A river valley between two mountain ranges. A powerful river flows through rocky terrain, creating strong currents and dangerous rapids. Precious gold ore can be found in the river for those brave enough. The forests surrounding abound with life.
But the two remained in their den. It was a large dug-out hole in the ground, with the entrance protected from the elements by a green-camo awning. There was just enough space for Matthias to sit, though he had to stay hunched so as not to scrape his horns against the ceiling. Before him lay Roxanne; she rested on her side, her breathing audible as she tried her best to get some sleep. The sounds of breathing was broken only by the occasional sniffle and cough. Matthias' face was contorted in concern. Roxanne wouldn't look like this if it was just a cold. She'd be out playing in the snow anyway. Why hasn't she been getting better? Matthias had tried his best to give her the herbs she needed, but they didn't seem to work, and eventually Roxanne stopped eating them altogether complaining of a stomach ache. Here, in the darkness of the den, as still as she'd ever been, she looked so small and frail. He could see her ribs poking through her soft, pink pelt, and Matthias had known long ago how abnormally small she was compared to how she should be at her age of nine months. Did she have an ounce of lion in her? If so, shouldn't she be bigger than an average leopard her age?
I need to find someone who can help us. This was the final straw. Even if she got better, he couldn't deny anymore that the two living like rogues wasn't good for their health. Even Matthias looked a bit skinnier than he should, muscles taut on his frame and fur not quite as plush. It seriously messed up his vibe. But more than that, it was an indicator that they couldn't keep living like this. He considered his options.
In the time since they've been here, he only knew of Duskorna and Verdantis, but neither seemed particularly aligned with Matthias' own values. Each had their pros and cons, and as Matthias mulled over the benefits and drawbacks of joining both over Roxanne's body, he had decided he'd 'bout had enough, "Fuck this," he whipped out a coin from his satchel. Paws for Duskorna, tails for Verdantis. He tossed the coin. Tails.
The blue lion exited out of the den onto the crisp, white snow. It was a thin layer that wouldn't survive past tomorrow, but the air was still chilly and felt damp from the recent slushy snowfall. Matthias left to go grab the horse-drawn chariot he had originally commissioned to carry any treasure he found. but Roxanne was small enough to fit inside the box... Mostly. The chariot was made of wood, and where one might sit was instead replaced with a wooden box whose lid could be opened and closed, the inside lined with blue cushions. The male went through the process of picking her up and lifting her into the chariot box, where he noted with increasing concern Roxanne's near lack of a response. She only groaned in her sleep, eyebrows creasing from the disturbance but otherwise limp, her head resting on the edge of the carriage. Then, Matthias trudged through the snow, getting towards the closest monolith that would teleport him close to Verdantis territory.
Once they arrived, Matthias began to walk straight into Verdantis' territory, walking along Whitewater for increased visibility. It was difficult to maneuver around the trees, and Matthias made absolutely no effort to hide his presence. He just had to hope the people here were kind enough to ignore his trespassing, or he and Roxanne would be in a lot of trouble.
Feels a little odd to be posting here but I don't see why Gabriel /wouldn't/ be here lol
Gabriel was made for the cold weather. His dense, curly fur was speckled with a light layer of snow, for flecks had drifted intermittedly on and off throughout the morning. The wolf was patrolling the Whitewater end of Verdantis' territory, marking it with his scent and checking for any signs of danger. It was then when his ears pricked at the sound of something far off in the distance - an odd sound like something large rubbing against the ground. Wary but confident, he attempted to place a shield on himself as he marched forward, tail risen but head lowered to protect his neck. Pretty soon he found the large, loud shape of a blue lion bumbling about - in Verdantis' territory. He did not immediately make a move. The lion was making absolutely no attempt at hiding himself, and he carried with him some strange wooden thing that was attached to his shoulders. He could make out the head of a pink leopard resting on the edge. Using the trees as cover, Gabriel went around to make sure the two were alone, before rounding back to approach the lion from his right.
"Halt," he says, plums of visible breath leaving his maw, "Who are you? Leave the territory of Verdantis at once," he wasn't sure what this male's gain was here, but his voice left no room for negotiation. He kept his foreclaws extended for traction with the earth, ready to make a dash if need be. For all he knew, the lion was just the bait.
Character Diceroll 1: Success Diceroll must be above 500 to be successful.
0 was added for Constitution.
527 was added for Level 5.
0 was added for A. No Enchantment.
3 was added for B. Homeland Buff.
Soon enough, somebody did arrive, and thankfully, they chose not to immediately attack him. Even so, he lowered his head and tilted his horns a bit forward just in case, feeling the mana within him for the energy of lightning. It was a massive wolf, with - are those metallic? ram horns and equally as metallic spikes all along his back. He looked vaguely familiar, as if Matthias had seen him in a dream, and it somehow gave him a tingling feeling of anger or injustice.
Well, that was weird. He'd never seen this man before in his life.
'Leave the territory of Verdantis at once,' the wolf said, "Okay," Matt obliged, turning the wheels around in a bit of a wild circle as he headed out. He kept the man in his peripherals, turning back and forth every few moments to look at him and look ahead of him, "Look, as you can see, my daughter is sick," he took a chance to turn around and look at Roxanne, "I don't know what's wrong with her. The weather hasn't been kind, and hunting is hard alone," ugh, was he really pleading right now? To a stranger? For a brief moment, Matthias admonished being a father. If he hadn't had her, he wouldn't be in this situation; he'd be perfectly fine on his own. But then he thought about the reason why he did have her, and it made all of his negative feelings go away, with a bit of guilt to boot.
Still, it was enough to make Matthias stop in his tracks. He turned to face the wolf, "I just want to see your leader. I'd like to join Verdantis and get her some help. I was told your Kingdom wasn't one to let those in need remain that way," okay, well, Urna didn't exactly describe it that way, but if doing so could tug at any heartstrings this man had, then it'd be a good thing he said it.
