[ORP] Pain and Conflict - Kiuma and Tanaka arrive

[Whimsical Blue]

Kiuma laughed as Tanaka puffed himself up and came forward to growl at the cub. Not that the poor thing needed it. He already seemed on the point of bursting into tears from what they'd already done. Taking pity on the shivering little ball of brown and white fur, she turned and brushed her shoulder against Tanaka's, circling around them slowly. "We aren't here to hurt anyone... at least, any lions." She corrected herself with a smirk. "As long as they don't decide to get violent, I think we can make this encounter a civil one. I don't know about Tanaka, but I'd just like to meet these talked-about Mistweavers."  

[wooga Paes]

.. These two were weird. And she was defiantly /not/ Uumikaji. Uumikaji had been nicer, and didn't act like that, a little pushy, maybe, but nothing else. She looks up at the waterfall, before rather unceremoniously scampering over to the rocks at the sides, maybe she could climb up and see what they wanted! With a small grin, she attempts to get up the rocks, only to fail-- they were steeper than the ones over at the mountain. Taking a few steps back, she runs at it again and leaps, but is only able to latch on the lower rocks, before climbing them up and sitting on them, unable to go higher. How was it from up there, anyways?

But she decided to look it out another time. Swaii was pobably waking up by now! She squeaks a bit at that realization, and as the lions seemed uncaring towards her-- she scurried off.  

[Thalion]

"I'd rather be lunch then show you where they are if you were goign to hurt them...", he jumped a bit as the large lion poked him, getting to his paws though he remained crouched with his tail stubbornly between his hind legs.

The lioness seemed a bit less intimidating and did a good deal to calm him down. "They're real nice... Uncle Maji's kind of weird though, spends all day praying. I've never seen him frown, it's kind of weird." He started for the caves, still crouched a bit and obviously shaken. "You gotta know how to climb, it's a long way up."  

[Whimsical Blue]

Climb...? Kiuma's eyes rose up the cliffs... and up, and up... A soft huff escaped her muzzle. That was a long climb... But no matter. She was fit, she could make it as far as the cub could. The rest of his words slowly filtered through her mind as she paced behind the cub, instinctively shortening her strides set a pace that would keep them moving briskly, but not overly push the cub that was their guide.

Maji? His uncle, it seemed. Was he the leader of the pride then? Heh... and all he did was pray? Not much of a leader, in Kiuma's oppinion. A leader should be strong and, well, lead! Be out there with the pride, in the thick of everything! It baffled her to think that there could be a leader who sat off to side and let the pride go as it wished.  

[Thalion]

Kisu's pace quickened to a run, his ears flattening against his head as he made his first jump to the rocks, seizing one that was about head-level for the red lioness then pulled himself up. "The caves are good." He smied, jumping up to another rock, "They keep us safe 'cause only we know how to go through them. If you don't know 'em you get lost then we can kill ya' when you're alll allooone." The cub grinned and began slinking accross the rocks, jumping to yet another. To him it was quite the climb to the lowest cave, even more so to get to the high cave where Maji spent a lot of his time.  

[Whimsical Blue]

Kiuma frowned, wondering at the cubs words. They'd have to stick close to him if they didn't want just such an event to happen to them. She didn't put it past the little thing to slip through some crevice to go and find his uncle, and tell him all about they thing's they'd done to him. She gathered herself and sprang to the first rock, her large paws landing where Tanaka's had before she jumped to the next. All fluid grace and rippling muscle, it was easy going at first, but as her muscles started to warm and she looked up, she wondered just how far she'd be able to climb.  

[Thalion]

"I didn's say we were gonna do anything to you." He snorted, pulling himself up onto another ledge, his hind legs kicking at the rocks for a moment before he was fully up on it, "I was trying to tell you about the place, make some talk so we're not just climbing... sheesh you're worse than Baba gets in the morning."

The cub grumbled, deciding it was best not to talk with these two... they seemed way too cranky. Sure they might have had a long trip and might be tired but that was hardly his concern and hardly cause to treat him badly. Of course, he supposed that he could have been nicer to them too- but they looked questionable in his mind.

It would take quite a time before they reached the top, mainly because Kisu was so small and what would be within a limb's reach for an older lion was three jumps for him. Eventually, though, he seated himself on a ledge leading into a higher cave just beside a thin waterfall, panting a bit, "Maji's is higher but he goes to the main chamber to pray."  

[Whimsical Blue]

Kiuma made the last jump to the ledge, protesting muscles straining to take her even that far after the climb she'd already done. Fit as she was, climbing up rocks was far different than racing across a rather flat savannah. Sheesh... these Mfunde must be bulky at a young age, if they had to live like this. Her breath flowed easily into and out of her deep chest, her sides heaving as her muscles burned pleasantly. It reminded her of her brother, in a way. He'd have never been able to make such a climb, not all at once. Bright red eyes slid to the lion that stood in his place, and a strangely warm feeling centered itself deep in her chest.

Tanaka looked so fierce and grumpy right now. She loved it. Perhaps it was just the fact that she knew he'd never turn that dark, deadly anger on her that gave her the perspective to find it endearing. Though, it would do them no good to have him glowering like a thundercloud when the local 'prince' arrived. She brushed against his shoulder again as she went to sit at the edge of the rocky ledge, settling back primly on her haunches. The height was no bother to her, she even enjoyed being so high up, because it gave her such a spectactular view of the Mistweavers' lands. Even in the midst of a drought, they were lush looking and pleasing to the eye.  

[Thalion]

Kisu grumbled as he moved into the cave, his shoulders hunching up close to his neck and his short 'mane' bristling up a bit. He didn't like these outsiders in the least bit... here they were coming into his home making all these demands and making him look stupid. At least his father wasn't around to see it.

The cub picked up the pace as he scampered through the caves, pausing now and then to glance back to make sure the others weren't following. Seemed his little story about using the caves worked- at least he'd done well enough thre. It wouldn't be smart if they were enemies to just lead them into the sacred chamber.

The cub's ears perked at the sound of his 'uncle's' soft voice- yup, he was praying alright. "Uncle Maaaaji!" Kisu picked up the pace and came skidding into the sacred room, finding Maji seated with his head upturned over a bowl of 'steaming' inscense. HIs nose wrinkled a bit as he came into the room, waiting for Maji to finish up his prayer- he wouldn't address anything that didn't sound 'urgent' in the middle of a prayer.

Finally Maji stood himself up and shook out his mane, turning to Kisu, "Is something the matter?"

"Yeah, there's two outsiders here to see you- one's got a wing but it looks like someone's chewed on it." Kisu's nose wrinkled up, "They're not very polite."

"The question is- have you been trying to show off again?" Maji sighed, smiling down at the cub who only averted his eyes, "Yes, you need to work on your manners before expecting them of others, Kisu." He ruffled the cub's growing mane with his paw, "Thank you, I'll see to them. Perhaps it's best you let me handle it from here."

"Yes sir....", Kisu sat himself down, his ears sinking a bit, "They're on the lower balcony- there's a red female but she says she's not firekin."

"Then we'll assume she's telling the truth." He said simply, starting out of the room into the caves. It really wouldn't take long for him to make his way to where Kiuma and Tanaka waited. He hesitated slightly before fully emerging from the cave, taking a moment to size up the both of them should they be trouble. He never liked to think that they could be, but he had to remain on the safe side. "Welcome to the land of the Mistweavers." He said once fully emerged, dipping his head in greeting.  

[Whimsical Blue]

Kiuma chuckled softly as she raised her sleek head, rising from where she sat to come and greet this foreign prince. "Forgive my friend.. he's just rather tired and grumpy after the long climb. We've been here for quite a while now, and only seen your young nephew and another female cub. I'm sure you can understand that we were begining to doubt there were any lions here, let alone the fabled Umande'mfuni pride." It seems the young princess had decided to turn on the charm. It was something she used to do when she was younger, to pursuade the adults in her favor. As she aged, she made the effort less and less, finding no need to pander to some other lion to get what she wanted. Now, muscle and claws normally worked just fine. But this lion was different, she could feel it. A show of strength would most likely have a negative effect, where politeness might have a far better one.

Her face lit in a warm smile, dark tuffed tail swinging lazily from side to side as she paded closer to the two males, firm muscle rippling under her red coat. "Allow me to perform the introductions. I'm Kiuma, daughter of Mufasa and Sarabi, and this is my traveling companion Tanaka. It is our greatest pleasure to meet you." She dipped her head in the greeting one noble to another. Not that the Pridelanders had been much on such formalities... Something that should be changed, to Kiuma's mind.