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 Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:13 am
Ripuka knew she was old. She was not ancient, not completely useless by any means. Even with her limp she was positive she could still fight and she would. She'd fight until she'd drawn her last breath. She also had knowledge and wisdom on her side.
But that wasn't all...
She was not so old that she couldn't have cubs.
She'd had one litter already and she remembered the joy and life it had brought her. She had flourished in motherhood and she wanted that again. Desperately.
Jua knew already of her intentions but now she had to bring up the matter with Danzi. She knew a silly old oaf like her shouldn't be shy or embarrased about it. After all, their first litter had been a spontaneous decision taken for the good of the pride. She'd offered him her den for a night and there their children had been conceived.
Would he want to be a father again?
She pondered this decision as she made her way across the sands, following his scent and pausing to give a gruff call of greeting to him.
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:37 am
Despite his fears of the local lions finding out about what he really was, Danzi had stuck around the Motoujamii-Safi lands. He had family here, and the desert didn't bother him in the least. The sand, the heat, the lack of water... He loved it.
He loved his family, too. They were why he came, why he'd started to stay. But the cubs had grown... And he'd missed it. A part of him did want to enjoy having cubs tug on his ears and tail, asking for stories or play-fighting.
When he heard Ripuka's call, he answered it, heading for her. He paused, shaking sand from his dark mane, then looked about for the fiery lioness, green eyes having the shine of youth even as he knew he was getting older.
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:52 am
Age had been kind to both of them, however. They were still full of energy, still raring to fight when perhaps others of their age might have given up and submissed.
But that was not the Firekin way.
Age meant nothing to those of the blood. It only meant they were wiser, more experienced, more valuable.
That was why she never ever doubted that Danzi was not of the Firekin. She'd been won in by his orange pelt, thinking him a lost member of the lines of 'light pelted' firekin. She'd always thought she was one of the last, but then he appeared.
Her ears perked up and she moved swiftly towards him and moved to nuzzle up under his chin. "There you are." She purred. "I was looking for you."
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:23 am
A rumble escaped from his maw as he rubbed Ripuka back. Here, he wasn't Danzi. He wasn't the bitter orange lion born at an oasis far away. Here, he was Makaa'kali, the bitter flame. Somehow that seemed fitting, given the situation of the pride and the side he believed more in.
"I was out keeping an eye for any trespassers. There were none, thankfully." He licked her ears, purring deep in his chest. "Your wounds are healing quite well, my love. You'll be well and good to teach some rebels a good lesson in no time!"
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:34 am
"Ever vigilant." She replied approvingly, pausing to give his cheek a tender lick. She reached up to pat his nose with a paw and sat, letting her good eye trace across his strong, proud jaw.
"I do hope so. The day for revenge will be sweet indeed and there's no chance that I'm going to be left behind. I am here and alive today so that I can fight another day, not so I can skulk and hide behind the others."
She blinked. "Besides, there are so few of us as it is. As sad as it is, the Motoujamii-Safi need everyone they have, even an old storyteller like me."
She paused. "Our numbers...they are worrying." She paused and then shook her head. "I spoke to the Queen about you, told her your situation and why you had not approached to be accepted before. I think she was glad to add another to our pride. You were a small miracle." She reached out to touch noses with him again.
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:13 am
He nodded, a frown taking over his maw. "I don't think there's even twenty of us... But we'll bounce back, I know it." He gave a firm nod, brow scrunched with seriousness.
Nuzzling the lioness, Danzi let out a reassuring sound. "There will be no fighting today, though. We must all gather our strength..." He paused, frowning. "Rebuilding numbers would be good, too..." He tilted his head, imagining Jua and Wakia with cubs following them. It made him wonder if he had gray hair.
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:20 am
She nodded slowly. "It is a concern but we'll bounce back. We have something they don't. We have faith. We have Finar-Si. What force could possibly beat a Goddess and her loyal followers?"
But they'd done it before...
She swept the treacherous thought away and turned her gaze back to him. "Jua wants a family but there are slim pickings here for her. It would be a terrible, horrible thing if she were not given that blessing. I'll try and help find her a suitor, too. Being a grandparent would be wonderful, wouldn't it?"
She paused and gave him a sly smile. "Being a parent would be wonderful too, yes?" And she drew closer to him. "I have a request, love." She trailed off, unsure of what to say next.
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 10:00 am
"Everybody bounces back." Plague had sewn its seeds of destruction all over the lands, and still prides came back. In his mind, he figured this to be no different.
Checking his pelt, Danzi frowned. "Do I have any gray hair...?" He looked at Ripuka, smiling. "Now that's an adventure... Looking forward to being called Grandpa." Provided Jua would accept a male, anyway... He was starting to wonder about her, so wrapped up in worrying about Ripuka.
He stopped, blinking in surprise. "You mean... More cubs...?" He leaned closer, blinking at her. "More little versions of you and me, running around, tugging our ears and tails and asking for stories?" His face broke out into a smile, as if to answer the question before it was asked.
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 10:11 am
She felt embarrassed. Shy. She felt like a youngster again, having to sneak around so that her parents wouldn't discover what she was up to. But she had no parents now and she was old enough to know that there was nothing wrong with talking about this subject.
But it was embarrasing, even if she was old and experienced.
"Of course not." She replied. "Grey hairs are for frail rogues. Firekin go silver." She teased and leaned the side of her face against his shoulder. She paused to look into his eyes again as he caught on to what she was hinting.
"Would you object?" She asked. "Being a mother was a wonderful gift. This time, you'd be here to see them grow up too. It'd be even more special. It seems silly that we don't. We're a strong match, unrelated as far as we are aware and the pride need numbers. Cubs bring hope." She paused and drew in a breath.
She saw his smile and purred, rubbing herself against him. She loved him so.
"Is that a yes, then, Makaa?" She asked. "Do you think your poor old heart could manage caring for cubs?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 12:33 pm
It made him smile, her praise of him not being frail and old. No, he still had fire in his heart. Of course, he did still wonder about Jua... Would she ever have cubs of her own, or would she grow old and die without a single cub?
His smile only grew. "Of course it's a yes! Nothing would make the fire in my soul burn brighter than to teach a new generation the ways of the Blood! Fine young warriors and warrioresses, defending the name of Finar-si!" He puffed his chest, mane seeming to become bigger. "Just thinking about it makes me proud of them!"
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:13 am
She beamed at him, whiskers puckering as she nuzzled him again. Yes she certainly didn't feel old and she knew deep down that she had a little life in her yet. She'd have more cubs and things would be fine. The True Firekin would rise again!
"It's settled then. Cubs it is." She purred contentedly, leaning against him.
"You are a miracle Makaa." She replied after a moment. "You brought joy back to this old girl and you brought hope for future generations to the pride. I love you, you know that. I always will."
And with a deep sigh she closed her eyes and imagined better times. Times when they had reclaimed their lands and cubs played happily at their paws.
The sun was merely behind the mountain, soon it would rise and spread its warmth upon them.
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:25 am
As the sun rose, it brought a new dawn to the Motoujamii-Safi. A new dawn, with new hope. Danzi looked at it, and felt a pride swell in his chest as he watched the reds and oranges, so like his and Ripuka's pelts, melt together. He looked at her, smiling warmly. "I love you, too, Ripuka..." He leaned down, nuzzling her, then looked back at the rising sun.
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