The Last King

[cheezeegriff]

"Kesho I'm here it Ayesha, I need you to eat for me, it's only a little bit, and it will make you feel alot better...please little one, for me...swallow"

The food stayed in Keshomaliki's stomach for a few moments, feeling more than anything like a ticking time bomb. As Ayesha rubbed his stomach he could almost count backwards to when he would throw up, and did so, right on time.
The effort brought on more pain than before, and he whimpered, his whole body trembling.
"No..."
he said, looking at the meat again.
"Don't make me."
He clung to Ayesha's lowered head, grabbing her ears.
"Please don't make me."

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

"Umoji, could you watch Ayele, I need to go see Kesho and let Judas come and eat, and ...you need to see why katakasha is hiding up on the hill to our right".

If this weren't meant to be a happy occasion, Umoja would have rebuked her there and then. Instead he offered a stiff smile to Imani.
"I'm sorry, Imani. Ayesha shouldn't have done that. The portion was yours."
He looked to where she walked back into the tree. Ah, she must be looking after the prince. Well, that helped her case a little, but he still had to have a word with her.
Ayele remained behind, and he smiled down at the cub as Derrigan wandered forward.

"I think, we should at least find out what she would want us to do to get this supposed 'cure' from her master. I doubt it could put us any worse off then we are now if we tried."

Umoja nodded.
"Good idea. I'll leave that to you to organise. Can you make sure Ayele gets a decent feed? I need to talk to our acting nursemaid."
With that he smiled at Ayele, then followed Ayesha into the tree.
The passage between the wooden cave twisted this way and that, with many side rooms and passages from one end of the tree to the other. It was cool inside, and silent: the sound of wind in the tree's leaves passed no further than a few feet from the entrance.
He heard voices up ahead though, from the old royal sleeping chamber, following them until he stepped into a room that smelled of blood and sickness. For a moment he was blinded by the darkness, but his eyes soon adjusted and he recognised Judas standing before him, and Ayesha beyond.
"Judas, would you mind giving me a moment alone with Ayesha?"
he said, as softly as his deep, gruff voice allowed. Just as he finished he heard a strange choked coughing sound, then a wet splatter. Stepping past the skinny lion he peered down at Ayesha crouching over the prince, whose dinner was now laying beside him.

"No... don't make me. Please don't make me."

Umoja sighed. His heart went out to the little prince... his master's son. He opened his mouth to offer some reassuring tone, confident his diplomatic skills would pop the right words into his mind at the last moment, but nothing came. Odd that he could talk most people into doing exactly what he wanted... but he couldn't offer words of comfort to a prince who had just been sick with blood.
Sick with blood? He stepped forward.
"This isn't plague,"
he said, looking at the small splatter of sticky blackness beside the prince. He touched it with his paw.
"They coughed up blood, but never threw it up..."
He looked Ayesha in the eye, hoping she realised the implications: one one hand the prince might not die at all. On the other hand, it could be a new disease that could kill everyone else.
"Judas, if you eat, have Derrigan set aside a portion for you. Don't handle the food directly if you've been touching his highness. Damn it... Ayesha, quickly: did you clean yourself before you took that portion from the antelope?"
He held her gaze, controlling his panic.

[Kirsui]

"Everyone! Gather 'round, we have food."

Katakasha snorted and stubbornly remained where she was, watching how pretty much everyone else did as told. Her half closed eyes examined every move the small group made. Umoja was speaking, adressing the pride but she couldn't quite pick up what he said. Then he spoke to the princess, and from what she could gather from what she saw, the spoiled brat had just become part of their pride.

The black lioness cursed, a deep frown of annoyance appearing on her face as her eyes narrowed sharply. The female liard disappeared inside the den with a piece of meat with her, most likely going to see the sick prince. And though she noticed this, Kata's gaze was locked on the newest addition to the pride, glaring daggers at the back of said lioness' head. Let her believe she was accepted with open arms... There would be no respect what so ever coming from the black lioness.

Derregan seemed to speak out something, and Kata cursed her bad choice of location. With an annoyed huff she stood up and lazily strolled down the hill towards the pool of water and the group of lions, reaching the earshot just when Umoja replied to Derregan.

"Good idea. I'll leave that to you to organise. Can you make sure Ayele gets a decent feed? I need to talk to our acting nursemaid."

Well wasn't that just helpful! Mentally the black lioness frowned that she hadn't come down the hill earlier but the bored expression was firm. She paid no attention to the eating lions, instead she simply made her way to where she previously had been sitting during the pride meeting. She stretched, pushing her front feet as forward as she could, even extending her claws before she retracted them and laid down, placing her head on her paws and lazily staring at the pool of water.

Over all the black lioness looked like she didn't care at all what was going on. Truth was quite different though, her ears would pick up every word that was spoken by the eating lions.

[Dakota]

Ayesha trembled softly as Kesho took hold of her as he pleaded with her for no more food. "Kesho I wont give you anymore now, but we have to keep trying I want you all better, I have a brother Ayele, who's the same age as you, and needs someone to play with, and I can't think of a better cub than you."

Swinging around as she heard someone else enter, she looked over at Judas when she realised it was Umoji. blast what does he want, thought he'd be out there with the princess.

Soothing Kesho again, she laid him down, and moved back until she was facing Umoji. Following his eyes that had widened with shock, she saw what he was staring at.
"whats wrong, what do you mean it's not the plague ?"

" Damn it... Ayesha, quickly: did you clean yourself before you took that portion from the antelope?"
Ayesha stepped back in panic at the tone in his voice.
"What... I can't remember, I've been washing myself each time I go back and forth to protect Ayele....I'm sorry .. I'm tired.. I don't know"

Looking over at Judas, then down at the piece of meat she had only just encouraged him to eat.."I'm sorry Judas". Lowering her head she looked at the ground "I can't remember"

[cheezeegriff]

"Curse it all, Ayesha."
Umoja thumped the ground with his paw then turned back to the exit, knocking aside Judas and scambling out of the cave entrance. He looked to the food, at Imani who was eating some, and Ayele and Derrigan, who were just about to.
"Stop!"
He bellowed, walking towards the carcass and pushing the others away, roaring to make sure they paid attention to him. Then he looked at the carcass.
There was a bite missing from the gut, but he remembered Ayesha put her paws on the carcass to steady it.
"Curse that careless girl,"
he muttered.
"I'm sorry everyone: there's a chance this carcass has been infected. I'd let you risk it yourselves, but for the fact that you might spread the infection to others."
He looked about, feeling as if they were all blaming him, and sighed. He didn't want to draw attention to Ayesha, but at the same time he needed everyone to understand. They were less likely to obey him otherwise.
"Ayesha appears to have taken on the duty of caring for the prince since I've been away. I can't imagine what that task entails, but I can imagine it's not easy to be so close to suffering. However, she took from the antelope first and may have contaminated it. I can't garantee it'll be fit for our consumption so it's best if we leave it alone. I'm sorry."
He turned to Imani.
"Would you mind dragging this thing away so it doesn't torture our noses any further? Seeing as you've already had some. Once you're finished, make sure you clean yourself up as well, though don't do it in any standing water we might drink from."
He lifted his nose to the line of trees at the base of the hill, to the north.
"There's a creek that runs through those trees. Go wash yourself there, where the water can carry away any disease."
He looked down to the trees by the river: the foliage was dense down there, and shaded, but for a moment he thought he saw something move.
"Might be food down there,"
he said to her.
"Have a sniff about before you come back. Let me know what you smell."

[Judas]

Judas didn't move from his place, Ayesha said he shouldn't apologize though the wanderer wanted to say that a apology had been needed, but he couldn't as the prince threw up just as the food hit his stomach, the youth began to wail about not wanting to eat, almost desperate, the prince held on to Ayesha in almost a state of panic. It was in this moment another form enterd the 'room', Umjoa appeard, he told Judas to leave to give him a moment alone with Ayesha under a normal circumstance the wanderer would've obeyd but right now he felt like he shouldn't, though the tan males gaze darted to Umjoa as the older male utterd that this wasn't the plague, those sufferers hadn't womited blood.

The male narrowed his eyes, he was thinking the same as Umoja that this could be some new diesease, "I am not hungry, sir." the soldier replied, it was truth he wasn't hungry and now he couldn't really touch the antilope so there wasn't much of nessessity to go and get food in the first place. Judas could sense a hint of panic comming from Umjoa. "How do you we know whether it's transmitable through touch?" the wanderer replied, "for all we know it could spread through the air, and then we are all as good as dead."

Those words weren't exactly comforting, but it could easily be the truth, "I say we get the prince to that panther now! We must not tarry any longer, otherwise it'll likely be the death of us all." First now Judas understood what the panther had meant with the fact that ailing prince would become the death of them all if a cure was not found. Judas remained in place, not wanting to leave neither the prince nor Ayesha behind.

Though Umjoa stormed out as Ayesha said she couldn't remember whether she had cleaned herself or not, Judas knew he wasn't clean for all he knew he could be infected already, that's why he had refused to eat in the first place, as Ayesha's gaze lowered the male gently prodded his muzzle against her cheek,

"It's not your fault.." he whispered, trying to comfort the girl, he shot a glare towards the exit it was intended for Umjoa though he obviously couldn't see it. "Everything will be fine, but not unless we get the prince to that panther. And she should leave.. now!" the wanderer was trying to encourage her perhaps if they got the cure things would be alright and she would regain her standing in the pride.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani nodded. She looked around at the other members of the pride. They all looked nice enough... well most of them anyway. She noticed, but didn't make it obvious, that Katakasha had come down from her silent perch. She had laid down near them, but away enough that no one would bother her. Imani rolled her eyes. She already didn't seem to like Kata.

Suddenly Umoja ran out of the prince's den.
"However, she took from the antelope first and may have contaminated it. I can't garantee it'll be fit for our consumption so it's best if we leave it alone. I'm sorry."

Imani dropped the chunk of antelope she was about to take a bite from. Contamination was generally a word she didn't care to hear. Someone in her pride had been 'contaminated' and then he'd been exiled. That was generally also bad.

"Sure thing, Umoja. I'll drag this down and clean up and then head sniff around down there. I'll be back soon." she said, smiling. She was happy as a clam to be doing something for someone else for a change. She grabbed the antelope tentatively in her mouth, careful to make sure it touched nothing but her teeth. She slowly dragged it off towards where Umoja had pointed out the water.

She finally reached the stream and sent the antelope rush downstream. She began cleaning off her mouth and paws to get rid of the bacteria from the antelope. She quietly stepped out of the stream and shook off and then smoothed down all her fur. She sniffed the air and walked a few minutes, finally catching the scent of a large, male zebra. She crept closer to the scent and began to smell more and more. Peeking over a bush, she saw them. A whole herd of zebra. She slowly crept backwards and then sprinted off, careful to be quiet, back to the pride.

She reached Umoja and uttered out her excited news. "Umoja! A herd of them! A whole herd!"

[Kirsui]

"Stop!"

Katakasha didn't move at all when Umoja yelled this out. Her bored expression was still on place. She could feel the new lioness' eyes on her, even though the newcomer was apparently hiding the fact she had noticed how the black lioness had came where she was. Smirking mentally she made the bored expression remain.

"I'm sorry everyone: there's a chance this carcass has been infected."

Now that caught her attention! Her head snapped up faster than a snake would strike, her flashing purple eyes narrowed dangerously when her attention was completely on Umoja. Their temporary leader turned to the newcomer.

"Would you mind dragging this thing away so it doesn't torture our noses any further? Seeing as you've already had some."

Her eyes narrowed more as the spoiled brat did what she was told to do. It didn't take long though when she returned, clearly excited of something.

"Umoja! A herd of them! A whole herd!"

she was on her feet in an instant, her claws half extented.
"Speak any louder and there will be none", she snapped quietly, glaring at the princess.
"A herd or not, you touched the possibly infected meat. You maybe washed yourself, but I will not take the chance that this possibly new disease might be one that can not be washed away like this."
She let her gaze wander at the rest of the pride, Umoja being the last one who she looked at.
"Until we know otherwise, I will not touch any food this princess has touched. I do happen to value my life more than possibly infecting myself with an illness that the prince currently has."

All this she had managed to say with a quiet voice, not wanting the herd that the new lioness had seen hear what she said and run off. Heading off towards where the princess had come from, clearly intent on hunting down a zebra, the black lioness smirked when the others couldn't see.
"I suggest you all do the same..." she said on an emotionless voice, so opposite to the expression she wore.
"Unless you wish to be in the very same condition our beloved prince is in..."

She sniffed the air once, her destination set as she took feather light steps towards the unknowing herd of zebra without looking back at the pride.

[Dakota]

Bringing her head up quickly when she felt his muzzle against her cheek Ayesha stepped back quickly. "Don't..."

Moving past him to go out she paused and looked back " I meant don't touch me, I could infect you with whatever it is Kesho has, bad enough I was stupid not to keep check of my hygiene now you could get sick as well... again I'm sorry Judas."

Walking out into the fresh air, Ayesha watched her brother standing wide eyed next to Derrigan, as Umoja barked out orders. mmm the princess jumps to it pretty quick doesnt she

Moving around behind them all quietly, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible she moved gracefully over fallen branches and fauna, till she heard what she was looking for. There in front of her was the stream. Standing there watching the current carry leaves along the rippling of the water held her gaze. Lowering herself down at the side, Ayesha rested her head on her front paws and let her white tuft hang down over her face shutting it out of view to others and just steadied her breathing trying to calm herself down.
Using her claws she pulled herself forward till the cool water ran over her paws, taking away some grime and left over blood from the princes 'room'. Hesitating briefly, Ayesha then lunged forward till she was submerged under the water. Closing her eyes and holding her breath, she held on as long as she could, feeling the water suck at her body and the flow, try and pull her downstream.
With one push, she launched herself out of the water, white and black mingling as one, as her fur was plastered down to her skin. Paddling to the side, she arose and shook herself, sending water droplets landing all around her on the ground.
Hearing something move, Ayesha cranned her neck in a semi circle, but not sensing anything amiss, she turned to go backto the old tree.

[Judas]

The wanderer expected the girl to step back, in such a situvation it was only natural. In truth Judas shouldn't be touching her, for all he knew he could be infected already, he didn't have appetite but that alone was not any decisive sign of contamination.

The male frowned as she excused herself, she scolded herself for not taking her hygiene seriously enough and then she left. The tan lion remained behind just watching her leave, the male didn't leave however yet. As the prince was still here in the room and it would be seen as irresponsible to leave the child alone.

The wanderer was contemplating about taking the prince to the stream to give the child a clean up, as even the dieseased needs to have a good hygiene if they should stand any hope of figthing their illness. Judas wasn't scared of the fact that he could be infected, but he would lie if he said that he wasn't scared that he could die, 'cause indeed he was. However if the diesease claimed him then it was meant to be so, and there would be nothing he could do about it, he only hoped that he could atleast do something for the prince before or if he was indeed destined to leave this place so soon.

Not saying anything the male went over to the prince to lay down beside his sick liege. "Your majesty?" Judas' words were soft, "I thought maybe you'd like a bath too.. I can take you to the stream if you wish." the soldier smiled, maybe getting some fresh air would lighten the spirits of the child, rather than being trapped in this dark, gloomy room. Though Judas' wasn't so sure if Ayesha would like the idea, as she had afterall taken up the duty of being the prince's nurse.

[cheezeegriff]

"Until we know otherwise, I will not touch any food this princess has touched. I do happen to value my life more than possibly infecting myself with an illness that the prince currently has. "I suggest you all do the same... Unless you wish to be in the very same condition our beloved prince is in..."

Umoja thought about that. The princess was wet though: she had obviously cleaned herself in the stream.
"Flowing water is the only defense against the plague we ever had, and seems to have kept me alive: I'm confident enough to hunt with her myself."
Looking to the black lioness, he sighed.
"Katakasha, if you don't want to hunt with us that's fine, so long as you don't eat from our kills, but I'd appreciate your presence down there.
"Imani, come on. JUDAS! Leave Ayesha for a moment and come help us hunt! Wash yourself first."
He smiled at Imani,
"Let's see if you were just lucky before, shall we?"
he said, then took off.

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Keshomaliki squeezed his eyes tightly shut: no, he didn't want to go anywhere. His stomach hurt too much, his limbs were weary, his head throbbed... then a breeze of fresh air intruded through the door. He remembered the water, the cool shade under the trees.
He didn't want the inside of this tree to be the only thing he ever saw.
"Yes please,"
he said, then positioned himself so he was easier to pick up.

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

"Psst."
The panther hissed, to gain the liopard's attention. Her coat was dark though, and hiding in the branches of the trees it was no wonder Ayesha still couldn't see her.
"I said to meet near the waterhole,"
she said, moving to make her position - right over the liopard's head - obvious.
"How is your prince? Is he well? Why haven't you saught me out yet?"

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani held back a glare towards Katakasha. The dark lioness was really becoming a thorn in Imani's side. She hadn't even done anything to the lioness, and yet Kata seemed to hate her. Normally, she would have confronted her, but Imani didn't feel too confident confronting a pride member in a pride she had joined not even an hour ago.

"Let's see if you were just lucky before, shall we?"

"Psha." she giggled, "Luck has absolutely nothing to do with it." She smiled and winked at Umoja. She was still wet, and she felt slightly self concious, but being a little unattractive definitely beat having some sort of plague.

She saw that Katakasha was already heading down towards where she had just come. Trying to get a leg up on us... Imani thought. "Lets go." she said to Umoja.

[Kirsui]

"Katakasha, if you don't want to hunt with us that's fine, so long as you don't eat from our kills, but I'd appreciate your presence down there."

The black lioness stopped on her tracks, turning to look over her shoulder at Umoja with her usual bored expression and half closed eyes.
"Fine, Umoja", she replied, lowering her head in submission.
"I will do so..."
She suddenly lifted her head, her eyes sharply narrowed with all the boredom gone. She looked cold and void of all emotion, looking more dangerous than she had ever looked during her stay with this pride.
"As long as none of you eat from mine. I stated my opinion, and it stands. If that's the condition you want to place for me, by all means do so... But don't expect me to share what ever I catch either."

She then continued to head towards the herd of zebra's without looking back, checking the direction of the wind before she grinned faintly and extented her claws. She crouched down, crawling her way around the unsuspecting animals without making any sound. She could see them already, and was looking at which one would be the weakest and which one the hardest to chase down.

[Judas]

The child was in pain, and it stung him too, he laid beside Kesho waiting for answerer he was being patient waiting for the approval from his sire. Though he could hear Umoja yell for him telling him to come and hunt, but to go and wash himself first. "Not a chance.." the soldier thought, he had no intentions to leave and go hunting and leave the prince all alone.

Though Kesho's words pulled him back, apparently the child wished to go to the river and he positioned himself to be easy to carry. Not thinking about the fact that he could certainly be infected Judas gently grabbed hold of the prince's neck ruff and lifted him up. Usually the child should become relaxed when such things happened, but without waiting any longer the wanderer crept out from the tree's back entrance and disappeared into the long grass heading for the stream.

If Ayesha or anyone came home now, they wouldn't find the prince, nor Judas. That could possibly spur panic among the pride members, but right now Judas could care less about them. The trotted a fast pace through the silent savanna, approaching the stream up ahead. He arrived a little down stream from where unbeknown to him Ayesha had been bathing.

Placing the prince down on the grass the tan lion gently prodded him to let him into the slowly moving stream, Judas followed always staying beside the child, the lion would shield the child from the rapid currents creating a place of slowly flowing water were the child could play at ease. "How does this feel?" Judas asked lowering his head to height with the Kesho. "It's better than that dark room right?" he added with a handsome grin.

Judas let the child play around in the water, which would possibly sooth any pain of his body, or rather hopefully it would. Judas knew that taking the prince away without Umoja's permission could be seen as a crime and possibly an intent of endangering his majesty. All the things those lions cared about where food, and not the fact that they had a sick child on their paws which should be their first priority!

[Dakota]

Ayesha made to move off, but stopped again as a prickling sensation moved up her spine. Her claws unsheathed she turned to her right with a low growl slipping through her muzzle.

"Psst."
"I said to meet near the waterhole,"

Ayesha's head snapped around and upright so fast she felt slightly dizzy. There lying snug in the branches was the black panther, her eyes glistening as she looked down upon her. Sighing slightly Ayesha licked her lips.
"I thought you had gone back to your master after our last little meeting, yet here you are ! "

Sitting back down on her rump, Ayesha sheathed her claws, for some reason she didn't find the panther threatening, yet wasn't entirely sure she could be trusted.

"I'm sure you know, as nothing seems to pass you without scrutiny, that the prince isn't getting better, in fact he's now vomiting up blood. And Umoji the self appointed leader, has declared that its not the plague but something more sinister.
Myself, well I have now been relegated basically to the bottom of the ladder, as I supposidly just infected the latest kill, so... things aren't looking to rosy at the moment."

Letting a small grin escape, Ayesha kept staring at the panther.
" Seeing you are the bearer of great news..how about you tell me what I should be doing right about now, do you honestly think Umoji will just let me place Kesho on my back and walk off, I don't think so. And what about Ayele my brother, I will not leave him alone, where I go he goes, so what do you have to say now messenger woman ?"

Ayesha ears pricked up suddenly as she heard some twigs crackling as though someone had stepped down heavily on them without a care, and by the sounds was moving straight towards where she now sat. Moving back towards the stream once again, she lay herself down facing where she last heard the noise and waited with again her claws unsheathed.

[cheezeegriff]

"If that's the condition you want to place for me, by all means do so... But don't expect me to share what ever I catch either."

Umoja smiled at Imani - he admired her enthusiasm and eagerness. They would need more people like that, if they were to survive this unstable future - but then ran a little faster to catch up to Katakasha, crouching down beside her before they crossed the creekbed.
"I didn't mean that. I thought you were just wandering off. You're a part of this pride now so if you agree to put in, of course we'll feed you in times you're less successful.
"That said, zebras are big creatures, so could I persuade you to set aside any resentment you have for our newest recruit and work with us?"
He smiled at her, then let his gaze drift through the trees, beyond the creek, at the zebras gathering in the grassy plains beyond.

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

"It's better than that dark room right?"

Keshomaliki looked up at Judas, then up at the dappled light of the canopy above. The water swirled around his body and, although the pain didn't go away, it was something else he could focus on.
"Lots better,"
he said with a smile, then lapped up some water and washed out his mouth, ridding himself of the horrible taste of blood and vomit. He wandered closer to Judas and sat against him, not for the sake of warmth - for the water was nearly as hot as the humid air - but for company, and protection. Right now he didn't feel like he could take more than a few steps.
Birds flittered overhead, and the herd of zebras beyond the trees made the ground rumble softly. He thought it odd, how he noticed such things. Before he had been too busy playing with friends to stop and listen, observe the world he might be leaving.
"So... excuse me... what happened when a cub got sick in your old pride?"
he asked, remembering that Judas hadn't answered his question from before. He didn't dare to admit it yet, but out here, with something else to concentrate on, he actually began to feel hungry.

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

"Do you honestly think Umoji will just let me place Kesho on my back and walk off, I don't think so. And what about Ayele my brother, I will not leave him alone."

The panther’s eyes widened to orbs when Ayesha mentioned blood.
"And still you dally? How long will you wait? Until his flesh is white, until he no longer has blood to vomit?
"Take your cub with with us. Time is short, liopard. I cannot garantee the journey will be easy - or safe - but if you do nothing for much longer, your prince will surely die... and I will have failed my master."
Then she watched, perplexed, as the liopard moved backwards towards the stream. Crackling sticks and leaves met her ears, and she peered over the side of her branch to the direction of the noise.

[Kirsui]

Katakasha's smirk was whiped away when she heard someone approach her. Without moving her gaze from the zebra's she waited, finding soon enough it was Umoja who came to her. The black lioness' ear twiched at Umoja's direction, nothing else gave away the fact she indeed was listening what she was told.

Swallowing a bitter remark about not asking to join the pride, Kata sighed very quietly.
"I don't have anything against our new recruit."
She barely moved her lips when she whispered these words, her voice almost so quiet it could be mixed with the sound of the wind if not close enough to her.
"Her behaviour annoys me slightly, but other than that there's nothing too much wrong. I simply don't wish to get ill, and by eating something someone with a possible infection is a very likely way to get that illness. I know she washed herself, but there's always a chance she already got infected. Remember, you yourself said it's not plague, and that it's maybe some new type of illness. What proof do we have it can be washed away?"

She locked her gaze on one of the zebras. A hungry glint appered in her narrowed eyes. The zebra, a mare if she could see right, was putting less pressure on its right hind leg.
"I believe we can call our dinner almost ready..."
She glanced at Umoja quickly.
"I'll chase them, you'd better take a good position, and take the princess with you too so we see if she can do group hunting."
She knew she was giving orders, but this was a hunt, a job the females usually did in prides.
"I'll separate one zebra from the others, and I'd rather not have to worry about accidentally making the rest run over one of you."
Locking her gaze back at the zebras she flexed her claws, waiting for Umoja and Imani to get on their places so that the hunt could begin.

[Dakota]

Ayesha lay there listening, her breathing shallow. Glancing up she saw the black panther was still stretched out balanced in the branches of the tree, looking away quickly she heard the noise a bit ahead of her, hidden behind bushes, not coming directly at her, but now moving past to get to the water beyond.

Rising agilely, she once again looked to the panther and motioned with her head that she was going to see who and what was there. Moving slowly, picking the place where her paws landed on the ground as to not give her self away, Ayesha moved closer to where she could hear water being splashed so.. someones bathing , and there's 2 of them

Stepping silently around the bushes, she stopped amazed at what she saw. There was Judas with the prince curled up against him and they were talking softly. Ayesha lowered her self down and just lay there waiting to see what would happen. Words reached her ears .
"So... excuse me... what happened when a cub got sick in your old pride?" she heard Kesho ask the soldier lion.
please...no... don't let him be cruel and say outright, please Judas mix up your words a little to take away the harshness

Ayesha knew what she had to do now, she wasn't sure anymore if the rest of the pride wanted Kesho alive.. Umoji, he had assumed the role for now, but what if it was all a ruse for him to gain control, she'd never had much to do with him and her mother hadn't spoke about him in great detail either,
I will sit here and listen to what Judas replies to the cub, either way I'm taking Ayele and Kesho and going with the panther, the lions answer will decide if I let him on what I'm about to do

[Judas]

Judas didn't know he was being watched he kept standing beside the prince keeping the waters drifting slowly. The male had to smile at the prince's remark about this being better, a lot better than that dark room and it seemed the youngster even smiled and that was a good thing.

The birds and zebras didn't go unnoticed by the male, but he paid them no attention as he had to watch out for the prince. The child then asked what would happen to cubs in his pride when they got sick, the male bit his lip, as he fell to silence for what seemed like a long time.

"If you were just mildly sick, or just like you could still walk around and generally play around then you were taken care of by the pride.." Judas said with a soft smile, "If you were deathly ill however, like on the verge of dying, just laying there in pain.. then it was common practice of my pride to give the diseased euthanasia; to stop the suffering of the individual so they could die with dignity, in short killing them." he frowned.

"They wouldn't have killed you though, as you would've been too special." the soldier tried to assure the prince that even if he came from a pride that practice such he would never do it without a very legitimate reason first. Decides this was the crown prince and his pride have had a very strict hierarchy were the royal family were placed above all the other pride members, if you were at the bottom of the pride you were worth little less than the dirt under your paws.

[Dakota]

She sat there quietly listening to every word he spoke to the little prince, holding her breath without realising she was doing so. Upon Judas finishing speaking, Ayesha slowly rose and moved back to where the panther was still secreted up in the tree. Tilting her head slightly and in a low voice
" I know what I must do...wait.. I need to get my brother"
Saying no more, Ayesha turned back and quietly slipped through the bushes back to where the pride had been before, the last place she had seen Ayele standing with Derrigan.

Stepping out into the open, she panicked when she couldn't see the cub anywhere surely they haven't taken him hunting, hopefully derrigan had more sense then that

"AYELE, where are you...quickly I haven't got time for this."

Moving quickly over to the tree where Kesho had been, she raced inside, it was all empty, retreating she stopped outside and sniffed the breeze, damn I can smell his scent, he's out here somewhere.

"AYELE, it's Ayesha, hurry up and come here, I have something special to tell you..Ayele"

[cheezeegriff]

Umoja looked over his shoulder to Imani, giving her a quick smile.
"So newcomer, let's see if your mind is sharp as your claws: what would be the best way to tackle this herd, in your opinion?"

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

" I know what I must do...wait.. I need to get my brother"
The panther's head spun about, watching the liopard run away, then she shifted her gaze back to the prince. Instinctively her claws came out, and she raised herself into a crouch as her yellow eyes became round orbs.
"Poor little thing,"
she mumbled, creeping forwards, barely restraining her desire to jump in, now, lest he die before she could complete her master's task.

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

"They wouldn't have killed you though, as you would've been too special."

Keshomaliki shuddered when the skinny lion mentioned that sick ones would be given 'euthanasia.' He wasn't sure what it was... it sounded like a nice way of saying "murdered." Clearing his throat, he was about to ask, 'what if they didn't want to die?' when he spotted a pair of bright yellow eyes peering at him from the darkness of the canopy
Instead he gave a low shriek, and backed into his protector: the panther was creeping towards them and said,

"Don't be afraid, little one. I know someone who can help you become well again. All I want to do is take you to him.

Keshomaliki shook his head, heart thudding in his chest at this black, frightening beast whose white teeth winked like daggers in a face as dark as night. She kept her distance, up in the tree branches, but the way she looked at him... it was how Father looked at a warthog.
"Don't let her eat me,"
he said, then slipped around the brown lion's side.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani thought for a second, flexing her claws in and out of the dirt. It was one of her little hunting rituals for luck and the like. She spoke softly, her words mixing into the wind. "Well, in my opinion, we may be able to get more than one if one of us aims for that injured one there," she jerked her head in the direction of the weakest zebra, "and then the other two of us aim for the next weakest, which is that one." she jerked her head to a smaller male that was eating some grass.

She thought this made some sense. More kills meant more food for the pride. She hoped she hadn't sounded stupid, making just one of them go for a zebra, but it would get them more food. She nodded to herself and then turned back to Umoja and Kata. "Make sense?" she asked softly.

[Kirsui]

"Well, in my opinion, we may be able to get more than one if one of us aims for that injured one there."

Katakasha resisted the urge to roll her eyes and kept her gaze locked on the herd. She seemed to consider the idea, though she already knew what she was going to say.
"You forget something, dear..." she whispered calmly.
"I will not touch the same prey you do, princess, which would leave you to take down the injured one as chasing it in order to feed isn't my ideal of fun."
She tilted her head slightly, her hungry gaze wandering over the herd.
"You two can of course take on a healthy zebra if you really want... But it doesn't mean really I have to take on the injured one, does it?"
She grinned. It begun to show that the hunger in her eyes had nothing to do with eating. It was a much deeper feeling, and harder to determine.

Unconsciously she licked her lips. The need to fill both her belly and feed this other hunger she had was growing stronger at each passing moment and Kata had to dig her claws into the ground in order to prevent herself from pouncing after the zebras right there and then. It had been way too long since the last time she had been on a real hunt. The earlier thing with the antelope was nothing compared to this. The black lioness hadn't yet had a chance to hunt while staying with this pride, mostly because her injuries hadn't been completely healed until now - when her torn ear wasn't counted.

She licked her lips again, her ears twiching in hidden excitement.
"So how will it be done, Umoja? Those zebras ain't gonna wait there all day."

[genie]

Ayele came bouncing over a log behind Ayesha declaring a squeeky "Raaaaaahhhhhhhh... here I am sister... am I'm getting a treat?".

Ayele looked about expectedly like there was something just hiding behind his sister though he could't see it and maybe it was hidden because his sister was the smartess cat in the whole world and she could do anything... or at least that was how he saw it.

[Dakota]

Ayesha hid her anxiety behind a small smile, watching him play... innocent and not a care in the world, how different Ayele and Kesho are at the moment

"am I'm getting a treat?". he asked. Moving in closer she gave the top of his head a small pat.
"Well in a way you are, we are going on a little journey... just you, me the Prince and maybe Judas."
Chewing the inside of her lip for a moment thinking about him, she was sure he was thinking along the same lines as herself. Nothing where they were, was going to make Kesho any better, they had one chance, and Ayesha was going to take it..for better or worse.

"Come, let's move now before anyone comes back from out hunting.. and Ayele we need to be quiet for a little while, sort of like hide and seek."

Giving him a nudge with her nose, Ayesha pushed him in the direction where she last saw the soldier and his charge, hopefully with the panther still watching out for them. Looking back over her shoulder, she gave the area a quick glance making sure no one was indeed back early and watching what she was about to do, somehow she knew when Umoji found them missing, all hell would break loose, she doubted anyone had gone against what he had wished.

[Judas]

The soldier had tried his best to explain the situation of his homeland, but he didn't expect anyone to really understand it, and certainly not the prince, as most of it made no sense if you compared it to life in this pride. The shriek threw the lion out of his thoughts as he whirled around only stand face to face with the panther.

Judas' brows narrowed as a growl threatened to escape him, but he kept it subdued, he heard the black feline's words and the soldier stepped protectively over the child as if to shield him from the panther. "Where ever his majesty goes.. I go!" he almost growled, as he had lowered his head to the height of his shoulders going on the defensive.

"She won't eat you.." the soldier said keeping his gaze on the panther, "not unless she goes through me first!" The lion didn't trust the panther much but he knew that staying here would never get the prince healthy again, and it was possible her master was the last hope any of them had.

[cheezeegriff]

"So how will it be done, Umoja? Those zebras ain't gonna wait there all day."

Umoja lifted his nose a little, testing the wind.
"I'll start circling downwind. Katakasha, you head over to the tree in the plain, but stay down - I don't want them seeing your dark coat. Get into the shade as fast as you can. Imani, follow me, but stay a few dozen feet behind me. I'll give the signal, and when I do, we'll round them towards Katakasha."
He looked at the darker lioness.
"Then you can make the kill and eat first. When we're done, Imani, you can eat. Don't worry,"
he reassured the new lion.
"Wash yourself again tonight and tomorrow you'll be clean enough to eat with us. But for the moment, we'll play on the safe side."
Umoja nodded to them both, then set off, nearly on his belly.

Of course, whilst prowling, even the shortest distance stretched into a mile, and it was a long, hungry slink across the savannah grass, under the hot sun, with the sound of zebra whinnying tempting him to break free and feed his stomach. Patience, olding, he thought, and hoped that Imani was behind him and Katakasha was moving into position.
As he stepped though, he spotted a striped creature coming towards him in the grass. It paused, eyes locking with his.
Oh no. Now, you fool!
Umoja launched from his hiding position, scattering the pride, seeking the youngster they had singled out earlier, but in the maze of flashing stripes it was hard to spot. He chased anything that moved, towards the tree, but the herd went everywhere.

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

"You're not taking me anywhere,"
Keshomaliki said to the black cat, trying - for the sake of his protector - not to let fear make his voice tremble.

The black cat only smiled though, a nervous, desperate flash of teeth, and said,
"Even if moving you will help you?"

He didn't believe it. A slow death with a burning stomach was better than being torn to shreads. He shrank down behind the brown lion, who offered protective words... comforting words.
Then the ground rumbled. The cat's attention was drawn away to the plains beyond the creek, and Keshomaliki looked too, just in time to see a handful of zebras run between the trees and through the water, sunlit drops flicking from their hooves like fire.
Directly towards them.
Keshomaliki cried in fear, his voice drowned out by the whinnying and splashing, stumbling backwards as the zebras leapt over his head in fright. He didn't even realise that he had stumbled away from the brown lion when a black shadow loomed in the corner of his vision, clasping him in pointy, cruel teeth, and though he struggled he could do nothing to break the panther's grasp.
Shrieking in terror, he spotted a fleeting glance at the brown lion before the ground fell away below him.
"Healp!"
he squealed, and was then among the leaves of the trees, watching the foliage fly by as the panther leapt across the interlinking branches of the canopy, heading north, following the stream.

"Don't worry, little one,"
she said, her voice muffled by his body,
"Soon you will be with my mathter, and you will be at peace. Remember what I told you: death isn't so bad. Silver and shadow. The journey there might be painful, but that's the worst you have to fear."

[genie]

Ayele nodded to his sister as they moved, he did't really get what was going on but he could detect the urgency in her voice and he followed her on their 'hide and seek' he felt a shiver run down his spine and the hairs on his back stand up, he did't know why but it seemed frightening all of a sudden as they walked.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani followed Umoja slowly through the grass. The sun beat down on her back and she felt like she would suddenly just light on fire, right then and there. She looked up just in time to see a huge male zebra streaking toward her. She leapt aside as his monstrous form trampled the spot she had been just a few moments earlier.

She looked over at Umoja, who seemed to be blindly chasing after anything horse-like and striped. She needed to think, and quickly, if any of them were to feed. She knew Kata would be able to catch one most likely and that could maybe feed the rest, for she didn't know if the rest of the pride shared Katakash's about feeding after her.

Mani looked up to see a small male running separately from the rest. The idiot, she thought. She began running, fast and low, towards the foolish male. She was even with him now, ready to pounce. She jumped at the zebra. She landed with on his back, making a cracking sound. She must've broken something, probably part of his spine because he slowed. She reached her paw around and got ready to slit it's throat.

"Healp!"

She stopped and the momentary lack of concentration sent her hurdling off of the zebra. The fall almost made her forget what had distracted her. The small voice sounded weak and fragile. She didn't know where it came from, but it sent chill after chill down her spine. "Umoja!" she shouted. She didn't know why, but the little voice seemed the most important thing in the world at the moment.

[Kirsui]

"-- Katakasha, you head over to the tree in the plain, but stay down - I don't want them seeing your dark coat. --"

The black lioness nodded at this before slowly crawling her way through the tall grass and over to the tree Umoja had pointed out for her. Her gaze was on the herd all the time, her ears twiching and her nose making sure the scent of the herd was coming her way all the time if possible.

Then just as she reached her destination the zebra's bolted, scattering at all possible directions. With a frown the black lioness waited a brief moment before pouncing and bolting off after the zebras that had come near enough her. She ran with her claws extented, her mouth open in a concentrated grin when her eyes locked on her prey - the nearest zebra she could see.

Ignoring the other fleeing animals, as well as the fact Imani was chasing one of the zebras as well, Kata ran as fast as she could after the zebra she had decided would come down. The zebra tried to zigzag and loose the hunting lioness, but Kata pounced right in front of it when it made one of those sharp turns. The zebra screeched and reared on its hind legs, trying to stomp down his hooves on her.

Kata dodged at the side right before said hooves came crashing down in a hit that could have smashed her skull. Then she pounced, swiping the prey with both her fore paws across its side before circling around and doing the same to the other side. The zebra screeched again, trying to flee, but she blocked the way again. Her eyes were shining in hunger, a devilish grin was on her muzzle and her gaze was locked in the blood that was trickling down the zebra's fur.

It tried to flee - again. She blocked and made another slash, opening a wound on the side of the zebra's neck. It screeched in horror, turned and tried to run, but the black lioness seemed to be everywhere, watching the zebra slowly loose blood. This went on as long as the zebra could stand, but it couldn't keep doing so forever and collapsed down in blood loss.

Kata watched the dying zebra with that grin still on her face before she calmly walked over, slashing its throat open and finally ending its pain. When it was finally dead her grin vanished and the bored expression returned. Then she lifted her paw, flexing the still extented claws and watching the blood in some sort of fascination without really realizing what was going on around her.

[Dakota]

Ayesha edged her brother back towards where she had left the prince with Judas. Stepping past the bushes she could hear the water lapping, the image flashed into her mind of how she saw Judas protecting the little one when she left to get Ayele.

With a smile gracing her muzzle she walked back through into the small opening. Her paws dug sharply into the dirt, clenching and unclenching ,there was no panther and no Kesho only one skinny brown lion with the ground all roughed up her smile turned into a snarl.

Placing a paw in front of Ayele, stopping him from going any further, Ayesha slowly advanced towards the 'soldier' her eyes narrowing and glinting dangerously.
" The last I saw of you, you were PROTECTING THE PRINCE, if you were being a SOLDIER, where the hell is he now, and where is the panther ? "

Stopping herself in front of him, now breathing sharply, Ayesha held herself back from striking him.
"Don't make me get an answer out of you lion, I might look 'soft' to you and others, but let me warn you, when something is taken that I care about I will retaliate"
Moving back a pace as though she was about to go, Ayesha swung her body swiftly back around and launched herself at him with claws extended. One moment they were both standing the next she was atop him with a claw presed against his windpipe.

Leaning her face closer as she pressed in " What have you done with Kesho ?, were you and that cat in this together? ... what was it, get my so called trust and play upon letting me see you were caring for him, then take him off and murder him...well ?"

Letting one sharp claw press in hard, breaking the skin, she watched as a trickle of red blood dripped out of a little hole mingling in with her fur. Hissing at him now as fear started to seep into her emotions.

" Damn you, where is he ?"