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 Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:27 pm
The winded impala took off across the sands. It wasn’t until it had crossed a few lengths that it realized its mistake- because as it climbed, it lost the traction it had over its pursuers. To live in the desert, prey had to be wise. And such were the brutal consequences of making a brief mistake.
As the herdbeast stumbled in the sand, No, who up until this point had been on the creature’s tail, backed off. It was a hard task to do as instinct itself compelled her to continue propelling after it. Hopefully Armada was in place, the black cat thought to herself. She was already starving enough as it is, and she did not want to have to wait again to track down another.
Luckily for the regent, Armada was ready. As the impala reached the last lengths of the journey up the dune, it was quickly caught up by the red lioness who had been waiting there. It was a small enough thing to give even the perpetually clumsy lioness few problems; and within moments Armada was happily dragging it back down towards No who waited below the crest of the dune.
“Ahah!” Armada purred. She was still limping from her injury during the rebellion, but it was clearly healing well. “I have to thank you again, No. I just can’t run down those things with this leg.”
“Not at all,” No thrummed, her eyes on the fallen creature. Truthfully, No hadn’t asked Armada to hunt with her out of pity for the female. She was just so damned hungry. She was so hungry in fact, that she was embarrassed to ask Kidondo to come out and hunt with her again. They’d only eaten a few hours ago- what the hell was wrong with her?
She had to avert her eyes from the kill so that she did not boss Armada out of it. She’d at least give the strange eyed girl the first go at it.
While Armada ate, No watched the horizon. The sun was starting to set, spreading red light across the sand. With a sigh, she looked down at her stomach and swayed her tail. Something was up. That was for sure.
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:09 pm
A journey isn't complete until the destination is reached. Vanhi's journey had begun as soon as he reached adolescence and it wasn't until his paws reached the sands of the blazing desert did he realize just how close he was coming to the end. As soon as his paws sunk into the sand, a strange emotion washed over the red male. His mother had talked about the desert ever since he could remember, telling tales of his father's former pride but stories were nothing compared to seeing things with one's own eyes. And before him, the sand sea was nothing that he could of dreamed of.
He had spent a day or two getting used to the desert, it was different than anything he had ever grown up in. All the rules that governed the savannah were moot here, the desert had its own set of rules that he had to learn, and quickly.
While he had not come across any other lions in the desert yet, it would be unwise to think that his presence would be undetected for long. Sooner, rather than later, he'd run into someone and hopefully, it'd lead him towards his destination. And with many thoughts going through his mind, his purple eyes flicked foward at the dimming sun, watching the colors change on the sand as he pushed his way forward over the sand dune.
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 7:33 pm
It took another greedy mouthful for Armada to realize that No was watching her food with an uncomfortable amount of interest. She smiled, her whiskers perking as she looked up at the black cat. "Ah! But, you ah- must be tired from running this thing down." She apologized, taking a few steps back from the small creature.
No, who had been trying very hard not to appear absolutely ravenous, laughed a bit. "I've just been...particularly atrocious lately." She admitted. "Actually, it's a bit bothersome. I'm not usually like this." In fact- up until this point No usually ate under what the average was here in the desert. She wasn't as big as the homegrown firekin, and her needs had never even been in the ballpark of theirs. But nowadays it seemed like she was eating enough for three Kidondos. And that was two more then they were used to hunting for!
"It's probably just stress." Armada admitted. "I mean, I'm stressed out and I'm not even-"
At about this point, the two females happened to notice something moving across the top of the dunes. Armada cut short her rambling and rumbled lowly. Not a familiar scent... Her strange eyes darted towards No to be sure.
No took a last forlorn look at the food she had a feeling would never make it to her stomach this day. But being regent came first over everything. Her muscles flinched, and slowly she strode towards the crest of the dune, and into the path of the male.
She was silent for a moment as she watched him approach. Not a face she knew- but he did not seem misplaced among the firekin. Perhaps a safi member? Her lips twitched. "A troubling mistake to wander so far into the desert, stranger." The black cat spoke. "Unless that is, you are looking for something?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 9:46 am
Ears pricked forward as Vanhi's purple orbs spotted the dark figure not too far off in the distance. As he looked over the female, there was no doubt in his mind that he had just taken his first step in the right direction after so long of wandering the golden sand dunes. At her words, he made sure to keep his posture light and relax but respectful, that was one thing his mother had always told him.
"My traveling into the desert was no mistake, I have a mission I need to complete for the sake of my family," He knew the dangers, but no matter the outcome, it had been his choice to go find his father's former pride after his mother had passed on. "I can guess that I've found what I have been searching for because of your presence here." There were very few explanations as to why the dark female was out here unless she lived here. And if that was the case, then the red male had came to his destination at last.
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 11:28 am
The black cat's ears pricked. A mission? She admired the statement. It was one that carried a lot of weight, and one that she could respect. It set her at ease, at least for the moment. She wondered what it might have been- and what her presence had to do with it's completion. "You have my curiosity then," The cat smiled. "What kind of mission brings you into the heart of the Motoujamii?"
Beside her, Armada caught up. She wished she did not hesitate so. Too much of it, and she might appear weak. To No, she whispered. "Perhaps he is safi?"
No rumbled lowly, the end of her tail swaying. "Doubtful," She spoke lightly back. This stranger moved far too lightly for someone out for revenge. There was something else too... a look, even. Something not sticking with this one. She had a feeling she would have recognized him from the takeover, had he been there.
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 9:47 pm
Well, it was a good thing that Vanhi had captured the female's attention so quickly. And story he would tell, but not without introducing himself first. "I am Vanhi, son of Akamu'Hakan and Niyati. My father is of Firekin lineage and I can remember when I was just a cub, I had asked him why he was not at his home. His answer was that as much as the desert was a part of his blood, a part of his being, he could not and would not accept the ways that where being upheld by the pride."
He paused to let his purple eyes flicker between the two lionesses, "When my parents had passed on, I made a promise to myself that I would make them proud and bring my father's name back to his homeland." He could remember the look in his father's eyes whenever he spoke about his former home, and it helped to shape the red male's resolution into what it was today. He owed it to his parents.
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 6:50 am
He had her curiosity indeed! No shifted, moving away from Armada and coming a bit closer so she could more adequately assess the male before them. "Vanhi," She recorded briefly to memory. After they had overtaken the Motoujamii, it had always been a hope to Kidondo that the lost members of the pride would slowly return. And perhaps... here was one of them.
"Your father was a wise lion then. The old ways have died in this kingdom. Tell me though- what is it that you expected to find?" The black cat asked. "If you came upon the firekin and found their ways not changed. Would you go along with them for the sake of your father's honor?"
His father might not have agreed with the old ways- but who was to say about this boy? But... hrm. The end of her tail pulsed, as though in tune to her own thoughts.
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 8:48 am
As he felt the female's eyes on him, Vanhi looked back at her. To her question, he shook his head. "If I had found that their ways had not changed, I would not put myself in the same sitation as my father had once been in. I know my father would not have wanted me to be subjected to the very same things that he had went through. I would have been proud to know that I would have found out that things have not changed and at least I had tried. It is better to try than to not try and dwell on what could have been."
Though at her former question, he paused for a moment before he replied, "To be honest, I was not too sure what to expect. There are so many stories that fly around the savannah about the desert and the lions that inhabit it. It's hard to tell what is true and what is exaggerated."
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 5:45 am
[[ So so sorry about that. ;__; School completely destroyed me for a while. ]]
She smiled. "I'm sure it's a mixture of both. Many things happen in the Motoujamii to inspire such tales. And I'm sure to some extent we help exaggerate them a bit. But important things need no lies; the truth is, we have been fraught with war. We only now are starting to settle into some peace, but we fought to change the things your father likely disagreed with."
She leaned her head back, as if in quiet appraisal. Even if he was of firekin blood, it wouldn't do to just welcome anyone. But she liked his words. He spoke truthfully- at least enough to check out a bit closer.
"My name is No," She introduced. He had given her his name, it was only right of her to do the same. "And my friend here, Armada. I am Regent in these lands along with my mate."
"We are not quite a welcoming people." She admitted, her head craning. "But if bringing honor back to your name is something you are truly determined to do, I do not think we could dissuade you." She smiled.
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:17 am
((*fluffs* It's alright Mims. <3))
When No spoke about the pride ripped with war, one part of Vanhi wasn't surprised but the other half of him was. And he was surprised to hear her say that they were fighting for the change that his father only dreamed about. "Well, that is something I had not really expected but it is a welcomed relief to hear that change has happened."
And then when she introduced herself, he dipped his towards each female. "It is a pleasure to meet you both." He had not expected to meet the regent so soon, but better now than later. At least he didn't have to go through many lions to get to her. "I did not expect that this place would be welcoming to most, but I am determined," He nodded before his curiosity got the better of him, "You spoke of changes, what kind of changes had happened?"
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Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:30 am
It probably would have been easier to list the things that hadn't changed!
"Things that I'm sure not everyone is happy with yet." No started. "But they were things we believed crippled the pride in the past. The blind worship of Finar-Si has been eradicated. If there ever was a goddess in this desert, she did little to care for her people. It kept them afraid of the outside and pushed them towards inbreeding." She explained, attempting to keep her own disdain for the goddess down to a minimum. After all- if she hated something, didn't it validate her existence? She had to be as indifferent as possible. It didn't exist. Whatever it was, it did not save Kimeti from destruction.
"Along with that, slavery has been abolished. The firekin are warriors, not fat sheiks to be served upon. Back before the take-over, slaves did the majority of the hunting and gathering for the pride. That is gone. If you wish to stay, you have to work for your food and keep. That way, everyone is strengthened." She continued. "Those, are probably the two biggest changes. Or at least, the ones you should be aware of- as they are the two we do not allow much grounds on. Other then that, we no longer honor royal bloodlines. We leave the honor of firekin's last king with the late Kimeti. His son and I take over in his stead, but we rule with the guidance of a council, and we are no royalty."
"Hopefully none of those are too grave," She admitted. "Old ways die hard, particularly here. But... already, we see the pride growing stronger. They still have the fire spirit. But this time, we are great because of our actions, not birthright or divine inspiration."
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:57 pm
As No gave him a list of some of the changes, Vanhi was surprised at them. Although, a part of him was relieved that the changes that had happened were some of the major ones that his father did not believe in at all. With a shake of his head, "I have no objection to any of those. Most of what you speak of is what my father did not agree with. I am relieved that those ways have changed since my father's time here and that it has already shown some sign of prosperity."
"What would I need to do to prove myself to you and your council that I want to stay here?" He knew that they were not welcoming and that it must be very difficult to join, but he was determined to do everything to his fullest to show them how serious he was. His family was important. The desert was important. And he wanted to be apart of this golden sea and the pride that was cradled within its grasp.
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Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 6:02 am
She thrummed pleasantly. Prosperity! That it had. She and Kidondo had always dreamed of restoring the grandeur of the firekin people. It's fighting spirit and immense power. But even though she knew it was working, she liked to hear it. Little things she lived off of, and kept her fast at work. She was glad that after all of that, Vanhi was still interested in remaining.
"Well, I suppose that's a little different for everyone." She explained. "Prove to the council you are a firekin, and not just by birth. That you are strong, able, and that the desert is as much apart of you as water. After that, I am sure no sane lion would reject you."
The black cat motioned with her paw. "Until then, you are more then welcome to stay on the lands. Just be mindful of our state. We are, still coming off of war. Not everyone may be ready to see new faces- so those are the ones you will need to prove the most."
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Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 8:29 pm
He listened to her words, took them to heart. Vanhi would prove himself, he had to. He was so close to his goal that he wouldn't back down now! With a gratious nod, "I will take all of what you say to heart. I will prove myself so that no lion, old or new, shall doubt who I am."
This determination filled him to an even greater level. While he did not know exactly what he needed to do, he knew that what he would do was prove himself that he was not just some rogue, but a Firekin! "Thank you for all of your assistant. With your permission, I shall now go and put one paw forward into making this my permanent home." He looked to her before he turned his gaze off into the distance, where he had been heading to...the heart of the Simo.
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Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:25 pm
The black cat smiled, dipping her head down. It would yet to be determined if Vanhi was as adamant as his words were- but she enjoyed the enthusiasm. They needed members like that in the pride. Hopefully, he would find their home every bit the place his father had spoken of. It was...hopeful to think that even despite the disagreements in the past, their lands were still thought highly enough to bring a second generation back to them.
"You certainly have it," No thrummed. "Just don't make trouble." She half teased. With emphasis on the half. She might have seemed casual, but No was very much aware of the goings on of these new rogue recruits.
"For what it's worth, I wish you luck." She said again. "I like someone who appreciates our land. Use that ambition."
And with that, she decided to give the new recruit some space. Armada, who had been quietly considering the whole meeting- suddenly realized that hunting with the hungry lioness was not about to be the end of their day together. Sheepisly, she smiled at Vanhi, and together, the two lionesses slunk off back towards their kill.
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