Through the shades of mist

[airavata]

Vast, short hills spread out far as the eye could see, a heavy thicket or tress, competing with the hills over which could be more plentiful, gave a fresh smell of clean air, now heavy with the morning mist. A maze of caverns stretched far underground with various small openings spread into a multitude of the mounds. Wouldn't be far to go before a lioness siloetted by the mist could be seen, humming softly a gentle, but sad melody, tucked in between tears of sorrow. As closer one came the humming turned to words, words of mourning and loss. The soft melody hidden behind them as they were sung.
"Time... time away, here... yet gone away... lost, unfound shreaded .. unbound... gone away (away) ...where though goes.. n'evr more... has sighed thy last has laughed no more, smiles frozes, thy warmth be lost... yet holdst thy sorrow and mend thy wounds... for though thy lost thy memory ere to die ... would that we were to go with thee... a last jorn, a last comfort." She paused, dropping the melody to silence as paws upon fallen leaves entered her ears. She did not turn, nor flinch,
"You're back... arn't you?" She whispered, then crying softly added, "Gone... they're all gone... lost ..." She said her tears increaseing tenfold.
"What is to become of what is left?" She did not allow an answer,
"Cubs are now motherless." She said, "They'll starve..." She turned around revealing a massive cut, barely scabbing over, not any chance for the fur to return. Signifying it had only been there not more than a few days.
"They were all taken away..." She wailed, "taken ... gone... lost..." She paused to sniffle,
"How... how could this had come to pass... ... we ask.. but we know already..." She cried, "Why have you returned? Have not enough been done?"
She stomped a scathed forepaw onto the floor.
He calmly approached her crying form and sat next to her. She sat crumpled with shoulders heaving heavily in tune to her tears.
"It ... just... why?" She sobbed. He places a paw on her shoulder saying not a word, though she could feel his eyes on her.
"Tears shed now will not mask what you've all done to come to this." He said calmly, as she rose her tear-steined head to look in question into his eyes.
"However," he continues, "Lessons will be shared from this." He said, "The tale will be passed onwards in song, in story. Perhaps."
She flinched and her face twisted, as a great wave of pain shot through her suddenly. He looked at her calmly as his claws dug deeply new chasms in her shoulder. She gasped and large rivers flowed from her eyes, eyes that now looked at him as if pleading. He held not emotion in his silent eyes in return.
"y-you're ...." She gasped, "A monster..." She said, as her last breath escaped her, as Teferi's claws loosed enough of her blood to finish her off. He just stared at her limp form on the ground,
"You are correct in your own eyes... yet it changes nothing in another's." He replied then held his head high and stepped out of the trees.
He shot his head up and a massive roar escaped his maw. He then rested, grooming his paws clean of her blood. Without turning he rose his head, speaking loudly,
"If any of you hold pity for those that have gotten the death they deserve, here today, I bid you train hard in whatever way you know how, then seek me out and pit your vengence against my claws. Or live your lives out in peace with these events. I care little what you decide. I am not your enemy unless you choose to make an enemy of me. However should you try to forge rifts through my neck, I warn you now, do not under estimate me. For I will not underestimate you." He finished talking to any onlookers. He then headed for the stream. It had been a long day as it has the past few days. Things were finally looking up ... for a while anyways. He was sure things would come around again, but he was content to rest until then. He sighed and lay his head upon his forepaws. With a ghost of a smile upon his maw, he drifted into a light, and peaceful sleep.

(Notes: ... sigh... well It's a little shorter than my usual...I'll gett better as more I get into any particular storyline though... [my characters have a habit of talking a lot too.] t'was good for practice though *hehe*)

[Cova]

OOC>
dark as u like.

But i liked it. No need for massiveness that amount is surely enough for one post lol

post back inabit

[Kirsui]

((OOC: Indeed that was a good post. =P One thing I'd like to point out, though, is that when your characters are speaking, it would be more easy to read if you put the speaking on a new line. Oh and as Cova said, don't worry about the lenght of replies, that was what I call a long post. XD ))

[airavata]

((OOC: Ah, okay ... Thanks for the replies ^^ ... I'll edit to put the speaking on new lines... if that's more preferred ... but it'll also stretch the post a little... ))

[Cova]

A Roar. A Roar was what she heard. There was nothing unmistakable about it. She had heard the long drawn out tones of another thousand like it in her own lifetime. Xena hoped down from her perch, landing softly in the knee high grass to survey down across the valley from where the ghosts of echo's resided. Xena stood at a modest hight, with jet black fur and green eyes. Her body quite hunched from years of her usual hunched stance and scrabbled scars lined the sides of her body.

Xena had come here to be away from the destitute life had lead elsewhere. It was here where she hopped to find peace within herself. As she made her way down the hill her mind swirled with her last few days similar thoughts. Thoughts of how her super-natural talents had come to be..flashes of images she would never understand popping up that caused her great pin....She grunted as she suppressed them as she had learnt to do. it helped her focus to be the leader that she was and even in times of Battle used the pain to her advantage, focusing her skills to her physical peak.

But those days had passed, hence why now she tried not to control them so..rather perhaps..in her peaceful surroundings..learn to understand them. She continued on before reaching the small stream that snaked its way through the grounds of these lands. She looked left and right and noticed another..a similar sized Lion with glowing marks unlike any other. Xena was however little concerned and showed it by taking her time to have a refreshing drink from the rivers icy surface.

Once she had done she raised her head again and turned to walk slowly along side the flowing stream. Her eyes glinted as she approached the creature on the other side of the river from her. It was clear that he was so-far un-aware of her presence. His sleepy state showed as he was either dozing or fast asleep. Xena took a deeper look at his markings from her side of the shore...They were things that only tales had ever described.

[Kirsui]

She was running, running as fast as she could through the neverending grasslands. Her paws carried her quickly, but she had a feeling it would not be enough. Her long fluffy tail balanced her race and her green eyes were flashing slightly.

Pilvi ran, and she was not alone. In her mouth she carried a small cub. The cub was spotted like her, but her fur was lighter than hers and she had less spots than her mother. Another difference was too. The cub had a white tail tuft. Pilvi herself was a clouded leopard, and her cub was what lions called "half-breeded". She had been a fool, a fool in love. She loved her dear child more than anything, and it was time to get the cub safe.

The voice of her chasers got louder. She could hear their calls behind her. Pilvi looked back and suddenly tripped over to a rock. The cub from her mouth fell to the ground and growled on a high voice.
"No!" Pilvi shouted and got up to her feet. She was on the side of her cub in a short time, but yet she felt it was not enough. She could almost see her chasers now...

"Tefnut!"
The cub lifted her head and looked up at her mother.
"Tefnut, my child..."
Pilvi lowered her head and nuzzled the cub. Tefnut purred slightly, but the tone on her mother's voice scared her a bit.
"Run, my child" Pilvi said. "Promise me you'll run. And don't look back."
Tef was confused. She was about to ask "why", but her mother spoke again.
"RUN!"

Tefnut got up to her feet and raced away, scared of her own mother. She felt tears appear to her eyes, but she didn't care. She glanced back, only to see Pilvi run to another direction. The cub hesitated, but her mother's voice echoed in her head. She kept running, only to suddenly realize there was no ground under her paws.

With a huge splash she fell into a stream. She kicked with her feet and surfaced, trying to get on shore. This took a moment from her, but as soon as her paws touched the solid ground she pounced out of the water and shook the water out of her fur. She was gasping for air, panting after the running. She wanted to fall down.
But instead of doing so her eyes shot wide open in fear at what she saw.

In front of her was a male lion she had never seen before. The male seemed to be asleep, or almost alseep anyway. Tef froze, not daring to move a bit. She wanted to shout for her mother to help her, but the last time she saw Pilvi, she had been running to another direction.
Tef took a step backwards, only to hear a twig snap. She froze again and stared up to the male lion, scared. If he hadn't woken to her splashing around, then atleast to the twig...



((OOC: thought that I need a bit of practice with RPing cubs, so... here we go... xP ))

[Deleted]

(OOC: A little shorter than usual? #KiaraOhNo# that's massive)

[airavata]

((OOC: *hehe* massive? *heh* well I guess that's a relief I don't have to worry about posting shorter ones ... I was once part of an RP that required the text to fill past the full screen to qualify as a reply.)

Like wind through a small ravine, like rock breaking the surface of water, so was like the pircing eyes of Xena on his rest. His eyes stirred, but calmed until his natural sense flared again, this time more-so than last, his eyes blinked open, half mast at first, and the scent of a lioness, and something else hit his nostrils. The view that met his eyes first was four pure black paws. He blinked and, without moving his head looked sideways, then upwards. purple orbs meeting the pircing green of an unknown lioness. Saying no words, he raised his head, tucking his forepaws under his silvery ashen mane. He silently stared first at she whom was before him, then a half glance to the side, at a young... spotted thing... He knew leopards, jaguars, and cheetahs, yet then he also knoew them to be more solitary and so could little ltell the difference between cubs. Though little as he's seen one, he thought them to be tuft-less, nor have such an odd scent. This he kept to himself, returning his eyes to the pure black pelted lioness before him, keeping his freatures serene as an enclosed pond at sundown.

Not breaking eye contact, he rose to his paws, taking a few slow-paced steps towards the river, lowering his head to take a few laps of the refreshing spring's surface. Eyes still locked on the lioness before him. He paused his lapping and rose his head again, for a brief time after he said not a word.
"May gentle winds and soft mist grace your steps." His voice cut through the silence at last.
"Least," He added, "that would be the hopes of pure relaxing times of peace. Until bordom sets on your day." He said looking down at the waters flow
"Rivers span a great distance." He said looking back at her, "Why do you come to me?" He questioned, sitting on his haunches.

He broke eye contact, and turned to the... ...? letting his mane drape like a curtain across his face,
"You..." He said, "You resemble a Gajran..." He did not turn his head, and kept his muzzle pointed to the floor. "Though..." He added, "Your scent says otherwise... What then does that make you?" As he asked he noted the way she stood, and couls sense the fear, though it didn't seem all because of the strangers before her. Something else was wrong. This though, he payed no heed, for whatever it was didn't concern him. The rest though, was sort of just before him.
"You've nothing to fear from me young..." He paused, "Cub..." He said, "I've sworn an oath before and to the great mount of Jiri, of swamplands of Adharma, the great fields of Aghamore, the hills of Lebna, the garlands of Gajra, the great jungles of Airavata, and the rivers of Chowilawe. In that oath was the inculsion of never putting to harm a cub." He informed, "Long as the seven lands of Jyotish keep the breath in me." He said with a ghost of a smile as he stepped paw into the flowing river's current. He stopped in the middle allowing the water's pull to both cool and clean his paws, while the sand of the river's bed spread between the toes of his paws. He then sat in the river.

((OOC: >.< ackpth I got sort of writer's block near the end... sorry... luckily it's only practice

[Kirsui]

((OOC: You make such good replies! XD It's a pleasure to read them. ^^))


Tefnut stared up to the male lion, trembling slightly while he was speaking to her. The cub liopard had seen the other lion, a female. But only when the male had spoken to the lioness. The cub got only a bit less scared from the large male's words. She didn't know him, and she had just been forced to run by her own mother.

"I..." Tef started on a quiet voice.
"I'm a liopard!"
Her words got louder, and her voice higher towards the end of that sentance. Her eyes widened in surprise of her own courage. She flattened her ears, the perfectly white spots behind her ears becoming visible. She lowered her small body to the ground, keeping her tail between her hind legs. She was tempted to run away, to hide in the tall grass...

But her body refused to obey and she remained still, her green eyes staring widely at the male lion she had dared to speak to.


((OOC: Ah, I just love Tefnut! ^^ Such an adorable furball. xD))

[Cova]

Wind ruffled the tree tops around them as Xena continued to watch the sleeping Male. Her breathing was slow as she had thoughts to query him about them, but this would mean waking him. Instead she slomped down onto her belly to await his awakening in silence.
Or..it would have been silence..at that moment she heard rustling...rustling which seemed to be getting only louder. her head turned slightly as the young cub burst out and splashed into the river. Xena frowned and turned her head away as she was not fond of cubs..but even more so not fond of getting wet. Her eye line going to where the cub had burst from as distant calls could be heard, a faint roar if nothing else also rolled across her ears as she raised an eyebrow and looked back to the spotted cub standing in the water.

Xena crossed her paws as she lay on her belly. It seemed the ruccass had caused the male to awaken and arise. Her eyes locked with his as she calmly watched him get to his feet to drink from the stream. She didn't smile..more gave him a quizzical look as she had not encounted a being quite like himself in some time. She listened carefully, her ear twitching now and then as it did. Her tail still on the ground below and her eyes still locked when he finished speaking.

"Enthralling..i suppose theses..Jyotish...lands you speak of are the reasons you have the markings you do."

Her eyes sinking slightly to watch the cub properly for the first time. She seemed to be a leopard...a scared one at that, who's gaze was firmly fixed on that of this marked up male.

[airavata]

((OOC: sorry about my brief absence from posting *heh* been busy with some projects and work and etc the usual stuff *heh* ... anyways I'm trying out a way of RPing conversations, that make it easier to RP long ones of... were you quote the original speaker in bold and then respond to below... (that way it cuts back on needing to back read as well as making your character not appear as a statue while another's speaking *heh*)))

IC:

"I'm a liopard!"

"A leopard?" Teferi questioned, mistaking the word for the pronouciation of a cub's mouth. He soon put the word to understanding as he took greater note of the tuft upon her tail. Not saying anything aloud, yet bearing the looks as though he just realized what she had said, nearly inquiring of her where her mother was at, but shook the question off. It was never a good idea to ask about mothers or fathers to lone cubs. Should they be around they'd be made known soon enough. If not, then there was no need to know. Teferi pulled a paw out of the river bed, balancing a rock on the back of it, and shaking it briefly, tossed the rock before the paws of the liopard cub. "That rock is like you." He said, "It was once apart of a larger rock, dropped off into the river." He said, "The river's current pulled it here, and in doing so, lost some of it's self, yet gained smoother surface. In it's passage it grows smaller, in time yours will make you smaller, as bigger you grow. Wheather or not your ripples will make any difference is only how it is placed in the water, not how you yourself may flow downstream. Many will encorage you, that you'll find... As many as will dispise you. It is not your gifts, nor preasious posetions. Neither joy nor love, nor cherisable memories, that will become you, but you, become them. Weither it be the sweet taste of presious meats or the joy and comfort of a wonderful companion or friend life at it's greatest or life at it's worst. What joys can be found when all is ripped asunder, or what loss is gained. The soft flowing waters of life reach it's end will there be a waterfall? or a tranquil lake?... Why though... Why do I say this to a lone cub? ... Perhaps it is all I have left to say to you." He turned his head away, "May as well name a rock and toss it back, than go without thought." He finished and turned back to the cub, "Those were the dying words of a dear friend of mine, of whom my claws marked the end of thier life, for naught a mistake. In ways... it is not glorious to be a prince, a king nor even the master or misstress of a hunt."

He turned, and as he did, his mane cauht current and flowed the way of the river until it could no longer, held fast by his head, still held high, bearing a sullen, tired gaze upon it's features. "Life will always make you tired. Rest... but do not rest too much. You've nothing to fear and no worry to bother with. Someday... when you are old... you may have your day, by whatever allies you trust."
He said then turned before him, to answer the one whom had spoken to him.

"Enthralling..i suppose theses..Jyotish...lands you speak of are the reasons you have the markings you do."

He didn't move as he was asked this, but simply let these peculiar words web through his mind. He shook his head, "My mother and father loved each other." He said, "That is how I came to have these markings. For that is how I was born." He spoke semi in humor, then his words turned more serious, "In the lands of Jyotish, there echos a legend. A legen about five prides, the prides of the moon. The Jolon, the Jiri, the Kendrasaras, the K'shashara, the last, whom's name was lost through the ages. No one, none but the remenance of the nameless, the keepers of legends, know it's name. These prides all set to rule, to gain domanence over all the lands of Jyotish. Chaos reigned throughout this age. No one pride survived the night without a constant vigil. No cubs lived without a mother's constant watch. At the peak of all this chaos, rose a legend, Adin strode fast and fought valiantly. He himself, brought about the end of chaos, and threw down the greedy kings of old. though he himself refused any place of honor for himself. He established the first order, and gave the lands their names. He had two sons, and a daughter, whom settled upon the great mountain of Jiri, where his bones were layed to rest. The first five and the thirteen therafter. These were the markings of his two sons, Airavata, and Mesharanshas. While his daughter, Shashemara, bore the mark of the three. Airavata tragically came to an early rest. He died protecting she whom he loved most, one whom was at the time concidered the most beautiful. At the time not actually knowing that she loved him. Complicated as that sounds he had thought sshe was betrothed to a friend of his. She had completed her first hunt and was soon to be given as mate. She bore the mark opon her forehead to ears of the twin joining. The mark of joining in love, ironically. It was after this that the five stars of Jyotish, that is five stars of the land of the moon, for that is what Jyotish means. On certain nights, if you look hard enough, you can find the five stars, overcast by the mark of joining. These, are believed to be the symbol of the two lovers finally together in the skies." He said, "That is the same mark that I bear on my forehead, though I myself have not seen it much. Most call it the star of Jyotish." He finished, "There's also another legend that Airavata's corpse disappeared from it's torturous entrampment of the rest of the pride of Jolon. His spirit haunts the outskirts of Jiri and Gajra, at the section the two lands meet. Many have told of an unknown deathly skinny, bony lion slowly marching through the mists. Only glimses... never more than that. Other swear on the nights of mist, that a lioness is seen caught in a tree, screaming, though no sound ever comes out. The edgey feeling someone is behind you breathing on your neck is all that remains." He smirked, "Stories of spirits and haunts... what's a land without such cub stories right?" He scratched his ear with a hind paw. "When the Jolon pride was murdered, you see... the entire pride was marching to battle with Jiri, on the most misty of nights. Jiri trapped them, knowing the lands in the thick cover. They were all brutally murdered, ripped alive... Most of which was Airavata's love... ripped limb from limb in the great baobab tree on Jiri hill... The very spot where the stories originate the 'screaming lioness caught in a tree.' Airavata's fate? .. well it's said his eyes were ripped from him, last sight seen by them were that of the bloody corpse of she caught in the tree." He said, continuing, "They were all placed in a hidden chamber deep within the twisting caverns of Jiri. No one has ever found this forbidden cavern. Yet it is said that some were not entirely dead... Airavata being one of the still living ones... They slowly starved, resprting to eating parts of the dead and eventually each other... or themselves... sucuming to madness, one by one ntil they died." He paused, "I don't know the truth to these legends... Yet I know what they say of the caverns is true... I have seen it... I follow the maze of caverns under Jiri for hours... I finally stumbled into it's sealed entrance... The innards was full of ice... that formed ... and with the ice... were hundereds of completely preserved corpses. You could easily read the expressions... twisted and horrid... you could see what suffering they endured just by the positions they were caught in. In the back I could see one.. though pelt long destroyed and gone, her head still bore a very light marking of the jioning." He explained, "She was mising a forepaw, a hind paw, he stomache was ripped open, her back was in shreds, her teeth were smashed, her tail was missing, her ears were shredded, and her eyes boe gaping gashes... though I know long history plays a part, yet if any of that was as they were it was no doubt a voilent death." He paused, "Probably wondering why I mentioned that part... Well.. before I even heard these old tales... My father complained heavily of nightmares... He mentioned several times the face of a shredded lioness. I too... had dreams when I was a cub... My father nor my mother allowed me to sleep next to the warmth of the pride especially not them. They said it was to make me stronger... I knew better... there was something else to it... but I never knew what... In my dreams, as you know how dreams are... this was repetitive, frequently I was walking with a lioness... deep grey in color, and very kind... bearing a strange mark on her forehead... I won't bore you with all the details.. .just in these dreams I was able to finally talk freely. The last dream I had with her in it I always remembered... It was cold night in the thick of the rains season. I took shelter in the branches of a tree. I had another dream... she was holding me as I was a cub still... her voice was pleasent as it always was... she explained to me then that she was killed in that tree I slept in... She explained how she died... and as she did... slowly she became her corpse... I awoke on the floor of the tree. Never again did she appear in my dreams. It was after that I learned of the legends.. and after that I found the cavern... Her corpse was identical to the one in my final dream." He explained, "Call it what you want... yet it is too much to be concidered 'coincidence'... especially after... for at the time I had found the cavern I was an adolesent.. older adolesent... at the stage where our pelts change for the final time into our adult pelts." He said pausing, "It was after I found the cavern that I grew the mark I now have. The one you now see... The mark symbolizing Airavata's..." He said, "Before that I had a completely different mark on my forehead. What this means I can only guess."

He stopped talking still in the middle of the river, with his mane soaking in water, looking at the one laying before him. "That is how I came to have this mark." He said, "Now that I've gone into far too much detail on the origins of it, allow me to inquire of you... how is it, that you remind me, of Sasha, legend of naershansha?" He asked, "Also my other question... why do you come to me, of all the river's edge?"

((OOC: woohoo, I'm getting back into the swing of things on my posts ... sorry about the length...

[Kirsui]

((OOC: that was great post! it was something very interesting to read. =3 Oh yea.. I think I'll use another char here, a male this time. I haven't really been RPing male chars that much, so I could try that out too.))


Tefnut listened silently as the adult male spoke to her. She listened, and yet did not understand. She thought about the river, the stone that the male had mentioned. Maybe it was her current situation that prevented the young cub for understanding. After all, she was with two adult lions that she had never seen before. Her green eyes turned away from the water and glanced at the lioness on the opposite shore. The male was now talking to the lioness.

Tef's ears flattened and she slowly started to back away. She felt herself a bit calmer than before. Wait, why was she going away? Was it the lion's last words? That he had nothing else to say to her? Maybe, the cub didn't know. She only faintly heard the male lion's voice as she turned from them, walked away. Her head was lowered and she stared at the ground, her thoughts drifting to her mother. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she softly placed paw in front of another.

If she had paid attention to her surroundings, she would have a chanse to prevent the following events. Her eyes widened when she felt a pressure on her back. She felt how her legs gave away under the pressure and found herself lying on the ground on her belly. She gasped when a large paw landed right next to her. Her expression turned from schocked to scared, even though she couldn't even see the claws.

"Thought you'd get away so easily?" a soft yet very cold voice asked. Tef felt her whole body starting to tremble.
"Your father's ah.. worried of you..." the voice continued as Tef slowly turned to look up to shining yellow eyes. At first she saw nothing else than those eyes, but at last she started to recognize details. It was a male lion, adolescent. He had black fur and below his eyes he had these odd dark blue stripe markings. Otherwise he looked black, even though Tef well knew the male had this dark grey, almost black, area on his back. Why she knew was because this adolescent was part of the pride she had belonged to. He was Bleak.

"Lemme go!" Tef cried out, flattening her ears and showing the white spots to the lion.
"Let you go?!" Bleak questioned loudly with a chuckle. Tef's eyes widened. He obviously hadn't noticed the other two lions nearby.
"No, not this time, Tefnut... Your father gave direct order for me to find you... And I always obey my King."
Bleack lowered his head and picked the cub to his mouth. Tef couldn't hold it anymore and started crying.
"I want my mommy!" she shouted, but the male did not reply. A desperate expression came to the cub's face when she tried to wriggle herself free. But Bleak had a tight hold of the back of her neck and she did not have a chanse to escape.
"MOMMY!" Tef shouted, remembering only faintly the two adult lions neary. She heard Bleak mutter something that sounded like "your mommy's not gonna hear you", but she was refused to believe that and continued to cry out her mother.

[Cova]

((OOC. gota dust off the RP cobwebs ^^))

IC.

Xena sat silent as the large and quite foreboding male began to regail her of the events which lead him to get the markings which shone brightly upon him. She raised an eye as he kept on going..telling her of tales in which Lion spirits roamed and made her ponder alot.

Ever so often her ear would twitch as she tried to catch on to what he was saying, he sure could go on, clearly the story's were very dear to him. Her view glanced at the Cub in the water as the look upon its small face bore one of much confusion. Xena yawned as it backed away and looked back at this male, who had finally finished his tale. She had half a mind to tell him that she wished she had not asked but kept herself quiet as she had made enough enemies in her time without insulting and possibly gaining another.

"Your tales hold passion indeed..its clear you've traveled far to be here. But why here indeed."

Her response to his question was with another question. She knew why she had ventured to this particular point but it was not one of which she wished much to share. Recently her thoughts had been of herself alone. But at one time she had cared for a great deal more than just herself.

Suddenly she gazed a startled look as another Lion, a black one like herself burst through the undergrowth to Pin the small cub that had now become a few paces away from the pair of them. Without hesitation she stood to her feet and took a step at the male whom seemed not to have noticed either of them yet. He instead seemed happy to torment the young cub with cheep threats. Xena knew what he was saying did seem indeed true, why wouldn't it be..but they way he was handling the child and the way she was crying could twist even her.

"I Believe you are hurting the small one"

Keeping her response simple so as to try figure out what right he had to handle her in this way.. Her head dipped slightly as her green eyes flashed. She had not met another black Lion in a long time and a male at that. a Shame that it had to be under such circumstances.

[airavata]

"Your tales hold passion indeed..its clear you've traveled far to be here. But why here indeed."

"Do not all good questions deserve good answers?" He replied in turn. Ear swiveling back as he heard noise from behind, where the cub was, of something larger than the cub. The shocked gaze of the lioness before him confirmed this. He didn't move nor did he really want to know what was going on behind him. Yet between the black lioness standing and stepping towards the incident and the words his ears picked up, he knew he was already caught between the need to intervene and the wish to leave it as it is and stay at ease. Although the conversation between adult and cub was hard to ignore.

He gave into curiousity, and turned his head to the side so that he could look behind, as the lioness made herself known to the dark male beyond the gaze she held. He answered the lioness' word though, "He is 'following orders of his king,'" He said, "There's no business of ours to prevent a loyal subject from being such." He said, "Unless you wish to put yourself on the prey side of their hunts." He said, adding, "At which case you'd probably have to take the cub as one of yours." He said turning to the other lion, "You though may want to use care... A pridemate that cannot carry out a rather simple order without making a mess would not be held in very high regards. Unless your king expects you to be sloppy. In which case it'd be best for you to exceed his expectations." He paused and stepped out of the river, on the side the lion and cub were, "Probably would not be good to lead a couple of rogues back to your home pride too now wouldn't it?" He asked with a sneer, "Whether you actually lead, or they follow your trail." He added, shaking his mane out, and crossing his forepaws, "Choices... they never fail to make things interesting don't they?" He said sarcastically.

[Kirsui]

Bleak's ears perked up and his eyes widened slightly at the two unknown voices. A frown came to his face as he slowly turned his head and saw two lions, mle and female. Why hadn't he noticed those two before? Obviously, he had been too thrilled to pick up the cub to notice them. How careless.

The dark male could not reply to the two lions, not when he was holding Tefnut on his mouth. The cub was wriggling, and her cries were so high that they hurted Bleak's ears.
'Shut up...' Bleak thought as he tried to figure out a way to solve this little problem he had.
A sigh eskaped his muzzle as he made up his mind. He dropped the crying liopard cub to the ground and quickly placed his paw on her, to prevent her from escaping again.

"What I'm doing is none of your business" he snapped at the two lions.
"I am only doign what I'm told to do, and this little Princess here should be returned as soon as possible."
He smirked slightly.
"Of course... If this little half blooded is so dear to you... You can always fight, even kill me."
His smirk grew to a wide grin.
"But before doing anything radical... It's better that you know that everyone trying to stop this Princess from returning to the pride will be killed by my King himself."

Bleak felt how Tefnut was trembling under his paw. The small cub looked pleadingly at the two other adult lions. But apparently they weren't replying to Bleak fast enough from her opinion and she closed her eyes, extending her small white claws and digging them inside the ground.
"I HATE YOU!" she shouted out.

Bleak frowned. He wasn't sure who Tef had meant with those words, him or the other two lions. But the annoyance towards this cub rose up and decided it was him who Tef had spoken to.
"Shut up!" he growled at the cub, slightly pressing his claws against her small body. This made the cub cry louder.
"MOOOM!" she screamed out once again, causing Bleak to laugh evilly.
"Useless to shout, Tefnut!" he spoke as his yellow eyes locked on the small cub at the ground.
"Your mommy won't hear you.. She's dead!"



((OOC: I'm so evil.. ><))

[Judas]

((Anyone mind me joining? I thought I'd fresh up on my RPing abilities ))

The morning light still clings to the light mist which sailed across the tall dry yellow grasses, small drops of dew sparkled in the light of the pale sun. Even in this early hour the Savannah was alive with life.

Bird chippers could be heard, and the occasional zebra could been seen grazing in the distance, and if you listen closely you could perhaps hear the soft sound of the cruising water carried by a river not far off. Beyond the hills faint blur of purple-blue mountains could be seen, mixing with the purplish hue of the morning skies.

Passing through the morning Savannah is a young lion, the brown mane on his head dance lightly in the faint breeze, while the black hairs showing on his neck stirred to the winds light pull. The male was young indeed, in his early stages of adolescents in other words he was little less than a large cub. But why was he alone? was he lost? or, abandoned?

No this sandy tan lion was neither of those things, he was alone simple because he choose to. Judas is this lion's name, the reason he had left his at such a young age was that he had always sought something most children don't even recognize that they have; Freedom.

Judas had grown up with a mother that showed him no love, no affection, she hardly even spoke to him except when she was issuing simple commands, orders, or announcements. He never knew his father, but the sandy tan lion guessed that he would have been just as his mother.. perhaps worse.

Judas had spend his entire life alone, he knew though that despite the lack of contact he got from his mom she must have fed him, at least once in a while otherwise he wouldn't be alive. Baraki, Judas' mother never shared whatever prey she caught with her son, if he was hungry he was forced to capture his own, or scavenge on what his mother had left behind, they never joined any prides Baraki didn't have faith in pridal life.

This upbringing caused Judas to mature faster than most lions, he was self taught in how to hunt, and fend for himself all this when he was a mear juvenile. But the lack of any childhood has made this youngster different from others at his age.

Though this morning he is truly alone for the first time, he left his mother the night before and set off into the Savannah leaving her, never to meet with her again. At least this is what Judas' hopes for, he doesn't like to admit it but he actually hates his mother, he saw no justice in the way she was treating him but he has no desire for revenge.

A soft sigh escaped the sandy male as he came to a halt underneath an acacia, the shadows were very cool in the mornings, "I am sure mother is happy now.." the male thought as he looked behind him off into the Savannah from the direction he came.

But his thoughtful solitude doesn't last long, soon his ear quickly perk to a yell that carries out over the Savannah; It sounds like a distress call, a call for mom! The first thought that hit Judas' mind was in fact that the yell could come from a baby herbivore who found itself caught by a hungry predator.. or maybe it was a lion that strayed too far from it's mothers side only to end up in the claws of a hostile being.

The distress call had picked Judas' interest, he wanted to see if any of his thoughts where correct if they where it could mean free, early morning entertainment!

[Cova]

((OOC> Not at all. lol Kirs..i never thought you capable of such harsh words >.<))

Xena Looked down at the young cub with a cold face as it was dropped to the floor and a paw placed upon it. At that her face changed and she gave a sidewards glance to The Male beside her and a small smirk spread on her muzzle line as she clearly knew in her mind what The Black male who had his paw on the cubs thought pattern was. He was just a sub-servant who had it all okay where he lived. Never having threats taken, only given, with nothing to back them up.

She on the other hand....

Xena looked away from the Male again and turned her gaze back to that of the black male who had only just finished saying. "But before doing anything radical... It's better that you know that everyone trying to stop this Princess from returning to the pride will be killed by my King himself Her smirk was still there as she mimicked him in a baby like voice.

"I am only doing what I'm told to do"

Her smirk turning to a snigger as he was clearly more happy Abusing cubs than real confrontation. He clearly did not know he was talking to. Xena had no real heart anymore for others well being.... but she had Morals.
Xena's smile slowly fading as the Cub wailed out that she hated someone. It was not clear who..but one could perhaps guess.
Hearing the comment of The cubs mother She frowned deeply, now he was stepping over the line. She took a step forward as her green eyes flashed. Daring him to try say anything more.

[airavata]

((OOC: Sorry for my absence in this RP ... *heh* actually rewrote my post three different times before ending up with this one ... )))
(((Oh, and Judas, I didn't add any reconition/acknowledgment of your character being there, as you haven't made it clear your character was actually around them yet and/or made known.... I did read your post though *heh*)))

"What I'm doing is none of your business"

Teferi didn't fully turn his head but he did his eyes, at a side-long glance at the dark lion holding the cub. Clear to his faceial expressions, lay in wait a look of 'excuse me?'

"I am only doign what I'm told to do, and this little Princess here should be returned as soon as possible."

Teferi was on the verge of a reply when these wrods crossed his ears. He silently sighed inwards, however, feeling this lion was not finished with what he was saying.

"Of course... If this little half blooded is so dear to you... You can always fight, even kill me."

Had he been in his younger years he would have laughed at this, not the threat or words persay, but the ones leading up to this. It was that same as what he expected, or more knew would come when the lion smirked... they always smirk when offering a challenge. It was the smirk of their resolve, the smirk of them sure that they'll win. He stayed silent though, there was something missing... something that wasn't quite done yet in a threat similar to this...

"But before doing anything radical... It's better that you know that everyone trying to stop this Princess from returning to the pride will be killed by my King himself."

There it was, Teferi, aware or no, could not keep a hold on it... His snicker came out a fast breath of air, asnort from his nose. A little louder at Xena's mocking of the lion's voice. Then it was gone, that was all the laugh that could escape him, but it also drew attention enough, and rather than waiting to be asked of this behavior he took the initiative.
"Had your ears been so focused that you failed to hear me explain the very same things you've just finished explaining?" He asked not awaiting a reply, "Threats are of no use to you, for a pride is not yours to run or make disitions for the king, but by the king, and the king you shall obey." He said, finally turning his head to match his eyes, "Now, from my expiriences with kings," He added, "Is that they do not approve of one who serves him as taking theinitiative in things. Going on their own shall we say."

"I HATE YOU!"

Tefer grew silent, not fisished with what he was saying but took a moment of silence for the cub's sake. They always did have little ears for boring conversations as this, no doubt was to her, especially in the position she was in.

"Shut up!"
"MOOOM!"
"Useless to shout, Tefnut!"
"Your mommy won't hear you.. She's dead!"

Teferi looked from one to the other, in quick sucession as each spoke. The words beginning to slurr together and by the end it was nearly inaudible, yet kept repeating in his mind. Until which it threw him back... Back into one vision onto another. A voice crying in the night, a gentle laugh, a rainy day, a tree growing... A scream, a roar, a shout of comand, another cry, a lioness smiling down, a song of the nightengale. These vision corsed through Teferi's mind faster and faster, until a flash of thunder crcked loudly in his mind upon which he threw his head back in a vicious growl. He shut his eyes and turned quickly towards the river behind him, as the mark of joining filled his vision, until it blured to a dull grey. The river's gentle sounds now a curse to his ears. Yet he could not turn away. Something came down the river, floating. A head of a lioness, dead, and stiff... It caught on the rivers debris as it floated down it's path. Then it's eyes flew open and it sneered at him.
"From meadows' span from mountain top, gusty valley to stars that shine, whether it be or be it not where the time, from once was thine. The rain can pour, the skies they shine, and yet so warm. Fare thee well oh ye caught in thunderstorm." It's words were faint and seemed to echo, fading like the dying wind on a cruel night.

Teferi blink and he was there, looking to a river devoid of life. The wind blew past him, sending his mane ablaze in the sun's rays rebounding off it's silvery gleam. He turned back to see the deep black lioness, eyes aflare, glaring hard upon the black lion of whom he knew not the name, holding a cub of whom he also knew not the name. With no time to possibly imagine what significance the vision held for him, though it's riddle, he knew would haunt his thoughts until he knew it's meaning.He sighed inwardly, letting not a whisper nor motion betray anything he held within. Though, he knew none of their names, their actions told him enough about them. Although this lion before him was merely following his king's wishes in taking the cub, something that was a show of respect where he came from, he felt better sitting where he was, away and opposite the lion. With the, to him, unknown lioness, whom stood now ready to kill for a lion picking on a cub of two kinds. Teferi was in agreence, and respected, those whom believed in and followed their king's wishes, yet he could not help in admiring the spirit in the lioness. To risk challenging an entire pride for the sake of a cub's tears for her mother. He glanced to the cub briefly. He knew he himself didn't know the cub, other than she being a princess of a pride, and yet, because of a lion's actions and a lionesses rebutal, felt compelled to help. Though, another glance at the black lioness, perhaps it was her he was so ready to lend a paw. For the matter of a moment and the turning of asingle event changed stranger to ally, and another to foe.
"The place of any within a pride is important." He said aloud speaking as if to the lion though, by looks could easily pass for talking to no one.
"For through them," He continued, "They reflect their entire pride, and the King, unto all he or she comes in contact with." He said, "The view you share for your pride, is a terrible one." He glared now to the lion, "For a pride to gloat, and boast of picking on the weakest, will they not still celebrate as a victory?" He questioned, "You want a king to respect you more? Then go beyond what he asks of you. Be that retrieve a cub, then return it in good condition emotionally and physically. In this way you show respect to the king for respect for his wishes." The vision he expirienced on his mind caused him to, though he didn't relize it, repeat himself, in a way. He stepped closer to the lioness, to show that he was with her, should words turn to wounds. Though, he did wish to back what this lioness was making a stand for, it could not be helped that, for though she gained his respect through actions, he didn't want to dampen her spirit by causing an unfair fight. He looked from her to the cub to the lion, he knew it'd probably show greater respect if he held away, should the fight come... Which, he figured would... seeing as this lion issued a challenge... one that aparently this lioness was making a stand to. Which would leave the cub in danger, and would leave this lion unlikely wanting to free during anyways.

Teferi tapped the lionesses shoulder to get her attention. He was sitting up, his his head tilted a little to the right, expresstion showing more than what he had time to say, however he summed it up best he could, "Shadows are always cast in action, yet will always lead back to the shadow's master." after a brief pause added, admitingly, "I really don't know what it's supposed to mean, but it was always spoken as if in encuragement before a battle, by Master Kaaria, keeper of lore. He's dead now, but that's beside the point."
He said then turned to the lion, "I'll hold the cub while you two settle your dispute." He said, in the tone of an offer, though seriousness of a demand. For some strange reason, a smile had spread across his maw. Not a smile of sinister background or malicious intent, but one simply of being glad to be there. Of happiness where there should be none.

[Kirsui]

((OOC: go ahead and join in, Judas.. ^^))



Tefnut had fell into silence afer hearing Bleak's last words. She stared blankly in front of her, not seeing anything else but a sudden darkness.
'No...' she thought.
But Bleak said so!
'He's lying!'
Could be true, but in a situation like this?
'She can't be dead!'
She can, considering what she said before she left Tef alone.

Bleak was unaware of the emotional fight going on inside the small cub's mind, but he grinned satisfiedly when she finally had shut her mouth. The dark male lifted his head to look at the other two adult lions, both making quite clear that they did not approve what he was doing.

"I'll hold the cub while you two settle your dispute."

Bleak's yellow eyes flashed as his gaze locked on the male who had spoken these words.
"You'll hold the cub?" he asked, clearly amused. "What makes you think I'll even give her to you?"
He grinned slightly, a devilish grin it was.
"I am not afraid to die" he said. "I have done many things in my life that would not give me the permission to join others of my kind with the great kings on the stars.. No, I'll go directly to hell, and the day I die I will greet with joy."
He paused, glancing at Tefnut who was still silent.
"I won't give Tefnut to you... I'll keep her right here with me... Attack me if you wish, I won't stop you... But this little missy here...", he paused, looking at Tefnut momentarily, "...is in risk of losing her life if you do so... Of course, my King would be very dissapointed..."
His grin faded away.
"Speaking of which... I do not try to please my King. He is very hard to please. I do everything from my own will, because I find doing these humm... 'small' favours for my King entertaining... Think what you want, believe me or not. It doesn't matter to me."

[Cova]

Xena was rapidly loosing patience. She took another step forward now within at least two paces of The Black male, an easy striking distance, already her plan set in her mind as lone servants held great prestige in what they do. Clear in him...himself talking as if his King and pride were right behind him.

"No..your wrong." She began to say with her Lips pursed to show a few front fangs, her words very emphasized as if she had said this all before. "There is no one who will greet you but the cold clutches of Darkness...Whatever you think your not scared off...ill Happily introduce you to it."

Her forearm muscles tensed as she loved to amuse her Meeted Foe with sharp exchanges before putting them down, he was right about a child involved but Xena knew how precisely Put a deathly blow without to much movement. In her mind, The cub's well being was not the top of her list anyway, now the small minded-ness of this Lone black male was. However she didn't forget the reason why she had a problem with him in the first place.

"One last chance. Remove your paw from the child, Show me shes unharmed and will remain that way..and you might get to return Home today."