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 Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 10:13 am
 The sun was high and there was little shade to protect the light furred cub from its oppressive heat. Not that he couldn't bear it, most of the days in his young life reflecting a similar weather pattern, but he was still uncomfortable. Letting loose an enormous yawn, one so powerful it brought a sound from the back of his throat that lingered until his jaws finally closed, the lethargic cub shook his body slowly and settled in for another nap.
Curled as he was against the gently shifting sands, he looked very much like a sun bleached rock. The only thing that gave him away was the measured rise and fall of his chest, and the tufts of cream fur that tipped his tail and head. The former was curled around his body and hidden under his paw, but the latter rustled listlessly in the hot breeze that moved inexorably over the sands.
Though he had only just woken from a nap it had occurred to him that there was never any harm in taking a second. He was still full from the food he had been provided, and he had thoroughly cleaned himself. Those two necessities taken care of, he had no other pressing matters to attend to. The pudgy, leisurely cub enjoyed his naps, after all, and so they were just as entertaining and vital to him as playing or training might have been.
Iroh found that he could not return easily to sleep, however, so he pushed himself into a seated position, his body language easily betraying his irritation. Sighing profoundly, he looked up at the sky and wondered if he should go and find someone to play with, in order to sharpen his skills as a hunter. Or whatever it was he was destined to do for his pride.
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Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 3:32 am
Oh, there was rather a lot to ponder right now. For one, the promotion, which in truth he had still not fully wrapped his mind around. It was such a strange notion, one that would never have occurred to him before - and certainly never had. Who would have thought, someone like him. And yet, he knew that "someone like him" could so easily be seen in two different ways. There was that slave that he had grown up as. And then, there was that Firekin that he actually was, though it was admittedly somewhat difficult to tell. Apart from his size, he looked just like one of the slaves the Traditionalists had. There was his mane, true, which bore the fiery orange-red of his mother's bloodline, but in the midst of his tawny pelt, it was easy to overlook. Certainly, every time he took the time to peer at himself in the reflection of an oasis, he tended to focus more on the tan - or rather, for him, the gray - than the red.
Though that had been somewhat remedied by what Yin had said to him. Only somewhat though, for while he now saw his coat as a representative of the Firekin's desert home, there was still no denying the fact that he had no idea what that looked like. He glanced down at his paws, and all he saw was black and gray. Gray that was the exact shade of the sand beneath his paws, but gray all the same.
He wasn't one to complain - to be fair, he almost praised whatever gods were up in the sky for giving him the ability to accept change and differences - but there were those days, when he simply wished that he was at least some shade of red. So that he could see with his eyes what color he was. It was such a shame, not knowing what the rest of the world saw him as.
And so the large lion padded, submerged in his thoughts, so concentrated that he paced right by the little white cub without quite noticing him.
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Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:35 pm
Iroh's ears perked up at the sound of someone approaching. It was more the movement of the sand beneath him than the echoes on the air, however, and he sat up slowly. Never one to worry prematurely, he yawned terrifically and lazily lifted his head to look around. He spotted the big male moving past, taking note that the other seemed lost in thought.
Blinking slowly, he stood and followed. He didn't have a reason to shadow this male, having never seen him before, but something about him sparked his interest. It was probably the most superficial of the possible explanations: Iroh liked the fact that this lion had a soft colored coat. It was difficult to find, and Iroh felt compelled to at least introduce himself. There should have been some nerves within him, having no trace of red or black in his own fur, but he didn't give himself easily to trepidations.
Anything worth doing was worth carrying a little bit of anxiety. He felt it. He knew what it was, but he also knew better than to let it dictate his actions. It was just one more thing to use for training. Yawning again, he trotted to keep pace, his stumpy legs having to work twice as hard to cover the same distance in the same time.
Distracted by his sleepy thoughts, he didn't notice that he was actually moving a bit too fast. He closed the distance and bumped into the large male's back leg, knocking himself back. Flopping onto his hind, he blinked and finally woke up enough to take in his surroundings.
"Hmm... sorry about that..." he hummed genially.
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 12:06 am
Perhaps the sudden revelation of the little cub's presence should not have surprised him quite as much. Or perhaps he simply should have been paying more attention to his surroundings. As it was, the tan pelted lion started slightly out of his reverie, and turned his head to fix his yellow eyes on the white cub.
White. In earlier days, before the Rebellion, he would have had to pause and wonder whether the cub was of slave or Firekin descent. White was not uncommon in either. But there was none of that now, and for that he was grateful. Did it really matter, after all, how royal a lion's blood line was if he was bodily or mentally incapable? How well could a king lead, after all, if his mind was not sharp and his muscles were weak?
For a moment, he said nothing as he considered just how small the white cub was. He had heard, recently, that something of a baby boom had occurred within the pride, and increasingly he had caught glimpses of little figures romping in the sand. It still surprised him just how petite they seemed, and each new sighting made him wonder anew whether he had been that small as a cub.
"Don't worry about it," He reassured the cub with a smile. If there was one thing that never ceased to amaze him, it was the purity that seemed to reside unfailingly within them. There was no use trying to stay angry at a cub, and difficult to simply get angry at them in the first place. When they were that small, of course. "I'm sure I'll survive."
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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:16 am
Iroh blinked. He watched as the other lion seemed to think a number of things over, waiting patiently. Iroh was a thoughtful cub, and he did not seem to mind when others took the time to think about things. He preferred it that way. In his short experience, it meant more honesty and less chance of a rash action. He knew that some people used thought to come up with lies and plots, but considering he had never yet found himself in a situation where that might be needed he wasn't particularly suspicious.
Purring softly, as was his nature, he closed his eyes happily when the larger lion turned his yellow eyes on him. Iroh's paws played at the sand beneath him, gripping and releasing the shifting granules subconsciously. He opened his eyes and grinned at the response he was given, shaking his head.
"Good, I was worried for a moment," he replied with a hint of playfulness, shaking his head as if to relieve himself of the concern he had been carrying. Standing, he shook his creamy coat free of the sand he had collected and then sniffed carefully at the air.
"My name is Iroh," he said, bowing his head a little. He didn't know if this other lion had any rank within the pride, but he held enough natural respect for his elders within him to be courteous to them regardless, "I don't usually bump into things. I just wanted to look at your fur... it's like the sand."
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:16 pm
Azarax did his best to imagine the white cub as much, much larger. Simply talking to and meeting others was not exactly his strong suit, and cubs tended to make things even stranger for him. After all, they were oh so small, and how exactly was he supposed to know how far he was supposed to go in conversation?
Even growing up, he had not had much contact with other cubs. There had been Mpaji's children, but he had never felt like a part of the group, and it had been so much simpler just to keep to himself. It wasn't as though he was short of things to keep himself occupied. His childhood days had been filled with images of a fiery red-orange lioness with a filmy eye, and questions as to her identity. That alone was enough to keep him busy.
So it was no surprise that now, as an adult, he had even less of an idea as to how he was supposed to deal with them. It wasn't as if he could simply turn around and walk away now. What had worked for him as a cub did not necessarily work now, and he was all too aware of that.
He's just a lion. Don't think too much about it...
Hm. Perhaps.
It was strange, though, being treated with such respect. What had he ever done to deserve it? The cub almost certainly couldn't have known of his rank within the army, and he hadn't done anything in particular that would have warranted being treated so courteously.
It's because you're older, idiot.
Oh. Right. Perhaps he should have thought of that earlier.
He refocused on the conversation in time to fully catch the cub's name. He had been listening, but the words he had heard had not fully registered yet, except for the name. Iroh.
"That's a fine name," He said. Well, this was going alright. "I'm Azarax."
He glanced down at his fur as Iroh mentioned it, feeling his smile widen. Yes, it did look like the sand. If only he knew what that actually looked like. "So I've heard." He said with a nod.
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 4:11 pm
Iroh tilted his head at the response, ears perking forward. His face was soft and childish, his bright eyes dulled only by his slow nature and easy aura. He was youthfully pudgy, his cheeks fuller for his smile, and his dumpy legs seeming a bit too short for his body. He'd grow into himself in time, but for now, he was rather rolly-polly.
He did enjoy his meals. In fact, now that he was thinking about it, he could hear his stomach grumbling.
"Aza... would you mind if I called you Aza?" He smiled, padding his way closer to get a better look at the fur, though now when he spoke he had to crane his neck, "and why is it you've only heard? Can't you see the sand? Or your fur?" It didn't occur to him that it might be the colors that were lost, or that the lions eyes might be different to his own. He imagined something a bit more fanciful, like not being able to see specific things rather than specific colors.
That would be weird, but exciting. He wondered what new things one might learn about the world that way. Not that he needed a new way to learn. As it was, he was already overwhelmed with how big everything was, and how much information was out there.
"Can you see my fur? It's lighter than yours, but not the same color."
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Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 2:17 am
Aza. He wasn't accustomed to being called a nicknames. In part because he had never really had one, and in part because it just sounded so foreign. Yet, there was something about it though. It implied that there were those out there who were comfortable enough around him, or cared enough about him, to call him something much less formal. And he could live with or without that, but the thought was a rather pleasant one.
He nodded. "Course not," He said, hunkering down as the cub padded closer. It was so that Iroh would not have to look up so far to see him, but also to keep the overwhelming consciousness of their size differences from filling him. If it did, he would find himself worrying that he might accidentally do something wrong and hurt the little fellow again. This way, they were much closer to being on the same level.
"Well," He paused. Few knew about the limited colors he could see with his eyes. He felt torn. By nature, Azarax was a rather personal lion, and he valued his privacy. He wasn't against telling things to those he trusted, but he had only just met Iroh, and trust couldn't be doled out so easily. And yet, he was but a cub, and there was some aura of such purity surrounding him that Azarax could not help but feel as if there was no harm in telling. For a moment, he regarded the cub, then, "I'll tell you a secret, okay? I can see the sand, and my fur, but... I can't see the color."
His gaze turned to Iroh's coat, and he took a moment to take it in. He could see the base color of the cub's coat well enough. It was white, that he could see. But his mane and tail, he assumed it was some other color - probably something like the sand, only creamier. It was a much lighter shade of gray.
"Well, I don't really know what color your mane is," He told the cub. "But the rest of you, I can see. You're white, and I can see white."
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:52 pm
As the larger lion lowered himself and Iroh drew closer, the broken purr that the younger lion was emitting grew stronger. It filled the immediate air around them, the sands just at his feet seeming to react to it, though Iroh knew it was his body that was softly rumbling and not the earth beneath him. He wasn't large enough yet to have any affect on the world around him. Not yet.
The purr was a strange sound. He was not adept at the art of making this particular sound, it seemed. It was a rumble, as it was supposed to be, but seemed to be finding an escape from his body through his throat and nose. It was interrupted by his breaths, never a continuous sound, and seemed to stumble and choke as he tried his best to keep it going. Still, the broken sound reflected what it needed to, and he was content with it.
"A secret," Iroh murred, accepting the duties that came with such a word with an impassive smile that lit his eyes but didn't reach his muzzle. He listened with rapt attention, soft eyes glued on the larger lion's face. He had never heard of being unable to see color, and he blinked, almost disappointed that his fanciful idea was not reality. He smiled, a large, prideful smile.
"I'm glad you can see my fur! It makes me feel like you can see me better than others can or will. I think that's good, Aza, because you seem like a very strong lion. And I want to be strong some day. If you can see me, then maybe that means something." It was simple, childish logic, but it seemed profound to the young cub. He continued to purr, digging his paws into the sand in front of him contentedly.
"Do you serve the pride? I want to, but I'm too little to be useful." The pudgy cub sighed wistfully, "so I listen to the sands and learn all I can as I grow."
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:43 pm
"Maybe it does," Azarax agreed, though inside he wondered if that was, somehow, just another elitist trait he had inherited from the Firekin, something to make him see that only the children of Finar-Si were the powerful ones. For if it meant something in particular that he could see a lion's coat, that meant he could only see the pelts of the Firekin of the Blood. Or perhaps the former rogues that made up part of the Simo who had bright enough coats. The thought put his mind somewhat more at ease. At least he could see some of them. But only the flaming bright coats, or the black or white ones. Not the duller ones. Not Uuo's.
There was something about Iroh that made him feel more at ease. Perhaps it was the broken purr that rumbled from the little white body, or perhaps it was that air of purity that surrounded him, or perhaps it was something else entirely. Azarax was becoming less and less aware of the fact that the cub was just a cub. Maybe getting down to eye level had helped. Somewhat.
It was conversation, that was all he had to see it as, and he was gradually beginning to understand that. Talking to a cub was... really not too different from talking to anyone else, he supposed, especially when they understood.
"I do," Azarax replied with a small nod. "I command the army, actually."
There were times when he wondered what he had ever done to deserve such a prestigious position within the pride. There were those that were older, more experienced perhaps. With eyes that could perceive all the colors that were out there. And yet, he knew, he wouldn't have it any other way. There was nothing in the world that he would trade to be able to see the world in color. He was fine with black and white, for many reasons, not the least of which was his actually heightened vision. He could perceive shadows and shapes so much better than most lions, he had come to realize.
"When you grow up," He said to the little cub. "You'll find something that you will be better at than anything else. You follow that, and you'll figure out how to serve the pride."
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:39 pm
Iroh blinked. He felt like he should have known that, though there was no reason for him to. He had not been introduced to many of the pride members, and what stories he heard were not often accompanied with descriptions. Still he frowned and wondered if he had been showing this elder proper respect.
He was respectful of all those older than him, for they had so much to teach him and to lose their favor would only hurt him: they didn't need to know him, after all. He had nothing to teach them yet. Sighing, he bowed his head a little, apologetically, and then smiled at him curiously.
"That must be a difficult job," the young cub said, passive and yet his eyes glistened excitedly. It was a position of strength, but not one handed out freely. Body and mind were important: two things Iroh wanted to train in himself, "I would love to ask you what you need to be a general. Unless you're busy. Or it's difficult to explain. It just sounds like something honorable, and... I'm not sure. Cool."
The cub, still a cub, grinned and chuckled, finally looking and sounding his age. "I want to find something like that, something awesome and not just a show of strength, but of mind and heart. There's just so much to learn."
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 2:13 am
Azarax smiled as he considered Iroh's question. It wasn't too difficult to explain, nor was he too busy to. After all, nobody would ever know what this cub could, or would, become until he did become, and Azarax had no business turning away such potential. There were no born failures, he believed. Everyone out there was good at something, and everyone out there had the ability to find that hidden potential. The only failures were those who were encouraged to fail. If a cub was encouraged to succeed, it would. And it was his duty, not as a General, but as an elder to any cub, to do so.
"I think that most importantly, you have to realize just how much power the job entails, and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you won't be abusing that power." He said with a small nod. "Then there's a certain control you need to exert over both mind and body, because you need to be able to lay out defensive and offensive plans for the army, but at the same time you also have to be capable of helping those plans pan out."
It had taken a while for the full extent of what he was responsible for to sink in to Azarax's mind. For a while after his promotion, he had felt himself wandering about in a dream. And then one day, he had awoken and it had hit him. The rush of just what he would be in charge of had engulfed him and almost threatened to overwhelm him. And after that, he had come to accept it and with each passing day, it had felt less and less like an absurd mix-up. Because he knew he was capable of fulfilling his responsibilities.
"And, of course, there's knowing." He added. "Being General means you have to know these lands inside and out. You have to understand the abilities and the limits of all the lions under your command, and you have to be familiar with different fighting tactics."
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Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 4:45 pm
Iroh listened intently, his ears perked forward to catch every single word. He knew this was an important moment, and to miss even the slightest moment of it would do him no good. He had no intention of becoming a General, but he knew the process, the respect, and the insight of the job was invaluable. He very nearly closed his eyes, to absorb the words, but found facial expressions and the look in someone's eyes were also very important.
He nodded when Azarax nodded, not only out of obligation but because he felt like he was agreeing never to let himself abuse whatever power came to him. He looked resolute, though his pudgy body and soft expression made him look a little silly. Control, too, elicited a nod and he made sure to make a mental note of these two points. To be able to plan and to execute those plans. That made sense.
Iroh looked around. He listened to these sands, and knew the area by his den and those of the people in his life well enough. He could not imagine knowing the entire area of Firekin lands, though. It seemed so vast to the little cub, he could not yet fathom being able to walk them, say, blindfolded. Or with his eyes closed, and trusted not to peek. He tilted his head, smiling.
"Can I be under your command?" he asked, standing on sturdy paws and looking as intent as one of his age could, every single fur rigid with expectation, "I'll train hard, and I'll do everything to honor this pride. If we have to fight, or if we have peace, I'll still be loyal. I think I prefer peace, anyway, but I know I'm strong. I won't let you down! I'll ask father, and Yin-Li, and even my siblings to teach me, if they know anything I don't."
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Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 9:43 pm
"I'm sure you will be," Azarax said truthfully. He wasn't entirely sure what it was - perhaps it was that absolutely studious look that had come over the cub's face as he listened, or perhaps it was the simply the impression that Iroh gave him. Whatever it was, there was little doubt in lion that the white cub meant what he said. Granted, there were no guarantees in life, but it would be another matter altogether if the both of them turned out to be wrong.
"You want to soldier when you grow up? Or a guard?" He asked Iroh. Either profession took hard work, grueling training and discipline, but somehow he didn't see the white cub content with being anything less than either. He had that quality about it, that thirst for knowledge and betterment that already seemed to put him at an advantage. After all, how many other cubs had come up to Azarax and asked him what it was like to be a General?
It was that need to be better, to know more, that would take Iroh to great heights if he ever decided to shoot for them. Even if he turned out not to be as good a guard, or as talented a fighter as everyone else, that urge to reach out for more would mean Iroh would work that much harder. And when it came down to it, it was hard work and not pure talent that made a good lion.
((I'm not sure how well my Internet connection will hold up over the next two weeks, so I'll try to get on buuuut, I don't know how much I'll be able to x3))
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Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:17 pm
Iroh didn't know, now that he had been asked, what job would suit him. He took special delight in helping others, mostly with small kindnesses, yet he knew there was no position in the pride that had that as a requirement. He was also aware that he had the capacity within him for some thing great. So what did he want to do? He wanted to be useful.
"I would be anything my pride needs me to be," he said vaguely. He didn't like the answer. He smiled and looked rather fierce, showing at last that there was some steak in him that tended toward strength, rather than just the calm intelligence he had been presenting. It was violent or angry. Just determined, "a soldier, if the pride needs me to be, but I think a guard would be good, too. Then I would always feel like I'm protecting someone."
He smiled again, back to his doughy expression, and he purred.
"I like talking to you," he said abruptly, "you really appreciate yourself and your job. Or I think you do. It's in your voice. I like it. I want to be like you someday." It was a bit odd, admitting to a relative stranger that now he was an idol, but Iroh didn't seem to have a problem with it. And why should he? It was a compliment, in his head. And a good one.
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