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 Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 9:57 pm
 "Finally, I'm so thirsty." The young lion mumbled to himself as he approached a small puddle. He had stumbled upon while making his now usual rounds around the pride lands. Being one of the Mwanasheria's sons, Tasso had never had so much freedom, and now he was getting to know the pride, and those who lived in it much better than he ever had before.
After taking a long drink, Tasso stared down at his reflection, examining it harshly.
Things had changed so quickly, and while he tried his best to roll with the punches the change in lifestyle was getting to newly recognized Ligi. He eyed his white, now fluffy mane. It was suppose to be some sort of symbolic moment of reaching adulthood when a lions mane filled in, but Tasso didn't feel much like an adult.
His Mom hadn't kept the plight of the pride land, and what that meant, a secrete to her boys. Seeing the extent of damage Sahen's rule had done to the pride however was more than he could bare sometimes. And although he had this strong and capable body, Tasso still felt powerless to help as much as he really wanted to.
Letting out a low growl, he swiped his large paw through the small puddle and sent water in all directions.
It didn't do anything, it didn't even help him feel better. But it was all Tasso could do to escape from his own thoughts. Well... except for one thing.
"I could sure use the company of a lady right about now." He mumbled once more, dabbing the tips of his paw pads into the small amount of water that had settled back into the puddle. He did not want to go back to "work".
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Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 1:49 pm
Iaeratu was exhausted. She had been hunting most of the morning, and not a scrap of meat went to herself. She was used to this, and while it still tired her, that warm feeling swelled in her chest at being able to do something. Iaeratu wasn't a fighter, and while she could take down a Zebra, she could never take down a Ligi, or anyone else who hindered and hurt the pride. Unfortunately.
She moved sluggishly, her normally graceful movements slow and subtle. There was blood on her paws from slicing her kills to make it easier to move them about, but she had been careful to wash her face clean. Her paws, she didn't care about, but she hardly looked trust-worthy with blood stains all across her face. Her pale coat showed the red specks far too easily.
She spotted the male near the puddle, who seemed to be playing in it - though Iaeratu knew it was more likely that the male was just using it to wash his paws or something similar to that. As she drew closer, her friendly expression darkened a little, becoming more guarded as she realised who - or what - he actually was. Ligi.
"Greetings, Sir," Iaeratu said respectfully in a calm voice, as she got too close to ignore him, however she did not slow and was prepared to just keep on moving, and hopefully avoid conversation with him.
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 6:23 pm
It was as though his prayers had been answered! Ears twitching at the soft voice of a lioness, Tasso quickly go onto all four paws and straightened out to properly greet her.
"Good morning miss." He responded. "Are you perhaps in any need of assistance?" The lioness with blood staining her fur looked more than capable, but asking her if she needed help seemed to be the only excuse Tasso could come up with to keep talking to her. He noticed that the lioness didn't seem to want any small talk and continued walking, but he wasn't going to give up so easily. He moved quickly to catch up to the white lioness, but then slowed down to stroll next to her.
"Tasso's the name, Ligi warrior and son of the Mwanasheria at your service." Yes, throwing around the word Ligi wasn't something to be taken lightly in the pride, but the girl had Tama colors on her. Tasso wasn't entirely sure if his mother would approve of all of this, but if he played his cards right, perhaps he could use his status as Indira's son to his advantage.
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 12:04 am
Iaeratu was mildly surprised when he asked if she needed assistance, eyeing him warily. Was he honestly asking, or just trying to catch her out trying to push her duties onto someone else? "I'm fine," she said calmly and she was. She was able to keep up with her duties, even if she was bone-tired - which she was. She tilted her jaw up, not wanting to appear tired before other people. "Thank you for the offer," she added, simply to be polite.
She had kept walking, and glanced at him when he took up stride next to her. She wasn't expecting that. She had been really hoping he would just stay where he was and let her pass unheeded.
Her eyes narrowed at his introduction. Another Ligi. Why were they always talking to her? She groaned inwardly. She was a humble huntress! She didn't want to be in the presence of cruel Ligi's. Though something struck a familiar chord. "The Mwanasheria is your mother?" She repeated, trying to remember where she had heard that before. Oh! The male who had taken a pelt for the Mwanasheria had said she was his mother too. "You are Ligi Jabari's brother?" She asked, before her ears drooped, realising that it could be taken as too bold for a lioness to ask a Ligi that.
She bowed her head to him, mumbling her own introduction. "My name is Iaeratu. A huntress." she hesitated, before adding, since he had mentioned his own parentage. "Parents deceased." By his paws. Well, not really, but by the Ligi's paws. Same thing, at least so Iaeratu thought.
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 2:40 pm
"At least let me escort you home safely." Tasso spoke in almost a whine. He just couldn't let his answer to his prayer get away that easily.
"Wait, you know Jabari? Yeah, he's one of my brothers." The large lion seemed taken aback. why, that sly dog. He had lied about not finding a lady after all. Or perhaps this was one of those huntresses he had ticked off. "If he's done anything to offend you, let me apologize for him. He's much kinder than he seems." Tasso decided to eer on the side of caution. He knew his older brother well enough to know he had no idea how how to treat a lady and the look of those ears folding back suggested that perhaps she had been one of his huntress victims. When she finally offered her name, Tasso responded quickly.
"Please to meet you Iaera..." His words tapered off as the lioness mentioned the loss of both of her parents. Tasso stayed quiet, unsure of how to respond. "I'm sorry." he said simply. He wanted to ask more, but was worried he would chase her off completely.
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Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:05 pm
"Forgive me, but I think being escorted by a Ligi might make my life more dangerous, rather than safe," she said calmly, as most Ligi knew the pride was no a fan of them. Ligi sympathisers were not exactly well liked either, though Iaeratu had hunted for Ligi, and had spent time unknowingly actually hunting with Ligi.
Iaeratu shot him an odd look out of the corner of her eye, continuing her walk, as he apologised for Jabari. What did he think he had done to her? The male, while jerk-like, had not been cruel and simply been brattish, as if she should bow to his ever whim and be pleased to hunt for a spoiled ligi who did the pride no good. "You do not have much faith in your brother?" She asked, but winced. That was not wise to question a ligi, she realised, and waited for a reprimand.
She was surprised when he apologised, and blinked, coming to a stop. She gave him an uncertain and very confused look, before shaking her head and continuing her walk. "They died for something they believed in. A loss, but not an unnecessary one," she said. They had died standing up to Ligi, like him, and had gone down fighting. She hated that they were gone, but they would not have liked what the pride had become.
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Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 6:04 pm
"But I'm a good Ligi." That sounded much more stupid out loud than it did in his head, and speaking that way could get him into a lot of trouble. "What I mean is, I won't hurt you." He stumbled the words out, trying to do damage control. Time for a subject change.
"Er anyways, last time we talked he had hinted to me that he was bothering some huntresses. I thought you might be one of them is all." He looked down somewhat embarrassed. Perhaps he should have more confidence in his brother, but what other conclusion should he have come to when he sits there bragging about how these lionesses are going to come kill him in the night?
His look returned to being rather somber as she spoke about her parents. As she finished he became a bit agitated. With her words, it became clear to him that they must have died at the hands of Sahens rule.
To say it was unfair would be an understatement. Tasso and his brothers had trained their whole lives to face Sahen and his army and it just wasn't enough. During his short life as a Ligi he had quickly learned that many in the pride lands had already lost so much while they had been preparing, that Tasso was feeling utterly defeated. It seemed like everyone he had met in the pride had a story similar to this one.
"But your family shouldn't be the one making the sacrifices." He spoke up with a look of frustration on his face.
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Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 6:36 pm
Iaeratu fought so hard not to snort, but a faint scoff escaped her mouth anyway at his words. "'Good' Ligi or not, a Ligi's presence is rarely seen as favourable." She kept her gaze forward, not looking at him as she continued. "Those which associate with Ligi are thought of poorly. You may not hurt me..." she trailed off. She knew it was unlikely that anyone would attack her for walking with a Ligi, after-all, she supplied food to many of the Tama families and they knew what happened to her family, but his presence would be unfavourable anyway.
She was curious when he spoke of Jabari though, though unsurprised to hear that he had been hinting about bothering huntresses. "Bother me, yes, but most males do so when they try to make me hunt for them when they are simply too lazy to hunt for themselves," she remarked, remembering her first meeting with Jabari. "It would not surprise me if he was similarly bothering other huntresses too." Jabari was so different from the other male she knew, Kayin. He had helped her hunt, whereas Jabari had made her hunt for him. She preferred someone who helped, rather than commanded, her anyway, so Jabari's presence had become something of a nuisance.
She barely bit back a snarl at Tasso's words. "If we don't make sacrifices, then who will?" She snapped, tossing a disgruntled glare at him, and fastening her pace so as to avoid any backlash for snapping at him. He didn't seem violent though. The pride was dying! And he was helping the man who was killing it! Pathetic.
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Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:40 pm
"Hmm, well if you ask me any able-bodied male who has to depend on a lady to catch his food for him should be ashamed of himself." Jabari was taking this whole Ligi business a bit too far for Tasso's taste. This girl had obviously worked her tail off trying to hunt for the weaker members of the pride, and he had the nerve to ask her to kill something just for him?
As much as he sympathized for the lioness Tasso narrowed his eyes at her reaction. Letting out a low growl, he followed and leaped ahead of her, making sure they where eye to eye.
"Making sacrifices here or there is one thing, but losing your entire family is another matter entirely!" Tasso spoke almost in a roar. He usually kept his volume in check, especially while talking about such matters, but the fact that this lioness seemed to think it normal that the civilians of the pride should be losing their lives was almost unthinkable to him. Within all the confusion he felt he was drowning in however, there was a sense of clarity in his Mothers plans. He had always been aware of why she had been training them, but never realized how vital his siblings mission was until now.
When she asked who should be making sacrifices, he found himself unable to come up with a satisfactory answer he was allowed to say.
"Just believe me, help will come." His voice went back down to a whisper. He spoke vaguely and quietly once again in case there where any spying ears around that had been attracted by his outburst.
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Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 10:19 pm
Iaeratu hummed in agreement, but said nothing against Jabari, even though she had plenty that she could say. She did not know Tasso well, and did not know if he was a true Ligi and would dob her in or not, for speaking out of turn against a male of higher rank than herself. She was opinionated, not stupid, after all.
She fell back a step as he lept forward, blocking her way. His eyes were narrowed and for a second, she feared that he would attack her, but instead he merely roared at her, which had a similiarly frightening effect. Her ears dropped low and she fell back another step, out of caution. He could still hit her with a paw if he decided to strike out, but she could run faster if he decided to do so.
At his whispered words, she scoffed, glancing at him with a skeptical look. “I've been waiting – we've all been waiting - for some type of help to come for a long time,” she told him, in the same quiet voice. “Forgive me if I don't believe the words of a Ligi.”
She moved around him, attempting to walk off, but the confrontation had made her even more tired, and her walk was slow and awkward, her body just...exhausted. She had to stop pushing herself so far, she decided, wincing. She would be of no help to anyone dead, after all.
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Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 8:03 pm
What had he done!? Tasso panicked when he realized what he had said. "Help will come" in the form of his brothers fighting to take over the Jaw no doubt. What if the lioness figured out they were just Ligi in disguise and and went to the Shatkona and turned them all in for a reward. Who knows what Jabari had said to offend her, she could be out for revenge on him and his whole family.
Tasso's face looked a bit shocked at the lionesses answer though. Oh. She thought he was talking about the Chosen One.Relieved, Tasso tried his best to run with it.
"But if it's been so long, then that help I talked about should come soon. And by help I mean the chosen one." Still whispering, he put emphasis on his last words. Tas was never the most subtle of the bunch.
"Oh no you don't." The young male lowered his head so that his white mane brushed against the bottom of Iaeratu's chin, stopping her from walking any further. This time though it was a much more gentle approach than the confrontational stance he had taken last time. "Please, I understand you don't trust my words,but I will not stand to watch such a beautiful lady as yourself struggling after all you've done for the pride."
The Large Lion layed down, his tail swaying kitten-like behind him. "It isn't too far, but it will be quicker if I carry you." It was a reaaal long shot that someone so distrusting of a Ligi would even think about climbing on one's back, but she looked absolutely exhausted. Tasso felt that he needed to at least extend the offer to her.
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 11:30 pm
Iaeratu scoffed lightly, and gave him a dark look. "The Chosen one was needed so long ago," she whispered back harshly. "Waiting can only do so much, and the damages just keep piling on." Iaeratu wanted to have hope. She usually did, but she was so tired and he was making her try to believe and she was tired and she just couldn't! Couldn't he see that? She didn't want to have to push herself so hard to feed everyone, but under Sahen's rule, if they didn't, many would die. How could he just stand back and allow that?
She balked when he blocked her way, narrowing her gaze at him. She could understand why he was pushing this so much? "I do what I have to do, and what I can do," she told him firmly. She didn't even seem to notice the compliment of 'beautiful' put into his comment.
Her eyes widened. "No!" she denied firmly at his offer to carry her, before lowering her voice. "No, I am perfectly capable of getting myself home, thank you," her voice was tense, but she hesitated. "I'm fine," she tried to assure him, sounding more thankful for her concern. She would rather pass out than let him carry her, especially if others saw her being carted by the Ligi. It would ruin her reputation and no one would take food from her after that.
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Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:48 pm
"I understand" Tasso's said while sitting back up, even though he didn't. It seemed as though being strong and proud was a trait that all the Tama ladies he had met so far all shared, including his own Mom. It was an admirable trait, but it was a bit frustrating at times too.
"At least let me see that you get home safely. It's not that I don't doubt you can get there on your own, but you'll be safe if you do run into another Ligi." While Tas spoke he lowered his head. He knew like the ride on his back she wouldn't take this offer either, but it just wasn't in him to just leave things as they were. "I won't be in your way. And if anyone sees us together you can tell them I was bullying you back to the dens or something." In a way he hoped she would regardless if he helped her or not- if only to give his Ligi reputation a boost.
"By the way..." Tasso began walking forward again, hoping Iaeratu would follow his lead. "I really did mean it when I said Jabari is a much nicer guy than he leads on. He has a big heart, but has a harder time showing affection."
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:24 pm
Iaeratu hesitated, eyeing the male before her with suspicion. He seemed earnest in wanting to escort her, but he was a ligi, didn't they all have their own motives behind everything? She didn't want to damage her own reputation, but she was starting to think she wouldn't get rid of him until she gave in and let him help her in some way.
"Isn't bullying what you're doing anyway?" She grumped, but nodded her head, consenting for him to escort her back - and looking none to pleased about the fact, though she did appreciate that he might genuinely want to help her. It was unlikely that that was the case, but if it was, then she would appreciate it.
Iaeratu followed him, her pace slow but her steps determined. She was going to get back to her den by her own paws, or she'd just stop and rest until she was able to. She cast him a curious look as he spoke of Jabari, wondering why he felt the need to explain that to her. "He is not cruel, yes, but you cannot tell me he is pure of heart," she said calmly. Jabari was annoying, and frustrating and spoiled, but he wasn't cruel - he could have punished her for her actions countless times, but he hadn't. Instead, he had usually complained or whined about it.
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Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:03 pm
Finally, he though. He understood why she wouldn't want to be seen near someone of his.. ranking. Tas narrowed his eyes and flashed the lioness a mischievous grinned.
"That's right huntress, bullying is my specialty. You know you should have been back to the dens by now." The large lion puffed up his chest, hoping to put on a realistic show incase there so happened to be any unwanted guests nearby to keep an eye on him. "I guess I'll have to take it upon myself to make sure you get there, and aren't up to any suspicious activities."
He didn't reply to Iaeratu's comment on Jabari, the silence confirming he felt the same way as she did. Sometimes the choices his brother made confused the heck out of him. Maybe he could talk to Kay about it, he thought.
"Move along, now." He said gently, but stern. Not wanting to look out of character, he held his head high, though keeping his pace slow enough for the fatigued female to keep up. Forgetting for a moment the females feelings towards Ligi and how she got in such a terrible state in the first place, it was the first time since he had sworn his loyalty to Sahen that Tasso actually felt good about what he was doing.
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