Fortune & Blood

Marcella,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Twesh

---

In this simplicity there was a beauty. The Steppe did not need lavish trees towering above nor imposing mountains with their snowy peaks. In the ability to distinguish there was a vastness, a feeling of never ending when one walked through the shrubs and tough grasses. A hardy landscape fit for the survivors, for the tougher amongst them to flourish in. For where else did strength come but adversity? Marcella took a breath of the crisp air, fresh and pure the feeling of a chill filled her lungs and ran down her spine like crackling electricity. She exhaled through her nose; her face a calm and muted façade looking around her with curiosity. Everything in the woman's face was subdued, lessened and moderated by practice and from habit. She seemed content as she stood there looking westward at the grasses and plants that peppered the expanse ahead of her. Where she was going she did not know- she only had a mission in mind, the safety of others to ensure...

Her visage shifted to the east as her scanning continued. Eventually something caught her eye and she set off from her standstill into the east at a modest pace. Her mane curling around her neck and shoulders was shifting with each stride of her powerful legs that she took. Green eyes took the world emerging ahead of her in and carefully critiqued, judging where to head then drifting slightly that way.

@Max

Kaden,

Lion of Junior Member

Played by Max

---

Luck would have it that Kaden got some company that day. The movement in the distance snatched his attention roughly, cool gaze scanning quickly to see what appeared to be a teenage lion but what smelled to be a woman. The lion rumbled something in the back of his throat as he pressed forward to try and catch up to the moving figure in the distance, eventually deciding to let out an actual call for the cat's attention. Kaden knew little of this land, but other lions had a way of being useful in filling in the gaps for him. He wondered if perhaps she would know more than he did.

"You there," Kaden called out with thundering projection. "I am Kaden," he introduced himself quickly so as to cut out as much needless back-and-forth as he could. The usual questions would be something like, "who are you, where do you hail from, what do you want with me?" And, he felt less than enough patience to get through it all.

Marcella,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Twesh

---

A voice caused her ears to twitch and her gait to stall, one leg left hanging in the air mid step as she turned to find and face its source. It seemed to have come from a man of incredibly large stature, no too friendly look a sort but it become evident he was looking for conversation. She returned her hanging paw to the ground and made her way towards him, standing across from with with proper social distancing between still. "Marcella Faust." She offered back to this stranger, her green eyes giving him as much scrutiny and analysis as the world around her. The land offered her what she and her family needed to survive, the lions within it would give her what they needed to thrive. The world was not built upon the back of one lion, the bigger her foundation was before she climbed upwards the more secure she'd be. However odd a stranger approaching her without reason, merely introducing himself and offering nothing more, she would engage. He would be of use one way or another, he did not have to outright ask her a question to be of use to her. Marcella was no stranger to guiding interaction. "Unless you'd rather to just refer to me as 'you'." She quipped with a shrug- her voice a little melodic and joking but her face lacking any sort of sign she was being comical.

"Are you familiar with this area?" The dark woman asked, tilting up her head and jutting it to the left at the further expanse of the steppe beyond them and into its gentle rolling hills.

@Kaden

Kaden,

Lion of Junior Member

Played by Max

---

He trudged forward in great and lumbering steps to try and close some of the gap that existed between the pair, the rough grasses of the steppe pricking at the fleshy pads of his paws. He was no debutante, that much was certain, but even Kaden knew the rituals that went into a social encounter. He was not going to make things any harder for himself than they needed to be so as the lioness neared and revealed herself to be more feminine than previously assessed, he would mirror as much pleasantry as he had to.

"Greetings, Marcella Faust," he remarked with a slight dip of his head. "Not very," Kaden grunted. "I have wandered for a few days and have yet to meet any others. I was hoping you would know more than me." he confessed with a watchful gaze.

Marcella,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Twesh

---

Marcella clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth in a bit of disappointment. He was no local. He wouldn't be able to provide her some of the most essential information she needed. Her thoughts briefly turned to her children and her need to get them settled somewhere. In stability they could be taught the lessons she was, they deserved to be more than nomadic vagabonds... "You're the first soul I've seen outside my family. This land does not seem too populated." Exciting and disappointed both- she glanced back to him with a calm look over her face.

If he would not know where was safest for her she would need to continue to search. He could however, prove good company. A tight bond, perhaps an ally? If this world was truly as inhabited as it seemed there was room to grow her and to create anew. She would rather pick with whom she tied herself to sooner than end up settling later... Marcella wanted to know more of him. "We could talk together for a stretch if you're heading my way?" Marcella suggested. In her past she'd found small talk came easier when your legs were moving. Always have something ready to be talked about her teachers had told her growing up, a persistently changing scenery meant fresh sights at each turn to be brought up should the conversation die. Not that she hoped they'd resort to talking about the grass...

@Kaden

Kaden,

Lion of Junior Member

Played by Max

---

"The joys of being a pioneer," Kaden remarked dryly. It would seem that they were both disappointed to learn more of the other, finding that they did not hold a secret key to unlock the mysteries of the land. He thought that this was what most relationships were--anticipation and then a clicking tongue of disappointment when the cards were laid out on the table. Something about the honesty of it all satisfied him greatly.

"Yes--I suppose we could," the lion nodded intently and began off with a few steps to try and set the pace, his strides large and gallant until he remembered that he was accompanying shorter legs. He corrected himself with smaller steps so as not to appear to be avoiding the lioness. "Is your family here as well?" Kaden questioned as he walked, assuming she would follow suit.

Marcella,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Twesh

---

Pioneer. He gave it a name more romantic than it deserved. For her each day had come with too much worrying, too much doubt that she'd fail after rising to the level she had. In her agreement she snorted a little and nodded her head. Joys indeed. With company now however the notion of walking further still was less imposing and overwhelming. The dark woman set off besides him- taking his gait change in stride she first tried to keep up with him only to slow when his realization hit. She looked at him appreciatively for a moment.

"My own little bit of it yes." Unlike before Marcella let an emotion overtake her features- a pride, a love and admiration for her family she could not contain even with years of practice holding her features calm. "Have you children or a family Kaden? Or do you come here for other reasons?" Would that be an in roads to growing their trust and relationship? She had learned things lately about herself- that despite being the adaptable and skilled creature she was she much preferred to not have to fake her appreciation and fondness. Where she could likely fake it it was easier not to, being sincere did not leave her exhausted.

@Kaden

Kaden,

Lion of Junior Member

Played by Max

---

Kaden shifted his gaze to his right to glance at the lioness for a moment as she answered vaguely. To say that some of her family was here could mean anything from a large traveling guild to a couple of cubs hidden in the brush somewhere. He considered momentarily that she could be far more powerful than she let on, or that this Marcella Faust could be a mere mother. He refrained from playing any cards just yet.

"No children anymore," he grunted lowly. The implication of the sentence said far more than he cared to. "I do not suspect I shall see my family again. Though, you can make one anywhere if you need one." Kaden looked straight ahead once more as he waited for whatever pawn she would sacrifice next.

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Table by Naboo

Marcella,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Twesh

---

Marcella a year ago would not have faltered by his sentiment. Marcella a year ago was not a mother and would not have felt her gut drop at his words. She would have maintained her face, given him appropriate sympathy but without the ability to truly feel that sympathy. Instead her face softened and she glanced across and up towards his face. "I am sorry to have mentioned it." She searched for a second; interested and invested in if she'd pried into something she should not have. There was sincerity to her apology; for a brief moment at least.

"Is that all you would aspire to do? Build a family or do you have other goals in your heart?" She did not suspect he was the tried and true family man sort- but she'd been wrong on first assumptions before. More so she hoped that he might have greater ambitions that than...

@Kaden

Kaden,

Lion of Junior Member

Played by Max

---

"No sense in ignoring reality," he offered with a neutral shrug at her apology. Sure, it had enraged him. He had cried for them. He had tried to kill for them. In the end, he was still this lone rogue wandering without a dime to his name or a family to tell his stories. Wasn't that what everyone wanted, for their life to matter after it had ended? He walked on without glancing in her direction.

"I would like to do as I please. A lion won't get that unless they are alone or in charge," Kaden explained to her plainly. It was not so vain as wanting some grand legacy or servants to fulfill his whims, but rather, a deep resentment towards any lack of freedom, even perceived. "And you, Marcella?"

speech

Table by Naboo