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Mkazo wasn't sure who'd decided he should be invited to this excursion. The lion he'd heard it from? Maybe. Maybe not. The important thing was that he was invited, and he itched to get a look at these Nergui. See what they were like, maybe even how they fought, but most importantly, what they were up to. They had attacked before he had arrived in Firekin lands, and most of the injuries from that ambush had been well on their way to healing. They were an unknown enemy to him, and the large black lion wasn't satisfied with just training against other Firekin, or even rogues such as he had been for a time. The Nergui could not be counted on to fight like Firekin. They could not be counted on to fight like rogues.

He needed to know more about the Nergui than he did.

While not all of him was as dark as his mane and forelegs, there was very little of Mkazo's pelt that could be considered bright. Even his reds, for the most part, were dark. So as he padded to join the group, he held little concern that his place here would be questioned. He was a guard, true, but ushujaa such as he had been were more than simple warriors. Some stealth, and using the mountains to their advantage, had been trained into them.

He glanced around at the others as he arrived, face expressionless. One brow raised at the...probably-siblings, before both drew down together. "Settle down. Don't want to waste your energy with bitching at each other before you get there."

This was the first time the lioness was actually taking part in the fight against the Nergui. While she had remained at home, had let others scout out information, a small part of the lioness had felt regret. Regret and guilt because she hadn't let herself pull away from the Motoujamii lands. Regret because a small part of her was still mourning the loss of her brother.

So when rumors spread that there was to be an investigation, to infiltrate the north lands on the darkest night, it was a rumor she could not ignore. While she was but a simple huntress for the time, Nyimak had always desired more. To take after her mother, Azar, to do well in the pride's eyes as a warrior and a fighter. But unfortunately, she had chosen a civilian class, and deep down, part of the lioness couldn't help but regret such a thing.

This wasn't how things were supposed to go . . . . The drought, then the Nergui? Perhaps the reality and gravity of the situation had once been lost on her; but with the death of her brother, the war became much more personal. It wasn't just a desire to defend the Pride, those bastards were going to pay. . . .

But she'd have to bide her time. This mission was questionable in itself, and wasn't something that her family would likely encourage. But it was something she felt she had to do, something she wanted to do. As a huntress, for a change, she was accustomed to hunting at night. The darkness didn't upset her, and she had long learned to walk gingerly upon her paws, for what the eyes could not see, the pads of her feet could.

Though others spoke - - she recognized her aunt, Aithne, and the Thabiti -- but she said nothing. She had remained quiet, following silently as others began to speak. It seemed strange really, to have such easy banter, especially with the weight of the danger that was sitting upon her shoulders. This wasn't just a fun romp in the neighborhood, things could get ugly fast. But she was prepared for such a thing. . . . She might have been of civilian rank, but that didn't mean she was weak or couldn't fight.

She gave a small nod at the suggestion of moving in pairs, as well as to get things moving now. "Night won't last long," she added softly, more to herself than anyone else. While she was alert, and attentive, she couldn't bring herself to talk much. She much preferred to stay alert and listen.

Itzcoatl was no lion. He was a cobra, black as night and sleek and silent as shadow, his green eyes; chipped emeralds set in his handsome face. He had come, not because he desired to, but because Fia had asked him to. And Fia was his mistress. Generally he did what she asked of him. That didn't mean he was happy about this, though. The snake was a superstitious creature and he could see nothing but bad omens in this escapade.

There was no good to be found north. No good at all.

Hissing softly so as not to startle any if the clumsy, furred ones, he navigated smoothly around the rocks to where they gathered. He would watch. He would spy. He would tell Fia of what had happened here. His mistress would have been happier coming herself, he was sure, except that she had seemed reluctant to do so - strange for a female who spoke her mind, but perhaps she thought her time better spent in training.

She did so hunger for vengeance.

But this? This was folly. The lions here could be putting themselves needlessly into danger.

Saoi gave his sister a brazen smile. He might act light-hearted, but he knew that he would behave, even if she didn't. And he hoped that she would make the right choice, if he was caught. The right choice of course being leaving him behind. They might be family, but he didn't value his life above his pride's safety. He snuffed as Peri fluttered down to land on his back. He knew the bird well enough to sense in his posture that he was on the defensive. He bucked his hips a bit, making the bird flap unhappily and shoot him a look, which Saoi returned in kind. Stop worrying, it'll be fine.

The hongshan...confused him, to be honest. The Nergui had an extra appendage? What? He hadn't heard anything about them having extra body parts. Was it possible that the Hongshan had been so terrorized by the Nergui that they thought of them as beasts, not lions? Perhaps. He kept mute on the subject though, turning instead to eyeball the stragglers to the group. More females. He had no gender bias, and knew first-paw how savage and fierce firekin females could be. It was shaping up to be a well-numbered, if not the most robust crew.

"Splitting up's alright by me. I've not been on north guard...maybe those who have been could split into the other groups, so someone who knows the patterns is in each one?" Maybe they meant to split up after they crossed, he pondered, as the whole group began to make a leisurely but determined move to exit the pride's lands. Time to get down to business...his smile remained, but his eyes were hardened. Overhead, Peri once again was scouting for anyone approaching the band.

Ali Baba loped forward, his ears pinned back against his thick mane and his shoulders hunched high over his spine. It was about time that they did something. Anything. The war games had been amusing but firekin didn't play- they acted. It was, in his mind, patronizing that the leaders had insisted on such an exercise while they turned around and fraternized with lesser lions. First there were those that lived in the so-called bonelands. They had resources that the Firekin needed. The solution should have been a simple one. Why compromise when the natives were weak? A pride with a handful of males and a plethora of females would have been cub's play to over-run and devastate. Instead...they were playing nice. Next came the sickly things further from the border.

Ali sneered as he neared the members skirting the back of the group. An entire pride of the plagued... they isolated themselves supposedly to protect the outside world. If they truly cared, they should have collectively took a flying leap off the nearest cliff and drag their plague down with them. The Firekin had suffered through a plague once before. Risking the health of the pride... what was getting into their heads?

Whatever the reason, they were acting now. Thank Finar-Si for that... this was what they were made to do. They weren't diplomats- they were fighters. The fire of the sun ran through the veins of any true firekin.

Licking his dry chops, he slowed his pace and joined those marching towards the center of the group. A good location- he could keep an ear on his fellows and an eye on the horizonline.

Khindel was here, a quiet, simmering, presence ready to move. The anger, pain, and terrible feeling of loss from the death of a son had not waned. Seeing as he was no tactition he was letting the others work that out. So long as he could spill enemy blood....

He fought the urge to pace back and fourth - best save his energy for the walk ahead of them. Waiting for all the tactical decisions to be made was difficult. In any other situation he would have been a more patient lion. Not now.

"Well, the land is strangled by the chain of deserts that spill into it. There won't be much game that we'll be able to find. Most predators in the area are familiar with herd movement patterns, and from what I hear, the Nergui use their prisoner-slaves to heckle the beasts once they move into an area. That way they starve the local groups and control the food supply," Elcca mused. Her eyes danced back, indicating Yoan. "Birds can help, but we aren't the only ones who employ birds to watch the borders."

The crow squinted his eyes. "There are strange things that occupy that land. Plan ahead, but expect it to go to ruin by the time we are close enough to find any patrols."

"The most important thing-" Elcca started, deliberately looking away from the direction of Khindel. "Is to remember we aren't here to start a war. If we're detected, we run. Any time spent fighting is time they gain to get the upper hand on us. You firepelts might think there's no honor in flight, but there's no honor to collect in being dead. We can lose them in the desert, but we don't stand a chance losing them on their own terrain."

Night was beginning to shift upon them, and along with it, the terrain slowly changed from sand to small rocks. The mountain range that guarded the northernmost part of the Motoujamii would soon loom in the distance, and with it, the northern guard post.

The red lioness pulled to a stop, rather unceremoniously sitting down on the sand. "But all plans will be for naught if we can't get past our own people. That guard post covers the only easy way into the northern desert. Unless we want to spend an extra week climbing mountains, we'd better come up with an idea to get by them. Given how rarely lions go past there, I doubt we'll be able to get by with a simple excuse."

A familiar coat touched with a flame orange caught her eye, and Nyimak couldn't help but be surprised at the sight of her father. She couldn't imagine how he and her beloved mother must be going through, the hurt and pain potentially tenfold. The need to do something must weigh more heavily upon his heart than her own, though she too desired vengeance. She wanted nothing more than to bring down some of those strangers that her caused her family so much pain by taking his life. . . . He would not die in vain.

Still, she kept her distance from Khin'del, at least for the moment. His body language, from what she could see in the dark of ngiiht, seemed particularly aloof. And though she wished to bump shoulders with him, she refrained. Now was not the time, besides which, she did not wish to be sent home. This was a secret mission, after all, and potentially dangerous. Her family had already lost one, and there was no certainty of what the future would bring.

All the same, she now had another to keep an eye upon. Who knew how he might feel or what he might do if they in fact meet the Nergui? If they get attacked, if she wondered whether her own senses might be clouded by vengeance, she had to assume her father's might as well. It would be an interesting next few days, certainly. . . .

"We may also wish to move in single file for a time, especially as we close in on the Northlands. Should strangers up there have patrols, if they stumble upon her prints after we pass, it might make it more difficult for them to discern how many of us there are." At least until they began to separate. Even then, if they did so wisely, and used potential, Northern terrain to their advantage, such as breaking apart in on stonier land, or using native rocks to leap upon and leave less of a visible trail might help hide their separation as well.

Still, she followed quietly as they began to move, anxious to finally be on the way.

When Elcca mentioned the guard post, the lioness crinkled her nose and paused in her own walk. She glowered out at the guard post, irritated that it stood between them and their destination. Any other day she might have appreciated what they had done but . . . "A distraction of some sort, perhaps? They should be on alert for anything out of the ordinary, especially guarding the northern deserts." They had snakes, they had birds. . . but would it be enough? And how exactly would they remain unnoticed? Many of them would have to slip through undetected. . .and swiftly at that.

Her tail flicked in irritation.