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 Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:32 pm
 A simple nod was his only answer, a glance barely spared to his sister from the corner of his eye. She would follow as ordered, that was enough, there was no need for further words to assure as such.
"It begins."
No further words spoken, the young male stepped from the den, paws striding with ease over the sands of his birth. His steps were deliberate, unhesitating, unreadable, striding toward the battle he knew was to come. He had learned this land well, explored and learned all that he could to become the trained assassin he was now, he was prepared.
Red eyes narrowed, gaze shifting from firekin to rogue, from traditionalist to rebel, judging each in silence. Hiashi'ikusa did not care for words or speeches, his concern was not the why, only in what was. War had begun, that was all that mattered, the reason why did not concern the emotionless son of war. There was one creature alone who held his loyalty, and where she went that was where he would follow.
This was the time to test his skills, to be the warrior he had trained to become, nothing more, nothing less.
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:27 am
Azula reached out to grab Gehenda and begin to clean him. She ignored her sister's teasing, for that was what it was, after all, but an ear twitched towards her. Gehenda, unlike the rest of their siblings, seemed to need something in the way of ... comfort against battles the others didn't blink an eye at. He'd always had a bit of a bleeding heart. "It is certain that it may be harmed if left outdoors, true, but that does not stop its stench from offending my nose." Now that she was more awake, Azula regretted the questions she'd asked--if only because they had been questions, and not obtuse references to what she wished to know. Still, there was time to refine her speech yet more.
"It is interesting to think, sister, that if one were to have an idea of what may come from the battle, we would know better whether our parents orders were to our advantage."
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:21 am
"You talk like a slave is the only one who could tell you that," Niwasha'Hewa interjected, disentangling herself from her twin, "And like you'd actually trust what it saw." The flame-marked sister eyed the blue cub distastefully. Honestly! Why would they want to listen to that...thing? Slaves were for ordering around, not listening to.
"And," she added, going back to earlier in the conversation, before she'd bothered to pipe up, "They're fighting over who's Firekin. It's that awful traitor who mated to a slave Mother told us about."
Mostly, however, Hewa griped because her pride was rankled; she was a seer, and undoubtedly more trustworthy than some stupid blue cub. "Anyway, I think they are for now. If we went out there now, someone might try to hold us hostage, and then where would Mother and Father be?"
Kan simply yawned, resettling after his twin rose. While the rest of his siblings seemed to love to hear their own and each other's voices, he didn't concern himself with debating. The world was what he'd been told it was, and he did what he was told to do. So why did they all insist on going on and on about it?
Personally, he'd've liked it if some terrible enemy came crashing in - it would be much more interesting.
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:00 pm
"Come, come," she waved a paw at Azula, "We can always air the den out later; for now, I really don't wish him ripped to shreds or stomped on; as a gift Father got me, I rather not have to explain just why he's a spot of blood an entrails on the floor," after all, that just wouldn't do; what use was her slave if he was disemboweled? A pause as she redirected her attention back to the opening of the den, watching the adults as they passed by, fighting without mercy, "Indeed," she told Azula again, her eyes sparkling in the dim light, "For now though, I think we can only wait. And see for ourselves... regardless of the outcome, this shall be interesting," she lifted a clawed paw and licked over the few scars that graced her forearm, smoothing her pelt down to what she deemed was perfection.
An ear flickered as her other sister's voice floated towards them, "Care to join us in watching the lovely spectacle, dear sister?" she called back, arching a brow slightly, then smirked, "I never said it could tell me anything, but really, he's handy now and then... and besides. What use if a broken toy to me? I keep my slave healthy; a healthy slave will do better work than a broken one. That aside... I do not wish to grow weak, or fat just because I have one," she never approved on the way others treated slaves; making them do the hunting... growing fat and careless. It was a horrible notion, and made Kenna sneer. Slaves were tools, but regardless, they should NEVER be too relied upon, "Those that grow weak will perish. I shall not."
Looking down at the smaller blue form, Kenna finally turned to Gehenda, "Zaphod," she informed him, sounding as if she couldn't care less; as if talking about a stray puppy she'd picked up, then, after a moment's thought, she turned back to Niwasha'Hewa.
Well... that was interesting information. She'd her snippets and words, but hadn't been sure, "Oh really?" lifting her gaze to the ceiling of the den, she smirked, "Filthy mongrels," it was sneered before she returned to her grooming, her red gaze seeking Hewa's; she'd noticed a simple fact the others perhaps... had not. She'd never mentioned Zap being a seer, yet Hewa seemed to know, and looked almost offended, "But really, dear sister; I don't think you'd approve of me using you in the way I use the slave. You are my blood, and should be treated as such," a pause as she lowered her gaze to Zap, "He... is mine though," hadn't she actually been pondering what would happen if she disemboweled Zap herself and tried to read his entrails? Would they tell her the future? Surely her sister would not appreciate such thoughts directed towards herself, "You are not my tool."
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:56 am
Zaphod listened quietly, a sneer slowly worked itself onto his features. He was a slave, yes, but a cub none the less. It would take time for him to sit and hear such things with indifference and control. He managed to hold his tongue by setting his jaw and hulking himself up into his shoulders. He didn't smell.... he was very well groomed. Better than half the firekin he'd wager. Kenna wouldn't let him smell, hell, he'd not let himself smell.
A shudder worked its way up his back and threw him up onto his paws. His back arched as his head fell back and eyes rolled to stare upwards. He started to shudder and babble as if the temperature had dropped to below freezing.
"Th....I...ss--see th...there's....blood... Gold blinding....the fire. A shadow shifts....loosing power."
The shuddering stopped and reduced the blue cub to a pile on the ground, panting and holding his head.
Sinbad had opened his mouth to voice his own amusement at the situation, but the blue cub's babbling had him distracted. His dark brows creased as he turned himself towards the cave to observe.
Once the blue cub had fallen to the ground, he simply glanced up towards Kenna for an explanation. Maybe her toy had been hit on the head already.
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:13 am
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:02 am
Chapter 5
The Duel
RP Log Here
The duel between Kimeti and Kidondo that will decide the fate of the Motoujamii.
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:55 am
Chapter 6
The Retreat
This chapter is open to the traditionalists only.
The characters are regrouping at the borders after their steady defeat, one at a time realising that they are fighting a lost cause. They are outnumbered and fast losing ground to the rebels
This RP begins before Kimeti's death, though it'll become apparent who the victor of the duel is during the RP, which will force the traditionalists to make the decision to leave before they all follow a similar fate.
(Even if you have not finished your battle RP, you are welcome and encouraged to post here and finish the battle RP at a later date.)
---
She was searching, though her pain-fogged mind couldn’t remember what for. Age had withered this old girl’s mind but now the pain and the despair of what had happened seemed to have tipped her over the edge. Yes, Ripuka had never been the soundest of creatures, forever living in the past, forever trying to live up to the expectations of her parents. And yet, she knew the traditions as well as one knew the colour of their pelt. She was a part of it, though that part of her seemed to be rotting now.
Now, as she half-dragged herself across the sand, aware of the pain in her leg and the blood trail that her body was leaving behind, she tried to recall what she was searching for.
The sounds of fighting had dimmed down a little now, from a terrific roar to the distant crash of waves on the shore. It was muzzy and distant, perhaps not even a reality. But then, if it had not happened, how did she acquire such horrible injuries?
She paused and glanced back at the bloodied mass as if she wasn’t quite sure what she was looking at. And then voices fluttered through her mind. A tan-pelted slave who called him mother, a handsome, strong, orange-maned child, a daughter yelling at her father…fleeing. She shook her head and gave a mournful cry of anguish and despair. What was happening?
She turned her head, tried to catch a glimpse of a familiar face in the crowd but everything seemed foreign and strange. This wasn’t home anymore.
And Ripuka felt an odd sensation then, a feeling that a bird might get having been thrown from the nest. She’d lost her home, a son she loved and now…now she wasn’t quite sure where she was.
In hell.
Maybe she was in hell.
Blood oozed thickly from the matted fur on her leg, trickled down between her toes and stained the sand beneath her. She turned her head again, blinked the muzzy feeling from her head.
And then it all came back to her. Kidondo standing on that border, standing there as if he owned it. And behind him, disgusting, filthy inferiors. And then the fighting. The slave turning on her. The injuries and the pain of defeat, looking death in the face of one who was weak and yet stronger than she was.
“How can it be?” Ripuka rasped. “Finar-Si? How can it be?”
And then her son, her son had saved her. The son she had abandoned. Perhaps this was fate, perhaps if she had not abandoned him as a cub she would be lying dead now. But that didn’t make it any easier.
“Finar-Si.” She growled, thrashing her tail madly as she lay on the sand. “I gave everything for you, everything, and this is how you repay me?” She snarled, looked as if she would lay into the ground, rake the sand up until she had somehow found the answer she had been seeking.
“I killed my first litter for you. I left my family behind for you. I returned for you. I produced children for you. I taught them for you. I abandoned one for you. I fought for you and I would have died for you!!” She threw back her head, gave a mad scream. “Where are you now? When will I be rewarded for all my sacrifice?”
She gave another cry which died out from her fatigue.
And yet, despite this growing hatred and despair, she couldn’t turn her back on the one thing she knew, the one thing that kept her going. One day, surely, Finar-Si must return to praise and reward her children. Ripuka was too afraid to do anything but follow tradition, huddle in the dark and hope that her prayers would be answered.
She knew nothing other than her parents’ teachings and she would trust them now as she had done as a cub.
So, standing, the old girl moved again, unsure of the direction but sensing that the others must be somewhere around.
This was just another test from the Goddess, a test to see who was a true follower. Ripuka would do all in her power to pass this test. She was a true Firekin: a follower of Finar-Si.
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:12 pm
She knew it was coming, somewhere in her mind. The end, the bitter anger, the shift in the wind for the dune to bury them. She knew the moment had come, to make a decision.
Like a shadow, Jua ran through the fighting lions, looking, searching. She had seen the slave, Kimiko, slipping away, and followed. Now she returned, refusing to just leave.
"Mother?!" Gold eyes scanned the desert, the bloodied bodies and lions, as she searched, looking for that blazing pelt.
And there it was.
As fast as her paws would carry her, the black lioness hurried over. "Mother, there you are!" She stopped, walking beside her. "You're hurt..." Concern filled her eyes as she offered a shoulder to lean on.
A slave, that was what she was. And she would not abandon what had turned into a home for her. Not the best, but it was home. She'd walked, she'd thought... She'd talked with the story teller's daughter. And she came back. Tail curling, she paused to look at the fighting, then looked about.
Trotting slightly, she found herself following the paw prints left by the black lioness that looked so much like her mother. As she got closer, she lowered her head, ears twitching now and then to listen to the sounds around her. It was a walk filled with some strange form of pride, of willing defeat. Gold eyes glanced back, disgusted at how many of the lions turned against how they were raised. Did traditions have no meaning?
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Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:58 am
Zaphod watched the mouth of the cave from the safety of his Mistress' side. A single blue head among red faces peered out at the battle that was slowly coming to an end just outside their den. The invaders were over-powering the native lions! He slowly looked up towards Kenna.
His head jolted backwards and his eyes rolled back in their sockets. Zaphod's voice trembled once more. "Th...th...the fire...it burns out. Blood in the sand... Royals to rogues...H...M....Mistress...."
He slumped over once more and watched his trembling paws. The visions left the world around him spinning.
Sinbad licked his chops. The smell of blood in the air, the angry roars filling the sky, the claws and fangs flashing in the desert sun. It wasn't really a question of winning or losing, it was war. Real war! Real lions really fighting. The firekin blood inside him was brought to a boil. One day, he'd be out there.
The slave's spasm caught his attention once more. What a little freak. "What's he going on about now, Kenna? Want me to shut him up?" He smirked, bringing a paw to his mouth for a slow lick right down to his outstretched claws.
The trudge back to the den was a hard one. Mwali was working harder to mask the limp in his walk than to actually walk through the pain. Blood trailed along the left side of his face, all along his shoulders and forelimbs, and out of his maw. An eye had been lost to the claws of his own son. A disgrace he wouldn't soon live down. He'd always believed it took more courage to live in shame and fight for redemption than to die and forfeit the chance.
The cubs had to survive... Finar-Si had blessed him with a large litter of pure firekin warriors. He'd have to train them harder.
The male pulled himself into the cave and gave a short mental count of the litter. All were present, thank Finar-si. "Prepare to leave. Your mother should be along shortly..."
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Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 4:19 am
Kenna was still watching from the mouth of the cave; the change in the battle was obvious to her. She might've been young, but she knew well enough when a battle was lost; 'leave to fight another day', wasn't that how the saying went? Or maybe it went somewhere along the lines of 'leave to disembowel your enemy another day'. It didn't really matter; the message was clear to her.
As Zaphod jerked, the large child lowered her gaze to him, her eyes narrowing till mere slits were visible. Then slowly, she placed a paw over his maw, closing it. She was surprisingly gentle, not harsh. As far as she knew, only healthy slaves were useful, "Ignore him for now," she told her brother, her eyes refocusing on the battle outside, "The results are clear," she murmured, then opened her maw and yawned at the midst of the battle, almost as if she couldn't care less.
Her father's entry into the cave caused Kenna to frown, her lips raising into a silent snarl; the smell of his blood was poignant. It made her wish she too was outside, digging her claws into flesh... dragging them down bodies and feeling the same. Her pupils narrowed despite the darkness of the cave, and slowly she padded towards Mwali, stopping by his paws, where the blood of his wounds trailed down his brilliant red pelt. Lowering her head, Kenna allowed her tongue to drag along her father's pelt, licking up a small part of the trail of blood, then turned to face the blue cub, "Come," it was an order to her slave. Only to him, for after all, her siblings did not need orders. Instead of voicing anything else, the female watched them all through languid eyes, taking special interest in Azula and Sinbad.
She wanted to smell the war up close. Feel it, taste it. However, Finar-Si obviously had plans for them other than bloodshed for today... otherwise they would not be alive.
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Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:44 am
“Jua?” She lifted her head; found that the throbbing in her maw increased. One side of her face was a bloodied mess, sliced by Uuo’s fangs and claws. Luckily the wound was on her blind side, so she had been in no danger of losing her sight completely. However, the whiskers that had survived the ravaging hung limp and almost lifeless and her lip had been torn so it appeared she wore a constant sneer on one side of her face.
“Jua!” She paused, felt the weakness in her injured shoulder run down the length of her foreleg. She felt near to collapsing though she tried to make herself look stronger so as not to worry her daughter. In fact, just hearing her daughter’s voice was enough to give her strength.
“Jua, love, you’re safe.” She leaned her head downwards, buffeted the uninjured side of her face to Jua’s own. “Bless Finar-Si for protecting my children!” She paused. “Where is Wakia, child? Have you seen him?” A part of her wished this attack had come sooner so that her children would have been too small to join the battle. But they were Firekin and what right had she to prevent them from battle if that was what they wished. Besides, Jua looked in no way harmed, she’d obviously chosen to stay safe – a wise choice.
“Don’t worry about your fool of a mother, Jua.” Though she was clearly touched by the concern. “Just a few scratches. They’ll heal in time.” However, she allowed herself to lean against her daughter. Family could be relied upon in times of need if no one else could.
“I failed…Jua.” She continued softly. “They’ve won…” And she almost turned to look back, though thought better of it. “But don’t worry. They’ll get what’s coming to them.” She almost laughed, that was until she remembered Azarax. He’d be with them. He’d have no other choice unless he wanted to live as a slave. And slavery was no life for a true Firekin. Besides, Azarax was proud and strong, he’d do well. She just hoped he was okay. What cruel fate had done this? What cruel fate had them fighting on opposite sides when all she really wanted was for him to be with her. If only she could change his pelt colour. If only…
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Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:44 pm
She bore the weight of her mother leaning, a rumble rising in her chest. Concern still filled her eyes, but not her stance. Gently, she groomed some of the blood from the older lioness' fiery red pelt.
A glance back, and she knew they were being followed. The way the white lioness walked... "Even amid the rebellion, a slave still loyal..."
Her eyes returned to Ripuka, grooming again, as gentle as that of a new-born cub. "They may have won this battle... But they haven't won the war yet." She could see it now... Or could she really? For once, what she saw was her imagination. Those loyal to Finar-si, continuing on their own...
Like a band of rogues. She hid her disgust at such a thought and qaushed the pictures in her mind.
"I don't know where Wakia is..." She looked, eyes scanning those that fought no more, or had done like her and avoided direct fight. Why fight now, when she wasn't an adult and at full strength, and risk forever ruining her body to a fight that was lost before it began?
"Come on, Mother... You need rest... We can find a safe place, and you can rest, and I can go catch you something..." She paused, glancing for anybody who might follow. What was needed was protection, others to help keep the injured and young safe. Safety in numbers, after all.
She didn't speak up at the dark lioness' comment, but quietly followed. Indeed, she remained loyal. Somebody had to. Quietly, she moved to the fiery lioness' other side, keeping distance yet creating a shield.
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:38 am
She said nothing for a long while, flinching very slightly as Jua tended to some of her wounds. “If I had been younger, stronger, that slave would have died on the sands.” Ripuka hissed. “See, Jua love, that is why us Firekin are superior. We have honour; we have respect for our elders. She threw sand in my face because she feared being beaten by an old lady.” She winced in pain as the flesh in her torn mouth stretched and glanced down at her claws. They were still stained with Uuo’s blood.
And Kidondo…She closed her eyes, was surprised at feeling the tears biting at the back of them. “And Kidondo let her do it. He let that slave fight me knowing full well that I would die.” She had never really spoken about Kidondo much to her children, mainly because his betrayal had wounded her deeply. She had raised him as a son, back when she had no cubs of her own.
She sighed and turned her head back to observe their follower. Quiet, obedient, submissive. A good slave.
“A slave who still knows its place in the world.” Ripuka grunted. “Then there is still hope. Is it yours, daughter?”
She pondered on Wakia, hoped he was safe, hoped he was following after them. “Very well, we’ll go and find shelter at the borders, but we will not go further until Wakia is with us.” She turned her head blearily. “Jua, where do the true Firekin go?”
Had they already scattered? Had most of them perished?
Because the question was now. What did they do? Did they flee for their lives? Did they regroup for one last effort? Or did they move on together. It would be wiser to stick together, to regroup, grow stronger and attack again. All Ripuka knew was that she wanted her den, she wanted her family and she wanted things back to the way they had been.
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:27 pm
"Of course she feared it. You're a Firekin, you're of the Blood. You're much stronger and better than her, even in old age!" The dark lioness nuzzled her mother, a rumble mixed between pleased at her mother and displeasure at the salve that had nearly sent her to meet Finar-Si.
At the mention of Kidondo's name, a fierce and angry growl rose in her throat and squeezed past her teeth. "If I meet him, I'll rip his eyes out myself." Running to hide while a slave fought his battle?
Dark gold eyes turned to meet burning gold before she looked to her mother. "I wish I could say something so loyal and obedient were mine, but she is not. I believe Kiunguza has claim on her..." A scan warranted nothing of said bright red lioness. "But I don't see her..."
She had just paused to think on this matter, when a breeze alerted her that the white lioness had gone ahead. Was she running anyway? Or was she up to something? The dark lioness watched, then looked at her mother. "Where we all go, I don't know... But I think the slave's finding somewhere safe..." She hoped, anyway.
She'd been around this part of the desert before. This was the area she'd met the tiny lioness, Kohpi. Or near it, anyway. Now... Now she was on a mission. A pause on a dune, a scan, and then she found what she sought.
Hurrying back, she bowed her head to mother and daughter. "You need a safe place, and I have found you at least a temporary den..." Gold eyes looked up to meet the gazes of both, almost seeking acceptance of her attempt at safe haven. "Just tell me... And I'll go find any others who still worship Finar-Si."
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