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Jupe had headed to the border of the pride, not necessarily looking to take on the few challengers that appeared here and there, but rather as a means to escape the hustle and bustle of the pride. She loved the security of living within a large pride, but she could do without dealing with most of the lions that dwelled within it. The black and blue lioness was irritable by nature and hard to get along with. She had few friends, and those that she did make knew only to approach her when she was in a well enough mood.

Tonight, she was a little irritable.

There was a roar in the distance. 'A challenger', she thought, and for a moment she remained in place as she considered whether she wanted to answer it or not. The sound was feminine, but rough, coarse, as if there was gravel in the creature's voice. Sighing, Jupe decided that it would be far more fun to accept a challenger than it would be to wander back towards the heart of the pride.

A few of the members within it had put her into a particularly bad mood. She suspected they knew who they were, too. Actually, Daijur certainly did, and probably reveled in that fact.

The small lioness walked towards the direction of the roar, and upon seeing who the challenger was, she greeted the equally dark lioness with, "Well, challenger, let's see what you've got."

A Stormborn was always ready for a fight, whether one looked like it or not. Jupe was a little surprised by Calypso's intensity and eagerness to fight. She had remembered a bit more polite conversation when she had challenged her way into the pride. This lioness didn't wait for pleasantries, and perhaps that suited Jupe just fine right now.

She didn't attempt to dodge, or even immediately counterattack. Jupe waited for the moment that Calypso landed against her, and allowed the lioness to push her back onto the ground. Down on her back, she used her hind legs to shove up against Calypso's stomach and catapult the lioness over her head. Both felines rose back to their feet. Jupe had made the more effective recovery, her knowledge and skills attributed to the few times she had been out on vikings. Jupe had a better battle sense, but her opponent's tenacity was impressive.

Blue eyes watched as the other lioness struggled back onto her feet with an angry snarl. A cocky smirk blossomed across Jupe's face, and she hunched down, preparing herself for another assault that was surely going to be quick to come. Her opponent did not seem like the type of lioness to be disheartened after one failed attack. In fact there was something primal about Calypso's movements, a deep rooted drive that refused to accept failure.

Jupe was dying to see if she could snuff out the drive in the lioness circling back around her.

Claws smarted against her face, pain blossoming as her flesh was torn. Jupe could call the challenge now, she had seen enough to prove the lionesses' worth. But, now she did not want to. She would not this let one get off so easy, not after causing her unnecessary pain. Jupe refused to back down from this fight without taking something back from her challenger.

There was a point in every fight where Jupe could come to enjoy the exhilaration. It was rare that she fought someone who was nearly on equal terms with her. Jupe may have been smaller than the other lioness, but she was certainly smarter when it came to fighting. Calypso's condition wasn't great either. The hard life of a rogue could do that to someone. Jupe knew that best, because she had been one for quite a long time before joining the Myrsky Syntynyt.

With a roar she pushed forward, back legs propelling herself against the other lioness until she felt Calypso fall back again. "You c**t," she growled, feeling blood hot against her cheek. She doubted that it would leave a permanent scar, but she would hate to have to explain how she got the mark to anyone. If Daijur saw it she was sure she would never hear the end of it.

Her words spoken, for the first time Jupe went on the offensive. She circled the other lioness, waiting for the opportune moment to strike, and when it presented itself she charged. A paw swiped at Calypso's legs, intending to knock her off of her feet and put her into a humiliating defeat.

"Enough!"

The lioness suddenly roared, slamming her paw down on Calypso's chest to stop her. Their tousle had ended up with Jupe on top, carefully maintaining control of the larger lioness. Her tail swished angrily from side to side. Long strands of blue bangs hung over her eyes as she looked down to the volatile lioness underneath her. Chest heaving from her exertion, she carefully peeled herself back away from the lioness. For a moment, she expected Calypso to try and continue the fight. The lioness didn't seem like the type to give up easily.

But, Jupe had, in her mind, won the little fight. In all actuality, she had made her decision about Calypso within the first few moments of their fight. "I have seen enough," she clarified through short breaths. If they had continued the fight for much longer, there would have been more serious injuries than a couple of scratches on her face. She had surprisingly more control than the other lioness, and had kept her own claws sheathed.

It was the little bit of mercy that Jupe had been willing to show to her challenger. "You're tenacious - that's good. I don't see any reason to turn you away from the pride when you show to have some value." Some. Jupe didn't want the victory going to the lionesses' head - especially since in her mind Calypso had not won at all. She had just proven herself valuable enough to be allowed to join the ranks of the Stormborn.

"Jupe," the lioness responded simply with an arch of her brow. What Calypso did not say mattered little to Jupe. She had done her duty by accepting the rogue's challenge, and passed judgment upon the lioness as was her right. Once Calypso melded into the rest of the pride, Jupe doubted she would see much of her at all. If she had her pinned right, this one would attempt to become a reaver, which meant Jupe would see even less of her unless they ended up in the same band.

She wasn't entirely sure she was against the idea.

"Your name? I'll have to hear it when I take you to the lawspeaker to have you officially accepted into the pride." Jupe tried to not to show too much interest in the lioness now that the battle had been determined. Instead she turned to begin heading back into the pride, expecting the other female to naturally follow her.

She was beginning to think that perhaps she needed to partake in these challenges a bit more to hone her skills. But, she could process those thoughts later. She had this lioness to tend to, and then perhaps she could finally find the peace and quiet she had been looking for before.