Before the Kings (open to anyone)

[shani]

"We are just going hunting"Kira said as she passed kabibi to laith.

She spotted a small antelope which she carefully stalked and then attacked the antelope killing it.She began eating it as laith joined her.

------

Laith quicky joined her and took kabibi placing both of them between both of his front legs while he began to eat with Kira.

[Deleted]

Nene lifted her head when Sembe called out. "He's awake?" She said, and rushed down a vine to go see for herself. When the little vulture grinned up at her, she sighed with relief, and said simply, "Good. Well, come on then! Get ready." Then she turned and waddled back to the free, and began disarming traps and untying knots, gathering the ropes together in a large bundle.
"Uhh, wherewegoingNene?" Blowfly squawked.
"To the safe lands. There's a queen there who might know about my brother." She dumped the ropes at Sembe's feet and said, "We'll make him a harness, so he can travel safely. Then you'll show us the way to the safelands. Please?" She added, as an afterthought. "Thanks." Kind words. Kind words...

[Lokisenna]

(guys please be aware of the surroundings put in place D8)

"Out in the middle of these rock!? There is no vegetation here! You have just given birth to TWO cubs, and have walked for two hours afterwards, I insist on you two staying here, its midnight!" Ngano fumed, at the two who seemed to be attacking a rock not far from where he stood.

Saffina wavered, "We shouldn't have come this way..."

"We couldn't have changed route. Naiief said to go this way." Ngano said firmly, "Now we have to get them out of the trance without the pollen that Sembe carries." she growled, "What should we do? and stay away for that mist Clary."

---

Sembe looked alarmed at the sudden change in Nene, but nodded ,Naiief would be an hour ahead, but maybe they would catch up to them at the ridge, "Of course, do you need me to help you?"

[shani]

(but al your posts are confusing me with all your characters, and let's just pretend Kira and laith ar still in the cave then)

[Lokisenna]

(kay I'll remember to divide them with '---' now okay ^^ sorry. you repost again ^^)

[Ruby_Fehu]

(I'll post this to help out)

Clary looked at Saffina and Ngano with a confused expression, 'What are you two going on about there's no one in the mist, Kira and Laith are here still look.' She gestured in the cave behind her with her paw.

[Lokisenna]

Saffina heard Clary and semmed to be shaken out of a trance, "uh....." she blinked and yawned, so did Ngano.

"Did we just spazz out?" Ngano asked.

"I think we did, we are too stressed, let's get someform of rest please..." Saffina admitted.

[Lokisenna]

(Sorry again)

Naiief nodded, "good, it'll be comforting to have another Lion in the group." She looked ahead, they'd walked for an hour. "Halfway there." she said to the two lions as they approached a large rock that seemed to blot out the sky for a time.

[Lionel]

-Oh, are we there yet?- Zeb said.

[shani]

Kira opened her eyes, her head still resting on laiths body.She could feel her cubs moving against her body, and she saw kabibi and Maliki slowly begin to get up.She gentally nuzzled them helping them to her feet as she smiled happily.She heard laith laugh as the two twins began climbing on his mane.

-----

Laith laughed as he allowed his cubs to clamber over him and he saw a small paw flop infront of his eye.He gentally licked it and he heard a tiny giggle.From the girls laugh he could tell it was kabibi and he smiled as he then heard the two siblings muttering something to each other.

[Deleted]

At Sembe's look of alarm, Nene said, "This way, if I'm too slow for your owner, I just won't catch up and nobody will be put out." She waddled over and dumped a bunch of grass rope down besides Blowfly. Leaning over to Sembe, she whispered, "Also, they're coming." Nene glanced over her shoulder with her eyes. In the far distance, just this side of the horizon, a small cloud of dust rose into the night sky. "Can you even see? Wait until morning. You're. Lucky you have wings." Then louder, she added, "Help me with the harness," and set to work with her paws and claws.

[Lokisenna]

(Sorry guys XD )

Sembe looked disdainful at the use of the word 'owner', but didn't pursue it. Looking out, the sun had just begun to rise. Sembe was exhausted, but the suspicious could drew closer and she felt an urge to move on, "Let's go then" she said worriedly making sure that Blowfly was secure, "Shall we?"
-----

Naiief looked up, "Ten minutes. Zeb, could you run ahead and talk with the Brown and Russet Male Lion, his name is Ngano, tell him we are not far behind!" She asked kindly but firmly.

She looked to Fell, "It seems we will not rest, the sun is dawning and Ngano and the others will move as soon as they can to follow the valley."

---

Saffina sighed, she had had little rest, but as ordered, they had to move one. She wanted to wait for Naiief...what is she was injured?

Ngano noticed the disturbance in his betrothed's eyes, "Don't worry. Naiief will be well. We will wait a little longer before we move on."

[Ruby_Fehu]

Fell nodded. 'That's fine.' He replied, stifling a yawn. 'Will you be okay with no rest?' He asked softly.

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

Clary, after having a restless night worrying about Fell stood and padded to the entrance of the cave, with a sigh she settled on her haunches looking all around hoping to catch sight of him.

[shani]

Kira heard clary outside the cave and moved away from her cubs to see if clary was alright.
"What's the matter"Kira said as she saw how tiered clary looked.

----

Laith saw Kira leave the cave and her moved maliki and kabibi into a nest of warm leaves and dry grass.He knew it was safe in there and knew her could easily kill anything or anyone who tried to hurt his family.He saw Kira talking to clary and sniffed the air for any danger.He could smell the putrid scent of hyena and he snarled slightly.
"Kira, get back in the cave, I can smell hyena!"Laith instructed, moving into the cave to check on his cubs.
They both looked fine and he picked them up placing then with kira who had just got into the cave and laid down.
He then nuzzles kira and his cubs and went to stand outside of the cave, waiting for the hyenas to arrive.

[Lionel]

"I can do that." Zeb said and sprinted.

Soon he reached the lion, that Naiief was talking about.
"Are you Ngano? Your leader says, that they are not far back."

[Ruby_Fehu]

Clary looked up at the arrival of a new lion and allowed a small growl to pass her lips defensively before he mentioned Naiief which caused her to ease he growls before she spoke, "Is my brother, Fell with her?" She asked.

[Lionel]

"Yea. He is there." Zeb said, and let a small growl out too.

[Ruby_Fehu]

Clary looked at Zeb with surprise, only one lion had ever growled at her like that and meant it. She felt her eyes widen and she stepped forward just to make sure. "Well, it's been a while." Clary said, shaking out her russet fur.

[Deleted]

Nene didn't know how long she'd been walking, but it already felt like hours. Her back legs ached with the effort of maintaining her pace, and stung where they chafed against one another. Little stones and twigs kept tickling her low hanging belly, which bounced and jiggled around as if it had a mind of its own. She felt so heavy that she could collapse at any moment, and any tilt in the terrain made things doubly hard, as she had to adjust just to stop herself from tipping over.

Blowfly hung from a rope at her mouth, safely strapped in his harness. Well, mostly safely. Occasionally Nene would dip her head a little too far and he would have to use his legs to stop from dragging along the dirt. Moving hurt, and staying still ached. He'd never been more uncomfortable and more bored in his entire life.

He was worried about his friend, too, and kept glancing back at Nene with concern. Before they moved out of the forest, Nene had never been this bad. Each tiny step only covered a few scant inches, but seemed to cost her the world in exhaustion. It was unusual, even for her.

When Nene stopped for the fifth time since they'd left, he almost exploded with frustration. "Gahwannamovewannamove. SickofslowpokeNene. Want to fl-" Nene cut him off by putting her paw over his beak.

"Shush!" she said, too exhausted to say much else.

Blowfly sighed, and shook his head in frustration. He glanced over at the long-legged bird, and smiled. His saviour. Opening his mouth, he paused, then plucked up the courage to say, "Heywhoareyousorryforattackingyouthankyouforsavingmehowmuchlongernowwhoareyouwhat'syour story?"

[Lionel]

" Oh, it's you. I thought that you runed away?" Zeb said, looking at the lionnes.

[Ruby_Fehu]

"Your pride did not welcome me, so I left to avoid trouble. I'm sorry I didn't tell you." She lowered her head guiltily.

[Lionel]

"Why didn't you tell me! I would of showed them a piece of my mind." Zeb said. he was angry, how the pride had betrayed him.
"What didn't they like?" Zeb asked, completely ignoring Ngano.

[Ruby_Fehu]

"Everything, they didn't like that you were welcoming 'traitorous outsiders' in your pride. It was stupid really but not worth the grief." Clary replied with a shrug. She padded over to him and nudged him gently, "I'm sorry."

[Lokisenna]

(Yaya and Krissi, your idea sounds awesome )

Ngano has nodded to Zeb before running up behind the Lion and Looking down, seeing Naiief and Fell, the Lion who had gone to help her, "Naiief!" He called out, tired from worry and little sleep.

Naiief looked up just as tiredly but smiled, "We are safe."She said as Fell and her reached the ridge, noticing that Kira and Laith were very on edge.

The old scent of Heyna did fill the area, but it was days old and they wouldn't return her for a time, only a stray would dare come near this many Lions.

Saffina looked excited at the Company, "Where is Sembe?" She asked.

"With the other Lioness...I will explain later. Its dawn, we should move." Naiief responded looking at Fell, "Thankyou for your help, can you continue on?"

----

Sembe beamed, amused by Blowfly's fast paced Speech, "Sorry for being so arrogant earlier..." she admited, thinking of before, oblivious to Nene's pain, but noticed she was tiring. "My name is Sembe, I am one of the few PlainsWalker Secretary Birds left, as my family was attacks by a group of cheetah. Naiief saved me. I was a Chick then, and a cheetah was almost upon me......" she drifted off.

[Ruby_Fehu]

Fell nodded wearily and blinked the sleep from his eyes. "I can manage." He said, his voice rough, he then turned his gaze and saw Clary and Zeb, seeing his sister all exhaustion was forgotten and he raced the remainder of the way diving on Clary in a hug.

Clary was taken aback but balanced on her hind paws and wrapped her forepaws around Fell's neck, clinging onto him tightly. "Thank goodness you are okay." She gushed, letting go of Fell as her older sibling nuzzled her and the pair purred, glad to be together, despite them being apart only one night.

[Lionel]

"When I get back - they are going to be in so much trobule!" Zeb said.

"And you are?" Zeb looked at Fell. If he's Clary's mate, then Zeb can leave. Or fight.

[Ruby_Fehu]

"She's my sister." Fell smiled at Zeb whilst Clary smiled fondly between the pair.

"I'm so glad you two and Naiief are okay." Clary said with relief.

[Deleted]

"Ha. So she's your mother, then?" Nene said between puffs. "Why didn't she just eat you too? She's a lion after all. Things like you look delicious." She licked her lips. Nene was so hungry that anything would look good to her, but she wouldn't mind a leg, or a bit of bird beast...

Blowfly looked back at his fat friend and grimaced. If he could fly, he would have taken off and looked for food, but that wasn't an option right now. Instead he said, "whatwasthat dustcloudbehindus? YoushouldtellSembe."

Nene swallowed between gasps of air. "The biggest group of lions you've ever seen. They don't move very fast as a group, but they eat everything..." With that, she pushed herself to her feet and gently grabbed Blowfly's harness. "We fould keep going," she said around the harness. "They move flow, but often they hafe outriderf..."

[Lokisenna]

Sembe looked down at the female lion and chuckled, She was a fair bit taller than the lioness and her claws were battle ready if needed, "She doesn't eat me because I'm useful, and we look out for each other. I was her only playmate as a youngling." The second Statement caught her off guard, "We should...hurry..but.." she looked to Nene who was tiring, "You should rest. Hide in the trees. If you follow the ridge you will find the hidden Valley, oneday from here...." She paused again, "I need to warn Naiief...They could wait for you?" she offered.
---

Naiief looked happy at the reunion but was exhausted, "We must carry on Ngano. get everyone together and lets move, we can eat in the hidden Valley." She said firmly.

Ngano's face changed and he nodded, his face serious, "okay. we must leave, and get to the hidden Valley, we can stay there for a few days, we will be safe there, we are a halfday from it. Please help everyone to continue." He called out to the company.

Saffina made a sharp squeaking sound from excitement having forgotten Sembe, "Naiief and I will rear, everyone should stay between Us and Ngano!" She added to everyone with a sparkling smile.

[Deleted]

"What good would that do? Then we'd all be in danger. besides, your friend didn't want to wait. Remember?" Nene said. "She didn't want me complaining of fore feet... And No ufe hiding. I can hide well, but not from fo many."
"Nene..." Blowfly said, pecking at her chin with his curved beak. "If they catch us... They'll eat me."
"And turn me into a breeding cow," Nene said.
"Go faster."
Nene gritted her teeth, but went no faster than before.