The Last King

[cheezeegriff]

"...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..."

Umoja frowned, pondering.
"You've picked a strange group to wander into, if you don't like leadership. If any group of lions need leadership in the whole of Africa, it's us."
He looked her in the eye.
"If you were meant to be the queen, you must have learned something in your training... how to lead, how to make the right decisions. Can I ask you a favour?"

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"Come on we're nearly there if that sound is anything to go by."
Kesho lifted his weary head at the sound of Ayesha's voice. The world was blurry... but he made out the river to his left and the flat, treeless land beyond the reeds at the river's bank. Looking about, blinking, he found he could see quite well from so high on Judas' back.
And his eyes widened in amazement.
The crashing water wasn't a waterfall... but rather, over the tall reeds, he made out hundreds of animals! They looked like big... hairy.... well. he didn't know what they looked like, but they were big and hairy, gangly creatures, all charging through the river from one side of the other and creating quite a stir.
There were other things in the river too, that he could see from so high up.
"What are those things, Judas?"
he said, pointing across the water.
"They look like logs... or lizards... but with teeth..."
And they were coming this way.

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The panther's look of concentration never wavered when the new lion pulled her away from Katakasha. Thank goodness too, for once the intruder had finished speaking the black lioness jumped at her. She stepped aside though, using her quick reflexes to keep herself behind the newcomer, so the black lion couldn't attack her.
She was a black leopard, after all. Nothing was faster.
"Thanks..."
"... for your help,"
she said into the newcomer lioness' seperate ears, as she dodged left to right around her back, always keeping out of reach of Katakasha's long arms.
"I can't help..."
"... but think..."
"... you're a mite in danger though."
"Something tells me this black one will kill you if you stay in the way too long."
She paused for breath as the black lioness did the same, and examined Katakasha with a wise caution.
"There's something odd about you, black lion,"
she said, cocking her head.
"Your darkness isn't only skin deep. It isn't pure like mine either, but a sickness that eats at your being, rather than adding to it."
She paused again, as if thinking.
"It acts more like a cancer, eating away at what's left of who you once were and replacing it with something... cancerous. Terminal."
She smiled.
"Well... if my master's taught me anything about judging the fallen."

[Judas]

Judas' brows furrowed as Ayesha seemed more intent on studying his scars, rather than answering a more important question about the welfare of her own brother. But the liardess soon enough answered him, saying Ayele was fine, only scared out of his wits of what was happening, well that wasn't unnatural he had been attacked for gods sake!

Silence settled among the party once more, but Ayesha's voice soon enough broke the silence again; Saying it sounded like there was waterfall up a head. And she suggested that they needed to stop but of course not for long.. Judas was feeling his head getting heavier and his headache only increasing bit by bit with every step he took, however he'd push on cost what it cost will. The liardess mentioned he could need a bath to get away the caked blood stuck in his fur as well as the swampy muck, but most importantly to wash the fresh scars all over his body, his face didn't really look so good with the deep gash on his cheek, she said Kesho could use a bath as well.

The scruffy male turned to gaze at her, there was a faint, almost unnoticeable sign wariness in his eyes, he then promptly stopped in his tracks, but not really signaling for the liardess to do the same. "Ayesha.." the male uttered, gazing at her his face was grave and his voice held more maturity to it now than it had ever done. "We can't stop.." he paused for a moment his gaze lowered the ground, the grave face slipping over into one hinting worry or even then it was fatigue. "My wounds are of the least concern at this moment." he sighed, "I-I know you only want well.. but we can't tarry.. not now!" Judas shook his head at his final words. Before he pushed passed Ayesha and through the reeds leading into a mud bank and the roar of the 'waterfall' was nearly deafening.

However, it wasn't a waterfall, that much was true. But rather a herd of stampeding wildebeest crashing into the river down below, they were migrating! Judas stopped in his tracks staying a distance until the last of the heard creatures had jumped into the water, why were they doing it?! It was suicide, especially with the large crocodiles in the river, speaking of crocodiles.. some of the larger once were approaching them.

Judas stepped back away from the rivers edge, "Get away from the river bank!" the soldier commanded, he had experience with crocodiles both on good and bad terms; Judas had after all grown up with them back in his homeland, they were his neighbors but his pride had usually had dealings with them only on some grizzly matters, mostly dealing with rejected newborns.

"Oh ancient ones!" Judas called out, speaking to reptiles, his voice held respect these animals were among the oldest in all Africa, and thusly deserved respect. He watched a few of quite larger ones appear swimming closer to the mud bank, but not stepping onto it.

"We seek He who Lives in Death! I heard that some of you might know the place he abide." the scruffy male added his voice still showing respect and he was acting humble to wards them. But despite this the male didn't really believe they would give him an answerer, he wasn't being very optimistic about this, though he would do as the panther had instructed him, and she said he should talk the crocodiles that dwells in the river, and they would lead them to her master.

[Dakota]

Ayeshas ears twitched the more steps she took towards the noise it couldn't possibly be a waterfall, what on earth is up ahead . Looking over her shoulder at Ele, she gasped when she saw blood trickling down his side merging into her fur. damn that lioness, now she's into hurting innocent cubs, my turn will come with her I guarantee it .

Turning back to find Judas' gaze on her, she started to frown upon hearing his words, then his arrogance took over and he dared to push past her not waiting for a reply.
" why you..you.. fool, you are no good to the prince or anyone if you are too sick to move or even DEAD ." Ayesha found herself shouting the last part at him, but he just carried on ignoring her.

Huffing she moved off faster after the lion '"Ayele hold on tight, I know you're hurting, but be brave for me longer, we'll stop soon.."
As she followed after Judas, the noise grew louder until she saw her 'waterfall'. Stopping amazed at the sight, she watched eyes wide open as one wilderbeast just followed the one in front of him into the water trying to reach the other side. Bodies and legs were going in every direction, while water flew around them as a covering, and there just waiting for a meal ,were the tenacious food hunters.
Ayesha found she couldn't pull her eyes away, she knew the killing was about to start, but she held her gaze until Judas barked out an order for her to get away from the river bank. About to argue, she saw the water in front of them start to swirl, and she backed back hastily, standing there on guard, uneasily looking over her shoulders at the way they had come then foward listening to the soldier.
Hearing a moan from her back "Ele, not much longer, its...crocodiles....shhhh for me ", she tilted her head again, she needed to hear what was being said as well, far better the two of them knew in case something happened to him.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

"If any group of lions need leadership in the whole of Africa, it's us."

Imani nodded. "Yes, it does look like that is so...." She said aloud. She now thought to herself. She wondered how on earth a group of lions and lionesses could be so... so lost looking. It seemed that Umoja was the leader, but in reality it was evident that he was not, in fact, the leader at all. It was that sick little prince, Keshomaliki or something, that was destined to lead the little group.

"If you were meant to be the queen, you must have learned something in your training... how to lead, how to make the right decisions."

"Well, yes of course I have, Umoja. My adopted parents did me quite right by teaching me. I've learned how to deal with other prides, how to hunt, fight, look, and even feel. Its all part of being an heiress to a throne." she said matter of factly. She realized she sounded a bit braggy, though she didn't mean to be. "I don't mean to sound uppy of course, Umoja. I hated every minute of it. That silly old woman, my mother's grandmother, teaching me everything, in her foolish old voice." She remembered the whiny old lioness telling her all she needed to know to become a queen. She smirked to herself, realizing that the old woman had trained her for years, only to have Ima leave and become nothing but a wanderer.

"Can I ask you a favour?"

"Sure you can." she answered quickly. She wondered what kind of favour he intended, since they had just discussed leading.

[cheezeegriff]

"Be my queen,"
Umoja said in reply to Imani's question, then smirked.
"Well, take the role of my queen. You know, give me free advice without gloating, lead the nation from the royal bedroom... without actually being in the bedroom. I'm not leaving a good impression am I?
"What I mean is: I've been brought up a diplomat, so I've a fair bit of experience under my belt, but I could use a confidant - someone I can trust to tell me if I'm messing up, without making me look bad in front of everyone else. Someone to keep an eye on me."
He looked her in the eye.
"Can you do that?"

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"We seek He who Lives in Death! I heard that some of you might know the place he abide."

Keshomaliki didn't know crocodiles could talk. He didn't even know they could reason... but there was no mistaking that the slithering, sliding burr that trickled from the closest one's throat was forming words. His ears found the distorted voice rather hard to understand, but he quietened his breathing and tried his best:

"Yyes. We know,"
the closest one said, sliding forward through the water, predatory eyes roaming hungrily over Judas' body. He - or she - was a decent-sized beast, perhaps two metres long, though the one behind was a little larger.

"He livvess behind the veil, where the unfortunate warm his cave,"
it said.
"Many tailstrokes downsstream... many dayss journey, for four-footed folk"

"Can you tell uss... why, you wish to ssee him?"

"Do you wwant immunity from death?"

[genie]

Ayele laid on his sisters back silently, he did't know what crocodiles were but if his sister was reluctant about them they must be bad things but his back hurt and he little twitches here and there as his eyes watered, he was feeling sorry for himself.

[Judas]

Judas didn't answere Ayesha's words, so maybe he was a fool? But there was no way to clean his wounds here, and decides if he got the prince to the panther's master, and had him help the child. Then he had done what was expected of him, he hadn't saved anything for a homeward journey.

As for him.. he honestly didn't believe it ever would be any home journey, not for him at least. Though the crocodiles response brought the wounded soldier back to the present and the task ahead; he could see how reptile looked at him, with a hungry gaze though that didn't phase him one bit.

"A servant of His told us to seek out you. She said you could tell us were he abided.." he listend to the crocodile saying how it would be a journey of many days for those on four feet. "This servant of Him said that He could cure what that ails our young king. We are from a pride torn appart by plague and death-"

Though the crocodiles final words cause the scruffy soldier to silence himself. Immunity from death? No one is immune to death's embrace, as age, fate, and nature will always bring about death in one form or another, so what the crocodile meant was a puzzle to the male lion.

"Immunity from death?" Judas asked his voice puzzled, ofcourse the crocodiles could be playing a trick on them, yet if this mysterious figure could grant some form of protection against death, then he'd seek it. Judas didn't wish it for himself but if that was what He could give then the prince should resive it.

[Kirsui]

"Your darkness isn't only skin deep. It isn't pure like mine either, but a sickness that eats at your being, rather than adding to it."

Katakasha lifted an eyebrow elegantly as the panther went on with her explanations of what she thought the black lioness was.
"Darkness?" she asked, letting the pause in the battle grow.
"Cancer, you say?"
She chuckled, her torn ear twiching slightly. The devilish grin had vanished when the break had begun.
"What would you know of true darkness, panther?"
A slight smirk begun to appear on her muzzle as her eyes closed halfly. She seemed utterly satisfied with something.
"What you call darkness is but a mere fragment of the whole thing. This..."
She paused, motioning at herself with her paw.
"...is not an illness. It's a cure. It heals what I was..."
The smirk grew larger.
"You have not tasted true darkness, dear panther... I am younger than you, but yet I have tasted darkness deeper and purer than you could ever taste..."
She chuckled again.
"Had you tasted it, you would not offer a cure to a sick prince from a pride that is falling apart anyway... Had you tasted it, you would not follow your 'Master'. Darkness is the only thing you need, the only thing you follow, the only thing needed to satisfy the loneliness."

Kata paused, a thoughtful expression on her face as the smirk disappeared. Though she still kept herself ready for anything, it seemed she wasn't so keen on fighting anymore as she had a moment ago. After all, she had been able to play with that zebra earlier, and the hunger to see blood flow had been satisfied... for now.
"Unless you serve Darkness itself, I wouldn't lecture others what they to you seem to be if I was you..."
She smiled, a cruel smile it was.
"Last one lost his tongue, if I'm not badly mistaken..."

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani giggled. Umoja really had no idea how to do this sort of thing. It was actually amusing to her and she smiled at him to alleviate some of his apparent stress. "Well, I suppose once you're trained to be a queen, you just have to end up a queen in some way or another..." she said, her voice trailing off at the end. Even after she had escaped becoming royalty at home, she couldn't escape what was meant for her, what was in her blood. She was a leader no matter where she wandered off to and she supposed that she would have to face that.

She looked right back into Umoja's eyes. "Of course I'll help you and I wouldn't dream of making a fool of you in front of everyone else...... though I do have one question." She looked around and then looked back into his eyes. "Why don't you ask Katakasha? She's been here longer, or am I wrong? I've had the training, but wouldn't she know you better?" She asked.

As soon as it was out of her mouth, she felt foolish. Why should she fight it? She liked to lead anyway.... "Not that it matters. I accept." she said quickly.

[cheezeegriff]

"Not that it matters. I accept."
Umoja had been about to answer her previous question, though soon a smile spread across his muzzle when she agreed to be his conscience. He gave her a friendly nudge with his shoulder as they trotted along.
"Thank you. This means a lot to me - I might actually be able to lead fairly successfully with a little help. As for why I haven't picked Katakasha - well. She's not a queen. She also... doesn't have the kingdom's best interest at heart. I can pick people pretty well, you know, and there's something about her I find downright disturbing."
He looked Imani in the eye.
"You be careful around her. I took her in to try and help her, but so far it hasn't worked. Try not to do anything to make her mad with you. I don't know what she's capable of, but...
"But anyway, I'm a diplomat, and I can read people rather well. I think you'd make a great advisor, because... I've only read integrity, and honesty, from you. At lea-"
Umoja stopped in his tracks, raising his round lion ears and listening intently. Faintly in the distance they could hear speaking. It sounded like Katakasha.
"Hurry, Imani, this way,"
he said, then loped off.

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"Unless you serve Darkness itself, I wouldn't lecture others what they to you seem to be if I was you... Last one lost his tongue, if I'm not badly mistaken..."

"If I serve death himself, does that count?"
The panther watched Katakasha, her head still cocked. Little ears twitched at a noise from the reeds behind the black lion, but her eyes remained fixed.
"He could read you better than I.
"Now, new lion,"
she said to the newcomer,
"If you want to live, follow me."
With that she turned and, after a flash of black fur, all that told of her passing was the gently swaying reeds at the perimeter of the little clearing.
She was a panther: she was very fast.

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"Immunity from death?"

The crocodiles seemed to ignore his question, remaining where they were, unblinking eyes as still as if the beasts were dead themselves.
"We know of the pllague in your landss,"
the larger one said.

"Such pity. Such sorrow..."

"The dead drift down in our wwaters and feed us. We are kind to the wilderbeest this seaason."
Her eyes rolled around to the carnage behind her. One of the creatures was being dragged into deeper water, where a half dozen crocodiles were tearing it apart.

"Your prince is sick,"
said the larger one.
"Does he havve much longer to llive?"

Keshomaliki cringed on Judas' back, his claws - still locked in Judas' flesh - tightened with fear.

"We can take you to the corpse-gatherer,"
the small one said.

"Yes... we can take you. Many dayss on legs... but the current favvours us. You may ride on our backs..."

"We will take you,"
said the small one, inching closer.

"We prommisse we will not harm you."

[Dakota]

Ayesha's eyes were wide open listening to those Judas were talking too, she couldn't understand much of what they were saying, except they seemed to know where this 'master' was of the black panther, the one who was meant to cure their prince.

Moving forward a little more, she looked down upon the ground to make sure of her footing, she was still on hard ground, nothing by the looks that could give way and send her and Ele into the river as more tasty treats.

You may ride on our backs...We will take you,We prommisse we will not harm you." .
she heard the crocodiles state.
Letting a snort escape her muzzle, she couldn't believe that the soldier was considering all this, all they needed was some fresh water for drinking and cleaning the wounds, maybe some food, and they could be well on there way again. Why did they have to get on those creatures backs, they could show them the way by swimming along in the river, while they all walked on land.

"Judas ".Giving his rump a prod with her paw, he didn't answer, so Ayesha pushed him a bit harder, trying to get his attention.
Feeling Ayele squirm on her back, she turned her head so her lips were by the cubs ears.

"I know you are tired and sore Ele, but if anything happens to Judas or myself with these crocodiles, I want you to take, even drag if you have to, the prince back into some bushes, where you will stay put, no moving.. just hide yourselves until you see Umoja. He is following us slowly I feel...but only show yourself to Umoja, not Katakasha.... only Umoja."

Turning back to where Judas stood, Ayesha gave a small pretend cough, hoping the lion would share his thoughts, they were a team right now, and she wasn't going to let him forget.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani cocked her head to the side and looked at Umoja questioningly. "What do you mean you don't know what shes capab-" she started, but he had heard Kata's voice and taken off. She chased after him, easily matching his stride. They ran quickly through the underbrush and foliage towards where they had heard the dark lioness's voice. She hoped they would find the little prince with Katakasha.

She lifted her nose to the air. That's peculiar... she thought. She could smell the prince, well what she thought was the prince, but he didn't seem to be in the same place as Kata. Imani stopped putting out a paw to stop Umoja as well. "She is not with him." she said simply. "Smell the air, Umoja."

She waited for him to catch the scent and realize what she already had. Why wasn't Katakasha with the prince? This didn't make much sense to her. If Katakasha wasn't with the prince... then where was she? Imani assumed that the nurse lioness and her brother would be with Keshomaliki. She scented another lion in the air near the prince, she assumed he must be another part of the pride.

"Why isn't she with him, Umoja?" she asked, her eyes wide.

[genie]

Ayele laided there upon his sister's back, she spoke about the prince and hiding and he tried listening to every word but he didn't pick up it fully, his back was stained red he just wanted to just go to sleep.

[cheezeegriff]

"Why isn't she with him, Umoja?"

Umoja didn't answer her question out loud: Because she hasn't caught up, that's why! Instead he stormed into a reedy clearing and skidded to a halt.

Katakasha was facing a stranger, and she looked ready to kill her.

"Katakasha,"
he asked carefully,
"What happened?"

[Kirsui]

Katakasha watched as the panther fled - yes, that was how the black lioness saw it. Her purple eyes turned to the new lion, and elegantly she lifted one of her eyebrows, asking if the lion was going to do as the panther said and leave... Or remain and die.

She snorted then and turned her attention away from the lion. It didn't matter to her anymore what the lion did.

"If I serve death himself, does that count? He could read you better than I."

Her face remained blank and her gaze locked at something in the distance. Mentally though, she was not as calm as she looked. What did the panther mean with "serving death"? It was... Unsettling. And now more than ever she had become curious of who this panther's Master was, or if it didn't even exist, why would the small feline believe it did. Maybe this Master was simply a thing the panther was imagining. Maybe, in a way, the panther was more like her than she had though.

She snorted. No, she was nothing like the panther. She lifted her paw and examined the sharp claws. The panther served something, even if it was just a thing of imagination. But Kata served no one but herself. She followed orders that came from Umoja... for now.

All of a sudden the black lioness realized she had blood in her claws. She blinked, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. She hadn't land any blow on the panther that would have drawn blood, so where? Tentatively she brought the paw to her muzzle and licked.
'The liard boy...'
Her eyes narrowed sharply. She hadn't intented to hurt the liard like this, but the new lion must have tackled her so that she had unintentionally wounded the cub.

She was about to dash off after Judas and Ayesha, but a scent in the air stopped her. Her ears twiched and tail flickered before she took a deep breath.

"Katakasha. What happened?"

She was aware of the fool lioness who had knocked her over earlier, but Umoja's sudden appearance made her ignore what ever said lioness was telling her. The black lioness' eyes fixed on the temporary leader. The scent of the spoiled princess was closing in as well.

"What happened?"
Her previously emotionless face took a look of complete disgust.
"I failed, that's what. They were here, all of them. Judas and Ayesha have the prince, and the panther is taking them to her 'Master'."
Her disgusted expression caught a dark feeling.
"I tried to stop them, they ignored me. So I caught the liard boy, tried to make them stop with that."
Her gaze turned to the lioness who had been foolish enough not to follow the panther.
"Then she came about", she hissed.
"Had she not pushed me over they might have stopped until you would have reached us. Had she not pushed me over the liard boy would not now be hurt with possibly fatal wounds!"

It took every bit of her strong will to keep control of herself. Had her mind been any weaker she would have attacked the lioness, be Umoja present or not. She sent one last glare at the lioness before she turned back at Umoja. Kata's face was once more without expression.
"The panther stalled me, then fled. And this was merely a moment ago."

[Dakota]

~ Posting for Nailyila

The light brown lioness stood there sheltering to the side of some bushes, she wasnt about to run and hide this time, she wanted to see what what the panther and black lioness were about to do to each other.

It seemed that they had both decided to call it quits, as the black panther talked about death and disease,and then turned and ran ,after telling her to follow if she wanted to live.

Nailyila stood there, her deep blue eyes just watching the black lioness, she wasn't sure if she followed whether this one would attack her, from what she had witnessed this one used cunning and slyness with her speed.

Her eyes narrowed as she saw the lioness about to chase after the panther, but then she hesitated, what is she doing, is she toying with me, if I move she will attack, i wait she waits ...
Puzzled Nailyila decided to play her game. Moving away from the bushes she moved closer, the lioness seemed a bit agitated, her tail was swinging, and she seemed to be waiting for something or someone.

" Well if it's alright with you, who ever you waiting for, I think I'll do the same". About to sit down on her rump, the next thing she saw was a red maned lion come sprinting out to stop in front of the lioness asking for explanations.
Shuffling forward a little Nailyilas ear started to twitch as she listened to what was being said back and forth.

[Dakota]

Ayesha stood there finally getting impatient with Judas not answering her, and stepped back and away with Ayele. Lowering herself to the ground, she let Ele slide off her back so he could rest from the constant movement.

Finally turning around so she could give him a hug, Ayeshas eyes opened wide and she gasped. His back bore the brunt of claws marks that had opened and was now spreading blood out to run in different directions over Ele's back and sides.

"I will kill her, I swear Ayele, she didn't have to hurt you...I"m sorry, you didn't choose this journey, I made you come with me"
Leaning in to him, Ayesha held him in her arms rocking him gently, "I'm sorry Ele, I told mother I wouldn't let anything happen to you.... and now" . Trailing off she just looked towards where Judas was still talking with the crocodile.

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani slowly walked behind Umoja as Kata explained what had happened. Lioness? she thought. Her eyes searched the area, settling on a new lioness. She had extremely blue eyes and they struck Imani for some reason. She looked at the new lioness, studying her and taking in all details. If Imani was to be a "queen" she would need to work on taking in everything about everyone.

She stepped up to Umoja's right hand side and sat on her haunches, carefully looking at Kata, who seemed quite enraged, but was controlling herself. The new lioness seemed to be doing the same; studying all of them.

Imani continued to keep quiet, deciding that speaking now would be stupid.

[Nailyila]

Nailyila didn't know what to make of her situation. She didn't know whether or not to trust her surroundings or not. She still sat down, her muscles tensed and claws on the verge of being sheathed. She didn't want to give herself away entirely of being tense and afraid, but she still sat, her ears pricked and picking up slight tidbits from the conversation.

Nailyila kept her eyes fixed on the black lioness, intruiged by her fighting techniques.

"The black lioness has a very interesting style of fighting... It's rather facinating i must say. For once i get a challenge in my paws." Nailyila thouht to herself, her claws and muscles still tensed and ready for the faintest attack.

[genie]

Ayele laided there with his sister, his head was hurting yet not physical cause..his back was how it was and all along he just wanted to curl up and go to sleep, to shut everything out yet he could't.

[cheezeegriff]

"The panther stalled me, then fled. And this was merely a moment ago."

"Can you track her?"
Umoja asked Katakasha, then wandered towards the intruder. He glanced at Imani, who was keeping her distance from him... and loomed over the newcomer to be as intimidating as possible.
Furthermore, he circled her, putting the stranger between himself and Katakasha.
"Explain yourself,"
he said.

[Nailyila]

Nailyila sat there, her head held high and claws and muscles still tensed for the slightest battle.

"My name is Nailyila, and i come from a Pride far off from here. I merely wander the world now, due to a tragic incident in my Pride, forcing me to leave it's premeces." Nailyila said, her eyes locked with the black lioness.

[cheezeegriff]

"They had kidnapped our prince,"
Umoja said softly. He was holding onto his cool, but only barely, and his voice grew dark with the clouds brewing in his heart. Nailyila was facing away from him, facing Katakasha, but he calmed his offense at being ignored and said,
"You assisted kidnappers. They took the cub from his home. Why... did you help them?"

[Kirsui]

"Can you track her?"

Katakasha snorted.
"Even a fool can track her", she muttered.
"She leaves so heavy trails it'd be impossible not to see them."

As Umoja turned to interrogate the newcomer, the black lioness had time to examine the princess, Imani. Something in how she positioned herself... It was off. Kata could still see the spoiled brat in her that she had been when they had first met. But there was now something different taking over the spoiled brat. Something... authority-like.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. Had Umoja...? She rolled her eyes mentally while turned her gaze back at Umoja and the newcomer. If the princess thought Kata would take commands from her... She was very badly wrong.

[Nailyila]

Nailyila sat still, gazing over everyone that stood in the clearing. She tried to sit up as straight as possible and look as appealing as she could.

"Wait, what am i doing? I don't live in one place... I could never live in just one place ever again... It would be to heart-breaking. So, then why am i trying to fit in and be accepted here?" Nailyila thought to herself, narrowing her eyes.

She shook the thought and turned her gaze back up to the others, they all exchanged glances and just mumbled to each other or shot glances back and forth. "Where am i?" She said under her breath, raising her eyebrow.

[Dakota]

Still holding Ayele in her arms, Ayesha rocked him slightly, hoping for some reason this would stop him hurting so much, but she could still feel him flinching slightly and giving small shudders.

Glancing again at the waters edge where Judas still stood with the crocodiles.. by now she was tempted to just give that scrawny rump of his one big push with her paw, and make him wake up and get moving again. They needed to get to somewhere soon, so all three now could bathe, it seemed she was the only one that wasn't bleeding or covered with filth that was going to turn into a health hazard.

Hearing a noise behind her she turned quickly using her body as a cover for Ayele, she wasn't sure what sort of reception herself and Judas would be getting from Umoja when they were caught up with, and she knew they would and had a feeling it would be soon,and for some reason she couldn't fanthom she had this instinct when it came to their new leader.

Relaxing slightly, when she saw it was just a small animal scurrying past, she moved Ele away from her body once again and laid him back down to rest. Seeing a stone lying on the ground, she let her anger overtake her for a moment and picked up the grey object with her paws and aimed at Judas head and then let loose.

[genie]

Ayele laided in Ayesha's grasp, it felt so warmly and comfitting just being there, he almost felt like it was a normal day at the den if not for the niggling sensation in his back and then he was on the ground and Ayesha was aiming a stone at Judas and he smally said "Sister..."

[voluptuous♥penguin]

Imani was getting bored of all this. The new lioness remained silent while Umoja continued to interrogate her. She wanted to let out a smile at how the new lioness cared not what the older lion said, but she kept herself from doing it. She assumed this probably wasn't what a "queen", or whatever she was, would do.

Umoja asked Kata if she could track the kidnapper. She rolled her eyes. Imani was new to all this, and even she knew that Katakasha could track anythng she pleased. She wondered what sort of creature would kidnap the little prince... The only reason would be that he was the last heir and they wanted the pride to die out, but why? The pride was tiny anyway, and would probably die out on its own at the rate it was.

[mahewarac]

Ubazazi walked along the plains, scanning the land that would soon be hers. She had heard of the sick king, and knew this was the perfect opportunity to take over. The pride wasn't as large as she was hoping, true, but every little bit of power works. What was she posing as this time? Oh yes. A sweet young queen from the jungle who wanted to help the poor lions cure their little king.

How Quaint. Stopping a bit to brush up her stripes, she took the time to sharpen her claws on a rock. It made a WRREEEEEKKK sound, with both stung her ears and rejoiced them. Her time as queen of this land was coming.

[cheezeegriff]

(Sorry I haven't been posting guys. I've been waiting for Judas to come back or reply to my letters. I'll just have to impovise around her standing there I suppose. Here we go...)

Judas was leaning closer and closer to the talking crocodiles... their voice was dropping as they hissed out their sinister question. Keshomaliki wriggled forward on Judas' back, looking around his ears at the water.
Judas' blood was dripping into the stream.
"Judas?"
A blinding pain exploded in the back of his head then. Kesho screamed out in surprise, then tumbled from Judas' back and into the water. He tried to surface but jaws and teeth grabbed him about the middle, pinning his limbs to his sides.
He couldn't even scream, because if he did, it might be the last breath he took.

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

Curse these felines. The male - Judas, wasn't it? - was bleeding, and the panther found no problem in tracking them as she jogged off through the marshy reeds. That meant the black tiger would have no problem either, and if she found them, then Umoja wouldn't be far behind.
Who knew what would happen then.
She was puffing by the time she reached them: panthers were really only good for a sprint. Pushing aside the last of the reeds she found Judas standing on the riverbank staring out into the water, with Ayesha a little further behind, with the cub.
"Where's Keshomaliki?"
she panted.

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

"Where am i?"

Umoja looked away from Nailyila, at the reeds and the wide, blue sky.
"Who knows? Beyond the borders of our kingdom anyway. Look beyond these reeds: a few hundred feet away from the riverbank, there's nothing out there but dust and dirt. We're in no-man's land. Crocodile territory."
Umoja rolled his eyes at Katakasha: this newcomer was no threat: just a do-gooder who tried to break up a fight.
"Get tracking them, Katakasha. We'll be right behind you."
To Nailyila he said,
"You can stick with us if you want... but get in our way again and you'll find yourself in more trouble than it's worth. I suggest you stay close and follow our footsteps. There could be snakes - or worse - hiding anywhere amongst these reeds."
He turned to leave, but then a screeching sound in the distance caught his attention. It sounded like it came from the direction of home, and he perked his ears up for a moment to listen, but then shrugged it off as vultures over another unfortunate soul.