The Last King

[Judas]

He was grateful for Ayesha's arrival, but he had way to thank her as he was busy trying to keep the panther away from his throat, if she got a successful neck bite it would've been all over. Usually a lion's mane is meant to protect against such attacks but Judas' mane is thin, being part Tsavo, most the males of his pride had no mane at all.

A trait that set them apart from other lions, but it was no advantage and certainly not in a situation like this. As Ayesha began to speak the male mentally rolled his eyes, "Just shut up, and help me!" those words weren't spoken but rather they yelled through his mind, if all she was going to do was to stand there and throw threats then she wouldn't be much of a help.

As the panther struck for his neck, he at the same time kicked his back paws into her stomach. This action threw the black feline off him. The male quickly rolled his feet, his back drenched in muddy water, splotches and streaks of dried blood marred the fur of his face, he was having a nosebleed and salt-coppery taste in his mouth was ever present, for a moment the soldier wondered if the panther had broken his jaw but he couldn't feel any pain in there.

Most of his body was covered with scrapes some of the deeper ones still bleeding, and coupled with the muddy water made all the wounds sting, he knew if he ever got out of this fight alive he would need a bath as quick as possible, to stop any infections.

"We're taking him home.." Judas replied lowering his head to the height of his shoulder, a soft snarl escaped him as he kept a glare at the panther. But soon enough the male went over the bush were the prince were hidden, and gently picked the prince up by scruff of his neck. The soldier intended to leave, he was no interest to fight, this action might just spurr another attack from the black leopard but now he was being vigilant.

[cheezeegriff]

Kesho watched the panther from Judas' mouth, his bloodied injuries making even Judas' tender grip painful.
Boy, she was fast. He only had time to blink and she had cut off the way home, standing before them and trembling with pent-up energy.

"You take him home to his death,"
she said, and Kesho winced. It was as if she had transformed into some vicious beast. Even her voice was different, her eyes ablaze with anger.
"I take him to my mazsterr, who has promises life. Give him to me! Better he diez now, than returns with you."
She took a step forward, eyes flicking between Judas and Ayesha like a pair of angry bees.
Kesho winced: if she attacked now, he would be the first thing she struck.

[genie]

Ayele stood next to prince 'guarding' him, in honesty he was scared stiff but he was trying to appear brave but it was't easy... this was scary.. teeth and claws and much thrashing around... he did't know what was going to happen next but he doubted what good he could do.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani watched the events unfolding before her. She watched as Katakasha ran ahead to find the panther. She turned to Umoja. "What do we do n-" her sentence was cut off by a menacing roar that shook the very leaves of the trees above her. She looked over to Umoja, a confused expression on her face. Suddenly, her face went from a scared confusion to a terrifying realization. The roar was probably in some relation to the prince's whereabouts.... and that roar didn't sound too happy.

She was suddenly terrified for the little prince. He was all alone out there with some thing, for she wasn't sure what, holding him captive. Imani started forward and then stopped. She didn't even know who the prince was, what he looked like, or even what had him. She couldn't find him by herself even if she tried. "We need to find him, Umoja. He's out there with some horrid thing holding him captive." she said without turning around, "Let's go!"

She was getting rather worked up and all she wanted to do was find the poor dear before any huge amount of harm befell him.

[Dakota]

Ayesha looked to where Ayele was standing behind them, still protected. Stepping forward until she was neck and neck with Judas, she bared her teeth as well, her ears flattening.

"You wont be taking the prince anywhere... where we go, he goes..thats all there is to it, and this time you wont be fighting just one, it will be me as well, and rest assured ,you wont be standing on all four paws like you are now."

Turning her head towards Judas, Ayesha met his eyes. Nodding her head slightly " Are we ready to go now, the smell where we are is getting a bit too much?"

[Judas]

The male held the prince by the scruff of his neck, as his ears flatten back to the black leopard's words, "Like Ayesha said; Wherever the prince goes, we go!" the male responded through gritted teeth. The panther said that taking the prince home would be his death, her master could promise life, and it was better he died now than for the child to return him with.

"I will not let you or your master kill him. That'd be over my dead body!" Judas snarled darting a glance to Ayesha, whom said that they were ready to go, perhaps she thought they should go home, and really Judas wanted to go home but he also knew that home might not be there anymore as Umoja might not have taken the prince's disappearance lightly, in fact for all he knew he could be considered a traitor now.

The soldier turned his gaze back to the panther, "I'll take the prince and come with you to your master. To see what he really wants, if I don't like what I hear. Then the prince is going home, cost what it cost will!" The panther's master didn't sound like any normal person, he could be powerful especially since he apparently could cure diseases, indeed if he died in process of getting the prince back home, then so be it. He had given his loyalty to Kesho's father, and that also meant his life should be necessary, a small sacrifice for the good of the pride.

[Dakota]

Ayesha's head snapped around, her nose brushing against Judas cheek as she was standing so close. She just stared at him, after hearing his words.

"You're taking him to where she tells you too, are you a fool... hasn't what she's just done proved you can't trust her.. Judas look at yourself, she didn't do that to say' oh welcome', she was trying to kill you.. and look at Kesho, he's bleeding and all roughed up. What if shes done this just to weaken you and theres more of her kind along the way.. waiting..?"

Not getting any answer from him, she sighed deeply and turned to the prince.
"Kesho, this is your life we are discussing, I think now might be a good time to hear what you want us to do. Do we, and I mean myself and Judas along with Ele, carry on and take you to her master, who she professes has a cure for what makes you sick, or do we take you back home from where we have come, where Umoji and the others are presumably waiting.... It's your choice little one, what do you have us do ?"

Quickly looking back at Judas "Whatever he says, I will be there as well, someone needs to save your scrawny neck by the looks ?"

"Kesho, we need to know now, whats your decision?"

[cheezeegriff]

"I want to go home... I want mother..."
Kesho sobbed, tears falling from his frightened eyes. He looked up at Ayesha, the anger lining her face, remembering the injuries on his back, the jolting from the journey...
The pain in his stomach intensified, and he felt his stomach contracting, as if a snake had wrapped itself about his innards and then bit it.
"Put me down, Judas,"
he managed, but even though he clenched his mouth tightly closed blood dribbled from between his lips.

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

The panther's eyes seemed to soften at the sight of the prince's distress. The wrinkles of anger over her face disappeared, and when she spoke her voice was normal, with a touch of hysteria.
"He WILL die if you take him home! ... Kesho... look at me. I will help you. I want to make the pain go away, to give you life so you can enjoy the colours of this world to their fullest... Kesho. Kesho??"
Blood was dribbling down Kesho's front, not just a little, but a lot. His eyes were closed and his head lulled onto his chest.
The panther made a keening sound, like a mother realising her son was dead.
"You are the ones responsible for his wellbeing. You must decide for him: a sick cub has no mind to make his own. Do you take him home to die slow and painfully, or do you carry him forward, to promised life?? So long as we are not too slow.
"Either way, put him down so I can stop this bleeding, or he'll be dead before the sun sets."
She looked Judas in the eye.
"Put. Him. Down. Now!"

[Judas]

Things where happening so fast, Ayesha seemed distraught about the fact that he'd go with the leopard. But what choice did he have? Though as prince told the soldier to put him down, the face of the panther contracted to that of hysteria he new something was terribly wrong.

Not waiting another second and without a word he put the now limp prince down on the ground, he could see the blood lots of it. His eyes widen it was as of the prince was bleeding from the inside out, what kind of malady was this? Would the prince just bleed to death without any actual injury? No he wouldn't let that happened but he prayed to the gods of the world that the panther could indeed stop this bleeding.

"If your master has a cure, then we should waste no time!" Judas darted a worried gaze to Ayesha, wondering if it was good if she came with them or not, she had Ayele to care for. "Tell me.." the scruffy lion began turning his gaze back to the panther. "When you first made your appearance among our pride, you said something that made me wonder.." the male paused to think back to see if he could truly remember what she had exactly said;

"You said, there would be a price to pay for the cure of the prince." he glanced briefly at Kesho still lying limp on the ground, "You said someone in the pride would had to pay the price but if they knew what the wouldn't have done it, what exactly is this payment?" the male's gaze rested back onto the black leopard, deep inside however he hoped that it wasn't too late for the prince.

[cheezeegriff]

"We need to find him, Umoja. He's out there with some horrid thing holding him captive. Let's go!"

Umoja couldn't have agreed more, but the strides of the group were long, and he wasn't as young as he used to be anymore. He tried to keep up with Imani as best he could, but after a good half hour of loping along the riverbank, he was exhausted.
"Imani,"
he said, trying not to pant,
"Slow down. These old legs aren't all they used to be... I've sent Katakasha ahead... she'll slow them down... please."
It was an irrational fear, he knew... but his master's kingdom was dissolving before his eyes. The thought of the Great Tree being empty sent shivers up his spine, and if he lost everyone, he would have to go back there, totally alone.

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

You said someone in the pride would had to pay the price but if they knew what the wouldn't have done it, what exactly is this payment?"

"something to ensure your devotion,"
The panther said, eyeing Judas cautiously, then put her nose to the ground.
What happened next was as disgusting as it was fascinating. The panther convulsed and made choking sounds, moving her body as if she was producing a furball, then spat a small and gooey mass onto the muddy ground between the reeds and sighed with relief.
"It's just a fig,"
she said, then picked it up in her paws and stepped cautiously towards the unconcsious prince. When she reached him she opened his bloody mouth and shoved the pulpy mass inside, and the prince's eyes opened immediately.

"Mmph!"

"Swallow,"
she growled, and though the prince thrashed he couldn't pull away from her grip, which kept his mouth bound tightly closed. Just as he started to turn blue though he swallowed, a painful motion that made his eyes water, then his lids closed to slits and he groaned in pain and misery.
"That should help - the bleeding will halt soon. Fruit, especially figs, will negate the digestive juices of his stomach. That will allow the wounds to clot and heal... for the time being."
She looked up to Ayesha.
"Now, carry him, but gently - on your back, so he's lying flat. Quickly now! Every moment counts. Let us keep moving, down the river to my master's lair."
Raising her black nose, the panther sniffed the wind, blowing from the lions' home.
"I sense danger approaching."

[Dakota]

Ayesha with Ele beside her watched when the panther regurgitated some fruit and force fed it into the princes mouth, Relaxing her stance somewhat when Kesho stopped fighting with his little body and just laid back down exhausted.

"Judas, we have no option now but to go with her. If we turn back he will surely die, no one brings up that amount of blood, especially a cub and will still live. We have to do what she says."

Turning to her brother who was still standing there wide eyed and looking terrified.
" Ayele, you will be coming to, we're not being seperated.. just come and walk beside Judas, he will protect you."

Turning to the panther who had stated danger was approaching, Ayesha watched her cautiously trying to guage her reaction. Looking to Judas, her eyes cast over him with all his wounds, he must be in pain as well, not just the prince, we need to get to fresh water, otherwise he will fall as well .

"Judas, its probably Umoja and the others, there's no way they couldn't but now know we have got Kesho. We both can remember his words about the cub wasn't to be moved or else... we have to go, we can't risk staying here any longer. I think we both know Kesho isn't going to survive much longer, I..we.. have to believe that her master can heal Kesho, it's all we have."

Standing there she held his gaze please judas, don't make me beg

[Judas]

Not answereing Ayesha at first, the soldier took the prince and placed it on his back, gently, leaving him splayed out just as the panther had told he should lay. He shot a glance between the panther and the liopardess. "Whatever the price is, I'll pay it!" The soldier assured, ofcourse someone had to do it, and who wasn't better than him? If it was so bad that no one would actually do it unless they had to.

He was willing and that would save them time they were loseing fast. Turning to Ayesha and glancing briefly at Ayele as the girl said her brother would walk next to him for protection, if something jumped at him someone would had to take the prince as he wouldn't beable to effectivly defend himself while carrying the child.

"I was the one that proposed travelling with the panther in the first place. But I am happy you finally agree with me." the male said as a smile crept across his face, that was still coverd with dried blood, he was glad Ayesha too said that they should go spared them all of arguments and wasted time. Turning to following the river, as the panther had said her master's lair laid down river he didn't wait for anyone, as now they were being tracked and if they were found then the prince's life would surely be forfeit.

[Kirsui]

"I sense danger approaching."

"No kidding, panther..."

Katakasha appeared seemingly out of nowhere, standing right in front of the smaller feline with an expression void of all emotion. She had been hiding from them, in the shadows and listening for what was going on. It hadn't been hard to find them, and the discussion had been very interesting. Her purple eyes were locked on the panther, but the next words weren't pointed for her.
"Judas, Ayesha... I suggest you stop moving until I have dealt my business with this pathetic excuse of a feline."

The black lioness' eyes narrowed. Part of her attenton was still on Judas and Ayesha, but mostly she concentrated on the panther for now.
"You will go nowhere, none of you will untill Umoja and the spoiled brat who calls herself a princess reach us."
She snorted.
"You all actually dissapoint me... I was ready to follow you, panther... Until you did this trick of yours."
She smirked, her sharp fangs became visible.
"Did you think you'd run away without me noticing, hm? If you did, you are a fool. And a bigger fool even if you think you'll get past me now."

She then lazily looked around, the emotionless expression taking the smirk's place. Her attention was still on the other felines present, just in case some of them tried to do a surprise attack.
"We will wait..."
Her voice was calm as she spoke and turned her gaze back at the group whose path she was very nicely blocking.
"And when Umoja and the princess get here, we'll see if you can keep going, or if we'll return to the Den."

[Dakota]

Ayesha sucked in her breath as Katakasha jumped down amongst them all, I should have known she'd be the one to catch up to us, she has no gentleness in her, she won't understand the urgency in moving with Kesho

Bringing a paw up, Ayesha moved her brother around so he was safely between herself and Judas, if anything happened she knew they would have to get through her first, to reach Ayele.

"Katakasha, how long are we to WAIT ? maybe you should go look at the last amount of blood kesho bought up, it's right over there for you to see... if it wasn't for the panther stopping the flow, we mighten even have the prince with us still.."

Hearing the cub moan, Ayesha risked a glance at him, it was as if he was growing paler and his little body shrinking right in front of their eyes. Getting angrier she moved closer over to where Katakasha stood.
"How much longer will Umoja and that lioness be, do you know that...will they get here in time to prevent keshos death ?"

Glancing at the panther just standing there her yellow eyes glinting, Ayesha gave a small shudder, and looked back " WELL .. do you want to risk him dying when we can start moving to where she says her master is waiting, if after all you are so smart, why don't you come with us, to see that nothing happens."

"We can't wait any longer... go on look at his blood loss, its right there on the ground, congealing, and flies swarming all over it... GO ON LOOK AT IT ...katakasha, and see if we aren't right about leaving NOW."

[genie]

Ayele just stood looking pale, things were getting so scary, it was near all he could do to stop his legs knocking together, his heart was pounding so hard in his chest it was like a war drum, everyone seemed so hostile at the moment he didn't know what to think about it... though he tried to be brave... he was little more than a light snack to one of the full grown cats and he realised this!

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Umoja's voice was barely heard through the tunnel of fear Imani was feeling now. She nodded as he told her to come back. She slowly slunk back to him and then matched his pace. She had joined the pride hardly a few hours ago and already she was in some sort of rescue mission for a prince she had never even met before. She blew a leaf that had fallen off of her head.

She thought about her first time being lost. She had wandered away from the pride and had been alone for barely a few hours before being found by a search party... but it had been scary. She had cried for a good hour and a half and had fallen and broken a paw. She didn't get to hunt for a good three weeks and she had hated it. Her thoughts were swimming with what the poor prince was feeling now. He was sick and now he was with some strange thing going who knows where.

She turned towards Umoja, who was looking straight ahead. "What if we don't find him, Umoja?"

[Judas]

"No kidding, panther..."

The voice was vaugely familar to him, and he stopped in his tracks looking towards the dark pelted lioness with narrowed eyes. "You can't command me!" the male snorted back at her, half snarling as his ears pinned back. And he was well on his way to continue his walk, though her next words conjured a growl from the wanderer.

"I don't follow Umoja's command, I swore an oath solely to the old king, and thusly my loyality lies with the prince." He said with a half growl as he pushed past Katakasha, following the river down stream. He had no intentions to wait for anyone, they were wasteing time and he didn't have time.

"Umjoa can come if he likes, but I and neither the prince would be here to greet him!" the male called out, back towards the assembly. He had heard Ayesha's words of urgency and she tried to tell Katakasha they had to leave, Judas however had just done so. He followed no orders other than those by his prince and king, and right now that was the save this cub from certain death.

[Dakota]

Watching as Katakasha just stood there glowering at them, Ayesha felt a shiver pass through her as she saw the expression that now emerged on her face. The black panther hadn't said anything, she just stood there watching and waiting.

Turning her neck, Ayesha lowered it down to talk with her brother
"Ele I want you to go after Judas and stay by his side, and I want you to go now, I'll be right behind you... quick as fast as you can ."

Looking back up at the two females that stood there, she didn't say a word till she heard her brother start to move away.
" Katakasha..you know its the right thing to do, no matter how loyal you are to Umoja. It's not as if we are trying to hide from him, I've noticed the panther leaving scent along the path we have taken, and I haven't taken any caution with hiding pawprints as well."

Moving her head till her eyes met that of the black panther, Ayesha gave a small sigh and turned to follow Judas.
"If you're not going to stop me, maybe you had better stop standing there scowling or your face look more like a dried prune that it already is, wouldn't want to upset Umoji any more would you."

Placing one paw in front of the other Ayesha started to walk. Bracing herself as she wasn't sure if she was going to feel claws land on her body or not, she raised her voice so it would meet the lionesses tattered ears.
"You know you could always come with us Katakasha, I'm sure Umoji would approve till him and the others can catch up."

[cheezeegriff]

(OC: You almost missed out on this post, lol. I clicked "preview" instead of "send" then moved on to different sites, only noticing a half our later it wasn't posted. Had to click "back" through 50 sites to find the posting page again. Woohoo! I'm blessed!)

"What if we don't find him, Umoja?"

"We will find him... he's with the others. We can't lose these tracks."
Nevertheless, the question nagged in his mind. what would happen, if Keshomaliki was lost? That would be it - the kingdom would be over. All the hard work of the former monarchs, the nobles, his parents... all for nothing.
He had to keep the kingdom of the Great Tree alive.
Though, perhaps there was more than one way of doing so. What if the prince never came back? What if he died? Should he just wait to see what happens?
Or should he start preparing, now?
Clearing his throat, still panting, he said,
"So, Imani, tell me about yourself. Why did you give the throne up to your younger sister?"
He looked her in the eye.
"Why didn't you want to rule?"

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

As Judas turned to leave, the panther sidled up to him.
"A hundred miles down the river stirs the Smoke that Thunders. Beneath them, behind the curtain, you will find my master. Beware: the path is treacherous. Ask the crocodiles there for He who Lives in Death. They will guide you to him, if I am unable to show you the way."
With that she turned back and faced the black lion as Ayesha slowly started to walk away.
She flexed her claws, waiting for the black lion's decision, when a shrill plea sounded from behind her.

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

Keshomaliki woke from a deep sleep to the sensation of rocking shoulders beneath his body. His mouth tasted revolting, and he was dizzy... even when lying down.
Raising his head, he looked about at their surrounds, and releif flooded into him. They were moving... going home... he watched the trees pass by, saw Katakasha standing behind them...
He looked about again, and panic rose up inside of him.
"No... no!"
He didn't want to die alone in the woods. He wanted his mother, his father, to be with them again, to play with them in the only place he had known his whole life. Digging his tiny claws into Judas' back he screamed as loud as he could,
"Judas, take me hoome!"

[Kirsui]

"Katakasha..you know its the right thing to do, no matter how loyal you are to Umoja."

Katakasha allowed a small smirk rise to her muzzle, amusement twinkling in her eyes. Her ears were turned towards the direction where Judas and the panther were going, while her gaze was locked on Ayesha as she kept talking.

Once the liard was finished, Kata shook her head.
"How little you know of me, Ayesha... In fact..."
She paused, her smirk growing into a full grin.
"You know nothing. Nothing of my loyalty, nothing of my reasons, simply nothing."
She glanced over her shoulder at Judas and the panther.
"And you know even less of the panther. You don't know even her name, do you?"

She shook her head, then suddenly dashed and caught Ayele, placing her paw on the cub's back so that her razor sharp claws pressed on the liard boy's neck. She didn't look at the cub, and didn't care even if he would bite or sink his claws on her flesh. She could stand the pain, for she had faced worse.

She looked at Ayesha, her face again void of all emotion.
"Umoja told me to hold you up until they would catch us - what ever the cost. Unfortunate for your brother, liard, but it just might mean I have to kill him."
She glanced at Ayele before her gaze wandered at Judas and the panther.
"Are you ready to loose your brother, Ayesha? Because if they will not stop and wait, he will die - slow and painfully."
She paused, pressing her claws tighter against Ayele's skin.
"And make no sudden movements..."

[Nailyila]

(i've been accepted to RP in this RP, so, just saying so my post isn't removed)

Nailyila was crouched in a bush, masking her scent by the strong scent of the growing berries on it. She peered between the branches. She was watching a lion who she thought was to kill the brother of A- Ayesha was it? Nailyila didn't have any clue on what to do. She could rush out and save the little cub, but was she in any position to fight a lion like that? On the other hand, the lion had no idea she was there. She couldn't stand the sight of another cub dying. She may be from another land far far from here, but in this 'pride' or not, she had to save the cub! Nailyila lunged from the safety of the bushes barreling into lion who had their claws sinked into the cub, knocking the cub free their clutches. "Quickly! Get the cub out of here!" She yelped, not fully knowing what she was doing... She lunged off the lion and into the bushes again, storming through the trees with all her might, in case the lion chased her down.

[cheezeegriff]

The panther didn't let a moment go to waste. As the strange lion ran back through the long reeds she leapt at Katakasha, screeching her leopard's roar, trying to stay on top as she and the black lion rolled over and over.
"Run!"
she screamed to Ayesha.
"Take the cub and run! Judas knows where to go!"

[Nailyila]

Nailyila whipped her head around. She noticed that no lions were following in her tracks. She slowed her to a walk and drew in the scents around her. She didn't pick up the scent of anyone. She stopped and turned around. She crouched low, stalking forward, cautious as she could be.

She peered through a bush, another, similiar to before that masked her scent. She watched closer at this new group of animals. The cub was gone, but she did, however, notice one panther that remained. She had heard his orders to get the cub out of here moments before. His roar so loud that it echoed to where Nailyila had been running. She stepped forward, still in the safety of the bush. She heard the snap of a twig that she broke, and the crackle or a stone that she accidently kicked out of the bush to the feet of the panther. She gasped, cutting her breath short.

I only pray that he didn't notice... Nailyila said, watching the cautious panther with scared eyes of being exposed of her position.

[Dakota]

Ayesha was about to yell out to Judas to just take the prince, his loyalty was to him not her and Ayele and was moving slowly with her claws ready to strike at the lioness,when something charged out of the bushes to her right.

Suprised she hesitated in her charge against katakasha, as the light brown lioness did it for her, then it turned and ran straight back to where she had emerged from..into the bushes. Digging in her claws in Ayesha moved to where Ayele lay quietly on the ground, he didn't seem to be bleeding but she had no time to comfort him, as it was now her turn for payback.

From the corner of her eye she saw something black move at frantic speed, past her and on top of Katakasha, it was the black panther who was screaming at her to run.
Not wasting any time, Ayesha opened her muzzle and grabbed Ele on the neck picking him up in her mouth, and pulled back and away from the two fighting.

Not even bothering to look back she moved towards where she last saw Judas walk away with the prince splayed out on his back. They had to move and move fast, after the reaction from katakasha, was she on orders from Umoji to just stop them or stop them permanantly.
Looking ahead she could see Judas following the stream, with kesho on his back, and by the looks stuggling to get off while shouting at the lion..They needed to travel further before they could stop and see to both cubs , also to clean Judas, they needed the soldier, he couldn't get ill, the fate of the kingdom rested on his shoulders now.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

"Why didn't you want to rule?"

Imani was caught of guard by this question. She had her reasons, but she thought they would probably sound silly outside her head. She didn't even know if she really trusted Umoja, so why tell him her reasons? What business of his was it anyway? She knew why she left, so why did he even care?

As these thoughts swam around her head, she realized something. Why not tell him? No one beside herself knew anyway, and she had wanted to tell someone. She just didn't want to be judged. She realized she had been so afraid of being rejected or thought silly that she had been afraid to speak her mind. She laughed internally.... she was ever the insecure teenager.

"Well, it's sort of a long story. You see, my real parents died when I was very young. I was hardly able to hunt small lizards. My real parents were part of the royal guard, the best of the best actually. They were the king and queen's personal body guards. They also went out hunting with the royals." She stopped as she pictured it all. "One day they didn't come home. Apparently, my parents were trampled by a rogue elephant. My sister and I got adopted by the king and queen and all was well. I was supposed to be the next queen..." her voice trailed off.

"Then one day I went hunting. I met a wanderer named Faraha. We became best friends right off the bat. She started making me question what was just so great about being queen. I had never wanted to be tied down anyway, and then I just decided to leave. Faraha and I stayed in a pair for a while and then we each went off on our own. And then I found your pride... I missed being around others..." she said, showing she was finished with a little nod of her head.

[Nailyila]

Nailyila gave a sigh of relief, noticing, finally, that the two panthers were fighting and the one lone one was not alone after all. She was about to turn around when she heard the growling and roaring of the two panthers.

What had become of all of this fighting? Can't we all get along? Nailyila thought to herself in anger.

Nailyila was one who hated fighting. But was she really one to invade on the two's personal fights? She heard the snarls and roars get louder and she couldn't take it anymore. She may be 'inexperienced' to some of them. But she knew that she was a strong fighter.

Nailyila lunged from the safety of the bushes, separating the two, taking a scratch or two on the way. She stared at both panthers with flaring eyes. "If I may ask in the haste of this, why is there the need of all this fighting? I may not no much of your reasons, but there is no one here to cause this brawl, so why begin it on your own?" Nailyila said, her claws sheathed, but on the inside, fairly scared for her life. She was truly outnumbered if it came down to a fight...

[Judas]

Judas noted the panther's description in his mind, silently memorizing it; "A hundred miles down the river stirs the Smoke that Thunders. Beneath them, behind the curtain, you will find my master. Beware: the path is treacherous. Ask the crocodiles there for He who Lives in Death. They will guide you to him, if the panther would be unable to show the way."

Though Judas stopped dead in his tracks as he heard Katakasha's voice, ordering them to stop otherwise Ayele would die, a growl rumbled in his chest as he turned his head to look behind him at the scene. But the panther soon enough solved it, as she jumped at the black lioness screaming for Ayesha to run, telling her to take her brother and follow him, as he knew the route now.

The soldier resumed his brisk steps not running but not exactly walking either, he could feel the tiny claws of the prince dig into his back and the scars prominent there, a groan of pain escaped him. "I am taking you home.." he replied his voice strained with pain, "but you're clawing doesn't really speeding my expedition!"

Judas nearly growled at the prince, but he then caught himself, he shouldn't be mad at the child, it was scared just as much as he was if not more. "I-I'm sorry your majesty.." the soldier turned his gaze away in submission, "I am only trying to help you. And I mean it!" he replied not looking back at the child. He could hear quick pawsteps approching through the reeds behind him, and the smell of female liard soon enough followed, a comforting smell to the soldier.

"Is Ayele alright?" the scruffy male asked turning to the liardess his voice conserned and a faint frowned played on his face. The wounds on his body had stopped bleeding, but most of his fur was caked with coagulated blood, and dried mud, not a good combination for someone with open fleshwounds, he could feel his muscles stiffen and walking becomming more and more painful, and he was developing a headace too.

"I'm too old for this.." he mumbled, well truth be he wasn't that old he had but roughly a month on Ayesha, but all he's been through so far he felt much older, though despite the growing pains he would go on and he'd not stop for anything or anyone. Up a head the faint sound of crashing water could be heard, where they nearing 'the smoke that thunders'?

[Dakota]

Ayesha was never so glad to see Judas as she was at that moment. Every step she took she kept waiting for claws to hook into her side, but now she was back alongside the soldier with Ayele she let some breath out through her lips.

"Is Ayele alright?" came from Judas as he turned his head to look at her quickly. Ayesha didn't answer straight away, she was too busy looking over his ripped and torn body, then glancing over the moaning cub, she knew they had to stop soon.

"Ele, he'll be fine, just scared witless by everything thats happened, he's my brother, so he'll be fighting fit soon."

Glancing behind her, she felt her ears twitch for some reason , moving her glance from left to right, she gave up, she had to keep her eyes forward to help Judas find what the panther told them to look for.

Pausing for a moment, she opened her muzzle and placed Ayele on the ground. Swallowing then licking her parched lips. Leaning down to him she licked his cheek comforting him "Shhh Ele, will have to keep moving, for now till you've rested I'll carry you on my back"
Lowering herself down, she gave him a small push with her paw, helping him up on her back." Ele hold tight in my tuft to steady yourself, we need to move again."

Pushing herself back up, she caught back up to the lion, walking quietly alongside him, every now and again, darting him small looks.. she was sure she could see sweat beads breaking out on his forehead.
"Judas.. it sounds like a waterfall up ahead, we need to stop..not for long I know that, but you have to bathe away all that grime thats stuck on you, and wash your wounds, you can't get infected.. also Kesho needs to bathe as well.."

Looking at him, she let a small smirk come to her face " And ...seeing I'm the boss and you three are just males..Guess I win. Come on we're nearly there if that sound is anything to go by."

[genie]

Ayele was shivering and crying as he was on Ayesha's, his back hurt but he was to scared and frightening to say anything, unknown to anyone when Katakasha had been knocked off her claws had scratched across his back and the carrying of him is Ayesha's mouth had further damaged his skin. He laid there, big tears falling from his eyes as they moved, and now blood had finally started to weep from the wound, a red patch creep across his back's fur and down his side.

[Kirsui]

She had expected an attack to come, but was slightly surprised to realize it was neither Judas, Ayesha nor the panther to attack her first, but an unknown. Then the panther came, and she allowed the smaller feline to hit her down, and felt how they tangled up in a heap of feet and tails when they rolled at the ground.

Katakasha was about to push the panther's chest with her front feet to separate herself from the smaller feline, but suddenly she felt herself being jerked away, separated. Now that she was finally separated from the panther she could control her movements better and was on her feet faster than one could blink an eye.

Her glare met the new lion who had pushed her away from Ayele.
"Fool..."
The word flowed out of her mouth like smooth silk, and it seemed she was almost at the edge of purring them instead of speaking. Then her gaze sifted back to the panther.
"You're both fools..."

She ignored the fleeing Ayesha, Judas and the cubs. The panther had become the top of her interest list, and not even the appearance of the new lioness could change that. Extending her already extented claws even more, the black lioness pounced at the smaller feline, a devilish grin spreading on her muzzle while her purple eyes flashed in some dark enjoyment she got from a battle.

And even as her claws reached out for the panther's sides and her fangs for the smaller feline's throat, she wasn't attacking on the fullest. She was playing, toying with the creature and wanting to see what the panther would do next if she pushed the right buttons and forced her to fight. And yet while she seemed fully concentrated on the small feline, part of her attention was also on the lion who had saved Ayele, for the black lioness was also waiting to see what she would do. She was confident, these two could not win her. Let them think they could if they decided to unite their powers against her...

Her devilish grin grew wider.