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 Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:02 pm
Today was the day his eldest daughter became an adult. Today was the day she became responsible, not just for herself or her siblings, but for everyone. The whole clan.
Yes, Ona'raha would not deny he had been both worried and looking forward to this day. An Ela'wadiyi male was never meant to lead a clan. It were the females who took charge and made decisions and that was the way it always should be. So it was right that his eldest, Eeva, would take that title from his paws.
Smiling down at Laka - who was nipping at his heels, he cast a look back and called out for his mate. Together, they would go meet Eeva and declare her Clan Leader.
---
Rehema had spent much of the morning with Kohana, who had been equally nervious about his sister's succession to power. Cold as he seemed, his every thought was for his clan- Eeva most especially. She'd kept him distracted enough with small tasks- scouting, hunting, and keeping watch on his younger siblings. Eeva was a growing lioness- and no doubt had been slipping off to find herself a mate. If Kohana had his way- she'd never get out.
She approached quietly, Kohana in tow, and offered Ona a wide, proud smile, "It's the day then..."
Kohana's ears rolled back. That it was... His little sister all grown up into a lioness. No doubt the other clan's males would be proposing left and right. His shoulders tensed at the thought.... bastards.
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:04 pm
He nodded, hoping that Rehema wouldn’t see that nervousness in his eyes. This was a big day and now there little girl was all grown up. About to take on big responsibilities…
“It’s finally arrived.” He replied, leaning forwards to touch his head to hers, drawing strength from their closeness. His eyes cast across at his son, fully grown with his huge, shaggy mane – much like his father’s. He was so proud of his children, each one so very unique in personality as well as looks.
Kohana…well, he looked just as nervous as he did!
“I told her to meet us at the meeting point. She should be waiting…” Or so he hoped. And then he added, almost in attempt to comfort his worries: “She’ll be there. She’ll be fine.”
Laka, all smiles and joy, bounced ahead, pouncing on tufts of rustling grass and chasing falling leaves. She was unaware of her the tension, only the excitement. This was her big sister’s special day, after all. What was there not to be happy about?
---
Rehema chuckled and nudged her forehead against Ona's. "Don't worry about her...", She whispered, well out of Kohana's hearing, "We've raised her well. She has your brilliant mind and her mother's strength. I'm sure she'll be just fine."
Truth be told, she was a little nervious over the whole affair. Succession to the throne was a huge responsibility. She had known Mufasa shortly, and his offspring to follow. He spent hours teaching them what he could and even more hours out among his territory maintaining the peace. She winced slightly... though the monster who had taken the king's life was no longer around, there would always be others.
"Besides." She glanced over towards Kohana. The lion had taken after his pridelander blood. He stood taller than a normal Ela, and a good deal more muscular than even his mother. "She has her shadow."
Kohana rolled his eyes, reached over, and planted a paw on Laka's tail. That one was going to give him problems...why hadn't his brothers shouldered some of the babysitting duty!? He didn't have time for this..
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:12 pm
He smiled and nodded. They had raised their children well indeed. You just needed to look at the tattoos on their pelts to know they had led good and kindly lives. Yes, they had their mischievous streaks, but they were good kids. Their kids. Eeva would be fine.
And Rehema was right.
Eeva did have her shadow.
His blue eyes, bright as glass, turned to Kohana again and he smiled warmly. Kohana would make sure she didn’t stray too far wrong. They all would. They were family.
“You’re right, love. Eeva isn’t in this alone. She has Kohana. She has all of us.” And his gaze dropped to the playful Laka, his youngest daughter who was now being pinned by her big brother.
Laka gave a squeak and turned back to face her brother, giving him a playful growl and attempting to pounce at his paws.
Ona’raha laughed. “Laka. Will you be a dear and go fetch that special gift you helped make?”
The silver one blinked as if she wasn’t sure what was being asked of her. And then her eyes brightened and she nodded. “Okay Daddy! But Ko-Ko has to let go first.” It seemed Eeva had been teaching her little siblings some of her favourite nicknames…
---
"That's right. We're a family. If she has any problems, I'm sure she'll let us know. There's nothing that we can't handle. The pride's grown quite a bit, besides. I don't think we'll have anything too terrible come our way."
She flicked her tail and chuckled at the little cub. It was nice to have cubs running around again. Rehema had never thought in her youth that she'd enjoy motherhood so much, but it had been lonely for a time when her first litter had been old enough to wonder beyond the clan's territory. Though...the second litter had been much larger. Now with her young neices and nephews- it was a full house.
"Hmph." He answered gruffly. She had him. For now. Pretty soon there'd be another male- and that male likely wouldn't appreciate his persistant nature to remain by his sister's side. If that male was anything like Nekoda...
He shuddered at the thought.
He glanced down as Laka made her 'attack' on his paws, unmoving. "Don't call me that." He half-growled as he lift his foot.
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:14 pm
If he could go back and live his life all over again, Ona’raha didn’t think he would change a thing. Yes. Terrible things had happened to him in his childhood, things that still saddened him now. And yet, through all that hardship he and others had come through the other side. Now he had found love. Friendship. He had a family he adored. He had his clan around him. What could be more perfect than that?
He laughed at the interaction between siblings and gave Laka a nudge before she could start answering back. “Go on then, we’ll meet you there.”
“Okay, okay! I’ll be super, super quick!” And, flashing her brother a grin that said: I’ll call you what I want, she darted off.
Ona’raha pressed on and finally the trees parted and they were in the clearing. Dappled sunlight drifted across his back and, to his surprise, Eeva was there, waiting for them.
He gave his mate one last glance, smiling courageously. “This is it. Here goes nothing.” And drawing in a deep breath, he moved forwards and gave a roar.
Eeva looked up as they arrived and stood almost immediately. She was not herself. She seemed embarrassed, shy and unsure of herself, though some of that simmered away as she spotted her family, particularly her brother who she could rely on more than most.
She moved towards her mother, intending to buffet her head against hers. “You’re here.” She murmured softly.
---
She'd not trade it for anything either. The pridelands weren't the same...even before she left. The members grew distant from one another, the rulers had placed quite a gap between themselves and those they served...and she didn't quite like such large crowds. The smaller, family feel of the Shadow Clan had been, suprisingly, just what she needed. The calm atmosphere had been a suprising welcome as well, even to her more wild nature.
She followed along beside Ona, her shoulder pressed to his. It was so hard to believe their little girl was already a full grown lioness, that she'd shoulder the clan. It seemed like it had been just yesterday that Eeva had been a small ball curled into her side between her three brothers.
The lioness sighed as Ona roared his welcome. She only smiled. She had to be the strong one...She'd not cry.
Kohana continued walking as Ona and Rehema paused to announce themselves. His paws picked up faster to close the distance between himself and his sister. "Excited?"
Rehema lowered her head to meet Eeva's. "Of course. It's your big day...how do you feel?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:48 pm
Ona tried to read his daughter’s expression but there were so many emotions there he could not make head nor tail of them. He stood back, watching and waiting for her to gather her courage, smiling softly.
Eeva swallowed back a nervous lump in her throat and put on a smile – though it looked a little worried. This was it. The day where responsibility would be her burden and…her gift, too. She would make her family proud. She would do this job to the best of her abilities from this day onwards.
“Excited.” She agreed with her brother. “But nervous, too. Mother, what if I…” No, enough of that. She shook her head and nuzzled her mother again, drawing strength from it. “I know you’ve been worried about me…taking on this role. I’ve been a bit of a mischief maker, I’ll be the first to admit that.” She included her father in this little speech. “But family is important to me. This Clan is family. It is my world. Everything I love and care about is here.” Except for one certain male at this point in time… “In the future…I may make mistakes, I may do silly things but…if I do, I will do all I can to correct them. That is a promise I can make.”
She drew a deep breath and took step back. “I’m ready.”
It was time to grow up.
---
"Don't even think it." Rehema answered knowingly. "There's too many what if's to bother with. What if I give birth to a fish or your nose falls off?" She chuckled, "Just do your best. That's all we can ask of you."
She licked the mane back from Eeva's forehead. It was her right to baby her- as a mother. She stepped back, eyes glazed, and nodded Ona forward. "You take it from here... this is new territory to me."
Kohana offered a very rare, very small smile and a short nod. No doubt she'd screw up... and he'd be right there to clean it up when nessicary. Her recent slipping out had him more nervious than ever. Rehema had insisted that it was perfectly fine- he didn't think so. Why did she need a mate so soon anyway?
"Just be careful."
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:50 pm
Eeva laughed, cheered up by her mother’s choice of words and thankful that they were all here. It would be much better having them close when she was about to accept such a responsibility.
And the laugh turned into a purr, grateful for her mother’s attentions, needing them more than she realised right now. And though so much was going on around her, she did not miss her brother’s smile nor miss his words. She’d be as careful as she could be!
Nodding, she stepped back and glanced towards her father expectantly.
Ona’raha steeled himself and nodded, moving to his daughter’s side and nudging her into the centre of the clearing. Then he took his place in front of her, their eyes meeting. She was a little shorter than her father, but not by much. The pridelander blood in her veins meant she was a little bigger than an average Ela’wadiyian, but not so much that she towered over pure-blood Ela females.
“I’m ready.” She whispered, lifting her head and drawing both her ears.
Ona gave her a comforting look and then spoke aloud. “This day, beneath the cloud-spirits of our ancestors, I submit to you my leadership. I, Ona’raha Subiani, son of A’kiutu Subiani and Fa’moyo Abadon do willingly pass to you, Eeva Subiani, the role of Clan Leader.”
A short pause. “As leader you shall watch over us, guide us and lead us unseen through the night. You will be keeper of our secrets and sharer of knowledge. You will live as a shadow; swift and silent as the dark.”
Another pause. “Do you accept this role fully into your heart and soul? Do you declare, before family and ancestors, that you will take your place as leader of the Shadow Clan?”
And in a small voice, Eeva replied. “Yes. I do.”
In the next moment, little Laka came crashing through into the clearing. Her eyes wide and bright. Without hesitation she dashed past her mother and brother and up to her father’s side, lifting her head high. There, carried delicately in her jaws, was a wreath of leaves and feathers.
Ona’raha took it from her and, with a smile, reached out to place it atop his dark-pelted daughter’s head.
Eeva dipped her head and the unfamiliar weight of the wreath settled across her ears, rustling as she raised her eyes to look around her. Her heart was beating wildly and suddenly she felt full of energy, as if she could run for miles, as if she could jump so high she would be able to fly.
Tears welled in her eyes and, overcome, she stepped forwards to hook her chin across her father’s shoulders in a lion version of a hug. “Thank you.” She whispered. “I will do you proud.”
“I know you will.” He replied fondly. “And, if you are ever in doubt, we are not far away.”
Then, increasing the volume of his voice he turned and called out. “All welcome Eeva Subiani, the new leader of the Shadow Clan.” And he roared, one of the loudest roars he ever had conjured.
Malik would have been proud.
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:24 pm
Rehema took a slow, deep breath and settled down to her haunches. She'd never seen a succession rite, nor was she familar with the particulars of this pride. Ona had explained it in some detail, but it was one thing to see it and another to hear of it.
Her chest swelled as she watched, both her daughter and her mate had grown so much... both had so much confidence, so much grace. Even Ona, her shy little Ona, was speaking like a king. He'd never looked more magnificent. The way the dappled light hit his mane and his eyes almost gave the smaller male a glow.
She sighed softly.
Kohana stood still as stone, his eyes locked on his sister, unwavering. As the ritual passed, his eyes glazed over. His little sister.... he'd have to give her up one day. She had the entire clan to think of. To protect....to serve.
He set his jaw and cleared his throat- ignoring a soft smile from his mother. He wasn't crying. Nope.
As Ona threw a roar to the sky, Kohana parted his maw to send a thundering roar of his own, echoed soon by Rehema beside him.
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