[EVENT] Opening Ceremony (Wrap-up/TBC, p.6!)

[Das Tor]

Mori'earsira had no expected them to arrive the night before a celebration. But they had, and thus their introduction to the Swampies after being introduced to the Queen was helping to bring in the feast they'd be enjoying. Sira didn't mind, not in the least. After all...he'd done quite a bit of the hunting for he, Haramu, and Aami-Ulisaidia'Nafsi, her name was Ulisaidia'Nafsi now, in the rogue lands.

He hadn't been expecting the lands to be rather...dry when they came in, though. It was a bit worrying, seeing how different they were from what Ulisa had described. And from what Haramu remembered seeing from the borders. He set into the feast with others, however, hoping the spirits they called to would take the offering of blood. Blood spoke well to many things. He didn't pay much mind to the young juvenile that darted around him to drag away a tasty morsel.

Nin pulled it back towards where her mother and father were, plopping down to happily nom on it purring away. A feast! This was just...AWESOME. And there would be GAMES tomorrow! She couldn't wait! She squirmed a little, giggling, and her father just chuckled. "Excited, dearling?" It never ceased to amaze Bédoier how UNLIKE her grandmother Nin was. The little juvie looked up to her father, mouth full of meat, and nodded energetically.

"Mhmm!" Bédoier smiled and looked to his mate.

"Well, looks like we'll have one cub participating in a game, Lilika." He lifted a paw as another juvenile darted past, skittering under him with a good-sized chunk of meat for her frame. Ficha trotted over to her mother, offering the meat to her in a rather...awkward way, since it was kind of large for her small frame. She wanted to be of help to her mother, though.

"For you, Mother."

Not far off, a white and black male enjoyed the feast with his daughter and mother. It was good to be home again, even if home seemed...drier than he remembered. But it was still home. The same prey roamed, the same birdsong could be heard...and by the number of new faces he saw, the pride still prospered. A friend of his mother's ate with them, her dark amber eyes ever wary. She was, after all, a Guardian. Even before the rank was pulled into being, she was one. And a rather...fluffy lion with a bright grin on his face wandered over to them, plopping down with his own food. He didn't try talking to them, just...sat and ate, humming. Ninau and Daima both raised brows at him, then went back to eating.

A splotchy male made his way over to Kiivas, grin on his face as he nudged her shoulder. "Hey sis. Looking forward to tomorrow?" He'd missed participating in the games last year, but he wouldn't this year! Mbalamwezi-fi-bichi was totally ready, yes he was!  

[wooga Paes]

The complex display of emotions form the cub surprised Mteremo, but he decided to patiently wait it out. Fortunately it was all very quick! He wondered if he should feel bad about being the cause of all that. Hopefully he'd be able to make up for it! And she did just agree that she was hungry.

Not quite wanting to nudge the cub in the right direction, as his first instinct would suggest, Mteremo nodded. "Here, 'et's go..." Talking around meat just didn't work. With a shrug he took a few steps away to dump the meat on drier ground, before turning and looking back at the red cub. "Come on over here, there's plenty for you!" He smiled, and laid down to look as non-intimidating as possible. Not that Mteremo ever looked intimidating anyways.  

[Meepfur]

Chemankari had watched the preceedings impassively, seated at the fringes of the crowd. Technically speaking, the Queen was her niece, though the purple lioness was older than she, and so if anything, she viewed her more as a...cousin, really. 'Aunt' would have implied a closeness she didn't really feel. She didn't dislike her, it was nothing like that, but they weren't close. Regardless, Chem had approached her a few days earlier, seeking advice from her fellow seer about a vague but unsettling dream she'd had.

Khara had been less help than she'd hoped, and a general unease had settled on the daughter of the swamp goddess. The jubilant, light-hearted air of the celebration did little to help, and once they were all free to speak again, she glanced up at her eagle companion perched in the low branches of a tree.

"Ratri," she addressed him in low tones, "Keep an eye out for me, will you? Something doesn't feel right."

"If you want, but only if you save me a good piece." At her assenting nod, he took his leave.

((Someone nearby - way at the back, basically - is welcome to overhear them.))  

[Meepfur]

"You think so?" Khara's smile widened just a touch, and she seemed pleased by Vyoga's assertion that he couldn't do much better this year than last. And she also appreciated that he hadn't called her on not eating, so she didn't press him about it again. "Maybe we should open the wrestling tomorrow by having our own match."

Her sense of humor, at least, remained mostly intact despite lack of sleep.  

[Rainhowl]

"You're the best frog catcher? I'm glad to hear it, cos I was hoping for some stiff competition." The young lioness was amused and impressed by Ani's resolve. Perhaps, one of these days, she'd make a fine huntress. Regardless of what she did, Kiivas had little doubt she'd be fantastic. She took another bite of fresh kill, leisurely swallowing as she listened to the youngster that had sat beside her and surveyed the happy din of feasting about them.

"I'm definitely excited. I'll have to watch my back if I wanna catch the most frogs." Speaking of frogs... What was that little fellow doing wandering in the midst of all of these lions? They'd be hunting he and his kind come the morrow. He was practically asking to be eaten! It was when she was pondering over why such a little prey-beast would make itself such an easy target that a male lion wandered near herself and Ani. His markings and gradient tones gave him away as Kiivas'lintu's brother and a broad grin slid across her muzzle.

"Cours I am! And you?" She scooted slightly to give him the opportunity to sit and feast near her, should he choose to do so. It had been some time since she spoken with him, but time or no, she loved her family dearly.

"You gonna catch frogs with us tomorrow?"  

[Manda]

Ulisaidia'Nafsi, paced into the clearing where the feast was set up beside 'Sira and Haramu, glancing around herself as she did so. The lands were quite a bit dryer than she remembered them being when she left, which was worrisome. But still, there seemed to be plenty of food. "I hope that you enjoy the feast..." she murmured to the two beside her, dragging a haunch of meat over to the side.

Nearby a heavily built pink male also picked out a piece of meat for himself, moving off toward the back of the gathering. Though Kituo'Mndela had finally made peace within his own mind with what his father had been and done ... he really had no real idea what the other members of the pride might think of him. He had only recently returned from his own name-quest and hadn't socialized a lot before then. Much less after.

Kifo-tafuta also sat near the back of the gathering, lavender eyes following the progress of the pink male. He had never personally met Kituo and he had been too young to know much of what was happening when his father had been around. But still, the fact that the bright lion was connected so strongly to death through his parent was ... sort of fascinating. Still, he wasn't about to disturb him while he was eating - that would probably just be inadvisable at this point.  

[Kaelyndra]

Asami followed Mteremo willingly to drier land. She stumbled a few times in the muddy water, but then was clamouring up onto a bank after him.

When Mteremo laid down, she did as well, and crawled her way over on all fours to where the food was.

She would peek at him from over the food, smiling, and then duck her head back down as though she were invisible.

"What's your naaame?" two pairs of ears asked from over a hunk of flesh. Two eyes followed, though her nose and mouth remained hidden. "I'm Asami," it was mumbled as if she weren't quite sure she should share it.  

[Znaruto]

Simli stop in his tacks when he heard someone said that they where going frog hurting. "SAY WHAT!!!!!!!!!!???" He coke super loud. This was not the time to be here with these lions. He didn't know they ate his kind. How could he have know he always watch then from a far. Simli was in for it now. Oh how he hope none of the lions would see him, but knowing his luck they already have. Him and his big mouth. He had to come meet the lions when where going kill his kin. What bad luck! What bad luck. Maybe one would help him and hid him alway from the other lions. Most likely not. He was what they where hurtin for.


((I had to pick a frog didn't I. Well this is going to be fun to see how this plays out))  

[oo Ded]

Near the back of the events, a brown lion stood, watching the queen speak before letting his eye scan over the pride members that had gathered. Safi'bora wasn't one to be in the center of festivities. He was much more content on the sidelines, watching with a inkling of a smile on his face. He remembered the last time the festivities had been about. It was the time that he had joined the pride. Since then, much had changed(though much had stayed the same, as well). He had changed his name from his old Zambara'anga. And he had certainly become accustomed to making his way through the swampy terrain. He hadn't, though, come out to converse much with other pride members. Though why should he have? He seemed well enough off on his own accord.

The words of a lioness, the brown Ghost speaking to an eagle, caught his ear. He glanced at her, raising a brow in questioning to her words. He didn't intend to catch her attention, only happened to overhear. Something didn't feel right? He gave a glance once again over the festivities. If something was wrong, he sure was oblivious to it all.  

[Meepfur]

Khara chuckled at her Consort - quietly, but from someone who hadnt done much laughing lately, it was far better than nothing. Joking around was a good, if temporary, distaction, and she gave him her very best innocent look. "Not fair to whom? I hope you're not implying that I would cheat."

But she would, of course, something both of them were likely aware of.

----

Once Sesh-ratri had gone, flying up to open sky to keep watch from above, Chemankari felt a little better. Her friend would keep an eye on things where she could not, and whether or not it would actually prove necessary, it gave her some peace of mind. She had no intentions of relaxing, however, and would keep her own sharp eye on their surroundings. The lioness turned her head just in time to catch what might have been a look from a nearby lion. Had he heard them? Damn.

The Ghost wouldn't have minded, really, except that if she ruined the celebration with her pessimism, Khara would probably be annoyed. But then, maybe he hadn't heard them, and had only taken an interest in Ratri; after all, avian companions were rare in the swamp. Most preferred snakes, if anything at all.

Intent on finding out what the case actually was, Chem moved to speak to him with a pleasant smile. "Good afternoon."

----

It hadn't taken Laanfa long to stray from her mother's side; since they were a little older now, and hardly in any danger in the middle of the pride, Apanthi had allowed them the run of the feast, so long as they didn't leave it. The pale juvenile was hesitant at first, but after several glances back at her mother, gave in to the urge to explore. The prospect of the games, while initimidating, was very exciting. She would race, and catch frogs, and-

...frogs! There was a frog!! Spotting the little blue creature when it croaked so loudly, she wasted no time in trying to pounce on it.  

[Meepfur]

"Prosperity? What a load of s**t." Hal-shikasta punctuated her grumbling complaint with a derisive snort. Was their pretty little purple queen blind? The swamp was slowly drying up, and she had the nerve to talk about 'prosperity' and thanking the spirits for it. Thank them for what? The drought? Yeah, great, thank them for the drought so they'd continue to keep the rain away. What a fabulous idea!

Still, even if she was pissed - and she always was - she was still hungry, and amidst all her snarling annoyance, moved to procure some food. When she turned away again, all but gulping down a large chunk of meat, she shouldered right into a stocky pink lion.  

[Annchen]

Odi was bouncing around excitedly, only just managing to stay reasonably still and keep his mouth shut when the queen spoke. It was the first bigger celebration he'd participated in, and he was very pleased to be smack in the middle of a gathering this big. Odi wasn't exactly shy, and he was happiest surrounded by others.

"Isn't this exciting," he chirped, "Look at that. Isn't this great?"

He bounced and skipped around, mingling with the crowd and calling out greetings to everyone in his way. Standing still and shutting up would not happen tonight.

((Please quote if you want to interact with Odi. I might be slow to notice otherwise.))  

[oo Ded]

While looking over the group, Safi caught the gaze of the lioness from the corner of his eye. Had he seen him looking at her? Well, that surely wasn't intended. "Afternoon," he responded, returning her smile with a slight nod of the head. "Your companion, there. I see that there are few avians in these lands." His tail flicked and his head gave a brief nod to the side as he spoke. He was silent, then, contemplating what to say next. If she had seen him, then it would be somewhat rude(and rather awkward, at that) to simply ignore it. He blinked, shuffling his paws.

"I couldn't... help but overhear. And I apologize for intruding, but through all these festivities, do you feel at disease?" Safi's brow raised as he spoke, looking at her inquisitively through lavender eyes.  

[Truth.Be.Told]

Haramu-chanua remembered the Swamps. Though she hadn't come into the pride proper the last time, she'd left cubs on the border...but she didn't see any of them now. Perhaps they'd found homes elsewhere? That...saddened her a bit. Left by her grandson while they journeyed, and now she had none of her children here. But...she did have her mates. She looked to Sira, then Ulisa, and smiled at the younger female. "I know we will." Hopefully...they were home.
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Ninon couldn't help but examine the daughter her son had brought home. She'd had visions of the girl...but it was another thing seeing her. Her granddaughter, brought home while she was pregnant with Fleance's next litter. The poor child had lost her mother, too. Ninau had done well by her though. Even though she was small, she seemed strong of heart and mind. Ninon smiled at the girl, then turned to Daima. "So what is your opinion of the games tomorrow and what's currently going on?" Though her friend was...far from lady-like, she held sound opinions and frankness Ninon appreciated.
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Agana stayed near her father, tail twitching nervously as her grandmother inspected her. And when her grandmother's attention turned away...she gave a quiet sigh of relief. The addition of a splotchy, fluffy green male did nothing to help her nerves. She nudged her father in the way that had come to mean 'I'm excusing myself for a bit' and got up, making her way for the fringes of the celebration. She needed to breathe. She wasn't used to so many lions in the same place. Not at all.
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Raha-mkataa had settled near a pair of lions, oblivious to them...for the most part. Oh, she was aware others were there, but she wasn't about to pester them. Especially since the darker of the two seemed rather interested in the very...pink one. Though...the darker one reminded her vaguely of someone...very vaguely...Hm. She didn't need to worry about it.