she had set her sights upon. The woman nodded to her king and then narrowed her gaze @Arsynia . "I do believe I'd make as good a Duchess as you" she declares quietly to the brown woman. It remains unsaid, unimplied, but secretly she thought she would make not just as good a, but a better Duchess than the stranger. After all, she was good with others and was a healer and thus used to being responsible for other creatures. That said. If Arsy wanted the power and prestige that Duchess required she would have to work for it. For while she is a kind soul, a healer, by trade she had learned of battle from one of the best. A creature whose brutality had been passed onto her, leaving her armed and dangerous when she chose to be. Like now. Her ears folded against her skull, eyes still narrowed as she considered the woman. Her form drops to center over her legs, their joints bending to allow for liquid movement. Head on as she was, she had to consider her options carefully. Tail raises, lashing thoughtfully behind her straightened spine, her neck curving just enough to let the gape of her open jaws protect her throat. As there was distance(about a lion length and a half) between them, rolling her shoulders forward would have to weight until they were locked in battle. For long moments tension built between the pair before she exploded forward with little warning, covering the space between them in a few steps and a small leap, her extended claws digging in for traction. Her first tactic, as learned from Jaeger, was to respond with overwhelming force. On the down arc of her leap, she aims to plant a forelimb(her left) between the Tollaires own front legs, shoulder blade thrusting forward with the step. Hoping to ram the woman and cause significant bruising. It was also aimed to prevent movement, to keep her within range of her simultaneous attack with jaws and right fore. Right front leg curves up and towards the woman, hoping to latch on and hold onto the back of her opponent's left shoulderblade. Using the upper curve of the woman's bone as an anchor for her claws, just below her spine and before the curve of her ribs begin. Her own skull turns towards her left(Arsy's right) and hopes to latch onto the woman's neck behind her skull. Where muscle wrapped the side. Upper eye teeth aimed for the woman's ear and the flesh surrounding it, while the lower hoped to latch into the muscle above the right side of her throat. She didn't aim to maim her pride mate, just cause her to back down. As her forehalf proceeded with her attack, her hind claws dug into the earth, tail extended to its full length for balance. Bent knees and broad spread of her hindlimbs, along with the left fore acting as a tripod, kept her stable. Her eyes and ears remained in their defensive positions, a glint of determination in the former. She would not loose. Arsy vs Pan for Duchess round 1 or 4

ARSY VS PANDORA HAS BEEN PAUSED PENDING STAFF DISCUSSION

Both participants will be PMed when the fight is unpaused.

ADRESTIA IS NOW BARONESS OF NEBRORA PLAINS
Due to nobody responding to her challenge.

DRESDEN IS NOW DUKE OF NEBRORA PLAINS
Due to nobody responding to his challenge.

ARSYNIA VS PANDORA IS NOW UNPAUSED
Arsynia has 3 days from this post to respond.

Arsynia would have been lucky to think she would have gone unchallenged. As it would be, perhaps Adrestia and Dresden would be the lucky ones that day (and what a humorous thought, knowing that the only men in the pride were their impending Duke and the King himself, who could even challenge him?). But there was no shortage of ambitious women in the pride, and as Arsynia's opponent drew into the territory and challenged her claim, Arsynia reinforced her defenses. She had already been prepared for a wordless approach or an ambush (and a poor choice it would have been, given the Wolf's proximity to the King himself), but Pandora had given enough time in her own entrance that Arsynia could return the lionish formalities. I do believe I'd make as good a Duchess as you, she crooned quietly, spurring a small smirk to flare across Arsynia's dark lips. A voice seemed to stir deep inside of her, but it was otherworldly, and not very lionlike at all. It sounded as if it were a dragon's fierce roar. There was nothing more than wildfire and steel in her words. “I was born of dragons and Kings, girl,” she bellowed in the time Pandora set her defenses, her voice echoing across the plane of their tense distance, “You'd be lucky if you were as worthy as the dirt beneath my feet.” Arsynia was no healer, she was a warrior. She was the fire that licked the heels of heathens, the stone walls that protected kingdoms unflinchingly, the sword that felled enemies and decapitated traitors, the unyielding winter that tore babes from their mother's bellies; she was the Sun, she was untouchable. Her defenses were set (her ears pinned against her head, her chin lowered to protect her neck, her legs spread to provide a better balance), but in the long moments between Pandora's own defenses and her initial leap, Arsynia was able to anticipate her approach (after all, should Pandora fight with her teeth and not her words, she would need to charge her, would she not?). So in the long moment before Pandora charged, Arsynia allowed her leg's rigid hold to fall in favor of someting more fluid. She rushed quickly to a quick one-two side-step to her right that put her at exactly her own width to the right of where she was moments before. It was all she had time for before Pandora surged forward, quickly clipping the distance between them. Perhaps in her own excitement, Pandora had not anticipated Arsynia's change in position, and when she leapt forward, her left paw did not fall between Arsynia's spread front legs, but instead landed a few inches just past the outside of Arsynia's left forelimb. Pandora's left shoulder attack was able to clip the bottom of Arsynia's left shoulder, but it slid past, and left nothing but a mild bruise in its wake. Arsynia's teeth gritted at the sharp pain, her eyes clenching at the initial ferocity behind the attack. Pandora's right paw reaches upward, as if having anticipated Arsynia not moving, but because Arsynia is now firmly to Pandora's left side, the right forepaw swipes at nearly nothing more than air. It does, however, allow Pandora's left swing of her head to make contact with its intended target. Because Arsynia managed to put distance between them, Pandora's teeth find their intended marks, but with a smaller strength. With her ears pinned firmly against her head still, Pandora's teeth are only able to leave small scrapes across the back of her left ear, where the soft insides of her ears are flushed against her skull and protected. Her lower jaws, stretched wide in order to reach the awkward top portion of her left neck, also scrape there, leaving long but shallow scratches from just below her jawline to a few inches beneath that. The damage is minimal, but tensions and ferocity run high. Given that Arsynia is now at Pandora's left side, and she is unfettered from any sort of hold, she is able to take her lowered chin and twist her head entirely to her own left. She surges her jaws forward (at the expense of a few more cuts along her left ear and neck, but given Pandora's loose bite, she is not held in place), and aims to close the inches of distance it would take to reach Pandora's neck. Given their similar heights, Arsynia potentially has no trouble in her attempt to firmly bite onto Pandora's neck. She has every intention of grabbing and holding, so she cares little in reaching any vital parts. Rather, she hopes to bite and hold firmly in the center, just before halfway down, on the left side of Pandora's neck. Her left paw also reaches upward and to the left, aiming to swipe Pandora's planted left limb in an attempt to unbalance her. Her claws reach outward in their wake, and if her paw hits its mark, it would have reached behind Pandora's left leg halfway down the foreleg, and pulled it back toward her, as if attempting to sweep it from under her. At the very least, her claws might have left minor scratches in the area, if not taken a bit of a hold should Pandora's balance remain. In those brief moments after her quick reaction, Arsynia reinstated her balance as best as she could with three paws. As her left leg had lifted, her other legs bent in junction, spreading a few inches further to keep her center of gravity well balanced. Her ears remained pinned, and with her jaws occupied, her fur fluffed around her neck to protect it while her head was compromised. She closed her eyes, if only for a brief blink, but it felt as if time passed in centuries. Arsynia vs Pandora for Duchess i of v

@Pandora

It would not long before the ones he assumed would be hungry 'nough for a position in higher ranks would arrive. Golden eyes would sweep over each one, givin' a bob of his head in both silent greetin' and a confirmation that he was ready to watch them duke it out with whomever wished to go head-to-head. But alas only one would be competin' today for the ranks of Duke and Baroness would be claimed without much fuss. A soft huff would be released from Lucien; ah, well. At least he'd see one battle and get to observe how the two women fought.

Congrats on the new ranks of Duke and Baroness, his drawlin' voice would commend, I expect more from my ranked members. It would be nice to have others than himself patrollin' and keepin' things in order, that was for sure. But it was also nice to have the hierarchy fill out a bit simply due to the fact of bringin' in new members. The dun man would make himself comfortable, lettin' his rump find the grassy ground beneath him. His tail would thump the ground in idle fashion, ears prickin' forward and his attention now solely on the two lionesses. One would come out the victor, and he was curious as to see who it would be.

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