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 Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:56 am
Monifa could feel a change in her new home as if something were coming. She was fairly new to the Ithambo'hlabathi lands but she could sense that something was up, something not good. The feeling reminded her of how it felt before those strange lions had come to her small group had been attacked. A shiver ran down her spine at the memory, not something she ever wanted to think about again or talk about. Who were these invaders and what did they want? Hopefully not to wipe out those in her new home, well if it came down to a fight she'd stand with this band of lions as opposed to fleeing like she did before.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:58 am
She had never seen so much red on so many lions before, though as a few of the red group gave off roars she could feel her fur bristling slightly, instantly her body shifted as she moved protectively in front of Quba without a second thought. Her gaze shifted over the youth playing again. Well, many had stopped playing at this point. "M'not sure." She said, again softly.
They were big too. It was unsightly, how large these lions were. They sight was a queer one for her, it made her uneasy. She thought she'd heard Nahmba say something about letting Gakere know... had anyone? She did not want to leave Quba's side... that and she was curious. Excited. Nervous, sure but... well. Her curiosity definitely won out.
She felt her lip curl and a slight growl come spilling forth past her maw as one of the females- a leader? Stated that the river was theirs. How dare they! "C'mon." She mumbled, deciding to head for some of the other females of her pride, though she kept shooting glances at the strange giants.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:01 pm
"Atesh... I don't know why I ever let you convince me to come along," Mishaal muttered, though her eyes flitted from left to right to take in all the sights and a small smile rested on her muzzle at the freshness of the landscape around her. She could smell the water, the other lions, the land... it was a far cry from being in the drying desert, and though she had grown to love the ever-shifting sands, it was clear that this land, too, brought joy into her heart.
For Mishaal had been born here, outside of the desert, and she knew these sights and sounds, recognized the strangeness of the new place and the fragrant smells of other prides. For many years, she had wandered, and though she couldn't tell where she was going (Mishaal rarely did), the mere act of walking seemed, somehow, like home.
Beside the white lioness strode her darker companion, a Firekin born and bred, and the sandless terrain confused him. With every step, his paws and muscles tensed in anticipation of shifting underfoot, but there was none, and the ground remained solid and unyielding under him. Yet, for all the firmness of the ground, the landscape seemed much more forgiving, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was some sort of correlation to be found.
"As if you and I don't both know how grateful you are that I did," Atesh replied with an amused smile, watching as his friend's expression brightened reluctantly.
"Yea, I know you love it out here, just as much as you love the desert. You aren't going to fool me, Mishaal," he added, shoving her lightly with a laugh. He had wanted her along for that reason, so that she could teach and show him about the world beyond what he knew.
'Yea, yea, big talker," the lioness chuckled, shoving him back. "I just didn't know you were the... snatch water from innocent babies type." The lioness nodded pointedly at the water, which several of their companions had already shoved their way over to.
She laughed and shook her head as Atesh drew up and frowned, shaking his head. "Well don't worry, tiger, I'm just following orders," she said, circling around to the other side of the water for her long-awaited drink. "Given who your father is, and the fact that you used to be one of his soldiers, I think you ought to do the same." She turned back mid-step to see him hesitate, then reluctantly follow. "There you go, handsome," she chuckled again. "Just following orders."
--
As she was wont to do, young Orabela was up to no good. She had been working hard on her pouncing skills, and had decided that today was the day she would pin somebody for real. The waterhole seemed the perfect place, and one could only imagine her delight when she saw her brother playing about with younger cubs by the water's edge. Perfect target.
Dropping low, the little lioness slunk closer, taking calculated steps and moving with all the grace she could muster into her growing cub body. She came closer, and closer, and, three... two... one... "BOO!" She yelled, launching herself off the ground, toward Laini, and... splash! Overshot, and she crashed into the shallow water.
"That was just a practice round!" She declared when her head resurfaced some moments later, spluttering out water. She spun to look for Laini... and found herself staring at the muzzle of a big, big red lioness standing by the water's edge.
Uh oh.
Ora swallowed, sitting frozen in the water, half her little body submerged, and she stared around to see those strange lions coming nearer to drink from their waterhole. For a moment, she was confronted with the idea that... maybe she was going to die.
Then the idea vanished, and Ora did was she did best: talk. "Well that's not fair!" She huffed, staring up at the massive lions looming overhead and doing her best to give them all the stink-eye. "We were here first!"
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:06 pm
Bright blue eyes watched as the brighter red colored lions had made an appearance. Well, they weren’t all that, but a lot had the mixture of the color that was pretty unusual in the lands she had been born in. The one thing she did note about them was there size. She frowned, her gaze to the young cubs nearby, before flickering back to the intruders. Something told her this wasn’t good.
Quba nodded, her ears flattening at the words that spilled out of the mouth from the lioness across the river. Wait…they couldn’t do that…could they?
”They can’t claim that…right? she whispered to Umoya, not wanting those across the river to hear her as she followed her towards the other lionesses. She seem to freeze in midstep as her ears caught the shout of the juvenile, Orabela, expressing her opinion out loud.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:12 pm
She could now see the large lions coming into view from where she was. It truly was a sight to behold, so much red like her own fur color... however she was not as large as these lions who were coming. It was unnerving to see how similar they were and yet to not be like her. She got the feeling they weren't friendlies though, turning her head she could see the others had stopped to look at these oncomers and she recalled that someone was supposed to tell Gakere. Did that happen already? She wasn't sure. Getting up she decided that maybe she should seek him out, let him know. It didn't really seem like anyone else was going to. Or should she go to where these great red lions were, stand between them and her new pride? Choices!
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:14 pm
The large Legate grew to a stop, nose catching the scent in the air. She nodded at the mention of Luut.
"Seems so." Armada's voice reached her from across the way. The lioness was loud, and mostly tactless. This could go badly.
"Do not attack unless provoked," she warned. "We don't need to encourage local groups to band with the Nergui." They could handle these bands without issue, but if they made enough of them angry, a formidable opponent might be formed.
"Keep moving forwards! Stay together," she passed to the lion next to her, expecting it to be moved to the others. A quick jog let her catch up to Veru. She mouthed a quiet, "Let's see if we can do this peacefully," into his ear.
-
Surtak's eyes narrowed, brows coming together as the common tongue hit his ears. The warning growl sounded from his throat again. The foreign group was heading towards the water, which happened to be where the cubs were bunched.
Nahmba had already hurried there, her brow creased with worry. These big lions were like a mass that wouldn't stop moving. They were more a herd than they were lions.
"You are too close our cubs," Surtak called out to the Firekin, his voice low and darkened.
By now, the pale lioness was stupidly winding her way between the Firekin, and splashing through the water to put herself between Orabela and the growing group.
"There's plenty of water!" Nahmba tried to reason. "Why do you need all of it?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:18 pm
As the red lions came into view and then came down tot he water's edge, Laini got to his paws and gently started herding the cubs slowly back towards their own pride. What ever was going on, was not good as he could feel the slowly rising uncertainty in the air. Then suddenly the large red lions let loose roars that shook him tot he bone, their vibrations so powerful he actually shivered.
"Come on... lets all go back.. no no.. I think play time is over..." he started hurrying the cubs out of the water, though caught a pale lioness approaching out the corner of his eye and gratefully recognized her as one of his own pride...
Suddenly his sister came out of no where and went flying over his head. "Ora!" Spinning round he dashed back into the water and in front of his sister. he couldn't let anything happen to her! His mother would be so upset if any of them got hurt. "Come on Ora.. lets go..." Walking backwards into his sister he just hoped she didn't do something stupid like get stubborn and argue with him...
Out the corner of his eye he glimpsed Ainra. At least someone who he actually knew was near by... if anything happened, she could tell their mother.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:24 pm
"Nah, they can'nae." She spat as she said the words, feeling anger slowly starting to bubble. As Quba froze she did as well, eyes flashing toward the red liones and the juvenile. She also spotted Nahmba moving between those red giants and she nodded only once. She was not about to leave one of her own to gather the cubs by herself! "M'gunna help."
She moved swiftly, following after Nahmba but hanging back. "Oi, you lot. C'mon, outta the water! Plays over. Aye tha's it, listen teh Laini." She was addressing the youth, of course. She threw another glance at Nahm, letting it shift over the red giants. If it became hostile... what then? There were so many! And it seemed that all of them were larger than the average lion. Freakishly large.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:29 pm
As Nahmba came splashing to her rescue, Ora peeked her head around the lioness's legs and continued to glare haughtily at the strangers all around. Now that she had gotten her tongue running, all notions of fear had fled, and she pinned her ears defiantly, as if her tiny presence would change all of their minds.
"Yea, go find your own water!" She chimed in, doing her best to peer around Nahmba's frame. "You're not supposed to steal from cubs. Didn't your mommys ever teach you?" Somehow, it never occurred to her that her comments might not have been helping the situation. Then again, such a thought rarely occurred to Orabela.
Her attention shifted as Laini came dashing back, and a mighty little frown flitted across her brow. "Well, why?" She demanded, glaring pointedly back at the invaders. "We were here first, this is our water. Nobody said we had to share." It didn't make sense to her, damn it, and no matter how small and insignificant she might have looked, Ora was not getting out of that water, oh no.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:40 pm
Rowtag lifted his head, scowling at the lioness and cub. "If we HAD water, we wouldn't have to come LOOKING for it like this!" He rose to his paws, using full advantage of his size. As he started to step closer, he suddenly noticed something about the lioness. Her markings looked familiar... As he looked her over, he suddenly swung his head around to look at Siede. He gave the cub another scathing look, before moving around to the hulking red lioness. "Siede..." His voice dropped. "She looks like your father..." It was weird. He knew that Siede's father had been a rogue until he'd been made a slave and then ended up aiding in the rebellion - His father had told him so. But he'd never think to run into anybody out here. He was sure the lioness was NOT one of Siede's sisters.
At the same time that Rowtag made his observations, Luut began to notice... A small number of lions looked like Moto'siede. And her brothers... Maybe not the sister he knew her to have, but her brothers... Most certainly. The two-tone red lion paused, looking at a cub with his own odd eyes, before getting a thought. He leaned down to sniff it, relaxing his body to try and hide any signs of tension, to try and show he meant no harm in his action. Everything around him smelled of not just the water, but the grasses as well. They smelled... Sweet. Did these cubs smell as sweet as the grass? Not that he was close enough to actually REACH it, even with his paw. Slowly he inched closer to it, curiosity reflected in his eyes and face.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:46 pm
They were too close to the cubs and Monifa came running to the water, or at least close since some other females where there. Fur bristling, ears back, and her lips twitching to shown her pearly whites, she stood with the others. Maybe their presence would deter these others here into rethinking their situation. What to say to these strange lions? Well she was banding with ther fellow pride members, although they were outmatched at this moment didn't mean they couldn't do some damage if provoked.
The cub in the water however set Monifa's teeth on edge and she slowly started into it where she could put her body between them and it. "Come now." She whispered to the small cub, "Let's back away slowly, you don't have to get out of the water."
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:57 pm
He had to admit this was an amusing sight, and Spaki sort-of smiled at the cub. Spunky, that one. He liked attitude. But it wasn’t very wise of the little thing now, though she had the right spirit. He would suggest one of the adults take her away, but was afraid such a suggestion could come off as even more antagonistic. Besides, he should probably leave the diplomacy with his superiors.
A lioness joined the cub, then another cub, then another lioness. The last lioness garnered a snort from him, with her bristling fur and show of teeth. “You’d best calm down.” He told her, evenly. “We won’t fight unless you make us.” And if they fought, the firekin would surely win. The lioness struck Moto’spaki as dumb, facing a large force such as theirs in that manner. She should follow the example of the first lioness, one with a pale pelt, and attempt to be reasonable.
Moto'spaki glanced, briefly, at Luut, who was moving closer to the cub. Apparently, he wanted to sniff it. His ears laid back slightly at that, and he mentally prepared himself in case these lions reacted. They already appeared to be quite on edge.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:04 pm
He may have been young but he knew trouble when he saw it, and his little sister was not helping. "Ora!" He growled, surprising himself as he had never once raised his voice in anger, even mock anger, to his siblings, or anyone else in the pride. But now fear for their safety was making his chest tight. Glancing around he spotted his other sister, Thuli, making sure she wasn't being as stubborn as Ora and was safely away form this red strangers.
"For once, stop arguing and think. They could eat you in an instant, so quit being stupid and move!" Turning he physically pushed at her, praying she saw sense and actually did as he asked for once.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:04 pm
Thuli had been involved with another cub in a very fun game of how-many-adults-can-we-throw-water-at-without-being-noticed (apparently, not that many) when she realized there was something wrong. The young lioness followed everyone’s gaze towards the cliff from where the rock had come and her jaw dropped. Lions! Strange lions! Big, red and weird-looking lions and lionesses were making their way towards the water.
If at first she was excited, Thuli quickly realized how tense the adults had suddenly become so while she did back away – eyes searching for her reliable brother Laini first before anyone else – the blue-eyed juvenile showed her tongue and made a silly face at the outsiders.
“It’s not your water, stooopid.” She told one lioness she found particularly obnoxious. There was no need to say any more… her sister Ora seemed to have said enough. But wow, were those lions big! Wait, were they still moving towards them?
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:34 pm
Though Umoya and others had gone up to the youngsters in the water, Quba had remained behind. Her ears flickered between a flattened position, and that of perked forward, listening to the exchange between those of her pride, and those claiming the water source as their own. She couldn’t help but nod in agreeing with Nahmba. There was plenty of water to be shared…wasn’t there?
The fur on Quba’s back began to rise as the one stranger male neared the cub. They spoke that they meant no harm, as well as suggesting not to go much closer to them, but here was this lion, doing the opposite of what was being said to the Boneland members. That seemed a little unfair. Who were these lions that think they had claim to something her pride had been in?
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