These lands are where lions come to be free from the tyranny of man. Their familes are being hunted and killed for their skins, their claws, and for trophies. In the direct center of Africa, lies the Onyejekwe Wildlife Reserve. Poachers and Hunters are not allowed to hunt in these parts. Wild lions find sanctuary, raise up their prides, control land, and fight for territory expansion.
From the start of Onyejekwe Reserve, only one lion pride was formed. Dakarai was formed by King Akuma. Will you choose the life of a family, or will you reside all alone and wander the savannah?
< must read this, folks >
updates
< 29 DEC '16 > Welcome to the GRAND OPENING! OTP is now open and accepting joining applications. There are some threads that are not yet completed, but please be patient with us! We are seeking members to have high ranks, and work their way up to control a pride of their very own. - RUE
< TBD > Enjoy the first update ^^
[attr="class","lekanin"]Though Lekan's presence had manifested itself in the form of a roar at the pride's border, the male had made no move to halt his trek upon emitting it. Instead, the tan male's legs were still actively moving below him, massive orange paws testing the unfamiliar terrain with each step. His mouth was slightly agape, displaying the blackness of his lips as his tawny eyes assessed their surroundings. Lekan hadn't yet seen the entirety of the land but so far he was quite taken by it. The ground was muddy, a clear sign that water was abundant in these parts. The large body of water lurking a distance away confirmed his suspicions and accentuated the thirst clinging to his throat. The male did not act upon his instinct to move towards it--he had a much more important mission. Further ahead, Lekan could discern the outline of a massive rock. This was his destination, as it was the only source of real cover he could see. If there truly was a pride here Lekan knew that this would be where they could be found.
Pink tongue sweeping once at the base of his nose, the male allowed the mass of his head to reach down. With a few succinct inhales he tasted the scents. He could already tell that this pride primarily consisted of female members, something that did not come as a surprise in any way to the brute. It also did not deter him. Call it desperation or lack of independence but Lekan was not too keen on living alone. He'd already witnessed the effects of a solitary lifestyle and wasn't very excited to relive them. Now that Tau, his brother, was not around to start his own pride, Lekan had been forced to choose the next best thing: a group of strangers that may or may not accept him. In fact, there was a large chance that the lion would be perceived as a threat and chased out in a matter of seconds. It mattered little to Lekan which pride would admit him into their ranks. He would eventually find one who did. But... the longer the lion marched across these lands, the more he hoped that they would. It would be a pity to be forced from such a beautiful territory.
Once he'd gotten a good distance from the rock, Lekan decided that he should, just as a precaution, remain idle until he was found. Though a lone male shouldn't pose too much of a threat to an entire pride, his actions could easily be taken out of proportion. As such, the feline forced his limbs into stillness and his haunches to the floor so that he may achieve a seated position. Tail playing in the grass behind him, Lekan moved his gaze back to the rock. Should any movement occur from within it, he would immediately spot it.
It was the sound of a roar which had alerted the lion to his kingdom. He had not been too far from the pride center when he heard it. What he was doing was unknown - even to himself. Was he seeking new members? Was he looking for herbs to help the pride? What exactly was he doing? His ears perked forward, pressed there - listening. He allowed his jaws to part, breathing through his mouth. With a gruff noise, he picked up a paw and the others seemed to follow suit shortly after. His tail flickered to the side as it twitched. Jaws stayed in their place, taking in smells and scents as he powered through the lands. His great mane blew towards his hind legs, each individual strand blowing opposed to the others. Some of the mane fur crossed over his eyes and pulled back near the ears. He did not mind it, in fact after all these years, he was quite used to it. At least today was not extremely windy. That would have made this more irritating.
Upon reaching the pride rock, he climbed up the face of it. He entered into the den, looking over the alert lionesses and their young. They looked to him for a sense of what to do. He was their leader. Akuma turned his body back towards the entrance and exited the darkness. As he stepped out into the light, his ears laid against his skull - as closely as it could. He marched to the very edge of the rock, his fore paws just barely hanging over the edge. Lifting his mighty head to the sky, he released a roar for all the hear. It was hearty and deep - not threatening but demanded respect. If the male was in these lands, he would need to show himself immediately. This would be the first lion to actually try and join his pride. He was not sure what this vagabond was here for, and this made him feel uneasy. When his call finished, his eyes lowered over the lands around him. Carefully he scanned the terrain, waiting for the other to present himself.
Words: 359 Tags: Lekan Notes: I have a feeling this will be fun
[attr="class","lekanin"]Only moments later, Lekan's call was reproduced though from a different set of jaws. This roar was different from Lekan's, deeper, more powerful. It held a touch of demand, something that struck the lone male as an order to be respected. Ears pivoted and angled forward made sure to catch every wave that was delivered. All that Lekan paid much attention to was the fact that it did not imply in any way that Lekan was unwelcome. The closing of his jaws allowed the lion to formulate a sort of crooked smile, burnt chocolate eyes wandering immediately up to the source: from the protruding lip of the pride rock, the male could make out the distinct shape of a feline figure, topped off by a dense shroud of hair. The King himself had personally chosen to tend to Lekan's presence. Emitting an approving--if not slightly excited--grunt, the cat rose from his sedentary place, shaking out his hide once before loping forth with a single bound. His gaze was firm and unwavering as he eyed the male that could possibly be his superior in the coming moments.
Analyzing was a feat that came easily to Lekan Jalloh. Not only was the King easy on the eyes, but it was clear from a single look that the beast was definitely fit to be a leader. Now less than five minutes from the base of the rock, the lightly-hued male was aptly able to see how absolutely monstrous the other was in terms of size. Without a doubt would he tower over Lekan should the two wind up face-to-face. Even the thought of it sent a small shiver of anticipation along the length of the smaller feline's spine. He hadn't fought in quite a while and his claws were aching to be used. However, Lekan would not allow himself to either disrespect or threaten the one who had claimed these lands. He was here to join his group, not create unnecessary conflict for it.
Once Lekan had reached the base of the rock, while still being far enough from it to remain visible to the King, Lekan looked up at him. Of course, he made sure to keep his posturing calm and unthreatening. Hopefully, he seemed as harmless as he intended to be. The twisting of his tail was the only movement he offered the other male as he was fully expecting that the King would wish to speak first.
Not long after he made the call, he saw a creature move from his hiding place. Akuma could now easily see he was a male indeed. The mane was a dead give away. He watched as the lion made no sudden movements or showed any disrespect to the king and his lands. He watched carefully, wishing to see how close the other would come to his den. But the stranger stayed at the bottom of the rock. Interesting, he thought to himself. He finally decided it was time to approach the other. He moved effortlessly from his position and down the side of the rock. He landed on all fours as he jumped down, his mane majestically moved from the action. Silver eyes looked over the stranger, trying to find anything that would be of help to Akuma. Was he old? Was he lame? Was he a skilled fighter? As he inspected the other, Akuma did not speak. He was unsure if this lion even knew English or the native tongue. But Akuma was not one to waste a whole day looking at another being. No, he had things to do and places to be. "You have beckoned me, what do you need?" His tone was neutral, not aggressive or unfriendly. This was new terrain for him, so he was extra cautious.
Words: 222 Tags: Lekan Notes: Sorry it's short, wanted to get this out before I passed out!
[attr="class","lekanin"]Somewhat apprehensively, Lekan watched the larger male. Swiftly, the King jumped down from the rocky surface where he'd been positioned, landing a distance that already the smaller male deemed too close. In waves, an aura of power was emanating from the beast. Undoubtedly he was far more intimidating close up, but what more could you ask of a leader? Lions were creatures that often respected strength and Lekan was no exception to such a rule. In fact, he was fascinated by it and couldn't help the small once-over that he performed upon the other with a cautious gaze. His inspection was halted, however, once his eyes met the King's. Silvery in hue, they were no doubt the most striking aspect of the stranger's physical appearance. Though his features remained mostly inexpressive, Lekan had concluded very simply that he would have no problem submitting to the King.
It did not take long for the larger cat to speak. Clearly, he hadn't come to beat around the bush with formalities that no lion needed. A "strictly business" attitude was something that Lekan would be eager to adhere to. First impressions were vastly important and he did not intend to spoil his own. Clearing his throat, the Katanga male allowed his mind a moment to think of the right words, lapsing momentarily in silence. Before it could spread for too long, however, Lekan Jalloh spoke.
"A pride," he began bluntly. "I was cast out of my own once I reached adulthood. I don't very much enjoy living alone, however, and would much rather live somewhere I can be useful." His eyes flickered to the territory once before shifting back towards its owner. "If you'd have me, I'd be more than happy to fight for you. It would be an honor, considering the land I'd be protecting." At this Lekan let his eyes wander appreciatively over the scenery. It was without a doubt a perfect place to call home... if the King would let him.
In all honesty, Lekan was unsure of whether or not he'd spoken well. This would have to be judged by the male before him. He'd aimed for a richer vocabulary, much unlike the clipped, dull tongue he usually spoke in. To those that knew him, they would no doubt have seen the excitement churning within the feline's brown eyes and buzzing through his veins. To the King, however, he probably seemed mostly in control, though the enthusiasm that had clung to his voice was unmistakable.
So this lion was cast out from his pride. In normal prides, it was common for that to happen to males. He knew that from hearing it from his aunts. He himself had never experienced that and he could not imagine what that did to a lion. Was he loved by his family? "I am sorry to hear that. Fortunately, myself and my siblings were the only lions in this pack for a long time. My mother would never force me from the lands or from her home." Akuma tried to think about what that would be like. But never would he truly be able to understand. "Well, all sounds well, but I do not know your name. I am Akuma and these lands are Dakarai. If you give me your name, I will grant you the rank of Paladin. It is an honorable rank and you can keep that for the rest of your days or in the future, you may be promoted to Guardian. There are many lionesses here, so I have a feeling prey will not be a problem for us in the coming dry season." Akuma was proud of his pride and he knew that all of them worked hard for not only him, but for themselves. "As long as you will have it, you will always have a home here."
Words: 225 Tags: Lekan Notes: You can reply one more time and he is accepted
[attr="class","lekanin"]"Bygones be bygones," Lekan said mutely with a slight lift of his shoulder at the King's polite apology. With interested ears he continued to listen to the other's words, absorbing them all like a sponge. He had to resist the urge to narrow his eyes nearing the end of his sentence, taking its contents as some kind of subtle narcissism. The King's tone was genuine, however, and held no hint of condescension. As such, the Katanga was swiftly able to dismiss it. After a moment the larger feline seemed to make up his mind about the one invading his lands, requesting his name before introducing himself and his territory. As he laid out Lekan's future, the male in question couldn't help the tiny twitch of a smile that graced his muzzle. Paladin! Such a rank clearly meant that the King could see potential in him. Or just the muscle covering every inch of his figure. Lekan was perfectly happy with either.
"I go by Lekan Jalloh," the tan creature offered, "and thank you, King Akuma. I hope that I will not disappoint."
The pride that had coated the King's voice when he'd spoken of his group had kicked the male's mind into action. He was quite eager to meet the lions and lionesses that he'd spoken so fondly of. Hopefully, Lekan would take the same kind of liking to them. There was no way that he would be able to harbor the same love that a leader felt for his follows, but Lekan hoped to achieve something like it in the least. A strong pride meant everything to the Katanga lion and he was already impressed by their leader. No doubt his pridemates would be equally as appealing.
RUE: Hey everyone in Dakarai, if you could please post in the thread you are tagged in, that would be great! Akuma is trying to claim a territory!
Feb 25, 2017 14:21:13 GMT -5
astrid: Someone message me XD
Feb 25, 2017 16:24:48 GMT -5
Meeko: Do you need help with something?
Feb 25, 2017 16:27:37 GMT -5
Meeko: I suggest getting started with a quick read through the gudebook/rules
Feb 25, 2017 16:27:49 GMT -5
astrid: Alright thanks
Feb 25, 2017 16:29:59 GMT -5
Meeko: No problem. If theres anything you don't understand just let me know
Feb 25, 2017 16:34:08 GMT -5
Cora: *Waves* Hey everyone!
Feb 26, 2017 11:13:35 GMT -5
The skin OTHERWORLD was made by JAWN of WICKED WONDERLAND.
ONE TRUE PRIDE was created by RUE. The sample background image was created by MOGUMO.
Images belong to their respective artists. All codes and scripts belong to their respective coders. Please DO NOT take anything without the owners' permission.
