[ORP - Firekin] The Desert Comes to Visit

[belloblossom]

((Despite her cert, she is the Regent for this Meta!))

Hodari had been watching enough, she decided. It was time that she interacted with others besides Amabala and so off she went on a
stroll. She smiled and nodded to Firekin and Mwezi alike, glanced at the adolescents and then brushed any doubt from her mind. Youngsters would be youngsters, she thought and found herself padding up to the closest few who looked as though they may not be bothered by her joining them.

"Laleh, Liuxing," She greeted, nodding to both of them in kind. "Have you been well?" She looked to Liuxing and smiled. "I heard that you were promoted before my sister left, congratulations." She told the former Guard.

When Hodari got up, Amabala followed close behind her.
She didn't seem to be headed in any particular direction, but she eventually ended up in the presence of two other lionesses. They were definitely Mwezi lions, since Hodari already knew them and Amabala was certain he had seen them before. He dipped his head slightly, but he felt no need to talk. So, ever the observant guide, he sat down and waited with Hodari to see what may come of this interaction.

Polette

 

[KasaiLoki]

SSBrosB

Hali laughed at Shula's comment regarding Anga. "It's fine. I assure you." She said with a smile.

The dark lioness felt a little more at ease as Shula mentioned at fighting would probably not break out. That was a relief. "I bet." She agreed. She could not imagine living in a terrain where water was hard to find. And hearing that there were ranks specifically for water seekers, she'd never thought that would be a thing. Growing up on the water, it was never a thought for the lioness. How were these desert lions so large, if water was such a rare treat in the desert? She'd figure it'd be opposite. Maybe they could survive longer than most lions without water.

"Uhm..." She could not really answer Shula. "Our way of life here...may be a little easier than your lifestyle just from the sounds of water alone." Plus, they did not have to navigate through soft sands of the dunes (similar to the soft sifting sands on the beaches). She shrugged lightly. "But I think it all depends on what you are use to... right?" Hali asked.  

[Polette]

Laleh's eyes widened some when she felt her older sister's shoulder against her. "Oh, Liuxing." Though it was only slightly visible, a smile crept on her face for a moment. "I had almost given up hope that anyone else would show up." She referred to her siblings, a motley purple bunch.

Returning her eyes to the strangers ahead of them, her brow furrowed some.
"They're smaller than I expected. But definitely as red." Laleh let out a small huff of laughter, letting her gaze fall back upon her sister. Her expression quickly turned to surprise hearing someone call out her name - it was a familiar voice, but she hadn't been expecting anyone else to approach her.

"H-hodari." Laleh turned her head, dipping it slightly. Her eyes slid to Liuxing,
eager to follow her lead; she would be far more comfortable in conversation than she was.


(( Liuxing is a Patrol Leader now, in case that matters <3 ))

"Yes, they are a bit smaller than I was expecting, too!" Liuxing's voice was lowered, as she didn't want any of the visitors to overhear. A grin stayed on her face, and her eyes wandered about the crowd before them. After a few moments, they locked on to a familiar figure that seemed to be approaching the pair: the recently appointed regent. It had been an odd feeling, seeing someone that she had grown up with take on such responsibility - which was true of the queen as well - but she knew Hodari was more than capable. Liuxing smiled as she approached, her darker companion in tow.

"Hodari." She dipped her head before returning her gaze. "I - we - have been well. I've very much enjoyed the new responsibilities, they keep me more than occupied. Thank you for your thoughts." She paused for a moment, eyes shifting to her sister, expecting her to chime in some pleasantry at the very least.

"How have things been treating you? These new arrivals haven't stuck any thorns in your side, have they?" Liuxing had been wondering if things were stressful in the position of regent - it couldn't be easy, having to take on so many responsibilities so suddenly, and then have a band of strangers show up while the queen was away.

belloblossom

 

[MangoMeow]

Harakhty gave a tight smile as Sek walked away, having a feeling that he'd bored her but not entirely apologetic about the lapse in conversation. He has never really... been good at conversing. No, he was better for brute force and keeping the law as needed.

Turning back to Tera, he tilted his head to the side. "A water-seeker?" He hummed thoughtfully, "You hail from a desert, right?" He couldn't remember any of his former pride needing to dedicate a specific lion to the task of finding water, but then, they had had a water source fairly close to their territory. These Firekin may not be so lucky. So, with that in mind, the black lion nodded. "I imagine that's a very important job."

He chuckled then, "And I'm a guard, yes, but a rogue guard specifically. I..." He paused, trying to decide how to put it mildly, "I keep watch over those seeking to join the pride. Sometimes they might.... lash out, after being accepted, and it's my responsibility to ensure that the pride's residents stay safe."

AstoriaFallen

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

The squabbling had dissipated ever so slightly, but Raia kept a keen eye on the boys before Tawi took his leave and she was almost sad to see him go. Joking aside she found herself enjoying his company more in their adolescent state.

Little to no water? Would the Mwezi become a reserve? The lioness kept the questions to herself for the moment. "Water-seekers?" Raia found her attentions grabbed by the oddly titled duty. "Would your water-seekers come this far?" Her brows furrowed as she continued to try and understand what was going on. If the prides had been so close, like she had overheard, then surely they would have bumped heads in the past? She was no historian, but felt like it would have been a big blip on the prides radar had this pride come before.

"Or would they stay within your home lands?"

Her brows relaxed slightly as she realized how foolish she was beginning to sound.

Ecavi

AstoriaFallen

The stress she was beginning to show through a furrowing of her brow and widening of her eyes relaxed as Kiahi explained about the cubs. "Oh thank goodness." She expressed her relief by the tone of her voice followed by a long sigh. "I'm sorry for that." Ukulwa apologized with a lowering of her head, having Huria children meant losing them before any parent would be ready - that wasn't fair. "Hopefully your happening upon us means that your children and many others will be able to seek shelter here." The silver lioness was genuine in her words.

"Jitu." She spoke his name with affection as he approached. "Meet Kiahi of the Firekin." She gesture a paw towards her most recent friend. "She was just telling me about their traditions." She casually avoided the lioness's personal concerns for Huria children, that wasn't of anyone elses concern unless she made it so.

"Some of them are truthfully very interesting - the color of ones pelt determines if they stay in the pride or not." Was as much admittance as he would get from Ukulwas lips on the subject. "Which makes it so easy to identify them actually." A chuckle erupted from the lioness as she spoke with her mate, catching him up.

Syrius Lionwing

mouselet

 

[SilverLutz]

Ud listened as Mmeremeto spoke, nodding at appropriate moments to show he was listening. His ears perked up with interest at the word 'priestess' but other than that he showed no signs of scoffing or rolling his eyes. He was young and curious about everything still and even though he knew the teachings of his own pride, the beliefs of others - in his mind, at least - were no less valid than those of his own family and friends. Some believed in lions in the sky, which was a little silly in his mind, but he wasn't going to stomp all over the Mwezi and those within it simply for thinking that.

"That's nice," he said with a genuine grin. "My mom's family goes fairly far back in our history, but my father joined the Firekin on his own, so I'm a bit of a mix of both." Perhaps it was his father's heritage that made him more open-minded than most Firekin, even if he still held the beliefs of his pride. "That's an important rank here, right? Priestess?" He was genuinely curious about it and didn't want to come off as condescending and he hoped the other male didn't take the question the wrong way.

Ecavi

Kuzimu was glad to see the couple go and she turned away from them as they moved on. Those without the information she sought weren't worth her time. She glanced back to the edge of the pride, then to those gathered, and made up her mind. She'd go back and do some investigation of her own. Trotting off the way they had come, the white lioness disappeared into the jungles once more, eager to find some sort of clue regarding the Nergui and where they had gone.

---

Mat paused in her strolling once more, content that everyone seemed to be getting along. She licked her muzzle and glanced about, looking for something to drink. She spotted a little river not far off and made her way there, lapping up a drink for a moment. This jungle was similar to the one the Bahari lived in, just without the vast sea on one side. It was nice - the lush foliage was in stark contrast to the desert - but she did prefer home. Perhaps it was because she had grown up there. How would these lions fair away from their dense trees and lush undergrowth?  

[belloblossom]

((Despite her cert, she is the Regent for this Meta!))

Hodari smiled kindly at the young Lady before her,
tipping her head to Laleh, before she turned her gaze to Liuxing beside her.
A smile of comfort, rather than one of happiness, upon her maw. She needed to be the source of comfort rather than tension to her pride now, even if the latter came more easily with her life as a guard and by some extension, as a mother.
Pushing the thoughts of her children aside for the time being, she perked her ears at the words of the other.

"Things have been as well as they may be, considering our new guests." She grinned a little. "I can say for certain that when my sister approached me to be the Regent while she was away, I was ready to act in her stead, though this is more excitement than I was expecting." She hoped her words were more positive then she felt on the whole topic. She flicked an ear at the other two and then tipped her head. "If you'll excuse me, I ought to continue my rounds." She said and bowed out quietly,
searching for others who she might interact with.

Amabala waited dutifully beside his bonded companion,
listening to the conversation and aware of the words Hodari chose. She was nervous, but she was also trying her best to appear cool and collected. Looking at Liuxing more closely, he wondered if she had already suspected the strain the visitors were having on the current Regent. He took a step closer to Hodari as she moved to leave and he inclined his head slightly to the other lionesses, before following after her.

"Perhaps we ought to see if any of our guests would care to meet you?"
He asked, his tone mild. A nod from Hodari was the reply he got and he brushed his pelt against hers as they began to look for a lion bearing a red pelt, who seemed perhaps less threatening than any of its kin.

Polette

 

[MangoMeow]

The black lion tilted his head in curiosity, "Really? But wouldn't a water-seeker be a specific rank?" He paused, thinking about it, "Although... I guess that's not really something that could be separated into different ranks."

He hummed, wondering what kind of ranks the Firekin pride had, but not entirely sure if he should ask. Was that prying too deeply?

Instead, Harakhty decided to continue the small talk. "So how long have all of you been traveling now? Will you be heading home soon?" He took a glance around, smiling tentatively at his conversing pridemates, "I imagine you must be missing the desert." Because oh, hadn't he as well, for those first few moons of travel after the disbandment of his old pride. If he hadn't come across the Mwezi, he may very well have gone back.

AstoriaFallen

 

[Syrius Lionwing]

Lightning Shadow X

The dark male smiled at the purple female. She seemed nice, he was actually glad that she was there though he didn’t know her yet, she seemed to be brave, fearless even. Something he definitely couldn’t call himself, perhaps that was due to his upbringing but he had mostly always looked to females for leadership.

He let a chuckle escape from his lips as he too turned his gaze to the throng of giants. “Hearing that from you I believe it.” He turns his gaze to her and smiled. “before I was here, and I have been here for a long time, I grew up in a pride where females were the ones in charge. You remind me of them, strong, confident. I’d be happy to protect the pride with you.” He nods his head clearing his throat, maybe that was too much to say to someone on a first meeting, but he had never really been one to mince words, especially around females, he had always found they much preferred the truth.  

[Syrius Lionwing]

- Mynsed -

Zlatan had sort of, maybe been hoping his brother would poopoo the idea of going to speak to the red goliaths but when he agreed he had to put his words in to action. He just had to find one. Gulping the soft yellow male turned to make his way towards a singular lion rather than wading in to the madness below. He most certainly wasn’t up for being in the center of all these guys but it seemed there were a few lions just resting on the outskirts, watching as they had been.

The big red male with the black and white male seemed extremely intimidating, the way he stood watching quietly, not really interacting. He didnt even know how to say hello to these beasts, what if they had specific buzz words they didn’t like? He was about ready to abort and hide back behind his brother when the red lion turned his head and smiled.

Haru tilted his head, it seemed he was being approached by a couple of youngsters. Well, nothing untoward seemed to be happening so he might as well socialise with these wide eyed youths. Without a moments hesitation the massive red male settled in to a laying position. The front runner here a little yellow youngster seemed like he would bolt at any moment. Poor kid, probably he’d never seen so many scary giants before.

He smiled and raised a comical brow at the two young males “Good day to you both.” He rumbled his voice gentle and as quiet as he could make it. He had a feeling if he spoke too loud the youngsters may scatter. He didn’t want to frighten them, after all this was a mission of friendship and these youngsters would one day pass stories to their children. He wanted those stories to be pleasant ones.  

[Syrius Lionwing]

Ctrl F Greenie

mouselet

The red and white lioness smiled. “I know it is frightening, I believe a couple of our hubris members lead us here. Once you are a firekin, even if your fur is the wrong colour, you are really always a firekin.” She gave a nod “We met many lions who came from the sands on our journey, there are very few who didn’t make it in the world.” She felt a little confidence that any cubs raised on the sand would do well in the rogue lands, even if their mothers didn’t want to see them go.

She looked to the male who seemed to be less than thrilled about being around them and chuckled. “I’m sure this pride will become a haven for Huria now that we are to be allies. It seems like a most interesting place. I hear you worship the moon.” She licks her lips and pauses for a moment, she wasn’t sure if she was a supposed to ask about these things, but well, she was here to learn too and theirs wasn’t the only culture that was fascinating. Worshiping the moon seemed so fanciful to her.