[META] Ballad of the Mad King

[Midnightglow18]

AstoriaFallen

Tapiwa nodded to the female who had spoken up. "And as a member of the guard, I joined the pride to protect the pride, to do that it would be helpful to know if I'll have to protect the pride from angry members who feel that they are being kicked out of the pride unfairly. I'm glad that there is a place for those who must leave to go, I was recently living in the rogue lands and it isn't an easy life. It's also hard to find a mate who actually wants commitment and not just a good time. So I for one respect that mating and married are important and cubs are special and should be protected and given a safe home. So, whatever happens, that is a blessing. I wouldn't wish the life of a rogue on anyone." He met her cool gaze with his own steady gaze. "Do you really believe everyone will leave peacefully?"  

[Epine de Rose]

To say Shui was taken aback by the sudden shift in support of a few members was an understatement, Azariel had caught him on the back paw. It seemed that her decision to be more outspoken had also caught several of his advisors off guard. If there was ever a moment when Aza, Tapiwa and others should take credit for, it was definitely this one... and for a brief instant it seemed that Shui didn't have an answer prepared.

Hell, he didn't even seem to have a more simple acknowledgement prepared. Had he really been anticipating hostility, was that all he had prepared for? Based on the reaction of those who stood behind it seemed that this was all they had coached him on and a more vocal and forceful measure of support had come as wholly unexpected.

"I..." He could do nothing more than not towards Cheveyo before returning his gaze towards Aza, Pili and Tapiwa.

Now how would he approach this one?

"Thank you for your support," he said at last and it seemed that he was genuine in his gratitude. He didn't have any flowery words to match what the green lioness or sandy male had said, but he would certainly acknowledge them for their actions.

Nevertheless Tapiwa's final question was a valid one and it seemed that there might very well have been some who wouldn't want to leave quietly. Not that anyone could blame them for their disquiet, everyone reacted differently to news. Quite frankly if the entire pride had rolled over and done as they were told then there would have been something wrong... The Bahari'mtoto had always been free to have their own opinions and they certainly didn't agree with each other all the time!

...But did he fear that someone would oppose him?

"I do not have concerns," he said at last, a touch ominously as a shadow seemed to shift behind him. Whoever had moved behind him wasn't entirely clear at this point but it did appear one lion had seen what it was and he didn't look happy.

It had been Solomon, and his features had rippled with concern before they had dissipated into something more neutral. Evidently he saw this as something to be addressed at another time.

"I have confidence that they will see reason, or they will do what is right for their families," Shui continued. For all the heated discussion the young male really did have confidence that the Bahari deep down weren't selfish and they wouldn't go out of their way to make life awkward for the rest of their friends and family just to make a point. While they might be angry now, he had faith many would act with dignity in the end, regardless of their choice...

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Trying to keep quoting to a minimum for you folks but just in case!

AstoriaFallen

Midnightglow18

Syrius Lionwing

 

[Andranis]

It probably shouldn't have been a surprise, that Puzzle had come across the border. After all, while the odd lion or lioness here and there deciding to join the Kizingo'zaa from the Bahari'mtoto was expected, what felt like an outright INFLUX had set the lion on edge, especially on the heels of strange lions being in the jungle that the two prides shared. So it was that at least half the leadership of the Kizingo'zaa had appeared at the back of the group, listening in. His brow furrowed, taking in everybody's concerns and the words of the new king and his council. He looked to his side, to his mate, Boneknapper, "This is... Quite something."

At Puzzle's side, the bone-decorated crafter was also watching and listening. Her own brow was furrowed, though not in confusion. A great frown had spread across her face, an anger bubbling up unlike any she'd felt before. The blame-game had never worked for anybody's favor, nor had it gotten anybody anywhere except heart-ache. She found a spot she thought she could be seen from, leaving Puzzle both confused and alarmed, as she yelled, "You only have your OWN poor decisions to blame, and you spit upon what the agreement between our prides was! I have heard your pride's history, it has been troubled long before any of us were upon these beaches!" She looked at Puzzle, "You remember it better than I do, my forte isn't telling stories."

Puzzle cleared his throat, put on the spot. "As I recall the story told to me by an old snake that lived in the trees, ages ago the last heiress before the pride nearly faded to obscurity, Mlinda, was about to step into the ocean for her Rights. A storm came, though, and nearly wiped out the whole pride, driving everybody away, until Mlinda had long grown and returned with her mate, Tambuzi, and several others." He looked at the crowd, remembering the snake's mention of a lioness of a specific shade of pink, with markings like a jellyfish. "There was... A lioness that came with them. Pink and purple, looked like a jellyfish turned into a lion. She had a litter with a passing male... And the sea did not roil in anger! A few lions, the snake said, came and went, but what the snake thinks drove the sea to displeasure was one of the queen's own children being, from the snake's perspective, driven away." He let out a breath, then inhaled. "And then the typhoon came, and Ram's niece stepped up, and then she vanished, and Ram came and did the best that he could. I knew him a brief time, but he was a good leader from what I saw, concerned for his people." Another exhale and inhale. "I wasn't yet born when the agreement was made, but as I understand it, the agreement was to be that Bahari'mtoto lions and Kizingo'zaa lions could take each others as mates. NOT that we would take those you deemed unworthy. We will be happy to take any who seek refuge, but remember that that was not what our agreement was." His tail flicked, and he sat down, a bit winded. He felt the press of Boneknapper in his side, though he didn't immediately look up. He didn't see this ending well, any of it, and he didn't need any visions to tell him that.  

[Baharimtoto Pride]

And there it was, the hostility of the Kizingo'zaa and exactly what those behind Shui had been waiting for. While it had not been cemented in the agreements passed down from the true Gypsy King to his children it seemed that verbal agreements were no longer something that they would adhere to. The Bahari'mtoto had been stabbed in the back and now those who had succumbed to the temptation would be at the whim of the Kizingo'zaa.

"Interesting," Shui remarked coolly towards the pink lionesses outburst. "As I remember the enterity of the former royal family was wiped out due to their failure to maintain the pride according to the divine. Are you truly so disrespectful as to live in scorn of us while you desperately seek to pursue drug induced visions regardless of age?" he lifted a scathing brow.

"The last time I checked only the oldest of your pride remembered their...what was it... muses?" he shook his head. "And yet you seek to thrust your own drugs upon the pride in a desperate hopes of restoring something to something long dead," he shrugged ever so slightly. "And then you seek to lecture us in regards to the history of the pride that I am more than educated on."

"Nevertheless as you have so publically backed out of your father's own verbal agreements and have left our lionesses and lions at your mercy I will do what it necessary." He waved his paw and motioned for his guards. "Remove them," he ordered darkly. "And going forward your kind are no longer welcome here. Those Bahari may have succumbed to their temptations but I will not allow them to kneel and lick your paws for your mercy," he narrowed his eyes.

"We will find them a new refuge as you call it, and we will consider our alliance ended."

"I wish you luck in your endeavours to turn your home into a drug infested cesspool," he remarked and closed his eyes, albeit it briefly. He was going to have to rely on his diplomats to press towards alternative options, though he already knew there might be several opportunities elsewhere.

It wasn't how he had anticipated it would turn out, but the Kizingo'zaa had relinquished on their agreements and he saw no further use in permitting them to enter his lands.

"Leave, and do not come back, you are no longer welcome," he stated, though he was looking less towards the preaching blue lion, and more towards the pink lioness who had decided she had the right to scream at the policies of a pride that she wasn't even a part of. This had been a closed meeting and the Kizingo'zaa hadn't been invited, alas, it seemed they were inclined to take as many liberties as they thought they were entitled to.

"Such a shame," he murmured and glanced towards his nearest advisor. "Seek alternatives," he ordered and returned his gaze towards the crowd again.

Unfortunately neither Boneknapper or Puzzle would have any further opportunity to speak as several guards closed in on them. Boneknapper's outburst had been enough to set it in motion, Puzzle's decision to lecture the Bahari on their own history despite the state of his own pride, had simply put the nail in the coffin.

It seemed the alliance was over and Shui knew his father would have been unimpressed, but whether that would be entirely directed towards his own son remained open for debate. Nevertheless it seemed that it would have come to an end at some point anyway, Ram had always been cautious since their neighbours had moved towards utilising drugs to find what they had lost... Perhaps this fall out was simply unavoidable, it had merely been delayed by Ram's decision to watch and wait.

...It was a little difficult when another pride's leaders came in to dictate your policies, at least the Bahari had discretely spoken of their concerns and advised they would wait to see what would happen. Shui could at least take away the reassurance that it had been the Kizingo'zaa who had lacked tact, and not the Bahari on this occasion...  

[Bronze Coffee]

With this latest update, several lions and lionesses who were watching were disgusted as the 'king' just so casually called a friendly pride a bunch of drug heads and cast them out without so much as a thought to what it would do for the pride.

Madhura stepped forward, all age and attitude in her eyes and stared directly as Shui. "Tyrant? Maybe, but... You're mad. A mad, crazy king with too much ambition and personal agendas. You're not thinking about what's best for the pride right now. I was with you before, marriage is supposed to be the normal, but you just want to send the outcasts to the Kizi without even checking with them to see if that's what you can do?"

Her eyes narrowed at him. "You've lost many this day, Shui. You're no king. You're just a power hungry lion and you will be struck down for you misdoings. The gods have always balanced out, and honestly, you're nothing special." She spat at him, at his feet, and turned her back on him.

"If you agree with him after this? You all deserve what's coming. No decent lion or lioness would back him without question. I don't care if you've lived here all your life, or you've just joined. You're being judged. Not just by me, but the gods know what's right and wrong. If you want to stay to make the Bahari great again via THIS way? Yeah. You all deserve the punishments. I'm going with Bonekeeper. Screw this."  

[SilverLutz]

Hima had been silent and observed everything up until this point and hadn't spoken publicly since before Ram's death. Conversations she had had prior to now had been private or one-on-one and hadn't been productive. Her grief had swallowed her whole, but her anger was helping her to climb out of the turmoil she had found herself in. Anger she knew where sadness and pain she did not understand. She had to hold on to something she knew how to deal with in order to overcome those feelings that were foreign to her, and now she was finally starting to find her footing. Watching the goings on she had remained indifferent simply because she had only joined the pride recently, but when members of her former pride came to speak to them and Shui dismissed them without any conversation, she had to put her paw down.

Rising from her place, she stalked towards her son with purpose, ears back and teeth bared in irritation. She brushed by the council that sat behind Shui, shoving one bodily out of her way to reach him.

"What have you done?" she snarled, her voice low enough not to carry to those gathered. "Do you not see how you keep ostracizing yourself from your own pride, Shui? The lions behind you are few in number. Those before you are all who will leave this place the more you speak. Your father would be ashamed to see you like this! Acting as their puppet, doing their bidding. Be a king, Shui, and not a mouthpiece!" She cared not for ending alliances if the prides no longer saw eye to eye, but the way he was going about it lacked all sense of sensitivity and tact. He would make enemies out of his own pride members sooner than unifying them.

Epine de Rose

---

Kawai shook her head slightly at her mate's question. It seemed that the punishments would only apply going forward and any lioness that had cubs out of wedlock that were grown wouldn't be as severely effected. That was good, but it was all happening so fast it was hard to keep up with.

Then one of the Kizingo'zaa leaders arrived with a pink lioness and things further deteriorated. The fur along the back of her spine stood on end as they rejected those who might be considered 'unworthy', and before she could even speak up and suggest that it wasn't that way at all, Shui destroyed any sort of friendship between the prides. She looked at her brother in shock, mouth slightly open, and back to the two neighbors as they were closed off from the rest of the pride by a few guards.

"Lit...this isn't right," she said quietly, her voice trembling. "He's picking apart everything my father did without so much as a conversation." She glanced back up to the place where the king sat and felt a wave of both relief and concern wash over her as she saw her mother speaking to Shui. The council behind the two lions loomed in the shadows, ominous and terrifying to her.

AstoriaFallen

---

"No, you and your family are safe," Shio murmured as Shui clarified the ruling. It was a relief to be sure, although he still worried for those that might fall under the enforced rules. Hopefully those with cubs had let them attempt their Rites previously and could stay. The sea had seemed very welcoming and forgiving of those who had failed in the past, so all should be welcome to remain.

Shio watched the interaction between the Kizi and his brother with a scowl and as the guards were called to herd them from the meeting, he gave Kelpie a little nudge before rising. "Stay here," he told her before moving over to the two Kizi. He moved through two of the guards to get to the two lions, an apologetic look on his face.

"Don't take what my brother says to heart," he said quietly. "He is...not himself. I understand that you don't wish to be a part of any sort of discrimination or rules that have nothing to do with your pride, and that's fair. Perhaps when things settle he will be more willing to talk about our relationship." There were lions who had mates from each pride with mates and even families in the other and to break that alliance was to pull apart families or make them make a tough decision of leaving their home. It wasn't what he wanted to see happen to their closest neighbors.

"Until then...please understand and welcome any that might wish to join you. They are seeking a new home under their own power and are leaving under their own will. They are not cast offs or throwaways."

Syrius Lionwing

Andranis

 

[Andranis]

Puzzle's fur began to rise along his back. Normally a shy and placid lion, he felt rankled to anger, an emotion he didn't often feel. "You make bold claims of a pride you do not live in, BOY. There are ample lions only barely older than myself who were born under the age of the muses, and still plenty more who joined with them." He looked at the guards, hissing at them as he started to back up.

Backing as well, Boneknapper glared past the guards at Shui. "Don't cry to us when you have no allies because you listen to the whisperings of old fools and take what you BELIEVE you hear from others! We didn't say they aren't welcome, we said you soiled the agreement!" She smacked a guard in the face with her tail, before looking to Shio. "Perhaps the WRONG sibling was chosen as an heir, because he is a weak link in your pride's spine and will surely cause its collapse." She then turned, calling to the assembled and upset lions, "ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO FOLLOW RULERS THAT DON'T HAVE THEIR HEADS SO FAR UP THEIR ASSES THEY'RE SEEING OUT THEIR NOSES, FOLLOW US!" May the Bahari'mtoto as they presently were get swept away by the sea... Or just their council and mad little cub playing at king.

Sparing one last look before they headed back to their own pride, Puzzle called, "If they wish to behave, any Bahari'mtoto who wish to visit us are still welcome to. Except YOU, Shui, and those like you, who wish to place blame upon the innocent." He paused, and then began to laugh, "If our agreement is gone... May your pride fill with our brew of insanity, for it will create the SANEST lions around you! Good luck, mad little cub-king! You need it."  

[Syrius Lionwing]

SilverLutz

Kelpie breathed a small sigh of relief but that sigh was swiftly swept away as hostilities began to rise. Of course she didn’t agree with what was happening but her mothers decision put her in a hard spot.

Kelpie stayed as Shui had instructed but she watched as he approached the couple from the Kizingo’zaa. She was very surprised at Shui’s words, shocked in fact that he would be so cruel and dirty mouthed to neighbours they were supposed to rely on. What was happening here? The dark lioness stayed rooted to the spot though she felt almost lost without Shio by her side exposed against the pale sands. She was tempted to move closer to her family, seek shelter amongst her kin but he’d asked her to stay and so she would.

She could hear his words over the hubbub caused by their new kings words and she smiled. Shio was so diplomatic. She wa proud of him for stepping forward. So proud.

—-

The silver male rose to his feet as those around them started to get riled up, hostile even. He frowned. This was not th pride he knew and loved. Though he had not been here for as long as some he had joined this pride because of its peaceful nature. Yet there was so much turmoil.

He did not speak out but he moved to stand in front of Anya, a wide splayed leg stance was taken. If anyone came and threatened his mate there would be hell to pay. She wasn’t tucked away with the shadow council that seemed to stand behind Shui but she was a part of the council in general. If anyone tried to blame her for any of this, foolishness, they would have to answer to him

Mangomeow

——

Tarni felt actual fear for the first time in her whole life, fear for herself fear for her cubs. She had come to th meeting despite protests from her father. Now she felt like she was in danger. “Afina..” She whispered frowning at her deep blue sister. “Please, I want to go to the Kizingo’zaa.” She frowned deeply, she had made her mind up the moment she said she would go and the thought that her place of exile was uncertain made her feel sick. Honestly what she wanted more than anything was to go home and stay there and not have to leave at all, but at least the Kizi was close, it was a known lands and more importantly they weren’t hostile there. The thought of being cast out to some where completely unknown terrified her.

The blue lioness frowned deeply, what was happening here? What was going on with her pride? She looked at Xenon and pursed her lips. “We’ll be back before dark, make sure the cubs get to sleep on time.” She licked her mate on the cheek and moved to her sister pulling her to her paws. “Come we will follow the Kizingo’zaa couple.” She smiles softly before marching towards the pink and blue couple. “My sister wishes to come with you, I hope you don’t mind.” She smiles at Shui and bodily shoves a few of the guards out of the way. “I’m sure they will leave without an escort but as you already informed my sister she will be going to the Kizingo’zaa you’ll allow this lovely couple to show the way without hostility won’t you?”

Tarni was rather surprised at her sisters insistance on her getting to her paws and following the blue male and his pink mate. She stayed rooted to the spot for a few moments until the two goliaths rose beside her.

Nahodha’kota moved forward slowly following behind his blue granddaughter. “We’ll be takin mah gran child to tha Kizi, and ye’ll be lettin us by without any anger now won’t ye?” He grumbled eyeing the guards that surrounded the couple. He had lived in this pride forever, he had even been the leader of the guards once upon a time, he had certainly not gone soft in his old age, he wouldn’t see this couple who should have been welcomed here, thrown out on their ear like savages.

Khepri stood beside her teal granddaughter and smiled softly. “We’ll get ya there last don’t ya fret ya lil head none. You jus’ stay tucked in beside me an’ we’ll protect ya and ya bairns.”

Vuai looked to his mate and his son and smiled gratefully. “I’m sure your cousin would appreciate the company lad.” He nodded towards the ruckus that was arising around them. “We’ll bout be helpin ya wit tha move lassy. I’m fair certain tha summit will settle this ere argument.” He eyed the new king carefully, wearily, what was wrong with this youngster? He was doing nothing but burning bridges.

“I reacon a lil common sense be goin a long way ere like, lets part ways a lil more amicably eh?”

Epine de rose

Andranis

Dad tor

 

[Midnightglow18]

SilverLutz

Tapiwa looked to Shio for what to do he stood in position getting pushed and hit, but he did his best to stand his ground and keep calm just as Shio was doing. Getting hot-headed and striking out wouldn't help anyone, clearly, this wasn't right. With any luck, Shio would do something to fix this or give his guard orders to how to deal with this situation. Tapiwa being the newest member of the guard he was there to follow orders and protect the pride. He couldn't understand why the king would say such harsh things about a pride he had heard were allies of Bahari'mtoto possible longer than he had been alive. "Sir your orders?" He looked to Shio hoping he had a plan.  

[Epine de Rose]

It was in those moments that Shui stared blankly at his mother, her outburst simply lost on him. Perhaps it was her decision to declare him a complete disappointment on behalf of his father that had done the damage, but she'd died in his eyes that day. Fortunately for her the young lion would at least grant her a measure of respect and rather than reply, he did the next best thing... He simply turned his back and strode away.

"We're not done, Shui -" It was a voice that hadn't raised above the hubub until now. In fact, the lion had been absent from the proceedings for a considerable amount of time. Interestingly it was also a lion who rarely intervened in politics, preparing simply to operate as a normal member of society and perform their duties. It had been a voice so commanding that few might have believed it came from who it did, but the blue lion had made his presence known.

It was Euphyrates, and his expression was grave, but as of yet not entirely lost to fury. He'd always been on for a more measured approach but as the young King had elected to cut direct his own family, he wouldn't let him leave without clarifying what mattered most.

"While I will not condone the act of the Kizingo'zaa in attending an event they were uninvited to, nor will I accept that they chose to dictate the rules of another pride in such a disrespectful fashion -" he glanced briefly at both of the younger Kizingo'zaa and shook his head. Shio's decision was not one he had agreed with either, what the Kizingo'zaa had done would have been completely unacceptable anywhere else. In fact, if they had attempted to shriek like harpies in the Stormborn they would have quickly found themselves dead.

...There was a time and a place concerns and their leadership had failed, that bridge was rightly burned.

But the more important subject?

"You have closed the border that these mothers would have sought refuge in," he pointed out coolly. "So where are we going to put them now?" he enquired. He almost sounded like he was on the side of the most hardline traditionalists, but in such a highly strung environment, it could have been interpreted as anything.

Shio stopped, and rightly so, at that question.

Silence between both parties remained and it was some time before the young King spoke again. Euphyrates could have given himself a pat on the shoulder in other circumstances, as it seemed the young king had finally shut his ears to everyone else. They'd done enough shouting, and it had done them all a disservice.

"I will shoulder the burden of their care until more appropriate arrangements have been made," Shui replied without looking round. "They may have mistepped, but they will not be debased by a pride in search of a sainthood," he stated darkly. "There are other alternatives and these will be researched, until then they may remain here if they so choose," he snorted.

"Or they may leave and find their own chosen refuge, the choice is theirs for the time being," he finished and strode away with his new entourage falling in behind him to shield him from view.

The conversation was over, and with his departure he had left Euphyrates to stare after him with pursed lips. Was the blue lion satisfied with this reply? His expression was difficult to read as he watched the now empty space, and then seemingly, he simply turned on his heel and began to stride away from the gathered Bahari.

They could scream and shout all they wanted, but it seemed that had been the exact opposite of what was needed. His own pride had lost their capacity for patience, for tolerance, and to step back and analyse the fragments that lay before them. On this occasion they had lost their battle, and while they held their opinions, Euphyrates knew better than to assume that the young King would change his mind.

At the very least, he was reassured that Tarni did not have to leave, if she chose not to. Euphyrates would give Shui credit where it was due in that respect, he knew the alternatives that might have lay ahead, and the young King had not chosen them as an option. Well, he hadn't yet, and Euphyrates would count his blessings on that one.

For now though it seemed that those of more measured voices and opinions didn't have much more to say. Xenon hadn't expressed his approval of his mate's behaviour, and for good reason too, but he would at least tend to their children while she marched off with her own little army.

Solomon on the other hand seemed much more muted and rather than fall in to line with those he didn't agree with on either side, for he too firmly disagreed with the behaviour of the two Kizingo'zaa leaders, he simply turned on his heel and departed. What he might have seen was a subject for another day, and his patience for those who howled in fury had long dissipated.

...The quieter tones of the extremists had won today in his eyes, and he was more concerned by this than he cared to admit.  

[MangoMeow]

This had spiraled out of control, Anya thought as she glanced worriedly from one person to the next. Her ears were slowly flattening against her head, and she leaned just a bit closer to Burny, the one person at the moment that she felt... comfortable around, and wasn't that a frightening concept? She'd grown to love these lands, these sands so like her previous home yet so much more welcoming, and the people here had been so friendly, so open... but now she was questioning whether she really knew them at all.

It wasn't only the ones who were pushing for this change, but also the ones who were affronted by it. Where had that comradeship gone, that willingness to work things out amongst each other, to seek the viewpoints of others to understand where they could be coming from? Instead, blame was being thrown from both sides and it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

She felt like she was being torn in half with her own feelings too. She did believe in family units, preferred to see cubs grow up under a united couple, but... why were these cubs no longer family in the eyes of the Bahari?

"Whether we agree on the subject or not, whether some will come out more hurt than others..." she was speaking, but she wasn't really sure to whom she was addressing by this point. For all she knew, Burny could be the only one listening to her. "Fighting each other solves nothing. Banishing people without considering their words solves nothing. Making decisions without consulting others," oh, she was willing to bet that she hadn't been the only council member that had not actually been consulted on this matter. She may lean towards being traditionalist-minded, but she had always been more open to the opinions of others, "also solves nothing. It only causes strife, and that, I believe, is what would really cause the gods to anger."

She glanced up at the sky wistfully, "And what do we know of the god's whim anyway? Weather changes? Angry seas? If anything, they've shown us favor in that regard." She closed her eyes, "I doubt the death that came from those shadowy lions had anything to do with the gods."

Anya shook her head and smooshed it into her mate's fur, "I'm tired, Burny. I want to go home now." And it was saddening to her that she exclusively meant their den now.

Syrius Lionwing

 

[Das Tor]

[Fancy colors when I'm not dying from work]

Ekundayo was glad she moved slowly with age and more struggles than the young king could fathom. It let her hear the Kizingo'zaa who had chosen to attend. It let her hear the questions and concerns, and the mad puppet try to backpedal and try to make himself seem more and more in the right. She nudged her half-sister and motioned towards the now-departing Kizingo'zaa couple and those gathering around them. They would join them.


Imani nodded and motioned to her mate, and they changed their path to join the growing contingent of lions bound for the neighboring pride. She and Seascann had thought of inviting his son to join them, but now...no. Until they knew what was going on truly, until they knew if they were safe and sound, Lochrann was to stay far from them, where he could keep the blood of Mar going.


Hillaire nodded at Ilayda's words, standing and motioning for the lioness to join him. "Twould seem we should follow the rest who see things even somewhat as we do. Love as thou wilt. I cannot live somewhere that spits in the face of everything I was raised with." They would join the Kizingo'zaa couple, and his friend, and more than a few others it seemed.

Redbud-Tree

Kivumbi had been quiet, uncertain and more than a little scared for her niece. She wasn't family by blood to her, but she was still family, and family meant more to her than it did Shui, apparently. "Family looks after one another. Through the good and the bad." She moved to join her family, the lions who had embraced her from the start, then gave Shui a hard stare from her place and raised her voice enough to be heard, but not enough to be violent.

"Do not slander the royal line who stood before yours. Tamu was a good and fair Queen, and did her best to serve the pride and give it the ruler it deserved. Families are best when stable, yes, but stability means nothing if it is not enveloped with love and kindness and compassion. That is a lesson I learned from the sea itself." She turned back to her family and gave them a fond smile. Before the Bahari, her life had been full of judgement and uncertainty. Vuai and his family, her family, had brought love and kindness and strength into it.


Kizingo'uso stayed close to Tarni, picking his steps carefully to avoid looking like a clumsy 'sandface'. He wasn't leaving her to face anything alone at all, because she was his cousin, and she deserved to be loved and looked after no matter what choice she had made. "We've all go' y', cous'. None'll 'arm y' while y'r fam's go' y'."

Syrius Lionwing

 

[SilverLutz]

Hima was expecting some sort of reply from Shui, a word or a look, but he remained blank and still until he turned away from her. That was such a surprise that she stood frozen in place, eyes wide, as he spoke briefly with Euphyrates. It wasn't until the movement of the lions behind her that she shifted finally, heart pounding with rage and disbelief.

"So that's how it is," she said in a low growl, claws digging into the dirt as she remained in place, a rock in the middle of a stream as the traditionalist mentors moved around her to follow Shui away.

Kawai, still watching everything that was going on, held her breath as her bother turned away from their mother as if she wasn't even there. Kawai had been one of the few of her siblings to try to approach her mother and had the scars on her back to prove it, but even still she had continued to try to bring Hima out of her funk. Looking up at Lit, she pressed against his side for just a moment before trotting over to where Hima still stood.

"Mother," she said quietly, hesitating a few paces away. Hima turned sharply, eyes alight with the disbelief and anger boiling inside of her, but they lost a bit of the fire when they focused on who was speaking to them. The white lioness let out a shuddering, low breath before moving towards her daughter. Hima wasn't affectionate in most cases, but playing adoptive mother to the litter Kawai had come from and having one of her own had awoken the maternal instinct buried deep within her.

"Kawai," she said gruffly even as she pressed her forehead to the younger female's. Kawai closed her eyes, accepting the apology for what it was, and dropped her head to press it against Hima's neck in as comforting of a hug as she could manage.

"Don't let his actions upset you," Kawai murmured quietly as she felt Hima trembling. This wasn't as it had been when Ram had died, though. This was the quaking of a warrior about to rampage. "This was thrust upon him and we need to support him as best we can so he doesn't fall completely into their mindset."

"I know," Hima growled. "But no one turns their back to me like that and gets away with it. Not even my own son."

Kawai pulled back, a sad expression on her face as she studied Hima. Her mother looked as if she was ready to take on the entire group of lions that had followed Shui away single handedly and knowing her stubbornness, determination, and skill she knew she'd cut through a rather wide swath of them before becoming overwhelmed and taken down herself. Battle wasn't the way of the Bahari, though. Hima had grown up in the rogue lands and was battle-hardened from that, but Kawai had been raised here and understood the way the lions worked.

"Mother...come," she said with a little nudge. "Let it go for now. Perhaps he will apologize later."

---

Shio's ears flattened against his skull as both Puzzle and Boneknapper raised their voices to be heard, words spoken to both Shui and the pride as a whole. He shook his head just a bit as the pink lioness spoke, for although they spoke of his brother talking about a pride they didn't live in, they too were making assumptions about a pride they hadn't set foot in in far too long.

"He was chosen for a reason," he said quietly. "He may have strayed from the path, but hopefully he'll come to see reason." He saw that a few lions were heading their way, as well as that Shui and the council had departed. He was in charge of these lions now.

"Stand down," he said to the group at large, looking at Tapiwa. "They will see themselves out peacefully. Let those that wish to go with them also go. No one here is looking to cause any trouble." Indeed, with his brother and the traditionalists gone, all worry of things escalating had ended.

Midnightglow18

Andranis