|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 2:37 pm
 Altair had been on guard duty for the past hour or so now and - despite the fact that the sun was getting a little too high for comfort - knew that he still had until it had reached its zenith before he could hope to be relieved from duty. Not that he minded, of course. He wanted to prove himself and he wanted to be useful, especially now that he was guarding alone instead of with a mentor. He knew the territory now. He knew what section was his responsibility and he'd be damned if anything got past his keen eyes.
The young male was a relatively new member here in the sands he now called home. However, it had almost not happened. He'd said his goodbyes and had made to leave, only to realise that he was making a terrible mistake. He had opened his eyes to what he had here. And he had so much.
A friend. A dear, dear friend. Responsibility. The chance to become a part of something great. A chance to move on from all those past troubles that had haunted his dreams out in the wilds.
And so, he had returned to seek membership here.
Rogue life had never suited him and it had brought him nothing but misery. Yet it had seemed like the only option for him, a male who was on the run from his past. A male who feared that if he stopped for too long, those who hunted him might catch up. A male who feared what they would do to him if that ever happened.
He was still worried, but having the protection of this pride had helped to ease those worries and he had to admit he enjoyed not having to look over his shoulder every few minutes.
Finally, Altair could relax.
He moved across the hard-packed sand easily, moving up the slope of a large, half-sunken rock. Its surface had been blasted smooth by years of sand-filled wind and felt warm against the pads of his paws. From this vantage point he could see all around for miles, out across the sands to where the sand became dirt and grass. He missed it still. The cool blades beneath his paws. But...he was sure that, in time, he wouldn't think much on things like that.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 5:24 am
She'd never been much suited for the desert.
Despite her heritage, Shararah had never received any of the proper training a lion who grew up in the desert went under. She walked too hard upon the sands, and she carried far...far too much. In fact, even for the grasslands, Sharara's mass of bizarre objects probably would have raised a few eyebrows. Roots, twigs, twined in loops around her paws. Small birdskulls sucked in wherever she could find a spot for them, and an old scruff of antelope fur shoved into her parched mouth. She made a racket, which was probably why she hadn't found any food- but, then again, Shararah wasn't a stranger to a little bit of starvation.
Despite these conditions, Shararah was...surprisingly upbeat. Perhaps, even unaware of her state. She was grinning from ear to ear, her eyes glittering, and her tail whipping around behind her. Shararah...was on a mission!
It hadn't been too long ago that she'd departed from her son, who seemed somewhat younger since the last time she'd seen him. Strange indeed, but then, she rarely troubled herself with reading too deeply into things. The fact that they had made it through the awkward meeting without any arguments or name calling was fine enough for her.
Off in the distance, Shari caught sight of movement. Her head lifted, awkwardly draping the antelope fur off the sand. Ah! Finally! Some company! She picked up the pace. The notion that he might have thought to attack her did not enter the red lion's mind. She'd sacrificed a calf earlier before her journey. She was protected.
[Or, had she made that one up? ...It was hard to tell sometimes!]
"Hello!" She called, dropping the rug from her mouth. "It's good to see someone else out here in the wilds! And, a strong looking lion too! Here, I have a gift!"
She rose awkwardly up onto her hindlegs, and pulled at the bands on her wrists. She did an assortment of bizarre motions before lifting her head, and chuckling nervously. "...ah, or. I must of dropped it. That is unfortunate. I'll make another! It's a good gift. Tell me, do you know where there is some water?"
"It's a really good gift, mind you." She repeated. She couldn't stress this enough! "Wouldn't do you much good killing me!" [Although, maybe that would have shown Miramar a thing or two for not escorting her himself!]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:17 pm
He caught sight of her as she drew near, taking a moment to realise what it was he was looking at. If he had been a cub - or a little less sound of mind - he may have thought her some strange monster, lumbering towards him. But, narrowing his eyes to better see in the bright light, he soon saw that it was a lion--
--No, a lioness. And she seemed to be carrying many different things upon her being, held there by loops that were tied about her limbs. She even went so far as to carry a fur in her mouth. What was this? A female with possessions? He had never seen such a thing! Even still he had to admire the collection of skulls and other things of nature that she had seemingly collected on her journey. Even still, she must be awfully tired having lugged all those things out here under the hot rays of the sun and with midday approaching, too!
She'd need shade, water too.
He hopped down from the smooth rock he had been perched upon and moved over to greet her. He remembered his duty. Do not attack or scare others if there is no reason to. Greet them, see if they mean harm and decide what to do after that.
He smiled as she called a greeting and he bobbed his head in return. "Good morning."
She then went about the job of removing some of the objects, speaking - oddly - of gifts. Why did she have a gift? Who was it for? Perhaps their ruler? He supposed such a thing was possible...and yet...
He watched, curiously, his head very slightly tilted. She seemed to have misplaced whatever gift it was, however, and he was slightly dissapointed, wondering what she would have brought here.
"You make things, too? You have quite a collection of odds and ends with you, Miss. I've never seen anything quite like it!" He continued quickly. "And you don't need to worry." He said with a smile. "The lions who live here will do you know harm if you don't give them a reason to. I am Altair, Guardian of the lands here, called Tuait'tekam...or - less formerly - the Dawnwalkers."
He blinked and cast a glance in the direction of the water. He figured he'd best escourt her there. Probably wouldn't do to have strangers wondering about.
"As for water, I can certainly show you to the oasis. Do you need help with carrying any of your things? It must have been difficult bringing them all the way out here."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:54 pm
She was surprised at how delighted she was that he did not come at her with aggression. Maybe it was the trip, or the heat, but the thought of having to bargain with some roaming desert beast was just so... tiring. Amiable she could deal with. She was an amiable person herself! Or, at least as amiable as she felt was beneficial.
"Ah! Not much, I'm afraid. Paws, not very artful. Good for getting tangled," even as she spoke, a small rodent skull rolled out of place from one of her looped bindings. She scowled and hooked it with the end of her claw. "Lot of things, but then, you can never be sure what you'll need. I keep special things, some magic, some just... unusual. Herbs to make you grow taller, have many children, or poison your enemies."
"And, some things I haven't quite figured out yet!" She motioned to the little skull. It looked to have belonged to a mouse or a rat at some point. "...a shaman! Smallest I've ever met. Only one I've eaten too." [Well, it was worth noting!]
She was perhaps equally glad to hear that the rest of the pride was as civil as this one. Her tail twitched appeasingly, and she bowed her head. "I am Shararah! Of many titles-some better then others. But, I don't mean any harm," she said honestly, keeping her head low. "In fact, I am very interested in the pride you speak of. I'm a bit of a collector. Not just of items- but, I study religions. I've heard a lot- [well, actually very little], of your lands. I was hoping to learn a few things!"
"But, nothing is for free," She gestured to her assortment of oddities. "So, plenty of gifts. Here-!"
With a swoop of her paw, she grasped the antelope fur and pushed it towards him. "Doesn't look like much, but this belonged to a great herd-king." She paused. "...one of those things I haven't quite figured out yet. So, it'll be a surprise to you if it turns out magic!"
She grinned, and fixed the remaining bobbles she dragged along with her. The thought of some cool water seemingly invigorating her with some renewed strength. "I can carry the rest. Doesn't say much for me if I can't carry what I bring. Old saying. Or, it should be one anyways. Water would be wonderful."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 2:31 pm
Altair wasn't one to grin. He'd had a hard and somewhat pained life and smiling had never come easy for him...well until recently anyway. It was still an odd feeling, to be happy and show it in his expression and to feel the warmth of it inside. He was certainly grinning now; listening to her speaking and not quite following because it was so fast and random and...
"I suppose you're right." He agreed. "You seem to have a lot of unusual knowledge, too - if you don't mind me saying so. Are you...a shaman, too?" He enquired, hoping that it wouldn't be rude. He'd heard stories of witches and the like, making potions of the such she spoke of. Good and bad. This female, however, didn't seem bad and he trusted his instincts with such things.
"I'm quite new here myself, so I couldn't tell you much about the religion here, but its a good place to come to study such things. It's a big part of their lives here and they very much embrace the deities. I take it, that if you've come to study here, then you're wishing to become a member so you may have free rein in the lands?"
He blinked as she was offering another gift. A gift to him? But he didn't need any gifts! He was happy to help freely. But...she was already handing it to him and he peered down at it, reaching out a paw to brush it against the fur. He imagined the beast it had come from. Proud, kingly and strong. "I...I don't know what to say, Shararah. I...I give you my thanks." Would it have been more rude of him to turn the gift away? "If it turns out to be magic, I'll be sure to let you know."
He took a few steps then, lifting the fur and throwing it up over his shoulder so that he could free his mouth for talking along the way.
"You'll be glad to hear that its not far from here. Just a short walk over there." He indicated with a tilt of his snout. "So, tell me, Shararah. Have you come from another pride? Or have you been wandering all this time?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 2:55 pm
"Once," she admitted as they began to walk. "I've been a lot of things. Shamans, priests, charlatans, cabals... once, even witch's familiar. I try a lot of things. No reason not to, I suppose. Didn't quit over failure, of course, I just... like to know. Know things. I hear in these lands, there are many gods. This interests me greatly. Many things to learn."
She leaned her head back, as if to relieve some stress just between her shoulders. "I'm not sure. I've never been a member of anything, at least, not formally. Well," she paused. "Honestly. I've never been a member of anything honestly. You're new though? That's wonderful. I can trust what you say then. Have stranger's eyes. People born places can never see the places they're born in rightly. [Not wrongly, mind you. Just not the same.]"
"My son," she continued, her voice hiking with a slight bit of snip to it at the thought. "He seems to believe that it would suit me better, not to walk so much and be out and about disreputable individuals. He worries. He's a good child, somewhat magical as of late, which is bizarre, didn't teach him that [he was always science!]... but, I suppose children have a way of surpassing their parents."
She grinned as he accepted the gift, and even wider when he promised to report back. "Marvelous! Then it has found it's rightful owner. I look forward to seeing what luck it brings."
As they started towards the water, she continued to ramble. For what it was worth, she wasn't the sort with a particularly vexing voice- in fact, she spoke with an almost showman's trill; as though she were used to speaking, and was well aware of her somewhat disorienting methods.
Maybe.
"Like I said, I've never really belonged to things in a truthful way. I suppose I've been around... not that old, mind you. Just, been around. My father came from another desert, or at least, that's what I'm told. Not so forgiving there. Can't say I inherited much though. Paws burn on sand. Do you get used to that? Probably an aloe for it, but..."
Her voice trailed off.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 3:52 pm
It was odd. For one who talked so much and so quickly and in such a jump-here, jump-there fashion, she was actually rather pleasant to listen to. She spoke a lot, but it was interesting and varied and he found himself really quite interested in her extraudinary life.
And it certainly was extraudinary.
"You have led an interesting life, Shararah." He replied. "If everyone lived as you did, the world would be a much more fascinating place...or maybe not, seeing as it would be considered regular." Again, he hoped she didn't take that the wrong way. It wasn't meant as an insult!
"I hope you find what you're looking for here. I've never dabbled much in religion until now, but it seems to bring great happiness and fortune to those who live here. If that is so, then it can't be all bad and I am certainly willing to get involved. In fact, I've heard there are Gods and Goddesses living here in the lands, though I haven't seen them yet. Maybe they only come here from time to time, I don't know. But, if you're lucky, maybe you'll see them yourself someday. I'm sure they wouldn't mind speaking with you and answering any questions you may have."
He laughed then, at her comment about not being old and about the burning sand on her paws. He could understand that one all too well! The pads on his paws did seem to have hardened up a bit since being here, but he always found great relief as soon as he stepped into the shade. Perhaps it was the heat coupled with the fatigue of spending most of his time patrolling up and down.
"I know the feeling. To be honest, I'm desperately hoping that being here long enough will help me to acclimatize. Neither I nor my family come from the desert so this environment has hit me hard." He huffed quietly. "My paws don't seem to hurt as much as they used to, but the heat - even during the cooler times of the day - seem to affect me. I think it must be the dark pelt..." He shook his head. "But, the pride seems to be more active in the morning and the evening with only the necessary duties going on throughout the day, such as guard duty."
He smiled. "Most lions here have sandy pelts to help them blend in with their surroundings. I stick out rather well here, both an advantage and a disadvantage, I suppose."
He blinked and lifted his head a little higher. "See those trees? That's where the oasis is. Not far now."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 7:55 pm
Shararah smiled at the notion, but privately felt her heart sink. Ah, if only it had been all that interesting! Exciting, maybe... but, in all her travels, no place really had ever given her quite what she was looking for. Not even her child had given her that. She was constantly struck with a hunger for something that did not seem to exist. And while she did enjoy her wanderings and various eccentricies... she always remembered the hunger.
"It would be rather regular," she admitted. "Lonely at times. Hard to...connect, always walking. Always changing. Not always the same person you know coming this way or that." Hard on others. Hard on children.
But it delighted her to hear that there were honest to god gods and goddesses living amongst the pride. Her tail flipped once in delight. "Marvelous! If the gods may find home here, then how could I possibly not? Would be impossible! Possibly." She cocked her head to the side. "I met one, long ago. I was a shaman then, actually."
"Not...the best kind of shaman," she admitted. "The god was quite great and terrible. But I learned much. Didn't find what I was looking for, but still, you learn. Would like to see what these gods are like. Land seems quite terrible but...unlikely to find great and terrible gods in a pride which seems amiable."
As he spoke of the pride's sandy pelts, she seemed to nod her head in agreement. "Yes, lions of sand would be lions colored of sand. Only obvious way of doing things. Hopefully I'll adjust. Would be quite embarrassing to come all this way and die of heatstroke!"
In the distance she caught sight of the trees. It was a sight that struck her more then she had been expecting. "Thank you," she said suddenly. "Not always treated so kindly. If I was still a cabal, I would say- inar ma fi tesh; you are a good spirit. They were a foolish people but... they had a lovely language."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 3:03 pm
He laughed. "Either way, I'm sure you'll be welcomed here, Shararah. Normal or not. Changing or not. You seem a good sort to me. I hope this land can offer you what you have been searching for. It has certainly offered me all I could ever ask for. It would be wonderful for it to do the same for others."
He listened as she spoke about her time spent with a god, her time as a shaman. "I suppose all Gods have the capability of being great or terrible, even the nicest of ones must misuse their power at some time or other, even if the intention was good. I am unfortunate - or fortunate, maybe - to never have crossed the path of one. It would be an interesting meeting, but I'm uncertain what I would expect from such a thing. Perhaps it's best I leave such meetings to you, Shararah." He grinned. No, Altair was very different in that respect. He was very much a down-to-earth sort of character, not one to dabble in otherworldly powers. He was quite content with his simple way of life; a life that offered him retribution for past crimes.
"Heatstroke would not be good, at all. It may be useful to note that some of the priests and priestesses here specialise in healing. They might be able to help you if you feel unwell, though by the sounds of it, you may have your own herbs for such things."
Perhaps that was a rank she might desire?
"You're welcome. It's not in my nature to turn away a friendly face." He blinked, smiling in awe and respect at all the knowledge she had tucked away in her memories. "It sounds lovely indeed."
After all the talking and walking they had been doing, Altair was finding that he, himself, was looking forwards to reaching the water. He could smell it now and he hastened forwards. "As for who you should speak to and what you should know about the pride, I can give you a little information about that, if you like. But after you have slaked your thirst, of course."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
