Logfile from FlipSide (Taka) *MANKIND'S*LAST*BEST*HOPE*FOR*PEACE*OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO' OO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO' OO O______OO___OOOOO___OO_____`OO'_____OO___OO_____`OO______OOO' .O OO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO' OO OO O __OOO OOOOO OO OO OO.___ `OO OO OO OO __OOO O O OOOOO OOOOO OO __.OOOOOO' OO OO OO OO OOOOO O O OOOOO OO OO OOOOO OO OO OO OO O O___OOOOO______OO___OO___OOOOO_____.OO___OO_____.OO______OOOOOOO OO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO A multi-themed multi-world muck SysAdmin: Tursi Complaints: /dev/NULL To connect, use: connect To request a character, or the AUP, see http://flipsidemuck.org Connecting indictes acceptance of the Acceptable Use Policy Pridelands - South of Pride Rock -------------------------------- You are standing on the south side of Pride Rock, which rises steeply beside you. In the distance to the south, across the savannah, you can just make out the line of a deep gorge, and a small mountain range. As the cool dusk air envelops her, Karinne pads down the trail, breathing in deeply the smells of the savanna. She pauses, closing her eyes, feeling the stiff breeze pour through her. She sighs, smiling before she opens her eyes, continuing down the side of Pride Rock. "What a lovely night." She murmurs. Taka lays in the shorter grasses near the path, batting idly at passing grasshoppers. Although not exactly bored, he has a lazy expression on his face. Zira stalks through the long grass in search of mouseholes--she is ever eager to catch her first prey at the youngest age of any lioness ever known... yet tonight her efforts seem fruitless. Taka's ear perks as he catches a voice, but Zira's approach is quiet enough that he misses it, raising his head to look at Karinne. Karinne sighs as she pads down into the swaying grasses of the Pridelands. Her home, yes. Her homeland, no. She stares up longingly at the stars, remembering that birthplace, her homeland, the place where she belonged. She blinks, looking sorrowful. Yes, belonged. She no longer belonged there, that was certain. She sighed, glancing over at the cubs. Yes, she belonged here now. "Hey, kids." She smiles softly at them. Zira spies Taka in the shorter grasses and grins mischieviously. Stalking towards him she does her best effort not to reveal her presense to him. As usual, a deaf ear has been turned to the adult present.... Taka misinterpret's Karinne's comment, and starts to stand up. "Hi Auntie Karinne. Are you going hunting?" Zira takes the moment of distraction to make a flying leap from the grasses with a mighty "rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......." ... well, an attempt at roaring at least. Taka ahhs!, startled, and whips his head around just in time to be caught by Zira's pounce. He's bowled over, tumbling a bit before stopping underneath the lioness. "Zira!!" Zira pins him to the ground, grinning from ear to ear. "GOTCHA! Hahahahahahahahahahaha!" Karinne shakes her head, chuckling before padding forward swiftly. "Oh, you two." She smiles, sitting back upon her haunches. "Oh, Taka, perhaps I am." With this, she reaches out and attempts to bap her daughter gently on the forehead. "Be nice, Zira." Zira weaves and ducks from the paw, still laughing. "I got him, Momma! I got him! I a huntress now! I caught a Taka!" Taka humphs, trying to pull himself from under Zira. "That's no way to treat a Prince, Zira." He's recovered from the surprise, but he's clearly annoyed. "You can get in lots of trouble for that." Zira prances around super proudly, "I caught a Prince then! Even better!" Karinne rolls her eyes. "Oh, you two, behave. Zira, be good. He's not real prey." She winks at Taka. "And besides, Taka, you should be happy she caught you. It means she'll be a good hunter someday, and she might even share her catches with you." With this, she winks at Zira. "Now, you two, would you like to come with me to the water hole?" "She *better*," grumbles Taka, "I'll be King, after all." He manages to free himself, getting to his paws. "I wanna go. I haven't done anything all day." Zira's tail flicks back and forth, "Are there gazelle there to hunt?" Karinne grins. "No, they're probably off sleeping, not getting a drink." She pauses before padding towards the north. "Although the mice and crickets are probably free for the hunting." With this, she continues at a slow enough pace for them to keep up. Zira dashes ahead, LAst one there is Warthog mud!!!!" Taka heys!, darting after Zira. "That's not fair, you called it after you started running! Pridelands - In Front of Pride Rock ----------------------------------- You are standing before a tall outcropping of rock, contrasting the flatness of this area. Lions lay around and on it, making this the home of the ruling pride. Looking up, you see a large outcropping, where the King may stand and make announcements. This is Pride Rock. Karinne Shakes her head at the antics of the two cubs, who seem intent on beating eachother to the waterhole. "DOn't wear yourselves out, kids." She says gently, picking up the pace slightly. So they don't need her to walk quite to slowly after all. Zira runs ahead at full bore, laughing. "I'm in the lead! I'm in the lead!!!! Taka grrs!, trying to keep up and not gaining ground. "You're just a cheater, that's why! Zira giggles into the wind, "I'm not cheating... i'm just faster!" Pridelands - Northern Savannah ------------------------------ The savannah stretches out from you in all directions. For a moment it's hard to tell which way to go, then, in the distance, you make out some landmarks. To the south rises Pride Rock, and to the west a lone baobob tree rises. To the northeast is the waterhole, and due north, in the distance, is the dark shadow of the elephant graveyard. Karinne sighs as she continues north, by now almost ignoring the teasing words between the two cubs. "Its just ahead now." Pridelands - Water Hole ----------------------- This is a cool, shaded waterhole, a refreshing escape from the hot sun of the savannah. The water is crisp and refreshing, cool and clean. Feel free to take a drink, or just relax and enjoy the company. Karinne sighs as she enters the vicinity of the Water Hole. Ah, yes, the cool, crisp water of the Water Hole. She wades into the shallows, lapping up the water slowly, savoring every moment. Taka runs in, right behind Zira. "I could've beat you!" He growls. "In a fair race!" Jakobi blinks at the sudden loud entrance, and his head comes around again. "Whoa," he tells Tawakali. "Popular place tonight." Zira curls around in a circle with her head held high. "It was fair, you're just a sore loser!" Broken from her trance, Vurumai's ears turn towards the voice of another cub. She whirls to face the oncoming traffic, so to speak. She freezes, watching. Maybe she'll go unnoticed by these newcomers. Taka faces Zira. "You can't call me that! I order you not to call me that!" Ocean blue eyes stare sharply in the direction of the newcomers. "Just great." She mutters, barely an audible whisper. [Tawakali] Zira gives a toothy grin, her eyes narrowing as she taunts, "Loser loser loser!" Jakobi chuckles softly, offering a light nuzzle. "Hey, at least it's something different, right?" He sits down next to Tawakali, watching the cubs fight. Taka growls and pounces at Zira, repeatly. "I said you can't call me that! I'm the Prince and you're just a huntress!" Zira barely dodges the first on and gets pounced the second time, but she continues her banter, "loser loser loser loser..." Karinne shakes her head, sighing. "Zira, leave him alone." She gives a stern glance in the direction of her pesky little daughter. Vurumai decides that there isn't too much scary about these two newcomers, and she treks through the grasses in their direction, though none-the-quietly. Nehluka's large ears peek up from the reeds by the waters edge, two large dark eyes watch widely in hiding. "Yeah Zira," Taka mimicks. "Leave me alone! Or I'll swat you!" Zira turns a convienent deaf ear to her mother, "Hah! Like I'm afraid of your swat, Dainty paw!" Karinne turns to leave the water, scowling. "Zira." She frowns, approaching her daughter. Taka growls. "You don't even know what that means!" His head flips to Karinne as she approaches. "Um.. yes.. I suppose it is." Tawakali murmurs off as the cubs play with each other. Shifting a bit, she grows a bit uncomfortable, perhaps bad memories sprouting up. Rising up to her paws, she starts moving away from Jakobi and the others, hoping to find a stray patch of grass, or something. Vurumai freezes as she watches the scene. Great, an adult. Zira is about to reply when she senses her mother nearby via the head flip. She suddenly loses much much of her gumption. Jakobi hmms? as Tawakali gets up. He glances back to the fighting cubs, then shrugs, pushing himself to his paws to follow her. Karinne sits back upon her haunches, staring intently at Zira. "I told you two to behave. Now, go find some mice to hunt, will you?" Taka hops off Zira to give her a chance to stand up, since her mother is watching now. Zira heaves a breath and rolls her eyes. she tail waves to Taka, "Com'on, let's go have some real fun!" Roaming a good distance away from the group, Tawakali settles herself down and flicks her tail back and forth, peering over towards Jakobi as he follows. Vurumai watches the two cubs being scolded. Or rather, one being happy and one being scolded. Taka grins and nods. "Okay.. I can make sure you stay out of trouble!" Nehluka glances at the water beside her through the reeds to see what is about. Zira puffs out a breath, "Puh! Like I need you to do that. Now hush, or they'll run away..." she sneaks into the reeds... Taka creeps behind Zira. He's not as quiet as she is, but they've been through this before, and he knows his place, stay several lengths back from her. Zira's tail flips out above the reeds, a varitable flag of her whereabouts. Jakobi settles down next to Tawakali, watching the activity. "Geez, kids just never stop, do they?" "No, they never seem to." Tawakali murmurs as she watches after them, softly sighing a bit to herself. "Mmm.. sorry I'm not myself tonight. I suppose I'm just a bit tired after that hunt this morning." Jakobi chuckles softly. "That's all right... I don't mind a quiet evening now and then." Lukuma sneaks silently through the grasses, a mischievous smile upon her face. Nehluka's ears flicker in the breeze as she notes a certain vocal lioness approaching her hiding place.. Vurumai breaths in sharply. Great. They're headed straight towards her. Zira's steps bring her closer to the strange smell the wind brings her... she freezes as she sees two black tipped snady colored things amidst the reeds. flicking her head she gestures for Taka to join her by her side. Taka advances to Zira's side, peering at her curiously. He knows better, from experience, than to say a word when she's hunting. Zira flips her nose towards the odd things. she looks over to him and slides a paw to the right... jerking her head that way.... Vurumai slowly but steadily backs up through the reeds, trying to move away from the two advancing cubs. Karinne begins to pad southward, having scented a herd of antelope. The cubs will be fine. Tawakali glances back to Jakobi and nods her head slowly, then leans over to give him a gentle butt behind the jawline. "Perhaps I will take a walk.." Taka looks over where Zira points, grinning. His paw points at himself... 'me?' he indicates. Jakobi grins and nuzzles lightly. "You want me to join you?" Zira nods silently. Taka smirks and crouches low, beginning to stalk in that direction, circling around as he believes is intended. "Well.. if you wish, unless you want to baby sit." Teasing, Tawakali stretches out her paws, half slitting her eyes to his nuzzle. "I just feel the need to stretch out myself." Zira watches him circle and only when he is far enough around to block any possible escape she begins to close in... the water blocks the other side. Vurumai pauses, seeing the form move about her. She scowls unhappily. Great. With a tremendous roar (As much as one could do as a lioness cub...), Vurumai rushes forward at the form in the grass, which would happen to be Taka. Jakobi chuckles softly, glancing at the cubs. "Nah, they can take care of themselves without me." He gets up and waits for Tawakali to move on. Nehluka's huge ears fold down as she hears the creatures closing in on her. She resecures her stance and waits, teeth bared! Lukuma watches in silence for a moment as Zira moves almost directly in front of her, though she seems unnoticed, unlike her sister. Springing from the protection of the thorn bush, Lukuma jumped out in front of Zira, glaring. Tawakali nods her head slightly to the male, then begins to head off, ambling herself in a random direction as she takes in the faint scents of nature into her. Taka grins, creeping around and forward. He has a good idea of where the creature Zira was after was, though he wasn't sure WHAT it is. The adrenaline was building. Zira instantly jerks back from her stalking gate, she looks quite surprised for a long moment before regaining her composure. "What do you think you're doing? You messed up the hunt!!" Taka's head perks up at Zira's complaint. "I didn't do... oh! Who's that?" Nehluka's ears flip back up at the nearby voices... her way is still blocked... but perhaps she won't be discovered yet.... Lukuma Scowls. "I won't let you hunt my sister!" She snorts indignantly, eyeing Zira. Luckily, Lukuma is older than Zira, so she's a tad bit bigger. But not by much. Zira doesn't seem to get the size ratio thing. she seems to forget quiet often that she isn't full gorwn yet. "Your sister? I wasn't huntin' lioness'.... I was huntin' mouses!" Taka tries to come running straight through the grasses to help Zira, abruptly crashing into a fuzzy Nehluka he wasn't expecting! Vurumai rushes back to Lukuma's side. Nehluka eeeps very loudly as she is tripped over! "AHHHHH! BACK VILE BEAST! I'll rip you to shreads!" Taka eeeeps and cowers away from the enraged voice, not noticing right off what the source is. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! I. i... Lukuma snorts indignantly. "Well, anyways, leave 'er alone!" She seems to calm down. Barely. A bit. Perhaps? :) Nehluka's tiny, fuzzy little body stands crouched in the reeds before him. Her muzzle is wrinkled in a pathetic snarl. "Grrrrrrrrr grrrrrrr grrrrrr." Zira's ears dart up at the scuffle ahead. "Taka! Are you alright?!" she dashes past the other lioness in an attempt to aid him... Taka's cries fade off. "It's just a little fuzzball," he comments, his expression growing into a smirk. "I dunno even what it is." Nehluka's ears fall back indignantly, "I norra fuzzyball!" Lukuma watches as Zira rushes off. She rolls her eyes, padding over. Her ferociousness seems to have faded, however. Zira's jaw drops at the sight, she stands there bewilderd. "It's a....a.... mouse? I think." "Sure you are!" taunts Taka. "No wonder I didn't see you." He grins at Zira. "That's notta mouse... it's too big. I think it's a weird rabbit. See it's ears?" Vurumai reaches out and pokes at Nehluka curiously. Nehluka's eyes narrow roughly, "Norra wabbi' neidder! 'ou siwwy big bwunde'!" Nehluka leaps around at being poked by Vur, she growls fiercely... well, as fierce as is possible. "Norra do'd dat!" Zira begins to chuckle a bit. "She insulted you, Taka. At least I think she did." Vurumai stares in amazement. "Then what iz ya?" Nehluka bats at the paw that had poked her, "Norra 'ou's busiiinesses!" Vurumai withdraws her batted-at paw and pads away. "Hmf.." She mutters. Lukuma grins. "Well, iz ya edible?" Nehluka growls and eyes Lukuma as visciously as her cute little face can appear. "Norra edidable niedder!" Lukuma sighs. "Well then why are you here? Everything hasta be edible or something." Zira scratches her head, "Spunky, isn't she!" Lukuma shrugs. "Guess so." Nehluka's tail wips back and forth defiantly, "Me nor edidable. Go eatted eslt'ings." Lukuma sits back upon her haunches. "So, who are you?" She directs it to rather both of them. Zira giggles, "She talks funny too." Zira turns to look at Lukuma, "I should be asking you that... why are you at our waterhole?" Lukuma stands, staring at Zira indignantly. "/Your/ waterhole? Its ours too! And I asked you first!" She flicks her tail. "Your not a pridelander, are you?" She rolls her eyes. Zira's ears fall back flat against her neck as she hunches down, "Beside me is Taka, the prince of Priderock! I am Zira, the future leader of the hunt! And you are??" Nehluka begins to clean her dusty paws, still unable to shift either way she seems wary, but releaved to be not the center of attention anymore. Taka frowns. "You're all acting like little kids. We hafta work out who this fuzzball intruder is first. Lukuma snorts. "Oh, you /are/. Well, that explains a lot." She snorts. "/I/ am Lukuma, princess of the north, and this is my not-so-stealthy sister, Vurumai." She looks rather proud of herself, doesn't she? Especially considering she considers herself a princess, for she and her family are just about the only ones living in the desolate north lands. Taka frowns and tilts his head. "The north? There's not even anything up there... just hyenas. Why would there be a princess? Lukuma Shakes her head. "Not where I live! I live across the river, in the north!" She sounds so proud of her desolate desert of land. Zira nods to Taka, "They're trespassers! They must be dealt with first. The Fuzzball is trapped and not going anywhere." Vurumai rolls her eyes. "We're not trespassers! We're royalty!" Lukuma reaches out and cuffs Vurumai. "No, /I/ am!" Vurumai sighs. "Yeah, whatever." Zira growls, "You're BOTH trespassers!" Lukuma growls right back at her, taking a bold step towards her. "NO, we're NOT!" sShe glares at the younger lioness cub. Taka growls. "I am Taka, Prince of the Pridelands. If you are Royalty and you have business here then your business is with me." Zira's tail lashes back and forth. She stands her ground but allows Taka the speach now. Lukuma gives a sideways glance to Taka before glancing back at Zira. She glares at her once more before sidestepping and stepping forward to Taka. "Yeah, well then talk, Oh sir Prince of the Pridelands!" Her voice is dripping with sarcasm. Her mother taught her well. Or rather, her mother didn't teach her any manners. Vurumai stands her ground, letting her sister do the talking. Taka smirks and stands tall. "You are the visiting royalty," he states. "Thus it's you who must have something to say." He's starting to pick up on the language, even if he doesn't use it well. "If you don't, then my guard is right in calling you trespassers." Zira's claws extend and she slaps the ground with them, "You will address him with respect!!!" Nehluka leans back her ears cocked to take all of this in. What a rather amusing bunch. Lukuma laughs mockingly at Zira. "Oh, you mean just like how you've been treating him with respect?" She snorts, turning back to him. "I don't really have much to say, oh sir Prince. I suppose I would be a trespasser then, eh?" Zira's tail twitches back and forth. "I have the right to speak to him as I wish! He is my friend!" Taka growls, glancing at Zira. "Zira's my guard. She has special powers. You don't. So you have no business here?" He steps towards Lukuma. "No business here?" She rolls her eyes, stepping closer to Taka. She leans in closer to him. "Of course I have business here." With this, she lashes out with her right front paw, claws drawn, aiming for his face. Exactly where about his face, she doesn't know, she just goes for it. Zira just stands there, frozen in what seems like eternity! How could this just have happened? Was this for real? Nehluka tucks herself beneath her tail, peering out from beneath it feels much safer then being all the way in the open. Taka sees the slash coming at him just a little too late, trying to dart to the left to avoid it. The claw catches him across his eye, tearing the fur and flesh open as the little cub squeals! "Ahhhhh!" He drops to the ground, his paws coming up to protect his face. "My eye!!" Zira snaps out of it! Crouching in a lunge she tries to attack the lioness. "HOW DARE YOU!!!!!" Lukuma backs up slightly. What had she done? A look of disbelief is plastered upon her face, though it doesn't last for long as she is lunged into my the younger lioness cub. She immediatly rolls to the side, lashing out with her ebony claws. Taka cries loudly, curled up on his side with his paws over his face. Blood leaks between them onto the ground as the young Prince is all but oblivious to the rage around him. Karinne pads silently through the night, pretty pleased with herself. One downed gazelle to feed her and the cubs. Ah yes, a wonderful hunting night it was! She sighs as she nears the water hole. Suddenly the shrieks of Taka reach her ears, and she rushes forward, nearing the water hole within a few long strides. She looks about in bewilderment before spotting the three cubs. "TAKA!" She shouts, rushing to him. Zira slashes out with her own claws, but her balistic motions are aimed so horridly that she is do little good. "You you you! You Hurt Him!!! How DARE you!!!!" Lukuma flinches as Zira's claws leave light indents across her cheek, which in turn leak tiny droplets of blood. That did it! She hurls herself back towards Zira with all her might. Zira is plowed into the ground by the larger lioness! Taka still cries loudly, though he's aware of Karinne he refuses to move his paws, now red with his own blood. It makes the wound look much worse than it really is, but, of course, nobody knows how bad it really is yet. Karinne reaches down to nuzzle him, caressing him with her tongue. "Taka...taka, move your paw, honey." She nuzzles him again, trying to see how bad the wound is. She is just about oblivious to the two lioness cubs fighting. Nehluka blinks! Taka shrieks at the touch, trying to push himself away from the nuzzle with just his hindpaws, as if unsure whether it's another attack. But his forepaws move a bit in the motion, showing his face fur covered with a thin layer of blood. There's a definite tear above his eye, obviously the source. Karinne looks aghast, though she then takes notice of the two lioness cubs fighting. She scowls, padding towards them with a definite purpose. She reaches down, cuffing them lightly with her paw, as if to send them both sprawling. Does it work? The air knocked out of her, Lukuma is sent sprawling into the grasses. Bleeding from a few nicks on her cheek, and a gash below one of her own eyes, she otherwise seems to be fine, having suffered few wounds. She sits up a moment, blinking. And then, it hits her. An adult! With this, she turns tail, fleeing to the grasses northward, followed by her dumfounded sister Vurumai Zira's form rolls in a dusty, tearstained ball to the side as she is dislodged from beneath. Coughing and crying out in histarics she voices her accusations! "She did it! She hit him!!! She trespassed!!!! Get her!" Karinne scowls as she reaches down, nuzzling her daughter to help her stand. She watches as the grasses sway from the movement of the two lioness cubs fleeing to the north. A low rumble comes from her throat. "Come along, Zira, we must get Taka back to Pride Rock." With this, she pads over to Taka, lowering her head to gently pick him up. Zira coughs a bit from all the dust she inhaled, looking up at her mother she wipes one eyes first of tears, then the other. "but..... we gotta get them." Karinne shakes her head. "Taka is hurt. We must help him first. Justice will come to them someday, my dear." Nehluka's head comes out of the ball. "Bad wionesses, vewy badded dey is." Zira looks to where the lionesses disappeared, her face is a mixture of hatred, confusion, and vengefulness! Taka's crying is reducing to a continuous whimpering, his paws still pressed tight against his face. As he's picked up, he instinctively goes limp, his paws dropping and showing, at least for Zira, the extent of his wound. His right eye is split open above and below, but the bone saved the eye itself. His paws are covered with blood, and his face from his paws rubbing it around. Still, the wound has not yet closed, and the blood flows from it as the cub is picked up. Pridelands - Central Cave ------------------------- This is a warm, spacious cave, heavy with the scent of lion. There is a small dias towards the back where the King and Queen may sleep, and two separate passages offset at angles to each other, leading to different caves. In addition, a path leads steeply upwards, heading outside and then curving out of sight. Karinne sighs, setting Taka down. She licks some of the dried blood from his face, making his wound look a little better. She continues to groom him, nodding for Zira to come beside her. Perhaps the cubs will sleep. Taka's crying fades to a silent flow of tears as the wound is cleaned, and stops bleeding - he's frightened, and embarrassed, as well as the physical pain. He doesn't say anything at all, just trying to keep his eyes closed. Zira declines the invitation. She lies down by the cave entrance and looks out into the growing night... vigilant.