-- AIM rp log between Abeni, Hiam and Kipepeo ((HRF and DFA))
The priestess walked along the rim of the volcano, eyes half lidded wearily. Motherhood was not sitting well with her. It was hard to juggle her priestess duties and raising three energetic boys. But she had sworn to Iar that she would do it, and so she would. Even if it killed her.
Which sure felt like it would happen. So much so she could have sworn she'd had nightmare visions of herself being deafened and killed by tiny squeaky voices asking "What's that?" "What's this?" "Why?" "But why?" repeatedly. It was enough to drive her insane, at the very least. Still... being the soul care giver to cub had it's perks. At least she wasn't lonely. In fact, she was never, ever alone. Such as now. The lioness had attempted to sneak out of her den while the three were sleeping. Just to walk around, get some fresh air. The steamy hot air of the priestess' dens made her light headed after a couple days. Of course, at least one of them had awoken. Odhiambo, her oldest and largest son.
"Mother, where are we going?" He said childishly, though his voice was still rather deep for a cub's. "Just walking..." She replied back, ears tilted back slightly. The cub seemed disapointed by that rather plain answer, and decided to better amuse himself by chasing and biting at his mother's tail. Abeni sighed softly in response, but allowed him to do so. She really didn't want to interupt her walk, though she'd accepted the fact that it wouldn't be a peaceful stroll like she wanted.
She was alone again. This wasn't all that rare though, and Kipepeo was used to it; after Nyota had brought her within the pridal lands and had gotten her acomodated, he'd left. Something about his duties. Kip had wondered what that meant; duties... what were those? Why had the older cub been talking so hopelessly about duties and bussiness? It didn't sound like any of that would have been much fun at all.
The small cub was sitting atop a patch of blood stained earth; the brown had soaked up the liquid and had turned dark brown here and there. For a moment, it might¡'ve looked as if she were wounded, for patches of her pelt were tainted red, as were her toes and paw tips, but no. Upon closer inspection, anyone approaching would have noticed several small animals cattered around her; there was a field mouse, a small lizard and even a crippled, small bird that would never again be able to fly, were it still alive. Despite what she was doing, a small, sweet, pleasent smile was settled across her maw.
A soft scowl settled onto her maw when Hiam finally caught her tail and bit down rather hard. Finally she stopped and looked back at him sternly. "No." Hiam, having never been told no, blinked bewilderedly at his mother. "Nu?" His mother nodded, eyes narrowed just slightly. "No. Stop biting me." The cub's ears tilted back and he frowned, confused. He could do what he liked, right? It was his right too, as a perfect little demon, the perfect son... At first he looked disapointed, but then he glared back at Abeni and stuck out his tiny tongue. "I do what I want!" With that he turned and started bounding away from the volcano, towards the trees.
"Hiam! Come back here!" She called, panic building up in the back of her throat. Her children had never been out alone, and her paternal instincts were kicking in faster than she would have ever expected. She ran after him, but he had gotten ahead while she paused to yell. The cub laughed, thinking it now some kind of game. He hopped threw a bush with a cackle and... Squish.
He blinked, confused. "Wha?" His paw raised and he looked down at it to find the remains of a dead lizard caked underneath. Confused, but intrigued, Hiam sniffed at it then glanced up to see the black and red cub in front of him.
Brilliant red eyes stared back at the male; wide, filled with what might had looked like innocence. Then, the lowered down to his paw, the remants of the small lizard she'd caught earlier now smeared there, "My toy..." she said softly, almost melodicaly, "You stepped on it. Now it's broken," not like it hadn't been broken before; she'd long since discarded it, and had turned her attention on the mouse, that had lasted the longest out of the three. In all honesty, all the so called 'toys' were pretty much broken beyond repair.
Her brows knitted together in mild consternation before she raised her gaze back towards the cub, "Now... I will have to go find a new one," a small sigh was released as her maw lowered down to finaly eat up the remants of her play-time. After all, food was NEVER to be wasted. Ever. It was the one rule she was well used to. As such, she lifted her blood-stained maw up to Hiam again, however, the fact the lizard .... was, well, broken beyond repair turned her off from asking him to hand it over to her, "You may keep that one."
Hiam just stared at her for a few moments, blinking slowly. He'd never met anyone but his family and a few other pride members. The only female cub he was used to was Kasdeya, and he had learned to show her respect. Not that she was better... But mother told him he couldn't fight and pick on girls quite as much as his brothers. His head tilted slightly, unsure really what to make of his new gift. "A toy?" He sniffed again at the bloody remains, then back at her, noting the blood soaked earth around her.
He might have said something else, but at that moment Abeni lounged threw the bushes beside him, looking worried and angry. Spotting him, she glared, ears back. "Don't ever run away from me!" Hiam frowned up at her, but still looking defiant. Her son decided it'd be better to change the subject... or maybe he just wanted to show off his new toy. The lizard was raised with his tiny claws. "Look!"
Calming slightly, Abeni blinked at the lizard... then at Kip. Another cub that she hadn't met? This pride really would turn into a nursery soon! Her expression softened though, not wanting to be mean to a cub that didn't belong to her. "Who's litter are you from?" She paused, noting her red fur. "Hakuna's?"
"A toy. A small one; those break easily though," she explained softly; she was likely nothing like the other female cub he knew, in fact... Kipepeo seemed to radiate childish innocence, even despite the way her claws had sunk mercilessly into the flesh of her mangled toys, "Nyota caught a larger one yesterday for me... it took much longer to break," it was likely she would have explained further, had Abeni not picked that precise moment to varge through the bushes to scold her child.
The small cub's eyes raised to meet those of the adult, and unlike Hiam, she tilted her head, looking rather obidient, "No," it was a simple answer to her second question, then her ears flicked slightly, the fact that she was pondering, rather obvious. Then she frowned, her ears flopping back slightly, "I... don't..." taking a moment recollect her thoughts, the cub tried again, "My mother and father are not here. I have been alone for very long... Nyota said I should stay," then she looked down at the blood she'd spilled about her, "He also told me to drink the blood... I forgot to do that," she been brought to the land only the day before, and was still waiting for her arranged meeting with the pride leaders.
The seer frowned down at the cub. A new member? Well, new members were good, surely... But another orphan. Her ears twitched, her annoyance now long forgotten. "I see..." She said softly, sitting to look around at the carnage. What a... weird little girl. It was no wonder she had been recruited...
"Well. Um. Surely you can do it next time, dear..." She continued, still a bit taken aback. On the other hand, Hiam still looked intrigued. He moved to weave around Abeni's front legs, peeking at the cub curiously. The poor crumpled lizard hung limply from his maw, content to just chew on it for now and listen. His mother continued on. "Than who is taking care of you? And what is your name, also? Mine is Abeni, and this is my son Odhiambo."
Her ears had flattened back as she took in the blood stained ground; would they get mad at her for it? Old habits were hard to break... she never drank the blood before actualy eatting the toys. A paw raised up to press against her maw, as if she were horribly dissapointed with herself for forgeting such a vital thing; she'd remember next time. Upon Abeni's words however, her head lifted again, her paw slipping from her maw and back to the floor, leaving it blood stained, "Yes, you're right," with a nod, the small thing closed her eyes and nodded, making mental note.
A small smile appeared across her maw as she lowered her head just slightly into a polite bow; if anything and despite her actions, it was clear she was mild mannered and sweet, needless to say, a huge contradiction, "My name is Kipepeo... and," she hesitated again, her ears folding back slightly, "I don't know. Nyota said to wait here till it's my turn to talk to the Aran.... a... the leaders."
"Oh." She nodded, watching the younger female. How puzzling. The girl seemed so sweet... But to torture these animals before eating them... Abeni had never really seen anything like it. Not that she thought it was bad... Everyone manifested their demons in different ways, she supposed. If it made her happy... So long as she wasn't torturing the members of her pride... Hiam was confused as well. Honestly, he thought it was really cool how she played with her toys. He wanted some as well, and had already decided that he'd treasure his toy until it could be no longer played with. Which wouldn't be long, no doubt. In Hiam's mind, power meant violence and anger. Kipepeo seemed to have plenty violence, but no anger. Did that make her a half-demon? Or just... weird?
When the cub admited that she had no caregiver, Abeni frowned slightly. And for a moment she was torn... She had enough on her plate. More than enough. But who else would take the cub? Maybe Hakuna, she seemed to be a good mother... Then again, what was one more, when she had only three? Maybe the boys could use a female influence besides her own... And the girl seemed so darling.
"Well, we can't have you walking around on your own and getting hurt, can we? I'll take you to Iar myself. I'm sure he'll see you if I ask him too."
