Best Paw Forward

[Kiara]

March 19th mid-day, open to any of the pride. 

---

Yesterday had been a near disaster. The last thing that the pride -- or the remaining shards of the Freedom Fighters -- needed was more conflict to arise between them. The last thing they could afford was tension between any of the factions within the survivors. In order to even begin in combating that outcome communication was key. On the part of the pride that meant presenting a united front, one that wasn't ready and able to strike up arguments at the drop of a leaf. In addition to that reasoning... They were the last remnants of what had been a large extended family. This was the first chance they could be given to really address what had happened, what was happening, and what was to happen.

So Kiara had asked that they all meet. The barn hadn't been an ideal meeting place -- too many eyes, too many ears for private discussion -- but nearby she'd found a standing stable, it's walls slanted slanted with age but still sturdy enough to keep the worst of the wind and snow off.

The lioness took a wary eye to a pile of brush -- old hay. It smelled clean enough, albeit a bit musty. Gingerly Kiara turned towards the gathering felines and took a seat.

"Make yourselves comfortable."

[Afua]

Afua circles round and round on a pile of hay trying to get comfortable after a few more circles, dog like in its nature the young male finally settled. “This stuff is pokey” he pushes at the straw/hay with his paw with an annoyed sigh, he missed the soft grass, How it only tickled his undersides an caused the furthest thing of annoyance. “Mega told me he wished he could be here but he’s still on bed-rest and sore of course” Afua explains of the older absence.

[Kopa]

Kopa, of course, sat by Afua. He would always sit by his friend. He wasn't exactly sure why he was here, but he had a good idea. Kiara wanted to talk. It had been a long while since he got to speak with his sister, and believe it or not, enjoyed her company SOMEWHAT. he plastered the same scowl on his face, but you could tell he wasn't all that angry.

"You want us here because...?" he trailed off his words towards Kiara. He tilted his head, wondering what or why he was here. To talk, maybe? Probably, but who knew?

Kopa turned to Afua. "Pokey? Yeah, it's pokey," he said. But he shrugged. Yeah, it bothered him, but not as much as the cold. Now that is what really annoyed him, and the snow and dampness.

[Kion]

    Kion was happy to get away from the barn. It was a good shelter, but it was so loud most of the time and crowded. So when Kiara wanted the remaining members of the pride to meet in some old horse stable that was far quieter, the golden teen was all too happy to accept that invitation. All though, that was only part of it. Kiara was his sister, and it wasn't like he was going to be a grouch about it, and they were flesh and blood. The teen just sat his behind on some hay, and he still wasn't used to it.

    "I agree with Afua and Kopa," He said. "This stuff is pokey, and kind of uncomfortable." Well, it was a lot better than the cold and mushy ground outside for sure. He still wasn't all that used to it, but he was getting there. 

[Kiara]

As the boys settled into the damp surroundings Kiara shrugged helplessly, one paw flipped upwards as if to say what can you do? "It was either this or the snow, so..."

Red eyes flickered from lion to lion as other pridemembers filed in, though they were quieter about their distaste for the surroundings. No one was happy with the situation. Why should they be? Thrown from everything they'd known without warning, brought to a land as different from Africa as night was to day... Adding that to guilt and mourning and Kiara could understand why attitudes were gruff and tempers short.

Lifting a paw Kiara rapped a knuckle against a wooden plank with a dull tap, signaling a need for the gathered cats' attention. "I'm not going to have us stand on ceremony right now -- so we'll get to the point. We've lost..." The young female paused to take a breath. "We've lost a lot in the last few days."

"There are many faces that should be here that aren't anymore. However, we can't let that dominate our minds right now. We are all mourning, as are many of the strangers in the army. So... I know this is a lot to ask of you. But I ask that you all do your best to work together with everyone in the army. Do not fight unless provoked. Help as much as you can." Kiara tried not to look too closely at Kopa during this -- but she hoped he understood. "Now we are no different from the rest of the soldiers. We are all of us in this together."

[Shani]

Shani had wandered in behind the others, settling herself in the corner near the door, away from the other lions. Sure, Kiara and her had made up, but that wasn't to say the rest of the pride would be so quick to live and let live.

Her ears twitched as she listened to the boys complain about sitting on the straw that covered the floor. She let out a breath of a sigh, the hint of a smile crossing her muzzle as Kiara tried to quell their complaints by telling them it was either sitting in here, or out in the snow and slush.

She sat quietly and listened to Kiara as she pitched to the others, telling them that they had to work together with the rest of the army. She was glad the talk the two had a couple nights ago had gotten through to the other lioness.
She only hoped it would work on the other members of the pride, especially Kopa.
Shani was willing to... perhaps not forgive for the way he acted toward her, but at least not hold a grudge against him, but that was only if he made an effort to change, and not act so hostile toward her.

[Afua]

Afua scrapes at the ground pushing the straw and hay aside to get to the cool yet better feeling dirt. Orange eyes narrow slightly as the blind lioness joined them but the young male said nothing, choosing to focus on Kiara

“ But I ask that you all do your best to work together with everyone in the army. Do not fight unless provoked. Help as much as you can."

“Even with the killer of Kinyezi? I don’t trust that guy Kiara, he could kill any of us. He’s dangerous”

[Kopa]

Kopa scooted slightly closer to Afua. He honestly didn't trust The Gourmand... nor did he trust any of the Gourmand's followers or friends. He raised a non-existent eyebrow however when Shani entered the room.

He growled slightly, but it was loud enough for Shani to hear. He then turned his attention on Kiara as she spoke. "Why did you look at me when you said that?" he asked her. Yeah, he noticed. "I'm not gonna attack him... not unless he hurts any of my family or friends that is, then after that, I can't promise anything," he gave Kiara an angry smile.

"I agree with Afua. How do we even know we can trust him? The Gourmand," he almost gagged saying the name. Ok, slight grudge? How about a major grudge. "Or anyone for that matter?" Kopa wasn't just agreeing with Afua because they were friends. He honestly didn't trust them. He wanted to. but just couldn't

[Hasna]

A gaze of an unusual amethyst swept coolly through the ramshackle meeting place with nary a hint of what emotion lay beyond. The contrast between dark fur and light eyes offered an effect that left Hasna's gaze nearly luminescent, an effect not detracted from by the lighter spotting above and below her brows.

Her silence was kept close as the lioness regarded the remnants of her pride. Fresh scars were her own takeaway from the battle of Pride Rock; her family had been lost long before guns had scorched and scored holes into the pinnacle of their pride. It was safe to say then that she did not appear nearly as affected by the loss as her peers.

The change in locale was a bit disconcerting though.

[Kiara]

Kiara kept a stern grip on her expression as concerns were voiced. She empathized with Kopa and Afua's distrust of the creature known as the Gourmand -- his attitude towards life and their kind had been made clear by his actions and she herself couldn't claim to trust him farther than her fangs could sink into his flesh. Which, admittedly, she didn't think was very far. Those weren't things she could share publicly though. Not if her goal was to foster bonds and form a more unified whole.

A flutter of gray drew Kiara's attention to the door. Shani. The lioness couldn't help straightening a bit at the sight of her friend, her face brightening as well. Of all of them Shani had mingled the most with the army prior to... Everything. Her presence could be beneficial for the purpose of the meeting, though even if it wasn't Kiara couldn't help but be glad she had come.

"Shani? You can come sit with me if you'd like." Kiara brushed her tail through the straw to generate a steady rustling for the other to locate before turning back to the room.

"I'm not going to argue on whether or not we can trust the Gourmand. We have to trust that the rest of the army will keep anything like that from happening again." A grimacing half-smile shot towards Kopa. "Big brother, I love you, but you have a tendency to leap before you look. I don't want to see you or anyone else shot through the head in a moment of hot tempers. So..."

Kiara sighed, rubbing one shoulder absently. "This isn't the Pridelands. I'm not your queen unless you'd like me to be. That being said, if you all would like to continue on as a pride together... We need to stand united. That means making our peace with what happened. At least that's how it appears to me."