[ORP] Cultural Exchange [Open]

[Meepfur]

INTRODUCTION

It's mid-morning, and the day's dry heat is already settling in over the lands of the Ithambo'hlabathi. The past few days have been eventful - and not in a good way - so tensions are high and the mood is grim. A hunt overnight was unsuccessful, leaving the participants frustrated, weary, and hungry. Two days have passed since the Qyrhyeshti appeared to seek asylum, and were sent to deal with the hyenas that have been a thorn in the pride's side for so long. Speculation about if or when they will return, and in what condition, as well as about their origins and reasons for coming to the Bonelands, is running rampant. The Abaholi are a subject ripe for gossip as well, after their public difference in opinion on how to deal with the newcomers, which, due to the scattering of new clawmarks on Bangizwe, was by popular rumor followed by an altercation between the two; whatever happened, however, they have since seemed perfectly at ease with each other. While some of the resident lionesses agree with Bangizwe's decision, others have been vocal in their discontent, stirred up primarily by Baie'mooi and Wodi.

Last Event:
New Arrivals  

[Meepfur]

IC Information

• This ORP takes place two days after the last ORP.
  
  
• The drought and prey shortage detailed in the Updates and Prompts remain in effect.
  
  
• Ukulambile left yesterday morning to have her cubs (fathered by Andhaka), taking the Busisa Sher-Kha-t with her. Liyana is looking similarly heavy with cubs, also the red Umholi's, and Inkinga is beginning to show as well. The latter two at least conceived before the drought was so well underway, but it seems Inkinga has chosen to willfully ignore reason and have cubs by Bangizwe regardless of the current conditions.

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 primarily community-driven RP with several posts intended to come from Meepfur or Quaji.
  
  
• Just to allow the scene to be established, this RP will first be open to current Bonelanders; the Qyrhy will come in after a post from Meep introducing them.
  
  
• There is no danger posting in this ORP, but please do remember to post in the Injury and Permissions thread if you haven't already.
  
  
• One post = one ticket, but you cannot win more than one prize.
  
  
• The option for more prizes may be available throughout the ORP, but is not guaranteed.

Prize

Isibindi (courage), Umzingeli.
Andhaka x Siantaidh

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Colored by Safaia, previously owned by Meepfur, never RPed.

 

[Meepfur]

With the heat of the day descending upon them, shade was a valuable resource, and the pride was mostly crowded under a small stand of scrubby trees. While not usually one to hog any more space than was necessary, Andhaka had no qualms today about taking up an Umholi-sized portion of the shaded area, lying close to his tawny counterpart without quite touching him. If he had indeed been the one to give Bangizwe his minor wounds, he showed no indication of any lingering hostility, making no attempt to keep any extra distance between them.

He wore his usual serious expression as he lay back and observed the morning's goings-on, having been disappointed but not surprised when he'd returned from his pre-dawn patrol to new of an unsuccessful hunt. Still, while he was undeniably hungry, he'd certainly been hungrier during his time alone in the rogue lands. Sooner or later, a hunting party was bound to catch something, and as a leading male he was entitled to a good share if he so chose.

Quaji

 

[belloblossom]

If there was something that Mazuri appreciated herself, it was her small size. It was thanks to her small size that she was able to tuck herself into the shade and observe the goings-on of the pride. She kept close to her mother and siblings, keeping especially close to Mthunzi as an apology for not noticing her a few days earlier, but she also watched the lions of the pride. Something had happened, something that Mazuri could not comprehend, that made them uneasy. Any uneasiness now, it looked like, had passed, but she could still feel tension within the pride as a whole.

What she did comprehend was that a lioness left to have her cubs earlier and that when they returned, she would have new brothers or sisters to play with. They did not have the same mother, but Mazuri had a knack for picking up information about her father. She was gazing at Andhaka now, stretched out and looking stoic. She wanted to talk to him, wanted to help the pride somehow, but had no notion as to how.

Then a thought struck her. He must be hungry, of course, they were all hungry. But maybe he would pay her attention if she managed to bring something to him, however small. Still, this idea needed elaboration so she rolled over and poked Mthunzi with a paw.

"'thunzi." She said softly, poking her sister again. "I had a thought just now. What if, what if we went hunting for the pride? We might catch a lizard or a bird or... Or something small, but it would be something." She asked her sister, ears perked.

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AstoriaFallen

Meepfur

Just checking if their little adventure is okay, or if you want them to stay with the pride. 3nodding

 

[Mogami]

Baie could’ve claimed a nice spot in the shade if she so wanted but the orange lioness had moved a few steps away from the group, sitting on top of a small rock formation as she stared at the horizon like a hawk.

She was hungry and worried and so very irritated. It was very unlike her usual laid-back attitude but she couldn’t help but feel the weight of their current situation. A lost daughter of the pride had found them but was now fighting hyenas at the Umholi’s command. The cubs they had running around would soon multiply after Ukulambile returned. Liyana would also add to their numbers and now it seemed she wasn’t the only one. Not to mention that there would probably be even more new additions in the near future.

Bangizwe… Baie almost spit out the name aloud. He’d placed them in the worst possible position. Gakere had taken a crisis and created an alliance of mutual interests without a drop of blood being shed. And Bangizwe? He’d all but promised his support to accept twelve more mouths during a time of drought if they managed to end the hyena pack. Getting rid of the blasted pests would be useful to be sure but Baie didn’t like the idea of having so much new blood all of a sudden. And Khazine… the young lioness probably wouldn’t have joined them without the others but it should’ve been made clear that she could, that it was her right and that she was welcomed. It went against the very essence of the Bonelands’ culture to allow a male to push away their kin in such a way. A male who would get to eat first the moment the lionesses returned with food, she remembered with a silent snarl that echoed in her head.

But she’d slept and she’d plotted and Baie discovered that her temper when riled, burned cold. Her eyes turned to the gathered lionesses, her friends, her blood, her pride while glancing over the males as if she couldn’t see them. Then her eyes turned to watch the horizon again, seeking birds of prey that might be a danger to their young cubs or a band of lionesses returning from a hyena hunt.


(should be certed as Umzingeli)


While concerned for the safety of her grandniece, Thuli was one who lived in the moment. And, at that moment, the lioness was hungry. Her body was in the shade but she was surrounded by warm bodies and could not real boast complete comfort. She looked up at Baie, trying to fight off her amusement. One couldn’t tell just by looking but Thuli knew the orange lioness well enough to tell she was pissed. A detailed explanation of what had happened two days before had spread though the Abazingeli with prodigious speed and now things were tense and awkward.

And while the orange lioness played it cool most times, Thuli had seen Baie round up a few cubs to tell the story of the silly Umholi who had refused to allow a lost Umzingeli back into the pride. He’d ended up torn to pieces by the Abazingeli, of course. Or the story of the Umholi who had stood his ground against a warring pride and managed to create a lasting alliance due to his strength of body and mind (a familiar tale, that one). All very educational.

Thuli’s blue eyes were cold and calculating as she glanced at the golden Umholi, tongue licking at her nose slowly as her mouth filled with bloodlust. She wasn’t entirely against putting her training with the red pelts to good use even if she’d never had a problem with the Umholi before. But there was one tiny detail that held Thuli back… Inkinga. She didn’t particularly like the lioness but if something happened to Bangizwe before her cubs were born, they would be Lusizi, just like she’d been. Being a Lusizi during a drought… was not something she wished upon anyone. So she would wait and keep her ear out for signs things were going to s**t.

“You can play as long as you don’t stray too far.” Thuli told little Mazuri, distractedly, clearly not paying attention to what the cubs were doing. “But you’re going to be hungrier after.”
 

[Kimaria]

Su, looking leaner than usual, lay in the shade with the other females. Annoyingly, she couldn't get quite relaxed enough to sleep - which is what she wanted to do - and instead made do with looking asleep instead. She lay on her belly, head slightly lowered and eyes closed. A sweeping glance would have given the impression of dozing, but a lingering look would have revealed the truth.

Frequently an ear would twist in the direction of a sound or voice and the muscles in her shoulders and hindquarters would twitch as if considering leaping into action. The events that had so recently transpired had certainly shaken things up. The tension was palpable, thickening the air and leaving a bad taste in the back of her throat.

Life had certainly taken an interesting turn.  

[Annchen]

Kokumo was sore and hungry. She'd got close enough to her prey to be kicked during the hunt, but bruises were all she had to show for her hard work. It could be worse, much worse. Lionesses could die during hunts, and it was easy to make stupid mistakes when prey was scarce. She was lucky it was just bruises. The orange lioness was resting close to her mother Buna and looked over at Baie from time to time. If her ribs hadn't ached like this she might have moved over there, but for now she enjoyed her small slice of shadow.

---

Buna wasn't pleased with the news Baie and Wodi had spread and her ears were slightly turned back, despite the fact that she was resting. Umholi Bangizwe had turned away a sister in need and sent young ones to do the leading males work. She had even heard rumors that there were cubs in the group of females sent to handle the hyenas. Outrageous, if it was true!

From what Baie told her one of the females had been a strong, dark young lioness of Wodi and Gakere's line. Buna had no interest in letting anyone and everyone in, but family was family. Wodi had joined as a Busisa but she had proved her worth. Buna liked the spotted female, and their daughters had the same father. It annoyed her that Bangizwe should chose to be picky about joining females right now. Any other time the leading males were all too happy to spend time with newly arrived lionesses.  

[Meepfur]

It had been a good fight, and one that Nesf had to admit they had been in need of...or at least she had been; she couldn't speak with complete certainty for the entirety of their party, but after so long adrift, it had felt good to do what they had been born and raised for. Fighting hyenas had presented new challenges, but at the end of the day, battle was battle. They had spent the first day after their arrival tracking and locating the hyenas, then assessing their numbers and the terrain and discussing the best strategy for dealing with them, and had finally attacked in the early hours of the morning. The execution hadn't been flawless - no battle ever really was - but as they came into view of the resting pride, the Qyrhyeshti numbered the same dozen they had two days before, all moving under their own power.

The one-eyed lioness walked at the front of the group alongside her sister, saying nothing. She was unable to speak, as she carried in her jaws the severed head of one of the clan's matriarchs, dangling from her teeth by its mane. Draped across her shoulders and down her back was much of the rest of the matriarch, a fresh and once-pristine white pelt she had claimed as a prize, and the blood from which stained her own pelt. Some of the blood that oozed down her left foreleg was hers, but the wounds she'd sustained were superficial at best.



Just behind came Khazine and Sinir, both far quieter than usual as well, for they also had prizes to carry. The adolescents carried a spotted blue-gray pelt between them, heavy with other gruesome trophies to be made into trinkets later. Fangs and claws ripped from the still-warm bodies of their enemies rattled faintly against each other with every step the cousins took. The darker of the two sported minor marks here and there from glancing blows, barely noticable against the deep browns of her coat - or under the striped golden pelt she had claimed as her own - but was missing half of her right ear. Still-drying blood crusted the side of her face, making her itch, but she was too preoccuppied with carrying their 'treasures' to address the issue.

The lighter of the pair was in similar condition, though in her case, rather than a torn ear, she had a markedly kinked tail that had no hope of ever being straight again after being chomped on by one of their opponents. Unpleasant was an understatement, as far as the sensation went, but at least the appendage remained attached to her.




Sabit brought up the rear of the group, but not only because she was acting as a rear guard; she labored under the heavy weight not of a pelt, but of an entire adolescent male hyena. She was further slowed by a limp, gained at the jaws of the hyena who had disfigured Sinir's tail, and who would in fact have taken three-quarters of it if Sabit hadn't swooped in to help. Though her stoicism matched her size, and she had yet to complain of the injury, she suspected that she was going to have to get used to limping. Beyond the deep puncture wounds, something about the movement just didn't feel right. It was damage she would have to assess later, after they had claimed the place promised them and she had a moment to herself.

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OOC Info for Qyrhy:
After being dispatched to deal with the hyenas, the Qyrhy spent the rest of that day tracking the clan, then observing them and formulating a strategy to deal with them. Their numbers were nearly double that of the Qyrhyeshti, so great care was taken in planning a surprise attack. All 12 lionesses, adult and adolescent alike, participated in the battle, and though they were victorious, everyone received some manner of injury; you may choose the extent on your own, or randomize 1-3 (corresponding to the injury levels in the Injury Permissions Thread) if you prefer to leave it to the dice gods. They may also have taken whatever trophies they liked from their slain opponents.

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Quoting everyone with a Qyrhy, in case you want to jump in! Also sorry for the multiple notifications. orz

SilverLutz

Excited Apathy

Annchen

Puhterodactyl

Safaia

Ecavi

 

[oo Ded]

It was hot but that was nothing new. The excitement of the last few days was enough to be a distraction from the heat, which was particularly frustrating on the lioness' dark pelt. Yithemba lay on her side partially in the shade, a hind leg and swishing tail hot and exposed to the sun. She had heard the tales of what had transpired in a few days past--the dramatic meeting of new lionesses and the dangerous quest they had been sent on. The Umzingeli could understand why her pridemates would be frustrated at the new events. She herself felt a little on edge, not out of frustration but at an eagerness to see what would happen next.

The lioness gave a sigh and rolled back onto her stomach, orange eyes brushing over the other figures that lay around her. Her gaze finished on Baie and lingered. What was the lioness thinking, she wondered? From the tone of things and the stories she had heard, Yithemba had a pretty good idea that the orange lioness had strong feelings about all these events.

Her ears twitched and the dark lioness stood. She stretched out her front legs before moving the few steps to the rock formation where Baie stood. Yithemba opened her mouth to speak, an attempt to strike up some sort of conversation about events. No words left, though, as the figures appeared into view. They're back, she mused to herself. Her eyes flicked from the lionesses to Baie, subtly watching for what reaction she would give, and back to the returning figures. She looked them over and silently took count. "Looks like a dozen," she murmured quietly. Some were wounded, Yi noted, but successful enough. Just a dozen lionesses--some adolescents at that--against the group of hyenas and they managed to come out remarkably triumphant and without fatalities? These Qyrhyeshti, or whatever it was they called themselves, were impressive indeed.  

[Mogami]

A deep roar rose from the depths of Baie's chest, not angry but pleased, inviting. She stood on the rock, eyes wide and bright, tail dancing behind her. Because the orange lioness could see her, Khazine, as her unmistakable smaller dark shape moved closer with no obvious injuries visible in the distance.

"Twelve." She told the others, mouth opening in a wide grin as she nodded towards Yithemba. She was clearly happy and relieved, most of the previous tension ebbing away in the face of good news. "Twelve have returned." Khazine was alive. She roared again, louder this time, her expression more alive than it had been in years.

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

Thuli rose quickly, as if she'd just woken up form a particularly deep sleep, looking around in every direction until she realized all she had to do was follow the gaze of the lionesses on and near the rock formation.

"They're all back?" She asked, looking pleased even as she traded the kind shade for the scorching sun. Her eyes sought Wodi and Ukuthula next. They would be happy to know the dark adolescent had returned. She squinted her eyes, sounding confused. "What in the world are they carrying?"
 

[Excited Apathy]

Baysan was well-pleased with herself, her demeanor full of aggressive confidence and far more relaxed than when they had first arrived here. She'd come out of the battle with injuries that were, more or less, superficial; a few might leave scars, but she was no stranger to those. And it had felt good to be in the fray of battle again! Blood pumping, singing with the thrill of a victory that felt long overdue...after the defeats that had led to this journey, it was something to savor. A good fight, good trophies, and best of all...vindication. None could say now that the Qyrhyeshti hadn't earned a place here. The dun lioness would make note of those that tried.

-

The adolescent that paced near her sisters and cousin had not come out of the battle quite so cleanly. Yikma's ears were, simply put, a mess. While neither was half-gone like Khazine's, both sported cuts and tears that would surely heal a bit...ragged. The dried blood kept attracting flies, rendering them uncomfortable and itchy. And while it wasn't serious, one bite on her leg was sore as hell and was causing a faint limp. Even so, there was a smirk on her face. She'd gotten the b*****d that did half of it, and his pelt was hers now. She liked the idea of keeping it...it was from her first real battle, after all.  

[Tanakako]

The blue-tailed lioness lay in the shade, close to the two umholi and entirely failing to show any diffidence to either of the big males as she yawned and stretched. Ishaka was well known for being bold, daring and entirely unconcerned by the finer points of plite society. She was also a devoted huntress and a hard worker. No one could have ever complained that Ishaka didn't pull her weight in the pride, and as a result her rather blunt way of speaking was taken in mostly good humour. She never intended to offend anyone, it just so hapened that her brain-mouth filter had gone missing in her first few days of life and had not been found since.

Yawning again the muscular lioness rolled over, swotting at the tail of one of her pride sisters as it flopped into her face. "Siz.. ge'off.." She grumbled good naturedly.



Sizani lay near by, her tail flicking back and forth as she watched the general goings on of the pride. Unlike the tan female beside her, the red-coated lioness was awake and aware. The last few days had seen tension in the pride skyrocket and the normally chatty, confident Sizani was concerned. It was bad enough that the food had been limited of late, hunting was difficult and risky as proved by the limp she was currently horboring. Casting a glance at Ishaka she rolled her eyes and deliberatly drapped her furry tail tip over the other lioness' nose, causing the other to sneeze loudly. The resulting cursing made Sizani smile, though the expression faded quickly as another of the pride started to roar. Lifting he rhead a bit higher Sizani scanned what she could see of the outlaying landscape. Though her view was limited by the bodies scattered around her.
 

[Kimaria]

Su's eyes opened, her head lifting to see who approached. All of them, then. She smiled, pleased. It was good to see that there were strong females to be found out here amongst strangers.

"It seems to me they are carrying their grizzly trophies. They could not provide us better proof than that."

With a groan, she pulled herself to her feet and shook the dust from her pelt, adding her voice to the other roars that had risen up at the arrival of the females. They deserved a warrior's welcome for what they had been through. It seemed to her that these newcomers would be valuable assets to their pride, even if they were in a tricky situation. If they could work that well together as a team then their skills would be invaluable.  

[Meepfur]

There they were. Despite his exterior calm, Andhaka had been anxiously awaiting the return of the Qyrhyeshti. Even before they had first appeared, and despite the difficult conditions currently faced by the pride, he had been deeply curious about them. Who were these females Umkhombo had gathered, and why would they come here at all? It hadn't been just concern about appearances that had made him so angry with Bangizwe for being so reluctant to allow them, it had been the potential loss of the opportunity for answers.

He stood, though unlike many of the lionesses, he remained silent and moved forward only a few strides, judging it best to allow the females to take control of the situation, after the way things had degraded before.

Wodi had positioned herself at the edge of the group as well, looking intently out over the landscape, her black tail sweeping slowly back and forth as she watched for the return of her great-granddaughter and the lionesses she travelled with. It had been two days since Bangizwe had sent them away to deal with the hyena crisis - surely that was enough time for whatever was going to happen to have happened? A possibility lingered in the back of her mind that perhaps they had lost, that these 'Qyrhyeshti' had been the ones exterminated, and not the hyenas, but she refused to give it value. She could accept that their Abaholi had been unable to eliminate them - however strong they might or might not be, there were only two of them - but a group numbering a dozen would surely stand a better chance...right? Even if half of them weren't full-grown, they'd looked like rough sorts, and many had seemed quite eager to fight. If she had been younger, she would have been sorely tempted to go with them.

Finally, finally, they came into view, and though others spoke the number allowed, the Busisa still did a mental count. Twelve, one of them beatifully dark. Wodi rose and echoed Baie's roar.



Ukuthula had not watched quite as intently as some, maintaining an appearance of disinterest despite occasional scans of the horizon. She had not been an affectionate or even very nurturing mother, favoring the view that her rougher, more detached style would make her children stronger; she had, in fact, not been particularly concerned when her gray son had gone missing as a cub, and had not even joined in the effort to find him. Perhaps she would have if it had been one of the girls, or the darker boy, but why expend the effort for the foolish little runt who'd gone and gotten himself lost?

Indovu. Hmph. Long gone and little missed. She had, however, been pleased to learn that Umkhombo had challenged an Umholi, as she'd always hoped he would, but she was profoundly disappointed that he'd lost. She'd thought him better than that...though he was, apparently, at least impressive enough to gained a small group of females for himself, so she was willing to give his defeat the benefit of the doubt. If he was sending his lionesses here, surely he would return, and next time he would be better. She looked forward to it, smirking at the thought of her son overthrowing Bangizwe, especially now that he had had the gall to turn away a female of her bloodline. She might not feel much if any attachment to this descendant she'd yet to meet, but no male had the right to deny her entrance to the pride.

News of a granddaughter intrigued her, but it was more idle curiosity than anything, accompanied by a little faint annoyance to realize she was old enough to be a grandmother. Whether or not this Khazine would receive her approval depended largely on the condition she returned in. Her ears flicked forward when the roar went up, and her gaze was trained on the arriving group, but she made no move to rise.


Uheshe sat somewhere between her mother and grandmother when it came to her feelings on her newly-revealed niece. She was not quite so obsessed with physical strength as her mother, having inherited rather more intelligence than Ukuthula had any claim to. Strength was important, but it wasn't everything; tradition and family were every bit as vital to the pride, and it was wrong that her brother's daughter had not been openly embraced. After all, weren't there two disgustingly blue lionesses who had been accepted on the basis of blood ties to the pride? It was an outrage that a dark, healthy young female had been asked to perform such a dangerous task to gain acceptance!

She perked up when the little warparty appeared, taking a few curious steps forward to get a better look. They were bloodied, wearing and carrying trophies, and one of them was even carrying a head. How ghastly! How exciting!