[Closed] Little Stranger (Taraji Chapter 1)

[Mike]

"You got it Nala, good luck Rahina!" Vitani called, watching the two lionesses leave on their adventure. She puzzled a bit over Rahina's parting words, and decided that she'd very much like the opportunity to talk to the lioness again. It seemed they had a lot in common.

Left alone, Vitani took to gazing down at the early morning pridelands, watching the animals go about their buisness, already blurred slightly by a heat haze. It was rather peaceful; Vitani didn't often stop to smell the roses. She couldn't sit still forever though, and she took to flexing her injured paw, testing out the healing. It was feeling a lot better after so many hours of rest, barely a twinge from her gentle exercises. Tentatively she set the paw on the ground and started to stand up. Putting pressure on the paw made all the joints burn dully and she lay reluctantly back down. Maybe this afternoon she would be up for a stroll. In the meantime she'd keep a watch out on the lands from her lofty peak.

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Shani woke up in his den, feeling quite refreshed from a night in safety and comfort. He stretched his powerful body and then shook from head to tail to wake himself up. Feeling ready to face the day, he got up and left the den. Scanning the private waterhole outside, he didn't see anyone else just yet. He dunked his head into the waterhole before taking several long drinks. He then shook himself again, this time to spray most of the water out of his mane. He began a leasurely stroll towards Pride Rock, thinking idly that there might be someone interesting there. Or maybe Kivuli had spent the night and would be up for another prowl together.

Some distance from Pride Rock though, Shani came across Kopa, who was running up quickly from behind, also seemingly headed for Pride Rock. Shani's sharp eyes told him that Kopa was clearly worried about something.

"Kopa, what's going on?" Shani called as Kopa made it into shouting range. He prepared to match the other's pace if needed. "Is it the rogues back again?"

[SinChei]

Daxis lost the voices and didnt know where he should go now. He listened carefully if he coukd hear something and heard someone talking. The redmaned cub heard them near the private waterhole and made his way to it. There were 2 cubs and one lioness.
Daxis hid behind a tree and listened to the small group.

[KiarasMate]

Kopa was nearing Pride Rock, when a somewhat familiar voice grabbed his attention, causing the large male to pause briefly as he looked around to see who the voice belonged to. Spotting Shani coming up from the direction of The Private Waterhole, Kopa turned about face and started to backtrack towards the distant lion, calling out in a concerned tone.

”Oh, hey, erm, Shani, was it, right? No, there’s no rogues, but did you happen to see a little lioness on your way here? Um, she’s about this tall,” Kopa stated, indicating Almasi’s height with a fore paw as he continued. ”and has a unique marking of sorts on her. Trust me, you’d know if you saw her or not. It’s just, Rahina and I were supposed to be watching her, but Rahina’s gone off to hunt with Queen Nala and so she left me in charge of watching after Almasi. As you can tell, I’m not doing a good job of it. Doesn’t help that I have no experience dealing with cubs and the fact that she just seemed to disappear.”

Looking both disappointed in himself, as well as in the situation at paw, Kopa hoped that Shani might have seen Almasi on his way towards Pride Rock, just in case the little lioness might have decided to head back to where she and Kopa were last together at. Waiting as patiently as he could for a response from Shani, Kopa continued to scan around the surrounding area, in hopes of spotting some sign of Almasi’s whereabouts, not wishing to call out her name as he already felt stupid enough for letting her out of his sight so easily and didn’t want anyone else to know of his predicament. Shani didn’t seem to fall under this category however, seeing as he was a newer addition to the pride than he and Rahina were, so Kopa felt a bit more comfortable speaking to someone who didn’t hold as much rank within the pride as more staple members would.

[Mike]

Shani shook his head regretfully. "No, I'm afraid I just woke up." he said. "I haven't seen anyone today. Maybe I can help you find her though, Were you heading to Pride Rock as well?"

It had occurred to Shani that if there was one creature in the pridelands that could change Rahina's opinion of him it would be Kopa. He was also probably the only lion Rahina trusted. Shani decided that he'd do his best to help Kopa in hopes of gaining his respect and trust. He really had no idea where the little thing might be, but finding it wasn't important, it was jut something to do while getting to know each other. He gave the area a visual sweep, but came up with no better results than Kopa. They would have to move on if they wanted to have any chance of finding the lost cub.

[Lodrill]

Taraji shook her head and shied back behind Kiaras paw and tried to hide completely. It was like she could not see Almasi and so Almasi must not be able to see her...

Taraji still was not really used to meeting others. It was maybe just her shy nature to be afraid of new acquaintances at first. Maybe it also came from the times she had been all by herself that her instinct indicated any other creature as potential threat.

Taraji peeked around the paw towards Almasi. Her crystal eyes were filled with both, curiosity and fear from her shyness. At the moment her eyes met Almasi's again thought she winced back behind Kiaras paw.

[hr][/hr]

Rahina was caught off-guard by the question of Nala. "Erm... names? Erm, well... ... no I haven't thought about it. Do you already have names for your cubs?" The easiest way for Rahina to escape the embarrassment was to quickly shift the topic to the cubs of Nala. Rahina really never had thought about names or stuff. She had been focused on keeping it secret from Kopa and hunting and reaching a place they could stay.

[LionPrincess]

Almasi looked up at sarabi " well yeh, he was taking me to eat and we were playing and now i dont know were he is" she told her and then her attention went back to Taraji, she saw that the other cub was frightened so she looked up at Kiara " Rahina found me and brought me here and Nala said i could stay the night but it is up to the king if i can stay for good, i hope he lets me cause i really like it here and why is your cub so scared" she said very quickly as she was rather excited to be meeting other pride members

[KingKivuli]

Inside his den Kivuli woke from his slumber and stretched out is strong frame. He then proceeded to make his way out side and went to the waterhole and quenched his thirst. The gray lion shoved his head deep into the water and began to gulp down the crystal waters. He had been so worried about Mila yesterday that he even forgot to stop and grab a quick drink.

A few minutes past and Kivuli was satisfied. As he observed the surrounding area he noticed Kiara standing talking to another lioness. Kivuli had seen this lioness around but had never really introduced himself. He did however see Almasi, who seemed to be this lionesses cub. Thinking things through Kivuli decided to go over and introduce himself. While he was there he would also inquire as to how Mila was if Kiara had seen her this morning

As Kivuli walked round the waterhole to the lionesses he greeted Kiara Morning princess. How are you? By this time Kivuli was basically standing next to the pair of females. His large frame almost towered both of them. Kivuli also saw the cubs. He knew Almasi was fine with him, but he was unsure about the younger cub that hid behind Kiara

[SinChei]

Daxis wanted to join them too but he noticed the small crystal eyed cub was scared enough. He just wanted to play with the older one. The dark furred cub behind the tree heard her name it was something like "Amosi" Daxis thought about how he would get her attention he wouldnt go closer to her because of a second cause too. He didnt like the Gray furred male lion named kivuli. Kivuli was scarry and was a bore in Daxis eyes. His eyes flitted over the ground and spotted a small stone. Daxis kicked against the stone and hit Almasi on the right hind paw.

[LionPrincess]

"ouch" Almasi yelled as a small stone hit her right hind paw, she looked around and seen a young male hiding so she went over to see what he wanted and why he hit her with a stone "well i gotta go" she told the other lions as she ran off, as she reached the young male she stopped and sat infront of him "hi im Almasi, who are you and why did you kick a stone at me" she asked curious at why he didnt just come over to say hello

[SinChei]

Daxis was successful and smiled embarrassed and waited until Almasi was soclose to her that she could understand him.
"Hi I am Daxis and sorry but i saw this little cub over there and noticed she was scarred enough so i decided i wont join you and the others because of the cub i had scarred her even more if you understand. Oh and i was the one who yelled out hello because i heard you and i was looking for somone who could play with me so do you want to play with me? And sorry for the stone again i hope i didnt hurt you". He leaped playfully around her. Daxis was taller than her and looked older too but didnt behave like this.