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 Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 10:23 am
Roho was searching for Nawvlee because when everything seemed dark and hopeless he had a way of making things seem brighter and clearer. Because, at the end of the day, she still looked to him as her superior and leader even if they were now within a pride. She owed him her life and her allegiance would never waver.
The young female Hongshan, mother of three, was normally a disciplined lioness with seemingly endless self-control. She prided herself in being able to mask her true emotions, deeming it a professional trait that would earn her respect with her peers. Only a few close friends had ever seen her break down and usually that was because they’d dropped by at her most vulnerable moments (as Suditi had done during her grieving for her dead mate). But today had proved that even she could reach a point where the emotion would just not stay buried away. She was ashamed of her outburst and, though she would never have thought it, had already started to regret her hasty actions.
Her tail thrashed behind her as she moved, switching between anger and despair as her thoughts shifted from one thing to another.
In truth, Roho wasn’t even sure she knew where Nawvlee was. She had stormed ahead to find him, making first for the Hongshan Quarter. From there she planned to circle outwards and ask if anyone had seen him on their travels. Thankfully, she would arrive at the Hongshan dens well ahead of the group that was to follow from the outside lands. This would give her a chance to seek him out before the others arrived on the scene.
“Nawvlee? Sir?” She called into the recesses of some of the dens she passed. The Hongshan Quarter of the Firekin lands was often quiet, partly because there was not many of them living within the pride and partly because they were a hard working people and were often out on jobs. Even her own growing children would be in their lessons with the other Firekin cubs by now.
This was not a report she wanted to give, but as she may very well have made the situation worse, she deemed it her duty. “Sir?” She called again, her hope beginning to dwindle.
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 10:58 am
Nawvlee tried to keep busy within the limits set by the pride but he was still having trouble accepting a place and socializing even within the Hongshan here. While he still felt threatened, both by the unknown Nergui and the cautious Firekin, he could not relax. Add that the pride was strained by the drought.. it seemed he would never be at ease.
With some time to himself, he had settled himself by the Hongshan dens, completely unaware of any trouble that had befallen the pride while he rested in the quiet shade. Startled by the sound of his name, not realizing he had been dozing, Nawvlee took a moment to absorb what he was hearing. Roho was looking for him, but her tone as hard to judge. With a grunt, he pushed himself up to his feet and walked out of the shadows to meet Roho.
"Roho," he greeted, choosing to say nothing else though he looked at her expectantly.
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:24 am
The inclination of her head was brief but respectful and her expression was clearly relieved to see him standing there. "It is good that you are here." She pulled up short and tried to settle herself. She could feel the fur on her shoulder prickling from the tension of her muscles and it made her feel uncomfortable and somewhat out of control.
"I'm glad I found you when I did." She paused, her face growing serious now. "There's something you must know. I'm not sure how much time we have to speak, but it will not be long."
She did not sit, but remained standing, her body rigid as she began to recount to him what had happened. She spoke, first, of the call she had heard. The shout of 'intruders' that had drawn her attention and then of the Firekin who had gathered to investigate those that were approaching. "One of the Firekin guards found them out on the border, Sir. He brought them back to pride lands to investigate their claims..." Roho paused for a split moment. "They said they were Hongshan, Sir. There was much discussion about what should be done with them and the Firekin were deciding as I arrived with Suditi. I pushed forward and there they were, alive and well. They were Hongshan and Thabiti'lengo was with them." Her heart pulsed as she remembered the fateful day they had made their escape and how Thabiti had been recaptured. She had never dared to dream that he might still be alive.
Her face, however, was enough to tell Nawvlee that there was more to the tale. If it was just the simple matter of more refugees arriving then she would have been happy. More than happy, in fact. Her tail twitched with agitation and she continued, briskly. "I moved forward to greet them but...they were not all Hongshan, sir. One of their number, a strange black cat with fiery skull markings: I did not recognise him. He is not Hongshan. I told the Firekin that the strange lion should not be allowed into the lands. That he was very likely a member of the Nergui." She frowned. "Actually, sir, I told them that they should kill him. They refused to listen to me so...I made to attack him myself."
She closed her eyes and looked away. "They prevented me from doing so and made it quite clear that they want to bring him into the pride and interrogate him. I left them before they reached the conclusion but I have no doubt that they will be bringing them here -- all of them together." Her eyes snapped back up to her leader. "It will not take them long to get here, sir, but I fear they've just opened their doors to the enemy and welcomed him in with open arms."
And then her expression grew graver still. "But, sir...that's not the worst of it." She trailed, beginning to look distraught again. "Firekin are starting to question our place here. I know we've not been looked upon kindly by every member here, but they have started to become more vocal. And...sir, my rash actions in attempting to kill the stranger may have only made things worse."
She blamed herself because in that moment where she lacked control, she opened up not only herself for criticism, but every Hongshan in the lands, present and future.
"They may decide that we're more trouble than we are worth and if they do, I will have aided in them making that decision..."
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:38 am
Now that he could see her, it was impossible not to know something was going on- but what exactly was impossible to guess, so he remained patiently calm while she rushed into an explanation. His mind immediately jumped to the Nergui at the mention of intruders but her tension was enough to keep him from feeling any excitement when she revealed they were Hongshan. Something was wrong.
Then she mentioned Thabiti and his ears perked up. It seemed impossible that he would still be alive after being captured twice, once in the wake of an escape. This unlikely news almost made him forget there was more of this story, more that was keeping her from celebrating. As soon as she said there was a stranger amongst them, his expression became very serious. Still, he let her finish- at least until she tried to take the blame for any trouble the Hongshan now faced.
"No, you were right to be suspicious of a stranger," he said firmly, refusing to let her take such a grim view of her own actions, "I have to wonder what reasons Thabiti has for trusting this stranger and what his part in their arrival was."
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:48 am
Roho seemed heartened by his confirmation of her actions. She had begun to doubt herself. Begun to think that maybe she should not have kicked up a fuss and allowed them to do what they saw fit. But, to know that Nawvlee agreed with her helped bolster her confidence.
"I thought it was right, but the reaction of the Firekin made me think otherwise. They are too confident in their abilities and if they are not careful it will be their downfall. They listen to our warnings and probably think them little more than stories designed to frighten cubs." She settled herself into a more comfortable stance.
"My one regret with acting so hastily is that I did not get a chance to speak with them. Little more than a surprised greeting, in fact. I think perhaps this stranger deceived them, too. When I accused the strange lion of being a Nergui there was a mixed reaction. Some seemed hesitant to believe it." She couldn't quite remember who, but maybe Ukuba? "Others seemed shocked and then angry, but not at me - at the stranger. Perhaps he deceived them, too? Convinced them he was a Hongshan or some relative of one? I cannot be certain."
She frowned. "One of the Firekin said to me that I should not have jumped to conclusions. That he may have been a rogue who had helped the group, but why would a rogue help them? And how? Surely only a Nergui would know how to get them out and there must be ulterior motives."
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:01 pm
Nawvlee nodded at her remark about the Firekin not taking their warnings seriously, it was a real problem in his opinion but it seemed that didn't count for all that much. Especially while they had something more immediate, like the drought, to focus on.
When she explained the reaction of the Hongshan to her accusation, he frowned. If they might turn on on the stranger so quickly, it had to be either a reluctant alliance or one of necessity. A rogue picked up along the way would be subject to question, he was sure of that, enough that they would not turn on him so easily.
"No, it would not be a rogue, they would be smarter than to allow that unnecessarily," he said, "You may be right, he must have deceived them- one way or another."
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:14 pm
"I hope so, sir, I really do." The thought of any of the Hongshan turning against them was unthinkable. "But what if they - our people - what if they are being manipulated by the Nergui?" The thought worried her immensely. "What if this is some part of an elaborate trap set by those monsters to capture these lands? What if the Hongshan have been threatened and forced into doing something against their will?"
She shook her head, deeply concerned. "The thought of it seems ridiculous, but every lion has his limit of how much suffering he can take. And...even if the Hongshan are innocent, how will they convince the Firekin of that? Is there anything we can do to help, Nawvlee? If I can aid in any way, you have only to ask." Roho would gladly put her life on the line if it meant ensuring the safety of her people and of her three young children. "I just worry that they will want to be rid of us all. Perhaps they will think getting rid of the Hongshan will get rid of the Nergui threat."
She growled. "What do you think the Regents will decide?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:23 pm
He decidedly stayed silent when Roho suggested their kin might be turned against them by the Nergui. Had it been anybody else, he would have shot them down quickly and harshly for even suggesting it. Roho asked many good questions and he had no immediate answers for any of it.
"There is no reason to suspect anything of the Hongshan except that they are in the company of a stranger, the Firekin should see that," he said, "We will make sure of it, we will stand for who we can. If they have been turned against us, they should have no reason to carry on as such when we are reunited in the safety of this pride."
The only circumstance he could imagine that might drive any to turn against their own would be the promise of safety for another Hongshan hostage they were close to, but even stretched to their limits, he hoped none would be foolish enough to take the Nergui on their word for any deal.
"I don't know what they will decide, but if you are right about this stranger, we don't stand a chance if we are evicted."
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:35 pm
She nodded gravely.
"Much of this seems to be out of our paws." She supposed that was the downside to allying with a pride. They were new. They were strangers. And as such, their word fell flat against so many other members.
"Then all we can do is speak our minds and hope they see sense in our words. If they think getting rid of us will avert the attention of the Nergui, they are mistaken. They have already taken our home and so many Hongshan lives. The Firekin are simply in their path and it is not in their nature to walk on by. They want to conquer. They want war."
She sighed. "And if the worst comes to pass. If they choose to evict us from these lands, then perhaps it is our duty to stay close by...so that when the inevitable happens, we can be here to try and prevent another pride from being taken."
She looked to her leader, hoping desperately that the Hongshan were true and innocent. Hoped that it was nothing more than what she had first thought. A Nergui under orders to befriend some Hongshan and gather Intel on the Firekin.
"Whatever happens, we're in this together. We've fought side by side once before and we'll do it again." She turned her ears back. "What is our next move, sir? Do we wait for their arrival or should we head into the pride lands to see what word has spread from the southern outpost?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:59 pm
Nawvlee did not want to think about what they would have to do should the worst come to pass. They were loyal to the Firekin only so long as they were welcome, he would give them no second thought if they decided to kick the Hongshan out. It would certainly not be worth risking what remained of the mountain pride to protect another pride that would not show them the same kindness. He felt wrong to think it but the more real the possibility, the more necessary it was to form an initial opinion on all possible outcomes.
"Neither," he said after a long pause, "We will not draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves yet, especially if your actions have made them uneasy. I want to see what's going on before I weigh in. We will let them come here and we will join them, but we won't be openly waiting."
With or without a Nergui present, this was a very serious situation that needed proper consideration. They could not risk going far but he did not want to have himself put into the middle of this too early, so they would stay out of the way for now.
Fin!
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