Welcome to Gaia! ::

Hey bro, and welcome to another firekin event!

It has been a week since the firekin were attacked by an unknown force. A week since a group of lost Hongshan arrived at the prides borders, making tension between the two groups hit a fever pitch. The borders are secured, but lack of water has weakened many of the forces. Although many things are uncertain, one thing is clear: the firekin must make a choice. Do they support their new allies? Do they take action against an enemy they do not even know?

Well, they're firekin. Of course something is going to be done! The only answer now is what...

THIS RP INCLUDES SOME BIG CHANGES TO THE PRIDE.

Even if you do not wish to RP, I do suggest you read over the proceedings. At the end of the RP there will be a super important OOC message from us about how we will be going forward. Pleeeeaseeeee read. Failure to comply with the rules we set out will make us super sad face, for cereal.

But what about prizes!

During the event, we'll be giving out a lovely firekin lady! You do not need a duel for her to join the pride, but you DO need a completed JRP for certing. A raffle will likely be held at the end for everyone who has yet to win something. She is not a Hongshan.

In addition, I'll be raffling a free headshot to everyone who enters, regardless of wins!

Kosuke spared a glance at Shula, who still recovered from her injuries. She was much better than she had been, but he still worried. The male squared his shoulders, then stepped forward, gold eyes narrow. "I think we all know the answer to that question, and the answer is that we must strike back and find the filthy cowards who hide in the shadows to attack us! We are the FIREKIN, we fear NOTHING!" His tail curled as he looked around, listening for any who voiced a similar opinion.

Savitri rose to her paws, having been sitting. "If we're going to war, we need to put the cubs somewhere safe first, protect the future of the pride!" The pure-white lioness just had no idea where to STICK them... Her eyes passed down to two of her cubs at her paws, who looked up with fear in their large eyes. Despite what Kosuke had said... She DID fear. She feared for their safety, as well as their cousins, and all the other cubs. "Does anybody know of a safe place, somewhere our faceless cowardly enemies won't find them?"

Only a few minutes ago, Seide had a conversation with Veru. It was not the pleasant chatter where Veru attempted to annoy her, and the large, cool lioness pretended to ignore it. Seide took death with the same outward neutrality that bespoke her profession. But, inwardly, her gut was beginning to twist.

"I'll be close by," she offered the mostly white lion. There was no hesitation, then, as she bumped her forehead against his. Maybe Veru didn't need the comfort, and maybe he was better off than Seide was imagining, but her mother had always drowned she and her sisters in affection when things went wrong. It was not a lesson she forgot.

There were other lions gathering already for an announcement she'd already known. Breaking into a trot, Seide made her way through loose sand and abutments of solid rock. She joined her Uncle and Aunt in law. She imagined their eyes must have been greying by now, with the constant stress. There was no outlet in site.

Perhaps war would give the Firekin hope. More likely, they would harass their leaders with questions until their personal panic died down or grew to an intolerable level. Seide's eyes searched the crowd. They found Veru, and she did her best to form a smile. It did not come out well.

"This, Savitri, is the safest place. Do not forget that."

She was still, to say the least riled up. She had been told to relax, to jut wait, to be patient while the regents decided what to do and now, now here they were finally making a decision. Jyotika gave a quiet growl and flickers her tail "Its to be a hunt then?" She calls, she wasn't one to hold back her words, she was ready to go, ready to claim the lives of those who dared to touch one of her children, dared to maim one of them.

"We are firekin, we should not be sitting talking, it's time for action!"

Ea'Pavlov sits beside his mother and shakes his head. He was worried about her, he knew she would go marching in to battle teeth and claws out and ready to take down what ever was out there. She was a tough old bird. She would probably and kill him if he said that to her face. He was willing to march out beside her, to make sure she came back alive. He stayed quiet listening to his mothers powerful words.

Near by the new family of three mostly, black and white lions sat together, the large male sitting between and slightly in front of his two sisters. He had finally managed to win his duel so here he sat, taking his place protecting his sisters and being filled in with quiet whispers. It sounded like there was a war on the horizon. He liked the idea of that. He stays quiet, watching the creatures around them as they voiced their opinions. Tails lashed every where it seemed and Xagans tail automatically joined in. He liked a good brawl.

Geei snorts and looks to her youngest sibling "You'll be staying here Adalie." She whispers, her voice kept low "You would get in our way, stay behind and see to the wounded." She snipps.

Adalie grumbles at her sister but nods. She was no fighter, strong enough to win a single fight but in a battle, in a war, she would probably get hurt, or worse killed, especially with her siblings around trying to make sure she wasn't getting dead.

Haru moves closer to the calling regents, his tail held high his ears tilted forwards. He felt it was time for him to take some action. The firekin had let him come home, they had accepted him and his lady mate and now they were calling for war, calling for assistance. Haru was a strong lion and he would go to war with them, happily.

Tyson moves over to his father. He had always been a small lion but he had been paying attention. Lots of things had been happening and he wasn't going to be left behind. He could be a feirce creature when the need arose. 'I'm with you father." He smiles at Kosuke, "For mother."

Kuzaliwa`Jpi padded over the warm sand, passing several lions she knew but her thoughts were too disturbed to greet them properly, offering a simple nod of her head to each as she passed. Once near the front of the swelling gathering she brought herself to a halt, pale yellow eyes lifting to settle on the regents. The recent events from the start of the water shortage to the arrival of the newest hongshan members, and this latest attack on their own pride was enough to shake the faith of even the steadiest firekin and Kuza no longer felt sure about what was going to happen, or what they could do. It had gone from a difficult situation to a dangerous one. Sighing softly she glanced over to the side and spotted one of her brothers, Ea'Pavlov, and her mother. Turning she made her way over towards them, needing the comforting familiarity of family in this time of war.

The burly young adolescent Souzan padded up to the side of the gathering, his mis-matched green eyes sweeping over the assembled lions before lifting to his grandparents. He might have been young but he was not dumb and he knew what had been going on, after all it was kind of hard to ignore it. Settling his rump on the sand he curled his tail about him, glancing round hopefully for his siblings or parents. Yet without any in sight he returned his gaze to his (slight scary) grandparents, noting the anger that fairly vibrated through Kidono. Yet it was No who always made him nervous and so he settled to watching the cold lioness, wondering what would happen, though suspecting it would be war. That was the firekin way.

Xiāofáng had joined recently and still felt like an outsider in this incredibly close-knit pride. Yet she didn't let that stop her and she walked through the gathering like she had the right to be there, and considering she had won her challenge to enter the pride, she felt that she had all the rights of any pride-born lion. Yet this new development in her adopted pride worried the ex-rogue. She knew just how dangerous strange lions could be and these ones were strong enough to take down a member of the firekin pride... they certainly needed watching, and the pride needed to find out who these strangers where, how many of them were out there and how strong they were. Sighing softly she glanced about but saw few that she recognized. Giving Kuza a brief wave of her paw she turned to face forwards again, a concerned frown marring her expression.

Elda was not usually one for these big gatherings. She'd much prefer to be training or on patrol or...being by herself. Unfortunately the summoning roar was not something she could easily ignore. There was meaning behind it. Anger, too, and somehow she did not think she wanted to miss what was about to happen. It had a sense of urgency about it and it stirred the blood in her veins. So, instead of moving off in the opposite direction - as she might normally have done - she pulled herself up onto her paws and moved across to where a large crowd was already gathering.

She was a large female, strong and loyal, but did not have much smarts between her ears. She was not a thinker. She was not a leader. She was an obedient grunt and so when there were times of debate, Elda had very little to say. Fortunately, where she might have backed off at such a large gathering and all the raised voices, it was one voice in particular that kept her rooted.

Seide's.

Whilst she was no longer the lioness' apprentice, the young adult still felt a kinship with the female - a bond that no one else had managed to create with her. And so, with a sharp exhale, the female moved around to get closer to her old master; moving quietly so as not to attract attention. She certainly didn't want to get caught up in any debates. She just wanted to be close to Seide in case she was needed, that was all.

Unfortunately for her, she had been spotted and by young Su, no less. The keen-eyed, political thinker was on her trail in moments, giving her tail a firm tug when her soft call did little to get her attention.

"Didn't expect to see you here." Su chirped when Elda cast a look back at long last.

Elda gave a grunt and, satisfied that she was close enough to her master, dropped into a casual sitting position on the sand.

"Well don't be like that. I think things are about to get very interesting." And the more petite - and far better groomed female - sat down next to her ogre of a friend.