Lions and Tigers and Bears

[Owl]

Jan 4th

Since her arrival to the palace, Owl had begun using her feline form in favor of her ghoul one. A blue cat would most likely get as many weird looks as a blue humanoid, but Owl was hoping humans would be a little less inclined to approach a large animal rather than something that looked more like a person. That was her logic anyway. Owl wasn’t completely on board when her father chose sides, mostly because she was wary of humans, be they magical or not. Though she tried to avoid the humans in particular, Owl still had a mind to try and make friends.

The midday sun beat down, warming the stone steps that led out of the palace and into the garden. Owl paused after she walked outside, letting herself adjust to the heat. Owl assumed most of those with a more beastlike persuasion would prefer to be in the open air, not cooped up inside. The garden had trees, plants, space and shade. It seemed like it could be a pretty decent hangout spot.

The young werecat descended the stone steps and began to prowl forward. Her shaggy ear turned in the direction of a large bird cage before she slowed down to look toward it bemusedly as she passed.

[Kovu]

It was really weird and disconcerting to the young lion to be around so many humans... or humanlike creatures, or whatever they were. The bottom line was, they were weird, and they had strange powers. It certainly wouldn't be becoming of Scar's heir to admit but, they frightened him a little. Kovu was more than happy to step out in the bright sunshine for a moment and take a breather, although he was certain Mother would be calling for him soon. The more training the better.

For now, the young lion stretched first his back legs and then the front, pulling his body into a playbow and letting his claws unsheathe as he stretched his front legs out. Maw opened wide to reveal sharp canines as Kovu let out a yawn and then shook his head. At least it was warm out here, and it put him in mind of the Outlands. Thank Aiheu for small favors. Tail twitching, one brown ear flicked towards the sound of ... something outside with him. Kovu turned to behold a strange looking feline with bright blue fur. Well...that was certainly the least strange of what he'd seen today.

"Hi there." He greeted, smiling and taking a few steps forward before remembering himself. Right. Scar's heir. Gotta present the right image. He stood tall and puffed out his chest, adopting a much more serious face. "I'm Kovu. Scar's chosen heir. And you are...?"

[Kula]

"Probably not in the least bit interested in mini-mites."


The answer came chortled from the nearby fountain, where a pair of emerald eyes gleamed over the edge of the carved marble. Teasing mirth pulled the corners of that gaze upwards in a pleased squint; the only thing visible within an auburn pelt as furred ears were pressed against the hidden form's skull. The sound of sloshing water mingled with the fountain's splash as the feline form of Kovu's eldest sister crawled forth. With a grin and a great shake Kula sent up a cool spray upon the pair before primly trotting herself to the younger lion's side. A paw came up to rest a tad roughly on his head, mussing the ever-growing mane and dripping even more water upon him.


"Refreshing, right? You should try a swim, brother mine. That water's cleaner than any I've ever seen. Even in the Pridelands!"

[Mystic]

A pale striped head popped up out of the water, resting on the fountain's edge. Blue eyes lazily watched Kula walk over and mess with the small cub.
"So this is one of your siblings, Kula?" Mystic asked, placing her head on her paws as the cool water lapped at her fur.

She turned her attention to Kovu with a chuckle,
"She's right, why not come for a swim? The water is very relaxing."
Perhaps she was biased, being a tiger and not sharing the dislike of water that most felines seemed to have. Blue eyes then shifted to the other cub, not quite as taken aback by her appearance as she would have been since the arrival of so many of the colourful characters that made up the blackblood army.
"You too, there's enough room in here for all of us," she grinned.

[Scar]

Bright green hues scanned his surroundings as Scar made his way through the Palace's extensive gardens. When he'd first arrived in Agrabah he hadn't expected to find this much greenery in such an arid and desolate climate and thus the garden's were a pleasant surprise although he would never verbally admit such a thing.

The sound of voices emanating from the garden's central fountain drew his attention, ears swivelling towards the sound and faintly hearing the voices of Kula and Kovu in particular though he did not recognise the third voice. All the same, Scar began to make his way towards the fountain at a leisurely pace; there was no reason to overexert himself in such scorching temperatures after all. A wide grin came to Scar's features as he spotted Kula antagonising Kovu however he made no move whatsoever to intervene. As far as he was concerned, Kovu was old enough now to deal with this sort of thing on his own. Instead, he turned his attention to Kula and grinned.

"Why if it isn't my favourite daughter," He purred, stopping beside the fountain near to where Mystic rested.

[Deleted]

"FISH!" Khongordzol inelegantly landed on the edge of the marble fountain and thrust their head in the cool water, completely submerging it. The froth around the wyvern's thorny head turned red, then pink, then clear again. A few of the lily pads had been turned upside down by the choppy waves.

Once the majority of the tiny fish had been guzzled down the hatch, Khongordzol yanked their head out of the water. Blinking drops from their green eyes, it was then the gwythaint noticed that "Scar's chosen heir" was now soaked to the bone.

"What happened to you?" Khongordzol deadpanned. 

[Kovu]

"Probably not the least interested in mini-mites."

Kovu turned, a mildly annoyed expression on his face, an expression that turned to surprise when he saw the owner of the voice. Well if it wasn't Kula his smart-mouthed older sister. In some ways she reminded him of Vitani with her sassy demeanor... especially when she suddenly splashed water all over his mane with her paw. Kovu shook his head instinctively and ran a paw through his mane in an attempt to remove the water, looking at Kula with an irritated expression.

"Kullaaaaa, why'd you do that?!" He grouched, still trying to paw the wetness out of his mane tuft with little success. "She's right, why not come for a swim? The water is very relaxing." The voice coming from behind him at the fountain ws a tad surprising. Kovu turned to behold a tiger relaxing in the fountain. He'd never seen one of the striped big cats before, although he'd certainly heard stories. Tentatively he padded closer, examining the water curiously.

"Well... maybe I could-" He jumped back instinctively, startled, as the massive dragon landed near the fountain and began chugging fish. And he would have expressed more surprise and fear also, if he hadn't just noticed Scar walking in out of the corner of his eye. So Kovu forced himself to relax and look neutral.

"What happened to you?"
And then it spoke to him. Again, startled, Kovu beheld the beast for a moment before he thought to answer. "My sister did that." He pawed his mane again, irritably. "She can be a pain sometimes.."

[Deleted]

The jabbering of his family drew Nuka in from his napping spot, stretching out his stiff muscles with a low grumble of content. He slowly strode over to his gathered family and the beasts he didn't quite know yet. A grin stretching across his muzzle. "Well hi there~" He greeted 'happily' before noticing his father's presence. "Father!" He bounded over to the other lion and grinned more. "Hey, I caught some field mice for you there over by the-" He was very quickly distracted as his eyes spotted his half-sister Kula. His train of thought completely side reeling and nearly leaped over Scar to get to her. However, lucky for them both he went around the elder lion instead of over "Kula!" He exclaimed eagerly, coming to a skidding halt in front of her.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were hanging out with the-" His red hues caught the tigress bathing in the fountain and paused. "With the...tiger... Oh." He cracked a sheepish smile.

[Mystic]

Mystic continued to lounge in the fountain's water, shifting only when a large winged lizard looking thing swooped down to eat fish out of the fountain. She raised a brow at them, but said nothing to the creature.
Her gaze shifted then to Scar as he strolled over, addressing Kula as he stopped next to where the tigress was leaning on the fountain edge.

Another lion soon followed after, more scrawny and thin than the others, but Mystic could hazard a guess that he was related to Kula and the others, which was quickly confirmed when he ran over to his father, rather excitedly. She watched in amusement when he then ran over to his sister.
A small grin crossed her muzzle when he asked about her, before he realized she was sitting right there,
"Hey there."

[Kula]

For a brief moment Kula quite enjoyed being the center of attention -- particularly the crystal gaze of her tiger swimming buddy, a gaze as clear as the water in which she'd been lounging. The arrival of her father was quick to draw her focus away however. Her muzzle stretched into a grin as she turned to face him, pride and joy an easy mark to make upon that ecstatic expression. To hear Scar speak of her thus, now that was heaven to the young lioness. Nevertheless Kula couldn't resist returning a gentle jibe. "Father, I'm your only daughter!" Granted there was Vitani to take into account, but... Technicalities.

The arrival of a scaled sky-beast brought a yelp from Kula, who was quick to jump to her father's side with ears pinned. Crocodiles she'd seen and tussled with -- granted, young ones -- but this was an entirely different animal indeed. Aside from the initial surprise Kula was quick to try and gulp down her shock, especially when a quick glance to the side found her younger brother managing a detached front. An audible clearing of the throat straightened Kula's spine and brought her head high. Chest puffed, ears perked; the very image of confidence. If the mini-mite could manage it so could she, dammit! The gait that carried Kula back to the fountain however was stiff of leg, a dead giveaway to the false bravado even as she leapt back onto the marble bench beside the... Whatever it was. Flying crocodile... Bird thing. It was the explosion of yet another brother that managed to put some ease back into the lioness' spine.

"Nuka," The tone was warm with a giggle as her red-eyed brother clambered his way to stand before her. How he managed to be both endearing and embarrassing in the same breath she never understood, but she loved him all the same. "I am hanging out with her. She was just showing me what it's like to actually want to get in water!"