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 Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:23 am
 After a long hunt with her father's banus, only a few she called mother the rest she referred by name but after a long, drawn out hunt she was sore and tired.
The bull has been the biggest thing she'd help bring down, she was known as a sprinter in the group and there was only her, and one of her fathers banu's they laid in wait while two other lioness's drove the bull pretty much on top of her and the other lioness, who then sprinted in to bring the bull down first, holding him as best they could, while the others came in for the kill.
He has thrashed around a good bit, and now every muscle in her lithe body was grumbling in protest, she relaxed atop her fathers den alone, enjoying the cool breeze of night, and the peace of silence as she relaxed.
Her thoughts didnt usually linger on a pad, but there had been something about Akram'raja that had stuck with her, but she didnt figure she'd see him again, with a deep breath, she closed her eyes and listened to the quiet of the evening.
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:45 am
 The stars were beginning to shine in the dark evening sky, made barely visible by the still lingering sun underneath the horizon. Stars. A dark brown figure moved through the grasses, watching the all too familiar image made by the sky above him. They were the stars, and the perfect color tainting the night sky made by the sun. But dusk was ending soon... His paws moved quicker, and they were purposeful.
His visions came again, and this time, he knew they meant something. Sure, sometimes a banu or two within the pride would slip into these occurrences, but he was unable to tell whether they served a greater purpose. On another occasion, he even saw one of the Sultan Aali's own banu! However, he was learning. On these occasions, there was always at least one other figure accompanying the banu. The figures were sometimes even a pad. These instances were meant to derive another purpose. However...
His paws stopped. He was at Achal's den, and it wasn't late enough for everyone to have retired already. But the figures around him were distant enough for him to sneak around the back without notice, an intentful eye flickering around the area to find the right spot. Ah... There it is, he thought, taking one smooth sweep through the grounds before Achal's den to a rocky platform just beyond the entrance.
And there before him was an exact duplicate of what he imagined the scene to be. She was alone, and that was the answer to his concerns; that was what made the visions differ. He had learned well.
The colorful figure, if she had hovered, would have blended almost exactly into the imagery behind her. However, she was outlined neatly against the rocks on which she was resting. There was something different about her, however. Squinting, the lion saw dirtied paws and hair, and an overall air of exhaustion around her. He snorted.
"As I predicted," he said, stepping closer to the banu, saying no more and letting her acknowledge his presence before doing anything else.
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:56 am
The sound of someone coming up, catch her attention, her hunting instincts were still fresh as she lifted her head, twisting it back as she gazed at him, surprise sparked in her eyes. She had not thought she would see him again, at least not like this, only in passing of course. They did live in the same pride.
She sat up, and tried to make her appearance more fitting for someone such as himself, but there was little she could do without a full bath. "I simply couldn't help tempting fates." She said with a half laugh. "Though, forgive me for the disheveled look Pad-Akram'raja." She said in earnest, she never left looking like such, but she hadnt thought anyone would join her this night.
"You, and the others leave tomorrow do you not?" she asked, she was slightly curious as her sisters would be leaving with their pads who already had an outside banu, and those who waited, would leave when their pad returned but other than well wishing, Banu's had little part in what went on.
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 1:21 am
Lililamuna's look of surprise, perhaps even joy, filled Akram'raja. However, when he continued the final steps near the banu, he did not let a smile or expression betray him. There were other things that were, at the moment, more important than the banu before him, and even this moment, that he did not want to make the situation more meaningful than it was. As well, he was always calculating, and leaving the banu clueless of his thoughts would make it easier to leave freely with no promises.
Still, he could not help but appreciate the little things. The way she did a second's worth of preening helped despite the fact that her condition was repulsing from her prior hunt. As well, her greeting was rather... curious.
"You speak of tempting fates, banu?" he asked inquisitively, scarlet eyes meeting hers, "I shall ignore any repulsions on my own accord. I am not here to simply enjoy your company, so don't be mistaken."
When he finally reached a good distance near her, he sat down on his haunches and offered a swift nod to her question.
"Yes, we leave at dawn in a day. I have been honing my skills for it. If I find what I am looking for, I will do whatever it takes to bring a rogue lioness home. Even if I have to hunt her down and drag her back here with my teeth."
To that statement, he smiled, uncaring of whether Lililamuna took it seriously or not; even he was not sure if he would take that measure, but it was a feasible and appealing idea. Not that he needed to go to that extent, but if it was necessary for the most valuable banu in the world...
"Of course, I perceive that I won't have trouble at all during this trial. But do go on about tempting fates, banu."
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 1:37 am
At his words of dragging a lioness back, if he had to brought memories of her own journey here. Her father had been a stranger to her, just showing up one day and her mother leaving her and her brother to him, and she had simply returned to her pride with the others. Left with a stranger and no choice but to go with him, the fear of it had caused her to be mute for many months as she learned to adore her father and his several mates and as that happened she grew to love the pride. "Trust me, there are no disbelief's that your here to enjoy anything of me." She wasn't that foolish. "Your banu's will be perfect, not hunt mused."
"Sometimes, being brought here against ones will, is really what one unknowingly desires." She had also heard stories from banus being dragged back, and coming to love their pad and the pride regardless.
She shook her head and shifted herself so that she now faced him more easily, " I shouldnt tempt the fates to often, or else I mind find myself somewhere I don't wish to me." She figured that was too why she had no pad, her father made sure his daughters went to pads they wanted to be with, and so far, she had no desire to be with anyone who had asked.
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 1:54 am
"And I expect perfection," he remarked at Lililamuna, acknowledging of the compliment.
"Not many are able to know what they want. And most who do know what they want are just settling with their given options," he added smartly.
He was unsure whether to take Lililamuna more seriously now that she had adopted a more familiar air with him; while he reasoned it out that this was occurring because she had started to like him, he wasn't sure if it was a good thing. These were the times when the vizier's wise words would have been appreciated, but long gone were the days of being taught as a cub. He was now nearing the eve of adulthood, and he had to do what he saw fit despite the words of his father.
"Are you saying you don't wish to be in your position? In Pad Achal's company? That is unforgivable by Sultan Aali's law, you know, and I will have none of these ill intentions said in my company," he interpreted, settling on scaring the banu a little to lessen her comfort in the situation.
"Still, it is curious that you say you have tempted the fates..." he repeated again, mostly to himself; he thought about his vision, and whether it was a part of fate that he was here tonight.
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:15 pm
"So, knowing what you want is just settling for whats there?" She didn't believe that, she hadn't settled moreso found happiness where she had thought she'd forever be in mourning. No, she hadn't settled, she had found happiness. There was a difference.
Her eyes narrowed now, as her shackles rose slightly. "No. I had meant with some pad I did not wish to be with." She flicked her ears back, "I'll never say I am unhappy in my fathers home, I love him and am happy to be here. I am a lucky daughter." She adored her father, had wanted to please him all her life, and maybe thats why she'd always held out for someone better to be her pad.
She suddenly had little desire to sit and continue this conversation.
"I shall not tempt them again." She replied cooly, "For even one like yourself, though I doubt there is anyone like you in the pride." She rose to her paws, "But if you'll excuse me..Im sure I could be elsewhere now." She felt insulted, and did not have to take that..He didn't own her.
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 1:43 pm
While he knew Lililamuna would not agree with his words, he did not know that she would have found the courage to rise from her spot when he had been present. She had even started to gave at him with contempt! A brow quirked, knowing full well that it was improper behavior to him, and he frowned once she began to get up.
Had there been some connection between her last departing words? That she did not want to be with a pad she did not like, and then leaving him?
I see...
So his vision brought him here to encourage him in finding rogue banu, after all? Was that it? He had to be able to tell. And so... He chanced a departing goodbye at the banu.
"I saw you in a dream, and that was why I came here. It is up to you if you want to leave that dream."
His words were ambiguous, but cleverly calculated to perhaps plant a seed in her mind. With time, it could start sprouting wildly and give her ideas. But that, like Lililamuna said, would be to tempt fates, and Akram'raja was not swaying one way or the other. He would simply see where his words took her. He was not one to follow a banu, so he continued to rest on his haunches, dark pelt melting into the night's own darkness, while his scarlet eyes remained wide open to watch the banu.
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 5:16 pm
His words froze her, she didnt move, didnt look at him for a long moment. A dream, did he have visions like Sarfraz? She wondered, did they effect him the same? She wondered, she knew that Sarfraz kept his weakened state a secret that not even his banu's knew about, she only knew because well they'd been friends since they were cubs.
"A dream?" she asked curiously, she wondered if she should believe him, or not a hint of doubt lingered in her voice. "I didnt think you'd dream of insulting." She said with a flick of her tail, hurt from his words lingered in her gaze before it was swept away, something she'd dwell on later when she was alone.
She moved closer to him now, though she kept a paws with between them. "A dream with you in it could be more amazing than any other I might glimpse upon, but the barbs around it might be more than my heart could handle." She replied honestly, she wanted to love her pad, and she simply knew any who loved him, would have it used against them, and be hurt by it as well.
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Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 5:00 am
Even Akram'raja was a little startled by the young banu's sudden halt of movement. He did not see this part in the vision, so he could not tell what she would have done in response to his words.
But he had spoken, and he was not one who needed to regret his words. So he stayed still, unmoving, and confident of his actions.
He wanted to respond to her upset statement about him offering an insult, but decided to leave it - this excuse was possibly one of the rare moments in which he showed some form of charity. At the very least, he acknowledged that he had hurt the banu, though it did not change his own present mood or feelings.
"It is in good favor that you do indeed follow well in the Ukuucha'Wafalme, and I will admit that you are one of the few and best banu I have witnessed," he gave, eyes unblinking with honesty.
As she moved near him, he felt a little surprised as well as suspecting - a conflicted feeling. While he thought his words may have provoked her to draw closer, he did not expect her to... come so close as to let him have a chance to feel her body's warmth - to touch her with little effort, if he so wished. Despite this surprise, Akram'raja stayed still, listening to what the banu had to say.
And it seemed like she was playing into his paws as his visions implied.
"Truly, Banu Lililamuna..."
He stopped at her name, truly addressing her now, "Truly, I do not offer my concerns without reason. I do not talk or walk without knowing the perfection to which it leads. I would honor you to learn from me of how to see and understand the excellence I seek. I see your promise, Banu Lililamuna, and I have a dream in which the promising belong."
His curtailing of his dream implication was intent; perhaps now was not the time to admit if the banu was unsure.
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Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 5:26 pm
His words lingered over her mind, like a taste filling her mouth, it was unknown and yet somehow it caused her to want to taste it again, or suffer a craving for it again.
"I take pride in myself, and how I am viewed by those around me. Fault or disappointment is something I will not stand to be brought to my father, my future pad, or myself." She was a damn good banu, and was rather pleased he had noticed.
"Well then, hopefully your dream of promise will ring true." She said with a light smile, before she bowed her head to him, "Seek correctly and perfection could very well be yours." She admitted in tones slightly huskier than she'd meant them to be. "But, dawn will be upon us soon, and rest is what you'll need now." She said as she stepped back, to give him room to rise. "Hurry home Pad Akram'raja...before the fates shift their gaze."
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Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 5:37 pm
Good. Lililamuna's words pleased Akram'raja for what they were worth. He accepted her bow and rose when she did.
"I will make it so, I assure you," he said, a firm tone on his statement.
"Perfection might as well be called mine. I assure you also that I will be the first to come back, and will have the best of the lands beyond the Ukuucha'Wafalme."
And with that, he padded off, resolute expression on his face. The time of departure was near, and there would be much to consider during his time away from home.
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