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Her brother had already made his challenge. He had already won it and, while the offer had been extended, Myrnh had insisted that he didn't wait for her. She didn't need his gloating. Fashaq had always been the better fighter than she had and while he had offered to fight on her behalf the pale and orange lioness didn't want to live her life in her brother's shadow.

She had waited a full day after Fashaq had entered the pride to make her own challenge. The lioness moved towards the borders and just waited. A pale ghost in the evening shadows, Myrnh didn't let lose a roaring call. She just waited. Someone would come.

"You're being awfully patient," the serpent murmured from her side.

"Oh, shut it," the lioness grumbled in return. "I'm planning."

"How to best beat you," she responded curtly, eyes narrowing a touch as she looked over the lion that approached. "Assuming you would accept my challenge for entry to this place."

Myrnh was not by any means a large lioness. She was on the petite side and moved with fluidity that wasn't unlike the movements of her snake companion. Still, she wasn't really the star definition of a fighter. She acknowledged that tactic would have to play a good part in this.

At her side, Veda seemed to share the sentiment. The snake looked from the orange lion that had approached them to her longtime companion. Though she would never say anything to the lioness, Veda always fancied herself the one of the pair to have their head firmly attached to their bodies. She was on the side of having Myrnh's brother fight in her place. But something something something excess pride. At some point, Veda had learned not to argue.

And, true to form, Myrnh did her best to not let her insecurities show. Her shoulders squared and she looked the lion in the eye. She had big talk, sure, but could she back it up?

'little Kitten'

The goading made her lip curl into a snarl. Never really one to deal well with her ego being prodded, the provocation made her lunge on the spot. The large snake on her side hissed and moved out of the way of trampling claws.

Myrnh's boddy hugged low to the ground as she moved towards him. What she lacked in muscle she made up for (to some extent) in speed and deceptive, feinting motions. She ducked in close, trying to position herself away from the bulk of his mass. Myrnh would acknowledge, though certainly not out loud) that he certainly had the ability to flatten her. She would have to avoid that. Drawing close in a quick motion, the pale lioness made no hesitation to strike. A single paw swept up from the ground towards his face in an attempt to get a first strike in hopes of throwing him off his game before he could get an upper hand.

She had some ground on him, and gods be damned if she was going to slip up now. There was no way she would ever face her brother again knowing that he had gained entry to the pride on his first try while she made stupid mistakes and ruined the chance that she had.

Calder was bigger than she was. Of that there wasn't any hint of a doubt. He was bigger and almost certainly stronger and she was well aware of the fact that if he had landed his lunge, there would be no recovery. That would be it.

So there was no way she could let that happen. Even if her brother could come to her rescue, she'd rather wither here on the spot than be taken in as a thrall.

Myrnh waited until he lunged--until he was in the air and couldn't change direction--before she went to move out of the way. The lioness sprung forward, out from under him. If all went right she would be out of the way of his attack and ready to counter.

He was down. If she was going to end it, she had to do it now.

But somewhere in her, she had realized the same truth that he had known. He could take her. She could go for an ending blow, but even then he could outpower her. Myrnh had to find some other way to get him to yield. Her eyes widened with the realization, but she moved forward anyways.

The look in her eyes was enough for her companion to get the hint. Veda had been at the lioness' side for a long while, now. Had helped her through thick and thin. They were good partners, the two of them.

Myrnh leapt at him, the entirety of her weight behind the lunge. She aimed to stand above him, claws at opportune positions to threaten though not deadly, uncomfortable blows.

"I wouldn't get up," she murmured when she was close. The snake, large and fangs bared, had curled itself protectively around the base of her body.

"I really wouldn't," the serpent hissed, trying to be as threatening as possible.

The lioness didn't say anything as he left. Now did she immediately move to follow him. Myrnh stood and watched him go and, once he was a reasonable distance away, she huffed a breath. He may have thought her a cheat, but she had no shame in her actions. She'd won. Though she hadn't out-muscled him (and she doubted she ever would be able to), strength came in different forms.

"Lets go," she murmured down to the serpent that had relaxed at her side before moving into the lands. Not just any lands, she supposed. Her new home.