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 Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:25 am
His father had seemed...sad. And his mother? Where was his mother? Somehow, without him noticing, his life was changing before his eyes. It scared him sometimes, to realise how uncontrollable one's life was. How no matter how much power one tried to gain, they could never change their fate.
Chunuka was a great believer in fate, though it seemed to be dealing him a rough hand lately. He had elapsed into a loner without even meaning to. Sadly, 'Nuka didn't get on very well by himself. He was a social lion and needed companionship. He had clung to his sister during their brief conversation and now...he was alone again.
He had thought about asking his father more about what had happened but it hurt him to think of Amari's happy face so sad.
No, it was probably better that he steered clear from his birth den for now, atleast until his parents had solved their issues.
So, trying to keep out of the way he was lounging at the bank of the waterhole, tapping it's murky surface with the tip of his tufted tail. His reflection blurred and he snorted. "Oh wonderful." He replied slowly. "Alone...all alone." He tired to put on a smile but the corners of his mouth felt too heavy.
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Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:42 pm
Approaching the watering hole to get a drink, Shiri bent down and lapped up the water softly. She didn't notice Chunuka nearby. His yellow colored pelt blended into the dry grass of the savanaah and the fact that he remained still hid him further.
Lifting her head once again, Shiri released a sigh. Perhaps one of those days, she would find Meme again and ask her just why she looked so upset? She shook her head at the thought and laughed lightly. Had the roles been reversed, Shiri would be frustrated that someone she didn't know went so out of their way to bother her. Shiri had changed since she was a cub, but she still kept herself distant. Few friendships had been formed, but it seemed the close she got herself, the harder it hurt when they left.
It didn't occur to Shiri that perhaps instead of running, she might follow them.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 12:05 am
Chunuka heard the sigh and thought it a breath of wind, it was only when he looked up that he saw her. A lioness of golden grass, a little like mother but perhaps with a more gentle hue. He smiled. Was this one a pridelander? Her colouring sure did suggest that it was.
It looked like she was thinking about something, and he hesitated when he opened his mouth. What if she didn't want to be bothered? What if she wasn't in the mood to talk? Well, there was only one way to find out and Chunuka's experience had taught him that females had no trouble expressing their irritation towards males.
"Hey there, princess!" He called, he remained lying down for now, just in case she decided to head off. "Everything okay?" He certainly thought that she could look happier. Maybe she had something on her mind too. Either way, Chunuka would be prepared to listen.
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Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 12:59 pm
Although the others of the pridelands may have seen Shiri as one of them, the lioness still felt as though her past life in the roguelands stamped something onto her. She felt as though it was clear that she was brought up roughly and that the others would judge her because of it. Shiri was completely new to the gentleness, and kindness that the pridelanders had shown her.
When she heard a voice call out to her, Shiri lifted her head quickly from the water. Had she been called a princess? Surely the male did not mistake her as one of the royal line and had just been teasing? With bright red cheeks, Shiri tried to spot out the voice that had called out to her. He was difficult to pick out amongst the yellow grasses, but when Shiri caught site of him, she couldn't help but blush further. He was a rather dashing young pridelander male.
Taking a few steps back, the lioness tried to gather herself. She felt silly for always being so caught off guard. Perhaps that was why she often had such a difficult time hunting. "I-I'm alright.." She stuttered, a faint smile appearing on her face in embarassment.
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Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 11:51 pm
He would have laughed but decided against it. She looked as if she had delicate feelings and he didn't want to hurt them, even if it wasn't a luagh directed at her. He stood, stretched and looked to her, annoyed that the water was in his way.
Like his father, Chunuka wasn't keen on water.
"That's good!" He called, smiling. "Though...you look a little lost." She looked oddly out of place for a Pridelander. Maybe she was thinking of leaving, or maybe she was just shy. Well he'd never really met anyone who was shy before, but it was awfully cute.
"Can I help?" He looked at her bright golden fur and smiled. It comforted him to see one so traditionally pelted. He had no idea that she was a rogue. Or had been a rogue. "I'm Chunuka by the way, pleased to meet you!"
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 7:42 pm
Shiri smiled brighter when the male continued to speak. Unlike her, he was certainly not shy and definitely willing to make friends. Having felt out of place only moments before, the young lioness was already feeling a bit more at home, "I-i'm not lost.. I'm just not used to the area.." Just a few hours earlier, Shiri had been accepted into the pridelands and though it filled her with an overwhelming happiness, she wasn't sure where to go with it now. She didn't know anyone and although she now shared their home, she still felt like an outsider.
Looking up to Chunuka, however, helped her push this feeling to the far part of her mind. "You know.." The lioness took a breath and prepared to act quite not like herself. It wouldn't hurt to accept help from a stranger and though it made her nervous to trust someone to foreign, she found it only proved beneficial in her friendship with Kei. "I'd love it if you showed me around..." Her voice trailed off as she listened to the male introduce himself. Chunuka was a handsome name.
Taking a short bow and slowly loosening up, Shiri continued to beam, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Chunuka. I am Shiri, new pridelander." With a blush to her cheeks, she added, "I was accepted this morning.."
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Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 12:09 am
"Oh! A rogue!" He exclaimed, turning slightly. "Or...an ex-rogue. Well, let me be the first to welcome you to the Pridelands." He began to pad slowly around the edge of the waterhole to get to her. This was it, his big chance to make a friend. He had better not screw this up.
"I think you were born to be a pridelander Shiri." He continued merrily. "You have golden fur and..." He paused as he drew closer and stopped. "Kindly eyes." And she did. The sun was glittering down on them and she seemed to glow. His own pelt did that too and he loved it. He loved having his mother's true golden fur, it made him so proud to bear the colour of a Pridelander.
"Well...where's best to show you first." He clicked his tongue in thought and swung his head to look around. "I suppose the hunting grounds would be a good place to start, that way you'll know where you're headed if you follow the lionesses out to hunt." He smiled. "I love watching them work. They're so amazing!" In fact, he had been trying to learn how to do it by watching the experts, but they had only disheartened him. How could he ever be that good?
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Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 11:41 am
((Shiri was abandoned as a cub by her mother Memetuka and Abedari. Memetuka is the sister of Sarabi. Few know of Memetuka as she left the pride, but Chunuka might notice that there is a lioness that looks remarkably similar to Shiri. Shiri met her, but didn't connect it. They have the same exact colors, different eyes and markings.))
When Chunuka exclaimed that Shiri was a rogue, or had been, she noticed that he seemed surprised. This caused the young lioness to blush further. Perhaps she was not so much of an outcast as she had felt during her stay there. Watching as he inched forward, she too, began to approach him so that the two could get to know one another a bit better.
Chunuka did not stop at just the exclamation, however. He continued to compliment her golden fur and remark that she had kind eyes. Unable to hold back a smile, Shiri looked away for a moment in embarassment, "How could I look like a pridelander?" Shiri's gaze returned to Chunuka. She had lived her life as a rogue near the borders of the pridelands her entire life. As far as she knew, she was a rogue, but that did not mean her parents, or perhaps one of them was a pridelander. How could she have never pieced the parts together? Suddenly filled with an idea, Shiri's eyes lit up, "Chunuka, you don't think that perhaps my parents could be here, do you?"
Listening as Chunuka continued, Shiri nodded, "I hope to be a great huntress one day. I admit that I am currently not the best, but I can certainly dedicate myself to practicing." Following Chunuka wherever he decided to lead, Shiri continued. It was strange how much she was talking as the lioness usually took quite some time to get used to someone. And even then, she was usually hesitant. "Is it true that only the lionesses hunt?"
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Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:09 am
"You have the aura of a pridelander." He nodded. "I can't explain it. I think it's something that every true pridelander has. You glow here." He nodded as if that explained everything. "But Pridelander, rogue or not, I think you've found your home here."
He startled at her next words. Her parents? He pondered on this a moment. His mother had told him a lot about the original pridelanders and from Shiri's colours she looked as if atleast one of her parents could have been one.
"That might be possible." He nodded. "Do you know the names of your parents, or anything about them at all? I expect they had similar fur colour to you." He tipped his head very slightly.
And as they walked he threw himself into conversation. "I'm sure you will be. You should have seen my mother when she was younger. She threw herself into hunting. She was so kind and sweet but when she hunted it was as if she were a different being altogether. It was like dancing. My father could never manage it and I can't really get to grips with it either." He laughed, flicking an ear with slight embarassment. "Though I am trying to learn. Practising can be so frustrating but the rewards of mastering such a skill can only be good. I think if you give it time you'll soon be a natural huntress."
He paused for breath. "Mainly females yes. When females hunt they hunt in groups...though uh, you probably know this. But it's weird. They hunt as if they have one mind, they move into the correct positions as if they speak a silent language only a female can understand. They are so graveful!" He sighed. "Yes, the younger ones often mistake signals and make mistakes but if you watch them you can see them improve and suddenly they click." He nodded and turned to his golden companion. "Then you watch a male hunt and the sight is almost laughable, great, ungraceful beasts they are." He laughed.
"I try but I fail. My father says that a male's job is to protect the one he loves. But I don't have any friends let alone a mate. So...I'm in limbo really."
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Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:21 am
When Chunuka mentioned that Shiri seemed to glow like a true pridelander, her cheeks flushed a very bright pink. She had been called pretty before by strangers, but this was the more rewarding compliment. Though Shiri, by nature, was shy and to-herself, she was learning to open up and find her place in the world. To be a part of the pridelands now was a great honor and she was happy that already she was making friends.
Shiri, nearly lost in her own current happiness, almost missed what Chunuka was saying. A name! She didn't even have their names! The sudden idea left her and she was alone once again with not a clue as to where she might find them. "No.. I don't have anything about them.. I suppose all we have to go off of is color.. and many of the pridelanders share my color.."
Chunuka continued to talk and while a younger Shiri would have been greatly put off, in this foreign territory, it was a great pleasure to have company, and such handsome, friendly company at that! "Your mother sounds incredible! Has she never offered to teach you to hunt? I am sure by learning from such a natural, you would surely gain some new skills! Or perhaps the two of us can take up hunting some time? I would love to learn.." and as she spoke, her stomach grumbled lightly, "And I haven't eaten for a day or two.." She blushed more.
Shiri laughed when Chunuka spoke of males hunting. She could understand that they would be less graceful, as in the pridelands there was plenty to eat and the males seemed larger than other males she had met. Though Kei was a rogue, he was roughly the size of many of the pridelanders. Perhaps he was a much more skilled hunter than the typical pridelander. "I am sure the males can't be all that awful.." She giggled as she spoke.
And then Chunuka surprised her. "Don't have any friends?" Shiri questioned, confused, "Certainly.." And making her way closer towards him, Shiri offered a friendly nuzzle and grinned, "I would be glad to call you my friend, Chunuka!"
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Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 12:28 am
Chunuka, who had grown up with his flirt of a father had learnt the charm tongue well, though in all honesty he was naive to it's use. However, slowly but surely his father Amari had moulded his son. If he hadn't who knows what Chunuka would have been like, though maybe his persona wasn't to do with his father at all. Chunuka had never thought about it, but he took after his mother too. He had her gentle nature, her pacifistic ways. He had the best qualities of both of them.
"Don't worry Shiri, if we keep looking we'll find them. Plus they'll definately have a scent familiar to yours, we can just use our noses." He laughed as he imagined the picture. "There are a lot of gold pridelanders, but you'll probably find that most of them are not. A lot of the pridelands are made up of rogues now, not that I mind." He added quickly. "I love seeing all the brilliant colours that are out there. Rogues have beautiful pelts, I just suppose I find gold more comforting." He nodded. "Though my father isn't gold. My father is a rogue, he's more rusty." He laughed. Then, realising he was babbling he clamped his jaws and flattened his ears apologetically. "Sorry, I'm rambling now."
At her suggestion of a hunt, Chunuka reluctantly agreed. "Okay." But he was nervous now, what if he let her down? He swallowed back the fear and gave her a confident smile. "I'll try my best."
And then her last words and Chunuka shook his head sadly. "Not really, not unless you count my sis." He thought of Kiasi and smiled. What was his sister up to now? He'd have to tell her the good news later. He'd found a friend!
As he was pondering this the hunting grounds came into view and he slowed to a halt. At the moment it seemed no other female was here, perhaps they were a little too early. A small herd of antelope grazed beneath the sun, their heads down but ears alert.
"Right, are you ready?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:38 am
When Chunuka lowered his ears, Shiri swatted him playfully, "No need to worry about rambling. I am absolutely fascinated about everything you say. I've always watched the pridelands from a distance in the roguelands, but have never really known much about them. I love to learn and hear you speak of them and now that I can call this my home.." Shiri trailed off and grinned. Chunuka's happiness and pleasant personality was rubbing off greatly onto the new pridelander. Simply calling herself a pridelander, even in her own thoughts, made the lioness beam with pride.
"Their scent?" She was curious now. "Even after all of these years apart, you think my parents will still smell like me?" She wiggled her nose adorably as she tried to put together just how the smell of someone could remain the same after such a long period of time. "Soo..." And then Shiri became embarassed, "How do I go about smelling all of the pridelanders? Won't they think that's strange?" Her cheeks were pink at the thought, especially of smelling the older, crankier looking pridelanders.
Shiri noticed that Chunuka seemed to hesitate when she brought up the idea of hunting. She remembered her first hunt with Kei and offered a very strange expression. That had went awfully. If Chunuka was worried about looking silly, he was with the perfect lioness, "Honestly.. I'm a horrible huntress. Don't expect much.." She wondered just what it was about Chunuka that allowed her to be so open and honest with her feelings. Was it their close bond now of the pridelands?
Shiri followed after Chunuka with alert ears and eyes. She listened to the passing lions and small creatures hidden beneath the tall grass. As they approached the hunting grounds, Shiri was relieved that they were relatively clear. If Chunuka and Shiri both did awfully, there was no one to laugh at them. "I hope to become a huntress, but cannot be one without successfully learning to hunt.." She blushed.
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Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:07 am
"I don't think the scent ever truly leaves them. A few of my siblings have gone but I still smell them on mother and father. Sometimes it's almost like when we were born we rubbed off some of their scent on us." He shrugged. "Either way, I think if you come across any of your family you'll just know." He smiled and laughed as he imagined the poor cranky lions being sniffed by them young'ins. "Don't worry about sniffing, it can be done discreetly."
"And don't put yourself down. I know you can do it!" He lowered his head and peered out at the antelope. "Okay, which one do you want?" His eyes scanned the herd. A few of the beasts hada looked up and were looking around, a general check or had they heard them? Chunuka instinctly looked down to check his path. Usually sticks and over noisy objects got in his way on a hunt. The path was clear.
"Something small...doesn't look like there's an injured one in any case." There hardly ever was in truth. A lion had to be very lucky to find a lame antelope, or a lame anything. It was usually picked off pretty sharpish.
"We'll learn to hunt together." Chunuka whispered, casting a glance at her from the corner of his eyes. "Chosen the one you want yet?" He beamed.
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Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 10:13 am
Shiri blushed a bit more at the thought, but listened carefully to what Chunuka said. What if she hadn't been paying attention? Would the scnt simply come to he if she didn't even know to look for it? The lioness' ears flattened as she walked beside her new friends. Surely it wouldn't be as easy as her friend was saying, or else she might have found them already.
When Chunuka warned Shiri not to put herself down, she smiled. It was pleasant to have someone so reassuring. Shifting her gaze to look towards the herd, the lioness could feel her stomach grumble quietly from hunger. She licked her muzzle and instantly lowered her body to the ground to remain hidden. Both Chunuka, herself and many pridelanders had an instant benefit to hunting. Their golden coat allowed them to blend almost perfectly in the yellowed grass of the savanna. Digging her claws into the soil beneath her, Shiri tried to feel the vibrations from the gazelle. If she was able to feel their movements, she'd have a better chance at following them during a chase. "That one.." Shiri whispered after a long debate. It was one of the smaller ones, but was a bit thicker.
Caught up in her sudden desire to hunt, Shiri almost remained where she was, waiting for her opportunity to attack. Chunuka then reminded her that they would learn to hunt together and Shiri couldn't hold back yet another smile. "You're completely right.. I am glad to be in your company, Chunuka. Who goes first?"
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Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 12:21 am
"If you like, I'll move round and drive them towards you." He'd focus all his attention on the one she mentioned, small and stocky in the legs. It was fattened from eating so much grass. It could be a good choice, too bloated to run fast. A couple of the antelope shifted and Chunuka waited until they settled before moving away from her, creeping to the opposite side.
He put all his effort into the stalking, watching his path for sticks and other such things that might make a sound. Twice the grass rustled against him but b oth times the antelope barely flicked an ear.
The wind.
Chunuka, glad again for his golden coat, slipped in behind them, only to realise at the last minute he had forgotten one thing. The wind. It carried his scent straight to the delicate nostrils of the antelope and in seconds they were bleating, throwing up their heads and bounding away. They scattered and Chunuka darted after them, pausing to try and locate their antelope in the panic. Dust clouded the air, choking him, but through the clouds he spotted the one and with all his stamina he charged towards it. A few of the antelope, seeing his path, began a mad dash towards the spot where Shiri lay.
Chunuka roared.
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