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 Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 10:00 pm
INTRODUCTION
The cubs produced from the recent rogue swap are maturing. They are well past their homecoming journey's and have begun to test the edges of lionesses' patience with their curiosity. Provided they have lived through the trials of disease and predation that many cubs often face, they are now becoming fit, healthy juvenilles who are ready to learn the basics of the world outside of the female caretaking group.
A group of a few lionesses is taking a bunch of unruly cubs out, past the pridal lands, for a few days. Here, they will learn the land through observation and gain knowledge they will need for the period without rain (in which the pride may have to migrate for food and water sources).
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Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 10:21 pm
OOC Information
This is open for anyone with a cub/juvenille Bonelands member.
There is also room for one adult lioness helping to watch the juveniles on their first time out. This will be given to the first person with an adult lioness to post. (Your cue is in the first event post ;D) Slot taken by Buna (played by Annchen)
There is no specific posting order, and you are free to post as many times as you would like. Interact with your fellow players!
How this will work:
An "Event" will be posted. Events will often contain an image, and a description, and a " exclaim " with the word event at the top of the post. They are also written in the standard, size 10 font used by the mule.
All characters playing may react to the event as soon as it is posted. Events will be placed based on the amount of activity there is. The more posts made, the faster events will occur! Players may post as many times as they like between events.
Between events, plots and interactions may be pushed by player characters. (For example, a character suggesting to move to a water source, etc.)
A character may jump in at any time, and will be assumed to have been there the entire time. No IC late-commers!
At the end, I will take a few people with the most posts and draw them a quick headshot of the SoA characters of their choice.
IC Information
- Beyond hunting tactics, learning will be done by observation from the cubs. This is not an official "teaching" session, like a field trip. The female teachers are out to do their jobs (usually hunting), and the juveniles are coming along for the ride.
- There will be nothing like, "Girls, boys, do not eat this berry, it is poisonous." There might be little Johnny getting the back of his head smacked if he tries to eat said berries, despite the fact the entire group is avoiding them.
- Because of the above, the juvenilles are expected to be on good behavior! (Not that they will be, but it is still expected).
- This continues off and on during a juvenilles growth. Again, it is how they learn vital information about the world that isn't located within the safety of their female support group. It can keep a rogue male alive if they get kicked out, and it will help the entire group more easily traverse during migrational drought. With that in mind, feel free to make your own, private RPs on this topic.
- Juvenilles will not be doing any actual hunting on these outings! They are still too young and too small and would get seriously injured.
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Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 10:35 pm
exclaim Event The sun was a pale glow on the eastern horizon. The dirt beneath their feet was a pale, dirty grey in the morning light. A cool northeastern wind was passing through, and in the distance the sky rumbled.
Ulaka and another lioness had been passing the word they were leaving for a hunt the day previous. They'd told friends and family with growing cubs of this fact. Those friends would understand the implication, and if they thought their juveniles were ready for an outing, those juveniles would certainly be here.
They'd be in for a treat, of course. Despite that she'd accused him of stalking her to the pride, Ulaka did a great degree of boasting that it was her brother who had become a member of the Umholi. Many of the juveniles likely already knew of her. Not, perhaps, because her brother was an Abaholi, but because she was loud.
"Hot sand. It's almost past sunrise. Where is she?" Ulaka did not attempt to mask her frustration with her missing hunting partner.
The earthy lioness was positioned just inside what was determined a safe wandering zone from the pride. The waking members could be seen easily, though the location offered a slight degree of solitude in the tall grass.
-
Feel free to begin posting cubs/juveniles. You may do a "drop-off" post (or two) with their parent if you own that character.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 5:31 am
 Buna might have been a little bit late, but not overly so, and her keen ears had picked up Ulaka's impatient comment as she approached through the grass. She thought about playing dumb, but in the end she couldn't let the comment slide without saying anything. The dark lioness was not very good at keeping her mouth shut.
"Keep your fur on," she said and the tip of her tail twitched impatiently, "The young ones aren't even here yet."
In her opinion she was doing Ulaka a favour by being here at all. She knew a little bit about how much of a pain the young in her own group could be. Nja's cubs... Her tail twitched again, but for another reason. But they would hopefully be too excited by the outing to tie twigs to her tail this time. She wondered if Ulaka had heard about that particular prank. She took pride in her hunting skills, and to have cubs sneak up on her like that was a blow to her self-esteem.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 6:01 am
 Sekai wasn't sure she wanted to leave her mother. In the past Beru had gone off to hunt without her two cubs, but she had never before sent her daughters off to hunt without her. Sekai, so used to being kept away from the pride in general with only her mother and sister for company, was now regretting that she had asked if she could participate in this hunting trip. Well, not participate as such. More like tag along to watch.
Either way, she was having second thoughts about leaving her mother and as the family made its way to the meeting place she twined between her mother's feet and practically walked beneath her in an effort to keep hidden. Beru had done a thorough job of convincing at least this daughter that she would be better off if she was neither seen nor heard.
"I don't want to," she whispered when they came within sight of Ulaka and Buna. "I'll stay home with you and Eisa!"
Beru was firm, though, in telling her daughter that she had agreed to participate in this and that no daughter of hers would go back on her word after plans had been made to include her. For that matter, Beru added, plans had been made on her mother's part that did not include her, and so if she changed her mind she would be upsetting everyone's plans.
"Now go on, and be good," were Beru's parting words to her daughter before nudging the purple-eyed cub in the direction of the two waiting lionesses.
Sekai obeyed, slinking miserably toward them and casting glances at her mother over her shoulder until she reached them, hoping for a reprieve. She wasn't good with new people. She had met very few in her short life, and these two had not been among them. She tried to make herself as small and unobtrusive as possible, hunching apologetically a short distance away from the unfamiliar lionesses without any intention of speaking to them unless first spoken to.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 6:37 am
Buna nodded in greeting as her Umama arrived with her cub. She had heard about them, but not really seen them yet, and she made a point not to stare. It had been a surprise to her that Beru had participated in the rogue swap, but she figured there had to be a very good reason for her to do so. The times were changing it seemed, and she didn't like it. Beru's cubs were bound to be raised to be properly respectful at least...
"Go on," Buna said in her kindest voice, "Don't be shy, girl. What's your name?"
She knew the names of the two girls, but wasn't sure if this one was Eisa or Sekai. Better to ask than to assume.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 7:02 am
Had she been human, Sekai would have blanched at being spoken to. Her mother had told her to be good, and probably being polite and making the right kind of introductions fell under that.
"My name is Sekai. I'm sorry," she said. And she really was. Already she was disappointing her mother! Had she been human, she also might have begun to cry at this point, but since that was not an option for her she merely sounded piteous while she did as she was told.
The fact that the lioness with the darker coat was being so nice to her just made her feel worse. These people were important, or at least more important than she was, and her mother's position in the pride made it absolutely essential that Sekai make a good impression on them. She just didn't know how! She wished she hadn't expressed any interest in this whole affair when her mother mentioned it to her and Eisa.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 7:24 am
 To say Thuli was excited about being part of this little field trip was an understatement. The young lioness had been up early and grown restless as light slowly took over the sky, trying to be quiet so as to not wake or bother her family but failing miserably at it.
Thuli was now leading a small group of cubs when she joined the adults. A few mothers followed the little procession and Thuli was aware of the goodbyes that were being said behind her back as she bounded forward, her mind already focused on the promise of adventure that lay ahead.
“Good morning!” She greeted the adults cheerfully before realizing one of them – the one talking to a brown lioness a little older than herself - looked strangely familiar. Oh… oh! Thuli’s bright eyes sought her sister Orabela as if she intended to warn her that the lioness they had played a prank on was going to be one of the adults leading the group. While the cub wondered in silence if Buna was angry about the prank, a part of her couldn’t help but wonder how amazing it would be if they could pull another prank on her. Considering the situation, she might get into a whole lot of trouble but oh… the temptation!
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 9:17 am
The brown little girl didn't look like trouble at all. In fact, she appeared to be scared out of her wits right now. This was Beru's daughter and, no matter how she had been conceived, Buna felt it was her duty to take good care of her. She didn't want to have to explain herself to her Umama if something should happen.
"Sekai," she said, and gave the girl a motherly smile, trying to make her feel a bit better before the others arrived. "We'll have fun today."
And speaking of 'fun'... Buna noticed a couple of familiar cubs rushing towards the meeting place. Of course, why wouldn't they join? Nja was in her group and she couldn't have avoided telling her about the outing, could she? She met the blue eyes of one of the little hellions and gave the girl a stern look. There better be no foolishness today.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 11:09 am
"All luck!" Ulaka retorted quickly to Buna as the darker lioness joined her. The pride had gorged yesterday, and were in high spirits and health. It was ideal for the beginning of a hunt, and traveling for young hunters.
"Ah, I see a few of the Lusizi have made it." The loudness of the statement, and her refusal to look at the other huntress was an indication that she may, in fact, have heard a rumor about twigs and tail hair. Ulaka rose to her feet, and while Buna took care of formal, and direct introductions, the pale lioness began to make a head count.
-
One such cub that Thuli had managed to gather around her was Matifa. The large cub was nearly numb with excitement, and pattered along after her sister with wide eyes, a low head, and scanning.
She froze, her eyes focused forwards when the Big Buna, as she was now being called by the cub, sent a very stern glare in their direction. Matifa picked up the pace, to catch up to her sister's shoulder. The dark brown lusizi bumped her sister's neck with her forehead.
"Why is Big Buna looking at us like that?"
-
"Nice group!" Ulaka shouted out again over the buzz of small-voiced talk. "The sun is rising, and my feet are itching. Buna, are you ready to go?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 2:50 pm
Thuli endured Buna’s glare stubbornly before smirking as her eyes drifted towards the adult’s dark tail tuft but she became unnaturally still when the words of the light-colored adult reached her ears.
“Yes, the Lusizi are here.” She said, dropping low in a dramatic curtsy. The cub eyed the pale lioness with such intensity that would seem as if she was trying to read the adult’s mind – and she actually was though the lack of success quickly caused her to give up. Being called a Lusizi was bad enough in itself but when it was said by an adult who she couldn’t really scratch or bite without getting into some serious trouble, her frustration levels grew unreasonably. This was her only weakness, after all. Not a good start.
“Mmm…? Oh.” her sister’s question dispersed Thuli’s tension in an instant and the nudge felt comforting. Deeply relieved, Thuli smiled and not-too-quietly turned to face Matifu with a wicked grin and a quick chuckle. Her eyes shone brighter then the sky above. “Well, a few days ago Orabela distracted her while I tied a bunch of twigs to her tail. It was awesome! I even got a few leaves in there. Oh, I think we’re leaving…” her expression became one of blissful excitement and she moved forward with bouncy steps, occasionally glancing at Buna.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:13 pm
Nja's little lookalike was apparently not discouraged by stern looks, but the cubs venom was soon redirected at Ulaka. Buna wondered if the other lioness had seen the glare. Her hope that this trip would go by without mayor disasters was shrinking with every minute. The prospect of leaving sent a ripple of excitement through the crowd and hopefully the excitement of a hunting trip would take so much energy there wouldn't be any left to dream up mischief.
"Yes," Buna said with a smile that looked a little bit tense, "Let's get going. The prey will not just sit around for us."
She moved around the group, taking up the rear to make sure there wouldn't be any stragglers. She'd done this before and knew the group might need some herding to keep all youngsters together. Buna counted the cubs as she walked, and then counted them again. She did not intend to let anyone slip away, by accident or on purpose.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 5:48 pm
"SISTERRRS!" The little cub's voice, loud and brazen as ever, cut through the hum of gathered voices to announce Orabela's presence. Without pausing to take note of all the adults, she dashed into the fray and promptly flung herself at her two sisters.
"Oh look!" She said suddenly, righting herself as her wide, pale eyes took her in surroundings. Ears perked and strained eagerly in Buna's direction. How exciting! Ora was under no illusions that the lioness was at all pleased with her and Thuli after their little stunt with the twigs the other day, but she was optimistic enough to think that... perhaps Buna would be generous enough to live and let live. It had all been in good humor, anyway.
"Where are we going?" The little cub added in a hushed voice as the group began to move out, looking up at her two sisters curiously. As always, she had come along simply because she had heard something was happening. It didn't matter what it was. Do first, ask questions later.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 11:48 pm
exclaim Event The group sets out shortly after sunrise. The weather, which began clear and cool, is encroaching. The sun is now constantly overshadowed by clouds.
They've been hiking steadily upwards for hours. The two female leaders are ahead and behind the cubs, avoiding a steep edge that careens downward. If one dares a glance, the Eastern African Plateau lands stretch far outwards, flood-lakes and streams glinting in the fading midday sunlight.
Though the cubs will not know the difference, the adults have never seen such consistent rain. But, the pride has never moved so far north.
-
"The winds all wrong," Ulaka called back, looking over her shoulder. "I can't catch scent of them." The lioness let out a growl of frustration and came to a halt.
"They'll smell us approaching if we come in at this angle. And it's too far to go around." After a few agitated tail flicks, she had made up her mind.
"'ey, Buna!" Louder this time, so the other lioness could easily hear her. "Break here? Maybe we can catch some herd movements from this vantage?" Provided they didn't get snuck up on from behind, or lose any cubs over the cliffs, of course.
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Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 5:20 am
Sekai had been doing her best to avoid meeting anyone's eyes after initially introducing herself to Buna. Being silent for the duration of a climb of several hours was not difficult for the young lusizi, who had been practicing silence for as long as she'd been alive, as per her mother's preferences that her cubs remain uneaten when she could not be with them. The strenuous nature of their upward climb helped to steal away any inclination she might have to attempt speech.
There was also the unnerving and sheer drop to one side which made her want to do nothing but jump off of it and attempt flight. Her life in the Bonelands had never had much in the way of inclines, and it was not suicidal tendencies that held her, but something else. She had never been so high up, and it was exhilarating. Sekai was constantly straying toward the edge to peer over it, shuffling her paws so that she didn't accidentally place them on empty air.
A part of her wanted to know what they would do if it rained, as it seemed to be threatening to do , but Sekai couldn't make herself ask. She hadn't even been able to make herself offer her name to the other cubs who had come along on the excursion. They were sisters, she thought, based on how alike they looked, and that was all she knew of them. Her mother would be so disappointed.
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