|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:20 pm
 |
|
|
 |
A soft sigh, a deep breath, Ufunuo inhaled the scents of home. They were home, they were safe, in his relief at having escaped the vultures he had almost forgotten why they had been in such a rush to get home. Ngao!
"Where's Ngao?"
His voice, though quiet, was touched with worry. Had they made it back in time, had Ubele's vision already happened? Could they do anything to stop it if it hadn't? With those questions came more questions, questions about Daga and all that he had told him. What had he meant by darkness, betrayer, what did Mchawi have to do with all of this, was she the one that had harmed, or would harm, Ngao?
"Do you think Dumu is here? Maybe Peke and Kuruka found their way home?"
He looked up hopefully, eyes looking to the old lion. Would they find the others here, or were they still lost?
Flying low, Daga settled at Ufunuo's side, worry in his own eyes. The young cub was exhausted, and something told him their troubles were not over yet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:43 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:34 pm
|
|
|
|
"I hope so."
He looked down at his paws, covered in dust and flecked with a few drops of blood, probably from the vultures though perhaps some of it was his own. Judging from his paws, he could only imagine how the rest of him must have looked, he must have been a mess. Silently he wondered what his mother would have said had she seen him right then. Would she be angry, or just glad to see him safe?
His mother, he wondered how she was. He had not seen her since the quake, kept away like the rest of the pride, she was very sick and needed her rest he had been told. But maybe by now she was feeling better and maybe they'd let him see her. And maybe he could show her Daga, that would make him happy.
It sure was quiet, he hadn't noticed before, but now he wondered. Though he did not think about it as much as he maybe should have, did not understand it was Hifadhi did, it did seem odd that it was so quiet. Where was everyone?
Gliding just above Ufunuo's back, or at least gliding as well as he could so close to the ground, Daga's gaze shifted, a glance turned to Hifadi and his bonded as his eyes investigated the lands of the pride. He had noticed it as well, something was not right, and he did not like it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 2:22 pm
|
|
|
|
Ubele stayed close to her brother and Hifadhi. Her fur was stained in several places with specks of blood from scratches given to her by the vultures. None of them were critical, but a few were bad enough to be giving her some discomfort. However, she was ignoring it completely. Her bright gaze searched frantically for any sign of the female guard Ngao. After her vision, Ubele was terrified about what might have happened to the other female. She had always given the older lioness trouble, but Ubele did care for Ngao, and she did not want her to get hurt.
Ubele continued to scan the area, hoping to see the familiar female. Her tail twitched back and forth in agitation and she had trouble sitting still. Had her vision come true? Was Ngao laying somewhere, bleeding?
"Hifadhi? Where is she?! What if she's already hurt? What if we were too late? Oh please, please don't let it be too late," she pleaded why inwardly cursing the vultures who had slowed down their return to the main lands. If they had not been attacked, they would have gotten here sooner. If Ngao was already hurt or worse . . . Ubele vowed vengeance on those vultures.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 5:11 pm
|
|
|
|
Ngao had returned to her patrol routine. True, she had been advised by Ukweli to rest and let things happen as they must, but being a lioness of action it wasn't an easy thing to do. She couldn't stay still, couldn't wait. At least, not completely. It seemed she understood Hifadhi's stubbornness more than ever. In fact, it was a trait she had begun to share. She would not be idle. Not if there was something, anything she could do.
Her stride was a brisk limp, her flank wounds still pussing and oozing despite the healing they had begun to reach for. It slowed her down, but it wouldn't stop her. The other wounds she had gained were visible but relatively toleratable. It was a good thing, because the pride's atmosphere made her extremely uneasy. It felt as if death was going to jump out before her, and everyone else she cared about, within moments. But nothing happened. She limped along, eyes alert, gaze sweeping the landscape. Nothing.
Hofu glided lightly at her side. He still refused to rise into the air and risk attack. He knew he had to stay with Ngao. The young captain needed all the help she could get.
"Ngao," He called to her sharply, his words purposeful, "I see Hifadhi...and two cubs." Only two.
"Hifadhi? And gods, where are the other three?" Ngao gasped and lurched forward, racing to meet them. She could only imagine what had happened. Already she felt her heart drowning in the dark waters of guilt.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 5:43 pm
|
|
|
|
Hifadhi looked up, shock and relief hitting him like a ton of bricks. Ngao. She was alright... though his eyes were quickly drawn to her injury. But she was still alive. She wasn't dying. She wasn't on the brink of death. She was alright.
"Ngao... Hey! It's Ngao! She's okay!" Pepo said eagarly, flapping his wings about... though he winced a little, for he had been hurt by the vultures that had attack him. He tried his best to ignore it, "Ngao! Hey miss Captain!" He cried out.
"She's alright..." Hifadhi finally let himself breathe. He had been so worried that he had found it hard to stay together... even him... but everything was alright. She was alright. Well, she had obviously been hurt, and likely badly, but she hadn't died. She hadn't let it keep her down. But was that all, or was the worst yet to come? Gods... could she still be in danger?
"But she's alright..." He looked down at the cubs, relieved beyond all measure, "Ngao is fine... See? She's fine..." Though now he supposed some explinations would be nessesary. Why he only had two cubs. Why he was back. Why all of them had been injured... Well, they had some explaining to do. On both sides.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 5:54 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:32 pm
|
|
|
|
An ear flicked, his eyes raised at the sudden change in Hifadhi's voice. Ngao, she was okay, well, mostly okay, had the vision already happened? Was it possible?
A small smile, he was relieved to see Ngao was okay, and to see the fear had faded from his sister's eyes. But what about the others? What about all that Daga had told him? Where the other's here? Young though he was and though he did not understand, he remained uncertain. Was it okay to relax?
"Is Dumu here? Did Kuruka and Peke come back?"
His paws shifted, eyes focused on Ngao. If anyone knew, surely she would, oh please let them be home and safe.
The eagle settled by Ufunuo, wings folded at his sides. Pleased to see the lioness was alive, Daga could not help the edge he felt, something in the air kept his guard up. He knew there was danger near by, the wounds on the lioness were a clear sign of that. And he, would be ready for it.
"What has happened?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:24 pm
|
|
|
|
As happy as she was to see them, as relieved as she was that they were alive, Ngoa was all business. Ubele, who had come the nearest, she roughly patted with a paw, not mainly as a sign of affection but to assess her condition and get a better look at her injuries. Nothing vital that she could see, and she gave it a very critical look over before glancing at the child's brother and her mentor.
"What do you mean? Why would they be here? I thought they were with you!" Her voice was severe, sharpened by worry. All this time she had been consentrating on fretting over the pride that was within her reach...and now she wished she had worried more about the children, though it would have done no good at all.
She completely ignored any comments about her health, turning her gaze searchingly to Hifadhi. Her side of the story hardly seemed to matter, not when three of his charges were missing! Oh, what had went wrong? She had thought at least the children had been taken care of...
"What's going on?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:41 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:16 pm
|
|
|
|
His own ears twitched, falling with disappointment at Ngao's words. They weren't here? But, they had to be here, why weren't they here? He had been so sure that Dumu at least would be there. And what about Kuruka and Peke, where could they have gone?
With a soft sigh he settled onto his haunches, tail flicking against one hind paw. He hoped that they were okay, maybe they were on their way home too. Maybe...he hoped.
"Hifadhi?"
Ufunuo looked up again, eyes settled on Hifadhi, then Ngao. The old lion's voice had suddenly changed, he didn't understand why. The cub had thought it would be okay when they saw Ngao, his sister wasn't afraid anymore, and Hifadhi had seemed to cheer up, but now, something seemed different. Was something else wrong, something more than the Ubele's vision?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:53 am
|
|
|
|
Awash with relief, Ubele did not feel the tension in the air until it became too heavy to not be noticed. She gazed around anxiously, wondering what could still be wrong. After all, Ngao was safe. Peke, Dumu, and Kuruka were still missing though, and that was a great cause for worry. She hoped that the other three cubs were safe. She did enjoy their company, though Ubele didn't show it very often.
A strange prickling feeling began in her neck. Ubele fidgeted slightly, wondering at the feeling. Her hackles rose slightly and her eyes had difficulty focusing. She found herself once again staring at a fixed point in front of her. Her muscles tensed as her sight faded. Reality was replaced by an image so clear, she wondered how she had gotten there. She saw him. The lion . . . the cliff . . . her father, Umoja.
Another vision. She couldn't even tell the others around her what was wrong as she couldn't speak through her vision. She couldn't move. Ubele didn't even know what she looked like to the others, but could find no way of drawing attention to herself. She would just have to wait until the vision cleared and she could tell someone what she saw.
She had to help her father!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:15 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:28 pm
|
|
|
|
Hifadhi stepped in front of Ngao, his face intense, "You are injured. You will stay here. I hear it as well..." He turned towards the noise, "I will sort it out, you watch the cubs... and when I get back, we will have a serious talk about what is going on here. You are in no shape to take care of any possible fighting." With that, he made to march off... then he stopped a moment.
"Cubs..." He looked at Ubele and Ufunuo, smiling, "Take good care of the Captain. Don't let her run off and hurt herself, I'm counting on you. You've already shown how brave you are. Stay brave, for me?" Then he moved away, looking at Ngao, "Stay here. I mean that. You are injured."
Pepo rolled his eyes and sighed, "Sorry Ngao... He hasn't really changed." With that, he flew ahead to see what was going on, Hifadhi moved quickly after him. He needed to find out what was going on... and then he needed to look out for Ngao. Who knew whether or not the vision had come true or not yet? Then he was gone.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:51 pm
|
|
|
|
His eyes drifted from one adult to the other. Something was wrong, Ngao and Hifadhi had said so, or at least something was happening, but what? He had opened his maw, intending to ask, but whatever words he had were lost in the moment that Hifadhi spoke. Wait, he was leaving, where was he going, were they all going?
He had taken a step, for a moment he wanted to follow, to stay with Hifadhi. But the lion's tone had stopped him, they were staying here, only Hifadhi was going. It seemed they were always splitting up, first Kuruka, then Peke, and now Hifadhi. But they were with Ngao now, and surely Hifadhi would return, right?
Turning to his sister, all thoughts vanished, concern suddenly seizing his features. Ubele? She wasn't moving, frozen like a statue, did she even see him, could she hear him?
"Ubele? Are you okay?"
What was wrong with her?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
