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 Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:22 pm
The only sign that Baala had ever been on the brink of death was her small stature. She hadn't gotten enough nurishment as a cub and juvenile, and it had stunted her growth. Baala was smaller then the average female, and smaller then the lionesses that were smaller then the average female. It put her at a distinct disadvantage when she fought.. and oh, Baala did fight. The scars on her back were a testament to it. They were healing nicely, fur beginning to grow back over them, but they may never heal. It was her now healthy diet that was keeping her alive and well. Baala could even hunt on her own once again, and though she was less successful as a single hunter, she caught enough food to last her through her trips away from Kiuma.
Baala had recently ate, it was evident by the blood dripping from the corner of her chin. So, she had hunted in these lands, but she didn't see it as a problem. She didn't intend to stay all that long anyways. Baala was a traveller at heart, and though these lands were nice she had no desire to stay. Her only desire was to return to Kiuma's side, to reassure the red lioness that she was all right. Sometimes she wondered if Kiuma worried about her while she was away, but Kiuma didn't look like a lioness who would worry so much. She hoped Kiuma trusted her enough not to worry, to know that Baala could take care of herself, and had done so multiple times before.
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Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:36 pm
The lands that Baala happened to be hunting in on this particular day were the Kusini lands, and thus, she was about to encounter one of the two appointed guardians of the great pride. Where as Baala was tiny, the guardian named Njozi happened to be very large. He had always been large for his age, and he would become one the largest adult males encountered in most of Africa. This was a very good trait in one who's responsibility was the ensured safety of the pride. Sadly, for tiny little rogues, it meant that fights were often swung greatly into his advantage.
As he sauntered through his rounds, only half paying attention to what he saw (as he was prone to doing at such an age), he nearly glanced right by her the first time. On second inspection, the tiny slightly scruffy lioness struck a direct cord in his thoughts. With a slight frown creasing his maw, he changed his path to head in her direction instead. It wasn't very often that rogues came this far into the lands, and when they did, it was he and his father's express duty to make sure they were not hostile.
"Hello there," he said as kindly as he could manage with such suspicion riddling his thoughts, though it did come out at a sort of neutral tone. He stopped short of her, of course, not wishing to provoke her if she turned out to be hostile.
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Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:52 pm
Her tongue rolled out of her mouth, collecting the blood that was dripping from her chin. It tasted so sweet... she could just remember the final squeals of the creature she had killed. She had overpowered it easily with the little body strength she had. The poor thing had stood no chance against her, and now its meat rolled pleasantly in her stomach. Ah, it was so good to have made a kill finally. She had tried so many times before she had success. If Kiuma had been here, it would've taken less then half the time it did to make a good kill. Kiuma may've even been slightly proud that Baala had hunted and made a kill on her own. So many times had they hunted together that Baala was becoming dependent on teamwork. It was nice to make a kill on her own, without any assistance.
A voice reached her ears, deep and definitely not feminine. Baala liked to avoid males, especially after previously getting beat up by one and after hearing Kiuma's story of the betrayal in her life. Males simply couldn't be trusted. They were driven by instinct instead of intellect. But the voice was kind... and so she hoped there would be no confrontation. As she turned to him, she saw that he was huge. It was clear that if they got into a fight Baala would lose within a matter of minutes, or even seconds. He was bigger then the average male, way bigger. Females were smaller then males to begin, and Baala was quite a bit smaller then them. They may be of the same age... but Baala was definitely the weaker of the two strength-wise.
She gave him a polite smile, straining to be nice and to avoid confrontation. "Hello, I am Baala. I apologize for the intrusion. I am just passing through." She wasn't lying. Baala didn't intend to stay here all that much longer. The lands were fertile, and maybe once again she'd come back to hunt in them, but other then that she would avoid these lands. The rougelands were her home, by Kiuma's side was her home. Not this land full of thick vegetation. Njozi in all aspects and reasoning had nothing to fear from her.
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Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:12 pm
Njozi smirked slightly at the way she spoke to him, an eyebrow quirking in her direction. Realizing that she immediately saw their size difference, it made his cockiness come slightly into his movements. Not enough to offend, but it was there. She would probably mistake it simply for a pride member speaking to an outlander. He wouldn't do anything to hurt her, but if she was a little afraid of him, what did that hurt? It was generally a good idea to let rogues know that one meant no non-sense, and the more one showed that, the more it spread around. Perhaps, one day, they'd have most rogues cautious about coming in unannounced - at least with thoughts of malice and hostility in their being.
"Just passing through?" he said quietly, glancing in the direction of the forest that separated the southlands from the Kusini lands. It was kind of hard to just be passing through the Kusini lands. "How long have you been here?" again, his voice was not unkind, but still in that tone that implied a pridemember speaking to someone who obviously didn't belong. Of course, this time, there was a slight edge of cockiness to it.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:14 am
She didn't allow herself to relax, even when Njozi spoke to her in a (somewhat) kind voice. He could seem friendly, but forever there was the risk of a fight, because she was intruding in his home. Baala was in the wrong, and Njozi being larger and being in the right place had the advantage. It made Baala's spine tingle unpleasantly when she knew she was not superior to this other lion. All she wanted to do was to round her shoulders, make herself look bigger, and growl at him. She wanted to intimidate him as much as he was intimidating her. She wanted to show him that she was still a threat, despite her size. But, he was not inviting a fight, not yet, and so Baala wasn't going to either. She'd be non-aggressive for as long as she could stand it.
"Well, a little longer then I originally intended. I've passed by these lands before, but never have I actually tried to navigate through them." It meant, in her terms, that these lands had her confused and even lost. She couldn't remember how she got into them, and thus couldn't find a way back out. At least there was water and there was food. It would keep her sustained until she found her way out. But, she'd have to admit, the sooner she was out of this place, the better. She preferred more open lands, and the vegetation seemed to crowd her even. She didn't quite like this place.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 1:31 pm
It was highly unlikely that Njozi would have initiated a fight between the two. As such an easy going lion, he preferred civil speech to physical violence. There was no need to start a brawl between them, considering she generally seemed to be at peace here. Besides, he really disliked fighting with girls - and since she was so tiny, it would only upset him more. After all, her size was quite a bit smaller than his mother's, and he was always worried that he was going to hurt her on accident. Purposely trying to hurt this female would be like picking a fight with a cub.
"Well, if you're so badly lost, I can always help you find your way out?" he asked, quirking a brow to go with his question. "I'm a guardian of the pride, on my rounds, and I know every inch of the forest that leads to the southlands like the back of my paw." He shrugged it off, as if it was a simple matter-of-fact, but his deep crimson eyes remained intently locked upon her smaller form. He'd be glad to get he stranger out of the lands, especially if it helped her at the same time. He didn't dislike her - he just felt uncomfortable with scruffy, odd rogues inside the barrier of the forest.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:10 pm
His offer to escort her out of the lands set off a red alert inside of her head. It was clear that he wanted her gone, out of the lands that were his own. Baala was clearly not that much of a threat, but still he wanted her gone. Something about her presence must've made him uneasy to want her away as quickly as possible. But so long as he wasn't going to attack her, she could play along with his want to have her away. It didn't necessarily mean she wouldn't come back, but it was sure way to keep Baala away for a week or more. These lands, despite how much she detested them, were fertile with prey and had water that tasted nice. It was better then the rougelands, and she could handle such a place in small doses.
"I wouldn't consider myself badly lost. Just a little bit, but I would greatly appreciate your assistance." Act sweet and kind, Baala told herself. It would help her avoid any possible dangerous situation. She didn't know this lion, didn't know what he could be thinking in the depths of his mind. He could just be acting as friendly as she so he could get close enough to attack and kill her. No, Baala would not let her guard down around this brute, no matter if he was kind or not. She was just too cautious of a lioness, having been born and raised as a rouge.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:38 pm
Having not been born in the rogue lands where one was required to spend every moment looking over one's shoulder, Njozi didn't have the suspiciousness instilled into his bones that Baala now fed her paranoia with. He did have the sense to know when not to trust someone, such as the scruffy little female before his towering, bulky form. Thus, he wasn't going to let his guard down for even a small moment. However, his form did seem to relax considerably - a mechanism meant to make her feel more comfortable and less likely to attack him at the spur of a moment.
"Well, I'll certainly show you the way out, then, miss..?" he quirked a brow in question of her name - he felt that that would perhaps also calm the awkwardness between them, and give him a name to the lioness he would eventually have to report to his father. It was, however, said more or less as a matter-of-fact so that she wouldn't suspect the motive behind the entire meeting. He wanted her out, he wanted to know her name so he could put it to the description he would later give his father, and he wanted her to take it all kindly enough that it wouldn't spark some sort of spite or hate in the depths of her rogue-heart.
He nodded his head slowly and began to turn in the direction of the forest, glancing back over his shoulder in order to make sure she got up to follow.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:57 pm
"Nuksani. It means bad luck. I can say that my mother wasn't please to have me." Baala was not so trusting as to give Njozi her real name, and so she easily used the name of her mother instead. It would at least keep her memory burned into her mind, to use and hear such a name constantly. The next time she came around, she may use her real name, or a fake name, or perhaps not even give one. There was no reason for Njozi to believe that she was lying about her name. She said it with the same fluidity as she had said her greeting, not too fast, and not too slow. It wasn't wrong, in her opinion, to use her mother's name. Her mother certainly wouldn't have minded, couldn't mind now that she was dead. Oh, how she missed her mother some times, on a lonely day.
"May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?" She got up, striding almost lazily to his side. Her movements were easily disguised as almost care-free, but her eyes never left him, and even her claws were slightly unsheathed in preparation for a battle. If she showed him that she trusted him, even when she didn't, in turn he should begin to trust her a little more. It would make the whole trip easier, and conversation less strained. She'd of course have to be more careful when she returned. Perhaps she would hide her monster marking, pull her bangs into her ice blue eyes, lighten her fur with dust. There were so many things she could do to assure that her first visit would not be connected with her next.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 4:45 pm
Having no reason to really distrust the name she gave to him, he simply nodded and locked it away for future reference. Nuksani. The fact that she said it meant trouble did, however, cause him to quirk an eyebrow. It was already adding to the suspicion that he had of her. "Trouble, eh? I'm sure she couldn't have been too distraught over having you. Mothers usually love their children, no matter the case," he said, idly making talk - filling in the wholes that presented themselves. As long as he kept her talking, she had less time to think about being violent.
"My name?" he said, slowly beginning to stalk along towards the the woods, the tall grasses of the plain parting easily beneath his large paws, crushed into the earth beneath them. "Njozi," he said calmly, seeing no reason to lie about it. After all, she knew he was a part of this pride and that he would be here. It mattered little whether she knew his name or not. "It means ghost, or spirit," he said with a little shrug, "on account of my pale fur, I suppose." He ducked down to go beneath a branch that would easily clear her head, stepping through the smaller, thinner trees of the edge of the forest.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:32 pm
"She must've named me before I was born. She stuck by my side until the day she died. It was that my father didn't stick around, and I think she may have given her heart away to him, had become distraught when he had left her with me being the only thing to remind her of him. She must have hated him for a while, but in the end I bet she still loved him." Of course, it was even more lies that was being thrown at him. Some of them were actually based on some theories of who Baala's father was. But essentially it was all a lie, made for Njozi to somehow relate or even pity her. She didn't want to seem dangerous, she wanted to seem like a lost little rogue who had wandered in unknowing to this area. This was all a mistake, a big misunderstanding... That was the message she was trying to pass on to him.
"It is a kinder name then my own, and fitting. You do appear to be a ghost." She turned her head slightly, giving him a smile that was completely false but did not appear that way. Baala was a master at hiding her true self, and what she lacked in size she did not lack in brains. Mentally she frowned, though, when she saw him duck underneath a branch that she had no trouble passing underneath otherwise. It went clear over her head... and only proved to emphasize the size difference between him.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:42 pm
Njozi wasn't particularly stupid, but one could honestly say that he was at times a little too gullible. He was noticeably distrusting of those who invaded the lands - but he they began to talk about their past, he simply took it for fact. Perhaps it was because he had never encountered someone who lied about such matter, or perhaps he just didn't think anyone would have a reason to lie about such matters. He probably would continue to believe others like this until he realized his mistake. Regardless, he listened rather intently as he made his way through a path worn out slightly in the woods. To a human eye, it would appear as overgrown as the rest of the forest, but to a lion's more careful eye, it had been worn down slightly by the trek of a handful of lions back and forth between the Kusini lands and the South lands.
"That sounds like quite a little drama you had going on there," he said from ahead of her, a smirk lingering on his maw at the thought. "It sounds like the problems my grandparents had. Babu came from the pridelands, a big red prince, and Bibi was a princess from these lands - and they butted heads horribly," he said idly, eyes examining and constantly making sure he was sustaining the proper path, "and then they had my father. Babu ended up coming here with his twin sister, Ki.. something, and decided to stay for Dad." He shook his head lightly, sending his black mane flopping around a bit, "I think his sister got really mad and ended up leaving in a fit, but at least my grandparents ended up getting together."
It was idle talk, just him blabbing and trying to relate to her story somehow. He stopped to push aside a rather large branch that would probably obstruct even her little path. He stood there, holding it for her to get by, considering that it had a good amount of bulk to it.
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Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:01 am
"It is a little bit dramatic, I must admit." She laughed, it light and melodic and even carefree. It was still all an act, but the sudden silence that followed after it was not faked. She didn't understand Bibi or Babu, but she understood the other words. They all seemed to fit in some strange way, connect like dots in a puzzle. The Pridelands were Kiuma's home, and if she remembered Kiuma in passing had mentioned a sibling. Sure Njozi couldn't remember Kiuma's full name, but he had the beginning, even the color of her coat. It was clear that he was talking to her, that he was in fact related to Kiuma. It wasn't a close enough relation that Kiuma would really care, she believed, and it wasn't likely she'd bring this up with the red lioness. Baala would not resurface old memories in her friend's mind. It was a cruelty she would not subject Kiuma to. What had happened was part of the past, a past she believed Kiuma would rather forget then be forced to remember one more time.
She realized belatedly how long she had permitted the silence to continue, and with a frown she mentally berated herself for slipping up. "Ah, that is it's own little tragedy, but it is fortunate that your grandparents are staying together. I could only wish back then that my father had stayed with my mother. But clearly it was not meant to be." She sighed softly, as if the lost of her mother's love truly effected her deeply. It didn't. Baala loved her mother, but she didn't think her mother had been the kind of lioness to fall in love. She wanted a child, and so she did what she had to do to get one. Baala didn't agree, but she could not be exactly like her mother.
It surprised her, though, when Njozi held the branch back so she could pass through. For some reason she did not expect this little bit of kindness. She was an intruder, and he was a protector of this pride... it just didn't seem right for him to be so generous. "Thank you," she murmured, the hints of a true smile on her face. But never did that smile fully bloom. She did not trust or like him that much.
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Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:42 pm
He nodded at her words and simply gave a little shrug. Most of his family's lives had been dramatic at one point or another, and he didn't think nearly any of their relationships had just occurred normally. In fact, most of them had been very drawn out and very unlikely to even happen to begin with. Even his owns parents, who were so much in love these days, had started out quite rocky. He, himself, was looking forward to a nice, loving start to a relationship - none of this ring-around-the-rosy back and forth nonsense.
"Yes, very dramatic, but everything worked out in the end alright, so I suppose that's all that really counts," he said as he let the branch swing back across the path (making a mental note to get his father to help him clear it away alter) and walked back up to take the lead. "You're welcome - and it's too bad that things didn't work out with your own parents," he added as he was once again back in place and leading the way.
After a few drawn out moments, the trees around them began to slowly disperse, becoming thinner and less dense the farther they walked. Finally, they broke completely and showed the plains that melted from Kusini to the rogue lands. He turned to her, giving her a small nod and using a paw t point out straight ahead of them, "if you head out that way, it'll take you back to the rogue lands."
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