A gentle giant appears

[zabor]

Huffing a bit the large male lion headed for the borders that a few vultures had shown him to earlier. In his jaws where a small elephant calf that he had found, the claf had been half dead when he came over it, a victim of the dry seasons hardships....It had been an easy kill, and his very first kill. The calf weighed around half of his own weight but after eating a big bit it had been easier to carry. Pantin a bit he settled under a tree, now inside the borders, and started to chew on the carcass, though soon several vultures circled and landed by him, staring at him for a long time.

Kayode looked at the vultures for a while before smiling, moving around to the rear of the calf, allowing the vultures to feed of the carcass as well, as he saw no reason why he should not share with others. Lookign up he scanned the area around where he was resting, seeing no lions yet he sighed, hoping he could find a place to live, being used to other creatures around him at all tiems before he was feeling more alone for every day.

[Larka]

Nuru was patrolling the borders, it was her turn for border duty, and well it was always good too busy herself with jobs. She caught the scent quite early, and her stomach churned. This was unknown, not a pride member, all pride members ended up having a distinctive scent, it almost matched the mark they lived in, something Nuru had picked up on a few times, but this scent was rogue. With the pride being at war Nuru knew she had too be cautious, it wasn't like the old days, where they could welcome anyone with open paws, not now. Now there was a price on everyone of their heads, and with cubs to protect the pride was beginning to seem more vunerable.

Nuru tracked the scent tentatively, starting with a trot, she covered the ground quite quickly, and soon she saw the edge of the borders where this male was. He had interesting markings, the skeletal marks intrigued her. She crouched low, hoping her would not see her just yet, or pick up on her scent. As a true protector she would observe before approaching, she was not about too be taken into a fight without being prepared, plus this male had a kill, something she had learnt never really made them very social.

[zabor]

The male watched the vultures, chucklign a bit and watching them jump around while chewing on a leg, his true size hidden since he was both laying down, and most of his mass was behind the elephan calf. Looking up he watched as several more vultures landed, but he did not try to chase any of them away, and allowed them all to feed of the prey, talking with some of them in their own language to see if he was in the right area now.

He slowly tilted his head as one of the large vultures said another lion was close, but then shrugged, if the lion wanted to show itself, Kayode wondered when, and of the other was male or female. Stretching slightly he let himself roll onto his side, trying to seem relaxed and unthreatening to anyone who might be watching him.

[Larka]

She could hear the clucks of the vultures, almost giving her position away, "those stupid scavengers, they don't have any respect for anyone's plans..." Nuru thought absent-mindedly too herself, she knew vultures were not really the most sensitive creatures, and plus she knew all too well that they only looked out for themselves. She watched the male roll over, now was her chance, he was in a vunerable position, he was no threat like this. Standing up straight Nuru trotted forward too greet this lion, although she found he was a lot bigger than she'd first thought. She gave a little cough to announce her prescence, "Excuse me, I don't mean too bother you, but I thought you best know you have just passed onto the borders of my pride's territory." Nuru said in the most to the point, informative and in no way aggressive manner. She had always felt it best too start with clear cut information, it gave people the story loud and clear.

[zabor]

Kayode blinked as the vultures flew away as Nuru came up to him and he lifted his head to look at her, though he did not attempt to get up. Listening a bit he flicked his ears, slowly rolling over to lay on his stomach, looking at her. "I do not mean to cause trouble, ma'am....but I've been looking for the...unusual pride for many suns now...the vultures said that this is the right pride lands...." He looked at her, curious about her colors and markings, though he kept his eyes looking at her eyes, his ears moving slowly before he shuffled a bit. "Um...want some food?" He nodded towards the meat from the calf, watching her curious.

[Larka]

Nuru tilted her head too one side as he spoke of the unusual pride. In times gone by Nuru or anyone else would have been more than happy too welcome them into her pride, but they were at war, and this could just be a ruse from the other pride too infiltrate the misfits, and that she couldn't risk. Although this male seemed nice enough, his pelt markings and unusually large size didn't correlate with the natural pelts of the enemy pride. Nuru had always been a good judge of character in the past. "Oh no, you haven't caused any trouble, unfortunately we are at war at this moment in time, so we must patrol our borders and check for intruders." Nuru paused for a minute, gazing across the lands, keeping an eye out for any other intruders, as she sat gently, flicking her mane from her eyes. "You say you are looking for the unusual pride, would you mean the Misfit Pride by any chance?" She glanced at the elephant calf, "Thankyou for the offer, but I'm alright at the minute thanks."

[zabor]

Kayode sat up slowly as she toldhim about th war, for the first time also showing just how big he really was. His ears fell back and he looked around the lands, a sad look on his face before he looked back at her. "War?....why? the hyenas told me this pride is peaceful...." Flicking his tail he sighed, calming himself from the surprise before nodding, looking at her. "yes....that is the pride I was told to look for.....the hyenas and vultures said I'd fit better in here."

Stretching slowly he nodded slightly before looking up at the vultures in the tree then back at her. "do you mind them getting a bite then? they are still a bit hungry." He smiled a bit to her, watching her curiously.

[Larka]

Nuru looked at him as he questioned the war, "We are a peaceful pride, but unfortunately other prides are not..." She gazed across the horizon in the direction of the Rooibos Mark's territory, a soft growl coming from her throat, "We don't want to be at war, especially with new cubs, but we don't have a choice, the pride across the border don't accept our type, they call us freaks, and would not even help us in our hour of need, choosing to battle us instead." Nuru motioned with her head in the direction she was looking, showing the newcomer where the rival pride lived. She looked back to the large male, now showing more of his true size, "You probably would. A lot of lions that don't fit in anywhere else, find solace and comfort with us." She smiled softly to the male, she had a good feeling about him, she couldn't see any rage in him at all. Nuru chuckled at the vultures, still waiting for a morsel of food, "Go ahead." She watched as they flew down too feed, then sighed looking back to the newcomer, "What's your name then?" She almost felt rude for not asking before, but she always put duty before manners.

[zabor]

He sighed softly and nodded, understanding her anger towards the other pride, his ears flicking as he looked down, taking a deep breath before looking at her. "you have cubs?" The thought of seeing small ones again made him smile, he had not seen a cub since he himself was one. He tilted his head again before chuckling as the vultures landed next to them and started to feed, rolling his eyes he moved to give them some more room, sitting down next to her instead.

Looking around slowly he nodded to her words, the quill like spikes on his mane clicking together slightly as he looked at her. "That is what the hyenas said...." He tilted his head then smiled. "of course, I forgot my manners...Im Kayode, pleasure to meet you, ma'am." he smiled, bowing to her slightly. "what is your name?"

[Larka]

(Gah! Sorry late reply, mega busy )

Nuru smiled, "Yes, our Alpha gave birth not too long ago, as did a couple of our other members, just after the fire." She told the newcomer, he seemed very nice, and for some reason he made her feel calm, and happy.

Then she heard it. That name. THAT name. She sat stock still, her eyes fixed on the horizon, images flashing past her eyes; the blue lion that was once her mate, his body trapped and rotting in hell for all enternity, giving up his life for his first born cub, their first born cub, little Rayne... "Kayode..." Nuru murmered to herself, far away, remembering the pain. She eventually became aware of herself, what was she thinking? This was not Kayode, just because he shared the same name, it meant nothing. Nuru shook her head before looking back to the male, her eyes still half looking through him, "My name is Nuru..." She said softly, shaking her head once more, "I-I'm sorry, I'm not with it..."

[zabor]

(XD thats okay, I can understand that...its the time for it aint it?)

Kayode blinked, seeing the change in her when she heard his name, his ears falling down and his head lowered as he watched her....He had always been good at seeing others feelings, now was no different. "Nuru...thats a nice name." Giving her a soft, gentle smile he looked around again, slowly, before looking at her. "your...alpha? what does that mean?" He smiled slightly, lacking in understanding of how a pride was built up since he was raised by man, his curiosity for how it worked all but glowing out of him, but he restrainded himself, not wanting to be pushy.

Looking at her, though not staring, he smiled faintly, lifting his head slowly. "Did you know someone before with the same name as me?" He was worried, not about being chased out because of it, but rather that she would be bothered by having him around.

[Larka]

Her head fliccked up to look at him as he asked questions about an alpha, "Our Alpha is our leader. Every pride has two, one male and one female, they are the strongest and most worthy of all the lions in our pride. They lead our pride, decide who joins and generally run everything." She smiled at Kayode softly, still not quite out of her little 'episode' yet.

As he asked about the name Kayode Nuru looked away again, across the horizon. Her head nodded slowly, "Yes, yes I did." She sighed, looking back too him, this was stupid, it was so long ago, and there was nothing she could do about it. "He was my mate, but he died... It was a long time ago now, but I have never met anyone with the same name since, so you must excuse my stangeness..." Nuru gave him a soft smile, "Although I do have too ask, you know nothing of a black lion, Aisha the water lioness, or even a grey lioness called Zinsa?" She knew this sounded silly, but she just had too check. She couldn't risk all this being brought up again, it was all gone and buried, but if Rayne's life was in jeopardy again, she would do all she could too save her daughter.

(Kayode's story was quite complex lol, too cut it kind of short he was killed by a large black lion for not giving up the life of his first born daughter.)

[zabor]

Kayode nodded slowly to her explenation, his ears swirling a bit before a soft smile came on his lips. "They sound like honorable lions...that is good..." Closing his eyes he listened to her words again, his calming aura getting stronger when he looked at her, seeming confused at the names. "I have met three black lions on my travels...but they were all gentle friendly creatures....the others I have never heard about." Nodding he watched her, smiling faintly. "It is surprising to me too, to have a name someone knows....if it troubles you too much, you could just use my old nickname, that the two legged gave me...Big Boy." he smiled, wanting her to be comfertable around him.

Leaning his head back a bit he looked up, watching a small group of birds fly over them, frowning slightly before looking at her again. "is there trouble between pride lands here?"

[Larka]

Nuru nodded softly, "They are very honourable, and noble." She smiled up at Kayode, he was calm, and gentle, and it did remind her of her Kayode, but in a good way, she had those feelings of happiness and serene-ness she always had felt around him. Nuru smiled up at him, she was glad to hear none of the names rang a bell with him, "Trust me, this black lion was different, it was like he embodied death, you would not forget him had you met him." Gazing off once more across the plains she shuddered slightly at the memory of the black lion, the emotions he'd emitted were worse than anything. "I am glad you don't know of these lions." Nuru glanced back too him, with a soft reassuring smile. "No no, please, Kayode is fine. It's nice too hear it again actually, not many pride members knew my Kayode, and his name is almost forgotten amongst us. I think it was just such a shock too hear it after so many years." She reassured him, as her tail batted softly against the dry ground. "Only with the pride we are at war with, although we don't generally mingle with many other prides, being so...different, other lions tend not too accept us, and would rather fear us... It's why we find so much strength in each other, we are one."

(last line = ultimate cheese, I know!!)

[zabor]

Kayode nodded slightly, ears moving as he watched her and listening to what she said, ears falling back before he nodded, slowly stretching out, flexing his paws, though avoiding showing his claws, since they could startle others. "A lion of death then...does not sound good at all..." Sitting up he smiled faintly, nodding and looking around slowly before looking towards the enemy territory, ears flattening against his head. "I take it I should be happy I stepped into this territory and not their's?" Sighing softly Kayode stood up, shaking his head then looking at her, smiling faintly. "mhmm...those who are different need to stay together, since the 'normal' lions dont like us...."

Looking at her for a bit beofre looking around, his eyes seeming to darken, ears moving. "normal lions...those are the holders of the pride yours have trouble with....arent they?"

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