The Last King

[Kirsui]

Her roar had no effect, and Katakasha was preparing to throw herself into the battle field... Only that Ayesha beather to it. The female liard seprated the two fighters, and then, to Kata's slight surprise, walked to her.

"Thankyou Kata for bringing that healing plant for Ayele, it was very kind of you. But, if you ever leave a mark anywhere again on my brother, it will be you who pays the price."

"It may have been my paw that left the mark", she replied with a low voice that was too calm when considered the liard's claws were on her neck.
"But it was Umoja who told me to stop you what ever the cost, and it was the mistake of one foolish lioness to push me over, uncaring of the fact that in doing so my claws would harm your brother."

Ayesha retreated. The black lioness was actually slightly amused of the fact this liard girl was threatening her... Her, who had just challenged a group of crocodiles into a battle. Shaking her head slightly to get rid of the amusement, Kata looked down at the prince who was now somehow clinging to her paw. He felt so tiny...
"Highness", she adressed the prince.
"If you wish to someday return to the Great Tree and the Den, you may do so. You can even bring your pride back here if you wish, but in order to do so we need you to stay alive."
It was odd, for her to speak such things to the prince. She was still on her late adolescence, and yet she seemed to have experienced more than those of her age normally.

Kata made no move to stop the prince from following Judas if he wished, and neither did she make a movement to leave him there alone. And so from where she stood with the sick cub, she gazed at Umoja and the panther.
"Did you hear that, Umoja...?" she asked.
"Did you hear the prince's wish, to go where Ayesha and Judas will go?"

[Judas]

The soldier was glad things were going forward and not back wards so to speak, however Judas brows narrowed as Ayesha claimed that he mocked her, and then she retorted that he might find another one of his legs missing in the middle of the night. "If I am mocking anyone here, then it's myself. And you the least of all.." Ayesha's words could of course had been a joke just like his own, but it didn't seem like it from the tone of her voice, the grin on his face had disappeared only to be replaced by a more or less emotionless expression, the one he used to wear quite frequently before they embarked on this half-baked adventure.

His ears made a flick back and forth, "The panther said that to get the cure one of us in the group would had to pay a price to show our devotion. I agreed to pay this prize.. no matter what it was." the soldier said his voice mirrored the emotionless gaze he had on his face though it was locked on the scenery ahead, as he had heard Ayesha words on how rest and the fact that he shouldn't pushing himself so hard, as this could cause him to faint or kneel over and that wouldn't help anyone. "But still, am I worth all this trouble?" the scruffy male asked as he walked, or rather in his case limped along with Ayesha to wards the place were her brother lay.

At her command he laid down and let Ayesha do whatever she planned to do with that plant. As the liardess removed the old bandaged he didn't feel much, that is until she began applying that paste, that stung even the light leaf she used to smudge it out with conjured a choked grunt from the solider, throughout the whole process Judas lay there staring at the orange horizon before him, the sun was setting and it'd be night soon.

Not until Ayesha touched his cheek did he turn to look at her, she told him to rest as she thought he had earned it. At least he could rest until the other arrived, and she'd just be here. If Judas could read thoughts he would've been protesting now as Ayesha thought he was brave but there's no place for bravery in such a situation if you aim to be valorous you can just about dig your own grave.

The emotionless face from before had more or less disappeared replaced by a faint smile of gratitude, "Thank you.." jeez he was beginning to sound like a broken record, and his gaze lowered. "I-I am sorry I can't give you anything back." Truly he really wished to thank her properly for all of this, and not just give her words but something meaningful.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani stared back at Umoja. "A queen is equal to a king, Umoja." she said simply, staring him down. "I'm pretty sure I have as much training as you do, probably more. Don't call me careless. Careless is taking a prince to his death." She glared at him, her temper beginning to flare. She knew that if she got angry enough she would do something incredibly rash.

She took a deep breath. "I'll do whatever the prince wants me to do." she stated, quietly. Imani looked from Kata, to the prince, to Umoja, and then repeated her motion. She wanted to do whatever was best for the little prince. Everyone was making a good point, and now she was unsure. She had walked into a bad situation and now she was stuck in it.

[cheezeegriff]

The panther stopped on Ayesha's interrupition, and looked at Umoja. The anger was draining from his face too, to be replaced by what looked like bewildernment.
The panther flipped onto her feet and looked about: the sun was setting... and what a relief too. Oh, what she would give for some deep dark forest, where she wouldn't stick out like a... panther in the savannah. But night was near enough.
"Well then. Shall we get moving?"
she said, walking up to Katakasha slowly, her head bowed cautiously.
"Every moment we wait is a moment this prince is from being cured."

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

After the fight, Umoja simply sat. Nobody was paying him much attention now, which was shocking enough in itself - he had been used to having a commanding presence.
Now, he knew they wouldn't listen to a word he said.

"But it was Umoja who told me to stop you what ever the cost..."

He scoffed.
"Take responsibility for your own actions, Katakasha. Of course I didn't want you to hurt Ayele."
Turning to move away, he came face to face with Imani.

"A queen is equal to a king, Umoja. I'm pretty sure I have as much training as you do, probably more. Don't call me careless. Careless is taking a prince to his death."

Cold, as cold aas if he had been dunked into icewater, rippled over his skin with the anger that made his heart thump like a hummingbird's wings.
"I asked you to give me advice,"
he said slowly, then loomed over her.
"Do you truly think I would have promoted you to a status equal to my own?? Besides... do they accept you as queen?"
He waved his paw at the others - at Katakasha, Judas and Ayesha. Weariness crashed over him like a wave then, and he sat on his haunches.
"If they don't even listen to me - their chosen leader - what chance will they have of listening to a stranger like you?"
With that he stalked over to the striped lion who was standing nearby, ignoring Katakasha, who called out his name. Between the lion's stripes her fur was nearly white, but in the sunset, her coat appeared as red as the sky. And her eyes were quite piercing, too.
"And who - and what - are you?"

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

"I can still carry you, if you'd like. Your highness?"

Kesho cuddled down between Katakasha's paws, smiling up Judas' kind words, then at Ayesha as she approached. To his horror she seized the black lion's throat!

"But, if you ever leave a mark anywhere again on my brother, it will be you who pays the price."

He stumbled away , looking back at Ayesha and Judas as they walked away in fear, then Katakasha said,

"Highness. If you wish to someday return to the Great Tree and the Den, you may do so. You can even bring your pride back here if you wish, but in order to do so we need you to stay alive."

"Maybe one day,"
he said, feeling shaken by what he had just seen. His lack of energy made the shock all the worse.
"Maybe one day, we can all go back."

[Dakota]

Ayesha turned her head from where she was laying after re bandaging the lions paw,she was concentrating still watching what was happening back with the white tiger, Umoja and the rest of them, when one of the lions remarks came back to her,

" You asked me before if you are worth all this trouble..of course you are Judas and I wish you wouldn't think any differently, I'm not going to leave you alone, you will have to put up with me and that might be a bigger chore for you, than you have already faced."

Smiling at him gently, her gaze left his and she watched as his ears twitched back and forth is he nervous about something I wonder. As he spoke once more Ayesha cocked her head sideways to listen.
"I-I am sorry I can't give you anything back."
Surprised at what he had said, she thought for a moment about how to say what was on her mind, she didn't want to anger or embarrass him, as they still had a long journey to go.
Again she chewed on her bottom lip, a bad habit she had got into when thinking or concentrating, then got annoyed with herself about dillying and just said what was on her mind.

"You can give me something back Judas.... you can give me your friendship, your company and your caring. I've already had glimpses of you behind that soldier front you put up, and I've decided I want to see more. But where I go, Ayele goes as well, its as simple as that. I haven't a crown or a title, I'm just me, plain old me, so really I haven't got anything to offer you, like Imani for example.".

Pushing herself to her paws, she moved over to where Ele was sleeping, gently she picked him up, and placed him beside Judas.
"I need to go back and see what's happening, I feel I scared the prince when I 'had words' shall we say with Katakasha, he said he wanted to come with us, I....well Umoja needs help too."

Moving away a little, Ayesha turned and held his eyes once more " Keep resting soldier I will be back as everything I want and need is right here."
Blushing slightly at her forthrightness, she let some pent up air escape through her muzzle and turned towards where she could see Umoja.

Why did I have to blurt out that last part, he'll think I'm desperate or something, why couldn't I keep my muzzle closed, sheesh, gurantee right now behind my back, hes running away as fast as his 3 legs can carry him.., you fool Ayesha..

[genie]

Ayele had been nursed better by his sisters care and laided down, he did't really have much interest in anything happening, fatigue had gotten the better of him and after a few minutes of his head bobbing with half closed eyes, it finally complete laided on ground and he was asleep completely wiped out.

[Dakota]

Arriving on the scene where they all seemed to be arguing, Ayesha walked past Imani, not even looking at her, till she was in front of the prince who was sitting subdued near the black lioness.

"Ayesha lowered her self down so she was at his level and spoke softly to him.
"I'm sorry I scared you before little one, I would never do anything to hurt you, neither Judas, as you can see he was willing to give his life for yours,and he has paid a small price with loosing his paw, but you know he would do it all again just to protect you. And myself, well Katakasha was a bit too rough with Ayele and drew blood and injured him, and she needed to be told to be more gentle around cubs soo..."

Ayesha shrugged and looked over her shoulder where she saw the soldier lying still with her brother "You know Kesho, I'm sure Judas would love to know that you are unharmed, he's a bit battle weary at the moment and resting, but if you think you have enough energy maybe you could go see him and Ayele, us others here need to sort a few things out."

Pushing herself up off the ground she straightened her neck and held herself proud I have nothing to be sorry about, so I am not going begging to him and then walked over to where Umoja was still with Imani.
" I need to say a few things Umoja, it doesn't worry me that Imani is here,she's really of no consequence, so I'll get straight to the point. Judas and I aren't kidnappers, it so happened, we had taken the prince down to the river to refresh him and .bathe him before we cleaned out his sleeping quarters, but for some reason, some stupid person hmm and I bet I know who that was steered animals which were to be our meal in the wrong direction, and we were nearly all killed when they came crashing through the bushes and into the water. While we were seperated, the black panther came and grabbed the prince, and then Judas, Ele and myself gave chase. And if whoever was following before you, Kata I think wasn't it ? would have seen we were leaving a very clear trail so you would all have no difficulty catching up."

Watching the expressions on his face Ayesha had no reason for wanting to belittle him, they had nominated him as their leader, but now things had changed, they needed to look beyond the square.

"Umoja, we need to work together to find out why the prince is ill and deteriating, it wouldn't have done us any good staying back at the old tree just waiting for whatever it was to pick us all off one by one, in one way maybe the panther has done us a favour making come search, I really don't know, but Kesho wishes to continue and we all really serve him don't we ?"

" I wish no disrespect to you, you have taken on a hard task, but I think you know now myself and Judas will risk our lives for the prince, just look at the soldier and see what pain he is in and what sacrafice he has made already."

Nodding her head and bowing slightly to him, Ayesha turned away, but stopped and looked at him "Mother only had praise for you, and spoke kind words about you caring for all of the royal subjects, I hope what she told me, I will see through her eyes."
Smiling slightly, she continued to walk away, back to the two she cared about.

.

[Kirsui]

"Maybe one day. Maybe one day, we can all go back."

Katakasha nodded at the prince. Had she been anyone else she would have given him a smile. But she was herself, and had she smiled it would have made her look threatening.

"Well then. Shall we get moving? Every moment we wait is a moment this prince is from being cured."

Kata's half closed eyes moved on the panther.
"Foolish creature..." she muttered.
"We will not move untill Ayesha and Judas are ready. The prince's wish is to go where they go, and if they will not go I will not take him against his will."
She lifted an eyebrow, a smirk threatened to break loose on her face.
"I trust you will not either... Unless you wish to finish the match you fled from earlier...?"

As Ayesha returned and lowered to spoke to the prince, the black lioness' eyes remained on the panther, watching the smaller feline's every movement and possible change on expression.

"-- Katakasha was a bit too rough with Ayele and drew blood and injured him, and she needed to be told to be more gentle around cubs soo..."

The black lioness snorted and her gaze snapped on the liard. She had to admit the girl was brave to say that right in front of her... That, or increddibly stupid. And so she glared daggers at the liard when she went to speak to Umoja.

When Ayesha left again, Kata looked down at the prince as if having hard time choosing what to do. Then she slowly and carefully picked the cub up by the scruff of his neck and placed him on her back. It felt awkward for her to carry the prince, but she didn't want to leave the cub there with the panther and wasn't sure if he could walk on his own right now.

"Once you all are done with that ridiculousness", she shot over her shoulder at Umoja and Imani. "You can come after us."

With that having been said, Katakasha followed Ayesha. The sooner she'd get there the sooner she could give the prince for someone, anyone else to carry and look after... Except the panther.

Kata smirked. Yes, she was rather sure she'd have fun time watching over the panther's every movement...

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani fell silent at Umoja's words. He was, after all, correct. What power did she have, a stranger, to lead this group of lions and lionesses. She would be nothing if it were not Umoja in this pride. She shut her mouth and stared straight ahead. She figured that the less she said now, would defintely be the better. She blinked a few times to calm herself down and watched as Kata walked away.

"Once you all are done with that ridiculousness---You can come after us."

Imani nodded and looked to Umoja, not making a move until he approved it.

[cheezeegriff]

Umoja could feel the anger boiling away inside of him as Ayesha spoke to him, but he kept his eyes half-lidded, face neutral, in the semblance of dignity, despite the way she insulted him about his scattering of the zebras. Oh, how his heart desired to snap at her for that remark, to restrict her hunting duties for a week or send her on some mundane task as a means of punishment, but he couldn’t do any of that here, so he just growled.

"While we were seperated, the black panther came and grabbed the prince, and then Judas, Ele and myself gave chase. And if whoever was following before you, Kata I think wasn't it ? would have seen we were leaving a very clear trail so you would all have no difficulty catching up."

“You didn’t return the prince, Ayesha: you’re just as guilty as the panther,”
he said, the only indication of his anger the slow and careful pacing of his words. What Ayesha said next was more kind, adding a sickening sweetness to the poison of anger in his belly, but then Ayesha walked away, and Umoja’s eyes drifted over Imani.
Imani seemed to be more subdued now. She seemed to want to follow Katakasha so he nodded to her – anything to get her away from him.
It wasn’t just that they had disobeyed his orders. None of them had even bothered consulting him. They just went and did as they pleased. That, by itself, was what gnawed away at his soul.

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

Raising her black nose into the sky, all the panther could smell – even as the sun finally dipped below the horizon – was dust.
“This river cuts through the desert,”
She explained.
“Past these reeds there’s nothing but dirt and sand. We should get up above the bank of earth. It will be hot and dry, but the land will be flat, and we can return to the river for water and food whenever we want.”
She noticed Katakasha then, staring back at her, the cub on her back looking like a startled rabbit who had accidently fallen on a hungry lion’s back. Some part of her felt jealous that a beast as dark – inward and outward – would be trusted with such a task, especially as it was her to collect him – not Katakasha's.
With a wry grin, she sidled up to Katakaha, looked up at Kesho and said,
“Little prince, do you trust me to carry you?”
Kesho shook his head.
The panther stopped. Well, that didn’t go so well.

[Kirsui]

“Little prince, do you trust me to carry you?”

Katakasha looked directly at the panther when the smaller feline voiced out this question. She felt more than saw the prince on her back shake his head in denial, and from the panther's behaviour she saw the reply didn't please the panther.
"Why should he?" Kata asked.
"You haven't even told us your name, so why should the prince trust you? You were the one who took him against his wishes in the first place, or have you already forgotten...?"
The black lioness' eyes narrowed.
"Don't try anything, panther..." she warned on a deceivingly smooth voice.

Then she walked off, leaving the panther standing there. She followed the trail Ayesha had left, and indeed soon enough the scent of two liards and a very badly wounded lion reached her nose.

When she saw Judas she stopped, remaining standing there with the prince on her back. She didn't say anything to anyone. She didn't ask the prince if he wanted to be let down, if he wanted she was sure he would tell her. She just simply stood there and stared into something at the horizon while both her ears were twiching as she listened to all sounds around her to keep her alert of what was going on in the darkness.

[cheezeegriff]

Katakasha's words cut deeper than the panther would ever let her claws do. She stopped in her tracks, looking at the Katakasha's back as she walked on.
"My name is Usiku,"
she said, glaring miserably.
"And I did not say because nobody ever asked."
Her eyes strayed to Ayesha and Judas sitting amongst the reeds, their little cub beside them, then to Umoja, sitting dangerously close to the riverbank.
Ignoring them, she moved into the reeds to find a way up the bank.

[genie]

Ayele laid on the ground, his small chest breathing up and down, all thoughts of the present off his mind, he looked so at peace and calm full then suddenly gave a shiver as a breeze blow over him and his face distorted momentarily in his sleep before returning back to normal.

[Dakota]

Ayesha moved away from Umoja, she knew she had made him angry and upset, she could tell by his stance, she was almost waiting for a strike as she turned her back on him and kept walking. Passing back infront of Imani she glanced at her through half fallen lashes, trying not to smile to herself one minute shes trying to be Queen as though she belongs and now she's not sure what to do, you think Umoja would have chosen better

Nearly in reach of Judas and Ayele, Ayesha stopped and looked out over the river, the sun was starting togo down and all the glorious colours were spread far and wide for all to see. The scene was fascinating, till her eyes fell on the water watching as it slapped against a fallen tree limb, a shudder rolled over her as a crocodile replaced the image of the tree. Looking away, she moved forward her eyes focused on the soldier laying there, obviously in pain, yet trying to hold it in, so no one would see.

Hearing pawsteps behind her, she realised the black lioness had followed with Kesho on her back hmm maybe she can do carrying duties till Judas wound heals a little, he doesnt need any undue pressure forcing his paws into the hard ground... if not.. we can take turns, hopefully Umoja wont think its beneath him.. mother spoke about him alot in her last days, maybe I should get to know him..afterall he's... hmm we will see .

Reaching Judas, she stood there just watching him, not thinking anything but just letting her eyes wander, She was about to reach out her paw and touch him. sighing a little, she held herself back and made to lie down next to him, but saw the black panther. Instead of coming to where they were Ayesha watched as she moved past and headed up the bank, away from the edges of the river, where they were all gathered obviously going where it was less of a temptation to any of those hungry creatures still out there submerged in the water.

Turning Ayesha made past Katakasha and smiled gently at Kesho perched on her back, it was an unusual sight they both made, it bought a smile to her lips. Nearing Umoja who was sitting by himself, she could feel some of his emotion reach out to her. Slowing down but not quite reaching him, she called out softly to this enigma of a lion.

"Umoja... could you please join us, we need your direction about where to move to, so we will be safe for the night. I would prefer we only go a little distance, as the soldier needs to rest his shattered paw, as he lost a great deal of blood. We also need to see about a fresh kill, I'm not sure who has eaten and who hasn't...."

Trailing off, she sat there in silence waiting to see what would be forthcoming

[cheezeegriff]

"Umoja... could you please join us, we need your direction about where to move to, so we will be safe for the night. I would prefer we only go a little distance...

Umoja scowled: they wouldn't accept his descisions but would gladly accept his assistance to help them achieve their mission of insanity. He opened his mouth to give her a piece of his mind but then Ayesha continued:

... as the soldier needs to rest his shattered paw, as he lost a great deal of blood. We also need to see about a fresh kill, I'm not sure who has eaten and who hasn't...."

and that did it - enough, anyway. For the moment his anger was shoved aside and the survivalist wisdom kicked in - and then he remembered her insult about his hunting skills - and realised: she was toying with him.

"My you're a player, and a brash one too. It's a wonder you didn't try to make the king declare you his regent during the final, delusional moments of his life. I bet you had every young male wrapped about your little finger back in the court, but I'm not so young, and not so delusional to be fooled by good looks and a leopard's wiles."
He walked past her, towards the bank of earth above the reeds, and said over his shoulder,
"Any lion - or panther - worth their salt knows that crocodiles crawl onto sandy banks to warm their bellies after dark. Take Katakasha with you and pick one that doesn't look too big to rip off your head. I'm sure you can sort out who needs to eat for yourself, and the safest place to rest would be away from the water."
He nodded up the bank, then headed that way himself. Stupid girl... imagine trying that on him, a diplomat, of all people.
The struggle up the bank cleared his mind and lungs a little, setting his heart pumping, and he looked about the broad, near-featureless expanse of dirt that stretched to tiny mountains in the distance: tiny because they were so far away. A skeletal, black tree reached for the sky with gnarly fingers not far away, and in the distance a dust devil toyed with tiny specks caught in its grasp: vultures, no doubt. Taking a deep breath, Umoja heard a whisper on the breeze, and looked to his left:
The panther was sitting regally, looking away from him, her nose pointed at the stars as she muttered incoherently
"We're all doomed,"
he said, and plonked down on the dusty earth.

[Judas]

Truthfully the soldier would’ve fallen asleep had it not been for all the commotion around him. Actually he was half-way sleeping but once he began drifting off he was violently tossed back into the real world by the sound of voices and other noise.

After a few tries he had given up trying to fall asleep, decides he was so tired now that he was plain awake, his torn leg was getting better throbbing wasn’t as painful now as earlier.

Sighing to himself he rose to his paws and begun trudging uphill away from the bank, he knew Ayesha wouldn’t like the fact that he was moving around but right now he didn’t care about that. Before him stretched the desert, his broad for-paws gently scraped the still warm soil as the last rays of the sun disappeared beyond the mountains on the other side of the desert. He could hear the panther’s mutters as he came up beside her at a comfortable distance. “We might get there... but our changes of going home after it all. Just seems bleak.” The tsavo said his gaze trailed the now starry skies as he through a groan laid down on his side.

Judas was used to deserts he was born in one, grew up in one and was practically designed to live in one; The broad paws acted almost like a boat in the water; Expelling the sand around him thusly keeping him from sinking into the sand, the color of pelt matched the grains of sand, and the dark around his eyes shielded him from the intense light of the sun.

“I suggest that; if we want to cross this deadly place in the shortest amount of days. We should travel at night. Then it’s colder, we should seek shelter during the day, and only stop when absolutely necessary.” The scruffy male said glancing towards the black feline.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani wasn't sure what to do. Umoja had nodded for her to follow Katakasa, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to. The creepy panther was now muttering to herself. She shiverred and then rolled her eyes... this was just about the worst situation she had ever been in. She had left a perfectly great life as a princess, then a perfectly great life as a wanderer to join a dying pride, headed by a stubborn lion, and including such members as a creepy dark lionesss and a sick and possibly dying prince. She sighed, what had she gotten herself into?

"We're all doomed,"

Imani walked up beside where Umoja had plopped down onto the ground. She wasn't sure quite what to do. She could just ignore him, follow Katakasha, and see about the prince or she could reassure him, apologize to him, and possibly fix things. She chose the latter and laid a gentle paw on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Umoja," she began, "I should've asked you first. I just all caught up in this. I just took on my royal insticnts and sort of just took over. It was wrong of me, and I hope you'll forgive me for my bout of bossiness." She smiled a wide smile at him.

[Dakota]

Ayesha sat there waiting for him to speak, she needed to know what he wanted done, now, before it got too dark that none of them could see to do anything. She watched as he turned his eyes upon her and a scowl covered his face. Standing up she wasn't sure to move closer or back away but in the end stood her ground.

"My you're a player, and a brash one too. It's a wonder you didn't try to make the king declare you his regent during the final, delusional moments of his life. I bet you had every young male wrapped about your little finger back in the court, but I'm not so young, and not so delusional to be fooled by good looks and a leopard's wiles."

Her eyes widened and she gasped at what he had tossed at her, what on earth was he going on about, all she knew was that he had just insulted her. Letting a small growl escape through her muzzle she stepped back, anyone else and about now they would have her paw touching their face very hard.

Not knowing what to say to him, she took another step back away , preparing to turn when he threw more sarcastic words at her, telling her to get Katakasha and go kill a croc for dinner, then he had the gall to turn his back on her. Not waiting any longer Ayesha mouthed off back at him.
" Fine you... you.. pompous male.. I'm positive Kata and myself can bring dinner to everyone.. not like your new ladyfriend, who all she could do, was run us over with the damn food.... now I know where the term 'Fast food service' comes from.."

Turning away as he strode up the bank, Ayesha glared at his rump swaying from side to side another one that needs a swift kick where will wake them up. Moving over she saw that Judas had moved away up the bank as well Blast, I thought he was watching Ayele, do I have to do everything myself. By now her temper was coming out, and she wasn't a very happy liard.

Reaching Katakasha, Ayesha calmed her self a little and turned to the black lioness.
"Umoja has spoken, hes 'suggested' that its upto us two to bring dinner to the rest of our group, and now they are waiting up top of the bank, but wouldn't you know it, they forget to take the cubs with them. "
Walking over to her brother she saw he was still asleep thankyou Judas for watching him, picked him up gently with her muzzle and made for the bank. Stopping she turned and looked at Kata, tilting her head and raising her eyebrows with a 'well, you coming ' look, she then carried on.

Coming out on the flat top, she saw Judas,Imani, Umoja and the black panther all sitting near each other. Walking over and standing between the soldier and their appointed leader, Ayesha gently placed Ele down on the ground.
"Well... good of you both to remember the cubs, maybe now you can look after them while Kata and I go bring you your meal "
Looking at Imani standing there, Ayesha glanced her over.
"Maybe you should stay here as well Imani, hate for the crocs to be chased up the bank and through where the others are laying now, would we?"

Ayesha slammed her paw down on the sand and walked back in the direction she had come, muttering under her breath trying to rid her self of bad thoughts.

[Kirsui]

"-- Take Katakasha with you and pick one that doesn't look too big to rip off your head. --"

The black lioness' eyes flashed when Umoja's words reached her ears, but it was the only sign of her anger.

"Umoja has spoken, hes 'suggested' that its upto us two to bring dinner to the rest of our group, and now they are waiting up top of the bank, but wouldn't you know it, they forget to take the cubs with them."

Katakasha glanced at the liard from her eyecorner. The girl was telling her this because...? She should care?

She did follow Ayesha up the river bank, but when they reached the others she stopped. Her cold gaze was first on the panther, then on Umoja before it finally turned to the liard female.
"I won't accompany you", she said calmly.
"Or have you already forgotten...? There are... some who captured the prince before, and while I could trust Judas with him..."
She gave a faint, polite nod at the wounded male.
"... in his current condition I would not bet for him were either of them to take the prince."

Truth was she was more worried of the panther than Umoja, the prince had after all voiced his opinion of wanting to go where Ayesha and Judas would go...

But right now she didn't trust Umoja enough to leave the prince with him.

The black lioness took the prince from her back and settled him down somewhat near Judas before her cold stare returned to keep an eye on the panther an Umoja.
"Umoja..."
Her face remained blank, but there was a faint sparkle of amusement in her eyes.
"I wasn't aware you were ready to share your food with me, seeing how you so willingly declared I should not eat from your kills earlier."

It didn't matter to her anymore. She had touched the prince now, so if the infection was to get to her there was nothing she could do. But she was still slightly annoyed of Umoja dragging her this far and then thinking she would simply follow him back to the Den with the prince, and the best way for her to settle that annoyance aside was to take it on the source.

[Dakota]

As she passed back by Katakasha, she expected her to follow, but was surprised when she heard "I won't accompany you", .
Turning swiftly, a low growl escaped once more from her mouth,and her ears flattened to hide in her white tuft. About to butt heads with the black lioness once again, her eyes lifted looking at Kesho still sitting there on her back. and Ayesha stepped back, she couldn't and wouldn't frighten him once more.
so she gets her own way again, I'm starting to realise I will have to toughen up and play the game the right way by the looks

Ayesha turned away and in a loud uncompromising voice,she made sure they all heard "As you wish Kata and Umoja, I WILL go and make a kill, I WILL fed you all..please just stay where you all are, relaxed and sated from your adventures, I SHALL be back."

Kicking sand with her paws she left then muttering under her breath, and made her way half way back down the bank. Finding a log lying in her way, she used that as a hiding place, to just wait for the evening sky to darken, so her eyes could get accustomed to all around her, so she could pick out her vulnerable prey, she wasn't going back empty handed, thats all there was to it.

[cheezeegriff]

"Umoja... I wasn't aware you were ready to share your food with me, seeing how you so willingly declared I should not eat from your kills earlier."

Umoja looked up and watched Katakasha wander away, the little prince watching him from on top of the lioness' back. What on earth had did she just say? He glanced at Judas, to see if he had picked out her meaning, then let his head drop onto the sand.

"As you wish Kata and Umoja, I WILL go and make a kill, I WILL fed you all..please just stay where you all are, relaxed and sated from your adventures, I SHALL be back."

Umoja sighed, and mumbled,
"She doesn't know when she's beaten, does she?"
Just like a simpering manipulator to throw a tantrum when their usual methods fail. He shook his head, watching her walk off along the riverbank. He raised his head and looked into the sky, feeling the dry wind over his ears, hearing he sound of a hippo in the distance...
...hippos.
"Curse it all,"
he said, and got up: he wasn't going to let her go alone in case she really did pick something too big for her to handle. Walking past Imani on the way, he glared at her and said,
"Don't. Go. Anywhere. And keep your eye on Keshomaliki."
Then he continued after Ayesha, quietly, steering clear from the water's edge. When he reached her he plonked down beside her, behind the same log, and muttered,
"Don't say a single word."

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

Keshomaliki watched Ayesha's tantrum with a puzzled curiosity. He had always thought of Ayesha as rather well-composed, but lately, she was acting like he used to around his parents, when he didn't get his own way.
Reaching forward, he poked his current carrier's left ear.
"Katakasha? Why is Ayesha so angry?"

[Kirsui]

"Katakasha? Why is Ayesha so angry?"

The black lioness' ears twiched slightly when the prince voiced his question. Her gaze followed as Umoja left after Ayesha, but she didn't say a word to the so called leader of theirs. She was dissapointed, that Umoja hadn't replied to her comment... Though she didn't mind, not all that much.

"I think..." Kata begun, not really knowing why she even bothered to reply.
"... that she's frustrated when things don't go quite as simply as she'd wish."
She wasn't really sure if she believed this to be the reason, but the reply had been given and she couldn't really care less if the prince believed it or not.

Kata streched her neck and carefully settled herself down to the ground, disturbing the prince as little as possible while doing so. Her gaze returned to the black panther, and though it still was cold it wasn't as threatening as it had been before.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani waited for Umoja to reply to her, but he didn't. She was alittle frustrated, but she knew that she had been in the wrong and she probably deserved to be talked down to for awhile.

"Don't. Go. Anywhere. And keep your eye on Keshomaliki."

She was a little taken aback by how he had glared at her and the commanded here. Mani defintely wasn't used to it, that was for sure, though she nodded. She looked over at Kesho, who had asked Katakasha a question. She looked intently at him, he was rather adorable, though he looked sick, there was no doubt about that.

Imani slowly sidled nearer to him, just to keep him in her range of protection, in case anything bad should happen. She hoped that Umoja would cool off while he was away, for whatever reason.

[genie]

Ayele had woken up from his brief nap, his sister was gone and though he wasn't alone, he felt so alone, it wasn't really as if any of them would even know if he wasn't around any more. He didn't look good and he shivered, he was so cold, the breeze - it felt so cold and he laid his head down on his paws and let out a small whimper.

[Dakota]

Ayesha lay behind the log, just moving slightly to get comfortable until she spotted an easy target. Looking up sharply as some leaves and dirt landed on her, she saw Umoja come down towards her. what's he want now , come back to tell me again about my good looks and feminine wiles, what a load of rubbish, I think the stress is finally catching up to him.

Watching as he finally settled in front of her, she was just about to tell him to move it, she could do this by herself, she wasn't usless, when he demanded she not say a word.
Clamping her muzzle shut so tight, it was starting to make her jaw ache, she lay there fuming, ranting at him in her mind.

Turning away from him, the cloak of darkness fell at last over them all. She coudn't hear anything of what was happening up above the bank where the others had gathered, all she could see and smell was in front and around her where she lay.
Slowing her breathing, she knew her eyesight was extremely good for nightvision, and she had made many kills to feed herself while she had travelled, in fact if anything she would rather night than day.

One by one, she saw the crocs shake off their cover and rise from the water, and make their way up onto solid ground. Ayesha gaze narrowed, she wanted one to settle it self away from the others, not too big but not too small, something that wouldn't put up a huge fight and attract attention....

At last she couldn't stand the silence, and nudged Umoja sharply with one of her front paws waiting for him to turn to face her.

[cheezeegriff]

Umoja stared out from behind the log, looking at the crocodiles, thinking. Imani had apologised at the top of the bank, but he had been too distracted by Ayesha and Katakasha's following outburst to respond properly... that was probably a mistake. He should have said something, even if he wasn't in a very forgiving... diplomatic... mood. He would have to have a word with her when he got back with his kill.
Umoja felt Ayesha's nudge, and turned to look at her. Obviously, she wanted to speak, her mouth still closed, but waiting for his permission.
The fact that she hadn't respected his desire for silence was all the more enfuriating. Nevertheless he said in a calm enough voice,
"Sometime, young one, you'll learn that not every problem can be solved by opening your mouth. What is it?"

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

Keshomaliki sat between Judas and Katakasha, head on the sandy dirt. He found that if he kept his head lowered, he didn't feel quite so ill, and he watched the water, listening to the panther's voice drifting on the wind. She sounded like she was deep in conversation with the stars, but he didn't hear much, only little snatches when her voice rose in excitement or frustration, such as, "but it can't have been flooding terribly. There's not a cloud in sight" or "I thought the river always ran this quickly." He raised his head to look at her, vision swimming, and noticed she was still staring at the stars.
Then he put his head down, closing his eyes, allowing sleep to come, when he heard a little whimper. Judas was right by him.
He hadn't really paid the other cub much attention, seeing as he had never spoken to him, Kesho didn't feel the need to speak to him. But he looked lonely, even by Judas, who was staring over the river as well.
"Do you want to keep going tonight?"
he asked Ayele, mirroring Judas' suggestion.

[Dakota]

Once she had used her paw to tap Umoja to get his attention, she thought he would guess what she was trying to point out to him instead all she got was.
"Sometime, young one, you'll learn that not every problem can be solved by opening your mouth. What is it?"

Glaring at him in the dark, she wished she could give him a piece of her mind, respected elder or not, instead Ayesha clamped her mouth shut still and pointed out to the lion the ripe croc that she had been following with her eyes that she was going to make their dinner soon...very soon. All she had to do was wait a bit longer, for the creatures to settle down and relax, and then hers all hers..

[Kirsui]

Katakasha stared at the panther with her half closed eyes, her ears twiching every now and the as she tried to hear what the smaller feline was muttering. She caught a word here and there, and to her none of what passed through Usiku's lips made sense.

Finally getting bored of watching the panther, the black lioness briefly glanced down at the two cubs. For a very brief moment the thought of what would happen to those two in the future passed her mind, and as soon as it had appeared it also disappeared. It didn't matter, they could grow up and live a happy life... Or die the very next second.

Kata mentally snorted and briefly glanced at the river where Ayesha and Umoja had gone. It would be interesting to see them try bringing down one of those crocodiles...

However, as she got up from where she had been resting, the river wan't where she headed. No, she went to the black panther and stopped when she stood next to the smaller feline, lifting her head up to look at the sky.
"What is it that you see in the sky, Usiku?"
The question was voiced out with an emotionless voice and without any particular reason. However, the lioness seemed somewhat curious of what the answer would be.

[cheezeegriff]

Umoja frowned. This young liard had a lot to learn about the subtleties of hunter communication. Nevertheless he looked where Ayesha was pointing, at the crocodile she indicated, and shook his head: too big. Instead he got up, slinking along the sand near his belly, circling towards a smaller crocodile that had crept further up the bank. It was less dangerous: less of a feed, but would put something of a meal in their bellies so they could continue without being slowed by lack of energy.
He almost considered going it alone, lest this pup stuff it up and they miss out on the meal completely, but then if he stuffed up himself he would never hear the end of it again, just like how she had used the zebras against him, and later, Imani.
So he waited, eyeing her, making known that she could make the killing blow.

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

Usiku looked sideways as Katakasha sat by her side, her mouth still half-open in speech, eyes wide with the small startlement of being disturbed mid-conversation, though they held no malice.
"I see stars in the sky,"
Usiku said, a wry smile spreading across her muzzle, slowly revealing her bright canines.
"But I speak to my master. Looking at the sky sometimes helps me hear him, though I can hear him looking anywhere."
She looked away from Katakasha, back at the cloud of glittering dots overhead, passing from one horizon to the other. There was only the barest sliver of a moon tonight: the stars were bright in the dry, still air.
"Aren't they beautiful? Don't you ever look up there, black lion, and wonder if anything's looking back? Or wonder what made them. What put them there? They say our ancestors live up there... but did they make that? What are we?... Anyway..."
she stood up, wandering back to Judas, Imani and the cubs.
"We should leave,"
she said gently, poking Judas' flank.
"The night is young. We've rested a while. Do you feel you can continue, Judas? The faster we get there the greater the chance of success."
She didn't mention that Keshomaliki's fate hung on every second. Not in front of the little cub, when he was looking at her with his big, wide eyes. That would be a little too cruel.

[Judas]

Judas liked stargazing, in truth through the 4 years he wandered after the exile from his disease ridden home, the stars were his only companions and if he was to be honest he preferred the company of the moon and stars to the sun, unlike them, the sun is unforgiving and cruel to travelers.

The lion wasn’t really sure what to think, but as Usiku mentioned that their ancestors lived among the stars his gaze trailed upwards, Judas wasn’t very religious his pride’s only religion if you could call it that; were survival, and they also worshipped nature though more out of fear than reverence.

As Usiku prodded him in the flank, the scruffy male’s gaze turned from the stars and to the black feline. She said they should move on, with a nod, and a bit off strain he stood to his feet shaking the dust out of his fur. The panther asked if he felt like he could continue. “I’ll make it…” he said assuring the panther that he was not on fall over yet, also he was determined to make to their destination, whether he’d return home didn’t matter, only to accomplish the mission.

“But we’d have to wait, we’re missing Ayesha and Umoja…” the tsavo gestured through a pause, in the general direction of the river. “Decides Ayesha would have my hide, if I took Ayele anywhere without her permission.” Judas added as he glanced at the liard cub, gently prodding at the child with a paw, trying to wake the young one.