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 Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 12:32 am
 Lost, but happy. That was how Omi was feeling at this point in time.
Her black paws trod the dry earth as she moved forward, not knowing where she was going; only knowing that the direction she did not want to go was behind her. That was where she had come from. That place used to be her home. She’d grown up there, and now she had left. Too long had she felt constricted and forced to conform to her parent’s ideals and the pride rules. Too long had she been scolded and hounded by her mother about her personality. In the end she just left.
And it was the best decision she had ever made.
She’d left her old life behind and was ready and eager to start afresh, and live her life the way she wanted.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 12:33 am
 Umbuji sighed and stretched himself out atop the rock he was draped upon. The sun was shining and the air was fresh. It was a good day for the lazy lion. It was a good day to relax.
Grey blue eyes looked up at the sky, watching the clouds as the moved, forming shapes, dispersing and then forming new ones. It was relaxing, yet mystifying at the same time to the large cream lion. Ever since he was young he had had a fascination with the sky. His parents could never work out why, but Umbuji could often be found with his back on the ground, gazing up at the blues and whites above.
And today was no different. The lion had a comfortable spot, and was ready to get in a full day of cloud watching.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 12:43 am
The green lioness continued on her way, not quite sure of her direction but happy to go wherever her instincts took her, which, at this point in time, was towards a large rock with slumbering cream lion perched atop it. Omi stopped and stared at the lion, not sure whether to be frightened or intrigued. Before, where she had come from, she had to talk to everyone and address them in a certain way. Now she was free, she could talk to anyone she wanted in any way she wanted. She pondered just what to say to the cream lion.
Finally deciding on something, she crept up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder with her paw. “Hello there? A bit sleepy are we?” She smiled, happy being free.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 12:45 am
Umbuji was drifting off into sleep before the green lioness had decided to disturb him. Umbuji did not jump and scowl in reaction however. He figured that anyone who could be bothered enough to come and tap him on the shoulder would mean no harm. Instead, he simply rolled over and faced his new acquaintance. He looked her up and down with a frown. “I was just about asleep!”
He rolled over onto his back, now looking at the lioness upside down, he introduced himself. “Umbuji’s me name, relaxing is my game!” He stuck his tongue out at the lioness, well, as pest he could, being upside down and all.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 12:47 am
Ominotago took a step back, surprised by the reaction of the large lion. For some reason, she had expected him to react with aggression; however, instead, he was quite calm, if a bit ticked off. Never the less, she was pleased she was not greeted with a nasty growl. She gently placed her paws upon the rock, raising herself to his eye level. She had blue eyes like her, she noticed.
“Hello,” she said, greeting him, rather formally, she couldn’t help herself, some things were just hard to break. She coughed slightly before adding, “Omi’s the name and being free is my game.”
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 1:52 am
“Well Omi,” he said as he rolled himself back over, now right side up again. “It’s nice to meet you. So you like being free eh? I’m sure you have an interesting story behind that piece of information. But anyway, what brings you to my rock?”
He rose and stretched his paws before moving himself off of the rock and onto the ground next to the lioness. Umbuji wasn’t one for formalities, so he had no problem with being in her face. “What do you think of the clouds, hey? Stunning, aren’t they.”
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:06 am
“It’s nice to meet you too,” she nodded her head in his direction. Certainly she’d never met a lion as laid back as him. Everyone she had met from the pride had been so wound up, but Umbuji was a completely different story. She looked him over as he moved. He had an interesting pattern, the browns and creams, complimented by the stormy grey-blue eyes. She wondered what other interesting looking lions there were out there.
“Being free is amazing.” It was the truth. That was how she honestly felt. She’d always felt as if she’d been trapped, and now, it was as if someone had opened a door to the world and she was grateful. “The clouds? Oh, they’re nice; they aren’t really something I’ve even noticed. They’ve always just been there. Sorry.” She felt the need to apologise for perhaps not giving the right response; it certainly didn’t feel like the one he’d want.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:26 am
“Freedom is good.” He agreed. It was certainly something that some other lions may take for granted. Umbuji himself was happy he was not confined to any one place. He liked to move, to follow the clouds. That was what made him feel content. His tail swished as he thought fondly of his past, wandering the desert and talking to strangers. He wouldn’t trade it for the world.
“Only nice? My girl I see you have yet to gain a proper understanding of the clouds. There is so much happening up there. They move, change shape, change colour, sometimes, they can even tell a story.” His eyes wandered across the blue and white mess as he spoke. “Speaking of stories, why don’t you tell me yours? That is, if you don’t mind.”
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:33 am
“Perhaps I should take more notice of them then.” She paused and looked up at the sky, only this time she really looked. She could see the clouds moving, tumbling over, ever so slowly, always moving, like she was. She smiled. The clouds really did tell a story. She would take note of the sky from now on, and was happy to have learnt this lesson from Umbuji.
Omi stiffened slightly when he asked her to share her story. She paused before she started. “I was from a pride where class means everything, except to me, it only felt as if it was holding me back. My mother did not approve of this feeling, and so we grew apart. Eventually I left, finally free of the ties of the pride, and I’m better off for it.” She finished, it was a condensed version of her history, but hoped it would be easily understood.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:42 am
“You really should. You can learn a lot from clouds.” He did an awkward little step up onto his rock as her eyes scanned the sky, pleased he had taught someone something, he didn’t do that very often, people usually just bored with him and walked away. This one was different. She wanted to listen, to talk, and he was glad.
He sat as she explained her story, and he was all ears. All too readily other lions were ready to shut down and move on when prodded with information about their past, but once again the lioness proved to break the mould. Her story was sad, one that was completely different from his. His parents had died; he had not left them by choice. Still, he could not judge, and he did not, instead just nodding and murmuring as her story went.
“What a life you have had, such an interesting tale, I can see now why freedom is your game.” He smiled and gave her a wink.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:48 am
“Mmmm, I’ve certainly experienced a lot.” Omi looked over the horizon as she spoke. Still, even with her eventful past, there was a lot more to her future, whatever it would be. Her blue eyes were not filled with sorrow and heartache, instead, they were filled with excitement and adventure.
“It has been nice to talk with you Umbuji, but I think I have spent my time, and I must now move on, wherever it is I am to go.” She looked around to gesture she had no set destination, only the avoidance of one, her home. She had enjoyed meeting the cream lion, and had learned some valuable life lessons, even done a little bit of healing. The world outside her pride neve ceased to amaze.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:54 am
“It has been nice to talk to you, Ominotago! Certainly an enjoyable encounter, don’t you think?” He beamed and settled himself into a comfortable position on his rock once more. With his visitor on her way, he could get back to his original activity, snoozing. He flopped onto his back and turned his head sideways towards her. “Have a pleasant journey, wherever it may take you. I’m sure you’ll get where you’re going, but how you get there will be the exciting part!”
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:56 am
Omi smiled and nodded to her newest acquaintance before turning to leave. She raised her head to watch the clouds as Umbuji spoke his goodbyes. His words were right, she was sure she had a destination somewhere, just what it was was the unknown, and that was what she was out here to do, to find her path and place in life, whatever it would be. She could only hope that it would get better.
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