Part 1 - Let the journey begin... [Finished]

[mahewarac]

Kigeni looked at the snow leopard like she was crazy. Her? look after cubs? She was never even very good with hyena pups, but cubs? What, was she trying to make Kigeni look bad to make herself look better? Sheesh!

Plopping herself down beside the two, she mumbled a quick "Hey." Not knowing what else to do, she just watched the others mingle in their own affairs. She felt a tad guilty, but the way everyone seemed to be annoyed with Sefu made her think that maybe she wasn't the most undesirable member of the group anymore. That if they where so desperate for food they had to eat someone, it might be him instead of her.

She laughed at the thought. Lions would lose their lunch at the thought of them eating another cat. They eat zebras, antelopes, water buffalo, and even a hyena from time to time, but CATS, oh no! That would be barbaric! Not that hyenas ate each other all the time, only when the person says it's okay.

As Meri (she guessed that was the kid's name) got washed, she felt sorry for the child. Kigeni didn't exactly have a happy childhood, unless you count being abandoned by your mother as a pup and then your pack being chased and genocided... if that's a word.... for the rest a sunny day in the plains, but being blind... that's hard.

"Sorry if I scared you before, hun, I forgot to mention that hyena was also not exactly right in the head," she lied, "Actually, one of the most amazing animals I knew was blind. Ya see, when your blind another one of your senses gets exaggerated and sharper to make up for it. So, she had the best sense of smell you could ever see in a lifetime. She was an amazing hunter, since she could sniff out prey from miles upon miles away. Eyes can only go so far." She stopped talking, hoping the kid would cheer up.

[Deleted]

Sanura lay there with Meri, she gave a small giggle cause when she licked her it felt funny, but she watched the hyena when she came and sat down with them, and moved closer to her friend, she was her protector now.

The lion cub looked at Kigeni closer, she seemed to be nervous about something, Sanura looked around but no one else was near them, curious about her now, because she had never met a hyena, she wanted to know more.
"do you eat cubs when you are hungry, do we look good enough to eat to you ?"

Staring at her waiting for a reply, she saw Karensha come back, and then her Meri were given a hug and had the snow leopards paws around them. Looking up at Karensha with a smile Sanura stated what she had been doing.
"I was getting Meri to lick and sniff me, so she would know where to find me and who it would be when they came near her, I think we should all do that.....and I was talking to Kigeni about whether shes going to eat us or not"

Sanura looked back at the Hyena who hadn't moved and gave her grin.." Well ?"

[epppe]

Sefu wanted to laugh at the blind club, but saw the leopard come by and knew she would probably get mad if she saw that. The cub was right though, Sefu wandered around by himself for most his life because he couldn’t understand the little things that built friendship and bonds with others. To him all those bonds were pointless and didn’t care whether he had any or not as long as he got to relax.

He heard Karensha start to talk but didn’t really care what she had to say until she turned to him. He gave her smile back and heard her apology.

“I can understand if you get mad at me for not keeping a promise, but I haven’t made one to you at all, so maybe next time you should make sure I make a promise before saying I broke one. Whatever I guess, you were probably just upset over the cub.”

Seeing Figgy tell everyone where the food was, Sefu started to get hungry. All he’s had in a while was what the other cub got him.

“And I’ll stick with the group still, it’s not like I got anothin better to do. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get some food”

He got up and began to move towards to the dead carcass. Getting closer to it the food, he saw the giant indent that Figgy left in the zebra. Instead of trying to grab scraps of that he went for the boar that no one has eaten and started to take chunks out of that.

[Dakota]

Before Karenhsa moved to sit down with the cubs, she heard Sefu speak to her. Stopping she heard his little answer to her apology, feeling her hackles start to rise, she slowly bit down on her lip so she wouldn't reply. Lookng him over she then carried on to where the Kigeni was now minding the two young ones.

Seeing a movement from the corner of her eye she saw the new Lion come closer towards them, he seemed very calm and collected, maybe its what they needed now Baraz and Sheek had gone. It seemed as he spoke that he too would like to stay with their group, maybe things were starting to turn around for them all.

Looking down at Meri as she asked where Figgy had gone to, Karensha thought about what to say
"hmmm well he got a little upset because he couldn't think of any ways to help you, but he will be back in a moment."
Stopping she turned towards where she could see him slowly approaching
" Here he comes now Meri , actually this is as good as time as any, Figgy is coming from your left, so how about you turn your head in that direction, and concentrate and tell me what you can hear..come on Snowball, listen carefully."

Karensha looked at Kigeni and Sanura then to Rondea and nodded her head as if asking them all to keep still and quiet, so Meri could try to work on her sense of hearing.Looking down at the white lioness she waited while Figgy got closer and closer, she knew snowball had determinaton, she just wanted her to show a little of it now.
Tilting her head she watched as Figgy sat down in front of Rondea, a smile gracing her muzzle as she saw what he was doing aww he really is a sweet little thing, but he has to earn my favours now, we will wait and see what happens.

[mahewarac]

"do you eat cubs when you are hungry, do we look good enough to eat to you ?"

"What kind of question is that?" Kigeni asked in surprise. Given the fact the cub was surrounded by larger adults, eating her would be kinda out of the question. But otherwise? Truth is, she really didn't know how to answer. Kigeni never liked cubs, especially lion cubs, because they always seemed to think they were better then you and you wanted to hear ALL about it. In other words, they were amazingly annoying.

"I'm not sure." Kigeni said truthfully. "But lions are..." she looked for a good word. "Bitter. yeah, that's it. They taste terrible...or so I've heard." She tried to sound as friendly as she could, 'cause the last thing she needed was for the cub to run to the adults and say that Kigeni might eat her.

"Speaking of food, lets help Sefu with that boar." Anything to change the subject.

[Deleted]

Sanura lay there a moment longer listening to what Kigeni had to say about them
"So... lion and tiger cubs taste nasty to you, well thats ok, me and Meri are safe then."

Just as she was about to ask her more things about hyenas, Kigeni stood up and followed to where Sefu was eating some fresh meat. Feeling a bit disapointed, the tiger cub moved away from Meri and Karensha and walked over to where the big lion was lying down. Stopping in front of him and sitting on her small rump, she started staring rather rudely.

" I'm Sanura... who are you ?, where did you come from? have you any cubs meri and me can play with? and why aren't you a tiger?"

[Kirsui]

"Here he comes now Meri , actually this is as good as time as any, Figgy is coming from your left, so how about you turn your head in that direction, and concentrate and tell me what you can hear..come on Snowball, listen carefully."

Meri tilted her head and slowly turned to face the direction Karensha had told her to face. Her ears twiched as she listened. At first everything was one big mess of sounds. She couldn't tell them apart from eachother, not point what sound was what.

Frowning faintly, the small lioness concentrated harder. Her head turned slowly from side to side while she listened with her ears. Then, slowly, she could pin point one sound apart from the others. Her head stopped moving and only her ears twiched. Now where had she heard this before...

It took a moment from her to figure out, but when she did a proud smile rose to her muzzle.
"Karensha.. I can hear your heartbeat."

---

Rondea had gone back to watching Meri before Figgy returned. As the overly large male positioned himself between Rondea and Karensha, the tall lion chuckled faintly, his cyan eyes sparkling with amusement. While he had to agree the leopard was pretty, he hadn't exactly been watching her...

Though, he saw no harm in letting Figgy think so. Not as long as this small jealousy he seemed to have developed didn't get out of hands.

"I'm Sanura... who are you ?, where did you come from? have you any cubs meri and me can play with? and why aren't you a tiger?"

Rondea turned his gaze to the small cub. Tiger...? So this odd child was a tiger cub...
"Thou are a curious cub, Sanura", he said with a friendly smile.
"My name is Rondea. I come from south, where I have traveled far and wide on emerald green fields, under sapphire blue skies, over clear rivers and across golden deserts... A lone traveler have I been, and so I have never had cubs of my own."
He paused.
"Maybe one day..."

He watched the tiger cub momentarily in silence. He well knew he was trying to impress the cub with what he was saying, and that it might not work at all. It had been far too long since he had spoken like this...
"And why I am not a tiger..."
He smiled.
"Thou mayhap noticed the stripes I have. However, the stripes are not enough to make one tiger."
He lifted one of his large paws and gently poked Sanura's chest.
"Thy blood and heart are what make thou a tiger. Just like mine make me a lion."

[Dakota]

Karensha lay there with Meri, watching as Sanura moved over to sit in front of the lion, frowning for a moment she realised that no one had introduced themselves to him but then smiling when she heard the cubs words well looks like the cub has started the ball rolling

Looking back down upon the small white lioness, Karensha could see her ears twitching and her head moving a little. Letting her gaze wander over the 'cub' , her eyes travelled over the scar moving down from her right eye to her mouth. I wonder how one so young, received something so horrendous. Hearing meri speak to her, the snow leopard raised her eyes and caught the smile all over her muzzle.

"Karensha.. I can hear your heartbeat."

Holding her breath, even though it wasn't what she was expecting, karensha gave a laugh, and licked Meri's head, and gave her another hug.
"Well done snowball, I knew your hearing was perfect and you would hear me"
Turning to where Figgy was sitting close to Rondea and Sanura, Karensha gave them all a beaming smile.
"Everybody.. Meri has been so clever, she used her skills and listened so carefully, she could hear my heart beating... she's a treasure this little friend of ours"

[cheezeegriff]

Figgy frowned when Meri failed to hear him coming, but the moment had been so special he had sat there holding his breath, so maybe that had something to do with it. Why she couldn't hear his heart though he didn't know, because it was bound to be ten times larger than Karensha's and beating twice as fast.
He looked to the snow leopard for reassurance, that he was doing the right thing, and said, "Errr... so! Anything ole Figgy can do to help anyone?"
He rubbed his hands together and looked from Karensha to Meri. The tone of his voice was cheery mainly for Meri's sake, but when Karensha looked at him he winced: what if she was still mad at him?

[Deleted]

Sanura sat there listening to the large lion, her small ears twitching trying to catch every word he said.
hmm so he's all by himself too, just like we all are

"Well, maybe you could have a lady friend if you didn't talk so funny "
The cub leaned her head on one side staring at him carefully
"Maybe you should open your mouth so I can have a look and see you haven't got any bone or things stuck in your teeth, cause that might be why you talking funny too ?"

Giving him a shy smile, sanura moved in a little closer. she was about to make another suggestion about how he could find a lady friend, when she stooped and watched as his paw came up and touched her. A small Ohhh came from her muzzle, and she bought up one paw and rubbed the star shape that was around her left eye and kept staring at him.

"I like you just as much as Mr Figgy, you're a nice lion ".

[Dakota]

Still with the smile on her face, the snow leopard looked from Rondea to where Figgy sat, watching her closely.

"Errr... so! Anything ole Figgy can do to help anyone?"

Before she answered the lion, Karensha looked over to where she could just see the back of Sefu and Kigeni helping themselves to something to eat.
Moving her gaze back to the newcomer, whom Sanura seemed to be studying very closely and holding a conversation with, karensha slowly looked him over, not finding any hostility coming from him, it seemed maybe a gentle soul had joined their little pride.

Bringing her eyes back to rest on Figgy, she just stared at him. She wanted to tell him of what she felt, but knew it would only upset him, part of her wanted to go to him and wrap her paws around him and rub her cheek against his and another part of her wanted to berate him. Lowering her lilac lashes to cover her eyes and thoughts, she looked down at Meri.

"Snowball... move with me in a straight line, stay right beside me, so you can feel me bumping against you, I'm going to walk you over to where Figgy is sitting with Sanura and the new one. I need to go have a swim to clean myself, and what better friend to keep you company, than Figgy."

[Kirsui]

"Well, maybe you could have a lady friend if you didn't talk so funny. Maybe you should open your mouth so I can have a look and see you haven't got any bone or things stuck in your teeth, cause that might be why you talking funny too ?"

Rondea chuckled softly at Sanura's words.
"Perhaps..."
His gaze turned momentarily at Karensha and Meri when the snowleopard exclaimed the now completely blind lioness could hear Karensha's heart. It was difficult to see the white pair though, with Figgy sitting right in front of him to stop him from seeing Karensha.

"I like you just as much as Mr Figgy, you're a nice lion."

The large male turned back at the cub with a smile.
"Thank you, Sanura."

---

"Snowball... move with me in a straight line, stay right beside me, so you can feel me bumping against you, I'm going to walk you over to where Figgy is sitting with Sanura and the new one. I need to go have a swim to clean myself, and what better friend to keep you company, than Figgy."

The white lioness nodded faintly, blinking her unseeing eyes slowly. She stood up with her ears twiching. She could hear the low voice of the newcomer talking quietly with Sanura, but though she had some idea where they were, she wasn't so sure that she would have taken direction and walked to those two.

And so she moved only once she felt Karensha brush against her, directing her to Figgy's direction. Her ears kept twiching and turning as she walked, dragging her feet so that she would not accidentally trip over anything.

[Dakota]

Karensha kept her head down watching Meri as she walked slowly beside her, willing to catch her if she tripped and fell, but thank goodness for her morale she made it just fine.
Stopping in front of Figgy, the snow leopard bought her head up to meet the lions eyes and gave him only a small smile, she wasn't going to overdo it with him, he needed to realise, that somehow it seemed the responsibility had fallen on her head for Meri and Sanura and even watching out for the others too. and if Figgy wanted to be her mate, or whatever it was he was hinting at, he had to step up to the mark, when she needed him.

"Yes Figgy, you can help. Meri's come to sit with you and Rondea and Sanura, while I just need to take care of something, so I'm sure you will help her with anything she might need till I come back."

Looking past him at the large male who was talking with Sanura, Karensha took in his appearance, he was quite spectacular with his golden fur and the lush white mane that reflected the whiteness of his muzzle and cheeks, all in all, he was a handsome beast floated through her mind.
Realising she was now openly staring, she lowered her lashes and shook her fur tuft so that it fell down over her forehead partly covering her eyes.

"Meri, Sanura.. don't wander off, stay with Figgy and Rondea, I wont be long "
Giving them all a smile, Karenhsa turned and then stopped as she looked at the light reflecting off the waterhole, oh how she had been waiting to jump in and just swim and cool down, take her mind off all the troubles, just for a little while.

Placing her paws slowly one by one, she moved away gracefully around to one side where the ground was flat, and then dug in her claws and launched herself forward, running fast while the breeze pushed back her fur and bouncnd off her face. At last she gave into temptation and veered to the left until the water swallowed her body. Holding her breath, she dove under the water and glided along till it was time to resurface. Breaking up and through gasping in the hot air, she just floated along with her eyes closed.

[cheezeegriff]

Figgy put his paw by meri - close enough that she would have felt it - then looked over his shoulder at Sanura and Roneda.
That big, dumb, muscle-headed lion. Who'se he think he is, making Karensha look at him like that?

MAYBE SHE CHOSE TO LOOK AT HIM HERSELF. AND HIS HEAD ISN"T THE ONLY PLACE HE HAS MUSCLES.

"Phah,"
Figgy said out loud, then realised he had spoken and blanched.
"Eerrr.... Well. Seeing as we're staying here a little longer I might go set some traps. Care to come, Sanura? Meri?"
He looked down to both of them.

[mahewarac]

Kigeni looked up from eating to check on the cats.

Gods, they take their sweet time doing everything, don't they? If we did this, we hyenas would be extinct by now. Trotting over to the group, she pointed west.

"Hey, if you guys are going to end this yuk fest any time soon, we were going to go to the mountains, weren't we?"

When Figgy mentioned setting up more traps, she followed him. "If it helps us move any faster, I'll help." She lowered her voice. "By the way, who's the new guy? When did he pop up? I never noticed him..."

[Deleted]

Sanura moved away from Rondea and came alongside Meri and rubbed her side against the white lioness.
"It's ok I'm here beside you... can you smell my scent ?" the cub was asking her friend.

Lifting her head she watched karensha running fast, her fur tuft all shook everywhere making it look like a fluffy ball. looking down at herself she wished she had lots of fur, instead of just her stripes. looking up at Figgy when he spoke.
"Eerrr.... Well. Seeing as we're staying here a little longer I might go set some traps. Care to come, Sanura? Meri?"

"Umm Figgy Karensha said we should stay put and not go anywhere, what if she comes back and we're not here ?"

[cheezeegriff]

"Umm Figgy Karensha said we should stay put and not go anywhere, what if she comes back and we're not here ?"

"Roneda can tell her where we've gone. After all, he won't be coming,"
Figgy said, looking at Roneda pointedly.
"Besides, she didn't say you had to stay put. She said you had to stay with me!"

LIAR

Only a little lie... Figgy stepped away from the large male lion, but only to the edge of the clearing. He didn't want to go too far yet - after all, he didn't want the cubs to feel forced to go with him - and spoke so the blind could hear where he went. "Anyway, Meri, sanura. Want to come? I can show you how to tie my knots with your eyes closed. Well... not that you'll close your eyes..."
He caught himself just too late, realising the awkwardness of what he was saying, and gritted his teeth.

"Hey, if you guys are going to end this yuk fest any time soon, we were going to go to the mountains, weren't we?"

"If it helps us move any faster, I'll help. By the way, who's the new guy? When did he pop up? I never noticed him..."

Figgy whispered,
"Shh. Not yet. We'll talk about him later."
He offered the large male a pleasant smile - the most pleasant he could muster anyway - then turned back to the cubs.
"So whadayasay?"

[epppe]

Sefu saw the rest of the group starting to discuss about something and seeing the hyena trot back over to them, he thought he might as well see whats going on with them. He followed not to far behind Kigeni and only heard something about traps. that when he figured that Figgy wanted to build more traps and take the cubs with him.

Hearing Figgy talk about how the new guy won't come with them brought a small chuckle to Sefu. He could tell that Figgy was jealous of him and wanted to see how far this little jealousy thing will go.

"I don't think we need anymore traps yet Fig since we still have food and even if we do need food, the new guy could always go hunting for some, he looks like he could take down some decent size prey." He said with a slight grin on his face. The only reason Sefu even brought up the new guy was to see if he could get some kind of reaction from Figgy. "Feel free to teach the cubs how to tie knots though, it might come to use later."

[mahewarac]

Kigeni noticed the looks Figgy was giving the new guy, and they weren't pleasant looks. Looking over the well built lion, and looking at Figgy, she could see why.

"Shh. Not yet. We'll talk about him later."

"Gotcha." She said, holding back a laugh.

"I don't think we need anymore traps yet Fig since we still have food and even if we do need food, the new guy could always go hunting for some, he looks like he could take down some decent size prey."

"You id-" She started to insult...Sefu, was it? But opon seeing the look on his face, she knew exactly why he said it. "You son of a-" And with that, she burst out laughing. Now when most animals laugh, it's a sign of happiness, right? Unfortunately, other animals find hyena laughter a sign of either you fell into the pits of Hades or you're about to get mauled. Maybe it's the way it sounds, or maybe it's because it's the sound a hyena will make if they are about to maul you, but its true.

"Sorry." She mumbled as she regained her cool. "Did I scare the cubs? Anyway, If we are going to teach the cubs to tie nots, I take lead. Because you guys go into new tasks like a slug through mud. No offense." And she walked into the jungle.

[Deleted]

Sanura didn't know who to listen to, should it be Figgy, or Sefu or the Kigeni, still running through her thoughts was what karensha had said.

Looking sideways at Meri, she was about to whisper in her ear, when the hyena started making this horrible noise. The tiger cubs fur stood up on end, and her mouth dropped open, she didn't know what Kigeni was about to do.

Trying to protect her friend, Sanura reached down quickly and grabbed her arm and pulled her back to where they both were right in front of Rondea.

"Is she hungry and going to eat me and Meri now, I really don't think we'd taste very nice...no..no..no"

[cheezeegriff]

Figgy whipped his head around at Sefu's remark, then whipped back to the hyena again as she cackled with laughter. His look of annoyance turned to one of bafflement, then he caught the cubs running back to Roneda.
"Hey... where do you think you're... would you shut up?"
he finally said to the Kijeni.

"Sorry." She mumbled as she regained her cool. "Did I scare the cubs? Anyway, If we are going to teach the cubs to tie nots, I take lead. Because you guys go into new tasks like a slug through mud. No offense."

"Phuh. Like YOU can set a trap. D'you know how long I've been practicing this for? Anyway, if anyone's going to teach trap-setting it'll be me."
He wandered back to the cubs and nuzzled Meri with his big, wide nose.
"Coming, Snowball? If you can't see it might make it hard for you to chase down prey, but setting traps? Well, that wouldn't be TOO hard to manage. Hmm... I wonder if I could do it with my eyes closed?"

[mahewarac]

"Phuh. Like YOU can set a trap. D'you know how long I've been practicing this for? Anyway, if anyone's going to teach trap-setting it'll be me."

Kigeni made a sharp turn.

"Listen, bub, just because you're fighting a losing battle with a much better built lion doesn't mean you can be a jerk to the rest of us." She walked over to the cubs, facing him. "Besides, how can she learn to set a trap is she can't even see where she's putting it? I can teach her to base her hunting from her nose and ears. That's way more useful."

[cheezeegriff]

"Listen, bub, just because you're fighting a losing battle with a much better built lion doesn't mean you can be a jerk to the rest of us." She walked over to the cubs, facing him. "Besides, how can she learn to set a trap is she can't even see where she's putting it? I can teach her to base her hunting from her nose and ears. That's way more useful."

At that moment, anger flashed through Figgy's heart so fiercely that for a moment he saw nothing but red.
Oh boy... she said it... in front of everyone she said it.

FIGGY, CONTROL YOURSELF.

"No way,"
he said, then leapt between Kijeni and the cubs and roared for all he was worth. He had a fearsome roar, a testimony to his size more than his girth, and when he looked down at the hyena his eyes were ablaze with anger.
"No one, NO ONE is teaching Meri ANYTHING today except me. And anyone who wants to try will have to go through me first. You got a problem with that, hyena? 'cause if you do, you've got a duel to settle with my jaws."
Figgy loomed over the smaller creature, and somewhere in the back of his mind he realised the peculiarity of what he was doing. A dog, looming over a hyena? Nevertheless he concentrated on keeping his eyes fierce, and his claws ready, waiting for Kijeni's response, hoping for an excuse to turn her into the midday meal's main course.

[epppe]

Sefu knew that this shouldn't go on much longer otherwise someone might get hurt. He saw that Figgy was about to do something he might regret and jumped in between him and Kigeni.

"ENOUGH," Sefu yelled, putting Figgy's roar to shame and trying to snap him out of this anger trip he was on. He stood in between them with one side facing Figgy and the other at Kigeni. "Both of you are scaring the cubs and I doubt they'll let you teach them anything when you act like this, like a couple of lions fighting over scrapped meat, it's kinda pathetic." He looked over at Figgy and saw that he was ready to fight. Sefu looked him straight in the eyes and said "Figgy, if you're going to try fighting anyone in this group, I'll kill you, simple as that. Now calm down before you force me to do that."

After making his little speech right there, he walked off a couple feet, turned around and laid down in front of them. "Now play nice kids and figure something out so you don't have to fight, it'll be easier for all of us."

[mahewarac]

"No one, NO ONE is teaching Meri ANYTHING today except me. And anyone who wants to try will have to go through me first. You got a problem with that, hyena? 'cause if you do, you've got a duel to settle with my jaws."

"Please." Kigeni replied, looking back with not one bit of fear. "Like you could ever bite me. You'd have to catch me first." She leaped to his side, out of the way of his teeth, and laughed tauntingly. "You think that's the only time I've been roared at? I've heard much, much louder. And by the way, it's pretty pathetic that you need to be the only one to teach the cub anything. I have more dignity then that, and I'm just a little hyena."

"ENOUGH,"

"Fine." She mumbled, and walked back to the bank of the water hole. "But he's the one acting up for no reason."

[cheezeegriff]

"Figgy, if you're going to try fighting anyone in this group, I'll kill you, simple as that. Now calm down before you force me to do that."

Not surprisingly, Figgy didn't find Sefu's words in the least bit calming, and turned his anger to the closer target.
"Hah... you kill me? And miss out on a source of easy food? Why Sefu, I know it's hard to think with your little lion brain rattling around in that big empty skull of yours, but I held you to a higher standard! And what's with your logic here? 'If I fight the hyena, you'll kill me.' Oooh well that makes you so much better than moi, no?"
On the 'you' Figgy jabbed the smaller lion in the chest, not bothering to retract his claw. Then, in a lower voice (for the sake of the cubs), he said,
"Stay out of my way or watch your back, puny lion, and the ground you walk on, 'cause you never know when one of my traps will open up and swallow you whole."
Then he turned to the cubs.
"Now squirts, you coming or not? Company 'round here's getting stale now that their bellies are all full, but just wait until tonight."
Then he continued, with a fair imitation of Kijeni's voice:
"'Oh Mithter Figgy. Where's my dinner?' 'Dunno about yours. It ain't this succulent bushpig I just caught!'"
He grabbed Meri by the scruff of her neck with his jaws, then nodded his head to Sanura. He was smiling, but there was a look in his eyes that indicated that staying would have consequences she didn't like.
Knocking Sefu aside with his shoulder and glaring at the hyena, Figgy marched into the trees.

[Kirsui]

((OOC: LMAO! Omg! I wish I had been here to reply earlier, there's some real awesome story developement that occurred while I was gone. XDDD Always great to return from a trip and see things like this have happened! ))


Rondea could feel Figgy's glare on him when Karensha left. He was aware of the death glare, but he paid simply smiled down at Sanura and ignored Figgy. His gaze kept on the small tiger as she returned to Meri's side, sifting between the two young felines until settling upon the white lioness. He listened to the argument that suddenly erupted, but not even once did his gaze move from Meri, not even when the tiger cub pulled her friend closer to him or when Figgy cut their short escape by re-appearing beside the two.

"Listen, bub, just because you're fighting a losing battle with a much better built lion doesn't mean you can be a jerk to the rest of us."

That was what did the trick, for a moment. Briefly the large male's gaze flickered to the hyena before he returned to watch Meri. He wasn't aware of a battle... Well, maybe he was, but it wasn't like he had asked for it. Briefly he wondered if joining this group had been a mistake, but catching the discomfort on Meri's face when Figgy roared at Kigeni made him think that perhaps he would find his place among this... odd group.

He frowned. Seriously, was none of them looking at the cubs' reaction to all this? Did no one else notice how Meri had flattened herself against the ground, looking so much like she would have wanted to disappear under the ground?

Did no one even think to ask if the cubs wanted to go or not? Wasn't it their choise if they wanted to be taught or not?

He could see how Meri begun to squirm almost instantly when Figgy lifted her up and could hear her soft voice before Figgy had taken more than two steps.

"Figgy, let me down."

Indeed, Meri wasn't pleased at all to be lifted off the ground all of a sudden after such an argument. She felt like she was a mere object that could be carried around as others pleased, to be used to their own amusement as they pleased. She wasn't all too fond of leaving with Figgy to learn how to set traps because, as Kigeni had pointed out, she couldn't see a thing and because she most cerainly was not an object!

And so, she squirmed harder.
"Figgy? Let. Me. Down."
She frowned deeply.
"Now."

If she had been able to see she would have seen the amusement hidden behind Rondea's friendly smile when she spoke those words.

[mahewarac]

"Lions. They get to the maturity of a cub and never get any farther." She shrugged. As someone who's gone days on end with barley any food, no food for a few hours was hardly anything to sniff at. She could go without food. Unlike a certain idiotic two-faced fat lump of a cat.

Eh, who was she kidding? It was bound to happen sometime. They were lions. One thing doesn't go their way and it's "I WILL KIIIILLL YOU!" She was the one who was stupid for thinking she could travel with felines. She needed to continue her search, alone.

But, she would need to make sure they didn't follow her. What would she do? She thought of throwing a lump of gray fur into the water hole to look like she had drowned, but what if they fished it out? How would she...

Suddenly, an idea came to her. She went over to the old zebra, tossed aside and finished. Of course. It was foolproof.

Walking back to the waterhole, she faked a yawn.

"I say we call it a day. We're all tired, even the-obnoxious-cat-who-will-not-go-named." She clay down, and waited for the rest of the group to go to sleep.

[cheezeegriff]

"Figgy? Let. Me. Down. Now."

Figgy paused, mid-stride, and put Meri down.
"Fine,"
he said, almost too furious to speak. He look around at this group - the group that he had provided food for for a might and a day now. Despair at their lack of thanks, their lack of appreciation almost crossed his face, but he managed to hold himself perfectly composed.
Sitting down like a sentinel beside the blind cub, he said to her,
"You can just sit still until Karensha returns then. You too, Sanura. Just... be good, or something."
He shook his head and glared daggers at the hyena again. My how he hated hyenas... always causing division. It was a wonder they formed packs at all. What he wouldn't give to put at least one of them into its place, to make it pay for all his dead friends and family.

I'M SURPRISED AT YOU, FIGGY.

So am I, he thought. He'd never been close enough to a hyena to know he looked down on them. It made him feel powerful. And he liked it.

[Dakota]

Karesnha rose from the cool water, her paws finally touching the sandy bottom, as she made her way up onto the low slanting bank. Breathing a sigh of relief at being clean and partially relaxed once more, she stood and briskly shook herself, smiling as she watched as the drops from her fur land and spread all over the dry dusty ground. Her ears started to twitch,as an unwelcome sound collided with them, first one roar and then another, both from two seperate male lions.

With water still clinging to her long eyelashes, the snow leopard sprinted towards where she had last left the group. Slowing down as she made her way through the thickness of the bushes, she emerged without being seen, astonished that there were no unwelcome visitors just Sefu, Figgy and the hyena fighting amongst themselves.

Standing there with her eyes wide, she sought out where Meri and Sanura were, close to Rondea, who it seemed was slightly puzzled over all the fuss. Catching the last of the words that they were all throwing at each other she made her move.

Taking a few paces closer, Karensha cleared her throat and didn't hold back.
"STOP IT.. RIGHT NOW, I'm ashamed of you all. I leave you all alone and look what happens, you carry on like a pack of baboons, why did I expect you to be mature and just look after Meri and Sanura... instead the cubs are better behaved than yourself."

Stopping for a moment, she looked at each of them before her gaze settled on the two young ones.
"Did you think to ask Meri what she would like to do ?, did you all forget that she has just been through a trauma ? NO.. I guess you didn't... Did you all think she would be pleased to be dragged around like a piece of fresh meat, with no concern over how she was feeling or her own say in the matter ? "
Blinking back a few small tears, Karensha looked at Figgy, standing still glaring at Kigeni.
"I expected from you Figgy... more, maybe I just shouldn't have expectations from those I think I care about and then I wont get hurt."

Turning to Sefu and the hyena, Karensha just stared at them both " you both need to examine why you want to be in this group, because unless things improve, I will be taking Meri and Sanura and we will go to the mountains by ourselves, where snowball requested we might start our journey."

Turning to Rondea who was watching the proceedings, Karensha gave him a half hearted smile, turned her back on the others and moved over to where the two young ones waited.