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 Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 10:05 am
Fireheart wasn't terribly surprised at the lions that gathered on the edge of the path that led from the dens to the ocean. This wa her first litter after all and one of those girls trotting around might be their new queen some day. She hasn't decided just yet on who it would be, or if it would be either of them. Only time would tell. Perhaps she would have anothe litter and the queen would be in that one. Glancing over her shoulder at the excited cubs, she couldn't help but smile. It warmed her heart to know they were all out going and curious and interested in everything this far. Her smile disappeared, though, as Vanellope spoke over Vodnitvar. Instea of a scolding she fixed the little blue cub with a stare, the action alone enough to tell her she had spoken out of turn. "We can go to the ocean after you say hello," she said, loud enough so the lions gathered nearby could hear. Even as she said that her stomach rolled with nervousness. The ocean could be dangerous but, at the same time, he knew showing her cubs just how powerful it was while she and Vodnitvar were there would be a lot safer than telling them 'no' and leaving them to experiment on their own. Fireheart turned to the lions then, eyes scanning the crowd for one in particular. Certainly the gypsy king would want to meet the cubs.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 10:21 am
Asker scowled fiercely. That was no fair. He wanted to go see what the ocean was like! He wanted to chase the waves up and down and get his paws wet. He wondered if the water would be warm. It made sense to him, considering how warm the sun was. Certainly the big, bright sun would be able to warm up water like that. It was warming everything else up, after all.
The cub turned to inspect the lions that they were supposed to say hello to. Asker felt his boldness shrivel a little at the sight of so many lions. They all seemed as big as Mama or Papa. The blue cub didn't quite know what to do. Slowly, green eyes darting back and forth along the line of strangers, Asker pawed his way over to his father, still stumbling a little bit on the sand. He came to a stop next to Nicolae, their fiery orange hair matching. "There are so many," He remarked to no one in particular, a little taken aback at the diversity of colours. He had never seen any other markings or patterns except for those of his parent and siblings. Taking a second glance at the crowed, Asker thought that he saw a few cubs hiding between the large, stocky legs of the adults. That was good. It meant they might get to have more playmates! If Mama and Papa let them, of course.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 10:30 pm
Hana found herself a little disappointed when Mother said - in no uncertain terms - that the cubs needed to introduce themselves. While the water was interesting, her disappointment at having to wait to see it was not what put her off; she couldn't stand the way all these strangers were looking at her and her siblings.
In the face of each of the many adults that surrounded them, all Hana could see was hearts melting as they regarded the "innocent, cute little babies". It made her sick! Involuntarily, she flattened her ears, wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue through her teeth as if she had swallowed a piece of vulture-food. These lions didn't know her at all; how dare they judge her? Setting her face in a hard, stoic expression, she regarded the pride members through narrowed eyes.
Speaking to no one in specific, but ensuring her voice was loud enough that Mother and Father could hear and possibly answer, she queried, "Why are they staring at us like that? Honestly, it's rather insulting. We're not babies."OOC - Just a heads up everyone, I leave for Cuba this Tuesday at 6 A.M. I don't know if I'll have internet/a computer in the room, but if I do I'll try to make it on as often as I can to keep active in here. I'll be sleeping for most of tomorrow afternoon since the flight leaves so ungodly early, but I'll try my hardest to get on sometime before we leave. c:
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Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 8:23 pm
Chaska chased after his mother, close on her heels. When her body shifted into the sand he tumbled forward, clearly not paying attention to the ground. Surprised, he yelped and clawed at the ground for safety. It took him a moment to realize the dirt wasn't...well dirt anymore. They were walking on sand and it squished in between his paws. He giggled while slamming his front paws repeatedly into the area in front of him. They dove deep into the sand, but he was sure they would go further! He lifted his back legs and propelled himself forward, front paws outstretched. The sand quickly gave way as his paws plummeted forward. He managed to get his elbows into the sand before he stopped sinking anymore. In glee he shouted, "Hey, Asker! Look at this stuff! It's everywhere!" Blue eyes scanned the area until they rested on a lion. Wait, not just one, there were a ton. Embarrassed, he quickly picked himself up and shuffled back to the others, seeking safety in numbers. Chaska turned his attention away from the sand and back to his family. Yeah, why were they staring at us? Oh, wait....his eyes focused on the water just beyond the group. Yeah, he really wanted to jump in there and by really, he meant now.
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 2:08 pm
The cub's eyes went round and he froze for a moment. Other lions. Quite a lot of them in fact were all gathered to see his mother's litter. To welcome the new members of the pride and the royal family. Perhaps it would have made sense to an older lion but to a cub it was a little startling. He'd expected to meet other lions, certainly, but at a slow trickle rather than a large gush of new faces.
He looked over to his parents, both walking easily and casually. His siblings had mixed reactions to the new faces and the sudden attention they were getting. Swallowing a snide remark in response to Hana's bold statement, he rather felt like a small baby at the moment, he took a deep breath to fill his chest, raised his head and tail, and did his best to imitate his father's proud, easy stride.
That was, until a pale lion casually left the onlookers behind. Something about the dark, clever eyes made him uncomfortable. Frowning, he slank up beside his father.  Riddle-Mouth didn't announce himself, nor did he send word that he would be coming to see the litter. It just so happened that he was out speaking with some of the thieves when those within the pride began to gather. There were several litters that had been born recently. The fat bellies sported on the pride's females had been a good sign. The pride was settling down again. Those that had remained accepted the flow of things and were comfortable enough to start a family. Even Magpie had allowed Renaissance to fatten her with cubs. That litter he had yet to peek in on, but perhaps they weren't old enough to leave. The last thing he wanted was to cross a young mother.
Fireheart, too, had sported a wider girth lately and had requested some time to herself. It had been hectic, but he managed it well enough while the lioness spent time nursing herself through labor and then turning her attention to a new family.
He paused a safe distance away and offered the new father a slight tip of his head. Dark eyes moved down to the tiny bodies moving just behind their parents. "My my, what a handsome bunch."
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Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 8:54 pm
 One glance in her Mother's direction and she knew she was in for it later. Not only had she spoken out of turn, but she done so at such a terrible time. Great, so much for being good today. Vanellope sighed, inching closer and closer under her Dad's feet. If she continued to push, her Dad was going to fall on top of her! As much as she wanted to meet all the new lions, she did not want to do it alone. She trembled with fear as she watched one bold lion leave the rest in his wake. He stood tall, like her Father, but a little more relaxed. Perplexed she sat under Voddy's paws and stared up at the male as he complimented them politely. "Thanks! But i'm not handsome, cause i'm a girl!"Grinning from ear to ear, Vanellope tried to hide the trembling in her paws. She seemed to have her body under control, but the paws were a totally different story. "I'm Vanellope, who are you!?"--- Vodnitvar could feel the tension mounting as each one of the cubs took in the wide range of faced staring into their own. Each female had a look of awe on her face, and the males all nodded his and Fireheart's way respectfully. He respectfully returned the nods, a prideful smile parting his lips. He took a glance to his mate, nodding in agreement at her declaration. He could feel the little ones curling around his legs in fear, and he stretched himself a bit to allow them all to take cover. Of course they would be scared, this was all new to them. He knew it would be overwhelming, but he didn't have much choice. They were royalty, one of them could very well grow to become an heir, they would have to be introduced sooner or later. The closer Riddle-Mouth approached, the more he could feel Vanellope and Nicolae at his feet. He was sure both of them were shaking, but he was even more sure that Vanellope was doing the brunt of it. She talked a big game, but deep down she wasn't quite the fighter .... yet. Reaching over he gently wrapped his large paw around the two cubs, drawing them closer, giving them a sense of security. With a tip of his own head, Vodnitvar tried to remain respectful of his King, but his cubs behind him were becoming a bit disorderly. Reaching his hind leg back he managed to nudge Hana in the side, hopefully enough to hush her up for a bit. He would deal with her remarks later, for now it was time for introductions. "Thank you Riddle-Mouth, it is an honor to hear that from you." Looking back at his children, he gave them 'the look.' The look that he had taught them days ago, the look that meant. "Get in line." With a nod of his head in their direction, he nudged Nicolae and Vanellope out into the center between them. "I suppose you've now met Vanellope.
This hear is Nicolae." He smiled on behalf of his son, shooting him a reassuring smile as he ruffled his budding mane.
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Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 6:30 am
Her father's gentle kick made Hana pull her ears back and scowl in indignation, but she knew better than to react. She was already in trouble for her boldness. Instead, she heeded her father's soundless instruction and stalked into place behind Nicolae.
Head low, she mutinously wondered why her father would be "honored" by anything that came from this lion. Sure, he was large and seemed proud and strong, but so was her father. The only thing this lion had that her father didn't was a sneaky look in his eyes, and frankly, she could do without it!
Nudged forward and introduced by her father, Hana lifted her head and straightened herself to her full - and rather unimpressive - height. Determinedly, she met "Riddle-Mouth's" gaze and held it. She wasn't afraid of this newcomer, and she felt that she needed to let him know it.OOC - I'm back! Sorry for the absence, there was no internet at all where we stayed. c:
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Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 6:15 pm
Fireheart turned to look at her cubs to gauge how they reacted. Each was different in their own way, and it made her proud to know that they had such a wide variety of cubs. She had honestly been a bit nervous that all her cubs would be just like her and her mate. While there was nothing wrong with being a fighter, she knew this pride welcomed the creative and spacy and free. Militant cubs were not expected here and, while she was fully intent on training them and making them disciplined, she also wanted them to embrace their Kizi heritage more than she had been able to do. Asker, Nicolae, and Vanellope all huddled around Vodnitvar's feet and it made her smile slightly. She knew it was rather shocking to see so many lions looking at them, and it was adorable to know how many of them sought solace in Vodnitvar. Chaska and Hana, though, were all for standing up for themselves and didn't show any sort of nervousness in front of the adults. In fact, Chaska looked to be a bit distracted. She flicked her tail to tap his side, letting him know to pay attention, before giving Hana a disapproving look. Vodnitvar took care of her rather rude reply. She saw a lot of herself in her daughter, though, so she knew that she'd grow to be a strong individual. Fireheart turned towards the crowd as Riddle-Mouth came forward, meeting his gaze with an exasperated, if happy expression. "A paw full at that, too," she murmured before glancing down at her unintroduced cubs. "Here is Asker who takes the most after his father. This one is Chaska. And here is Hana. All have yet to take Gypsy names, of course." She glanced at her cubs for a moment before speaking a bit louder. "This is Riddle-Mouth, cubs. He is the King. We work very closely to ensure the safety and the security of this pride."
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Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 7:27 pm
Asker eyed the stranger Riddle-Mouth, shuffling aside to let Nicolae closer to their father. The king's eyes were dark, unlike anything Asker had ever seen before. They were somewhat mesmerizing. His own green eyes were wide with wonder, starting at the adornments that Riddle-Mouth wore in his mane. It looked really cool. Asker wanted to have something like that when he was older.
The word king, however, was confusing to him. He wasn't quite sure he grasped the concept, but knew it to be some kind of authority figure, like a more important parent. The conclusion would have made him wary of Riddle-Mouth, but the blue cub's anxieties were dashed as Fireheart explained their relationship. If they worked together, then they had to be friends! And if this king was friends with his Mama and Papa, then he couldn't be all that scary.
Confidence renewed, Asker gave the king a small smile. "It's nice to meet you, King Riddle-Mouth." Asker prattled off politely. He had times when he remembered his manners. If those times were only when he was too nervous to be a brat, well, no one necessarily had to know.
Asker looked around to the rest of lions gathered. It was almost as if they had all come together to see his siblings and his parents. The cub's smile turned to a grin, suddenly feeling rather important. It was actually kind of nice to be the center of attention from so many lions. He took a few steps forward to stand beside Hana, mirroring her puffed-out stance. Asker returned is gaze to Riddle-Mouth, but his eyes flickered around to the rest of strangers, filled with a sudden desire to learn everyone else's name.
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Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:19 am
Mother's reproachful look confused Hana, and the cub wilted a little, her shoulders hunching and her legs folding ever so slightly. She didn't understand what she was being told off for - until Mother said that this Riddle-Mouth was the King.
Oh, no. While the word in itself meant little to Hana, she did recall Mother and Father placing extreme emphasis that the cubs be respectful when in his presence. Laying her ears back, she bowed her head low. In the sweetest voice she could muster, she spoke in barely more than a whisper.
"Good day, King Riddle-Mouth. I'm sorry if I was rude to you." Tail drooping, Hana hoped that her apology and bashful act were enough to curtail the tongue-lashing she expected later from her parents. If she were honest with herself, she couldn't really figure out why this King deserved respect; he looked similar to most of the other lions that gathered around - in fact, there were some that were bigger than him!
She shrugged off the thought - her opinion didn't matter yet. Her parents made it quite clear that she was to do what she was told, whether she agreed with it or not.
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:05 pm
The mixed reactions were just as amusing to him as it was to the parents. Riddle Mouth smirked and took a more careful inventory of the family gathered between himself and the queen. Half seemed shy, or silent, and the other half took their mother's spark. Vanellope especially reminded him of their grandmother. Silly, jittery, unable to sit still, and not at all afraid to speak her mind. A good trait in a noble.
He lifted his eyes to Straw Dog and gave a shake of his head. "Come now, a complement is a complement regardless of what tongue it falls of off." He shrugged. "And you have much to be proud of. No doubt they'll be giving you a premature gray muzzle though, so much life in them." He chuckled and took a step back to raise his eyes to Fireheart. Motherhood had matured her. It wasn't so much a physical change, but something had entered her eyes that hadn't been there just months prior. She seemed more confident, more proud, and perhaps even a little more alive than she had been before.
"Well done, Fireheart. And good luck to you in raising your little fireballs. You know what they say- if they aren't a pawful, they aren't worth the trouble."
Hana's meek statement earned only a laugh. "Rude would be biting my tail. Never be afraid to mouth off to me. I take it as a complement more often than not." He tapped the side of his head. "Little finds offense here, little one."Nicolae could hardly believe his sisters. They were so bold in the face of a stranger- several actually. He glanced past Riddle-Mouth towards the other eyes watching them at a distance. There were some quiet chuckles in regards to their behavior. Some of the ladies were eying them with envy, others looked relieved. Perhaps other mothers with litters that would need playmates.
He smiled under the complements and gave a short nod of his head in gratitude.
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:35 pm
At Riddle-Mouth's remark, Hana forgot about her innocent act entirely. Her entire body perked up and she raised her eyes to once again meet Riddle-Mouth's gaze. She couldn't believe her ears - an adult that enjoyed sass?
Hana smiled and took a step toward Riddle-Mouth, deciding that she liked this stranger. Her cold defiance finally turning to curiosity, she closed her eyes and sniffed at the air to try to catch his scent. Drawing in the air, she committed the scent to memory - very similar to Father's, but with a bit of a tang where Father had a sort of muskiness.
Nodding, she opened her eyes and smiled at Riddle-Mouth.
"So are you one of our... erm.. Uncles? Mother and Father tell us we have those, but we haven't seen any." In truth, Hana was excited to meet her aunts and uncles, and she hoped Riddle-Mouth was one. He was cool!
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Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 11:28 am
Grey muzzle? But their father's muzzle was blue. How could a muzzle turn grey? And what did he mean by not being worth the trouble? Jeez! Asker was beginning to understand why the stranger was called Riddle-Mouth. Almost everything coming out of his mouth was confusing. At least Hana wasn't about to get in trouble in front all these other lions. That would be awfully embarrassing! Which reminded him of the plans he had made with Chaska to pounce on Hana sometime today. That would have to be put off until they weren't in the spotlight anymore.
But then again, Asker kind of liked being in the spotlight.
Uncle. The cub had to think for a moment of what the word meant. It was one of Mama or Papa's brothers. That seemed right. Asker started up at Riddle-Mouth, emerald eyes narrowed. He looked back to his parents, studying them for a moment, and returned to staring at Riddle-Mouth. He couldn't be their uncle, could he? "You don't look like Mama or Papa." He said in response to Hana's question, eyes flickering back and forth from the "king" to his parents once again. After all, everyone else in his litter pretty much looked like Mama or Papa in colours or markings, and Asker himself was similar to a lot of siblings. Well, except for Vanellope. Maybe Riddle-Mouth was an exception like that.
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Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:08 am
Chaska watched as a few gulls fly above the water's edge before landing with a splash. He wanted to run through them so bad his hind quarters started to quiver. All these other lions needed to get out of the way. A few of them shifted in front of his view. He grunted in annoyance until his mother's tail brought his attention back to her. What was the big deal? His eyes searched his mother's face before he heard his siblings making introductions. Apparently the king was here. Chaska cocked his head while he studied him. Riddle-Mouth? That was a weird name. Riddles confused Chaska, so does that mean the king was confusing...which would totally suck. How was anything suppost to get done if people didn't understand you? Chaska suppressed laughter which threatened to bubble over. His siblings were acting weird and getting in trouble. He'd usually bask in this delight, but Chaska didn't want to find himself caught up in it too. So he picked himself up and trotted to line up with the others. "I'm Chaska, your Holiness and I like the shinny things you wear." Chaska really did enjoy looking at gold and trinkets. He often tried to bite his mother's bracelets. Anything that shinny deserved to be in his mouth...which was a different thought...well, he really wanted to bite and play with it. OCC - Sorry for the late reply, but I'm on spring break now! WOOOT!
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 9:06 am
What a mouse brain!, Hana thought to herself with a mischievous chuckle. He's the King, not a God!
While she enthusiastically taunted her brother in her own mind, Hana wouldn't dare to say these things out loud; Mother and Father would rip her fur off! Instead, she turned her attention back to the ocean. The rhythmic movement of the waves made her feel surprisingly calm, and she marveled at the birds who were somehow floating on top. As she watched them bob in the water and repeatedly dunk their heads under the surface, she found herself purring with amusement.
Suddenly, something huge broke the waves from underneath the birds. She had no idea what it was, but it was even larger than her father! It was gone as suddenly as it had appeared, and the birds were gone with it, leaving nothing but a slowly spreading pool of red. With a yowl of fright, Hana darted underneath her father and huddled against one of his legs. She had no idea what that thing was - what if it came up on the land to eat her and her siblings?! Trembling with shock, eyes so wide you could see the sclera, her pelt fluffed up so she looked twice her size, Hana tried to tell her father what had happened.
Her story took much longer than expected to be told through her stammering jaws, and when she finished she looked up at him - terror still fresh on her face - for reassurance.
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