The Last King

[Judas]

Judas could be nice to the women, but they had to work for it first or rather gain his respect. "I am not nice to women just so I could get easy access to their rear ends-" the wanderer's ears laid back, "They are not objects, nor are they playthings.." he wasn't to keen on having children, decides cubs was the last thing this pride needed now as any cub born during a plague is bound to die anyways, and any courtship would be a waste of energy, and even if they did survive the plague they would starve as food was a scarce commodity.

Judas turned to Umoja, as mentioned that with the size of the pride, would it really matter to keep them together? "In all honesty, no it wouldn't." he paused, "But your pride is about size of my birthpride. My father kept together with an iron paw, any weaklinks were flushed out, and each new born cub were closely inspected if they didn't pass.. well then they were killed." speaking of infanticide as if it was a common practice could seem odd to most, but Judas had grown up in such conditions and knew nothing else.

"Back to the topic of the prince.." the wanderer began breaking his gaze from Umoja and turning it to the savanna ahead. "What does it matter if the prince dies? It's not like he is vital for this pride's survival. He only happends to be born into the current ruling family nothing more, he is nothing more than us; common rabble. And if his house dies out with him, then so be it, perhaps that family wasn't meant to rule anything afterall."

Judas' stretched as a faint yawn escaped him, "If he did survive and grew into adulthood, then he would have to prove himself a capable leader, independant and strongwilled, but also a warrior able to defend his territory, though most of all he would have to earn my respect if he ever hopes that I would follow him."

[Dakota]

Ayesha jumped as a voice reached her, she had completely tuned out, thinking about the times her mother used to sing to her. Turning she looked and saw the panther watching her, she hadn't realised she had stayed after speaking to all of them, and now no one was around she had come back.

Staying where she was, Ayesha eyed the panther as she moved over to the prince. She wasn't sure if she was here to offer some hope, or to kill off the prince for someone's own means. "Please leave him, he's just got to sleep".

Moving forward Ayesha stood beside the panther watching her wearily.
" Have you come to help me look after the cub or do you want him going the same way as the rest of the royal family?, I think it would be easier for those out there, if he was to simply just curl up and die, but if I have anything to do with it, he will regain his strength.....I just don't know how to really save him."

" do you have anything or know of anyone that could save the prince ?"

[cheezeegriff]

"...he would have to prove himself a capable leader, independant and strongwilled..."

"He's only a cub, yet. If we want him to have these qualities, we'll have to teach him."
Umoja met Judas' eye.
"It will be a long time yet before he's ready to rule on his own, and you and I will likely be old and slow by then. If our little prince becomes well again, then our choice is thus: build him up as the king we want him to be, or find someone else to take his place. His life - whether he dies, what he becomes - is in our hands.
Umoja looked Judas over: it took all kinds to make a kingdom, and he hadn't sensed anything undeniably evil in this lion yet. Nothing undeniably good either, but he could hope.
"So, shall we make a king of him?"

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

The panther cowered under Ayesha's gaze. She was only little, compared to Ayesha, and her eyes left the cub to search Ayesha's face for signs of hostility.
"My master can save the prince,"
she said.
"He learned of the plague some time ago, for the end of life and the time just before is his forte."
She tilted her head, looking at Ayesha curiously.
"Yes: I do sense out of all of you here, you care the most for the little prince... would you die for him, if it would surely save him?"

[Dakota]

" Would I die for him,? I'm not sure. I gave my promise to my mother that I would protect Ayele with my life, and he is my first consideration. But.. I would fight to protect the prince...of course."

"My master can save the prince,"
Ayesha looked the panther over, trying to assess whether she meant what she was saying.
"why hasn't your master come forward at the beginning of the plague, and tried to help cure all those who were suffering, my mother included. Did she die an unnecessary death like the King and Queen ?"

Feeling anger rise, Ayesha stepped back away from the prince's sleeping form and moved to leave the 'room'. pausing she turned and held the panthers eyes " we need to discuss your master more, but away from here."

[Kirsui]

"So tell me, you seem like you don't care about anything at all. What happened to you? I've never seen anyone so depressing in my life."

Kata's eyes narrowed sharply and a frown appeared to her usually emotionless face.
"You wouldn't be all rainbows and sunshine either had you witnessed your pride be slaughtered in front of your eyes, would you?"
She flexed her claws, feeling them dig into the soft soil at every step she took. Her gaze swept over the area. This hunt was taking too long for her liking, and if things kept going like this Derregan would surely make more questions she had no will to answer.

The black lioness sighed. So much of the quick hunt then...
"Do you see anything worth of being called prey?"
Because really, she couldn't and would at this point be very much glad if the male walking with her noticed something she didn't.

[Judas]

The wanderer listened to the 'kings' words, and he suppressed the will to roll his eyes, of course he was still cub! "First of all, the rag-doll must survive this illness of his." Judas' voice held little to no emotion yet he was insulting the crown prince, calling his true regent a rag-doll, however the male wasn't afraid to speak his mind. Why should he? Freedom of speech.

"And if he does, then we must remove the child from the prince's heart. He must be shaped by the world around him, and this world is cruel and generally merciless. But it can be forgiving from time to time, but only rarely." The male had no intentions of creating a dictator, but a just ruler, with a strong independent will, and without fear and one that stands among his people and not above, behind, or beside them.

"I have no wish to serve a weak puppet-king, but one that knows what it takes to govern a people and to keep a pride together in thick and thin. One that would never, ever take anything for granted! If I am going make a king out of him, I won't be easy teacher to please."

His voice was strict, Judas was very clear on what he expected of any ruler. The reason he had voted for Umjoa wasn't because he believed the older lion had any of these qualities quite the contrary, he had thrown his vote 'cause there was practically no one else to vote for.

"A king serves his people, and not the other way around. Remember that!" The male stood to his feet, but kept his head level with Umjoa as he uttered those words, they were spoken softly yet his voice held a sincere gravity. He would keep an eye on Umjoa making sure he didn't abuse the power he had been granted, to many rulers did this.

And Judas would make sure that didn't happen here, nor that prince should he survive would become a mear tool for those in the pride that held ambitions for power. It's said that: "Those who take power are bound to abuse it. While those given power without wanting it are less likely to abuse it."

The wanderer jumped down from the kopje and onto the grass below, heading back in the direction of the tree. Perhaps this leopard would return soon, and explain this possible cure of hers.

[Reagen]

'Do you see anything worth of being called prey?'

Derregan stopped moving and raised his head to look around, then he closed his eyes and took a deep sniff.

"The only reasonably sized prey here is either dead and rotting, or sick. I think we should- No, wait." His eyes opened again, and he lowered his voice slightly. "I think there's an antalope behind those bushes over there. Yeah, I can smell it. It's not very big though, but anything is better then nothing I suppose."

He looked closely to make sure he was right, then turned to face Katakasha. "You want to go for it, or should I?"

(OoC: Sorry for the short post, I just can't think of anything else to put into it.)

[cheezeegriff]

(sorry for the short post. Not much to do until it's safe to chat).

"We're safe here, for the moment,"
the panther said, glancing around at the walls as if the roots might rise up and grab her,
"But if you know of a safer place then let's hurry. Take the prince too... if one of the others came back he'd be at their mercy."
She left the room and headed towards the exit, and the prince opened his eyes.

"You stopped singing," he croaked, looking up at Ayesha. His eyes were watery and unfocussed, but he held her gaze for a moment and smiled.

[Dakota]

Ayesha turned to the panther her eyes turning cold.
" For now he wont be going anywhere, he's safe here under our gaze, and if you are thinking different thoughts than me, about removing him, I'd suggest you change your mind, as you have to get past me, and I know which one of us is going to come off worse."

Hearing the little one speak, Ayesha turned around quickly and moved back over to him.
"sshhh its ok, close your eyes and try and sleep, I'll be here beside you."
Leaning over she scooped up some more water and held it by the princes lips, smiling a little at him encouragingly, then moving away as he laid his head back down.

Looking back at the panther who was watching from the entrance, Ayesha spoke clearly to her.
"It will take more to get me to trust you. I have found out in the months I was wandering that I gave my trust to easily and it was abused and tossed back at me, but it wont happen again, so I suggest you leave and let me get back to soothing this innocent one.

Turning her back, Ayesha lay down stretching her limbs trying to relax herselfshaking her white tuft in disaray, she started singing softly once again.

[cheezeegriff]

"You do not wish to discuss my master more?"
the panther said, poking her head into the chamber.
"I'll leave, but time is precious. Every time the moon rises is one day closer to his death, and my master is a long way off."

"I'm going to die?"
the prince siad weakly, then coughed, looking around with wide eyes that only stayed that way for a moment, and sobbed,
"I don't want to die."

The panther sighed with sadness, and took a step towards the cub, but then stopped and glanced warily at Ayesha.
"Death isn't so bad, little prince... it's like night time, silver and shadow. But we'll try and preserve the colours of day for you a little while yet, if your caretakers let us."
She glanced at Ayesha.
"There's a tree by the waterhole. When you're ready to seek my help, come there and bring the prince. Come alone. I'll be watching from somewhere safe."
Then she turned and fled from the cave.

[Dakota]

"For now I don't need nor want your help, if you have something to offer I suggest you discuss it with Umoji"

Turning back to the prince and blocking his view of the panther, Ayesha bent down to him.
Bring up a paw she stroked his cheek softly aware that his skin was dry and cracked.

"Kesho, you are not going to die..ok... you will be strong for us all, and help me get you better. And once you are well again, I think my brother Ayele, would love someone his own age to run around and get into mischief with ... now lay your head back down and rest.

Looking over her shoulder as she felt a breeze, the entrance of the cave was empty again. Sighing softly Ayesha moved over and dipped more leaves in the cool water and bought them back to the prince and began placing them on his skin.
She remembered her mother doing this to her, when she was sick and had a fever, used to make getting off to sleep that little bit easier.

[genie]

Ayele looked about - now his sis was't near, others still just talking, shesh.. this was so boring.. adults were dull... no one had any fun around here and he flopped down on the ground bored.

[cheezeegriff]

Umoja sat up and watched Judas walk back to the great tree. Hopefully he had made a good impression: he needed friends. For now though he was content to go walkabout by himself.

He wandered after the general direction of Katakasha and Derragen to see if they were hunting, but sniffed something in the grass after a while - a beast of some sort, possibly food. The odour reminded him how hungry he was, and so he set off after it, keeping his head above the savannah grasses, looking down over the plains and shrubs.

He saw it a short moment later - an anetlope amongst some tall shrubs - and lowered himself onto his belly, crawling forwards. The grass barely rustled, but he had to be extra careful: the wind was against him, and he could see the creature looking about with frightened eyes.

Then he noticed a familiar pair on the other side of shrubs, a little to their left: lions... Katakasha and Derragen, shades amongst the long, sunlit grass. As the antelope looked away from them he locked eyes with Derragen and nodded: if they wanted to move in, he was ready to cut off its retreat.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

The dusty yellow lioness walked slowly through the grasses, keeping sure to stay low. She was new to this land and wasn't too keen on being noticed right away. She was starving; she hadn't eaten in about two weeks. She remained hydrated though; finding water for her was easy. She just had to follow the clouds. She yawned and it was slightly audible, but only to someone listening intently.

She would've kept walking, but she suddenly sniffed a scent that sent instinctive happiness coursing through her veins. It was the smell of an antelope and to her it was the smell of survival. She got lower, ready to stalk. She ran slowly at first, trying to make as little noise as possible. She quickened her pace and all of her senses focused on that antelope. She eventually saw it, standing alone, with the taller foliage of the plains. She was ready to pounce, ready to eat her fill, when the wind blew a new scent past her.

She stood, stock still as a statue, when she recognized the scent. The smell was that of another lion. He was male, but that was all she could make out of him. The only moving part of her was her tail, which was flicking back and forth as her heartbeat increased. She assumed that the male was probably strong, since he was hunting and all. The wind blew by her again, this time from the other direction. She gulped. There were two others near. Another lion and a lioness.

Her tail continued its flicking and she let her claws sheath and unsheath into the dirt. She was unsure of what to do next. If she decided to take the antelope as her own, she could create a reason for her own death. If she let it go, it was suicide. She gulped again, waiting for another option to emerge, or to be caught, whichever came first.

[Kirsui]

An antelope, how delightful! A smirk appeared on Kata's muzzle.

"You want to go for it, or should I?"

The black lioness' gaze locked on the bush behind which Derregan had said the prey laid. Streching her neck she extented her razor sharp claws, her mind set on the hunt.
"I believe I cou -"
She stopped mid sentance, her eyes narrowing slightly. She saw Umoja, nodding his head. So he was aware of the antelope, and ready to cut of its path. She glanced at Derregan and nodded, crouching down and crawling towards the unsuspecting dinner.

Luck wasn't on her side though as the wind turned and the antelope suddenly jerked its head up. Kata growled and pounced, but she knew she couldn't catch the creature, the head start it had gotten was all it needed to escape. It had caught the scent of danger, and from the direction of the wind the black lioness just knew the scent hadn't been hers, Derregan's or Umoja's.

Sliding to a halt on her tracks the black lioness turned around, glaring and sniffing the air for whoevers scent it had been that prevented them from catching their dinner. When her nose picked the scent of a lioness - who according to her nose didn't belong to the pride - she shot a death glare at the unknown lioness' general direction, her fangs bared. She was hungry and annoyed that someone, even unintentionally, had messed up their chance to catch food.

[Reagen]

Derregan saw Umoja and katakasha move in, but the antelope was somehow alerted. He didn't think that he or katakasha had alerted it, but who? Surely Umoja wasn't that foolish...

Whatever was going on, the antelope had gotten away. Derregan moved off to try to find something else to eat...

________________________________________________________________

Finding nothing, he went back to the dens to find a drink. After quenching his thirst, he noticed Ayele sulking on the ground. He went up to him.
"Hello Ayele, getting bored are we?"
He flicked his tail in front of Ayele's nose, and pulled it back, then continued doing it to prompt the cub to chase his tail.
"So tell me, what have you and your sister been doing?"

[cheezeegriff]

The antelope bolted.
"Damn," Umoja said, then gave chase, but only a second passed before he realised it was too late and roared in frustration. He bared his teeth and sunk his claws into the grass: thier failure only reminded him of how hungry he was. Looking about for the cause, he smelt it before he saw her: his higher vantagepoint allowed him to make out her camouflaged form amongst the golden grasses. He caught his breath in his throat.
Stupid girl...
Though Derragen had wandered off Katakasha was still around, and he cocked his head:
I'll circle.
Maybe they still would have something to eat.
With that he began creeping towards the intruder, moving int the long grass where she wouldn't be able to see him: she was watching the antelope as it ran away, not paying attention to him. He slowed down to keep his stealth, listening in case she moved, then at the last minute bolted and leapt, intending to pin her to the earth so he could extract payment for his hungry stomach.

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

The strange lady's attention soothed Keshomaliki's nerves. It was almost as good as having mother back... almost. He closed his eyes for a while, taking comfort in the fact that she didn't seem to blame him for what was happening, that it wasn't a punishment, despite the pain.
He soon started to feel ill though. A pain welled up in his belly as if a snake had tightened about his innards, and he sat up.
"I'm gonna be sick,"
he said, staggering into the corner of the cave and throwing up in the corner: not much, thankfully, but he felt better on the way back - still tired, with pain under the armpits of his body, but no longer nausious. He walked beside where he had been resting and curled up in front of the funny panther.
"What's your name?"
he asked her, lips stained red with blood, as if he had just eaten a fresh kill. Wiping his mouth with his arm he examined the sticky substance himself, then gazed at what he had deposited in the corner.
Just like mummy daddy.
Panic swelled up inside him and he gazed at the panther girl, gasping in alarm as he began to tremble.
"I don't wanna die!"

[Judas]

"Why not?" a voice sounded from one of the dark coners of the tree, "You'll get reunited with your parents." the owner of the voice stepped out into the light, the tannish fur, two-colored mane, bearded chin and large paws.

Judas had been watching this assembly since the panther had disappeard so he didn't know she had been present except for the fact that there was a faint smell in the air though it was drowned out by the sickening smell of vomit and blood. The wanderer was ofcourse addressing the prince with his words, and he now approached the child, "Death is not the end. It's the beginning of a new journey.." now why was he being sympathetic to the prince? Well first of all getting the child to cry would tare on his nerves, he couldn't stand children crying.

So he was doing the better thing and try to amend it, to stop it before it began. Mostly by calming the prince down, telling him dieing wasn't as bad as it seemed. "The pain will be gone when you die, you won't be sick anymore." It was better to prepare the child for the hard facts that he was about to die sooner or later, and why not give him a positive relation to it, rather than having him fear it so much.

[genie]

Ayele was laying there on the ground bored when Derregan walked in and out to him and asked if he was bored and started flicking his tail in front on Ayele as well as asking where Ayele's sister was.

Ayele squeakily growled and jumped suddenly on the tail that he'd been watching carefully, before looking at Derregan and saying "It's boring in here... everyone just talks... my sister went off with the prince... there nothing for me to do, its not like there are lots of cubs around any more"

[Dakota]

Ayesha had moved back to allow Kesho to rise and go empty his tummy. Watching as he slowly moved himself over she bit back a gasp as she saw blood pass his lips along with bile and the small amount of water she thought she had successfully got him to hold down.

Waiting until he lay down again, she was about to clean him with more fresh leaves she had bought into the cave with her before, when he looked up and asked who she was. Opening her muzzle,she then paused as her gaze followed Keshos as he realised what he had wiped onto his arm. Seeing the panic well up on his face, and hearing his plea she felt her heart give a little crack. Here she was back home after watching her mother die now this innocent babe was probably heading down the same path.

Not caring any more, Ayesha leant forward to hold him but was stopped by someone standing behind her uttering words she thought she would never hear someone tell a child.

Pushing herself back and swinging around at the same time, a low growl escaped from her muzzle as slowly paw by paw she advanced towards the lion standing there before her.Trying to hold her anger in she spoke her words steely and slowly.

" Do you think you are helping anything by telling him he's going to die. YOU DON'T know he's going to die, so you keep your big ugly muzzle closed or I might have to close it for you"
Leaning in so her nose touched his "and don't think I wont. He might notbe flesh and blood of mine, but I have taken it upon myself to be his 'guardian', and your negativity doesn't help.."

Looking away back to the prince "You aren't going to die Kesho so don't listen to this...this.. fool."

"And you... Judas.. haven't you got anything better to do, or is it beneath you to go looking for some food for us all., or have you really come to help me take care of the prince ?"

[Judas]

He knew he could upset the girl, but did he care? Not really. "I know a deadly disease when I see one.." the male's was grave as he replied Ayesha's words, and the threat did really affect him much, mostly cause he didn't believe her. Sure she could try, but he wouldn't hesitate the defend himself, and then it would be more that the prince's bloody vomit coating the ground. She walked up to him, her nose bumping into his, though Judas didn't budge. "You're sugarcoating doesn't really help much either!" the lion replied suppressing a growl, his ears laid back and brows narrowing.

"He's vomiting blood, Ayesha! He's beyond rescue.. and you know it!" the male raised his voice a notch he didn't care that she called him a fool Judas wasn't easily insulted, "When they begin to bleed.. it's over." the male said, his voice lowered there was a hint of defeat in his voice. He had seen this before, he wasn't a healer he couldn't mend injuries or stop diseases, but he knew the warning signs and whether a disease would be fatal or not.

"I would've found food already, had not been for the fact that there isn't even an insect left in these lands." Judas sat down on his haunches, a few paw strides from Ayesha and the prince. "Unless you wanna eat the carrion of some animal that died of illness.." he added, flopping onto his belly. "I wouldn't advice it." This was beginning to remind him so much of home that he was getting sick of it, the death, famine, and disease everything was just what he had grown up with. He had hoped that when running away he would escape it, but no. It seemed like it wouldn't be that way;

"You don't know how sick I am of seeing death." there wasn't really much reason why he was telling Ayesha this, but maybe she would understand him if she knew. "They can be strong and healthy, but the next day they'd just fall over.. dead." The male closed his eyes tightly, "The worst thing is, you can't help them. All you can do is watch them die, everyone you've ever known. Your family, friends.. each and every one!"

The male had lost hope so long ago, and he learned that the best way to deal with it was to accept it for what it was, this attitude might make Judas seem callous, and even emotionless. But even he got affected by death, the prince didn't deserve to die, not so young. But doing anything to stop it would be a waste of your own energy when it was unstoppable, and you'd need that energy otherwise you'd run the risk of getting sick yourself. "I grew up with this, Ayesha. I've known nothing else." he shook his head slowly, yet even if his voice was a whisperer it had sincere gravity to it.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani cursed silently as the antelope left. 'God damnit,' she thought, 'I never can win can I?' She was too busy thinking to really pay much attention to the death stare she was getting from the black lioness. She was starting to come out of her thoughts, when her instincts kicked in and she moved aside as a lion landed beside her, claws bared.

"Hey!" was all she could shout at the lion at first.. "What do you think you're doing, sir?" She finally managed out. She snarled at him. She was ready to try to lunge at his throat and end it, but she stopped. Her mother had always said that being sweet got you a whole lot farther than being nasty. "Why the anger? I was simply hunting an antelope, and someone scared it away." She gave a flirtacious smile. "So, I hold no grudges about it. Honestly, friends?"

[Reagen]

Derregan moved his tail slightly when Ayele pounced on it to avoid having it cut off.
"Bored huh? I can understand that... I'm sure it must be hard work for you to look after everyone here."
He moved his tail out of Ayele's paws.
"Say, I'm bored too. Why don't we play a game?"
Derregan wasn't exactly interested in baby sitting cubs, but if Ayele liked him and thought Umoja and the others were boring as a cub, perhaps when he's older his opinions might carry over. Besides, his attitude might affect his sister's opinion as well.
"So tell me, what kind of game do you want to play?"

[Kirsui]

"Why the anger? I was simply hunting an antelope, and someone scared it away."

"That someone..." Katakasha growled out as she apporached the lioness, the death glare still on its place.
"Happens... to be... you."
She stopped when she was standing to the other lioness' left, forcing the other female to turn her head in order to look at her instead of Umoja.
"And it also happens to be... That we were hunting that same antelope.. And that these..."
She motioned around the area with her paw, her claws still extented.
"...are our pride's lands, while you are a mere trespasser."

She slammed her paw to the ground, hard, creating a small dust cloud. Her tail flickered behind her as a low growl emitted from her throat. She held her head lowered slightly on a threatning manner. She was by all means positioned ready to pounce at this intruder and rip her apart limb by limb, and had she been alone she sure as hell would have!

But she wasn't. Umoja was there, and she had accepted his temporary rule...

The mask of calm came to her face in an instant. She retracted her claws and lifted her head, her eyelids dropping half closed. The black lioness didn't look hostile anymore, but this poor excuse of a lioness would be a fool if she thought Kata wouldn't extend her claws again and take that swipe she for now had pushed aside because of Umoja's precence.

[cheezeegriff]

Umoja didn't stop upon missing the lioness but jumped in front of her, trapping her between himself and Katakasha.
"Food is hard enough to come by without trespassers scaring it away. You've caused hunger for us all, so explain why we shouldn't eat you instead? Choose your words carefully,"
he snarled.
"You've just ensured the entire pride goes hungry."

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

"All you can do is watch them die..."

Kesho shrank back into the corner of the room, fear making him tremble, increasing the pain in his limbs, below his arms. The room went dark for a moment but then when he opened them, the big brown lion was sitting down in the corner.
"That's mother's sleeping spot,"
he said, and stood up.
"This is mother and father's sleeping room. Go somewhere else. Get out. Get out!"
He stumbled forwards, doing his best to growl, but the room seemed to grow lighter and darker as he crossed the floor and he staggered into the mean lion's arm, putting his paws against it to bring himself up to the lion's face.
"Get out!"
he screamed one last time, but then the room went dark again and he fell over backwards, and whimpered,
"Get... out... ohhh, mumma..."
Mother wasn't there, but the strange lion lady was, and he reached out with one paw.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani was taken aback and her face held a mask of shock, but she composed herself quickly. She put on a face of normality, slightly flirtacious and a little mean. "Well sorry," she said, putting emphasis on sorry, "I didn't know. No need to get testy, darling. Anger makes you age quicker." She laughed airily, as if none of this bothered her, though in reality she was scared out of her mind of the two lions.

She smirked at the lion who said they'd starve. "Well, these aren't very great pridelands if theres not more food then this. Why don't we just go hunting. I can help. I'm an excellent hunter actually, just a little off my game. I haven't been able to in a while, but I'm back in the practice now." She smiled again at the male, trying to break his rough exterior. She gave him a little wink, hoping to flirt her way out of this.

[Dakota]

Ayesha dropped her gaze when Judas voice changed from steely hardness to one that seeemd to hold some compassion. She started to feel guilty for assuming the worst about him.
"It seems not one of us hasn't been touched by death and loosing those we love, but if you loose all hope about life, and helping others less fortunate than you...then... whats the point of living. And for now we need to band together and find some hope for our pride... yours and my pride Judas...well what's left of it and we owe it to Kesho. He's not going to die, I wont allow it."

Hearing a noise behind her, Ayesha swung around in time to see the prince groggily move towards Judas and press against him, his voice weak while trying to scream at the lion to go away.then watching as he began to tremble and fell backwards passing out.

Not hesitating, or worrying about what she could or couldn't catch from him, Ayesha reached for him clasping him in her arms. Holding him, she looked back up at the brown lion.With her eyes watering Ayesha blinked slowly so a tear couldn't fall and make the lion scowl at her, she faced him not realising she had a pleading look on her face.

"We need to find that panther, what if she's right Judas... what if her master has a cure and we ignore it. if anything happens to Kesho and we haven't done everything possible..well"

Moving away, Ayesha placed the cub back down on a pile of soft fresh leaves, trying to ease his discomfort. Gently rubbing a paw over his head , and even though she knew he couldn't hear " and to answer your query little one, my name is Ayesha."

Moving over to the entrance, she made to sidle past Judas, "I will be back soon, I need some fresh air and a walk to check on Ayele... but...I will be back."
Carrying on, she paused in mid step and tilted her head towards him and softly spoke " I...just...thankyou Judas " and then she carried on her way.

[Kirsui]

"Why don't we just go hunting. I can help. I'm an excellent hunter actually, just a little off my game. I haven't been able to in a while, but I'm back in the practice now."

Kata snorted, both at what the lioness said and how she behaved. She was a fool ignoring her like this...
"An excellent hunter?"
She stepped closer to the lioness, basically forcing the other female to turn her attention to her. The mask of complete calm was still on its place and her voice was void of all emotion. The little twinkle in her half closed eyes was enough to give away the amusement she felt though.
"An excellent hunter would never let the prey know their scent. And that is exactly what you did. The antelope caught your scent because you weren't even near doing what an excellent hunter would have done."

She stopped coming closer to the lioness when her nose almost touched hers. The black lioness looked small in size at first, but her longer legs gave her the opportunity to stare down at the other lioness.
"And excellent hunter never lets their skills go rusty, and excellent hunter never makes mistakes...."
She tilted her head, narrowing her already half closed eyes.
"This makes me think that you lie... You are not as good hunter as you say. If you were you would not be in this situation now, would you?"
She smirked faintly.
"My, my... I would say you are in trouble, my dear..."

[Judas]

The male listened, remaining silent as he took in Ayesha's words despite being almost a month younger than him, she was wise beyond her years. Well, Judas' must've had something going for him while he lived at home, something that kept his spirit up despite the harsh treatment he got. Well he had something, and that was the hope of a better life, and for a short month he thought he had that when arrived in these lands and eventually got accepted into the pride. He finally thought he had found a home, but it had been an almost crushing blow when the plague stuck and he had experience the nightmare he thought he had escaped.

Judas was about to answerer her, when a frail voice spoke up, yelling at him to leave as if he was desecrating a sacred place. Though the prince couldn't do much to push him away, before the youth blacked out from exhaustion. The look Ayesha gave him, as she held the prince in her paws made the male frown, she was crying. Her face had the expressions of hopelessness, despair, and as their gaze met she looked like she was silently pleading Judas to do something, anything.

Taken aback by this the male could nothing but stare, though the worried frown on his face never faltered. Soon enough Ayesha once again spoke up, saying they needed to find the panther, and the girl seemed almost certain that the black feline was true to her words that her master indeed had a cure. "What if we do everything possible and it still doesn't work?" the scruffy wanderer wasn't too sure the girl would answerer that, but she moved passed him after having comforted the prince to the best of her abilities.

Judas just nodded at her saying her reason for her short departure, but before she disappeared she turned back to him, and it was as if she had something important to say, but ended it with a 'thank you'. The thin male wasn't sure what she meant with it, he hadn't done anything that was worthy of a thanks, as Ayesha left, Judas remained behind though his mind was trying to comprehend what Ayesha was thanking him for.

[Dakota]

Ayesha moved past Judas and out into the fresh air. Walking slowly she turned and looked behind her to see he was still standing by the entrance.
He didn't know that I was thanking him for being honest with his feelings, even though it wasn't what I wanted to hear, he was still being honest with me and himself

Sighing she turned from his silhouette and moved away,past where she could see Ayele and Derregan playing, she needed to find somewhere removed from where they drank so she could wash herself,and remove any traces of Kesho's sickness off her skin.

Finding a small shallow trench that had enough water for her means, Ayesha lowered herself down to the ground with her front legs submerged. Using a paw she splashed water back up and over her chest where she had held the young prince, wiping away all remnants of blood and sweat that he had left behind. Leaning her head forward she was about to wash her face when her reflection stared back up at her.

why did I promise Kesho that he wouldn't die. Judas was cruel with his words but he was honest, and I... have all I done is give the cub false hope and when he looks at me next with pain racking his body, will he still look at me with hope and innocence

Ayesha closed her eyes and washed her face vigorously. Pushing herself back up, then shaking the water that was hanging onto her thick white tuft, she moved away, retracing her steps that would lead her back to Ayele, wondering all the while what Derregan was doing with him, when he was meant to be out hunting for fresh meat, they all couldn't go on for much longer with only water to quench their thirst.