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 Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:10 am
Soft pads the color of sienna brown lifted off of the Savannah ground, reaching forward leaving each previous step in the past. The lioness whose paws did walk this earth compared it to her life, the way it passed her by, the way her personal history was in the past. She could not change it no matter how hard she try or if she wished. There had been war and death and their precious herb dying too. So her new home was yet to be found.
As the lioness known as Aureole looked about her surroundings, each area was carefully watched and observed. Would it be her new home? Would if provide the life that their pride needed? It was careful contemplation that consumed her when boredom threatened. But as any logician knew, it was also dangerous to her state of mind. Wishing to be calm and clear her thoughts, she wandered over to a nearby waterhole with the cool water to cleanse her thoughts. There were other things - rumors - that existed. Rumors that she did not wish to believe to be true.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:34 am
Unyezi was not having much luck searching through their designated area for the day. As far as he knew, no one was able to locate even the slightest indication of their precious plant. He was getting used to the disappointment, but refused to give up hope on it- they would find their place eventually, the idea of everyone dispersing because of this was ridiculous.
He was starting to feel like he was going in circles in his own little search, though, when he suddenly saw a waterhole come into view for maybe the third time that day. There was one difference that caught his attention though, a very familiar lioness.
"Aureole," he called, jogging over to talk to her.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:12 pm
((I couldn't remember if we said if they had OOCly (or previously) decided to be mates so I just went with that that already happened, unless you'd rather I change that))
Aureole looked up and tried a warm smile. She wasn't very good at emotions but of course he knew that. Unyezi, his sister, and Aureole had been good friends since they were little. Of course, now, they were more than just friends in title. The arrangement between them that had led to them being King and Queen was more about making sure he had someone to help oversee the life of pride. And of course, it had been she who suggested it but it was clear his heart had found a home elsewhere to those who bothered to look hard enough.
"Hey. Found anything?" she asked casually.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:27 pm
(( IIRC, they'd decided already :3
And just a reminder: Unyezi no longer acknowledges his previous infatuation with Nerit, he's ignoring it all for now~))
Despite the attempted and strained smile, Unyezi smiled back. His assumption was that any falter in a smile was, of course, that it was due to their travels and how long it was taking. He certainly wasn't feeling to happy about it all, a lot had been put on him all at once and he was doing his best to deal with everything.
"Not today," he said, trying to sound optimistic, "Have you?"
The king wandered to the edge of the water, dipping a paw in it carefully. Water was something else to worry about, they could find the herb but they'd still need water, they'd need food, everything..
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 6:04 am
She shook her head. "Not I either." She had doubts and worries like everyone else and sometimes she worried if they could ever find the perfect location. But she had learned from her family not to worry ...or if she should worry, only to act on that worry, to perform an act that would but that worry at bay - or vanquish it. Sadly, she had not yet found a way to vanquish it. But she did her best to hide that it existed.
She looked up at him, watching him interact with the water and then looked down at her own paws. Drawing a breath, she looked back up. "I'm sure we won't have to search much longer," she said as if confident. "I wouldn't be surprised if Njiru and his group already found the perfect location and the messenger to come find us is simply lost." The story was more for her, to allege her fears. But if it could help reassure others if they felt as insecure about it as she did, then it was for all the better.
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 6:40 am
Unyezi looked neither surprised nor terribly disappointed at Aureole admitting she'd not found anything. It was almost becoming a routine, and it wasn't a very cheerful one for this lion. But he had to remain confident, had to be absolutely certain they would find a place.. so that even if his subjects wavered in belief, they would know he had not given up. But Aureole.. surely she felt the same strain, the same worries and the same need to suppress them. The idea that he could be less-than-sure with her was supported when she suddenly said Njiru had certainly found somewhere and was just trying to find them again.
He shuddered.
"Yeah," he muttered, not sounding at all like he agreed and added in a mumbly, inaudible voice, "Stupid Njiru."
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 7:06 am
Like most people, Aureole had people she gave credit to and those she mistrusted and was prone to disbelieve. But her opinion on Njiru was rather lacking. She didn't see or interact with him enough to form her own opinion although many around her were quick to offer her one than didn't shed him in an all-too-favorable light. Not that he was a bad person. But just some of his ambitions seemed to set people off ...among other things.
She shook her head with a small smile played on her lips. "Come," she said. "Let's take a walk and just stop thinking about what we need to be doing for a moment." She was beginning to feel that perhaps he needed it as much as she did. Of course, they knew plenty about each other so she had no clue what they'd talk about. But hopefully the action of walking would conjure up something.
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 9:18 am
Unyezi had every reason in the world (or so he thought) to dislike his brother. He'd never been able to please or befriend Njiru when he was young, no matter how hard he'd tried, Njiru always resented the fact that Unyezi was heir and now king.. and, of course, Njiru had been the one who discovered Unyezi with Nerit and ratted him out. Not that Unyezi liked to think about that. These were all good reasons not to want Njiru to find their new home before they did.. it would just be one more thing for Njiru to throw in his face.
When Aure smiled and invited him for a walk, Unyezi managed to smile again and nodded.
"Alright, a walk sounds nice," he agreed.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:46 am
Aureole's only problem is she didn't know what subject to turn to that wouldn't involve what they had set out to do. They walked for a bit without her thinking of words to say. She tried to think about a memory to share. That could do some good, maybe. But every time she thought of one, her thoughts rambled on her and led her trail of thoughts straight to her older brothers. Her family had always been rather fond of their position as guards. If a son or brother or other male relative was born too low a rank or chose another occupation, the family would shake their heads. All their pride was rooted in it which perhaps made them a little ridiculous. But it made Aureole rather proud of her brothers all throughout her youth. To think that all her family was gone except maybe a younger brother out there somewhere, panged her just a bit.
Suddenly she realized the huge, large rant her mind had gone over, turning over her memories of family and family tradition. She looked up at Unyezi apologetically for causing the silence.
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Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:43 pm
The pair of them shared a great deal, they'd always been friends, grown up together.. they were a part of the same class in a very class-oriented pride. It wouldn't have surprised Unyezi, now that it came to be, if he found out his parents had hoped they would eventually get together. But they'd never know that, now. It made for poor conversation when one was so focussed on the fact they were homeless and dwelled upon how it had come to be and the other losses that came with it. Unyezi was starting to wonder how he'd ever had casual conversation before all of this responsibility and worry, and the desire to return to that made him that much more determined.
He glanced over when he saw Aure look at him in her peripheral vision, taking her apologetic look as a sign of how awkward it was between them right now.
"The weather is nice, at least," he commented blandly, "And it's interesting, seeing all these different places.." He was trying small talk, but it still somehow centered around their hunt.. however, he hoped it was with enough of an optimistic tone that it would be OK.
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Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 10:13 am
"Yes," she said with a nod. But they both knew the end to that statement: but it's not home. She looked up and saw mountains in the distance ever so faint. "You think they could be our home? A valley between them? Get water from run-offs when the snow on their tops melt. Maybe it's plentiful and the herb is over-run." It was always a fantasy that it would be just a step further. So much so that they were almost forced to cling to hope that it would be true even as time and time again it was proven false.
They had been friends growing up, his sister included. Aureole had been fun as a child, hadn't she? Why did she feel so dull and boring now, fishing around for anything to say to keep the silence from overtaking them? She liked to think and to solve puzzles. It was fun to her. But now, trying to solve their problems was such a strain, knowing that she yet to find the correct answer.
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Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 10:40 am
It was obvious neither of them were particularly enjoying these travels, they both felt the stress of what they had to do and were eager for it to be over. He sighed and looked out to the mountains, imagining it to be exactly as she described. It would certainly be nice to just stumble into a lovely little area that was overrun by the herb.
"With a lovely, clear view of the moon at night," he added to their little fantasy, looking up at the sky. As awkward as things might have seemed, it was nice to just walk with Aureole, to think about how perfect things could be if maybe they just looked a little farther..
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Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:21 am
"Oh yes, indeed," she replied almost dreamily, also instinctively looking up to the sky at his addition. Of course, they felt it perhaps harder than most. There was a heavier responsibility laid on their shoulders. They were given the responsibility to look out for everyone which made it all the more important for them to find a safe place for their people, a place where they could live in peace and respect their traditions. "Maybe we should go see if Lela's found a hint of anything. You think?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:53 am
"And when we find this place," he continued, his voice becoming a bit more cheerful than it had been when discussing how they'd thus far been unable to find what they were looking for, "We'll be able to settle in to how things were before, only much better. A fresh start, no worries about anyone else trying to steal our land away and we can all just be happy. And you and I can stop worrying so much." Unyezi smiled and nudged her affectionately, still getting used to the rather new direction their long-time relationship had gone in.
"It couldn't hurt to check in with Lela," he agreed.
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:12 pm
"Yes, being happy and safe is something we could all appreciate. I can only sympathize with the rogues now, wandering without a home, shelter, or a guarantee of food." Aureole smiled back, a bit flustered by his show of affection. Yes, they were good friends and now joined but her practical mind forgot about romances of the world. She wasn't put off at all but surprised. All females enjoyed a show of affection, even if they were afraid to show it, much less admit it. She bobbed her head, shyly. "No, it couldn't," she echoed.
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