The Last Kingdom Roleplay

[Deleted]

Blowfly narrowed his eyes at the sleeping lion, and at the others who stood around staring off into space. He needed their attention, and though he needed them desperate, he didn't think this little meat scrap was going to satisfy them for too long. So he picked it up in his talon and tossed it straight toward's the sleeping lion's face.

When that didn't work, he dove down and, with a sharp jerk, pecked at the sensitive spot inside the lion's left nostril.

[KanuTGL]

Sumai waited. Seconds passed, but there was no response from below. He frowned, gritting his teeth. One of his pointed ears twitched as a vulture snatched that nearby scrap of meat, but it did not interest the general further. A strange lion was of much more interest than a scavenger bird...

"No reply..." said the black lion.

Sumai gave a single nod. Yes, so much was clear. Pulsar then walked forward, down the hill to take a closer look.

"Perhaps your blunt exclamation of being aware of their presence, ended up scaring them away..."

The old lion snorted, raising his head, and flattened his ears. The nerve! They were already in clear sight on top of the hill and if whoever was stalking them had any sense of honour, he would have stood up to announce himself when called out, as anything else would have immediately labelled him hostile. Which, in Sumai's books, he now was. Such had been the custom in his homeland and those rules would not be discarded even if the prides had now dissolved. Sumai intended to lecture the captain on these matters later, once the threat had been dealt with. For now, though, there was only silence... Until something that sounded like a scuffle broke out behind him. Sumai whipped around, teeth bared, to find the vulture again, charging at the young lion Sheek, who had gone straight to sleep where he fell. With a growl the old lion leapt forward and swatted at the bird, attempting to bowl it over and at least distance it from Sheek. "He has not yet ceased to be!" he shouted. "Are times now so hard for scavengers that they have to peck at the living too!?" And he had already taken that meat anyway; what was this bird up to?

[Leorgathar]

Meanwhile, a few miles away...

“Please... can we stop now?” Lune asked. His older brother had been trotting for so long carrying him from the scruff. “Just for a minute... please?” Just as he asked for a second time, his brother stopped and dropped him on the floor.

“Only one minute” he said. Lune got up and walked a short distance away from him. Then he sat down and began crying. It had been only two days since that attack to his pride, the one that killed all of his family members. His long lost brother, Targre, had come to his rescue from one of the attackers, and together they had been running away from where it happened, avoiding being tracked as best as they could. They had barely shared words with each other since then.

Targre approached closer to him. “Does it still hurt?” he asked, referring to the wound on Lune’s back, made by the claw of the lion he saved him from.
“What do you think!?” Lune spat out. His brother got startled and answered back.
“Don’t talk to me like that! remember who saved your life, I'm your brother!”. Lune turned around and looked up to face Targre.
“My brother? ... my brother!? All the lions I loved and grew up with are dead! And you... I don’t even know you! I only met you the day before yesterday right after I lost everything... EVERYTHING! ... how dare you...” He was interrupted by his older brother pinning him to the ground with a loud roar.
“You’re not the only one who lost everything!” he shouted, and Lune trembled under his paw. After a moment, his breath slowed down and then released him. He had never really handled a cub before, and his actions with his brother reflected that. “...Listen, I too could do really great without you, I do not need little brats like you in my life... but I made a promise to our father right before he died; I swore in his name that I would protect you with all my might... Right now keeping you alive is the only way I can ever honor him.” Lune lowered his head sadly, without saying a word. Targre could see defeat and surrender in his little brother's face, unable to defend himself now.

Targre sighed. “Lune, I know I can’t give you what the rest of our family did, but you’re not alone in this. We are in the same situation, you and I, but at least we still have each other.” He placed a paw over the cub's shoulder. “Let’s live and honor their memory by standing for each other... together.” Targre surprised himself by the way he said his last sentence, his past of violence didn’t exactly match with it, and he had never really sympathized with anyone in his life.
Lune broke again in tears. “I’m sorry... I-I just… I miss them so much”, he said. Targre surrounded the cub with his arm and let him rest over his other limb.

“Let’s find a place to rest, we deserve it.” he said calmly. After walking along for some minutes, they found a small cave where the two of them could fit perfectly. Lune rested against Targre’s forearm.
“They will pay for this”. He said, and Targre got lost deep in thought. How could he ever tell his little brother the truth? That he had been part of the assassin clan that murdered all the lions in their pride? He had been spending his last couple of sleepless nights thinking of his mistake that led to him losing the only lions he cared about, one of the last prides in this dying land, and now this cub was everything he had left. He seriously doubted he would ever be able to forgive him if he knew.
“...Someday I will make them” he sentenced, and Lune fell asleep. Targre frowned and decided he wouldn’t sleep that evening... he had just spotted a group of lions a few miles away, and he wouldn’t take his eyes away from them.

[Deleted]

The lion's swat was expected, but Blowfly let the open paw contact with his chest and bowl him over in a shower of downy feathers. "Ah, so someone is paying attention," he said, rising with his wings spread in a display of strength and hopping from foot-to-foot. "Shall we dance, lion, or have you patience to listen to words?"

[KanuTGL]

OOC: Just posting a tiny little something, since this one's been quiet for a week+ now

IC: Sumai snorted at the bird's little display, but lowered his raised paw and sat down. There was something curious about this one. Generally vultures didn't converse with any not of their own kind, or so was his experience, so, indeed, he was curious. There was supposedly no harm in finding out what he wished to say. It's not like they were in a hurry to get somewhere... "I would have less patience, and would undoubtedly have lost my sanity if I danced with a bird." the lion said, wrinkling his nose at the scavenger. He had never liked vultures. "Speak, bird."

[Pulsar]

Pulsar stood at the base of the hill among the tall grass they had suspected was hiding another lion. As a gentle breeze blew by it rustled the tall grass which reached up to the lion's underbelly. The grass itself was decaying, it had turned a copper like color, clearly on the final stretch of its life.

As the smell of the dying foliage reached his nose, Pulsar couldn't help but frown and scrunch his face at the scent of it. As the tall grass swayed, Pulsar scanned the area for any sign of another lion trying to conceal itself.
I can't pick up the scent anymore.... Although the smell of the dying plants isn't helping..
It might have been possible that their unidentified guest had managed to slink away before he had reached the bottom of the hill, plus, there was no way of really knowing just how far the wind had carried that scent.
For all he knew, the one he was looking for could be long gone.

Probably for the better... I'm still trying to gauge where I stand with the other three atop the hill, no need for another stranger to be added to the mix
He thought as he relaxed and let out a deep breath of relief. Just as he lifted his gaze from the tall grass; a cave off in the distance caught his attention. For the briefest of moment he found himself entertaining the idea that maybe their unknown guest had retreated to it. It was just far enough away to make a good hiding spot but close enough that a skilled enough hunter could have made a bolt for it without being spotted.

Pulsar wasn't interested in checking it out though, he had enough on his paws at the moment dealing with this new group that had seemed to have formed.
With that thought, the yellow eye lion turned and made his way back up the hill, his stride being more relaxed then it had been on his way down. As he turned he gave once last glare at the cave, just to be sure, before he continued his way up to the others.

As he got near the group once more he heard some commotion come from Sumai, it seemed the old lion was commenting at something.
"What the..."
Pulsar spoke out loud, but quietly and to himself.
It was that scavenger bird again and it seemed to have caused some commotion, enough to garner the General's attention at least, which was something in itself.
Blasted birds... is it not enough they prey on our hard work and on our dead in these harsh times, now they see fit to harass us also..
As Pulsar got closer a deep frown crawled onto his face, but it was quickly suppressed, he had no intention of showing his disdain for the bird.

It would seem that IT and Sumai were talking to one another.
"It looks like who ever's scent that was that we picked up, is gone."
The male lion said in a rather emotionless tone to the General as he approached the group.
He finally stopped just short of Sumai then gave a glance at the bird before looking back.
"What's with the bird?"

[Deleted]

"Speak, bird."

"Thank you," Blowfly said, then flew up to a nearby tree and cleared his throat.

"My mistress has an offer for you. All of you," he said, glancing at the sleeping lion. "She is not long in this wasteland, and is struggling without her creature comforts. She would like your assistance to survive out here. In return, she can double, if not tripple your chances of finding food."

He paused again for effect, glancing around at the scrawny lions and their meagre morsel.

"Follow me to her, if you're interested. Not far," he said. "Any questions?"

[KanuTGL]

OOC: No hard feelings, Blowfly, just gotta get us going again It's a terrible post too, sorry about that. Gotta do something, but I'm kind of out of ideas.

IC: Sumai gave a snort. This was preposterous! "Lions being lead by a pack of vultures? Don't be ridiculous." he said, wrinkling his nose is disgust. "I may be hungry, but not that hungry." Then without warning the lion lunged forward, tackling the bird and sending him flying with a stroke of a massive paw. "Be on your way, scavenger! We don't need your or your mistress' help." After seeing the bird off, Sumai sat back down, muttering to himself about the nerve of that vulture. "So." he then said, turning to face Xoren and Pulsar "The stranger has gone, did you say, Captain?" Supposedly that was for the best then. If they came sneaking up again, Sumai was not about to give them another opportunity to show themselves... "Well, do not let your guard down. They will not be given a second chance."

Darkness was now shrouding the land and a full moon was slowly rising over the ridge of the distant mountains. "Well." Sumai continued, looking over towards the sleeping Sheek "This is as good a vantage point as we will get. I will take first watch. You two should get some sleep."

[Kirsui]

ooc: I'm terribly sorry about the long wait. ^^'


Xoren frowned at the vulture with disgust as the bird swept down from the sky, stole Sheek's food, then picked on the sleeping lion and finally engaged Sumai in a conversation. She snorted softly at the bird's offer, for she too - like Sumai - thought it was ridiculous, if not outrageous, that any lion would have to rely on some scavengers in order to survive. Sure she knew that food was scarce, but she'd rather die than go through such a humiliation.

She turned her gaze away from the bird, clearly disinterested on what the bird would do or say now. Her frown was gone now as she watched the full moon rising, mentally cursing the extra light it was giving now. Good in case someone tried to approach them, she supposed. But bad since her own colouration pretty much made her a beacon for anyone who had a pair of eyes.

"This is as good a vantage point as we will get. I will take first watch. You two should get some sleep."

Xoren glanced at Sumai and laid down where she sat with a faint shrug. She laid her head down on her paws and closed her eyes, intending to get some rest. But she wouldn't sleep quite yet. Sheek might be exhausted and thus slept in the presence of strangers, but Xoren would not until she knew whether or not she could trust Sumai and Pulsar.

[Pulsar]

Pulsar frowned when Sumai addressed him by rank, they may have both been ex-soldiers but that didn't mean he was ready or willing to fall in line and take orders from the old lion.
"With all due respect Sir. I don't know any of you well enough to trust you with my life."
Turning, the yellow maned lion made his way back down the hill.
"If it's all the same to you, I'm going to find a place to rest by myself."

Pulsar continued away from the group all the while pondering the situation.
Sure, there was safety in numbers, but at the same time, he had no idea whether or not any of them wouldn't just turn around and kill him in his sleep.
Better safe then sorry as they say...
He thought as he continued off in search of a safe location he could rest alone, out of sight.

[Deleted]

ooc: Glad to see this is getting up and running again:). I figured you did what you did, Kanu, because you thought I wasn't coming back. So pardon me correcting things:).

Blowfly knew he was high enough in the tree to avoid the lunge, so when the lion's claws and teeth fell short he didn't even budge. "There's no pack of vultures," he said simply, once the lion had landed. "My mistress is a lion, like you. Well, not like you." He squinted his eyes and regarded the... creature... cooly. "Perhaps I should be talking to someone with more space between their ears... or better ears."

He turned around.

"To repeat myself: my mistress has one thing in abundance: food, which she offers to share with you. In exchange, she wants your companionship. If you're worried about the quality of her company, fear not: she is much more companionable than me. I am but a humble servant." He bowed with a sweep of his broad wings. "She has a carcass at her disposal and invites you to dine with her, not a ten minute walk away.
"So I have appealed to your stomach, and your sense of compassion. What more do you need?"

[Kirsui]

Xoren carefully opened her eyes a tiny fraction and watched from under her eyelashes as Pulsar walked off. Interesting. It seemed that he didn't like when a stranger tried pulling rank on him. Then again, neither would she, but that was another story.

However, before she could ponder this further, the vulture from before returned. This time her eyes flew completely open when the bird insulted Sumai. Such an insolent little fleabag! Did he honestly expect them to follow him if he said things like that to them?

As the bird kept on explaining why they should follow him to this "mistress" of his, her eyes narrowed slightly. No one, no one offered food this freely without wanting something in return. And she highly doubted it was just "companionship" as the bird had claimed.

"So I have appealed to your stomach, and your sense of compassion. What more do you need?"

"And do you honeztly believe that we would follow you?" the white lioness asked calmly, lifting an eyebrow as she stared at the bird with a blank expression. "We know nothing of thiz 'miztrezz' of yourz, at leazt nothing you do not tell uz. And why zhould we truzt the word of a vulture?"

She paused, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips, though the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"No offenze, but your kind iz not the mozt truztworthy of creaturez. And at timez like theze, truzt iz hard to come by."