[ORP] Stormy Rescue [Done; for pride members/rogues]

[Neon Fly]

Watching Umoya with quiet consideration her tail lashed slowly back and forth. She was definitely in no condition to travel, at least not yet. Neither with the rest of the search party of back to the main group. It was clear someone would have to stay with her until she was well enough to move--even then it would have likely been best if she was sent back.

The herbs would certainly help, but too much activity was still likely to cause problems. Giving the area a slow once over, Simo left the group gathered with Umo to examine a bush that happened to be sprouting large leaves, well--nothing like the elephant ear plants that could be found in the subtropic jungle areas of Africa, but large enough and cupped in shape that they would hold some fresh water.

Careful not to damage the leaf, the silver-grey female snapped one off by the stem and carried it back to lay near one of Umoya's paws, by the time she'd stepped back it was already nearly overflowing with clean water for the bitten lioness to drink. Feeling sick is normal, Umo. Try to drink in little sips if you can, it might help some.

Glancing over her shoulder at the rest of the group, water poured off her chin and the underside of her chest as the rain followed the curves of her sleek frame before being drawn to the dirt by the magnetic force of gravity, granted that was a concept far beyond Simosihle's knowledge. With a cant of her head to gesture the others closer, her voice fought to rise over the wind and thunder. Esasile is right. Someone needs to stay behind with Umoya until she is feeling well enough to continue, will anyone volunteer?  

[Quaji]

The combination of plantlife should help Umoya heal in time. Immediately though the swelling of her throat began to subside and the dizziness began to pass though both are still present, but the swelling of the leg and the nausea were still present. She should be okay to walk in a few minutes time, but will need someone to lean on. She will also likely vomit and will need to limp to keep from causing any further damage. Movement though will agitate the bitten leg and cause her body to ache further, possibly worsening the symptoms depending on the amount of strain put on her injured body.

Mcheni had been absent from the events that had just unfolded, but her lack of a presence among them was likely not noticed thanks to the chaos that snake had caused. Taking one look at the Umzingeli's leg and she frowned. The leg was lost, walkable for now, but lost in the long run. Glancing to Simosihle, Mcheni spoke for the first time since they had departed. "The elephants seem restless. Something is disturbing them. I do not think it's the weather." Her voice was just as loud as it needed to be to be heard over the rain and the thunder that echoed above the lions.

They had no other leads besides the elephant herd and while they could keep looking as they moved, it seemed like the best bet.

[OOC Information]

Congratulations! Umoya has been saved from death, but not injury. Soon, but not now, the leg that was bitten will need to be removed. The venom has done too much damage for the body to repair itself. Removal will need to be done by biting the leg off, and the healing will take a significantly long time from the damage inflicted, but it needs to be done to avoid infection and certain death as a result.

The group now moves towards the elephant herd. Umoya (and anyone staying behind with her) will possibly not be present.

Roll one 4-sided dice. Only roll once.

1: You slip and fall onto the mud. Optional: You cut yourself on a rock.
2: A lightning bolt in the sky illuminates the group. Something seems off about Mcheni...You can't figure out what though.
3: You see the herd! They seem...panicked. Begins quick event.
4: You fall behind, but you find something interesting and out of the ordinary. Option: Find hyena dung (hint, it's white) or the scorch marks from a lightning strike.

Quick Events
If a quick event is rolled, please do not post after it and wait for my post for further instruction.  

[Andranis]

She let out a huff as the secretary bird ate the snake. Good riddance to the pest. They were a danger to not only adults, but cubs especially. She glanced at Simo, her anger at the reptile melting into a grin. "It had to be done, and I heard from one of the red-pelts that one of their own was quite agile from chasing rabbits in the desert sands... So..." She gave a shrug. "I've been trying that, and I think that's part of what kept me from getting bitten, too." She looked at Umoya, her cheerfulness melting away to a sombre expression. Time would tell if her leg would be saved... Until then, there wasn't too much they could do but make her as comfortable as possible. This had to be the worst time for such an injury, at the start of the eastward migration.

She looked up, scanning the sky for the elephant herd. She could hear it, but in the rain... She couldn't quite make them out. The lioness took a couple steps, trying to get a better look in the rain. A bolt of lightning lit up the sky, but she didn't see the elephants. Instead she saw Mcheni, and while she couldn't put her paw on it... Something seemed... Off, about the striped lioness... Experience told her to hold her tongue for now and to not jump to conclusions. Perhaps it was a trick of the fleeting light?  

[Kaliforneum]

Esasile went a couple paces ahead, away from the group, a scowl on her face. Something light, sticking out against the dark mud, had caught her eye and her attention. Leaning down to sniff it, she snarled on instinct. Hyena dung. It might even be the same ones that had been discovered a little while ago. "Hyena scat!" Esasile called back. "If they're around, our little lost one could be in much more trouble than we thought." It would be easy for one of those filthy scavengers to scoop up a cub as a snack. The lioness just hoped it wasn't the case. Still, the dung was on the way towards the elephant herd..."We should hurry. If Umoya can walk she can follow behind the rest of the group with some help. That way no one gets caught out in the storm or attacked by hyenas alone." Hyenas weren't necessarily lethal, but a group of them against only one or two lionesses, an injured one at that, was asking for trouble.
 

[Neon Fly]

Encouraging Umoya to move seemed premature, but if the lioness thought herself capable, then Simosihle wasn't going to argue. It would be better if they stuck together, given the condition of things, but not at the expense of Umoya's already precarious health. I don't think it's a good idea.

She wasn't sure if Esasile could hear her, though they were standing close to one another, the storm seemed to have become all the more volatile and the wind whipped the words from her maw nearly as soon as she spoke them. Regardless, Simo turned her gaze on her bitten pride sister. Someone will help you continue once you're ready to move forward, but don't rush yourself for our sake.

As a flicker of lightning illuminated the shape of their motley crew, Simosihle could make out Esasile sniffing the white dung. Did the lioness say something about hyenas? She couldn't be sure under the weight of the storm, but given the pale color of the waste it was likely old, wasn't it? Though the Umama admitted to herself that such a thought was no reason to let their guard down.

She couldn't quite concentrate on old hyena poop at the moment though as her gaze was drawn away to Mcheni. Only now did it dawn on Simo that Mcheni had been unnervingly quite for most of the trip, like a ghost amongst them. Had she even reacted to the Mamba Umoya had been bitten by? Maybe her thoughts were preoccupied or she was scared? A quick glance out of the corner of her eye had the Umama realizing that Imvula had apparently noticed it too. Mcheni.. is everything okay?

Simo called to the striped Busisa as she tentatively approached, occasionally slipping in the mire that the Bonelands was quickly becoming.  

[Ritikine]

A sigh of relief escaped the male as one of the group came forward having knowledge of what to do with the herbs. He was just glad that he had been of some help, and even gotten a compliment in the process. Zotikos smiled weakly and edged away, allowing for the injured lioness to have some room. Whatever curiosity was grabbing the other's attentions Zotikos was not paying attention to it. The male had come across a patch of blackened grass. He stared at it curiously for a moment. The faint smell of smoke wafted from it as he stood by the spot. It took him a few moments to realize what it could have been. A lightning strike?  

[Quaji]

Quick Event!

Please do not roll anymore 4-sided dice.

Zotikos' investigation of the scorch mark must have upset something as suddenly another bolt of lightning fell from the sky. The strike hits the ground directly beside Zotikos and has set the ground ablaze. It's currently small, but is quickly spreading thanks to the previously dry grass. Luckily it seems like it will be contained thanks to the downpour so the fires themselves shouldn't be a threat...right?

The lightning and the following fire causes panic though among the lionesses and they scatter temporarily, accidentally leaving Umoya behind.

Mia Sharra: Please roll 2 6-sided dice.
If your roll is higher than mine, he receives no injuries.
If your roll is lower than mine, his paw has been burned.
- If your roll is lower, roll 1 4-sided dice to determine how badly.
1 & 3: Minor burns, it just stings like hell.
2 & 4: More serious burns, missing fur, blisters

Neon Fly: Simosihle has gotten split up from the group. Roll 1 4-sided dice for initiative.
1 & 3; she hears something.
2 & 4; she doesn't hear anything.

Everyone else: Please roll 1 4-sided dice.
1: You find a hive of bees not too far off. They're aggitated, but the honey could be a nice snack on the way back to the pride. (Or a good natural treatment if Zotikos' suffered any burns.)
2: You find...an elephant! Right in your face. It doesn't seem to notice you though.
3: You notice Simosihle has gotten separated from the group. Evironmental change: The rain pours harder.
4: You find yourself alone, or so you thought. With some wandering, you found Umoya again.  

[Neon Fly]

Before she could get her answer the disquieting proximity of a lightning bolt striking the ground caused Simosihle to start suddenly. All four paws came several feet off the ground as the heat and force of the shard of light suddenly ignited the landscape. A testament to its power given the rain which should have made any fire impossible.

Is everyone... oka--anyone? The Umama didn't realize she had been separated from the group by her own frantic, instinctive bolt until her head swiveled, searching for the others in the search party. Scowling at the realization, she cursed under her breath and paced several steps left then several steps right. She could see the flames from here which gave her some sense of orientation, though she couldn't see or hear any of the others. At least it seemed the rain was keeping the fire from growing as rapidly as it might have on a dry day.  

[Ritikine]

The lion's curiosity was piqued even more as his skin tingled, then fur in his mane rising into the air. This odd occurrence startled the lion and he took a quick step aside, which was exceedingly lucky as a strike of lightning hit the ground near where he had been standing. Zotikos stood in shock, staring at the spot of the strike. However this one, instead of just a burn mark, had been set on fire. The small blaze seemed nonthreatening for the moment, not that Zotikos even really noticed. His mind was still reeling over the fact he had so nearly been hit by lightning.  

[Andranis]

Her ears flicked as Simo asked if Mcheni was alright. Apparently she wasn't the only one to notice something off... Before she could go to the Umama to ask what she'd noticed, she stopped and looked around. "Where'd Simo go?" She'd just been right here! First a missing cub, now a missing Umama?! Imvula started to walk, looking for the older lioness as the rain seemed to begin to fall harder. Her prior worry about a flash-flood came back.  

[Quaji]

For Simosihle / Neon Fly

Away from the group, the two hyenas saw their time to attack finally. They had a bone to pick with the grey lioness after what happened almost two moons ago. The cover of the dark grey skies that blocked the sun and the howling of the wind and rain provided the perfect cover for the two to stalk a prey they had been following for some time now. With their cackles filling the air, mixing with the sound of the rain with began to fall with an even fiercer intensity, they went in for the attack, set on seeing the grey lioness fall.

[OOC Information]

For Mia Sharra: Zotikos is physically uninjured, but will suffer temporary hearing loss. To what degree is up to you.

For Neon Fly: roll 1 4-sided dice to defend against the hyenas.
1: They attack, jumping at Simosihle. They claw and bite, none deep enough to be a kill, but they hurt like hell. You fail to shake them off.
2: They attack, nipping at Simosihle's heels and legs as they cackle, circling her, hoping to disorient her with the weather going on.
3: They attack, one jumping on Simosihle's back, biting at her neck and along her back, the other grabbing her leg. Optional: You hear a deep roar.
4: You spot the missing cub! But he's behind the hyenas...and in the middle of a panicked herd of elephants! Optional: Push through the hyenas and go for the cub. Roll 1 4-sided dice. Additional information will be provided.
A note: no wounds inflicted will scar or cause permanent damage unless you want them to.

For everyone else: You will be receive a new prompt in 12 hours with further instructions. Until then, you're welcome to have the lionesses slowly regroup. I ask that you please do not interact with Simosihle or anything I am personally controlling besides Mcheni.  

[Neon Fly]

To say Simosihle was caught off guard by the pair of hyenas as an understatement. They had completely blindsided the distracted lioness who was currently trying to get a fix on where the rest of her group was. At least she had been, until the pair were upon her likes flies on manure. Vengeance dripping from their jaws as they sunk into her fur, puncturing her flesh and drawing her attention to them quite abruptly with a roar of pain.

She wasn't even sure what was attacking her until her head whipped around to the mouth on her flank, nose crinkling with disgust. YOU AGAIN!? Didn't you get enough the first time?!

Surprisingly, Simosihle recognized the pair from when she and some of the pride's youngsters had saved Imbali. Anger flickered in her eyes as she tried to tear free from them, but every time she loosened herself from the grip of one, the other was there to capture her again with a fresh bite. Holding her against her will as she tried to swat at them with her claws, rending whatever came into contact with the sharp hooks usually meant for incapacitating prey.  

[Kaliforneum]

Elephant dung and rotting meat! This was perhaps the most disastrous evening Esasile could recall ever happening. One thing after the other...there was a reason you didn't go running about when a storm was about to roll in. Lightning that close, Esasile didn't know if Zotikos was even still alive. At least it was raining. That would stop their entire home from being set ablaze.
The lioness looked around, trying to find the rest of the search party. The first one she spotted was Imvula, Esasile dashed over to her, golden fur now dark and soaked. "Imvula! We need to regroup before anyone goes wandering off and gets themselves hurt." The lioness cursed. Umoya had been separated! At least Simo could handle herself. And Zotikos..."Zotikos!" She roared over the wind, hoping the male was still alive. The sound wouldn't travel far against the noise of the storm, but hopefully it would travel far enough. The last thing they needed after Gakere and Surtak's disappearance was more death. "And Umoya is still injured! We need to find her. She won't last out in this storm if we leave her."
 

[Andranis]

The dark dust-brown lioness cursed to herself, ears back. She couldn't see anything in this rain, and even the sound of the elephants seemed to be drowned out by the rain! She only just heard Esasile call to her, turning back toward the group. Things were going from bad to worse. When she reached the loam-colored lioness, she scanned the direct area, before pointing toward some rocks. "What if we moved her there after we find her? I remember those as a cub, they provide at least SOME form of shelter so the rain's not quite so driving!" Gods but she hoped she could be heard over the rain and wind... Whatever she'd thought she had seen about the striped Busisa had been forgotten.  

[Quaji]

[OOC Information]

For Neon Fly: Roll 1 4-sided dice.
1: Their attack persists, one nipping at Simosihle's heels and legs as they cackle, circling her, hoping to disorient her with the weather going on. You hear a deep roar.
2: Their attack persists, one jumping on Simosihle's back, biting at her neck and along her back, the other grabbing her leg. She successfully throws one off. Optional: You hear a deep roar.
3. You spot the missing cub! But he's behind the hyenas...and in the middle of a panicked herd of elephants! Optional: Push through the hyenas and go for the cub. Roll 1 4-sided dice. Additional information will be provided.
4. Their attack persists, but Simosihle successfully defends herself against one off. You spot the missing cub! You are able to reach him, but the other hyena is close behind and the other not far behind.