[J] Chronicles: Vashtya's Horde

[Vashtya]

Personality Plotness (Jabali + Matope)--To Be Used for Reference, Later.

Vashu: well, since they're both stubborn and the like
Vashu: I'm thinking they've had older siblings
Vashu: and are from a large-ish pride?
Khomi: Ah-huh... M'kay. x3
Vashu: LOL. xD;; *was just thinking aloud* >.>;;
Khomi: xD
Khomi: Were they liked in this pride? Or generally annoyed because they thought so highly of themselves? xD
Khomi: (Oh, also, on another subject, shalleth the two always be 'competing' with the other?)
Vashu: haha. I think that they'll get along, for hte most part (I'm actually thinking of like, lion-siblings who occasionally stick together, and maybe even rule prides together?) BUT, yes, healthy competition. >3 from what we're looking at personality-wise, that'd be kind've a must, I think.
Khomi: Ooh, yeah.. *likes your analysis* xD
Vashu: and as for being liked or not...noideahere. what do you think? XD;; *doesn't want to come across as being all like "LET'SMAKEITTHISWAY*FWAP*"
Khomi: xD
Khomi: No problem.. I'm somewhat dry on ideas.. D: *thwaps self*
Vashu: LOL <3
Khomi: Soo.. they'd be like, 'together we can do great things! Buut... let's figure out which one is more fit! >3' (the latter phrase being used occasionally)
Vashu: kekeke! yesss biggrin
Khomi: M'kay. x3 Back to memories of the first clan.. xD
Vashu: XD
Khomi: *thinks and ponders* I'm not being too contributive right now.. sowwy.. xDD;;;
Vashu: we can either make it that they annoyed everyone so bad that they got kicked out
Khomi: xD
Vashu: or they just got old enough that daddy-o didn't want the possible future competition.
Vashu: :3
Khomi: (Both which would bond them together somewhat-ish?)
Vashu: *nodnod*
Khomi: (As in, both events would bond the two, whichever one we pick.. xD)
Vashu: *was thinking the same thing* precisely. *purr* we be on the same wavelength, yo! biggrin
Khomi: Umm.. *shall vote in a sec* So, whichever one we choose, the two, on the inside, think, "I need his strength to survive! We can succeed" but on the outside, only occasionally show that, and rather, think, "I can do this.. yeah... I only somewhat need his help?" Ehh.?? *is dry* xDD;;
Khomi: Hrmm.. I sorta like the second event... xD;
Khomi: *thinks on Vashy's wavelength xD*
Vashu: I think that the inside thoughts, at least for Jabali, are more affection-based than "ineedhimtosurvive" but, other'n that, precisely .3
Vashu: >3*
Khomi: Mm.. alrighties. x3 That was sorta ill-worded of me, but yesh. xD *thwaps self* They know they're brothers, and want to stick together to the end, even though they won't always say it..? xDD
Vashu: *nodnod*
Vashu: this should be fun. XD
Khomi: xD
Khomi: I've been on the comp a while, so, as I've said, my head is dry and it's a tad tired, so expect more Khomi-activity on another day! >D *dies, then hands Vash some Khomi-apologies*
Khomi: So so so... I like the event in which the pride leader/their father? had them leave the pride.
Vashu: xD! *pettus* dun be silly, you've been great to brainstorm with! and I kinda liked that option better too >3
Vashu: *doesn't like the thought of our bois being hated!* XD
Khomi: xDD
Khomi: Soo.. these'll sorta be, like, really gorgeous lions (to ze females |D) with a bit'o attitude? Or not-so-hawt to the girls, but enough to be at least somewhat attractive..? xD
Vashu: REALLYGORGEOUS. biggrin
Khomi: M'kay. xD
Vashu: *shot*
Vashu: well, they are. XD.
Khomi: *nods* <33
Vashu: *snooglehs* :3
Khomi: <33
Khomi: So, the leader of the pride, fearing being 'overthrown' (or overpowered) decided to have the brothers leave the pride. The brothers travelled together. A lot. They feel a very loving relationship with each other, despite the fact that they don't always say it out loud in plain black and white roars (xD; ). They're heart-throbs, with attitude, a wee bit of ego, and bravery, and enough self-confidence (which might mean ego, I dunno xD) to power... umm... a thing that needs a lotta power! >D *bricked*
Vashu: BWAHAHAHA. yes. biggrin
Vashu: but, they're also frightfully stubborn
Vashu: and sometimes too cocky, which can be a problem.
Vashu: :3
Khomi: Alrighties. Stubborn. *nods and takes notes* They think highly of themselves. xD
Vashu: as can their competitiveness? >3
Khomi: M'kay. xD
Vashu: just to balance them out. >3
Khomi: And yesh, going back to the cockyness, it occurs when they get full of themselves..?
Vashu: xD yep. I'd think it'd show up most when they're trying to out-do each other
Vashu: or other lions? >3
Khomi: Oh, yesh, almost forgot about other lions.. xDD *thwaped*
Khomi: I agree with what you said. |D
Vashu: <3
Khomi: Now, would they bond closer together under the site of another (competing) lion, or closer when, say, just plain travelling together.
Vashu: hmmmm. I'd think that it'd depend.
Vashu: maybe when confronted by another male lion (as they get older) they'd bond closer
Vashu: but in front've females, maybe less so, since they'd kindasorta be always feeling the need to compete with each other?
Khomi: Alright. That's what I was leaning towards. xD (All people seem to get more mature as they grow, anyways. xD)

And females, they'd probably get competitive. xD
Vashu: :3
Khomi: Soo.. when the mountain and mud brothers (xD;; I won't say that again, don't worry.. xD *bricked*) meet another lion, they become somewhat defensive, and bond a tad closer, until they get to know it of course, and among females, it's like, all of a sudden, 'omg,I'mhawterthanyj00!!! TT____TT' (or not to such a strong degree?)

And when meeting more shy characters, could it be like, "I know everything, lemme show you around! 'CauseI'mthebestrawr >D" Eh.. I dunno. xD
Vashu: xDDD! I think it'd vary somewhat character-to-character (that they encounter) but yes, that, to me, about sums up what I was thinking concerning their responses to new lions they encounterr. :3
Khomi: Lastly, how should they act when one meets someone new, when the other doesn't? Would it be like, 'This is my brother. I'd like you to meet him." Orr.. "This is my brother, who's not as cool as me..?" Or.. "I have a brother. :''

I'm totally open to any suggestions, or... you brainstorming much of their personalities! biggrin *cough* 'Cause I'm feeling more than braindead right now. xD;;; *thwaps self .. again. |D <3*
Vashu: LOL *fluffs* hmmm...I dunno. maybe we should take that bridge as we come to it? cause I think that would vary a LOT. :3
Khomi: Yeah.. I have no idea what would happen, which is the problem.. D:
Vashu: XD *fluffs* it'd depend--if they were feeling somewhat badgered, or inadequate, or nervous, it might be like "this is my brother, whos' way less cool than me." if it's a friend who htey feel at ease with, maybe it'd be like "this is my brotherrrr~"
Vashu: y'know? XD
Khomi: Hrmm... IGETITPHWAA! <3 *fluffs Vashy*
Vashu: LOL
Vashu: <3
Khomi: The first option, to sorta boost themselves up (would it give them the feeling of a lie-type feeling? Or would it leave their thoughts un-changed?) and the second option, when they feel totally friendly, and trusting.
Vashu: xD no lie-type feeling, since both kindasorta believe they're that LITTLE bit better than ole bro.
Vashu: XD
Khomi: M'kay. *is fine with that* x3
Vashu: <3
Khomi: Whee.. is there anything we missed? xD;
Vashu: don't think so biggrin
Khomi: <3
Vashu: *needs to go add a Jabali post in her multi-char journal in guild* XD I think I'll put a mini-profile up for your sexy boi at same tiiiime/same post? :3
Khomi: M'kay.. xD I think the two are pretty similar personality-wise, both competitive, and all that other jazz we discussed. xDD (Dunno if Jabali'll have a dirty mind or not.. |D)
Vashu: ohyes, he definitely will. >3
Vashu: XD
Khomi: xDD

I don't have any character journals yet.. might start one for Matope though. xD
Khomi: I think something that sets Matope apart though..
Khomi: Umm... *ponders* x3
Vashu: xD <3333.
Vashu: yeah, I think that we need to make sure they both have individual quirks
Vashu: even though they're overall personalities are gonna be similar, to keep 'em interesting biggrin
Khomi: *think-thinks* Err... If I do something too noble, it'll totally off-set the personality. Sooo.. what else is there? xD;
Vashu: noble'd be neat
Vashu: it'd add dimension. >3
Vashu: xD and make him really...at odds with himself, at times. >333
Khomi: Yesh, like, a 'this is the right thing' feeling.. But would it work with the ego-listic/competitive trait? x3
Vashu: sure biggrin
Vashu: just cause he has it doesn't mean he'd ALWAYS obey it. XD.
Vashu: and it'd give you a chance at mini-angst when he acts against it? XD
Khomi: M'kay. x3 Yeah, yeah.. it'd only come alive at the right moment! >3

Hey, should Matope be somewhat younger? Or willeth they be twins? Shall Matope be smaller in size? (Or vice versa? xD) xDD
Vashu: xD that's a good question.
Vashu: *ponders*
Vashu: twins, I think.
Khomi: Okay.
Vashu: or daddeh might've kept one in-pride after other. XD
Khomi: Oh yeah, huh.. xD
Khomi: Ooh, should one be just a taaad bit smaller in size than the other? xD;;
Vashu: kekeke sure biggrin
Vashu: and that one'd prolly be a tad scrappier, and more stubborn, to try to compensate. XD
Khomi: M'kay. x3
Khomi: Which one? ;00
Vashu: Jabali. >3
Vashu: mountaiiin. XD
Vashu: kekeke.
Khomi: M'kay. xD
Vashu: Jabali: WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME?
Khomi: xDDD
Vashu: Jabali: *snarks at Vash*
Vashu: XDDDD
I <3 my boi. :3
Khomi: Matope: Calm down. Besides... I deserve to be bigger. >3
Khomi: Matope: I haff the noble gene! D: <33
Vashu: Jabali: *pounce* I'll show you deserving!
Khomi: Soo.. (I often have to repeat myself in order to remember things, 'tis weird.. xD;; ) Matope and Jabali. Similar, occasionally arrogant, strong, self-confident, a tad bit ego-listic, but Jabali has a somewhat interesting mindset, while, replacing that trait, Matope has this interesting 'noble, do-the-right-thing' gene that spurs when the time is right. Although he mostly boasts himself up, if, say, for instance, he sees a hurt, weak, lion, he might occasionally convince Jabali to help.. the lion..? *bricked* xDDD;; *shall think of more* |D; Erms... Jabali is a bit smaller, but proves himself all the more, meaning he can occasionally be a bit more stubborn.
Vashu: *nodnod* yup! :3
Khomi: Matope: *knocked over* Heeey.. You caught me off guard! D:
Khomi: M'kay. x3
Vashu: Jabali: *snerks* you always say that when I kick your butt. *superior look*
Khomi: Matope: ...Oh yeah? *eases a grin, and leaps! biggrin *
Vashu: Jabali: *tries to twist out've reach* meep!
Khomi: (Now, another quick thing.. xDD Do the two think of themselves as very high-up powerful beings of the area? And also, are they clever? Or just good at acting cool..? xD)
Khomi: Matope: Hmmph. Who's kicking whose butt?
Vashu: clever. and, because've that, much as they might like to act the part, I think both realize that, at their current age, they need to toe the line of authority, specially when they meet up with full-grown lions, for example.
Vashu: but when they get older...>3
Khomi: xD Okay.
Khomi: ..Have you ever seen Full Metal Alchemist? x3
Vashu: yup! :43
Vashu: :3*
Khomi: Soo.. sorta like, how Edward knows that he's got an important mission, even though he acts quite spazz-tastic sometimes..? >3 The brothers know that they have to be clever enough to get what they want... but... um.. yeah? xDD;; *thwacked* <3
Vashu: heee. yes. XD.
Khomi: (By the way, d'ya know if any new episodes have been aired? |D;; )
Vashu: I hadn't thought of him when I was trying to think this through, but that's exactly how I picture out pair. and no idea x.X *doesnt watch the show that regularly*
Khomi: Yeah, Ed is sorta different, especially on his outter personality (more excitable than Jabali/Matope's cocky) but for some reason, he came into my head.. >>;; x3
Vashu: xD *nodnod* yeah, he's way too hyper for me to try RPing Jabali like that. XD.
Khomi: xDD Especially if you call him short. |D
Vashu: *goes to add Jabali/Matope General profile to her journal-y* and XDDD
Khomi: n__n
Vashu: true...although I think Jabali'll be a bit sensitive to mentions of his smaller size kekeke.
Khomi: Especially if Matope's around..? >D;
Vashu: heee indeeeed. >3
Khomi: Soo.. in semi-summary, both brothers seem to act one way, but they can't help thinking another, like the thoughts are this natrual hidden trait. Or, vice versa. They can't help acting that way, but they still think the other way. Or... They're both un-helpable. Orr.. *dies in confusion* @0@;;
Vashu: LOL. *petpet* you just lost me. XDDDDD. but I think that, as they grow....all sorts've things are possible.
Khomi: M'kay. xDD
Vashu: :3 we left plenty of room for growth. XD  

[Vashtya]

...entar Makadara~ <3  

[Vashtya]

RP Log #1: Binti'Sokota & Essien

(Sorry for the out-of-the-blue quote; I'm linking in a new journal)

chavi

The wind teases the tips of the dry grasses, bending them in an elegant ripple--- except for one greyish mound that only wriggles unceremoniously in a little shiver. Yes, it's apparent that something is alive under there, well hidden in the grass and almost stock still, its head bowed down too far to be clear. What is it? A small prey animal, a small feline....? But that'd be silly. What would a lion be doing in this forsaken place?



(Short and sweet. xD *passes to Vashii~*)

Vashtya

Binti'Sokota padded through the grasslands, her tongue dangling almost comically from the side of her mouth. Lifting her proud head with an ingrained sort of arrogance, she sniffed the air, closing her eyes for one brief moment and enjoying the feeling of the slight breeze as it ruffled her fur. If only there were more high places, like back home... she thought idly, letting a breath out with a slight whuff. Something rustled the grass nearboy, and suddenly she was on the alert, every muscle in her small body tensed and ready for the hunt. Her lip lifted in a silent snarl hardly befitting of one so young, and her claws kneaded the dirt in anticipation. Seeing only a flash of greyish-beige, she pounced, claws extended and teeth bared.

chavi

"...!"

With a loud YOWL, and a thud, the unknown animal is shoved to the ground, those tiny but sharp claws meeting his flesh for a brief flash of pain. Curling up a little and breathing heavily on a blanket of bent grass is... another lion cub? Yes, a young male, roughly the same age as his aggressor now blinks two bright blue eyes up at her, his mouth parted in a small 'o' of surprise.

"... that stung," he says softly, ears flattened.

Vashtya

Binti, mercifully, had realized her mistake before thudding into the other cub, and so hadn't caused too much damage with her claws. "Well, what were you doing that made it so hard to see what you were, anyway? I assumed you were a small antelope or something...and I was hungry..." she retorted, clamboring off him and staring down at the cub before her curiously, somewhat taken aback by what she thought of as his "pretty" markings. Tilting her head slightly to the side, aquamarine eyes twinkled with mirth and she poked him gently with a paw. "And 'sides, I didn't hit ya that hard..." she said, ending on a grin. "I'm Binti. Who're you?" she asked, remembering manners a mother had tried so hard to instill in her...at least, somewhat.

chavi

He stands with a little cough as soon as he's able, shaking the dirt from his coat. She was right, the marks weren't even visable, and all that was left of the pain was a dull feeling akin to a pulled hair.

"I was looking at the rocks," he replies casually, a smooth smile spreading to his face. With a quick flip of his paw, he uncovers one of the stones that had been buried in the "attack", a shining piece. "There really isn't much else to do here, but I'm sure you know that.... Binti." He pronounces her name carefully. "You certainly know all about greeting a new friend." His words are a little teasing, and he dips his head, playfully.

Vashtya

Binti snorted, utterly unfazed by his oh-so-unsubtle teasing. "There's all sorts of stuff to do around here--so much to see, and to smell..." she trailed off a bit wistfully, then caught herself. "And we aren't friends of any sort...yet." she stated, narrowing her eyes suspiciously and delivering a n** to his shoulder. "Plus, you never did give me your name yet...."

chavi

"Essien," he breaths at the small n**, wincing a little. He wasn't quite used to rough play... the lionessess whom had raised him had been very mellow, and the males... he hadn't socialized with them.

"And there is nothing here," he continues, stepping back a little as if to give her a clearer view. "I've wandered here for days... there is nothing, no one." Those last words seem to sadden him a little. Had he been hoping to stumble upon someone?

"And... I'm a little hungry," he admits, smiling sheepishly.

Vashtya

"Essien, hmm?" she murmured thoughtfully, nodding her head. "How long has it been since you last ate?" she asked, suddenly all business as she eyed his ribs. "Personally, I'm glad to hear that there aren't other lions about..." she muttered, eyes hardening for a brief moment before going blank again. "Anyway, first things first, I think we need to find food...have you done any hunting at all since you got here?" she asked, sniffing the air as she waited for him to answer the barrage of questions she'd thrown at him.

chavi

And to all of that, Essien... blinks very slowly.

"You talk very fast," he notes, tilting his head,"and don't say much of anything." He sidles to the left a little, as if anticipating her retaliation. "I haven't eaten in a few days... I'm not a very good hunter. Someone's always done it for me..." Apparently, he hasn't been on his own too long. A single ear swivels back. Then, suddenly:

"But... you're a very small lioness!" His eyes widen, and he paws a small circle around her, looking her over. He... didn't notice before? Oh dear... "You can hunt!" His smile is bright now, open. "You'll help me, won't you?"

Vashtya

Binti narrowed her eyes. No, he didn't just assume... Tilting her head slightly to the side, she smiled menacingly. "First of all, insulting me was not very smart, if you're asking for help. Second, If we hunt, we hunt together. You'll never survive long on your own if you don't learn how to kill for yourself. Thirdly, I don't mind helping to teach YOU how to hunt, but part of the reason I'm on my own is that I am not going to wait on any one hand and foot...if I'm going to do all the work, it's going to be for me...got it?" she ended on a hiss, raking her claws irritatedly on a nearby rock.

chavi

Essien just watches her as she fumes, as calmly as he'd watch her do anything less emotional. He waits politely for a moment after she's finished, wincing yet against at the cruel sound of her claws to his ears.

"Well.. I don't plan on being alone..." he begins, then stops himself, starting anew. "What I mean to say is... you're right. I should learn to hunt at least decently for myself. I'm so helpless..." He turns his eyes up at her in a wide, cutesy sort of way; he didn't grow up amongst females without learning some tricks.

Vashtya

Rolling her eyes, Binti deliberately, and maybe a bit vindictively, dragged her claws down the surface of the rock again, smiling slightly at the loud screeching noise they made before turning around to face him. "Hmmph. Why anyone would want to spend their entire life being taken care of by others is beyond me..." she muttered, still glaring at him somewhat balefully, deciding that she quite disliked his utter impassivity. It's something I can admire though...unfortunately. she admitted, if only to herself. Forcing her facial expression into a similarly blank one, she smiled blandly. "Anyway, I'm not about to fall for those limpid eyes...I had enough sisters, and hell, I've got a pair of eyes well-suited to that kind of thing myself...however, I did say I'd help teach you to hunt, so keep up, and maybe you'll learn something..." she said, turning sharply on her heels and heading off into the tall grass, tail flicking back and forth almost lazily.

chavi

Wiiiiiiiince. His ear ticks painfully at the noise, the fur on the back of his neck bristling. Oooh, that really got to him, didn't it? Binti turns just in time to catch the awkward expression of pain on his face before he quickly melts it into a smoother one.

"Of course, miss Binti," he says in a sing-song voice, a little mockigly but mostly in play. And he begins to follow, if you want to call it that. He is perhaps the least subtle thing on the savannah, his head held high and turning inquisitively around like a tourist enjoying the view. His pawsteps are graceful but heavy, ears erect but not focused. He's... definately not a hunter.

Vashtya

Binti's ears swivelled back and forth. I don't think I've ever heard a lion with such a heavy step... she thought to herself, whirling on him and swatting at his nose with a swift forepaw. "Didn't anyone ever teach you how to WALK?" she asked, wondering how he'd survived as long as he HAD. "And you ALWAYS need to have your ears and nose working along with your eyes to tell you where prey...or even enemies and predators, are in relation to you." she continued, hardly able to believe that no one had taught him any better concerning how one went about hunting.

chavi

His nose wrinkles a little, eyelashes fluttering. Her reprimand startled him a little. He'd never been yelled at for such a thing!

"Alright, miss Binti." That little name seemed to fit her in a teasing way, and he takes a deep breath and attempts to walk again. It isn't as heavy, definately, but he's definately no lioness. "If you promise to teach me, I will be a most devoted student. <3" Well, at least he's a little more comfortable with her, walking circles around her with light, jaunty steps--- quiet, but very funny to look at. He looks more like a gazelle than a lion!

Vashtya

Suddenly, it's Binti's turn to stare at Essien impassively. However, it's not easy to do so, by any stretch, since there's laughter lurking behind her impassive gaze. "That's better...but you look silly!" You need to get low to the ground, like THIS..." she said, slinking around him, belly inches from the ground, her body moving sinuously, and her paws making nary a sound on the hard-packed dirt.

chavi

He pauses in his prancing to stare at her, head tilted thoughtfully. That was familiar... the young lionesses of his former pride learned that stance early and used it mercilessly to creep up on him. He takes a small step back out of habit.

"Like... this?" And he crouches slowly, shifting around until he gets himself into a decent mimicry of her position. This wasn't so hard! "You should watch out, miss Binti," he says with a bright smile, slinking around her with shining, predatory eyes. "The only prey I see here to practice on is you."

Vashtya

Binti threw back her head and laughed uproariously, and slinked so that she was facing his tail, turning her head to look over one beige, patterned shoulder arrogantly. "You're welcome to try...novice." she said, flicking the tip of her tail against his nose playfully before stalking off. "Now, use that method of movement, and lets see if we can't find a rabbit or something for you to try out your new stalking skills on..."

chavi

He just smiles good-naturedly, regardless of her laughter. It didn't seem to phase him at all, as soon he's stalking after her like a puppy dog. Though he stays low to the ground in a hunting walk, his tail flips happily behind him. It was so nice to be around someone else again! But, wait--

"... you ... want me to actually hunt something?"

Vashtya

She turned to look at him over her shoulder, her eyes cold...already in "hunting mode". Blinking, she stared at him for a moment. "Of course you're going to try hunting something. I *told* you I was going to teach you how to hunt, didn't I?" she retorted, looking surprised that he'd even had to ask such a silly question.

chavi

His brow furrows, an ear flicking back, making him look a little confused. "But... " he begins, but doesn't bother to finish. She looked serious! There would be no weaselling out of this one! With a reserved little sigh, he paws up beside her, crouching down with a small pout.

"Alright then. Let's."

Vashtya

Binti nodded, turning forward again, her head held low, and her eyes flicking to and fro as she padded forward again, trusting Essien to keep up. She froze, her ears pricked forwards, and leaned over to Essien to whisper quietly in his ear, barely audible. "I hear something small moving through the grass just ahead and slightly to the right...think you're up to it?" she asked, eyeing him expectantly.

chavi

His ear twitches towards the sound. Yes... yes, there it is!
There was something there, alright. He gives her an anxious look, and small nod before stalking foreward a little.

But wait... he doesn't know anything beyond the walk. So of course he goes about it his own way: by stalking it until he was closer, and then.... bounding straight at the poor thing, flushing it out and causing it to bolt. He looks a little disappointed as he turns back to Binti. "It got away from me." Apparently...

Vashtya

Binti sighed, and looked tempted to hide her face in the dirt. "you don't RUN AT THEM...that gives them fair warning to get away, silly!" she exclaimed, shaking her head as if in disgust. "Let me put it to you this way...if someone was wanting to eat you, do you think they'd succeed if they approached you like that?" she asked.

quote="chavi"]

"Well... no one has ever wanted to eat me," he replies slowly, with a smile. He sits down and watches her, tail curling at his haunches. "I was sure I'd be faster... I didn't know prey could be so fast." It was obvious he only had a vague idea how hunting was done. He had seen it from afar, the lionesses working as a well-oiled machine. But they had run, hadn't they?

"How else would you do it?"

Vashtya

Binti smiled...and it wasn't a friendly smile. "Tell ya what...why don't you just wait here, and I'll show you. Pretend you're an antelope for a moment, ok?" she said, slinking off into the tall grass, disappearing completely from view.

chavi

Pretend that he was a... what? His expression is highly confused, even a little surpised at first, but he strives to play it cool, nodding.

"Alright... here I go." And he moves a littles ways away, pausing. From what he'd seen of antelope, they didn't do much beyond... eat. Eat, and run. So he mimics just that, nuzzling at the grass playfully. "Mm, grass~ <3" He looks up to smile towards her...

.... and by now, she is long gone from his sight. His smile immediately fades.

Vashtya

Binti smiled to herself, her tan body, outline somewhat broken by her swirly designs. Keeping low to the ground, she allowed her tail to flick to the side once, the movement a carefully controlled sign of her almost odd glee. Such a naive lion... she thought to herself, shaking her head and watching his every movement, her eyes hardening as she crept behind him, careful to stay downwind. She crouched, staying completely still for a heartbeat, two...and then flew into motion, every movement fluid, graceful...and deadly. Rising from her crouch with almost terrifying speed, she catapaulted through the air, not using her claws, but attempting only to roll him, straddle his body and get a grip on his throat.

chavi

Ears folding, Essien stands a little nervously, the tip of his tail twitching anxiously. Where had she gone, he didn't like---

"!!!" And for the second time today, poor Essi is pummelled by the little lioness, his body freezing upon impact before falling pliably beneath her. He.. he hadn't even seen her coming! When his eyes finally open (after being shut tightly in fear), they are wide with both surprise and envy. "Miss Binti..."

Vashtya

Binti clambored off of him gracefully, fixing him with an arrogant stare, pleased to see the surprise in his gaze. "That," she said, staring down her nose "is how you hunt. You always want to stay downwind of your prey, when possible--and you move slowly, carefully...staying low to the ground until you're close enough to pounce your prey...and when you DO, you go straight for the jugular...it's the quickest way to kill it--we're too small to hold most animals still long enough to suffocate them...but maybe if you survive long enough, that'll become an option also" she said, going into lecture mode, hesitating only to lick delicately at a forepaw before continuing. "The only time you'd run at prey like you did is if you were hunting in a PRIDE, where there were other pride members to cut them off, or help you herd them somewhere that you could corner them at...understand?" she said, a sort've...challenge in her gaze, that seemed to say I'll make you a decent hunter yet...even if it kills you.

chavi

He listens to her lecture carefully, ears forward and giving her full attention. But that silence breaks as soon as she's finished.

"That was... wonderful!" he says enthusiastically, a big smile on his face now. "I was... and you were.... and I didn't even see it coming! Miss Binti, you were excellent." To that challenge he only offers that smile, and happily curved eyes. He didn't really like being tackled, it reminded him too much of the games the other males would play with him--- whether he liked it or not! But this was very different.

"I would love to see hunting with a pride."

Vashtya

((if binti could facepalm, I think that would have had her doing so. *dies...just...dies.* xd heart ))

Binti blinked, taken aback by his reaction. What the...? Why isn't he irritated at my being able to have tackled him so easily? Meh, silly thing.. she thought to herself, having to struggle not to paw at the ground shyly at the compliment. "There's NOTHING like watching a pride hunt...it's amazing. However, since we are NOT in a pride, you need to know how to stalk your prey, ambush it...take it by surprise, somehow...cause with two of us, we can't afford to run at it..." she said again, wanting him to get it. "Now, you've seen me demonstrate pouncing twice...are you ready to try again?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side and eyeing him carefully.

chavi

"Oh, I am quite ready now!" And he smiles this time a little vainly, though it's all on play. He gives his tail a good lash, and crouches down--- unable to keep that damn tail from moving in excitement. But at least he's ready now, peeking up at Binti as if to make sure he was doing it correctly. But, er....

".... what exactly am I hunting now...?" ^_^;;

Vashtya

Binti smirked. "Well, that depends. What would you prefer...that I have you try to do the same thing to me that I did to you, or that we try to find another small animal, and you try your skills there....but remember, if you're going to try pouncing me...I'll not hold back on being a little rough if I think it'll help you remember to be more careful the next time." she said, eyes twinkling.

chavi

Oblivious as any male to any twinkling whatsoever, he stands a nods. "I'll take you!" he says with a smirk, "but I won't be easy on you, even though you are a girl." Just teasing, of course... he lets out a little laugh as he paws a little ways, disappearing into the tall grasses that surround them.

Vashtya

Binti snorted, yawning, the move obviously feigned, for she was tense, ears flicking from back to front as she sought to hear him coming--she'd meant it when she said that she wasn't going to go easy on him.

chavi

Crouching down as taught, Essien finally seems to get it, creeping silently and stealthily through the grasses, barely bending them as he brushes past. There she is, his 'prey,' looking very calm.. not for long, if he has his way!

He moves closer, and closer still, until he is close as possible before he leaps at her, paws extended by claws kept out of reach as aims to simply land on her. He doesn't want to hurt her, after all... but then again, that's assuming she doesn't see him, which is still up in the air.

Vashtya

Binti's eyes widened as she felt, rather than heard, the disturbance in the air...unfortunately, it wasn't fast enough to do much besides brace herself for the blow, so she was already rolling when he crashed into her. Whuffling in vague irritation that he'd gotten it so quickly, she went to push him away using her back paws, aiming to make the blow hurt somewhat. Might be hope for him yet though... she thought, a mental grin taking place as she shifted her intent, pushing with her hind legs and moving as if to do a backwards roll, hoping to reverse their positions.

chavi

So, he got the pounce down, and he looks rather proud as he pins her thusly, closing his eyes in silent congradulations. But it's short lived, for a moment later he finds his legs taken out from beneath him and his entire body suddenly rolled over, until here lies Binti, pinning him from above.

".... that wasn't very nice," he chides softly, but he's still smiling. Didn't anything get this boy down?

Vashtya

Binti grinned, although it looked more like a snarl. "I never claimed to be nice, now, did I?" she retorted, flexing her claws oh-so-carefully into his shoulders. "What would you do if I were to use my teeth on your throat, here and now?" she asked, eyes blank. "You learn fast, but, since I did warn you I wasn't going to hold back, you shouldn't have lowered your guard." she said curtly, pushing off of his body (probably not very comfortable for him XD) and stalking a few steps away, before spinning on her heel and lunging towards him, as if to n** at him none-too-gently.

chavi

But luckily he gets the hint the first time and is up at his feet by then, dancing nimbly away from her snapping. Well, she certainly wasn't nice at all, as she? But what choice did he have, if he didn't want to wander alone anymore? His smile remains, as tense as it may be.

"You wouldn't do that, though," he says smoothly. "You like me far too much." Why didn't she act like the lionesses of his pride? She was so... he didn't even know what she was!

Vashtya

Binti's eyes were narrowed, and she shifted from paw to paw, irritated. "Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't..." she said, still baring her teeth at him. She wanted the lines clearly drawn NOW, at this moment...she wanted to be dominant, more than anything. She'd spent her entire young life in a pride, and had secretly resented the way that the male cubs were treated with so much more respect, even though her brothers had not been able to hunt as well as she, stalk as well...heck, they were probably still in the den, not straying far from mommy's side...and Essien was catching the brunt of all that resentment.

chavi

"Miss Binti..." he says a little softer, looking very confused. First she was helping him, if a little roughly, but now she seemed, well... agressive towards him! He takes another step back, ears swiveling backward defensively. Those teeth of hers'... he didn't need to have much life experience to catch that signal.

"What's the matter?" he asks, trying to sound as sweet and level as he can. "I've done nothing to you... why are you so angry?"

Vashtya

Calming down slightly when he didn't react aggressively in return, she snarled one last time and whirled, pacing a little ways away, irritation seeming to radiate off of her in waves. "Nothing...nothing at all. And I'm not ANGRY..." she muttered, eyes flashing, her ears pinned back. But, on the bright side, it looked as though she'd directed her anger at something other than Essien, for the time being. "I need some time to myself." she said abruptly, rising and moving to stalk off into the tall grass.

chavi

Lucky boy! Looks like he's free from her wrath for a while.

.... but he can't just be happy with that, can he? Perhaps stupidly he follows her, pawing a little ways behind her. She may not be like other lionesses, but... everyone liked to be listened to, right?

"What's the matter?" he says softly, sitting down but keeping his muscles tense, in case he needed to leap away quickly to avoid those claws of hers'.

Vashtya

Binti snarled at him again, but the sound was less violent than before...sort've. "I said that there wasn't ANYTHING WRONG." she growled, eyeing him balefully, although her eyes twinkled for a split second in mirth as she observed that he hadn't yet let down his guard. "And what part of my saying that I wanted to be alone didn't you understand?" she went on, narrowing her eyes.

chavi

Essien is either very brave or very naive... though from the way he carried himself, it's easy to tell which. He flinches at that snarl, but doesn't seem turned off. Enough of being kind, he was being purely selfish now. He needed her. It was obvious that without a little lioness like her, he'd starve out here in a few more days. He didn't know how to care for himself!

"Miss Binti.." he says hurredly, "you promised you'd make a hunter of me. I..." Think fast, think fast... what would she want to hear... it was so confusing! ".... I still need you here, Miss Binti." Good save.

Vashtya

((ROFL! have I told you today how much I luff Essi? xd *will hopefully be online toniiiiight to talk to j00, chavi...has a rough sketchu to show* 4laugh ))

Binti blinked, obviously something at a loss over his last statement. Narrowing her eyes, she stared at him, obviously weighing his words. Of course, being Binti, she didn't correct his presumption that she'd been abandoning him PERMANENTLY. After all, a gal's nothing without her reputation, ne? Nodding once, curtly, the tension left her. "I did indeed...and a promise is a promise, isn't it?" she said on a small sigh. "Then we'll continue our lessons on THAT tomorrow..for now, I want a drink...and then I'll see if I can't scrounge us up something in the brush before we start looking for shelter...after all, I personally would rather not have to sleep in such an open area--it leaves you vulnerable." she said, her eyes hard as gemstones.

Marushii

The sun hung high in the pale, powder-blue sky, umarred by the pitifully few and far-between clouds drifting by. The pale-yellow orb's glare upon the land brought forth shimmering waves of heat, disorienting one's view and decieving them.

Kono-epesi was no exception.

The black-orange cub's mouth hung open as she greedily sucked in the scourching air, wishing for perhaps the hundreth time that day that it was night. At least then it wasn't so hot! Her red-orange eyes tore themselves away from her paws to take in the landscape, her ears and tail sinking with disappointment as the land seemd unchanged.

But wait! What's that? She stared numbly at the tree before she recognized its presence. Grimly, she forced her paws in that direction, picking up speed as the sweet scent of water alit her nose.

((Fear teh newest rogue to move in! X3))

Kel-chan

['tis goood! *snugs Maru* And I love Kono. So cute. xD ]

The young cheetah cub caught herself with a start. She had nearly fallen asleep! Now that couldn't be a good thinng. Looking aorund she guessed that the sun was a little lower, and the heatwas less intense. She stretched to her feet, gave a quick check on the two pridecats who were still a ways off, and then trotted down to her waterhole, eyes darting this way and that before she took another drink. Ha, that was good. Her own waterhole.... and now for the preybeasts! The reddish cub snickered slightly to herself, dipping one black pawtip in the water and watching it sparkle in the blazing sunshine as it dripped off. Then she began walking aound the small pool, making sure her scent was there in some places (to warn off others) and not in some places (for the preybeasts to come!). Quite satisfied with herself she loped ungainly back to her treeshade.

Marushii

((Thanks! X3 *snugs both of ye back* whee ))

A shadow flecked with fiery orange spots slid through the grass as easily as water, stirring only the tallest of the long stalks of grass. The need for food along with instinct taught her paws their liquid movement, as time and time again proved to her that rushing often ended with loose feathers in one's paws. Kono resisted the temptation to run, forcing herself to not imagine the swwet, cold caress of the water as it slid down her throat...

The cub distracted herself by crouching down into the slinking hunter's "walk" as she called it, one she had devised just to pounce on the unwary avains before they left to rejoin their sky kingdom. Of course, the last time she did that was a while ago...

She forced her paws to a stop as the scent of water teased her, urging her to come closer to taste the swe- Kono-epesi shook her head, despelling the imagery and, unwittingly, brushing the grass against the wind. She froze, waiting for a heartbeat before slinking forward, soon coming to the grass' end. Ahead lay her paradise, and yet... She raised her head and tested the air. Was that... cheetah? This puzzled her greatly, as she recalled witnessing a blur of gold-and-black streak across the flatlands...

Well, maybe a cheetah HAD visited and left again. Kono lept from her hiding place and darted towards the waterhole, stopping only when her paws were covered in the water, sending a delightful sense of cold into her body. With a gladening cry, she immediatly lowered her head and drunk greedily, not yet noticing that the cheetah she had smelled earlier was still around, nor of the other two lions.

Kel-chan

Laio's sleepiness had been her downfall. At the cry of the lioness cub, she snapped awake and bounded to her paws, racing toward HER water.
"Yah! Get lost, pridecat!" She snarled, her baby-voice not helping much. "This is my waterhole! Find your own!" The nervous little cheetah tried to make herself look as fierce aspossible, reddish fur bristling, black-tipped paws set firmly apart as if threatening to box the startled lion's ears. Of course, she was scared out of her skin, being that much smaller, but she tried to make up for it in anger as she glared fiercely at the taller sooty lion. Inside she prayed that the other two pridecats wouldn't turn up. Three would be too many for her to handle.

Tragicity

((hope I'm not interrupting anything...but I had to start Kikora somewhere, and this thread needs more pages XD))

A ripple in the sun-scorched grass, and possibly the faint scent of lion heralded the arrival of yet another rouge cub.
A patch of gold just a shade darker than the dried grass, Kikora padded her way across the land. The sun beat down upon her, although she ignored the heat as best as she could. Bright white ears flicked back and forth to pick up the sounds of any other creature nearby.

Was that the sound of voices? Kikora stood up to full height, raising her head to look around. Her sharp eyes saw two very small shapes in the distance. She inhaled deeply, sorting the scents that reached her nose; grass, water, unmoving air...lion. Two lions. She debated going over to them, decided against it, moved on. Barely two more steps and she halted again, hearing a cry from not too far off. Another lion, and much closer. Kikora immediately pressed herself low to the ground and slid silently towards the direction of the voice.

She came to the waterhole before long, although she did not go all the way up to it. She watched the female lion cub drinking from the safety of the long grass, every muscle tensed in case she felt the need to flee.
She had almost decided to go and speak to the other cub when a cheetah came rushing towards the other lion with a fierce cry.
Kikora thought for a second, and came to the conclusion that she should just watch for a while, and not interrupt. For she knew that if you see someone in a confrontation it is never be wise to interfere, and she had the scars to prove it.

((There you go, my first proper roleplaying post with Kikora. Hope it's not too bad!))

Friday_Dora

Kivuli walked steadily towards the scent of water. The young lioness had been traveling for days in search of the life-preserving liquid, and the pads of her paws burned from the long journey over harsh land. She had finally picked up on the scent of a small watering hole in the Southlands, but she wasn't the only one.

The grey lion put her nose to the ground and sniffed. There were other cats here as well... Several lions, and another cat that she couldn't quite identify. She knew that she could possibly be invading their territory, but it seemed like a small risk to take in order to get a drink of cool, refreshing water.

Vashtya

Binti froze, her nose atwitch. I smell..other lions. she thought to herself, her upper lip curling back into a snarl even before she heard the confrontation at the waterhole, the sounds barely reaching her ears...but sufficient to have her snarling at Essien to meet her at the watering hole and bounding off. All I wanted was somewhere to live by myself... she pondered idly, claws digging into the ground as she bounded across the plains, not really taking much care to hide her movement.

Kel-chan

Her body trembling with the pent up energy, the young cheetah spared just a quick flick of her eyes to the side, and her black ears quivered as she heard faint noises behind her. The pridecat had brought friends! Terror started melting into her brain, and she reinforced it with another snarl, dancing lightly round until she was between the sooty cub and the water's edge, her tail swishing from side to side, her eyes narrowed.

Vashtya

Binti skidded to a stop as she arrived at the watering hole, and eyed the cheetah cub oddly, tilting her head slightly to the side, before turning to look at the only visible lion cub, although she COULD smell others. "What," she began, an aggressive glint in her eye "seems to be the problem? Last I checked, for purposes of EVERYONE's survival, watering holes are usually SHARED..." she said, her voice deceptively soft.

Friday_Dora

Kivuli trotted up to the watering hole, her head down and tail tucked inbetween her hind legs. She was just going to get a quick sip of water, avoiding eye contact with any other cats, and then bolt out of there.

Of course the young lioness was shocked to see that the other cats she'd been so afraid of were... cubs! She stared at an intricately patterned lion cub and a spotted cat of some sort who were having an arguement over something or other.

Vashtya

Binti's ear flicked back towards the juvenile lioness, but her eyes never left the lioness and cheetah cubs before her.

((*rolls about*))

Kel-chan

Laio spat slightly, her fragile shell of bravado still holding. "My territory, pridecat. You may drink, if you ask. But then move on." She tossed her head slightly, trying to keep her unaccustomed poseof arrogance. After all, isn't that how you're supposed to denote your territory? Anxious thoughts were an undercurrent in her taut young frame. But now there was a larger one coming, that soft-eyed grey female pridecat. There were too many... an impulse came upon her to run, and she fought fiercely within herself.

Friday_Dora

Kivuli studied the spotted cat, who seemed to be getting more and more nervous. She flicked her ears back submissively, to show that she was not a threat.

"I'm sorry if I startled you, I only meant to get a drink of water."

Marushii

Water dripped freely from Kono's lower jaw as she raised her head at Laio's yell. She snorted and rolled her oddly-colored eyes, "It's not like you need ALL of it. Besides, aren't your kind supposed to run AFTER prey instead of sulking about and pouncing on them when they least expect it?" She flicked her tail before lowering her head again, lapping the water up quickly.

As the other lions arrived on the scene, Kono-epesi removed her paws from the water and noted their presence. A few quick sniffs of the air recorded their scents to memory -- just in case. "Now, I'm going to go hunt birds. Seeya!" With that, the cub quickly turned and darted off and into the grass, her swift paws nearly stumbling onto and over the golden-hued lioness crouched there. "Merf!" She squeaked, darting away and tripping on her own paws. "Ow!"

chavi

(Hmm, I seem to have missed, oh... everything. xD)


Puzzled for a moment by Binti's sudden command, Essien takes a moment to try to figure it out before giving in. Ah well... she knew best, didn't she? He approaches the watering hole as leisurely as anyone without a clue. His ears p***k forward anxiously to hear the conversation, but apparently he doesn't hear enough to understand that he did not want to butt into this.

"Miss Binti!" He calls out, then quickly clamps his mouth shut, staring around him for the first time with curious eyes. More lionesses...? Was he really this lucky? He smiles his smoothest, falling in behind Binti out of habit.

Tragicity

Kikora watched the drama unfolding by the water's edge with half-closed green eyes. The heat of the day was making her incredibly tired...she swayed even as she crouched; her eyelids were becoming heavy.

The next moment, Kikora was knocked onto her side as something large and black ran into her. She was immediately alert again, though she started in surprise as the other cub cried out. Oh no, she thought desparately.
"Oh, I'm sorry! Are you alright?"

Vashtya

Binti snarled, flashing impressive, if still young, teeth. "Last I checked, Your kind share lion territory...you overstep yourself, to claim this territory all for yourself..." she said, teeth still bared. She didn't move as Essien emerged behind her, but did hiss a quick "Don't get in my way!", not even responding to the lioness cub who'd drunk her fill and left, or to the adolescent who spoke so much like a pacifist.

((she's so aggressiveeeeee...*whine* xd ;; *would thwap her* play nice with the other kiddies! domokun ))

Friday_Dora

Kivuli sighed heavily and stepped forward to get a drink of water. The cubs seemed perfectly harmless, even though the strangely-patterned one did seem to have a rather smart mouth on her... She watched that cub carefully out of the corner of her eye as she lapped at the small watering hole.

Kel-chan

Laio stared around, body trembling, at the lions who now surrounded her. An unhappy look darted across her face, and then suddenly she was gone, racing around the side of the waerhole, paws kicking up gouts of dust, breath catching in her throat.
Some way off she nearly tripped, and staggered into the safety of a scrubby bush's shelter. As soon as she calmed down a bit, she began to berate herself fiercely.
"What was that all about, you stupid cub? Try being nice next time! Remeber that grey pridecat in the jungle? You could talk to her! And now you haven't a chance because of your stupid, stuckup behaviour, nd you lost the waterhole too." She laid her head on her black-tipped paws, skinny frame still heaving. If she could have cried she would have.

Vashtya

Binti tilted her head slightly to the side, feeling...triumphant...but at the same time, intrigued by the young cheetah's reaction. Ignoring all of the other cubs, she padded off after Laio, having seen something in her that she could respect--an ability to try to intimidate even when one seemed heavily outnumbered. Of course, her curiosity was so piqued that she didn't even ask Essien if he'd prefer to follow her or if he'd like to try taking up with one of the other youths who'd congregated around the watering hole.

(( heart sorry for not RPing much lately guys!))

chavi

Of course Essien follows Binti--- what else does he have to do around here? His eyes travel to the other cubs as he walks, but he still keeps up with his "friend." He couldn't imagine being alone again, not after finding someone he could talk to, as odd as Binti could be. And she was a lioness who could hunt (albeit one who didn't understand her place)! The others may be friendly, too, but it wasn't a sure thing...


I live, honestly. xD;

Vashtya

Binti finally gave up finding the young cheetah, snarling under her breath as new scents assailed her quivering nose. "Damn it...this place was supposed to be EMPTY...where the hell are all of these lions coming from?". Growling softly, she turned around to look for Essien, deciding that he might get lost without her...clever guidance. "I'm tempted to look for somewhere else to take up residence..." she muttered to herself, looking almost hunted as she thought of how far she'd come to be alone, and how far she seemed to be from that goal. xd .

((d00d...I leave for a week, and this place explodes o.O;; heart xd .))

 

[Vashtya]

RP Log #2: Binti'Sokota & Essien

(Sorry for the out-of-the-blue quote; I'm linking in a new journal)

Vashtya

Binti crested a small rise, her broad paws making virtually no noise as they almost subconsciously found there way around the small tufts of yellowish-green that was the savannah grass. After all, what kind of huntress would she be if she left such an obvious trail? Unfortunately, she wasn't paying as much attention as she should have been, especially since she was moving upwind, and so couldn't smell what was ahead of her. As she leapt over a good-sized rock, she landed on something soft and...feathered?!

Extending her claws in surprise, Binti winced as the creature squawked angrily. Off-balance, she rolled forwards, ending up on her back and finding herself staring up at an olive-colored, speckled bird...and he didn't look particularly happy.

Mwindaji'baridi, a young bird of prey who had always been rather bored with his existence, opened his beak wide, expressing his supreme displeasure at being stepped on, as if he were a stone or something. However, he wasn't stupid enough to get into a fight with a lion cub--after all, where there was a cub, there was usually an adult--and while he might be able to take down a cub with luck, an adult lion was another story. "Watch where you're going!" he said, obviously irritated.

Binti could hardly believe this bird's nerve, making it sound as though she she were the one at fault. Of course, she admitted to herself, it sort've had been....but still. Scrambling to her feet, she moved so that her face was mere inches from that of the obviously predatory bird, judging by the shape of his beak. "Maybe you should've found somewhere other than on the ground, hidden behind a rock, to take your nap, hmm?" she retorted, leaning down to lick idly at a forepaw, her eyes never leaving the bird, since she wasn't quite sure how he'd react.

Mwindaji looked irked, to have this CUB talk back to him so. Fluffing his feathers, he flapped his wings a couple of times, and came to rest on top of the rock in question. "Well, I suppose it's neither here nor there--what's done is done, and while I'll be a bit sore from those claws, no real harm was done..." he said, eyes meeting her own, as he noticed that he couldn't see any other lions nearby, which was odd, for a cub so young to be wandering around on her own. "So, where's the rest of your pride?" he asked, unable to contain his curiosity for any longer.

Binti tensed, and eyed him warily. "I don't have a pride." she said simply, her gaze just daring him to make a comment about it. "And I happen to like it that way..." she continued, tilting her head slightly to the side. "Anyway, what's it to you?" she queried, idly pawing at a clump of grass, as if she were debating pouncing on him again.

Mwindaji smiled. That...explains a lot. She probably just set off on her own, and hasn't yet learned that arrogance doesn't portray strength. he thought, eyes twinkling. "Well, for one thing, I could use one of your kind to help keep me out've trouble like today--you see, an older lion might do more than bruise a few ribs..." he said, having no qualms about telling her half-truths...especially since, if he were honest, the main reason for his asking was that she intrigued him, this odd little lioness cub...her coat had odd markings, and she certainly wasn't normal, by anyone's standards. "So, if it's not too much trouble, I might be able to help you with your hunting, as well." he said smoothly.

Binti looked at him for a few more minutes, as if debating her plan of action. "Fine. Have it your way...just...don't get in my way, ya hear?" she said, turning as if to leave. She took two steps, then hesitated, looking back over her shoulder at the speckled bird. "By the way, I'm Binti'Sokota...Binti to most." she said. "What's your name?" she asked, somehow managing to appear as if she could care less.

Flapping his wings powerfully, Mwindaji flew alongside. "I'm Mwindaji'baridi...and our names give us something in common, it would seem..." he replied, feeling more entertained than he had for quite some time.

Binti nodded, and looked around, scanning the surrounding savannah. "Now, where did Essien go...?" she mused.

chavi

[See, Vashii, I'm here~ ;3 ]

"...mm..." Blue eyes blink rapidly, jaw opening wide in a yawn. Were... was he? Poor Essien finds himself waking amongst the southland grasses, a leg propped up on a rock and tail curling around it. What had he... oh! Now he remembers. He'd been waiting for Binti, and had...

"Miss Binti...?" He says softly, not botherig to hide, the foolish little boy. He paces a little, testing the air to no avail. Had she moved on already? Anxiety grips him for a second. He doesn't want to be alone again...

Vashtya

Binti suddenly froze, her ears focusing in on something. Snorting, she changed directions, and Mwindaji could only wonder what had her muttering "Stupid Essi...doesn't he know any better than to shout in the middle of the savannah...?", even as her body language changed--she was moving far more quietly, every movement controlled, down to the slight flick of the tip of her tail. A barely contained purr caught in her throat as she stopped behind a particularly large clump of grass, her eyes twinkling.

Mwindaji blinked, somehow knowing that interference on his part was neither needed nor desired. With a mental shrug, he landed a couple of feet behind Binti, careful to not make a sound as he watched to see what she'd do next. He could already hear sounds being made by....another lion cub? behind the clump of grass, and wondered if that meant she knew him...?

Muscles bunching and releasing fluidly, Binti catapaulted at Essien, teeth bared in a mock-snarl, and claws extended menacingly, although she'd withdraw them a split-second before hitting, since she really DIDN'T want to kill him.

chavi

As always, Essien is oblivious, ears pinned. He couldn't see her... she must be gone! "Miss Binti! Where a---!!!"

He's cut off as suddenly a force has him thrown to the ground and pinned in a cloud of dust and bending grasses. But once the shock subsides a great smile crosses his face, a single eye (the one not squished into the dirt) opening and rolling up. Only one lioness would ever tackle him so forcefully, without claws or pain...

"There you are... I see you're well."

Vashtya

Rolling her eyes, Binti rolled off him. Sometimes, she wondered if he'd EVER learn. "I am, indeed. But, you can't go yelling like that, especially if you're not paying attention to your surroundings--what if I'd been a full-grown lion, just waiting for a cub-sized meal...or better yet, a hyena, hmmm?" she asked, temporarily forgetting about Mwindaji, until he waddled into view. "Oh, and now Mwindaji's decided he wants to travel with us, for awhile." she said, shrugging. "Personally, I think he'll get bored soon, but you never know..." she said, eyes twinkling as she skipped from subject to subject. It would seem that she smiled a lot more lately. "Anyway, you're a mess...what'd you do, fall asleep in the dirt?" she asked innocently.

chavi

"Actually... yes, I did." He smiles brightly despite his embarassment. Was he that easy to peg? He somehow doubts if he could ever keep any secrets from Binti. Not even her warnings can quite phase him; does he even listen? With an unchanging smile he turns to the bird.

"A... bird?" He tries to be polite, but it's obvious that he's very curious. He paws closer to the bird, bending down to place his nose by it and sniff it softly. "... can we eat it?" Apparently, he doesn't understand that it can be a travelling companion instead of a meal.

Vashtya

Mwindaji squawked indignantly at the suggestion. Both of them are...so rude... he despaired, although he'd never dare say that aloud--after all, this lioness cub seemed far too aggressive to chance saying something like that. "I believe your companion told me I could travel with you....she never mentioned that I'd be travelling in an edible capacity!" he retorted, tapping Essi's nose with one powerful wing.

Sighing, but realizing that yelling at Essi wouldn't help, Binti batted firmly at his tail. "No, you can't eat it, you silly thing. For one thing, as a bird of prey, he'd be less tasty than his plant-eating relatives...and besides, maybe he can teach you a thing or two about being quieter so as not to get yourself killed." she finished, trailing off as her stomach rumbled demandingly. "However, we do need to find something to eat soon." she said, lifting her head to sniff at the air. "And it's not going to be easy, with so many other lions and...I think I catch a whiff of hyena as well--that means all of the prey animals'll be on their guard, so we're going to have to work that much harder to catch them by surprise."

chavi

Essien wriggles his nose, pouting a little. That hurt! He didn't like this new avian companion at all, strangely, though he seems fine with Binti's abuse...

"I am a little hungry," he admits, a pout still on his lips when he turns to Binti. Mwindaji is officially ignored. "But I don't see why we just eat the bird. It may not taste good, but beggars can't be choosers." It made perfect sense to Essien. If you're hungry and food sits beside you, why not take advantage? "And he won't be too fatty, either. Something to really sink your teeth into." He runs a tongue over his maw thoughtlessly. He wasn't about to pounce on poor Mwindaji, but he'd certainly fantasize about it...

Vashtya

Binti giggled at the look on Essien's face as Mwindaji bapped him on the nose. "We're not eating the bird...end of story." she said, struggling a bit to look suitably serious as she said it. "Now...as for getting something to eat...you think you can remember enough of what I've told you to actually do something other than scare the prey away?" she asked, a saccharine smile playing about her maw...

chavi

"Oh, yes!" He nods enthusiastically, smiling sweetly even though his nose still stung. To be honest, he could barely remember any of it. Stay low, be quiet, and... and... well, it would come to him, right? It all seemed to be a game to him. After all, he was a lion, not a lioness. He still didn't consider hunting to be his job. "Just lead me to something, Miss Binti, and I will show you what I've learned."

Vashtya

Nodding, Binti eyed him with more than a little suspicion, but decided that there was no better test than to actually watch him try it...again. And this time, she'd find a land-animal, so that she could wait in front of it, in case he botched it...again. "Fine. But remember, if you don't learn...there will be some point at which I won't share kills, unless you're able to pull your own weight." she said, lifting her lip in a grin.

Ignoring the fact that her heart was beating just a little bit faster at the thought of Essi becoming a successful hunter, Binti turned away, padding quietly off into the grass. "Oh..and don't fall too far behind, either of you." she said, practically sashaying, although she motioned for Mwindaji to precede her.

Mwindaji stuck close to Binti, not liking the way this other cub looked at him. I don't think I'd be hanging around long if he were the one making decisions... he thought, flapping his wings slowly, moving just fast enough to keep up with Binti's almost leisurely pace.

chavi

Not sharing? Essien gulped as he began to follow close behind, ears drooping a little. Now he had to remember how, and fast! Vainly he thinks back to their lesson, going over all those times when Binti has pounced on him. Now, if she'd had claws out... His nose twitches a little as he thinks. He should have just pounced the bird and been done with this dangerous test.

"But... you wouldn't let me starve, would you...?" he asks hopefully, a bit of desperation in his tone.

Vashtya

Binti turned back around to face him, her eyes glowing oddly, as if she was enjoying making him sweat. "Maybe...then again, maybe not." she said, deciding that a little worry might jog his memory, even if only a little bit. There was no need to re-iterate that she didn't expect him to be perfect at it...yet, but rather that he needed to make an effort to become a proficient hunter.

chavi

"... alright..." His ears pin now, and he sulks after Binti, deep in thought. He was pretty sure he could do this. He almost had before, right? Sort of... loudness was his main issue. "I'll be fine. You just watch!" As challenging as this statement was, it's said rather half-heartedly. This wouldn't be so tough if she wasn't so cruel! But somehow, he didn't mind... it did make him shape up.

Aster Crosslie

Damasi had watched the play between the two cubs with curious intrigue, wondering if she could hazard coming a little closer, or remaining in her hiding spot to just keep on spying. Her tail flicked back and forth. Kimacho would probably be annoyed with her. No, not probably. He'd be furious for wandering off away from the safety of a good tree.

.. But kids will be kids. <3 So she jumped down silently from her little perch, and started stalking after the two. Hiding for her was a bit difficult being so dark, but Damasi more than made up for it by being quiet and sneaky.

Vashtya

Ignoring his pouting, Binti focused on the task in front of her, stalking forward with determination. Her eyes darted to and fro, and her ears swivelled so as to better hear for the telltale scrabbling sounds that would hint at the presence of something...huntable. There were times that she definitely wished she was larger, just so that she could take down larger prey animals, instead of having to go after the very young, or smaller, rodent-like creatures. Freezing, she suddenly stared off slightly to her left, her eyes utterly fixated on the surrounding grasses for signs that her ears weren't deceiving her. Spotting one slight indentation in the shape of a foot, she smiled, and moved backwards to stand directly beside Essi. Placing her mouth over his ear, she whispered quietly, barely audible even to him. "Alright, there should be a good-sized young antelope hidden in the grasses just off to our left...I need you to give me time to get on the other side of it, then start stalking forward--remember, you need to be quiet...and don't reveal yourself to it until you're close enough that it can't react to the sight...got it?"

Mwindaji, having seen the antelope from above, decided to give the lion cubs some space, and so veered off slightly to the left, in an attempt to locate some more appropriately-sized prey for himself.

((*hoping that the meeting doesn't occur til after this "hunting lesson"* xd ))

chavi

"Got it," he mouths and nods quickly, to give her to ok to go. And then... the waiting. As soon as Binti is out of sight he begins his own movement, his normally carefree stride slowly morphing into a low stalk. He hated being so low to the ground... being downwind of certain things and close to the dirt wasn't pleasent!

When he's positioned by his prey, he begins towards it, very slowly. Get very close... very close... The antelope was very young which meant weak, he knew, but also very fast. He'd need to get very close indeed.

When he's close enough for comfort, he speeds up, and he seems about to catch the anetlope off guard when he leaps-- but he's just too slow. The prey snaps around and bolts, almost effortlessly avoiding him. He hits the ground coiling, and chases after for a moment before he realizes he's at a terrible disadvantage; he's too small to match that speed! His entire body language screams volumes of disappointment.

Vashtya

Binti barely made it to her desired hiding spot before Essi leapt out at the antelope. She couldn't help but wince at the look of disappointment as he missed...but she forced herself to stay still a heartbeat longer, waiting for the panicked young antelope to run almost directly into her waiting jaws. In seconds it was over--as the baby broke through the curtain of grass in front of her, she leapt forward, the sheer force of her jump tumbling her prey backwards with a cracking noise, which told her that she'd broken one of its' hind legs. Thankfully, it wasn't much more than a newborn, and so she was able to overpower it. However, unfortunately, that didn't mean that she didn't have to really work to keep her grip on its throat--her jaws just weren't strong enough to crush the windpipe instantly, or to rip out the entire throat in one bite--so she clung, having to settle for slowly cutting off its air supply, instead. She growled, deep in her throat as the youngster caught her in the ribs with one small, but still hard, hoof, one forepaw flailing about trying to gain purchase as her jaws slipped slightly.

chavi

For a moment Essien can only watch as Binti once again takes charge, skillfully taking down the baby, and once again he's awed by that skill that all lionesses seem to master so easily. But then he realizes that she's met her match. The antelope is still fighting!

"B.. Binti...!" He calls out, running towards them. He'd never been this close to a kill before, and to be honest, the sight was very gruesome; intense. With wide eyes he watches the struggle. "I..." He needs to do something. So, awkwardly, he places himself on the moving legs of the baby, getting kicked a couple times before finally keeping them still. Superior size and strength... this was the skill of a male lion.

Vashtya

Taking advantage of the extra weight holding the baby antelope down, Binti shifted her grip again, grasping the windpipe more firmly. Her eyes gleamed in satisfaction as the young antelope's struggles grew weaker, even though her ribs were probably going to be a bit tender come tomorrow.

As lack of oxygen took its toll on their prey, sapping its strength, she moved so that one forepaw lay solidly on the neck, the other almost covering the only nostril that wasn't pressed into the dirt, although she maintained her grip on its throat until the antelope grew completely still beneath her. Once she'd satisfied herself to the fact that it wasn't going to get up and run away again, she slowly eased up, her teeth hurting slightly, but in a good way. She was lucky she hadn't knocked any loose, with the way she'd been gripping its neck.

Finally, she looked at Essi in satisfaction, not even noticing the blood that mottled her beautiful coat (( gonk ! )). Idly, she sniffed at the air, not wanting to be caught off-guard by something dangerous. The slightest wafting of...something feline teased at her nostrils, prompting a vicious growl. After all that work, she wasn't about to back down from this kill without a fight.

((If Aster's still here, I appreciate the patience sweatdrop heart ))

chavi

Meanwhile, Essi takes this time to calm himself down. His blood seemed to be rushing so fast through him, his heart racing... he'd never seen anything die this way, in front of his eyes, before. Deep breaths... he could hardly think!

But he could definately eat. Now he digs into the fresh kill, smiling a little. So good! Young and tender... he made no connection between it's age and his own; there was no comparison. "Aren't you going to eat, Miss Binti?" He says sleepishly, pausing. "I should have waited..."

Aster Crosslie

[[Eee, I'm still here! heart It's no problem waiting a bit! 3nodding ]]


Damasi's ears pricked, then started retreating backwards to rest flat on her neck. When she'd thought about tagging along in hiding, she hadn't really considered they'd really kill anything. But they had, and now it looked like the girl knew she was lurking around. She didn't need Kima to tell her now was the time to think about retreat. She started to back up a little, but flinched and froze in place when she heard a distinctive snap.

Oi. Damasi looked back to see where she stepped, ears flattened and eyes half lidded in disbelief. Of all the times to go and step on a twig! She was in for it now. [ gonk ]

Vashtya

Deciding that she must have been just paranoid, Binti stalked back over to where Essi was feeding, leaning directly in front of him to tear at the hide, revealing the meat beneath it. "No reason to do so." she said simply. Obviously, by making sure she took something from directly in front of him, she was demonstrating that, like her pridal counterparts, she wasn't going to wait for him to finish before helping herself to the kill. Tearing off a narrow strip of flesh, she shifted slightly, moving back out of Essi's way. She chewed slowly, savoring the fresh meal.

Vashtya

((posted too fast...so, I'll just post twice in a row, so that I can react to you as well, ne? heart sweatdrop ))

Stiffening mid-chew, Binti's eyes shot back to where she'd been so focused before. I knew that there was something there! she thought, slinking forward, practically bristling with aggression. "Show yourself..." she hissed, ready to take off into the brush after whatever it was, if it didn't.

chavi

As always, Essi just smiles in the face of Binti's lessons, lettiing her have her way. He was pretty mellow about that... maybe too mellow. "Ladies first," is all he says to her assertion, before he begins to eat again, licking the blood from his lips.

His ears p***k at the noise, and he looks up suddenly, looking a bit uneasy. Not about his own life, of course, but his food. "Who is it?' he asks, as if he's about to get an answer somehow.


[ *pouts* my AIM diiiiiied. T__T]

Aster Crosslie

Eheheheh, oh Damasi was in for it now. Best face the music. So her little black head popped out of the brush, ears flattened submissively and looking downright sheepish.

"Eheheheh, pardon me I was just... passing through?" she gave a winning innocent grin. She hadn't planned on interrupting dinner. Now Damasi was wondering if she was going to end up as dinner.

Vashtya

Ignoring Essi for the time being, Binti circled behind the leopard cub, her tail still flicking back and forth cautiously, but her manner far less threatening--after all, the other cub wasn't trying to threaten her. "How long have you been watching us?" she queried, a suspicious gleam in her eye.

Aster Crosslie

"Just since you passed by that tree over there," she flicked her head back to a tree not too far off. Where Kimacho was probably watching her now, and either laughing or looking disgusted. She'd so be hearing this from him later.

"I wasn't after a meal or nothing!" her tail was curled about her feet, but since the lion cub hadn't pounced her right out, Damasi's cheerful nature was starting to be more prevalent again. After all, the other cub didn't seem too mad at her.

"I was just wondering what you guys were doing out here. Gets sorta dull out here sometimes, and usually all I ever see are the big lions." And those were scary and she wouldn't leave her perch in a million years with one of them around. Not even for fresh antelope.

chavi

"Be sweet, miss Binti..." he reminds her, licking his maw again with a little grin. "She's only a cub... she can't do anythjing to us." He's certainly confident, but one has to wonder, how much contact with other felines has he had? He refuses to leave the food, but he does take a step towards them. "Come back and eat, Binti, or else I might eat it all..."

Vashtya

Breaking off her stare at the leopard cub to snarl at Essi, Binti's eyes narrowed. "We're cubs as well, you arrogant...lion!" she hissed. "And if you eat that entire thing...I'll take the difference out of your hide." she said, turning back to Damasi. "We both ended up here--we arrived separately, and I mistook this one," she began, making a vague motion in Essi's direction "For food. He wasn't being particularly quiet, and I wasn't expecting to find lions around here." she finished, taking in the details of the other cub with attentive eyes. "Not to be rude...but, although your kind don't live in prides, like most of ours...you're not just trying to distract us while your mother sneaks up and then moves in to steal our kill, are you?" she said, the thought coming to her out've nowhere. Of course, she was still better than she had been--obviously Essi's good nature was contagious, at least to a degree.

((Paranoid little critter...never think, Binti...NEVER!... xd .))

 

[Vashtya]

RP Log #2 (part 2): Binti'Sokota, Essien,
Damasi & Mafa

(Sorry for the out-of-the-blue quote; I'm linking in a new journal)

Aster Crosslie

Out of respect of the fact that the lioness cub was taking her standing there too seriously, Damasi held back from giggling. No wonder lions stuck around in groups! They were afraid of everyone else stealing their food. Of course, they did eat on the ground, and a lot more things their size lived on the ground, so maybe that was why.

"Nah, there's nobody here except me." she wrinkled her nose and then giggled,"Besides, I think your buddy over there already made short work of most the good stuff anyway."

chavi

Essien smiles over at the other cat before eating a little. She hgot things very quickly! "You should act more like her, miss Binti," he says playfully, just teasing her a bit. He knows she won't like that! "She knows good eating habits when she sees them!" He's just... so detached from real life, it's almost sad.

Vashtya

Disliking being mocked, as she saw it, Binti lifted her lip contemptuously. "It never hurts to be cautious." she snarled, padding back over to the kill. Essi had, indeed, eaten most've the good parts. Swatting at him in irritation, She used her shoulder to push him slightly to the side, and staking a claim on one of the hindlegs, virtually untouched by his voracious appetite. heart .

((and now, I have to poof ToT heart but, this was funnnn! biggrin ))

Aster Crosslie

Damasi smiled widely before sitting down where she stood, licking one paw to start licking it clean and pick out a couple of burrs caught between her toes. These guys weren't too bad! When they were little and... had just eaten. Other than that they weren't too bad. Suddenly a mouse skittering through the grass caught her eye. Well, she wasn't hungry, but stalking a little rodent was fun! She crouched down, eyes focused on the tiny creature as she stalked through the grasses for her own amusement.

chavi

[ I hate leaping in after a while... xD ]


Finally, Essien looks up from his food, suddenly realizing that.... my, there was practically an assembly going on around him! He really was dense. He flicks an ear back, licking at the blood that had already begun to dry into his fur. More lions... he hoped Binti wouldn't be too cruel to them.

"Who even wants to talk, when they have food?" he wonders allowed.

Vashtya

Binti growled low in her throat as she polished off the last of the itty-bitty, formerly adorable baby antelope. Her narrowed, aqua-colored eyes glittered in the harsh light, but she wasn't about to interrupt her meal, not even to try to get rid of still interlopers in what she'd quickly decided was her territory. And she didn't share well.

Ripping off one last piece of flesh and exposing the femur of the leg she'd been working on, Binti chewed and swallowed. She then, without even bothering to clean her fur (after all, blood makes her all the more threatening....bwahahaha!) stalked over to the cub convention taking place a few paces away. "You know, last I checked, it wasn't particularly polite to get this close to another lion with a fresh kill..." she snarled, hackles back up. Essi was a good influence, but, even he wasn't that good. Her eyes flickered between all of the cubs present, although one ear was cocked back in Essi's direction, in case she had to react to something stupid that he said. heart

((What, Binti start trouble with other cubs she encountered? *cackles* And please, for those who haven't RPed much with me, pleaaaaaaaaase don't take binti's reaction as mine...I like seeing so many other people RPing round here biggrin ...))

Dagi

(( xd I luff you Vashty, but looks like Binti has another big headed critter to deal with *chucklesnort*))

Mafa's gaze darted to a group of lion cubs. There was a young female that had just torn away from a kill. Mafa could smell it, it was intoxicationg seeing as how she hadn't eaten in quite a while. She took a few steps forward, her head hung low and her eyes opening wider. The tan bloody cub seemed to think she was in charge. Mafa chuckled at this, the little runt; Mafa could eat her in a bite....

Well not really but that's just what the pup liked to think. Her head swiveled to Sauda and she motioned for her to follow, two hyenas would fare better against a group of runty cubs. She smirked making her look quite sinister. Maybe this migration wasn't such a bad idea after all. These cub don't look to bright, leaving their kills around with scraps of meat still clinging to the bones. The pup licked her chops and slinked her way carefully around the cubs. They wouldn't notice... She now stood over the kill, the scent of the blood wafting up to her nose and it made her drool like crazy. Her eyes flared and she threw herself at it. Mafa gulped down the fresh meat like her life depended on it, well that's because it did. She hoped Sauda would join her soon enough because it would all be gone in a few more minutes.

Vashtya

((*dies* oh, the...manure's gonna hit the fan now...xDDD))

Binti stiffened as a sudden scent assailed her delicate nostrils. Rotten, like long-bad meat...it could only be one thing. Her maw crinkled in a vicious snarl, one that immediately showed that her growling at the other cubs had been more to test the waters than to actually do any damage. Whirling back towards the kill, her muscles bunched, moving fluidly under her smooth, still-bloody skin. Advancing on what she thought was the lone hyena cub, she held her tail straight out behind her, ready to react to the slightest hint of aggression--even a hyena cub was nothing to play around with--their jaws were at least as powerful as her own, and they weren't afraid to play dirty.

"what is one of your kind doing around here?" she spat, eyes flashing as she advanced back upon her kill. "Skulking around, trying to steal my kill, are you?"

chavi

For once, even Essi seems a little miffed-- and after he's lived through so much tormenting from Binti, that says something! A hyena... he vaguely knew about those, but only from tales. He'd never actually seen one--- or rather, smelled one. The scent of this one reminded him of death; it made his own fur, ruddy and bloodied from his meal, bristle.

"We worked very hard for that..." he lies, his voice sounding almost surprised that anyone would try to take it. And he stands, looking ready to support Binti-- as if that would be of any use to her.

Aster Crosslie

Damasi was about to jabber on about some nonsense or other with Merry since for a lion, he seemed like a real pushover when her little nose twitched. She smelled something. Sniffing again, the little panther wrinkled her nose. Eww, it smelled like rotten meat. Something long dead left out in the sun.

Then she saw the hyenas. Okay, lions she could live with. They could leave scraps, or lead to food. Hyenas were just bad news. Before she knew it, they'd be all over the place, and there was just no chance of them being 'courteous' neighbors.

So she trotted up to stand near Binti and Essien, her own hackles raised so to speak, giving a bit of an indignant snort.

"She's right about that there. Not too polite to steal someone's lunch. Or trespass." Leopards might not be known for hanging out together, but Damasi at LEAST wanted say in who her neighbors were!

Dagi

((*gets smacked by some fanned out poo* > razz Rawrgh! ))

The pups aqua eyes widened, she was reminded of that one bad experience she had with lions... But she had survived that and they wouldn't get to her ever again. She took a step and put her paw over the kill, her head swooped down to the ground and her back hunched over. Her bloodied hackles flew up as well. She looked quite menacing from this position. Her nostrils flared momentarily, they thought she smelled bad? These lions reeked! She was slightly out numbered but hyenas were not ones to back down when faced with a bunch of lion cubs. She was older than them anyways... Well not too much older, maybe she had a few months on them. But that didn't matter, she was still bigger and better.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm eating the food you were stupid enough to leave alone!" She scoffed, "Worked hard? A little fox could take down a bigger beast than this! I'll do what I please, none of you own this land"

Her jaws snapped loudly as she spoke, she wasn't about to let her guard down.

Daeva

Sauda lowered her ears and slinked on behind Mafa towards the fresh kill. She didn't know why someone would be stupid enough to just leave it lying around all unguarded like that, but she wasn't about to complain. As she reached the meat, the scent of blood assaulted her nose, causing her stomach to growl quite furiously. She had eaten before, but it was nothing compared to what she was now faced with. She had just snatched up a bit of the remaining flesh when her head jerked up. They had company.

Great..

Her ears perked forward and her nose twitched as she watched the older pup take a full defensive stance. Opting to do the same, she pinned her ears back once more and stared at the one that might try and take away the first decent meal she'd had in a while.

((I can't believe I forgot to check guilds today! o.o))

Dagi

Through her raised hackles Mafa grinned as Sauda trotted up behind her. The other pup probably wasn't too good of a fighter but at least the numbers were almost even which was good. Her ears pinned back and her tail wagged a few times, she hoped this wouldn't get into a big fight anyways. She just wanted that meat and then wanted to be out of that area where the lions didn't stink the place up.

((Uh.. can't think of what else to put xD))

Vashtya

Still bristling, unwilling to back down even though another hyena cub had appeared, Binti roared, her still-youthful throat somehow managing to emit a relatively intimidating sound. "You arrogant, lying little weasel...if a little fox could have taken that down, then it says something for your hunting skills--or lack thereof that you had to come steal ours." she hissed out, eyes glinting menacingly. Obviously, she wasn't ready to back down--whether she'd eaten her fill or not, no one made a fool of her and got away with it...and more importantly, these stinking hyenas hadn't even asked for a share of the kill--she probably wouldn't have been willing to share it even if they had, but the rudeness of that oversight angered her, for some odd reason.

Daeva

The roar caused Sauda to flinch involuntarily, and her little nose twitched a she sniffed at the lion. That meat was looking really good and her stomach continued to growl. Though, she didn't dare make a move while that lion was still around. She really didn't see why the lion was making such a fuss about it anyway, afterall, she had abandoned it and according to her, it was free for anyone that should want it.

Nevertheless, Sauda stood her ground. Lions must have a different way of thinking when it comes to things like that.. Shrugging slightly, she tried to make herself look bigger by bristling her fur and standing up as straight as she could. Overall, she probably looked very cute, though that wasn't what she was going for.

((Wee for noncreative moment. o.o))

Dagi

Mafa on the other hand was looking anything but cute. She was blood stained, dusty, and bristled up quite a bit and was quite bigger than Sauda for she was older, even though she was really thin from the lack of food in the graveyard. She glared at the little lion, it obviously knew nothing, the famed laugh of a hyena rose out of her before she spoke,

"Boy you lions are dumb," she hissed "Any smart lion would know not to leave their kill just laying around, because you know what? Hyena's don't need hunting skills, this is what we do, we take stuff that's been left behind."

Her dull aqua eyes narrowed even more, she wasn't ready to back down either. Mafa didn't know if this would turn into an all out brawl; in fact she hoped it wouldn't because she had never acctually fought before. But who needs experience? It was the instinct that drove her. Her gaze skimmed over the cubs accompanying the lion, it was an odd bunch to say the least.

Zahra Ovaci

((Whee! Fun!))

Merry's eyes widened at the sight of hyenas. Oh boy, that couldn't be good. Notgoodnotgoodnotgoodnotgood! Glancing back and forth at the various cubs (god, they were all so young!) he cleared his throat and stepped forward. He might not have much in the mane department, but by gad, he was STILL an adult male, and this sort of thing was his job. He lowered his head and roared, showing his fangs. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt? You were just leaving, right? I'm sure these cubs would like to get back to their kill and their tree."

Dagi

Mafa's gaze shifted from the cub to a male that had sauntered onto the scene. A look of confusion spread across her angered maw. This was an adult male? Looked kinda... Shrimpy (and cuuuute! xD). Mafa flinched slightly at his roar, it was intimidating but this pup didn't know when to back down,

"Acctually we were planning on sticking around. Whether these cubs want to keep bothering us is not something we can control."

Ken~San

The small form roamed slowly through these lands, his bright blue hues raised up and then dipped back down, not wanting to be seen. He then seen the hyena and lions. He whined a little bit, then stopped himself. The small jackal sunk down and began to shake. His small golden form was probably easy to see. He slowly crept behind a tree and hid behind it

"Please don't see me...."

Zahra Ovaci

Merry glanced at the bright gold jackal, and hoped it wasn't a threat. From what he'd heard, crouching was supposed to be a posture of submission amongst canines, instead of agression - man, dogs were weird. He swished his tail and bared his fangs again, trying to gague the size of the hyenas. "Listen, just go. It's not your kill, and I know you're able to hunt for yourselves or you wouldn't have gotten this far. You must know you're outclassed here - you're young, you're small. Go home, and we'll let you live."

Dagi

Mafa snarled. She wasn't about to take orders from a lion, especially a lion who wasn't the head of the land around here. The hyena held her tail out and bristled up even more; trying to match the size of the lion but not getting anywhere close.

"This is what we do lion, we take food left behind. Outclassed as we are we will stay--or at least I shall, I've no home to return to and this is as good a place as any other. I'm not leaving"

Daeva

Her ears twitched slightly and Mafa sniffed at the air a bit. She remembered Mafa telling her that lions were smelly and she wanted to see for herself, though the only thing she could smell at the moment was that delicious looking meat. Having no intention of just leaving and especially not taking orders from a lion, Sauda stood her ground, her fur bristling up a bit more in much the same fashion as Mafa's. Her tail flicked from side to side idly as she stared at the lion, nodding some at Mafa's words.

I really hope they leave soon.. I'm hungry.. Damn lions..

((Sorry it took me so long to respond again. sweatdrop ))

Zahra Ovaci

Merry eyed the hyenas. They did look underfed, and while he didn't think they could seriously hurt him, they might be able to get at one of the cubs if he was distraced, and who knew what would happen then? He glanced at the lion whose kill it was. While she wasn't exactly well-padded and sleek, she did look well-fed. Maybe discrection would be the better part of valor here.

Vashtya

Binti, not one to be forgotten, eyed the adult male lion suspiciously. where on earth did HE come from??? she wondered, not wanting to back down from her kill...at this point, it had come down to a matter of pride--if she backed down now, she'd never be able to face herself if this wasn't solved in a way that she could accept. Crouching low, she snarled again. "Hyenas are more than proficient when it comes to hunting...if you want to eat, there's two of you, and you're perfectly capable of taking down your own prey..." she growled, ears flat against her head. "Of course, if you're saying you're so much of a baby that you can't hunt for yourself, then I guess that hyenas' reputations are way overrated." she finished snidely, her quick eyes flashing from Mafa to Sauda.

chavi

Behind Binti, Essien looked a little confused by the situation. These were hyenas... what were they trying to do by challenging them? In his mind, lions were at the top of the wild hierarchy. The thought of them being challenged just did not compute.

"I think... there may be something wrong with them," he says quietly to Binti. He had been angry with them, but now he was just puzzled. "I would feel very bad if we had to harm a mentally injured creature..." He isn't trying to be cruel; he's completely sincere!

Vashtya

Blinking once, then twice at Essien's words, one could almost see the thoughts flickering through her brain as she processed what he'd said. Nodding decisively, she dropped an almost-curtsy at the pair of hyenas, although the look in her eyes made it a mocking gesture. "Essi, for once, has a point." she said. "After all, I wouldnt' want to be responsible for injuring creatures who were obviously dropped on their heads once too often as cubs..." she purred, tail lashing to and fro as she turned on her heel and padded away, her eyes betraying only slightly the depth of her hatred for hyenas. Foul, odious creatures... she thought with another snarl.

chavi

She... listened to him, for once? As soon as this registers he smiles and bounds after her, laughing a little beneath his breath.

"I know you'll feel much better walking away from that..." he says with a wide grin as he paws along beside her. He was about the same size as her at this age... it will beso odd for him when he's older, to look down at her! "I mean, they're lesser beings, but it isn't their fault that they're obviously defective." He just... doesn't know when to stop.

Vashtya

Binti gave Essi a half-hearted snarl, no longer able to snap at him as easily when it wasn't really his fault. "They weren't mentally injured, silly..." she muttered. "But, a smart lion knows when to take a graceful exit when it's offered." she finished somewhat quietly, bounding ahead as she spotted a good-sized rock on top of a small rise. Using her powerful claws, she scrabbled on top of it and sat back on her haunches, closing her eyes and letting the wind ruffle through her fur. It's been too long since I got to enjoy the breeze... she thought to herself, almost purring at the familiar sensation.

chavi

"... oh." A little embarassed, he just follows wordlessly, sitting beside the rock and leaning against it. It was so warm... he missed just laying in the sun.

"Binti..." he starts, but pauses. There was something he'd been curious about for a while, but he wasn't sure how it'd be received. Still, it had to be asked. "Why are you out here, on your own? Really, honestly..." He knew why he was; he wouldn't wish the same fate on anyone.

Vashtya

Binti opened her eyes in surprise, turning to look over her shoulder at Essi curiously. "Hmmm...you really wanna know, eh?" she asked, taking a second to think of where to start. "I first realized I was different when I was really, really young..." she began slowly. "I mean, not just cause of my markings--I was the only girl in our litter, but I always resented that I was treated like I was less important just cause I wasn't going to grow a mane." she said, wrinkling her nose as she said this. "I also always liked to be by myself--whether I was stalking little birds and rodents, or sitting on a high perch to listen to the wind blowing across the savannah, I just found it more entertaining to spend time alone than to spend it with my brothers--unless, of course, they wanted to tussle." she said with a small laugh.

"Anyway, I was always wandering off, and sometimes I'd spend a night or two away from the rest of the pride, just cause I got caught up in exploring a particular smell, or cause I'd stalk a wild dog for a couple of days, just to see if I could do it without their noticing me." At this, she shrugged. "But, then one day I came across an adult rogue male and...well, barely made it away from him safely." she said quietly.

"My dad won, as it happened...and his first concern? That his sons hadn't been injured by the rogue!" she spat. "I'll never forget that feeling of being inadequate, not just cause of my youth, but cause I'm a lioness." she said with emphasis. "So, I decided then and there that that was the last time I'd ever let myself be treated like I was less than someone else, or that I'd rely on someone else to protect me." she finished, her gaze suspicious as she waited for him to say something mocking.

chavi

It'd be so easy for Essi to say something mocking or stupid here. We all know how he feels about lionesses and their place in a pride! Yet for once he doesn't say anything of the sort, just looking up at her, thoughtfully.

"Have you... been back, yet?" he asks, gently. "Just to see them. I'm sure they miss you..." He truly seems curious and concerned. Just leaving her family like that... "You weren't a boy, and that's a pity--" he couldn't go without making some remark like that, could he? "--but they were your family... don't you miss them?"

Vashtya

At that, Binti did snarl. "It's a pity, eh?" she hissed, swatting at him angrily. "And no, I haven't been back...and I probably won't be back, either. It's not where I belong...not that I'd expect you to understand that..." she growled, leaping down from her perch and stalking off towards the watering hole that they'd first encountered all of the other lion cubs at, not even taking the time to appreciate the vibrant, rosy sunset that streaked the sky in violets and oranges.

Marushii

((Tragicity --> Feel free to throw any object of your choice at me. I'm horrible at remembering about guilds, and thus... Disappearance. X_.;; Sorry! crying

Also, here is a rock. Please throw it at me. 3nodding ))

Kono-epesi nodded her head vigerously in return, her own excitement at joining together with Kikora and forming their own "pride" of sorts nearly sending her straight into the heat... Which would've put their "journey" of a sorts together off on a bad start.

At Kikora's question, Kono turned her gaze upon Kwazi, the African fish eagle. She slitted her orange eyes, studying her perch. "Well... I bet that we can climb th'tree she's on fast and quietly and surprise her, if she's distracted," she ventured, eyeing the tree. "But... then again, I've only climbed shorter'n'less steep trees before. What about you?"

At the sounds of roars and the yip of hyenas caused the black cub to gasp and crouch in a pouncing position, darting glances around the area. Hyenas were in the area?! Greeeat. From what she could hear, though, the said hyenas were preoccupied with... something. She shamelessly listened in, taking in details before realizing, with a jolt, that it was sunset... And if her friend had said anything, she missed it.

"Err... sorry -- I was listening to what the argument that was goin' on was about. Could you repeat what ya just said?" She asked, ears tilted slightly back in shame as the shadows around her deepened. The swiftpaw rose from her crouch and took a step to stretch before rolling back on her hind paws, away from what she just ran into.

"Ow! Give someone a warnin' before you walk into their stretching space!" She snarled, rubbing her nose with a paw before she realized who she ran into! It was the lioness from earlier -- the one that ran the cheetah off! "Ack! Sorry!"

Tragicity

(( XD! *hunts for something to throw* A boulder? gonk Too heavy...*settles for the rock, but misses* Eh, forget it n_n

No, seriously, it's ok n_n ))

Kikora turned as well, quickly glancing at Kwazi before looking away again. She was trying to be cautious - she didn't want to draw the eagle's attention to them.
"We'd have t' climb pretty fast," she observed. "Her claws looks nasty...if you think, though, then we should at least give it a try." At Kono's question, she turned back to the eagle, although this time she was observing the tree on which the bird was perched. "I've only climbed small trees before," she admitted. "I never really hunted 'bove ground before."

The golden cub started with surprise as Kono reacted, but then she heard the hyenas as well. She pressed close to the ground, her ears flat back against her head.
"Hyenas?" she whispered, more to herself than to the other cub. "Hyenas, here?" A shudder ran over her as she crouched. She watched Kono, guessing that the black cub was listening to the hyenas' conversation.

Sunset, already? Kikora glanced up to the sky, swallowed and risked standing up again, with a wary glance around. "Nah, it's ok," she said as Kono spoke. "I was just thinkin' out loud, that's all." She shuddered again. "Hope the hyenas are gone...argh!"

She jumped backwards, reflexively, as the new cub entered "their" area. Kikora didn't really recognise her, as she had not really seen this cub, but only heard her voice.
Still, something about her was vaguely familiar, so she took a more friendly stance instead of a defensive position as she faced the new arrival.

Vashtya

Her lip already curling into a snarl as she ran face-first into another cub, Binti drew back sharply, barely avoiding landing in a heap of awkward limbs. When she saw that the cub she'd run into was a face she recognized, she calmed a bit, but her ruff stayed up as she noted that the other lioness behind her was not so familiar. Her voice more harsh than she probably meant it to be, she eyed the pair warily. "What do you want? Are you thinking that coz we gave that kill to those stinking hyena we're easy targets or something?" she asked, tail lashing to and fro.

chavi

"Binti..." She was at it again... couldn't she stay out of trouble for a little while? He stays a little bit behind her, ears flat. He sort of felt for the poor newcomer. He was far from graceful, himself... but at least he never hit Binti!

"They're no threat to you.... just let it go." Finally, he musters the courage to stand at her side, smiling nervously. She may be his friend, but she had quite a temper! "Please... for me?" The last thing he wanted was to get into a fight. Especially with two lionesses... he'd actually have to do something. Oh my!

Vashtya

Starting at surprise to hear Essien take her to task, Binti snarled at him, but subsided, if reluctantly. "You're gonna get on my bad side, at this rate..." she muttered, before her harsh gaze swung back to the pair of lionesses expectantly.

[/endshortcrappehpostie]

Marushii

Kono-epesi blinked her red-orange optics in surprise at the accusation. She bit back the retort that it was Binti who ran into her, reminding herself that the older cub was stronger than she. Instead, she tilted her head to one side and looked at the oddly-pattern cub. "Why'd we want to pick a fight with you? It's obvious that we'd all end up with scratches here'n'there for nothing."

The cub trailed off, blinking in surprise at Essien's appearance. Her eyes went wide at the hue of his fur -- it was dark! Not as dark as her's, but... It surprised her to see that shade of fur outside of her pride, which consisted of mostly black lions that hunted at night. And speaking of night... She glanced up at Kwazi, hoping that the fishereagle wouldn't roost in another tree for the night. But Kikora did have a good point -- those claws WERE sharp... Should they look for another, easier meal? She returned her gaze to the two other lions before her, watching them.

Tragicity

So maybe she wasn't that friendly. Kikora felt the fur on her back start to rise in self-defence.
She didn't say anything, though, at least not until after Kono had spoken. She agreed with the dark cub - this strangely marked newcomer seemed much bigger and stronger then they were, and Kikora definitely didn't want to pick a fight with her. "We en't tryin' to fight with you or anythin', so please don't be offended," she added.

She was surprised when the new cub emerged - Kikora hadn't even seen him there. She was doubly so surprised when he had the nerve to stand up to Binti. Kikora's opinion of him soared up several notches, even as Binti snarled at him.
She noticed Kono staring at Essien's pelt. Perhaps it reminded her of something? Kikora made a mental note to ask the other cub about that later.

Her gaze also turned upwards to Kwazi, but only for the briefest of seconds. The fish eagle could wait, at least until they has sorted out this developing problem.

(( return of the terrible grammar and vowel dropping! ))

Marushii

The swiftpaw raised a paw, ready to scoot back to Kikora's side when Binti looked around again. To cover up for her raised paw, she flexed it and watched her claws as if distracted. This... reminds me of home. She realized, instantly matching the two seemingly "clashing" cubs to members of the pride she left voluntarily. She's just like Auntie, and he's like my cousin. Weird -- they're even acting like them! Even armed with this useless bit of information, she still had no idea how to proceed.

Then the wind shifted. Kono-epesi lifted her head and tasted the breeze, immediatly showing her moonlight-white fangs. She smelled hyena - several - and a fresh kill. "Looks like they're still around," she murmured to her golden companion, glancing back at her.

Tragicity

Kikora's ears pricked to catch Kono's comment. She raised her head, noticing the change of the breeze. She sniffed cautiously and caught the odour of hyena as well.
Her lip lifted in a faint snarl.
"Unfortunately," she whispered back. "I don' trust 'em at all."

Marushii

Kono-epesi scooted back from the others, closer to Kikora. "You'n'me both," her red-orange eyes narrowed, racial hatred starting to boil in her veins. "Nasty, stupid mutts! Always trying to take th'huntress' kill after they finally get something. It's one of the reasons I like eating birds -- there's only enough for very few, so you can eat and be off before a rot-eater comes along." She hissed, her ears folded flat on her head. "I dunno about you mate, but I suggest we move on -- I'd rather not wake up to find a corpse-breath ready to pounce on one of us."

Tragicity

"That'd be a good idea," she whispered. "They en't gonna smell us as easy as we do them, though." A fierce smile spread over her face. "Nothin' smells as much as a stinkin' hyena." Her hatred of them stemmed from bad experience - Kikora had been driven off many kills by the scavengers. She took a step backwards, ready to leave, when she suddenly remembered. The golden cub cast a cautious glance at Binti, unwilling to make her any more angry than she already was. "We gotta figure out how to get away in one piece," she muttered.

Vashtya

Binti, for once, had been listening, rather than running off her mouth. Damn, but Essi was a good influence. Tilting her head slightly to the side, she felt a bit better to hear the two previously unagressive lioness cubs talk so bitterly about hyenas. Muttering a quick "No harm's done." she turned to walk away--after all, she still clung to the idea that she had to be completely independent, and travelling with others would mean becoming dependent--Essi, for some reason, didn't count.

Vashtya

((I miss chavi! *trying not to move Binti's RP too far along without Essi* ^^; heart ))

Padding the rest of the way towards the water-hole, Binti happened to gaze upon her own reflection in its surface...and nearly fell in from shock! I...I'm no longer a cub, am I? she thought to herself, consciously noticing that her legs had gotten longer, and that her gait had lengthened, lending her that typical feline grace that comes as a big cat matures. Lowering herself gracefully in a crouch, she lapped delicately at the pool's surface, raising her head a moment later to stare at the sky, water droplets clinging to her whiskers and refracting the light from above.

Lowering her head once more, she drank her fill, her sharp mind already thinking of what direction she and Essi should head in next.

Vashtya

After Essi's longtime absence, and her newfound discovery of the joys of being a juvenile, Binti had become somewhat more morose and fiercely independent, although the time for self-reflection had yielded a bit more wisdom, and has made her slightly less aggressive (although not much)...and, although she won't admit it, she misses Essi's steadying influence deeply, and hopes to encounter him again sometime soon.

------------End Chapter 1: Essien----------------

 

[Vashtya]

RP Log #1: Us'kali Galu'nadi
(Sorry for the out-of-the-blue quote; I'm linking in a new journal)

Vashtya

Us'kali Galu'nadi yawned, lifting her head idly and looking about, her once-sharp eyes slightly dull, her ancient bones almost audibly creaking as she sat up, whuffling slightly at the effort it took just to rise to her haunches. Looking around, she wandered over to the stream, crouching and lapping at it with her long, pink tongue. Peering into the water as she drank, she sighed, remembering fondly her youth.

Naita

Slumber dripping over her form like the sweetest honey, Ada'wehi twitched one paw idly, her mind at play though her body lay useless. The cub lay beneath a fledgeling baobab, it's skeletal branches shading her small white figure.
However, even the most beautiful of dreams must come to an end, and with a disgruntled yawn did the tiny femme awake, disappointed that her imaginary hunt had been cut short. Her mind had conjured an image of the youngster chasing a kingfisher at the edge of a great lake, pure and devoid of ripples, stretching as far as the eye could see. The very thought of it made her throat burn, and raising drowsily to her feet, the tiny lioness set off for the stream, short legs picking up pace.

Kel-chan

U'yosi watched Asa'nunu pad off on her accustomed mourning by the riverside, his eyes impassive. A small part of him was annoyed; to mourn for those of the clan was her right. He had even mourned. He, who had lost his entire clan! The Clan of the Mantis had dwindled down to himself, keeping their lore locked inside. It was not his right to teach it to anyone, not even his beloved Asegi & Tsi'hilu, for they would learn of the Wolf Clan ways. Perhaps that was something he could ask the nvwati about. Maybe it should be him that he passed the lore on to. But he digressed. To mourn was right and proper. But it had been over twelve moons since they ended the Long Journey. Asa'nunu should be looking to the future, not living in the bitter past. It was not practical. The well-being of this clan mattered now, the new clan they must establish in this land.

He got to his feet, shaking his mane determinedly and yawning hugely. Then he called out in a strong voice.
"Come, Asegi! We shall go exploring, you and I, and try and discover more traces of the other Ela'wadiyi. We shall please the adu'ladi, and," he paused to wink, lowering his voice, "and perhaps adventure also." Without looking back to where Asa'nunu lingered by the river, he strode forward. Tsi'hilu was still at the kill; if there was danger, then the adu'ladiwould protect her, as was her duty. He kept walking, trying to smooth the frown from his face.

Dark Fire Angel

((lil RP of Asa and Tsi over on aim ^^))

Quote:

SmexyLori: Asa'nunu paused in her slow procession down the bank of the river, glancing back at her family. She noticed U'yosi and Asegi wandering off on their own. Then noticed they'd left her daughter behind, and growled softly. How dare he leave their daughter alone, to fend for herself? Did he expect her to take care of the cub? U'yosi expected everything of her. She whirled, preparing to go loosen her tongue on the idiotic male, then thought better of it. It wouldn't kill her to take Tsi'lihu along, at least for a while. "Tsi'lihu!" She called, pausing to lick her paw clean. "Come along, U'yosi needs some.." The young lioness trailed off, thinking of a proper word. "Father-son time with your brother." It still infuriated her that her mate had just thrown Tsi'lihu off on her, and she made a note to talk with him later about it.
Darku Angel: The snow white cub was watching her father and brother pad off, head tilted to one side before it drifted off in another direction, where a small grasshopper was resting; taking most of her attention. She watched quietly as the creature moved and rubbed its hind legs together. They had left her alone. Not that she minded, quite the oposite... the less others were around her, the less the need to talk, or even think of talking.
However, her mother's voice snapped her out of her dream, and Tsi blinked as she focused her emerald gaze upon the larger lioness. She didn't ask anything, she simply smiled slightly and padded slowly towards her mother, keeping her distance, focussing her attention on the clear water, the soft sounds it made calming her.
SmexyLori: Asa smiled softly, waiting until her daughter had come close enough to walk beside her, and started down along the river. It wasn't chance that she didn't mind her daughter being around, Tsi was a quiet cub and wasn't constantly wanting her affections. It gave the lioness a chance to think, because for once her thoughts didn't immediately turn to the Clan. She thought of Aya'tas. She didn't feel as if she were betraying U'yosi thinking of him, her mate never once said he loved her since the Long Journey. Why should she stay faithful to him? The tug of memories reminded her, she'd promised to be his mate for life. Such thoughts confused her, and she frowned, glancing to her daughter. To be a cub again, and watching the lionesses hunting, that was what she wanted. Too much had been forced upon her, all at once.
Darku Angel: Poor Tsi could have no idea what bothered her mother, allthough she knew something was there disturbing her. She may have not been talkative, but she was rather observant, and the way her mater padded along... the emptyness in her eyes; her mother was missing a piece of her. It was as if the older female was no longer complete; a part of her was missing.
Tilting her head to one side, the cub gave her mother one of her rare slow smiles, closing her eyes briefly. She was one of the few with whom she could comunicate with few words... she liked that
SmexyLori: The pale furred femme warmed at her daughter's smile, her head dropping as she padded along. Was it selfish, to want to be with Aya'tas? It wasn't that she didn't care for her Clan, but they reminded her of the past. It was like a cloud over her thoughts, being around her family. But most of all U'yosi. She snuffed at the ground, smelling the impala herd still nearby. She had no energy to bring down another impala, even if she wanted to. Lions were known to be lazy beasts a great deal of the time, and Asa was no different. But thinking of Aya'tas brought her to remembering they would be on the move tomarrow.
Asa loved wandering the Ela' lands, and so was excited to be on the move, even besides being able to see Aya. The Long Journey became a thing of the past when she was loping through the grasses, and able to meet with the other lions and lionesses, who had gone through the same thing. Who'd been destroyed as much as her. It was a comfort to know she wasn't alone.
Darku Angel: As they padded on, the cub's gaze drifted off to the horizon. Moving. moving on... they always moved on and on; it was their way of life, for as long as she remembered. Again, it wasn't that she minded, not at all... but there were times, that as she walked, she'd close her eyes, her paws touching the ground as she followed her grownups... however, her mind wasn't there, it wasn't in the task at hand; it was far off, a long way away, only the gods knew where... and as she walked, the cub would smile her 'secret' smile. A smile lions only smile when they hold a secret dear to them that no one else knows about. Tsi held a secret like that... or so she liked to think, for the moment she closed her eyes, she no longer was with her parents, and there was no more pain filling the air. The sorrow was gone, and it only left air that felt like liquid laughter all around her, and such a though soothed her.
She had learnt over time that comunicating with others was hard, for they not always said what they wanted to say... or they lied... or they said something that that right and wrong at the same time; it confussed her deeply. And little by little, she had built a strong wall around herself, keeping to her thoughts, for inside them, she felt safe.
SmexyLori: Asa kept her eyes to the ground before her, letting her thoughts drift away from her. At times like these she was tired of mourning, of always living in the past, she didn't want to think about anything at all. It was easy, lulling her mind into believing all it needed to do was move her paws forward. That was why she really loved being nomadic, even if she wasn't going to see the other Clans. The steady movement of her muscles With a start she realized that her daughter was still walking beside her, and she paused. The adolescent lioness was thirsty, and she nodded her head towards the river.
Scanning the riverbank for predators, she made a slow decent down to the river, long pink tongue reaching out and lapping up the cool water. "Do you like moving like this all the time, Tsi'lihu?" She finally asked, breaking the silence. It felt odd, taking an interest in her daughter's life, after ignoring them for so long. But she was Clan, after all, and a happy Clan was less likely to fall apart.
Darku Angel: Blinking, the cub raised her gaze to match her mother's, pondering the question over, "It's not a bad life," was her almost silent answer as she too lowered her head, her pink tongue dipping inside the river to scoop up the water. After she was sattisfied, she moved away from the banks by pure instinct and sat down, waiting for Asa. Finally, after a longer while, Tsi smiled, "We meet many others," this said, she gazed off towards the distance again. Yes, others... many others that knew how to really talk... how to tell stories of long lost lands; others whom were diferent, others whom were not clan either. Surely there had to be others beside them. The young cub wasn't sure, but she somehow knew, that one day, many moons into the future, she'd know that answer, and the answer to many other questions that populated her mind; she liked waiting, giving time for things to happen... events seemed to take time in order to really begin, and Tsi had the patience the size of the sky

Dagi

His father's gruff voice snapped him out of his pointless thoughts. He smiled vaugely and took one last glance of his mother, was was trailing off with Tsi. He sighed, he had wanted to go bother Tsi, but she was beyond reach for the moment. He heaved up from his laying position, dark gaze at his father. Asegi replayed his fathers words in his troubled mind. 'Please the adu'ladi' A big grin rose to his maw, and they'd go adventure too! Two of his favorite things, the adu'ladi and adventuring combined into one, great fun for Asegi. He bounded over to his father and purred as he rubbed his head lovingly against his fathers sturdy leg. maybe they'd find the clans, all by themselves, and then mother would be so proud! And maybe he'd find other cubs to play with, Tsi was gone and this antsy cub had nothing to do. his dark gaze stared up at his father,

"Lets get going! It'll be fun!"

Zydeco

Aya'tas rolled over onto his back and tried to sink back down into his deep slumber. There was to much energy in the air. He doubted any lion that even had the smallest amont of magical capabilities would be out roaming tonight, no matter how tired. He massaged his shoulders into the hard ground and slowly lifted his eyelids. It was dark now and a huge silver moon was glowing solemnly in the sky, constantly herding the clouds around for safety. He watched this sacrid silouhette for some time, in complete awe. The spirits were out tonight, trying to tell him something; a meeting of the clans was coming.

Aya rolled over in a burst of happy energy. Good! Let them come! Now he certainitly wouldn't be able to sleep with such news. He tossed his dark mane out of his face and shook out the loose blades of grass that took refuge there, before trotting out from under the old dead tree he was sleeping underneath. He needed to find the rest of his clan and spread the news that, once again, they were on the move. Except this time, the constant moving was bringing him ever closer to Asa, which stirred life back into his tired eyes. It was the only reason why this constant nomadic life made sense.

Once under the open sky he took off like a shot, soaring through the grass, now and then taking a deep breath to find The Sky Clan. The earth felt solid against his paws and the wind rushed past his ears. Running was in no way like hunting and he enjoyed it much more. He felt as if he was truelly going somewhere, the spirits willed it inside him.

LizzyMoo

Her body sprawled comfortably underneath a tree, one solitary lioness lay awake. Kala's eyes gazed to the dark sky, looking towards the silver orb in the darkness. Some particular stray branches covered the moon's light, making the silver orb appear as if it had black cracks upon it. Many sounds of the night rushed past her ears without her notice. A nearby stream gurgled lightly, insects clicked and conversed, yet the lioness paid no attention to the noises. Her mind wandered as her eyes gazed at the strange moon. The thoughts came and left, but her sights were fixed upon the silver round stone in the sky.

A small breeze passed, causing the smaller surrounding plants to sway gently to and fro.

Kel-chan

U'yosi loped up to the top of the low knoll, letting the freshening wind stir his dark mane and lighten his spirit. From his higher psotion he could see the Lady river winding thickly across the savannah, and the two white forms beside it. Good, they were in no trouble. He looked back to where histired son was padding up the slope behind him, and decided he needed some encouragement. He took in a deep breath, trying to decipher the scents brought on the breeze, and a familiar, faint one tugged at him.
"Asegi! I smell some Ela'wadiyi on the breeze," he said with a large smile at his cloud-marked son. "Come, smell the rest of the clans and what is your right to know." He took another lungful of the hot wind, reaffirming that strong, other male smell. The worthy Aya'tas, if he was not mistaken. They must be nearing the edge of the part of the land that the Sky Clan prowled.
Sudden doubt stabbed at him. Perhaps the other clans had multiplied greatly since the Journey. Perhaps it would break Asa'nunu's heart to see others prosper, whilst their little Clan struggled to grow. But on the other hand, maybe she would be happy to talk with other lionesses, all be it of other clans.
He thought suddenly of that lioness who had died on the journey, who had mated into the Sky Clan long ago. His grandmother's neice? But female. Perhaps she had passed someof their lore. No, that cannot be, he scolded himself. She would have learnt the new lore. But it had been a brief weight off his shoulders, not to have to dredge his own memories.

"Asegi?" he said gently,returning to the present with the nudge of his son's head against his leg.

Dagi

Asegi's short legs worked furiously too keep up with the brisk pace of his father. Finally, to Asegi's great relief, U'yosi stooped and sniffed at the air. He bounded up the slope and now stood at his father's side, their colors contrasting greatly; he being a snowy white, and his father a dark brown. He imitated his father and sniffed at the air, his not so keen cub nose didn't get much of a strong scent, but something was there. His father had been right, there are other clans out there, and not so far away it seems! His small head picked up to look at his father,

"Who's scent is that dad, you know him?"

Asegi was quite curious on this, did his father know everyone in the other clans? It seemed like he and Tsi were the only ones who had never been away from their own clan; the wolf clan, for their whole lives. Seeing as how their lives haven't been going for very long at all, this really didn't matter. Boy his mother sure would be happy to hear this, they had found the other clans, well clan member for the time being, but with one around, there surely had to be more. His ears perked to hear his father once again,

"Yeah?"

Zydeco

Finally Aya took in a breath that was so pure of his clan that he knew he was right on top of them. He slowed his run to a brisk trot before staling it to a walk. "Kala!?" She must've been somewhere nearby, but the tall grass eluded her. He sniffed the air again and his nose led him towards a tall sticky tree. He smirked and trotted over, "Kala," He stood a few feet away, his posture strict and slightly rigid. "Another clan is near, a meeting in Star Grove will occur in a few days. We must be ready by morning light." It was more of a debriefing then a conversation, tonight he wasn't really on speaking terms with anyone. He enjoyed his privacy, but sometimes information needed to be given.

Zydeco

Aya rolled his eyes and lopped closer his mate. He looked at her and then turned to peer up at the sky. "I suppose its larger then normal." When he came to look back down at her his face was more sharp, "Listen Kala, there is another clan nearby. The spirits request we go to Star Groove. Morning tomorrow..." Then something passed in with his breath and he look behind him, breathing deeply, "Or perhaps tonight." It was U'yosi's scent, the mate of his beloved Asa'nunu, but something was accompining it. Another lion that had not come of age. "The Wolf Clan is close." Aya turned back to his mate, his face brooding and quiet.

LizzyMoo

The smile still remained upon her face as she listened to Aya's words, a little more carefully this time. She truly did not see the supposed urgency, however "...if the spirits want us to..."

Yet, it was not Kala's decision to make. Her eyes looking into her mate's, she asked "Shouldn't we ask my mother if we should make the move tonight or not?" Her ears flattened a bit as she once again was reminded of the fact she would have to take these responsibilities for herself in the near future. Her head and gaze lowered to the grass on the ground, rather scantily distributed, but still present. The lioness let out a simple sigh as she awaited her mate's response.

Zydeco

Aya frowned slightly, this certainitly wasn't a trivial thing. Even if the adu said "no" There was no dening the spirits in this issue. He sighed heavily and let his mane fall down to cover his eyes. How utterly annoying, but he had to agree. "Alright, lets go talk to your mother then." He lifted his chin ever so slightly, little wisps of hair perched on his wet nose. "I swear the Wolf Clan is already upon us though. Just smell the air Kala." He said in a flat tone, before picking up the pace and trotting back out into the grass.

The wind was light and dry, hot from the past summer months, but it did cool the bones ever so slightly. The clouds were changing, something was happening. It was just to soon to tell what.

LizzyMoo

Stretching her stiff body a bit, still contemplating the words mentioned. Sniff the air? I faintly smell the Wolf Clan, but they are not upon us... I think... Her faint smile had disappeared and was replaced by a small pucker. The lioness lazily propped her body up with her legs and trotted behind Aya, merely trailing him. The grasses lightly tickled at her pads. Kala muttered rather quietly as she followed the lion "...I hope my mother is awake..."

Zydeco

"Well she shouldn't be to hard to find." Aya mumbled. He was getting tired of all this stalling. Perhaps by now they could already be on the move, toward Star Groove, toward Asa'nunu. It was pointless though, the clan wouldn't do anything unless the adu passed it. He snorted pridefully to himself. Someday all things will pass, if the spirits will it. He bounced away, unaware of Kala even following. He knew somewhere in the back of his mind she was, but she was never really a bother to his thoughts anyway.

He wondered where his daughter was. She would need to be readied as well. He was sure she would eventually get the message, most likely from his mouth itself.

((Vash plays Us'kali right?))

LizzyMoo

((That Vashy does whee ))

As the two lions moved forward in a distant manner, the lioness of the group's mind began to wander again. Someday, some other lions may come running up to me for decisions. What would I do? What would I say? Many thoughts of this genre swirled throughout her mind as she blindly moving at a similar pace as her mate. Somewhere inside of her, she also knew that all others of the Sky Clan would need to be prepared for the trek.

Vashtya

Us'kali raised her head, weary eyes half-lidded as water dribbled from her maw. Nose quivering, elegant even in her old age, she tilted her head to the side, her ears flicking back and forth attentively as she slowly raised herself to her feet, skin twitching idly as she padded off towards where she could hear others in the pride stirring.

((I have NO CLUE where anyone is *has trouble figuring out locations without an actual map to refer to* sweatdrop ...so if anyone round the river is wanting to take pity on me, please...find 'kali? xd ;; ))

Zydeco

Aya'tas ears flicked to the side, it was dripping water. Although a noise common along the river, this was accompinied by a scent. "She's this way." He turned his direction and headed for a small clearing in the grass. The area was only a few yards from the river, since he figured Kali was getting a drink. Aya'tas plodded in and watched as the Adu slinked through the grass towards him. "Hello Us'kali."

LizzyMoo

Kala continued to trail Aya, closely, yet distantly. The lion slowed a bit as the Adu'ladi came within sight. Likewise, the younger lioness also came forward from behind her mate and also greeted the elderly lioness. "Good evening Mother." Her ears flattened once more as she awaited for one of the two others to speak. However, neither spoke up as quickly as she would have liked, but a soft breeze whispered into her ear, calming her ever so slightly.

Vashtya

Inclining her head slightly, the weary old adu smiled. "Greetings to you, daughter, and also to you, Aya'tas." she stated, her voice low, melodious and infused with warmth, the only part of her that continued to seem young, for it had lost none of it's power to her old age. Raising her head back up to meet the younger lions' sharp gazes, she blinked, curious as to what had brought them to her, but not one to rush an explanation.

Zydeco

"The spirits U'kali, they request the clans meet, once again, in Star Groove." He raised his head towards the sky. He was trying to get to the point faster then normal, and did not pause for any useless chattering or questioning. "I suggest we leave tonight, since The Wolf Clan is very close by. We could make the journy together if we hurry." He set his strong focus on the Adu. She was a older, but she ruled the clan well for her age. He couldn't complain, but usually most of the things he asked of her, were going to occur no matter what he said. At times it simply seemed like she was the middleman that kept him from following the spirits the way they should. He sighed, "What do you think?"

Vashtya

Smiling serenely, Us'kali nodded her head. "Indeed, we have never missed a clan meeting, and so we should, indeed, make our way there with due haste." she said, understanding the frustration that she saw radiating from his expression. "Would one of you like to gather our remaining pride members, so that we may travel to the clan meeting with the wolf members?" she queried, her gaze, faded though it may be, fixing on her daughter with steely determination. It's long since time that she began to think like an adu...after all, I don't know how much longer my paws will tread upon this earth... Us'kali thought to herself wearily, keeping all of her concerns for the future out of her facial expression.

((gotta go...work. crying ))

StrawberriLori

Asa'nunu paused in her drinking, quickly padding away from the water, as instinct told her to do. Who knew what kind of predators lay waiting beneath the seemingly calm waters. But as for the real reason she'd stopped, she had smelled another clan along the river. The Sky Clan, their scent made stronger by there being more than one of them together.

And along with that smell was one that made Asa shiver out of excitement. Aya'tas was with them! Perhaps if they hurried along she could catch up to them. Glancing down, she realized Tsi'lihu was still beside her.

"Come along, Tsi'lihu." The adolecent lioness lifted her muzzle to the wind, smiling fully. Her daughter should have been able to at least realize which clan it was. "Let us go speak with the Sky Clan."

Mindful that she shouldn't seem too excited, Asa'nunu padded gracefully along the patches of grass, her tail swinging slowly back and forth behind her. She was supposed to be grieving, and didn't want to be seen bursting along the riverbed in a flat out run just to see Aya. U'yosi and Asegi would eventually find the two of them.

Zydeco

Aya looked at Kala, "Can you gather the clan, Kala. Its something you could do." He smiled teasingly at Kala. He knew of her troubles with her upcoming responsibility, and he just loved to poke at that fact. Aya felt happy, the transaction went smoothly, but it was still a tad pointless. "Hmph, meanwhile I'm going to try to determine what direction we are going to head in." He plodded past U'kali with a lowered head as if bowing from her presence. He needed to find a high place to look at the stars.

He didn't really need to find the direction he was heading in. It was really just a reason to get out on his search for the Wold Clan. They were a lot closer then the rest of the clan suspected, at least that's what he thought. Aya, trotted to the river. There was a large rock that jetted out into its flow. It was perhaps high enough. He scratched his way up its polished surface. From there it was clear enough to see the sky and to spot a white lion within a mile.

((Uh...has the other clans met the new kiddies? Like Asegi and Tsi?))

StrawberriLori

((Let's say they haven't, unless someone is extremely against that. xD))

Asa'nunu was making her steady way towards him and the Sky Clan, her bright snow white coat a beacon on the dried dirt and grass of the lands. She kept her head low to the ground, until she caught his scent again. Her blue eyes jerked up, seeing him ahead on top of the rock in the middle of the river. An immediate smile blossomed on her maw, and she held back a giggle. Asa, of all lions, had the urge to giggle upon seeing Aya.

It had been so long since she'd seen the other Clans, since they she had given birth to Tsi and Asegi, and now they were cubs. She couldn't keep the smile from her face as she jogged towards him, trying to seem as if she weren't in a hurry.

Zydeco

Aya took a second to look around before catching sight of the beacon of Asa. Her white coat painted on the plains. His eyes widened with stiffled happiness, he would have run to her if he hadn't noticed the second white coat. It was a youth, probably only a few months. He tried his best to stay calm, but he could barely contain it as he walked towards her. Must, keep...composure.

StrawberriLori

Asa'nunu paused in her quick movement, turning to her daugher. "Tsi'lihu, do you think I could trust you to find your father? They can't have gone far, I can still smell them."

Not waiting to see whether her daughter wanted to go find U'yosi, Asa hurried the rest of the way to Aya. She butted her head under his muzzle, purring contentedly. Her tail flicked the grass behind her, revealing how glad she was to see him.

"I've missed you, Aya," she murmured, nipping at his ear playfully. Her eyes seemed to come alive around him, and her shoulders were no longer weighed down by the grief of losing her Clan. Reassuring herself that her daughter would simply think she was just greeting Aya, she licked his ear with a long pink tongue.

Zydeco

Aya failed in keeping his composure when she came at him like that. He just couldn't stop ginning, and purring, and acting like an idiot. Then again, that's what love sick little lions do. He rubbed his head against her shoulder. "I've missed you to. How long has it been? And who was the squirt?" He kept that sly grin on his face, curious and suspicious along with a hint of amusement. If Asa was able to bore a child in their time apart, it must've been a lot longer then he thought. Then again, all the days merge together without her around. He licked her head, before pressing against it purring. Black and white, such opposites, but opposites do attract.

((OMG! Aya is getting all funny and cuddly! *cuddles*))

StrawberriLori

((Heee ~giggles~))

Asa'nunu sighed, basking in his attention. Oh, how she'd missed him. It was as if all her troubles melted away around the dark lion. "Too long, Aya, far too long. And who?" The young lioness half turned, glancing back to Tsi'lihu, who had been left a great deal behind down the river. "Oh, her. My daughter. Continuing the Clan, you know." And that was all Asa thought of it, with U'yosi. Making her Clan stronger.

She continued to purr, a soft feeling of contentment settling over her. "Where is the rest of your Clan?" Though she couldn't stand to be away from Aya, the pale lioness also had to keep track of where both their Clans were. If they were caught together, who knew what would happen? The Wolf Clan would fall apart, and she assumed it would be no better for the Sky Clan.

Zydeco

"Oh?" Aya looked at Asa's daughter, she definetly had her mother's goodlooks, but a sad dread filled his heart. It was very angering to see Asa'nunu with another lion, no matter how important it was to her clan. He turned back to Asa, did she feel that way to? Was she jealous about Kala? Deep down he really hoped so. "huh? Oh they are overthere." He threw his head back, forcing his dark hair to fall back in a weird wave. He pushed up against Asa, and rubbed against her. She was warm, and without her warmth it made the night seem even colder.

((awwwwwwwwwww....jealousy))

StrawberriLori

Asa finally realized that her daughter would still be able to see them, and the close proximity of the Sky Clan. They needed to get away if they were ever going to be able to get anything done.

"Come this way," she murmured softly, breaking away from him only for a moment, leading him over to a patch of trees not far away, dense enough no one could notice them upon a mere glance at the trees.

The young lioness watched Aya, lowering her haunches to the ground and sitting beneath the green trees. She was in a way jealous of Aya's mate, because Asa herself couldn't be seen anywhere with Aya. Kala could flaunt him all she wanted, though Asa knew she wouldn't. Baring her teeth in somewhat of a grimace, she waved one paw to Aya, beconing him over.

For not the first time, Asa wished her Clan hadn't been torn apart. It was agonizing, having to meet in secret with the one lion she really loved.

Zydeco

Aya followed behind Asa, the little squirt might've seen to much, but maybe not. She was a good distance away and most likely had her head in the clouds, like most kids her age. He wondered where his own daughter scampered off too. He put those thoughts behind him. He ducked under the trees foliage. It was rather dark under there since most of the leaves blocked out the silver rays from the moon. He smiled at Asa, "So how's the clan? He flashed a smirk, the question would've seen rude if it came from anyone else. It was a very touchy subject for Asa, and he knew it.

StrawberriLori

Asa eyed him, moving closer to them so that their fur touched as she sat again. Was he teasing her? "Oh, just lovely. But, the cubs are growing up strong, and I really have nothing to complain about." Though she wanted to.

It wasn't as if U'yosi was a bad mate, he just expected more out of her than Asa was willing to give at the moment. How could she help it if the remnants of her Clan reminded her of the past? Of watching all but her most immediate family grow sick and die? But she brought none of this up around Aya. He would think it weak, and so she pushed it from her mind.

"And yours?" She smiled, knowing how bored he became without her around.

Zydeco

Aya frowned, he should've known the question would backfire. He snorted, "Could be better, but I can't complain much either." He didn't like the whole clan system exspecially when he was trapped with Ina, his cousin. Of all the clans he could be in, he was trapped with him all day. "There is a change coming," Asa pressed against him and he couldn't help but purr between his sentence, " Yeah, like I was saying. A change is coming. If you haven't noticed the old generation is dieing out, there are only two elders in all our clans. Perhaps our ways should change too. Even the spirits are dwelling on what they really want." He looked up at the foliage hiding the whispy night clouds from view as if he could see right through them. "They are confused and anxious." His blue eyes twinkled at his deep inner thoughts.

Aya sighed, there was so many things in his way at the moment. If only he could part it all, and create a path for himself, or he feared that someday he may go insane from his bottled up dreams.

((Sorry this came out kinda weird, I'm listening to Yellowcard's "Only One" and its clouding my vision in roleplaying. xp ))

StrawberriLori

Asa'nunu watched him, she loved to see that dreamy look to his eyes. But no matter how much she loved being with him, she knew her first priority was her Clan. As it would always be.

"A change, Aya?" She nuzzled her nose against his shoulder. He was so thoughtful at times, unlike U'yosi. Aya had plans. He could sense the spirits, those things that were always beyond Asa. "Hopefully for the better," she murmured. Change was frightening to her, as it was what had killed off most of her Clan. But she trusted in Aya, and his great plans.

Things were beginning to blur in her mind, the priorities of her Clan and Aya were becoming confused. If she had to choose between them, right now, Asa had no idea what she would do. That was what being around Aya did to her.

Zydeco

((hehe *evil chesire cat grin* Aya confizziles Asa....he good at that *pets*))

Aya smiled down at the head pressed into his shoulder, "Hopefully, but everything has its downsides, just sometimes its to good to notice the bad parts." He hoped that wouldn't worry Asa, he hated seeing her upset. He licked her face to help. It was quiet, but the tree's branches creaked absently in the light wind. He knew he would get no sleep tonight, once again he was right. He couldn't let his pride get to him though, it was the spirits that told him. He yawned anyway, "Hmmm."

Allie23

Stumbling around in the dark, Uhi'sati Galu'nadi searched for her father. It was past her bedtime, but she couldn't go to sleep without Aya'tas present. Flattening her ears back to her skull, the little cub sniffed the ground. She had been following her father's scent, a smell she knew well. It pained her heart that he would leave her even for a minute. She was always with her daddy. Breaking through a wall of brush and grass, Uhi saw her father and Asa'nunu together. The cub snorted as she glared Asa. She didn't want to share her father with anyone! Uhi bounded forward, planting herself between the pair. Turning to Aya'tas, she looked up to him, a pathetically sad face strew across her face. "Daddy, why did you leave me?"

((sorry for the crappyness D: ))

LizzyMoo

Kala listened to the conversation quietly, perhaps hoping that nobody would notice her, or give her any tasks to do. However, with her mother's attention on her, and Aya's suggestion of finding the others in the clan, she knew who they wanted for the job, much to her own personal dislike. The lioness' ears flattened to her head slightly as she thought to herself who she needed to find. The only others whom did not know of these plans to move were her brother Ama, her daughter Uhi'sati, Ada'wehi, and Ina'li Dida.

Bowing her head to her mother, she turned the opposite direction and padded off into the grass once more. Knowing Aya, he is going to look for Uhi'sati on his own. So that leaves my brother, Ada'wehi, and Ina'li. Well, since Ada'wehi is a cub, I think I shall go look for her first... Pointing her nose into the air and inhaling deeply, she searched for the cub's scent. A small sensation of Ada'wehi's presence tickled her nostrils. And with that, the lioness bound off into the grass, heading towards the area she had been gazing at the moon.

Zydeco

Aya jerked in surprise fromo his daughter's intrusion, "Oh, hello daughter." He tried to rip himself away from Asa, and was able to do so after a few pained seconds. He plodded over, looking down at her daughter with immense pride. "I didn't leave you, I couldn't find you." He sat down on the ground with a plunk, "There is a difference you know." He wondered if his daughter was relayed the news. He really couldn't tell, so he decided he's just tell her. Besides its more impressive coming from him, "Did you hear we are going to Star Groove? Look, we already met with the Wolf Clan." He smiled sheepishly at Asa, but before he turned back to Uhi the expression had diminished. "Are you ready?"

Vashtya

Us'kali padded up, but lingered a short distance away from Aya and his daughter, noticing the visual exchange between Aya and Asa and shaking her head ruefully. If Kala weren't so focused on her grief, that could be a problem...which is part of the reason that I stand by my opinion that Aya would not be a suitable wanidatsi...for to unite all of the clans, one must be able to remain above reproach, at all times... she thought, actually sighing aloud and looking even more tired than usual.

StrawberriLori

Asa stared at Uhi'sati, her blue eyes almost glaring. But the emotion was gone in an instant, and she pretended as if they had been doing nothing. "I will go find my Clan, Aya'tas." She said softly, bowing her head as she moved out from under the branches. The little brat wouldn't be gone anytime soon, and it was best if they weren't seen together.

She padded hurridly towards U'yosi's smell, growling softly into the wind. She didn't like being pulled away from Aya, especially by some cub.

Zydeco

Aya watched Asa go, face dropping with sadness. He tried to regain his stiff posture as to not give any ideas to her lovable daughter. "Good bye Asa'nunu. Join back later tonight so we can start the journy to Star Grove." He gave a last warm heated smile to Asa before turning back to his daughter. It was bad timing for his daughter to bud in, but she was only a cub, probably oblivious to the connection he has with Asa. He couldn't blame her. His blue eyes were direct but more lax, then normal. Usually he was always this way with Uhi, but with Asa around he just couldn't help but be nice to everyone. It might even have an affect with how he views Ina, but that wasn't likely to happen.

((grrrr....hehe.... xd ))

Dagi

Young Asegi smirked and shook his shaggy head,

"No way, I can do it, lets go find them now!"

Asegi was greatly excited. He hoped that Asa and Tsi was there, he had only been away from the two for a few hours at the least but already missed them terribly. He purred as he brushed across his fathers leg and bounded to the front, towards the scent of the Sky Clan. He could barely contain his excitement, one could see it in his steps. He turned around and smiled up at his father, waiting for him at catch up.

Allie23

The cub watched as Asa disappeared, happy to see her go. She knew there was more between Asa and Aya than what needed, but still being a cub, she was unaware of the level of their relationship. The cub just felt like something was off; and she didn't like it, though her face didn't show her true feelings. Turning back to her father, Uhi's big cub eyes were filled with innocence as she peered up at him. She shook her head at his question. "No.. Where's that? Are there stars there?"

StrawberriLori

Asa'nunu spotted Asegi, slowing to a gentle lope as she came closer, stopping just in the path of her bounding son. "Hello Asegi," she murmured, and anyone would be able to tell she was trying her hardest to be nice to him. The young lioness had never really had a mind for cubs, as her own childhood had been stolen from her in the Long Journey.

"U'yosi, there is going to be a meeting in the Star Grove soon. Have you seen Tsi'lihu?" Asa had lost track of her daughter in seeing Aya, and now glanced around for the little white femme. She hadn't cared earlier in her surge of emotions, but now she was calmer. If Tsi was lost, along with her would go half hope of the Wolf Clan.

Zydeco

Aya laughed quietly, "Of course there are stars up there Uhi, there are stars everywhere, you can never escape them. Star Grove is close to the mountains we crossed over, long ago, before you were born." He pointed a paw in the direction they would be traveling. "See its way over there, it might take some time to get there though. You up for it?" He smiled dimly at his daughter. She was bright and perhaps could someday possess the powers of the spirits. He might have to decide someday, training one takes some time, and it was no easy task. He turned to stare in the direction of Star Grove, maybe at this meeting more of the clans would listen to his ideas. There was a good chance they wouldn't. They were all to worried about keeping their own behinds safe. He shrugged, some day something must happen, it was inevitable.

((Hehehe....inevitable...*dresses Aya up in Matrix garb*))

 

[Vashtya]

RP Log #2: Us'kali

(Sorry for the out-of-the-blue quote; I'm linking in a new journal)

Dagi

Asegi quickly caught up to his mother and purred as he rubbed his shaggy head on her white leg. He smiled and beamed up at her. He wasn't one to be able to distinguish real love from a fake forced kind, he had grown up with both and deemed them both the same. He shook his head back and forth as he head his mother inquire about his sister, he hadn't seen her anywhere and that worried him. She was all alone and he had no one to play with! Suddnely something caught his attention, he squinted to see better into the distance were his young eyes playing tricks on him? Was he seeing things? He didn't think so, sitting with a dark lion was another cub! And from the smell of it it was a female, not Tsi though, even from this distance they looked different. He peered up to his dad and nodded toward Uhi and Aya,

"Who's that dad? Can we go play? Hmmmm?"

StrawberriLori

"Go play, Asegi." It was more of a command than anything, but Asa'nunu tried to smile at him, and succeeded. She started to move towards Aya and his little brat, looking back at U'yosi. Was he coming or not?

"U'yosi?" She asked, her eyes somehow more..alive now, after seeing Aya. Her tail was held a little higher, and a soft yet still somehow cool smile was settled on her muzzle.

The Star Grove..Asa'nunu loved it there. Sometimes the young lioness almost wished she was nvwati, so that she could go there more often. It was a peaceful place, when the Clans weren't bickering over something. And the stars were so beautiful there, they seemed ten times as bright at the Star Grove than out here in the Lands.

Allie23

Uhi puffed out her tiny cub chest and tried to make herself appear bigger. Her attempt wasn't very much a success, but she would do anything to make her father proud. "Of course I can!" Uhi had always been a confident cub, and she knew with her daddy by her side, she could do anything. ((Aww. XD))

TormentedAngie

Ama kept his head held high as he padded down the same trail his mother had taken. A walk and nothing more, she had said. Yet she hadn't returned. Ever the devoted and caring son, he'd struck out to follow her, making sure she was quite alright. Wuffling slightly, he caught her scent upon the wind. She was near. And others too. A soft growl emitted from his regal muzzle as he smelled Aya. The dislike for his brother-in-law seeped in waves from the tan lion. If Aya stepped off the face of the earth, never to be heard from again, Ama couldn't be happier. The only thing keeping him even cordial with the other male, was his sister, Kala.

Keeping his thoughts to himself, Ama padded proudly to his mother's side, ignoring all other's around. Bending his head down, he nuzzled at Us'kali's shoulder. "Hello Mother. You were gone longer than expected, I followed you to make sure you were alright." Guesturing to the others in the vacinity, he continued. "What's going on? Something I should know about?"

Vashtya

Making a low, raspy noise that could only be an old lioness's attempt at a purr, Us'kali swatted at her son affectionately with a forepaw, the beginnings of a grin playing at the corners of her mouth. Suddenly, the old adu looked less...frail, as if her son's presence had lent a...spark. Sometimes, Ama, you remind me of your father so much... she thought to herself, drawing comfort from that. "Yes, there is indeed something you should know about, Ama." she began, tail flicking idly. "A meeting in the Star Grove has been called." she stated simply. "And so, we are preparing to begin our journey there." she finished, leaning lightly against Ama's shoulder, as if to draw strength for the journey ahead.

Kel-chan

U'yosi grinned tolerantly at his little son as he bounded ahead to meet his mother. As he padded more slowly down the slope after him, he looked up to meet Asa'nunu's glance. He was surprised; instead of the mournful, distant look she usually affected, she seemed.. more alert. His eyes softened, and he shook his mane gently as he reached her. Perhaps she had found the others, and was almost prepared to put the past behind in favour of making the Ela'wadiyi great again.

"Have you news of the Sky Clan, my cloud-marked Asa'nunu?" He asked her warmly, holding his head up so discern the many mixed new scents he smelt on the breeze. He glanced about for Tsi'hilu and Asegi, as was his habit to check on his family, and gaind a slightly puzzled expression as his vision failed to reveal his daughter.

PirateElf

Ina'li pressed his head against the ground, eyes feeling heavy. He looked out over the darkened sky and took a deep breath of the fresh morning's air. His eyes wandered from side to side, trying to stay awake. But it was all in vain, and he drifted asleep.

When he awoke he looked around at his position oddly, though still keeping a stern look on his face. He either slept for a very long time... or a very short one. With a quick lion-ish shrug he stood up and stretched his front legs. The long grass waved against his face, and he started through it with a bored yawn.

((it's hard to RP by myself... xd ))

Zydeco

(eppp! Kala should come find ya soon Pirate))

"Well you do know its a long LONG walk." He teased, even though knowing that his prideful daughter would always reply yes, she could do anything. That was always a goo response though, since if you believe that then usually you can. Aya smiled down at his young one, eyes light and his tail swung slowly on the ground. He lifted his eyes to the horizon. The Wolf Clan was a few meters away. They were only small specks, but their white coats gave them away easily. He snorted, Aya could never figure out how they hide those things when they hunted. He turned back down to Uhi. "Keep on your toes and stay polite Uhi. The Wolf Clan is coming to make a formal greeting."

Dagi

Asegi had been the first one to reach Uhi and Aya, for he had sprinted there the whole way. He was so exited, he had never met anyone from another clan before and this was his chance. He slowed to a walk as he neared the big lion and his daughter. He grinned and her and then looked up at her father meekly, also smiling in greeting. He head swiveled around and spotted his mother and father slowly loping over. He snorted, they sure like to take their time... Go play, go play. The only thing on his mind now. Even more he wondered where his beloved sister had wandered off too, surely she would have been excited to meet a female cub. He took a deep breath and beamed up at the two Sky Clan members,

"Hi! I'm Asegi, son of Asa'nunu and U'yosi, nice ta meet you!"

TormentedAngie

Ama grinned as he ducked his mother's playful swat. Ducking his head under Us'kali's chin, he nuzzled her tenderly. "A meeting you say?" Ama raised his head and glanced at his mother. A meeting in Star Grove was always an important event. Very important. He stood like a rock, allowing 'kali to lean upon him. "Where is Kala?" His eyes glanced over Aya and Uhi and the lack of Kala around. He assumed that she was off gathering the rest of the pride, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Vashtya

Us'kali nodded, rubbing her face against Ama's shoulder as if to subtly thank him for the physical support. "Kala is off gathering the rest of the pride, so hopefully she'll get here soon." she said, watching in amusement as Asegi greeted Uhi and Aya rather...enthusiastically. To be so young... she thought with a small grin, remembering how she'd been quite the precocious little cub until...well, things had happened. Blinking and shaking her head slightly as if to clear her thoughts, her eyes suddenly the piercing eyes of an adu once more. "Aya, if Kala isn't back soon, would you go look for her?" she called out, giving Uhi an affectionate grin.

StrawberriLori

Asa'nunu even managed a small smile at her mate as he asked about the Sky Clan. "Aya'tas has predicted a Meeting soon, so I was right to want to go find the rest of the Clans." She looked over to where the Wolf Clan was, and saw Asegi introducing himself.

She hoped he was behaving himself. And hoped that she could behave herself at the Meeting. If she stayed near U'yosi it was certain she'd behave, Asa didn't know how she could disobey the rules around him. It was almost a rivalry, as she saw it, in a way. He was always wanting to be more than the mere male he was. Why couldn't he be happy with the Clan they had? It was all she had left, and she clung to it desperately.

((I swear I don't think this about U'yosi irl..xD))

LizzyMoo

((Sorry... was mid mid-terms gonk ))

Running through the grass at a constant pace, Kala continued to look for Ada. The grass gradually seemed to grow as she ran, starting from approximately her mid-leg and finally reaching up to her chest. Looking about her, though only half conscious of it, she seemed to have taken a different direction from prior.

Kala's pace slowed as the grass attempted to trap her feet to the ground, though only lightly. The lioness paused and decided to take another sniff at the air, wondering how close the others may be. Inhaling deeply, two scents filled her nasal cavities. One was once again Ada, but the other one, which was much closer, was Ina.

Now distracted from her prior task, she trotted in a slightly different direction, until Ina's form came into view. Noticing he was faced the opposite direction as she approached, she called out in a somewhat hushed manner "Ina'li...?"

PirateElf

Ina'li looked back, a bit surprised. He blinked a few times, and then smiled briefly. His mane flowed lightly in the wind and he turned around.
"Kala," he replied, "Why do you go about at this time...?" His face got stern again and he looked up into the sky. His eyes shut half way, squinting at the shining stars.
"...Looking for someone?" he asked, keeping his eyes on the sky as he spoke. A cold night's breeze brushed passed, swirling the tall grass a little.

((Err... it's night time here for me so I hope I didn't wreck anything. I always RP by how it is outside IRL. *doesn't want to look like a retard* sweatdrop ))

LizzyMoo

((No worries! It was night time anyways xp ... just stay in the "night time" RPing for now 3nodding ))

"I am looking for many right now actually. Including you!" The lioness sat herself next to the lion as he gazed at the stars. She dared not look up again, for she knew she would easily be hypnotized by the soft lights in the dark sky.

Kala continued on in a calm voice. "I have been requested by my mother to gather the rest of the Sky Clan. We are to trek to the Star Grove, and it is necessary for all to be there. I came here originally looking for Ada, but I have yet to find her. Now that I have found you Ina, I request that you help me find her. Then we may head back to the others and make the necessary journey." She looked to the lion as his mane swayed gently against his neck from the breeze. Kala kept her eyes calmly on his face as she awaited an answer.

PirateElf

Ina looked a little more suprised than before, but not by much. He turn his head to look at her and stared blankly.
"Star Grove..." the lion repeated to himself.
"May I inquire as to the occasion?" he said, a small hint of confusion in his words. The fluffy end of his tail brushed against the ground as he waited.

((Can't say much more than that, I guess xd ))

LizzyMoo

The lioness nodded, seeing no harm in responding to the best of her ability. "According to Aya, there is another clan nearby, and the spirits request we go to Star Groove. This is really all I know about it..." Kala sighed a bit, noticing the other seemed to not move from his spot.

"Ina, I really do need to find Ada before the others grow restless. Since you have been informed, you can head back to the group on your own." As she said these words, she pointed her nose towards the direction she had come. Raising her own haunches off from the ground, stretching one of her hind legs back lazily, she added in a gentle, yet warning voice "...If you want to come with me, that is fine. Or if you just want to meet up with the others, that is fine as well. Please do, however, get a move on."

Not really waiting to see what he wanted to do, she turned back towards where Ada's scent was hiding, near the water. She took to trotting in that direction, quickly and filled with determination.

PirateElf

Ina narrowed his eyes for a few moments, staring at Kala before standing up slowly. He didn't like her attitude at all, but he followed none-the-less. He looked back towards the direction of the others, where Kala had pointed, and then proceeded to step rather defiantly after her.

Ina'li sniffed the air, and then at the ground as he followed. The wind was slowly picking up, blowing a bit harder than before. It didn't seem so bad... actually quite refreshing at first. Then it began to whirl slightly stronger, brushing up some dust. Ina liked the feeling of wind whipping across his face. It soon died down again, and the the night was calm. The stars were shining brightly along side the moon, and it was a beautiful scene.

Kel-chan

[ Poor U'yosi gonk Don't worry about it, Lori. ]

U'yosi tilted his shaggy head slightly. "A meeting of the Clans.. that would be a welcome event," he said solemnly. "Would it be soon, within the next sevenday? The next moon?" He kept a note of hopeful enthusiasm in his voice, wanting to match her seeming break from indifference. "It will be good to see the others again, for a brief while of course. And for the children..." he tailed off, wondering exactly what to say. He wantedtogo and lay his head alongside hers, to whisper words of comfort, as in those days when the Ela'wadiyi were strong and they were newly mated. But now he dared not, fearing to anger the adu'ladi, and instead was caught uncertainlybetween the two desires to move closer and to back off. So he stayed exactly where he was, breaking his loning gaze from her and watching for the children.

StrawberriLori

Asa'nunu paused for a long moment, then nudging the side of her head against his. He wasn't so bad, sometimes. U'yosi even seemed enthusiastic about the Meeting, which Asa couldn't be more excited for.

"Race you," she said with a little grin, and burst off towards the rest of the gathering lions. U'yosi and the cubs were all she had left, and for now she could set her grief out of her head. Being around the other Clans sparked a new life in her, one that was put out when she was with just her mate. What she really needed was time alone to heal, without the reminder of her broken Clan, but that wasn't possible.

She was adu'ladi, and had to deal the best she could. Which was slightly better than her constant grieving, when she was with the other lions.

Kel-chan

New heart sprang into U'yosi at his mate's actions, mingled with surprise and sudden adoring, and with a deep laugh he bounded after her, not quite matching her pace with his long strides so that she might arrive before him. There was a time for mourning, but perhaps that was past now; they must plan ahead for the Ela'wadiyi. He could even talk to the nwati, about both the children's education and his burden of the Mantis lore... and Asa'nunu would be happy. Slowing down just a little, he let a brief, loving expression cross his face, before shaking it off and thinking of what had to be done.
"Greetings, Ela'wadiyi," he said out loud, eyes bright in his dark face as he surveyed the lions gathered there.

StrawberriLori

Asa'nunu was purring softly as she reached the lions and nodded slightly in greeting to them, so very glad to see Us'kali, Ama, and even Aya's brat Uhi. It reminded her that they weren't truly alone, and that maybe one day they could all bind together and secure the homeland once more.Of course she was happy to see Aya as well, it made her heart flutter to see the dark lion.

But taking back their homeland was a long time from happening, if it ever did, and she greeted those lions gathered here. "Good day, all of you." Now was not the time to dwell on the past, though it was most assured she would return to grieving once the Meeting in Star Grove was over.

Zydeco

Aya cocked an eyebrow at little Asegi, "Hello." He was a tad curt since he could never find anything to really talk about with the little ones from other clans. He found it to be a communication block, and was relieved to see that Asa and her mate weren't to far behind. He stiffled a small growl and put a pleasant smile on his face. "Good evening U'yosi and Asa'nunu. Isn't it a wonderful night?" He looked up at the clear dark sky. It was trully a wonderful night, there was no doubt about it. Exspecially with his love around and his daughter. He smiled at them both fondly, but directed it mainly at his daughter. So he wouldn't raise suspicion.

LizzyMoo

Kala's mind wandered a bit as she continued to blindly follow her nose. The wind did blow, but she did not even feel it since her mind was so busy with itself. Her trot slowed as something came to her mind. Perhaps I was rude to Ina... With that particular thought in her mind, she turned back to see if the lion was following her or had left for the rest of the group. The lion in fact was behind her, though his stride and stance seemed to verify her thoughts.

Turning back towards the front and continuing her pace, she softly offered an explanation for her actions. "Ina, I am sorry if I seemed a bit... um... demanding earlier. It is just that... it is just that I don't want to disappoint my mother. She really seems set on me learning the ways of the adu'ladi... and..." The lioness grew quiet, giving up on her explanation. Her ears flattened lightly to her head as a small white form suddenly seemed to appear near the water's edge of the nearby river. In a soft voice, Kala called to the cub, hoping to not startle her. "Ada...?"

Zydeco

(argh...knew I forgot something...Posties)

Aya grumbled, he was desperately trying to not respond to Us'kali, but she was the adu, and she did hold immense power in the clan. He rolled his eyes, "Alright I'll go look." He said in a quiet mumble follow by a annoyed snarl. "Anyone want to join my little quest? Hmmm? No?"

Vashtya

((*luffs on Zydeco* heart thank you. biggrin ...*rolls around gleefully*))

Us'kali blinked, ignoring the snarl of irritation Aya had sought to hide...somewhat. "I appreciate it greatly." she said quietly, a slight smile flickering about the corners of her maw. "I only ask it because I don't wish the rest of the pride to be too late to travel to the Star Grove with the wolf clan...after all, we don't leave any behind." she finished, pawing at the ground lightly.

((Crappeh postie...mesa sorry xd ;; heart ))

Dagi

((I have no idea on what I should do xD))
Asegi sat and looked after his mother, she seemed so.... Happy. This was a change. He smiled warmly after her, he loved seeing her happy and hoped she'd stay like that forever. He looked to the cub he had been left with and tilted his head in curiosity,

"Um, I suppose... Meeting"

His gaze darted around. He had always felt so confident but for some reason this other cub made him nervous. Once again he grinned sheepishly and then loped off after his mother and father slwoly. He came up behind them slowly and parked himself quietly at his fathers side. There were so many strange new lions there, it was both exciting and scary.

PirateElf

Ina'li continued to watch Kala blankly. He snorted and raised an eyebrow, pawing the ground out of slowly gorwing boredom.
"I suppose..." he said awkwardly. The lion paused for a few moments, not saying anything, not moving, not blinking. Then he gradually nodded and moved his gaze to the stars.
"...Don't worry about it."
Ina's feelings were somewhat hidden and hard to tell, but he continued anyway. As he just began his stride, the large cat stopped again and turned to look in the same direction as Kala. He noticed Ada as well, no hint of emotion in his eyes, just a void stare.

StrawberriLori

Asa perked up at the change to go off with Aya on their own, and would sound reasonable to anyone who listened. Glancing aroung to see if anyone would volunteer, she stood up, taking a step towards Aya.

"If no one else would like to..we really do need to get going. I'll go look with you." Her eyes flashed mischeviously at him, but when she turned back to U'yosi, they were the calm pools of blue once again. "U'yosi, find Tsi'lihu, if you would."

She turned back to Aya, smiling politely. "Where should we look first?"

TormentedAngie

Ama glowered slightly at Aya for the snarl he gave, not pleased in the least. Remaining silent, the tan lion glanced over all gathered, as if pinning them to their current spots. He was not pleased, however, when he caught sight of what could possibly be a slight flirtation from Asa. It better not be what he thought it was.... Nuzzling his mother once, Ama stepped forward, beside Aya, before glancing over at Asa once again. "Help find your own. I shall help Aya find Kala and the others." His tone was even, yet held a firmness that dared not be disobeyed. He held his ground, turning his head to glance over Aya. "She shouldn't be far. Let us do as Mother asks, and gather Kala, for she has surely found the others. Make haste, dear brother. The journey is long, only to be made longer for our dawdling." Borne with practice, Ama's voice stayed somewhat pleasant and controlled towards Kala's mate, though his mind did not settle the same way.

Naita

Oblivious to the concerns of the clan, Ada'wehi dipped her parched tongue into the clear waters, the sensation of the liquid sliding down her throat bringing a grateful smile to her maw.
Once she had had her fill, the tiny lioness dropped to her haunches, gaze swinging idly, and a deep yawn escaping her. Though she had shaken the bonds of sleep from her consciousness, remnants would always play on her body for a few short minutes.

StrawberriLori

"I was only trying to help," Asa kept her voice steady, but it was hard to keep the tremors of anger from her tone. How dare he speak to her in that way? He was a simple male, not even important..

She took a deep breath, turning and smiling at U'yosi, though through her eyes death flickered. The yound adu'lai did not like being opposed. "Perhaps we should be on our way, U'yosi. Tsi is sure to be about, and once we find her we can be on our way to Star Grove."

Handing a sickly sweet smile to the Wolf Clan, Asa nodded her head to each one of them in turn and sidled up against U'yosi, beginning to pad away. Once they found her absent minded daughter, they could be on their way. At least when she was on the move, Asa could keep her mind free of worries.

LizzyMoo

Kala's ears flattened slightly in disappointment. Apparently she didn't hear me... she thought to herself as she padded up a bit closer to the white cub. The grass brushed past her fur lightly, though it was gradually diminishing in height and only up to her lower leg. Turning back to Ina, she signaled for him to do the same, though again, his stance spoke louder than anything else he could have offered.

In a slightly louder voice, yet not loud enough to startle anyone, she called to the miniature lioness again. "Ada..."

Naita

Eyes raising as the sound of a familiar voice brushed across her mind, Ada'wehi gazed warmly at Kala.
She looked at the lioness as family of sorts, though it was plainly obvious their blood differed. But Ada'wehi was glad of Kala's guardianship, and entry into a clan that would raise her.
"Hello, Kala," she breathed softly, voice silky and quiet.

LizzyMoo

Once more, she repeated the cub's name, but with a bit of a harsher tone, though it was hard for her to pull it off. "Ada... We need to get going right now. The clan needs to go to Star Groove tonight. We must make haste Ada." Pausing a moment to look at the cub's tired posture as it seemed to slump, she also added "If you would like, I could carry you upon my back, but we need to get moving at once." The lioness took a few more steps closer to the cub, stopping right next to the smaller figure and crouching down a bit to look her in the eye softly, now ignoring Ina and focusing on the cub's needs.

Dagi

Asegi whimpered quietly, where was he supposed to go now? Or what was he supposed to do? Surely he couldn't follow Asa, she'd get mad since he had been following his poor mother all day. And finding Tsi, that would be near impossible is she didn't want to be found. He hadn't seen his dear sister in hours but his mind was on other things that were more interesting for the moment. Like all the other lions for example, he had never met them before and was quite curious on what they were like. He had no idea where this Star Grove place was but he'd find it eventually. His small nose picked up a scent. He stopped his thinking and followed it. It was another female cub he was smelling, Tsi maybe! He trotted on until he came to the river bank,

"Tsi, Dad's looking for you, I be he's mad since you wandered off like that, now come on lets go..."

As he neared the white cub he noticed that there was another lioness with her. He crept up slowly on the two and on further examination he saw that it wasn't Tsi at all, but some other female cub. He chuckled and looked meekly at Kala and Ada,

"Um sorry, thought you were.... my sister... "

Zydeco

Aya raised and annoyed brow at Ama. That was completely uncalled for! The Wolf and Sky clans were to travel together and therefore should help each other in their own gathering. He also really wanted to spend more time with his beloved Asa. But disagreeing would've given this creature more of a reason to suspect a relationship. He threw his chin up proudly, "Fine then Ama, you don't need to be so pressing. I was only asking not demanding." He padded heavily over to Ama, almost threateningly.

(OMG SCHOOL! Sorry this was so short))

PirateElf

Ina stepped quietly after Kala, still staring at the lioness cub. His eyes sparkled slightly as he watched Ada, her white fur almost seem to glow under the light of the moon. A soft smile, or a smirk rather, etched itself across Ina'li's muzzle.
He followed Kala slowly, but when she stopped, he stopped as well. Ina tapped his front claws on the ground, watching Kala move on. He stayed where he was, the smile deminished quickly.

Naita

Expressing her dissent to being carried with a simple c**k of the head, Ada'wehi raised herself from the soft ground, eyeing the three now seemingly grouped near the stream and herself.
Kala, this soft matriarchal figure, received her interest first, followed by the others of her own age, each receiving a nod in turn, though the first seemed a little less formal.
"Why are we moving?" It was a simple query, but the snowy cub had yet to hear of the happenings.

Vashtya

Us'kali stood still, looking majestic as she sunk gracefully to her haunches, eyes impassive as always, and deeper than the ocean as she pondered, staring up at the sky as if for guidance.

((meep! *sent everyone away to look for wandering pride members, it seems* xd ;; ))

Dagi

Asegi stood quietly by the three strangers. He nodded to confirm the female cubs question, why were they moving? Was everyone going to go find Tsi. He sighed, what a confusing day. He sat down slowly, his dark eyes darting back and forth from each of the Sky Clan members that sat around him.

((Man, sorry it's short, I can't think of what to do xDD))

LizzyMoo

Kala smiled a bit at Ada's simple question. I must really learn to explain myself better... Nodding to the cub, she replied in a calm voice. "Aya told us that the spirits requested us to go to Star Groove. My mother has requested that all members of the Sky Clan be gathered so we may head to the Star Groove." Bringing her head back up to its full height, she looked back towards the direction she had originally come from, a slight breeze brushing against her face gently.

Looking down to the snow white cub once more, she asked "Are you ready to go back to the group now?"

Kel-chan

[sorry about the long delay gonk ]

U'yosi blinked, before pacing up his steps to match his mate's. A brief thought crossed his mind that he had missed speaking to the others, but he really didn't like being in the presence of the fiery young Aya'tas and he was not that social a lion in the first place. He firmly told himself that there was nothing to worry about, and looked around with dark eyes for Tsi'hilu.
"I could cuff Ama around the head a few times for you," He offered in a low and gently humourous voice, hoping to remove the scowl from his beloved's face as they walked back downriver. "He was a little discourteous..."

StrawberriLori

Asa's scowl lessened as he spoke, and she slowed her pace to match his. Now that she was away from Aya'tas, and more than a bit irritated with his Clan, she was more inclined to be kind to U'yosi. She sighed, raising her glance to look at her mate as she walked.

"He was, but his rivalry with Aya takes precedence over courtesy to other Clans," Asa said with a small grin. "It's silly, it really is." When not around Aya, these were her thoughts. But whenever he came near, all she wanted was for him to succeed. What was inside her head, creating these thoughts? She should be looking out for her pack, not falling in love with another lion.

"Have you seen Tsi?" Said the pale lioness, her blue eyes surveying the riverbank. It was where she had last seen Tsi, or close by it. Where was the cub?

Kel-chan

"You're right, as always, cloud-marked one," U'yosi dipped his shaggy head slightly. "Tsi'hilu? I..." he frowned slightly, closing his mouth on the rebuke that she was with her all the time. But the past was not important now. What mattered was his daughter. He sniffed slightly at the pungent earth of the riverbank.
"I have not seen her, Asa'nunu. But she must be around here somewhere," he stated, a worried expression crossing his dark face.

(( a)- I wonder what Asa'nunu was before she was the wounded wolf? Maybe we should ask dust :3
b) I think I've worked out why these two don't always get on. Asa'nunu dwells on the past; U'yosi prefers to ignore it. What do you think? smile ))

StrawberriLori

Asa nodded slightly, her eyes trailing over the land but not really looking for her daughter. Those blue orbs had once again turned inside in thought, though now her thoughts held a new idea. What would the clans do if she took Aya for her mate, instead of U'yosi.

But you are adu'lai, a small part of her mind replied. With a sigh, she nodded again to herself, now truly looking for Tsi. She was beginning to worry, as subconsiously she knew Tsi never strayed far from Asegi, and Asegi was over still greeting the other Clan.

He would be fine there, for now. Her first priority was finding Tsi, but her mind strayed as she gazed at the riverbank ahead. Some part of her was utterly horrified she would even think to abandon U'yosi, but Asa also wanted what she wanted. And that was Aya.

((Dust sent me some info on Asa, would you like to see Kel-chan? =3 It explains about how U'yosi and Asa became mates as well. And I think you hit something right there, that U'yosi likes to ignore the past when that's the one thing Asa thinks of all the time.))

Kel-chan

U'yosi flickered dark eyes sideways at his pensive mate, smiled slightly mournfully, and held his head up again, alert for the presence of either of his offspring.If he could do nothing else for her, at least he could keep the clan together. His practical side kicked in, hiding invisibly his inner pain, and he padded on, trying to impart confidence in both himself and Asa'nunu.

[ stare 'Twould kinda be useful! I've been trying to come up with something by myself... sweatdrop ]

TormentedAngie

Ama Galu'nadi outwardly showed no emotion either way, his face intent on the task Us'kali had set before them. To find the rest of their pride so they could head to Star Grove. Inwardly, Ama held a slight smirk. He was pleased, very pleased. His experiment had worked, he could tell there was tension on both sides due to his foiling of thier little rondevous. Ama was not a stupid lion, nor was he quite like other's opinions of him. He had a good sense of what was good for his sister and family, and had a very good sense of what was good for his pride. Though he kept his views silent for the most part, when it came to his sister Kala, and his mother, Us'kali, he wasn't as quiet. Something didn't smell right with Aya'tas, and though he hadn't like Aya from the beginning, something worse was beginning to reek, more so than Aya's foul breath.

Seeing Aya throw his head up proudly, Ama rolled his eyes and snorted. He chose to ignore the almost threatening way Aya stalked over to him, knowing the other wouldn't dare anything in front of either adu'lai. Almost to himself, he let slip a mutter, not caring if the other heard or not. "Yeah, sure. Keep Kala thinking that way, don't try and convince me. I'm not as blind as my poor sister." Shaking his head, causing his mane to fluff out a bit, Ama began to pad in the direction that Kala most likely would have taken. Every bit as big as Aya, Ama was not going to be pushed around by someone who thought he deserved all the respect, yet hardly ever did anything to gain that respect. "Come brother, Kala and the others must be found quickly, if we are to make Star Grove tonight." Ama glanced over his shoulder to raise a brow at Aya, keeping another barb tipped comment to himself, though filing it away for future use.

Vashtya

Us'kali's eyes betrayed none of the frustration she felt. She knew why Ama kept such a close eye on Aya, and while in most circumstances she would have been displeased with such tension, she felt that, in this case, it was merited. Shaking her head, she sunk to the ground tiredly, her years weighing heavily upon her, although her ears continued to flick back and forth attentively...some habits died hard.

Zydeco

Aya'tas nodded dully to Ama. The way Ama was treating the situation of finding another member of the clan was like it was life or death. Aya really found the whole thing utterly boring, one lion could do this simply, but two was pure insanity. He trotted off ahead of Ama, his head still held high in his own arrogance, if it was so important they should be walking faster.

Even though he was a god several paces ahead of Ama, every now and then he would glance back into Ama's hatred filled eyes. They were so amusing to him, to think he would care what some lowly mama's boy lion would think of him. "Hmph." He left slip and padded off a little further, "She's this way." He pointed out and changed his direction minorly.

Safaia

Tawa'di Kanati groaned as he layed his ancient body down onto the soft grass, his bones creaking a bit as he settled into position. The direct sunrays warmed his body, making his joints more bearable.

What couldn't be bearable was the weight of life resting on his boney shoulders. He shook his head to himself, wondering what he'd gotten into at such an old age. He should be more or less taken care of, not the other way around. But destiny was just that, and fate handed him the reins of leadership.

Stretching out his body, his head rested on it's side, he looked out through the grass at the land that was theirs, yet not. The homelands....he closed his eyes and fell asleep to his own desires of home, faintly smug that at least he was out on his on for once.

Dagi

((I have no idea on where I should take Asegi xD))

Asegi sighed and slowly crept away from the other three lions, that cub looked occupied; she wouldn't want to play with him. He frowned and trotted off slowly, his nose twitching in the air, where was everyone and most importantly where was Tsi? He missed her.... Maybe she was at that one place.... The one all the lions were talking about... Star something... Star Grove! That was it, he'd go there. Tsi had probably heard the same things and was waiting there to play with him right now! His mother and father would be there too, they'd set off for that place too right? He grinned widely and the little wolf took off, a cloud of dust behind him, hoping he'd end up at the right place.

((Uh I know he's not a wolf, but I meant wolf as in wolf clan, just in case ya wondered biggrin ))

StrawberriLori

Asa'nunu twitched, whirling to see the cub Asegi running off. Agh, where was he going? She growled and nodded to U'yosi to find Tsi, and burst off after Asegi. At least he was headed in the right direction, straight for the Star Grove.

She would not have her only hope at ever having the large Clan back she once had killed by some stupid preybeast. Now that she was away from Aya, her perception was back. The Clan had to survive.

((~goes about sending Kel info~ <3 Sorreh it took so long))

Kel-chan

[ Ta Lori. ^___^ *snugs info and reads avidly* ]

U'yosi sighed, and then applied himself firmly to the task in hand - or paw. Padding back alongside the river edge, he cast his head from side to side, trying to pick up the elusive scent of his daughter.
"Tsi'hilu," he called in a strong voice. " We must move on, cloud-daughter. Will you come out?" He tried to clear his head of the thoughts of his mate that still rattled around and concentrate on finding the white smudge in the dusk that would be a small cub. He glaced briefly over his shoulder where he saw the lithe shape of Asa'nunu bounding after Asegi, and allowed a small smile to cross his muzzle. Really, sometimes, despite her annoying ways and overbearing nature, he still did owe care to her. No, concentrate on Tsi'hilu, he told himself firmly, lowering his head and breaking into a trot.

Dagi

Asegi moved into a pounce as he trotted along and bounded down the path, quite unaware that his beloved mother was behind him. A huge grin on his young maw. He was off to find Tsi as well, except.... He had no idea where to start. The best way was forward so that's where this cub took off to. He batted at clumps of grass and clods of dirt and he had his way to Star Grove, playing with anything that he had the chance to stumble upon. Suddenly he stopped and his ears perked. Someone was behind him. His eyes narrowed and he crouched low in the ground, hiding in the dust his prancing had created. What a sneaky stalker! Probably had followed him from a while back. His licked his chops and sprang up at the unsuspecting invader, not yet realizing that it was his own mother. He lept on her back and growled as threateningly (omg can I stick any more cojugations in there xD) as a young cub would.

((Asegi haffa fun!))

Zydeco

Aya snorted, finally tht loud mouth Ama had shut up. It had taken so long to get him to be quiet and enjoy the night. It was now very late, and probably nearing morning, but if they had to walk all day to get to Star Groove...He padded along in silence until he came to a clearing where Kala stood. He was happy to discover that she indeed had done her job of finding the last wary cub, that was one less head to count.

"Kala, I see you found the last of our clan." He smiled dully at his mate, "Obviously Ama needs to get his priorities straight."

LizzyMoo

Before she could get an answer out of the cub, a strong voice called to her. Turning her head out of instinct, she found her mate had caught up with her. Not realizing he had been called out to find her for dawdling so long, she smiled back at Aya, though with a bit more of a genuine shine. "Yes, I was just explaining to Ada why we needed to go to the Star Groove." She nodded a bit at her own explanation, looking down to the palest of the current company and smiling again.

However, her brother's name caught her ear as well, peaking a bit of curiousity into the mind of the lioness. "Which priorities do you mean, Aya? Which priorities does Ama need to set straight?"

Zydeco

"Excellent" Aya gave a small smile at Ada. He hoped that her understanding would get them on their trip to Star Groove faster, since they already were lagging a bit on the late side. "Oh Ama needs to decide between getting on someone's case or getting the job done. He obviously can't distinguish between the two when he's so worked up over nothing." He shrugged his dark shoulders before dropping the subject entirely.

"So are we ready to get back to the clan? I still believe we should be on the road by morning."

TormentedAngie

Ama had been lurking back, trying to gain a handle on why he continued to silently endure Aya's constantly hasselling and acting like he was top lion, when he indeed wasn't. Aya didn't have any respect for anyone other than himself, and that irked Ama. Kala deserved better, that's for darn sure. However, his ears perked up when he heard the offender speaking his name in a tone of voice that raised the fur along his neck. Oooh he would LOVE to get his paws around Aya's neck and shake his brains loose. Then maybe the childish male would grow some and act like he should.

Apparently, Aya didn't think he had his priorities straight. Well that proved just how childish the lion was. If Aya thought that, then Ama hated to see what he considered straight to be. But the voice of his sister questioning the oversized cub amused Ama slightly. Kala seemed quite oblivious to anything that had happened, and perhaps that was a god-send for her. But to hear her questioning something Aya said was just too sweet to his ears. And the answer Aya gave was even better. His brother-in-law was stuck finding something to say so he had to be as vague as possible. Figures that lout wouldn't answer Kala correctly. Oh how he was tempted to speak right then in there, but Ama waited until he'd come upon the three of them to speak.

"It seems someone else needs to decide who is more important in their life, instead of blushing when eyes are turned to them, shouldn't they?" Ama left the comment at that, knowing it would most likely strike a cord with Aya, but probably not enough to perk Kala's curiosity. Turning to his sister, Ama nuzzled underneath her chin in greeting, then turned his attention to Ada, giving her a loving little lick upon the top of her head. "Indeed, are we ready now? Us'kali is sure to be wondering where we all are by now."

((Sorry I haven't posted, been hectic and a lack of brain for Ama's character, as well as xmas vacation haven't helped. However this was too good to pass up, since I had inspiration.))

Vashtya

Us'kali sighed, licking at her paws idly as she realized that they probably wouldn't be moving out until the morning's light. Getting back to her feet, albeit a bit stiffly, she looked out over the land, thinking with a sad smile that it really was a pity that things in her clan were so...fraught with friction. It was times like this that she particularly missed her long-dead mate, and almost wished to join him among the stars overhead.

LizzyMoo

"Oh..." Kala offered, hoping she would not sound as clueless as she felt at the moment. It would be better to not question either of them she thought to herself as she offered the two lions a smile. Returning the nuzzle her brother offered, she nodded in consent to returning to her mother. Turning to the cub, she offered a faint smile, then prepared to head out, lifting a paw up from the grass.

Zydeco

If Aya could have, he would have pounced Ama to the ground and rip out his throat, but other important things needed to be attended to, and he really wasn't in a fighting mood when his love was close by. Her scent still was alight on the air, and he smiled. "So we finally have everyone together? Excellent we can start off now, once we get Us'kali." His smile became warm and he set off in her direction. The spirits couldn't be shaken off, and if they requested for the clan to leave before daybreak, they would.

Vashtya

((let's get moving in here again, ne? whee ))

Lifting her weary head, Us'kali sniffed at the air, and sat back on her haunches, having caught the faintest of whisps of Aya's scent--even from the distance, his impatience tingled at her senses, prompting a tired whuff from the elder lioness.

Vashtya

Yawning, Us'kali looked around the following morning, and, seeing no one else, lifted her majestic head high to scent the air. Detecting none of her other pride members, she made a decision that she had been toying with for quite some time--it was time for her to leave the pride, and to wander freely. She would cling tightly to her beliefs, and bore her tattoos proudly...but there came a time in any leadership figure's life where she had to step away, and let the pride manage on its own, and to leave the running of things in the hands of the youth.

Decision made, she nodded once, and got to her feet, shaking her fur out briskly, feeling more energized than she had since the death of her mate. With one last lingering glance over the lands that she had long since called home, she padded off in a southerly direction, every detail of her surroundings firmly implanted in her mind-the way the sun dappled the stream behind her, the way the dirt felt as it dug into the bottoms of her aged paws...even the way her breath felt as it left her lungs. Her only regret was in not saying good bye to Ama, who had always looked out for her, even though her admittedly reduced fitness still would have allowed her to function almost normally--maybe a bit more've a rest when hunting, or taking a long journey...but, he had always been there to offer encouragement even in her lonliness hours--which was as much as any mother could ask of a cub.

With a flick of her white-tipped tail, the violet-eyed goddess commenced what would be the second extended journey of her lifetime, although she greeted this one with far more enthusiasm than her last.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~End of first Arc of Ela Land RP~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

[Vashtya]

RP Log #3: Binti'Sokota

RP Log #3: Us'kali Galu'nadi

(Sorry for the out-of-the-blue quote; I'm linking in a new journal)

~~~~Beginning: Southlands Arc 1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vashtya

Large paws made light impressions in the dry ground as Us'kali made her way to the watering hole...and it was hard to believe how much she had improved on the journey. Her coat was sleek, instead of dull, her eyes shone, and she had purpose in her stride--here was a lioness who would die actively, rather than letting herself slowly wither as she had been doing. Her tattoos broke up her coat from view as the tall savannah grasses bowed beneath her large body, and she offered up a prayer of thanks to the sky, for providing enough rain that she had remained able to quench her thirst on the journey.

Something in her bones told her that this was where she would stay, and where she would find purpose. As she stared down at the clear pool before her, Us'kali took stock of her surroundings, taking note of a young, juvenile lioness who was sitting at the top of a rise nearby, staring out over the savannah moodily.

Before making her way to the water that glistened before her, Us'kali made her way cautiously over towards the young lioness, head tilted slightly to the side. The juvenile had one of the most interesting natural coat patterns that she had ever seen, with a light beige base color and dark green, swirly markings breaking up the monotony of color with graceful, fluid swirls. As she approached, a distrustful pair of turquoise eyes landed on the elder lioness, their sharp gaze missing nothing.

"Whaddya want?" Binti asked, a bit suspicious of a lioness so large getting so close with no greeting of any sort. She couldn't help but envy her confidence though...and there was wisdom shining from her violet eyes. She appeared to be everything that Binti strived for--after all, she had no pride with her, and appeared to be well able to care for herself, without the protection of some overbearing maned male to boss her around.

Blinking, Us'kali bowed her head slightly, and spoke softly, as if to try to soothe the younger lioness--and if she were honest, 'kali could well understand the youngster's defiance--something in her gaze spoke of determination, and any lion with a modicum of sense would be cautious of another lion who approached but was not a member of the pride.

"I am Us'kali, once adu'ladi of the sky clan." she said simply, inclining her head politely, her voice soft like muted thunder.

Eyes widening slightly, Binti couldn't help but wonder what an adu'ladi was, not that she'd ever admit it. "I'm Binti'Sokota, but everyone calls me Binti." She said, tail sweeping the ground behind her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you..." Us'kali replied, surprised that her nose picked up no scent of other lions--at least, none old enough to be raising all of the cubs who she could detect. "Are there no older members of your pride about?" she asked, slightly puzzled.

Snorting, Binti shook her head. "These're unclaimed lands, ma'am...any cubs or juveniles floating round these parts are rogues, as I am." she said, head held arrogantly, as if to challenge Us'kali to make an issue of it.

"I...see." Us'kali said, and she did, somewhat. Something about Binti...reminded her of herself, before she had become adu'ladi of the sky clan. And that was enough to prompt what she said next. "Would you mind accompanying an old lioness, for a time?" she asked, eyes twinkling in the sunshine. Someone had to teach this one how to behave around others, and the juvenile's defensive posture told 'kali that her attitude was based more on resentment than it was on ignorance.

Shrugging, Binti stared back off into space. "You're big enough that I couldn't stop you if I tried...but I'm not gonna place ya on a pedestal and treat you like a god, got it?" she said gruffly.

Grinning, 'kali shook her head. "Certainly not." she said simply, before padding over to the watering hole she'd neglected, and bending to drink from it, soaking her dry throat with the life-giving liquid, and reveling in its coolness.

Vashtya

Having drunk her fill, Us'kali moseyed over to where Binti still sat, and plonked down with a low sigh of relief onto the warm dirt, her eyes drifting half-shut with pleasure as her coat absorbed the sun's rays, utterly content for the moment to savor the quiet savannah.

Vashtya

With a beleaguered sigh, Binti turned to stare at the basking lioness, eyes narrowed slightly. "So, tell me more 'bout this pride ya came from--I mean...what brings ya here, anyway?" she asked boldly, eyes as hard as gemstones. Always the suspicious one, Binti.

Lethrossen

((man i am so lazy. I need to read these posts to find out whats going on. unless some one wants to give me the short of it?))

Asi stalked through the land, tail flicking so often, hind leg twinging with slight pain. He glanced back at it with a from, rolling his chocolate orbs and peering foward again. This place was unbearable. A slight, hot, breeze tumbled past, causing his chocolatey mane to obscure his vision for a moment, his coffee colored fur to ruffle. He sighed, tossing his head irritably.

Artsywolven

Ebony eyes shifted lightly as the painted male, known as Hidalgo, otherwise known as a rogue in these parts, leisurly roamed through the southern lands. Tongue was hanging from his jaw, which hung loosely open while he attempted to inwardly shake the burning sensation from his backside, which had been exposed far to much to the sun for his liking. He needed.. water.. shade.. company?

With a loud moan of defeat, the adolecent dropped with a great big 'thud' to the ground, abrubtly shoving his forhead into the ground, his parched throat only worsening with the time that passed on. "Water.. must.. have.. water.." He wailed in complaint. Ears perked however, to the sound of.. water..?

In an instant his head picked up, eyes widening as the reflection of water caught his attention. "WATER! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE WAAAAAAAAATER!" Hidalgo yelled, scrambling to all fours before darting towards the liquid. Taking no heed to the two females ahead of him, the male continued to sprint, focusing only for the time being upon the water ahead of him. Paws were loose, tripping across the terrain in an unorganized fashion. Within moments there was a giant 'SPLASH!', and the male was hereby soaked in the thing he wanted most, rolling around without little if not any attention to the other two he'd swung past so hurridly, who probably thought he was a lunatic by now. XD

Vashtya

((far as I know, there isn't any particular plot going on...this is a sort've mumble-jumble of cubs, juveniles and maybe even a few adolescents/adults wandering about, so there's not much to catch up on. xD.))

Sniffing at the air suddenly, Binti stopped her interrogation of the elder lioness, sitting up straight and raising her nose high in the air. "I smell another lion...a juvenile male, if I'm not mistaken..." she murmured, noticing with a slight grimace that the scent wasn't a familiar one, and thus, it could mean only one thing--more lions were making their way into the previously unoccupied southlands.

Interesting... Us'kali thought, puzzled by the youngster's reaction. I'm surprised she doesn't go to meet up with him... she wondered, tired enough that she remained where she was, still save for the occasional twitch to dislodge a fly.

Vashtya

Wrinkling her nose, Binti shook her now-damp coat out, somewhat refreshed in spite of herself. "In a bit of a hurry there, aren't ya?" she called out, struggling not to laugh at Hidalgo's antics in the water.

Lethrossen

Asi halted, ears flicking as he heard the yelling, and he rolled his eyes again. "Blood and sand." He hissed, stalking that way. He didn't like loud noises.. but of coarse he'd come and check it out. And try and get more lions on the 'list that wants him dead', eh? What a wise little thing.

He could pick out a few scents, which might make for good company. or good targets, depending. Maybe it won't be so bad today.

Artsywolven

Hidalgo rolled through the water with the most satisfaction he'd had in days, obviously attracting hardly none if not any attention from the two lioness' nearby. They had just been here. He could smell it. Though-- he didn't exactly care at the moment. Gulp fulls of water were taken, his painted coat now saturated. However the moment he got out it would begin evaporating, thus making him only hotter than he already was.

Eventually stopping and hauling himself up to land, content once more that his throat and thirst had been quenched. Now able to pay attention to the area around him, his eyes now set eagerly upon the two lions close by. "Howdy! Erm.. Uh.. I--- was just.. erm.. yea.." He stammered, having no idea of how rediculous he must have looked rolling around in the water screaming his head off.

Vashtya

Snorting, Binti shook her head at Hidalgo. "If I'd been the aggressive type, you wouldn't have stood a chance." she pointed out idly. Sniffing the air, she realized that there was another young male nearby. Again, it wasn't Essien...she was beginning to wonder if that particular lion had died of starvation or something, he'd been gone so long.

At Binti's comment, Us'kali's eyes flew open in surprise. Not the most pleasant of lionesses... she thought. And here I was thinking that it might just be me...

Lethrossen

The three were in view, Hildago just coming from the water, sopping wet. Asi wrinkled his nose. "So much for a drink.." He grumbled. Pleasent, no? His tail flicked, steps slowly as he headed closer. He was rather thirsty, though.

Artsywolven

"Pft.. stood a chance to what.. You? Gimme a break. I'm twice your size." Hidalgo called with amusment heavily tinting his tone. What was she so worked up about, anyway?

With a deep sigh of relief, the adolecent hoisted himself up to all fours, not even bothering to shake out his painted coat as he strode casually over to the two females. True, there was another about.. but it was a male.. he'd learned that females were the ones to be around. He could tolerate those of his same gender.. however none of them seemed to manage tolerating him, for some reason or another.

Vashtya

Lifting her upper lip in a slight sneer, Binti narrowed her eyes at Hidalgo. "Size isn't everything, you know." she said, her voice deceptively level. As she spoke, her ears flicked back and forth, having detected the muted sounds of the other's footsteps.

((and, much as I have fun RPing out Binti's extreme...brattiness, I DO have to go now ^^; however, thank you both for arpeeeeee~ *will be back later, iff'n things don't move ahead by omfgleapsnbounds* biggrin heart ))

Artsywolven

"Why you little.." Hidalgo growled, ink black eyes narrowing considerably. A quiet grumble was given as he took his place next to the older female, who he assumed didn't have quite the temper of the younger one. What a stupid little.. "I wouldn't be talking.. considering you're a little pipsqueak of a cub.." He stated bluntly, wrinkling his nose. To those who were nice to him, he usually acted the same in return. However on the occasion of running into the more sour tempered, he treated them as they did he-- it was a simple concept. Or.. at least to him.


Hidalgo's tail began to flick idoly, quietly sweeping at the ground behind him.

(( Hehe.. alrighty then, Vash! =D Ttyl! <3 Not sure if I'll be on when it's 8 PM PST.. seeing as I'm in EST. XD; And you're three hours behind me. @_@; But nevertheless.. we shall continue. 83 ))

Vashtya

Binti couldn't help herself any longer. She laughed outright. "If you can't tell the difference between me and a cub...maybe you should get your eyes checked..." she trailed off, flicking her own tail idly, a sign anyone who knew her well would have known meant she was getting irritated.

Us'kali sat up, having heard enough. "Both of you are behaving like cubs." she said simply, her violet gaze daring either of them to argue. "Binti, he did nothing to provoke your verbal attack...and..." she trailed off, realizing hse hadn't yet caught the young male's name. "You're old enough to know better." she finished, finally remembering how wearing it could be to deal with the young for extended periods of time.

Binti snorted, a barely restrained snarl lacing her face as 'kali told her off. However, some vestige of common sense prevailed (or perhaps just self-preservation), preventing her from outright batting at the elder lioness.

Vashtya

Deciding that, in this case, distancing herself from Hidalgo and 'kali was the better part of valor, Binti began cleaning her coat, utterly ignoring both of them as she worked at a stubborn clump of dirt that was stuck to the back of her heel.

Shaking her head, Us'kali had to fight to contain her amusement--with a few social skills, Binti would be a formiddable lioness someday...assuming she didn't get herself killed by making an older lion angry.

Lethrossen

Seeing as they'd quieted down somewhat he kept on, finally getting to the water, a bit away from the other lions. He leaned down and lapped at the cool substance, tail curling around his leg for a moment. Having his fill he raised his head again, ear flicking as he sat, staring at the water.

Vashtya

Lifting her head, Binti stared at the newly arrived lion. Still more lions arriving round here?! she thought, shaking her head slightly at the thought. Padding over to the water's edge, she struggled to maintain her curiosity--one thing Essi had always hated was that she couldn't just strike up a conversation without going out've her way to put the other creature on the defensive...and she didn't like to give the impression that she was looking for a big strong lion to take care of her...

Lethrossen

He peered sideways at the girl a moment, brows furrowing. His tail flicked and head tilted, gaze following the patterns on her fur. He grinned slightly, to himself. "Eh.. some'un decide thurr was nothin' better ter paint on then yer? Eh?" well she might as well have put his defense up, instead of he insulting her. If that was an insult. He did like her fur patterns... but why admit it?

Vashtya

Lifting her lip in a slight snarl, Binti narrowed her eyes. "Yes, as a matter of fact, someone slopped self-renewing paint on me at birth!" she retorted, sarcasm dripping from her voice as her tail flicked back and forth in vague irritation.

Us'kali shook her head, somewhat amused but deciding that Binti could handle this herself.

Lethrossen

His ear twitched a good bit, the only sign he was a bit nervous. He sat back, snorted and raised both brows. " 'ell then.. good fer them. They did a good job, din'nee?" He grinned a little, teasing or complimenting? He was complimenting. In some twisted way. His tail curled around him slowly, gaze breaking away from hers, heading around. He let out a breath. He wanted to go take a nap. Again. Already.

Vashtya

Snorting, Binti wasn't quite sure how to react...put in a situation where she couldn't get angry, and felt like leaving would make her look weak...she simply sat back on her haunches, fixing the lion with a narrow gaze.

Lethrossen

His grin fadded to a frown, his own eyes narrowing. "Dull dim witted lil' chit.." He sneered, very much under his breath. He rose to his feet, tail lashing some what behind him. Yes, that nap seemed good. He did not like when others didn't respond to him; teasing or not.

((such a brat, yeah?))

Vashtya

Snarling outright, Binti swatted at his tail, claws extended. "Last I checked, one should keep one's mouth shut iff'n they're not wanting to fight..." she hissed, turquoise eyes gleaming.

Lethrossen

He gave a little jump, turning, teeth bared in his own snarl. "Fight.. yew?" He sounded scandalized. Plus he wasn't willing anymore chances after that fight with ol' rust bucket. "Guess yer dun know a comment when it bites yew in the arse, eh?" he grinned suddenly again, backing up a few steps, body tensing. Yes. he did like to test peoples limits.

Vashtya

"Whatsamatter? Scared?" Binti hissed, crouching low to the ground, lips pulled back and paws kneading at the ground. "And the problem with comments like that last one is that they're not what I'd call friendly conversation..." she continued, ears pinned back to her skull.

Lethrossen

He backed a few more steps, eyes going wide. "Frien'ly eh? Yer don't be seemin' too friendly about now." He rolled his eyes, his own body crouching low, though in a more defensive posture. "Aye.. me? scared? No. That don't be bein' ther case.."

((have to leave.))

Vashtya

The utter gall of this one! "Of course I'm not being particularly friendly now, probably because you INSULTED ME!" she choked out, flexing her claws in the dirt, as if itching to take strips out've his hide.

((cya! this was fun! biggrin ))

Vashtya

With another snarl of indignation, Binti turned on her heel, forcing herself to count to 10...slowly. With an arrogant huff, she plopped down in the dirt beside Us'kali, although her tail still lashed to and fro with pent up anger.

Careful to keep her voice low enough that it wouldn't be heard by the male who'd brought on this mood, Us'kali directed her next statement at Binti. "Sometimes the one who walks away from a confrontation isn't just the one who shows themselves to be the wiser...they're also the one who's shown more confidence, in not having to constantly prove themselves." she spoke slowly, as if the words were of little import, although she couldn't realize how much they'd impact Binti.

Binti blinked, and although she showed no reaction externally, her tail ceased it's lashing, and she flipped the words over in her mind, testing them for worth. It was a life-changing moment, of sorts.

Lethrossen

He snorted when she stalked away, gaze flicking around. He let himself swagger off a few feet, laying down, tounge lolling from his mouth, eye lids slowly shutting half way. Maybe a nap would be nice..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End of Southlands RP Arc 1~~~~~~~  

[Vashtya]

RP Log #4: Binti'Sokota

RP Log #4: Us'kali Galu'nadi

(Sorry for the out-of-the-blue quote; I'm linking in a new journal)

Vashtya

Nose high in the air, the jackal scented for menace before slinking towards the pool of water, keeping a good distance from the juvenile lion who'd just plopped down near the water's edge. Unfortunately, he somehow missed spotting binti, although his sharp eyes spotted Us'kali easily enough.

Binti narrowed her eyes, spotting the jackal making his way towards the water hole. Keeping low to the ground, she stalked him for fun, since she wasn't particularly hungry, and was more than a little bit bored. Stopping a few inches behind the thirsty canine, she spoke. "A bit on the careless side, aren't we?" she said, a mocking purr emitting from her throat.

Unable to stop the uneasy twitch that her spoken words provoked, Shujaa whirled around to face the young lioness. "What's it to you?" he growled, his fur almost standing on end. Although he was nearly as large as the juvenile, he was clever enough to realize that he was no match for Binti. He was a jackal living alone, having just left his family group and wandered into this territory. Standing up straight, he met Binti's eyes with his own. "I don't want trouble." he said simply, his eyes reflecting the early afternoon sunlight.

Shrugging, Binti sat back on her haunches. "I meant you no harm." she retorted, oddly friendly. "But you're welcome to travel with me and 'kali, iff'n you'd like." she said, an offer that would have given anyone who knew her a heart attack of surprise. Even she couldn't explain why she'd done it--maybe it was loneliness...she hadn't yet really found a replacement for Essi's particular brand of companionship, after all.

Blinking, Shujaa nodded. "I think I will, at that." he said, nipping at Binti playfully before sprinting off into the brush, a playful whine emerging from his throat.

Binti gave chase, and it didn't take her long to get within pouncing distance. Landing carefully, she rolled with the jackal for a minute before chewing on his ear, oddly at ease.

Vashtya

Us'kali was jolted from her idle napping by a wafting, familiar scent. Sitting up, the old adu'ladi sniffed at the air, sure that she could pick up the distinct smell of her son, Ama...and In'ali, as well. Getting to her feet, she padded off, following her nose at a brisk pace (at least for her. xD).

Binti froze mid-chew when 'kali got up and started walking, nose raised high in the air as if to capture a scent. Wonder what got her moving... Binti thought to herself, clamboring off of Shujaa to follow closely behind the elder lioness.

Lifting his head up in surprise at his sudden release, Shujaa looked around curiously, tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. When binti stalked after Us'kali, he got to his feet and trotted alongside, not one to be left behind.

Vashtya

Hearing voices, Binti froze, and padded silently off in their direction, her curiosity piqued. This area used to be so...empty. she thought wistfully, although she had to admit, Essi hadn't been too bad--and neither were 'kali and Shujaa, if she were honest. Keeping low to the ground, Binti watched the two young lions interact with the cheetah cub, hoping that they weren't going to harm the youngster in any way. It was one thing to mouth off, another to pick on something that much smaller than oneself. Almost offhandedly, she noticed that this cub, also, possessed odd, swirling markings, although the smallish cheetah's were in vibrant, almost unnatural colors. They made for a striking combination, although Binti was glad for her own muted green ones, as, she reasoned, it would be a lot harder to blend into one's surroundings with markings like those!

As she listened to them speak for a minute, her tension eased, although she remained hidden from view, recognizing the rude lion who had irritated her by the water hole.

When Binti veered off in another direction, Shujaa stared after Us'kali for a moment before trotting after Binti--they could catch up to the elder lioness later, he figured. It didn't take long for him to notice the low sound of voices, not too far away. Picking up on the juvenile's need for silence, Shujaa crept forward carefully, not wanting to give his newfound companion any reason to become annoyed with him. He paused a few feet behind Binti, just off of her right hind leg, and lay down on his belly, following her gaze to see what, exactly, had caught her attention.

((don't feel that y'all need to interact with Binti, I just HAD to post something ^^; *was getting withdrawalllllll~*))

TormentedAngie

Sighing softly in the silence that insued, Ama continued forward, ever vigilant to the landscape around him. That scent... had to be near. It just had to be.. For a few moments, the large lion continued in his current path, but then he hesitated. The scent of water went off towards the left. Yet the familiar scent of his mother went off towards his right. Which way did he go now? Without water, he'd surely perish, but his mother... smelled so close.. A soft whine escaped his throat, a strange sound coming from the feline. His heart was torn between between life, and possibly finding the remnants of his family. If he went for water, then came back, the scent trail might have faded by then... But if he went after his mother, there was no telling how long they'd travel, without another sight or smell of water, before they found the source of the smell...

Looking back behind him at Ina'li, the hunter looked for guidance in what to do.

Vashtya

As 'kali crested a small rise, a low...whine? hit her ears. Her head shot up, aged eyes scanning the savannah before her. That sounded like...Ama--but it can't be! she thought to herself, paws hitting the dirt with increased frequency as she moved in the direction of the sound, emitting one low, rumbling noise to see if it got her the response she almost didn't think could happen.

TormentedAngie

Tilting his head slightly, Ama tried to decide if the sound was in his head, or if it was really there. By chance, he turned his head towards the right, in the direction he'd thought the scent of his mother wafted from. Oh that sound was so familiar....

Vashtya

The scent was getting stronger, she was sure of it. Hesitating mid-step, Us'kali allowed a full-throated roar to burst free from her throat, the sound trailing off into uncertainty, as if she continued to doubt her very senses. Her eyes gleamed oddly, as if the mere thought of seeing her son again was enough to provoke tears of happiness in the elder lioness.

TormentedAngie

Despite the condition the lion was in, the large male belted out a return roar, letting it fade to a dull rumble in his throat as he struggled to continue forward. The closer he was getting to this 'mirage,' the further he was getting from the water. At this point it could be assumed that only his sheer determination and love for family kept him going, instead of sinking to his knees in the sand to face his fate.

Vashtya

Ears pricking forward as sounds of a return roar filled the southlands, Us'kali hurried forward. It has to be him...it just has to be... she thought to herself, hoping that all was well with her much-missed son.

As the sound of Us'kali's roar rushed over her, followed shortly by the roar of what sounded like an adult male lion, Binti darted off, not quite sure what was going on, but not wanting to leave the old lioness to her own devices with an adult male...just in case.

Sticking to Binti's heels like glue, Shujaa could feel the fading roars reverberating through his entire body--and it wasnt' an altogether pleasant feeling.

TormentedAngie

Stumbling slightly over the crest of a dune, Ama paused, squinting in the sun to see ahead of him. Something moved, but was it her? It was so hard to tell. The heat wavered in the air, making things around him distorted and strange. It didn't help that he was in lands that weren't his own.. "Mo....Mother?" The soft words were spoken, as he continued to strain his vision for a clear look.

Vashtya

Almost stumbling at the sound of her beloved son's voice, Us'kali felt tears streak their way down her silky muzzle. "Ama." she breathed, loping forward again with newfound determination.

Slinking up behind Us'kali, Binti raised her hackles, wary of the adult lion who, although he appeared somewhat worse for wear, nonetheless presented an intimidating sight. Allowing a soundless snarl to creep across her face, she clung closely to Us'kali's heels.

More cautious than Binti, Shujaa kept his expression decidedly neutral, although his hackles, too, were raised. There was something strange about the elder lionesses behavior around this new lion.

TormentedAngie

Ama Galu'nadi was indeed in less than impressive condition, that was true, however the appearance of an unknown lioness behind his mother brought the defensive side of the adult lion to life. Charging towards his mother, Ama quickly, yet carefully pushed his mother away from the younger female. He didn't know any better, that they knew each other. All he had seen was the silent snarl on the face of the younger, and her following close behind his mother. Seemed as good of a need to defend as any. "Who are you?" His voice was ragged, his breathing just as staggered from the effort he made, but he did his best to sound like a formidable foe.

Vashtya

Eyes widening slightly, Us'kali stumbled, attempting to scramble between Ama and Binti--in this case, both've their protective instincts were going to prove problematic, unless she stepped in.

Crouching low, Binti narrowed her eyes further, her youthful muscles already moving to propel her forward--she may not always like the elder lioness, but there was no way in hell she'd let some unknown male put the other in jeopardy.

His expression shifting seamlessly into a snarl, Shujaa clung tight to Binti's ankles, completely in agreement--hell, the old lioness was the only reasonable one of the pair, and if something happened to her...well, Binti was cranky enough as is...

Roaring herself, Us'kali finally caught her balance, and, with the utmost dignity, leapt between what could soon become warring factions. "Enough--you're behaving like children, all of you!" she snarled, feeling a tad guilty for scolding them so, but, at the same time, seeing no other way to defuse the situation without bloodshed.

TormentedAngie

Caught offguard by his mother's disapproval, Ama stumbled back, twisting his front shoulder in the process. As he tried to catch himself, the shoulder muscle wrenched, the bone grating against the socket in a rather nerve crunching sound. Although he wasn't hurt bad, the adult lion sat hard on his rump and kept from putting weight upon his right front leg.

Grumbling to himself silently over having been chastized like a child and acting as he did, Ama bit back the pain that shot up into his back and down his leg, and bowed his head. "I am sorry for acting as I did. My rudeness is unforgiveable." It was obvious he was showing his mother the utmost respect, especially since she deserved it, if not for being the adu'ladi, then for simply being his mother. As he raised his head, the adult male gingerly set his paw upon the ground, loathe to apply weight to it just yet. It hung uselessly at his side as he glanced from Us'kali to Binti, then back again, trying to understand what was going on.

Vashtya

Binti was a bit slower to calm her rage--what the hell was on Us'kali's mind...hadn't she just been shoved aside by this...male?! Baring her teeth again, she growled. "What is it to you, old one?" she hissed, her glittering teal eyes still fixed unflinchingly on the large male, although she noted with no small amount of sympathy that it appeared that he'd gone and injured himself.

Ignoring Binti's tantrum, Us'kali turned to Ama, concern writ upon her face--she'd heard the crunching noise, and it sent a frisson of genuine fear shimmering down her spine. "Are you alright, my son?" she asked, nuzzling at the injured body part carefully, like a doctor prodding at an injury to see how serious it was.

Binti stiffened. her....son? Great. Just great. she thought to herself. Just what I need, some pompous a** of a male showing up. she grimaced, although her tense, warlike posture eased only slightly. Maybe it's time for me to be alone again... Strangely, the musing did not yield its usual comfort--she'd grown used to first Essi's presence...and now Us'kali's and Shujaa's--even Mwindaji (('kali's familiar...birdeh! XD)) wasn't so bad, if taken in small doses.

Pressing up against her flank, Shujaa said nothing, although his posture stated clearly that no matter what happened, he'd follow Binti, regardless of which path she chose. Sometimes I wonder about this one... he thought to himself with a rueful grin.

Wrinkling her nose again, Binti sat back on her haunches, calmly licking at her paws as if nothing had happened--there'd be time enough later to move on, if it came to that.

TormentedAngie

Catching the tone of young one''s voice, Ama raised his lips into a snarl, though soundless in his actions. How dare she speak like that to the adu''ladi! But his irritation quickly disappeared as the streaking pain shot down his leg once more, as ''kali gently nudged his paw. "I''m alright mother. Just need to watch that first step... it''s a doosy." Chuckling to himself, Ama shook his head and gingerly pressed his paw down to the sand, testing the tolerance to bear weight upon the injured limb. It seemed to hold, but as soon as he stood on all four legs again, the wounded leg gave out on him and he had to quickly catch himself again. "Well.... I''ll be alright eventually anyway..." His next words were but a mumble, not necessarily meant for anyone to hear. "I think..."

Vashtya

Unable to hide a grimace, Binti continued to ignore Ama. Stupid lion... she thought with a mental snarl. "Oh, I'll be allright...I think the tone was mocking, even if only in her mind. Her eyes gleamed with irritation, although she still hadn't directed a word at the lion before her--she'd be damned if she'd introduce herself first.

Almost rolling her eyes, Us'kali had to hide a small grin of genuine amusement at Binti and Ama's behavior--unlike her son, she took no offense at Binti's prickly, seeming disregard for authority--she'd long since realized that the younger lioness used her rudeness as a barrier, and so didn't let it phase her. As for Ama's injury...well, it hadn't felt serious--in fact, Us'kali was fairly certain it'd be good as new in a few days, if still tender. "What brings you here, my son?" she asked gently, sinking to her haunches next to him, looking as though the temptation was there to groom him as a lioness would usually only do to a cub...however, she refrained, knowing that he wasn't likely to appreciate that particular gesture. "This is Binti'Sokota, who I've been accompanying since I first found my way here." she continued, nodding her head in Binti's direction. "And that," she began, ignoring the glare Binti shot her way. "is Shujaa, who scarcely leaves her side." she finished, winking at the jackal, whose expression mirrored her vague amusement.

Realizing that nothing was going to be done immediately, Shujaa yawned and lay down at Binti's side, his tongue lolling out of his mouth in an expression of amused carelessness. He inclined his head slightly, but otherwise didn't respond to Us'kali's wink, opting to ignore all three of the lions around him, his eyes, scanning their surroundings instead--he knew that he wasn't in any danger from the three near him, but those outside of that group...well, that was always up for debate.

Gnawing on her paws with determined aggression, Binti chose not to incline her head, or otherwise acknowledge that she'd been introduced, still waiting to hear if the pompous jerk had a name, or if she was just going to have to catch his attention with "hey stupid", or some such similar phrase. It was almost enough to make her smile, although the grin reached no further than her teal eyes.

TormentedAngie

Bowing his head in Binti's direction, he showed respect for the snippy lioness, whether she deserved it or not. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Binti. Anyone who is a companion of our adu'ladi can't be half bad." Chuckling to himself, the adult male turned his attention towards his mother again. "The rest.... there is no word on them.... I fear we're all that's left..." Peering over his shoulder, he finally noticed his own travelling companion had disappeared. "Ina'li was here... with me. He found me -but has disappeared again." Confused, the lion glanced around them. "A sickness rages across the land. Dead lions lay strewn across the sands, even Star Grove...." Softly his voice hushed. "I did not recognise any of them, but only the Gods know who of us is left..."

It was hard for him to report such a thing. After having been driven out of their homeland by the Darkfire tribe, and so few having survived that ordeal. Now to break it to his mother than there might be even less of them, was heartbreaking. Bowing his head low in shame, the great lion continued. "Kala... I know not of. Even Uhi and Ada have disappeared." He pointedly failed to mention Aya, as he secretly hoped that traitorous lion had succumbed to the desert.

"What do you wish of me to do, my adu'ladi? You have but to request it and it shall be done..." Forgotten were the travelling companions of his mother. All that he was speaking to now was his tribal leader, asking for her guidance and wisdom, and the direction in which he must go.

Vashtya

Bowing her head, Us'kali let the grief run through her unchecked for a few moments, before straightening determinedly--when Ama had shown up looking as he had...she had suspected no less--after all, had there been any portion of the pride worth protecting, Ama would not have been wandering aimlessly. "I...see." she said quietly, nudging at her son once again--this time, in a vague attempt at offering comfort. She looked as though her world had been torn asunder--to have to survive such loss twice in one's life...well, it was enough to make her wonder what was worth living for.

Binti froze, an overwhelming sense of...sympathy flooding through her for Us'kali's loss. It was an unfamiliar sensation, this one. Awkwardly, she padded over to stand at Us'kali's other side, bumping her nose up against the side of the elder lioness' neck in an unspoken urge to comfort. Then, almost embarrassed, she promptly separated herself and plonked down a few paces away.

Shujaa had to hide his surprised expression--It seemed the lioness really had grown up to match her adult form...at least, MAYBE she had.

Us'kali also had to hide a shocked expression--the last thing she'd have expected from the determinedly aloof young lioness was a showing of sympathy. It was enough to bring tears to her eyes. "I...do not know what advice to offer you, my son--Frankly, I...begin to wonder what one can do, other than continue on making the best of everything that one can..." at this, she turned to Binti, as if asking her opinion. "Is that not so?" she ended on a question.

Stiffening, Binti looked at the tattooed lioness as if half-afraid she were being mocked. When she saw nothing but somber, genuine question in the elder's expression, she nodded, once. "Unfortunately, in the case of death, that is usually the case..." she murmured.

TormentedAngie

Ama nuzzled his mother in return, unsure of what to say further. He noticed, however, Binti's actions, which further confused him. What was this young one's agenda? But he shook it off quickly as his mother spoke. "I do not give up hope that Kala, or one of the young ones are still around. There's always a chance that they could have survived and are wandering, just the same as we are. We can't give up hope.... We just can't. Look at us. We're both alive, so why can't the others have survived as well?" Pausing in his speech, Ama glanced at Binti and Shujaa. "We are of the Ela'wadiyi Pride, and we do not give up that easily."

Now who he was trying to empower was anyone's guess. Probably trying to bolster his own confidence more than anything, but he was at least trying to give his mother hope for the future. Without hope, what was there to live for?

Nuzzling Us'kali, the adult male purred in comfort to her. No, they couldn't give up hope. Kala and the others, minus Aya, were alive, they just needed to be found. And until a body showed up to prove otherwise, he wouldn't believe they were lost forever. And neither could Us'kali.

Vashtya

Sighing, Us'kali bowed her head, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. "Ama...I'm old. And much as I would love to see my loved once again...I do not know that I could safely make the journey to search for them...or that I could handle finding out that my worst fears were justfied." her voice broke, prompting a sympathetic snarl from Binti.

At that moment, Binti wanted nothing more than to do serious bodily harm to the lion who was causing 'kali such emotional agony--whether it was his fault directly or not didn't matter...and that scared her. Since when did she feel the need to fight others' battles? Crap, this was why she was better off by herself--who the heck wanted their own happiness and peace of mind to rely on that of others? Laying her ears flat against her skull, she inclined her head slightly. "I'll leave you two alone." she said briskly, stalking off through the tall grasses, muttering about irritating males, and how she didn't need ANYONE.

Shaking his head ruefully, Shujaa lay down near Us'kali and Ama, resting his head on his paws--something about the younger lioness' behavior told him it'd be best to let her go on her own, and that she'd be back.

Us'kali hardly even noticed Binti's departure, so focused was she on her son, and her own emotional turmoil--for the first time that she could remember, she didn't know what to do, and she felt as though she were being ripped apart by her own indecision.

TormentedAngie

Ama bowed his head to his mother's respects. "I understand mother. I will remain by your side, and we'll get through this together..." Sighing softly, the large male glanced back behind him, towards the direction he'd come, a wistful look on his face that he was hiding from his mother. Indeed he wanted to go search, to at least know his sister and niece were fine, but his mother was indeed alive, and there was no telling if they were or not. He needed to stay beside Us'kali and protect her for the rest of her life.

Turning his head back around, he caught sight of the retreating liones and shook his head. Kids these days... He almost mumbled that, but caught himself, knowing Us'kali would disapprove in a heartbeat. Nuzzling his mother, Ama whispered softly at her. "What would you like to do now, my adu'ladi? You have but to say a direction and we shall follow it, wherever it leads us." Gently, the brown male bore weight upon his injured leg, finding it easier and easier to put a little weight upon it. Yes, it would heal up nicely, even if it would take a few days to recover fully.

Vashtya

Us''kali sighed, torn between telling her son to follow his own heart, and wanting to keep him beside her. On the one hand, she had Binti--and much as the younger lioness might appear to be callous and uncaring on occasion, something about her had told Us''kali from day one that she wouldn''t abandon the elder, if she felt she were endangered in any way-as she''d shown when she''d attempted to go toe-to-toe with a full grown adult male lion, when she''d felt that Us''kali had been threatened.

With a sad, broken sigh, Us''kali raised her head slightly. "I...do not know, my son. I think that perhaps my time to lead has passed, and the time has come for me to follow another...where would you suggest we go, Ama?" she asked, so quietly as to be almost inaudible, and as if she really were asking for his opinion on the matter.

Binti tilted her head slightly to the side. More interesting yet. "Perhaps, perhaps not." she replied to his thorn comment, completely deadpan. "And I see." she continued, nodding slightly. "Why not, then?"

TormentedAngie

The young male gasped in shock, and a little bit of horror as his mother explained that it might be time to step down. "But mother, there has to be an adu'ladi to lead. And the only one able to do so, is you. I cannot simply take over. You know that!" But a thought struck him. Was she asking him to become the wanidatsi? Looking to Us'kali, Ama couldn't help but stare openmouthed at her, unsure of what she was asking of him. "I do not understand, mother... I do not understand.."

With Ina'li Dida having disappeared shortly after their arrival into these lands, the position of wanidatsi was left unfilled, and unknown. Although, the more Ama thought about it, the more he wondered how they could remain to their beliefs and traditions with so few of themselves left...

Vashtya

Us'kali chuckled sadly at the expression on her beloved son's face. "Do not look so horrified, my dear." she said simply. "And do not forget that even an old adu'ladi such as myself does not know everything, nor am I always going to be right." she said, her expression cryptic.

Vashtya

Raising his muzzle, Shujaa could smell Binti's approach, although he could also pick up traces of...something else. Smelled lion-like, but not like any lions he'd met before. However, since he hadn't heard angry yowls, or scented any blood, he left the lioness to enjoy some time to herself. Settling back on his hauches, Shujaa licked at his paws idly, half-lidded eyes shifting between Us'kali and Ama.

Us'kali butted her head up against Ama, sighing softly. "I...do not know what to believe. On the one hand, I WANT to believe that the pride lives still--but on the other hand, if we go back now and I discover otherwise...I do not know that I can handle it, my son." she said softly.

She sat for a moment in silence, looking at the situation from different angles in her mind. Once again, she was left with options she'd rather not face--she'd had to deal with similarly difficult choices when leaving the ela lands, and now, here she sat, dealing with them again. As she realized this, it was enough to give the elder lioness pause--after all, perhaps the gods were telling her something.

In an almost puzzlingly decisive manner, considering her inner turmoil, Us'kali nodded, lifting her head to meet her son's gaze with her own. "But, perhaps you are right--Binti, I think, grows restless here, although there remains something about her that she never mentions, but almost seems to be...waiting for someone, or something." she thought about her own words for a moment, her narrow shoulders straightening slightly as she returned to the frame of mind she'd occupied so long as adu'ladi. When her time finally came, she wanted it back in Ela'wadiyi territory, where her spirit might find those of her lost loved ones.

"Yes. Let's go look for Binti, and see what she thinks. I have...recovered, at least somewhat, since reaching this territory, and as long as we do not press the journey back..." she trailed off, keeping her innermost thoughts to herself.

TormentedAngie

"Others are still alive, Mother. Inali was here, when I heard you. I swear he was. I don't understand his disappearing though.." Ama blinked, pondering on this for a moment. Us'kali's words weren't lost on him, though he didn't seem to hear as he thought. When she mentioned finding the other lioness though, Ama lifted his head, nodding in agreement. "I'll stand by your side, no matter what you choose, mother. I'll always be here for you..." The adult male glanced upon the jackel that remained with them, perking a brow at the creature for a moment, before dissolving into a coughing fit.

"I smelled a water source on our way into these lands... Could you lead me to it? I've yet to see water in days...." Ama's voice grew raspy as he fought back coughing fits, his great strength slowly giving out on him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~End of Southlands RP Arc 2~~~~~~~~~~~~  

[Vashtya]

RP Log #5: Binti'Sokota

RP Log #5: Us'kali Galu'nadi

(Sorry for the out-of-the-blue quote; I'm linking in a new journal)

Avelena

A slight wind blew across the grassland and with it came a large black body landing silently among the high grass, great wings spread wide for a moment as Rihn-hi shook bits of debris from them. As they folded back tightly against her body the head of the goddess swiveled around, taking a good look at the dry lands around her. She'd wanted to visit the lands of the Ela'wadiyi as it was one of many places she hadn't seen in...well...quite a long time. However, she'd noticed a couple members of the pride had dispersed to this piece of land. It reminded her vaguely of the firekin lands she was so accustomed to looking over, only there was grass here which surely meant occassional, if rare, rain. The lionesses narrowed her eyes severely, surely her tracking skills were still in working order enough to find a pair of adult lions. As she looked out around her she suddenly noticed a few bodies in the distance, two distinctly larger than the other.

Their backs were thankfully turned and she approached with no attempt to hide her very conspicuous body as it would be difficult not to spot should one of the group turn her way. She did however stroll noiselessly through the grass, and only speaking once she'd reached a distance where she'd risk her foot steps being heard or her scent carried to them by the wind. Rhin-hi sat herself gracefully, shaking her neck from the base to her head in an attempt to center her necklace.

"Mmm...good day members of the Ela'wadiyi pride," her voice was low and cordial, a pleasant smile on her features. It'd been awhile since she'd interacted with grown lions...she'd made an appearance for Montsho but leopards didn't quite count, she respected their hunting abilities, but they simply lacked the social graces to carry on proper conversation.

Vashtya

Having moved to help Ama to his feet in an attempt to lead him to the watering hole, 'kali stumbled at the sound of an unfamiliar voice behind her. Whirling, although careful not to completely leave Ama to his own devices, Us'kali tilted her head to the side, taking in Rihn-hi's appearance, her eyes widening in surprise. "Good day to you, goddess." she replied politely, bowing her head respectfully.

"I am Us'kali Galu'nadi, and this is my son, Ama Galu'nadi." her voice was pitched low, although the elder lioness did not show the awe she felt at seeing a goddess openly--it was the first time in her rather impressively long life where she had come face to face with one of the beings who held power over lions such as herself.

Avelena

((Hrm, was kinda waitin for Angie, but she'll jump in I suppose.))

At being addressed to politely Rihn-hi's features turned to a very gracious smile and she moved forward to follow the group, keen to observe them on their way to what she could only assume was some water source.

"It is very good to meet you Us'kali," she nodded at each of the others in greeting aswell and walked up along side Ama, in case help was needed. She looked around the area curiously, and returned her gaze to the group. These Ela'widiyi members clearly were here for some good reason. She'd not seen their homeland in ages, but surely such a change in habitat would have to be brought on by something serious.

"Why have you left your lands? This seems like rough territory...I should think your birth lands are still better than this," her voice was low and had many hints of curiousity as her eyes continued to roam between the lands on the company in which she found herself.

TormentedAngie

((I apologize Avelena, just.... had lost all motivation for Ama and Dama the past few days, I couldn't bring myself to answer x.x But! I'm here to post now! Whee))

Also hearing the strange voice behind them, Ama craned his neck around to glance behind, slightly leaning on his mother to take stress off of his injured leg. As Us'kali introduced them, Ama bowed his head in greeting. "Good day, goddess." He cautiously watched the goddess wander over to his side, not sure of the beautiful lioness' intentions. Gods were well known to have their own intentions when they were seen, and not always good. "A plague has hit our lands, wiping out most of our family. I wandered for days, looking for a sign that someone was alive. Finally, with another of our family, I stumbled across the border, simply in search of water. It was here that I found my mother again. I suppose that means we should keep up hope that others still live as well...." Ama's voice faded, he felt as though he might've said too much, or that what he did say, the goddess might already know.

Vashtya

Us'kali inclined her head, allowing Ama's explanation to stand as a suitable summation of their presence in the Southlands. "We are hoping to make a trek back to our homelands soon, to see if any of our pride live still." she replied, violet eyes watching the goddess carefully.

Avelena

Rhin-hi gazed out over the land for a moment, she had felt death spread among several of the prides some time ago...the plague that swept across the lands had taken lives of a couple members of her once-beloved Firekin. She had of course realized some time ago that some members of the Firekin were becoming far too elitist. When her large purple eyes returned back to the two she smiled vaguely and nodded. She looked toward Ama with some concern, giving the handsome, but clearly weakened, lion an evaluating stare.

"Water should be somewhere in this direction," She spoke slowly and flashed the two a smile before taking a step forward. They seemed to already have some idea where they were going, but leading came far too naturally for her not to take an uninvited lead.

TormentedAngie

Ama glanced to his mother, before nodding and following the goddess in the direction of the water he'd scented earlier. Every few steps he looked back towards Us'kali, to make sure she was following. He'd looked so hard, and hoped so much that he'd find her, he was damn sure he wasn't gonna lose her again. A soft rumbling purr, sounding a bit more garbled due to his parched throat, emitted from his throat as he smiled at Us'kali. Despite his wrenched shoulder, the big male did his best to hobble forward without too much help.

((Sorry it took so long, been trying to catch up with stuff irl 'n such, as well as figure out how to post for everyone xd ))

Vashtya

Us'kali shook her head at Ama's odd-sounding purr, and padded after him, violet eyes watching him carefully, as if half afraid that his wrenched shoulder was worse than it had initially appeared. I wonder where Binti has gotten herself off to... she wondered, catching only the vaguest whiff of the other's scent in the breeze--it was tangled amongst the scents of others, almost indistinct.

Avelena

Rhin-hi's ears perked at the sound of the lion behind her, it sounded quite like a purr, a noice she hadn't made in many a years. She kept a slow enough pace to ensure she wasn't more than a step or two ahead of Ama. Her large head turned around sharply to watch him openly for several moments, examining his steps to get a since of the injury, features scrunching slightly in concern.

"How did you suffer that injury, it's not permanant is it?" her voice was softened with mild concern but retained a deep, self-important quality. She found that pity for the permanantly injured and cripled had grown into apathy having dealt with the sense of death that she found so often. She avoided them, knowing that one day it may be them she sensed dead and, while all things died, it wasn't something she wanted a personal connection with.

TormentedAngie

"Oh, this?" Ama gestured to his wrenched shoulder. "A rather sheepish accident I suppose, coupled with my own sickness and weakness from searching and worrying sick over my family. I'll be alright eventually, just need to take it easy for a while I suppose." Ama frowned at the thought of taking it easy, and shrugged it off as quickly as he'd said it.

Glancing at his mother, he caught the sight of curiosity in her features. Could she be wondering where that she-devil is? Good riddance if you ask me. But he kept his thoughts to himself, knowing that Us'kali wouldn't approve of them. Continueing on in silence, the big male hobbled closer to the sweet scent of water that waited ahead of them.

Vashtya

Us'kali stopped, lifting her nose. "Ama...goddess." she inclined her head politely, violet eyes already flicking towards where she'd last detected Binti's scent. "Please, continue ahead--I wish to go collect another companion, and shall meet you at the water hole." she murmured, her voice firm and sure.

Binti got to her feet, deciding that it was time to get back with Us'kali, and that pompous jerk of a son of hers, also. Inclining her head and murmuring something about wishing the other lioness a safe journey, she got to her feet smoothly and stalked back in the direction from whence she'd come, the muscles of her body playing smoothly beneath the skin.

Her stomach rumbled faintly, and it led the young lioness to wonder whether she shouldn't stop for a quick hunt, before rejoining the others...

Avelena

Rhin-hi looked back and smiled politely at Us'kali, her narrowed purple eyes widening slightly at the thought of another to converse with, hopefully as courteous as these two lions. She fell back in speed to walk beside Ama incase he required any help, keeping a slight distance for the sake of being polite. She sniffed the air and flashed the lion an excited smile.

"Not far off at all," her features were quickly recomposed into a calm expression and her gaze returned to their path, occassionally glancing at the markings along the male's body with curiousity.

TormentedAngie

Ama paused, glancing off at his mother as she turned off their current course. He gave her a questioning look, but nodded none the less, letting her go off on her own. His need for water overcame the urge to follow her and make sure she'd be alright. Besides, she wasn't going far, this he was sure of.

Limping along once again, the young male Ela'wadiyi nodded politely to the words of Rhin-hi. Once in a while, he glanced over a few times at her, catching her taking in the tattoos that adorned his soft brown coat. Curiosity overcame him, and in the interest of starting small talk, Ama cleared his throat. "You seem curious about them. Is there anything you'd like to know about them, that perhaps I might be able to enlighten you on?" Ama tried his best to seem as polite as possible, but not being used to showing such extreme manners to one so worthy, he hardly knew how to act. His words seemed almost stiff, a little forced, though he didn't mean them as such. Genuinely, he wanted to know if she had any questions about his tattoos, as the markings told the story of his life.

The nearer to water they got, the quicker Ama's limping steps became. His deep green eyes searched frantically for the source, nose twitched, taking in the scent of the cool liquid that was oh so close, yet still so far it seemed. As the pair topped a little rise, however, the big male seemed to forget all about his shoulder injury, shuffling faster to catch what almost seemed like a mirage to him. Water!

Reaching out for the cool clear, lifegiving liquid, Ama dipped his head completely under the water, letting the river's current gently wash the weakness from his face. Lifting his head, he shook out, having forgotten the goddess nearby for the moment and probably giving her an un-needed shower, and then lowered his head once more to take in a giant gulp of water. After several gulps, the big male dunked his head under one more time before raising up and letting the cool liquid stream down his back, staining his soft brown pelt a darker chocolate color. Turning back to Rhin-hi, Ama grinned apologetically, and bowed his head. "I apologize, goddess, I fear I might have gotten you wet, and missed anything you said. I guess I couldn't help myself." He looked quite the drowned rat from the shoulders up, giving his grin a rather goofy look all around.

Vashtya

Us'kali shook her head, and padded off in the direction she'd last scented Binti in. As she made her way through the tall grasses, she could hear the barely-audible sounds that indicated the passage of another lion--and, in particular, she thought with a small, self-satisfied smile...it was most likely binti--even she could not walk so quietly, and, had she not been looking for the other, she might very easily have missed it.

Binti froze, hearing a stalk of dried up, brown grass snap. Crouching low to the ground, she crept towards the telling sound, lip already curling back...however, as she peered through another clump of the dried grasses, and realized that it was merely Us'kali, and Shujaa trailing after, she eased, stepping into eyesight smoothly, as if she'd never been about to pounce.

"Greetings." she said simply, a faint smile curling at the corners of her expressive mouth.

Shujaa padded over to butt at Binti's flank, a faint gleam of concern flitting across his expression. "You were gone awhile, and the other two were discussing things that this one felt needed your input." he said quietly. It was apparent that he'd adopted a role of knight-errant, and it suited his warlord mindset to a "T".

Us'kali smiled back, violet eyes glinting like amethysts in the midday sun. "Come, won't you? We are heading to the watering hole...Ama and I encountered a goddess, while you were away..." her voice wavered, ever-so-slightly, and she coughed, once.

Almost immediately, Binti moved to stand at the elder lioness' side. "Come then, and we'll meet up with them there." she replied. Do you jump when she says jump? the thought flicked through her mind, causing an involuntary grimace.

Avelena

Rhin-hi thought slowly on the individual markings as the lion asked most politely, responding with a fairly warm, if vague and distant, smile. She'd grown to feel little shame in staring quite plainly at others, in fact the Firekin were often flattered to be stared at at all if she remembered correctly.

She sensed their approach to the water and quickened her pace to stay not more than a few paces behind Ama. As they topped the hill she accelerated to a nice jog, keeping pace and coming to a stop just beside him, leaving some personal space between them and bringing her muzzle close to the cool water. She appreiciated how cool the water was though she knew that she was not particularly thirsty. The spray from Ama jolted her only slightly and the cool down from the warm climate was apprieciated. She laughed and took a couple slow sips from the water before turning to look at the lion, causing her to playfully laugh once more.

As the laugher subsided the goddess took a paw and dunked it into the water absently.

"Nothing to worry about at all I assure you...a little water won't kill me," as she spoke she smoothed the soaked paw over several disheveled patches of fur. "Besides, it would seem you're a bit wetter than I."
Rhin-hi chuckled a bit and looked up from her reflection in the water, fixing the lion with a quick stare before allowing her expression to fall into a gentle calm once more. Her narrowed purple eyes glanced over the tattoos once more before looking back to her reflection.

"Quite a lot of tattoos, I understand they keep track of the individual's life...I obviously can't...read them. Would you mind a brief summary," she was truely meaning it as a statement though polite conversation had influenced her into placing such expectations into a less demading form. She quickly realized however that as a goddess she was coming off a little ignorant.

"I'm just not terribly informed on your pride's culture is all," Rhin-hi's features fell into a mildly humbled grin.

TormentedAngie

((Took me forever to think of how he'd respond, sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry))

Ama once more dunked his head under the water, raising it to let the water stream down his mane and dye more of his pelt the chocolate color. After a final quick shake, the large male padded over to the goddess and sat down next to her, raising a paw to glance over the tattoos that covered it. Ama had to ponder his reply for a few moments, as even he had forgotten some of the history behind his markings.

"Well, first off, these dots that cover my front paws represent steps. Roughly, one dot represents a certain number of steps taken on the Long Journey." Ama paused, closing his eyes as he remembered the tears and grief felt so long ago. "Forced from our lands of Tsu'sginai, across the mountains to these new lands. Too many died before, as well as on the trip." The Ela'wadiyi male bowed his head in reverence, before raising it back up to point at another set of tattoos, these upon his face, above his right eye. "These three lines represent family members I have lost. First my father, who died by a combination of the Plague that weakened him, and the last battle he ran against the Darkfire pride. The second for my brother, Go, also murdered by the Darkfire pride. The third for my sister, Nugi, twin to my sister Kala. She died of the Plague on the Long Journey." With a heavy sigh, Ama shook his head and glanced off towards the water's edge. "I fear another line may soon be added, if Kala can not be found. Two more after, if Uhi, my niece, and Ada, my adopted niece, are not found as well..." He didn't mention how his mother would join the lines above his eyes.

"These tattoos," Ama pointed to the cluster of markings on his left leg, extending up to his shoulder, "signify the success of my first hunt." Rocking back on his haunches, Ama Galu'nadi's expression turned from a saddened one, to that of a more reminiscent demeanor. "Father took me aside one day, and told me that my family would need food soon, but that he wasn't able to do so. I always suspected he was faking that sore paw, but I couldn't help but be eager to please him so I agreed to hunt in his place. It was dangerous, the Darkfire were constantly causing trouble, but somehow I hadn't run into any of them that trip." A small chuckle emitted from his muzzle before he continued. "A small zebra foal was nearby as a I stalked across the Tsu'sginai plains. I nearly stepped on the poor thing before I realized it was there. I remember the frightened foal bellowing at my presence, then dashing off. Guess I startled him same as he did myself. I took off after him, fairly long chase, all things considered. When I finally thought I could go no longer, the poor thing fell down in front of me. Seems that someone else had already injured the little fella without my help, but left him to die on his own. I couldn't save him, nor would I have, I don't think, so I did what I thought was right and broke his neck. Then hauled him home proudly. Father, I think knew what I did, and was proud of me for it, but he never did actually....say he knew I hadn't outright brought the foal down myself. Heck...for all I know, he could've wounded the foal for me to find, to make sure I would come home successful." Ama shook his head, little droplets of water flinging from the tips of his mane. "My next hunt, Go and I went together and brought down a full size zebra all by ourselves. I definately miss those days..."

Turning to the goddess apologetically, Ama stood up. "I'm sorry, I bore you with stories of my past. Please forgive me." Glancing back the way they'd come, Ama wondered about his mother, hoping she was alright.

Vashtya

Binti led the way, paws moving almost daintily along the familiar path--after all, these were the lands of her childhood, and she knew every blade of grass, or so she liked to believe, when taken with flights of fancy. As she crested a small rise, Shujaa a step behind her, she spotted Ama and the goddess, in what could only be described as a rather intimate conversation, in her opinion. Oddly, the sight nearly brought a snarl to her face.

Forcing herself to maintain an expression of impassivity, she inclined her head politely at the goddess before moving to a free space, dipping her head to drink daintily as if she hadn't a care in the world.

Shujaa flopped back onto his haunches before lowering his head to lap at the water, although his eyes never left the goddess, whose presence was nothing if not impressive. He'd picked up on Binti's odd tenseness, but would not comment on it--if she wished to talk, she would, and if not..he'd be earning himself a swat from one deadly paw for prying.

Us'kali followed closely behind, barely refraining from chuckling--oh, Binti was hard to read, that was for sure--but for a lioness as old as Us'kali, with such an extensive history of leading a pride, where one had to be alert to the subtle behavioral nuances, she was practically bristling. Nonchalant, the elder lioness went and sat beside her son, licking at his shoulder idly after having inclined her own head respectfully in Rhin-hi's direction.

Avelena

Rhin-yi listened, ears perked and an expression of patient gratitude on her features. As the lion rose she reached out a paw and pressed the tip of a pad against the dots along his front limb. Lowering her gaze in memory of the horrid event, when her eyes rose once more she smiled slightly.

"Thank you, Ama Galu'nadi-" she sensed the presence of others, her head snapping quickly to see Us'kali and company. Her body relaxed and she watched their approach carefully, bringing her paw away from Ama.

"Good day," she nodded her head only slightly in welcome, she instinctively focused on this new female, clearly unrelated to the family. There was something that felt different about this one, her mind swept through a plethora of possibilities before she remembered the male in her company. She thought this over momentarily and promptly decided he was yet claimed by this other female. Relaxed she followed suit and turned back toward the water, staring into the reflextion thoughtfully.

TormentedAngie

Ama bowed his head in respect to the goddess, before his radar like ears caught the sound of footsteps behind them. Glancing back, Ama's smile was genuine towards his mother, glad that she was alright. It could be said that he was overly worrid of her, but at this point, she was all he had left.

As for Binti, silent regards were in order. Nodding towards the sandy female, and her companion, not giving either of them much thought. The fact that the haughty lioness was prickled by his apparently conversation with the lovely goddess was lost on the poor male. If he noticed Binti's attitude, though well hidden as it was, he would've chocked it up to her being herself.

Turning his attention to his mother, Ama nuzzled Us'kali's head as she licked at his shoulder. "I'm fine mother. It's getting better already. I just need to take it easy is all."

Vashtya

Binti rolled her eyes, finishing he drink and turning her attention to her paws--even for the usually prickly lioness, she was in fiiine form today. Stupid lions...times like this make me wish I still wandered alone... her nose wrinkled slightly, and she gnawed in irritation at a particularly stubborn spiky leaf tangled in her fur, as annoyed with herself for being annoyed as she was at the ela lion and the goddess.

Us'kali smiled gently. "That is good news, Ama, and if that is the case, you had best do just that." she said simply, ignoring binti's temper tantrum, discreet though it was.

Avelena

Rhin-yi looked away from her reflection in the water and towards the plains before them, beginning to silently travel around the group. She sat nearest Binti and observed the lands around her and enhaling the air thoughtfully, smelling it for hints of other creatures in the area.

She turned her head thoughtfully toward Us'kali, her brows raised slightly, "aside from finding family, what will you do when you reach your lands? What has become of your pride?"

A pride could fall to the wayside if order was lost. Order was something she much admired about the Firekin, though they were cruel and high-brow, they had a strict sense of status and leadership. She was unfamiliar in the Ela system and was curious what would befall the two members upon their return.

TormentedAngie

Ama quirked a brow as he noticed the gusto in which Binti attacked the spikey leaf in her fur. She seemed particularly edgy at this point and he idly wondered what could've gotten into her. However his attention was soon caught again by the question the goddess posed his mother. Politeness rang true, and he waited for his mother, his adu'ladi, to answer before butting in.

((Sorry so short XD longer reply was eaten by gaia rolleyes ))

Vashtya

Us'kali smiled, somewhat sadly. "I do not know--when I left, I was the adu'ladi, and left to allow younger lions to rule the pride in my absence--however, if what Ama tells me is true, then the pride has since splintered, and so I have vague hopes of pulling what is left back together, although it may well be too late..." in that instant, every day of her long, arduous existence showed in the lines of her face.

As the leaf came free, finally, Binti stilled, unsure that she could even begin to comprehend such strong ties to not just one person, but to a group of lions. Feh. Probably just afraid of being on her own... even as she thought it, the younger lioness knew it wasn't true. In some way, the elder lioness, and perhaps Shujaa, had become...pride, to her. She'd never admit it publicly, but for what may have been only the second time in her life, the needs of certain others were important to her--if Us'kali wished to return to her homelands, Binti would accompany her there, although she'd never admit to her reasons for doing so.

Avelena

The large goddess fluffed her wings idly, nodding solemnly at the lioness' words. She was eager to return with these wanderers to their homeland; partially out of curiousity and partially out of excitment that the plague may have struck their lands too. She felt a natural grief for a lost one's family, however she lived vicariously through killing and being near the dead.

She sniffed the air quickly and turned to Ama with a soft smile, filled with a certain energy to help those around her get to their lands.

"We are not far off from your home, are we?" Rhin-yi worked to maintain a calm, slow tone as she spoke. She straightened her back to sit a bit taller and the tip of her tail flicked just slightly back and forth.

TormentedAngie

Ama glanced off in the direction he'd come not entirely that long ago, before nodding solemenly. "Indeed, we aren't far at all. Although when I trekked across the land in search of my mother, I hadn't encountered a soul, living or dead. The only one I truly encountered, I can't say for sure was truly there, and that was our wanidatsi, Ina'li." Ama shook his head, still unsure if he'd really traveled across the sands with the black male or not.

The air around them almost seemed vibrant with energy. Ama had been getting slightly jittery to get back and find survivors, but had kept it in check due to the fact that his mother needed a much slower pace. But with the goddess' added excitement, Ama was getting that jittery feeling yet again, slightly anxious, though he should be resting, to get on with the travels. Looking to his mother, the younger male nuzzled her, giving comfort to the saddened expression upon her face. "Don't worry, mother. If I survived, it's a good bet that others have too. Just a little faith...that's all we need."

Vashtya

Us'kali nodded, returning her expression to one of impassivity as she nuzzled her son gently in response. "It is settled then--we will leave as soon as your leg is fully recovered; at least a couple of days." she spoke softly, voice rasping slightly with age, yet every word rang with an innate authority that was almost second nature.

Binti shook her head, not saying a word. It went against the grain, to a degree, allowing anyone else to dictate her actions, even in something as loose as choosing to make a journey that was important to them...and yet, she could also, having traveled with the elder for some time, understand that she felt great responsibility for the pride that, in her eyes, she had apparently abandoned in their time of need. And besides..it gives me more time to keep an eye on that sneaky goddess...there's something just a shade off about her... No, she wasn't projecting, not at allll~

Avelena

Rhin-yi's expression softened and she relaxed her muscles, flopping to her side with a soft 'whumpf' as she watched the others. Her eyes flicked to Binti for a moment allowing to let it be known she was watching.

"I don't beleive we've been properly introduced," her tone was completely relaxed and her features rose to imply her request.

TormentedAngie

((Sorry, computer problems out the arse >.< Whee fried chip-ness rolleyes ))

While Ama opened his mouth to protest, he hadn't a leg to stand on, so to speak, against Us'kali's judgement. Not only was she his mother, and therefore to be respected for that, but she was his adu'ladi. Standing up, the eager young male glanced in the direction they'd be taking. He was ever so antsy to get going, but knew better than to attempt taking off on his own to scout the area.

Glancing between his companions, first his mother, then Binti, and finally the goddess, Ama Galu'nadi finally raised a brow. It was only now becoming apparent that tension was thick in the air around them, though he was clueless to this point as of why, or what about. What on the savannah was going on here?! Sure that he probably didn't even wanna know, the sandy brown male kept his mouth shut.

Vashtya

Us'kali lay down also, a subtle sigh of relief escaping her maw as old joints shifted into a more comfortable position. However, she made no move to introduce Binti to Rhin-yi....after all, she was a grown lioness, no? And besides, it would behoove the younger lioness to learn a little bit more about how to address others--she'd been independent far too long, and needed to learn to curb her apparently inherent prickliness.

Binti flicked her head, returning the other's unsubtle gaze with one of her own. Two could play at this...

"I'm Binti." she said, tone brisk.

So much for that idea...

Avelena

The goddess' features grew somber and dark, her brow narrowed slightly and her calm expression fell into a thinly veiled frown. She tolerated most lions like this, she'd lived far longer than any of the mortals before her and they would all ultimately end at her feet. The ability to feel the dead and dying in the world had left the goddess with a great respect for the mortality of all else in the world, but also a superiority complex that came with knowing that she was their ultimate end.

"Lovely to meet you Binti, I am Rhin-yi, goddess of death," she bore into the lioness with a penetrating glare before relaxing her features once more and lying her head to the ground, yawning widely. She preferred to be referred to as goddess of the hunt, as it emphasized an uncanny ability that she enjoyed flaunting from time to time, but there was a message that needed to be sent.

TormentedAngie

Ama shook his head, not understanding, nor seeming to really care about what was going on before him. As long as it didn't directly involve him, he could very well sit out of this one. Females didn't make much sense to him anyway. One minute snotty, the next minute acting as if they were the most clever and desired creatures upon the sands. He'd seen how Asa'nunu acted towards his sister Kala's mate, Aya'tas, when they thought they were alone, and when in Kala and Aya's mate U'yosi's presence. It infuriated him and sickened him. Asa knew better, knew that for her family and clan, she should stick to the mate she'd chosen. Same went for Aya, though in his case Ama had a bit more hatred for him because of the difference in treatment the hunter had between Asa and Kala.

Because of his reverie, thinking of his sister's mate, and how time upon time he'd caught the b*****d flirting with Asa behind Kala's back, a snarl emitted from his muzzle, though he probably didn't mean it to. Ama Galu'nadi was filled with such undeniable rage for the Shadow Clan hunter, and it wouldn't be too far to say that he wished the Plague had indeed claimed the life of the unworthy mate of Kala. And though it was wrong, and he knew it, he almost hoped it'd claimed Asa as well, for her wrongs against her pride, her own clan, her mate, and her children as well.

Looking to the direction of their homelands, Ama let out a soft whuffle, and a whine of sorts, visibly anxious to be on their way. Though he knew his mother must rest, and the two others needed to get aquainted, especially if they were to join them on the journey, Ama couldn't help but have the need to move on. His own injury was tossed aside, forgotten by the wayside. Desire rose in him to know the outcome of his family. Kala and the sons and daughters of the once great Ela'wadiyi pride, now scattered on the winds of change and Fate. He burned with the need to know just what happened to the others, and how many were left. To see if the Darkfire pride had succeeded in chasing after them, and had possibly invaded and taken over the lands they'd just become accustomed to. So many questions rolled about in his mind, and many of the answers were as shadowy and unforgiving as a mirage in the distance.

Vashtya

((EEEEEK. SOSORRYFORBEINGSOSLOW.))

Binti yawned right back, slowly and deliberately, white teeth flashing brightly in the fading light. "How positively...lovely for you." she retorted to the goddess. She wasn't afraid of death--after all, it came to every living thing eventually, and if this...pompous deity thought that simply existing was going to make Binti quiver and slink away, she'd best have another thought coming--for the youthful lioness, respect was something that had to be earned.

It was at this point that her attention wandered to the large, buff-colored male. Why she'd cared at all when she'd seen the goddess positively fawning over the ela lion, she couldn't begin to understand. He was arrogant, and from what she'd seen, the only one who he bothered listening to was his mother. At his silent snarl, Binti raised her eyebrows, distinctly curious, but not commenting on the expression.

Us'kali simply shook her head. As long as the pair didn't kill each other, she was too weary to care. However, she did manage another affectionate, gentle headbutt up against Ama before flopping onto her belly, elegant head laid on her paws.

Avelena

The goddess maintained the calm, pseudo-tired expression she'd slipped into, her eyes flitting for an instant to Ama. Hearing the snarl caused her tail to flit uneasily, there was much tension here and it brought an unwanted feel of chaos to her mind. She would need to hunt soon. Rhin-yi faked a wide yawn, lowering eyelids and stretching slightly in hopes of inspiring a few yawn from her companions and remind them that they had wanted rest.

"It was been lovely conversing...Binti...but a nap could do me some good and I understand we'll be resting here a bit..." she closed her eyes slowly as she mumbled off, ears dropping though she remained alert of her surroundings, and her breathe slowed to near that of a beast in hibernation. The goddess detested sleep, especially if night were to fall and her hunting skills were at their peak, but faking sleep was no hard task. She had no intention of sleeping but if the others did it'd be simple to slip away for a hunt, gazelle or zebra couldn't be far off.

TormentedAngie

Ama's distant expression softened as he was brought back to reality with his mother's gentle headbutt. Oh so anxious to be off, but he had his companions to think about. Especially his mother. A rest is what she needed and a rest is what she'd get. The other two...well, let's just say it was rude to up and run off, and he was far from wanting to be rude.

Since the plague had ravaged his body, going so far as to bring him towards the brink of death before releasing it's hold upon his body and his mind, Ama had been out of sorts. It wasn't surprising, the sickness had done it's best to claim him as it's own, thought it was obvious it hadn't succeeded. Though his body was thin, visibly so, the lion wasn't as frail as he could've appeared. It was thus that he probably seemed more attentive to his mother, she of course being family, and all that he knew for sure was left. The other two probably thought him a momma's boy, but it was simply the fact that he'd stared death in the face and returned to take care of the survivors that might be found along the way.

Ama sighed, knowing there was no chance of leaving any time soon. Giving a small nod to each of the females, both Binti and the goddess, the fluffy male padded a little ways off and flopped down, groaning slightly at his injured leg as he jarred it slightly with the effort. It wasn't that he was being anti social, he just wanted to think, and with those two girls and the tension between them, he didn't think peace was very achievable. Setting his paws at the edge of the damp sand, the large male laid his head upon his paws and closed his eyes.

Vashtya

Nudging at Us'kali once, Binti spoke to her quietly "I'll be back later..." she said, before taking her leave. She wasn't hungry, and so didn't feel the urge to hunt (although she'd never pass up the opportunity if it presented itself), but she needed to find someplace where the wind could whisper through her fur, and she could collect herself.

She was truly more comfortable with Us'kali around than she'd been when they'd first met up, but the ongoing presence of more than one lion was not something she was used to...in fact, it was not something she'd even experienced since she was a cub...

Shaking her head, she pushed through a large clump of tall grass, already feeling better.

Watching Binti go, Shujaa followed a short distance behind--not close enough to intrude, but it gave him an excuse to wander around a bit, also. Since they were going to be here a few days, he couldn't help but think, perhaps it was a chance for him to wander about a bit--he'd been at Binti's side steadily for quite some time now, but in light of the seemingly ever-growing group that surrounded her, perhaps she'd appreciate a day or so with one less around.

Nodding to himself, he veered off in a different direction, picking up his pace into a near-lope.

Us'kali simply nodded at the younger lioness' statement of intent. Even had she disagreed, it would have done naught...one of the things she'd always respected the most about the younger lioness was that she'd always been unafraid of forging her own path...she could be swayed when explained whysomething was impractical, but had never needed, or even wanted, someone else to give her permission, or even to voice their approval for her actions.

Shaking her head, she laid it back upon her paws, allowing her eyes to drift half-shut as the sounds of the savannah wove silkily through her consciousness.

~~~~~~~~~End of Southlands RP Arc 3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

[Vashtya]

RP Log #5 (part 2): Binti'Sokota

RP Log #5 (part 2): Us'kali Galu'nadi

(Sorry for the out-of-the-blue quote; I'm linking in a new journal)

Avelena

((Rhin-yi shall bebop herself out...her head's getting a little too large for the southlands))

The goddess' eyes blinked open, taking in her surroundings and straightening herself silently, her eyes focused off in the distance in the direction Binti had traveled. For a moment her eyes narrowed and a wicked smile played at her muzzle, but she swept away any cruel ideas. Best not to make something out of this that wasn't there.

She hunched low and slipped off in the opposite direction the lioness had gone, keeping her movement fluid and silent. When she was far enough out she turned back, looking toward the resting Kala and then to her son. The lioness adjusted her jewels and inclined her head in silent gratitude before slipping off and disappearing on the breeze.

Vashtya

Binti wandered the territory she had grown up in until the oranges and pinks that heralded the oncoming dawn had begun to bleed across the sky, the colors making the surrounding savannah sparkle with color as the dew on the grass glittered cheerfully. Taking a deep breath, Binti closed her eyes, sitting back on her haunches and taking a moment to just listen to the sounds around her--the soft cheep of a bird somewhere in the distance, the rustle of the tall grasses, a shrill death cry as some predator took down what sounded like a small rodent...

As if having decided something, or perhaps reaffirmed it in her own mind, Binti made her way silently back to Us'kali's side, yawning as she flopped her lean body down onto the ground a few feet away from the elder lioness and allowing her eyes to drift half-closed.

Us'kali barely stirred, although some part of her consciousness relaxed as she sensed the return of the younger lioness, a small smile playing with the corners of her mobile mouth.

Shifting slightly, the old lioness tripped off into a deeper slumber, her soft snores floating on the breeze.

Meanwhile, Shujaa, much like Binti had done, was memorizing the Southlands that had become home--quite how they had done so, he wasn't sure...but, he'd miss them when they moved on in a day or two.

As the next couple days passed in a sort of slow-moving blur, Binti continued to make long forays at night, and Shujaa did not return until the morn upon which they had planned to depart, both of them taking the time to memorize what they could of the land they had come to love, although Binti would never admit to such a deep-seated sentiment aloud.

((angie's turn! biggrin ))

TormentedAngie

Ama stirred only once during his long slumber, and that only to watch the younger lioness return, keeping himself under the guise of sleep so that she wouldn't suspect him of watching. As he saw his mother slumbering peacefully, he couldn't help but smile, closing his eyes to drift off once more.

Within the next couple of days, he regained his strength, and his shoulder mended as well. By the time they were rested and ready to go, he barely felt any soreness in it at all. In fact, he was feeling much more like his old self.

-----------------------

Stretching, the young hunter looked off towards the direction they needed to go, to get home. He was more than able and ready, but hesitated, curious as to whether his mother was ready to go as well. The younger lioness.... she was another story. He was curious as to her actions the past few days, and wasn't sure what to think of her at that point. Was she coming with them, or staying behind. If she was staying behind, why didn't she leave already? And what in the world happened between her and that lovely goddess anyway? Femals really did confuse him. He'd never understood why Kala stayed with Aya, surely she had known of his treacherous fondness for another... But, overall, females confused him. For now he just wanted to go home. If the sandy female was to come with them, that was fine with him, as long as they didn't stand in the way of going home..

Vashtya

Binti awoke slowly, as if surfacing through water, her teal eyes blinking slowly in the greyish dawn. Her lack of rest the past few nights showed in the way she got to her feet, the movement lacking her usual easy grace. Shaking herself off, she didn't comment on her own lack of motor skills, but instead licked at one of her forepaws as she waited for Us'kali to awaken.

Us'kali shifted, her rest disturbed by the faint stirrings of both Ama and Binti. Cracking one violet eye open, she dragged herself up onto her haunches, her early-morning yawn rumbling softly. "Are we ready to depart, then?" she queried, taking the time to stretch luxuriously as she took measure of Binti's rather sluggish movements, although she neglected to comment upon them.

Shujaa chose this moment to saunter back into sight, his slightly-matted coat the only indication that he'd been prowling ceaselessly since leaving Binti's presence three nights back. Taking up his usual position a few paces behind and to the side of the young lioness, he said not a word, but instead waited to hear the plans for the day, instead.

Binti nodded at Us'kali. "Unless your son's shoulder is still bothering him, today is the day we begin travelling." she said simply.

TormentedAngie

Ama, detecting a bit of sarcasm in Binti's tone, tried to make the best of it and shrugged. "Shoulder's just fine." He'd been ready to depart days ago, but out of respect for his mother, and her age, he'd waited. Sighing softly, he padded silently away from the females, opting to head down towards the stream to take a drink and freshen up slightly before they left. If they started off without him, it would be easy to catch up, he wasn't going to be but a few minutes down here anyway.

Vashtya

A small nod was the only reply she gave to Ama's response, although her tail did twitch once. "Then off we go." she said, nudging lightly at 'kali as she started walking in the direction that 'kali and her son had pointed out days before as being the one they'd come from.

Us'kali shook her head, but followed a few paces behind Binti, noticing, with a slight wrinkle of her nose, that her ankle joints were just a tad stiff. One of the joys of getting old, I suppose... she thought to herself, although the discomfort was not enough to impede her movement in any way.

Shujaa shot one last glance in the lion's direction before trotting to catch up to Binti, where he took up his usual position, directly at her rear flank, where he bumped his own shoulder up against hers, in the only show of comfort he knew she would accept--it had to be far harder than she would ever admit, leaving the only land she'd ever considered home behind her.

((TRAVELSKIP BACK TO ELA'WADIYI LANDS. <3333))

~~~~~~~~~End Southlands RP Arc 4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

[Vashtya]

RP Log (Solo): Us'kali Galu'nadi

As they drew closer to the lands they'd always called home, Us'kali could feel almost-forgotten feelings of sorrow and anxiety weighing heavily on her--especially as she'd yet to see any sign of habitation. What had happened to the proud pride she'd called her own for so long?

If she could have cried, she would have--however, to do so would upset both Binti and Ama--and that was something she would not do...old habits died hard, it would seem.

She missed the playfulness of young cubs, the affectionate banter of lionesses between hunts, and the majestic snores of male lions as the hot sun warmed their fur.

She knew Binti, while an adult lioness, was emotionally immature enough that she was unlikely to do anything to help the pride grow in numbers anytime soon...which, in light of the fact that she knew not how many, if any at all, had survived the plague, gave her little hope, unless she took matters into her own hands. As the thought came to her, she could feel that the spirits were telling her that it was the right one--and in the meantime, she would have an excuse to teach Binti more about the pride's customs, just in case...  

[Vashtya]

Us'kali gave birth (awhile ago) to five gorgeous cubs, and died in the process. They've been in the care of Binti and Ama and whichever Ela members are still around~

Woha'li is a juvenile now, and just beginning to want to test her wings, so to speak~  

[Vashtya]

Makadara returns home, to a questionable welcome