Meeting Mashaka

Participants:

Kiini - lion, son of King Mzohari and Nyunya.
Kikora - juvenile lioness, pride youth.
Lailen - lioness cub, daughter of Kori and Nonceba.
Mashaka - lion, brother of Balana, Kopje guard.
Mzohari - lion, son of Balana and Chiboa, King of the Kopje Valley.


Kopje Valley - Bottom of the Waterfall Cliff
You come to the bottom of a large cliff. Just above you is a massive promontory jutting out of the side, it sends a shadow across the waterfall. A large torrent of water comes down, creating a large 'lake' at the bottom of the cliff. Many sweet grasses grow on the edge perfect for grazing animals. As you look up the cliff face, you see a small path leading to the promontory and then stretches further along the cliff.

To the [K]opje [V]alley [Climb] up to the Promontory
[E]dge of the [S]avannah

A sparkling and cool lake
You can see the 'end of' a runoff stream.

Mashaka tilts his head a bit and looks back to Mzohari. "Why else would I ask? To find a single lioness. Or.. well, to see if any are still around the area.." he says. "A lion gets lonely at times. Even older ones." he smirks.

Yup, this paw is definately in need of grooming. Kiini decides for himself. So, without any thought, he starts to really groom at the fur, leaving the conversation for the other two.

"Well .. I don't even know where to tell you to look." A rather helpless shrug of Mzohari's shoulders is made as his brows crease apologetically. "We've been so overwhelmed with cubs lately that .. I dunno, I haven't given much thought to anything else."

Mashaka shakes his head gently. "It's alright." he says. "I just wanted to know. I guess I'll just have to ask around. Maybe ask Balana. If nothing else, maybe I could visiting a neighboring land, but that doesn't always turn out well."

Kiini glances up some now, his own dark colored tuft curling up part way along his side. "Grandma Balana knows just about everything, so if anyone can find a lioness, I'll be she can."

Lailen yawned as she awoke. The girl stood and stretched opening her eyes looking around to see who was still here. She could see a number of sleeping lions and Lioness laying around lazily.

Mashaka sits there watching the lands quietly, looking this way and that, amoung the others snoozing here. He spots the cub and gives a smile and paw-wave to her.

Kikora is still resting in her defensive position, flat on her belly and paws outstretched before her. Boredom seems to be the day's theme, and it has decided to hang around as night fell, much to her chagrin. "But I don't -wanna- play with the others, mama…" she slurs out, deep in a silly dream.

Lailen smiles and gives a soft nod to Mashak and suddenly hears her new friend speak. The girl looks over and chuckles realizing the girl was talking in her sleep. Lailen walked over and leaned down, "Why not?" she said trying not to laugh too loud.

Mashaka blinks, glancing at the sleeping one Lailen is talking to, and smiles as he watches the two cubs now, since there's not much else going on.

Ack! What the heck was that?! Kikora's eyes fly open and she's greeted with Lailen's face, up-close and personal, which causes the poor kid to utter a squeak of momentary fright. "Whoaaa! Hey!" She starts out, but once she realizes that it's only Lailen, Kiko' starts giggling … and has a hard time stopping. "Jeez, 'Len, you scared me!" She yawns lightly, but the sleep has been zapped out of her for the time being. She glances around, wondering who else is awake in this star-lit hour, finding only the lion from before — one she hasn't met. Feeling a bit more bold, especially now that Msasi is gone, the big cub calls out in his direction, "Hhhiii…"

Lailen jumps back as Kikora suddenly flys awake. "Eeep" She gets down defensive then smiles as her friend giggles. "Sorry…but you were talking funny." She looks over at Mashaka again and smiles waving a paw.

Mashaka chuckles softly to himself at the cubs' antics, then smiles to Kikora, laying down, his tail flicking playfully this way and that. "Hello there. And to you too." he tells Lailen.

"I was havin' a dream …" Kikora starts out, her brown eyes shaded in the pale light of the moon. "Dreamt that my mama was trying to get me to play with my daddy's other cubs. They made fun of me 'cause I wasn't a -princess- like they were." She spares a frown, her dark brows kneading slightly. When Mashaka speaks to her, Kikora glances in his direction, her gaze weighted with a child's curiosity. "I'm Kikora!" She offers to him without prompting, one little ear turned back, a sheepish grin on her face.

Lailen listens curiously not fully understanding what she meant. As Mashaka speaks she perks up, "And I'm Lailen!" she says introducing herself.

Mashaka gives another soft chuckle, then large lion resting his chin in his paws. "Well, hello Kikora and Lailen. I'm Mashaka, Balana's brother, and king Mzohari's uncle." He then grins to Kikora. "A bit too roudy for your sisters were you?" he asks playfully.

Lailen sits on her haunches her tail wriggling about as she listens. "Oh cool!" She looks to Kikora as Mashaka speaks to her directly.

Kikora giggles a bit, glancing side-long at her friend and 'little sister' — Kori's insistance that she look after Lailen and Gadi as a big sister has been taken to heart, and Kiko' intends on trying her very best. "Naaah, my sisters were daddy's, but their mama was the Queen. They didn't like playin' with me 'cause I wasn't …" she tries to remember the words that her half-sisters had used against her, but fails — and that's probably a good thing. "Wasn't like them." She finishes with a stubborn little look on her face, suggesting that -she- knows she can be anything she -wants- to be, by golly.

Lailen tilts her head curious at this and still not getting why anyone wouldnt like Kikora. "Well I look didfferent than Gadi and Wingu and them but they still like me." She nuzzles her friend smiling, "I like you Kikora."

Mashaka grins to Kikora. "Oh, I see." he says gently. "Well, just because their mother was the queen doesn't mean you're any less better then they are." and he smiles gently at Lailen's words.

Kikora peers at the somewhat younger cub bashfully, not able to hide her reactionary smile. "Gee, thanks 'Lennie. I like you too!" She puffs her chest out some, feeling protective over the other young lioness. "And thanks … Maaashaka!" She grins wider now, trying out his name for the first time. "I'm glad I'm here now 'stead of back in Miz-eenga. Nobody -ever- played with me -there-…"

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