Before the Kings (open to anyone)

[Lokisenna]

Naiief looked back at the lioness with a saddened expression, "Do you really want to argue this late in the night?" she queried, "You sound very...whats the word... Childish?" She shook her head, " Just like you and your vulture were we are friends, I think I heard 'Go lure them over here'...'Go peck at their heads'...'go do this blowfly, go do that.' I have ears Nene, I just filter things when I need them. and you and I aren't very different in that respect, I just have company, just as you don't now." she paused and started to walk.

"You are aware that there is not hope for your vulture unless you know how to care for him, don't you? or...maybe, just maybe... you don't really care." She sighed and looked annoyed stopped in her tacks momentarily then continued, "Night Nene." she said at last, hoping the other two lions had decided whether they would follow or not.

[Deleted]

Nene looked back at the bundle of feathers in the crook of the tree. "Blowfly does what I say because he knows what I do is right. There's nothing right about leaving a bird because your master says so." She waited a moment, then added, "You're right! I don't know how to care for him. The only person who does is Mr Chickenlegs on your back, and you're taking him away..." she stood on her hind legs, a large blob precariously balanced on four chubby stumps, and yelled, "What do you WANT from me??"

[Ruby_Fehu]

'Don't waste your breath on her Naiief, she's not worth it. Let's go now, whilst it's safe enough.' Fell murmured nudging her side.

[Deleted]

Nene waited a moment, watching them walk away, then added, "Please? Will you please help Blowfly? I'm sorry I nearly killed you!"

[Lokisenna]

Sembe looked upset, "I am female." she muttered and looked at Naiief then to Nene, "I stopped helping the vulture because of how you were acting, and Also in response to Naiief, but I owe it to her. She saved me as a chick. She always thinks many times before giving orders." she defended.

Naiief turn around, "Respect would be nice. even rude cubs don't get what hey want, that is why I chose to have Sembe stop helping. because you are acting like a cub a papmered cub, and since I am not your mother the only thing I can punish you with is the potential life of our friend."

she heard fell and nodded to him, "Give me a sec..." she muttered as he passed.

[Deleted]

Nene screwed up her face. "You're... punishing me by letting my friend die... for not respecting you? What. Is. WRONG with you??"

[Lionel]

"She has brains of a true leader. That's whats "Wrong"with her." Zeb siad laughing. He didn't care about the vulture. One bird less, doesn't matter.

"I can give you those lands, unless you help me get rid of that lion." Zeb said to Naiief.

[Lokisenna]

Naiief looked surprised, "He won't die. Sembe did a lot in that short time. He will be unconcious for a while though, and without proper care he won't heal well though...."

[Deleted]

Nene grimaced at the princely lioness. My friend is dying, and you want to discuss buying lands?"

She turned to Naiief. "Well... what? Do you want me to do something in return for his care? Should I pay you? I have meat." Nene walked back into the tree. There was some rustling, then down fell a baby antellope, it's angles still wrapped in the cord of a broken rope. From within the leaves she said, "Will that pay for his care?"

[Lionel]

(Zeb's not a lionnes).

"Your bird means nothing to me. " Zeb said and roared.
"now, who are the other travelers.? " he asked to Naiief.

[shani]

Kira decided to go back into the cave and sleep taking Maliki from laith still carrying kabibi.She padded off into the caves after nuzzling laith.

----

Laith padded forward.He was quite big compared to the average male lion and had a large long mane.He watched as Kira took the cubs into the cave and then turned his attention the the other male.

[Lokisenna]

Ngano felt someone turn to him and heis humming paused momentarily as he glanced back to see Laith. He continued humming after a few seconds and returned his glance to the Valley.

With Kira in the smallish cave Saffina also entered and lay down closer to the entrance watching outside.

---

Sembe Flew off suddenly, making a wonky flight because she could barely see.

Naiief looked to where the bird flew, "I just need some kind words." She said quickly to Nene, "But Fell and I need to catch up to the others, so blowfly either needs to travel with us, or Sembe needs to agree to stay." She explained carefully to the Lion.

She looked to Zeb, "The others, I am not sure, more may have come since I've been here. If you wish to join us please do." She added.

A few minutes later Sembe returned with a bunch of different leaves and landed dangerously on the floor, "Ma'am?" She asked.

Naiief looked towards Nene, "Well?"

[Deleted]

Nene didn't reply straight away. Kind words... Weird. Did she even know any kind words? With a sigh she closed her eyes. Her mother had said kind words, right before they killed her. She had placed them in the log of a fallen tree and said, "Nene, baby. I love you. I love you with all my heart." Then claws grabbed her flanks and pulled her backwards. "Be strong for your brother!" she had cried, right before her voice had turned to roars of defiance and pain, and later, silence.

Nene opened her eyes, only then realising she had repeated everything her mother had said. "Will that do?
"And... And... It would be best, I think, if Sembe stays here. I want to be able to keep an eye on Blowfly, and I can't come with you. Like you said: I'd just slow you down."
She held her breath. She didn't want her friend to be a cripple.

[Ruby_Fehu]

Fell watched the exchange between Naiief and Nene quietly, his head cocked to one side. 'If you would like, I could carrying your bird on my back and go on ahead with Sembe, and you three can catch up at your own pace.' He offered, giving Nene a gentle smile. Touched by the words of her mother that she had repeated.


Clary looked over at Ngano before going to his side, 'Why don't you have a rest.' She smiled. 'I'll keep watch for a little while.' She continued.

[Lokisenna]

Naiief looked at Sembe again and said nothing, but she was smiling.

Sembe felt Naiief's breath and knew she was looking, "I'll stay. I think...this would be....okay." she nodded, assuring herself it was fine.

Naiief purred, "It is decided. Thankyou Fell for your offer, but I feel that Nene has other reasons for not wanting to come." she looked at the lioness carefully, "Best of luck finding your Brother."

[Deleted]

Nene waited a moment, not sure what to say, then called out, "wait!" She then walked into the tree, undid a rope and used a vine to lower herself down. The process raised a stone into the air. After tying off the rope, she shuffled closer to Naiief - even that short walk proved an effort - and said, "You're not her. You might be a crazy daughter-of-a-queen or something, but you're not the lioness who killed my mother and took my brother. But why do you look like her? Why do you smell like her?" She cocked her head and sniffed. "Who are you related to?"

[Lionel]

"So, where are the others? " Said Zeb, looking at everything around, checking for pray. Birds - the lionesses only friends? THat's quite interesting... But not quite for this lion.

[Lokisenna]

"Upon the ridge a good few hours away." Naiief answered to Zeb, looking back at Sembe who smiled and nodded and the returned to tending to the vulture. Naiief continued and started up the ridge, tired and somewhat out of energy,

Sembe talked from her work to Nene, "Naiief knows very little of her family history. Her mother is Zayrna, an outcast lioness, she traveled out of her homelands to get to what we call the Safelands, taking other lionesses who wished to join her. The pride lacks any males though, despite one male cub, named Mkato, who was born to a lioness last summer." She paused, knowing she was talking of task, "Anyway, Zayrna said she was the daughter of one of the Outlanders, almost a teenager when the two prides, the Pridelands and the Outlanders, reformed a group."

she paused again, egrouping information and pasting a substance to the birds head to cool Blowfly, "I hear that within all this chaos in these lands, there are Kings and leaders in these 'Pridelands'. Naiief and Zayrna hope to recreate this in the Safelands... a safe haven from the evil here. all evil here is unidentifiable, as everyone kills each other's prides and there is constant turmoil..." she waited then added something, as if an after thought, "You and Blowfly could come when he is well, there is much food and life there. maybe one of lionesses will know if their old pride was a part of your prides...removal.." she grimaced and stepped back from Blowfly, inspecting the bird carefully, "Okay... he'll be okay for now..."

[Lokisenna]

(sorry double post)

Ngano, paused again in his song and actually turned his head to look at Laith, "Laith. what's bothering you?" he asked, the lion had been sitting there for a time.

Saffina looked back at Kira momentarily, then looked out again and called, "Clary, come rest in here, I am sure Laith and Ngano will looked after the night for a time."

[Deleted]

Nene climbed up the tree again, using the vines and a system of stone weights to help her. She listened and watched carefully as Sembe did her thing. When Sembe invited her to the safelands, she asked, "How far is it? How long will it take to get there? How big is this all-girls pride of yours?"

[Ruby_Fehu]

Clary heard Saffina call her and turned from the males before padding to the cave where the lionesses were resting. 'I wonder how long Fell is going to be.' She murmured.

Fell meanwhile was watching Naiief and Nene talk. 'What am I now a girl?' He said in a teasing manner when Nene and Naiief spoke of the pride being all girls.

[Lokisenna]

Sembe used a stray vine on the floor to gather up Blowfly and moved him to a place between some bushes to keep the bird safe, "He may wake up..." she muttered then heard Nene, "Past the dry mountains just over there in to the plains and out to the Lands that are regrowing from the fire. That is where the Safelands are."

She paused, "Male rouges pass through all the time, but they don't stay. Ngano has decided to join the pride. And hopefully the others who are here will too."

Naiief chuckled as Fell and Zeb headed up the mountains, "You aren't strictly speaking part of the Pride. I never said all lionesses. Just that they were the ones that joined. Ngano is a rouge that comes through and helps use time to time, be he has decided to join. And Mkota is a young male cub in the pride too." She explained, "let's start this climb and get back to the others...I'm exhausted." She shivered and wavered before stepping forward.

[Ruby_Fehu]

'Maybe I want to be part of the pride?' Fell replied as he padded along, he saw Naiief shiver, 'Cold?' He asked stepping closer so his side and mane was against Naiief's, wanting to warm her up.

[shani]

Kira awoke her eyes scanning the cave.She ten picked up her cubs and left the cave catching up with laith who was following the rest of the pride.She handed Maliki to laith while she carried kabibi.

----

Laith gladly took his son and nuzzled Kira as he padded along behind the pride.He could see allot of different lions that he had never met but her stayed with his mate.He did not want her getting hurt.

[Deleted]

"Why are they so safe there? What makes it safe, if people can come and go? and where are you taking him?" Nene said, when Sembe moved Blowfly from the tree to some bushes.

[Lokisenna]

( Naiief, Zeb and Fell are not with Kira and Laith Shani. Just remember the plot is split for the time being.)

Naiief smiled, "That would be greatly appreciated. The Safelands needs more of your kind to protect the elders and the cubs when we go on a hunt." she agreed, and thanked him for his warmth, "It is cold, and we will reach the others close to dawn....we will have little sleep." she warned the two lions.
----

Saffina looked worried, "are you two going someplace?" called after Kira and Laith as the carried their two cubs out. Saffina saw a faint greenish mist and stood up immediately, "Guys stop!

Ngano looked back towards Laith an dKira and his face was startled, "Hey! stop!" he Roared, "Its that mist again, Saffina! they are going to walk off the edge!"
---

"The Safelands are away from all these evil prides." Sembe said vaugely, "they are a two sevenday walk from here, through the ridges, there are three stops in valleys that have lots of prey as well, so it is a good path, but a dangerous one." She looked up, "Hiding him from ones that would eat him unless you plan on taking him up there." she notioned to the Lioness.

[Deleted]

It was then that Blowfly startled awake, raising his beak and peering at Sembe. "Mu... Mama?" he said.

[Ruby_Fehu]

Fell smiled, "That's fine, surely we could risk a couple of hours sleep when we get to the others." He replied as they walked along, his gaze raised to the sky, "It's a lovely night, isn't it."


Clary woke with a start at the shouts and hurried to Saffina and Ngano's side, "What is going on?" She asked.

[Lokisenna]

Sembe almost burst out laughing, but held it down to save the vulture's Sanity, He's awake Ma'am!" She called out to Nene.

Glancing quickly over Blowfly, "Stay still or you may never fly again." She warned with a click of her beak.

---

Naiief flashed a look to the night sky, filled with stars, before looking to the path. Seemingly disinterested, but, in reality, embarassed, she was not used to guiding males to the safelands, and she was wary of their behaviours.

"Its quiet beautiful, up on the ridge the stars seem to shine brighter too." She acknowledged, "We'll get there in an hour at this pace." She said happily, "You fine with following Zeb?" She called back to the other, more, excited lion.

[Lionel]

" Yea, I could folow. I got nothing else to do anyway. " Zeb said, yawning from boredom.