Tourmaline let out a heavy sigh, her face twisted in an ugly scowl. Brink raised a brow at the lioness but ignored her mildly disrespectful grumbles of distain. Instead, he smiled brightly at Aleafy. "I am glad you'd consider my offer. My pride lacks alliance, and as my time to step down from my place as king grows near, I wish for the heir of my pride to have a stable place to begin his reign."

Subtly, the king nodded at his queen and waited patiently for her to pull a flat slab of stone from a satchel at her hip. The stone was covered in deep claw marks that formed vague words in neat paragraphs. She placed it carefully at Brink's paws before returning to his side, wrapping her tail around him with a hint of hostility in her eye.

Brink cleared his throat and adjusted the Jaguar pelt splayed over his haunches with a shift of his hips. "Fortunately, my lionesses assisted me in jotting down a list of things I'd expect from you in this alliance. As our pride is growing at a rapid rate, we are in need of territory and food often. Although, since we began burying extra carcasses, food has not been a terrible concern. Territory is what we need more of, but more prey is always welcome."

"We could use some more Gems for crafting as well," The lioness with Lycaon markings huffed softly, padding closer to her king. The movement disturbed a small mouse atop her head, causing it to squeak sharply and burrow deeper into her fur. She jabbed a line of writing on the slab with a claw. "The month is nearly over and we haven't collected as many as we need. See? There are many items we're missing."

"Ah yes. Thank you, Dog Days," Brink grunted with a flick of his tail, squinting down at the stone. "Gems would be much appreciated. I don't believe we wrote down which ones, though..."

"Hematite, Rough Rubies, Kunzite, Tanzanite, and Rhodonite," Knotte purred enthusiastically. "Lots of Hematite. It looks absolutely stunning as bodywear!"

Brink nodded in acknowledgement before sliding the slab towards Aleafy's paws, dark eyes lifting to meet his. "You are welcome to read over the rest as you please."

SLAB CONTENTS -
• Gems
• Currency
• Territory
• Food
• Hunting grounds
• Herbs
• Decor
• Cubs with mutations that can be passed

(On the back in small, terrible claw-writing)
• A more violent king

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Aleafy lowers his head, reading over the things they have written down. "This is all very good, I'm sure we can make it work" He looks back up to his guests. "I should speak with HeartStrong and OceansSorrows first. come, you can rest within out camp, you must be tired."

He turns on his paws after picking up the tablet, walking back through the entrance of the camp, a leafy wall of brambles have been planted in a circle around where the pride had made their camp for protection. "Do not worry about that buffalo you brought, I shall get some of my huntresses to bring it inside"

The camp is alive with chatter, many lionesses chatting among themselves, a few looking over at the guests with curiosity. cubs can be seen in every part of the grounds, it was clear this pride had no problems with population.

A pink and white lion comes walking over when he notices the guests, his ears back. Despite his pastel colors he has quite a hostile look to him. "Aleafy" He greets his king, before turning his gaze to the newcomers. Aleafy nods his head to the shorter lion. "Afternoon HeartStrong, perfect timing, we were just looking for you." He waves his tail, gesturing to the guests. "We have a pride seeking to form alliances with us."

The Guard narrows his eyes and lashes his tail once. "I thought you gave up on that already, our last meeting with the corvid pride ended in them threatening war." His yellow eyes lock onto the visiting king, lip twitching slightly. "We can handle things by oursel-"

"HeartStrong." The king cuts him off, opening a wing to block him from the guests for a short moment. "Your hostility may have been the reason the corvid pride reacted the way they did. These felines have come to us with the offer of teamwork. They are anything but a threat, and there is nothing wrong with accepting help." He gives his guests an apologetic look.

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Brink smiled warmly. "Yes, we have travelled a bit far. I suppose we should set up some small rendezvous points between our prides in the future should this alliance become permanent, which i hope it will be."

The king squared his shoulders and followed close behind Aleafy, flicking his tail to silently signal for the lionesses to come along. Upon entering the camp, Oriane trotted quickly to his side, her eyes narrowing at any lion whose gaze lingered on Brink for more than a moment.

The lionesses instinctively stepped closer to their king once HeartStrong approached. However, Brink managed to smile half heartedly at the hostile Guard. "Hello there, it's nice to meet you. I am King Brink, and these are a handful of my lionesses who volunteered to assist me in my proposition. Knotte, Dog Days, Sun-Soot, and Tourmaline. At my side stands my queen, Oriane," he purred, nodding to each lioness as they were introduced.

He shook the dust out of his scarce mane, causing Oriane to sneeze quietly. The king rumbled with gentle laughter, earning himself a swipe of the muzzle. He cleared his throat at the feeling of HeartStrong's unamused glare on his pelt. "We only wish to set up a positive relationship with your pride so both can prosper and thrive. I swear on the stars to honor my end of the alliance, should it become official." He said loudly, ensuring that any listening lions nearby could hear his pledge.

The sand-colored king couldn't help but growl lowly at the guard's harsh response. His ears pinned back as a displeased frown spread across his muzzle. He was ever so slightly offended by the lion's hasty judge of his character.

Tourmaline shoved her way through the other lionesses to get a good look at the submale speaking. Her tail lashed violently as HeartStrong spoke, visibly irritated by his presence. She began to step forward, her jaws parting to snap at the pink and white lion, but stopped short as Aleafy's large wing blocked her view. She scowled and waited patiently for the king and his subject to finish mumbling to each other.

Brink blinked slowly at Aleafy, silently accepting the apology while the tension in his shoulders eased. The lionesses that accompanied him also relaxed their muscles. All except for Oriane, who's ears were still pinned flat against her skull. She glared dangerously at HeartStrong, digging her claws into the dirt. "You should be grateful!" She spat. "Brink is being more than generous with this offer, and your hostility is completely uncalled for. Those dirty looks are not being ignored. Perhaps if you didn't look so evil all the time you wouldn't be threatened so much!"

The king cuffed his queen over the head with a large paw, clearly trying to avoid hurting her. "Hold your tongue, Oriane. You don't know the full story behind this lion's hostile nature, and he has a right to be skeptical. I don't need you to protect me or my feelings," he grunted in a firm tone.

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HeartStrong lashes his tail once more. His muzzle crinkles but before he can say a word Aleafy cuts him off again. "My friend.. I know you are worried, the stress of our situation has everyone's tensions high." He looks back to the visiting king. "Please excuse his hostile behavior. HeartStrong is very protective of his family, often to the point of being too hasty and chasing off animals that mean us no harm" He gives a soft but pointed look at the white and pink lion at his side.
The Guard huffs with an annoyed look on his face but has gone quiet, no longer arguing. He avoided the eyes of the visiting lions and instead looks to the side as another male comes trotting over.
The approaching male is an adolescent piebald with beautiful gray and white fur and a patchy growing in pink mane. He has a curious look in his gray eyes as he scans the unfamiliar lions up and down. "Hello there" He greets the guests with a warm smile and Aleafy seems to brighten at the appearance of this young one. "OceansSorrow's, this is Brink" He introduces the two lions to each other. "We were just discussing an alliance"
"An Alliance?" The Adolescent perks up at the words, his ears raising hopefully as he looks to his king then back to the visitors. "That's great!"
HeartStrong takes a step towards the Prince and lowers his head to his level while speaking "They do seem alright I suppose" He mutters and the king holds back a chuckle at the Guards sudden change of opinion. HeartStrong seems to notice this though and straightens again, giving his mane a shake while pinning his ears back.

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Brink nodded carefully, considering Aleafy's words. "I can admire a lion with such deep love for his family and friends." Oriane huffed quietly, her ear flicking with a hint of annoyance as the tension in the air eased.

The group of lions turned to watch the adolescent approach. Brink dipped his head in greeting at OceansSorrows, smiling. "Greetings. I'm glad you feel as enthused as I am about this hopeful alliance. Friends are always good to have, especially in times of need."

Dog Days shook out her poorly groomed fur and stepped to her king's side, clearing her throat. "So, have we agreed on this alliance officially yet? I'm just about ready to go home," She murmured, glancing around uneasily at the unfamiliar setting and the lions that occupied it. "Be patient," Sun-Soot huffed in a low tone. "There is much to consider in new alliances. We'll be home soon enough."

The king glanced at the lionesses, silently shushing them with a quick lash of his tail before returning his attention to the three males. "You have a beautiful territory. Very leafy and green. I will say we have less brambles back home, and the savannah is far more spacious. I believe my lionesses are just a tad uneasy around the undergrowth," he chuckled from deep in his throat.

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"That is completely understandable" The soft king chuffed. "I won't keep you all any longer then you wish to stay" He dipped his head to each of them in turn. "I would say that yes, our alliance is officially in place now. we shall trade resources and aim each other in any troubles we may have. I try to avoid wars where I can, so do not worry about having your warriors having to join us for any.. bloodshed.."
OceansSorrow's waves his tail, watching the guests with hope and nods along to his kings words. "Thank you for reaching out to us, we've been traveling to neighboring prides, but we haven't had any luck so far with other cats wanting to join us" His smile wavers for a moment, growing more serious.
The Guard remains quiet to the side, he still watches the visitors with a wary eye, especially their hostile queen, but otherwise doesn't say another word. His muscles ripple beneath his groomed coat, hinting to the amount of strength he could unleash if needed.
Aleafy takes a step forward towards the entrance again, leading Brink and his lionesses back out of the camp. His wings hook slightly on the brambles, leaving a few feathers behind.
"The weather is bright, I can lead you to our watering hole for a drink before you leave for your journey once more, the day is still young so you should have time for a quick rest"
The brambles rustle behind them as the Prince hurries out after them, clearly wanting to tag along. It doesn't take long for HeartStrong to follow after him, a watchful eye staying on the back of the younger lion before him.

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Brink grinned, showing off his large yellowed fangs proudly. "I'm glad to hear that our alliance is official. Should war come unwillingly to your lands, I will not turn away and leave you to face it alone. You have me and my pride's warriors for support wherever they are needed. I look forward to working with you, king Aleafy," he huffed with a respectful dip of his head.

Oriane frowned and nudged the king with her graceful hips, ears pinned. She leaned up to mumble in his ear while casting a doubtful glance at the three males before them. Brink's smile fell slightly, but he quickly shouldered it away with a hearty laugh. "Ah yes, I almost forgot! Thank you for the reminder my love." He followed Aleafy out of the camp, watching with a raised brow as Knotte plucked the straggling white feathers from the brambles and tucked them into a small pouch on the side of her hind leg.

Slower than before, the older lion padded close behind Aleafy until he was able to reach his newly allied king's side. "As I mentioned before," Brink began, his tone low and serious. "I am close to retirement. Much closer than I am prepared for. I will guide my heir, Othello, from the background but his time grows near to take my place. I'm afraid this alliance will be seeing less of me and more of them as they take the throne. His ceremony has already happened, so I will step down almost as soon as I return to my pride."

The king smiled and blinked slowly at the king, eyes bright and kind. "Just a little warning, so you aren't surprised if you don't see me again. At least not for a while." The lionesses behind the two kings began to murmur in sad, hushed tones.

"You still have plenty of life left in you, my king," Sun-Soot grunted with a stare of determination. "Do not speak as if you're dying."

Brink nodded slowly but said nothing. Instead, he averted his gaze to the beautifully lush environment around them. Carefully, he stepped over a fallen bird's nest and continued after Aleafy with a solemn smile.

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Aleafy returns the solemn look. "I understand my friend, I feel my time is drawing to a near as well. OceansSorrows is to take over after me. Perhaps it would be wise for the two princes to meet?" The king looks back to the adolescent trailing along behind on paws that seemed a little too big for his body.
For a lion his age he was quite small. His pink mane was still growing in but he carried the voice of a lion that was nearly adult. His dim gray eyes look up at the mention of his name, having been looking at the ground to watch his step. His ears perk slightly and he smiles "I'd like to meet him, yeah!"
The king chuffs fondly at the Prince's eagerness to meet a stranger. He admired that a lot about his chosen heir, nothing seemed to intimidate him. He was a lot like his mother..
The guard however scowls at this, yet another strange lion that would be taken into their lands and shown around. "Perhaps we could visit our new.. friends." He says the last word a little too drawn out. "See what their camp looks like and the Prince could have a meeting with their prince" His head raises slightly. "After all, we don't know if your heir will be as eager about this alliance as you are."
Aleafy looks back to his Guard. "I'm sure Brink would have mentioned and already spoken about his plans of an alliance with his heir. If he is to take over soon it would be important that he is on the same page"

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Brink's dark eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "Yes, I'm sure he'd love to meet with a friendly face such as yours, OceansSorrows. He frowns often so I think your personality would make a very good impression on him. The stress of becoming king at such a young as is weighing heavily on his heart, but with the right friends and the right environment, I'm sure he'll be just fine." With a low chuckle, the king turned to his queen. "Oriane made a poor attempt to bond with the prince, but he didn't seem to enjoy her... unique approach."

The Queen scoffed in disbelief. "Yeah, I pointed out his flaws! So what? I thought you told me to help him recognize what he was doing wrong."

Sheepishly, the older male smiled. "No, I believe my exact words were "Get him accustomed to being a leader by offering advice", my love. If that's how you interpreted my words then alright." He chuffed before turning to the Guard. Oriane rolled her eyes, clearly trying to squash down a smile. She turned to watch as Tourmaline batted half-heartedly at a particularly mean looking collection of brambles, trotting over to start up a conversation with the stone-faced warrior.

"Fortunately, Othello is fully aware of what's going on. We dedicated the entirety of today to meet with allies both old and new," Brink said, turning to blink meaningfully at Aleafy. "I even told him to be prepared for an audience just in case you wanted to take a stroll around the territory, which I believe is an excellent idea."

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Aleafy nods his head, mane rustling in the wind. "That would be lovely, why not stay the night then. We could all travel out tomorrow to your lands"
The prince bounds over to walk next to the two kings, his eyes wide and excited. "That would be so cool, is it far from here?" He asks. "You mentioned something about your home not being as grassy as ours, what is it like?" His tail swishes, disturbing the grass around them.
The grass was starting to thin out, the scent of water in the air as they approached the watering hole. It was huge, the water somewhat clear although a misty layer of mud was at the far bottom, lifted by the odd fish flicking about in the depths.
The Guard trotted ahead, startling a small group of zebra at the other side, causing them to call out warning before hurrying to keep a distance from the approaching lions.
Despite the fact OceansSorrows had just asked a question (Well two) his paws itched to go and chase after the large herbivorous or jump in the refreshing water.

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Brink hummed with uncertainty and glanced over his shoulder at the lionesses, who seemed to be visibly more at comfortable outside of the camp. They spoke in hushed voices, tails swaying and eyes bright. Tourmaline and Oriane growled the loudest, their laughter audible but not disruptive. The king allowed a smile to tug at his muzzle watching the females chatter while they walked.

"I'd say yes immediately, but I feel it's important to consult my escorts before making decisions like this. The plan was to go home after a discussion, quick tour, and maybe a bit of exploration. Of course I don't mind the stay, but the ladies might not be comfortable with an extended visit," He said, blinking in surprise as the bouncy young prince trotted over.

Brink smiled widely, instantly afflicted by OceansSorrows' carefree tone. "Our territory itself isn't very far, but our large, shared camp is kept much deeper in to provide more safety. We're decently spread out, organized by smaller groups of lions and each "mini-camp" is managed by trusted lionesses and ambassadors who provide leadership when I am not in the immediate area. I find it to be very efficient."

The sandy-furred king took a moment to survey the beautiful watering hole, his eyes locked on the anxious herd of zebra. He swiped his tongue over his broad muzzle and turned back to the prince who looked to be almost vibrating with excitement. "I'm unsure if it'll stay that way for long during Othello's reign, but our territory is very comfortable and large regardless. We reside in an open savannah with plenty of rivers and lakes that are quite calming to sit by at night. It's spacious and warm, but we also happen to be surrounded by a small yet stunning rainforest that is utilized for hunting, shade, and water when the rivers occasionally run low," he rambled, not paying attention to whether the prince was still listening.

Still within earshot, the five lionesses from Brink's pride padded to the watering hole for a drink. They continued to chatter in low voices, settling down in the sun for a bit of grooming while they talked. Knotte lay splayed on her back in the most shallow part of the water, purring as the gentle ripples lapped and tugged at her piebald pelt. Sun-Soot soon joined her, swiping her tongue over the joyful lioness's chest and shoulders. Within a few minutes, the others decided to move to the shallows and continue the calming activity. Finally at ease, the lionesses gossiped and joked while their king continued his discussion with the other lions.

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"Maybe we can go today then?" OceanSorrow's asks, looking to his king for approval. "He said it isn't too far from here"
The young lion seems enthusiastic to see the neighboring lands, his tail twitching restlessly.
Aleafy smiles warmly to his eager heir. "Not so fast, it is too late today for us to make a trip, and it would be rude to assume we could stay the night" He rests a tail over the piebalds back. "I'm sure our guests would like to discuss privately together first as well. We can visit another day."
The Prince seems to accept this answer although his perked ears lower ever so slightly. He soon returns to his eager self though as he turns to the neighboring king. "Your lands sound lovely, what is your heir like?"
He was wasting no time with asking one question after the other, clearly wanting to soak up as much knowledge about their new partners in the little time they had.
The Guard looked like he had questions of his own, his lip twitched every now and then as if too speak, but the prince always got his own words in first.
After a moment or two the Guard stepped forward and OceansSorrow's took notice of him now they they walked side by side. He grew quiet, looking to the pink and white lion as he finally got a word in. "How large is your pride?" He asks bluntly, there was a stiffness to his shoulders as he walked, almost as if some lion was constantly pulling on his tail and he was ready to snap at any second.

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"Yes, I don't think this evening will be ideal for travel," Brink rumbled, straightening and lifting his muzzle to the sky. His powerful jaws parted slightly as he inhaled. "I believe a storm will be forming shortly, and I'd hate to force you all to stomp through our territory heavy and soaked." He shook out his pelt, blinking slowly at Aleafy. "If you're still open to the idea, me and my lionesses would deeply appreciate being able to stay for just a night while the rain rolls through."

He glanced at OceansSorrows, chuffing fondly as he considered his heir's personality. "Othello can be quite...intense for his age. They were raised by hyenas for most of their life, so caution and hostility has been heavily adopted into their personality." The king let out a small sigh, his tail flicking carefully. "Despite this, I think he'd make an excellent king. He's got the determination and resolve to do so. Not only that, I believe he has a lot of compassion that someone like you, OceansSorrows, could bring out."

Brink continued, smiling brightly as the prince nearly talked his ears off with questions about Othello and his pride. He answered them all honestly and enthusiastically. The king matched OceansSorrows' energy to a tea, rumbling with laughter as the young male's curiosity seemed to know no bounds.

As the Guard spoke, he tossed a curious glance at his lionesses as they began to shift and shuffle towards the three males. "Well, like I said before, we have a large pride. Off the top of my head I'd say we have about sixy-five lionesses in total," He rumbled proudly. "There are only three submales, though, including my son Tye. Then there's Achilles, Vulture, and Orion." Brink's voice hitched slightly at the mention of the final submale, but he cleared his throat and moved on to OceansSorrows' next question.

Dog Days cleared her throat as she padded up to her king, waiting patiently for him to finish talking. "When are we going home?" She mumbled, her legs and belly fur dripping with fresh water. "It's getting late, and I'm pretty much over this tour. No offense, of course. Your territory is beautiful," she added quickly, nodding at Aleafy with respect at the sight of Brink's disapproving glare.

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OceansSorrow's listens to everything the king says with captivation. His gray eyes locked on the visitor as his attention that had been on the zebras completely fades away.
When the lionesses trots over his gaze falls to her, leaving the neighboring king for a moment.
Aleafy chuckles at the lionesses comment. He understood her desire to go home, he too felt uncomfortable in lands that were not his own. "No offense taken, I understand the way you feel completely. You're free to stay the night if needed, but it seems your lionesses are eager to return home" The king says with a warm smile.
The Guard half closes his eyes, his muscles seeming to relax as he hears the discussion turn to the topic of leaving. His muscles quickly re-tense though as OceansSorrow's splashes water at him, nearly getting Brink and a few of the Lionesses wet in the process. "Oh sorry!" He calls out, his words babbled up in laughter as he races off when the Guard gives chase after him.
The king watches the two fondly for a moment as HeartStrong's body sprays water in all directions as he crashes into the water, tackling the Prince. The two roll and with a roar of play OceansSorrow tries to fight back against the larger male.
Any animals that had been brave enough to stay around the water had now fled in a hurry when the two thundered into the water. The shimmering blue surface that had reflected the sun now turned a muddy brown as the two kicked up the dirt at the bottom.
Although the Guards roars were loud and full of challenge while they play fought, there was a hint of amusement and fondness in his eyes as the younger lion slipped from his grasp and shook out his scraggly mane, spraying him with more water.

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Dog Days and the other lionesses turned to look at Brink, who hummed with a thoughtful expression. "I suppose there's no real reason to stay in your territory for any longer, unless there's something more you'd like to discuss," he said with a sheepish smile. "If not, we will likely head home immediately so we can beat the weather."

Knotte seemed visibly disappointed, her perked ears falling only slightly at the mention of returning so soon. "Are we sure there'll be rain? We can stay a little longer, right? It isn't even sunset," she murmured to her king with a pleading expression.

Sun-Soot padded up to the younger lionesses, bumping rumps with her affectionately."We can always come back. Besides, we still have things to do back home so we need to head off before sunset. This was meant to be a quick tour, not a sleepover," she joked. Knotte huffed in defeat, eyes trained stubbornly on her paws.

Momentarily distracted by OceansSorrows and HeartStrong's playful banter, Brink blinked at Knotte with a sympathetic expression. "We'll likely see them again tomorrow since they still require a tour of our territory. No need to be upset. If we don't see them tomorrow, we'll still have a chance to return due to the alliance, remember?" he reassured her with a gentle grin. The piebald lioness nodded slowly, allowing Sun-Soot to comfort her with careful strokes of her sandpaper tongue. "Is everyone okay with this decision?" He rumbled. All of the lioness growled their approval, tugging a pleased purr from the king's throat. It was clear he was a loved and respected leader.

Brink turned and stepped closer to Aleafy, watching the Guard and the prince tussle at his side. "Yes, I think we'll return home soon. I hope I'll see you and the other two tomorrow, though. I'm confident my own prince would love to meet OceansSorrows and show you around the territory." He grunted, gesturing with a flick of his tail at the soaked young male.

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