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 Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 1:21 pm
The female was taking a stroll in the moments before dusk. She needed to stretch and a walk would be good for her. She thought of her parents and how she hoped to bump into them. Lapping up some water from the stream that trickled through she was crouched belly to the ground. The sounds of the forest seemed to still and she stopped what she was doing to listen intently to the change of her surroundings.
She lifted her head and let her ears do the work as they listened to what may be out there. Eryxa may be blind but she wasn't defenseless. She still had her claws and her teeth to fend off an imminent attack.---- Something out there was stirring and Lani was not exactly sure what. "Desher." She muttered her mate's name quietly as she let her ears do all the work her eyes could not. Something smelled strange but also somewhat familiar. This was a new place for her and she wasn't sure what to expect. Plus with night falling there could be anything out there now.
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2016 5:21 pm
 The tan male jerked out of his thoughts as his mate called his name. He looked around to see if anything obvious had gotten Lani's attention. Nothing jumped out at him right away. "What is it?" Desher murmured softly knowing she would hear him. They were still on their trek to find a new home. Things had been relatively quite so far. The pair had traveled quite far from their familiar home without encountering too much trouble. They were probably due for some.
Desher checked on his mate, but she seemed alright. Then it was something in the environment that had alerted her. He swiveled his ears and waited. Whatever it was he would face and deal with it.
 She was prowling. ********* enjoyed stalking through the night where her pelt was practically invisible. Where she could sneak up and scare the poor unsuspecting fools that tried to trespass on her pride. The local area was relatively quiet over all. It was both good and bad. Good because there wasn't many intruders; bad because she didn't have anyone to scare. A bird rested comfortably on her shoulder. The night lioness glanced at him with amusement. She liked to use his freaky look in her scaring.
Imamu ruffled his feathers as the lioness looked back at him. He knew what was behind that devious face. "Find something interesting? The birds have fallen quiet." He clicked his beak. The lioness was nice and didn't judge him based on his appearance, but she did have a quirky streak he appreciated. Something had disrupted the flow of the forest. "Do you want me to check?"
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2016 5:57 pm
As the world began to still the female slowed her own steps so that she would not make too much of a sound. She gave a few sniffs taking in whatever the winds were bringing towards her and smelt two scent, no four scents around. She did not immediately recognize them so she began to bristle and puff herself out as much as she could. Better to seem bigger and stronger than to seem timid. A force to be reckoned with, that is what she wanted to be. A warning growl was all the female needed to make her stop. "Desher." She called out. She could hear the growls of another out there and they did not sound happy. "We are friendly." She called out, unsure if that might sway the temper of whomever might be prowling about. Although her senses were good she could not sense who might be out there other than her mate whose scent filled her nostrils. The female heard a name she was familiar with but she wondered was it her father or just another lion who might have the same name as him. "Friendly." The female growled as she stepped forward, giving the air a better sniff. "We shall see about that." Stepping closer and closer towards the sound of the voices. Still Eryxa continued to make herself bigger.
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Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 8:02 pm
Desher stood at alert. He was the first line of defense Lani had against an attacker. "Easy Lani," he murmured to his mate. There was no sense in sounding alarmed and provoking something. He tested what he could sense. Other than Lani, there was two lionesses closest, other fainter traces of those who'd passed that way earlier or were further away currently. It was the two closest he focused on.
"Hello. We are passing through and mean no harm." Adding his voice to his mate's. Desher flicked his ears to see if that elicited a response from either. He didn't want to risk a blind run in the middle of the night. He and Lani could too easily become separated and she could become hurt.
********* froze as she heard voices ahead of her. She was so grateful that her pelt was so dark. A legacy of her mother. They all said they were friendly. But the other lioness sounded rather aggressive. Since ********* didn't recognize her voice, it was safe to say the lioness was trespassing or attempting to take over part of their lands. Which was of course unacceptable to *********. After a moment's debate, she nodded to the bird. He knew the drill, and she suspected he enjoyed it just a tiny bit. What bird wouldn't get a thrill out of scaring lions?
Imamu clicked his beak lightly together and took off from her shoulder. He circled up until he was above the pair of lions. For a moment he watched them, and tried to spot the third they'd heard. Was that her over there? When he was ready, he swooped down on them as stealthily as he could for he was no owl. At the last moment he pulled up, hopefully out of paw reach, and gave a loud squawk as he 'appeared' out of the night. "Intruders! Intruders!"
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Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 8:29 pm
Her mate was a godsend for her. His calm demeanor calming her as well. These were new lands. She was a strong female but still sometimes she had a moment of weakness and at that moment she felt a bit of trepidation in her steps. "Desher." the words low as she heard the female speak up. Then visibly startled by the sound of fluttering wings. A bird? What was that? Eryxa did not claw out, instead she began stepping closer and closer. The sound of wings did not really phase her. Having done more exploring and honing of her senses in the wilds. Though the little bit of moonlight would be enough to light up her fur and expose her to the others. "Maybe I am an intruder, but I am not a threat unless you make me one... bird." Eryxa gave a light hiss. "My name is Eryxa." The female stated her name so everyone around knew who she was. Did that lioness say Eryxa? "Desher..." Another whisper. Did that voice sound familiar? Maybe more worn but it sounded so much like her daughter. "Eryxa... is that you?" Louder now. The bird and its horror forgotten momentarily as a mother tried to recognize one of her own. Was... was that her mother? As the scent filled her nose she noticed the scents of the male and female. Mother and father. "Mother? Father?"
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Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 8:46 pm
Desher let his lips twitch. It seemed the only thing his mate could say tonight was his name. Normally he didn't have a problem with that. Ah well, he'd deal with it. He was focused on the immediate threat of the lioness ahead of them that he was startled by the bird as it came swooping it. The fur along his spine raised as it called out intruders. Now they were in for trouble surely!
At first he thought the bird belong to the other lioness, but when she responded to it, he realized she didn't know it either. Desher startled as she gave her name. Lani reacted before he did, coming to a conclusion that maybe only a mother could. "Eryxa! Dear it's so good to see you again!" He gave a happy purr to find one of his cubs.
********* lurked in the dark. She'd been born for this, despite being born to a pride of the light. That pride was gone now, and she had a new pride. She listened as the expected call came from her bird. Odd, it didn't gather the reaction it usually did. They were made of sterner stuff than she'd given them credit for, or the types that usually passed through here.
The dark lioness gave a deafening roar. They could ignore her bird, but they couldn't ignore her! "WHO DARES TRESPASS HERE?!" Something about the names danced in the back of her mind. The lioness kept calling the male, she thought, Desher. And the scents kept bringing back memories of a bright temple. She paused as the younger lioness named herself. One of her sisters had had that name too. "State your full names."
Imamu gave an indignant squawk as he was practically ignored. Well! Feathers ruffled he returned to *********. She'd give they a right good scare she would! The roar the lioness gave rattled his bones and made him shiver with delight. That'd show them. Except she didn't keep it up. He cocked his head as she asked them to state their full names. That was definitely odd!
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Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 9:02 pm
As Desher came to a realization she knew that he must see his tawny daughter now. A smile on her face. He could see how much she had grown. See her reactions to being reunited, even if their meeting was going to be brief due to their travels. That's when the roar of a second lioness caused her fur to bristle as she was startled. How had she not senses the other. Neither vibrations nor any other tell tale sign. The winds were against her, even as light as they were. She was visibly startled but she growled low. Trying not to seem as scared. "My name is Hokulani." She snarled, going onto a defensive now as opposed to the meek lioness she had been earlier. "We are not trespassing!" Were they still with the land that the cheetah she had met earlier had said they were in? The vibrations of her father were broken by the louder female who clearly was not part of the group. Something changed in the air to, the bird who seemed to have... delight? She wasn't sure what she was reading from it. Turning her head in the direction her ears pinned against her head and she bared her fangs. A low rumble starting as she turned away from her mother and father. Who was trying to startle a healer, "Eryxa. That is my full name lioness." Knowing at least the other was a female.
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Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 9:51 pm
Their happy greeting was cut short by another, angry sounding roar. Desher whipped around to face the unknown with his fur rippling and fangs bared. His mate and daughter named themselves, so he could do no less. "I am Desher-bik." He wondered if there were more hiding out there in the dark. Whoever it was seemed very comfortable in it. He hadn't heard any betraying noise like a rustled leaf or snapped twig. Neither had Lani or she would have said something. It was a stand off now. What was going to happen? He'd defend his mate and cub to the death if he had to.
********* was gratified that she could still inspire fear into others. However these were not lions she wanted to inspire fear in. Any lion could be a Desher, but only her father was Desher-bik; Lani had been her mother's nickname, but Hokulani was her full name. And of course one of her many siblings had the name Eryxa. Now the lioness approached closer without using stealth so they could hear her coming.
"I am ********* Mir-sher. Hello Father, Mother, and Sister." The lioness gave a grin as she stepped into group. She was fairly confident that these were indeed her family. "It's so good to see you. What brings you all, all the way out here?" She was slightly concerned for her parents particularly. The desert was their home. Why had they left?
Imamu felt his beak drop as the rounds of names went and ********* declared these intruders family. Family! He ruffled his feathers as he landed on her shoulder again. Now that he took a closer look at them, they all did seem to have some resemblance to each other. Particularly ********* and the older lioness looked remarkably alike. "I'm Imamu," he stated boldly, not to be left out.
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Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 11:45 am
How had her daughter masked herself from her own senses? It was actually quite amazing and a grin started on her face as she stepped up closer towards *********. She wondered if maybe that cheetah she met had informed ********* of them being close to the area. Or maybe she was already out here. "Your father and I are relocating to a new home." Speaking for the two of them. "Some place with sand and something more." It was exactly what she had said to Desher before they left the sands of their home. If her mate wanted to explain more he could. Though glad to feel the vibrations of her family the female began to pad closer to her sister. However she spoke to the bird first, "Imamu. It is nice to make your acquaintance. I assume you as a friend of my sisters. Tall, older than I, and much more frightening as well." She chuckled. "Seems as if three of us are relocating." She was passing through to find something for herself. "I'm following in your footsteps mother. Or at least I want to try to." She had stuck closely trying to learn all she could about healing. Sometimes even bothering her mother as a priestess.
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Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 12:43 pm
Desher went from fight to astonishment in a blink of an eye when his cub looking most like his mate stepped out of the shadows. He hadn't expected to see ********* here! "You're looking well *********." Indeed she was, both girls were. The bird that had swooped on them before appeared to be with her too. That was interesting! Seeing Lani go to greet *********, he went to give Eryxa an affectionate nuzzle. "You doing well for yourself?" He was curious how his blind daughters were managing. At least he could find out about one.
It should have been an expected question. He didn't normally venture outside the desert, so something would appear off. "The desert can't be our home anymore." Desher didn't want to tell them that another pride was moving in and taking over their old temple home. Thankfully they were quite far from the desert now.
********* stepped up to greet her mother first. "You all are welcome to rest here if you'd like." Traveling was hard as she knew. She'd offer to let them join, but she didn't think they'd take it. Her ears flicked at the mention of sand and more. What could her mother mean? Maybe she'd try to visit some day and find out.
She frowned at her father. From his words, something big had happened where the desert wouldn't be safe for them anymore to drive him out. He knew that place better than the back of his paw. Maybe it was fear for her mother. He always did worry so. The lioness grinned as her bird introduced himself and was greeted back by her sister. "I'm glad to see you well Eryxa. Where are you off to?" She wondered what would draw her sister.
Imamu watched the family talk from his perch. Bright orange eyes jumped from lion to lion. He puffed up as the tan lioness took notice of him. "I am. The pride rules state ninjas need to have a familiar. I'm *********, but recently joined up with her." It'd taken him some time to settle on which one he liked best. There wasn't much of a choice right now for either group. He need to find himself a mate to make many baby birdies. Someday, he hoped.
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Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 2:13 pm
The sound of rest was something that made the female almost just lay down there as it were. "That would be a relief. Don't you think Desher?" Another night of rest before their journey, that would not be bad. Though that would be yet another night of no travel. Upon hearing that she could rest she did like that. "I'll take you up on that offer. I haven't found a place for myself. I don't think ninjas would be something for me." She bumbled through any place somewhat loudly sometimes. "I'm just going where my paws take me. Some place hopefully where I can use my healer skills." She knew where her mother was standing and gave a small grin in that direction, "I'm just glad you are all well. I have been thinking about you all. Hoping that maybe I'd run into you." Even if it was only a portion of her family.
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Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 2:48 pm
"Hello Imamu. That was very good job you did coming out of the dark." He complimented the bird to sooth the ruffled feathers. Desher nodded to *********. "We'd be most grateful for a chance to rest our feet. Thank you." There was something to be said for having family in strange places. "I'm glad you've found a place you truly belong *********. I know the desert heat was hard upon you."
He moved to Lani's left and pressed his shoulder against hers. One of the best ways to move through complicated territory was by shoulder pressure. If he needed Lani to head right he pressed into her, to go left he pulled away knowing she'd press in toward him.
********* puffed out her chest with pride from her father's praise. She'd hated to leave the desert, but knew there was something else out there for her. Her pelt wasn't a hindrance here. She nodded with understanding about her sister. It was enough that she'd gotten to see them one last time. "I hope you find what your looking for too someday sister."
"Thanks dad. That means a lot to me. Eryxa, dad's got mom. If you'd like I can shoulder-lean you, or you can press against dad's left." She recognized the stance from her cubhood. She'd used it herself to help guide her siblings as they slowly went blind, and had once or twice been lead around by her parents with her eyes close to see what it had been like for her sisters. It had been an eye opening experience for her! She appreciated the independence her sisters and mother valued despite their blindness.
Imamu puffed up his breast feathers as the lion complimented his skills at startling others in the dark. It was his job to help protect the pride, and it was nice to be appreciated. As he watched the family sort themselves out, he realized the other two lionesses were blind. It left him utter baffled and new respect for the family.
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