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 Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:30 am
Calypso padded around the Southern border to the Pridelands, having already cordially told more than a couple guards that she meant no harm. She could see the wariness in their eyes, that glint that said that a war had come and gone, and no stranger was a welcomed one.
It wasn't as if she planned on entering their territory. She could only look on with wonder as to what it might contain, and who might reside in it. A great King, perhaps? A harsh Queen? Chaos? She shook her head with an amusing grin. No, nothing so dramatic, she was sure.
The large lioness walked leisurely through the tall grass as she ventured further away from the pride. It was then that she started to smell hyena. It was every where, like a large group of them had camped close by....or still resided.
It wasn't until one was on her back and she was howling in pain that she realized it had been an ambush.
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 7:22 pm
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“Silly boy.” The maned wolf sitting next to him chuckled as she gave him a sideways glance. She had been with him ever since he was tiny red cub running off to the borders. And now it was his job to keep the little ones inside and the bad guys out. She had been so afraid of losing him in the war and so proud that he had returned in one piece.
-------
“I am not.” Akairo laughed, his green narrowing as he spotted something in the distance. There was a small moment of hesitation but it wasn’t long until his body had tensed as a growl rumbled in his chest. “Twigg! Go back! Tell all the Scouts that you find that there are hyenas at the border.” Well, technically, they weren’t that close to the border but they were close enough considering the war had just ended and they seemed to be attacking a lioness from the Pridelands.
With a warning roar piercing the atmosphere meant to both intimidate the cackling fools and draw as many lions as possible to his location, the red lion sprinted towards the action as the maned wolf ran in the opposite direction with a worried expression and brief words of caution. His powerful legs left a trail of disturbed dirt and dead plants in his trail as he did his best to quickly close the distance between them.
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 8:06 pm
Enough of the laughing fools stopped as when they heard the piercing roar that Calypso was able to regain her footing. Her warrior's spirit didn't take the time to flinch when she placed pressure on her legs, even after the nearly fatal bite she received on her spine. If she hadn't thrown the damn thing off in time she would have died... or worse.
As it was, by the time she saw the red lion sprinting her way, her breathing was labored and she was fading fast. Two were already dead at her paws, but more continued to n** at her heels.
Seizing her oppurtunity, Calypso leapt over a low striking hyena and ran for the lion, causing her attackers to follow after her in a uniformed line.
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:04 pm
Akairo roared again when he saw the lioness turn in his direction and this time there were answering roars echoing in the distance. Soon, the other Scouts would arrive to help. Some of the hyenas seemed to be alarmed by this by others were enthralled in the thrill of the chase to pay attention. Akairo kept running at full speed even as he passed right next to the lioness – he didn’t even realize she was a stranger to the pride – and only stopped when he slammed his shoulder against the hyena that had been closest to the lioness, sending it tumbling to the ground a good distance away.
He wanted to ask the lioness if she was alright but now was not really the time to show anything remotely similar to weakness. He stood tall, roaring fiercely again and for a moment everyone seemed to be standing still. The red lion in front of the lioness and the hyenas, some backing away others pacing left and right, cackling all the while.
“Many more will be here soon.” Akairo hissed and snarled to the beasts in front of him. He had not seen any of them on the battlefield and did not even look like the ones he’d seen from the graveyard pack. It was odd but reassuring as well. They didn't need another war so soon.
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 11:10 am
The responding roars gave Calypso as much hope as they did dread. She wasn't entirely sure yet how this pride viewed outsiders, but she decided to trust them, at least until the yapping bastards were chased off. Only when he passed did she stop to turn. Gods alive! If only she'd been on his side during the war.
When he roared, she felt peace. As much as she wanted to join him, Calypso knew that backing him up was more important at that moment than anything. She stood at his side, her gums pulled back in a vicious snarl. When a cackler snapped at her heel, she swiped her claws across it's face.
"Not soon enough for you." She couldn't tell which one had spoken, but it was enough warning for Caly to be able to strike when they moved in for the kill.
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Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:54 am
Damn them all. As if Akairo didn’t already have enough aversion and resentment towards the hyenas, the cackling beasts seemed desperate to leave an even worse impression. And if before the war the young red lion might feel that it was his duty to stand protectively in front of the orange lioness, now that he had fought side-by-side with many “girls” he knew better than to think of her as any less of an able fighter. So he was happy she was standing by his side as he found it much easier to fight the hyenas when there was someone watching his back. In a group of three fighting lions, Akairo felt close to invincible but in this case the pair of them would just have to do.
“Watch my back and I’ll watch yours.” He whispered to the red-eyed lioness before lounging at the closest attacker. He grabbed it by the neck until the hyena went limp and even though he appeared to be solely focused on the remaining cackling fools in front of him, Akairo’s eyes kept glancing back to the lioness to make she was alright.
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Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 1:52 pm
"On it." Calypso responded before diving under a leaping hyena. She snapped it's hindpaw in her mouth, and before it landed on her back, she was able to swing it to the ground. In one swoop, she'd sliced into it's chest with her claws. The wound wasn't fatal, but the blood loss would kill it if it tried to move.
When she looked up, one of the mangy beasts was staring straight at her with the ugliest grin imaginable before it ran off. "What the he-?" Calypso side stepped just in time to save her neck from a hungry demon. And then she saw them. It could have been her eyes playing tricks on her, but she could have sworn she saw a lion's mane in the distance. She glanced towards the male with a subtle nod, trying to show him the vision as well.
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Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 4:36 pm
Akairo followed the lioness’ gaze all the way to the tiny shapes of the Pridelands reinforcements that were moving closer to their location. Some hyenas were retreating while a few – the unlucky few – seemed to be too stubborn to do the same. Well, if they wouldn’t back down, Akairo wasn’t going to pull back either. With one last burst of energy, the red lion sprang forward, intent on driving the remaining few away or, at the very least, making that by death or injury this group would never come this close to his home again. After the war, with emotions running raw, the pride was blooming with life and it was his job to protect all those little ones that had started popping up after the end of the bloodshed.
It took little more than a roar and a few swipes to see all the hyenas retreating this, leaving behind a few bodies for the vultures. In a way, it was actually a little anti-climatic but the red lion wasn’t complaining.
“Are you alright? Let’s go back.” He asked as he turned to the orange lioness. Her coat reminded him of his friend Rei and he still believed she was part of the Pridelands. “I don’t think I’ve met you before. I’m Akairo.” Holy Mufasa, this girl was tall! Maybe even taller than him.
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Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 5:02 pm
Calypso roared after retreating hyenas, sending a few skittering just a little faster away from the scene. It wasn't what she had been expecting, but it made her feel better knowing there wasn't someone trying to kill her at the moment. She was finally able to take a breather, and in effect, take a look at her 'partner'. He was attractive, she'd give him that, and the boy had skills.
"You haven't," she smiled. "I'm Calypso, and I don't think going with you would be wise." She turned towards the reinforcements, their approach keeping her adrenaline pumping. What if they didn't like rogues? Was she in danger? Maybe she would have been better off with the hyenas. "After all, I am a rogue."
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 5:45 pm
“Oh.” Akairo was looking at the lioness as if he was truly seeing her for the first time. She looked like a pridelander. Her size fit as did her colors. And even if Akairo failed to detect any pridal scents on her coat that could easily be caused the strong scent of blood that now lingered in the area... and the fact that we wouldn't get that close just to take a whiff. So if she hadn’t said anything, it would’ve taken a while before the red lion realized the truth. “Oh!”
He chuckled lightly at his mistake, shaking blood, dirt and tension from his body.
“Oh, well. You really look like one of us but it doesn’t really matter. We take any excuse to teach them to stay away from our borders. Welcome to the Pridelands.” He wondered if Calypso had family in the pride or if she had simply accidentally stumbled upon the Pridelands. “Are you joining? If you’re not, you should at least stay until tomorrow so we can tell you where it’s safe to cross. The war has just ended… it’s dangerous to travel alone.”
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 8:38 pm
Calypso shifted her weight from one foot to the other, standing tall despite her unease. She lifted a foreleg to her maw, distracting herself by lapping at a cut as best she could. What was he thinking about? "Oh?" She lowered her paw, quirking her eyebrow. 'Oh' in a good or bad way?
When he chuckled, she found herself smiling, some of the tension finding it's way out. "I've heard you've been having issues with them, but from what I saw, they must have been real demons to best the pride if everyone fights the same as you." He must have been a guard then, with his quick reaction and his strength. "Am I-? No, no." She shook her head. "Though I would appreciate the assistance. I've been jumped once too many today."
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 4:15 pm
While his tail danced playfully at what he perceived to be a sincere compliment, Akairo felt the need to keep his tone serious now.
“The war was rough on both sides. The hyenas of the Mava’bunda are great in numbers and not really that bad at fighting either. We lost many good lions in the war. We almost lost our King, too.” The thought that they had almost lost the King to the hyenas was nothing short of revolting and the red lion frowned as he watched the shapes of the fleeing hyenas before his eyes returned to the lioness.
“You are more than welcome to stay for a while. We’ve been getting a lot of new members lately… new litters, too. The pride is full of life.” He turned slowly and started walking towards the border but his mind didn’t seem too keen on changing the subject. “I was still an adolescent when they started the war. I joined as soon as I was allowed and I’ve been keeping the borders safe ever since. Things seem to be calming down now and encounters like these are rare”
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 4:54 pm
Calypso understood all too well the travesties that war could bring. It was like a plague, one that consumed the land in sadness and hate. It destroyed the lives of so many, and sometimes, those who were left in it's wake had no chance at a fresh start. "Almost is a close call that should not have happened, but you should celebrate the fact that he wasn't lost." She stated bluntly. "Was it a mutual cease fire? Or was there a winning side? And what started it?"
She was moderately pleased to hear that the pride was booming instead of falling to despair. If anything, it sounded like the war had accomplished nothing, if not to make the Pridelands a stronger, more unified republic.
Calypso padded along beside him, her eyes drifting over the new lands as if she were trying to memorize it all. Just by looking at the trees she could tell where certain battles had occured, but even she couldn't ignore the beauty of the land. "You're loyalty to your pride is admirable, Akairo. Not many would have joined as young as you did." She turned to look at him. "Were you raised here?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 8:27 am
“Mutual…? I suppose. The losses were too great on both sides and they stopped trying to invade so we stop trying to kill them when they invaded...” at this point, the young scout had to stop to gather his thoughts – he literally stopped moving and became very still as if every bit of energy was being diverted into his thought process. Finally, he started walking again, remembering the key events that had triggered the war: Chambra’s cubnapping and Waridi’s death.
“There is no diplomacy between us so I have to admit that there are many things we don’t know. But they’ve always wanted our lands and there have been other fights for that reason alone. I've never been too close to the pack but I’ve been told their lands have very little prey.” His expression, calm until that moment seemed to liven up with a sudden rush of anger. “But this time, all of a sudden, they simply took of our cubs. And then killed an adolescent that was looking for her. That’s when war broke out. We went to get her back and we did. They came to fight and we joined on the battlefield.”
Akairo realized, somewhat belatedly, that it was still too soon to talk about the war with a clear head and gathered thoughts. He could feel the anger building up in him and he hated the feeling so he was glad for the change in subject.
“It’s a place worth fighting for. I was born here but my parents had only just joined.” He actually managed to smile a little and let out a quick chuckle. “You look more like a pridelander than I do, Calypso. Look… there’s the Pride Rock.” His smile widened as the scout shone with pride.
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:08 am
Calypso stopped, her eyes travelling from the landscape to Akairo. She'd come to the conclusion that he must have lost great friends in the war, with the way that he took such a long pause. She didn't say anything, just stood, waited and contemplated.
"It would be safer to set up a line of communication, regardless of what bad blood there may be between your sides. If for nothing else than to have a way to negotiate peace, or a cease fire." Calypso shook her head, a deep sigh slipping out. "Desperate fools. I can sympathize with their plight, but seriously? To resort to cubnapping and murder is low, even for those beasts." Those poor souls. Her heart went out to the cub, and the family of the adolescent. It was hard enough to lose a loved one, but to have them murdered was heart wrenching.
Still, it was good to stop talking about war. It brought up the uglier side of her that she liked to keep hidden deep inside. "Do I really? Maybe I was born a Pridelander, then, and never knew it." She laughed, a husky sound that was deeper than a generic females, and yet, all the richer for it.
When he pointed it out, she had to look, but she couldn't. She could only bask. Calypso sucked in lungful of air. "It's....Akairo, it's ... it's wonderful! A natural throne in the Savannah. I've never seen anything like it."
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