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 Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 4:07 am
The little lion padded along. He had been out for almost six suns now, seeking what the others called "his own unique song." What he did not understand was how he was supposed to find it. Was it simply supposed to come to him? Or was he supposed to actually... physically... find it? He had no idea how many forms music and rhythms could manifest themselves as, just as he had no idea how he was going to find whatever he was supposed to be looking for.
The fact that this was his very first time alone, without any of his family with him, made things even worse. He did not spook in the night - his eyes could see through darkness - and he did not ever let himself get lost in the day. But it was not the illusions of the night, or losing his way, that he disliked. He could deal with either, even though he knew he wouldn't have to.
It was just too lonely out there in the savannah he had once called home. Yes, it was familiar, and yes, it was good to be back to the land in which he had been born and had taken his first steps and sights, and frolicked with his brother and sisters. Where he had watched his parents stalk prey and chased after the fleetfooted hares.
He wished desperately that he woudl just find his stupid rhythm. He wanted to find his stupid song so he could go back. He always got the feeling that he didn't quite fit in, he didn't really belong there like the rest of his family. But they were his family, and it didn't matter that he was the black sheep of the lot, just being around them gave him comfort and joy.
So he padded along, tired and unhappy, until he reached the end of the path. Before him lay a small pool of water. Water so clear he could see down to its shallow bottom, and his face was reflected back at him so clear. He blinked, taking a lap from the water, and with a huff, he settled down where he was and dipped his paws into the water. Maybe now inspiration could come.
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Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 4:21 am
"Hey dad! Look at me!" A young voice called out as a white blur covered in his cub spots darted around the grass. Nedu blinked as he saw a pool of water and raced toward it, his brown tail acting like a flag. He stopped and tilted his head to the side as he saw a gray... lump, staring into the water. "Uh... are you a rock?" He asked unable to make it out in his youth that the whole thing was a young lion. It was all the same color but moving.
Nyack finally caught up with his son and rolled his violet eyes. "Let's TRY not to get lost?" He asked nosing his son so that the child's nose dipped into the water. He chuckled as the boy sneezed and glanced up. Recognizing the young lion faster then his son, he pulled Chinedu back under his body with a paw. "Hello, who are you?" He questioned making sure that he was using his size to his full advantage. His mane wasn't fully in so it was just a young lion but they sometimes got cocky and he wasn't going to risk his son who was still holding his spots and barely a hair on his tail.
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Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 4:27 am
Ronan blinked in surprise at the voice that appeared behind him. He turned his head slightly. "Uhm... no," He said with a small shake of his head. "I'm a lion. Like you. I think."
He pushed himself up into a sitting position as he caught sight of another approaching out of the corner of his eye. "Hi," He greeted the adult lion with a cheerful smile. His parents had warned him of the danger of meeting full grown large cats, but having never actually encountered an adult who had meant him harm, he couldn't help but wonder if his parents had just been over cautious. There was little fear in his young heart. And besides, this lion had a baby with him.
"My name's Ronan," He told the other lions. "I live in the Nchi'mahadhi pride. I'm supposed to be... finding music... but..." He shrugged and shook his head again. "I don't really know what it sounds like. Or where I'm supposed to find it, for that matter."
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Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 4:50 am
Nedu didn't seem to grasp what his father was trying to protect him for. If hyenas and wild dogs weren't scary then why would a lion be? He bounced out from under his father and smiled up at the golden eyed lion. "You can FIND music?" He asked splashing his two front feet into the water and craning his neck to see the other male easier. "Hey can I look for music too dad?" He looked back with a pleading grin.
Nyack chuckled, letting down his guard. He was on a quest then. No harm in that. "Ronan my name is Nyack and this is my son, Chinedu, Nedu for short." He padded over and sat down making sure his son didn't go into the shallows and smiled politely. "I think I can solve your problem..." He started to move his paw and down to create a beat. "You have to feel the music to get anywhere. To do that you have to start off timing yourself and the world around you. The sound of my paw hitting the dirt always makes the same sound at the same time. That's a beat and its very important, you can change your song by how fast or slow you go with the beat!" He kept it at a decent quick beat.
Nedu lifted up his ears and sat back, trying to match his father with a fumbling beat of his own.
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Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 5:49 pm
Ronan watched Nyack carefully, his head tilted slightly forward as it always did when he was taking something in. It wasn't too hard, it was something like walking, only the other three paws didn't move. But it was regularly spaced, and simple. His mind began to transfer what he saw down into his paws, and he began to tap out a beat like the older lion's.
Ronan had a way with sight. He always had. He had always found learning by sight far easier than learning by any other way. His eyes, they were something spectacular. They would notice every little thing along the way, no matter how brief a period of time they had to take in everything. They simply did, and his mind simply took it all in, so that with a single glance he could tell a lot about a lion. Or anything else for that matter.
Feel the music. That sounded much simpler than what his parents had told him before - hear the music. How, he had always wondered, was he supposed to hear the music if he couldn't?
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 7:59 am
(Don't forget Pepe's growings :3 *Luffs on Moon*)
"Good job..." He commented to both of the younger lions, "Now let's add a bit more into it." His tail landed in the water making a splash. He waited then did the exact same thing. "See how its adding to our beat? Now our beat has become a rhythm. Keep the beat up." He informed, standing and walked to a nearby tree. "Nedu! Come here!"
The boy did as he was told and looked up at his father. "What? Do I get to do something too?" He asked, bouncing up and down.
"Yup, see that tree? When I flick my tail, I want you to scratch it." Nyack winked then flicked his tail.
Nedu's ears went up and he put his tiny claws on the tree, making a scratching noise akin to two pieces of sandpaper being rubbed together for a short time. After a while Nedu created a rhythm and no longer needed to watch his father's tail.
"What else...ah!" He moved over to some tall grass and experimentally ruffled them together. He joined the other two, adding his own sound effect. Oddly enough they were all moving together nicely. "Perfect!" See Ronan? The sounds are melting together. That's all music is! Then you think of words to match!"
He made the grass rustle again and tapped a foot to enforce Ronan's beat. The kid needed encouragement. Ah, his Clubby 'story'. It wasn't a lie, exactly, it was a story.
"No matter what reason you feel you can't find music, never quit. I have a brother and his name's Clubby.The reason we call him that is because he's got one foot that's shorter then the all the rest and curled up. When he was younger he couldn't hardly walk! So one day, when we were adolescents like you Clubby was watching us hunt, something he wasn't allowed to do.
So after a bit of talking we all went up to Clubby and asked him if he wanted to hunt. When he said he did we told him to get off his butt and learn to hunt! Now at first he was scared since he'd just mastered walking but with a lot of work, Clubby became a hunter. His gait is a bit odd but he's learned to master running and pouncing just fine.
So you see, no matter how tough you think it is, it can be overcome!"
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Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 2:45 am
Ronan nodded, taking everything in with his eyes as he went. They flickered from the tapping paws to the flipping tail, then to the scratching claws, and it began to fall into place. Only, it fell into place in his mind and not in his ears. But that was good enough for him. It was the first time anyone had explained music to him in a way he could understand.
He didn't really understand the concept of music still. He heard the sounds falling together, and melding into each other, but... it was all just still noise. Just because they sounded in tandem didn't make them any more special... did it?
In any case, he was finally starting to understand it.
He glanced up as Nyack told his story and his smiled. Clubby's foot was like his ear for music, he mused. He couldn't really hear what it was like, but he could envision it all. That was all he needed, to see it, to plan it, and then it would all fall into place. Even if he didn't know exactly what it would sound like to more experienced ears.
"You're probably right," He said with a nod. There was no reason now for music to be completely impossible for him.
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:15 am
"Now music can be made without words. Words are just another way of going about it. You need to able to feel each sound. For example, feel your paw hitting the ground, feel the russle of the grass, and the scratching on the tree. It will come to you as one sound. that's the sound you want." He keeps up all the noises and grins at the sound they're making. "The voice is just something you can add to enforce it. Now let's movie it up a notch." He lets his paw land against the ground faster and flicks his tail a faster.
Nedu giggles and starts to scratch a bit quicker. "Hehe, this is fun!"
Nyack stands and starts to circle, Ronan. "Now Listen up you've got alot to learn,
and if you dont learn, you dont eat.
But if your tough and always use your head,
you'll be right at home on the street.
When you've got talent everything is free,
Watch how we do things,
Ohhh, I guarantee.
Your gonna see how the best survive,
We make an art out of staying alive.
If you do just as your told,
These are Streets of Gold."
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