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 Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 9:14 am
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 The journey had been long and tiring, but Badru's excitement helped to ease the ache in his limbs from the walking. The young male was overjoyed to have been accepted to join the Queen and his pridemates on this diplomatic journey and he hoped he'd be able to learn a lot from this new pride. He was being groomed to become a Host, one who would benefit from knowing things about how rogues and other prides functioned, so this trip was certainly beneficial to him.
Still very much a youth growing into his mane, Badru bounded over to his dark half-brother, bumping against his legs with excitement. He didn't even notice the pale creature before him as he began to speak excitedly.
"Pleco, isn't this place grand? There's so many different animals! And- oh!"
He stopped short, finally noticing the wild dog. He'd never seen one up close before and his delight was obvious, although he was trying to be polite about it. A bit embarrassed by his excited outburst in front of a stranger, he ducked his head behind Pleco's dark leg, peeking out at the pale form before him.
"Hello," he said softly, much more reserved than his bouncy self a moment before."
 Kupatwa was in a similar state of disbelief and awe. She had grown up among lions and lions only and to see a pride that - while mostly lions, sure - was integrated with all other types of predators was fascinating to say the least. She kept a lid on her excitement, though, preferring to come off as poised and refined, much higher up the social ladder than she really was.
She ended up approaching a brown lioness who was watching the group closely, and perhaps just a bit suspiciously. Kupatwa knew the story - how could she not? - of how this pride was woven with her own through murder, and she did feel badly for them. They had sent one of their own to a pride to live happily and he had ended up murdered. What sort of alliance was that?
"Hello," she said with a little bob of her head, trying to appear as regal as she could despite the excitement and a bit of apprehension filling her chest. She had to make a good impression! "I'm Kupatwa and it is very nice to meet you. Your pride lands are quite lovely."
 Yong Zhi had noticed the band of lions as they had approached the lands and had observed them for some time before realizing they were here to visit. The red lion was both intrigued and concerned, so he had set off for the West house to see what was happening. Through the whispers and gossip of the pride had learned that the Queen of the Mwezi as well as quite the entourage were here to extend a bit of an olive branch between the two prides, to apologize for the 'murder' of their Duke, and to hopefully patch the relationship between them. While he was all for an alliance, he wasn't so sure how he felt about the Mwezi as a whole. Granted, he didn't know much about them, so he'd reserve judgement for after their stay.
He found a place to sit and watch the proceedings as the moon lions made their way among his pridemates, speaking to them and greeting one another. |
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 9:32 am
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Milele silently watched the crowd. He was not the nicest lion, and extremely hard to get to know...but he certainly would do anything to keep his sister safe. He was determined to end this strange 'curse' that hung over the ruling leaders of the Mwezi'Johari. His expression was dark as he watched some Tianxian mumble to one another, and the...heir?...approach his twin and exchange words. It was hard to trust this place, though it laid no blame in what had happened...the connection to this strange place still nipped at his heels.
"Milele," a voice purred. "Just relax."
He supressed the urge to roll his eyes. Juexing was a curious lioness, one seemingly unaffected by what her father had done to their homeland. She loved to tease the queen's brothers, though it was merely done to try and pull him out of his shell. "I am as relaxed as I need to be, Juexing."
The white lioness giggled. "Perhaps. Or perhaps you are concerned that you'll end up liking this place, just as Alizeti did...and he never left." Her response was a grunt, the male's ears flattening against his skull. Juexing laughed more, her pale eyes glancing up towards the Lady. She was hoping, as she was never able to meet her grandparents, to have a meeting with her great-grandparents. Something to give a connection to this name and bloodline she was attached to.
"I think the long travel has affected your brain," he muttered under his breath.
Kilua was exhausted. She hadn't completely wanted to go on the trip, but she was not going to let her husband go without her. The last thing she wanted was to be left alone in her new home, still adjusting to the life that was so different from her birthpride. She remembered there being talk that the pride was a far distance away, but after having left her homelands for Mwezi'Johari, how much further could that be? Turns out, much further.
She was nestled next to Yareha, half-dozing as she attempted to stay awake. The trek had been hard on her paws, and the subsequent aching had made it hard to sleep. Now that they were at their destination, she could rest and recover...and hopefully be that much stronger for the eventual trek home.
Leonidas was desperately trying to find his sister in the crowd. How hard could it be to find a bright yellow lioness?? But at the moment, it was extremely difficult. He was doing his best to look calm, the only way anyone could notice his stress was in the way his eyes kept darting over the crowd.
Ah! There she was. He did his best to slink between bodies, being as polite as he could with how fast he could move between them. How large was this pride, if not everyone was here? Logically he was certain that the Mwezi was larger, but in this very moment of him panicking, anyone in his way was one too many.
"Althaia!" he breathed as he finally reached her side. He shouldn't be so out of breath, but a racing heart would do that to you. "There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you...."
He noticed that she seemed just as anxious as he. Did she see...? "Are you alright??"
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 9:45 am
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Taaka found himself amongst the middle of the Mwezi. Although he had not been in the pride for very long, he found himself volunteering for the trip. He had been out exploring the rogue lands years before, what would be another little trip before he finally settled down. Besides, the lightly-colored lion enjoyed learning about other lands and prides, and having never visited Tianxia made him all more excited to go.
The trip was long, but with his seasoned paws, it was no more effort he'd normally experience when traveling. He found some nice talking buddies during their travels, where he had begun to learn more and more about the Mwezi'johari lands. He had also met Sanaa, who he'd remember during their pride initiation had woken up roughly the same time he had, leaving them both in the same class as Lord and Lady. Some days during their trip, he would speak with her, stating what he knew about the pride, and learning even more.
The Lord's gaze shifted to the lions and non lions of the Tianxia. He'd be lying if he said he knew a lot about the pride. It was interesting to him to find different species mingling together.
"What are you thinking about?" Sanaa asked softly, red gaze turning towards Taaka's thoughtful one. During their trip, the two had developed a friendly relationship.
"Ah. Nothing really." Taaka grinned sheepishly. "We are being watched carefully it seems," he said quietly.
Sanaa looked around. She did not blame the others of the pride. It was not like their travel party was small. It was a pretty sizable group, and anything more than a couple of lions could be intimidating. She donned on a bright smile. While she did not know much about the Mwezi land or it's past history, she was always willing to learn. She was open to the idea of learning about the Tianxia too, after all, they'd be living here for a while.
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 9:45 am
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 ((sorry, keeping images to help my brain out haha))
Ti'iah laughed heartily at the lion's exuberant confusion and excitement. "Yes, I am a wild dog." Her smaller size was apparent next to the grown male, but not quite as obvious with the younger male that bounded over before realizing she was here.
"This pride does welcome all species, though it is usually lions that keep the top positions. I do not mind; their strength keeps me safe." She glanced towards the adolescent, her blue eyes taking in the maze of stripes that covered his coat.
"A home away from home; this wasn't the place I was born, but it has developed into a home. A different culture to grow comfortable with...but yes, I understand what you are saying," she nodded to the black male with a wink. "I am Ti'iah; not part of the West house, but visiting from the East. It is nice to meet you both." She took the time to slightly bow to both of them, wanting to make the younger one feel welcome, but not overwhelmed.
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 10:07 am
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“Little brother!” Pyke beamed pulling a paw around his younger sibling. Although Badru was of course his half sibling that didn’t mean he loved him any less, if anything the fact that he was a big brother more than delighted him. “Have you seen this? She’s wild dog!” He paused for a moment to groom his siblings half mane. “Did you see the cheetah? It’s amazing this place don’t you think?”
“Ti’iah, “ He paused as if tasting her name on his lips “This is my baby brother Badru and my name is Pleco.” He beamed at the wild dog, this really was a fascinating place, even with lions at the top they allowed wild dogs and cheetahs to roam free. It really was so strange to him though to see her so free amongst these lions, she wasn’t threatened, she wasn’t a slave, she was free. What a strange place this was. “It is a pleasure to meet you. It is a very strange experience to see one of you up close.”
“My father was a rogue once he told me many stories of the rogue lands and its inhabitants, I never imagined that a pride would contain such a plethora of different species though.” He looked deeply thoughtful for the briefest of moments “So you can hold a rank here?” A head tilt in question, he thought maybe he was being a little rude at this point but he’d already asked so he might as well go all in.
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 10:09 am
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Well, that hadn't taken long. Yong Zhi shifted just a bit, sitting a bit straighter as one of the lionesses approached him. She seemed friendly enough but he kept his guard up just in case. He had been told that before the whole 'murder' situation the Mwezi had been very peace-loving and not a threat at all. While the situation had changed a bit, he felt as though they were still at their core anti-violence, but one could never be sure.
"Kweli," he replied, giving his common name with a little bob of his head as he flicked his gaze over the dark female. She - and those with her - were just about as opposite as could be in terms of appearance where he was concerned. They were pastels, dark and starry, and a few whites here and there. He was bold and brash and vibrant, although his personality couldn't be further from that.
"It was honorable of you to come such a distance. I do hope the journey was easy."
---
His brother's reaction to his appearance was a little embarrassing, but he took it in stride all the same, using his dark body to hide against just a bit more. But he wild dog was quite comforting in her speech and tone of voice and didn't seem at all put off by Badru's shyness or curiosity. He hesitantly leaned away from his older half-brother, eyes wide as she spoke of houses. West, East...were there more?
"House...do you not all live together?" he asked, a little surprised but very intent on the answer. The Mwezi all lived together regardless of rank and role, but it seemed this pride was far different.
---
As she waited for a reply, Kupa did her best to appear regal and fancy and not overly excited. It was hard, though, and she longed to look around and see what there was to see. She did her best, though, wanting to impress these old allies and not have them think of her as some overgrown cub.
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 3:35 pm
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Kimondo watched the group with mild amusement at the hesitation on both sides. Of course the Tianxia would be wary, though closer inspection could only confirm that she definitely hadn't brought herself a tiny army, and of course that would make the Mwezi hesitant. They were not Shangyue, none of them, and that appreciation would come later.
For now, she was grateful that Lady Ria was willing taking on the task of trying to make everybody welcome.. or at least, stating that it was their intent that they feel welcomed. Alizeti was a curiosity she couldn't help but stare at, even now, but ultimately it was Nketa that got her to focus. She'd invited the twins here for a reason and yet she wasn't surprised to find they were struggling.
She picked herself up and moved over to stand with the wary lioness.
"Nketa," she greeted her friend quietly, smiling, "You know, you're related to both Lady Ria and Lord Alizeti. Ria is your grandfather's sister, Alizeti your grandmother's brother. I guess that makes those grouchy twins over there your cousins twice."
Kimondo had noticed the heir and his twin, though she had no idea which was which from this distance, and she found the glaring in one and disinterest in the other.. almost funny.
"Leonidas!"
Althaia was relieved to find her brother, and she was in such a hurry to close the gap between them it might have been mistaken for an attempt at tackling him to the ground. So.. of course his first question was if she was all right.
With a huff, she shook herself off and straightened herself up, reminding herself that she had to make a good impression whether or not she wanted to be recognized.
And she guessed she would be, eventually. She and her brothers were almost certainly colors from this side of the family but at least Leonidas and Kavindu looked more.. generic? Sandy colors blended into a crowd better than a bright yellow would.
"Fine, I'm fine," she muttered, "Do you think this was a good idea? What if--"
And suddenly she was distracted by the tiny creature talking to Pleco and Badru. She was a huntress and had seen her fair share of outside species but she had never seen a wild dog this close up before. It looked even more out of place than all of the Mwezi here, at least they were all lions! Or.. at a glance, everybody else seems to be lions.
Without thinking, she started drifting closer and closer to Pleco, Badru and Ti'ah.
Barasa's ears twitched when his twin arrived to suggest they just leave the crowd to themselves. He had considered it but had thought better of it. His mind would be at ease while he knew what they were up to, even if it mostly seemed like a hesitant dance at the moment. He barely shook his head in response to the question before starting off on his own hushed commentary.
"There are so many of them," he muttered, "There's gotta be at least a dozen related to the queen, but did you notice how much purple there is?"
Potential cousins. Were any of them not connected to Shangyue?
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:13 pm
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The delicate lioness stood towards the outskirts of the gathered Tianxia. Her interest, however, was palpable. The Mwezi'Johari's new monarch was here, though she had to wonder how long this one would last considering all the rumors of the rulership in that pride. But, it was notable that Kimondo had come here, seemingly intent on repairing what damage had been done to their relations.
But, that wasn't something Zambarau really had to concern herself with. Leave that to the rest of her family. Politics would never be her specialty. She'd rather concern herself with practicing her vocals or indulging in local gossip. That was the reason she had been drawn even this close. She had to be here to see and know what was going on first hand.
For now, she was sticking by her own pride, even though she knew she should be polite enough to initiate conversation with these foreigners.
(( old cert. he's a guard )) Taigi was a bit out of his element. He had chosen to come on this diplomatic mission to push himself. For far too long had he laid low and been as much of a recluse within the Mwezi'Johari as possible. Honestly, few could blame him for his actions (or lack thereof). It had gone on long enough, though. How could he expect his life to change if he did nothing about it. He couldn't continue to wallow in his own self pity. It was time to move on, get his life back in gear. He just wasn't sure this was the best way to start things off. The Tianxia seemed... mostly polite, and there was no open hostility between them. But, Taigi had no idea what to do besides just watch and listen. He was acting within his duties as a guard, and keeping an eye on things. That was mostly because he considered himself to be socially inept and a little unprepared for this diplomatic meeting. Maybe he should have stayed home. It would have been a lot easier. |
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:33 pm
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Zhen was surprised to find one of the strangers right next to her, talking to her. Had she been so lost in thought? The lioness' bronze eyes blinked rapidly as she attempted to recover her calm and poise.
"Uh...thank you. I'm Zhen," she responded to the brown lioness, taking a closer look at her unexpected conversation partner. The other lioness had some pale purple markings that were a similar shade to others found here in the West House, although that moon marking was distinctly other.
But, given the wide variety of creatures and appearances here, this Kupatwa could fit right in if she so chose. It was strange. The Mwezi visitors were mostly of a pride, in appearance. Whereas those who lived here were much more varied, and not just in species. It hadn't escaped Zhen's notice that the Mwezi were all lions, and she'd overheard some remarks that hinted their pride contained no other races.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yareha looked down at his side where Kilua was nested comfortably and nuzzled the top of her head as he watched conversation after conversation being struck up around them. His mind ranged back over the years to the last time he'd been anywhere near these lands.
There had been a lioness - there had always been a lioness in those days - a big black female, as he recalled, though her name escaped him. She'd been fierce and proud and it had been a lovely evening.
But he probably shouldn't mention that to Kilua. She'd been remarkably understanding about his children, and even about his past in his birth pride. But no lioness really wanted to hear about her mate's past sexual relations. Not if they were with someone else.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nketa blinked in startlement as Kimondo addressed her. Then the sense of the Queen's words began to sink in. Relatives? Siblings of her grandparents? Cousins?
Well, family wasn't exactly a new thing. She and Kimondo were related, for example, although Nketa refused to figure out exactly how because there were too many relatives. Let the Historians worry about it. And the purple lioness was related to a decent portion of the pride as a whole. She just wasn't accustomed to thinking of total strangers in a different pride as being part of that ridiculous mess of a heritage.
"Um...do you think they're upset with us? For what...he did?" She'd thought about saying "Father", but how could you use a term for a lion you'd barely met? Meshach had been more of a father to her, but she'd never called him that once.
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