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 Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:44 am
It has been a tough season. If she hadn't been nursemaid to eight cubs (thanks to Enigste dumping the care of them on her, and then ditching her in the night) through the bulk of her travels there would have been curses a-plenty during the long journey. However, Kahawia does not complain (in front of cubs). She gets things done, and then tells everyone else what they did wrong. But that is neither here nor there, and now, finally, she is here.
Now if only she knew exactly where here was.
Perched atop the low rise at the edge of the savannah, she gazes across the forbidding terrain that lies before her. Harsh deserts, a scarred landscape... and what are those strange formations she can see in the far distance? The alien terrain awakens a small amount of an unfamiliar emotion within her breast - fear, is that what it feels like? - along with a healthy amount of respect, and more than a little excitement. This sort of thing is exactly what she's been craving. A challenge. If there are any lions that live within these lands they must be truly brave (or crazy). And strong.
Just the right kind of lions for her.
A little more wary now that she is entering into lands that she has never before traversed, the earthy lioness tells the remaining cubs to stay out of sight and begins her descent into the desert.
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 4:28 pm
He'd had someone help him along, and so thus, the merit was not all entirely his. Instantly, his crimson eyes turned towards the opening of that cave that lay shrouded in darkness behind him; that termite mound contained the royal chambers which he'd been occupying despite lacking a title. He'd been sharing the den with Ashiki for some time now, however, the more time that passed, the more reluctant he felt to leave.
Shoving the thought aside, the large male turned back towards the horizon, watching it through languid, narrowed eyes. He remain relaxed till a spot of brown managed to differentiate itself from the rough, almost desertic terrain. Perking his attention towards the silhouette, he soon enough managed to distinguish the grown lioness that was heading his (their, rather) way. For a moment he considered retreating so he could go fetch Ashiki, but his mind told him the Queen was still sleeping and that the girl could, in fact, use some rest. She rarely slept, for the pride members (the few that were left) had piled what he felt were too many responsibilities for her to take on her lonesome.
His tongue clicked roughly over his fangs as he pondered further on his options. He could, technically, go shoo the intruder away, but he was distinctly aware that Ashiki had mentioned how in need they were of members. Something told him that scaring potential members half to death was not particularly the best way to go about restoring a pride to it's so called 'former glory'. Letting out a sigh of harsh breath, Kibaya pushed himself away from the shadows and began to pad towards the lioness, no doubt planning on meeting her before she reached the Termite mounds.
Since the queen needed her rest... well, who was to say he couldn't 'greet' the lioness himself? Rather than speak out to her though, he stopped when he deemed himself a fair distance from the mounds and waited for the female's approach, almost as if trying to remain a barrier between the stranger and that what he'd come to care for; if she proved to be a threat, he'd fight her off. If not... well, time would tell.
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:56 pm
Curiousity tugged at her, pulling the lioness inexorably towards the great mounds that broke the horizon. But her curiousity is a far more forgiving master than the relentless ambition that drove her across the plains, and so Kahawia takes her time.
She picks out each step in an almost painfully deliberate manner, pausing to investigate anything she does not recognize. The rocks are different colours - this warrants a few moments of careful contemplation. The plants are smaller here, with thicker fleshy leaves and tough, tenacious roots. Animal life seems, at first, to have completely forsaken this strangely forbidding landscape. But then she spies the back of a spined lizard breaking through the sand, and the tracks of some small mammal.
This silent inspection results in a journey that must seem rather bizarre to any onlookers, and it continues until she has traveled near enough to almost be touched by the shadows cast by the termite mounds. It is the shadows that halt her approach, then. The shadows, and the rather imposing lion that is waiting within them.
Now that Kahawia knows she is observed (and more importantly, she knows that there are lions in these lands) she ceases her indulgences in curiousity and pads directly towards him. A few little movements betray her 'self-check' for battle-readiness, just in case - a roll of her shoulders, a flex of the claws, a little hurried hop-step to test the footing on the sandy earth - and when she is at what she deems to be a polite distance she stops, settling back onto her haunches.
"I am Kahawia, a traveller. I come with cubs, not my own but I am their caretaker, hiding near the border." A simple greeting, bland and non-committal, along with a silent appeal - don't hurt me, I am responsible for young lives. And now she waits, watching carefully for any sign of an impending attack. The last time she wandered through another pride's territory she was forced to make a hasty retreat, and with terrain like this, well... she'd like as much of a headstart as she could manage if that was needed!
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Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 7:10 am
His eyes narrowed at her approach. For some odd reason though, he can't help but feel a small doze of appreciation for the lioness. In his mind, she must be a brave soul, to dare approach him; most strangers usually turned around and left if they spotted him, unwilling to draw nearer.
He remain silent as she talked, his head tilting almost innocently to one side, as if he were evaluating her... trying to figure out what exactly to think of her. It was only after a good examination that his eyes snapped unflinchingly up to hers, meeting her gaze heads on and locking it; something which most felines avoided doing. If anything, it showed a lack of social skills and perhaps, the fire that burned in him. He'd never known his way around others very well. The only soul that he had trusted had betrayed him and the one he was only starting to trust now... well, it was complicated.
Shoving those thoughts aside, Kibaya stared hard at her, "These are the Outlands," he stated firmly, "Usually we are not comfortable with strangers passing through and we have been known for dealing with them by force," the proverbial 'but' hung in the air as his ears flattened back, "We lack member count recently, and the Queen demanded we open our borders to new comes; you are safe, if you wish to cross. Or stay," his teeth bared then in a warning that hung as easily in the air as the 'but' had, "However, if I so much as see you do something out of line, I will hurt you. If you threaten the Queen, I will kill you. I will only issue the warning once," with that though, he stood and moved aside, as if to let her pass, his eyes narrowing.
If anything... he was straightforward and didn't beat around the bush.
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Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 7:28 am
She flinches a little when his unearthly gaze locks on hers - how could she not, when confronted with eyes so unnaturally crimson? - but holds her ground. And forces herself to stare placidly back at him, despite the surge of uneasiness that swells within her. The urge to bare her own fangs in response to his threat is almost overwhelming, and her muzzle twitches, but she restrains herself. And, slowly, when he steps aside and narrows his eyes, she pulls her gaze away.
It's only then that she realizes she'd held her breath through his entire tirade, her muscles tensed and ready to attack or be attacked. What an invigorating place this is!
Forcing herself to relax, the lioness sidesteps in a little hop, her body seeming almost to reverberate with the anxious laughter that she somehow keeps in check. "Your Outlands Queen is very lucky, to have so valiant a guardian at her command," Kahawia's voice is steady, betraying none of the nervous energy that her body quivers with. And she moves forward, accepting his unspoken invitation. "And you are...?"
She's still wary, not entirely certain that an attack isn't forthcoming, but the prospect of learning more about these lands is far too appealing to pass by. Well, that and the chance to find a place to dump the rest of these cubs. Taking care of them alone has certainly kept her in good shape, but it'd be nice to share that task with a pride!
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 1:18 pm
For a moment, it looked like the male was not going to answer, having said all what he wished to say in the earlier tirade, but after a few moments, he snorted softly, "Kibaya," he murmured. The way he acted seemed to indicate he was, in the best of cases, socialy awkward, and in the worst of cases... horribly antisocial. Either way, he turned around and began to walk back to the termite mounds, his gaze sliding towards the lioness now and again, as if to keep track of her at all moments.
Even when his eyes weren't trained on her, his ears were, as if not entirely trusting her, but then again... Kibaya didn't really trust anyone. The only one he seemed at least mildly willing to trust was Ashiki, and he still wasn't entirely sure WHY that was other than because she had offered him a place to stay.
After a small while of padding, they finally reached the termite mounds and the male let out a roar, no doubt calling for someone within. He knew that he wasn't the best individual to treat with outsiders. At least not outsiders that seemed to have some sort of potential of staying, so thus, asking for help was the smartest thing.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 1:45 pm
His response - or rather, the lack thereof - has Kahawia completely on edge. When he turns to wander away she starts forward, then rocks back. Is she supposed to follow? But what about the cubs? They may not be hers, but she still feels a certain sense of... responsibility for those young lives. But his continued glances back convince her that yes, she is really supposed to follow the larger male.
She walks in silence, treading lightly upon the cracked earth. And for every glance he casts back at her, she casts one towards the hiding place she'd left the cubs in. They have enough sense to stay where they've been told to stay, at least. Enigste trained them well in that, and in keeping silent.
The sudden roar catches her completely by surprise, as her attention had been elsewhere, and the lioness drops to a low crouch before she realizes what has happened. A call, a simple call. Not an attack, not a challenge. He's just calling for someone else. Frustrated by her own response to his actions, she rises to her feet and frowns at the crimson-eyed lion. How rude.
Given his lack of social skills, Kahawia decides against trying to make small talk. So she settles herself down and begins to groom in a casual display of her own (feigned) lack of concern. Wanting to look her best when she meets someone important has nothing to do with that, of course.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 2:09 pm
However, her state of consciousness was an advantage for Kibaya, as it meant his call for help was answered quickly. Knowing that he wouldn't likely call out to anyone else, the dusk-toned Queen made a path for the entrance to of the mounds as soon as his roar reverberated throughout the hold. She had to wonder what it was, if he was stopping short of the mounds and calling out to her instead, and only a few possibilities seemed likely as she made her way down the dark, natural corridor.
One glimpse as she approached the entrance of the brighter light of day, a passing eye over the brown pelt she didn't recognize, and she had all the answer she needed. With her face chilling to an unreadable mask, she stepped out at Kibaya's side. Closer than most would have dared, no doubt, and intruding on his personal space. Still, not a hair of fur stood, not a muscle twitched as a sign of discomfort. She simply stood, regal and confident at his side as her deep green eyes studied the figure before.
For the span of a few moments, she said nothing at all. Her gaze simply swept from the rogue, to Kibaya, then back towards the female. There were no signs of a fight, no wounds, no bleeding - not on either of them. That was a good sign, at least. She knew she could at least trust him to bring rogues in unharmed, which was more than she could trust of Sukari at times, even given the supposed mental stability of the lioness.
"I'm Ashiki," her attention finally settled upon the rogue, her head lifting slightly as she began to address her with all that proper mumbo jumbo that she could truly care less about other than for stating her image, "Queen of the outlands. I trust Kibaya here has given you a few rules to live by?" Her brow arched with the question, voice cool, and carrying a bit of an edge as she turned the topic. Their rules were serious, the consequences dire. "If not, or if you're confused by any of them, I can tell you myself." It was polite, but all at once, there was an underlying threat. She needed members, it was true, but she would not have her members be spineless rule breakers that shamed the Outlander name.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 2:36 pm
Her quick grooming was completed as quickly as it began, although she did hasten to finish when her keen ears caught the approach of another lion. Kahawia certainly didn't look her best. She's been traveling a long time, and between the demands of the cubs and her own need to feed and sleep, there had been little time for such frivolities as personal hygiene. Still, her claws where sharp and her muscles were trim. And she rather doubted that the Queen would want to look at her paws to see if there was any matted fur between the pads.
Kahawia bears the silent inspection with as much patience as she can muster, although her natural curiousity makes that difficult. What are the Outlands? What rules? What are these giant structures, and what made them? How do they find enough prey to survive here? The questions tumble through her mind, but common sense prevails - now is not the time to indulge her curiousity.
"Kahawia," she responds, inclining her head in a respectful nod. Is it normal to bow to a queen? The pride she'd grown up in wasn't large enough to warrant so grand a title, so the lioness keeps a wary eye on the forbidding male to see if she has offered some unknown insult with her gesture. "A traveler, with a few cubs in tow. They aren't my own, but were... left with me." A slight sneer curls upon her muzzle at that, making her displeasure with the situation subtly clear. That sneer turns into a wry grin, and she tilts her head to the side as she looks between the lion and the queen. "Rules? Only threats," she chuckles, putting on a brave face (although her frayed nerves do show a little at the edge of her mask, betraying her unease), "I know that if I break any rules he will hurt me, and that if I hurt you he will kill me. If that is all I need to know, then I suppose I have been well-schooled."
And then, just as quickly, the frivolity drops away. She knows that they need members, Kibaya has made that clear. So in theory... she is in a strong position. But Kahawia knows that she is at the end of her endurance, and that these cubs will be the death of her if she continues to raise them alone. She needs the safety of a pride. She needs their help if all of her unwanted charges are to survive. But she doesn't need to beg and bow and scrape for permission. Resolved, she sighs and plants her paws firmly before her.
"I'm not well-used to living in a pride, I've been alone for too long. But I have hunted in a team, and if the orders given by the leader of the hunt make sense, then I will follow them to the letter. These cubs I have with me... they are well-used to following directions. We will not cause any problems, if we are properly informed."
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 5:14 pm
There was the slightest inclination of her head as the female introduced herself, though she didn't seem to bat an eyelash over Kahawia's own formality. Either it wasn't important, or she didn't hold her pride members to any sort of rules regarding such things. In her mind, they were fairly trivial in the grand scheme of things. Instead of dissecting the greeting, she concentrated on what was really important - the information about the lioness.
Her eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of cubs being left with her, especially after the tone she took with the words and the sneer that curled on her mug. It was easy to see her opinion on the matter, and Ashiki, for one, couldn't blame her. Dumping one's cubs on someone else would have been unforgivable within the pride borders. The mere thought of it made her claws flex, digging into the hard-packed, dry earth beneath her feet. There was little tolerance for such nonsense in her land, but if this female had accepted, albeit grudgingly, there was nothing for her to say about it.
"Threats, rules, the line between the two is fairly thin," the change of subject was a welcome one, and as she spoke now there seemed to be the smallest hint of amusement lacing through her words. However, as the female recited the 'rules' that Kibaya had relayed to her, the vague hint of humor blossomed to full out amusement as a smirk curled her maw and her eyes cut sideways to glance at the blue lion. He'd moved to the side, merely watching and waiting in the shadows, and anyone that didn't know he was there likely wouldn't have noticed. Her shadow, always watching. "Those are very good ones, yes," she said as her attention snapped back, "though I might elaborate a little more."
She shifted to sit down, curling her tail around her legs as she did so, and lifted her chin up a bit as she began to speak. These were important points she was making. "Hybrids are killed on site, so if those cubs of yours are mixed blood, you might want to think twice about it." Her eyes narrowed slightly on the female at that as she paused, looking for any hesitation - even if the cubs she was raising weren't hybrids, she needed to know and accept that practice. "No mating outside of the pride is allowed and all mating within the pride is only to be done between married individuals. The consequences for trespassing against these rules are strict, and given that Kibaya here has already given you a preview, I'm sure you don't need me to elaborate on just how strict." She stopped again, briefly, to again gauge her reactions, though she continued on after a moment. "There are other things to know, to be sure, but those are the most important."
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:55 pm
Eyes narrow, claws flex - what did she say to cause offense? The lioness' mind races while she listens, playing over the scene in her mind's eye. The cubs, that's what it is. The cubs and... the fact that they'd been dumped on her? It's impossible for her to tell if the queen is displeased by the dumper or the dumpee, but either way Kahawia now knows to be careful when discussing this topic.
She listens, nodding when it is appropriate, and follows Ashiki's glance towards the shadowed male. And again she feels the urge to speak out of turn, to point out the fact that a rule is something to be followed and that his threats had more to do with consequences than guidelines... but again her common sense prevails, and the brown lioness simply nods. She does brave a small smile when the queen makes her own amusement clear, but her gaze does not meet the strange crimson eyes of her protector.
"Hybrids?" Is her startled reply, lip curling unconsciously. "If they were hybrids, they would not be with me." The tone of finality behind her words makes it clear just what sort of fate they would have met, unspoken but undeniable.
Now that her immediate response is over with, Kahawia takes a moment to evaluate the rules she has been told. And then she nods, finding them to be acceptable. "These cubs... they were the result of a careless fling another lioness had. They never knew their father and barely know their mother, since she left them as soon as she was able." She frowns, eyes narrowing. "I am already paying for the consequences of her actions. I am definitely not eager to repeat her mistakes myself."
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 9:30 pm
She was pleased with the little outburst about hybrids, for that was often a sore point for many a rogue that passed through here. Something about the murder of innocent cubs, or something to that effect, was often brought up whenever she went over the rules. To hear someone who had as much distaste for the creatures as their pride did was a relief, as it meant less trouble for her, and less observation of the female if she chose to join.
"That's good," she said with a nod, already feeling her fondness for this particular stranger growing. "That's one less lioness I have to worry about concerning the matter of those abominations." She'd already let one pair in, and though the male seemed to have a good head on his shoulders, she wasn't so sure the female would be the sort to even tell her should she see a hybrid in the land, let alone kill it. Still, she wasn't a trouble maker, so if she was never caught lying about it then Ashiki would perhaps never have to deal with the problem. It did leave a sour taste in her mouth, despite it.
At the second admission about the so-called mother of these cubs she was towing around, Ashiki's claws flexed again. Not only abandoning them, but they were the direct result of a fling? A small snort escaped her at that and she shook her head, finding that her opinion of this unknown female was not very high. "You're paying for mistakes she made, and though unfair, at least you learn not to make them yourself." Still, the judgment of the one she didn't know was written clearly on her face, breaking the cool mask she often tried to wear.
"So long as you know these things, you're welcome in my borders. There are other cubs here for yours to play with, and some lions with free time that can show you around. Perhaps not all the friendliest sort, but more socially adept than dear Kibaya here." She nodded her head as she delivered the speech, knowing that any more talk would simply be idle chatter, and that was nothing she felt either of them needed. No need to waste time when she could be doing many other things. "If you need someone to go with you to get the cubs, I can find an escort."
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 9:45 pm
As the queen continues to speak, Kahawia feels the tension in her shoulders begin to melt away. She's in. She's really in, and safe. And (as much as she resents the circumstances surrounding the entire affair) the cubs will be safe as well. Her relief is almost palpable, so plain and obvious that she can't even get worried at the flexing of the queen's claws. They're safe.
"Thank you," she smiles, dipping her head again. "And --I mean no disrespect," Kahawia begins, sliding her gaze towards the dark lion, "but I am glad to hear that the others are more... social." He is definitely unnerving. A valiant guardian for his queen, to be sure, but not exactly the best lion to have greeting newcomers. How many have met his gaze and turned tail immediately, she wonders?
"I... I should go to them myself. They're not used to strangers, and I'd like to instruct them in your laws as soon as possible." Kahawia rises, stretching slowly and glancing back towards the hiding spot near the border. Far out of sight, they won't be back until evening falls. But they will be back.
With one last nod to the queen - and a shallower nod to Kibaya - the brown lioness turns and makes her way across the sands.--fin--
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