[Closed] Tales of the Pridelands: The Beginning

[FlamingBee]

Malkia finished her drink, licking her jaws as she stood upright again, noticing the same cheetah who gave her a respective nod too. She smiled warmly and nodded her head in return as her mate had done before turning to face the structure that was closer than she'd realised. Malkia began to walk forward: "Well let's go then, I want to check this place out!"

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Kion smiled and began walked alongside his mate, he looked behind him to see some of the more weary animals return to the waterhole. They soon got closer to the rock, and Kiongozi studied the area around it. There was a small stream running through the area, obviously going down to the waterhole, and soft grass surrounded the rock. He looked up at it and grinned,

"It sure looks perfect for a home. I wonder if there's a cave for a den inside?". He also noticed the point coming out of the edge. Suddenly, and image of himself roaring at the end of pointed walkway came into his mind. When he looked at it again, could picture himself standing on the edge. It was a somewhat nice thought actually.

[FlamingBee]

Malkia smiled at the beauty of the place, clearly uninhabited for years by the moss beginning to creep up the rock. After the pause she headed straight to the structure, ensuring Kion was right behind her as she reached the foot of the point. The lioness looked around for some indication of how to get up, for the side was too steep, and noticed a slope of piled up rocks that would get them to the top. Smiling she looked to her mate, and began darting up the rocks as though racing him to explore, like a cub who'd been let out for the first time.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Kion grinned when Malkia found a reasonably easy rock path to climb up. He ran after her, clambering up the rocks quite easily. They wouldn't be too much trouble, well, they would be difficult for the very old and very young, but those types of ages would almost always have help. The reached to where the point's walkway started. He looked at his mate and said,
"Shall we go to the edge of the point, or all the way up to the top first?", he asked. Also spotted a cave embedded deep into the rock just outside the walkway of the point. The rock path continued upwards.

[FlamingBee]

Malkia looked up the point from where they stood - it was extremely tempting to rush up and survey the land, as though it were there's already. But she knew it was best they check no other animals were living at the rock first. "I think we ought to check the cave - there could be other animals living there, bats and such. I wouldn't like to share a den with them," She gave a shudder at the thought. "Then I say we go up," She paused flicking his nose with her tail. "Unless you're too scared."

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Kiongozi raised an eye brow and laughed,
"Scared? Me! Ha! I laugh in the face of danger". He bounded into the cave laughing, and then while inside heard a flapping noise come towards him. He rushed back out in panic, and then an angry looking owl flew out in a hurry and didn't look back. He gave a little 'eh hem' cough and straightened himself up, "Well, at least the owl won't come back". He paused after a while and added, "I wasn't scared...". Wearily he stepped back inside and looked around, it was large enough to easily fit 10 lions in, and looked comfortable enough.

[FlamingBee]

Malika had been in fits of laughter as he scrambled out of the cave within moments of bounding in. After recovering she merely raised her own eyebrow to her mate: "Of course you weren't," She grinned and joined him in checking the cave - it seemed good enough. But quickly Malika grew eager to reach the top of the rock and bounded out the cave, checking over her shoulder to ensure Kion was following before pacing up to the top of the structure...

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Kion just rolled his eye's as she laughed, and quickly noticed she had bounded off after checking out the cave. He followed his mate to the top of the rock. It was a reasonably sized area, but dangerous if you fell of the edge.
"Be careful", he warned. He was about to add to his warning, before he noticed how beautiful the view was. The lands stretched far in all directions, and the sun hit everywhere apart from an area in the west. However, he was focusing on the beauty of it all. "Wow...", he murmured, eyes fixed on the view.

[FlamingBee]

Malkia heard her mate's warning and was careful not to come to close to the edge as she looked out across the horizon - any animal could see the whole territory from up here. The waterhole, the gorge, the barren lands beyond the savannah... but the beauty came from the harmony there, the animals all grazing in peace, predators only taking what they needed it seemed. It was: "Perfect..." She let the word escape from her as a whisper.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

(OOC: I'm bringing in a baboon, an ancestor of Rafiki. He's what starts of the tradition of having a shaman)

Kiongozi let himself sit down, as he just peacefully watched life go on in front of him. He sighed happily, even though it was midday and the sun was high and hot, it didn't bother him for that moment even on top of a huge rock.
"Enjoying da view, are we?", a bouncy African voice said from behind Kion. He got up on his feet and spun around to see an adult male baboon, carrying a stick.
"Umm...yes, it is rather beautiful...er, who are you?".

"My name is Horoshi, I look after this huuuuge rock 'ere". Kion frowned a little,
"Oh, so you live here? This is your home? And I'm Kiongozi by the way". Horoshi nodded and wore a huge grin,
"Ya, dis is my home. Unless, you Kiongozi, and your mate Malkia, want to live 'ere". Kion was about to nod and reply, but growled, how did he know Malkia's name?

"Hey! How do you know Malkia's name?". Horoshi chuckled,
"Ahh, I've been watching you. Since you came onto da lands. An instant thought came to me. Why don't we have a pride of lions 'ere? We need one Mr. Kiongozi. The longer we don't have one, the longer da Circle of Life is out of balance". Kiongozi raised an eye brow, apperently, the land needed a pride of lions more than he expected.

"The Circle of Life?", he questioned. Horoshi nodded and leant on his stick.
"Sit, I will tell you. Listen 'ere closely, and you mate of Kiongozi". Kion sat down and the baboon began saying stuff in the language of the lands. He didn't understand, but for some reason, Kiongozi felt excited and proud at hearing them.

"Well den, I will start", Horoshi took a deep breath and then began, "The Circle of Life, is what keeps da lands in balance, to understand dat balance, you need to respect all creatures. Even from the crawling ants, to the leaping antelope. When you kill, you kill for your pride. When you hunt, you hunt for the food you need, not the food you want. When you die, your body's become da grass, and de gazelle herd that you hunting from eat da grass. Do you understand?

Kiongozi, had been listening closely. He almost felt privileged to hear these words,
"Yes...I understand", he replied quietly. Horoshi turned to Malkia,
"And do you understand, mate of Kiongozi?".