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 Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 3:14 pm
It was getting late in the day, already the two natural colored lions had been together for a few days. Mostly they just did a few little chats, nothing on a personally level. Otherwise the two would walk in silence. Tonight they would feast. It appeared some predatory creature had caught an antelope, and left most of it for pickings. The best part about that was the fact that it still was considerably fresh. Arun would hunt if he had to, but sometimes after a long day of traveling, one would just like to be handed a meal. He was sure his female companion had the same thoughts sometimes.
“Looks like it’s our lucky night,” Arun joked, sniffing the carcass. “Ladies first?” Arun really was a gentleman. He wasn’t your stereotypical male that needed to eat before everyone else. In his eyes, the ladies should eat first, or the cubs if there were any. He’d eat last or go hungry before letting any others starve.
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:00 pm
Mwujuzi was glad she had taken up the opportunity to be Arun's travelling companion when she had. It was better than wandering around by herself, and there was that added sense of security. A big male lion could do much more damage than a small female like herself.
Her weary paws were glad there would be no hunting for the night. Teal eyes assessed the carcass, pleased there would be enough for the two of them to feast upon.
"It is," she said, a hint of tiredness in her voice. She smiled at his chivalry. It was refreshing to meet a lion like him. Most she had seen were boisterous and very self centred. Arun was different, and she liked that.
"Thank you," she said, before taking a bite to eat.
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:18 pm
When she had the first bite, Arun went to take one after. They ate in silence, until the male had his fill. He backed away from the bones, licking his paws as he began to clean his muzzle. One bad thing about eating meat, it stained very easily. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like if someone feasted and was pure white in pelt.
Black and gold eyes watched the female. This ongoing little silence the two held between them was something that Arun didn’t like. He decided it was time to change that.
While she continued to eat, Arun spoke. “What brought you to the rogue lands?” he questioned.
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:30 pm
Mwujuzi too, had noticed the silence between them. It wasn't a bad silence, but it wasn't good either. Perhaps they were both a little more protective of discussing more personal things. But they couldn't small talk for the rest of their lives. Especially if they were both going to be living in the same pride.
So when Arun asked his question, she decided she wasn't going to tell half truths, or give small snippets of information. She would tell him her story.
She licked her paw before starting, trying to remove some of the left overs from their evening meal.
"I was born in a pride, it was called the Kuisini'Mwezi. I was content, but as I grew older, my paws itched. I guess I got that from my father, because he was never around, and my mother would always tell me he was off travelling." The golden lioness smiled as she thought back to those days, so much had happened since then.
"I left because I wanted to experience the world outside of the pride life. And experience I did..." She was nervous about telling him the next part, though she wasn't quite sure why. Would his opinions change when she told him what happened next?
"I met someone, a passing rogue. I was young, adventurous, free. All those things you are when you're young. He didn't stay long, and I never saw him again. But he left me with a surprise. Three to be exact." He paw moved to brush against her stomach, wondering how her cubs were doing now, on their own.
"They've grown now and have gone off on their own paths." She smiled, realizing that they too were off on adventures like she was. "And that's when you found me, alone, with my children gone." Sadness was visible on her face as she spoke, she missed them dearly.
"But I'm glad I have found new company," she smiled shyly.
"How about yourself?" She asked, curious to hear about why he was in the rogue lands.
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:47 pm
Arun nodded as he listened. He had never heard of the Kusini’Mwezi lands. There were actually a lot of prides he had never heard of before. Intrigued, he cleared his mind as her words flew through his ears.
A small smile crept onto his maw as she explained how she was once a mother. It didn’t faze him that she was a young mother however. Things like that just happened, and probably more so in the rogue lands at a younger age, than one in a pride. “I bet you were a great mother…” He was envious of anyone who was able to either one, grow up with a caring mother until the day it was time for them to leave the nest, or two, be the mother as in prompt one.
“They’re off, having their own adventure,” he noted the sadness on her face, so he decided to add, “just like you are having your own adventure now.” His smile widened.
“I’m glad I found new company too…” His voice was barely above a whisper. If lions could blush, there would probably be a light pink tint shining under his fur.
Now it was time to elaborate on his story. It wasn’t as happy as Mwujuzi, however.
“Well…I was born in a land called the Mzawa’Kondo. We were…well known for our warriors. When I was young, we were attacked by a band of rogues. I…My parents were killed that day…I…I watched it happen…” his mix matched eyes looked away. He was only a juvenile when it had happened, yet he was still too weak to help them.
“My sister found me though…days later. And, after that we lived like a real family,” minus the parents. “But my sister disappeared many moons ago. She never wanders off without telling me, or at least her best friend. When she hadn’t returned, I feel as if the worse has happened to her…” Arun stated sadly, his eyes now focused on a particularly interesting spec of dirt.
“I left…like the coward I am. I should have stayed, but…knowing she wasn’t there…knowing my whole family was gone I just…couldn’t.” He had hurt Kamili, his one best friend, in the process too. Arun could bring himself to bear that either.
He finally turned back towards Mwujuzi. “I like your story better.” He joked.
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 6:05 pm
Mwujuzi listened intently, wanted to make sure she didn't miss any details. He was right, his story was not as pleasant as hers was, in fact, it was quite sad, in her eyes. The golden lioness felt very sorry for Arun, he'd been through so much, much more than what she had. She couldn't imagine watching a loved one die. It would have been horrific.
"I'm sorry you've had to go through so much..." she trailed off, trying to offer some condolences, but not sure they would be much use now, since he seemed past it all.
One comment did strike a chord in her though, from what she had seen he was far from a coward. "I don't think you are, a coward that is, after all, it takes a lot of strength to leave everything you know behind you, and start out towards something you barely even known." She nodded, hoping he could see this.
"I do not think a coward would be capable of doing that." She smiled.
"I think you're very brave."
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 6:17 pm
What she said had helped him see through it. Maybe it would have been a cowardice act to stay in the lands, knowing the your love ones were never coming back. He would stay there in a dying pride until the day it took his life too. Arun didn’t want that. He wanted to live! To make his…own adventure. Just like he had told Mwujuzi before.
“You’re right…” He said slowly, contemplating it.
“Though, I don’t think brave it the right word to use.” Maybe it was. They both were then, for being able to leave their homelands in search of something else, something more of a calling between them. “You know…when I think about it,” Arun began. “I wouldn’t change anything about my life.” The mishaps in life was what had shaped the lion into what he was today.
“If I did, I probably never would have met you.” Her smile was contagious. It was probably a dorky thing to say, but it was true.
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 6:48 pm
"I wouldn't change anything either." She nodded. Despite some of the mistakes she had made, Mwujuzi felt she had done well with her life up until this point, and it wasn't like she was old. There was plenty of time left for her to continue on.
"That's true." She felt her cheeks grow warm at his comments. She liked that he was sincere, vunlerable, kind, gentle. Perhaps she was developing a crush.
Her teal eyes looked up to the moon, it was rather bright tonight, casting it's glow across the two of them. She wondered just how far away the new pride was, and if it would be what Arun, and secretly she, hoped for.
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 6:56 pm
Arun had appeared to be wondering the same thing, as he spoke next. “I wish there was a better aspect of just where this pride was.” He said. It wasn’t like he didn’t enjoy traveling with Mwujuzi, it was on the contrary! As he said before, he wouldn’t change anything about his life. But the fact that he just wasn’t built for so much traveling gnawed at his brain. He liked being in one place, sleeping in the sun until it was dark, and then sleeping some more under the moon’s silver rays.
“I feel we are close to something though. Maybe I should scout ahead tomorrow morning…I’d hate to have us both run into danger along the way…” Hopefully Mwujuzi wouldn’t take what he said the wrong way. He truly had the best intentions in mind.
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 7:32 pm
"You can only go off what you know," she offered, though she knew it wasn't worth much, since he knew little of the distance or location of the pride, only the direction to take.
Mwujuzi's ears perked. "You do?" It was the first he'd mentioned about feeling close. Perhaps it was a good sign, she wondered if, perhaps just beyond the mounds in the distance, lay the pride they were waiting for.
Hmm, his idea was a good one, but one that filled the lioness with a lot of nervous energy. What if it was dangerous, what if Arun never came back for her? She tried to shove the thought out of her mind, but it remained, and would do so until she saw him return from checking things out.
"Okay," she agreed, hiding her apprehension. Everything would be fine.
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:43 am
“It’s just an inkling…but my parents once taught me that you should always follow it. It may lead to something,” whether that was true or not, Arun didn’t know. He just would hope it was correct.
Arun nodded to her. Good, she agreed. “I’ll be back to find you! I promise,” he flashed her a smile, hoping to ease any doubts that the lioness may have. He was a lion of his word, after all. Emitting a big yawn, Arun backed away from the fallen prey. He licked his lips, looking towards the silver moon beginning to rise. Maybe by this time tomorrow he’d find what he was looking for, and then go back for Mwujuzi. They could both be happier then.
“I’m gonna hit the hay.” Arun stated, another yawn erupting. Long traveling days made burly lions very tired. Flopping to the ground, the dual colored eyes gazed to her. “I’ll see you in the morning!”
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Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2011 3:58 am
Mwujuzi nodded, glad that she had someone like Arun to watch out for her, even if he might put himself in danger in the process. She only hoped that his inkling would turn out to be nothing horrid.
"That's good!" She smiled back, though she didn't feel quite as relieved as he might hope. If he did not, she would be alone once more, without company, without a friend. Mwujuzi didn't want to go back to that. Mwujuzi too had finished her meal. Now the lioness was content with a full belly, and she could feel her mind becoming more drowzy at each passing moment.
"Me too," she replied, his yawn causing her to do so. She curled up and watched him as he fell asleep, "Goodnight," she said softly, before she too was asleep.
- FIN
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