[Closed] Kopa's Captivity

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga smiled at Marini's answer, even though he had not really expected any less from her...it was just how Marini was. She might be full of life and ready for an adventure every second she was awake...but she had inherited her parents' caring attitude.

Tanga leaned in close to Marini, whispering to her. "Well, then...I think it might be a good idea to let him know that, don't you think?" he said, grinning at her as he posed his rhetorical question.

He then nuzzled her cheek, before giving her a quick, affectionate lick across the top of her head. He then turned towards where Li was ahead of them, and nudged her in the cub's direction. "Now go...introduce yourself, and tell him that you just want to help however you can...because that's all you can do, and you know what I always say about lying, right?"

He chuckled at her, before giving his daughter another nudge, sending to catch up with Li as he continued to lag behind, letting his daughter take the lead. If she needed him, he'd only be a couple of steps behind, but Tanga wanted this to be a moment for the two cubs solely. He sighed, watching the cubs as they padded closer to the waterhole, wondering about how different things were most likely going to be in the enclosure with Kopa and Li running around now.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini enjoyed her father's affection. She usualy spent her time with him. But now with the two new cubs in the enclosure, life was going to become alot different for everyone. She nodded at her father and ran over to Li, excited to get to know him already.
She approached the new cub with caution, not wanting to stratle him in any way. "Hello," she said quietly, waiting for Li to notice her, "I haven't introduced myself properly, I'm Marini. You can call me Rini, if you feel like it." she said trying to sound as friendly as she could

[Nakisisa]

Li looked at the new cub, well holding new as a loose term, Recently introduced cub. Still missing lots of his vocabulary, and the ability to show recognisable guesteres, apart from a few simple ones, all Li could do was nod his head and meow. For a strange reason, Li took a step closer to Rini, and studied her features, most specificaly her eyes, not knowing how to describe them, Li kept staring, tripping over some loose stones on the ground, where he cried for a few moments and lay still.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini waited for Li's response. She fell into the same position her father had been at a few minutes before her; she didn't understand what was Li trying to say or show her just by his nodding and meowing. When he walked closer, she stood her ground, not wanting to scare him or offend him by backing off.
As he tripped she walked over and helped him up, "Ahhh, I just wanted to tell you that if you want to talk about anything then feel free to talk with me." she said with a friendly smile.
"A lion of a few words, aren't you?" she said after a short silence

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga immediately jumped forward when Li had tripped over, intending on checking on the little cub. But when Marini jumped forward to help him back up, he stopped, a proud smile adorning his features as he watched his daughter comfort and talk to the cub. She seemed to be a natural at looking after others, and Tanga felt that he would be able to sit this one out...as long as he kept one eye one it.

Thinking on that, Tanga turned back towards the others, meeting Heshima's eye. He gestured slowly, inviting her to join him for a moment. He was always glad of the company of his mate whenever it could be spared, and now seemed like one of those times where he could sit back and talk with his mate, while they both watched Marini and Li, ready to intervene should anything go wrong.

[Nakisisa]

(( Bringing in some more wors, but not more gramar in Li's speach ))

"Thank you" Li said, suddenly speaking more freely, which supprised him. "Hello Rini" he said happily. However his voice was still hoarse , and sounded very quite. "How far away is waterhole?" Li asked gasping from thirst, as he suddenly remembered Rinis other question. "I don't know. I forgot how speak" he said, hoping Rini, and Tanga if he could hear, would understand why he was not talking.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini was confused at how did a cub forget how to speak. What could possibly make him forget how to talk properly? She was about to ask him what happend, but she held it back as she realised it might have something to do with how he ended up here. When he was ready he would tell her. "The waterhole is this way, just past this hill." she said pointing at the hill

[KiarasMate]

Following Tanga’s gaze towards the direction of the large hill that sat quite a ways away from where he was, Kopa was just barely able to make out the very same silhouette that the black maned male had spotted, although he himself couldn’t be for certain that it was indeed Arria who the silhouette belonged to from the distance he was viewing things at, but Kopa trusted Tanga’s word and nodded politely to his company. Turning to thank Tanga however, Kopa noticed that the pride leader had already moved on, having both Marini and Lisimba in tow. Taking one last glance in the opposite direction to see if Heshima was still busy, Kopa slowly started to wander towards the distant hill to which the lone lioness was lounging upon, his movements barely detectable from just how lightly his paws were treading upon the soft terrain of the enclosure.

Taking his time as he walked, as his confidence level wasn’t as strong as it had been with having either Tanga or Heshima near by, Kopa gradually advanced upon the hill before carefully ascending up it. It soon became clear that the solitary feline resting at the peak, was in fact Arria, which brought a little relief to Kopa as he didn’t want to mistakenly approach any of the other pride members to whom he might not have already been introduced to formally. As he drew closer to the relaxing lioness, Kopa started to have second thoughts about bothering her as she seemed quite enthralled with something or other, although Kopa couldn’t quite figure out what exactly was holding her attention so heavily. Pausing several paws length away from Arria, as his presence hadn’t yet been detected by the occupied lioness in front of him, Kopa hesitated momentarily as he casually laid himself down upon the grass below him, his little frame making a slight rustling noise as he did so.

[YFWE]

Having finished eating once and for all, Heshima had paused for a few brief moments to make sure that Tanga had a grip on the situation with the newest addition to their little pride, Li. Though the tiny cub seemed like it would perhaps pose a problem or two due to its inability to form more than a few words at a time--communication would certainly be a bit difficult--it certainly did not seem unruly or numb to outside interference, and so Heshima was hopeful that in due time, the young lion would come to be a more contributory member of their pride. For the time being, however, Li was at the very least tolerable. And maybe a little cute. Marini would probably like him.

She gave Tanga a brief nuzzle before turning away from the kill. At first, she had planned on perhaps reclining nearby, or by the water hole once more as she had been before their meal, but her forward progress was halted by Tanga's suggestive motioning. Nodding once, the lioness moved in much closer to her mate, turning her head toward Li and Marini.

"Looks like... they'll get along nicely, don't you think?" she asked Tanga, her gaze shooting over the two cubs. "I'm still so.... I don't know, flustered over this, I guess. Two cubs in one day? What on earth is going on out there? And for that matter... are we going to be getting more food rations? What we're getting now won't be enough later, especially after the cubs age..."

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga nodded at Heshima's words, also looking over at Li and Marini. "No...those creatures will need to increase our food supply soon." he sighed, running a paw through his mane. "I wish we could still hunt...then we could catch what we actually needed to eat, rather than relying on the whims of these creatures to feed us what they believe is the right amount. I hate feeling so hopeless about this."

What Tanga did not voice...mostly because he did not have to...was that he, along with what he figured was most of the pride, actually missed the act of hunting itself. The careful, stealthy stalking, the pulse-pounding moment of attack, and the triumph of a successful kill. Everyone in the enclosure had been denied that for quite some time, and for many, Tanga guessed, it was no longer just about food...the pride he lead wanted to hunt simply for something to do...to feel that sense of adrenaline and suspense.

He stole a brief glance over towards the hill, where Kopa and Arria's silhouettes were visible. "And I agree, two cubs in one day is something strange. Do you think it's just an unusual day...or are the creatures perhaps up to something? I still don't understand why they keep us in here. They rarely, if ever, visit...and all they do is take one of us away from time to time."

But as he looked back at Li and Marini, he smiled as he was reminded of one very positive outcome of today's events. "Still, I'm actually glad we have two new cubs in the pride. It's about time Marini was able to have some friends she could play with." He smiled at his mate. "Don't get me wrong, she's our daughter, and I love her with all my heart, and playing with her can be quite a blast, too...but she really needs some friends her own age to play with as well, and it looks like Kopa and Li could be just what she needs."