[PRP] A Feeling of Unease [Ngao/Hifadhi/Ukweli] - FIN

[Chibi Sheepcat]

It had felt more like a dream than a vision, almost too confusing to discern exactly what he saw. Too many things had flashed too quickly before his eyes, but the undertone had been absolutely clear. Something bad was going to happen.

Blue sky had been replaced by a horizon the colour of blood. On the cracked earth, lions as black as shadows fought in away that Ukweli had not seen since Ubawa had overthrown his treacherous brother. There was blood, so much blood, and the body of a cub, wounded or dead he did not know. The wind shrieked, someone laughed coldly, and the vision was over. By the time he had recovered from the icy cold that clenched his gut, he could barely remember the details. Resting his large head on his outstretched paws, Ukweli frowned as he attempted to piece together what he had Seen during his trance.

A cub, he remembered, though what cub he would not say. He could remember recognizing it during the vision, but that was all. Did that mean it was one he knew? There were cubs in the pride now. Was one of them in danger, or was he supposed to look deeper into the vision? As Ukweli made his way through the fragments of his memory, he was startled to find that the first thing he thought of was Mchawi's disdainful face. The interlopers? Why did it make him think of them? The group that had once brought him great comfort, knowing their hunting parties would be boosted, now brought an unusual sense of unease. What did his vision mean about them?

"If you frown any longer your face is going to stick."

Viza landed neatly on a rock next to him, apparently having returned from her scavenging. The lanner falcon detested having to eat like a vulture, but it was too risky to fly high enough to hunt. She might have been more foolish if she knew her partner didn't rely on her so much, but he did and so she did her best to stay out of trouble. Ukweli needed all the help he could get, and she would not put herself in harm's way for a little food.

Ukweli regarded his companion for a moment, before he reached his own private decision. "We're going to find Hifadhi and Ngao," he announced as he hauled himself to his feet. They would know what to do. His last vision had come too late for him to act, and he would not allow this one to be the same.  

[demonstration_evil]

Hifadhi and Ngao were training once again, on the edge of the new 'camp' of the pride. Each of them was doing their best to keep themselves, and the pride, in order. They all had secrets, they knew this, but it was all they could do to keep themselves sharp. They had to do their best to insure that nothing went wrong... though to say the least, it hadn't been going as well as they'd hoped. Things did have a way of falling apart.

Hifadhi did hope though, that things were getting better. "Let's take a break Ngao... it's good to rest." He would never say that he needed a rest. It either had to be the both of them, or it would be neither one of them. His stuborness had yet to wear off in his old age.

"Keep fighting like this and you'll both pass out." Pepo mentioned, his voice hedging on annoyance. Nothing new. The bird had always been vain and irrtiable. Which was nice, because he was one of the few who could keep Hifadhi from going over-board, or getting too much of an ego.  

[Ary Keeyara]

Leaving the others of their fragmented pride was not something Ngao liked to do often. But she knew better than to let her skills fail...if they did she would be no good to anyone. So when things seemed calm she allowed herself to train with her mentor not far away. But, worry as she often did, she left Hofu with them. It seemed she was separated from her companion more than normal. It always felt strange, and yet she'd trust no one else with he job of keeping watch. If anything happened, she would know. Though in troubled times like these it would take him longer to get to her, having to fly low. But it was better than nothing.

She stood tense across from Hifadhi, her back arched and her tongue sliding out between her jaws as she panted. It had been a while since she had gotten a work out like this. It was good for her, she knew. The rest was welcome and to have stubborn Hifadhi of all people suggest it meant that they both needed it badly. So she lifted her posture with a tired grunt, smacking her mouth shut before going to meet him on relaxed terms.

She took a seat, ready to rest. But even resting these day seemed to require a lot of work...she could never drop her guard, never loose her attention. So she tried to untangle her muscles one by one as she strained her ears and eyes around them. She had to stay alert...it just wasn't something she could get out of her head, not with strangers in the area, no matter how helpful they might seem.  

[Chibi Sheepcat]

The pair was not too far beyond the main pride "camp", something that Ukweli's old bones enjoyed immensely. How Hifadhi could still manage to keep in shape and train Ngao was beyond the ancient lion. He was sure his body would give up long before they even began any serious training. But somebody had to do it, and Ukweli was content to let Hifadhi do whatever made him happy. Poor stubborn old lion. He was very lucky to have Ngao at his side.

Viza made it to the pair before Ukweli did, his shambling pace not even close to how fast his bird could fly. The lanner falcon circled twice around the warriors before she settled down on a nearby rock to wait. Ukweli rounded the bend several moments later, and came to sit near where they were resting. It appeared he had caught them at a fairly good time. "I apologize for the interruption, Hifadhi, Ngao," he nodded to each of them as he said their names. "I have had a very worrying vision. I fear for the safety, perhaps even the life, of one of the cubs here." Ukweli frowned when he paused, looking between Ngao and Hifadhi. Should he confide in them about his thoughts on the interlopers? Perhaps later. For now they needed to worry about the safety of the cubs. "Have you heard or seen anything that would make you feel the same?" He wanted to know how soon his vision would be coming about, and whether or not they still had time.  

[demonstration_evil]

Hifadhi was glad, as always, to see his old friend. He only wished it could have been on a more relaxing subject... it seemed that now-a-days the only time they were able to spend any time together was when a new crisis arose. And this certainly sounded like one. If one of the cubs was in danger, it was a serious matter. They were the future... the only future really, that the pride had left. They needed all the cubs to be safe.

"I... couldn't say any more than the usual dangers we're all facing." The older lion admitted after some thought, "The vultures... possible landslides, the food problems..." He sighed, shaking his head, "More dangers than normal... not to mention our boarders are unsafe, because there are so few able to protect them..." The list of growing problems. Anything that could have gone wrong most certainly was, "I wish I could say that impending doom for the children were not a possibilty... but if your visions have shown that the cubs are in some immediate danger, we will have to take cautionary measures to protect them." He turned to his old apprentice, "What are your thoughts? Your eyes and ears are sharper than this old man's, Ngao..."  

[Ary Keeyara]

Seeing Ukweli was not a comforting sight. In fact, it caused the lioness to tense tightly, loosing any relaxation she might have gained in her brief rest. These days, with Ukweli's age and the many issues that faced the pride he did not come on "special visits" unless there was something important to talk about. Bad news was always urgent, after all. So if he was here it meant they might have more on their plate than she imagined.

She listened carefully to both her elders, trying to keep her mind from running wild with ideas. Stress was written all over her body, if not her face. Protecting the pride was her job...if Ukweli had a vision that a cub was in danger than that meant that she would fail, or perhaps already had, in some way. It was startling and terrifying and made her want to do nothing more than rush back to the others to ensure their well being right then and there.

But she schooled herself. Being rash would help no one. So she struggled against her protective instincts and thought over what had been said. Her discomfort with the strangers was not something she wished to share, since at this point it was only a feeling. She knew almost everyone around adored and appreciated the new-comers, or at least respected them. Any ill feelings without basis would only cause more disorder. So she chose her words carefully, make sure to consider all the possibilities, even those that she might not speak aloud at the moment.

"All of what Hifadhi says is true...right now we are all very vulnerable and things can change very quickly, just like an incoming storm...but I think it's less about what we notice, Ukweli, and more about what you saw," she paused there and, after a moment of finding the right words she continued, "We might not notice the real danger until we receive a hint of some kind...could you tell us more about what you saw?"  

[Chibi Sheepcat]

Hifadhi was the first to speak, and the lion turned his attention to his old friend. The list of dangers only increased his frown, but he said nothing. Indeed, it appeared that anything that could have gone wrong had gone wrong at this point in time. How long the pride could endure such a blow was unknown. Not even Ukweli could see that far into the future, even if he tried. However right his visions were, they were not under his control, something that bothered him now more than it had in his youth. It would have been incredibly helpful to predict more than just the impending doom of their fragile pride.

Ukweli gave Hifadhi a thankful nod when lion promised to take precautionary measures, before turning his attention to Ngao. The tension in her body alluded to her worry, and the old lion did his best to lessen the frown on his face. Ngao bore a heavy weight on her shoulders already, and he did not wish to make it so worry kept her from sleeping. At her question he gave a deep sigh, wishing he had more to tell her. "I'm afraid there is not much to tell, Ngao. The vision was much too fragmented for me to remember any details that might have helped us. Violence, bloodshed, and then a cub, one from our pride though I do not know which."

He made a frustrated noise, before addressing both of them once again. "I do not believe that what comes is something as a result of the earthquake," he paused, choosing his words carefully, "I fear the threat is not something as predictable as the earth, which was why the vision was so garbled. It is possible that the damage will be done by another lion."  

[demonstration_evil]

"Another lion?" Hifadhi whispered, worry creasing his forehead. An outsider was always a possibility... as he had said earlier, with so few of them it would be difficult to protect their boarders... but that didn't stop another thought from pressing on his mind. The outsiders. He did not like to think ill of them, not when they had been there to help the pride when they were in danger... but the fact was, the pride did not know them that well. Though they seemed to be full of good intentions... it could be a ruse. But why hurt one of the cubs?

Plenty of reasons. The more he thought about it, the more the idea weighed on his mind. He didn't like paranoia, it could lead to undo fights and cause more problems... but sometimes paranoia could be healthy, and if it came to the possibility of the cubs being in danger, then it was more than healthy.

"...If it is another lion who hurts them... there are two possibilities. The threat will either come from outside enemies... or worse, it comes from enemies within our own boarders." He bit off the words even as they left his mouth. Vultures, landslides... these things were no doubt 'bad' but the thought of another lion... that was worse. So much worse.  

[Ary Keeyara]

Ngao's eyes narrowed at the mention that the damage might be done by another lion. As Hifadhi said, it left two main options...new strangers or an attack from within. Either seemed a nightmare. As if her job wasn't hard enough, now she had to be looking over her shoulder constantly...or at least, over the shoulders of the young ones.

"How likely is it someone new to the valley?" she mumbled aloud, ears twisting a bit as she thought and worried to herself. "With the state of things after the earthquake, can anyone get in?" With all the chaos she hadn't really checked herself. There simply wasn't the time or the manpower right now. But with this new information...it might be key to find out. To effectively guard the children they would have to close off as many possibilities as possible. If they could rule out something it might help. If not, they were in for a rough job.
 

[Chibi Sheepcat]

"It would be best to be cautious with the cubs, at least for the time being." It was as Hifadhi had said. They could not be sure whether to monitor those who belong to the pride or worry about any outsiders who now have access to their lands. Ukweli had come to count upon the safety of their pride lands, where nothing like this had ever happened in his lifetime. After the earthquake, it was hard to tell just how safe they actually were. With such small numbers it was easy to tell if someone new tried to join their pride. On the flipside, it made defending against attacks much more difficult.

Ukweli simply shrugged at Ngao's murmured question, unable to give a definite answer. After a moment, he said softly, "I think..." Should he say? Ukweli was silent for a moment as he weighed his options carefully. On one hand, he didn't want to point the blame at the newcomers when they had done nothing since their arrival. On the other hand, he could not shake the feeling of unease his vision had brought with it. Gut instinct was something he trusted almost absolutely, especially when a feeling lasted so long after a vision. "That someone new to the valley is less likely than those who have recently joined the pride. I am hesitant," he added quickly, "To point the blame when the vision was so inconclusive, however I have a feeling of unease about the newcomers that I did not have before. Regardless, something is coming and we must consider how best to deal with it." He left the floor open for suggestions.  

[demonstration_evil]

"The newcommers..." Hifadhi mumbled under his breath. He had known Ukweli for years, since he had been a child. And if there was one thing he had trusted without a doubt, it was his friend's visions and his gut instincts. And if Ukweli was now feeling uneasy about the new lions... then there was certainly reason too. He had wanted to trust them, from the depths of his being, because they had needed them so desperatly.

"The outsiders..." He muttered under his breath. "I don't want to think that they would do something like this... but if you believe they may hurt the cubs... then we must absolutly reguard them much differently than we have before. If they gain the trust of the pride and then turn on us, we are all in serious danger. Not just the cubs. Especially without..." He hesitated, not wanting to bring up the leaders of their pride. Missing or injured. Deadly.

"We need to make a plan and make one fast. We cannot leave the cubs in danger, especially not danger from within. We have to keep them out of danger... especially since they cannot defend themselves." He hung his head, "I can't believe they would hurt them..." But he knew he had too. It was too dangerous not to.  

[Ary Keeyara]

"Even if you can't believe it, I can," Ngao murmured darkly, voicing her opinion on the matter for the first time. But now wasn't the time to argue about it...regardless of whether or not her ill-feelings about the outsiders were right or not they had to protect the children and the rest of the pride. Musing too long about it would waste valuable time.

"Regardless, we need to make a plan," she paused, flicking her ears and wrinkling her nose tensely as she thought. They didn't have many options. She was tempted to take the children herself and leave for somewhere safe...but she could not abandon the rest of the pride, especially when the newcomers would be with them and not the children. They had to try something else.

She began again, looking bitter at their lack of options, "I hate to suggest it, but...Hifadhi, I need you to take the children away to the other side of the valley. I want them as far away from the newcomers as possible for now."

Her ears flicked back, obviously not happy with the choice, but as she looked at the two other lions her expression was firm. They had to do this, "I'd take them myself, but I need to stay with the rest of the pride...especially since that's where all the outsiders are currently. I don't think I can move the others...I'll see if I can try, but I doubt I could take them without dragging those we suspect along." Perhaps she should have said those which she suspected instead of we. She knew all too well that some of the outsiders had gotten on the good side of everyone, including her elders.  

[Chibi Sheepcat]

Ukweli only nodded when his old friend repeated his words, knowing that Hifadhi would trust his word. Others in the pride may trust his visions; however the gut feeling was not something he spoke of opening. With all the help that the outsiders had been providing for the pride by boosting their hunting parties, it would probably not go over too well if the old seer started condemning them not too long after he welcomed them. The pride did not need to be divided. That would not stop him, however, from voicing his concerns to Hifadhi and his no-longer apprentice Ngao. Ukweli could trust these two to not only believe him, but follow through and watch the pride's back.

"We do not know it will be them," the old lion corrected, still hesitant to place blame on anybody. He would have loved nothing more than to give them the benefit of the doubt. "But we should be watchful nonetheless." It seemed, however, that while Hifadhi and he would try to be disbelieving of the threat the outsiders provided, Ngao did not feel the same way. Her dark statement made Ukweli raise his eyebrows, but he held his tongue. It was he who had brought up the unease he felt about the outsiders. He should have expected that Ngao had already picked up on things his visions had only recently left him with. She was sharper than some gave her credit for.

He listened quietly when Ngao proposed her plan, and slowly nodded his ascent. Desperate times called for drastic measures, and this would be the first of them. Ukweli did not like the idea of separating Hifadhi from the rest of the pride, fearing for his friend's safety. At the same time, he knew the pride could not spare Ngao. He needed someone here to be on his side, should the outsiders turn on the pride. "Ngao's plan sounds like the best option for us," Ukweli said quietly, as though imploring his old friend to do as his once-apprentice was asking of him.  

[demonstration_evil]

Hifadhi hesitated, instantly disliking this plan intensley. The idea of leaving Ngao alone to face so many possible enemies... But who else could they trust to go? He hated to think that he was their only option... but he was the only one who was in the right shape -age or no- to watch over the cubs... and at the very least, if they were attacked, he would be able to hold off an enemy long enough for the children to escape. But Ngao... this would be the first time he had ever left Ngao to face the world without him... She would have Ukweli, that was true, but in a fight, he would not be much use -if it came to that- but he might at least be able to see one coming...

"I don't like it." Hifadhi said, making that opinion clear before he continued, "However... you are both right. We have little choice... I can take care of the cubs, you'll have fewer mouths to feed here, and I can watch over them." He looked at them both, "You two will have to work together... I trust you both to do that. I can take the cubs to the other side of the valley... and no one will be able to find us, I assure you... But I still don't have to like it."  

[Ary Keeyara]

"I think it's a stretch to say any of us like the plan," Ngao sighed heavily. The whole issue was making her feel weary from stress. But they were doing the best they could. And with so many problems stacked against them well...she supposed they could do worse. But as always they could do better. She could do better.

"We'll trust you with the children," Ngao agreed, as if to make it sound final, "And you'll just have to trust us to handle the rest of the sitatuion." She could think of no better person to be with the cubs...of course she would have liked to go along herself, but she realized that she had bigger duties to attend to now. She had to look out for everyone...not just one or two memebers. She only hoped she wouldn't make a mistake that would cost a cub its life.