[PRIVATE] A Loner's Pride

[XxRinaRoguexX]

[[Holy drama central, you guys ]]

When Chanya figured out that they were being watched, which is exactly what they didn't need when they were trying to pull of this operation, she turned her head and looked over to the lioness running away. Filthy wretch. She'll pay with her life for eaves dropping, thought the 'innocent' little lioness. "We take action now, Wafu" she spoke with her head facing the direction of the leaving female who she gathered was Syira from the little she had heard. Not even looking at the male she claimed to love, almost with the slightest movement of her body the same went through her expression and it gained a more light, and pure feel. While she trotted up to the group, she barely had time to introduce herself before the same spying lioness started to fall to a painful tantrum, and erupting from her mouth were cries of woe and hurt. "Oh my gosh, are you okay? Please, let me help you" she exclaimed, curling up to the female. There was almost the urge to slit her throat right there and then but what good would that do in gaining the trust of these lions and lionesses? She completely ignored the others around her, no matter who they were or what they said, but kept to the lionesses' side. How good would it look if someone as beautiful and sweet as her were to be so concerned for the health of someone she had never even met? Chanya mentally was cackling to herself with glowing eyes. When she realized the lioness was too much in pain to even pay attention only then she relieved her eyes from Syira's appearance and looked at Sius, "I saw her come through the jungle before and she looked ill even then...I just knew I had to come and make sure she was alright. It was a good thing I came back though...I would have felt so terrible if I had left her to who knows what would be her fate" she strokes her paw across Syira's fur with the slightest jerk of tears coming to her eyes. "I just could only wish that she would like me...she just came at me and called me evil for no reason. It hurt my feelings so much that she would call me and my best friend," she was referring to Wafu, "such things upon meeting us for the first time". When something in the corner of her amber eyes moved, she turned her head to spot the female that seemed to have caught more than just simple interest from many of the pride members...she would be next.

Zera was already at Syira's side and soothing her out. Unlike what her mother would do with her when she was a cub, Zera didn't whisper anything to control the lionesses anxieties and instead just rested her head on the female's shoulder with her annoyance obviously showing off for the worst. Zera could never imagine what it was like to be Syira-- so open with her emotions and rash to come to conclusions. As well as this new female, Chanya...seemed like they were two peas in a pod...with claws. Aside from the little drama-fest they were having in a huddled position over Syira, Zera couldn't help but look over to Eeve. She hadn't quite caught herself in the midst of sanity to all those who were keeping to themselves pretty much over the whole outburst, but what she had done-- to both Syira and Sius-- caught her eye and a glint in it was signaling that it amused her. She knew there was something between those two, but it was even more curious as to when it would happen. Zera made sure that when she caught Eeve's eye, even if only for a moment or two, there would a wink presented from the lazy lioness to the provoked one. Eeve...she was always with Taro, who seemed to be acting more like Zera was in these crazy situations going from one to the other, which appealed to the lioness even more. But she would never let anyone know it. As Zera looked up at Eeve, her eyes creeped to Taro but quickly moved away to catch the sights of Sius. He was acting so much more different than usual, which was surprising. Why was she getting all wound up about these few chances of company around her? She hadn't known them for a full day-- some not even for an hour-- and she was already getting "feelings" for their safety and well-being? It was strange...she had never felt things like this for anyone aside from her family and close friends. But she left them behind...why did she do them again? Oh yeah, because she was scared more by the fact that her feelings as strong as the ones for her family and friends were too much for her to handle. A light smirk brushed across her lips as she remembered that one fatal detail of who she was: feeling are scarier than anything I've ever faced in my life so far. Why would I want to concern myself with any more of them? But still she owed it to Syira-- she was probably the one lioness who was so contagiously annoying that there was something Zera couldn't help but stick around to see what she would pull next. "She just needs some rest," she looked up at Sius, "as do we all". With a light raise of her brow, she was silently telling him that she was to talk to him before he set out on this little mission of his.

[Nukascar101]

"Hm, what do we want, that's a hard one" Wafu said rather sarcastically as he sat and looked up at the sky with a thinking expression. Now that Chanya had made Wafu to believe Suis and the others where the enemy he would not show them the softer side of his cunning that he was going to show before while following Mufalfa's plan.
"Two young rogues hanging around a pride, I wonder what they could want. If you 'king' of your own version of Pride Rock then maybe you should be smart enough to know" Wafu answered Suis' question with a smirk. This may not be the smartest thing especially if he was trying to get on Suis' good side but he couldn't help it. Anyway, if he understood Chanya right she'd know how to convince this male.
"Obviously we'd like to join that little and I do mean little pride of yours, after all the more the merrier right more protection" Wafu said his smirk turning into a genuine smile although he was now putting on an act you would have to be a professional to tell as he tried to look as non-threatening as possible. Now he had to try and make Suis believe neither he nor Chanya were a threat at all and he had one of the many lines he used to do so.
"Your not scared are you? I mean come one look at us compared to you" Wafu said in an almost encouraging manner.

[Harvs]

Sius became angered by Wafu's sarcasm. He had offered them a chance to leave without getting into a scrape or disagreement. And after that little encounter with Mufalfa, Wafu was turning out to be more and more like him. A chip off the old block. And who was this lioness who came out of nowhere all of the sudden knowing Wafu from cubhood. Sius didn't like it one bit. And when Wafu questioned his courage, something snapped in his brain. Sure his pride was little, but they were more than capable enough to take down these two insects! "I certainly hope you don't seriously intend to stay. My brother ill needs a savior such as you." Sius started walking away from the two, an angered glare on his muzzle.

Something about Wafu's attitude was just getting his blood boiling. He wanted nothing more than to walk away and never see those two again. The thought was almost as pleasant as never meeting him to begin with. "Sius! What are you doing?!" A voice shouted in Sius' ear. A voice as deep as thunder and as regal as a king. Could... could Mufasa really have this much power? "Sius. You are more than what you are becoming. Look inside your heart." Sius couldn't believe what he had just heard. He looked around, shooting looks in all directions, trying to play it off as a natural cause. But he simply couldn't. He knew Mufasa was right. With his head hung low, he turned around and started treading back to Wafu and Chanya.

It seemed like a bad cliche... but what else could Sius do? He couldn't just defy Mufasa. He walked close to Wafu and said "Um... listen Wafu... maybe I... maybe I was a little too hard on you." He looked Wafu right in the eyes and tried to bring a smile to his muzzle. He had been taught, that if he couldn't feel the emotion he was searching for, than to fake it until he made it. Fortunately, the smile that followed was a real one. He no longer looked down upon Wafu and saw an untrustworthy rogue. Instead, he saw a misunderstood rogue in a cold dark world. Sius continued to beam down a loving smile to Wafu just to let him know he had nothing to fear. "I was way outta line back there, and... well... I was hoping we could just... start all over. A clean slate. What do ya say?" Sius held his paw out to Wafu.

His smile faded into a look of slight confusion when Wafu didn't do anything back to Sius. He looked down at his paw, smiled, and looked back up at Wafu. "It's uh... it's a paw shake. I kinda need your paw to complete it."

[Nukascar101]

As Suis walked away Wafu mentally cured himself. 'I overdid it, now he'll never trust me' the lion thought to himself but then had a bit of a hopeful look when he realized the Suis had turned around, but what did Suis come back to do. If Suis decided to forcefully make them leave Wafu was ready to defend Chanya even though when it come to sheer brute strength his father's genes hadn't paid their due. Needless to say Wafu was surprised when he saw a smile on Suis' face, and a real one at that, in fact this smile was almost...loving. 'He's giving us a loving smile...I heard of mood swings but this is ridiculous' Wafu thought seeing how Suis went from seemingly hating their, or rather his guts to beaming at them.
"Um, sure" Wafu said when Suis suggested a fresh start and then held out his paw. 'What's he doing?' Wafu though to himself staring at the other lion's paw with a puzzled look then he heard what Suis said.
"A paw shake?" Wafu asked never being exposed to one. Regardless he held out his own paw, Wafu tried once again to retract is claws and it could be seen by his muscles tensing but gave up after a few seconds leaving his forever extended razor sharp claws in full view. He now waited for Suis to make the next move seeing as he didn't know what to do next.

[TheWhistlerify]

Dakari ran out of the cave and headed back towards the tall grass field he had come from. He had seen a lioness in his older pride use herbs to treat a wound before, and if he remembered correctly then there was flowerbed of such herbs somewhere around there. Once he was sure he was nearing the spot, he stopped running and instead carefully looked around the field, 'Come on you stupid flowers, where are you?..' he didn't want to delay Sius and the others from leaving, and therefor started looking around even faster. After what seemed to him like ages, he finally found it. It seemed like a long never ending forest of small little herbs. 'Bingo.' he thought with a smile and started picking them out. After he had gathered what seemed to him like enough to tend the lioness' wound, he placed them all in his mouth and began running back.

It took him a few moments to find his way back to their pride's den. When he finally did he ran past Sius, Eeve, Wafu and Taro and went straight inside. Zera was inside, along with that lioness that they had both met earlier. He came to a halt next to Syira and Chanya, who was cuddled up to her for some reason. He tried to say something, but all that came out of his herbs-filled-with mouth were mumbles. Feeling like an idiot, he dropped the herbs he had collected on the den's floor before speaking normally to both Zera and Chanya, "I've seen someone in my older pride do this once." he said, gesturing down at the herbs he had collected, "Could I take a look at that wound she has?"

[zorayda]

Taro stood aside to let Dakari do his work, still worried about Syira and how she would heal. He looked to Zera, who was busy trying not to get in everyone's way, much like he himself was doing. He trotted over to her and sat down, watching everyone and what they were doing. Another lion in the background, yet again. How would he ever be a king if all he was good for was to sit and watch?

"Hey," he said to Zera, glancing at her. He didn't smile; there were too many things to worry about to smile. Sius and Wafu, and his trust of the rogue lion, Syira's illness, the obvious blossoming relationship between Eeve and Sius, all the new lions they'd just met...

"A lot of crazy stuff going on, huh?" He said gently. He worried a little bit about her--she seemed to be a very nice lioness, but just not one who seemed to want to deal with this mess. So for now, he would just watch her and make sure she was all right. After all, Eeve was an emotional hurricane who could handle herself when it came down to it. He smiled softly when Zera attempted to comfort Syira, her new friend and fellow 'pridemate'. Zera really was so very beautiful, even on the inside...

Eeve, on the other hand, had backed away from Syira to allow the others to heal her. She opted on keeping an eye on her, but also closely watching Sius handle Wafu's attitude, and was impressed when Sius allowed the rogue to stay. Here was a lion with a good head and a gentle heart. She grinned at him in encouragement for his decision and continued her vigil over the ill lioness before her.

[TheWhistlerify]

Dakari's question was rethorical, and he didn't really wait for any of them to move as he lay himself down by Syira's other side so that he could examine the gash on the lioness' side. He only now saw how bad the wound really was. "Aww... That's nasty..." he muttered quietly to himself. He had to clean the wound up somehow, and he had to do it if he wanted to treat it porperly. He hoped that he wouldn't disturb the sleeping Syira by doing so, and he gently began licking over the wound. He did so for about a minute, and when the wound seemed clean enough, he took one of the herbs and broke the stem into two pieces. There was some transparent liquid inside, and Dakari slowly let some of it drip onto his paw before turning his attention back to Syira, "Hope I'm doing this right..." he muttered, again to himself, before gently spreading the gel over the wound and then softly rubbing it.

[Harvs]

Wafu slowly placed his paw in Sius'. He had obviously never done this before. For a moment, Sius wondered just how difficult Wafu's life must have been. He had an atrocious father, Chanya had most likely been his only friend. And to never have experienced even a paw shake? This whole day was shaping up to be an emotional test for Sius' internal fortitude. But there was something in Sius' heart that forced him to coop with the situation. He had to make sure Kasi was alright... but Wafu needed Sius too. He needed someone to show him friendship. Someone to show him love and compassion and to break him away from the influence of his father. Sius slowly shook his paw, and Wafu's in turn, up and down. It was a simple gesture that seemed to confuse Wafu beyond comprehension. After a moment of this repeating action, Sius did something that would either make or break the moment. Sius pulled Wafu into both of his arms. He pulled Wafu into a hug. If Sius' predictions were correct, then Wafu had probably never felt a real hug before. "You don't have to feel alone anymore. I'll be by your side." With that, Sius headed back to the den to see what was keeping the others. He turned back only once to shoot a smile to Wafu once again.

Sius walked up to Zera, who had insinuated that she wanted to talk to him privately earlier. Sius lead her away from the others as best he could and said "Listen, I know we all need rest. But..." His words trailed off as he looked out upon the horizon. "My brother is out there... and if we don't do something now, he'll be killed." His words were filled with love and fear in a strange combination that he had never felt before. He waited for Zera to respond before walking closer to Dakari and Syira. Chanya was also in the area. Something about her seemed... untrustworthy... but what did Sius know? He was probably just overreacting again. He watched Dakari work with the herbs on Syira's gash. It seemed like a steady operation, so Sius kept his distance not wanting to screw anything up. But he had to say something to Dakari. Not wanting to interrupt Dakari's work, Sius sat down next to him and said "OK. Dakari, I'm counting on you to stay here and make sure that Syira stays unharmed. It's a very important job. Understand?" Sius leaned up and walked a bit away from the operation.

OK, let me see here. We've got me, Taro, Eeve, Ushujaa, ... Maybe Wafu if he decides to come. Kasi... He looked back at Chanya. He didn't feel entirely comfortable bringing her along. She seemed innocent, but looks can be deceiving. Well... he didn't want to leave her here with Dakari and Syira. If she really wasn't innocent, then she would be able to dispatch those two in no time. For the sake of everyone, Sius decided that it would be best for her to come. What harm could she cause with a battle going on? Chanya... and possibly Zera. Sius completed his thought. It seemed like a good team. eight against six. Very good odds in favor of Sius' pride. As soon as Ushujaa was ready to move out, they would leave. He just hoped that they weren't too late.

[TheWhistlerify]

Dakari continued what he was going without paying alot of attention to what was going around him. To his surprise, it seemed to be actually working, and he was so pleased by the fact that he seemed to be doing a good job that he didn't even notice Sius sit down by his side, which nearly caused him to jump as the lion spoke to him, "Oh! Dude..." he said, looking rather startled, before hearing him out. "Yeah, of course sir." he said, giving the lion a nod of approval, "I'll watch over her untill ya'll come back." he then returned to rubbing Syira's wound for a few moments longer, before deciding that he had treated the wound enough. "This should do..." he said, taking the remaining herbs and throwing them to the corner of the den, might as well keep them for later.

[XxRinaRoguexX]

Zera directed her gazes upwards at Taro but barely changed her expression though she wanted to smile like an idiot at the sound of his voice right next to her. It was one thing to have someone talking to you from across the way, but he was sitting right beside her and it made her heart leap...for some strange reason. She probably looked much less Zera-ish than she ever did now because of her shifting facial features having spazums every once in a while, flickering on and off. "Hey yourself" she casually replied. If he wasn't looking, she'd face-paw herself for the tone she used. Same as usual-- sarcastic and smooth-- which is not what she wanted, but at least she said something instead of holding her vocal chords back. Cool yourself Zera, you're not a cub anymore. Why are you acting like a crazy lioness who doesn't know how to control herself? She talked badly about herself when really she knew how to control herself-- sometimes too well. At his next statement she cracked a smile with her eyes closed and looked back down, "you can say that again. But you seem like you're able to handle it well, so you must be keeping some level of calmness in this cave". She spoke the truth because it was something she was good at doing and she felt the need to do just that with Taro-- show off her good side. Why she felt the need to make herself look good to only him and shun the others from seeing a different side of her other than the one she put out, she had no clue. But it seemed to be working when she saw a smile that came over his lips. Dang it, he's handsome. "You've got a nice smile" she spoke her mind...maybe not for the best.

Apparently not for the best when Sius finally had time to talk to her. Whilst Zera picked herself up from the form of her fellow lionesses, she looked back at Taro with a tired, but sweet smile. "Talk to you later, Taro" she said before copying his wink from earlier. Zera walked her ways with Sius over to where no one was listening and heard out what he had to say. Apparently, he felt the strong need to go and make sure that his brother was alright. That was totally predictable, besides understandable-- but he was kind of forgetting something. When he finished what he had to say, it was difficult for her not to furrow her brows and bite her lip. She had so much to say to him about it...but she barely slipped the lip. And it was probably for the best, as she was sure that he didn't need the added bullying done on him right now when he was feeling the stress from both his brother and obvious thinking processes of how he was going to execute the journey over to his blood relative. How far away was it exactly? From here...yeah, that would be a pretty long trip. This lioness wasn't one for imposing in on others' business but when it was concerning the others she had something to say about it. And so with little to no facial change-- except perhaps the slight altering of mood in her eyes-- she sighed out. "Look, all I'm saying is the others might be tired. Give them some time to rest," she started to walk away before she let anything from her agitated side slip through but had one last thing to tell him, "if Kasi is anything like you, he'll be fine for one night while the others sleep". With that, she walked past him and back over to Syira. The whole time she was speaking with Sius, she was hoping that he didn't think it rude of her to be twitching her ears back and forth to make sure nothing funny was going on with Dakari and Syira. She wasn't fully trusting of all the lions yet and when it came to the newer males, she found herself a little more tense than she would a female like Chanya.

Chanya could sense that there was little to no trust in her from the owner of this den. What wasn't to trust? She perfected her innocent act, and there was nothing against her to compel them to think badly of her, so why was there speculation on only her? The lioness knew that if she were to get anywhere, she would need some sort of diversion...or different lioness to be looked after. Or lion... She looked at the Dakari fellow who had brought herbs for Syira's passed out body and scrunched her face. "Are you sure that they were herbs to heal her? She looks worse than she did before" she looked over the lioness. Well she looks worse anyways, but that's not the point here, the female talked down about Syira mentally. In her honest opinion, she thought that Syira was ugly-- but then again, everyone was uglier than her. Soon, her eyes shifted up to the other lioness. Zera was her name? She had bold colors about her, but nothing to set her apart from any other female in the Pridelands. Overrated blue eyes, masculine tufts of red fur on her ears, a long and slim body and a mannish figure to suit her personality. But this male didn't seem to think that of her. In fact, he seemed to like her. And the way he was paying attention to her more than the other lionesses (besides his obvious friend) was a clear indication that though they were new to each other, he wasn't finding her interesting enough to pursue.

The dark lioness waited for his eyes to be caught by hers and she smiled up at him, "she's right; you do have a nice smile. Taro right?" Out of the corner of her eye, there was a movement from Zera that was clear she was looking at what was going on with Chanya and Taro but she payed no heed to the new found attention, nor did Zera any longer look at the two before she walked out of the cave and let the others have their time for themselves.

That left Zera outside alone where she could have some time to breathe for herself. So, they're going to head out soon, huh? Hmm...wonder if I should go with them. I don't feel right, letting Dakari stay with Syira all alone but I still wanna go with the others to find this Kasi lion...