Part 3: The Coming Twilight

[magiccat]

Oreo was sick to death of emotions right now. She'd been filled with anger, then fear as Pulsar threw his energy orbs. Then confusion and relief as Arjuna helped them. Now she just felt tired and slightly angry again, with herself this time.

"...I suppose there isn't anything else we can do out here. We had better go back." She turned around a little and took a few steps forward before waiting for the others to come with her. She felt dissapointed. The spy had escaped with information that would take away their one advantage. Now Feraga would know about Kirsui taking over. Onto, tell Kirsui we're coming back...

Will do sis. Came his short reply.

----

Onto himself came into camp looking more than a little tired. That nap he had taken earlier today seemed like it had happened years ago. He slowed down to a walk once he was well and truly inside the camp, nodding to a few lions that greeted him. He asked around to find out where Kirsui was and as soon as he had the answer, he bounded over to her. He skidded to a halt and sat down in front of her, ready to report.

"Sorry Kirsui but we ran into some issues at the border. Oreo encountered Pulsar whilst going after the spy see. From what I saw Pulsar gave the spy to another Feraga because him and Oreo were fighting and the spy was nowhere to be seen. Then he decided to cause us and Lorien some trouble on the ground. It's dealt with and the others are coming back now." Onto finished his report and nodded, pretty sure he had everything.

"Oh and the other Feraga was Inlasta I think, she made a barrier with her earth power and there was somebody else there for a while." He nodded, satisfied now. He had said enough so sat still, giving Kirsui the chance to speak.

[Zorayda]

Reicheru pranced her way unknowingly closer and closer to Burja territory, happy to be out of her claustrophobia-inducing cage made by that weird lioness Inlasta.

Her yellow fur shone in the sun merrily as she noticed someone in the distance... along with an entire pride. Panic settled into Rey's stomach as she settled behind a large boulder close to the pride. She watched with curious eyes as they began talking to one another, but she couldn't make out what they were saying.

((OOC: Didn't have much to post, sorry. Let's get this RP restarted, yeah?))

[KanuTGL]

OOC: Forgive my rusty-ness o.- And the... long-ness xP I'm moving a lot of characters in the same post and then it tends to get long, hehe.

IC: Satoba had been pacing back and forth by the cave entrance for the last... he didn't know how long. It seemed like an eternity before Lorien and Oreo returned, but then he finally sensed their approach - Lorien's bright blue glow and Oreo's intense orange.

"Lorien! Oreo!" he cried and hurried to them. "What happened? Are you hurt? Did they escape?"

"Yeah, he got my wing and my tail..." Oreo muttered.

"I'll attend to it!" Satoba replied, maybe a little too loud. He tried not to show how frightened he was - those Feraga lions seemed like big brutes showing no mercy to him and he was so relieved that no one of his pride had been killed that he could have just flopped onto on his side and stayed there. His legs did feel a little shaky. "And you, Lorien?"

The grey lioness nodded, but then remembered that Satoba could not see her do that. "I'm fine, Satoba. Thanks."

"I'm glad." The young male sighed in relief. He felt as if a cold paw had let go if his heart. "Come with me inside, Oreo, and I'll fix you up." He turned to the orange glow that he knew represented Oreo and smiled, then walked slowly, as he did, towards where he knew the cave entrance was.

"I'm not in that bad a state. I need to report to Kirsui first!"[/b] [/i]Oreo promptly turned around to speak to her leader and Satoba cringed. "Yes, of course..." he mumbled, feeling quite embarassed, and turned to follow the ligress to Kirsui.

---------------------------------------

Sumai groaned and slowly got to his feet. Finally that horrible noise had stopped. He sighed and shook his head as if to rid himself of the feeling. What a dangerous ability. And the first thought that crossed his mind - what if she went to the Burja pride? He daren't even think of it... With a lioness like that on their side, battling them just might get troublesome. The old lion looked out over the plains. Would it be worth trying to catch her again?

"Sumai! Sir!" Chanua and Kangaja then returned from inside the den. "We've investigated the scene" Chanua began.

"But we were interrupted by the escape of the prisoner. Do forgive us, sir..." Kangaja continued. "She used some sort of mind trick on us. I mean, with my shield I was able to shut it out, but Chanua was in much agony, sir."

"I know." Sumai replied, glaring in the direction the lioness had disappeared. If it was some kind of mind control, maybe it would be worth having a chat to Asuka... "We felt it too."

"Oh. Either way" the scrawny grey lioness with green markings, Kangaja, continued "the intruder is caged up and unconscious. He won't be a threat to us in the nearest future. I think it's the same buffoon from before, sir. That blue one."

Sumai groaned. But a knocked out blue lunatic was better than a conscious one.

"I'll attend to him later... But you have done well, both of you. At ease. You may return to your pride sisters." He smiled.

"Thank you, sir!" the two lioness replied in unison, bowed and then left the scene to discuss the evening's events with the others.

Sumai sighed. That was one thing less to worry about, but with another thing to worry about added instead. Now, what about Pulsar? Maybe he should send someone to help him? The sun was almost gone... The old lion knew that Pulsar was possibly one of the strongest warriors in the pride, but he had been away for an awful long time now. "Inlasta..." Sumai said slowly, not moving his gaze from the horizon. "Maybe you sh--" He never finished the sentence, but there was also no need to as he then spotted the sillhouette of the winged lion in the sky. "Nevermind - here he is now."

Pulsar gave a full report of what had happened and once he had finished, Sumai frowned in concern. So now there was another rogue in the area that wouldn't just mind his own business. Thank goodness they had at least gotten rid of Chaza... The hated black lion hadn't shown his face since the last major battle and Sumai dearly hoped that things would remain that way. Anyhow, the general wasn't in the least happy with the fact that Pulsar had engaged the enemy in battle and made sure to let the black lion know this. Sumai needed everyone to be at the best of their ability in the time to come and he couldn't risk losing anyone right now. He calmed down. "But Mwezi has some important information for me, you say? Is she well? Bring her to me."

[Kirsui]

Mwezi stood there in the increasing starlight, cherishing the energy that rushed into her body. She felt alive again, and though parts of her body still ached, she was not in pain any more.

She was so relaxed that she did not hear Pulsar approach her. It wasn't until he coughed faintly and called her name that she realized she was not alone any more. Blinking, the cheelion opened her eyes, looking at the winged lion with surprise.

"Sumai is waiting for your report."

"Thank you", she said, giving one last gaze at the night sky before she went to look for the pride leader. It did not take her long to find him, and she was glad. Her news really couldn't wait.

"Sumai", she greeted the older lion with a slight bow.
"I discovered some very important news. So important that the Burjas were ready to chase me down."
She cringed mentally at the memory of her escape. She could have gotten killed...
"Ina has left the pride. They have a new leader..."

She paused with a slightly thoughtful expression.
"Her name is Kirsui. She is... very young. And I do not remember seeing her before I left for my travels. My guess is that perhaps she is very new to the pride, a former wanderer, who on one way or another got the hold of leadership."

She shook her head.
"Nevertheless, the pride seems to have accepted her."
She tilted her head and looked at Sumai.
"There is a chance... that she might have been around here and you, or some other pride member might have seen her. She is young, as I said, and has very light brown fur. Also, she has hair, similar to mine, but brown as well, and..."

She cringed, now visibly. When she continued her voice was full of frustration.
"I do not know everything she is capable of doing, but she controls fire... Not similar to what you do, the opposite. She almost froze me to death when she discovered me in my mist form."

---

"My lady..."

Kirsui lifted her gaze from the small stones she had idly been tossing around on her paw and looked at the guard who had addressed her. The guard motioned with her gaze towards some approaching figures, and as the young leader turned to gaze at them she felt relieved. Finally they were back.

Swiftly she rose to her feet and walked to meet with Oreo, Onto, Lorien and Satoba.
"I'm glad to see you returned safely", she greeted with smile, though her smile faded quickly.
"The spy escaped."
It was not a question. She could see they had not returned with the Feraga spy.

"Yes", Oreo said with a frown. "I would have caught her, but Pulsar appeared out of nowhere, then he distracted me while Inlasta took her away."

The ligress' words startled Kirsui, and she looked at Oreo with concern. With Pulsar's powers...
"You are not hurt, are you?" she asked and then looked at Onto and Lorien as well.
"None of you are hurt?"

"They're fine", Oreo said, "Pulsar got my wing and tail, but it's nothing major."

Kirsui nodded, then turned to Satoba.
"It is good you are here, Satoba. Could you be so kind and heal her wounds? Also", she turned to Lorien, Onto and Oreo again, "you three take a rest now, it has been quite a day."

She smiled at them calmly, though inside her raged a storm of worry. The spy had escaped and was most likely reporting to Sumai now. They had lost their advantage of surprise, and the Feraga had gained the upper hand again. She didn't know when they would strike, but she was so certain it would be very soon.

[Zorayda]

Reicheru stood behind the rocks, shocked.

That lioness...the one that was the leader. She looked an awful lot like...

Images of a white lioness with the same long hair flashed through her mind. The lioness who was once leader. That lioness... who was she? And who were these lions and lionesses Reicheru somewhat recognized...? She saw dozens of faces she knew she'd seen before. It was like...it was like an annoying case of deja vu. Why did she think she'd seen these felines before?

And suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, it struck her. She gasped as the thought entered her mind. The only possible explanation...was that she was a part of this pride. Before she'd woken up from her head injury, she'd belonged here. She'd had amnesia....that was the only reason she could remember these voices, these faces...

Reicheru stood bolt upright. The leader she was looking at was not the lioness that had led the pride before, but the striking resemblances--the long hair, the pale fur--

"Ina?"

[epppe]

(I hope you guys don't mind me joining back in this)

Arjuna didn't know where he was going, he just continued teleporting everywhere trying to find another group to have fun with. It wasn't even that long since that little scuffle with the to different prides happened and yet, Arjuna managed to get lost. The lands were becoming a spectacular site with bolts of lightning running parallel to the ground all across them.

After what seemed like forever, Arjuna found the other pride that the Burja leader spoke about. The blue armed lion examined from far away what was going on and tried to figure out which one was possibly the leader before rushing in. When he saw that others were reporting to one of them specifically, he knew that one must have been the leader.

He teleported by the Cheetah-lion mix and who he thought was the leader with a giant grin on his face.
"What's up guys?"
Arjuna asked waiting to see how surprised the pride was going to be when they notice him.

[kyto7878]

(LOL well moona is still int he cave hurt hes been in there for a while now so i gotta have someone pick him up or at least talk to him while hes in there. so thats why i havent posted here in a looooooong time)

[KanuTGL]

OOC: Alright, Imma wrap this part up now I'll start Part 4 tomorrow, if that's okay with you guys? Also Epppe, would you mind if we "save" your latest reply for Part 4? Part 3 really, really needs to finish xP

IC:

"Sumai."

Mwezi. The general sat down, suddenly impatient to hear what she had to say.

"Ina has left the pride. They have a new leader..."

Sumai's eyes widened in surprise. "What!?" He hadn't expected such a thing at all; he had thought Ina would rule until the bitter end. And maybe she had... He listened intently to the cheelion and made sure to memorize everything she said about the new leader. Young, light brown fur, long hair... This sounded strangely familiar.

"I do not know everything she is capable of doing, but she controls fire... Not similar to what you do, the opposite. She almost froze me to death when she discovered me in my mist form."

It was her! Sumai remembered this lioness clearly from the previous battle; his gaze and hers had met then... Who could've known then that their fates would be intertwined. He was quite taken by surprise to hear that she had aquired the title of leader, and by Ina no less. There must be something very special about this Kirsui then...

"Hmm... I see. That is indeed invaluable information. You have my deepest gratitude for this, Mwezi. You have done your pride a great service, and for this I thank you from the bottom of my heart." He didn't quite know what else to say, but hoped she understood how grateful he really was. Sumai looked to the horizon. The sun had set. It was time.

~~~

Soon the pride had gathered and Sumai climbed onto the ledge protruding over the main entrance to the caves, where he could be seen by everyone. He took a deep breath and stepped forth. How he hated speeches... "My friends, my family. It's time we face up to the Burja pride! We need them out! As you all know, it's because of them we go thirsty and hungry when the dry season comes. It's their fault we go hungry and thirsty now! They only cause trouble and they exploit this land, hunting more than they need. Drinking more than they need. Having them around is more than the land capable of! Their greed knows no limits. And they tried to drive us out, but they will regret that when we show them what Feraga are made of!" He lowered his voice, but still spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, and hissed "We will strike back, and we will strike hard."

Pacing back and forth on the rock, he then revealed his plan: "We all remember how they stormed our den; how we were chased out of our own home. Now we shall let them know what that feels like! We shall attack their lair at night, under the cover of darkness. And we will use the chaos that will ensue to take a hostage. Then, with the 'help' of this hostage, we will force them to surrender!" "And if they refuse, we will kill the hostage..." Sumai added in his mind. It was a method he had not used before, but after he had thought about it, it really did seem like quite a good plan. Xena had mentioned it to him at some point too, he was sure... It would work especially well if they managed to capture someone important, like their healer. Or their leader.

"Thanks to Mwezi, we now know that Ina is no longer their leader. The one who leads them now is a light brown, long-haired lioness named Kirsui. She is very young, definitely too young to be able to lead them in a good manner, so from now on the winds of this war will be blowing with us!" The general paused for a moment to see what reactions he was getting. They were surprised, to hear about Burja's new leader no doubt, but their will to fight was most definitely there. Sumai smirked. "Gather your strength, comrades. Tomorrow night, after sunset, we march."

[Kirsui]

((OOC: Very nice ending post there, Kanu. I'm fine with starting next part. :3))

[KanuTGL]

OOC: So no one has any objections to this part finishing here and now? Good, good Zorayda and epppe, you can just re-post your latest replies in the new thread if you like C: I shall write it up tonight.