_ _ _ | | | | ____ [ ] ______ _ ___ | | | |OO / ___|[ ]_ / ____ \ | |/ _ \ _ _ | | | |OO / /__[_ _]/ / \ \| / \/| | | | | |____| |__ |__ | [ ] | | | | / | | | | | ____ | | \ \ [ ] | | | | | | | | | | | | | | \ \[ ] \ \____/ /| | | \___/ | | | | | |____/ |[ ] \______/ |_| |_____ / |_| |_|__|_____/ [_] _____/ /_ / ___/ /__/ / /__/ / __ __ ___ _ /______/ / \|_ | |_||_ \__/| | | ||_ ______ _ _ / ____ \ | | _ __ _ | | ____ | / \ | _ ___ OO | | _____| | _ / || | | | / ___| | |____| || |/ _ \ OO | | / __ \ | /_\| |\\| | | | / /__ | ______/ | / \/ __ ____| | / /__/ / | //_\\ || | | ____| | |__ | | | | / | |/ ___ |/ _____/| | / ___ \|| | |/ ___ | \ \ | | | | | | | | | / | | / / \ \| | | | | | \ \ | | | | | | \___/ | \____/|| |/_/___ |\_\ \ | \___/ | _____/ | |_| |_| |__|\______/\______| \______/ |_||__/ \______/|______/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [ May 16, 1999 ] You move from the shelter of the overhang into... ~*~Ibilisi Ahari~*~ Pridal Caverns The cave you enter is well-lit, the product of a large hole in the center of the roof, though an overhang prevents wind or rain from entering too much. The walls form a roundish area, with an upcropping of stone to the back between two arches. This shift of rock is large enough for a fully grown male to sit on, but has the distinct scent of female only. Several small caves seem to branch off of this junction, which is why it was given the name Pridal Caverns. Exits: Misuki's [Den] Taka'Moto's [Cavern] Zira's [Little] Cavern Out to Maisha's [Overhang] Into the [Royal] Caverns [Back] to the Pridal Cave [IC] Sukutu, male adol lion [Zzz] Misuki, female lioness [IC] Isilahi, female white lioness [IC] Zimwe'Malaika, female black lion [IC] Taka'Moto, male juve. lion Sukutu A set of golden eyes gleam back at you, never blinking. You are gazing upon Sukutu, the adol lion. His golden fur stretches thinly over his already- massive frame, looking healthy and well cared for. His powerful legs move with the sort of grace a mountain carries, smooth yet unrelenting... unmerciful. The thick barrel of a chest which grows just a bit more slender toward the back connects with healthy, large flanks towards his rear. His mane is almost fully grown, just a bit thin in the chest area. Even its mate, the plume on the end of his tail, seems... perfect. In fact, his coat of fur almost gleams, a testament to the fact that he takes /very/ good care of it which it turn suggests that he is somewhat vain. One of the first things most furs learn about this lion's personality is that his name suits him perfectly: he speaks only rarely and when he does speak he almost never says more than three or four words at a time. The gleam of intelligence in his eyes suggest that is silence is not due to stupidity, and the generally sinister aura that hangs in the air around him like the stench of burning flesh suggest he is not shy... He must have some other reason that he does not often speak. He also seems to be as a coiled spring most of the time, ready to defend himself at any given point in time, even while he is asleep. The sinister aura also has a feel of aggression contained just beneath the surface, barely and badly contained... 'Silence is my weapon... they fear it, for in the silence the whisper of sweet death is louder than words can describe.' Taka'Moto The tough-looking face of Taka'Moto is covered in a dark brownish-red fur. The circles around his eyes are a dark brown. His muzzlefur is a combination of a grapefruit-like color and peach. His muzzle is short and thick, ending in a large, tough black nose. Everything about this lion is strong and tough, even though he's smaller than the average lioness of the same age. His eyebrows are thick, and shaped evilly. His short black mane covers the top of his head, groomed perfectly. His large paws are the same color as his muzzle, and the rest of his fur is the same color as his face. His eyes are black, and so are his claws and tailtip. Maisha pokes her head and forepaws through from the outside, curiousity winning over her bone deep weariness. Zimwe'Malaika pauses, incredibly still the dark one becomes, her eyes falling upon Sukutu. Her eyes narrow slightly and, brushing the dribbling blood from her face with a paw, she grins slyly. Sukutu sets the upraised paw on the ground and begins padding closer to the others. He brushes past Zimwe in apparent affection, then stops and lowers his muzzle to the wound in the Wildebeest's neck at which point he takes in a noseful of air, testing it.... Taka'Moto, as Sukutu walks by, nods. "Hey, Uncle Suku." He grins kinda, then looks back to his mother. Isilahi turns to watch Sukutu again, her eyes following his movements carefully. She then glances back to the others, she keeps just looking at everybody, it seems, unsure of what to say or of what else to do. Sukutu looks up to Taka and uses his 'friendly smile' on the lion, still more a baring of fangs than a genuine smile, but better by a large measure than his 'unfriendly smile'. Zimwe'Malaika nips at Suku as he passes, what can be called playfulness to her. Stretching slightly, she turns and nods to Maisha. "Are you alright?" she asks now, concern blanketing her features. Sukutu turns to look at the white lioness, then turns and looks at Zimwe; the question ringing out in his gaze rather than his voice. Isilahi looks to the arriving, younger lioness now, her ears perked and her expression rather worried. She looks over the battered feline, telling herself that it was an accident and not really her fault... Maisha considers that question for a long moment, breathing loud in the dark stillness of the caverns. "I think so," she says at last, quietly and meekly, ears slicked back in submission and expression almost pleading. "But I didn't..." she trails off into silence, not certain how to conclude. Succeed? Manage? Do what I should have? Each of those, perhaps. Taka'Moto looks over at Maisha, frowning concernedly, watching. Zimwe'Malaika sighs faintly shaking her head as she moves to her daughter. "Hush.. don't. It is fine if you are alright.. there will be other hunts, other days. With no interruptions, well-meant or othewise." She sighs again, relieved that her daughter seems alright, and gives a shrug in Suku's direction. "She was trying to help.. Isi..." She wrinkles her nose. "Isi..." Flopping to her side, a paw raises to her cut head. "Isilahi.." she finally manages by way of intro. "It wasn't your fault." Isilahi comments in a quiet voice, "I was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and that was a fierce wildebeest...." She flicks her white tail, curling it around her hindleg. She then looks to Sukutu and nods a gentle greeting. Maisha lowers her head to rest it on her forepaws, movements cautious to try and still the loud throb of her own blood in her mind. "I did try," she whispers, addressing this to her mother, needing still to be reassured. Sukutu returns Isilahi's nod, shooting her what might pass as a grateful smile. He quickly makes some assumptions and looks from the Wildebeest to Maisha. "Not ready..." he chides Zimwe. "Too big." This might just be incoherent to furs that do not know him well. Isilahi takes in a deep breath and sighs slowly, placing her head on her forepaw neatly. She watches the others idly, as she just remains quiet, shyly.. Zimwe'Malaika creeps on her stomach toward Maisha, snorting at Suku. "Don't start with me.. she has to learn some time. And it was right there in the open." She sits up, looking toward her brother. "You take advantage of things like that." She settles beside Maisha's half-form. Of course, she is, in her own way, admitting him to be right, and herself to have been wrong.. Sukutu nods slightly, seeing that he got his point across and it was accepted with at least a shadow of grace. He lowers himself to his haunches, watching everything and saying nothing more. Isilahi yawns quietly and lets her greenish-blue eyes slide shut, falling asleep quickly... Maisha sighs, a shuddering sound, as her mother settles near, comforted as nearly as she can be in the uncertainty of the life she leads. She had been so frightened that she would be disowned for this, and favour given to one of her siblings. That is still a possibility, of course, it is an ever-present threat, but for the moment at least is lessened. Zimwe'Malaika leans forward, clamping her jaws around the young one's neckfur and bringing her carefully to her own dark paws. Settling to her stomach, the midnight lioness sets about grooming the dark blood from her eldest, though her eyes watch those around her. Maisha relaxes further under the dark Lioness' ministrations, only the slight, nervous twitching of her whippy tail betraying that she is still uncertain, for her eyes have closed, disguising that possible reflection of her thoughts. Sukutu watches Zimwe and her cub, unblinking as always as his tail waves peacefully back and forth. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -