♕ 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 ♕ A VOK RP

[Tiger♥Bear]

Nuru
.::. wandering .::. Ubatili .::. open .::.

The striped lioness strolled slightly ahead of her pride mate, Ubatili. The two had decided to explore the lands together. They were both still fairly new to their pride and still getting to know each other. Currently, Nuru was tuning her talkative companion out. The young lioness has been talking almost the entire trip to which Nuru was desperately trying to hold her tongue. Why couldn’t I have received a vision of this happening? It was situations like this that made her wish the ability to see the future was not only guaranteed but also constant. She might’ve opted to venture alone if she had known. With a soft sigh, she nodded with a tight smile.
“Mmhmm.” Nuru glanced around hoping to spot someone, anyone else. When she didn’t spot anyone in the immediate vicinity she huffed and faced her pridemate. “Ubatili-“
“Tili is fine.”
“Alright then, Tili, would you mind keeping quiet for just a moment? At least tell me if you see anyone.” Sometimes the glow distorted her vision. It was a shame she couldn’t turn it off when she wasn’t revealing the future. While it was a little dimmer, the glow was a constant effect.

Ubatili
.::. walking and talking .::. Nuru .::. open .::.

“I’m not really that great at hunting, but if I had to I would. It’s probably a good idea I wasn’t made a hunter though. Besides, now with more time on my paws to relax I can... well, relax. It’ll be nice when we have more members. Then I can really do less. Wait. Do I look okay? We might run into others out here, right?” The lioness glanced over her clean coat with a skeptical gaze. It was about this time she heard Nuru speak up.
“Ubatili-“
“Tili is fine.”
“Alright then, Tili, would you mind keeping quiet for just a moment? At least tell me if you see anyone.” She turned her attention to the seer with a raised brow. Honestly, she hadn’t expected such a blunt request. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she observed her companion. After a moment, she shrugged a shoulder and glanced around. “Well, I’m not seeing anyone but that doesn’t mean no one is out here. I’m sure we’re bound to run into someone soon. It feels like we’ve been walking for forever, Nu.”
“My Name is Nuru,” her colleague sighed.
“Sorry. I thought Nu was cute. Anyway. Do we have to stick together? I might take a nap. I need to rest my paws. You could keep exploring if you want. I don’t need a babysitter.” Ubatili stopped a moment to shake her paws out then gave an exasperated sigh. “I think I’m just going to rest here for a bit.”

[EchoIre]

𝑈𝑑𝑖𝑎
❂talking to Fitzroy and Apollyon ❂

Udia was decidedly taken aback by the prince's friendliness, though bid it well. Rogues were dangerous, pridless princes especially. There was often a certain air of entitlement that Udia found unsavory, but not with this one. He just seemed...well, he really seemed to act more his age than most other princes she could think of.

"Good morning to you, too, Prince Fitzroy." Udia replied, making a note now to mention his title, as his mentioning hers seemed a bit pointed to her. "Do be cautious going much farther - a day's trip west will land you in the desert." She warned. Udia raised an eyebrow at the prince's offer, still skeptical of his motives. He acted nice enough, but it could very well be, well, an act. She glanced behind the speckled lion in the direction of the golden stranger, and was none too surprised to find him striding towards them. "I thank you for you offer, but it doesn't seem like it will be necessary."

As the golden lion spoke, it occurred to her that she didn't know if this new border brought any new neighbors with it. There had been no mention of other prides - but Udia honestly wouldn't be very surprised if it was a detail purposefully left out. Who was this strange lion, and what was their pride like?

"You are forgiven, stranger, but do not let it happen again." Udia replied evenly, making an effort to be cordial. "...Might I ask who you are? I am sure I would remember someone like you, had I seen you before." She added, allowing a slight smile to grace her features.

[MySpoons]

𝐅𝐈𝐓𝐙𝐑𝐎𝐘
|| being friendly | with Udia and Apollyon||

Fitzroy's eyes widen as Apollyon strides towards them, left speechless by the lion's beautiful coat. He must certainly be well off and well-liked. Fitzroy cannot imagine a lion looking like that must be doing well in life. Tail curled tight, Fitzroy almost was vibrating out of his skin when the golden lion started talking to him.

"I am, yes, sir!" Fitzroy replies, rather pleased with himself. "I've decided to wander the lands, as I had little claim to the throne back home. I enjoy it very much, especially when I am in such good company."

Pausing, Fitzroy glances between the two older lions. "Sir, this is Hail Priestess Udia. I would introduce you two, but I'm afraid I didn't catch your name, sir." Fitz isn't sure if he's the lowest ranking, but as the youngest, he'll do the introductions. Personally, Fitzroy thinks the golden male should have a good title-- it would be so fitting!

[nymx]

𝐀𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐘𝐎𝐍
form | mentions; - | tagged; udia, fitzroy

Apollyon let a small chuckle escape him, he quite liked this young lion. He reminded him somewhat of himself, eager. His eyes sparkled, "Yes, family is so very complicated. Isn't it?" he added, a hint of bitterness in his voice. As far as he was concerned his family was dead. They should be. His words made him raise a brow, he had little claim to the throne. That made him leave? He was more like him than he had previously thought. You had nothing without power. As Fitzroy introduced Udia he dipped his head. "Priestess? What gods do you serve?" he asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.

As he turned back to him he shook his head, "How rude of me," he began, "King Apollyon, but my subjects call me Elohim; tradition." he explained. He thought it was rather peculiar that his former subjects had praised him Elohim, it sounded regal, but it was the name for the god's chosen, their king. His subjects, he had lied. But there was no need to tell them that they had all been dead for weeks. It would make him look weak.

"So Udia," he began, "have you been in the valley long?" The king was curious, had she heard of him? Hopefully not, but at the same time he went against it. His name held power and fear from where he had traveled, he had heard the lands closest to him speaking about it but there was no need to bring that up. Especially if he were to make friends here.

[Meekins12345]

ꀘꅐꋬ꓄ꄲꀘꄲ ꋬꋊ꒯ ꒯ꏂꍌꄲ꓄ꄲꍌꋬ
|| With Astrona|| Pretty hungry ||

The two insoniti looked to each other for a moment before Dego sighed, soon nodding to the Guardian Astrona's words. "Alright... We will pay you back as soon as we can." Perhaps, when they went back home, they could come back and find Astrona and properly give her the gifts that the pride often gave. All sorts of fun things, with good food on top of it... not to say the food here wasn't good, they had just never seen such things before.

As she encouraged them to find a spot, they would nod and the two would follow her, soon pausing a moment to look upon the river themselves. Once she seemed to call them over, the two looked to her before quickly trotting over, ultimately following her up the tree, but climbing up differing limbs. It wouldn't be smart to all be on one limb.

[Firedancer77]

ʜᴀʀᴀᴋᴀ | ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏʟᴅ ʙʟᴜᴇ
As she made the leap, Haraka felt herself brush against the grass beside her, rustling it enough for the rabbit to notice.

"By the rose!" She cursed as she landed where the rabbit had been seconds ago. Now, it had scampered off, leaving her to spit out the dust it had kicked up into her face. "Dumb rabbit. You can't fill bellies anyways!"

Rolling her eyes, the red and black lioness began to stalk off through the grass again, intent on finding new quarry. Within a few moments, she stumbled across a trail of flattened grass. Eyes widening, she licked her lips. A wounded animal must have made such a trail. Fresh meat, perhaps?

Following the trail, Haraka instinctively crouched down to pounce as she neared the creature leaving the trampled grass behind, only to realize it was not any prey she can bring back to her pride. "Who are you?" She asked rudely, ears pinned back in annoyance as she rose to her full height again, though the other lion still dwarfed her by comparison.

ᴋᴏᴛᴏᴋᴏ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴀsᴀʙᴀ | ᴡɪᴛʜ ???
Nasaba considered himself to be a fairly peaceful lion. Of course he could fight if it was necessary, but it was never something he preferred to do. As usual, Kotoko was making him question that stance.

"Kotoko, you need to start pulling your weight," the King said, glancing back to see the slightly larger lion staring at a butterfly flying by, "or we're going to stop feeding you."

His pride mate scoffed. "I'm a soldier, not a hunter. It's not my job to hunt."

Nasaba took a deep breath. Patience. He just needed to be patient. He knew somewhere deep down that Kotoko did care for his pride, even if he stubbornly refused to express that in favor of self-preservation and praise.

"Yes," he said slowly, "but you never do any patrolling. And that is part of your job." Oh, why did he even bother?

[MySpoons]

𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄
|| talking || with Haraka ||

Blue-- startled by someone sneaking up on him-- turns and lands in a sit so he doesn't have to worry about fighting and maintaining his balance. The blue lion's ears are pinned with a few teeth bared in a half-snarl when he faces the red lioness with blue-grey points.

"The same to you," Blue spits back, not eager to chat with a stranger. He's hungry and in pain. At least he is bigger than her. "Leave me alone-- this isn't your territory; you've no right to harass me."

Blue didn't see any obvious markers on the land he had traveled through. Borders needed to be marked and maintained if a lion wasn't allowed to wander through on his own time. A rogue like him couldn't go anywhere if he wasn't allowed to cut through unused space.

[Firedancer77]

ʜᴀʀᴀᴋᴀ | ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏʟᴅ ʙʟᴜᴇ
Haraka blinked in surprise at the sharp response, glancing around the area. By the rose, he's right. When did I leave my pride's territory?

"My apologies," Haraka muttered bitterly after a moment, imagining a disappointed Nasaba hovering over her shoulder if she didn't, "I hadn't realized I crossed the border."

That left Haraka with one issue: she had no idea how far she'd wondered. Or how to get back to her territory. She tried to stand up a bit straighter, schooling her features to the best of her ability to hide how nervous she was on the matter.

[EchoIre]

𝑈𝑑𝑖𝑎
❂talking to Fitzroy and Apollyon ❂

Udia was almost amused at Fitzroy's energetic reception of the golden stranger. Not to say Udia wasn't a bit impressed by the lion's golden coat either, she was simply far less enamored by the stranger. She made a point to listen to their conversation, though, because she thought it very likely she would see these lions again based on what they had already said. She wasn't surprised by Fitzroy revealing he had little claim to the throne - she didn't expect any sane prince would leave his pride if he did. What did catch her attention, even if only for a moment, was the the stranger's response. She caught a hint of bitterness in his voice, but then again, bitterness towards family was unfortunely common.

Her ears perked as the stranger turned his attention to her. "I serve many, though the goddess Sehkmet is closest to my pride." Udia answered with a bit of pride. She wondered if either lion would recognize the name of a dessert goddess, for surely it would mark her as foreign to these lands.

Udia's eyes widened at the stranger's next words. She was not surprised he was a king - though she did not expect another pride to be so near - but Elohim was a word she knew well. She was very familiar with the idea of kings being gods in some respect - her former king had sown the ideal among his followers - but she was not impartial to the idea to say the least. Tradition or not, it implied a certain authority she felt a mortal lion should not have. Regardless, a slight smirk spread across her features at the word.

"A lofty title indeed!" Udia exclaimed. "To put the weight of such a title on a mortal king!" She was tempted to ask if it made his shoulders sore, but the charcoal lioness checked herself. Her advisors suggested trying to find allies, so at the very least, Udia would try not to make enemies. "You handle it well, I hope?" Was all the priestess allowed herself to say. Udia blinked at Apollyon's next question. Did lions come from beyond the valley, with the walls as steep as they were? What was this lion trying to ask?

"All my life." She replied evenly. "Though, I should admit I am a stranger to these parts. New territory, you see." She found herself growing suspicious of this King Apollyon. Had she heard that name before, whispered by the magistrates and ambassadors of her other neighbors? "What do you know of these lands, Apollyon? I can not safely say my pride is well-liked; I fear some information may have been withheld from us as we came to the savannah." There was a hint of contempt in her voice as she spoke, though her face betrayed no emotion.

[nymx]

𝐀𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐘𝐎𝐍
form | mentions; - | tagged; udia, fitzroy

Apollyon nodded his head, Sehkmet... It was unfamillar, at least what he could remember. Then again he had heard of many different gods. Many different religions and beliefs in the valley, he wasn't sure if he was opposed or grateful. "I'm afraid it doesn't ring a bell, I'm sure my gods serve a similar purpose.." he trailed off with a friendly, charming smile. "I've come to find many different beliefs in the valley, I'm sure you will too."

Raising his brow's at her words, he mustered a soft laugh. "Yes, heavy is the head that wears the crown, yes?" he asked, amusement filling his tone. "I hate to seem so proud- my pride has thrust the title upon me; tradition." he explained, part of him wanted to tell her he was sent from the sun god himself, his pride believed it, worshipped it. But the lioness was off-putting, lying to a priestess such as herself? To let her figure out the truth and expose him, no he wouldn't. Best to delay it then. "I hope I am, I guess you'll find out sooner or later."

Apollyon found himself nodding, "Ah, the valley is long and wide. I find a new part of it every so often. It seems to travel on forever, a gift from the gods I suppose. Sheltering us from the horrors of the outside." he joked softly, watching her eagerly. There was clearly gears shifting and turning in her mind, and he didn't like it. He forced a smile and laugh again. "I know not enough, I'm afraid. New to these lands as well.." he explained, his gaze traveling over the land. "So we have that in common, I'm afraid my kingdom doesn't have the shiniest of reputations. We're hoping to change that as well." he responded, his tone giving away nothing else as he turned to her, a genuine look on his face. "I assume you lead your pride? Perhaps I should come by and we can negotiate an alliance, it'd be nice to make friends." he offered softly before turning to the younger lion. "And you- Fitzroy," he began with a friendly smile, "if you need shelter, my pride will welcome you."