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 Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 9:32 am
Mel’Tamu was slowly growing up and she was well aware of it. No longer a tiny little cub, the young banu padded along the dirt path, thoroughly enjoying all the sights and sounds that her beloved pride had to offer. Her brother Nadhir was escorting her but he wore a somewhat pained expression – something Mel realized was becoming a common occurrence - so the two juveniles walked together in silence.
“I don’t remember that den…” Mel said slowly, her eyes drifting towards the nearest den. She’d been here before with her parents but she hadn’t noticed it. “I’m going to check it out, ok?”
Her brother nodded a quiet agreement and sat down. Mel suspected he was a little relieved to be left alone but decided not to say anything. Perhaps later when they were together in their den and her brother looked a little better, Mel would attempt to gently prod him regarding his strange “condition”. The young lioness moved towards the den at an even pace. The entrance was clean and well kept, definitely an occupied den. She stopped, not wanting to intrude and waited to see if her presence was noticed. She couldn’t see the inside from where she was standing but there was always a chance that the den belonged to a Pad and Mel certainly didn’t want to bother a strange male.
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Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 12:55 pm
She paused to set down her burden in an out of the way corner, then stepped out into the sunshine. She blinked for a moment, letting her eyes adjust to the difference in brightness. It surprised her to realize what a strong sense of propriety she was feeling for her home now. It hadn't been terribly long since she'd been dragged here by Nav, but much had changed since that day. As the sunlight soaked into her dark blue fur, she swung her gaze about to find who had approached. They might have moved on already?
Ah, there was her visitor! She didn't even bat an eye at it being a young juve with a lovely tuft of green fur atop her head. She turned fully to the youngster and smiled warmly. "Good day to you! What are you up to today?" Her tone was open and friendly, for that was her nature. Despite that, she had yet to make any friends here. It didn't weigh much on her heart, but she knew she'd need to make an effort of her own soon to go and seek out the other banu that lived in the pride. She was still rather wary of the males, figuring they tended to be like her own mate and rather forbidding of a strange lioness.
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Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 8:32 pm
After the initial reaction – a barely noticeable jump before the young banu realized the den’s occupant was female – Mel straightened up and bowed her head politely before looking up at blue adult with a smile. She was immensely relieved to have stumbled upon a friendly banu even if the greeting wasn’t exactly what she’d expected, with no introduction or the usual title.
“Good day. I’m banu Mel’Tamu, daughter of Pad Nywele the God of Manes and banu Asali. I was just taking a walk. That’s my brother, Pesar Nadhir.” She said brightly, that last bit just to ensure the adult didn’t assume her to be alone and unaccompanied. “He’s escorting me.”
“Am I interrupting…?” She had finally noticed the bones Fura had carried outside. As much as she would love to stay and chat, it would be very rude to bother to the adult while she was working.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:01 pm
The little one was so formal for one so young! It made her smile, though it was interesting that her father was.. a god? This surprised Fura quite a bit, as she was unaware that the gods were likely to interact with mortals, much less mate with them and... and be in the same pride as she! She blinked a few times and tried to mask her startlement. It also made her cautious, though. If this was the daughter of a god, did that mean she was of higher rank than Fura? She wracked her brain for what little Nav had told her about this sort of thing.
Female ranks... were really only two, or so she thought. She'd only heard of two, but that didn't mean there weren't more. But then, the prim and proper cub had named herself a banu... which should mean that being daughter of a god meant very little. The whole concept was entirely bewildering to poor Fura, who had just gotten yet another shock at what went on in the pride. Oh, it wasn't a bad thing, just completely stunning.
She recovered her scattered wits and glanced over at the indicated youth. She smiled and chuffed a wordless greeting, wondering why he was staying so far away. But perhaps introductions were in order as well. "I am Fura, beybanu of Nav," she said with a faint smile. That was definitely getting to be a concept she rather liked. "But where is he escorting you to?" she had to inquire. The little banu didn't seem to be in a hurry to go anywhere, but the way she said it made it sound like either a ceremony or a task. To be honest, even though Mel's voice was very matter-of-fact and calm, the more she said the more Fura became out of her element. Strange to feel so at a loss with just a sweet little female.
"Ah, no," she answered the question, glancing at the tumble of bones in a pile just inside the den. "That can wait for now. I'd rather get to know you and your brother better." She smiled warmly and turned her gaze expectantly to the young male. "Won't he be joining us? Perhaps we should call him over." She rose to her paws to pad over and invite the Pesar to join them in front of the den, her tailtip swinging a slow, friendly arc behind her.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:12 pm
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, beybanu Fura.” Mel said with obvious deference. The role of beybanu was a very respectful one, after all, one that most young banus only hoped to achieve in the future. “Nowhere in particular, I just felt like taking a walk – it’s such a beautiful day! - and my brother kindly offered himself to be my escort.”
“Ah, no no no!” it weren’t just the pride’s customs – deeply ingrained into her young mind – that made her react so quickly. A part of her felt a little defensive, protective even, of her brother. Even though he was a boy, Nadhir seemed to be a little sick sometimes and no one outside the family needed to know about it. Mel would always try to make sure Nadhir wasn’t bothered when he wasn’t feeling well… like now. She suspected he had used the walk as an excuse to leave the den but she didn't mind.
“He’s alright, he wants to be alone for a while. Besides… if he wants to join us, he should come and introduce himself first.” She was aware that the rules weren’t quite as strict when the age difference was so pronounced but Nadhir wasn’t a small cub anymore and pretty soon he’d be a respectable Pesar going off on his adolescent quest only to return as a proper Pad. Well, there was still some time before that.
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Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 8:04 am
She paused, one paw in the air, and looked sideways at the dignified little form. "Oh really?" she asked mildly, setting the paw down and turning to face Mel'Tamu. "He would have to introduce himself?" She tipped her head, ears swiveling speculatively. "You couldn't introduce him yourself?" The whole situation seemed a bit surreal to Fura. She needed an escort to nowhere, and her brotehr had to introduce himself? She was quite honestly a little baffled, but knew this was probably some of the nuances to how the pride worked, and which made Nav so nervous about her being around others. Well, perhaps it was time she learned a little about it, and this little juve was a safe enough teacher.
She laid herself down, so as not to tower so much over the younger lioness. "Well, I am a newcomer to the pride," she began, though really she'd been here for a while now, merely secluded due to her own injury and then Nav's. "So rules like that aren't something I'm familiar with. Could you tell me why he has to introduce himself? And why you need an escort?" She crossed her paws comfortably and turned her full attention on her companion, expression attentive and open.
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Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 8:51 am
Mel was about to ask if Fura was new to the pride when the adult lioness admitted it herself. The young girl smiled warmly, her excitement slowly growing at the prospect of teaching an adult lioness the ways of her pride. I might’ve seemed impossible but the young girl was suddenly sitting even straighter than before.
“Boys should always make the decisions.” Mel started lightly, taking her role as the teacher very seriously. “Because a long time ago, girls almost destroyed the pride.”
She giggled at the ridiculously brief explanation of history of the Ukuucha’Wafalme but did not explain it any further – mostly because she didn’t really know that much more of it. She took in Fura’s questions with a twitch of her ear, narrowed her eyes thoughtfully and then finally began to share her knowledge of the pride. She spoke slowly, trying to be as clear as possible.
“The rules are very easy once you understand the basics, beybanu Fura. Females must respect and obey and males must respect and protect. This is a good land with a lot of prey so the boys have to protect the borders carefully because all the girls and the cubs are inside.” She tried to sound serious but she was clearly enjoying this and the brown girl’s tail danced playfully behind her. “Females can give a Pad cubs so they’re considered precious. A father will always try to give his daughters to a male they trust, someone who will treat them right. I have an older sister who is going to be given away soon but my father is letting her choose her Pad. Most Pads choose who their girls go to, though. It’s a very important decision!”
And one that wasn’t that far for her as it had once been… Mel wasn’t a little cub anymore and her Seer abilities – “her funny little dreams” – often showed her that not all banu were shown the proper respect by their Pads.
“Not all boys are as respectful as they should and not all girls are properly taught from birth so young banu shouldn’t be out alone before they know the rules of the pride. Of course, some Pads are stricter and don’t like their banu walking around but most females can chat after their duties and... it’s like a sisterhood. Like having a great number of sisters.” Mel’s head tilted to the side and she paused for an instant just to catch her breath. She was running out of topics. “Using titles is also a sign of respect. It is very rude to address a stranger without showing proper conduct. If you know someone really well, you don’t need to use titles but between a boy and girl of different harems, you really should use them…”
“Am I making sense…? I’ve never explained this before. This would probably be a lot easier with examples. Do you have any questions?”
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 2:12 pm
Her eyes sparkled with good humor as the excited little banu instructed her. She listened closely and took in what her little teacher had to say, but her eyes also tended to be caught by the happy green tip of the juve's tail and it flipped about in her excitement. Truthfully, the young sweetheart was indeed a treasure trove of information. She hadn't heard about females having nearly destroyed the pride sometime int he past. Her mind pondered if this was why she made Nav so nervous sometimes, but she didn't think that was the direct reason.
Setting aside that thought, she absorbed the rest of the information. Respect seemed paramount, which seemed quite tolerable, but little Mel had a good point. Not everyone would abide by the rules, under any circumstance at all, much less this one. She also filed away the rather troubling idea that some pads kept their banu quite secluded. She frowned faintly at the concept, and took it as a good reminder that despite his gruffness, Nav was not a bad pad... most of the time. Really, she had to admit that he had never raised his paw to her again since that first meeting, and certainly had never restricted her to the den or forced her to stay at his side.
Ah, there was why Mel had stopped her from approaching her brother. Though she knew his title, she hadn't exactly been thinking of treating him as a ranking member. She smiled at the astute banu. "Oh yes, it all makes sense," she reassured her quickly. "You are doing a fabulous job, banu Mel'Tannu," she added sincerely. "I think you are a wonderful teacher." She smiled with a glance at Nadhir. "I'm sure it isn't my place, but I don't think your father should be worried about you needing an escort in case you don't know the rules," she said quietly, keeping her voice low but conspiratorial. "I think that really it was I who needed the escort before now!" Though she was rather glad Nav hadn't insisted on it.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 7:57 pm
“Oh, don’t say that, beybanu Fura! You don’t need an escort.” Mel all but physically glowed when she was complemented, grinning widely at the older female. “You’re not supposed to know everything from the start! It's expected that your Pad teaches you most of the rules but I suppose you learn just as much from your fellow banus.”
“Most girls from outside settle in really well. I mean, if your Pad doesn’t mind, you’re free to do anything you want. You can go hunting, go rest near the lake – it’s beautiful there! -, go watch the cubs play while the moms gossip…” her tone lowered slowly and the young girl looked somewhat amused. “And you know you’re always safe ‘cause all the Pads are guarding the borders from rogues and if a boy walks past you, he’ll always show you great respect. As they should. Banus are precious, after all.”
“I’m sure you’ll who’ll settle really quick. You’re definitely no Kajira.” A shadow seemed to creep through the young girl’s expression but it was gone in an instant.
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:21 am
Now there was a word or name she didn't know. The swiftly passing look on the younger females face warned her that this was not a pleasant topic, but she wasn't about to not ask about it when it could be important. Best to just learn as much as she could from her talkative new friend. "Kajira? What is that?" She leaned forward with interest, though notably less excitement. Even the word itself seemed jarring. Whatever it was, at least she wasn't... it?
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 9:26 am
Mel bit her lower lips and looked around cautiously, unsure of how to properly explain such an uncomfortable topic.
“Kajira are… the bad girls. When a Pad brings a female but she doesn’t behave or attacks him, they’re not considered Banu but Kajira. They’re not supposed to be around cubs so I don’t know much about them.” and yet she knew more than most cubs her age. It was true that she’d never seen a Kajira but she Saw them more frequently than she liked. Her gift had given some insight at the feelings that dwelled behind other lions’ expression and a Kajira usually had one of anger or extreme agony. In the young girl’s mind, those female were fierce, enraged, dangerous. They scared her.
“Kajira don’t belong to anyone, they’re traded around the Pads who need them.” Or something like that. She honestly didn’t know much regarding this subject. Perhaps she should educate herself better. “I should ask dad about it. Or momma Amani. She’s the Sultan’s sister so she probably knows a lot more about it.”
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 10:20 pm
Fura frowned at the description from the young female. By such definition, technically Nav could have declared her a kajira early on. On one hand, she was grateful he hadn't, but then again he would have suffered a blow to his status if she hadn't remained his beybanu. Surely it would have reflected badly if he'd brought back a lioness, only to declare her unfit as a banu. Either way, she was relieved to not be one, for by the sound of things their lives were miserable.
"Why don't we talk about something else?" she suggested gently, shifting to be more comfortable. "I know how it works for a banu being brought from the roguelands," she began, "but how does it work for a banu who was born in the pride? How do you come to gain a Pad?" Hopefully this was something more pleasant for the girl to discuss. Most banu seemed to have great delight and contentment in their positions, and she was willing to bet it was the same for Mel.
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:23 pm
Mel smiled, visibly happy with the subject change.
“Mmm. It’s definitely different. It depends on the Pad, the father...” Mel looked down thoughtfully as if considering what to say.
“Some Pads want a banu they knew when they were cubs, others just want a beautiful banu and then there’re those who want a banu who is related to the Sultan or a Vizier… when they know who they want, the Pad has to go to the banu’s father and request permission to take her into his harem. They’re usually very nervous.” Mel giggled. She did not wish the fate of having to ask Nywelle, the God of Manes, for one of his beloved daughters especially if it was in the presence of Amani, the Sultan’s sister. “Some Pads – not that many – will let their daughters decide who they want to be with but there are many who will listen to what their daughters think before making a decision. But they know best, really. Pads are like brothers. They work together, they know each other. The good and the bad. I can choose my Pad but I’ll need a lot of help from daddy to make sure I make the right choice.”
She paused, suddenly realizing that despite her knowledge, Mel had never really thought about her own future that much. She probably would after her older sister moved away though. For now, finding a Pad was something that would happen in a very distant future and it wouldn't do well to worry over it just yet.
“Sometimes, Pads are a little naughty and go ask the banu first and then the father. But you shouldn’t, really.” She looked amused at first but turned very serious by the end. “Of course, to be a proper Pad, a boy must already have a banu from the outside. Otherwise, he’ll just be a Pesar forever and he won’t be allowed to return from his quest. And it’s a good thing, too, it’s hard to have a family with just one banu.”
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 8:51 am
Mel's last statement provoked pondering, to be sure. It was hard to have a family with one banu. But Nav only had her, currently. He might not be thinking of cubs whatsoever, but deep in her heart, Fura was. She mulled on the idea of him having other banu, of having cubs. It was an alluring idea, but potentially fraught with troubles. But she'd learned much about the process of picking a banu, which would eventually be valuable!
A glance at the sun told her that she needed to get moving with the cleaning, though. Nav would be back before long, and she was still trying to prove herself to him as a good banu. Her talk with Mel stirred even more desire to show him that she was now staying with him by choice, not force. She rose to her paws and smiled down at Mel. "Thank you so much for helping me learn all this," she said sincerely. "I would really love to keep talking, but I'm afraid I need to get back to my chores now." She tipped her head inquiringly before asking, "I'd love it if we could find time to talk again, though. Will you stop by another day?" She felt a certain warmth of friendship, despite their age difference. In such a new home, it was a boon to discover someone she was comfortable with talking to.
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 9:19 am
“Of course, beybanu Fura, I do not wish to get in your way but whenever I pass by your den, I will come and greet you.” Mel smiled, happy to have carried out a polite conversation with a strange adult. She was immensely proud that the older banu seemed to have found her teachings useful – and of course, she too was pleasantly surprised with how many things she’d learned during her life. She’d also realized there were small flaws in her knowledge and that would certainly need rectifying.
“If you have any questions, feel free to come by my father’s den. I’m sure momma Amani – she’s the Sultan’s half-sister – would help me answer any doubts you have.” The little girl bowed her head and gave Fura one of the brightest smiles she could muster before turning away and trotting off to join her brother. “All the best to you, beybanu Fura.”
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