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 Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:25 am
Kitu watched it boredly where he was lying, tail-tip dragging against the ground at his side like a paint brush. He imagined the colors on his tail changing the colors of gray to purple and white, and the mental images stimulated him for a while. But not for long. The colors of the late evening sun were so...so much more vivid. Not only vivid, but they were real, unlike the imagined colors Kitu painted on the dirt ground. How many times had he used his tail as an imaginary paintbrush? Many times...so many times. His tail was like a security blanket to him. It was his one real companion in times when he was so completely alone that even the shadows began to speak to him. The only thing keeping him feeling safe in those moments was the dim sunlight easing through the den. The shadows were quiet, for now.
Decently-sized body stretching, claws jutting out and eyes squinting shut in the process, boredom seized the young male again. He relaxed, adjusting himself on his belly, front limbs perfectly beside one another. But he was fidgeting. So long had he stayed in that den, always waiting for his mother to return to him. He became more and more aware of the size of the den, growing ever-smaller as the lion grew bigger. Age was something Kitu couldn't comprehend very well. But he was aware of himself changing. He was big now...not yet bigger than his mother, though. With his physical changes came something else--a yearning to move.
As he lied there with that bored expression, he watched the sunlight dance and shudder over the entrance, dancing with the breeze in the trees. Something in his heart ached, and the male buried his face in his arms.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 3:52 am
Her nose lifted as she caught the scent of Sheitani, it was a strong scent, one left here by many trips up and down this path, a frown creased her forehead, turning, she follows the well worn path. What on earth had that god damned crazed thing been doing now? It was bad enough that she kept having babies which needed to be raised by herself and the rest of the pride, what on earth had she been doing down here away from the general populous?
She cursed inwardly, had she been too distracted to see if Shei was pregnant, again? What if this was a path to a den with cubs in it? Sheitani had a penchant for hiding her babies away from the dens where they could starve or dye of the cool night air.
She did not want to walk upon a den full of cold dead little bodies. She knew and understood death but dead cubs would certainly make her loose her lunch. It surprised her then when she caught a glimpse of larger paws and the scent of a young male. "Tell me you are not Sheitani's new lover?" She sighs heavily, planting herself, legs spread apart and fangs turned in a slightly aggressive manner, she did not know this creature, what if it attacked? It would find the small queen a worthy advesary thatw as for sure.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 7:41 am
Kitu sighed heavily, willing his mother to come back. She had been away for too long this time. Where was she? What was she doing while he was there by himself, bored; Aching, wanting to leave, wanting to learn? What was she doing? He hated her...He loved her...She was his mother. But in those moments of disgustingly familiar solitude, head buried in his arms, Kitu realized something.
His mother didn't have to be there in order for him to...just take a walk...right?
Eyes peaking up from his white forelimbs, mouth hidden in his arms, the male stared intensely at the small, twisted entrance of the den. He watched it like a hunter watching its prey. And then, slowly, unsurely...the male rose to his feet. He stood unmoving, still watching the entrance intently.
Then he moved. He took a step. And another. And another. He continued in his stiff motion until half of his body was stretched out of the den. He gripped the earth and pulled himself out, body immediately smothering in blood-red light. The male blinked quickly, face stony and eyes wide and hungry.
He was outside by himself for the first time in his life.
And it made him feel so alive, he was frighetened. But before he could move again, something alarming rang through his ears--a voice. Words. Someone had spoken, but it was not his mother's voice. Head whipping around, pink eyes caught purple and the young male's jaw dropped. He gaped openly, eyes trailing over and sucking in every detail of the creature before him. Confusion seized his mind and he took a step back, fear of the unknown kicking in. But while this creature who had spoken to him seemed familiar in appearance, possessing limbs and a tail and features like he and his mother had, the fact that another creature like him and his mother existed was mind-boggling.
What WAS this thing?!
Mind rolling back to the creature's words, Kitu recognized several, especially his mother's name. His pupils thinned and his heart sped up, unsure of what the thing was asking him. He did not know what lover meant. And so, like a dumb heap of utter confusion and anxiety, the adolescent stood still in the entrance of the only thing that was familiar to him--his den--teeth clenched and trembling, fighting with himself as to what to do next.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:35 am
As the young male came in to her view, the salmon tinted queen flicks her tail, familiar markings, familiar colours. But how? Had Sheitani managed to keep one of her cubs to one side. He seemed so confused and she felt a deep aching sorrow for the poor young male.
"I won't hurt you, do you understand me?" She smiles a soft, gentle smile sitting down and wrapping her tail around her fore paws, she wanted to look gentle.
He smelled of Sheitani, she could smell the maddening lioness all over him even from this distance. "I promise I am not here to hurt you youngster, my name is Afritti'dogo, do you have a name hmm?" She smiles a calm smile hoping to pull the young lion from his fears and worries. How had she lost this one? God damn Shai, god damn her!
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 9:02 am
Kitu lurched backward at the sudden movement the creature made, body instinctively shrinking to the ground. But he rose back up again slowly once he saw that she was merely sitting. All her gestures and tones made her seem non-threatening. That was good. It was...But...He still didn't understand what was happening. What was this creature who resembled both him and his mother...this creature that looked like them and spoke words like them? But she was different somehow. She wasn't like his mother. And she wasn't entirely like him, either. Her manner was...different. She was different. But what exactly was she?
Ears flinching back at the sounds, the young male sifted through the female's words. He understood her. Yes, he understood her words. She spoke differently than what he was used to, but he understood.
"Yes..." he muttered in a pathetic voice, brows twisting. She wouldn't hurt him. He didn't like to be hurt. Hurt, hurt, he got hurt a lot...But she wouldn't hurt him. She said so. But was she lying? No. Yes. No. Maybe.
Much of what she said was lost on Kitu, but he did understand quite a bit. The foreign, rippling word Afritti'dogo...He didn't know what that meant at all. But it was the creature's...Name? ...OH, a name. A name...
Pink eyes narrowing in thought, he finally glanced back up at the female, scared as ever. "Kitu," he said softly, almost as if he was unsure that was the right answer. His eyes were still wide, hungry as they continued to move over the familiar-looking creature's form. He was so fascinated with it, but frightened at the same time, despite Afritti's apparent gentleness.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 11:13 am
Afritti watched the young male quietly, her deep purple eyes smiling, she stayed where she was, watching his mannerisms, listening to his simple one word answers. What had Shai done to this poor boy? Her heart went out to the poor youngster, the scent of Shai filled the air, she had raised this poor cub and he was clearly confused. "Your mother is a member of the Mwana'a-lela, has she told you of us? Of me hmm?" the queen puurrs gently, she contemplated moving towards him, but the fear that any movement might spook the poor boy kept her rooted to the spot.
"Have you been here alone, with your mother?" She tilts her head a little, giving him a curious look, perhaps he was slow and that was why he answered so simply?
"Do you want to come with me? I can take you to her if you like." She flickers her tail and quickly stops the movement, he seemed so skittish, how was she going to get him back to the pride? he clearly needed help.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 11:49 am
Kitu's ears stood tall at the mention of the Mwana-a'lela. He knew what that was. It was home. It was red life. That was what Shaitani had told him. He was not slow by any means. Indeed, he was a sharp boy, quick to learn and possessed an extremely great memory, albeit that was both a blessing and a curse. So much time spent with his mother had robbed him of normal speech and knowledge of the outside world. But he didn't know that. Ignorance was bliss.
"Yes," Kitu answered quickly, gaining a bit more confidence now that he had found some common ground with the creature. He did not know what a lion was called, that there were other lions, and that this one was merely a female lion, like his mother was. He had no understanding of other creatures in the world besides the one his mother killed for him to feed on. But thsoe were varied creatures--small, skittish things that were meant to be destroyed and consumed...drank...emptied...
Suddenly feeling cold, Kitu's eyes glazed over, head bowing as he stared at Afritti. Something in him vaguely remembered what a mother was, but he didn't know that Shaitani was his mother. Shaitani was Shaitani in his eyes. She was not a mother, nor a lioness. She was Shaitani. Not wanting to make the nice-looking creature wait for an answer any further, Kitu answered her.
"Kitu has been here with Shaitani," he said hesitantly, hoping it was a sufficient answer. But she offered for him to go with her...Where? Oh, wait...
Heart speeding up, Kitu smiled hopefully, ears folding and tail coiling behind him where he stood. "To Shaitani?" he asked.
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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:47 am
Afritti'dogo steps forwards slightly then turns holding out her tail like a beacon to the young male. "Yes, to sheitani" She smiles a soft, dreamy smile and takes a step forwards "Come, follow me little one I will take you in to our coven, to the mwana'a-lela, to Sheitani."
Her brow creased slightly as she moved forwards, though she quickly ironed the frown again with a deep, calming breath. Frightening the poor beast with ehr anger was niether use nor ornament to the little creature that she needed to fold in tot he covens arms, whom she needed to take under her wing and teach how to be a real lion.
There had been a time long ago when she didn't know how to love or teach or care for another but now she was the mother of all within the pride and htis poor lost soul needed to be cared for even more than an orphaned cub.
"Come, I will bring you home."
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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:55 am
Ktiu's fear and hesitance all but disappeared at the gentle words Afritti spoke. His chest swelled with a strange feeling, and a hopeful smile washed over his face. Looking much like a cub rather than an adolescent male, Kitu walked awkwardly after the lioness, still enthralled with meeting another creature like himself. His heart beat quickly as thoughts of unknown things filled his head, and he became more and more worried with each step he took. But each time he grew fearful, he looked up to gaze at whom he was following--the pink-striped back and the sounds of tinkling jewelry that reassured the innocent male.
Humidity clung to the boy's fur as he walked, ears flattened and head low. But there was a hint of a smile on his face. He was going to Shaitani. She would be...she would maybe be happy to see him...It had been such a very, very long time...lonely times...but now he would see her again.
Now he was going...home.
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