1. Mwokoti will continue to call Kitambi "queen" and Nantale "princess". This is an intentional IC mistake as Mwokoti defaults to these ranks. Kitambi is actually the "Malenga" and Nantale is "Sha'ihubo". Lions that have been in the Nchi a while should know Mwokoti is saying them wrong.
2. The two groups reaching each other will actually take 7 days rather than Mwokoti's estimated 10.
How this will work IC is as follows: Every day, I will post what happened / what the group encountered for the day. Just post your reactions / RP with each other as usual. This means OOCly this RP will probably last until the 24th (Saturday). Subject to change depending on posting.
Mwokoti seemed intent on setting the record for most time gone without speaking. She guided the trio -- the chosen Ngoma and her two bold volunteers -- into the plains without a word. Where as most would occasionally stop to take stock of where they were and if they were going the right way, she never faltered. It was obvious she just knew this was correct.
They had been walking for an hour, give or take a few minutes, when she at last did stop. However, it was not for the reasons a mortal would have. Someone, somewhere else, was calling her. In her ears rang the wail of the lost cub, and as if tugged there by a chain around her neck, she felt the irresistible pull of duty beckoning her.
Mwokoti frowned and turned to face the group, interrupting any conversations they may have been having. "I must go, for now," she said. "Travel throughout the night. These will assist you."
She knelt down and wiggled out of the lantern. With her teeth, she picked it up by the glimmering gold necklace and placed it around Ngoma's neck. In the blink of an eye, it had become smaller, more suited for a mortal to wear. More surprising was the featherlight weight of it.
Mwokoti had a second gift for them: She turned to Ndoto and focused her gaze intensely on the ground. Within seconds, a map was forged from a puff of smoke that erupted from the soil. The paper was old, brown around the edges and mostly absent of any imagery. The only thing that graced its front were three small drawings on one end -- two lionesses and a lion. Around them in a circle was greenery, and in one corner what appeared to be a wildebeest icon.
On the opposite end was another lioness.
Mwokoti did not expect many of the Nchi had seen paper, let alone a map. "Your destination is here." She touched the far off lioness with her nose. "The light and the map will guide you."
Day One, OOC Rundown:: Mwokoti leads the group away from the Nchi and into the plains. She informs them they will travel throughout the night; however, she is being called away by her domain to help guide a lost cub home. She gives a Ndoto a map and Ngoma her lantern.
Lantern Information
- The flame in Mwokoti's lantern will never go out, even if thrown in the ocean. Additionally, it is visible through any variation of darkness. The lantern shrinks in size when given to a mortal to fit them better. It weighs as much as having a string around your neck would.
Map Power Information
The map is a crisp piece of paper that is brown and torn around the edges. Despite that, it seems impossible to rip it. Nothing is on the map, save for the area around them (about 2 miles, in a circle), and waaay on the other end of the map is an image of a small lioness that occasionally moves around. This is Kitambi.
As they make progress, more things on the map begin to appear. But, so far, nothing has stuck out as important.
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Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 11:14 am
Even though Ndoto was happy with the Nchi, he didn't mind a bit of adventure now and then. Their travels had only recently brought them to the pride, but at the quest presented to his friend, he knew he couldn't pass this up. They had traveled for weeks together, after all. Surely ten days wouldn't be anything terribly hard!
The Goddess was silent as they walked, but Ndoto was not. It wasn't his nature to be quiet, after all. He sang softly to himself for a few minutes before settling into a pattern to follow, his feet drumming out a little beat for him to follow. His voice rose and fell with the songs as the tried to keep his companions smiling. Surely the familiarity of song would ease their tired paws.
When Mwokoti suddenly turned, however, he cut his song short. His eyes and ears became attentive as she spoke, taking instruction easily. When the map appeared before him, though, the intense and calm stare turned to one of excitement and surprise. Magic! He leaned down after being shown their target and sniffed the odd thing, before finding it was very light. He nudged it with his nose until it rolled up - after making sure he knew where the lioness in the distance was - and carefully picked it up in his mouth. It would hamper his singing a bit, but that didn't matter.
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 11:17 am
It had been a great honor for Ngoma to have been chosen to help the Goddess with this task of bringing home the prides Malenga and Sha'ihubo. It wasn't as nerve wrecking as she had first expected before they had set off, there was still some nervous excitement in her, but for the most part she was just eager to show the Goddess she hadn't chosen the wrong lioness to help her. The best part, in Ngoma's mind, was being able to go and help the pride, prove her worth and capability. Not only that, two of the prides members had volunteered to come with her, and that was a good thing. Ndoto had been one of the leaders of her old pride, so she had not been horribly surprised when he had volunteered, it just seemed in his nature. Kirja on the other hand, wasn't a lioness Ngoma knew well, so that meant this was an opportunity to make a new friend.
Mwokoti's sudden departure had caught Ngoma off guard, but she did not protest-- goddesses had important things to do, afterall. Instead she listened carefully to the Goddess's instructions and nodded gratefully when the lantern was given to her. The thing that shocked her when it first was placed around her neck was the way it felt. It felt as if there was little more than a string around her neck, and then it shrank! What wonderful magic this Goddess possessed, Ngoma thought in awe.
Once Mwokoti took off Ngoma looked to the other three lions, then the map. So the three icons over there were them and the one on the far side was the Malenga? Ngoma looked back to the others again, "Well, we should keep walking a bit and try to find dinner then a place to rest for the night."
Kirja's ears flicked as the goddess stopped walking. She was a little confused at first. She was caught up in the sound of the male's singing and thinking about what was going to happen when they returned home. Then again she was also looking at every single bush that she spotted eyeing it before eyeing an other. She was excited to see things outside of the pride. From never leaving before to now going on this adventure was extremely exciting for her. But because of her interest of everything going on around her she didn't notice what the lioness was saying at first. She honestly had not an idea in the world but she snapped out of her day dreaming and then looked at the lioness catching on to the end.
Okay so it appeared they were going without the goddess. That made her a little confused, she was guessing that would make sense, she was pretty sure that they could do that for sure. She stood for a few minutes, her tail flicking around behind her. She then realized that they really were on their own now. She had a feeling they could do it though! She paused and then turned her attention to the lioness that was speaking. "I'm not to hungry, If you guys are we could get something to eat." She said simply nodding and then she turned to them and smiled.
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 11:13 am
(OOC:: Letting the characters decide what they're doing for the night before any updates on my part!))
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Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 11:33 am
Ndoto glanced back at his female companions once the Goddess left and sniffed lightly. The smell of the map filled his nose, though, so he put it down to speak and sniff again. "There's nothing in the immediate area...let's walk until it the sun has completely set, then see about what there is to eat."
Night time was a better time to eat, after all. The animals they hunted had to sleep, after all. Once they found some prey it would just be a matter of sneaking up on them and pouncing. With three of them working together, it would be a breeze. He nodded for Ngoma to lead the way in the failing light, giving Kirja a grin before picking up his map again. He hummed now rather than sang, his tail swinging in time with his song.
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 5:21 pm
Kirja flicked her tail around behind her before nodding her head. She could say she didn't know that much about hunting, she didn't do it that often and often she swapped different chores around the pride just to get out of hunting. It wasn't her favorite, she was pretty okay but at the same time she just didn't like it. But she did know that it was better to hunt at the end of the night. She nodded her head at the other lioness once again before speaking. "Yes, I agree I think we should go once the sun is setting, it's better to keep going while we have good light."
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Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 8:17 am
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((Post reminder, guys! We can't do anything until the characters decide what they're doing.))
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 8:58 am
(Sorry guys, the holidays get hectic for me.)
Ngoma nodded and looked down at the lantern around her neck once again before starting off again. "We will keep going till darkness falls then." it was a good plan. None of them were terribly hungry just yet and it would be good to keep going as much as they could in the light now and then rest a bit when it grew dark and have something to eat.
And if they were not too tired after they stopped for food they could go a little further, with this lantern given to them by Mwokoti could cut through the thickest darkness and keep them from stumbled around in the dark.
Ndoto gave a nod, glad they had reached a decision, and picked up his map again, After some configuration, he tucked it behind his ear so he was free to keep singing. They had to pass the time somehow, after all!
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 1:35 pm
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((OOC: Gonna go ahead and wrap this up ASAP before everyone gets too busy. It is December, after all.))
The storm proved to be a minor inconvenience at worst, and for that, all could be grateful. Occasionally, Mwokoti would return, and almost every time she would bring with her the gift of a wildebeest or a zebra. As they didn't need to hunt for themselves, the group made impressive progress in half the time that had been estimated.
Mwokoti led them when she could, but there were others to be helped, and so she left her map and her lantern with them throughout the journey. She was not with them when they approached the den that the pride's leadership had taken refuge in.
Kitambi had no idea when to expect their search party. Even after so long away from home, every day felt like another year had gone by. She was sitting near the den's entry, staring out at the open plain before them. In the distance, she could see one... two... three lions approaching.
They could be anybody. They could even be dangerous.
"Mtembei," Kitambi beckoned calmly.
Mtembei was always faithfully by her side in spirit, but now he was there in the literal sense as well. Like most Nchi, he was not renowned for his fighting prowess, but he would defend his family to the death.
"Wait, look!"
Kitambi did. She strained her eyes to see what had made her mate sound so excited. On the neck of one of those approaching, she could see a familiar lantern with the everlasting flame burning bright as ever.
"That's Mwokoti's," said Mtembei. "That must be them!" He turned to his daughter. "Nantale! Hurry, sweetheart, come on now!"
Huddled in the back of the den with her two saviors, Nantale warily lifted her head, but did not move.
Mtembei called loudly to the trio. "We're here! We're here!"
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 1:53 pm
Once he got the hang of the map, Ndoto led the two females without hesitation. They just had to make sure their little images on the paper were lined up with the ones at the end, and slowly but surely the map's images grew larger and larger as they approached. The days passed fairly quickly but his voice never tired, and he tried to get the other two to sing along with him. He knew that singing wasn't suited for every lion, but they were in good company.
He was surprised with the time they were making. The goddess had said ten days, but it had only been half of that when the images on the map stopped growing and instead the distance began to shrink. They must be close now!
"Ah...did you hear that?" he asked, stopping to look around. There were a few rock formations here and there that could very well be dens. His ears swiveled again, trying to catch where the voice had come from.
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:32 pm
No one had said it to her face yet, but everyone was thinking it.
Nantele looked like s**t. It was what Hanyu was thinking right now, as he heard shouts from the front of their small enclosure. There must have been a group come to help which was all fine for Hanyu - it meant the stress of trying could finally be lifted. Hanyu tended to get in the way more often than not, and he felt awkward around someone so important, even if they were related. He'd done his duty, now he was tired, wanted to eat, and pretend none of this ever happened.
Csoa, however, was unphased. The grey lion seemed to be made of calm and heroics.
He had not hesitated when they'd found Nantele, and it was mostly because of his quick thought that she was now nestled up to dry. And it was Csoa's calm voice which spoke now, towards Mtembei's excited voice. "We may have to carry her again."
The noise caught Ngoma's attention as well. She perked her ears this way and that, trying to catch wind of it again as she looked at the map Ndoto was carrying. "They have to be close by. We should keep moving, maybe we will be able to hear them better if we get closer."
She stepped closer to Ndoto and took another good look at the map, Mwokoti's lantern glowing brightly around her neck. "I think we should head towards those rocks. They look like they could easily have a cave in or around them." She explained before looking to her two companions for a moment, "Ready?"
