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Shadow Lands
OOC: This first post is only to let people know a little bit about the lanned role play and the characters capable of being played. For a lot of the characters they have to know the history.
* The Eastern Pride ? The Valley pride
o The Valley pride made friends with a human settlement whom could still speak with animals.
o The humans and the Pride spent a lot of time helping each other out and lived peacefully in the valley.
o After long the king died and left his eldest son, Kilimanjaro, in charge. Kilimanjaro had been informed about the history of the pride but his brother, Chaos, had not been told and his heart began to fill with darkness and hate.
o Kilimanjaro rejected the throne and his brother took over. Kilimanjaro?s mate also left to join Chaos as his mate. In a fit of rage Kilimanjaro killed Chaos? mate and left the Valley Pride lands. The humans didn?t know what was going on and sided with Chaos.
o Kilimanjaro made his way into the heartlands and was invited into the Heartland Lion pride.
* The Counsel of 12 ? The Beginning
o The Twelve prides of the East come together for their first counsel. Two members from each of the 6 Prides governed by a human.
o Laws were laid down to help govern peace between the Prides.
* The Pride Wars ? End of the Counsel
o The king of the heartlands dies leaving Kilimanjaro in control of the pride.
o Mt. Kilimanjaro is created out of Emotion from the powers that Kilimanjaro possessed.
o Kilimanjaro?s Mate has two cubs. Asikari and Shujaa.
o Both Asikari and Shujaa, raised under diplomacy, visit other prides of the council as ambassadors.
o Diplomacy dies as the two are framed for the murder of a royal family member. An emergency council is called.
o At the council the northeastern prides, Lead by Chaos, kill the human and then turn on Kilimanjaro.
o The prides, having heard what had happened, took their side and gathered in Pride Valley for the conflict.
o The northern prides where wiped out
* The Poacher Wars ? The End of the Eastern Prides
o Shujaa and Asikari split the Heartland pride into two and live peacefully protecting each other.
o Shujaa?s mate had a litter of cubs but only one survived, Malaika
o Humans kill Shujaa and Malaika is taken into Asikari?s pride and trained to be a warrior.
o Asikari dies in an attack from the humans and Malaika leaves his home.
o Hyrul-anyi is forced into command and holds back the humans as long as possible.
o The pride members murder hyrul-anyi and then get what is left of the Eastern prides together for one last battle. Malaika returns to help lead the attack
o Malaika lays battered and bruised as the last human was taken out.
* The Dark Time ? The Last Battle of the East
o Chaos, originally thought to have died in the Pride wars, gathers the rogues of the East together and rule over the now broken land.
o Malaika and a small group make their way to the north into the Valley Pridelands and visit the last human village that can speak with animals.
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((ooc: Well I posted a new character profile, so when I find a spot in the RP to slot my character in, I will do so))
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Malaika caught a glimps of the first light and gingerly got up still battered but mostly sore from the previuos days endevors. He silently walked over to the entrance hoping not to disturb the other two.
It seemed not long ago when The group had more. Though it seemed that whomever was going to come with us would face grate danger. One lion already fell, Besides Malaika. The older lion was lucky to have survived. No not lucky. He knew that since Fernando had once helped him see the light that the spirits and Ahieu was watching over the group. Ahieu would not turn away from his children. Not while the land was crying out for him.
Malaika looked out over the baren land thinking about the battles that had happened here which reminded him of the battle he had endured. Malaika eyes elled with tears of pain which dropped one by one to the dry ground yet never making a sound. To Malaika it was the sound of thunder and ruin.
'How could I have just left everything? My home, my family, and my pride.' He though to himself. 'They suffered when I left and now the land is bare. Chaos ravages the land yet I seem powerless to stop it.'
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The sun was slowly breaking free from the mountains that littered the horizon, and a serval, small in size, found that she could not enjoy the warmth it was bringing.
A small meal of a hyrax kept her paws moving, and a belly full of water kept her eyes open, but a shade of gloom had tinted her thoughts, as it often did. She couldn't quite pinpoint the cause for this bout of depression, which angered her so slightly, that her brow was set furrowed.
So deep in thought, Jardyn could have been easy prey for any cunning predator, but as she had suspected when she first entered these lands, she doubted if anything lived here at all.
But what did it matter to her; she was only passing through, but as Jardyn scented the smell of lions, she hoped she would pass through without trouble.
A persistant fighter in her own respects, the sheer size of a lions crushing blow could send her sprawling, so it was no compitition at all. A lion won: always. Natures way of keeping the order. Though what order there was at all in the life of any creature, Jardyn was yet to know.
She perked her head up, sky blue eyes scanning the plains.
Nothing, she thought to herself, her suspicion and cautiousness quelling.
She tread now, with tentive steps, and the familar feeling of fear came creeping back.
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The night's sleep had been all but restful. While he couldn't recall his dreams as he woke - something unusual but thankful for at times - he hadn't slept well, that much he knew. Muscles that had travled far cried out in their own right as they strained against the floor where he had slept through the night. The aches would cease though as the day pressed on - at least for a time.
He had traveled many places over time, but the constant movement, little and fettered sleep and constant concern, the least of which having already been borne of one major attack, left him little respite in this foreign land. They were close to Malaika's land, if not on the outter edges. He longed for his own home of the Mizaati Mara with it's lush trees and guarding hills.
As the cub finally resigned himself to the day that was pressing at his eyes and other senses he stretched his paws from fore to hind, giving his muscles one last good stretch before being called upon to take up the task that lie ahead. The air was dull and stale - offering so little compared to his own homelands, as well as many of the other places he had traveled to in comparison.
As he looked around he saw Psylant still sleeping. He didn't know what to make of the figure just yet but would leave that to Malaika. Friends were for those who could afford to make and loose them - something he was no longer disposed to out here. He would be nice enough of course should circumstances warrent. He wasn't heartless, just hurt. His eyes spied Malaika, who was unaware of his being awake. simba still didn't feel like speaking much and so just used the sound of his paws' weight upon the dry earth to let the older lion know he was up and about.
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the lion turned slightly away and wiped away the tears before turning to look at Simbaji. His eyes had to readjust to the semi-darkness before he could see the cub. In a deep whisper that still seemd to carry his voice Malaika said to the cub.
"We will be leaving soon. This time we won't stop untill we have reached the Valley pridelands."
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The wolf yawned and stumbled to his feet. ?Eh? is it time to go already? I was just startin? to get comfortable? he said before lazily walking over to Malaika and taking a brief look around.
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simba was listening to Malaika when his ears swiveled to catch the sounds of Psylant waking from his own rest. His gaze quickly followed and continued to do so as the wolf rose and made his way towards Malaika.
He still wasn't sure how to react towards the lupine but felt that time would probably reax and shift his feelings if things continued to go without incident. He wished he didn't feel the way that he did, but one night's unrestful sleep wasn't enough to take the edge of the time's travel, attack and loosing of someone he thought was a friend.
Granted he wasn't sure what had happened to Kovujin, but it was clear that the two most probable outcomes were either that he left the group willingly or unwillingly. If it were unwillingly there was nothing they could do as they never heard him leave or make noise. If it were willingly, it only added to the anger and sorrow he felt for the other cub.
Everything had it's time and place though, and Malaika's pressing words were in the here and now. Padding closer himself he took up a position just a few paces away from the other two. Looking up to Malaika and then out to the world they were about to continue their journey through he asked.
"And how far is that?"
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Malaika looked back out over the lands and to the north east.
"About a days journey." He said with a slight sigh. His frame seem to drop with a feeling of to much weight. The weight of the world seem to prees down on him as his thoughts raced thrugh his mind. A voice he had thought he heard on Mt Kilimanjaro that night. A nightmareish voice that seemed filled with glee. 'It is done.' What was done? The pride being finished off? All the prides of East Africa? Or just simply the thought that Malaika himself was dead. Malaika was far from dead and it soon grew into anger and hate for the dark voice.
Malaika sighed heavily trying to force the dark thoughts from his mind. the last thing he wanted was to be consumed again by the darkness. No matter how hard he tried to rid himself of the darkness the scar on his face would remind him everyday that it would never leave. His fear and anger sealed with-in him it had started with the anger of loosing his family one by one to the humans and soon his anger had grown enough to consume him as he had faced the human who seeled it in him.
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?Mal? was it? Malaika? Anyway? just wondering, do we always have to travel during the day? I mean, not to complain or anything but I?m so used to the snow having grown up in the mountains far north. It?s just a little hot is all.? With this the wolf promptly turned and began to look himself over for anything that may have clung to his fur the night before. Then he suddenly turned back to Malaika. ?Where?s the food around here?!?
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Malaika looked back almost quizically.
"How did you even survive getting this far south?"
It confused Malaika more than anything though it got his mind off of everything else, for the time being.
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"I only walked at night, it was much cooler. In the day, I was always sleeping in the shade some place."
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"what did you do for food? This place is pretty baren."
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simba listened to the two talk about food and travel. While he wasn't directly involved in the conversation, it did bring to mind the many times that he himself had traveled great distances with others questioning how he could have made it by himself. There were many other memories that he recalled as well. He could remember a time when Fernando would greet him near an aged fig tree and climb into it's branches to look out over the lands at night. Those nights were filled with special berries and almonds that his friend would bring to him. He rarely wanted for anything and had so much.
Those times were long since past now however and the only things he ate were occasional offerings found through luck or random generosity. His friends and plentiful nights were also just as random now as well. 'This would be like the stars one day', he thought to himself. There was nothing worng he supposed with that, just another acknowledgement. He also wondered if anyone would speak to him up there. 'They must really like it when others do', another thought.
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(ooc: still as Feirefiz here, hope that's ok)
He rolled over onto his back after resting. He had stayed a short distance from the others still. Everything was still very confusing to him, but it was nice to be around others, it had been a while since he'd spent time in anyone elses company. It had been so long. He didn't feel he wanted to intrude, so he listened as the others talked, maybe then he could pick a few things up.
He rolled back onto his front stretched and sat up to clean himself from the previous day. Wash away the dirt and other things that may have found their way into his fur in the fight. His eye no longer hurt and his vision had returned to normal. "Thank goodness for that" he thought.
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A smile suddenly crossed the wolf's muzzle. "So guys, are we ready to head out or what? I hope everyone had a good night's sleep! *yawns*"
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The stale yet cool morning air brushed over the cub's face and pelt as he moved closer to the entrance of the cave they were in. simba had been listening only half-so as he had been lost in his own thoughts briefly but brought his attention back to Psylant as the wolf posed his question. Stretching his claws once more he noded to the african lupine then replied.
"As ready as I'm gonna be."
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Malaika looked over at the little cub then back at Psylant.
"Then we leave now." He said gazing out over the valley. "I don't know who's after us but there seems to be something more to my family line than even I know about."
The valley stretched pretty far in one direction. what little mountains there where in this part of africa could be seen though. The pass that they would be going through Seemed prtey wide when looking at it though it would soon seem to engulf them as the sides drew closer to each other like a canyon.
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simba noded to Malaika showing his readiness. As he stepped further into the morning he lifted his muzzle slightly to the winds. Stale and calm as they might be they could tell him many things. His ears also angled this way and that, listening for any sounds that might provide a little information as well. He felt that there were indeed others not far off, but too felt comforted that it seemed that they were friends. He hoped that they would continue to keep up and perhaps join the group moreso as time went on.
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Malaika followed closely behind Simbaji before passing him slightly to lead the small party through the valley and then to the nrth east. With a sigh he reflected on the others he had met along the way wondering why they had eaither left or he had ditched them. Most of them would just spend their time hunting, something that he could not stomache.
He looked back at the new member of the group. A small loupine that didn't seem to be from this regon. A lone wolf who semed to be capable of getting hurt almost the same way he was just the previous day. Though Simbaji was there to help him he would have died for sure. Yet still as he walked he could feel something was wrong with him. A pain still deep in his bowls eating slowly at him. He would just ignore it and hope nothing later would come of it. Little did he know that it would one day kill him.
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The wolf followed the others in the group close behind, displaying his rested state with a light hearted gait. It felt so good to be among friends again. He knew he didn?t really know the others and he knew that they didn?t really know him, but even if there wasn?t a true sense of security to be had, his mind would fill in the gaps. For once in his life there was hope of actually accomplishing something. At this point, he still had no idea what that was but by the way the others around him were acting, it was something big, something worth being remembered for, something that may justify a sliver of his existence. That was all he really wanted from life, to be remembered when he was gone as someone who made a difference for fairness and good.
As they walked on he continued occasionally glancing at the others. He found it troubling to look at Malaika though. While the others continually reacted to their environment, Malaika?s eyes and face didn?t so much as budge. It was like he was like he was somewhere else and his body was set on automatic. The cub seemed to be a little more light hearted, but it seemed he too was troubled by numerous things beyond Psy?s comprehension. He would have continued walking and exchanging silent glances, but something was still troubling him. ?Malaika, when exactly ARE we going to eat? I mean uh? not to be a bother or anything but, I haven?t eaten in a long time and don?t have too much energy in me.? He then put his ears back in preparation for the lion?s response.
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Without looking at Psylant he replied in a deep tone whowing his own weariness.
"We ourselves have not truly eaten in some time. Right now find what you can but we are still to be on the move. These lands are still dangerous."
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simba looked between the two as they made their way forward; Malaika at first moving ahead and then Psylant not far behind, talking of food - or rather both the lack thereof and the other fact that it might always be lacking. He didn't enjoy that much himself. Just because he'd been without for some time didn't mean that his stomach didn't protest it.
"Maybe we'll come across something along the way?"
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The wolf?s ears suddenly darted to the left quickly followed by his eyes. Without any warning, he froze solid, continuing his gaze. ?Small prey, rabbit sized, may be a snake, I don?t know.?
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Malaika just kept going and didn't care to stop. They had already stopped too many times along the way for everyone else to hunt, plus he didn't want to be sick.
They still had little more than a days journey ahead of them and the pass didn't seem to get much closer. Even if they had to travel through the night they were getting as far away from the Heartlands as posible.
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simba's ears perked and he looked around to where Psylany had. He wasn't sure what it was that the wolf had possibly found. While he himself was usually very good at being able to keep track of what was around him, he had to admit that in the matters of hunting he still had a lot to learn.
He glanced briefly at Malaika and saw him continue on. He knew that they needed to keep going, but he also knew that at some point they'd have to have something to give them the energy to complete the journey they were on, especially if there were going to be more times where they'd have to fight. He looked at Psylant again.
"I'm not sure. I've only hunted a couple times and usually it was with someone else."
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Psylant sent a warm smile to the smaller lion. ?Well, this wolf has to eat when he has to eat! Right now, this wolf has to eat.? Psylant slowed for a second while pointing directly at the brush covering the animal. ?Rabbit!? Without any hint of hesitation, the wolf sprinted at the brush and grabbed the rabbit in his muzzle while continuing to run. He then trotted happily back to where the cub was walking beside Malaika. He smiled and dropped the rabbit next to the cub. ?Are ya hungry??
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simba watched as Psylant dropped the rabbit near his paws and smiled. He briefly looked up to Malaika with a look that asked 'May I please?', but doubted the older lion caught sight of his expression. His smile faded a little as he looked to the ground but then looked back to Psylant and noded.
"Very.. but we should probably hurry."
He waited for the lupine to take the first bite as it was his kill.
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?What is it?? Psylant said at first. ?Oh, you want me to take first bite? Well, if you insist?? The wolf reached his muzzle down and took the first large bite out of the rabbit. ?Oh, sorry, if I take that big of bites, there?ll be none left for you. Eat up!? Psylant said with a little blood on his muzzle.
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simba didn't mind. While he could eventually make his way into prey, his smaller teeth made the task a little more difficult still than for the adults, and as they were on the move, having the meal already openned into made it that much better for time's sake. The cub got up and stretched a paw onto the carcass and dug in as well, tearing out both a fraction of muscle as well as a piece of one of the organs. It wasn't long before his muzzles was covered with blood as well.
He waited for Psylant to get another chunk then did so himself once again, hurrying, gracefully, to finish what he could before licking at the edges of his muzzle as well as his paw to swipe over his face, cleaning himself back up then standing, looking to where Malaika was padding, readying himself to hurry and catch up.
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Malaika had looked back at the blood and the dead animal. His stomache lurched a bit but then he turned back around and kept walking but not to far. He slowed his pace so that the two could eat. He thought to himself 'How could anyone even eat such a thing?'. He tried to focus his mind on what was ahead of him instead of what was behind.
It was late afternoon when they reached the canyon.
"We shall rest here for a bit." He said to the two.
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Psylant casually trotted up next to the lion and sat down. “Sorry if you’re angry we didn’t share Malaika, we were hungry and you didn’t seem to want any which… is odd. I’ve never seen anything your size turn down meat before!”
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Malaika looked away not wanting to talk about it
"I'm really not hungery."
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The wolf shruged and rolled on his back. "Fine, more for me! Hehehe"
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simba watched Malaika's reactions and scoffed silently. He knew that his friend was under a great deal of stress, much less the fact that he didn't fain to eat meat, at least not anymore. But that was no excuse for the older lion to constantly berate or seemingly think less of those who it was natural to eat meat, much less offer out of generosity a portion of their kill. Meals were scarce at times and it was the least Malaika could do to show a little manners in return.
The cub changed his demeanor and looked back to Psylant and thanked him for the bites he was able to get. After cleaning himself up he motioned for Psylant that they should hurry and continue now that they'd had at least a morsal to eat.
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Malaika sat thinking about what truely lay ahead. If he could overcome his own fear and keep pressing forward he would find what he was looking for. though if he just went on hoping to find it without chosing too it would wind up being a path that he himself would walk alone. In the end he was going to push on and over come his fears and show everyone that he was going to put an end to the terror in his homelands no matter what it took.
"When you are ready we shall depart from this place."
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"I'm ready whenever!" Yelled the wolf. "I mean, how bad can this place be?"
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The earth felt bare and burnned his paw pads as they wandered through the desolate valley. Even though he had never been there a voice came to the back of his mind which sounded more like the voices of war. The voices of screaming. Malaika slowed his pace and a pain clutched at his chest with every breath he took. It wasn't long before he fell to the ground writhing in pain unable to breath.
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Psylant suddenly looked over at his friend, now writhing in pain. ?What the hell?? Then he made a quick turn to the smaller lion. ?Hey, what?s hurting him? I?d like to help but? I can?t see any way to! I don?t see anything around here that could have??
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simba had been lost in his own thoughts and scarcely aware of anything much but their forward movements until the sound of Psylant's voice cut throught the stale air. Quickly he looked up then saw Malaika just as the lupine was trying to find a way to help. Quickly he made his way to his friend's side once more. Unfortunately he himself was just as clueless as to what was wrong with the older lion.
"I'm.. I'm not sure myself. I don't know what's happening."
"Malaika?! Malaika, what's wrong?"