|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:06 pm
Kikimu wasn't surprised at all to find that she remembered everything about the lands that she grew up in, she was however quite taken aback when she returned to the 'family' den and did not find her mother or father around. The lioness knew that her siblings would probably be away from the den-- in their own dens; but she felt certain that Manny, mother, and father would all be happily surprised by her visit.
Along with her mate, Anju, Kiki had waited around for the better part of the day, and when no one showed they decided to go in search of Anju's family.
The brightly colored female felt very distressed and looked to Anju for comfort, "They've probably just gotten a better den, right? Nothing could have happened...not to all of them?" 
Both girls were happy no matter what location they were in, they were excited while adventuring into jungles or looking into deep caves. Anywhere they went they made home, and as long as they had one another Anju was certain she would never want for anything. Anju was frightened however, that her mate would want to move back to the pride and put an end to their adventuring hijinks, the brown striped female wasn't sure how she would handle that. A very small, minuscule part of her felt that if they settled down Kikimu would start the conversation about cubs once more..and Anju would not be able to provide something her mate longed for.
"Let's look over here at one of the larger watering holes, we're sure to find someone."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:24 pm
After beginning his relationship with Shani, Wahabu had relocated himself into his mate's den. It seemed only fair, he was the one who really hadn't had anything before it- he'd left his den with Intombi when things got awkward and stuck around anywhere comfortable in the pride. It wasn't really that big of a deal. But he was not hanging out at the den that afternoon, he and Shani had decided it just wasn't a good idea. Manuku and his girls had shown up and they had dared to leave him in charge of the eight cubs.
"How long do you suppose he'll last?" he asked with a chuckle, leading the way down a well-worn path to the waterhole, "I'll be surprised if he's not missing a couple chunks of mane when we get back." Shani had had no hesitation in leaving the kids with Manuku. They were not so small and fragile now and while Manuku was like a big kid himself sometimes, he knew how to be responsible. At least, they hoped so- and if he didn't, they were in the midst of a pride's lands. They were fine. And he did have to get used to it if he was going to have cubs.
"He'll be lucky if he's not," she agreed with a chuckle of her own, shaking her head and leaning over to n** affectionately at the odd part of Habu's mane where he'd had a fair bit town away. It wouldn't be anything like that but he'd reminded her.
"He's been getting better," she commented thoughtfully, "He'd certainly be more interesting stuck in the middle of a game than I was." They'd still be arguing about cheating if it had been Manny that Barafu found and hid with.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:49 pm
The yellow lioness pretended to be swayed in the other direction by her mates shove and feigned hurt at the playful bump. "Hey!" She exclaimed. Kiki looked up in the direction she was pushed to see two lions, one she recognized immediately, but the other she wasn't sure if she recalled the pelt color and form. It was Wahabu, dad.
"Ju, my..my dad's over there!" She nearly bounced with excitement, "I seem to always jump to conclusions, and bad ones I know..but we've been gone for so long, too long, Anju." She apologized for her gloomy musings and shifted her attention the the pair not too far away from her.
Anju was about to make a silly remark at Kiki's response to being bumped into but stopped when her mate's mood seemed to brighten.
"I'll resist a, 'told you so' for now, but next time I totally get to gloat," Anju responded and then turning her attention to the older pair, "Wahabu!"
"Anju, that was some polite greeting," she mumbled and took a step toward Wahabu and Shani, "Dad!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 11:06 pm
"More interesting to us," Habu corrected with a shake of his head, something very familiar in the corner of his eye catching his attention. For all the kids he had- and he did have quite a few- only four were as yellow as he was, and all four were girls and only one had that color of pink. He stumbled to a stop and turned his head, just in time to see them heading their way. It was most undoubtedly Kiki and Anju.
"Wait," he said, holding out a paw and stopping Shani, smiling widely when the girls caught up and called to him, "Girls! Kiki! You're home!"
It had been so long since Kiki and Anju had left, and then again quite some time since he and Shani have gotten together.. it didn't even cross his mind how much had changed-- except it took no thinking to know she would need to meet her little brother and sisters and nieces. And great nieces and nephews.
Shani was shaking her head despite her agreement with Habu's addition to her comment and she didn't catch sight of Kiki and Anju when he did- in fact, she almost walked away from him until he held out a paw to stop her. She looked to him first and followed his gaze-- knowing very quickly who she as looking at. There was only one lioness it could be. It took a bit of searching to come up with Anju's name but she quickly determined who she was, as well. And suddenly she started feeling shy. Everybody knew about them, they had their family and all sides were supportive and active but this was someone who was going to find out a lot all at once. At least everybody else had gotten it in stages.
She stayed quiet to start but managed to keep a friendship smile on her face. She was, after all, happy to see her come back because she knew it made Wahabu happy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 7:59 pm
Kikimu rushed forward covering the distance to the yellow male and bumped her head into his shoulder like a daddy-daughter-hug, it had been far too long since she'd seen her family or a familiar face besides Anju's, perhaps that's why she worried so much.
"It is so fantastic to see you!" She exclaimed. The brightly colored lioness turned to Shani smiling with a little nod. She couldn't exactly put a name to the face but she knew the female, she was the one taking care of Uncle Riko's children, her brother was the pale lion who seemed to be very angry.
"How have you been? Where is everyone?" She looked at both of them excitedly.
Anju stayed back a broad smile spread across her maw as she watched her mate greet Wahabu.
"Nice to see you," Anju mumbled a bit awkwardly, she wasn't exactly the ideal lioness with her feelings. She looked outwardly as out of place perhaps as Shani felt.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:23 pm
Habu happily stepped away from Shani as he met Kiki part way in an affectionate nudge-hug. He had missed her a lot, it wasn't so bad seeing everybody so little when you knew they were around here-- and you still did see them. But Kiki really had been gone for a long time. So long, in fact, she was in for a good many surprises.
"We've all be great," he said, glancing over his shoulder to smile at Shani before he turned around to smile at Kiki again, "My goodness, where to start--"
Where should he start? When in all of the muddle had Kiki left?
Shani stood back and smiled at Habu when he looked back to her. As soon as he hesitated, she realized she had to step in now. She had less idea than Habu did just how far back it was when Kikimu had left but there was no reason to stand back and just wait for Habu to introduce her or get to her part in the story. She didn't need him to do that for her.
"I'm Shani," she introduced herself, stepping forward so she was closer to Habu again, looking from him, to Kiki and then to Anju with a smile, "You're Kiki, you must be Anju. It's a pleasure to meet you both."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:51 pm
Kiki backed up and looked between the two older lions curiously, she couldn't put her paw on it but she had the distinct feeling there was a lot that she had missed in her time away. She nodded politely, "A pleasure to meet you, too. I remember seeing you just a bit before we left." It seemed that her father had spoken about her, and Anju and that the female knew a great deal more about them than Kiki knew about her.
"Start at the beginning?" She laughed, "Unless it's best to start at the end."
Anju stepped closer to her mate awkwardly and the two settled practically across from the older pair, like an awkward meeting across a coffee table.
"Actually, I'm Kiki and that's Anju," Anju smirked trying her best at a joke, and trying not to feel too out of place. She remembered Wahabu, she was fond of the big yellow male.
"Kiki's been talking for days on how good it would be to see you and Intombi. She's also been babbling on and on about how she must have a million nieces and nephews."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:00 pm
"At the beginning," he repeated, glancing at Shani and then back to Kiki, wondering how to start-- and fortunately he didn't say anything for Anju informed him of some key points to start out with.
"Well, there's only ten nieces and nephews- and six great nieces and nephews," he started, addressing that bit of happy news first since it was a more obviously positive note to start on, "Jasiri had a brief relationship with a lioness from the swamps, they had six kids. Acha, one of the girls, is living here now with her six cubs. One looks just like your mother, only black and purple. And another looks rather like your grandfather."
So, it was a start.
Shani's smile wavered slightly at the mention of Intombi, knowing then that Kiki had left before the real trouble between Habu and Intombi had come up-- and that was going to make things a little more awkward. However, Shani was a well accepted member of the family now. She knew who Habu spoke of, was a third great-grandmother to those cubs-- though she was the only one around and active in their lives.
"Manny has four girls now, too," she added, smiling as she thought back to her teamwork with Lisi to catch Barafu for cheating, "They're older than Acha's bunch, but I wouldn't say by much." The proud grandmother in her wanted to mentioned Enzi and Kafara's boys too, but that was another part of the story and they weren't quite to it yet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:13 pm
Kiki listened thinking about nieces and nephews, "I didn't realize I was old enough to have great nieces and nephews." She took note of where her nieces and nephews were and who was currently here.
Anju interjected, "Manny had cubs?" She held back a laugh, "Oh, I didn't mean to sound so surprised." She looked over at her mate apologetically.
Kiki gave her one of those looks that meant be quiet you're being rude. "There are not any cubs from us...there..there wont be." She smiled and inched closer to Anju. She had a small surprise, although she didn't know how well she and Anju had hidden their love for one another before, not that she ever felt the need to hide it anyway.
"Anything else happen?" an odd expression passed over her face, they hadn't mention mom, had something happened?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:23 pm
He chuckled when she commented on being old enough for great nieces and nephews. After all, it made him a great-grandpa. Not that he didn't like it. Jasiri and Tota'kubiti had clearly met up quite young, though. He looked to Anju with a grin when she held back a laugh about Manny.
"Yes, we didn't exactly expect it either. And he and Tzila are not together," he explained with a shrug, knowing they were accidentally highlighting a pattern of.. well, flings. Which was oddly appropriate. He was distracted from the comment about Kiki and Anju not producing any cubs-- and glanced to Shani when asked about anything else.
"Well," he said, taking a deep breath, "Your mother and I are not together anymore, it just didn't work out in the long run." He frowned, wondering how best to explain it. Sadly, this was the easiest part of the whole explanation.
Shani snickered at Anju's interruption, glancing to her mate as Anju looked to her's. It was quite a surprise, even she knew that. It was and it wasn't. He obviously enjoyed attention but they probably hadn't expected him to really get anywhere unless he got himself a mate. Ok- the most surprising part was how long it took him. She looked a little more surprised than Habu did at Kiki's comment about them not producing cubs- understanding more than Habu had gotten from it.
Her attention was suddenly drawn back to Habu by his deep breath and she struggled to keep on smiling. He had, at the very least, to explain that he and Intombi were not together and that he and Shani were. Then there were siblings, step-sibling-cousins, step-nephew-cousins.. and that was assuming Kiki already knew about the swamp bunch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:37 pm
Her brothers had not stayed with their mates..and..and..her parents had not stayed together, the bright yellow lioness looked at her father in a state of shock. This entire event wasn't something she was expecting, it wasn't like she was expecting everything to be the same..well yeah the lioness believed nothing would have changed throughout her travels. That home would be just like home.
"Well then," Kikimu mumbled, "Not..not all relationships work." She looked down from her father's paws to Shani's paws and something slowly started to click, "Are you and Shani?" She glanced up.
Anju felt distress rise up inside of her and knew this was the point where she might be needed. She stood there frozen in a what should I do now pose. She realized around the same time that Shani and Wahabu could very well be a couple, her blue eyes widened at the thought. She hadn't known before they left that Intombi or Wahabu had, had any problems..then again when they were leaving she was so wrapped up in Kikimu and their adventure she wasn't very observant.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:45 pm
Habu looked genuinely sad as Kiki absorbed the news about him and Intombi-- and then pieced together why he was out walking with Shani. He hesitated in his responding, though he was not ashamed of his relationship with Shani and he loved her very much.. it was just hard to watch his daughter try to understand all of this. Shani would understand, she was a mother and together they had already done this for two sets of family.. one of which included a very .. sensitive Kubwa.
"Yes," he answered, knowing waiting on answering wouldn't do Kiki any more good, "You- you may want to sit down now, there's a lot left to tell."
He sighed and finally he side-stepped closer to Shani. Surely she'd figure there are younger siblings and more young family since this made them much closer to Uncle Riko's cubs.. but then there was the issue of going back to before Intombi and trying to explain Amadet and the swamp brood.
Shani was very patient with the process, having been equally cautious when discussing it with her family- Kubwa also coming to mind for her. She offered a meek smile to Kiki and glanced to Anju briefly before going back to the yellow lioness. It wasn't aimed at her but she sat down when Habu suggested it, then put a reassuring paw over his when he moved closer to her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:05 pm
The yellow lion couldn't explain the emotions she was feeling, she didn't feel necessarily hurt by the fact her mother and father were no longer together, she just felt confused.
Kiki sat down as instructed a dumb look upon her face, what more was there to say? Her father had moved on. How long after she left? Did Shani and Wahabu have cubs? Did they have more than one litter? What happens now?
"I suppose I'm ready to hear what you have to say," Kiki flashed a smile.
Anju sat as well, feeling about as dumb as Kiki looked. She noticed Shani's reaction to things and the closeness they shared, they didn't seem like their relationship was fresh, their mannerisms seemed in tune with one another.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:16 pm
"OK," he said once everybody was sitting down, though he couldn't seem to make himself sit down. He was realizing more and more that it was easier to tell them when he had their mother there with him and when, you know, the swamp brood showed up to visit. Of course, he had Shani with him now and the younger brood wasn't going to be the hard part to explain.
"OK, well," he started, then just decided to get it out, "You have more siblings now- younger, of course, and older."
Shani didn't have anything to add yet so she only sat quietly by Habu's side, her paw still on his and watching the two girls before them. Her ears turned back when Habu said 'older'. That would, no doubt, be the more difficult part for Kiki to comprehend- though it might shed some light on what happened between her mother and father.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
