A long yet smooth howl would pierce the cloudy sky, a summoning for the Sol. The sun was nearly half gone by now, the sky full of beautiful colors, almost matching the colors of the leaves that changed with the season. Aria needed to inform Jupiter of what she found out while she was gone, but before that explain why she left for a bit. Sure a bit was to think about some things but she had to make sure that strange wolf had left, that he wasn't lurking around in the shadows. That's why she was beyond the borders, checking outside her home, wanting to make sure her pack members were safe. Unfortunately she found out about a being while scouting the lands, a feline, leopard that was looking to settle and create a kingdom. Jupiter had to know, they needed to let their members know and to be careful, she didn't want a repeat of that day when that cougars came right into their pack lands and attacked one of her members. She would settle between a few of the trees, sitting back on her haunches, taking in a long deep breath, waiting for the woman to appear and hopefully not be upset. "normal. talk. think. you." Awesome image by Canttina <3

A voice touched her ears in the form of an unexpected howl, waking her easily from her brief and shallow doze that she'd slipped into after her most recent patrol about the borders. Her body lifted as she heaved herself from the earth, analyzing the sound to identify the familiar tone of its holder--Aria. Audits flicked backwards a bit and she sighed, lips twisting into a frown as her mind swirled with mixed emotions. Legs began to cycle in a leisurely but stiff pace, her movements idle as she swept forth to meet the call. The weight of a decision needing to be made clung heavily to her chest but she bore it with great care in her conscience.



The Sol found the woman settled in the midst of the all-permeating mangroves and paused, hesitating where she was standing, her features generally neutral but her cool-hued eyes harder than they usually were. Her voice came out on a low, careful note, revealing the disappointment thick in her mind. "Aria," was all that she greeted the previously-missing woman with, tail swaying with minute but pondering movements.

TABLE + CODING BY TIFF

prone to violent reaction. ic actions have ic consequences and she lives and breathes it.

public enemy #1

crawl. crawl more. drag your hands and knees across the destruction left in my wake to the ends of the earth. there's a green light of a shining star in my sky and there will not be an obstacle i will not overcome until i cup that star in my palms. the void in my will has been filled with purpose. so crawl. crawl more, love.

because i like it when you're on your knees.

In no time the Sol would appear, looking calm but of course that wasn't the case. Her voice held a bit of a tone Aria was expecting, but she would dip her head to the woman. "I know you are upset or annoyed by me Jupiter, I apologize. I should have told you about my small absence, but I assure you, it was for good reason." She would clear her throat, ears forward, body and voice calm, light, wanting to release any tension there might be. She didn't want the woman to be upset with her, or to doubt her as the Borealis, having to remove her rank because of her actions. Hopefully if that was on the colorful woman's mind, Aria could try getting her back, to like her once again. With a small sigh she would roll her shoulders before continuing. "We patrol the borders everyday, making sure nobody is trespassing and that there is no danger. I went outside our borders, searching the land around the one you claimed as Ludicael." Green orbs would remain on Jupiter as she spoke but now her rbows would come together, her voice growing a bit worried. "Somebody not apart of the pack was right on our border before I left on this search, Liste was very shaken by this person's presence so I wanted to make sure whoever it was they were no longer near us. I was prepared for a fight if one broke out, wanted to question them." Would she believe Aria, or think this was just something she made up to save her ass? Oh, she hoped the woman would believe her, this was serious. "He had left the land around Ludicael, fleeing somewhere into the south. He shouldn't be coming back. The other reason as to why I was gone a little bit more, I encountered a feline. He wasn't like the ones who invaded our home two summers ago, this one was spotted and even interacted with me." She would take in a deep breath, ears moving to the side to catch the sound of birds before turning back to Jupiter. "He plans on building his own kingdom, so I fear more felines may follow him and possibly establish near us since we are in a warmer area of the lands." How would she take this? "He was friendly to me but who knows what the other felines might be like, we should inform our pack-mates, let them know to keep their eyes open and not to leave the youngsters alone." "Again I apologize for my absence, I just... had to check this out, make sure the pack would be safe." All she could do was wait now, hope the Sol would believe her and would warn their packmates, they needed to know. And hopefully, she would be able to keep her rank, continue to help Ludicael. "normal. talk. think. you." Awesome image by Canttina <3

Jupiter listened to the woman with an expression unchanging, eyes still hard and demeanor still neutral. Her thoughts churned slowly, dangerously, as she processed the info presented to her. Audits flicked back and she pursed her lips as Aria concluded her explanation of her absence. The woman's chest rose and fell gently as she thought throughout listening, and when Aria fell silent, she parted her mouth to speak.



"I appreciate the info that you have given, but your absence cannot be completely excused. I haven't seen you or scented you in a little over a month, Aria, and that is unacceptable. In your absence, we've had bigger threats than an ambitious feline or a stranger on the borders--Newt has claimed Tortuga and brought her former subjects together. She still wishes for my head and for that very reason she could very well be planning to take it out on all of Ludicael with war." Jupiter paused, her expression becoming near-apathetic. It had to be done. Despite the fact that guilt pricked the back of her conscience, things in Alacritis were changing and Ludicael was going to have to change with it.



"Before running off on a goose chase, did you ever consider speaking to me directly about it? What if while you were out there, looking for this phantom, he didn't actually leave and came back to take our heads in the night? And if he was headed south and was so dangerous, perhaps our southern ally, Seracia, should have been warned." Her tone was stern and should Aria attempt to speak at any point and time before she was completely finished, Jupiter would promptly cut her off without mercy. She had given the courteousy of silence until the beta had finished, and the girl would do the same.



"I have no other choice than to place you at the rank of Gravita for the time being. You will report to your higher-ups and new Boreali, Song and Cherokee, before making any major decisions such as the one you tried to make." Jupiter sighed minutely, the action hardly audible. "Any questions?"

TABLE + CODING BY TIFF

prone to violent reaction. ic actions have ic consequences and she lives and breathes it.

public enemy #1

crawl. crawl more. drag your hands and knees across the destruction left in my wake to the ends of the earth. there's a green light of a shining star in my sky and there will not be an obstacle i will not overcome until i cup that star in my palms. the void in my will has been filled with purpose. so crawl. crawl more, love.

because i like it when you're on your knees.

She would go on about how she had been gone, that her absence was unacceptable. That they have had bigger thread, informing her of Newt claiming Tortuga and still wanting her head. Whose fault was that? Not Aria's not Ludicael's, it was Jupiters. And she brought up war, of course, it would come sooner or later. But she would try turning it on Aria now, which she couldn't help but bring her back, air going through her nose. She had followed right after that man on a clear night, there was no way he would have tricked her and got back. So all her work was for nothing, she wanted to rip Aria apart for trying to help. Then it came, she was being demoted and Song and Cherokee were now the Boreali. Oh, the things that wanted to spill from her lips, the outside calm, but inside raging. It was then that she asked for any questions. "Yes, though it is more like a request. I would like to be allowed to leave Ludicael." Voice was calm, a bit empty . It was all she would want from this point, there was no way she could be below two wolves who just joined when she had been here since Jupiter called wolves together to form this pack. She had worked her way up from a lunav, to iridia, to borealis. She had helped gain members, looked out for them. It was like a stab to the heart right now. "normal. talk. think. you." Awesome image by Canttina <3

Eyes narrowed at the woman, chin raising. Could she have heard the thoughts in the woman's head, she would have made sure the girl knew her place and the place of those above her. Song and Cherokee had earned their own status in the pack over months of their own consistent and devoted work while her now-former beta had been off on a wild goose chase. And, yes, the woman may have killed Kaios but war was war, no matter who it was started by, and the alpha only had the best interests of her pack in mind now. Jupiter's ears flicked back at the request and she examined the woman with hard, cold eyes.



"You would leave because you cannot have your place?" she inquired, voice returning neutral but an underlying edge in the connotation of her words. "Because there were others working harder than you for months? While you were gone for almost half a season?" Her jaw set, nose wrinkling slightly. Her earlier apathetic tone had manifested in every bit of her emotions and she found her paws itching. "And what will you do should I allow for you to depart? Worm into another pack, squirm up their ranks, and then be cross when you lose your place for good reasons, and then repeat the cycle?"

TABLE + CODING BY TIFF

prone to violent reaction. ic actions have ic consequences and she lives and breathes it.

public enemy #1

crawl. crawl more. drag your hands and knees across the destruction left in my wake to the ends of the earth. there's a green light of a shining star in my sky and there will not be an obstacle i will not overcome until i cup that star in my palms. the void in my will has been filled with purpose. so crawl. crawl more, love.

because i like it when you're on your knees.

With a sigh the woman would look down at her paws as the woman spoke, understand what she meant, taking it in. She did understand why it had come to this, was just a bit annoyed. But as she sat here thinking about it she thought it would be a nice time to cool down from pack life, after all, she had been born into the world of a loner long ago. Perhaps she could become a traveler. "I thought what I did would be good, but it turns out it was stupid of me to think such a thing". She finally spoke, still keeping calm, looking up at the woman who was starting to boil. "I have been working hard, which was why I went out of my way to track the wolf and bring back news of the feline. And I wasn't gone half a season, just a few days." Why did she think she was gone so long? "Should you allow me to depart, I shall live the life of a rogue like my parents. It was nice being in a pack, but, it doesn't seem to quite fit me. It was fun and nice." If she wanted to lose it she could, Aria was being calm and trying to not raise her voice and spew unnecessary things. "This demotion is not what is leading me to make such a decision, I have been thinking it was time I should leave and do things I wish I did before joining." Yes, it would be nice to explore the other lands, maybe even go further and see what was out there beyond Alacritia. "I was hoping to leave on good terms..." "normal. talk. think. you." Awesome image by Canttina <3

"You thought it was time to leave and yet you come back, seeking me out to explain yourself in hopes to keep your rank?" Jupiter inquired with a frown. She would not mentally accept that Aria had any other reason to plead her case to her alpha--in her naturally suspicious mind, it was the only conclusion she could come to. She took a deep breath but her audits tipped backwards, her weight shifting as she pulled herself to her paws, standing as an eerie calm suddenly came over her. "We will be on good terms as far as I am concerned--such doesn't deserve to be the target of your worry. But your request to leave Ludicael is denied, and the offer of Gravita revoked." Timbre was laden with no spite but instead with the same calm that she had suddenly tipped her demeanor towards. Jupiter had never been one for prisoners or forcing those against their will, but the murder of Kaios had injected her with an apathy she had not obtained the chance to show--and the victim that fell prey to it would be Aria.

TABLE + CODING BY TIFF

prone to violent reaction. ic actions have ic consequences and she lives and breathes it.

public enemy #1

crawl. crawl more. drag your hands and knees across the destruction left in my wake to the ends of the earth. there's a green light of a shining star in my sky and there will not be an obstacle i will not overcome until i cup that star in my palms. the void in my will has been filled with purpose. so crawl. crawl more, love.

because i like it when you're on your knees.

With that done the shewolf would push herself up calmly, taking a few steps back, about six before lifting her head and gazing at the woman. "I shall challenge you then, for my freedom. And if I lose I will keep trying." She did not lose her temper yet, she would remain calm, channel what ever feelings she had into her bites and moves. Aria would not be held here against her will, that's not what she remember this beautiful place to be. She would keep trying no matter how many times she lost, it wouldn't hurt her pride if the woman beat her down, it would only drive her to do more. She would stand there now, waiting for the woman's answer, would she accept or deny? She had a feeling she would accept, just to put Aria "in her place" for sure if she were to lose. It would be interesting, the last time they did a small spar they had ended in a tie. Legs were spread, weight evenly distributed, a bit loose to keep her movement fluid but grounded and balanced. She would need to worry about trying to keep her weight even on her limbs, keeping her head level with her body to help as well. Balance with her tail wouldn't be allowed due to its absence, she would need to do whatever it took. Her legs were bent slightly, some weight going to her toes in case she needed to move swiftly. Ears swiveled to the side, laying back against her head in protection. Fur rose, head going a bit back to create a few small layers as protection for her neck, eyes narrowed but focused on the woman, watching for signs of advancement and defenses she would put up. Already she was plotting moves in her head, wondering what the woman would do. ================= Round 00 of 03 =================== ATTACKS;; N/A DEFENSES;; Legs spread to distribute weight, along with her head level with body. Limbs loose for fluid movement yet grounded and balances, on toes for swift dodge if needed. Ears back, head back a bit and shoulders forward to scrunch neck fur/skin for protection. Eyes watching for defenses, narrowed for protection. INJURIES;; N/A

Determined words flowed easily into Jupiter's audits and a smile upturned the corners of her ebony lips, a fond chuckle rumbling from the depths of her chest. Optics attentively observed as the other woman shifted into a battle-ready position. "That's the Aria I know..." came a low, almost sad statement of what could be passed as relative affection. Memory flickered back to their previous "spar"--a draw only in the mind of the other. Before, there had been not an inkling of malice--it had been a standardized test Jupiter had dropped to a level lower than the Sol usually performed at. Shaped to receive any potential skill level and dumbed down to the lowest average, it had been simple and fit so that even a yearling could have broken even with her if they had even an inkling of battle knowledge.



But this was different.



A goal unknown to Aria sat lightly in Jupiter's mind, permeating her thoughts as she considered her actions. Legs shifted outwards slightly, her weight distributing easily and evenly about her limbs, focusing toward her toes. Triangular audits tipped back to pin firmly against her skull as she recalled the chunk missing from the middle of her left ear, received in her final battle for Ludicael. Tail evened to parallel with the level of her spine, Jupiter's sight taking in once more Aria's lack of the appendage as well as her partially-damaged sight. The Sol's own undamaged eyes narrowed at the slightest, lips curling in a silent snarl and jaws gaping just a tad, prepared to snap open at the slightest of notice and seek flesh. Her head shifted defensively backwards to bring the fat on her neck thicker about her throat and her shoulders shifted forward to minutely guard her chest. With her weight equally distributed and not heavy upon her front limbs, her shoulders blades remained naturally tucked under the planes and curves of her back fur, making the bony area much less of a target.



With her muscles tensed and legs slightly bent in preparation should extreme movement be needed, Jupiter allowed a breath to pass evenly and calmly through her lips, another rumble of a chuckle lightly quaking her.



"As it is you that wishes to fight for your freedom, it is you that will make the first move towards it."


Let the games begin.





JUPITER VS. ARIA

for

DOMINANCE AND FREEDOM

round 0/3


ATTACKS: n/a


DEFENSES: ears pinned, neck srunched, weight evenly distributed and forward on toes, eyes slightly narrowed, tail even with body; shoulders pushed forward and shoulder blades not sharply protruding. Legs slightly bent and shifted outwards and muscles tensed in preparation to move should it be needed. Jaws slightly parted to try and deter the appeal of an attack on the base of her jaw/upper throat and to snap at flesh.

INJURIES: n/a

"speech"