Qodara - Male, age 29

Though younger Iryudyo has taken the whips that Qodara used to like, Qodara is quite adept at using them, to ensnare prey. However, unlike the younger Kin, Qodara would never use a whip like that on another sentient. He loves to use little snares, larger traps, and bolos as well as his heavy scythe. Traditionally a tool for farmers, Qodara is hardly a vegetarian - more like he'll eat whatever is dead and within reach. Sometimes not even dead.

Qodara's psionics are unusually tuned toward plant life. Why he was able to select a scythe in the first place, he was able to help grow crops quickly to maturity on his home colony before being deported. He can sense plant life, health and condition, discern if there are poisons or toxins, and whether the plant is able to be eaten raw. With strong concentration, as his powers have weakened a bit since childhood, he can actually grow a seedling from a seed, a sapling from a shoot, within days instead of weeks or months. This is physically exhausting for him, but he has a garden plot which he uses to suppliment the others' meals when hunting is poor.

"It was so my kill," Qodara said, tail flopping down on the stone floor. Iryudyo was so stuffed full of that kill that he couldn't even respond now. Good. That was one way to shut the bastard up.

But even so, and for all his bluster and fangs, Qodara looked gently around for Utori, and winked at him. The lancers' expert shot was what allowed the pair of bigger Kin to leap upon their prey at all. It was a big buck, they hadn't even really named the species yet.

The pelt was ruined, so said Hala when they brought it in. Dijo agreed, sniffing at it and giving that little look of his, like 'what's this mess you've brought in'. So what? So the pelt wasn't useful? They had cloth and other leather goods already - some more than others - scattered around the whole plateau.

When Omaciyu gave his little speech, Qodara unwisely said something sharp to Ihnala - any excuse it seemed, to get that black-haired Kin's dander up. But they survived without coming to blows - or even really arguing. Oma was so good at that.

Rather than spending the rest of the night worried about what to do with Temih, though, Qodara went up to the springs and cleaned himself off properly. Facing north, then, he failed to see the fantastic sunset that had surrounded the area. It would not have been lost on him, he certainly had an eye for beauty. But this night, there was something else working at him from some angle that he wasn't familiar with.

He slept in his shelter, surrounded by the ivy and grass that always seemed to grow when he wasn't watching.

***

A contest? Qodara pondered in the morning. What sort of contest would he be best at? He, like many others, was a good hunter. He had designs of raising kits, though - he was already quite skilled at caring for distractable younger Kin. He taught the youngest among them how to hunt and care for himself in the wilderness.

Perhaps a wilderness survival contest? Everyone could participate, and he knew well that some of the tribe would bail out earlier than others.

Qodara smiled wryly as he thought about the sight Dijo and Omaciyu would make, as they slunk back to the Plateau with their tails between their legs. Burrs in their fur and hair covered in muck...

Chuckling to himself, Qodara entered the main cavern again in the morning, to see that most of the tribe hadn't even moved an inch. Perhaps their stretch was facing the other way now, or their tail was curled around their paws, but largely he'd left them all this way.

He seriously considered throwing a bucket of water from the stream over them - that would get them off their lazy rear ends!

But he heard Omaciyu talking to someone above, in one of the cavern's side passages. It smelled like ...

Bristling, Qodara tried to calm himself. There was a Lion out there, talking to Oma. If there was one thing that Qodara feared, it was the Cheetah's ancient enemy the Lion - it would only have been worse if there was more than one of them. And fortunately, there was only the one.

Qodara walked into the passageway, wary. Startling a lion would be dangerous under any condition. Fortunately, he needn't have worried. The lion in question was an old beat-up male who had long since been exiled from his Tribe on the northern peninsula. How this old Kin had survived this long was amazing.

"Did you see it too?" The Lion asked, and Qodara looked quickly at Oma, who shrugged and blinked.

"No, I can't say I did. What was it you saw?" Qodara asked.

Omaciyu told him, "a ship - in orbit over the sea. It arrived late last night. But..."

"There was more," the Lion said. "I saw the creature, it came from the sky as though out of a warp. But I did not think that animals or individuals could do such a thing. Fly warp space?"

Qodara looked somewhat sheepishly at them. "I'm sorry - this is way over my head. What is it that appeared, a ship and ... what exactly?"

"We have no animal like it, and your Omaciyu tells me he felt minds. A creature out of Human legend - a dragon." The Lion said, quietly. Qodara doubted that his voice could get any louder.

"Still, should we investigate?" Omaciyu said, and the Lion nodded slowly.

"I will leave that to you youngsters. ...I ..." He breathed in deeply but with a sadness, "I would be much obliged if I might remain here. My days are at an end, you know. My tribal days are long behind me."

"I cannot accept you without a full meeting," Omaciyu said, and Qodara blankly stared. The old Lion would die soon? It almost seemed surreal that such an old, majestic creature, even scarred and dusty as he was, could die.

"I will speak to the others," Qodara offered. "You came to us with information," Omaciyu nodded to confirm this. "Then you should be welcomed. But stay up here for the time being."

Qodara went down into the main cavern again, and by this time the others were roused. The smell of Lion had awakened Iryudyo and Ihnala, both of whom paced about nervously.

Qodara stood at the speaker's platform, as Oma had done the night before. "There is, yes," he confirmed to the pair, "an old bachelor Lion in our midst. But he came to deliver some information that Omaciyu will share sometime when we know more. And, he came to die."

"That old black-maned male is still alive?!" Ihfosa said, shocked. "I can't believe it - he was old when I got here!"

"And he isn't getting any younger," Qodara said. "Omaciyu wants a full council agreement, before letting him stay."

There was quiet conversation, but in the end, no one really spoke out against letting the Lion remain there. He would be cared for as an elderly Human would, better, actually.

Qodara escorted the big Lion down into the main chambers, and then to a smaller area where the sick or injured were cared for.

Hita might take care of him, the others didn't seem too helpful. Qodara then went off to find Omaciyu.