|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 4:40 pm
 |
|
|
 |
 The old king looked down to his feet. Only a few more paces now. His pride waited a few kilometers away, a fragment of what had once been, waiting and depending on him to open the way to their new home. Kobe'gumu continued on.
The Mwezi'Johari lands rose up before him.
Standing on the boarder, Kobe raised his head and let out a roar to signal his presence to the guards. With the guards now aware of him, Kobe scanned his surroundings for signs of life. His posture was easy, but he was hardly relaxed. The guards could easily destroy him if they saw fit. While he might be able to fight them off, the idea of injuring more Mwezi lions left him conflicted. If the guards did find some reason to attack him he would rather lie down beneath their tearing claws than risk starting another conflict. Only his responsibility to the remainder of his pride caused him to reconsider. He could run, yes, but he would not fight.
But Kobe thought that scenario unlikely. He believed the Mwezi'Johari would feel as adverse to conflict as he now did. Violence was the worst case scenario, but the most likely worst case scenario, in his mind, was simple rejection.
Kobe had rehearsed this mission a thousand times over on the journey here. He knew exactly what he would say and how he would present himself. If the Mwezi'Johari rejected his best effort, well, what could he do? He would not start a new conflict with his brother pride even if it meant returning to his pride in disgrace. Much was at stake here - the lives of a mother and her unborn cubs, the future of his pride, the one and only chance for Kobe to make amends - Kobe knew this, but he kept his anxiety to a minimum. If he succeeded, then this would be his last act as the Ilanga'Izwe king, and possibly his greatest. That thought alone gave him strength. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 6:36 pm
|
|
|
|
It had been a few restless nights for Baba'Nyota and his entourage of guards. He had built something akin to a buddy system when he caught wind of the history that one of the refugees to the Mwezi'Johari had told the other guards. Word had found it's way back to Nyota, through his perpetual shadow, Kivuli, and he decided he would rather be safe, than to lose anyone due to poor planning, or overexcessive pride.
As he and the aforementioned pale shadow did their rounds near the borderlands the sound of another in their area stopped Nyota in his tracks, his ears perking sharply and his head jerking towards the sound. After a few moments, Kivuli reassured him that he was not going crazy, by muttering the smallest of a "Did you hear that?" Lifting his youthful head high to catch sight of whatever he could find. "It sounds like we're not alone Nyota, what do you want to do?"
Chidding the youth lightly, Nyota doubled himself back, leaning against Kivuli as he passed him, before squinting in the darkness in the direction he heard the sound, the borderland behind him silent once again with a sensation of something beckoning his attention to it. Leaning off his little shadow, He took a few more steps towards the borderlands, the sound of smaller footfalls signalling the silent obedience of Kivuli behind him.
After a few moments, a hazy dark figure showed up at the border, setting the older Guard's signals off in his head. Signalling behind him silently, he head the footfalls behind him slow down to a halt, before turning forward and calling out to the stranger.
"I am Baba'Nyota, Head Guard of this pride. Who are you, and what brings you to my lands?" he queried, strength poured into every word to show his rank from even this far. |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 5:54 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 1:59 pm
|
|
|
|
Ilanga'Izwe - a name that was only imposed on him after the fact - a life of the pride that he was not part of, pre-Nyota, as it were. Skeptism vibrated through down to the very structure of the old Head Guard, as the voice returned with a gentleness that was very hard to reproduce. It befuddled him, only a little - that there was so much sincerity in the reply that he and his younger charge had received, and with a quick glance back, he gauged the response that Kivuli had on his face.
The same guardedness, the same uncertainty and skeptism displayed it self on the normally placid and contented face, his eyes harded with wonder. This sealed the deal for the old guard, and nodding softly to Kivuli with the soft blue eyes flickered down to meet his dark gaze for a moment, he turned back to Kobe'gumu, before answering his call.
"Kobe'gumu. Well met." he started, previous hostility removed from his voice, but replaced with a tinge of the uncertainty that coursed through him. Taking a few more guarded steps closer to the retired lord, his dark gaze locked on to the earth-coloured lion when he came into view, the sound of Kivuli following hesitantly in tow reassuring him a little. "You will have to forgive us for our distance, your highness, but my guards have been made aware of a threat in your group. A truce is the best I can offer up for the time being, until things have been cleared up." Nyota didn't believe in beating around the bush, he would settle this straight, but would not put anyone in risk, including Kivuli, (Badiri would be the end of him if it were to happen,) who he could feel just vibrating with attentiveness of the situation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 2:08 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 5:18 pm
|
|
|
|
Nyota's own eyebrows knit in uncertainty, the emotion freely showing on the old guard's features as he looked the old king up and down, for some kind of break in the disbelief and urgency in his voice. He certainly did not look like the kind that the female painted to Kivuli's brother - the idea of bloodythirsty backstabbers came to mind, those with hidden agendas behind their eyes that Nyota had seen before, but this king was everything but that - there was a sadness that hid under his words, and it muddled the old lion's thoughts.
"Nyota," broke his concentration, and looking behind him, he was met with a simularly understanding emotion, as the grey eyed guard looked the king over. "It may not be in my jurisdiction, to say this, but I think the Queen should meet him . . . guardedly, of course." He muttered softly, before fluffing up from his interruption.
This was a small breath of fresh air, and his features softened a little to Kivuli, before nodding his head and setting it right, turning to the old King once more. "I'm only doing this for the cubs that your lioness holds, mind you, for they are innocents." He murmured, starting. "You will follow Kivuli and I, alone, unguarded to our current reigning Queen, so you can you can give her your story. It will be up to her, about what she does, but know this, any wrong move and it'll be your last." His words were stern, but there was a waver of uncertainty about it. Something about this gentle king struck with the guard.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:56 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 8:48 pm
|
|
|
|
"I have a hard time disbelieving you, my dear king," he murmured, looking him up and down. "But, we sincerely wish for only the best for our pride, I hope you understand." Nudging the younger lion to take the lead, he lifted himself back up to his full height, looking to the old king with dark eyes, before turning around and following the young guard, answering what he could. All this seemed a little backwards - and a lack of hostility made the old guard a little pertrubed.
Kivuli couldn't help but listen in to the older pair behind him, and piped up from his position at the front. "I can answer that. Neither of us saw her, but my brother filled me in," he started, looking to the sky, "He told us a rogue lioness who had come before your group, saying that one of your group had done some kind of horrors. He was worried that we would not be aware, and the queen put us on a high alert." He bounced along, swinging his tail a little bit. He felt kind of proud, being the one along for the ride and catching this break, and not his brother (as much as he loved him!)
"I wish I had more information, but I heard it through the vine, but he looked rather frantic." He finished, before hearing a low "Let us be swift, Kivuli" from the elder lion, feeling that they should get this done as soon as possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 4:51 pm
|
|
|
|
"Of course," Kobe replied to Nytoa. How could he not?
He listened carefully to Kivuli's story. When the guard finished, Kobe lowered his eyes and flattened his ears. The news made him wary and unsure of himself. Was it possible that he lost track of one of his subjects on the journey here? What did Kivuli mean by horrors? Ukali could not have done it, she would give birth soon, nor could Jasiri, for he was always at her side, good man. Farvardin had no motivation to do it. That left only Mirihi, but she was too honorable. Besides, if one of his pride had attacked a rogue they would have surely been wounded in the fight. Nothing about this was adding up.
He jerked up, startled out of his thoughts, and quickly matched pace with Nytoa, making sure to thank Kivuli for the information he provided. He only hoped he could convince the Queen of his innocence.
((Fin~))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
