Playing with Cubs [OPEN]

[Minane]

Leilana facial expression turned flat and unemotional when she met the sight of a coy looking lioness standing confidently on the boulder. As her frame bounded on the ground and hit the grass, she slowly began to circle the area though her mind churned.

She's on a higher ground then I am - a disadvantage. I have to get her off - then we can talk.

Leilana leaped on the other side of the boulder, performing a unoticable balancing act as she slid back on the smooth surface before leaning forward, her black claws clacking against the stone. Mind clear, she pulled in her tactics. With a strange mimicing skill, she grinned a coy and knowing smile exactly alike to that of the new lioness, only Lei's fur gave her the appearance of a forgiving angel, while the rogue's seemed to be that of a dark one.

She moved forward, attempting to push off the rogue with pure aura.

[Isoba]

Isoba held one of the cubs close, as he looked at the rogue who was intruding on their territory. He wasn't angry, but he wasn't happy either. He gave off a vacant expression, showing that he was thinking of what to do. He was planning how to remove the rogue.

If he just walked up, the rogue might attack, and he was tired from playing tag. That wouldn't be a good idea. He might request for Leilana to pin the rogue before approaching, but that would bring danger to her, along with make him look weak in front of the new pack herder.

Isoba decided to hold his ground, and study the rogue's movements.

[Altair]

Sama walked outside of the shadow of the inside of the rock yawning. He had heard the cubs screaming for Isoba to play with them and then he woke up and streched a bit.

'Wow, what a wake up call' Sama thought tirelessly he then smiled and then looked at the cubs at play with Isoba from the other side they were running around.

Sama had always loved to see the cubs healthy and Isoba staying strong in trust then he smirked playfully. "Don't tire yourself now my leige" Sama said laughing "You've also got work to do today" he looked over to the cubs and smiled "Hello" he said with his cheery voice. Sama had always been like this and sometimes even in a bad mood, he would still just think through and not take it out on anyone else. He then lied down on his stomach watching the children and Isoba have their fun.

Then seeing the rogue Sama leapt up and went to Isobas side "Don't try anything" he looked to the rogue being overprotective of the king.

[{.Onÿx|Drægôn.}]

Sarabi's eyes glanced towards Pride Rock, her attention captured briefly by the High King. Her gaze returned to the lioness before her just as quickly as it had left. Noting the other's grin, her own smirk broadened.

The lioness took the momentary lull to stand and face the other, apparently sizing her up. She straightened up to full height and said wryly, "You're a bold one. I like that." Sarabi moved forward, temporarily placing her within striking distance of the other. "A smart one, too. Don't see much of that anymore."

With a small leap, Sarabi dropped down from the boulder and landed noiselessly onto the ground. She looked over her shoulder at the other lioness, her tail swishing back and forth in a steady rhythm. Her amber eyes watched the other, waiting for a reaction.

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[Minane]

Leilana was tempted to let out a harsh laugh, but she pulled it down her throat. She wasn't a rogue anymore - old habits must die and be replaced by those of PrideLand lion. Standing on the boulder she stood, her muscles tense, threatening to switch to offense in seconds.

"You are surrounded," Leilana proclaimed in her softest voice, "These lioness and the King of the Pridelands may not have been trained to fight from birth, but they are still made of what lions are."

She let out a low smile and her tail swished side to side, warning the other of her ability to launch quick attacks.

"Rogue, why are you here." Leilana asked. It was more of a statement then a question though, "I would like your name... if you will tell me. Remember - no matter what your disregard of the King, he is still King so respect him."

[{.Onÿx|Drægôn.}]

Sarabi's grin broadened even more, now showing her ivories. She noticed the subtle threats coming from the other lioness' body language and her eyes narrowed signifigantly. A low growl formed in the back of her throat as she turned to advance on the other, stopping just short of the boulder.

"Do not attempt to make idle threats, especially if you do not wish to make good on them," she growled, a cold glare in her eyes now, though the grin remained. The rogue's cold stare lingered on the other lioness for a moment before she shrugged and stalked off.

Sarabi came to a stop a good ways away from the lioness and said simply, "Sarabi." There was no more trace of hostility on her visage or in her voice; an almost friendly look now replaced it. "And as for your king, I could care less what "respect" you believe he is entitled to. He'll recieve from me all the respect that I sense he deserves. I'll form my own opinion of him."

[Minane]

Staring at the defiantly sly eyes of the other lioness, Leilana felt a slight twinge of recognition followed by found memory.

This Sarabi reminded her of herself when she was attempting to join Pridelands. The only difference was back then, Leilana was simply too proud to beg and had tooken to circling until she was asked to join the PrideLands. Sarabi didn't seem like a lioness who wanted to join some random imperious stock filled with high kings and mighty snobs as they were usually pictured as, no, Sarabi looked like a over confident and bored rogue poking fun.

However, any warmth was wiped out as she recounted Sarabi's words.

"Who ever said I wouldn't make "good" to my threats?" she challenged in a low, soft crow, "I would very much do so, if it weren't for our nice respectable king."

She barely bit back the word little. In truth, the King was always too soft - logical maybe, but soft never the less.

[{.Onÿx|Drægôn.}]

Sarabi gave her a look that clearly stated that she doubted every word, but decided not to comment on it. She turned her head to gaze at the lions who stood around Pride Rock, her eye once again falling on the High King. The lion beside him could only be a personal guard.

The rogue lioness huffed, shaking her head slightly. In her opinion, Kings shouldn't need guards seeing as they should be able to take care of themselves; but then again, she also believed that there shouldn't be Kings at all.

She looked back at the other lioness, who was still standing on the boulder. "And your name would be...?" she asked, though it was obvious her mind was elsewhere.

[Minane]

Leilana's teeth curled into a mid snarl. This lioness was unread, unperturbed, and ultimately - uneeded. The PrideLander's fighter instincts shivered in anticipation while the lioness commanded them back

Thou shall obey thy king.

Thou shall respect thy king.

Thou shall live only to serve thy king.

Her mother was the one who taught her those words. Those rules obviously didn't enforce themselves in the Pridelands, but Leilana felt the sense that told her to follow them in order to stay with the Pride. Obey thy king... by not attacking she was obeying. Respect thy king... by obeying, she was respecting. Thou shall live only to serve thy king... by would killing this lioness who was obviously a simple nuiscance and threata pure act of service?

Leilana immediatly dismissed the question - it was unimportant now that she though back to her rogue days. It was always if she survived, not who she killed. The defenderess leaped off the boulder and infront of the king, acting as a borderline between rogue and king... which was what she technically was.

Born a rogue, raised a rogue, lived a rogue, stuck in a pack of Prideful Royalties.

"King Isoba Ki," she asked softly, "Permission to eliminate?"

[Isoba]

Isoba shook his head. "Permission denied. I'll handle this." he said, standing up before walking over to the Rogue and looking hard. He then smiled, and said "This is who we are all worried about? In truth, I doubt you could cause much harm."

Isoba looked at the rogue, then lowered his voice. "Considering I know a few ex-rogues, I know your main goal in life is probably to survive. So, let me say this. Leave. If you do not, your survival days will be numbered."

Isoba turned around, flicking his tail at the rogue before walking back over to the cubs. He then walked up to Leilana. "If she refuses to leave, you have my permission to run her out."

[Altair]

Sama continued to keep a close eye on the rogue his angered appearance and semi-dark gaze continued to bother him. But he knew he had to protect Isoba at whatever means nessicary.

"I'm smart enough to know i can't trust you, and i'm smart enough to take you down if you don't leave" Sama said with a threatening voice. He then looked to Isoba "Isoba, i will escort the rogue out if she decides to leave" Sama said calmly looking at his King, his gaze starting to become calmer. "If she doesn't i would like to fight her myself" he looked serious and tense at this moment. Smiling at a cub then tensing into a frown at the rogue.

Sama wasn't only protecting Isoba, but he was also trying to protect the cubs, even if it cost him his life. He stood still at the same place where he stood alongside Isoba being his usual protective self.

[{.Onÿx|Drægôn.}]

Sarabi stood at an angle to Leilana, looking around her at the King. She completely ignored the two others, her gaze focused on the King, studying him from afar. A single nod was all he would get from her; an acknowledgement that she had at least heard what he had said.

The rogue's eyes shifted from the king to the lion on his right, who apparently wasn't pleased with her intrusion. Not that she cared. Much.

A look of defiance passed through her eyes, and for a split second she looked as though she would attack him. But a quickly as the look had come, it had disappeared and been replaced by a calm, almost disinterested one.

"Hmmph. As you wish," she remarked cooly, her eyes solely on Sama now. "I will take my leave."

Sarabi flicked her tail once, a gleam in her eye and a smirk on her maw, before slinking off in the direction of the Prideland borders. Her tan pelt blended into the tall grasses of the savannah as she trotted off, making her barely visible to the naked eye.

She'd be back.

[Minane]

Leilana may have been a stupid, over obbessed lion who followed the rules too much just to convince herself of stupid things, things that she knew herself, but she also knew no matter how hard she tried, she would always be half rough, half unrefined. In part curiousity, part suspicion, but above all, to get rid of the feeling she always earned after working for the King.

"Thanks for guarding the King, Same and make sure he stays with the rest of the Pride," like a good little lion, she added mentally. Then she moved off in the opposite direction Sarabi was heading.

I am a loyal subject of the King. her mind said.

I am free in all ways. she added as if she could converse with her own mind. And like a seperate being, it answered,

Maybe.

Her flat eyes watched the small flickering colors in the grass already far away - some the Pride, the other the stealthy lioness. As soon as she was too far to track and downwind, she circled around the area the Pride was laying and stalked after Sarabi.

Sarabi. The name of the past Queen. She wasn't sure how she reacted to that name... admiration? Resentment? No, she could dimly pinpoint a hard feeling of indifference. She was like that to everyone these days. She made friends, she used her friends, and then she laughed at their jokes even when their use was gone to entertain them. Leilana wanted a real friend, not another air headed clinque obbessed Prideland lion.

Silent, she trailed Sarabi.

[Altair]

Sama watched as Sarabi took her leave and then watched Leilana take her leave to follow Sarabi. "She'll be back you know" Sama said to Isoba then looking to the cubs "So..." he said smirking "How about that game of tag you were playing" he smiled.

He spotted a cubs sly smirk as he charged at Sama. Sama was sometimes a fast thinker and some reflex sent him to the left letting the cub slide. "You're gonna have to work harder than that to get me" Sama teased "Cooperation is major between our pride, without the lionesses hunting" Sama then looked to the other cubs "We couldn't survive" Sama then looked at the cub who charged at him who was sitting down with the other cubs immediatly. "Let me tell you something King Mufasa told King Simba and what King Simba told me" Sama looked to the sun "A kings time as ruler rises and falls like the sun" Sama looked to make sure the cubs were paying attention "One day a time will set on Isobas time as ruler and maybe one of you will be the new king" he smiled as the cubs chattered excitedly.

"Pay attention" Sama said sharply "That doesn't mean you will be king after Isoba, theres always a chance though" he smiled looking to Isoba. "Right then, lesson over lets continue playing" he laughed. As the cubs huddled together making a plan. Three of them encircled Sama and then smirking as the cub who tried to get him earlier pounced on him "YOU'RE IT SAMA" he laughed. Sama smiled and then tagged another "I'm going to go hang with Isoba for a bit" he smiled "Continue" he walked over to Isoba and then smiled "Children, always good little minds" he laughed.

[Isoba]

Isoba smirked. He loved the cubs, but he still needed a mate. A king without a queen was like peanut butter without jelly, not necessarily needed, but it felt so wrong without it. He sighed, then stood.

"The cubs are wise, but they have yet to learn that they are so wise. It'll take time before they realize what a burdensome responsibility like being the king is." Isoba said, then smirked before he walked off. "I am off to go lay in the shade. I need to get some rest." he said, then suddenly turned and tagged Sama before sprinting off. "You're tagged!"

ooc: Once again, short post. Sorry.