[PRP] I'll Have My Way (Msiba/Mach/Unyevu/Ukweli/Peke)- FIN

[MoonRazor]

"So it was Peke all along..." Msiba muttered to himself as he padded along, deep in thought. "Not the other brat." For a flitting moment, he realized that he had sent Werevu out searching for the wrong cub - and given the vulture's do-or-die tendencies, Msiba was certain Ufunuo would be found. But then what? He hadn't paused to think of the repercussions. But by then, he reasoned, he would have the one they needed - Peke was his name - and the lot of them would be long gone. And he would no longer have to suffer Unyevu's presence.

That was a wonderful, absolutely wonderful, thought. Life without Unyevu. He could hardly wait, and yet, he knew that while they were headed down the home stretch, they still had yet to pass the finish line. And until then, he had no way of knowing just how much could, or would, go wrong.

The thought of more complications rising up in the face of their victory made him bristle all over. Damn that seer, and that lioness Kitisho had failed to kill. Much more Unyevu, though. Lately, he had been taking it upon himself to attempt to foil everything Msiba attempted.

The moment I'm home free, he stops breathing. Msiba decided, then. After all, it was better to put the poor thing out of his misery, rather than force him to live a life away from his mate, no?

He made his way forward, seeking Machafuko. It was time the little brat earned his keep for real. They would find Peke together, and they would grab him. And the cub would not slip through their clutches again. After that, they would be gone.

"Machafuko!"  

[Nuxaz]

A yawn rolled off of the tongue of the young cub as he sleepily stood up. He was so...tired. The night before he had slept so little having stayed up so long waiting before only falling asleep for a short while. Then he woke up and slipped away only to be found by that lioness. The witch as everyone called her. Thinking about the all too grumpy lioness reminded Peke of the few beating she had delivered to him. He could still feel the weight of her paw against his head. Shivering just the slightest he stretched his limbs before lightly nudging the sleeping bird beside him.

"Nguvu." He called softly at first worried that somehow Mchawi had caught up to him. His ears twitched with the sound that came from the bird moving the slightest bit. "Nguvu. You need to wake up. We need to start moving." Getting no response again he lightly nudged the bird with his nose his brow furrowing together in slight panic. What if he had died from the pain in his wing? That would be bad. So very very bad. "Nguvu please!" His tone escalated as his panic began to build, obviously not the smartest idea.

Slowly but surely the white raven began to stir groggily opening his eyes as he moved to stretch out his wings only to wince as he was reminded by the sheering pain that one wing was still broken. "Calm down Peke." He ordered looking over at the cub. He always seemed to have this air of authority around him and Peke couldn't help but listen. "Relax, I'm alive so you don't need to panic."

He watched as the lion nodded hanging his head somewhat shamefully. "Sorry...it's just that..." He shook his head frustratedly as he let out a sigh. "I'm worked up I guess. I'm worried about my sister...and even my brother I guess..." His voice trailed off as he found his mind wandering to the royal siblings. "Even that loser Ufunuo. I did kinda just leave them behind."

"Why don't we go look for them then? I do not think that we are too far from the heart of the pride. But I am not sure..." He admitted with a shake of his head. He was sure that they were close but he could feel that trouble was up ahead. "Let's go." He stated shaking off all the worry and hobbling over to Peke who pressed himself against the ground to allow the bird to climb on to his back.

"Better than just sitting here that's for sure." He agreed and started padding away from the streams that he had spent the night by.

If only he knew what he was in store for.  

[Light Atago]

Even Machafuko was a bit on edge today. He'd heard whispers of what was going on, he knew somewhat the variety of trouble they were in. Somewhat, but not fully, he spent too much time munching on bones to fully understand. He knew, though, that they were walking along the edge of a knife, one wrong step and it could all be over. Judging from his behavior with Elea, it was really getting to him. Machafuko was in a foul mood today due to all of the stress, and he had no intention of doing much of anything until he heard his brother's call.

Even Mach knew that, at this point, if he was needed, he was needed. Just as before with his family. No matter how distant he was from them, they were all one.

Machafuko rose to his paws in the shade, gave Mtalia a glance and a nod, silently signifying that he was going, and she was too. The Lammergeier was more than happy about this, she loved it when Machafuko was feeling motivated. He was actually quite competent, when he wanted to be.

He padded off with a strong pace, seen only when his family was commanding him, in the direction of his brother. He saw his green-and-white brother in the near distance, he picked up the pace a tad to be able to stop moving in this heat.

"Msiba, what's going on?" Machafuko asked solemnly. Mtalia clacked her beak from his back, glancing around his head to see one of the tempests of this storm, she also awaited an answer. More likely than not, her fate rested with theirs, unless at the last minute she left.  

[MoonRazor]

Msiba felt a small smile cross his face, despite the tense circumstances. It was reassuring to know that he wasn't the only one who placed importance in his family. He knew that walk Mach was pulling off would never have been seen had anyone else called on his services. He was pouring energy into simply being, just because his brother had called. That was worth something.

"We have to grab a cub," He said flatly, his ears flickering to acknowledge his brother. It was enough, he hoped, for Mach to realized that that was Msiba's way of saying the enthusiasm was much appreciated. "A seer cub, Peke. His bonded is a white raven."

He paused, wondering if Machafuko should know why exactly they needed Peke. Then he decided, he might as well. After all, Machw as family. "He's the seer cub we need."

((Please excuse the crappy post. -juggling about 5 convos atm- xDD))  

[Nuxaz]

He was careful, every step he took was soft almost silent. He wasn't scared, at least he told himself that he wasn't, he was just being cautious for the first time in his life. The reason was simple, his life was not the only one he needed to worry about. He had Nguvu to protect. It was weird, almost unnatural for the loner to be thinking of anyone but himself, with the exception of Kuruka. Having a bonded bird made a difference and he felt as though he understood things a little bit better. However there wasn't a doubt in his mind that he wouldn't have been so careful had the raven been with him. He probably would have been running as fast as he could not caring about the noise he made.

Nguvu told him to be silent so he was. "Nguvu...I've been walking for a long time. I haven't seen anything." He complained glancing over his shoulder at his avian companion. A pout had formed on his face as his pace slowed until he had stopped. His breathing was rather heavy because while he had been treading softly he had still been moving rather quickly.

"Keep moving Peke, standing here in the open leaves you a sitting duck." Nguvu said in response his pink eyes scanning over the area always searching to see if the were being stalked. He didn't like just standing here, they could be attacked any second. "Just keep moving Peke. Please." There was an urgency in his tone that got the cub moving again.

It was hard though, the weight of the bird along with how quickly he tried to move began to tire the poor cub out. He had to keep moving, if he didn't then it could spell trouble. "Ngu--" He started only to be cut off by the avian.

"Hush. Take cover now." He instructed a shiver traveling down his spine. This was not good. Not good at all.

"What---?" He tried to speak again only to be silenced once more.

"Hush!"

Knitting his brows together he slowly slunk over to the cover of a tree unsure of why Nguvu was acting so strangely.

"We have trouble."" The bird muttered so softly Peke almost missed it. What he didn't miss were the two males. His breath catching in his throat he became ridged like a statue praying that they wouldn't notice him. Of course he did stand out with Nguvu perched upon him.  

[Light Atago]

"Peke? I thought... That wasn't the name Mchawi gave me, but if you're sure..." Machafuko said. Now was not the time to be getting into arguments, now was the time to be putting this useful drive into action. Machafuko gave a solemn nod. Had anyone been about to see it, they would've had to question if he was a different lion- this business-like attitude was such a rare sight in him. "A white raven... Do you have any idea where it could be, Msiba?"

His question was answered shortly after. Mach stopped and stood rigid. His ear flicked behind him and he swiveled, blue eyes sharply scanning the area where he had heard something. He wasn't sure what it was, but he'd heard it. "Msiba," he said almost silently, "Did you hear something?" The scrawny lion flicked his ear again, urging whatever had made the sound to do it again, a displeased look on his face. His eyes turned back to his brother, but one scraggly ear was turned towards Peke, where he had heard the sound. "Orders...?" he prompted of his brother quietly, unsure of whether he was just hearing things.  

[MoonRazor]

Msiba shrugged. "Nondo said white raven," He said. He wasn't too troubled by the sudden change of plans. As long as there was a seer, as long as it was a cub, as long as they could grab it. It was as simple as that for the pale green lion. He couldn't care less which one it was. But the fact that this one had a white raven as a marker did prove to be in his favor. For once.

He paused alongside his brother. Yes, he had heard... His eyes lingered where they were, then cast along slowly and- There it was. Well, it wasn't so much the cub as something white on the opposite side of the tree. Granted, he could only see the tail, but intuition told him this was what they had been looking for.

"He knows we're here," He growled lowly. Damn. For a moment he did nothing, then his glanced at Machafuko. "Well. We're just going to have to run and grab him." He suggested, though he knew plain well it was probably the only option now. There was no point in sneaking up on something that obviously was aware of your presence.

Another glance. Then he took a careful step forward. "Just run it down if and when it runs. It's just a cub, after all, and we don't much care about the raven."

He sank back on his hindquarters, preparing to push off and rocket himself after the little seer cub. "On my mark, then," He muttered. "One. Two... Run!" He leaped forward.  

[Atheare]

((I hope it's alright that I posted, this seems to be where Unyevu would step in. ))

Unyevu had been tailing Msiba for some time. The seer had been plagued by visions of his own children several times since Peke had made his escape, and each one made him more worried than the last.

Peke would be found eventually, and when he did Unyevu planned to be there, to make a difference. So what if he would suffer for it? Probably worse than before? At least now he was taking action, making himself useful.

No longer just a pawn in someone else's plans.

All his sulking and going unnoticed was finally paying off. He moved silently and unseen, watching. Waiting for the moment where he would intervene and help get Peke and the white raven one step closer to freedom. One step farther from Msiba, Mchawi, and Machafuko. Machafuko... Why did their brother suddenly have to decide to become yet another obstacle?

Unyevu froze, seeing the white raven not far from Machafuko and Msiba, Peke standing beneath him. His heart raced as he prayed that they would simply pass by without noticing, but no. Nothing had been going his way so far, so why should it start now?

"Msiba!" He snapped, dashing out from the cover in the shadows of the trees. The light hit his face and the deep gash across his muzzle stood out against even his red pelt, a reminder of how dearly he paid for each act of disobedience against the wicked siblings.

"Run, Peke! They know you're there!" He cried out, doing his best to position himself between the brothers and the cub.  

[Nuxaz]

Peke had been holding his breath the whole time he had been hiding, silently listening to the conversation or rather what he could pick up. They had been searching for a cub. For him? He didn't understand. Why were they looking for him? Wasn't that lady earlier looking for Ufunuo? Thoughts swirled around in an untimely manner in his mind. He didn't catch any more than that for the lion who had come to his aid earlier suddenly yelled to him.

He had been seen? Oh crap. Mentally the young cub cursed before scrambling forward and running as fast as he could away from the others. His heart was pounding so heavily in his chest he feared that it would burst. "Nguvu! What do I do?" He asked panic in his tone as he quickly glanced over at the bird. He couldn't out run the two males even if he had gotten a head start. He was still tired from running earlier. He wouldn't last much longer. "Nguvu!"

"I'm thinking! I'm thinking!" He cried back his mind racing trying to find a solution. What were they going to do? He couldn't remember this area well enough. Maybe they should go back to the maze of streams and try to lose them there. They were almost heading that way anyway. "Go to the streams!"

"Okay." He replied with uncertainty finally looking away from the bird only to catch his paw on something and crash to the ground. "Ughhh." He groaned content to just lay there when he felt Nguvu's beak gently nudging him. Remembering the situation he was in he quickly scrambled to his paws again and was running once more. Too bad he had lost some valuable get away time with that fall.  

[Light Atago]

"Huh." Machafuko said thoughtfully to the thought that the One was different than who they had thought.

At the thought of running, Machafuko's ears flattened. It was quite clear that he didn't want to go chase the thing all over Africa, but that he would without further complaint. After all... One mistake could mean a lot. Still, Mach hung on his brother's instructions and leapt forward right alongside Msiba.

That was... Until that Unyevu showed his face. Machafuko sneered at him as he ran, but unless Unyevu gave chase he was easily ignored. He was just a wrench in the system. And it was because of that big crimson lug that the cub was escaping, well on his way to freedom. But he was still just a cub, his stride was far shorter than that of a full-grown adult lion. Mtalia was soaring just above Machafuko, and off to one side. She knew that she couldn't hang on during a chase like this. Machafuko desperately hoped she'd stay out of the way... He could hope. After all, he was finally doing something she wanted him to do, he wasn't lazing and he was taking action.

((I think we ought to wait for Chibi/Ukweli by now... We can't have a chase going on with... almost all of the rescue party. XDD))  

[Chibi Sheepcat]

Unlike Unyevu, Ukweli had not been following the two brothers. The old seer had been quite optimistic after his last visions about the cubs, and had told Ngao that he must trust things as they came to past. It was something he believed now more than ever. Things would happen as they must, unless a vision told him that he had the power to change it. Even then, it was hard to know if he had succeeded. But he had not been worried about success when he set out that morning for his walk. Viza was perched on his mane, this time very alert so as to avoid another surprise attack from Kitisho. No surprise attack would come today, however. Ukweli had almost drifted into his thoughts when he heard voices not too far. It sounded almost like Msiba's voice, though he couldn't be sure.

The old seer crept forward to listen better, hoping that they would not be seen. Viza lay low against Ukweli's back, her eyes narrowed as the pair waited, listening. It sounded like Msiba and Machafuko were talking about a plan, a plan to grab a cub by the sounds of it. He resisted the urge to scowl. One of the cubs must have got away from Hifadhi. This was not good. But which one? Machafuko answered his question, repeating the name that Msiba had used for the cub. Peke. They were after Peke, one of the seer cubs. Before Ukweli could make up his mind to go back for help, Unyevu shot from the other side, telling Peke to run. The old seer was momentarily confused. Unyevu was... on the pride's side? Still, there was two of them and one of him. No doubt Msiba would go for Unyevu, but that still left his scrawny brother.

They were still for a moment, as Ukweli turned his head to look at Viza. An unspoken conversation passed between them, before the falcon finally bowed her head. The old must give their life for the young. With a determination he had not felt since his youth, Ukweli rose to his feet and charged down to intercept Machafuko. Viza flew low above his head, and screeched as they stopped in Machafuko's path. Ukweli stared disapprovingly at Peke's pursuer, as Viza landed on him and spread her wings wide.

Things would happen as they must.
 

[MoonRazor]

Not. Again.

Msiba was sick and tired of it. How had the seer even found them? Given Unyevu's tendencies, the lion could only imagine that they had been followed. Followed, meaning Unyevu had meant to foil their plans once again. Yes, Msiba really did prefer when the seer still bathed in his own self pity.

"You!" He snarled, whipping around to face Unyevu, somehow having twisted his body mid-stride. Angry fire had sparked in his eyes, raging far beyond anything that anyone had ever seen before. He felt fury envelope him. All rational thinking was gone. All he saw was a wall of red. And Unyevu, standing smack in the middle.

That lion was going to pay.

From the moment Unyevu had been... recruited to their cause, Msiba had vowed dearly that one day, the lion would pay. Because even then, he had felt that somewhere along the way, Unyevu would prove to be nothing but trouble. And Msiba had been right.

Thoughts of the seer cub, so close by, slipped his mind. He saw only Unyevu now. Screw the cub, the cub could be caught later. With an ugly snarl, he lunged for the crimson lion. Red on red. That was all he saw.

Fury sent adrenaline shooting through the lion, giving his claws accuracy and his fangs strength that he might otherwise never have found. Yes, he was going to make Unyevu pay. Dearly.  

[Atheare]

"Msiba, you must stop this!" Unyevu cried, desperate. He could not bear to watch this cub be forced into the same life he had. He could not allow Msiba to continue with his plans.

His eyes widened and Unyevu stopped in his tracks. Was Msiba truly attacking him? He had no time to think, not even enough to attempt to defend himself before Msiba was upon him, a look of shock and terror upon his face.

How could this happen? Had he pushed them too far? That much was obvious, but he had always been so sure that they would keep him alive as long as he was useful. Had his power become meaningless to them at last? Or had Msiba merely lost control?

It was likely that Unyevu would never know.

As Msiba made contact with the crimson lion, he felt as though a bull elephant had run head on at him, and in a moment he was on the ground, Msiba's claws deep in his flesh. The familiar feeling of enraged talons digging into him returned and he cried out in agony. He was helpless upon his back, trapped between the ground and a lion with fury burning in his eyes.

Msiba meant to kill him.

Unyevu kicked at the pale lion's underside with his back claws, but his attempts were feeble and did little to help him. Msiba was fueled by adrenaline and rage, but what did Unyevu have to drive him on? He barely had the will to live, let alone fight when things were so helpless and bleak.

"Don't... Don't hurt the cub." He pleaded with a shaky voice, though he knew that he wouldn't listen. "Please..."  

[Light Atago]

The appearance of two extras was not what they had intended. But, unfortunately, there was no way to get at Peke, not with Unyevu and gramps here. Machafuko snarled in frustration.

"I've got the Elder," Machafuko informed his brother, wondering silently if he was heard above Msiba's anger. He turned his attention from the crimson abomination to the grey one, having a feeling that his brother had Unyevu well under control.

"You're in the way, old man!" Machafuko spat, barely giving Ukweli the time to retort before he himself launched himself at the grey lion, a loud roar erupting from deep within him. He'd hoped he'd knock the lion down, and if he was lucky he'd manage to get a good slash in on one of Ukweli's front legs.

He had a feeling... that this would be a short lived fight, for both himself and for Msiba.

Mtalia took to the air, she knew that Machafuko handled fights, and she "played defense," as it was.  

[Chibi Sheepcat]

Ukweli couldn't help but feel a little pathetic making a last stand as his age. Hifadhi would have put up a better fight at least, and held the ground long enough for Peke to get a good distance away. Hifadhi was still a fighter, even at his age. But there hadn't been enough time to go and get the old Captain, not to mention the Seer didn't have the slightest clue where he was at this moment. Thus, the only thing Ukweli would do was face Machafuko, legs braced as best he could against the charge. His roar was not answered, as the old seer refused to rise to any bait. He would approach this with the same calm and patience that he used when waiting for visions. It would be the only time he knew exactly what he was waiting for.

Quite possibly double the age of Machafuko, the old seer could not be expected to remain standing after any charge. Viza was off his back the moment Machafuko made contact, swiping at the lion's face while Ukweli struggled to recover his breath. His front paws acted on instinct, as he scrambled for purchase on the ground. However, with an injured front limb and damage to his shoulder where the other lion had collided, things were not looking too great. He settled for a semi-crouch, barely standing on three legs.

"Peke you must run!" He called, not taking his eyes off Machafuko. Ukweli needed to buy the cub a little more time, but he wasn't sure how much longer Machafuko would stay interested in him.