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 Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:45 am
Siri paced through the trees, her muscles tense with restless energy. Patroling...was that really all she could do? She stopped, lifting her head and letting out a short, sharp breath. She had a great love for her home but somehow...she wanted to go further. She wanted to go beyond these trees that circled the land.
And why couldn't she? Shula did it, as did Mteuli, on a regular basis. Somehow, though, she felt such wanderings on her part wouldn't be as...normal. She was the heir, as decided by her father and mother, and though she didn't think she'd be taking the throne anytime soon, if ever, somehow leaving felt...restricted.
Flight was always the easiest mode of transportation for a goddess. It did, however, cause a bit of trouble when going over densely forested or mountain areas. Now, soaring over the treetops of a jungle landscape, Bathsheba felt a bit of exasperation at her poor visibility. She could sense many beings and their responsibilities, as was her power, but she couldn't see them. It left her very focused on her 6th sense, as opposed to sight that would take in such a beautiful land.
Not every individual needed attention. In fact, most did not. There were too many in this world for her to see all of them. Those in need or in conflict were the ones she had to speak to. And it was for them she searched.
Coming near a ravine she sensed such a person. With a turn of her white wings she dipped to the side and circled down, heading into the trees.
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:52 am
The sound of a large create moving ahead caught Siri's attention. Her head lifted, her ears pulling forward in attention. Her body dipped down, ready for an agressive position if the need arose. It was likely nothing, as Siri had never experienced any threat to their lands as of yet. There was, however, a first time for everything. Her body trembled with excitement.
Moving forward quickly and quietly, she ducked her head under a group of ferns just enough so that she could see forward. Above she saw, coming right through the canopy, a large white and gray form. She was startled to the point of freezing, as she had never seen a bird of such size. It was only as it landed that she realized it wasn't a bird, but a goddess. Relief swept through her body. Their pride was familliar with deities and she certainly did not feel threatened by them.
She slipped out into view, dipping her head a little bit, "My lady, what brings you here?"
Leaves stuck to Sheba's hair and feathers as she dropped down below the threetops. Such, she supposed, were the hazards of flying through like that. It was only a passing irritation, however. She had important business to attend to. Pulling back her wings to slow her decent, she landed in the most open patch of foliage. There she folded her feathers back and turned to look at the lioness who had immerged.
"You have," Sheba replied simply. Perhaps not the best answer to begin, but it was the truth. And Sheba wished to wait a moment, in case this lioness needed time to adjust to seeing her. But, by the greeting, she guessed this lioness had met a god or goddess before.
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:00 am
A sharp look of confusion came across Siri's face. While not the most expressive being at times, when she displayed emotions they were blunt. She also pulled back her head a little, her stance drawing up. Pride jumped through her body language. Not arrogance, but definate pride. It was something she had taken from her father.
"You must be mistaken," she said shamelessly, unafraid to correct the goddess, "As I have done nothing wrong." Siri met the goddess's gaze without wavering, her jaw set steadily.
"You misunderstand," Sheba began and then stopped. Taking a breath she collected herself, thinking quickly of the best way to go about this. It was not good to have this sort of conversation start off defensively. As, at present, she only planned to serve as an advisor of sorts.
"I apollogize, let me introduce myself," She began again, "I am Bathsheba, the goddess of duty." She dipped forward a little in a small bow and then returned to her normal, quiet standce of confidence. "I am not here to punish you or correct you. I am simply here to talk...as you are struggling with your duty to your pride, am I correct?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:06 am
Siri's expression narowed a little, though it had yet to border on disrespectful. She was doing her best to keep her pride strong, but in control. She would not lash out at this goddess for what she said, but she would not kindly take to insults either, at least, not if they were not due. She always tried to be very conscious of her faults. Being irresponsible was not one of them.
"I am not struggling with my duty," she insisted, "I am doing exactly what I'm supposed to. I am serving my pride. I do not shirk that responsibility."
"That is not what I meant," Sheba said, struggling to find the words to get past the barrier of words the lioness had raised. Conversations like these were the hardest. Correcting a duty forcefully was easy...deciding what an indivdual's duty was when the lines blurred was not. That was what she needed to do here.
"You are...the heir to your pride, that I understand. You have a lot of responsibilities that go along with that but...I feel another has arisen that you have not addressed, or are afraid to adress, if I may, miss...?" She paused, hoping a name would be offered. She could sense a lot of details with her abilities, but names were to be freely given.
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:11 am
Siri paused, her stand receeding slightly in thought. Something she had overlooked? She didn't see how this was possible, as she was very careful about doing everything that was expected of her. So what was this goddess talking about? Had it been a mortal she most likely would have brushed the idea aside but...this was the goddess of duty. If she had missed something, who would know but Bathsheba?
"Siri," she answered slowly, while preparing her question. Her brows furrowed a little, lingering with a bit of stubborn denial. But she strained to listen, to understand, "...What am I forgetting?"
"Miss Siri," she repeated. Bathsheba felt a bit relieved. Now they could move forward, since the hardest part was over. Now Siri was listening and that was all she needed. Sheba leaned back, settling back to sit on her haunches. She wanted this conversation to be relaxed, open...standing did little to help that.
"Think...is there nothing you've been wishing to do?" She asked. She supposed she could just tell Siri what it was but...self discovery was always best. It led to acceptance far more quickly than listening did.
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:16 am
"What I want has nothing to do with my duty," Siri answered immediately. It was an offhanded, instinctive remark. But when she looked at Sheba she could see that the answer was wrong, or at least not what the goddess was looking for. Why else would she have asked her question?
Sighing Siri sat down as well, her ears twitching to the side as she thought harder. It wasn't so much that the idea was elusive, it was just fitting the idea into the conversation. Had she not just been thinking about what she wanted a moment before?
"I...wish to travel," she answered begrudgingly. She didn't like to admit it, because she felt it was never really going to happen. She did not appreciate having a desire that would not be fulfilled.
"Ahhh..." She smiled just a little. It was the smallest of shapes, pulling at the corners of her maw, smooth and subtle. It showed mainly, though, through her eyes. Siri had hit the mark and now Sheba needed to direct her, to allow her to think at perhaps a different angle than usual.
"And...why don't you? You feel you can't, because you are the heir?" Sheba questioned. It wasn't even a question, really. Sheba knew that was what Siri felt. "I believe you should think about that again."
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:24 am
"What is there to think about?" Siri replied quickly, "I cannot leave. I must assist here. Traveling does not benefit the pride, it only benefits myself. Selfishness is not part of my duty, that is obvious." She lowered her head, her expression sour. She didn't want to think about it, about how much she just wanted to leave, just for a little while.
"Ah but...that's the thing," Sheba replied patiently, "Traveling...it has many benefits. Did you not think of that...?" She watched Siri's expression. She didn't think it was a lack of intelligence that limited her now, it was her steadfast and stubborn attitude. She truly, firmly believed she couldn't leave.
"I will explain," she said slowly. She supposed there was no other way to go about it, "Most of the members of your pride do not leave it, correct? While the pride may not change much, the world around it does. To know what exists in that world that surrounds yours is critical...it allows you to pepare your pride for what may or may not come. To travel is to learn and to gain new perspectives. It is critical for survival."
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:29 am
Siri's expression slowly softened as the goddess explained her point. It was now she actually began to take in what was said, instead of just knocking the ideas away. Was it true then? Was it true that not only could she travel, but she should? Perhaps that was why Mteuli and Shula did it, or perhaps not, but...the act of doing so was benefitial to the pride.
In a sense, it was her duty to go and come back with all she could learn.
"And..." Siri added, to make sure she was thinking along the correct lines, "Traveling would give me experience that would aid me, should the day arise that I must lead. So...I must, at some point, go and experience the world."
Bathsheba only smiled, rising on her hind legs to stand. She had achieved what she had come for. Duty was a tricky thing...it was constantly shifting, changing, and often crossed over into other realms. She was glad to assist this very controled, but passionate young lioness.
"Keep all of this in mind when you think about your duty in the future...perhaps it is not as clear cut as it seems," She said. She spread her wings then, preparing for flight. She added quickly, "Also remember that you have duties to yourself." Bathsheba had found that out the hard way.
"Farewell." With a huge beat of her wings she shirred the air, scattered the underbrush, and took off back into the sky, leaving Siri with her new feelings and determinations.
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