Lion Head Mesa Time

AW! No posting order. @Aiman @Taliba @Ibrahim

The palace is invaded by the kingsguards steps.
They've broken through the borders unharmed and Mesen-ka has dismissed approach until the palace walls towered around them. Fom breaks in the day for the childrens freedom to roam, feed, and run away their energy, to being bundled away safely at night. Coyotes muddy their land and would not have his kids.

He allows each child down now to walk the honor of the palace's paths at his side. "We are in the belly of Akashingo. We will see first the Pharaoh and the king, your uncle. You are to respect both of them as you would your mother and I. They will welcome you with open arms. You may also see their children. Play nice, my scoundrels. Perhaps you will make friends!"

Mesen-ka makes way for the divine.
"Pharaoh @Toula, King @Rashepses."

ibrahim did not pass even a glance to the lake when they'd left it. though the sun bore down on the three cubs, it mattered little to the boy whose legs itched to run and jump and prance. he couldn't get to run and jump and prance, however, once they entered whatever this place was away from the sun.

red hallways stretch out in front of him, wolves of all sizes cock their heads towards his father, and in his booming voice he calls for more. ibrahim's brain only registered "play," though, and amber eyes remained peeled for any cubs to challenge — it was getting boring shoving aiman around all the time.

A vast wonder is the princess' home and so too are the people within it. She blooms beneath every attention, eagerly absorbing their teachings and thrilling to learn more! Through confident meanderings, the girl is beginning to understand the social structure within Akashingo, and how it is her family’s obligation to welcome others with stately grace.

But everything goes out the window when her now fully scarlet eyes glimpse the tiny forms of new puppies in their halls!

Her scamper sends her sliding ineptly over the freshly-washed stone and into a tactless splay against the side of a boy only a little taller than she.

“Hi!” She gushes, “name Neith! What’s your's? Play?” Her excitement came blurting before she'd even had a moment to right herself.

almost immediately, a girl of a soft gold came bounding out — though she wasn't the sun, warmth radiated from her body. adrenaline shoots through his own, shaking it down to his tail as she came speaking his language.

play! is the only thing he declares as his large stubs for hindlegs make him tall as his upper arms ready to squish the girl where she lays. he had yet to know of any kind of social hierarchy aside from might makes right. as far as he knew, the princess of this red palace was little more than someone new to compete with and conquer.

Her scrambling paws are not quick enough, suddenly she is smushed, the wind smacking right out of her lungs!

“Uff!” The girl squirms and prods impatiently under his fat belly. She’d never been treated so roughly! But she grins in spite of it and gums rather ferociously at his armpit, dual-kicking with hinds to get him to shove off, and determined as ever to prove herself a worthy opponent against the boy’s unfathomable might!

He sees those blonde little furs and a smile curves up brightly with an arched brow. Those features are recognized anywhere, and pride builds. "Hello, princess Neith! Meet my boy, Ibrahim." The boys head is gently ruffled before they take off!

Already, his boy is brutish! Mesen-ka refrains a wince, but the girl is okay and smiles. It is a good time for learning play, being this young.

Hope there's room for me before it gets too busy

The lake and its lush surroundings had been left behind for broad flatlands and stone behemoths. The mesa rises tall in the sky and the ogre girl's eyes trails it upwards as far as her little neck can go.

Mesen-ka has them walk beside him. He chatters about the palace and something about a fair-row? Taliba has only one ear canted to him as her eyes now chase the passing shadows. Wolves and creatures discernibly not wolf are about. Their scent strong, the palace air fragant with all sorts of odd new plants to the girl.

Taliba was currently eyeing down a passing coyote when a new sound comes skittering through. Another cub! Wide eyes turn to Neith as she instigates a wrestling match with her brother. Taliba is shocked! Never had she seen another little girl before. Girl children were new and strange to the child with only brothers.

Ibrahim pins the princess and Taliba takes the opportunity to nose all over the captured girl. Tail wagging furiously. She queries aloud, What is a Neith?

a neith's wut they use to kill! and, and stab! ibrahim pauses from his chase after the golden girl to sneer and grunt at his sister before returning to his scuffle with the princess. 

she's light on her feet, something that ibrahim isn't used to. but if he's to be the bestest guard ever, he's going to have to learn to run as well as learn how to fight — even if it means using supposedly one of the very people he's going to protect as a dummy.

“Hi sir lord!” She greets the very tall man with a flutter of paw, gazing up at his looooong legs from her very low vantage point upside down on the floor.

Out pops another playmate! A girl! Not only does she have the biggest, brightest eyes just like Khaem and Papa, but her nose is wet and tickley all over! The amiirad ceases her pushing to shimmy, pairing each prod of snout with a high-pitched laugh.

To the question she purses her tiny lips, brow heavy in deep thought for all of three seconds. “Ah! Ummm... is me! Hi!” Her head falls to one side, pink tongue lolling out onto the stone, “Name?”

Eventually the boy propels off and Neith scrambles up to wobbling limbs, adopting a wide-legged stance in poor imitation of her father. She slides around on the stone, nipping at the boy’s cheeks, batting the girl’s tail and weaving all through tall lord sir’s stilty legs.

“Em, Eebra? What’s mean, kill?” her head cocks curiously between attacks.

she and her husband travel together, having received word that soon they would house the young Mazoi Safiya. she is thrilled, and preparations are made to welcome the girl and her own host. too young to travel alone, it is understood—but Toula would ever celebrate her people, their progress, and their safety. 
the latter of which is at risk within Muat-Riya! but she does not doubt who she has placed at its helm, as she made quick work of all other things that had come against it. with the Erpa Ha returned she felt greater peace, and contemplates his remaining there. 
she considers, too, a visit… though not yet. quietly does she speak with her husband on the things she considered, when the familiar voice of his kingsguard is heard! her heart is happy for it, and Toula moves toward where the man could be heard. she only caught the tail-end of the spoken words as her stride lengthens, her fellahin rushing ahead only to proclaim the arrival of herself and her husband @Rashepses. 
so many children! Toula smiles, looking over each of her own perfect ones. all four were present, three stirring with the commotion. Amiirad Merneith is who you shall protect, she corrected gently, though her voice was firm. if they wished to become Mazoi, it would become an expectation—though she realized, then, perhaps this was not their path. it had not been their sisters, after all! that is, of course, should you wish to become one of our fierce Mazoi! Toula continues, looking over the faces of the Lakechildren. 
she looks to Mesen-ka, waiting then for him and his cubs to lower themselves in recognition of divinity. but there is a pleasant and warm gleam in her eye, easily read as her pleasure to see him and meet his brood. but already begun their education!

He is lucky Neith is excitable and not so overwhelmed by his own children's onslaughts. The kingsguard watches them intently with teeth that will unlock to pick his kids up, if need be. Even Taliba is excited, and he is happy to see it! There were no children at the lake to familiarize with.

It is a relief to see his Pharaoh! Her warmth extends his own smile of an already tired father, and the days just begun. The goddess woman is patient. "Settle." His demand is instant. Play time is over. "Watch and follow as I do." Ibrahim, he knows may have a harder time shutting down so quickly, and so a hefty paw is taken to gently scoot the boy at his side as he falls into a slow bow.

Slow, so that they can see how to mimic him and address the divinity before them. "Pharaoh! It is a blessing to be in your presence. I am overjoyed to see the light of our futures eyes now roaming Akashingo. I hope you are doing well."

It is not his children's fault, but his. He can only beg forgiveness. "I apologize for my children's energy today." It is their first experience not sheltered to the lake.

the girl's tiny teeth chomp onto ibrahim's cheek for just a brief moment — is this what they call a "kiss"? ibrahim grunts when she pulls off of him only to reach to bite hers as well.. before he's pulled back to his father's side. 
he hadn't even noticed the pair that entered, and he didn't have much time to see as his father tries to guide him to a bow. ibrahim, stares stupidly for a minute.
you're about to poopie?

Ibrahim pauses in the smushing of the princess to answer her. Taliba's brow furrowed, her mind making her own connection. Neith? Like teeths! Oh but the girl turns to her! Yes, a girl! Taliba still couldn't believe it. Name?

Taliba The ogre girl first exaggerates the syllables then repeats it normally. It was how she learned her own name after all. Neith wasted no time involving her in play. The princess was a tail chaser! Taliba spun around on the stone floor, chasing after the princess. Her mouth snapping the air after the girl's dark tipped tail.

Of course they couldn't just play with the new girl. Two strange adults arrived with an entourage. Everything changed at their presence, with their father demanding them to stop. Did he not say they could play? The girl frowned before looking quizzically at the newcomers. Clearly, they were the reason why they weren't allowed to have fun. The girl just couldn't understand why.

Watch and follow as I do.

Taliba watched him attentively. The following does not come so easily for the girl. Not when Ibrahim is so wrong about what their father was doing. Wasn't it obvious?

Noo! Talibe was quick to correct her oh-so-wrong brother. His nose itches! Why else would he be rubbing his face on the floor? She half mimicked her father. Her head lowering except her wrist lifted to run across her muzzle. Proud of her deduction, Taliba shot back to full height only to crawl beneath her father. Her tongue covering her father's face in puppy kisses to chase the itch away.

Is it not every parents worst nightmare when their kids opened their mouths to their boss?
His brow feels a bug in it as violent as the laugh he needed to stone away before it dared relase! They will be the cause of his execution! He will take the slice of his head proudly if it is the result of his own children, but it still is not preventing his flesh from coiling tight to his bones. "No, and no. Certainly not in the here, my boy." They do not excrement in the palace! At least they are attempting to understand...! Taliba 'bows' and scurries under him. Ibrahim, he's teaching. Aiman does not release from the bow he copies. That is all three somewhat controlled, yet he feels as though he is managing eight. "You will call her Pharaoh and kneel as your hello, just as I do, and as you will soon see all do!" he tells them all. "It is what's normal of a strong wolf. Silence now."

Taliba removes some of the tension in his brow with tiny puppy kisses, and a half-smile formed on the kingsguard. He's been so focused on working them as fiery warriors and keeping them alive that manners slipped the regime in some areas. They'll fix it.

It is Pharaoh Toula's time to speak.

Neith performed little somersaults over the stone, spouting giggles; she’d never met a more silly pair!

Only with mother’s regal entrance did the amiirad think better of landing a final swat at them, and instead quickly pranced over to sit between her forepaws, shuffling her pearlescent toes until they were perfectly inline with Momma’s. She gazed adoring up into her face and fluttered her eyes at the tall man as he knelt, waiting also for her two new friends to bow in kind.

he bows; reluctantly at first. he glances over to her. why didn't she have to bow? that's not fair! he steals a glance at neith, and clatters his teeth. im going to eat you after this!

The ogre girl can feel the tension of her father's face break beneath her assault. Delight blooms in her chest as she won that battle. Surely the itch had been defeated!

Oh? This was not an itch but a 'hello'? It takes a herculean effort to prevent her appearance from betraying how discouraged she was. She is half successful; she keeps her ears forward and her face still, but her tail ceases wagging. It was embarrassing enough to be so sure she was right. Under the weight of the new expectation now put upon her, Taliba lowers herself into a bow.

She does not understand why you would look at the floor when meeting someone. Should you not look upon the wolf you were talking to? Oh, well. She can at least not worry about the face she makes when she's looking at the floor.