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 Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:55 am
 She moved with exaggerated steps of her paws, swinging one out and then the other and repeating the process so she walked almost crab-like along the sand of the beach that was her home. And what a beautiful home it was! So much fun and adventure. All these new places and things to explore and see.
Currently she was following a crab down the swaths of sand, wondering where it was going in such a hurry and wondering also why it walked in such a fashion. She giggled at it as she went, not even minding when she caught her paws in seaweed and ended up snubbing her snout on the ground.
By now the little one was covered in sand and a tangle of the smelly green seaweed and managed to get entangled with the mass of curly fur between her ears. Her mother sure was going to have fun washing her when she got back from her little adventure! Even still, she didn't seem to notice that she was looking scruffy and didn't smell all that pleasant. Why would she? She was having far too much fun for that!
With another giggle and a flying leap, she finally threw herself at the crab, pinning the shelled creature beneath her paws and watching it moving its legs and those funny shaped...paws? Not paws. Not soft enough for paws. It was something like that though, wasn't it. Yes Mummy had told her something about...ow!! What was that?
"Bit me!" She squeaked, lifting her paw and squealing in dismay when the crab hung from it, dangling mid-air.
She screamed.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:03 pm
The sound that froze the blood in her body.
The Bahari'mtoto's storyteller glanced around, eyes wide as she hurried in the direction of the pained sound - the shore. Perhaps a cub had gotten themselves into trouble in the water? So far there hadn't been any major casualties, but Azi was constantly mentioning how they could have lions patrol the coastal area, incase any cubs should venture too deep into the sea. One day a cub would drown, and the pride would regret not listening to her earlier.
She leapt over the sand dunes, landing smoothly on the rough sand as she spotted the small, mucky shape before her...
...With a crab hanging off of it's paw.
Suddenly finding herself amused, Azi slowed her hurried pace, approaching the cub gently so as not to scare it - ah, no, it was a her! In fact it was Sevati's daughter, Kirjava. Chuckling now, Azi used a large paw to bat the crab quickly off of the cub, reaching down and picking the tan-coloured cub up by the scruff of her neck, carrying her further down the beach, away from the incoming tide. Placing Kirjava between her paws and holding her securely there, she sighed, plucking a piece of seaweed from the cub's fur.
"What have you done to yourself, Kirjava? Silly girl..."
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:12 pm
Tears glittered in those crimson eyes of hers. She had only been playing and look. Look! The thing had hurt her like it has claws of its own. Oh yes, that's right. They were claws. Just not like hers. Clampy and painful and ow-y! She was desperately sniffling tears when suddenly someone else was there, removing the crab and releasing her from the pain.
Oh saviour!
She blinked up just in time to see the grey kindly face of the storyteller before she was lifted into the air. She fell limp, letting her legs dangle, sniffing the tears away so she wouldn't look like a big baby. She wasn't a little cub any more! Mother and father said she was growing!
And then she was set back on the ground again, placed between the kindly female's paws and waiting with some impatience as she was tidied up a little. She might not have appreciated the attentions but her mother sure would!
"Nothing. Was following crab. Crab bit me real hard...right here." She lifted a paw. "See? It hurt so I screamed and then you came. I wasn't hurting it or anything, promise. I just wanted to play." She drew in a deep breath. "...But it didn't want to. Why is it so mean, Azi?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:49 pm
Pulling off another piece of seaweed and dusting the sand off of the cub's back, Azi smiled to herself, chuckling once again as she loosened her grip, not wanting to hurt Kirjava. She did enjoy looking after the cubs - and she even found herself wishing after more of her own. But that was a matter to be discussed with Kaja, when the right moment came up. For now, she was content to help Sevati with her large litter - and perhaps to continue spying on Jesenya. There was definitely something going on with her daughter and Sevati's son. It made her so happy, to think that Jesenya had found the happy ending she'd never had.
"I see, Kirjava," Azi spoke in a soothing voice, nuzzling the top of the cub's head in a fond manner, "Crabs can be a little cranky sometimes, and don't want to play. So if you annoy them they can't ask you to stop, so they n** you." she explained gently, fully loosening her grip so the cub could wriggle free.
"Besides, why are you out here? Shouldn't you be with your siblings, or with the other cubs?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:58 pm
"Well it hurt. I won't be playing with one again for a while." She replied, waving her nipped paw before wriggling free. She waddled a few steps before turning to look up at the pretty lioness. And she was pretty! Just like Mummy was! One day she was going to be pretty, too, and she'd have pretty bangles in her hair to make everyone and ahh at her.
But then...she wouldn't be able to get all messy, right?
Was it worth it?
"Nope. I'm off on an adventure today." She smiled wide. "To find the seaweed monster. He lives around here, you know. All green and smelly and scary. So I'm gonna catch him and take him back to show the others."
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:08 pm
Azi smiled, nodding. Good - it wasn't good for a cub to feel pain, but at least Kirjava had learnt a lesson. Perhaps she'd leave the crabs alone now, or at least treat them more gently. And aah, a cubs imagination. What a wonderful thing it was. Azi remembered back when she was a mere cub - such a longtime ago - in the Pridelands, catching butterflies and playing with her siblings. ...She did hope they were well.
"The seaweed monster?" she asked, faking a surprised look, "But surely that's far too dangerous a thing to be doing for a small cub! He's too smelly for you to get anywhere near him, is what I've heard."
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:12 pm
"Nope, nope, see." She pointed to the weed recently picked and discarded from her fur. "I was getting myself used to the smell, so when I got near him I'd be i-mu-ne." Was that the right word? She shrugged, moving on without giving it much thought. "Then after I caught it and showed it to everyone I'd be kind and let it go and in return it would be my friend. So if ever I wanted to scare anyone he'd come and help me." She grinned.
"What else have you heard about him, Azi?" She drew closer, sitting down, eyes wide. She loved to learn about the monsters around these lands and n her mind and heart they truly, truly existed.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:17 pm
"Immune," she confirmed to the cub, helping her along a little when she seemed to be struggling. The lionness had a warm, reassuring smile, yet it was an inwardly amused one. She did love cubs, and the things they came up with. Things that seemed to silly and irrelevant to the adults, but to a child was so precious. "Kindness and compassion are good qualities, Kirjava. But you shouldn't always expect something in return."
Ah, she wanted a story? Well, not a story exactly, but her storytelling skills were certainly going to come into play. With a smile, she settled herself down, glancing behind Kirjava and across the beach.
"Well," she began, eyes back on the cub before her, "I've heard that he's huge - at least ten feet tall. But that he's as light as a feather, and can be blown away in the wind, because all the seaweed on him acts like the wings on a bird might. He's got big, big red eyes, and is covereing in disgusting, smelly seaweed that makes everyone run away from him."
She paused suddenly, frowning. This wasn't a good impression to be making, "But...I've also heard that he is, in face, not scary. He just looks it - inside he's very, very nice. And lonely. He just wants a friend."
She smiled.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:24 pm
She listened to the story, wide-eyed. Ten-feet tall? Well that was big. Like as big as...as big as a tree! Maybe more! Maybe he could touch the clouds! And then he could fly! Oh she wished she could fly! Then she'd be able to touch the clouds too!
Her ears lifted, her expression wistful, astounded. She would do anything to meet this huge seaweed monster with his big, red eyes, smelly seaweed skin and his ability to fly.
"I'll be his friend!" She all but blurted, waving her paws madly. "I won't mind if he smells and looks scary because I'm brave and my nose is practised." She nodded furiously. "Then where does he live, Azi? In the sea like some others told me?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:29 pm
Ah, the wide eyes of Kirjava and her joyful tone were enough to make the lionness' heart swell in pride and joy. She'd have to tell Sevati about this later - her friend would chuckle at the story of what her cub was now doing. Kirjava was such a sweetheart, though.
"I'm sure he'll be very grateful to have a friend," Azi spoke, nodding with a warm smile, "And that's good. You shouldn't judge people for what they look like, or smell like. It's what's on the inside that counts - you understand that, right?"
She smiled again, reaching out to nuzzle the top of Kirjava's head once more, "He travels around the Bahari'mtoto lands, looking for a friend. He rarely stops, but he usually sleeps in cave or dark places."
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Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:26 am
She nodded. "Uh huh. Just like when I'm covered in sand and stuff and Mummy gets mad. She can't be mad for long cos I'm too cute, right?" She wiggled and lifted her ears a little more. "Besides, friends are good. I want to have lots of friends so that I'm never, ever, ever lonely."
Then she listened to where she could find him. Dark places? Caves? She supposed that made more sense. But was there anything like that around here? Well there had to be! "Caves? Where are the caves, Azi?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:31 am
Azi chuckled, nodding her head. "Sort of like that, yes. And I'm glad - I'm sure you'll make lots of people happy if you're their friend, Kirjava. Especially the seaweed monster. Although, doesn't it seem from what I've told you, that monster's a little too harsh of a word?"
Uh oh. Should she be encouraging the cub so go searching around in caves and dark places? She could get hurt. Quickly changing her train of thought, Azi shook her head gently, "I can't tell you. You have to find them yourself. But when you do find them, you have to make sure you tell someone before you go inside. Promise?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:36 am
She nodded. Calling him a monster did seem kind of mean now that she thought about it. But what else was there? "What do you think I should call him then? If not a monster, I mean." She blinked, smiling a little.
And then she waved a paw, laughing. "I'll take someone with me, just in case the mon--um, thing, doesn't want to come out. That way I have a witness!" She grinned. "I can't wait to start looking. It's going to be so much fun!"
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Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:43 am
"Perhaps something more friendly. The seaweed friend? No..." she spoke, forehead creasing as she racked her brain for a suitable name. After a few moments her eyes suddenly widened, a warm smile stretching over her maw as she glanced back down to the young cub. "How about the seaweed God? After all, we did say he could fly?"
Azi's smile broke into a grin as she nodded, amused by the enthusiasm of the youngster. Ah, she couldn't wait to see this 'Seaweed God'. She'd have to tell Sevati about this conversation. "Just be careful, hmm? You won't do him any good if you get yourself hurt."
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Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:48 am
"Gods can fly?" She echoed, her eyes grwing thoughtful. "Birds, too. And clouds. Seaweed bird!" She chirped and bounced up onto her paws, seeming unable to keep still. "If we call him the Seaweed God, does he have other powers? Or just flying?"
She paused, glanced up at the older lioness and nodded. "I promise. I won't do anything dange-russ." She smiled again. "That won't be any good at all!"
She gave a little purr and, blinking, lifted her head. "Do you want to come back with me to see Mummy?"
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