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 Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 3:38 pm
Usha oftentimes found it exhausting to just sit around and do nothing although other times she liked to hide from social interactions. While she liked to think herself warm and friendly, even flirty when the mood struck her, sometimes she was a bit shy and reserved. However, today was one of those days where she was restless. She wanted to get up and move. Sitting around did her no favors.
Taking to the pride lands, she watched others move and interact around her, nodding at those who showed her recognition or looked her way. Being a queen was a great responsibility but she would not lay it down on another;'s shoulders even though it would soon be her responsibility to have children so that someone may carry on in her footsteps. She wouldn't want to let Tessy or the pride down in that respect.
Oreo was so used to being in thought that it was nice to not think. She liked to think herself at peace here where it was quieter, calmer, and no one was trying to dominate someone else. While rankings did give some superiority over others, no one really bothered to exercise it ...over other females anyway. For the most part, the males were even just left alone in their own little world.
She soon came across the Queen who was wandering as well and just as Oreo, seemed not to have too much on her mind. Maybe she'd be alright if Oreo asked her to think a little. Oreo called over to her to get her attention. "Excuse me, Usha?" There wasn't any title she really knew to call her.
Usha stopped to look at who called her. It was the new girl with a shaky start. She had overheard the conversation between her and Maggy as well as heard the accounting of what happened with Nuksani. But the shaky start seemed to be finding solid ground for the other to walk on and that was good news indeed.
"Hello, Oiorpata. How do you fair?" Yes, that was her name, right? The red lioness didn't seem to give out her name often which made it more difficult for Usha to remember. It was luck that made it pop into her head.
Oreo smiled that the other had remembered her name even though she had not been there long. Hopefully it was not due to a bad impression she could have made. For however long she stayed, she did not want to be unwelcome. "I just wanted to know what it's like to have a sister." Not that Oreo didn't have a sister. But she didn't have any here. And she hoped that in some sense, she could gain insight from what Usha had to say.
Usha smiled softly but not too gently. Sisterly affection brought her not the most wonderful memories. "Sisters are ...a handful to say the least. They require a lot of your attention, you have to remember everything that is important to them, and you have to forgive them no matter the grievances against them. And that can be hard, I know. Why do you ask?" Usha knew that Oreo said that Nukani and Sanuye were her sisters but from having talked to their mother, she knew they were not sisters by blood. So... it confused her a little.
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:01 pm
Oreo made a face, sort of embarrassed. "Well I sorta know all that. It's just... well I mean, I have two sets of sisters, I guess you could say. And while I know one, I want to get to know the other but am trying to find out where my alliance lies. I feel kind of silly for still pursuing it after talking with several characters over it. But I guess you could say I'm looking for an answer that makes sense to me." She had decided to stay for a while but that was because of a cheetah male. She was already having doubts about that. The female waterbuck had really been more of a nuisance than anything. Really, she was beginning to find why she didn't communicate with other species. But that was hardly the point. Oreo wanted to know her sisters but she didn't want to abandon the others. She wasn't guaranteed to like one better than the other and supposed she shouldn't but she didn't know what that meant for her.
Usha smiled again. In a sense, she also had two sets of sisters but they were not apart like Oreo's were. They lived here. With her. "I understand the need for answers. I think what your problem is is that you need to put the question to yourself. What do you want? Because you cannot be loyal to even just one sister all the time. And if you did manage to, what would you be sacrificing for yourself? It is family that raises and nurtures you as well as learning from you and teaching you. They can do no more and expect no less. And once that part's over, it;s up to you to live your life. No one can live it for you. So do not ask which set of sisters to align yourself with. Ask what you want to do. And if it has nothing to do with any of your sisters then do not fret and change your mind."
Oreo nodded to herself. "That's a nice way of putting it, I suppose. I guess I've heard that before just not from those I wanted to hear it from so I didn't listen. But I think I can trust you. Queens have to be wise, even if it must be thrust upon them. And besides, I have no predisposition to hate or mistrust you." It was the truth, wasn't it? She saw nothing wrong with being honest. It could hurt other people's feelings but it was their job to be strong enough to handle it. For if they couldn't handle the truth, how could they live with themselves? It'd drain them away with denial.
She chuckled. "Oh how gracious of you." While the mark was sarcastic, she said it with no real feeling of anger. "But I have to be curious. Why do you ask? What's going on with you?" The thought that the other might stay crossed her mind but she dared not say anything. She felt as though if she asked it, she would by suggestion push Oreo to one side or another of the decision. And only Oreo should be able to come to that conclusion. While Usha may be helping with advice, she didn't want to influence a decision that might not have otherwise have been chosen or that might have been chosen anyway but without the insights Oiorpata would have gained by coming to it herself.
She frowned and huffed, looking down. Then, she returned her sight to eye-level. "Nuksani's up to something." She didn't know what. And she didn't know if she should bother herself to be concerned. Because if she concerned herself, what would that mean for her wanting to stay here? Would it push her to? Or would she find something else more tempting that would cause her to abandon it but be in itself not what she wanted in the end? The choices were hard largely because of her doubts and hesitations.
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:07 pm
Usha shook her head and smiled. She felt a little silly now, realizing how often she was finding excuse to use it. But maybe it was the part of having "wisdom", that she could look at youth and see what they were missing. "Nuksani is always up to something. She is working on solving her own problems." She couldn't help but feeling she was like a sage, saying that. But hey, it made her feel tickly-warm inside so she didn't regret it.
Oiorpata nodded, feeling as though it had given her motivation. Which it had. If Nuksani, a girl so easily insulted by others, could get activated enough to try and work through her own problems even while offended, Oreo should be able to too. She prided herself on strength. Well if she was so strong, why could others do something while she couldn't? Well the answer was, they couldn't. Or that they could if she could. So she could and she would. "Maybe I should too." Determined, she turned around. Back to the dens she'd go. Answers she would find.
Oreo paused and turned around. "Thank you," she said.
Usha nodded her goodbye to the other. She was glad to have helped someone but also knew what it was like to feel lost. It seemed that before she had united herself with Ayni, she too had been justly lost. But through Ayni, she had found her answers. She had even in a sense become wiser. With a happy smile, she turned away herself to continue her overseeing of the pride. Maybe she'd stop and have a conversation or two, she thought. She could do some catching up herself.
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