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 Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 5:00 pm
 The day was still. No rain, like the past few days, fortunately, and very little wind. The occasional rustle in the grass was the only sign of movement. The little critter causing the disruption in the otherwise quite still scene was named Genge'kibwana, but liked to be called Genge for short. His name, meaning coral prince, suited his looks perfectly. However, he rarely felt that he lived up to such a royal sounding name. He was cowardly and weak, the runt of the litter. He wondered what could have inspired his parents to give him such a name.
While he was normally with his family, he had wandered off for the first time. He knew where the water hole was, and he intended to get there all on his own. He was flat out tired of being so dependent on his parents for a guide. The timid cub poked his head out of the tall grass, looking around to see if anyone was there, and crept toward the water's edge.
Still seeming rather nervous, he lowered his head to the surface and lapped up some water, looking up every few seconds. Nobody knew why Genge was so quiet and frightened, but he seemed more like a mouse than a lion. Suddenly, he jumped back out of surprise. A grasshopper had landed in front of him, causing him to scurry backwards several feet.
"Y-you just stay over there, I'm warning you." He said shakily, "Come any closer and I-I'll smash you!"
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 5:41 pm
"You'll smash what?" A kind, somewhat tired voice asked from the shore. She stayed by the waterhole a lot these days; any water beasts that may have been there didn't bother her and it was a good place to be if she wasn't strong enough to walk very far that day. Embamba had seen her grandchild coming down to the hole, but hadn't thought to bother him until he'd gotten scared of some unseen attacker. The poor thing reminded Embamba a lot of herself at that age, a thought that was slightly bothersome as well as nice in a way. Neither was, of course, the thought that she'd been rather annoyed at their conception in the first place.
That in itself had driven her to be the best grandmother she could be, and so the female rose to her feet to get the child. Ever since arriving back in her old home she'd felt a lot stronger; perhaps it was due to the absence five mile walks every day. "Whats going on my little Prince?" She put out a paw, drawing him back against her front legs as she tried to find the attacker... which was a grasshopper. Embamba fought back a smile. "It won't hurt you."
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 6:03 pm
Genge flinched at the sudden voice, but relaxed as he realized that it was his grandmother, not someone who would hurt him. "That." He glared at the grasshopper, who had begun to hop away.
Genge cuddled happily with Embamba, "I wanted to come out here by myself for once. I kinda don't know the way back though." He admitted, as he was now unsure of where he had entered the little watering hole. "Not now it won't." Genge insisted, watching the bored bug wander away. "Not when you're here to protect me." He said proudly, flopping onto his back to look up at her.
He pawed playfully at her paws. They were much larger than his own, even if she didn't have all that big paws. "Grandma, why does daddy want me to be a Shujaa when I grow up?" He asked, not really sure why he said it. He had just been thinking about it a lot lately. "I mean, I'm not very strong. Can't I just stay the way I am?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 6:21 pm
Embamba chuckled, more than a little surprised by the thought of her protecting anyone. It helped ease her normally sour mood, however, but all the children did that. As much as she hated feeling hypocritical she couldn't stay angry around the cubs. Perhaps because of this she took Genge up by his neck and brought him back over to the tree she'd been resting under.
Dumping him gently between her forepaws after she'd laid down, then lioness nuzzled her grandson affectionately, "Well you're going to be big and strong one day." The explanation was an overly simple one, perhaps, but Embamba thought it was fair. "if you work at it I'm sure you can be the best Shujaa in the pride."
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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 2:09 pm
"Do you really think so?" He asked, rather disbelieving. "All the others are bigger than me." He thought about this for a moment. Had his father been born small too? After all, Grandma knew best, right? Of course she did. Grandparents were always right.
"You're right. I'll get big and huge and daddy will be proud of me!" He grinned, his tail swishing from side to side slowly. Embamba always knew what to say to make him feel better. She made him feel safe, and happy.
Genge glanced around for a moment, taking in the new surroundings. He looked up at the tree, in awe of how huge it was. He was easily amazed by large things, but trees always made him especially curious. He always wondered what it would be like to climb one, but he was too afraid he'd fall. He shrugged, deciding not to worry about it, and turned back to Embamba. "Grandma, am I really a prince? Or is that just my name?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:48 am
What a question to ask of her. Embamba's bitterness raised its head, cooled only by the fact that, technically, Genge would never have been a Prince, even if the line had passed to her blood. As the line only passed through men, the title would have gone to her son and his children. Still, that didn't serve to make her less happy about the honor and meaning her family had been stripped of, at least by her own perception of events. "No, darling, its just a name," She replied honestly, bathing his side slowly as they spoke. "Though you will always be a prince of my heart." One couldn't call her a bad grandmother, but there was a special place inside of her for this one. As much as she tried not to play favorites, there was something about the sweet hearted cub that tugged at her heart mad her be just a little easier on him than some of the others.
"And yes, you will. We'll all be proud of you, Genge, no matter what." The female chuckled softly, "Did you find anything interesting in your explorations today?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 2:14 pm
"Oh, okay then." Genge didn't really mind not being royalty. He didn't think that he could handle the pressures, and he doubted anyone would want a cowardly leader. Still, it would have been interesting, if slightly frightening. "Thanks, Grandma." He squeaked proudly, "And you'll always be the queen in mine."
Genge smiled, imagining what it would be like to be strong and afraid of nothing. Just like daddy and the other warriors of the pride. He was snapped back to reality seconds later though, with her question. "Not really. All that I found was that bug that tried to get me. But I do think I saw a big bird too, I can't be sure though." He tried to keep the fear from his voice. As much as creatures of the air fascinated him, he was still afraid of being so small that one would carry him off and eat him.
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 4:58 pm
Embamba chuckled at his proclamation, her heart lifting a little again. Her loved ones nearby always did that to her, for she was a very family-oriented sort of lioness. Indeed, as she cleaned him she tried to focus more on the fact that she did have a good, full loving family, one that would never leave her.. no matter how useless she was to them.
The fact that she was with her grandcub helped her not to cry or be too depressed for she would never inflict the pain of her own feelings upon him. Instead she grinned and rubbed her nose into his neck in an affectionate manner, "well then. We should go exploring together, then, and see what we can find. it has been a very long time since your grandmother has been out in these lands."
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:50 am
Genge's ears perked up at the idea. He always wanted to explore, but never was brave enough to do it alone. "Yeah! Let's explore." Genge agreed excitedly, licking her cheek before standing up and glancing around quickly. Which way should they go? What new places waited for them to discover? He had so many questions, but kept them inside. The look on his face clearly showed his enthusiasm.
"This is going to be great!"
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:53 pm
Embamba chuckled softly as she rose to her own, giving Genge a nose in the bum to get him moving a bit in front of her. "On with you, then," The female smiled, "You get to lead us. Find us something interesting, Shujaa."
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 6:30 pm
Shujaa... Genge the Shujaa. He liked the sound of that. "Of course, my lady." He said proudly, sticking out his chest and boldly striding forward, past the tree and into the grass. If not for his bright coloring, it would be difficult to follow something so small.
In his game of make believe, he was the mighty Shujaa leading a beautiful lost queen back to her pride. He glared down at each pebble, daring it to come near him or the one he protected so vigilantly. "Stay close, my queen." He warned, crouching low beneath some grass as he eyed a beetle on a rock only feet away. It must have been the one who sent the grasshopper after him before.
"Stay back, this is your only warning." He growled, for the first time not afraid of what could happen. "Or I'll be forced to make you leave."
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:21 pm
The corners of Embamba's mouth twitched at Genge calling her his 'Lady'. His father had always called her that as well; it seemed the similarities between the two were greater than fur alone. She followed along after him with a chuckle, keeping a red eye out for anything too dangerous for the pair of them. There wasn't much in the lands that would challenge a lioness with a cub, however, especially as most didn't know about the female's weakness. Her ears perked at his next addressment, however, that same familiar twinge of bitterness plucking at her heart before she shrugged it off.
Her mouth formed a gentle "o" as she watched he grandson, and she attempted not to snicker. Taking a dancing step backward, the female crouched down into the dust, "oh protect me great shujaa!"
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:20 pm
Genge glared at the beetle as it buzzed defiantly, seemingly daring him to move any closer. "Oh yeah? Take that!" He growled, swatting at it with his paw. To his surprise, it flew off.
"Hah! Coward!" He laughed. Seconds later, however, a foul stench entered his nostrils. It must have been a stink beetle! He coughed a couple times, "Ew, what's that smell?" He asked, repulsed. "Let's explore somewhere that doesn't smell so bad."
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Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 7:21 am
Embamba hid another chuckle. Her nose scrunched a little at the smell, but she didn't seem overly affected and she stood to move off to the side a little. "Some beetles do that to protect themselves," The female explained with a nod. "But it doesn't do any real damage, just smells for awhile if it gets on you."
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Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:21 am
"What a dumb way to protect yourself." Genge grumbled, shaking his fur in a feeble attempt to get the smell off. "Now I'm going to smell horrible!" He sighed, but at the same time wondering if he could defend himself by passing gas if he needed to.
A few seconds later, he continued his game of make-believe, leading his grandmother through the tall grass once more, seeming to be trying to ignore the stench that was following him. "I'll get us home safe, I promise." He said valiantly, puffing out his chest and attempting to strut, though it turned into a rather awkward waddle instead.
"I think it's... This way." He started off in a random direction, which by pure chance, was the right way. "We'll be home in no time."
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