[META ORP] The Calm Before

[Lady Kitania]

The festivities had only just begun, but here was Vukani, probably one of the last few lions to actually attend. He hadn't meant to be so 'fashionably late', but such was life. Even during the times of celebration and gathering, the borders of one's homelands still needed to be watched and patrolled upon. While that duty did not fall to Vukani alone, he was still probably one of the remaining few that had kept a vigilant watch as the gatherings had begun. Especially with the buzz of the rogue lioness that had been seemingly welcomed into the pride with open paws, guard and protector duty was all more seemingly important than ever. While some seemed to favor the idea of bringing in the new, outside blood, it was still a deep scar and wound to others, especially after what had happened in the prides past.

With his orange eyes scanning around, the sandy male slowly padded up to where a fresh feast of decent proportions had been gathered solely for this event. The Ezinulo had outdone themselves this time, as there was still plenty left over, even for the remaining stragglers such as Vukani himself. Leaning down and grabbing a small portion, the redheaded lion went off to a spot that was rather vacant. It wasn't that he necessarily liked being alone, but he also wasn't very keen on interrupting folks either, and with all that had happened recently with the blinding of the young Ebere, the rogue lioness who also just so happened to be pregnant of all things, and the trials having been concluded with a new Onyeisi been chosen, many pride members were quite abuzz and deep within their own conversations at this point. So he kept to himself, for now.

With his keen ears alert though, Vukani began to dig away into his bloody meat, watching and listening as the festivities continued on.  

[Lightning Shadow X]

The dark lioness just smiled at her friend's words and nodded sympathetically, she felt the same about Ebere's plight, but what'd been done had been done. Ebere was nearly a grown up and had willingly gone into the caverns despite the laws....if anything she felt that maybe such laws might needed to be tweaked for the sake of those younger.

She couldn't have imagined how hard it might've been on someone so much younger or the parents of said cub. But either way it was a pressing issue.

Isi then snorted just a bit. "Seems a bit cowardly to think foul of a pregnant lioness...though with the fear in the older generation I doubt it'll go -too- quicky, so I'm glad it was Itri's decision to bring her in."

KasaiLoki

Poor Umhlaba nearly jumped out of his skin as he was spoken to and sighed in relief as he saw it was Dharau, his shoulders sinking back into his frame as he relaxed and bumped his paw with the others gently. Nearly had himself a heart attack, he hadn't expected someone to come actually talk to him!

"O-Oh I'm aware, it's just a bit shocking to still hear it...but Itri handled himself well." His ears then flattened at the mention of something else and he cleared his throat gently. "You know how accident prone I am, it's probably best I sit completely still...besides what if I trip over myself? Especially infront of all the beautiful ladies the pride has...everybody I knew as a cub's definitely grown into a vision to say the least and my nerves just can't handle it."
Poor flustered guy.

Anderleit

 

[Excited Apathy]

Meepfur

He was not the best uncle one could wish for. He was too often absent, engrossed in his work. Even when he was not working, he was not always certain how to handle the lioness in whom he saw bits of his sister every time he looked at her. It was sometimes hard not to resent Nkocha for his sister's death. Unfair to her, perhaps, but true nonetheless. That could make interaction with his nearest living relative...difficult. But he persisted for Siri, as she would not wish him to completely abandon her daughter.

"Paws full indeed," he answered with a nod, inclining his head slightly after Sadiki made her greeting and went on her way. "Any one of them would be enough to give us extra work. All three at once..." One shoulder lifted and fell in a 'what can you do' sort of shrugging gesture. "And a new Onyeisi as well. The coming days may be very interesting indeed." He had knowledge of the brothers, as per his rank, but a prospective king and a reigning Onyeisi were two very different things.  

[Nezi-ozu]

The sun is starting to go down, but there is still plenty of light to see. To theoretically enjoy the evening, even though the tense atmosphere made getting a lot of enjoyment out of the celebration a bit difficult for some. And, for better or worse, the excitement of the evening isn't over.

• ALL CHARACTERS roll 1 10-sided dice (if you're posting for multiple characters, you may roll multiple dice in one roll.
  
• Any characters NEAR THE EDGE OF THE ACTIVITY (people further from where the center of the celebration is / further from where Itiri is) get a +2 to their roll
  
• Any characters that are NOT CURRENTLY INTERACTING WITH ANYONE ELSE (including any new characters) get a +4 to their roll
  
• Bonuses to your roll can stack if both apply to you. Note in your post if you are getting a boost to your roll.
  
  
  
• 1-4: You don't notice anything
  
• 5-6: You hear and feel a rumbling
  
• 7-8: That wasn't just rumbling. It was a rockslide. It sounded somewhat close, and came from the east.
  
• 9-10: You definitely heard the rockslide coming from a little ways away. But you also heard something else. You think it was a shout coming from the same direction.
  
  
• Any characters that roll a 10 or above will be quoted with additional information.
  

 

[KasaiLoki]

(No bonuses for Mgbamizu!)

As soon as Isithunzi finished her comment, Mgbamizu felt the earth beginning to shake. His claws extended out, as if gripping the soil beneath him. His eyes widened, moving closer to the dark lioness as if to protect her from the unknown threat. Not able to pinpoint the direction exactly, he turned towards Isi. "Do you hear that?"

Was that a...rockslide? First Ebere, then a pregnant rogue on the borders, now this? He had wanted excitement for the pride, but perhaps this was a little too much! "This can't be good." Could Ebere entering the catacombs set off a series of misfortunate events for the pride now?

Lightning Shadow X

 

[Krysin]

(+2 for Afya)


Afya rolled her eyes at her brother. How obnoxious. "I had all the time in the world to woo everyone while preparing for this feast," she answered with her characteristic sarcastic drawl. None of the males in the pride had yet to catch her interest - not that they were inferior, Afya just wasn't interested. She was young yet and had hardly made a name for herself. If she could not be distinguished on her own, she certainly would not be able to maintain her own identity within a relationship.

At least, that was the story she was going with.

Looking away from her brother now, she managed to catch Nyarai's gaze at what could be considered the worst possible time for the pale lioness. The indifferent expression on Afya's face twisted into one of malicious delight. Her gaze swept from Nyarai to the lion she was getting cozy with. Ah ha. Her friend thought she could hide her sutior from Afya, and Nyarai would learn the hard way that it was impossible to keep things from Afya. It was far worse to even try, because it only made Afya's interest all the more keen.

She had the object of Nyarai's affections within her sight, and the dark lioness rose to re-integrate herself into Nyarai's little circle of friends. "I'll be-" Something stopped her in her tracks. Her ears flicked back, blue eyes cast towards the east. The ground had definitely rumbled just then, and she was so sure that she heard a voice within the sounds of rocks falling. A rockslide? Anxiously she glanced around, trying to make sure that at least her brother and those gathered were not in immediate danger.

"Get up, brother," she encouraged her sibling with a sharp voice.

ChexaRain

Z o m b i k ii

'cause she so much as looked at Nyarai >: )

 

[ChexaRain]

Gbaruo had just resigned himself to politeness to the new Onyeisi when he felt the rumblings of the earth, and he instantly went on guard.
What is it now?

He flicked his gaze over the crowd, watching the noticeable unease that went through it like a ripple and he glanced over his shoulder to his niece, the question on his face mirroring what everyone surely was wondering as he stepped closer to her, for his own comfort even if he told himself it was for hers. Amusu or not, he felt fear just as easily as the next lion.

MangoMeow

His sister was denying anything, but he saw the look on her face when she'd spotted someone in particular, and Noresi was instantly looking lazily about to try and find the source of her desire, though he was perfectly content with staying where he was and just watching the issue unfold. Or so he'd told himself.

He was more likely to try and follow sneakily to just overhear what was going on and continue playing the clueless he usually aimed for daily.

Noresi was perfectly comfortable with toying around normally, but the minute the earth moved beneath his feet he leapt up, gaze instantly on alert as he moved quickly to his sister's side, trying to find the source of her [and secretly his own] anxiety.

"Afya...?"

Krysin

 

[Lightning Shadow X]

Quote:

Isithunzi in the center-ish. 0 = 1
Umhlaba nearer to the edge. +2 = 7

Blinking at Mgbamizu's sudden closeness she was about to make an idle joking comment till she noticed the look on his face and her brow knitted together in obvious concern. Moving to her paws as her ears flicked back and forth and forth and back curiously as if to hear this phantom noise he mentioned.

But no, nothing. She also noticed a few others acting a touch twitchy suddenly and she glanced back towards her green maned friend in further confusion and growing concern.

"What is it...?"

KasaiLoki

Even in the midst of his nerves, his hearing hadn't been killed completely by the festivities and immediately his ears swiveled to the east along with his head as he jumped to his giant paws completely startled by the sudden noise. Brows furrowing with an obvious fearful frown as he looked between the source of that terrible fearful noise and Dharau.

"D-...Did you hear that?" He looked back towards the source as his paws nervously padded the ground in the place. "Sounds like rocks tumbling..."

Anderleit

 

[MangoMeow]

(Roll for Naani, +0 bonuses) = 5

(Roll for Kione, +2 for being far away, +4 for not interacting with anyone) = 16 (lol, wow Kione)

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

Of all the things she expected right after finally managing to get her congratulations over with, the rumbling was not it. Naani froze up, ears flattening against her head as she gazed down with wide eyes. Why was the floor moving? The floor didn't move. Did.... did she anger some god with her words? Or maybe it was her involvement in all this?!

The adolescent looked up when her uncle stepped closer to her, but he was looking around. A quick glance around confirmed that he wasn't the only one too. Some were looking panicked, others alert. She could hear Juu, Itiri's sister, shouting towards them, and it did nothing to calm her nerves.

"What-" She swallowed, "What was that?"

ChexaRain

Manda

Epine de Rose

Kione froze mid-bite when the rumbling first started. As one of the few at the edges of the festival, he was one of the closest to the source, and it had him whipping his head around towards it. That sounded like a rock slide. They weren't... too uncommon around here, but they definitely didn't normally sound that loud. That was never a good sign.

Especially since it sounded like someone shouting in the midst of it.  

[SilverLutz]

Zuko was content to simply watch the other lions of the pride as they spoke to the new leader and enjoyed the food that had been provided, but after a few minutes of solitude he felt the ground shift beneath his paws. He frowned a bit and a louder noise caught his attention off to the east. A ear twisted in the direction of the sound and he turned his head, narrowing his eyes against the setting sun to try to catch the potential danger heading their way. Rock slides happened from time to time but their severity depended on whatever caused them. What bothered him more than the rumbling was the shout he was sure he heard above the din.

Getting up from his seated position, he remained silent to try to hear what had been called out. Surely he hadn't been the only one to notice?

(+4 for being LONELY)  

[Epine de Rose]

Wonderful...

Itiri momentarily closed his eyes as panic flickered across more eyes than was strictly necessary. He appeared to be one of the few lions that wasn't entirely petrified by the prospect that another landslide had occurred. Why that might be was unique to him and something that not even a Priest would ever be privy to. After all, what occurred in the Trials was something for his eyes alone...and even his brother's experiences would have differed.

Thus it might have come at a surprise to everyone when his eyes finally opened and his face was as neutral as it had been at the beginning of his sister's outburst. Did he care there had been a landslide? Truthfully he didn't, they were increasingly common depending on where you were in the pride's territory and when it came down to it... The most lived in areas of the pride were the most safe.

Only those who were out exploring would be close to harm.

...And only those wandering in forbidden lands would be at particular risk.

"Settle down," he remarked in a much more firm tone than one might have expected. There was a lack of sympathy there, a tone designed to snap them out of their hysteria before they stampeded over one another and declared a doomsday over something utterly pointless. "Park your ridiculous and superstitious notions and think," he shook his head and merely glanced at Naani; he didn't hold her or Ebere responsible for this 'omen'. He knew such things were natural now, he'd seen them for himself in his Second Trial.

Really, he had thought his sister would have more tact than that, but it seemed she would be a Death Priest favourite by feeding in to their inclinations.

Hysteria, superstition, more hatred - all things he couldn't stand and it seemed his own family seemed inclined to promote them (whether they were aware of it or not). He'd have a thunderous expression if it wasn't for the fact he needed to be diplomatic and instead he gave a small wave of his palm. Perhaps his more measured response would encourage a similar reaction from those with a decent head on their shoulders.

"If you have loved ones you are concerned with, then by all means seek them out where you last saw them," he said at last. "If you find something has blocked your path then do not cross it, leave it." He advised coolly. If anyone was terribly injured he'd be impressed, at this point in time he would have bet his worth that the majority of the pride were absolutely fine.

However, he would at the very least make his way towards the pregnant lioness, and his brother's location, in order to ensure that they both remained secure. After all, Owu and he had deliberately put her in an undisclosed location to protect her and he wasn't about to expose that until she was ready to make her presence known.  

[Z o m b i k ii]

+2 for distance

8 +2 = 10: You definitely heard the rockslide coming from a little ways away. But you also heard something else. You think it was a shout coming from the same direction.

The words had hardly left Nyarai’s mouth when she heard a rumbling in the distance. Her head snapped to the East, vibrant eyes widening. But there was something else, a faint voice? Her ears flattened against her head as a wave of confusion came over her body. Then all of a sudden her heart was in her throat. Orange eyes darted around the meeting area becoming more frantic with every face they found, none of them the one she was looking for. She double checked and then the dread set in.

"If you have loved ones you are concerned with, then, by all means, seek them out where you last saw them." Nyarai did not need a second invitation. She turned towards Afya and called after her. “Afya, my brother is not here! Have you seen Khwezi?” The pale lioness called to her friend before her head sharply turned to face her male companion once more.

”Was he patrolling today? Do you know?” The words came out of her mouth in a mild panic as she looked into Ink’s pale eyes, her legs twitching and ready to go running in the direction of the voice she was so sure she heard.

Anderleit

Krysin