The troupe had settled itself along the boarders of the mistweaver valley. Taban had always expressed an interest in the strange culture of the storm-pelted lions, most especially in their ability to read and write their own language. The potential in such a gift alone sent the cheetah's imagination wild. If they possessed such a gift they could make a record of everything! Every pride, every ruler, every location and territory claimed by the predators of the savanna. It was mind-boggling.

Per his usual behavior, Taban had left the troupe for a few days. Upon his return, the youth had added an impossibly large feather to his mantle, the golden primary moved up and down his sleek back as he walked himself to their temporary camp. Per usual, Fubar was the first to meet him. The maned wolf nearly plowed the cheetah over in his enthusiastic greeting. The older members, Bai Feng and Lucia, simply smirked from where they were seated.

Odd...they were missing a member. "Enough now, Fubar..." Taban chuckled as he settled himself back to his paws.

"The lion went to hunt a few days ago...just after you left." Bai Feng announced casually, noting the young cheetah's short glance over the group. "The herds still haven't returned to this area in full strength. I imagine he had to go quite a ways."

"Indeed." Lucia nodded. "The pride here has been progressing slowly...the former princeling seems to have gained a female....interest." She smirked a bit. "He's been coming and going from the valley off and on."

Taban smirked. About time. "Very good. I knew I could trust you to keep an eye on them." He walked himself over and settled himself down against a smoothed stone. "A few days of hunting though.... perhaps we should be concerned?"

"Nothing insults a hunter more than a search party." Bai reminded him sharply. "Let him have his honor. I'm sure he has a reason for taking so long."

Nyack limped along a young cub trailing at his heels. His leg was bothering him again and it didn't help that his son had attempted to take it off the splint when he rested. He lifted his head and looked around. "You're going to make me trip." He warned as the cub skittered between his legs to get a look ahead.

"Wow dad! Look at that! A whole group of... Uh..." He paused, tilting his head to the side. They didn't LOOK like lions.

Group? Nyack jerked his head up and jogged forward, scooping his son up by the ruff of his neck. He had caught wind of a few loins in the area. The last thing he needed was to run into a group of patrols or what have you. He went to turn away then paused, squinting from the hill they were on. He dropped Chinedu on the ground and grinned. "Taban!" He called then let out a loud roar. He paused as he heard something odd and glanced down to see his son trying to mimic him. With a roll of his violet eyes he picked the child up and carefully made his way down the hill.

Finishing his decent he walked as proudly as he could with a limp and delivered the young lion in front of his leader. "Taban, forgive me for taking so long... I had some minor ...distractions."
The group all lifted their heads and perked their ears in the direction of the roar. "Hm. Seems our proud hunter returns."

"Indeed. And with company." Bai Feng pushed himself to his paws and stretched out his long spine. The harness along his back always seemed to leave a knot somewhere in his spine if he dozed off and rolled to one side. A blessing and a curse...

Fubar, as always, was the first to greet the two. The maned wolf bounded over and circled the lions in a series of jumps and bounces, his long tongue flopping from the corner of his maw.
"You're wounded." Lucia's brow creased a bit as she observed the lion's posture. He was limping... and someone had splinted it up for him. She'd not seen that sort of knowledge since the man's villages.

"Distracted by many things it seems." The cheetah tipped his head as he inspected the cub. "Ahh... well then, I congratulate you. What a fine little one."

"A male waterbuck's horns..." He answered looking back at Lucia with a sheepish smile. "A Goddess fixed it in return that I bring her items from where ever we go." He took the chance to rest and puffed his chest out proudly at Taban's compliment of his son. "Yes, he was the only one born and his mother could be outcasted from her pride should they find out about him so I took him... I hope it won't be too much trouble."

Chinedu's courage went to the floor at the sight of the cheetah and mostly the maned wolf. He let out a cry of surprise and ran behind one of his father's large paws, peeking out from behind him. His ears went down as he gazed up at all the other new animals he'd never seen before. "Dad... what... are those?" He whispered, ducking again when he saw Fubar look his direction.

"Our family..." He answered looking confused at Nedu's reaction. "Uhm, forgive him Taban, he's... never seen anything but lions."

Taban chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "A goddess you say? Seems we both have had good fortune than!" He sat himself up and cleared his throat. "I have caught the wind in your absence. A beautiful lady with golden wings and a smile that would rival the heavens." He tossed his mantle to one side to display the feather. "I plan on chasing her down. I will learn her name the second time...and the third time- I will ask her for a blessing. Perhaps we can use our encounters with the immortals to our advantage."

"Enough of that." Bai feng, or Xuco to the lion, walked closer and dropped his blue eyes down to the cub. "A male should never cower behind his father's paw young one. Come out and stand tall. You may not be in the presence of lions but each of us is one in the same in our eyes. Maned wolf, hyena, cheetahs, and lions- all of us with ambitions."


"Tactitans." Lucia grinned, flashing a mouthful of pointed teeth. While she was the only female, she was far from the weakest in the group. Her many scars betrayed a warrior's body from under the almost motherly behavior she often displayed in the group. "And if you are the son of our Nyack here you shouldn't be hiding. None of us would lay a paw on you."
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Fubar sat himself down and nodded, his mouth still parted in the almost humorous dog-ish grin.

Nyack grinned at Taban, knowingly. "Good luck with that..." He chuckled then shook his head. "No, his mother is a mortal..." He said, encase Taban had gotten the wrong idea. "She just helped me with my leg." He looked down at the child between his paws and gave him a gentle push. "Go on, tell them your name. They already promised not to hurt you and I trust them."

Chinedu seemed less then convinced at the sight of Lucia and Fubar's teeth. Those looked sharp enough to swallow any cub. He gulped and glanced up at his father then step by step made his way to Xuco. He glanced up at him and ducked his head... that was until he saw the harness. Like his father he seemed transfixed with the item and started to tilt his head to get a better look. The cub was just weened and still very small, his tail just starting to get the tuft of fur that would carry into adult hood. His father's voice snapped him to his senses.

"Your name, son, tell them your name."

He grinned sheepishly back at his father and looked up at the cheetah in front of him. He lifted his head and stared up at the spotted animal. "... Chinedu... my name's Chinedu but dad calls me Nedu... You can uh too if you want. I don't mind..."

"My name is Bai Feng... but here I am known as Xuco." His accent might strike the cub as odd. He spoke in a quicker tone than the others, every word was spoken fully and ended sharply. He had a foreign look to him aside from the collar. Unlike Taban, his eyes were slightly more narrow and his build slightly more muscular.

"I'm Lucia." The hyena chuckled, "Just Lucia. I'no not into other names, nicknames, or any of that..."

"That is Fubar." Taban nodded towards the maned wolf who only barked in response. "He can speak but he rarely does... with him it's rarely needed." He stepped froward to stand beside Bai Feng, slightly smaller than the white one, but then again he was still a young creature, "And my name is Taban. I suppose you can say I lead this troupe. As your father suggested, we're more of a family than a pride. Soon though, the savanna will know our names."

"Wow really?" He asked listening as each member introduced themselves. He gazed at them, blinking his large violet eyes with a smile. "The whole savanna?" He hardly knew what the 'whole savanna' encompassed but he'd seen a bit and he bet it was as large as the sky! He felt safer nearer to his father, he was the biggest creature there and so backed up closer to him. He was a tad overwhelmed at all the new things and rather afraid of Fubar and Lucia still. His mother had said he should beware of hyenas and wolves, for they would snatch cubs in an instant. He trusted his father's judgment but he was still nervous.

Taban nodded. "You see... the prides of this land have all been wrapped up in inner turmoil. Life is a game, my boy, and sometimes those with the most just cause lack the tools to overcome their opponent's moves against them. That's where we come in." He nodded towards the others. "You'll find that the creatures of the savannah are blinded by idle things such as blood, lineage, and species. All of us here have different bodies but the same soul. I was raised by lions, I lived as a prince of a great pride that dwelt in the underground...however..." He frowned a bit, "My 'father' changed...and I was an embarassment to them. Unable to roar, unable to crush bone with my paw- I decided to take my leave. Bai Feng was once a hunter for man, and Lucia had been struck with man's thunderstone." He nodded towards Nyack. "Your father was a loner. However, together we have accomplished things no pride could have." He bent down a bit. "You have the oppertunity now to become more than a lion. To become more than a god even... we seek to carve our names into the history of this land. Each one of us."
"He may be a bit overly-ambitious." 'Xuco' sighed. "But yes, we owe none our loyalty. We use our talents to ensure that those who would bring chaos are felled in their attempts."
"We do our best.' Lucia shrugged.

Chinedu watched Taban with a sense of awe. Too young to understand most of what the male cheetah said, he gazed at the only female there. She was the one he was most scared of but she was still a female, where as he'd just lost his mother. He tucked his tail under his legs slightly and walked over to her, curling by her feet. His father smiled reassuringly. Trying to ignore the fact she had large teeth, he tilted his head at Taban. "That's okay! I can't roar either... but I'm trying!" He said suddenly. Nyack had to stifle a laugh at the meaning the young lion had interpreted.

The cub paused then looked around, feeling rather silly compared to all the adults. "Uhm... wh...what's Man? And a thunderstone?" He asked one after the other, trying to assign all of what the cheetah was saying to a meaning he could grasp.

Nyack shook his head. "I think he may be a bit young for your speech, Taban."

Taban chuckled, "Perhaps, yes. But he will remember what's been said. In time it'll explain itself." He walked over to Nyeck and inspected his injury. "Hm... it needs to be re-dressed it looks like. Well if you can walk, I have a contact in the valley that is...strangely good with plantlife. He may be able to freshen up your dressing."

"Man are the most powerful of beasts." Lucia explained through a growl. "They walk on two legs....no claws, no fangs, and only a little bit of fur on the top of their head. Silly looking beasts but they carry with them sticks that are sharper and stronger than any lion's fang. Some of them, the pale ones, carry thundersticks. They shoot with a sound like thunder and drive a burning stone into their enemy. It can kill in just one hit."

"Indeed." Bai nodded and put a paw to the collar around his neck, "I was a pet to a lord among man. They live in buildings made from stone and wood, painted in crimson and gold in my land. One man can have hundreds of men under his call, larger than any pride...and they have the ability to train beasts to perform for them. They ride upon stripeless zebras, sometimes even upon the backs of elephants... "

Nyack looked at his leg and nodded to Taban. "I've been walking on it for sometime now. It was completely broken until the Goddess of Crafts mended it. Lucky for me she was flying over head. Speaking of which, you have to tell me more about the Wind you found. Will she give you back your roar?"

Chinedu trembled when the two animals began to describe humans. Visions of huge, monstrous creatures filled his head. They towered over him with glowing red eyes, laughing and waving their horrible pointed sicks and the awful thundersticks. The black shadows leaped upon the backs of the elephants his father had shown him and slammed the earth violently. He let out a yelp as his own imagination startled him and dashed under his father again, cowering in fear.

Nyack sighed and ran his tongue along his son's back. "Guys... He's just a kid, don't scare him to death on his first day here."
"My...apologies." The white cheetah smiled a bit, "I tend to forget young minds are not as.... able to digest such things." He returned his gaze to the cub. "Do not worry... if you allow us one day you'll have the speed of a windchaiser, the fangs of a bone crusher, and the power of the king of beasts."

"Our troupe in a nutshell." The hyena grinned, "We fear nothing."

Taban chuckled a bit at the cub. "Fear not, little one. If we see a man, we'll be sure to keep you far from him."

He sat himself back and sighed a bit, "She was beautiful, my friend... a graceful beauty from the heavens... one should never ask a favor of a lady right off... so a token was granted to me. The second time I catch the wind I shall ask her name...and the third time, rather than my roar I will ask for something greater." He smiled a bit, "Children. Born from a goddess."

"Wow, you guys can teach me all that?" The young lion asked, his tiny tail going back and forth. His fears were elevated as he realized that they weren't going to let the scary monsters get him. They weren't even afraid of thundersticks! He crept back out and laid down in front of them.

Nyack chuckled then looked over at Taban in surprise. "Children? From a Goddess? Are you sure she'd go for that? I mean, not to bring you down or anything, Taban but... you're a cheetah, the one I met... she warned me that she wasn't there to help mortals or even be nice to them. I doubt she'd ever consider having cubs with one of us, let alone the one who took your roar."

Taban chuckled lightly, "I do not fear her wrath.... and if a mortal such as myself can capture the wind three times, I just may have gained her favor. To have children with the speed of the wind and the blood of both a windcatcher and the king of beasts.... we could bring more into our troupe." He flicked the end of his tail, "It's hardly as far-fetched as asking for my roar back. Besides..." he glanced towards Nyack, "We have a roar among us already."
"Of course we can. If you're willing to learn." The hynea stood herself up and shook the loose grass from her dusty brown pelt. "But first you need to learn to trust us. I smell your fear when you look at me boy."

"Sometimes i think you're too cocky, Taban..." He voiced meekly but nodded. "I guess that would make us more powerful then we already are." He said stood tall. "Yes and my son's roar as well... I hope that he can be of use to the troupe when he's grown."

Nedu looked away shamefully. "I... I'm sorry..." He told her, putting his ears down and batting at the grass between his paws. "My mother told me that hyenas will eat a cub up in one bite so I'm supposed to stay away from them..."

"I know I can be a bit...overly ambitious at times. However, I feel it's healthy to push one's self in what they can or cannot do. You would be amazed at the strength one could summon out of pure willpower. In the most desperate of times our will becomes the only thing we have left. Those who have a powerful will and a powerful ambition will always survive where others fall... never find yourself bound by what others say is possible or not." He smiled a bit, "You have potential. Never loose sight of it. Already you have met with an immortal. Take that as a sign."

"True, we can...but it doesn't mean we will." She chuckled, "Just like you -can- scratch my leg and leave a nasty mark. It doesn't necessarily mean that you will. I only use my fangs for what I feel I need to. Chomping cubs is hardly even something I'll consider."

"Well none the less, Taban, my mother always told me that pride can kill." The brown lion continued to smile then shook his great mane. "I'm glad though, that you have accepted my son and I'm happy for what you've found. I will be by your side wither you receive rejection or approval for your favor." He laid down in the grass and nosed his leg into a more comfortable position. "I will remember that I survived meeting an immortal and even got her help. I will keep my promise, if its alright with you, to bring her things to her volcano. She did save my life. I was too far for you to hear my roar and if she hadn't found me I may have died. Now that my son is with us, I can't risk angering a God."

"Really?" He asked, looking up at her with a new respect, ears going up. He sat up and walked over to her, rubbing against her leg. "Hey... Lucia, can I ask you a favor?" He questioned, no longer feeling afraid of her sharp teeth. He'd already learned a valuable lesson though he wasn't aware of it. Stereotyping by species wasn't a good thing and he should get to know someone before judging. He looked up at her blue-violet eyes getting heavy as the day's events and the walking took their toll.

"I am sorry that you were injured." He glanced away, out towards the open grasslands. Perhaps it was time for a run... his muscles were quivering, itching for another challenge. "And I'm thankful that you came back safely... one thing that Lucia likes to say quite a bit is that everything happens for a reason. You were injured so you could meet a goddess... she repaired you to collect items for her. I would be a fool to deny you the right to collect what you wish for her." He flicked his tail and turned back, "Just as I would be a fool to ignore the opportunity presented to me."

The hyena seemed confused by his affections. Taban had done that when he'd been just a cub... she'd never had a litter of her own. "Of course you can."

"Thank you, Taban..." Nyack looked out to where Taban's eyes were and watched as the wind blew at the grass. He chuckled slightly. Always chasing the wind, just like the day they met. He was happy that's his friend had finally managed to catch her. "No, you can't risk loosing it either. It was thanks to that Goddess I do have my son and I've met many others on my journy back to you..." He glanced back at his leg and pulled himself to his feet, shaking his fur. "Hey Taban, how about a race?"

The little lion let out a big yawn and curled up. "Is it okay if I call you mama? I miss her a whole lot...and you're really nice just like her..." He rested his head against her paw, watching his father with interest. Had his father been laying down he would have curled up with him. It was in his nature, being so young, to stay along side a trusted adult. He was tired and his paws were sore from all the walking and all the things he'd seen. He watched the leader of their troupe and wondered if a lion could catch the wind too.

Taban smirked, "Not on that leg." He poked it lightly with a paw. "I'll not gamble on someone else's life. When you get better, then yes- a race will do. For now, you need to rest. I'll get dinner tonight."

The hyena smirked a little bit. Xuco couldn't help but smirk at the cub's question as well. "If that's what you want, I don't have a problem with it. But if you're gonna fall asleep we should move closer to the boulder. Lesson one- never sleep out in the open. Even in a group."

Nyack chuckled and nosed his friend with his muzzle. "Fine, fine, but that race is a promise..." He limped over to where he son was and smiled. "Seems he's grown attached to you Lucia." He looked at Fubar and gave the maned wolf a smile and looked to the troupe. "Thank you all for helping me watch over my son and take care of him. Just try not to give him any nightmares?" He winked at them and laid down near the boulder Lucia had mentioned.

The cub yawned and pushed himself up, looking at her. "Howcome? You guys aren't afraid of nothin'..." He asked turning so his back was facing her so he could be picked up. He was just too tired to move. He found himself looking at all the adults and wondering how long it'd take him to get as big and strong as they were. "Taban..." He decided to ask quickly, for the other left. "Can lions catch the wind too?"

"It's a promise." He nodded and shifted up to all fours. "Bai Feng. You and I should be enough to bring back a feast."
"Hm." The white cheetah gathered himself up and nodded, "Very well. Fubar, Lucia, Nyack you keep safe. We'll be back."

Taban looked over his shoulder at the cub's question. Lucia had dipped down to lift the cub up by the scruff of his neck. For such strong jaws, they were gentle enough. The cheetah couldn't help but smile, "Perhaps...that is a question you can answer for the world."

Chinedu smiled, not really understanding if that was a yes or a no but happy at the answer none the less. He automatically went limp in Lucia's grip to make it easier for him to be carried and smiled at his dad. He hoped he could see his real mother someday so he could tell her that hyenas weren't mean cub eaters at all.

"Thanks Lucia, he was a handful on the way here. I didn't remember being so... energetic and full of questions when I was a cub but I guess that's something we forget as we age." His tail flickered as he watched the Taban and Bai Fang and sighed in relief. He'd almost lost hope of ever finding them again and was glad to be home. There was no way he could have raised a child without them and with his leg in the condition it was in. Here he'd gain more skills then most lions dreamed of. Maybe even be the first lion to ever catch the wind along the first cheetah to ever tame her.

Lucia only chuckled in response as she carried the cub to the stone and gently set him down. "Well none of us have ever parented a child..." she glanced back after the two cheetahs, "Xuco... fathered a litter but never met them. So this will be a new experience for the lot of us I imagine."

Nyack smiled slightly and gave his son a quick bath, bringing him closer to his side. "Well if there's any troupe of animals that can raise a strong kid, its us. How hard can it be?"

Nedu snuggled up against his father's fur, watching the pale orange and white creatures vanish into the darkness. He closed his eyes and fell asleep, feeling safe and contented.