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 Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 4:19 pm
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Welcome to the next part of the Pridelands Meta.
This takes place a couple weeks after the last ORP, where everyone has had time to recover, heal, and take the first steps to moving past that event. In the mean time, the cult has been stewing over the lack of real response to what had happened. A few lions have gone missing, and yet too much of the pride would rather put their head in the sand than really discuss the issues. Vitha has taken it upon herself to shatter that quiet, and confront the issue at hand. The King & Council.
exclaim This will be a relatively short ORP. It is only in ORP format to make it more obvious that many, many Pridelanders will overhear and/or attend this confrontation. There is no danger in this ORP. If you were short your 5 posts for breeding in the last ORP, this is a perfect opportunity to make up for being short, and post enough to combine the two as a 'qualified' breeding RP. There will be more future ORPs, so you can always jump in here! |
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Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 4:26 pm
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The pain from that night had long ceased controlling her fear. Time to reflect on how poorly the crown handled that night, including the aftermath, had fueled the flames of her justice. It was time to make a stand, to fix what was truly broken within the Pridelands.
The king.
She gathered up her cult members that could appear with her today; there were still a couple of them keeping an eye on the border. The area where all those lives had been lost had turned into a makeshift graveyard; those that went there paid their respects, but the land felt...tainted somehow. Too many tears had fallen, and Vitha knew that the source of the failure in protection had laid on Tau, and his inability to do anything. He hadn't listened to her warnings. He hadn't done enough to keep everyone safe that night. How had none of the many seers in the pride warned him of the calamity that had attacked? But she had. That witch, Aoife, had spun her sweet words of denial into his ears, and looked down upon Vitha as nothing but a fool. There was blood on their paws, and she wasn't going to idly pray for protection any longer.
Certainly, their numbers were small, as they marched towards the base of Pride Rock. The Pridelands had always been an easygoing pride, one with little conflict and easy living. She assumed little threat would happen to them, other than some jeers from the idiots that still lapped at getting a piece of the crown themselves. Tau was still unmarried, too attached to that sweet seductress to let his eyes look elsewhere. Even the council hadn't seemed to convince him to find a more strong, political marriage. His position as king had been weak the moment he had arrived, a cub from an "Empire" weeks away, with the promise that he was of royal blood. Why had no one taken the time to ensure that this was what they had really received? But the good, old Simi had vouched for him, and none spoke against him.
Her cubs were tucked behind her, Mkate to her right as she took the final few paces to her position. She stared up at Pride Rock, a symbol of the lands that had soon as far back as the historians could remember. A status symbol, one that was a shelter as well as a cry to the stars above. The Great Kings had shown her their displeasure, and she was not going to let their cries be ignored.
"Tau!" she roared in challenge, Mkate echoing her challenge to emphasize it. Heads shot upwards as they stared at the small group. Whispers of heresy, of betrayal to the crown. How dare she not call him upon his title, but by mere name? Still, she stood tall, her chest arched in complete confidence. This was what she was meant to do.
Mkate stood next to her, just a pace behind. He was her constant supporter, and had done more than his share of helping raise their children. Vitha did not trust to leave them out of her sight, not yet. Still so small, and so vulnerable. She would not allow someone like Aoife to get her teeth into them, to convince her sweet children to turn traitor against her mother. "Are you ready to really place a target on our backs?" he asked quietly, his eyes glanced at all the stares that were being thrown their way. He had lineage to keep him safe, but after today he was certain that his own family may turn their backs on him. Nothing had changed after his mother had been murdered, so he was almost hoping for that final closed door.
"They've turned traitor against their own homelands. I do not care what they label me; I will save this land." She pulled her cubs in closer, the realization of the future that she was going to protect. Her children would not grow under the poor, weak crown that currently rested its head on Pride Rock. |
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Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 4:28 pm
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A few of the cult followers were being a bit louder than others. Haribu, freshly new to the Pridelands and deeply devoted to Vitha, was gossiping with the two near her. "Wow, the moment is finally here!" The dark brown lioness laughed brightly, having joined the pride after that terrible night. She had no horrors to speak of, no nightmares to haunt her. But she did have a fire within her own heart, and a goal in her mind. Vitha had a passion that she wished more lions nurtured, and she would do anything she could to keep Vitha focused on her goal of saving these lands. "How do you think this'll go over?"
Aumia rolled her eyes, shifting her focus to Pride Rock. "Like a warthog in mud. The crown doesn't care about anything that happens outside of these lands. It is easier to cover up their problems, rather than face them head on. I can't see anything actually changing, even with all the pain that Tau's mistakes have inflicted." She had always felt like this place was missing something. It wasn't until Vitha opened her eyes to the ineptitude of the crown that she finally understood. How was it that everything had fallen apart after Simi? The old male had made his own mistakes, and everything had fractured along the way. Now they had a fully unequipped king, and with the way things seemed to be, no chance for growth in sight.
The male laughed. His anchor mark on his foreleg marking his family lines, though the slightly rusty jewelry along his body was not typical of Pridelanders. His own red eyes glanced up to Pride Rock, and then back to Aumia. "So negative! At least they haven't failed as much as my own birthpride." There were times he missed the old sandy lands, the heat and the different culture. Pridelands was nice, as it was his father's birthplace, but it was rather... quiet. Dull. Even so, he didn't want to see it crumble apart; he had been through that once already. "We're here to make sure the pride doesn't fall into disarray, right? Keep your chin up Aumia, she just wants to talk with him."
Haribu laughed. "'Talk' in front of everyone. Please. This is a declaration; the Cult of the Unknown is pushing into political territory here. Keep your wits about you. I'm sure someone will try something soon."
The orange lioness rolled her eyes. Everyone was too weak here to try something right in front of the king himself. Hasani was humming to himself, rather excited to see how Tau would react. Their numbers were still small, but he was convinced that they would find themselves some new fellow followers after this show. |
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Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 4:42 pm
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After that fateful day, Kanoro had found himself sticking closer to the words of Vitha. He had found himself shying from his own family, finding a place near the outskirts of the pride to reside, and ultimately learn from. But today, today the marched towards Pride Rock. The chocolate male stayed a few steps behind their darker leader, his crimson eyes scanning their path, as they stopped and Vitha called out for their king.
He remained quiet, ears flickering back and forth listening to murmurs and comments made from the other members. A smirk tugged at his maw as his eyes met the dark chocolate orbs of his older half brother.
Soren stood near Pride Rock. Quiet, hushed voices did little to deter his stare as he looked on, spotting familiar beings amongst the cult. More so, his younger brother. So, that was where he had ventured off too. He shook his head, his dark eyes looking around the small crowd for his mother. She was with cubs, something that should have been celebrated as a joy but alas was only a pinlight amongst the dark shadows that loomed over the Pridelands. If she could see her younger son here...? What would she do? A sigh escaped the council member's maw, deciding to look anywhere but at his family member. Did he even know who Kanoro was anymore? |
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Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 4:44 pm
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Post 1 of 5
Matope had been taken in by the so-called cult early, but in the time since then he had become convinced that Vitha was right and something had to be done. There was no sign more clear than the night the stars fell from the sky, especially since they had been visited by a large, angry demon. Whispers around the pride even said He had not been the only one there that night. Matope had not seen it himself but the cost was too great to be skeptical now. He followed closely behind Vitha, Mkate and their cubs.
He echoed the roars of their leaders in a growl, not wanting to raise greater alarm than necessary but fully committed to his part. Then he waited to see what would happen, wondering idly if the King and his council would ignore them still. His family was small and scattered, but he was still a Pridelander.. and it was a great shame that he cared more than the King.
The chatty group beside him drew his attention away from the challenge before them, and he couldn't help but judge them by their appearances, too. Haribu was new and looked more like him than other Pridelanders but both Hasani and Aumia were clear members of some of the larger families. Not as obvious as some, but still obvious in their ways. It was good to have them, too.
"Something is better than nothing," Matope muttered to them as Haribu laughed, Aumia rolled her eyes and Hasani waited.
Iva was nearby when the small crowd moved in on Pride Rock. It didn’t take a genius to see something was about to happen, so she followed cautiously from a distance behind them. She had been skeptical of Vitha and Mkate for so long, choosing to trust Aoife over them.. but she was starting to have doubts, she wasn’t sure any more. Aoife was so easy to believe, she looked like them, told them what they wanted to hear the future held, was persistent and confident.. but Vitha, the dark zealot from a relatively small family, telling everybody that danger was coming their way, was starting to seem less crazy.
Enough, at least, that Iva wanted to see what was about to happen. |
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Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 5:22 pm
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He'd have to be deaf not to have heard the roar, and a fool not to know where it came from. Djuro glanced up, the frown normally present on his muzzle deepening to levels worthy of a proper scowl. He could understand having grievances. He could understand being upset, especially in light of what had recently gone on here. He could even - despite his own position! - understand the need to bring up those grievances in a manner more direct and...shall we say, unconventional...than might have been available to the pride in the past.
But THIS was not that way. Not in front of the entire pride, and any of their enemies who might have eyes in the crowd. Not so soon after so much suffering, when they as a people were weak and disjointed. And not discounted the title of their King, offering disrespect to the one that should be their unifying force in this time of need.
Well. Should be. As he pushed his way to the fore of those beginning to pay attention to what was most assuredly going to become a mess, Djuro found himself realizing that he understood the reticence there, too. There was reluctance in that realization. Tau might have been a dear boy, but a strong king...? Well. There was a reason that the previously hidden Cult felt safe enough to make this scene. No matter how the ensuing spectacle turned out, it was guaranteed to progress their agenda - something that he wagered their dark-pelted prognosticator knew very well. The council member's brows drew closer as he stood, not quite revealing himself, but hardly hidden, either. Waiting to see just what Vitha had to say that was important enough to paint a great whacking bullseye on the spine of her-and-hers. |
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Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:51 pm
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Post 1
The council lion heard the roars and blue gaze cast up towards Vitha and Mkate as they stood and challenged their King to show himself. Hari, if he was being completely honest, wasn't entirely sure how he felt right now about how things were going. Weren't they doing enough to help the pride recover? Perhaps they weren't doing the right amount of anything, there was so many things going on in their homelands he wondered if maybe they were in fact to blame? Their actions and in-actions being the cause of everything that had happened recently, what of their King? While he was faithful to the crown, all the death and destruction that was brought onto their lands, could it truly have been prevented? Would his children grow up safe? Would his mate lose anyone else she cared for?
These were all things he had thought of after the events of that night, not only that but he had children to think about now. While they were all safe in their den with their mother, would they always be safe?
- - - - - - - -
The purple and orange Seer heard the challenge and kept to himself. He had come and gone from this pride a great deal of times and knew the destruction of the world. The pridelands had always seemed the safest to him, but then the visions had come and gone and since they were so incomplete it was hard to tell how things would go. He could have never predicted this though, the death toll had rung, and many had been injured.
Who was really to blame? Was it really anyone's fault? God's did what they wanted after-all, but could they have somehow taken action to keep everyone safely in their homes? They never could have foretold when the events would have come to past, but he supposed they would never know now. Gaze cast upwards, he waited to see when the king would approach.
- - - - - - - -
She was restless, and refused to stay in a den. As for now she was a single parent as Parth was nowhere to be seen and she wondered if anything permanent would transpire between them, if it did she knew her life in the pridelands would be coming to an end and perhaps that was a good thing? She had watched death take many of the faces she had known in the lands and she had also seen death in her youth to not want to stick around here for much longer. But as she had just given birth not long after the events she was in no condition to travel with small children.
Azurine stuck close to her mother, like feathers to a bird, the blue and tan female with green eyes glanced up at her mother nervously.
The rest of her cubs were nearby as well, though as to whether or not they huddled close was another story. They had such a wide spectrum of personalities she hoped she was able to keep them all in check as she waited to see what happened. She didn't feel safe here anymore and while she didn't directly blame the King she couldn't help but wonder if he could have prevented it.
Azurine flicked her tail behind her and hugged her mother's leg close as she turned her gaze to look for her brother.
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AstoriaFallen
AstoriaFallen
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Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:59 pm
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Madaha had been napping in some bushes near by when the sound of approaching paws had stirred her. Though few, she was still recovering from her injuries from the meteor shower, and not too keen on hunting for the time being. It was just as well, when she wasn't busy recovering, she was busy tending to the other wounded to make sure their physical injuries were healing well.
There was nothing she could do for the mental and emotional injuries.
Slowly rising and stretching, the healer scowled at the gathering cult lions. "Oh, this crap again..." She looked over, then batted at a tail poking from the bush. "Kush, wake up, there's bullshit calling the king out."
For his part, Kushindwa was managing to actually hunt. The trips and falls running from falling rocks seemed to have done something to help with his balance, though it did little to improve his ability to not alert prey of his presence. He'd had to get crafty to bring home a meal of some sort. Today, though, today was not a day he'd gone out to try his paw at hunting, instead sticking by Madaha. He sat up, letting out a wide yawn that made his jaw pop a bit, before he blinked at the gathering lions. "Oh... It's Vitha and her cult..." He rolled onto his belly, crawling closer, ears intent. "Do you think they'll try something?"
Letting out a sigh, Madaha looked at Kushindwa, ears going back, "I'm pretty sure they will, yes."
Quote: Madaha and Kushindwa are open to interractions! |
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Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 8:37 pm
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Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 11:54 pm
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His arrival to the Pridelands wasn't anything more than coincidence. Giza brought with him only one other, a male that was born with an unfortunately pale pelt. The prides thoughts considered the youth a burden, but Giza couldn't harness those same thoughts. Not when so many others of the same litter were burdened with that same pale shade of fur.
"Good day, Turua." The dark lion greeted his pale friend. The two had become quite close during their stint in the roguelands. They had only been here a short while now, arriving shortly after what seemed to be a very tragic event. Though both of them came across the news in their own ways, Giza found himself speaking about it with unusual company. Joining the pride came with several questions, hurdles that had to be jumped. These were things he expected when they entered the border and he readied himself. Turua didn't have much to offer in beyond his ability to protect, but Giza came from a decent political background.
Fortunately he was given an opportunity to share his story. The parties involved appreciated what he had to offer and becoming a Guardian was easy. Turua took up the rank Soldier.
"I'm sure it would have been." Turua responded with a shrug and a glance in the direction of Pride Rock. The rock was an iconic figure of the pride itself. The members they had the chance to speak with offered plenty of stories surrounding the home they joined. Fear had struck most, but some still manage to remain poised, and proud of that great land mark. Unfortunatley that wasn't what caught the eye of his companion.
Giza didn't hesitate, he was on the move towards the land mark with only the King in mind. The roar announced the females challenge - Vitha. He was given a run down of the lioness, swayed by the prides thoughts of her and eventually understood why he was given this chance. The cult was a poison he hoped to help eradicate one day, but it was only just blossoming. Not long after he began his walk to Pride Rock had he finally reached his destination. The rock stood tall next to him and had the sun been on his side he might have been lost to a shadow. Turua had followed, but from a distance. His mind hadn't been made up, but he didn't have the heart to tell Giza.
"What will we do?" He asked Giza.
For his part the ex-Defensive Commander grew silent, ignoring the question for the time being. The lioness had made her challenge and so it wasn't what he would do that mattered - he would wait for his new King.
Quote: General note: Giza and Turua are both available for interactions. Both of them are foreign, and neither were here for the tragedy, but are recent additions to the pride. |
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Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:27 pm
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The roar was something that she couldn't ignore. She herself had been injured that night, the scar in her left shoulder ample proof that it was a night to never be forgotten, not while she was still alive. Even with everything that had happened, there was a deep-rooted belief that it was Vitha who had invited disaster, and not Tau. He was rather...too kind-hearted, to be honest, but it kept him true. Simi guided him when he faltered, but Tau was getting his feed under him lately.
Aoife approached from the far right of Vitha's group, having just finished her own late morning hunt. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Vitha, a mixture of awe and hatred swirling in her chest. She would certainly compliment the black coated lioness on her tenacity, but she wasn't very interested in actually saying that out loud. Loud footsteps announced her presence as she stopped in front of Vitha and Mkate, her normally bright blue eyes growing rather stormy.
"Here again?" she asked, a hint of a threat escaping her throat. "Is it not too soon to proclaim yourself as a savior, when in fact you have brought this calamity to our lands?" She bit at her bottom lip, trying desperately to keep herself from throwing too many insults out too early. Vitha's numbers did seem to grow, even if they were still dramatically outnumbered.
It was then that Tau appeared, slowly walking down the trail along the side of Pride Rock. Simi had peeked his head out from the taller outcropping, but did not make a motion to follow his grandson. The king had expected this confrontation for quite some time. The night of the falling stars had weighed heavily on his heart, and knew the kindling it would become. He was more surprised it had taken Vitha this long to come to him.
He just didn't expect such an audience.
As he approached the base of Pride Rock, he could better see some of the faces that began to gather. He was rather relieved there was a number of the council members present; less relaying he would have to report to them at a later time.
"I am always happy to hear any sort of complaints or worries that someone has. It is alright, Aoife." He sat down, offering pleasurable nods of acknowledgement to his Councillors, as well as their newest Guardian, Giza. "Please speak, Vitha. I will not censor you, and you have the floor." He wondered if anyone else here would want to speak, but in turn he would ensure that he actually listened this time.
Aoife nearly masked her scowl, but the edge of irritation flashed in her jaws before she took notice of Iva, and moved to sit near her. "Not that she deserves it," she huffed under her breath.
Quote: My pace will be one new post every 24-48 hours but feel free to jump in/quote me/interact with my characters. I will do my best to reply to them, so some replies may be a bit short. There'll be a slightly more short, but open quorum towards the end of this ORP. |
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Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 8:20 pm
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Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:09 pm
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Well, well. Perhaps it was disloyal of Djuro to admit his surprise at the Tau that descended Pride Rock to recieve Vitha and her cult members. He was calm, seemed collected and rational. If he wasn't quite a King yet, he at least more closely resembled an authority figure than ever he had before. In fact, the councilman found himself quietly approving of Tau's approach - something he hoped he managed to communicate in the nod he returned to the young King. It was just this sort of behavior that Tau would need to present himself with if he had any hope of saving his position. Looking over the number of cultists brave enough to stand beside Vitha and her mate, one of the council-lion's foremost concerns was that it was a more monumental if than any of them had realized.
Aoife, on the other hand... Djuro's verdant gaze narrowed at the sight of her. If there was a disgrace on the field here - well, besides whatever Vitha was about - it could be none other than the pale lioness. Animosity was one thing, but allowing it to drive her to such a display? Now, before the throne, the King, and all who gathered here as audience? It made her look the harridan, not her foe. She disrespected the King with her impertinence. And with there being no secret about their attachment...? Djuro wondered if she was too far gone to realize the consequences of her rash actions.
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Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 9:16 am
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Grief was not something so easily overcome, and the Pridelands were slow to recover from the tragic loss of life. For her part, J'B had tried to keep a strong front for the sake of her children and much younger siblings. Their family had been dealt a horrendous blow, losing both matriarch and patriarch in J'B's parents, Kiasi'Nyota and Uzalishaji. If she closed her eyes, she could still see them, their bodies broken by the fall of stars. It was not the memory she wanted to have of them, and she hoped with all of her heart that the rest of the family had not seen them.
She had kept her children away for the time. Her youngest brother, Kayode, had not been seen by her in days but she knew he was well enough as he could be. Adannaya was stronger, as seemed to be typical of the females in their family. For losing two so deeply loved, the family was trying to hold themselves together as much as possible.
J'B had wanted to retreat from her duties, hide away for a while to process her thoughts and feelings. But, her duty was to her pride now, even if she felt grossly overwhelmed by the events that had transpired. She was in no way equipped to even know how to best serve her pride now, and it did not surprise her that the King seemed to be struggling as well.
He shouldn't be, but that did not change the fact that he was. It was all of their jobs now to band together for the good of the Pridelands.
Vitha's voice did not go unheard, and J'B watched as Aoife and the King answered the lioness. The sinking feeling in her stomach would not go away, J'B did not suspect that this would go well. But, she was Council, and her King would have her support for the sake of the Pride.
---
Belkane had been gone chasing after a sister who had no desire to come home when ill fortune had fallen upon her pride. She had been gone when her grandparents died, when her siblings were subjected to the terror of an unknown creature. The anger she felt towards herself built like a tight ball in her chest. At times it was hard to breathe, harder yet to think.
She had wanted proof that a threat was real to the Pridelands. Well, she received it, and it made her sick.
The golden lioness stood behind her mother, her gaze cast down to her feet as if in shame. For a lioness so boisterous and so full of life, it was strange to see her demure. It did not suit her, but she could not break herself out of the vicious cycle of blame and grief. Doubt and questions plagued her mind, and now more than ever she needed to be shown strength from the King.
Belkane needed reassurance that everything was going to be all right, yet so far had received nothing from the King. Even her own mother's answers were vague, Belkane suspected so because J'B did not know much of anything either. |
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