New RP section - Outlands

[Broken]

Broken tilted her head and looked to Takara. She was oblivious to the male out front. "Me?" she mouth back to the male, confused.

[Katari]

Takara rolled his eyes and motioned for her to look at the angry male right outside the door. Broken shook her head and he started to push her towards the entrance, but Katali got in between them and shoved him away.

"There's some big male out there, Broken, and he's asking for a cub who looks like you -- red hair and all. Maybe it's someone you know?"

[Broken]

The cub tilted her head to the side her ears falling. She looked around Katali at the male. She ducked down a little. "Oh no... He looks mad." She swallowed. "I better go... this could get ugly..." she said looking to Katali for him to let her by.

[Katari]

Katali stepped out of her way. "Boy, I hope you know what you're doing."

[Broken]

Broken nodded at Katali. She flicked her tail and padded to the entrance. "Hey Murdoc!" she smiled innocently to the large angry lion. She nuzzled his leg cautiously, surprised that he let her. She knew she had worried him, but he would never show it. She sat by his paw and looked up at him. "Let?s go." He growled standing, moving his paw, letting her fall back.

[Katari]

The cubs watched Broken, concern written on their faces, wondering where she was going and if they would ever see her again.

[Broken]

Broken looked to the cubs, her new friends and back to Murdoc who was walking away. "Wait... Mud... Didn't you say there is safety in numbers? That's why the hyenas run in packs... and lions in prides?" she called after him. He paused and looked back to her. "Aye cub..." he said with a sigh, they had been though this already and he wasn't in the mood for a repeat. "Well..." she looked to the other adult male. "Wouldn't it be safer if we stayed with them?" she asked innocently, looking back to Murdoc, who couldn?t answer.

[Jabari]

"You're completely welcome to stay with us if you want. It's a tough land out here and there are scavengers running around in packs everywhere. It might be best if we all stick together."

Jabari nodded at the two lions in front of him and then turned to the cubs behind him.

"Are all of you alright?"

[Katari]

The trio nodded slowly, a bit taken aback by the proceedings.

[Broken]

Murdoc seemed put off by the invitation and looked to the cub at his paws. It would be safer, he reasoned with himself and sent a small almost unnoticeable smile to Broken and picked her up by the scruff and carried her inside the cave. The way he carried himself now was not as dangerous, but he was still heavy on his paws, tired and worn. He set the cub sown before laying down himself.

[Jabari]

Jabari nodded at the pair and sat down.

"All of you can sleep tonight. I'll stay awake and keep an eye out for anymore hyenas. I'd say you cubs had a long day."

Jabari smiled and put a paw on Sahara's back, looking out towards the cave entrance as he could see the moon high in the dark sky.

[Katari]

Katali awoke in the middle of the night in a sweat -- his dreams had returned again, but he couldn't remember exactly what had happened. He rolled over and looked around at those who shared the cave with him -- all of them asleep. The sun would not return for hours yet, but he couldn't fall asleep again, try as he might to submit.

He decided to take a walk -- what harm could come of that? He could use some excercise, anyway. He stood and stepped out lightly, so as not to awaken the sleepers. A rolling canvas of dark blue greeted him, dotted with thousands of stars. He had heard somewhere that the Great Kings lived in the stars, but if they did, well...they had never been much help to him.

Silently, Katali mused on his future. While he was fairly secure here, for now, at some point he would have to leave, to make his own life out there. He couldn't rely on the protection of Jabari forever, nor on the loyalty of "Great Kings" or even friends. His mind flashed to Sahara, and he tried to turn it away, but lacked the willpower. She had captivated him from the first...he wouldn't let anything happen to her. But then Takara's face interrupted his musings. Yes, there was his trouble...the one who hated him, and -- perhaps -- not without cause.

And why was he thinking such deep thoughts, anyway? Why couldn't he just live the life of a cub, with parents, and wild games in the grasslands, and, and... and a real life? A life beyond skulking and hiding, fighting and scavenging. Why couldn't he...be something, something more important than just another Outlander. Ah, but he was still a cub...

He turned to go back to the cave that acted as a temporary home, but something pulled him away. He set out walking, away from his friends and towards the unknown...

[Jabari]

Jabari's eyes opened slowly as he awoke from a quick nap.

"Shouldn't have fallen asleep like that...guess I was more tired than I though."

Jabari got up and stretched out, looking around at all the others sleeping in the cave. Something caught him though...Katali was gone. Jabari looked around to see if he had moved but couldn't find him.

"Where did that cub go..."

He ran toward the cave entrance and looked out, searching the barren land for any sign of the cub. Nothing...why would he go out like that? He returned quickly to the cave and to the others and tried to rouse them.

"Guys...Katali is gone."

[Katari]

(OOC: Tomorrow...the fate of the missing cub is revealed)

[Broken]

Murdoc looked up from grooming the sleeping cub beside him. He stood and walked to Jabari, looking out. He said nothing, didn't seem too worried, he didn't know the cub. He would repay his debt for them saving his. "Where would he have gone?" he asked quietly.

[Katari]

Takara looked up at Murdoc. ?If I?m right, he?s not really going anywhere, just wandering around. He probably hasn?t gone too far.?

?What if a hyena got him?? Sahara cried worriedly.

Takara smiled. ?If a hyena got in here, I?m sure Katali would have let us know. Don?t worry, he can take care of himself.? Much as he hated to admit it, Katali could probably do better own his own than he himself could.

?But those hyenas are still out there,? Sahara said. ?He can?t be out there alone.?

?Maybe he just got tired of us,? Takara said matter-of-factly. Sahara rolled her eyes.

?Tired of you, maybe. That would make two of us.? She frowned. ?But we do need to find him.?

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Katali didn't know where he was going, but he was going to have to figure it out. He needed a change, that's all. He looked around for any kind of potential destination, and then he spotted one -- the old termite mounds! That would give him shelter, and a good place to store food. He had lived there before meeting Jabari and Hawara, and it had always worked out.

Then his mind wandered to Hawara. Where had she gone, anyway? Maybe the hyenas had taken her, he thought sadly. Oh well, such was the Circle of Life. He started off to the mounds at a run...without seeing the dark shape moving in from behind.

[Broken]

Broken had woke with the commotion and looked around. She looked to the other cubs and went to them quietly. "Do you really think he'll be okay out there?" she asked sitting beside Sahara.

[Katari]

Sahara looked at the small cub, a concerned expression on her face. "No, I don't think so. I think we need to find him -- soon." She turned to Jabari.

"Don't you think we should look for him now?"

[Jabari]

Jabari nodded slowly.

"We should go find him. I just hope he hasn't gone far. With those hyenas still out there, it's extremely dangerous to be out there on your own. We should probably try retracing our steps from yesterday. Maybe he went back there to see if it was safe to return there."

Jabari started to walk forward, heading back the path that had taken them to the cave. Why would Katali just leave like that...he would be so much safer if he were with the rest of them.

[Katari]

Katari was asking himself the very same thing. He had reached the mounds without any real trouble, but then -- now, rather -- he was running for his life in the opposite direction. How had the hyenas (four of them) spotted him? He had been careful, but it wasn't enough. He could only hope that the others found him before he ran out of energy...

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Sahara thought she heard something -- a hyena laughing? Or more than one. "Jabari, listen!" She bounded up a small hillock -- and saw Katali, pursued by four hyenas. "Oh no! Help him, somebody!" She dashed out of sight and shut her eyes tightly as the chase drew closer.