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 Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 4:14 pm
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Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 4:28 pm
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The journey hadn't been easy, especially when such loss weighed on Ruka's mind. She had left her daughters behind in the care of their father, and she wasn't even confident that they would be raised right. She wasn't even sure it had been... the right choice, but it was the one she had made and now there was no going back. Ruka had left her terrible life behind to hopefully find peace within her home pride.
For most of the journey, Ruka carried Hikaru in her jaws. It gave her less time to chat with Memeha and more time to reflect upon what was likely going to be her greatest failure. Every once in a while Memeha managed to distract Ruka, but it was a rare occurrence. The winged lioness just could not chase away the thoughts of her daughters. They were so young, so fragile... and she hoped they made it and grew into decent lionesses.
She placed Hikaru on the ground, and lifted her gaze to look over the terrain. The cub could barely waddle more than a few feet away before getting tuckered out, so she was not concerned. "We are. Now, my pride has never been terribly friendly to outsiders. I doubt they'd be hostile, but we've always had our ways."
---
Isigidi was the youngest in his family, a prince yes, but not the prince that mattered. He was already planning for when Kethiwe ascended to the throne and he'd lose that valuable position. Being a scar would not be a bad idea - he was by far the strongest and most capable fighter in his family (in his own esteemed opinion). If he wanted, he could even reach greater heights than just a scar. His mother would expect no less from him.
Thankfully, he did not have the same pressure placed upon him as his two older brothers did. Kethiwe and Amachawne were clearly the favorites, but that hardly bothered him. It meant he could do something like this and leave towards the border of his new home.
The idea hadn't been entirely his own. The Monarch's Soul had approached him earlier that day to inform him there was someone important arriving. He was to escort them into the pride and to the consul of Katiti'manina. From there he imagined they'd be led to his mother, Queen Ashiki. Why this lion was important, he wouldn't know. Most of the pride did not seem to question the seer, and so he did not either.
He neared the border when he noticed two lionesses and... cubs?
They didn't seem all that important. The prince sighed, and pressed on towards them.
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Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 4:37 pm
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Meme frowned as Ruka spoke. She probably should have learned about the pride before deciding to leave her own. But, then again, she was pretty much an outcast there so starting a new life elsewhere was what she needed.
She couldn't help but sigh. "That's okay. The Stormborn taught me how to fight, so I can hold my own against a challenge. The question is though, will the boys be okay. How long have you been gone?" Meme asked, insinuating that if the pride wasn't friendly to outsiders, would she be welcomed back with open arms?
She shrugged her shoulders a bit, the small cub easily sliding down, landing with the smallest 'omph.' Meme's rose color eyes glanced at him, making sure he was okay before looking around.
There was a lion approaching.
"Ruka." She said quietly, nudging her head to the approacher. |
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Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 4:56 pm
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"They will be," Ruka promised Memeha with a passing smile. Her pride was not unkind to children, and she doubted that the two of them would be considered a threat. Things hopefully would go over smoothly until she could explain herself. It'd be better if one of her siblings were here to greet her, or at least someone she recognized.
But fortune would not have it be that way. A lion approached the two of them now, and despite her assurance that the boys would be fine, she scooted Hikaru between her legs where he would be the most safe from harm. She did not recognize the male - he was young and in his prime. The markings, however, did resonate with her. His color was not far off from what she'd expect of the royal family. He could be a distant member born while she was gone, but that meant he certainly would not know her.
"Stop," she told the male before he ventured too close. "I am Ruka'sabili, and if you do not know who I am I suggest you find someone that does."
---
Isigidi had barely gotten close enough before one of the females was raising her hackles at him. Obviously, that one had to be the mother. Looking at the two cubs with them, the markings indicated as much. Ugh, he hated dealing with overprotective females. He had only been informed of one important arrival, so there were three unnecessary visitors that Isigidi wasn't sure what to do with.
Besides, the Monarch's Soul had been pretty vague about who the lion in her vision was. He had to wonder if that was on purpose...
He listened to Ruka, if only because he had no desire to start a fight at the border of his pride. His mother would be quite cross with him, and he could only begin to imagine what she'd have him do in reparations. "You are in the Ukulhwa'Izwe, and you are trespassing." The prince fired in response, and for a moment a confident smirk appeared upon his features. "I am the one who is here greeting you, so good luck finding anyone else. I won't let you two out of my sight long enough to fetch another. So let's relax and chat."
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Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 5:23 pm
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That was not the name of her pride, and it gave Ruka pause. Her gaze flickered to Memeha. For a moment, she doubted that they had came to the right place as well. But no, these were her homelands. The dirt was tinted red, and she could see the termite mounds in the dsitance. She had not lost her way in coming here. The truth was that so much had changed while she was gone. The pride had only came back together recently, but the differences were evident. "I am," she told Memeha softly.
Gesturing to Hikaru, Ruka stepped out in front of her cub to have a little 'chat' with Isigidi. "The name has changed - fitting for a new start, don't you agree?" Ruka asked the male, her red eyes hardened with distrust. A lot of things had happened to her to make her wary of others. She would trust no one so easily. "I want to find a place for my cubs to rest, and I and my friend are tired. We'll not chat here."
She was already tired of this game. Their journey had been long, and she wanted to be home. "Tell Katiti'manina that I am here. I'm sure she's seen me coming."
---
"Doesn't matter - I didn't invite you here," Isigidi responded to Memeha with an amused smirk. His mother probably wouldn't appreciate the way he was treating those at their border, but he wasn't about to let anyone waltz into the heart of his pride.
But, that stance soon changed at the name drop. Well, he had found the lioness that the Monarch's Soul had mentioned. He doubted there were many that knew Kat outside of the pride. If they were strangers to the area, then they probably would have called her by title rather than name. The lion suddenly shrugged his shoulders, as if admitting defeat in front of the females. "She already knows, told me to fetch you when you got here. Must be pretty important to land in sight of the Queen's Eye."
He turned away from the pair, planning to lead them into the Outlands. "I am Isigidi, youngest son of Queen Ashiki."
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Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 5:30 pm
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"Well aren't you a spritely lion." Meme commented sarcastically, rolling her eyes. She stood back as Ruka approached the male, ears perking when the attitude of the male seemed to change with the name Katiti'manina.
"If she knows, why play such trivial games." Memeha grew bored with the male's charades. She became tight-lipped when the male introduced himself as the son of a Queen. Ah, a prince.
When he turned away, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. Okay, so they were going into the lands. Ruka needed to meet with this Katiti lion, she was sure that would either happen now, or in the very near future. Especially if this lioness 'saw her coming'. An interesting comment to say, but was it true? Was it just a coincidence that Isigidi had met them on the border the same time they had entered the land? Just a bit too coincidental for Memeha.
She waited for Ruka to make the first move. This was her lands after all, and as far as Meme could say, she was the intruder.
"After you..." She murmured, picking up Kaoru by the scruff, waiting to follow the lead. |
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2018 6:36 pm
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That explained some things. His prideful demeanor and carelessness in how handled Memeha and herself became easier to understand upon learning he was Ashiki's son. Obviously not an important son, or his manners would have been a little better. When she had last seen Ashiki, the Queen had no consort, let alone cubs. To think that so much had happened while she was gone... She had always been a minor member of the pride, but this had been her home.
"Not so important, but little escapes Kat." Ruka told the prince, hoping the young male was not so daft that he did not catch her hint.
"Lead the way, son of Ashiki." It was the only title worth giving the lion. To be called his mother's son was an honor to begin with. Ashiki had been a great queen in Ruka's biased memory. The only thing that could stop her rule, apparently, had been natural disaster. But even so she had brought the pride back together despite the odds that were stacked against them.
Ruka bent down and picked Hikaru up by the scruff of his neck, and then began to follow Isigidi.
---
"Well, aren't you feisty?" Isigidi fired back with an amused grin. The winged female was far more cold, but he thought Memeha was at least interesting. Why she followed the other female this far and helped even carry her cubs was a mystery that Isigidi was almost interested in cracking.
"...Because she's the Monarch's Soul, and for some reason she finds it far more amusing to give me half the details I needed." Those within the pride would understand, but to an outsider like Memeha the Monarch's Soul was a mystery. Kat was a fickle creature, but her sight was insanely powerful and not something to doubt.
So the fact that she didn't tell him everything merely meant she left s**t out on purpose. Was it a test?
He finally led the way into the pride, guiding them across the savannah until they came across the rich red stone that inhabited the heart of the pride. "Well, welcome to the Ukulhwa'Izwe."
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2018 7:01 pm
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Memeha glanced towards Ruka as she told the prince to lead the way.
"Are you sure this is what you absolutely want...?" Basically, the pale lioness was saying there was no turning back. Maybe it was a comforting thought for her own self. this was the farthest she had been from her home, and quite frankly, she did not know if it was the best decision. But for her, she wouldn't go back to the pride alone.
Her eyes rolled at Isigidi's comment, taking Kaoru by the scruff, following her friend further into the pride. She tried to nudge the young cub on her back, so she could continue to speak.
"Do you refer to the this pride as another name. For example, mine was called the Myrsky Syntynyt, but we just referred to ourselves as the Stormborn." |
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2018 2:42 pm
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Ruka nodded her head. The welcoming hadn't been the friendliest, but she had certainly suffered through worse. After all, she had been captured and forced to join the Myrsky Syntynyt against her will. This pride, her home, was of her own choosing. She could have gone anywhere else within the world, but she instead chose to come back to the lands that she had been raised in. The Outlands had a bad reputation, but they were hardly evil. They simply had a different side to the same story.
She carried Hikaru between her teeth, using him as a perfect excuse not to engage the improper prince in conversation. Despite his rudeness, he wore his heritage well. He moved as if he owned the place, head held high and strides strong. For a lion of the Outlands, he was of a sound build, and by the numerous little scars he wore... he was a fighter. A warrior - diplomacy clearly wasn't his strong suit.
---
With a smirk permanently wedged onto his features, he looked back at the two lionesses carrying the young cubs. They'd make good additions to the pride, though he had to wonder what the Monarch's Soul saw in them. Well, he supposed she had only seen the one. The tag along was a mystery. Perhaps he would find her worth out for himself.
"The Outlands," he responded, and was surprised to hear his voice echo with Ruka's. They spoke at the same time, in almost a solemn resolution of pride and devotion.
"Your new home, I guess," Isigidi added with a shrug of his shoulders.
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