[ORP] A Kink in the Pattern [Open]

[Ithambo hlabathi]

INTRODUCTION

Despite some vocal opposition, the Inqina continued in spite of Surtak's disappearance. The cubs and juveniles left at night under the care of Umoya (Lethrossen) and Ulaka (Kaelyndra). Aside from that, all males and females stuck together as usual.

For many mothers, this will be the longest break they've had from their children. The cubs will be gone anywhere from one full day to several, and there's always the chance of injury or death befalling a cub. Now, it's time to figure out what to do to fill up the time. Hunt? Talk with other mothers? Try and sleep? Each lioness has their own way of coping, and whether they have children or not, the restlessness in the pride is tangible.  

[Ithambo hlabathi]

OOC Information

• The purpose of this ORP is predominately to introduce the new Inselelo and allow the lionesses to interact with him.
  
  
• If circumstances permit it, there may be some tie in with this RP and events that occur in the Inqina.
  
  
• Each post in the thread will count as a raffle ticket towards a semi-custom character. This does not have to be a BL character. Winner will get to pick any species (including familiars), the gender, and up to three colors.
  
  
• If you'd like to join but don't have a BL member, you may pick a random species of bird to post with. Other species are likely to be harmed. Curious hyenas and wild dogs can also be used, but at risk to their life/limb. The BL has a strained relationship with these species.

IC Information

• This RP begins at night, around an hour or so after the cubs and juveniles were out of sight.
  
  
• As a result, you may not RP any cub/juvenile that went on the Inqina. If you have not yet posted in the Inqina, or want to assume your cub was held back for some sort of injury (or by their mother if you have received permission), you are welcome to post in this thread.
  
  
• Ulaka and Umoya are not present, as they are running the Inqina.

 

[Meepfur]

To allow himself a moment of ego, Andhaka was disappointed.

He had fought and chased off the Bonelands' leopard-spotted Inselelo, and it seemed that no one had noticed, in significant contrast to his initial challenge to Nguvu, wherein the lead male had noticed and helped to run Andhaka off. This time? Nothing. Oh, he was plenty pleased that the Umholi hadn't shown up again to 'help,' but it would have been nice if someone had noticed. Instead, he was left standing in the darkness, staring into the night long after Nguvu had gone, alone. Victorious, but alone...and bleeding a little. The other male had managed to get a few hits in, but the resulting wounds were minor. Eventually, satisfied that Nguvu wasn't going to be coming back, Andhaka considered what to do next. The lack of witnesses was inconvenient, and meant that he was probably going to have to just waltz on up to the lionesses and announce himself.

Fantastic. That was just bound to work out very well! Nothing to be done for it, though. He took a minute to check himself over, wondering whether or not he should groom himself, lick off the blood and smooth out his mane, but decided against it. The blood would hardly be noticable, anyway, given both the color of his coat and the time. And if his mane was a little ruffled, well, so what? He'd been in a fight! He should look like he had. He assumed that that would be best, but it was only a guess. He knew a little about the pride, having spent much of the last week at the Firekin outpost; he had considered joining the desert pride, briefly, but he had been quick to take a much greater interest in their neighbors. He'd acquired a general, basic knowledge about them through casual conversation, but he had absolutely no idea how they would actually react to him. He'd have to find out the hard way.

Following scent and soon sound, the striped male sought out the lionesses and approached. Cautiously. He was much more concerned about them than he had been the now ex-Inselelo.

There were more of them.

((Andhaka has been hanging around the outpost a bit, so anyone is welcome to have seen him there, or possibly even conversed with him briefly, in which case he would have been politely curious about them/the pride, but not creepily so.))  

[Kaelyndra]

Nolaka was utterly bored with the Inqina. The lioness did not dislike cubs, she was simply indifferent to them. The exceptions to this fact were for half-siblings born of the Lead Umholi Gakere--which were potential competition--and her own children--an instance that had not yet occured.

With so much attention focused on lions that weren't her, Nolaka had very little to do but find a pocket of grass to sulk in. Most were too busy with the Inqina to hunt, and the dun-striped lioness had not yet become Zalwa. Hunting on her own would have been stupid. She was above games such as burying rocks, and she had no brothers to harass.

In spite, she'd opted to find Mvua. The lioness was always in the harass-able category, and Nolaka's teeth had closed on the distracted lioness' tail and given a sharp tug when Andhaka had arrived. The short-lived prank and any retaliation that might follow was forgotten about.

Nolaka's ears went forwards, her tail snapped up, and her head raised. It wasn't like their males to not do their job. Yet, here was a rogue male with a full, dark mane, and no Inselele or Abaholi come to stop him. The conclusion was quick: He might be the new Umholi. The spoiled princess had not known great fear since she was a cub, but she knew it now. The hackles on her back stood on end and she stared.  

[Meepfur]

Sher-Kha-t, being a relatively new member of the pride and without cubs, wasn't sure what to do with herself during this Inqina business. Many of the others were clearly restless, as state that was unfortunately contagious. The tension in the air made her want to pace or fidget or at least twitch a little, urges that she was doing her best to suppress while she tried to sleep. She lay on her side, looking like she might be dozing, but that appearance was ruined by half-open eyes and her tail beating gently against the ground.

She watched with idle amusement as Nolaka attempted to harass Mvua, but then the young lioness...stopped. Why? Curious, Kha-t rolled onto her stomach and followed Nolaka's stare.

"Is that one of the red-pelts?" she guessed. The outpost held no interest for her, and she knew only a little about its residents from the other lionesses. They were red, he was red or reddish, as far as she could tell. "What's he doing here?"  

[Kimaria]

Two other lionesses reclined nearby, their lower backs pressed together in that familiarity that spoke of trust and friendship. One – a tan lioness who could be considered plain if not for the brightness of her eyes – was in the process of grooming the dust from her paws. The other was the Firekin ambassador who had spent her entire adult life living amongst the lionesses of the Bonelands. Her bright red fur was in contrast to the others around her and she breathed softly as she slept.

Ainra, pausing in her grooming, glanced towards her friend and wondered how she could sleep so easily with the tension lurking in the shadows all around them. She had always been a nervous, submissive female who relied on others to keep her safe. Relied on her sister—before coming to join the Ithambo’hlabathi. That had never changed. She was who she was. But here she was surrounded by family and for the most part she felt safe.

“Su,” she hissed, “wake up.”

The Firekin stirred and, pressed against the fur of her far side, a snake uncurled to wakefulness; lithe and golden and hooded.

It had taken Ainra a while to get used to the serpent that followed in Su’s wake, but now she was glad of her poisonous presence.

“What is it?” Su asked gently, lifting her head and scenting the air.

“Sher-kha-t says he looks red. Is he Firekin?”

“I don’t recognise the scent but I have been away so long, that’s hardly surprising. The Firekin have never been lacking in new talent arriving at their borders.” There was a slight wistfulness to her tone that suggested a hint of homesickness. Ainra could understand that. She occasionally felt a pang of longing for her birthplace, too, when she had been young and innocent and had the love of a foster father she could no longer recall the face of.

“He smells of blood,” the golden snake, Kaharabu, lisped.

Then Su was on her feet, looking mostly awake, and taking a step forwards.

“Interesting,” she said.

That was not the word Ainra would have used.

((apologies for any strange typos – this was done on my phone))  

[SilverLutz]

Nehanda had sought respite from the heat of the evening under a tree, and now that it was dark she lay comfortably by the trunk of her selected shade. Recently her weak lungs had been feeling very well, and she assumed she had to thank the gods for such a blessing. It was allowing her to help in the hunt more and more, but she didn't want to press her luck too much and wear herself out. She was taking things slowly and carefully as she knew her mother would have liked, although there was a bit of restlessness about that made her want to do something.

She had heard rumors of a new male at the outpost and, while she knew that didn't mean anything was to come of it. the tension in the air sang her a song of change. Han wasn't afraid of change, but since there were no males around and just a few females, she was a bit anxious. She knew she'd be no good in a fight, if this male meant them harm, but she could certainly dash away to find more aid.

The few around her seemed to notice something off in the distance, so she rose and followed those that moved closer out of curiosity. Blood hit her nose before she made out the dark lion, her heart skipping a beat from concern, then in complete and utter embarrassment. Oh dear...he was horribly attractive, even with those cuts all over him. A dark mane and tail, a unique coat - from what she was used to, at least - and the mystery a new Inselelo always had about him. She looked away, mildly ashamed at her own thoughts. She didn't even know his name and she was daydreaming about spending time with him! Absurd.

Keeping a cautious air about her, she continued to move forward with the larger of her kin, allowing herself a moment to wonder if someone as handsome as he would even take a fleeting interest in someone as small and weak as she. No one was speaking up and the silence was starting to become oppressive, so Han did what she could to help break the ice. She wouldn't be much help in any physical matters, but when it came down to pluck and courage, she wasn't lacking.

"Greetings, stranger," she called out softly. "You're wounded...have you bested someone in a fight?"  

[Meepfur]

As they spoke amongst themselves too quietly for him to hear at his careful distance, his gaze went from form to form, counting and assessing. And just as he began to think that he was going to have to speak up first, a lioness smaller but apparently more forward than the rest did so. Good. At least that made it slightly less awkward.

Having reached a distance at which he could speak without having to raise his voice too much, while hopefully giving the females enough space, he sat in an attempt to make himself look less intimidating. Threatening them, intentionally or no, would be counterproductive.

"Good evening," he offered, returning the greeting of the lioness who had spoken with a smile. He kept his voice even and conversational. "I have, yes. The one with the spots like a leopard. I'm afraid I never caught his name."

"Mine is Andhaka. I apologize if I startled you."  

[Kimaria]

"No," Ainra breathed, her ears falling back against her head. Nguvu was defeated? Cast out by this---this new, strange male whom she didn't trust one bit? How could Nguvu be gone? He was the crocodile slayer! And yes, whilst Ainra had been frightened of him for some time after he had arrived to take his place as Inselelo, she had grown to understand that he was not what she had first thought. Her head dropped sadly, thinking of the cubs who would grow to never know their father.

Su, who had taken another step forward to draw up alongside Nehanda, gave the male an appreciative once over. He reminded her of home, a little. His dark pelt offset by those stripes. Nguvu had been a gentle lion but strong, too. This one had to be stronger still to have sent the tan lion packing.

"Then you are inselelo, now," she replied with a small smile. "You shall get a congratulations from me, but that cannot be said for all of us. My name is, Su." She pondered on giving Ainra's name, too, but one short glance at the female suggested that might not be the best idea.  

[SilverLutz]

When her question was confirmed, Han's ears perked up. He had managed to defeat Nguvu? Ainra's reaction made her own become a bit more subdued, as she recalled that there were new cubs in the pride that would never know their father. Or, at the very least, grow up without him. That was common in the pride, though, as Inselelos came and went, each stronger than the last. It was sad, yes, but at the same time knowing that this dark male defeated his lighter opponent kept her curiosity high.

The fact that he was darker was a high contributor to that curiosity, even if he'd never return her longing looks. She could still admire from afar!

Su's welcome made her shake herself from her little trance, and she put on a friendly, if shy smile. "Your presence is certainly unexpected, but I think you'll find there are lots of lions that will be very interested in meeting you." For now, though, it would probably be best for him to stay on the outskirts of the pride until the cubs returned.  

[Kaelyndra]

The fur on Nolaka's back flattened, and her mouth instead parted into a smirk. The other females had already mirrored the thoughts in her own head. He had defeated someone, and he was smart enough not to try and push his weight around with a pride of females. Strength, brains... if Nolaka had cried tears for Nguvu, they were not visible. Good riddance.

"So formal, Su," Nolaka practically purred out. Bravery puffed out her chest and she ventured towards the male with long, cocky strides. "You're not in red-pelt country anymore." The jest rolled off her tongue as she passed Nehanda and Ainra by, heading strait towards the new male.

Nolaka wouldn't admire from afar, and as she neared Andhaka, she made a leftward turn and began to circle him. "Well, well." Her eyes glanced towards the other females, flashing them a grin. They then returned to Andhaka, her eyes flicking over the slight hint of torn skin in the darkness. "Aren't you handsome."  

[Meepfur]

"Thank you, Su, for your congratulations," Andhaka responded with a cordial dip of his head. "I hope that others will find me worthy of them in time." He was, perhaps, laying it on a bit thick, but there was typically little harm in being too polite. Certainly less than there was in being impolite!

His gaze turned to the first speaker again. "And I am just as interested in meeting them."

It was a thought he meant to continue with charming words, but found that intention rather interrupted by the approach of a lioness who had until then been silently suspicious. Interesting. The smallest had been the first to speak, but once his presence had been explained, it was this one who suddenly found bravery and strutted towards and around him. He followed her with his eyes, but did not turn or crane his head when her circling took her behind him.

"I think I have looked better, admittedly, but if you are pleased with me, then I will not argue," he said with a appreciative rumble.

The sound of her name caught Sher-Kha-t's ears, and she turned her head to watch Ainra wake the ambassador and twitched her ears froward to listen intently for the answer. Her ears fell, though, when no definitive determination was made, and returned to watching, waiting for someone else to make the first move. There was a part of her that wanted to demand the stranger announce and explain himself, but it was a part of her that she was getting better at stifling. She was not a princess anymore, had no authority here and wouldn't have known what to do with it even if she did. The situation was entirely foreign to her, and it was wiser to let the native lionesses decide how to handle it. And they did.

So Nguvu was gone. No disappointment there, Kha-t had had very little at all to do with him in her short time here, nor had she wanted to. If and when she considered having cubs, the Umholi was far more appealing. He was the Umholi, after all, which meant he was the best male, and she wouldn't want anything less than that.

She sat up to get a better view of the goings-on, and held her breath at Nolaka's boldness.  

[Kimaria]

Su threw Nolaka a teasing glare and took another step, edging closer to the male and - in doing so - leaving Ainra further behind.

The shy female was beginning to look rather unhappy, shrinking back into the shadows so that she could be forgotten. It was the safer option, after all, and she preferred to be safe. Her curiosity would never get the better of her, especially not when there were other females eager to question and get to know the new stranger. If they did so, she'd hear from them later in trusted company.

Su's laugh was a burst of delight, watching Nolaka move in to get a closer look. "Old habits die hard, I am afraid. Blame my parents for that particular trait."

As the red-pelted female looked on, though, she had to admit she was impressed with this male. He had been a strong Inselelo and had come to introduce himself to females who could potentially have shown him aggression. Now, even under scrutiny he was holding his own; confidence practically oozing off of him. Besides, Nolaka was right. He was handsome and the 'ruffled' look did much to enhance it, in her opinion.

"Best not to argue," she hummed, "life will prove easier that way."