Pride of Baghdad

[daughterofthemoon]

Plot: Try to conjure up the memory and feelings of a time when you were consantly scared, every thought that entered your mind was of fear. Multiply this feeling by ten and you should have a rough guess of how a pride of lions feels after escaping from the Baghdad zoo as the US bombs Baghdad. It is not only the lions that have escaped, but every single animal in the zoo. It is not only the zoo animals that have been set free, but the pets of rich families that live in the nearby mansions. They have either just been freed from their cages, slipped out of their chains, or they still remain chained to the wall in their chambers down below the main house. Will these animals learn to live together with one another with the consant fear of being killed with every step they take, or will the hunger that consantly gnaws at the predators' bellies overcome them and force them to perhaps eat the corpse of one of their own? To add to their misfortunes, apparently US as well as Israli soldiers have been trailing them with great interest. What will happen in this god-forsaken place? It is all for you to deside.

Rules:
1.Normal forum rules
2.Maturity is fine with me, it's expected with animals. All I ask is that in the very begining of your post, say that it's going to be mature, ok?
3.The plot is based off of/is connected to a book, which was based off of a true story. The book is a graphic novel called 'Pride of Baghdad'.
4.I will allow any animal that comes in a zoo, horses, humans(They must be soldiers), and ask if you have any animal not listed or if you have questions about which animals I put in the catagory of 'in a zoo', ask them.
5.In the pride there's only one mature adult male. There can be any amount of females up to the number 8, no more, sorry. There can be only four cubs per female and the cubs can be any gender.
6.To join I want you to ask, obviously, and say what you'd like to join as.
7.Have fun!

[daughterofthemoon]

Setting- It is mid-afternoon and the unrelenting heat from the sun beats down onto the Bahgdad zoo. Though this place is tranquil and untouched, outside of the zoo the city is in nearing destrution. Many great buildings now lay in ruins and the streets are absent of any life except for the rare flutter of a loose paper ridding on the harsh, dry winds of another hot day. Feeding time is aproaching and many of the animals have become restless, their bellies nealry empty.

[daughterofthemoon]

ooc//I shall be playing a slightly elderly lioness with her two cubs. My intros shall come soon enough.

[Kali]

ooc// Hello!! May I join as a young lioness and her cub?

[daughterofthemoon]

ooc//Of course you can!^^

[Kali]

ooc// Cool! I will be working on my intro, but I think I will wait for yours.

[daughterofthemoon]

Narrowed amber eyes glared out from the darkness of a man-made cave in the far back of a large enclosure. Two more sets of amber eyes stared out of the darkness and up towards the hordes of people staring down into the enclosure. A set of pearly white teeth glittered brightly in the dim lighting as a set of powerful jaws were opened in a yawn. Two wails of hunger rose from the tiny mouths of two cubs which had wandered from the mouth of the den. In a flash of golden fur and white teeth, the large maw of the cubs’ mother took both cubs by the scruff and returned them to the cool confines of the cave. “Amir, Hanan! What have I told you about going outside of this cave.” A sharp feminine voice snapped to the two cubs, their heads bowed in apology. “We’re sorry mother!” they chorused as a large lioness laid down on the straw covered floor. “I know you are my dears, but when you’re so young, you must remember what you really are. Amir, you will make a great lion one day and Hanan I know you will be even more beautiful than I, but for now you’re just both cubs. Just cubs, no more, but no less.” The lioness said wisely. As the sun rose higher into the noon position, the cubs’ stomach growled louder, but what were they to do until their mother was fed? “Here Sahar. Eat all you want to feed those cubs of yours. Baghdad needs all the joy it can get now that they say these Americans are coming to liberate us. Though that’s just rumors, now isn’t it? Why am I even telling you this? You can’t understand me, but if you do, why would you care? I must be going crazy.” A male zoo keeper said, one that had been taking care of Sahar since she was just an adolescent come in from the wild. Now she was older, nearing the title of ‘old’ as so many lioness feared to be called, yet she had just birthed the two cubs not three months ago. With a light growl, Sahar dug into the food she was given before laying down in a far corner of the cave to doze, perhaps sleep, while Amir and Hanan suckled. Just before Sahar laid down, a beam of sunlight caught her right eye, lighting up a white scar as well as the clouded pupil. It was an old injury, much like the other wounds she bore, from the wild. Only two other scars hindered her beauty, four thin white scars running across her left flank and a long white scar running from the top of her right shoulderblade down to her elbow. So many old memories from that old time, so many of them gruesome and painful that Sahar wished she would forget them, though they lurked in the far reaches of her mind, waiting to pounce.

ooc//*NOTE*The meanings of their names! Sahar= Dawn, Amir= Prince, Hanan= Mercy.

[Kali]

Golden brown ears swiveled in the direction of human voices. They came from above, behind the metal bars of the enclosure, where they would be safe from the predators below. The lioness the ears belonged to sat up, her matching golden pelt glitterring in what sunlight was let through the top of the cage and emphasising her size. She was farely large for a lioness, although young, and her body was lean under the short fur. Beside her was a clump of red fur, two soft brown eyes staring intently at the humans before turning to look at his mother. "Mama" He whined. "Soon my sweet." She whsipered, standing and leading Haru to a small cave. "Don't move." Was all she said before dissapearing, padding swiftly toward the sound of a well-known human voice. It was always the same two handlers who had fed her her entire 3 years of life. It was a sad thing really, to have lived in captivity ones whole life, but Kida didn't know what the wild was like, andwas very content with living in the zoo. "There you go Kida." Following the voice was a clanging as fish was sent down the metal shoot. She always felt anxious when away from Haru, even though she was sure nothing would happen to him. Maybe it was because he was her first cub, or because he was the only one in her litter. All she really knew wasthat the past two months had been the best in her life, and she couldn't bare to think of losing her cub. So, having eaten her fil, Kida ran back to the cave, ignring the murmers of the onlookers as they watched in awe and fear.

[daughterofthemoon]

A few hours passed by until Sahar awoke, Amir and Hanan curled up against her stomach. All was quiet outside the cave, the sun nearing it's setting phase. "Oh dear. I was asleep for a while!" Sahar quietly exclaimed to herself. She softly shifted her body to keep the two cubs asleep while she padded for the entrance. Sahar sauntered out of her den, her limbs stretching forward as well as backwards, attempting to stretch all muscles. Ah, how she missed these times to herself, out in the sun with only the lion, or even all alone. With a wide yawn, Sahar stretched out in the dirt and began to sun herself, her pelt easily warming up.

[Kali]

"Mama!! Mama!!" Haru's voice broke into Kida's dreams, making her stir quietly. "Hmm?" She asked sleepily, keeping her eyes closed. "Mama!" The cub repeated. "What, are you ok??" This time Kida's voice was ful of fear as thoughts of what could have happened entered her mind, but as her eyes focused, she only saw a hyper Haru. "Oh Haru, don't scare me like that!!!! And you know better then to wake me" Haru looked at the ground, ashamed for a few seconds. Being the hyper young one he was, the shame didn't last for and he perked up. "I wanna go outside, the sun will be going down soon and I want to play in the light." Kida stood and stretched, yawning broadly and padding from th cave. Haru bounded past his mother, colliding with another lion who was sunning herself. "HARU!!" Kida snapped, "Say your sorry to Sahar"

[daughterofthemoon]

Sahar yowled in surprise as Haru pelted into her making her roll onto her opposite side. She was quickly on her paws, claws extended and her lips lifted in a snarl, up until she saw it was merely a cub. "Kida, you should keep better track of your cub. Hanan, Amir. What have I told you about wandering out here?" Sahhar said and at the last question she turned her head so that her good eye was facing behind her towards the slinking Hanan and Amir. The two quickly trotted to their mother's visible side, their ears flicked back much like their mother's were, despite one of Sahar's ears being nearly gone. "We're sorry mother." the two chorused, bowing their heads before their attention was captured by Haru. "Mama, who's that?" Hanan quietly asked her mother, her side pressing against the elder lioness's. "My dear, that is Kida's cub, little Haru, I believe." Sahar said, her back straight and her eyes focused on the little cub. Amir scoffed and a sneer became plastered on his face as he sized up the other cub, finding the other male to be lesser and weaker.

[Kali]

"Sorry Sahar." Haru said quietly, staring at the ground. Kida nodded to Shar, awknowledging her words. "Hi!!" Haruu spoke up, seeing the two other cubs. He didn't notice Amir's sneer, happy just to finally meet others his own age. Kida sat behind Haru, watching him intently before looking back at Sahar. "I'm very sorry. He can get.. a... a bit hyper, and doesn't always watch where he is going." During the last part of the apology, Kida looked down at Haru with a meaningful look on her face, causing Haru to hang his head in shame once more.

[daughterofthemoon]

"It's fine young one, just be more careful. A lion must be both powerful as well as restrained." Sahar said her tail flicking to drap across Hanan's shoulders, a large paw reaching and scooting Amir to sit in between her two front paws. Though Amir sneered at the cub, he spat a rather strained "Hello.". Hanan merely flicked her ears farther back on her skull and dipped her head, not a single word drifting towards the other cub. "I accept your apology. All newborns can be energetic." Sahar said, her voice low and slightly warm.

[Kali]

Haru nodded, looking back at Hanan. "Mama, why are her ears back? She doesn't look happy.. all I want is to play." Confusion covered his face and his head was tilted to the side. "Maybe you should go ask her. But don't push her into playing with you. She may not want to." Kida cautioned, nudging him forward. The cub bounded forward, skidding to a halt in front of Hana. "Hi!! Wanna play??"

Kida shook her head, settling herself into the soft ground. The humans above seemed interested in the small group of lions, but Kida continued to ignore their presence. They were filthy, vile creatures. "How have your cubs been?" She finally asked Sahar.

[daughterofthemoon]

Hanan strained to keep her lips in a solid line instead of sneering like her brother. Her nose wrinkled as the other cub spoke, her eyes drifting to the steaming Amir. "Get away frm her you weakling!" Amir snarled, leaping from in front of his mother to slid in between Hanan and Haru, Hanan obiediantly padding back a few paces from her brother. "She's my lioness until another lion takes her when she grows up. She's my responsibility and mine alone, I won't allow you to as much as breath on her. She's not welcome to play with you or talk to you. Do you understand me?" Amir snarled getting right up in the other cub's face. Hanan, seeming to be unpahsed, remained silent, her ears plastered against her skull. "Good boy Amir, a powerful lion controls his lionesses as well as keeping away other lions. I nor Amir mean any disrespect to you or Haru, Kida, but the old ways must never die. No one's going to be nice or kind to you forever, the practice of your meals being brought to you will soon end. I can feel it in both the earth and wind, freedom wil soon be ours." Sahar said wisely, Amir still snarling, his tail lashing, and his golden eyes cold.