[META-PRP] You Fools [Haifa Kai, Nike & Emerce]

[Quaji]

The night was beginning to wane and Haifa Kai knew the sun would be upon her forest home soon enough. Soon the leopards would mock her and her kin once more as they had for so long. Nana was fading and there was nothing she could do but blame the cowards hiding in their mountain for her demise. Even the Msitu'nyeusi had run out of bodies to sacrifices to give and they were beginning to get desperate. Glancing up through the canopy of the tree, she could only imagine when the sun or moon would come crashing down. Would it be today, tomorrow, soon? The pride looked to her and she had no answers for them. She was their Haifa Kai, their born leader, and she was doing anything but lead them.

Standing upon a rock in the forest home that she ruled, Haifa Kai's roar echoed through the trees, calling the pride together. They would need to find means of helping Nana, with or without sacrifices. They needed the catalyst, but none were worthy of returning to Nana. Blood red eyes glared to the dark sky that became tinted with dark grey. A storm. An omen and one that did not sit well with Haifa Kai. Something had to be done.

SilverLutz

Zingling

((Post order I feel should be myself, SilverLutz and then Zing, whenever you feel Emerce can join us.))  

[SilverLutz]

The way back seemed a lot longer. Perhaps it was the blood loss, or perhaps it was the dead weight of the unconscious leopard on her back. Perhaps it was the combination of the two. In any case, Nike knew that this gift had to win her mother over if she wanted to survive her return. She had been exiled, after all. To come back meant certain death and she was in no shape to protect herself at the moment. Even if she dropped the leopard and ran she knew she would be caught. Her energy had left her after the fight and now it was sheer willpower that drove her paws forward.

Finally the familiar smells of home reached her bloodied nose. She knew these trees, these little clearings and hills. A familiar sound reached her ears and while she was glad to hear it to know which direction to walk in, it also drove a spike of fear through her heart. Her mother. The one that had bested her in her attempt at taking over, the one that had sent her on her way. She hadn't done it out of spite or hate for her mother. She loved her dearly and she knew she had been spared for that very reason. Anyone else surely would have been killed. But just because she had been let go the first time didn't mean she'd be so lucky this second time around.

Thus, the leopard. She shifted him once more on her back before moving in the direction that her mother had called from, hoping to beat the rest of the pride. She moved methodically to save her energy and, once she reached the clearing where her mother stood, gave a little roar to announce herself before pressing into the open area. She kept her eyes down out of respect, although she kept her stride strong and purposeful.

"Mother," she said quietly, her ears back and head lowered once she got close enough to speak. That was all she said, though, waiting to see what the older lioness would say.

Quaji

Zingling

 

[Quaji]

For a moment her eyes showed love, surprise of course, but there was definitely love there. It faded though as the reality sunk in. She had been a mother happy to see her daughter returned, but she had banished her. "Exile." Haifa Kai's voice was dry, almost uncaring as she looked down her nose at her own flesh and blood. "You are unwelcome among us." She snarled, her lips just barely beginning to raise to show her fangs. The canopies above them began to shake as the winds blew above them, only gusts here and there making it passed the green treetops down to where the two lionesses stood. A storm was brewing.

"I didn't raise you to be thoughtless and without foresight so I'm sure you have a good reason to show your face here."

((Just have Emerce chime in whenever you feel it appropriate, Zing.))  

[SilverLutz]

The first word to leave her mother's lips stung, but Nike knew it was nothing more than the truth. She should be grateful Haifa Kai wasn't calling in the warriors to chase her away. She had a chance, then, and her mother's words confirmed it.

"You didn't," she agreed, lifting her head to meet her mother's gaze. A bold move, but Nike wasn't one to cower. She would show respect where it was due, but she wasn't afraid of the fate she was giving herself by coming back. She was ready to die. She had to be to even think about coming back.

"And I do have a good reason, mother. In my exile I came across a leopard from the mountain. He was alone, and as I am no longer a part of this pride, the truce father created doesn't apply to me. I first simply wanted knowledge from him, but he didn't cooperate, thus his present state."

She rolled one shoulder, lifting the leopard slightly to attract her mother's attention to him. "Since he proved to be such a bother, I thought he might be of better use to you and the pride. A sacrifice for Nana." And a peace offering, hopefully proving to her mother that she wished to return home.  

[Quaji]

"The truce applies if you return." Haifa Kai suddenly snapped, her voice raised and her eyes flaring with anger as she looked frantically between her daughter and the leopard upon her back. Claws unsheathed only to claw the rockface beneath her paws before slipping away again. Her voice leveled as she spoke again. "You are a fool for taking him, but your intentions were in the interest of preserving Nana. The leopards will be looking for him if he is missed." Taking a few steps down the elevated platform, Haifa Kai began walking towards her defeated daughter. "You brought him here, to us. Regardless if you live or die here, your actions will have consequences that we will feel."

Still, a leopard would hopefully be enough fuel for Nana to keep her from slipping away until they could find a catalyst, a proper sacrifice, one to link Nana to them forever...Her eyes locked with her daughter's. The rest of the pride would be here soon and they would demand an explanation of why Nike had returned and the origin of the leopard. He was a mountainous coward and Haifa Kai would normally have no qualms with shedding his blood, but the treaty...War would be upon them if they did.

"He will need to be prepared. Washed of his wounds, given time to heal. He would be ill-suited to nurture Nana if he fought you." Lightning flashed and seconds after, thunder rumbled in the sky above. "Though we may not have time. Nana has been fading faster than those with Sight foretold."  

[SilverLutz]

Nike held her ground as Haifa Kai snapped. She knew this would be tricky to work out, but if she had to take the brunt of the backlash from the leopards, so be it. As long as she was re-instated into the pride before hand, she'd be willing to face whatever came after.

"He's still alive," she said quietly as her mother came closer to her. "Right now, if they come looking for him, you can simply say that I am responsible. You took him in to help him. They don't have to know anything beyond that."

It was a stretch and once the leopard got better they'd continue as her mother saw fit, but in the time between there was still the chance to keep the truce in place.

"I don't expect to return formally until this has seen itself through," she added. "And if it pans out as I hope, I'll be fully ready to protect this pride and our home from the leopards. Nana needs to be seen to, whether or not I'm in exile."  

[Quaji]

Haifa Kai's eyes looked over her daughters face, searching for fault in her words. There was none and the plan Nike put forward could work should the mountain leopards came looking for this missing companion. Glancing to the limp feline upon her daughter's back, she frowned.

"He needs to at least be washed at the very least. Any blood upon him needs to be spilled for Nana, not from a fight." Of course she would have rathered give him all the time he needed to fully recover, but it wasn't an option. Pausing, faltering even, Haifa Kai was trying to figure out what to do. Normally she could react quickly, decisively and without hesitation. "Take him to the water pool, bathe him and bring him back to me. Your brothers will escort you." The last five words were spat out with a low growl to finish while Haifa Kai began slowly circling her daughter. "I trust you still know where that is?"  

[SilverLutz]

Nike knew the rituals well, but she listened intently to every word her mother said. Wash the leopard - carefully as he was still unconscious, she didn't need him drowning - and tend to his wounds, then return him to her. It was simple enough, and yet she knew this would be the most important thing she had done in her life. She still wasn't part of this pride, but she was going to act like it.

"Yes, mother," she said, her voice confident but her eyes trained ahead of her as she was circled. "He'll be taken care of and brought back to you as quickly as I can." Quickly, but only after he was seen to. Then she could take care of her own wounds.

"If that is all?" she asked hesitantly, unsure if her mother wanted her to wait until her brothers arrived or if she could go on her own. Probably not, as she wasn't part of the pride. For rogues to come into the lands like this was unheard of, they'd surely be killed before they got much further than a few steps in. She was a special case, though...right?  

[Quaji]

"That's all."

There was nothing else really needed to say. The rest of the pride would soon be upon them and for now, it would be best if Nike was not around. At least not until she could explain that they had their sacrifice and that Nana would survive...for now.

"Take care of him. You already know what's at stake if something were to happen to him now." It wasn't a threat, but it definitely could have been read as one. Returning the rock, Haifa Kai turned and sat back down upon the cool stone just as the rain began to fall from the sky. It was slow at first, but steady and increasing, just like the Msitu'nyeusi needed to be if they were to survive this. "Your brothers will join you soon."  

[SilverLutz]

Nike bobbed her head in understanding. Just hours ago she had knocked the stuffing out of the leopard and now she was to care for him as she would a cub. Now that he was to be a sacrifice for Nana, she had to treat him as though he were made of glass. She moved away from her mother as Haifa Kai headed back to her place, waiting for the others in the pride to join her. She knew she wouldn't be welcomed by them and moved back among the trees in the direction of the pool.

She had her new mission and she had survived the first. Her mother hadn't tried to kill her or chase her out, so there was a chance. They'd just have to be very, very careful with how they progressed. She pressed on, moving through the forest with determination in her eyes.

[Last from me]