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 Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:00 am
It was a time for new beginnings, not just for the pride, but for everyone. Ashiki had taken the throne, just as her sister had so strongly suggested, and had thus been ruling. She was surprised to find that it felt right to be in this position, that it felt like she could actually help the pride this way. She had transformed from the sister lurking in the shadows, with the repressed mind and the hunger for glory, to the next queen of the Awatupa'Viwanja, of the Outlands.
Not only that, but it was a new beginning for the pridemembers. True, so many of them had left and were gone, but those that remained were stronger - or at least Ashiki liked to think so. They would bring in more members soon, she was assured of it. Their fire, their passion, it was irresistible. She had seen the way that Sarafina's burning glory had drawn in countless lions and she knew she had a ghost of that lurking in her heart, if only she could build it, she could use it. She could bring them, she could make this pride grow large enough to make her sister and her ancestors proud.
"A clean slate," she murmured, rolling onto her side atop the short, wide rock she had found to sunbathe on. She often came here to think, as it was away from the few members in the mounds and it was open to the lands - something peaceful.
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 3:25 pm
Kibaya was not nearly as peaceful or happy as Ashiki was; he'd ventured out of the lands several times now in an attempt to find Vi (and Saraphina, by association), however, he'd failed each and every time. There had been several leads that he had picked up over the days, however, they all lead him to dead ends. He was starting to assimilate the truth; that both lionesses were probably dead.
That notion left him lost.
If Vinuka was gone... what was he supposed to do? What was he going to do without her? There was nothing left here for him. The one whom had named him... the one that had been able to look him in the eyes and diffirenciate him from the 'other' was gone now and he had no one to look to. Most of the pride members made sure to stay well away from him, obviously not trusting him. With good reason, for he'd been known for growling threateningly when approached. Jambazi and her sister were the only two that ever approached him, and even then, their words were usualy clipped, short phrases to tell him to join them for a hunt if he wanted to, or to go rest, that they would take over patrolling.
He was still unsure why he was even still here. Vinuka was gone; she had been the only one to tie him to these god awful lands. So why was he still here? The only thing his mind could come up with was that these had been the lands Vinuka had called hers; this had been the pride that had welcomed her, and thus, the last shreds of the lioness clung to these lands and these people. That, in turn, made him over protective and possessive of them. Whatever the reason, he was still here. Still padding the territory, though today he'd taken to lurking the termite mounds rather than the borders. He'd thought the secluded area would provide a good place to rest after his patrol, but rather than an empty rock, he found himself stumbling upon a large flat rock, and on top of it, the queen.
For a moment he looked awkward, as if not quite knowing what to do with himself, but then after frowning, probably figuring neither she nor anyone would want his company, the large lion made motion to turn around and leave. Only Vinuka had ever wanted his company. Only she called him by name. Only she had ever been able to see him and Chrno as two different beings.
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 3:46 pm
Despite the fact that she had been deep in thought, it took only seconds for Ashiki to realize that someone was there. Maybe it was a life of living on edge around lions like Sarafina and her family, but there were few that could actually sneak up on Ashiki unless they were trying to. She supposed it was probably true for many in the pride - they were all a little edgy from time to time. As soon as she realized someone was standing behind her, her head lifted from it's laying position and turned around to stare at the figure before her. She wasn't sure why, but seeing him standing there didn't surprise her in the least. He liked to skulk about in the shadows, silent and unseen. Something about his nature just preferred that it seemed, for all that he could be violent and harsh on the flick of a switch.
"Stay," she said, a command that was short and clipped. It had only taken a few moments of consideration to figure out who it was. She believed that there were two entirely different males inside the one body, especially since Bazi seemed adamant about it herself. It wasn't too hard to see, especially if one made the mistake of calling the second by the wrong name. "Kibaya," she said calmly, turning her head away to stare back out at the horizon. This one was different from Chrno, in that he was more violent certainly, but he was the one that skulked and slunk through the shadows. He was the one that had that ever lasting obsession with Vi, who had gone missing with Saraphina.
"I assume you haven't found any signs of them yet?" It was a calm question, for she certainly didn't want to risk his temper at the moment. She assumed she knew the answer, for if he had found signs of Vi, he would still be hunting that trail, and if he had only found signs of Saraphina, then certainly he would have told her by now.
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 4:04 pm
He had been in the process of turning around when her clipped command was issued; his right fore paw was left hanging in the air as he frowned, looking confused. For a moment he seemed to be considering turning around entirely, ignoring her word and leaving, or otherwise growling and lashing out at her through anger. However, it was clear he was torn, and thus, he did nor one thing, nor the other, but rather, remain there, standing almost comically lost and out of character. Despite his bulk and strength, he looked for all the world like a lost child that had only just realised he had nowhere to go.
It was then she called him by name, and the male frowned further, confusion edging upon his features. That single word was all it took to convince him though, for where as before he'd looked torn between ignoring her and growling, now he turned awkwardly towards her and took the last few steps so that he was looming over her form, staring silently down at her, blocking the sun with his shadow. Her next set of words unsettled him visibly, for his jaw tightened a notch, the muscles of his neck visibly tensing before he snapped his head to look away from her, his ears flattening back. He said nothing, but then again, just his body language gave away that indeed, he'd found no sign of them.
He felt useless, lost and horribly alone. Even despite the fact he had a purpose in life now, it was empty, "No," he voiced finally, just a short, clipped, ground out word. It was obvious he didn't talk often, for his voice was hoarse with misuse. Chrno spoke out more and was much more social, but it was Kibaya that had been in control more often, enough that it made a different. His eyes, red as blood were not focused upon Ashiki, but rather on the ground, as if he were refusing to look at her, perhaps not wanting to make the same mistake he'd made long back, when he'd looked at Vinuka after she'd named him, sealing both their fates.
He hated this. He hated it all. Hate came naturally to him.
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 4:25 pm
It shouldn't have surprised her that he didn't do exactly what she said or as quickly as someone else would have. It was awkward to deal with him at best, as he was such a wild fire, to put it nicely. He was unpredictable and a danger if someone angered him. What she didn't expect, however, was to have him move over to stand in front of her and block out her sun and, at the same time, her view of the horizon. It was an altogether unsettling experience, though she knew by now how to hide her emotions and feelings well. They were easy to pick apart and be used against someone and she couldn't have that. So, she simply quirked a brow at him before she pushed herself up from her belly and into a sitting position so that she was closer to eye level and didn't have to strain her neck as much. It also put them closer to being even, which made it less disconcerting.
"And yet you remain," she commented again, not so much a question, but a simple statement. Her eyes shifted up to his eyes, where they were turned away from her, and studied the deep red that she could see for a moment. Then, they swept along his tightened jaw and down over his form, taking him in, like a lioness measuring her prey. "I don't question why, especially not when you're being so helpful, I only expect you to behave to the best of your ability." There was no mirth in her eyes when she spoke, no teasing. He was a danger when he was angry and she wanted to find a way to reign that in, make him less of a risk to have around her pride members, especially once she started bringing the numbers back.
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 4:38 pm
She might have been good at hiding her emotions, however, Kibaya was just at good at spotting them. Then again, he hadn't been looking at her, keen on keeping his gaze on a random rock that lay near his feet, as if it could give him the answers he seeked, or as if it could, perhaps, guide him through the dark. Obviously, he was getting absolutely no answer what so ever from the damned rock.
His gaze finally slipped back towards her as she stood on the rock, and he found himself looking down into her eyes (for even the rock did not offer her enough height to top him, but rather, put them on the same levels, so his eyes were staring directly into hers). For a moment, he seemed startled, disconcerted, though the reasons were probably a mystery; while she was good at keeping her emotions at bay, it was clear his showed on his face like wildfire, his expression and open book for others to read. Again his jaw hardened, his lips lifting up just barely so that he was offering her a silent snarl, though it was devoid real threat; Kibaya did not really threaten... he simply attacked. He never gave a warning and thus the motion was almost futile. He had no answer for her this time, but his ears flattened back again as he stared down at her in what might have seemed like a staring competition from a distance away.
The bristling of his mane and the back of his spine was obvious, his eyes narrowing as his nose pressed forward. While he was not used to threatening, it seemed he was making an exception today, "What would you do if I don't? Would just just run me out? Would you send the others to run me out?" the words were dripping sarcasm, not because he didn't believe she could do that, but because he found irony in them, for whatever reason. A low growl rumbled his throat before he pulled away to glare at something to his side, "You're just like the others anyhow. It doesn't matter if you have them run me out. I don't really give a damn. I'll do what I want anyhow," it was almost as if threats did not work with him; that he'd have to be won over in a different way, "What do you care anyhow?" he snapped back at her, his head turning to face her, "Place is dead anyhow. You're all dead. There's not enough lions here and you're all related. You're all dead, even while you breathe."
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 4:56 pm
She could feel the cold fear rushing through her veins at the way he snarled at her, so close, but she refused to flinch. Sarafina had always stood her ground, she had reigned without fear, without backing down. Ashiki would prove, once and for all, that she could be as good as Sarafina. Still, as his mane bristled and his eyes narrowed on hers, the cold fear kept rushing in. She could contain it within, keep herself from showing it, keep her body from flinching backwards in reaction, but soon she would cripple with it.
At least, she would have, until he touched upon the very subject that stung and caused her heart to burst with fire.
"We are not dead," her voice was sharp, edged with fire as she narrowed her eyes onto his. Her lips curled, nearly baring her teeth in a snarl as her deep green eyes bored into him like hard-edged stones. "We suffer, I will admit to this, but where there is will there is a chance left. We have more heart left than any of those vile pridelanders, any rogue, anyone." She hissed lightly, tail lashing as her side as she sat up a little straighter, though her claws had uncurled to dig into the edge of the rock. "I will bring life back into the pride. Rogues are already coming, already swayed by our way and our beliefs. More will come and they will stay." She smirked, fiery mirth dancing in her eyes as she did so, "we all stay for something, don't we Kibaya? The land of the wayward lions, those lost and disposed of, seeking vengeance or just somewhere to belong."
The fear that had curled at his threats, gripped at her heart, had been burned to ashes as he drug up the one thing that she had been constantly reminded of, her one job as the reigning queen in these lands. Oh, but she could do it. "If you harm anyone, I will have you killed - I won't suffer anyone else to your claws, here or elsewhere." Her fire-edged voice had turned to ice, though the heat still coursed through her veins. "It is not a threat, or an attempt to make you behave, but a simple way of informing you of the consequences. We do not deal out petty punishment here."
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 5:13 pm
While it was true that she was hiding the fear well, Kibaya could still smell it on her; the cold rush of fear he was so used to dealing with when people faces him. It had become second nature to him; he never so much as questioned that others feared him... they had feared him since birth. Thus, he was mildly surprised when her fear died down, replaced with something else; passion? Fire? He wouldn't have been able to put his paw on just what it was. However, it was clear as day that it was not fear.
The revelation that she was actually fighting back also came as a surprise; it showed easily upon his features as he blinked, taken back. However, just as soon as the surprise had come, it burned away and he pressed forward again, "Bullshit," he growled at her with equal passion, "That's all bullshit. There's no such thing as that whole load of rubbish. There's no chance where there's will. There's no way. You're doomed from a start, and you'll all die out!" the words were snapped, "It doesn't matter how hard you try. It's all a lie. All there is to life is just this," he motioned vaguely around them, to the dead earth around the mounds, "It's just this. It's everywhere. And you're not going to change that. not you, not anyone," by the end of the tirade, it was hard to tell if he was talking about the outlands, the world on a whole... or about what had happened in the past and how he'd been treated in his birth pride, just because he had been different, "I'll tell you a secret," his voice lowered dangerously at this point, his eyes narrowed, "Monsters are not born... they're made."
At her last few words, the lion sneered down at her turning away as if to leave. He had begun to walk away even as she continued speaking. It wasn't till her last words came forth that the lion stopped.
Punishment.
It rung out in his mind, that single word, a repetition of what he'd endured since birth. Then, quick as a whip, he turned back towards her, though this time he did not sit or remain idle, but rather leaped into the air, intent on pinning her down if she gave him half the chance. Regardless of the outcome, the male snarled, "Punishment? PUNISHMENT?!" he yelled out, "That's all I've been enduring since I was born! Just because I was a bit different!" then he lowered his voice back down to that dangerous level, "You and what army? It will take more than just you or your pride to punish me," regardless of his words, his eyes sparkled with unshed tears that it was obvious he was refusing to shed. Perhaps he hadn't even noticed they were there.
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 5:33 pm
"Just because you have no faith left doesn't mean the rest of us have to or will give up hope," she said in a short, clipped answer, her eyes still narrowed on his. She refused to believe what he said, what he believed was the truth. There was hope, there was always hope, even for lions such as themselves. Good things happened to the right lions and there would be no justice in the world if those wretched pridelanders thrived while the outlands suffered and fell. There would be none. "It is not a lie, it is the truth if I make it so. Just you watch, one day I will bring our glory back." It was not the fevered dream of a demented ruler, but the desire burning from the eyes of a young, determined queen. She would and could do this.
When she finished speaking, she had been staring at his back. It took only the first flash for her to realize what he was intending, the first whip of his body as it he bolted around to face her. She forced herself to sit still, not to run, not to jump away from him. Thus, in a matter of seconds, she was on her back beneath him, staring defiantly up into a pair of blood red eyes as he rained down a tirade of insults onto her. Still, despite it, he hadn't harmed her really. That boded well for his future, if he could continually manage to contain this.
"I don't need an army," she said quietly, though it was full of that cold command, that surety that came from those females within her bloodline. Were they born with it, or was gained with their birthright to the throne? Perhaps she had just learned to imitate Saraphina. "Monsters are still mortal, they still bleed and die like the rest of us. Sukari, Moo, and a couple of the other males are really all I need." She wasn't afraid of him, surprisingly, as she lay there beneath his hulking form. Perhaps it was the rush of adrenaline, from the attack, from knowing that he could kill her at any second if he wanted. "Stay and fight, or run and hide. I could lose one to save a dozen, if you are capable of what I think you are." Oh, but she suspected that in blind rages he didn't think, that he just hurt. She suspected it only because she had seen Vi, whom he seemed to.. love.
What surprised her, however, were the tears that danced in his eyes, or what she thought were tears. She frowned at him, staring into his eyes at the curious sight, drawing in a deep breath to calm the rage that was filling her blood. "It's not punishment because you are a monster, Kibaya," her voice was softer, more reminiscent of the cub she had been as opposed to the hardened queen she had to become so quickly, "and it will never have to happen if you can just behave. I am giving you a chance, but you are like a wildfire, do you understand?" She shook her head, though it was awkward from where she was laying. She felt.. guilty? No, that wasn't it. She wanted to comfort him, while her inner self battled with the need to restrict her mercy. Something about him just made her need to make him understand. "I protect me and mine, and so long as you do not make me rethink that, that includes you." This was her pride, he was hers. They were all hers.
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:01 pm
"It's a lie," he told her, though he wasn't yelling anymore as he lay on top of her, "All of it. Nothing has showed me otherwise... not even you," he was though, needless to say, surprised that she hadn't so much as flinched when he'd jumped on her; he knew she was well aware he could have killed her on the spot. Not only that, but he could have done the deed, turn around and leave the lands before anyone even realised what had happened. In a way, she was putting forth a great deal of faith on him... on the fact that he wouldn't hurt her.
It confused him.
It brought forth unbidden, images from the past, when he'd been a cub and he'd sat awkwardly on the ground as Vinuka groomed him and played with him. He couldn't take this any more, and thus, he closed his eyes; the motion allowed the tears to roll down his cheeks for her to see before he drew away from her body, pulling his frame from hers, "What would you know," he growled softly, "What would any of you know anyhow?" his red hued eyes turned to face her then, narrowed, shinning with the tears that fell freely, "Everyone was quick to judge when Vinuka came here. You just threw me in a bloody cave... never asked me what had happened. Everyone assumes. Why the ******** as the monster? Who the hell cares?"
He turned away to sit, facing the outlands, watching the territory; however, his figure was slumped, his head lowered so that his shoulders remain higher. It was a pose of clear defeat, "He was going to hurt her," he murmured, still turned away from Ashiki, it was clear he didn't only mean that this 'he' was going to hurt Vinuka physically. He would have done much more than that had he gotten his way, "I saw red, and when I came to, I'd hurt her too. I tried to get help, but I fainted. When I came back to, she was gone, so I followed her here," his head snapped back to look over his shoulder, "What would YOU know though? What would anyone know?" he lowered his voice again into a whisper, "I'm not yours. I'm not anyone's. I made that mistake a long time ago. I'm not doing it again," then again as he looked back towards the land, "She named me, you know."
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:25 pm
She would have answered and reputed his denial of her words yet again, but her closed his eyes and sent those tears trickling through the fur of his cheeks and anything she would have said at that moment was lost in a clenched throat. She was not heartless, overwhelming emotion affected her in ways that it probably never would have touched her sister. She tried to be harsh, cold, to be Sarafina through and through but in times like this it was painfully obvious that while she was tough on the outside and had that burning rage, the fiery passion, she was capable of compassion and empathy. It might have been directed towards odd sources, but the ability was there, it had not gone missing from her collection of skills.
"For all we knew, you were a danger to us. I can not say that what happened was right or wrong," she pushed herself up slowly from where he had pinned her down, "I was still very young." It was true, which was the sad part of all this. Kibaya had been imprisoned for a very, very long time. Ashiki had been little more than a cub when Vi had come stumbling into their lands and Kibaya on her trail. "Bazi and I have set you free, have we not? We can not change what happened, we can not right the judgments, and we can not give you back time lost. Vi was frightened and Saraphina trusted her word. She is gone, so no word is left to stand against yours." She shrugged at this, then slowly stood from the rock.
She hesitated only a moment before she moved to sit down at his side, staring off across the lands just as he did. Her frame was smaller than his, of a starkly different color, which probably made them an odd pair to the wandering eye. "I only know what I've been told, and now that you've told me I won't forget." She could have told him that it was a mistake, that it wasn't his fault, that she knew he was sorry - but he didn't need to be coddled, she didn't think that was something he would appreciate. "You are mine as long as you are in my land, and as long as you don't make me regret it. I am the queen here, this and all within are my responsibility." She swept a paw out, then turned her eyes up to look at him. "She might have named you, but she doesn't make you who you are."
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:47 pm
"No," he agreed, "She didn't," he looked horribly bitter as he spoke, as if his world had become sour and there was no way out. Then again, it had been sour for a very long time now, "She still named me though. She was the only one willing to look at me without fear. She was the only one that dared notice I was not 'him'... and I broke her."
Still, he could appreciate the irony that the situation faced him with; Ashiki had not been afraid of him. Or rather, had for a few moments before she'd allowed herself to snap back. Vinuka had never done that. Ashiki had also called him by his name. The one that Vinuka had given him, so long ago"I don't belong to anyone," he murmured, though there was no longer the cold conviction that had laced his earlier claim. This time, it sounded hesitant, almost awkward, reminiscent of the confused child he'd been when he'd been born, "I'm no one's pet," this said, he lifted himself off the ground and began to pad away from her. Curiously enough, he did turn his head to look over his shoulder at where she sat, his red eyes narrowed to slits, "Do you know what the name she picked for me means?" he allowed himself to pause momentarily before continuing, "it means 'Something really, really bad'. That's what she named me."
That said, he strolled down the mound and lurked off towards the shadows. While it was true he'd been reminded of the past more than he'd have ever wished to... she'd offered him something in return; a light, a path. Something he could follow. He would let go of the past... and would no longer leave the lands in search of a lost cause. Maybe... he just needed a new light to follow. Maybe he'd been following the wrong soul. She'd never loved him anyhow. She'd never been meant to be his, and he'd accepted that since the day he'd harmed her.
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 7:13 pm
"If you hadn't, the other would have done worse," she said softly, knowing that it was cold comfort, but it was the truth. He had needed to become his worst to save her from something worse than himself, even if the cost was harming her in the process. She would never appreciate it and if Ashiki had been in her place, she probably would not have found much to appreciate it in it either. Still, it was the truth. Hard to see, but it was.
She simply nodded at his determination, at the way he said it again. Still, she heard the difference in his voice, the way he was almost hesitant, not as adamant as he was before. He did belong to her, just like they all did in one way or another, and one day he would come to realize it. He might not be a pet, that was true, but he was still hers. Everything here was hers, everything. She was about to stand and crawl back onto her rock to finish sunbathing, but no sooner had she begun the motion than she stopped, interrupted by his voice once more. She stared at him as he spoke, calmed from what had happened previously.
"Well, you'll just have to live to disprove it, won't you?" she said softly, to herself, as he finally turned to walk away. Despite it all, she was mostly pleased with herself as she crawled back atop her rock and relaxed back into a laying position. The sun was still high overhead and it still provided more than enough heat to settle her back into a comfortable mood. As she curled back on her belly, her eyes closed, and a slow smirk crossed her maw. She was already inspiring loyalty in her members, at least those that didn't already have it, and there would be more members to come. Kibaya himself was proof enough that there was always hope for anything.
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