Part 2 - The Journey carries on

[Dakota]

Taking a deep breath once righted, karensha held up a paw.
"Shhhh everyone..lets all start this again."

The snow leopard turned towards the newcomer giving him the once over, he didn't seem to be hostile, and it seemed that Sanura had taken a liking to this dark brown skinned male, so it was time to trust the cubs judgement.

Giving a small laugh as Figgy's nuzzling was beginning to tickle, she gently pushed his muzzle away from her skin.
"Figgy behave now, we have company."
Pulling Sanura to stand in front of her, she again looked at the lion. After all that had just happened to him, she was surprised he was still standing there.

"I apologise if myself and Figgy were rather...quick off the mark to ....seperate you from our Sanura. lately we seem to be a tad over protective..umm.. due to some past events that are still very clear in our minds."

Pushing the tiger cub forward now so she was beside the lion, she stood back beside Figgy and then leant down quickly by his ear.
"Figgy behave yourself and I shall scratch your ears extra special for you later, now introduce ourselves please, to this poor confused devil.?"

[Deleted]

Sanura stood there watching Karensha and Figgy, she knew Figgy was going to send him away, but she was getting bored with no one else to talk to and have fun with, so she thought she would get in first.

"Karensha, can we keep him please ? Look at him he's all fluffy and cute, and he might be smelly, but he can have a bath in the river, like you make me do. I'll feed him every night and make sure he doesn't scratch and all those things. PLEASE CAN WE KEEP HIM, PLEASE?"

[blaqk.noise]

"I apologise if myself and Figgy were rather...quick off the mark to ....seperate you from our Sanura. lately we seem to be a tad over protective..umm.. due to some past events that are still very clear in our minds."

"It's fine, I guess I can understand."

Daylen knew that he was probably going to be sent away, It seemed that letting in someone new was the last thing on their minds, But he still hoped that they would reconsider.

"Karensha, can we keep him please ? Look at him he's all fluffy and cute, and he might be smelly, but he can have a bath in the river, like you make me do. I'll feed him every night and make sure he doesn't scratch and all those things. PLEASE CAN WE KEEP HIM, PLEASE?"

Daylen didn't like that fact that he was being treated like he was some kind of pet, but he didn't want to live alone anymore, so he kept his mouth shut out of fear that he might ruin his chances of being accepted by saying the wrong thing.

[Dakota]

Karensha stood there watching the expressions flit over the lions face, from sadness to was it a bit of anger, well after hearing Sanura describe him, it seemed he had every right.

Turning to look at Figgy, she had been expecting him to have something to say by now, but for some reason he was keeping his mouth tightly closed. It seemed she would have to do the talking..again.

"I think we owe it to you, after all this 'behaviour', to ask if you would like to accompany us, we don't move around that much as Figgy is very good at finding us food, but if you would like some company for a little bit, feel free ."

[cheezeegriff]

Figgy wasn't silent out of choice: he was aghast.

"Take him with us?"
He said, waddling forwards, peering at this new male and looking for whatever Karensha saw in him that he didn't.
"But what about us?? We've got a good thing going here, no? I catch the food, you eat it, Sanura eats as much as a bird... why let this guy spoil all our fun??"
He looked at Karensha with his big eyes, brushing away her lilac tuft.
"Besides, I want you all to myself. You're getting so nice to cuddle!"

[blaqk.noise]

Daylen opened his mouth and was about to thank Karensha, but he was quickly interrupted by Figgy.

"But what about us?? We've got a good thing going here, no? I catch the food, you eat it, Sanura eats as much as a bird... why let this guy spoil all our fun??"

Daylen didn't see the trouble with him joining. He could hunt after all, thats how he had survived all these years alone. It didn't seem like Figgy wanted a hunting partner though.

"Besides, I want you all to myself. You're getting so nice to cuddle!"

Daylen felt that his chances of being accepted were getting slimmer. Figgy just didn't seem to like him, and he would try his hardest to convince Karensha not to let Dalyen join. He still kept quiet, waiting for a spot to jump into the conversation

[Dakota]

Karensha was amused at what Figgy was saying, but kept her face expressionless and looked down into his chubby face.

"But what about us?? We've got a good thing going here, no? I catch the food, you eat it, Sanura eats as much as a bird... why let this guy spoil all our fun??"

Bringing a paw up and placing it over his mouth, the snow leopard hushed him.
"Figgy, you know we always have so much left over after you feed us all, just look at me, I'm sure I'm twice the size from when you first met me."
Rubbing her nose gently up and down his cheek, she whispered to him.

"I'm all yours Figgy, nothing will change that unless that one there knows something you don't, but you take very good care of me, I must admit."
Moving back Karensha looked back at Sanura and then the lion still keeping quiet, and speaking quickly before Figgy could say anything rude, that might start a fight.

"You are most welcome to stay with us, no matter what else is said, and you look like you can take care of yourself, so its all fine. Now Sanura, please tell us who your friend is ?"

[Deleted]

Sanuara smiled up at karensha, knowing by her tone, she had won against Figgy who wanted him gone.

"Well, this is my new friend Daylen, and he needs looking after and someone to play with, so I think he can stay with us now, yes ?"

Seeing Figgy about to interrupt again, sanura went and stood beside the shaggy lion and looked at karenhsa and then figgy.
" If he's not allowed to come with us, then I wont either, I will just go with him."

[blaqk.noise]

"Well, this is my new friend Daylen, and he needs looking after and someone to play with, so I think he can stay with us now, yes ?"

"I don't need any looking after!" Daylen thought to himself

He had been living on his own for a long time, he didn't need anyones help. He was getting lonely and wanted someone to live with though.

" If he's not allowed to come with us, then I wont either, I will just go with him."

Daylen was surprised at her answer, Figgy wouldn't say no to him now. A smile crossed his face as he looked over to Figgy.

[cheezeegriff]

Daylen's smile put a sour taste in Figgy's mouth, but he squinted at the skinny lion, then huffed dramatically.
"Oh FINE then. I'll just work extra hard getting food for another mouth and we won't be able to get ANY time alone, but who cares, right? Sanura's made a friend. Gotta adopt him like a second son now..."

With that, Figgy turned his incredible bulk and waddled in the opposite direction as fast as his near ground-scraping belly would allow.
"I'm going to check the traps,"
he muttered.

[Deleted]

Sanura let out a whoop and threw her paws around Daylen front legs, giving him a quick hug, before jumping back and turning to karensha.

"Mr Figgy will get over having someone else around won't he ? It's not as if Daylen likes you, he's never seen you before and you and Figgy are close friends and, and. He can stay now can't he karensha?"

[Dakota]

Karensha let her smile slip a little as she watched Figgy trot away, his body stiff with anger and resentment, she would have to soothe his ruffled feathers later it seemed.

Turning back to the two who stood before her, the snow leopard looked at the excited cub and then on towards the male lion standing there too ,with a grin from ear to ear.
"Yes Sanura, if Daylen would like to join us, he may."

Stepping back a little she turned as if to follow figgy and then bought herself up short.
"Again I apologise for his manner, he is very intolerant of others, we have been through alot, and lost someone very dear to us, and it's made him a bit...uptight about things."

At last Karensha moved and turned in the same direction that Figgy had taken, looking over her shoulder she nodded her head, as purple fur flew all around, and then settled back in place.

[blaqk.noise]

"Yes Sanura, if Daylen would like to join us, he may."

Daylen let out a sigh of relief when he heard her words. It had been the interesting night that he had wanted when he started his walk, plus he gained something from it. He wondered how things would be now. He had been accepted by two people in the group, but there was one that still didn't seem too fond of having him in.

"Again I apologise for his manner, he is very intolerant of others, we have been through alot, and lost someone very dear to us, and it's made him a bit...uptight about things."

"Thats fine, I'm sure that whatever happened must have been quite hard, I understand. Tell him that he doesn't have to do anything for me, I can get my own food and take care of myself.

[Deleted]

Sanura let out a yell of happiness, finally she had someone else to talk and play with, it was starting to drive her crazy being alone with karensha and Figgy, as much as she loved them, it wasn't enough. She thought about how her and Meri used to play and look after each other, until meri had lost her sight in that accident and then all the other bad stuff had happened, and now Meri was gone forever, and everyone else had split up and gone their own ways, they said it wasn't going to be for long, but none of them had come back.

Looking up at Daylen, she gave him a small grin.
"Well come on, let me show you where we are living for now, and maybe you could help Figgy and then he wont get grumpy with you anymore, he thinks you are going to take karensha away".

[Dakota]

Karensha stopped and let the cub and her new friend pass on by, had she let her guard down again too much and accepted the newcomer too readily, her mind flicked back to when Rondea had joined them and all that had happened since. Feeling a shudder go up her spine, she cut the thoughts off with disgust, it had happened, there was no going back, she would have to live with what she had caused.

Slowly her paws dragged along the ground and her head hung low letting her purple tuft fur hand down over her face partially, hiding her feelings in case anyone should look. She could still see the two in front of her, and knew Figgy wasn't too far ahead of them all, she could hear the noise and his mutterings carried on the breeze.

[Lyonize]

Zoba roared with laughter.

"You have no idea how funny you look!" He said to his brother, Uriah.

The two had been wandering around together as they did whenever they crossed paths. Uriah was suddenly dragged back towards a tree a couple meters away. By the time he had reached the trunk of the tree, his left hind leg was raised above his head, caught on a vine. The vine was tied to a branch at the other end. Uriah was able to touch the ground with the rest of his paws but just barely.

Uriah, quite annoyed, shouted "Just shut up and get me down, Zoba!"

Whoever made the trap hid it very well.

"Gahh! It's getting tighter!" Shouted Uriah.

[blaqk.noise]

"Well come on, let me show you where we are living for now, and maybe you could help Figgy and then he wont get grumpy with you anymore, he thinks you are going to take karensha away".

"Yeah, I can tell," Daylen replied, "well lets go then."

He kept thinking of things that he could do in order to get Figgy to trust him. He thought that he should probably wait a little while before he tried anything. He didn't want to do something that Figgy disapproved of by accident. He thought that it would be a good idea to at least talk to him though.

[cheezeegriff]

Figgy noticed Sanura and the smelly lion were following him, probably by accident, but it still annoyed him. Pointing his nose to the leaves high above, he said softly,
"Gah... can't they leave me alone? Do they WANT to see me grumpy?"

YOU MUST TRUST HIM IF YOU'RE KEEN TO LEAVE SANURA AND KARENSHA ALONE WITH THEM.

Figgy paused at that, a chill running down his spine. He looked over his shoulder at the two, walking and laughing together, Sanura bounding around the lion's feet.
"I... trust his intentions,"
he said.
"Had a bad feeling about Roneda from the start. Always thought he was going to take away something important. Heh... I thought it was Karensha..."
He squinted at Daylen.
"I don't think this one's got the brains to hide such evil. Besides, if she gets into trouble, Sanura knows what to do. 'Up the nearest tree.'"

FAIR ENOUGH.

"But I KNOW it isn't going to be as fun with him around. Two-and-a-cub is company. Three-and-a-cub is an entire pack. No: if Karensha's so keen to have him along then she can do without me for a few minutes,"
Figgy sniffed, then changed course as the pair were distracted with each other, moving himself off towards his more distant traps.

He hadn't even gotten out of range of Daylen and Meri's chatter, however, before the sound of something struggling came from the location of one of his closer traps. The anticipation of a good meal made his mouth water. Too fat to do any more than waddle and already a little out of breath, he nevertheless continued at his current pace, peeking over a crop of long grass to see his next meal.

His eyes widened again.

Two more lions... one at least as big as himself at the shoulder, but built entirely of muscle. Figgy's watering mouth suddenly became dry, and he tried to crouch, only to be reminded of his big belly when it prevented him from doing so. Nevertheless he backed away, nice and slowly.

[magiccat]

A mouse slowly made it's way through the grass. It felt safe, it would surely know if any animal was going to attack. Besides, nobody ever felt like eating mouse these days. They all went for Zebra or Gazelle. So the mouse was perfectly content for now. Oh how STUPID it was.

"HA!" With a triumphant cry, the lion cub launched herself at the mouse. It squeaked and tried to escape but it was too slow. The cub had one paw on it's tail and now she was placing another on it's body. The mouse was going to be crushed to death. The little lion cub was only practicing though, so when she felt she had it defeated, she released it and stood up. The mouse looked around itself wildly, it's attacker had released it! It took one look at Cat and scampered off. Cat smirked proudly to herself. Since the adventure gone bad with Meri, Cat had been with her mum. She had a special place in her heart for stories still but she had become adequate at some other things. Whilst she was creative, mature and a good storyteller, Cat figured she was almost up to her mums standards now.

Speaking of her mum, Cat wondered if she had seen her catch that mouse and began looking around her for her mum.

[Dakota]

karensha's ears started to twitch, something was wrong up ahead she could hear shouting and it definitely wasn't Figgy, you could always tell when he was in trouble, it seemed to echo all around, but this..noise.. it was someone else.

Unsheathing her claws, she pushed forward to Sanura and Daylen.
" Come on you two, somethings wrong, I think Figgy is in trouble, nows the time to prove yourself to him Daylen, if help is needed."

Moving on, once she knew they were following, the snow leopard pushed past overhanging branches, leaves falling in her wake onto the ground, trampled into the soil, getting closer to the shouting at every step. Launching herself through the next lot of bushes she made to leap when her front paws connected with something soft and quivering, and it sent her tumbling onto the ground on her back.

Lying there winded for a moment, she slowly opened her eyes to see, a lion with blue facial markings, swinging caught in one of Figgys vine traps while another with identical facial markings only in orange standing there laughing at what he was seeing.

Karensha didn't move, only her eyes moved back and forth between them both, not really sure what she was seeing, wondered if when she tripped, and she still wasn't sure what it was she had fallen over, she had hit her head, and was now seeing things she shouldn't be ?

[Lyonize]

Uriah had turned around so he was facing away from his brother, trying to figure out how to free himself. Just when Uriah thought that things couldn't get any worse, something hit him. At first he thought Zoba had done it.

"Ow! Zo, what was that fo..." His words trailed off has he turned around to see a snow leopard on the ground. This snow leopard must have hit him by accident.

Zoba, just as surprised as Uriah, was dumbfounded. He instinctively got lower in a defensive position. His claws weren't extended but they would be soon if needed.

The snow leopard, still on the ground, opened her eyes and stared at the two lions. Uriah and Zoba stared back for a few moments.

Uriah, assuming that this was the one who had set the trap, said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice "Well. Now that you've got me, what are you gonna do with me?"

[Dakota]

Karenhsa kept looking between the two satsified that she wasn't seeing things and that indeed there wer two real lions standing before her.
Feeling embarassed she righted herself, shaking the dust off while letting her purple fur fall over her face, she peeked at them both. They didn't look as though they were asking for a fight, but she could see the orange eyed lion strike a familiar pose.

"Well. Now that you've got me, what are you gonna do with me?"
Looking away she followed the voice inclining her head higher, and stared. It was quite amazing to see they were so similiar, yet different.

Finally blowing the fur away from her face so she could see clearly, she moved closer to the one still dangling and slightly swinging to and fro.
"Hmm what am I going to do with you... I don't really know, I don't think you were what Figgy had in mind while looking for our dinner somehow."

Karensha had now moved in closer, both of them on each side of the blue eyed lion. For some reason seeing him hanging there in all his glory bought a smile to her muzzle and before she knew what she was doing, her paw reached out and gave him another push so he continued swinging.
Her smile broke into a small laugh as she watched him.
" I still don't know what to do with you, so maybe I'll just play for a while, unless this one here, wants to try and pull you down, but really.... this is kinda fun"

[epppe]

The constant noise from not to far away had started to really annoy Sefu, enough to keep him awake when he just wanted to sleep. Something in the back of his mind kept telling him to check it out, but all Sefu wanted to do was stay in the same spot.

"I hate deja vu,"
Sefu muttered to himself while getting up to see what was happening.

It didn't take long to get to the noise and what he saw was a surprise to him, two lions, one hanging from a vine. That's when Sefu figured that the group was nearby. He'd been searching for them after visiting his first pride.

When Sefu saw Karensha go between the two lions and start pushing the one on the vine, it made him want to laugh but he held it in. He pushed through the bushes and walked behind Karensha and the other lion hoping they wouldn't notice him.

"Wow Karensha, when did you become so cold hearted?"
He asked with a smile on his face.

[Lyonize]

Zoba relaxed a little as the snow leopard with the purple tuft began to talk and walk around. He got the impression that she meant no harm. He expected her to get Uriah down somehow but instead she smiled as she gave him a little push.

" I still don't know what to do with you, so maybe I'll just play for a while, unless this one here, wants to try and pull you down, but really.... this is kinda fun"

"Ummm. No, that's okay. You can get me down now." Uriah said playfully but only half amused at what she was doing.

Then Zoba smiled and spoke up. "That does look fun. My turn."

"Zo!" Uriah protested.
He was getting dizzy from all the blood rushing to his head. The top of his mane was brushing against the ground slightly.
Then another lion approached from behind. Uriah noticed him first. His build was similar to his own and he had a hook shaped scar on his left cheek. Or was it his right? Uriah couldn't tell because he was upside down.

"Wow Karensha, when did you become so cold hearted?" He said.

"I assumed she was always like this seeing as this is her first impression." Uriah said with more apparent sarcasm in his voice this time.

Zoba turned his head so he could see this new lion in his peripheral vision. He wasn't worried because the snow leopard seemed friendly and this lion appeared to know her. Maybe the brothers could tag along with them as they had done with so many other groups. That was, if they could get Uriah down first.

[cheezeegriff]

Figgy gaped as Karensha ran onto the scene and barrelled into the lion on the ground, the extra weight her frame supported lending a helping hand in bowling the lion over. Why, why must she always do this? She looked so small compared to the two... what chance would there be if they wanted to kill her? However, it appeared they didn’t, despite how plump and delicious she looked - Figgy imagined she'd be a tasty meal for any lion. Must be Cat’s honour, Figgy supposed, and so he took a deep breath and stepped out into the open.

"I assumed she was always like this seeing as this is her first impression."

And now she was annoying them. Figgy cleared his throat, speaking with as much dignity as his bulk allowed.
“Ahem... I see that you two lions have disturbed my trap. You should be careful where you step around here as I have many mo...”
He blinked.
“Sefu?”

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Kali cuffed Cat’s head from behind, surprising the younger cub.
“Foolish girl! What have I told you? Don’t let them go.”
She said, snarling at the little cub.
“You let them go, they learn from their mistakes. They tell their friends. Soon, mice will be harder to catch than gazelles and it will be your fault! It might not seem important, but when you’re starving and injured, a mouse might just save your life. Gah... Cat... How, how many times do I have to tell you this??”
Kali turned away, shuddering with angry frustration. Her daughter was learning, but that dreamy, idealistic state of mind was something Kali hadn’t yet removed. Still facing the sparse woodland, she said,
“Your brothers and sisters all paid for their mistakes with their lives. Maybe it’s your father’s seed that’s cursed. After all, he’s dead too. If you don’t want to join them then do as I tell you.”
Then, Kali caught a whiff of something. Or things, both familiar and... different. Dangerous, maybe.
“Smell that?”
She said, her voice no longer angry.
“Smells like your stupid friends are nearby.”

[blaqk.noise]

" Come on you two, somethings wrong, I think Figgy is in trouble, nows the time to prove yourself to him Daylen, if help is needed."

Daylen didn't say anything, he just hurried up to her and followed as she led the way. Karensha suddenly tumbled forward, almost taking daylen with her because he was following so close. he slowed down and laughed to himself a little, he soon caught back up to her. He saw that she had run into lion, and noticed that there were two of them

Daylen kept out of view for a little while as they exchanged words. Karensha fooled with the one hanging by the rope, and Daylen decided to come out.

“Ahem... I see that you two lions have disturbed my trap. You should be careful where you step around here as I have many mo...”

“Sefu?”

"Someone mind explaining?" Daylen asked.

[Lyonize]

"Someone mind explaining?"

Uriah, facing away from everyone, still dangling from the tree, raised a paw.
"That's what I'm supposed to say."

Zobah just sat back and watched. He never did say much. He usually only spoke when it was necessary.

(sorry for the short post but I think it's what Uriah would do.)

[Dakota]

(OCC ~ short posts are allowed any time DJ)

Karensha kept smiling when it looked like the other one called Zo was going to have a turn as well, until she heard a voice behind her, that made her start and then smile even broader.

"Wow Karensha, when did you become so cold hearted?".

Spinning around, she felt something soft underneath her back paws, she was sure she was standing on the lions mane that had been brushing back and forth, but for now her concentration was with who was standing in front of her.
"SEFU.. where on earth have you come from, I thought you were roaming around looking for your pride... or..well sleeping your life away under some tree somewhere, and now here you are."

Standing there grinning, she heard from the one dangling again and looked over her shoulder at him.
"I assumed she was always like this seeing as this is her first impression." Uriah said.
Karensha licked her lips, and whispered sweetly.
"You should be careful now what you say, its not me thats trussed up like someones waiting dinner, now is it."

Hearing a noise in the bushes karensha looked in that direction, seeing Figgy appear and starting to complain about his traps, she hoped he wasn't going to get in a snit and go off again, but before she had time to do anything, next to appear was Daylen with Sanura close on his heels.
well isn't this turning into a nice little party, all we need is now is cake

"Someone mind explaining?"
karensha laughed at the looks on everyones faces, poor Figgy will be having heart pulpitations at so many being in the same place at once.

From beind her again came that voice.
"That's what I'm supposed to say."
Not even looking at him, she raised a paw and poked him gently "shhhh you."

[Deleted]

Sanura came running up behind Daylen, panting and puffing, she couldn't wait until her legs grew more longer and she could finally beat someone else.
Seeing the lion had come to stop, the cub skidded to a halt behind him and then peered around his body.

"OOOH WHERE DID EVERYONE COME FROM."

Stepping from behind Daylen, Sanuara moved forward towards Karensha when she saw something from the corner of her eye. Turning she ran and lept at him, hugging his front paw tightly.
"SEFU, you've come back, where have you been, why has it taken you so long, are you ok.? and..and"
Trailing off she looked back and saw new lions by karenhsa.

[Lyonize]

One lion after another showed up through the foliage. What's next? Zoba thought. Just then, a dark lion and a small cub with stripes burst through. The cub was not a lion but rather a tiger. Zoba had always admired the stripes that tigers bore. But what intrigued him even more was simply the fact that she was a cub.

Zoba loved cubs. He always felt that part of his duty, his lot in life, was to protect them and make sure they were safe. This cubs presence brought a certain liveliness to the place. She had a playful bounce in her stride that brought a smile to Zobas muzzle.

"SEFU, you've come back, where have you been, why has it taken you so long, are you ok.? and..and"

The cub paused and looked at Zoba and Uriah. Inwardly, Zoba melted under her gaze.

Uriah stayed silent, too dizzy to speak.

(OOC: This is the first time I have ever rpd more than one character at once. How am I doing?)