Welcome to Gaia! ::

((For the Maziko pride, mostly, but any hyenas willing to join in may biggrin ))

In the waving grasses, a lioness stood out amid them. Dark pelted, she fit in much better amid the bones of the land she called home. Green orbs stared at the watering hole some distance from the edge of the Graveyard, then looked back along the path that she'd been methodically wearing into the ground as a guideline.

Said path ended in a particularly solid spot amid the stone and bones, where a massive pair of tusks provided the perfect barrier to hold water in. It was the perfect plan, to bring water into the Graveyard. It would save many lions the troubles of traveling through the hot sun or singed whiskers, as Ausha had said it, from trying to lick condensation from the geisers.

Padding back to the entrance of the dusty and dry land, she scooped a bit of dirt away with a paw, beginning the long process of digging a trench that would bring water to at least part of the lands. It would take a while, but it would be worth it. There would be water for all, and it would be thanks to the trench.

Near by, in the shade of a skull, Toshiro watched his mother digging. After a moment, he rose up, trotting over to her. "What're you doin', Mom?"

The lioness looked up at him, inclining her head a bit. "I'm digging a trench from here to the watering hole. It will bring water to the Graveyard, so that lions, cheetahs, and hyenas alike may drink without baking." Her paws dug more into the dirt, making it a bit deeper. "Be so kind as to go and gather the rest of the pride, dear."

The dark-pelted prince frowned a bit, then shrugged. May as well. Rising up, he turned and hurried into the Graveyard, calling out for everyone else by name. Not that it took long, it was still a small pride. Everyone else left off the list was somewhere out in the grasses, where they likely blended in better.

The dark lioness stopped momentarily, looking up at the brown adolescent. She smiled, sitting down. "Hello, Tu. I see you've arrived." She bowed her head. "If it comforts you any, because of your paw, you are simply overseeing things, helping keep the morral up for those working." She went over, sitting by the young lioness. "Look at you, though... You've grown so much from the little cub I took in so long ago." A purr escaped her throat as she looked Tu over.

A single ear flicked amidst the massive amount of mane that gathered around his neck and head. Of course deep in slumber, Hidalgo hardly never was abled to be called awake from merely the sound of his name. However with the recent unrest that clouded his mind it was often more difficult to find.. peace and quiet now-a-days. With the wonderings of where several of his family members had wandered off to, he couldn't help but feeling a bit.. down on the weather.

Despite this, the king managed to pull himself up and slowly move his way towards where the sound of his name had originated, no doubt, from the sound of it, by Toshiro.

Thankfully the walk along the way had helped further push the painted male toward reality. Although.. he couldn't help but stare with puzzlement for several moments after arriving. However it didn't take terribly long to realize what all was going on. "So," He began lightly, shaking his pelt breifly before joining Ishara's side. "Water way plans..?" He questioned, mildly arching both brows, meanwhile nodding a quick hello to both Tu and Toshiro.


Now Runai.. Runai took an exceptionally large amount of time managing his way through the bone-laiden territory. It took him much more effort than just waking up and motivating himself to travel the distance he figured he was about to go, unlike Hidalgo. For any lion in decent health this small portion of land to cross would have been a quick trip, however under the current conditions of this young fellow it seemed more of a chore than anything else.

The brown colored juvinile hobbled forward, taking his time and watching carefully where his paws were put so that he would never slip or slide unwarningly. At this point he hadn't even tried in the least to hide his limp and difficultly in even really moving, and it was clear that he hadn't even bothered trying to fix himself up appropriately after his 'attack', as blood was still crusted in his fur, despite that the wounds he had on both his left foreleg and hind quarters were at least beginning to somewhat mend.

The young, perhaps foolish, prince eventually was able to spot the small gathering of his fellow packmates through those mysteriously ink black eyes, almost immediately wondering if it was a good idea to show his face or not. If he had known the point of this little meeting then he most likely wouldn't have bothered even trying to come. However, never even catching wind of the waterway plans during his seclusion in a less occupied area of the graveyard, he felt obligated to at least have the dignity to show up. However he had the battered, beaten up sort of look, although he did his best to hide this while he stood, merely watching, a little bit away from the gathering. If he was lucky perhaps no one would notice him and question.

Hidalgo nodded lightly at this, ears quirking forward in order to catch each and every word the dark lioness spoke, ignoring the fact that Toshiro had gotten up and left the pair. "Hmn," he mumbled, eyes tracing the line that led away from the beginnings of the trench. "So.. what happens if it overflows..?" He couldn't help but ask-- afterall.. the graveyard did happen to be a lower point than the grasslands.. water could easily flood a portion if not directed elsewhere. It was a matter of keeping things, so to speak, safe.

At a mild flick of his tail, the painted male inclined his head momentarily. "And the nap wasn't much useful. As always." He murmured lightly, shaking his skull a bit.


Rune couldn't help but roll his eyes inwardly, wishing he could just disappear off the face of the planet for several seconds while his older brother approached. "Maybe," He snerked lightly, attempting to keep at least a mild amount of 'cool' about him. He wouldn't let Toshi see his pride bent out of shape. "Had a nice run in with the leader. She's got a nice hatred for us," He continued blandly, quirking a brow while he sat, or tryed to. About a second after his hind legs hit the cold, earthy soil he once again snapped to a standing position with a grumble a frustration.

Runai couldn't help but feel these injuries would give Toshiro license to mock and taunt him for days and days.. although he couldn't care less. The majority of these injuries were on his brothers behalf. Aaah.. but would he mention this..?

"Hmn. Probably would work. But somehow I doubt that'll keep the hyena's from picking on this clan. Bit closed minded, if y'ask me.. but.. I suppose when you think about us just.. taking a portion of their territory.." He began, giving a mild shrug at the thought. They had a perfectly fine reason for hating them, in his mind. However either which way.. both would need to be able to cooperate in the future. Otherwise things might turn out into a huge conflict concerning fighting and killing.. not cool. Not cool at all. "Well.. anyway.. trench won't dig itself.. c'mon then."

Hidalgo smirked lightly to himself before adding his own paws to the works, turning up the earthy, dry soil and shoving it backwards towards his own body. Where were they to put all the dirt, again..?


Rune smirked silently, quirking a brow while his mind churned with thoughts. He'd been wreckless, and he could even admit it. However he couldn't help but still wonder what was back inside that cave that Mafa had been so eager to protect. Someone had to find out, afterall. Soon as his leg and back healed up..

Instantaniously these thoughts were interrupted, an even larger stinging sensation issueing from his front leg than it had had for the past few minutes. Sure, he'd gotten used to pain by now, having had to deal with it for the past few days.. but..

Without any more thoughts his leg was drawn backward, away from Toshi's tongue. "It's fine. My problem." He stated with a quick grumble. "Kind of stupid, really.. can't say what I was doing qualified for being called poking around."

Ah well. He'd go back, which /would/ qualify for wandering in boundaries he shouldn't even cross.. but he had to find out what was in that cave. Or the main area of where the hyena's hung out. He wasn't yet aware of the Mafa's current sticky situation, however, which would probably put her in an even worse mood than the last meeting.

The lioness started to reply, but her attention was diverted by Nkechi. Blinking, she looked over at Runai, then gaped. Rising up, she padded over. "Runai, what happened to you?!" Concern filled the dark queen as she sat down and pulled her younger son close, starting to groom him. "So much caked blood, we need to clean you up!" No scolding, simply concern.

Scowling a bit at his younger brother, Toshiro went over to Hidalgo and Nkechi. "Rune's not dieing, Chi." He sat down. "He was simply messing with the hyenas and paid the price for it. It's just a couple flesh wounds."

Nkechi peeked out from under her paws to look at her father and brother. She sniffled, looking rather distressed and uncertain. She had never seen to much blood before-besides the kills they had and such. This made her think that the blood meant he was going to die...it was something that had just become linked in her mind.

She sniffled, her eyes looking rather watery, "Are you s-s-sure...?" She didn't want Runai to die. Sure, she hadn't spent much time with him but...he was still her brother and she still loved him.

"But I'm perfectly capable of fixing myself, thanks." Rune grumbled beneath his breath, eventually deciding against fighting his mother's wishes and allowing her to help. The juvinile stood, ears flattened and a rather discomfortated, pouty look about him, tail swiveling back and forth impatiently. He assumed he couldn't show weakness in front of his family, so he attempted to keep all emotions bottled inside until he could release it later -- perhaps by smashing a bone or kicking and busting different rocks and skulls. "So what the hell're you all doing around here, anyway," He finally mumbled, language becoming nearly as foul as his current temper while previously furrowed brows arching in the slightest to display some kind of curiousity. "And why'm I here." He added, shifting his weight momentarily while ignoring the stupid comments from his siblings. Live longer than mountains..? Peh. What rubbish.

Hidalgo couldn't help himself to begin to answer this question, although hopefully his lovely mate would help out a bit, seeing as she was the one with the masterplan, not he. "It's a waterway to bring water into the graveyard. Or close to it, anyway. Toshi was calling the clan to this spot to help dig the trench that'll lead up to the water hole in the pride lands, hence why we're all here." He begun to explain lightly, giving a mild incline to his head while he silently begun to look over his youngest and the injuries he claimed to have been 'minor'.