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"Yeah, probably just the weather. Or a jackal," Ukulambile agreed, having never seen or heard anything out of the ordinary in the first. It was probably just the impending storm making them nervous, nothing more. "Sounds good, Ifunci! Let's get this over with, then, before we're stuck eating mud for dinner." The worsening weather had the herd as on edge as it did the hunting party, it seemed, and they were probably one good lightning strike away from bolting. On the bright side, as long as it didn't get truly bad, the storm wasn't bad cover for their scents and sounds, so it wasn't a complete disadvantage.

Flattening her ears against the rain, the Umzingeli stopped talking and got down to business, moving to get into position. But as the group was just beginning to put their plan into action, they would find that, unfortunately, their minds hadn't been playing tricks on them after all. They were being watched...and not just watched, but hunted. Once their attention was back on the wildebeest, a figure moved from behind the rocky outcropping, bursting into view in a charging rush, a massive red shape barrelling straight for Ifunci.



[OOC Information]

For Ifunci:
Roll a 4-sided die!
1 or 3. Get out of the way! You move in time to escape the brunt of the attack, taking only a glancing blow.
2 or 4. Your attacker lands right on you with his full weight and force, potentially enough to break bones. Your choice of injury!

For Isasa, Nehanda, and Ukulambile:
You have three choices: freeze and do nothing, run for help, or try to help Ifunci yourself. If you choose to help Ifunci, roll a 4-sided die.
1 or 3. You slip on the wet ground and are no help at all.
2 or 4. You manage to dart in and inflict minor damage.

Han turned her attention to the herd before them, trying to shake off the feeling from before. It was nothing, she just wasn't used to being in such a small group out on their own like this. That was all...

But before they could make a move towards the prey, the sound of paws pounding against the soggy ground reached her ears. She turned, golden eyes wide, to see a massive red lion speeding towards them. She froze to the spot, the mud gripping her paws so that it felt as if the ground itself were holding her in place. Large males were always rather intimidating to her, and the fact that this male was such a bright color startled her so much she almost forgot to breathe.

The male charged passed her though, heading right for Ifunci. She let out a startled roar of surprise, unable to do anything else. The younger, smaller male dodged the worst of the attack, but the scent of blood hit her nose and she knew he'd been cut.

"Leave him alone!" she said desperately, still frozen to the spot.

As they began to move, a sound caught Isasa's attention and she turned, spying a mass of red lion barreling at them. No, barreling at Ifunci! While she didn't particularly like males sticking around the pride when they should have left to spend time in the Roguelands, she took far less kindly to strange rogues attacking HER pride mates, male OR female, regardless of age! A burning anger rose up in the lioness and she found a new outlet for her prior frustrations. "YOU KEEP AWAY FROM HIM!" Her ears flattened against her head as her fur bristled and claws came out, and the dark-backed lioness turned to charge. Unfortunately, as the adolescent dodged the blow, the ground under Isasa proved uncooperative and she slipped in the mud. All this did was fuel her anger more.

Ifunci tried to scramble backwards as the rogue descended upon him like a devil crazed with bloodlust. The young male thrashed and flailed, but no matter what he did, he couldn't get free. His attacker was larger and thus far stronger than Ifunci was, meaning the young male was completely pinned and rather helpless. Claws raked his side and stomach. Sharp teeth bit into his neck, far too close to his windpipe. Ifunci wailed meekly, gasping for breath as hot blood ran through the fur all over. If his mane had grown in, Ifunci would at least have some protection. The Ahluke didn't realize how useful a mane was until this very moment, as he was bleeding out and slowly choking, and his blows against the red lion did little but catch on long strands of red mane.
Now desperate, Ifunci began slashing at the lion's face, trying to push the lion off of his neck. He didn't care if pieces of his neck went along with. Ifunci needed the lion to let go.
The blows against the attackers face seemed to have some effect. The lion let go, and Ifunci drew in a deep breath of air, his lungs screaming for the oxygen. For a split second, the Ahluke thought the attack was over. But suddenly, a sharp and intense pain exploded throughout one of his forelegs, followed by what had to be a crack. The lion had latched on tightly to his leg. "Aaaaaaaah!" Ifunci let out a blood curdling scream, instinct causing him to slash out blindly as hard as he could. The Ahluke felt his claws catch on something, heard the lion react in pain, but Ifunci could only focus on his own. He drew his newly freed leg into his chest sharply. The limb was bloody, and his whole leg felt like it was on fire. Ifunci could barely move his paw. He drew in on himself, unable to move through the pain.

Nehanda's heart pounded in her chest as the red male fell upon Ifunci, attacking him brutally. Ukulambile had gone off crying for help, leaving only herself and Isasa behind to try to get the rogue off the young male. Before either of them could act another male - smaller, but still intimidating - joined the red male and created a barrier between the two fighting males and the two females. Isasa launched an attack, but the lion was ready for it and dodged easily.

Ifunci's screams of pain finally jolted Han into motion. She normally wouldn't dare attack a male, but these rogues were trying to kill poor Ifunci. She couldn't stand by and watch!

She charged the smaller male with a roar that surprised even herself, powerful and fierce, and her small body slammed into his with enough force to stun him. She let her claws do the rest, attacking his face, the only vulnerable part of him that she could reach. Hopefully she could hold this one off while Isasa went to help Ifunci - she was obviously the stronger out of the two females and, while she had yet to land a hit on either male, she had been willing to charge in from the get-go.

((Ooops, sorry! I thought it had been opened. X3 I'll repost her once it is.))

((Again, sorry for the inconvenience, but this post is supposed to come before the posts of any responding pride members. If you could please repost after it, I'd be very grateful.))

As Ifunci screamed, a second red shape came hurtling through the rain. A few strides away, Andhaka leapt at the Ahluke's assailant. He slammed into the male with a roar, knocking him off of Ifunci and into the mud, where the pair slid as they tangled, both snarling viciously. The interloper had been taken by surprise, and was pinned by Andhaka's initial attack (and hadn't been helped by the loss of an eye to Ifunci, either), but was doing his best dislodge the newly-appointed Umholi, over whom he had the advantage of size.

"Go! Get out of here!" Andhaka called out when he could. He rather doubted they would, actually, given how contrary so many of them were to anything he said or did, and he was far too preoccuppied to make them. If anything, they would have more company soon; Ukulambile was fast, and she was loud.

The pale rogue sneered at Isasa as he knocked her away. It had been tempting to use claws, just a little, but they had agreed not to harm any females unless they were left with no choice. As he glared at Isasa, the smaller female charged at him, and it was as much surprise as force that staggered him. He reared back his head as she clawed at his face, trying at first to back away from the angry little thing, but avoidance wasn't enough.

"You shouldn't have done that," he growled, and pounced forward with the intent of rolling and pinning her, but still used no claws.

[OOC Information]
This RP is now open to any character not in Stormy Rescue!

For Ifunci
Ow. Try to move or wait for some help.

For Nehanda
Roll a 4-sided die!
1-3. You're pinned, and he's awfully heavy. Getting free seems impossible.
4. Aided by the slick mud, you wriggle out of his grasp.

For Isasa (And anyone now joining.)
You can stand back and watch, do as you're told and flee (or try to help Ifunci do so), or continue attacking the pale rogue. If you attack, roll!
1. Not only do you lose your footing, you hurt yourself in the process.
2. You run up behind him and bite his tail!
3. You try, but he swats you away as best he can, and you do little to no damage.
4. You rake your claws across his hide.

Another red blur sent Ifunci's heart racing. But once the Ahluke was unpinned, he sat up to get a better look at what had happened.
Andhaka had appeared, and now had the rogue lion pinned another him. The young male watched in shock as the two fought viciously, a mess of snarls and fangs and claws. He rolled over onto his less-injured side, hissing as mud entered some of his wounds, causing them to sting. Ifunci tried getting to his feet, but as soon as his injured paw came into contact with the ground, another flare of pain raced from his leg throughout his entire body. The ahluke crumpled, back down to the earth, unable to put weight on his injured leg.