[PRP] My, you look strong! (Inkungu, Tawa, Inyoka'dla)

[Annchen]

Inkungu had been in the pride long enough to earn the title of Enkulu and to see several Inselele come and go. Jasiri had been there when she joined, and then Gabedi had bested him only to be kicked out by the one called Emrys. The grey and green male was soon replaced by the newest talent - Tawa. Inselele lead a hard life, and most cubs lately looked like they'd been fathered by one of the Umhooli.

Rumor said that the red male had come from the red pelts in the desert, and he looked strong. Perhaps he'd manage to stick around a bit longer than his predecessors, but Inkungu wasn't taking any chances. She longed for cubs of her own, but had trouble deciding who should father them. If he was the one she better hurry while he was still there.

She moved over to where Tawa was resting, intent on checking him out. Would he be a good candidate, hmm?

---

Inyoka'dla had other things on her agenda today. She stayed fairly close to "her" lion, but was more interested in stalking the high grass for lizards and other tasty treats. Bugs would do too, in a pinch.

The secretary bird worried little about the affairs of lions, but she liked sharing her territory with lions. It really cut down on bird-competition. There were lots of vultures, sure, but they were interested in other food sources. Save for cubs making their first clumsy attempts at hunting she was the only one around here interested in hunting small reptiles. And when they encountered snakes the lions even called her over! Very considerate.

SilverLutz

Will try to be quick smile

 

[SilverLutz]

It was another scorching day, the sun beating down on the Bonelands without mercy. It was a different kind of heat than Tawa was used to - the relentless sun was nothing new and the heat was far less than what he was capable of withstanding - but moisture seemed to hang in the air, taunting them. It had been very dry as of late and the water was starting to dry up, leaving him a bit concerned for the pride. He was used to going on little water and hunting for new sources, but it was evident the Bonelands lions were used to this time being plentiful and easy.

Ears twitching, he glanced back down at his leg where his wound from his last battle was healing. It had scabbed over nicely and wasn't hurting anymore, but the fur still needed to grow back in around it, making it look far worse than it actually was. He was right when he thought it would scar - that blue lion had gotten a good hit in after all.

His nose alerted him to the arrival of a lioness he had yet to meet. He drew himself up a bit but remained laying in the shade of the tree, greeting her silently with respect.

"Hello," he said once she got within earshot. He noticed her bird companion and had to smile a bit. He had always liked the idea of having a familiar, but he had never found one that suited him.

Annchen

Woooo!

 

[Annchen]

"Hello Tawa," Inkungu chirped and plopped down close to him to take advantage of the shade from the tree. There was no point in being shy or you'd never get anything you wanted. Besides, he'd tell her if he didn't want company. She looked him up and down, noting the scabs on his leg and that his fur seemed to be in good condition apart from that. "So you came from the red ones, huh? Why did you leave?"

She'd heard a lot of rumors about the new male already. His pale mane had been mentioned by many as a disadvantage, but Inkungu wasn't too bothered. She hadn't grown up surrounded by Bonelands lore, and only trusted it when it suited her. Another concern that several females had aired was if he'd father strong cubs. To the traditionalists the mane spoke against him, but most agreed that he needed to be tested to make sure. The question was who would be brave enough to try him out, so to speak?

---

Inyoka'dla paused and tilted her head to study something hidden from them in the grass. She took one slow step with her impossibly long legs and tilted her head the other way. With a swift motion she stomped repeatedly on something in the grass and then bent down to retrieve a recently deceased lizard. She gulped it down, looking very pleased and then preened briefly before resuming her stalking.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

The female made herself comfortable on the ground with him which Tawa didn't mind at all. He had come to know the ins and outs of the Bonelands and, while the males protected the pride, it was really the females that ran the show. They were a constant, they saw the pride change and pass through leaders like they were smoke in the wind. The Abaholi and Inselele were respected, but they had to respect the females as well.

"You have the upper paw, I'm afraid," he said as she greeted him. "You know my name but I don't know yours." It was common, of course, to be greeted by name. He was one of two red leading males, and his mane was a dead give-away if there was any confusion.

The question made him pause. He had also come to learn that part of his job was to procreate with the lioness' that approached him. It had been a bit of a shock to learn, especially since he had joined this pride to be with his childhood sweetheart that had been kicked from their home due to her pelt.

"Ah...I followed a friend," he said, sticking with the answer he had been giving from day one. "They have strict pelt rules in the Firekin and she didn't meet them, so when she left I trailed her." He couldn't live in a place that was so quick to turn on its own. The Bonelands had stigmas against certain colors as he had found out, but no one was outright banished because of their pelt color. It was a step in the right direction, at least.

Annchen

 

[Annchen]

She laughed as he asked for her name in such a roundabout way. "Inkungu," she said, "Not to be mistaken for my sister Intuthu."

There had been a few mix-ups, but it was so rare Inkungu just laughed at it when it happened. They weren't similar like twins, they just looked a lot alike in markings and colors. The lionesses that knew them always got it right by now. She had trouble with some of the lionesses in the pride, but usually just called out 'hello sister' when she encountered a twin she couldn't place.

"Oh," Inkungu said, ears perking forward with interest, "Did you find your friend? What's her name?"

She wondered who it could be, and if it was someone she knew. It wasn't unheard of for females with undesirable colors among the red-pelts to make the transition from the Outpost to full members of the Bonelands.

---

The secretary bird made a noise that Inkungu had learned meant she was pleased. Inyoka'dla held a small grass snake in one foot and started an elaborate dance, hitting the snake repeatedly until she was satisfied it was dead, or at least unable to struggle when she swallowed it down. After this catch the bird appeared to be tired of hunting and walked over to the two lions, eyeballing the male as she went. She picked a place in the shade near Inkungu, turned her back to the lions and started preening.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

"Inkungu," he repeated, hoping he'd remember in case he ran into her again. At the mention of a sister he chuckled softly. Oh dear...he'd never been very good with names and faces, but similar sounding names and similar looking faces were surely his downfall.

"I'll try my best," he said, hoping she or her sister wouldn't be offended if he did mix them up. He watched the bird join them, but obviously the avian didn't have any interest in him, which was fine.

"Umthunzi," he supplied as he looked to Inkungu once again. He had to remind himself to use the name the lions had given her here rather than her birthname - he doubted anyone would know her by that one. "She's quite large, pale in color, pink eyes and stripes on her front legs." That description alone would set apart his 'friend', as well as her albinism, should the other lioness know her. "And I did. She's been here since she left. I've been waiting for quite some time in the rogue lands to join and finally got my chance."

Annchen

 

[Annchen]

"Oh, I remember when she joined," Inkungu said, "It must have been before the Mkhulu."

The young firekin had been regarded as a bit odd first, with the pelt she was wearing on her back. However, by now she was accepted like any other pride member. She shifted a little, making her self comfortable on her side and exposing a bit of tummy fluff to the male. It was hard to know if she was flirting, or just showing she was comfortable enough in his presence to expose her stomach.

"Well, I hope you won't play favorites," she teased, "Once you're tested many females will want to try you out."

Perhaps she'd consider taking one for the team and do the testing herself.

"Do you have any cubs among the red-pelts?"

---

Inyoka'dla turned her head when Inkungu shifted, but since the lioness had just settled in a more comfortable position she fluffed up all her feathers and continued preening. Fluff up, sleek down. The secretary bird walked more than she flew, but there was no excuse for not taking care of her plumage properly. When she was done she fluffed her feathers once more and started over.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Tawa had to smile sheepishly at Inkungu's teasing. Yes, he knew he shouldn't play favorites, but it was hard not to. The moment he had set eyes on Umthunzi after going so long without seeing her and going through so much to be with her again, it was hard to think of anything else but her.

As the lioness got comfortable and talk turned to cubs, however, his sheepish smile turned to one of downright bashfulness.

"No, I left when I was still growing into my mane," he said with a shake of his head. "Cubs were the farthest thing from my mind at the time, since I was barely out of cubhood myself." He didn't relish the idea of spending his youth in the rogue lands and alone, but that was the truth of the matter. He had grown up on the borders of this very pride, so although he hadn't been here long he felt as if this was home now.

Annchen

 

[Annchen]

"Pity," she said, enjoying his bashfulness. The tuft of her tail wagged cheerfully to and fro and she looked very amused. "The females here will be very interested in your talents in that area."

Her problem as she grew up had been that there were no unrelated males in her little family group. And then her father, the lead male, was defeated by her yucky brother. Well, the group fell apart and that was the start of the story of how she ended up here with her sister. So by being not related to her, not an idiot and also rather cute, Tawa fulfilled much of what she looked for in a male. Another plus was that many females preferred the Abaholi, so there was less of a crowd around the newbie.

"It's hard to know if you father strong cubs until you've sired a couple," she said with a big grin, "Perhaps we should see if you are any good at it, hmm?"

---

Inyoka'dla might not speak much, but she was not stupid and knew perfectly well what Inkungu was up to. She arranged her tail feathers, shoot the lioness a dirty look and then stomped off. While she was accustomed to the lioness company and quite enjoyed it she did not wish to supervise any cub making. Nope, nope, nope, nope.

"Nope!" she exclaimed as she left the pair.

Perhaps Intuthu was around. Or she could try to find a young lion to stare out until it cried.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

The bird taking flight was more than enough for Tawa. He hadn't expected this sort of request would come so soon into his arrival, but it was his duty. Most males would argue it was hardly a burden, and normally he would have agreed, but the little presence of the pale Firekin he had followed here loomed in the back of his mind.

Still, he thought to himself as he offered the grey lioness a nervous smile, this was his job. Part of the Inselelo's duty was to keep fresh blood in the pride. "If you'd like. I can't promise anything, though...as we've made mention, I've not been tested in this fashion."

Battles he could do. Survival he could do. Cubs...well. Hopefully his bloodline would see him through.

Annchen

And that's a wrap from me biggrin