Sorry it took so long to put together, but here it is, for those people who want to read the plot from start to finish!
The RPs are listed in the general order in which they happen, but not always; some are occurring at the same time. To learn more about the characters and where they all are when the story starts, please visit this thread.
First Week:
Shaky s to cheer up his worried and frightened sister, Kuruka.
Unearthing the Mystery (Umoja and Mapatano) - Umoja and Mapatano explore an underground tunnel system in an attempt to get back home, but just end up getting more lost, and finding some old ruins, remnants of an ancient civilization.
Ayita'Guban (Hifadhi, Ngao) - The former Captain Hifadhi trains with the newly-appointed Captain Ngao in Ayita'Guban, the art of the Koza'maisha warriors. Ngao is clearly worried about Hifadhi's age, which has started to creep up on him, but Hifadhi merely brushes it off.
A Day for Cubs (Dumu, Peke, Kuruka, Ubele, Ufunuo) - The royal cubs Ufunuo and Ubele go out on a little adventure with Dumu, Peke, and Kuruka. Their games get interrupted by some of the vultures that are roaming the lands ...
A Feeling of Unease ... (Ukweli, Ngao, Hifadhi) - Ukweli's visions lead him to worry about the safety of the children in the pride with the new interlopers present, and with the pride's leadership teetering on the edge, Ngao suggests Hifadhi take the children to the other side of the valley for the time being.
What Makes the Taciturn Speak? (Msiba, Kitisho) - Kitisho's out hunting in the blazing heat, and Msiba joins him to casually discuss how he likes the valley.
Hunting Expedition (Elea, Haja, Machafuko) - Haja and Elea are out on a hunting trip for the pride, but Elea is having problems with her crippled leg, although she refuses to admit it. They meet up with the ever-hungry Machafuko, who tries to charm them like Msiba, but fails miserably, and gets roped into hunting with Haja while Elea returns to the pride.
Quite the Opposite (Mchawi and Machafuko) - After leaving Msiba, Mchawi finds her brother Machafuko, lazily reclining in the shade, and imparts her news to him.
Second Week:
Why Can't They See? (Dumu) - Dumu manages to sneak out to try to prove he's an excellent hunter, and gets lost. Along the way, he discovers a hiding spot to sleep for the night ... but finds it occupied! The bird, Kwepa, becomes his bonded.
A Nighttime Adventure (Hifadhi, Peke, Kuruka, Ubele, Ufunuo) - Hifadhi wakes up the children in the night and starts off for the other end of the valley, pretending that it's a 'game'; unfortunately, Dumu could not be found because he had wandered off earlier, and was left behind. Kuruka gets lost on the way across the valley, and Hifadhi is left to find a hiding place for Peke, Ubele, and Ufunuo. Peke loses his temper with Ufunuo and Hifadhi; Hifadhi tells the children to wait, and goes out looking for Kuruka.
A Morning Stroll Gone Wrong - Kitisho, on Msiba's orders, tries to ambush and kill Ukweli to stop the seer from having any visions that might interfere with t heir plans, but Ngao intervenes and Ukweli manages to escape. Ngao, however, is crippled and beaten by Kitisho, but is able to flee before she is killed. Kitisho, irate, knows he cannot return to the rest of the pride, and disappears.
I See Right Through You! (Ngao, Msiba) - After getting away from Kitisho, Ngao corners Msiba, who she deeply suspects had something to do with the attack. Msiba denies all knowledge, however, acting terribly affronted. There's something familiar about the interloper, but she can't put her paw on it ...
The Fly on the Wall ... (Ukweli, Nyonda, Haja) - After escaping Kitisho, Ukweli goes to Nyonda's den, to tell her what happened. Haja, nearby, manages to eavesdrop on their conversation, and finds out, to her utmost surprise, that Nyonda is dead and 'Nyonda' is actually her identical sister, Ficha, and decides to tell Hisia what she's learned ...
Let's Just Talk (Unyevu, Mchawi) - Unyevu has a vision about a white raven in pain and trouble, and tells Mchawi. Their own tattered past starts to come out in bits, and it's revealed that Mchawi once loved the proud and brilliant Seer ... until he took another lioness for his mate.
Voicing Concerns (Hisia, Msiba) - The day after the cubs leave, Hisia is bewildered at the sudden disappearance of the cubs from the pride, and goes to Msiba for assistance, who assures her that he will send out Machafuko to go look for them.
I'm the Map, the Map (Ingi, Ajili, Umoja, Mapatano) - Umoja and Mapatano meet up with Ajili and her son Ingi ... who happens to have a strange talent that helps him lead the males out of the tunnel system, and to the gap in the valley wall that the interlopers had gone through previously.
Nobody's Listening (Haja, Hisia) - The morning after Msiba reassures Hisia, Haja imparts her news about Nyonda/Ficha to Hisia, who is shocked, and rushes to 'Nyonda's' cave.
Bad News (Kitisho, Mchawi) - After Kitisho beats Ngao, he returns to Mchawi to tell her his mission has failed.
Third Week:
Trust in the Future (Ukweli, Ngao) - Ukweli tells Ngao to trust in the Seer child, as he's recently had the first peaceful visions since the earthquake.
What a LOVELY day - nevermind (Mapatano, Ingi, Ajili) - With Umoja scouting ahead, Mapatano is 'stuck' with Ingi and Ajili, who try to bring the sarcastic, cynical and grumpy lion out of his shell, and we learn why the birds and lions of the Aka'mleli have such a close relationship.
Success is Always Bloodred (Elea, Machafuko) - Elea is out hunting, and despite her crippled leg, manages to bring something down. Machafuko comes across her and demands a share of the kill, but she refuses to let him have it, noticing with some puzzlement that his claws and muzzle are red with blood already.
Inside the Black (Ficha, Hisia) - Hisia confronts Ficha about her identity, while Ficha is angry at Hisia for letting the pride's structure crumble like it has. Despite her injury, Ficha vows to leave the den in the morning and make everything right again.
Returning Prince (Unyevu, Msiba) - Unyevu has a vision that Umoja is returning, and dutifully tells Msiba.
Have To Do It Myself (Peke, Mchawi, Unyevu) - After Unyevu departs from Msiba's company, he finds that Mchawi has discovered and injured a rare albino raven. Convinced that it is the raven from Unyevu's dream, she is tormenting the creature to determine who he has bonded to. Peke, who had slipped away from Ubele and Ufunuo in order to search for Kuruka, stumbles in on the torture and cries for Mchawi to stop; she cuffs him, kindling an angry answering spark in Unyevu. The adult seer distracts Mchawi, and Peke and the bird, Nguvu, make their escape.
News From Home (Umoja, Dumu) - Umoja, scouting ahead, comes across Dumu, his bonded, and a dead Kuruka. Horrified, he discovers that the girl-cub had accidentally eavesdropped on a conversation between Msiba and Machafuko about killing Elea and Haja, and Msiba ordered Machafuko to kill the girl. Dumu, hiding, saw the entire scene. Umoja yearns to fly ahead for his family, but waits with Dumu until Ajili, Ingi, and Mapatano can catch up.
In Hestia's Name (Ufunuo, Ubele, Hifadhi) - Hifadhi returns to find Peke gone. Frustrated, he still listens to Ubele when she tells him she's had a bloody vision of a wounded Ngao. Ufunuo, wandering off to get a drink, discovers a bird along the way: his newly bonded, who tells him of Mchawi's treachery to the bird goddess, Hestia, and explains that she must be stopped. With no other option, Hifadhi leads the children back home; they are attacked by vultures along the way, but manage to escape.
Don't Fail Me This Time (Kitisho, Msiba) - After meeting with Unyevu, Msiba goes to Kitisho to tell him to kill the returning Prince Umoja ... and to do it properly this time.
Fourth Week:
I'll Have My Way (Msiba, Machafuko, Unyevu, Ukweli, Peke) - Msiba and Machafuko stumble across Peke, who they've been ordered to capture by Mchawi, who now suspects that Peke, not Ufunuo, is the seer child they want. Unyevu unwisely intervenes, and is killed by Msiba; Ukweli does the same, and is mortally wounded by Machafuko, but Peke and his bonded manage to escape.
Hide and Seek (Ajili, Ingi, Dumu) - Umoja and Mapatano have gone ahead to save the pride, leaving Ajili with her son, Ingi, and Dumu. Seeing a mass of vultures nearby, she goes to check it out, leaving the children behind in a safe spot.
We Made it Home (Ufunuo, Ubele, Hifadhi, Ngao) - Hifadhi and the cubs meet up with Ngao after returning home, but only briefly: hearing screams in the distance, Hifadhi leaves Ngao with the cubs and leaves to help. Ubele, however, has had a vision of her father running through the valley gorge, with Kitisho in wait to ambush him there. She hurriedly tells Ngao, who hides the children away and flees to the gorge.
The Waiting Game (Kitisho, Ngao, Umoja, Mapatano) - Kitisho waits to ambush Umoja, but Ngao manages to find him first, and the two fight high above the gorge floor. Umoja and Mapatano, intent upon getting to the screams they hear in the distance, pass by unknowingly. Kitisho hits Ngao across the face, effectively blinding her for life, but Ngao's bonded, Hofu, gives her direction and she manages to topple the larger lion off the cliff, killing him.
End of the Road (Msiba, Machafuko, Peke, Umoja, Mapatano) - Msiba and Machafuko catch up with Peke; Umoja and Mapatano, having heard the commotion, step in to save Peke. Umoja gives Msiba a sound hiding; Mapatano kills Machafuko, and Msiba, seeing his dead brother, flees the lands.
Whatever the Boss Says (Ufunuo, Ubele, Ficha, Ajili) - When Ngao leaves, Ubele and Ufunuo are set upon by vultures, who are under orders to kill Ubele and capture Ufunuo. Ajili, hearing the commotion, comes to save the children, as does Ficha, who kills the vulture's leader, Msiba's bonded Werevu. Leaderless, and with their two lion supporters also fleeing, the vultures leave the lands.
Severing Bonds (Hisia, Mchawi) - Hisia overhears Mchawi talking to her bonded ... and the words she hears infuriates her. She attacks the other female, but Mchawi kills her bonded, Samahani, in the process. Furious, Hisia turns on Mchawi, who is immersed in a vision, but Mchawi's bonded Nonda gets in the way and saves her at his own expense. Mchawi's vision shows a dead Kitisho and a dead Machafuko, and she realizes her grand plans have gone terribly wrong. Cursing, she leaves Hisia with a last parting shot, and deserts a dying Nonda.
Did We Really Survive? (Hifadhi, Ngao) - Ngao returns to Hifadhi to assure him that she killed Kitisho, and check that he's still alive.
Acta Est Fibula (Ukweli [solo RP speaking so members of the RP]) - Ukweli, dying, warns the pride to keep on the lookout for Msiba and Mchawi, who may return. He also explains that there is not one, but three seer children: Ubele, Peke, and Ingi, all with a very unique trait. He blesses the pride, and passes away.
The Bringers of Good News (Haja, Elea, Mapatano) - A day after Msiba and Mchawi leave the lands, Haja and Elea return from a successful hunting mission, and they meet up with Mapatano, who explains what's been happening with the rest of the pride in their absence. The lionesses share the good news that they've found a way out of the valley, so the group can hopefully meet up with the rest of the fragmented Aka'mleli.
No More Secrets (Hisia, Ficha) - Hisia, shamed, imparts to Ficha that she's carrying Msiba's cubs.
Reunion of Father and Cubs (Ufunuo, Ubele, Umoja) - Umoja reunites with his children, Ubele and Ufunuo.
EPILOGUE:
- After Mchawi and Msiba were chased out of the lands, and the Crown Prince returned, the pride returned to a semblance of normality. With the addition of Umoja, Mapatano, and Ajili, the pride had enough hunters to ease the strain on the few that had been struggling to feed mouths.
Ajili and Ingi were accepted into the pride because of their actions in helping the Crown Prince and his children. Hifadhi, Nyondo, and Ngao made recoveries, but Ngao's leg was never the same; and, as weeks passed, it was clear that her sight would not return, either. The captain was blind for life.
The Seer children - Peke, Ubele, and Ingi - would find their odd skills more controllable as they grew. And Hisia would have two children by Msiba, who were eerie visual reflections of their father ...
Will this remnant of the Aka'mleli pride find the King and Ukweli's fellow Seers, if they are still alive, and the rest of the pride? Or will they have to make it on their own? What parts will Peke, Ubele, Ingi, Ufunuo, and Dumu have to play in the pride's future, and what of Hisia's new brood? Will those that lost a bonded find another; or would those bonded that lost a lion find another?
Would Msiba and Mchawi ever return for the cubs, or would they find some other way to have revenge on the Koza'maisha?
Only time will tell ...
