[Rp between Kiwimbi/Navu, Mlia, and Nokakobaka-moyo Certed Noka ]
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Who knew how long he had been out here. Days, weeks, years? Mlia had lost track. After the pride had dispersed, the star-marked lion was on his own. His own mother and father seemed to have left amidst the chaos, and don’t even get him started on his sister, Radha. She had spoken about the ‘dark stranger’ that she had met many many moons ago on the border of the lands, and then suddenly she was gone. It was as if she vanished into thin air, never to be seen, or heard from again. He missed her though, hell he missed everyone! The normally skittish lion did not like this ‘roguing’ it feel.
A long sigh escaped his maw as he flopped on the ground. He remembered trekking through a land covered in char, slowly starting a regrowth. It was there, he met another lioness, who apparently had come from the pride as well. She called herself Kiwimbi, on a quest of her own, but she never went into much detail about it.
Kiwimbi went on to explain what the charred land use to be, how a pride grew in the murky waters, called swamps. Mlia recalled how proud she had been on that land. From that day on, it was planned that the two would travel together. Mlia certainly enjoyed the company, and Kiwimbi, well, she just enjoyed the quest.
Kiwimbi was a dreamer of sorts. It was no surprise then when out of the blue on a windy night, when the lioness jolting in their slumber. “Mlia~” she whispered, breathing heavily. “Mlia awake!”
The starry lion groaned in his sleep, rolling over, putting his paws to his ears. “-tired,” he mumbled.
“Mlia! I got it! Upepo Unavuma-ndoto!”
The longness of the word caught his attention. “What?”
“My name! I got it!” Kiwimbi, now Upepo Unavuma-ndoto, was proud, although the pride was short lived. “If I ever make it home that is…to tell the others.”
Mlia was confused, but managed to get up (although his joints protested greatly. They still wanted sleep!), and nestle next to his female traveling companion. “You’ll get home.” It was the only thing he could think of saying to her.
The two had still traveled together after that. They had managed to make it through a rocky mountain pass. Mlia, tired from the complete one eighty change in scenario, had taken a break, while Navu (she insisted to be called that), wandered off to scout out the new area.
Mlia missed the pale green movement to the right. If he wasn’t so tired, he’d probably would have caught it before it was practically on top of him.
“State your business!” The voice called out, pinning the lion still on the ground. “Are you friend or foe?” Nokakobaka-moya had been out on a hunt when she spotted the newcomer. She knew none of the pride that bore star-like markings.
“Friend?” Mlia gasped, pale purple eyes springing to life, daring himself not to move. What crazy lands did Kiw---Navu bring him too? “I … I…bare no…harm?” He strained out, showing his paws to the lioness with no claws extended. “I come in peace?”
It was enough for Noka. She removed herself from the lion, backing up slightly. “Sorry,” she said quietly. “It’s just I’ve never seen you before, and I just want to make sure that you don’t bare any harm for the other pride members.” As Noka thought about it, it was probably a rather foolish move to take on another lion without any sort of back up. Luckily, this lion was not hostile.
“Who are you, anyways?” She asked the star pelted male, a look of curiosity spreading over her face. Unusual markings.
“Uhm…I’m…” his pale eyes shifted, where was Navu? “I…uh…”
“Mlia!” The voice echoed from behind him. “Mlia guess what! I fou---“ her voice faded off, spotting the pale green lioness standing by the star pelted male. “Oh, never mind… Looks like you found them too.”
Mlia was utterly lost. “Found who?” The male wanted to creep away from the lioness who tackled him, and closer to his traveling companion.
“Hello!” Navu called out to the pale lioness. “I am Upepo Unavuma-ndoto, formerly known as Kiwimbi.” She introduced herself to the other. “This is Mlia. I was born in this pride…well…back when the pride wasn’t a…black mess?” The white female explained. “What happened to it?”
It had been a while since the fire, so Navu didn’t know too much about what had happened.
Noka looked surprised. She knew there were lions still on their naming quests when the fire raged, but she never expected them to really find where the pride had migrated too. “Oh…” a smile was brought upon her maw. She had never knew ‘Kiwimbi’ beforehand, but she was raised in the previous lands. They still were pride mates. A grim expression replaced the smile. “It is not known how it started…but the fire raged…Lions were lost…injured…it is not known those who are on their quests will return, if they know how to return. You were a lucky one,” Noka explained. The returning of one member meant there could be returns on more. Maybe her own family would do the same. It was never known how long a name quest would take, hers taking a quick route, while some stayed out in the rogue lands for a much longer time.
“plus,” Noka continued, “you’ve returned at a great time,” the queens games were over, yes, but it was a sign of the pride’s return to a joyous life! “We are no longer of the swamps, but the pride is growing back to its former self.” Noka was proud of this. She loved her pride, regardless of where they were stationed.
Navu nodded. “Oh, this is Mlia! I kind of found him by the old lands. We kind of been teaming together.” The white lioness introduced the male, who gave a quick nod to the pride member.
Noka smiled. “It’s a please, Upepo Unavuma-ndoto, Mlia. I am Nokakobaka-moyo. Or…Noka, for sure.”
“Please, call me Navu!” She said brightly.
“Navu, then,” The green lioness’s blue eyes scanned towards Mlia, who had got up.
“I…I should get going…” The lion stated quietly, looking anywhere but the two females. He did not mean to interfere with a pride, but he was glad to see that this was the home Navu had spoke of.
“Go..? Where are you going?” Navu gasped, trotting over to the lion. “Aren’t you going to stay here?”
“I…”
Noka watched the interaction.
“He can stay here…right?” Navu asked, interrupting Mlia, gazing towards Noka.
“I don’t have that call…but if you take him to the Queen, she would give the best answer for that. If he is a friend, then it should be alright?” The lioness offered.
Navu nodded. “You want to stay right? You can’t just up and leave! At least…stay for a couple nights, rest,” she insisted.
Mlia sighed, tail curling around his paws. “Alright…” how could he say no the giant puppy dog eyes that Navu was giving him. “As long as you stop looking at me like that!” he griped, grinning towards the white female.
Navu squealed with delight, pouncing on the male, wrapping a paw around his shoulders.
The mountain-pride lioness coughed, letting the two know she was still there. “Perhaps a tour then, Navu, Mlia, to get to know where exactly everything is. It is a complete change from the swamplands.”
The white lioness pawed the ground, noting the water-less dirt under her paws. “I can tell.”
“Probably a complete change from the deserts too, I suspect.” Mlia commented quietly, causing both Navu and Noka to quirk an eyebrow. “…never mind…”
The lionesses chuckled at the lion, Noka leading the way into the pride lands. “Welcome to the Jini-msemi Lands.”
[Word Count - 1307]
