[ORP] Cub Bonanza (Open; cubs/adols)

[Quaji]

INTRODUCTION

With the new fallen showers that have given life back to the lands, the cubs born during the drought have suddenly found themselves in a very, very different one than the one they were born into. The verdant world is ripe for their taking! However, it was the lionesses keeping them from taking what was theirs...until now! With the lionesses otherwise occupied, a few cubs and even their older relatives, finally have the opportunity they've been waiting for to wander and explore...without the grown-ups telling them "no". While danger is lurking in the green grass, the world has changed so much that the lure of a grand adventure is nearly too alluring to pass up.  

[Quaji]

IC Information

• The rains, in the form of scattered (but consistent) showers has transformed the dusty plains green as far as the eye can see.
  
  
• A new herd has moved in, a large group of wildebeest. Rumors say there's a white beast living at the heart of the herd. This herd is now a focal point on the horizon most days.
  
  
• Umthunzi and Inkinga are survived by five cubs. Bangizwe also has three other young cubs that were found by him on the border. Though rogue-born, the Umholi is claiming them as his own as their mother, apparently, was a rogue he met on the border and was trying to convince to join. She, unfortunately, died. (TIS A LIE, but no one knows lol) So there are currently eight cubs without a mother in the pride.
  
  
• Tawa'shilah stepped down as Inselelo following Umthunzi's death to be able to take care of their two daughters. He's now an Ahluke.

OOC Information

• There is no specific posting order, and you are free to post as many times as you would like. Interact with your fellow players!
  
  
• This will be a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style ORP with several posts from Quaji meant to continue the overall the story.
  
  
• This is open for cubs and adolescents that are a part of the pride. Don't have a cub/adol? Familiars are welcome to observe (if they're not part of the pride), or participate (if they are part of the pride).
  
  
• There may be danger this ORP. Be wary if you have a cub/adol who has permission posted for injuries.
  
  
• One post = one ticket -- you can only earn one ticket!

Prizes

Umzingeli
Bangizwe x Ukame

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Ukame is an extremely unstable lioness who suffers from intense visions when she sleeps. While she would have been a doting mother, she would have appeared distant at times after a particularly bad vision. During these 'down times', the cub would likely be nannied by other lionesses, giving her a good sense of togetherness. Bangizwe would be present, as he is in all of his cubs' lives, but a more distant figure as he takes a non-direct approach to helping with his cubs, leaving most daily needs to the lionesses. That does not mean he wouldn't be affectionate though~ He does love his kids.

This girl was the only cub born and was born only a few weeks before the drought began.

 

[Quaji]

Scene: Early afternoon, most of the main pride is sleeping, the rest are either hunting, scouting, gossiping or doing something else. It rained earlier that morning, so the air is cool with a light breeze that carries scents, most unfamiliar to young cubs.

Sisi bumbled through the grass that came well up to her back, awkward legs moving as quickly as they could to the designated meeting spot. The gathering had spread around through the cubs of the prides and even managed to work its way to the ears of the adolescents. Today they would explore. The adults never let them go too far, so obviously there was neat stuff out there that they didn't want them to find.

Their spot was a fallen log, hollowed out for termites that had long since moved on. It would have been easy to miss if it wasn't for the group of little lions that were gathering, ready and waiting for their grand adventure to begin. Sisi included.

"Hey!" The little golden dapple greeted as she clambered to take her place atop of the tree, steadying herself as it wobbled slightly. "No one told the grown-ups, right?"  

[Ctrl F Greenie]

From overhead the young goddess, donning the mortal figure of an avian, was peering down upon what appeared to be a small grouping of young lions. Curious as can be, which her Mother often scolded her for, she decidedly leaned downward aiming for an easily accessible area on the ground that allowed her to keep a friendly distance.

What were the youngsters up to? The female pondered this to herself. Surely the adults would return to monitor them as she so often recalled happening to herself as a cub. The constant eyes were what kept her from doing just this, she was sure. Or just what she assumed these unattended to youngsters had planned.

Keeping in mind that she didn't know them she continued to keep a safe distance - though her feathers certainly didn't allow for any form of camouflage.
 

[SilverLutz]

Ukufana felt horrible about joining the little cubs excursion, but she had to. She wanted to prove she wasn't in danger, that she could take care of herself and her sister. With her mother recently perishing in the fires that had both razed and healed the land and her father sustaining rather horrible burns trying to find his mate, she and her sister had been left in the care of the many lionesses in the pride. They were all very kind and had treated them gently when it had become known that Umthunzi had died, but the cub didn't want their pity. She was strong, like her mother and father, and she would press on. It still hurt, especially when she saw her father and how lost he looked, but perhaps if she could do this she could make him a little happier known that his daughter who looked nearly identical to his mate was just as strong as she had been.

Joining a dappled cub by the log, she gave the slim female a little grin. "I didn't tell anyone." She gave her head a toss to situate the pelt on her back a bit better, not wanting the fringe of the dark, spotted hyena pelt to obscure her vision. She had inherited Umthunzi's albinism and the sun, as promised, was painful when she went around without the protection of the skin.

Another set of paws padded towards the meeting place, this time belonging to a male. He approached warily, keeping his head down and eyes darting this way and that. Wandile was very cautious around females and he was doubting if he should even go on this little adventure, but even at such a young age he knew he'd soon be tossed out on his own. He was hoping this adventure might teach him a thing or two about being alone and with no one to rely on but himself...and maybe he could make a friend or two before the excursion was over.

He approached the log but didn't get as close as the large, pale female, nor the smaller, dappled cub. He was within earshot, though, and could hear what those gathered were saying. He didn't want to get left behind!

[OOC: Please keep me out of the raffle biggrin ]  

[Tanakako]

"Come on..." Anashe called as she scampered ahead, only pausing to look back at the brown and cream cub following along behind. Kala's youngest daughter stuck out amid the browns and greens of the new growth that nearly swamped the tiny cub, her silver fur with its blue markings sparkling in the sunlight. Behind her Kezela padded along, a sour expression on her muzzle as she eyed the bright cub who was not much older than herself but far, far smaller, called out to her. "Go away Ana!" She hissed irritably, not understanding how anyone that looked like that could be so cheerful. Surely the silver and blue.. blue cub knew she was supposed to not be seen? Kezela stole a glance at the nuisance walking ahead of her and frowned. She had seen the teasing the little silver girl received and yet nothing ever seemed to affect her. Kez refused to admit it, but she was jealous. She wanted to be happy and carefree but she always found herself second-guessing herself, her actions, even her own thoughts. She just wanted to fit in, and yet Anashe didn't seem to care. It confounded and confused Kezela. Scowling even harder at the silver cub Kez scoffed, turning her head to look at the growing gathering of other cubs. Having been pride-raised, her mother dieing soon after she and her siblings were born from milk fever, she knew most of the other cubs by name and knew who their parents were. A side-effect of being passed around the nursing mothers. Spotting her aloof brother she deviated from the path Ana had been crafting through the thick grass and bee-lined for the male. "Wandile." She said loudly, determined to catch his attention.

Ana glanced back as the cub she had been basically bullying along swiftly altered course and made for one Anashe recognised as Kez's brother. The three cubs had nursed with her and her sister once or twice, though no one seemed too keen on the blue Busisa mother from being that near the youngsters for any length of time, but there were only so many mothers and a strange surplus of cubs to feed. It confused Ana but she had been told to be nice to the other youngsters when they came to eat, so she had gone out of her way to try and befriend all of them. Speaking of.... perking her ears she spotted the dappled girl she knew as being from the second litter to be found motherless. "SISI!" The silver cub yelled loudly in excited greeting. She didn’t think this one and her siblings had been to visit for a meal yet, but she was fairly sure it would happen, and she may as well get to know them now as opposed to later.

Quaji

SilverLutz

 

[Andranis]

From a tree, Ukumelana watched the cubs. She'd found a vulture willing to watch her eggs for her, sit on them, so she could have a break, and was now taking the chance to scope the cubs out. Which, she wondered, would be the ones her chicks would bond to? She counted at least six cubs so far, one particularly scrawnier than the rest, so at least most of them would find a partner. She'd noted before, how the lions of these lands tended to bond with vultures, and found it a mutually beneficial partnership. The lions got eyes in the sky, and the vultures were guaranteed food more so than if they simply flew and wandered far and wide.

Her gaze traveled upward to a bird in the sky. Not an unusual thing, for certain, but even Ukumelana was nervous. An eagle of the right size could easily carry off a lion cub, and she actively wanted her chicks to bond with the cubs of this pride. That wouldn't be possible if any of them were picked up and eaten by another bird. Whatever kind it was, she hoped it would spot something much smaller, like a meerkat, instead.  

[belloblossom]

Like the cubs, the rain that fell had been a new experience for Mazuri and it excited her to no ends. Soon she observed the dusty, hot ground turn to soft greenness beneath her paws and the adults spoke of a herd that had returned to their lands. It filled Mazuri with a giddy excitement and it was rather hard to act mature when all she wanted to do was roll about in the new grass.

Today, she had aimed to attempt to be both mature and playful. She managed to get in on the cubs' game by being just young enough to be considered part of the game still and she was glad for it. She swore to secrecy and confirmed by her being there alone that she hadn't told any of the adults. She'd watched over the little ones before, she reasoned, how could today be much different?

As they all introduced themselves, for Bangizwe's rogue cubs were still finding their ways around the pride, Mazuri put in her words with carried a fair amount of curiosity with them.
"And I'm Mazuri. So, what're we doing?" She asked with wide eager eyes.

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Quaji

Tanakako

SilverLutz

AstoriaFallen

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Krisis made a choice to get closer, though she hadn't the foggiest that eyes had been on her, even for a moment. Her motives were purely innocent and so she saw no issue in landing nearby, a tree (which she also figured was uninhabited). All the while her eyes remained focused on the gathering which grew by another individual.

"How unique." She chirped in a quiet fashion, perhaps not holding true to the appropriate sounds made by the species she chose to wear briefly. Settling onto a branch she fluffed her wings up and settled them back down, allowing feathers to relax - the darn things could be so uncomfortable.

Andranis

Didn't see you had mentioned Krisis xD Also, crap tag, sorry!

 

[In Good Faith]

The sleepy creature was getting more and more agitated as their nap was disturbed. And quite honestly? To wake a bush baby in broad daylight was feat in and of itself. This one in particular, though, was alone, which required their defenses to be on greater guard. Bleary eyed, it only opened one eye at time until it was able to make out the shapes that were making all the ruckus.

Lions. Always the lions.

A small heart attacked locked up their tiny chest, but there was something different about these felines. They were the smaller than normal. Babies, the word came to mind. The creature's chest loosened, and curiosity took over. Her oversized eyes widened, and she watched them be... well somewhat cute. Even a grumpy bush baby could appreciate other infant animals. (Of course, by default, nothing was cuter than herself being a perpetual baby.)

When one squealed particularly loudly, something about c-c... well that was less cute but all the same, the bush baby scaled the tree overhead in order to get a better look at what these small-cats were up to.

Quote:

No familiar available to me, or a cub/adol in the pride. XD;; So NPC it is... AND GUESS WHAT. I'M GONNA BE A BLEEPING BUSH BABY. >D