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 Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 1:39 pm
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It was a dark, dull night in the land of the Mwezi'Johari. The moon was only a small sliver in the sky but even that was blocked by a scattering of clouds through the sky, by tomorrow there would be no moon at all. Relatively speaking, it was a quiet night all around the pride.. until a few hours before the sun would rise and guards began to scatter through the pride to wake any sleeping lions and gather everybody at the royal dens. Waiting there for them was Selene, sitting still and silent, and Fuu, standing by her shoulder- looking grim. The pride was neither nocturnal nor diurnal, existing in a mixed state where you could rise when you felt most comfortable, and so it took some time for the majority of the pride to gather.
Selene was tense but her expression was determinedly neutral. She listened to the low rumble of the pride members who arrived and had no idea why they were here, oblivious to what was about to happen. Fuu was more visibly disturbed, his eyes wandering the crowd looking for something, anything unusual.. but there was nothing to find. Eventually, the crowd was large enough they couldn't stay silent any longer so Selene stood up and cleared her throat to address the pride.
"I am very sorry to have to summon you all here like this," she said calmly, "I know we will be gathered together tomorrow for the New Moon but this cannot wait."
Selene paused, not wanting to continue. A gentle nudge from Fuu made her continue.
" The king has died," she said, hesitating before going on to clarify her statement, "He was killed tonight."
And then she was silent, unable to speak more. Fuu stepped forward from her side, continuing on her behalf. Nobody had wanted to present this news, Thoth was a good lion that was very much loved by his family, but it had to come from one of them.. and Fuu respected that up until Selene faltered the second time.
"We don't yet know who or what is responsible for this, but the guards have been searching for anything strange," he said in a loud, clear voice, "So far nothing has come up. If anybody saw or heard anything unusual, anything that might help us understand what happened here tonight, please come forward."
It was a hopeful request that neither had much confidence in. Even the guards who found Thoth were completely oblivious to anything that had been going on in the area and they were assigned to patrol there. It just didn't seem to make any sense at all. |
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 1:40 pm
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Important Notes
Queen Khathelela, Prince Shangyue and the shaman, Stellaluna, are conspicuously absent from this gathering, as are all other members of the immediate royal family. They are grieving privately in the royal dens, any who join the ORP should come from there.
Yes, Shangyue is responsible for this but nobody knew this was his plan. The following are lions who have enough information to realize it was probably him:
Rogues recruited by Shangyue: Akahana, Chosimba, Najisi, Tyfu, Pavla.
Slaves approached by Shangyue for support: Nina-dini, Ikwezi, Akemi, Nazani, Taini, Lunik, Mvushi.
Most Important: Any of those listed above who could suspect Shangyue should not start a riot and, should they desperately want to accuse him, should do so quietly and privately to Selene/Fuu without everybody being told of that suspicion. None of Shangyue's recruits knew more than his hope to takeover the pride and none of the slaves he spoke to know more than their responses would have allowed. If they were hesitant, he would have stopped at rhetorical questions about favor and morality. If they were more open, he might have actively offered them his favor for their help. It is up to you but Shangyue is not going to be found out in this RP.
Participation in an ORP counts as a JRP for certing! As long as you get one post in the group RP, it counts as proof that your lion is a member! Feel free to take advantage.
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 2:05 pm
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 It was a tragedy in every sense of the word. Like so many in the pride, Lailah had been pulled away from her normal responsibilities to be present for the grave announcement. Unlike most of the crowd, she had been one of the first outside the immediate family and area to learn of the King's demise. It was only the second time that she'd truly been called upon to be present in her capacity as Shaman's Apprentice, and like the last time, that weighty responsibility made itself felt.
Even as it became harder to deal with the fact that she was still Stellaluna's apprentice. There was the difficulty of being only an Apprentice at her age...and then there was the increased difficulty she had with her instructor. Stella was a good lioness, and she knew what she was doing, but the time had long past when Lailah thought her teacher had every answer in the world. And yet, she understood that the Shaman's was not a position that could be shared, that it had to speak with only one voice.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on her personal problems with her mentor, nor the ongoing imbalance with her mother, and especially not her (potential) relationship with Yavin. This was a time to come together with the pride to mourn for their slain monarch.
The white lioness approached the Royal pair, head bent in sympathy and sorrow.
"My condolences on your loss this night. I am certain King Thoth is, even now, watching over us and that the Great Lion will lead us to the culprit," she told the two simply. |
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 2:08 pm
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 The news was met, like many other things, with apathy from Rishima. Distances though he was, Rishima was by no means clueless to its meaning. Things would be getting interesting in the pride, and he would sit back and watch.
 And good Stela would be by his side! The king was dead! Well, so long as it wasn't her great and powerful Rishima, then it didn't matter to her! Unlike Rishima, all deeper nuances were missed on her. She looked to Rishima, and like him imitated a stoic face, as obviously that was the right thing to do! |
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 2:17 pm
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 Avahk was quiet, standing in the midst of the pride as they heard the awful news. He wasn't certain what to think. The last time the pride had been so gathered...asked to come, rather than mingling because they chose to...had been when Prince Shangyue was born and they rejoiced in a secure line of succession.
It was now a step shorter than it had been. The grey lion, being of the lower middle class, had little to do with the royal family or other significant members of the pride. Not simply for his low status, but after the drama that had preceeded his father's eviction, it had seemed reasonable to keep quiet and in the background. He certainly hadn't wanted to taint people's opinions of him (aside from the fact that many already were prejudiced against his bloodline) into the negative.
However, he had been considering asking leave of the King to travel and see Tseva Reygehl again. Clearly, there was no way he'd be getting permission to travel to Jini-msemi lands any time in the near future. It pained him to consider more moons without seeing the lioness, but he did understand the necessity. Perhaps when things calmed down, and the killer had been found... |
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 2:23 pm
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 "Oh noooooooooo!"
The words escaped the juvenile's mouth, and it wasn't until Atz'mayiy heard her own voice in her ears that she realized she'd spoken aloud her dismay at the terrible, awful, horrible news Princess Selene had just shared with the pride. Embarrased, the young lioness sat on her haunches and covered her mouth with both paws, so that she wouldn't accidentally slip up like that again. She didn't want to totally embarrass herself in front of the whole pride!
And it was indeed the whole pride there. Or at least, most of it except for a few people. Like Queen Khathelela, Prince Shangyue, a lot of the guards and so on. This was, without a doubt, the biggest thing to happen in Atz'mayiy's lifetime, and there was absolutely no way her mom was getting her to go to bed now! |
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 2:30 pm
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 As an adolescent and thus, practically an adult, Nyeusi merely sighed and rolled her eyes at the noise some overexcited kid was making. This was a grave event, and as such, should be treated with dignity and seriousness. Not wailing and moaning.
Oh sure, there would be wailing and moaning, after all, Thoth had been a good King and he was much beloved, particularly by his kin. She couldn't blame them for wanting, or needing, a good cry. But to just whine at a pride gathering? That was, well, it wasn't something she would want to be known for.
No, Nyeusi stood her ground and considered whether or not she had any information to contribute concerning the death. Unfortunately, she had just come in from hunting to find out about the gathering, and so had nothing to offer Fuu and Selene.
"I wonder how the killer got into the pride lands," the black lioness mused at a low enough volume that only the lions standing nearby could hear. |
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 2:40 pm
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 It was an ill omen, Caritas had concluded, that the King should die on the night before the new moon. Not simply die, but be murdered! It was, in many ways, a worse tragedy than the disappearances of Shira and Miakoda, the former Shaman and Apprentice. That same event which had led to the black lioness becoming the Midwife she was today.
She had grown to appreciate her role, guiding cubs into the world and noting the moon's phase in the night skies above, though it had been a rocky start. Why, Lailah K'chol had been born just after the mess, and look at the fine lioness she'd grown into? Though she was not at all related to the white female, Caritas still felt a surge of pride watching her, remembering a conversation they'd had long ago.
Not that she wasn't proud of her own children, who were also present this night. They simply weren't destined to make the sorts of waves that Lailah could, due to the lower status of their birth. In truth, she loved them all dearly, far more so than she ever could a lion she had not born.
But due to the nature of her position, it did make Caritas prone to noting the phase of the moon as it related to many every day events, and wondering what meaning it brought to them.
It seemed that with the Great Lion's eye nearly closed, He had not been able to protect the King the way she would have hoped. |
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 2:49 pm
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 Halili was solemn and dry-eyed as she stood amongst the pride. As a slave, she had no paritcular love, nor hatred, for the now-deceased King Thoth. Oh, she was aware of him, had even seen him on several occassions, and had served him as she served the pride.
But...she was much closer to the old, former King, Unyezi, and not simply because he was also a slave. It was her duty to serve the pride, and its rulers, but it was hard to warm to people who were so incredibly distant from her in every way possible. The beige lioness would never consider leaving the Mwezi'Johari, not after she'd been born with no blessings from the Great Lion, nor after the struggle her parents had had just rejoining their kin, but sometimes she did wonder.
Wondered what it would be like if, when she spoke to royal lions, they didn't automatically disregard her for her low birth. She was strongly reminded of a conversation she'd had with Prince Shangyue when he was young, and how he'd looked at her with disdain in his eyes before leaving.
Hmmm, it looked like he wasn't here. Well, not every member of the royal family was, and that was entirely understandable. He might be comforting his grandmother, who was also absent. |
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 3:31 pm
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The mixed reactions made it hard for the heiress to fully focus on any one in particular, though her eyes searched the crowd, desperately hoping she might notice something that would explain everything. She wanted to hide with her mother, comfort and reassure her, but the pride needed somebody here with them.
Selene looked to Lailah when she approached, offering sympathetic words. She couldn't bring herself to smile but she appreciated it.
"Thank you, Lailah," she said, sighing, "It seems we barely get to enjoy any peace here before something unexpected happens."
Fuu smiled sadly at Lailah and the response Selene had. He had arrived here shortly following a tragedy, he'd learned about their recent history and willingly took part in trying to stabilize their future. And it hadn't worked out.
"Ladies," he murmured to his mate and Lailah before walking out past them and into the crowd. He did not go anywhere in particular, just determined it would do some good for him to move around.
Orion stood with his mate when the announcement was made, near enough to his daughter Nyeusi that he heard her wondering. That was indeed the question of the hour- how could anybody walk in and kill the king without being noticed? Orion was technically related to the royal family, though his little branch in their family tree had often been overlooked since Unyezi had stepped down.. part of him wanted to feel the loss more personally but the rest of him was confused, in shock perhaps.
"Halili," he muttered, "Have you seen my grandfather? Or my father?"
Unyezi had to know what to do, had to have some kind of answer for this situation. He didn't wait for an answer, though, and pushed through the crowd to start looking. It was impossible to find anybody like this!
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Lunik's jaw dropped. The king? Dead?! Not just dead, but murdered! His ears flattened on his head. He'd been apprehensive coming out in the eve of a new moon, and his dread seemed only confirmed and reinforced by this news. He looked around frantically for Shangyue. The prince offered protection despite Lunik being scorned by the Great Lion. Shangyue's language was still vague, but Lunik was desperate. He was tired of cowering in his den at night. If there was anything he could do for the prince, he'd do it. His low status enabled him to do things a prince couldn't do easily, and Lunik would, if he ever asked. 
Tyfu had briefly left the search in order to hear the announcement Selene made to the pride as a whole. She, of course, had already been aware of the dread news and was a part of the search effort the lioness had mentioned. It was interesting to note that the lioness and her mate seemed...calm. Saddened, but determined. It boded for interesting times ahead, given what Tyfu knew and suspected.
