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The growing amount of attention that these intruders were getting was not unexpected, but certainly would not make them look like a welcoming party either. It was then that a pride member, Ute to be exact made the same decision that Kinja had come to. Not wanting to let the younger lioness go completely alone, Kinja joined her as Ute made her way to the group.

"State your business!"

At Ute's words Kinja looked up expectantly to the group but did not stop her approach. After all, who would attack an old lioness? She posed no threat to them, and Ute couldn't possibly take the whole group of them on her own. No, here they were the ones presenting their bellies and hopefully it would prove fruitful.

"We just wish to speak to you and know your intentions." She called out to them as Ute and she grew closer. Head held high and ear forward Kinja hoped that this plan didn't backfire on them. If the group did turn out to be hostile, Ute would have no issues getting away, but Kinja wasn't so sure of her own capability.

Kich frowned. "A group of rogues. It doesn't seem too large...but a few can take down many if trained right." He saw his daughter start to move forward and call for others, and he licked his mate's ear. "I'm going with Ute. Miale!" The golden-eyed lioness looked back to Kich and nodded, falling back to Zii's side. She'd stay with her aunt! She nodded to the white lioness, offering one of her slight smiles. And Kich moved to join his daughter and the others who'd chosen to go with them. He kept silent, simply a large presence to add. Hopefully, it would help to keep any foolish at bay.

Isifo's ears were in constant motion. Feet had stopped moving, hair was raised along backs of both the red lions and the Hongshan. The guard they were with seemed to be hesitant, at best, and the Firekin were amassing like maggots in a wound that poured its way over the sand.

"Wlaek't klo kaddak'ar?" It was spoken in a strong, gravelly voice that reached out to the other refugees.

Tired, paws blistered, fur matted, hearts heavy with loss, their small group could hardly have been considered a force of war. The Firekin looked sleek, ready, in comparison, but even the one they had been following had body language hat made Isifo wary.

Never the less, he had tasted freedom, and should the Firekin challenge that freedom, Isifo would fight again, and he would draw blood - much of it. "Wlaek ba klov vaerk?" His claws were unsheathed and dug into the sand.

Ute was aware of how many were following her as she approached the strangers. Her blue eyes observed them quietly, taking in the hierarchy of the strangers. The leaders versus the followers. Not that she'd simply pick one out to be the one to talk too. She'd let the leader show himself... She turned her head upon hearing Xennek catching up to her and stepping to speak. "Yes. Make them send representatives to us. I just didn't want them to walk all the way to us and have a head start into the pride." She said quietly. "Did someone send to alert the others? I felt it wasn't necessary to boss anyone around." She turned back and stopped, not far from them but not close enough to be taken advantage of. She looked to Wswana; the one who called out their intentions.

"Send forth someone to speak to us. No need to have to many voices to listen too... I am coming forward. I will bring three with me. You may choose to do the same." She said across to them; her red tipped toes still holding her claws within them. No need to be hasty. She then turned to look at those who had followed. "I am going forward. Three more and that's it. We don't want them to be on edge and I don't want to as well... and too many will be too much... everyone else will create a wall in which they will have to break through to get closer to... everyone else." She cast a glance at her mother...

...

Zii leaned a slight bit to see if she could spot the group but could only see faded shadows. She sighed, looking nervous. Perhaps she should head back to the pride where she'd be safe if a fight broke out. A lame lioness was no good. Yet she felt too proud to do that. She nodded to her mate as he left to go with their child and was replaced with Miale. She smiled to her; trying to keep nerves from becoming too overpowering. "I hope this won't be the downfall of us... We can't take anymore burden on this pride... we are barely breathing as it is." She said quietly, her yellow eyes looking behind her.

"I hope Ute knows what's she's doing..."

-damn sig... so totally not including that.

At the booming call of Tarsa, Keahilani, who'd been having a carefully practiced sparring match with his sister, abandoned the activity. There were important things apaw. As Soleil charged at him, he suddenly held his paw up. "Stop, Soleil, something's going on..." He flicked an ear, hearing the echo. "Intruders..." A smile slowly spread on his maw, before he turned tail and ran. He was excited, for some reason, to be able to possibly sink his claws into someone. But when he got there, he found much... Yelling. He shook his head, glaring at nobody in particular. So NOISY! It was hard to think!

Right behind her brother, Soleil trailed, curiously watching. After a moment, she shook her head before pushing past Keahilani. "Get out of my way, you ox." As she pushed by everybody, she did her best to get a view of the new lions to show up. It was an impressively sized group, for sure... Which she could see why they brought so much alarm. She looked around, then went to the nearest lion. "Where are Kidondo and No? Have they shown up yet?" She hadn't yet heard the news that they were out on other business.

Tarsa narrowed his eyes. Why should he have to go check on the borders? He was the one who suggested it! That clearly showed his level of foresight was needed at this situation. Also, he sounded the damn alarm so there was no way he was going to hoof it back and do grunt work. But it was hard to put that into eloquent terms. "You all are stupid," he grumbled. "You shouldn't go out there! If its an ambush we ain't even ready to fight yet."

But while Tarsa's voice was loud, it seemed to fall on deaf ears. The few firekin were already setting out across the sand towards the group, and it made the young lion grit his teeth. He looked towards Soleil, speaking the words he doubted anyone wanted to hear: "Don't you know? There was some sort of thing at the Southern post. The regents and some of the others left to investigate it this morning. Sounds to me like the perfect set up for a trap."

Veru started off across the sand, not giving Tarsa another look. He had to admit, there was something bizarre about the whole thing, but the more that went to greet the wayward group the better. He did not completely approach- stopping somewhat short of Kinja and the others. From this vantage he could see past the rocks and into the wider portion of desert... and no further group to be seen. "If they're hiding anyone, they're damn good at it."

----

Miah did not seem too concerned by the approaching lions demanding things like buisness. As if anyone knew Miah's business. Hearing Isifo behind him, he responded curtly in the northern tongue: "Las srak cuka. Trara ek mu maad kur drokoseck." Or, let them come.

They were already doing a fine job of it.

By the time they were close enough to make out faces, Miah looked towards their less than receptive guard. "You may go now. They see it is you and know that we have not trespassed." His head nodded, the strange markings on his face making the gesture all the more bizarre. Hraga held for a moment, staring at the other male.

But then, he moved. The young lion might not have wanted to admit it, but the whole situation had him on edge. Who ever heard of lions coming from the mountains? Anyone who had been scouting past there knew it was mostly endless flat desert. He swallowed as he reunited with the group. "They uh- they say they're Hongshan."

Hraga turned his head. "I don't know what makes a Hongshan a Hongshan but there was no one else at the guard post..."

Apparently Miah had good hearing. "We are indeed Hongshan. Mostly." He glanced behind him, and towards his group. "Where are your leaders?"

They weren't there? A small bit of panic gripped at Soleil. "Then who's in charge? If the regents aren't present..." She wracked her brain for a moment, pacing, before frowning. "Would... Would having a shared ancestor... Help a lion to count as 'in charge'...?" She then shook her head. "No, no, no, half the PRIDE shares Makadari and Jahina in their lineage!" And if not them, then somebody ELSE from the same tree. In short... Nobody was higher than the next lion as far as 'in charge' went. Then she eyed Tarsa. "We could always say YOU'RE in charge..."

"Or we can grab a random lion from the pride..." Keahilani tilted his head. "Like Ea or Fia... Stupid is the lion who won't listen to them... And deserving of whatever fate befalls them." He paused. "Unless they're with the regents. Which..." He looked at the lions gathered. "What about the elders?" Experience, after all, was a good thing. Though as far as he could see, Bodaway wasn't present. Maybe the old lion was getting hard of hearing, too. He wouldn't doubt it. And then, as if to answer him, Kinja spoke up. "Or Kidondo's grandmother..."

((Lawl, edited because Kolina typed faster xd ))

"A tidd'k?" Thabiti questioned as the elder's voice came to them, causing him to glance at the group. The idea seemed harmless, but the way she spoke was much like the Nergui. That was how, too, learned to speak the common language. He may have been beaten many times, but he kept his ears open and mind focused. Able to string sounds together was difficult, he just hoped that it sounded alright to those who listened. "This summit. Who will go?" The words were rough, the letters were accentuated, and the tone was shaky.

He wanted to go. He was certain Ukuba will go as he was cunning. He had a gut feeling that Miah was going. Isifo would be nice to have, but he was intimidating. Zherva is their eldest and their medic, perhaps she could speak kindly to their elder. He was still uncertain of how Sjari felt about all this. Tswana seemed like she didn't want to be near them either.

He was not going to include the Firekin.

"I tlaerr sa. Ukuba? W'rr vai kado, kaa?" He wanted Ukuba to go, he was sure anything Miah said wouldn't change that. It was a wise move. "I go, too, Miah. I think Ukuba, too." He wanted to take the brother, but suppose that was up to the group. If anything gets hairy, at least there would be three good fighters to fend them off. It was from the corner of his eye that he believed some of the native pride had splintered from the group. Reinforcements? No... they were the ones to go get them. Their group was going to get bigger and things were beginning to look grim. Now he would definitely feel better if Ukuba went, but then that leaves the group here vulnerable from a possible flanking.

Thabiti growled in frustration at the thoughts going through his head. This land was unfamiliar, they are weakened from captivity and the journey, they are severely outnumbered, and, to be frank, his trust is shaking.

"Fikx'rs tl'k...." (obscenities)

Miah's northern was as easily spoken as if he was a native to the Hongshan, and yet there was something off about it. Apparently, they were coming to them, easing his mind on one of the few problems that this predicament consisted of. The dark male came up to their 'leader'. "This a good idea?"