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Tala Female | 4 Years | Pride | Huntress Mentions Directly/Indirectly: (Ind) Ufuka Males, Pride Lioness ~ Tala, a pride lioness. A supporter of her dad, Mandlenkosi, the true king of Ridge Pride. A few days ago, a coalition of bloodthirsty male lions came and attacked Ridge Pride, turning a once calm camp where cubs were growing into great huntresses or ferocious males, into a giant bloodbath. Everyone was practically stained with blood and scratches, and the Ufuka males looking quite proud of the stupid, horrible thing they've done to Ridge Pride. They killed every single cub! Well, thankfully they didn't kill two of them. ~ The two cubs they didn't kill belonged to Nnenia, the queen. Tala doesn't know, but she honestly doesn't care. At least two cubs survived... But all those others? Cold-bloodedly murdered, by these smelly, annoying, Ufuka males. They even killed her dad too, at least, she assumed they did, or he just bled out later. That was an awful day. It left pretty much the whole pride devastated by their not one, but around eight losses that day. It left her completely destroyed, thinking, 'Why didn't I do something?' Or, 'I could've saved them!' Yes, Tala thinks she can take on a whole coalition of six males on all by herself. The orange colored lioness neatly laid down by a nearby shrub, breathing quite heavily from the exhausting heat pouring onto her thin coat of pokey fur, pretending to be asleep. ~ Tala had her two eyes squinted in a way to make it seem like she was asleep, as the bigger of the two dominant males, Gazizi, walked in between the pride. Chills shot through her spine when he walked past her, and she was tempted to stand up to walk away to a new spot, but didn't risk getting beaten by the male, well, she didn't know if he'd beat her or not, but he just has this terrible, bloodthirsty aura that seems to... Be wherever he is, it creeped her out a lot... The thumping sound slowly fading away as the male got farther and farther from her, making her sigh quietly in pure relief. She did not want to talk to that male. He was creepier than Kizurbi or whatever his name was, by a lot. Gazizi just seemed... Like someone who enjoys killing. A sport-killer, you may call them. He just looks like a very sadistic lion, it really made Tala just want to hide from his sight altogether. |
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Itai
Ridge Pride | Huntress | Mentions: Nnenia, Ukufa Males
A restless drove the lioness as she paced a small path near the newly appointed temporary Queen, as the new males had put it, her face pulled into a sour grimace. Her shoulders moved beneath her skin, claws extending to pierce the ground beneath. Quiet rumblings of displeasure rolled from her as she prowled to and fro, scanning the pride as if she were looking for threats. And she was. The pride had been taken over by a group of terrible males. Formidable? Yes. But horrible. Worst of the worst.
Rolling her shoulders from the weight of the stress, the lioness shifted to her haunches, her face darkening as she locked sights onto one of the new Kings, she believed his name was Gazini. The male seemed to relish bloodshed, thrive in it. If it weren't directed towards them, she might even applaud him for his capabilities. However, now she just hated him.
"Disgusting brutes," the female murmured, but let her eyes shift to the other King. Kiburki? Kibuki? No no, that wasn't it. Kiburi. That's right, the smaller of the two was Kiburi. Her lip curled in sheer disgust as she moved towards his brother, there was a lazy way to the way he moved that exuded dominance but also uselessness in Itai's eyes.
Turning her attention away from their new Dominant Males, the female let her eyes drift to Nnenia. "How are you and the little ones doing?" She asked, her features softening a bit, not being able to image what is going through the Queen's mind. "Hopefully we can go on a hunt today, so we can get some peace for a little bit," though, if Itai was honest, she doubted they'd let them go alone. |
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Gazini
King | 5 Years | Ukufa Lion | Mentions: Kiburi, Lioness [Ind.]
Large paws came to a stop, circular ears swiveling on his head as he trailed his gaze around. While he was studying the pride, he didn't let his eyes linger on any one lioness. He wasn't foolish, he knew many, if not all, the lionesses hated him, especially, him because of what they had done. However, Gazini wasn't one to be concerned over the opinion of others.
Rocking back onto his haunches and then sliding down to his belly the male began to groom himself, starting with his forelegs. His tail curled and idley flicked upon the ground as his coarse tongue worked the dried and drying blood from his coat. It would take time to get himself completely clean, likely requiring a wade through water unfortunately, but he could clean himself up a little just he didn't feel so caked.
Ears twitched upon his head as if listening to everything happening around him, swiveling towards each and every noise in the process. When the sound of low thuds approaching him reached his ears he lifted his gaze without so much as moving his head. His brother, Kiburi, seemed to be heading in his direction, a lazy gait to his walk that Gazini was all too familiar with.
Listening silently, the Dominant Male wasn't surprised that Kiburi asked him to go patrol, and he snorted softly in response. Gazini didn't mind doing patrols, he enjoyed them, but he wasn't about to do all the work and share his rank with another, brother or not. "I think it would be best for us both to go, Kiburi. Surely whatever it is can wait while we secure our new borders. Or do you wish for any opposing males to think I am the king solely?" His head lifted, muscled twitching beneath his flesh as he stretched one leg out in front of them.
"Or," he started, not one to squander an opportunity for a good deal, "I can go ahead by myself, or with another or a lioness, and you and Reth can go tonight? The males might try to sneak back in at night under the cover of darkness. They're less likely to brazenly attempt anything during the night." His ears flicked and his head cocked to the side, though his face remained in an impassive expression. "I would prefer to bring one of the lionesses with me before their hunt. As much as they hate me, it would be good for them to show me common places of traffic so we know where to be most vigilant," he nodded as he finished speaking and pushed to his feet finally, shaking his mane in the process.
"Perhaps I'll take the Queen, or one of the other huntresses. I'm not worried about any of them taking off on me, they'll know what would happen," he shrugged his shoulders, now looking at the pride with interest to decide who to take with him. Anyone who had heard him could tell he had made up his mind on the idea and there would be little point in arguing with him. |
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Eslandà Cub-sitter// 3.8 years old// Previous Ridge Pride Member// Mentions: None|| The events replayed over and over in the Lioness' head as she sat waiting for her next shift. Soon, the two cubs left would be prancing about- hopefully knowing nothing about the slaughter that occurred on these lands. Their lands. She wanted to let out a chuff, lash out at at the nearest Ukafa male but nothing good would come from that. Only her death. Dying wasn't an option, not for Eslandà who had lost everything in the blink of an eye. She could almost still hear those cubs roaring, giving out little yips as they playfully attacked each other. So full of life...then not. Eslandà dared a glance around the Pride now a prison- her blacked tipped tail flicking as she scanned the Lions' about. She was always listening, until last night when the Kings' and and their brotherhood rushed through; killing every notable fighter they had. Leaving only a few to suffer from the wounds, as if they deserved it. She bit back another growl, instead opening her large maw and letting out a yawn; standing to stretch. Again, confusion settled over her as she began to move around; golden orbs taking in everything new and avoiding looking at massacre still hanging around; a reminder of who was in charge and what was to come if defied. Bile rose in her throat, but shaking it away she continued her trek towards the watering hole. It didn't take long to reach the waters, stepping up to them and again sitting down as she stared at the reflection staring back at her. And she was left wondering, why? Her mother was dead long ago, Eslandà being a young cub merely- the antlers of an antelope piercing into her mother's side and killing her weeks later as infection spread. Eslandà had no family left alive- a pang a sadness hitting her but shaking it off, Eslandà dipped her head into the water and took a lengthy gulp. Only to come up with a wince- her muscles sore and tense from the previous events. //hope this is good// |
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Nnenia Temporary Queen || Five || Mentions: Itai, Kibuka, Pride They came in the night. How she had been so oblivious, Nnenia herself did not know. She expected their arrival, had even braced herself for it. She had been planning the day her sister, Nyela -and the rightful Queen- had been found, killed by the individuals who now stood before her and left as a message. The Ridge Pride, having to showcase a strong front, were forced to act rapidly. Somehow, it was Nnenia who was entrusted to take over as Queen in her sister's place. Somehow, the safety of the lionesses had become her duty. Not even a week, and already she had failed them. This coalition, these Ukufa males, had been underestimated. It was her own mistake. She had not expected them to arrive in such a manner nor with such force. She had not expected Mandlenkosi to lose, and she certainly did not expect them to slaughter the cubs in such a way. All but two remained, hidden between her legs. They were hers, albeit not biologically. No, their true mother had been Nyela, but it was information sworn to secrecy. As far as anybody knew, as far as anybody would know, these cubs were hers. However, the greatest shock.. the greatest betrayal, was that he stood among them. Kareem, her friend. The individual she had grown up with, the individual that had known Nyela personally, stood in the shadows, toying with the corpses of the deceased cubs. They had memories, she and him, but now, the sight of him made her physically ill. To know that he took part in this event, perhaps even aided in planning it, made her recoil in anger. There was a large part of her that wished to harm him and the rest, but to go against them believing that she'd win was a delusion. She would lose, and if the other lionesses aided, they would lose, too. These males were like no other, despite their wounds. Truly, what other option did she have left? Go against them and risk the lives of both the lionesses and Nyela's cubs? Vanish during the night with them while constantly living in fear that they'd be found? What form of life was that? To survive was one thing, it live in fear while doing so was another. Oh, but look at them. She had nearly spat out a comment having cast her gaze upon the one they call Kiburi. Perched upon a rock he stood, flaunting his pitiful mane as if he had not just ruined their livelihood. Indeed, Nnenia watched as he began to stride around, taking on a posture in an attempt to showcase that the pride was his. She had nearly spoken something, a threat bubbling from within, but rather, she had found herself biting her tongue, silently praying that one of his wounds would grow infectious and eat him from within. "The audacity one must have," she had murmured to Itai, her remaining sister as she watched her pace relentlessly to and fro. Her lips had twitched in an attempt to suppress the snarl she so wished to direct towards the males. The other Dominant Male, Gazini, was no different, though she certainly feared him more. His lack of expression and remorse was abnormal. It was not right, and Nnenia found herself hiding the cubs beneath her further as he passed. "Managing," was all Nnenia uttered when asked how she and the cubs were doing, her gaze breaking away from the males and returning to Itai. Even Kibuka, the female cub beneath her seemed speechless, a sight not often seen for the talkative creature as she lay huddled amongst her sibling. Releasing a puff of breath, Nia nodded to her sister's words, grateful that she had her so near. Having lost Nyela, she wasn't sure what she would do if Itai was taken from her as well. "There will be a hunt today. It'll be good for us and the others to clear our minds, though I would prefer it to be a smaller group." She paused, hesitating. "I don't trust them." Gaze directing to the males, she glanced to the cubs, not wishing to leave them alone. Nnenia was certain that, had they wanted to, the males would have killed the cubs already. They were spared for a reason, most likely leverage. However, it mattered little to the female. Their minds may change, and if they did, Nnenia would feel better knowing that the cubs had more than one lioness protecting them. At least then they may have a chance. Small, but a chance nonetheless. |
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Kiburi Male | 5 | Ukufa | Dominant Male Mentions: (Dir) Gazini ~ As Kiburi inched closer to his brother, he opened his maw to yawn. The male had literally just slept like not that long ago, why was this boring lump tired again? His paws dragged across the floor with each lazy step he made towards his brown maned brother. The lion was too lazy for such a tiring job, such as walking around for example. The blazing sun immediately began to scorch the fur of almost everyone in the blazing hot savannah, making him even more tired. ~ Kiburi sighed with annoyance with a lazy tail flick. Why must he patrol? He guessed what Gazini said makes sense. "I hate it when you're smarter than me, brother." He growled and licked his lips and dug his blood-stained claws into the thick, firm ground, lifting his cranium up to look straight at Zi. "I'll patrol with you." He grumbled, a low growl coming from his throat as he turned to look towards the female again, feeling the urge to go talk to her, and get to know her. His pupils turned to slits as the sun glinted on them. "But tonight, I will not patrol, nor will you.." He said, with a long pause, looking back towards the Zi. He was dreading this patrol, walking around to check his territory like every other king does is just such a hard task for him to accomplish. ~ The job of a king is tough. Especially a new one. It's hard to earn the acceptance of the lionesses who liked the original king, but that is a job that Kiburi and Gazini can do. They are strong and ferocious, well, Zi is atleast. Kibs is just a big, fat, lazy pig. What else is there to do? Everything else is much too tiring for him to do. He'd rather find a nice shady tree to catch some Zzzs underneath with his fellow Ukufa males, and enjoy the lazy day. But no, he must be out patrolling if he wants to be a king. Ugh. If he can't sleep, he'd rather be surrounded by fifteen lioness' who all love him and Zi, and accept them as their kings. ~ Kiburi grumbled gruffly. "I'll patrol with you this time, or I can go with Reth and you can stay." He sighed, awfully exhausted. "But" He continued his idea. "Tonight, you patrol and take a lioness with you. I don't trust Hizaak on patrols to the point where I would rather get up after a long nap and do it myself." He stopped with a sharp tone when he said 'myself' to Zi. ~ Hizaak just... Is deficient in the skills needed. He's too naive, and reckless, and one who Kibs looks at as unreliable, a cub, or just someone who gets in the way. He often looks at Hizaak as just an extra follower who doesn't do much. He thinks of him as if he's just a silent obstacle to obstruct their quickest path to succeeding. Of course, he would never tell anyone he thought of Hizaak like this, but honestly, Kibs didn't like him very much. |
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Itai
Ridge Pride | Huntress | Mentions: Nnenia, Kiburi, Gazini, the Cubs, Lionesses
The adult lioness let herself finally flop to her side, trying to allow herself to relax and not think about everything that had occurred recently. She especially tried not to think of her young son, her only succesful cub in over two years, lying in the bush she had found him in earlier.
"I wish I could say I was wholly surprised, but," she grimaced a bit, her face marring into a snarl, "Im not. Males are brutes, useless and lazy brutes who prefer to do nothing but feed and fu--" She cut herself off remembering she was around tiny ears. "Anyways. Truthfully, we got lucky with Kosi so many years ago, being as gentle as he was with the takeover, many are more violent. Perhaps not this violent, but it rarely is as amicable as we've had," she ground out, tail lashing behind her.
"We shouldn't trust them. They haven't earned that. They've destroyed everything," she grumbled and sat back up, now laying on her belly. "I can only hope Kosi and Koen are alive, though I doubt we will ever say hide or hair of them again so long as this Coalition is in power," she dragged herself closer and pressed her broad head into her younger sister. "But we still have a piece of Nyela left, and for that I am truly grateful," she said wistfully, though she made no motion towards the cubs. Anyone who was listening would have assumed she was speaking of their memories.
Itai rose back to her haunches, her restlessness clear in how she kept moving. "We will need to ensure the lioness do not do anything to jeopardize the cubs though. They will not lay a paw on this cubs so long as I am still drawing breath, Nnenia. That I promise you." There was something fierce glinting in the lioness' eyes, something that was equally sad and terrifying when it was realized she had little left to live for. "What they did to Chuma," her voice cracked on her sons name, "I will never forgive." Her voice wavered before she looked down at the ground, defeat sagging her shoulders. |
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Palesa
Ridge Pride | Huntress | Mentions: Tala
A pale figure was lying flat beneath some bushes, trying desperately to disappear within them. Her brother, her protector, and best friend was gone, possibly dead and the grief that had ahold of her was jarring and suffocating. Her ears laid flat on her head, eyes wide with fear and worry as she looked around like a scared cub. It was all so much.
Palesa was grateful she didn't have cubs. Her fragile mind wouldn't have been able to handle it if she had lost her cubs to the coalition, she was already haven't a hard time handling losing her brother. To make matters worse? She knew these males. Not specifically, but she had witnessed this once before with her natal pride, only it had been from a distance and she hadn't known the extent of the damage wrought. Did they recognize her too?
Fear caught in her throat like a physical lump and she slowly crawled out from the bushes and looked around. She might have gone to the Queen or her sister to seek comfort, but she didn't want her fear and anxiety making things worse with the remaining cubs. So she sought out comfort somewhere else.
Her eyes landed on Tala, and female she wasn't terribly familiar with, but she was at least close enough for Palesa to reach easily. With her head and body low the female skirted over to the female and pressed into her side before laying down. Her head rested atop her paws, eyes still searching for danger that lurked around.
"A-Are you okay, Tala? Were you injured?" She asked quietly, keeping her voice low. She hadn't even bothered to check to see if the female was awake. It seemed she was far too anxious to think about normal mannerisms. |
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Gazini
King | 5 Years | Ukufa Lion | Mentions: Kiburi, Gahiji, Nnenia
The large male eyed his brother carefully, like a predator eying prey or an opponent. Gazini looked at everyone that way though, calculating his way through options before speaking. The male was very direct in pretty much everything he does. If there was one thing, though, that got under the male's skin though, it was being told what to do. That applied to everyone including his brother.
His muzzle wrinkled in a soft snarl, a soft growl of warning rumbling in his chest. He would not fight his brother over something so trivial nor even have words for him, but the growled warning was clear. He too was a King and would make his own mind up.
Shaking out his mane, the male looked at his brother, eyes narrowing a degree, but that had as much to do with the light of the sun as it did with observing the other male.
"You seem tired brother," Gazini began, his tail flicking behind him. "Why don't you rest today? I'll patrol now, take one of the lionesses, maybe the Queen or that huntress over there, she looks fit," he motioned to Gahiji, though he didn't know her name. "Then tonight Kareem and I can go, ensure the territory is defended. Then, in the morning, you and Reth can patrol," he felt like his idea was a good option. Gazini didn't mind patrolling, it was better than just lying around all day in his mind.
"Then tomorrow, in the afternoon, I'll take Hizaak out on a patrol for me. He needs the experience, the only way he can get better is to go. At least with me, you know he will be properly watched. We can send Reth along with the lionesses today when they hunt," Gazini wasn't trying to undermine his brother. He knew who they both were, where their strong suits laid. This way his brother could rest and still show his strength and power later on once he was ready.
"Tomorrow night you and I can patrol, that way you can rest the entire day between your morning patrol and the evening one," he glanced around and then back at Kiburi. "Besides, it would be best for you to remain with the Pride today, Kiburi. The lionesses likely despise me more than you anyways," he offered.
Rocking back on his haunches, his muscles relaxing a bit as he did, he yawned widely, though it was more in boredom than fatigue. His eyes shifted from the huntress he had observed over to where the Queen and an older lioness stood. "I'll take the Queen with me. She's the least likely to try and do anything whilist with me. She has the most to lose," he stated simply, deciding the Queen was the best choice for the job. "The lionesses can either hunt without her or scout until our return, and then she can join them," he added on, though he figured the lionesses in combination with Reth wouldn't need the Queen with them. |
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Tala Female | 4 | Pride | Huntress Mentions Directly/Indirectly: (Dir) Palesa, (Ind) Gazini, Kiburi ~ Tala laid there, not even daring to breath as she heard Kizurbi walk past and his thumping footsteps fade into the distance, followed with his lazy voice afterwards. She swiveled her ears to overhear what they were saying better. When Gazimi spoke, her fur almost stuck up on end at the horrible sound. He sounded so malicious, and bloodthirsty, and proud of this war zone he shamelessly brought upon them all, probably feeling all smug afterwards. How dare they stomp into the Ridge Pride's home, claiming it as theirs? ~ The cubs they murdered without second thought... ~ All dead all because of them... ~ Imagine how those mothers who lost their cubs must feel about this? Watching their sons and daughters get killed by some overconfident brutes, just for them to spare only the queen's cubs? It must make them think, 'If I was queen, would they still be alive?' ~ She heard someone dragging themselves across the ground, and closer to her. Is it Gazimi? She thought, her heart racing as the sound got closer until she felt someone just press themselves against her. She squinted one of her eyes open and saw familiar pale creamy white fur, and immediately relaxed. It was only Palesa, the leucistic lioness, who had a brother who was also leucistic. She almost opened her mouth to ask her what she was doing, considering they never really talked, but held the questions back, proceeding to pretend to be asleep. ~ When Palesa asked if Tala was okay, she paused for a long moment, debating on whether to continue pretending or not. Gazimi and Kizurbi were too deep in speech to probably notice them, so she whispered. "I guess I'm okay... Are you?" She sighed, a long pause before starting to talk again. "Gazimi. He's terrifying. He seems so atrocious, parlous, sadistic. Kizurbi, he probably can't tell the difference between left and right because he's too lazy to even bother checking. But Gazimi is something very abnormal... It scares me." She whispered, trying to be only loud enough for Palesa to hear. "I miss Mandlenkosi already. He was a great king." She sighed, remembering her dad. He fought hard, but didn't really stand a chance against all of them. But it was still very saddening. |
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Summer 
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