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 Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:02 am
After the gathering, the siblings sat with one another days later watching the sun begin it's slow journey towards the horizon. Ryujin was quiet, silent and still as one of the great stones that held the pride's history, Ka's brows were furrowing, Kai paced. "You will wear out your paws that way, Kai, stop it," Ka said with annoyance, his breath, harsh. Kai turned to meet his gaze, mirror images, and she huffed, and spat to the ground.
"How can you say such a thing, with what has come to pass? What could come to light! What if the others found out? What if they knew?" Her voice was impatient, almost shrill, but hushed, the sky was coming ablaze in oranges and yellows.
"No one will know," Ryujin stated.
"But she is here! With them, how do we...what if she...it has been so long. It's like-"
"Our family, what was our family, is broken?" Ka said, cutting Kai off. "Our family has been broken since the time our mother laid eyes on us, but, perhaps now is the time to try and re-kindle bonds, Kai."
Ka turned to look at her two brothers, side by side. There idea was plausible, but, perhaps unreasonable to firekin, the simo, traditions.
"We have to go find Kidondo," Kai said, and the brothers nodded. Three walked together as the sun began to touch the horizon, night coming fast.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:20 am
Kidondo would not be too difficult to find.
In fact, as the group approached the large, red-pelted regent was bidding a swift farewell to one of the guards and turning to head off into the twilight. It was clear that he wasn't heading back to the dens, but out and away from the heart of the pride.
There were still groups they hadn't made contact with out on the borders and one of them was Fia's. They had been out water-seeking and as far as he could understand, had not been seen for some time. He just hoped they had not been anywhere near the Nergui attack because their group consisted of very little in the way of guards and soldiers. None at all, to be true, though he didn't doubt his firecracker of a daughter could pack a good clout if she wanted to. But with the death of a grandson fresh in his mind, he couldn't help but worry.
He wasn't sure he'd be able to control himself if he lost another family member to the cowards.
At the sound of approaching paws, Kidondo looked up and spotted the dark faces of familiar lions. "Kai. Ka." He took a moment before he came up with Ryujin's name. Most of his discussions had been with the twins. "Ryujin."
He paused. "Is all well?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:29 am
As they came closer, Kai felt a little ease rest on her shoulders. Kidondo, to her, was very much not only a leader in her eyes, but perhaps also the close friend who had fatherly qualities, something she never truly experienced or knew as a cub. Ka walked with his head high, but none too much, as he wanted to show strength, but also respect. Ryujin, quiet in the presence of his siblings, and the regent, walked slowly with his siblings and came to rest at there side once close.
"We are," she said, softly, but, slightly hesitant, "but, we're also concerned, Kidondo," her ears flickered a little, to falling back, but held the alert position, there was a sense of worry, or nervousness in her eyes.
Ka took a breath, and tried to keep his composure, "with the gathering, with the Hongshan, you said, there would be no secrets..."
Ryujin averted his gaze. He could no recall if his siblings had been so open with his abilities as well. Suspected by Kidondo, he assumed, given their parenting, but he was unsure of how much the regent knew about him.
"So, you might understand our concern," Kai spoke, to break the sudden silence as she peered to Ryujin. She thought he would speak, but, perhaps not. "We've not said anything to anyone but you, but, we worry, with the policy, what others may find out," Ka wondered, if Kidondo had seen their sister, and made the connection yet. None of the siblings had even divulged that information to another pride member yet.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:37 am
Concerned? The very word seemed to ripple weariness through him and, with a slow breath, the regent turned to face them fully, standing square on the sand to balance his weight. Kai seemed slightly on edge and something told him that more trouble was inbound.
"Your secrets are your own and, as far as I'm concerned, do not endanger the pride." He replied after a moment of thought. "No one will hear anything from me unless there is a dire need."
He regarded them for a long moment, flicking his eyes between the three of them. Ryujin had averted his gaze, though why he would do so, Kidondo did not know. "I take it that something has happened that has worried you? Is your past about to make itself known whether you wish it or not?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:49 am
It relieved the, to hear Kidondo speak such words. So, there were, loopholes, it seemed. But it set their hearts at ease, for now. They just needed to be sure their sister would not speak a word. With Kidondo's question, the siblings looked to one another, Ryujin looked up from the ground, and to Kidondo, then back to the twins. Kai spoke again, "It may...we are unsure." They were unsure if they were supposed to divulge their sister's identity, what if her abilities were secret as well?
Too much to think about, they needed to speak with her...but, the other thought...it hounded them.
"So many spoke of ideas, to find water," Kai began, stopped, took a breath, "and you know our past, who we are, what we are. We did not know, under the circumstances..."
How to proceed?
"If certain individuals should be sought for assistance," Ka finished.
"To relay water, for those that need it here," Ryujin finally said.
"Not our mother..."Kai said suddenly, as she had told Kidondo who she was, and knew a diety of rage would not be welcome within the pride, "but another...another we knew when we were in the Pridelands."
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:18 pm
Kidondo looked suspicious now, his eyes narrowing as he regarded the three. He'd never had any problems with seers in particular, though he'd never trusted the powers himself. He'd turned away from that side of himself long ago, allowing it to be buried deep.
But the speak of gods and goddesses struck something in him and he fought back a growl to even think of speaking on 'friendly' terms with those winged beasts. "Another goddess you mean?" He could barely keep the snarl from his face.
"If the answer is a yes, there is no more need to continue this conversation. You know where I stand on anything that involves those unnatural creatures."
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:30 pm
Ryujin looked to Ka and Kai with a look of 'I told you' in his steel gaze. Ryujin was dark, clear, a blank slate in comparison to his siblings. He had no mark, no additional color, he was plain, one could say, but he liked it that way.
Kai looked to Kidondo and nodded, an apologetic look in her eyes, ashamed, she was only thinking of the pride, the ones that needed water. The young, the elders, those who might have to fight. But she understood, and only hoped that if this brought ill feeling between them and Kidondo, that he might find it in his wisdom and strength to forgive their idea.
"What do we do," Ka spoke suddely, on his own, without looking to either of his siblings, but directly at Kidondo, "if any of them were to come here now?" They had cut those ties so long ago.
Kai licked her lips, and tried to find the words. She had fought one off, the dark one, one that looked just as Ryujin but with bright blue eyes...he was trying to bring peace between their family, but how could they ever forgive?
"What do we do then, if it were to happen? Kidondo, our hearts and strength are with the Firekin, you and all those here. This is our home, everyone here, our family, never doubt that," Ka lowered his head then, breaking his high-held head, his display of strength.
Kai was taken aback, he was being submissive, outwardly?
"We didn't mean to offend," Ka said, in a softened tone. They had only been thinking of the weak, the thirsty, those here.
They just wanted to be prepared.
They just wanted guidance.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:44 pm
Kidondo's face hardened but he seemed to suddenly regret the harshness of his words. He was frustrated and angry and tired and he was taking it out on people who were only trying to help. With that in mind he forced himself to relax and settled back into a seated position.
"I apologise. You are only trying to help and I should not have spoken to you in that way." He coiled his tail around him so that it rested atop his forepaws. "You have done nothing but devote yourselves to this pride. Your actions have spoken for you. The Motoujamii is your home and we are your kin. Times have certainly put a strain on us all, but we must remember that it could be a lot worse. Think of Finar-Si and how she toyed with our people. I do not like to think what other gods might do and I could never, ever ask for their aid."
He thought long and hard for a moment. "If gods came here? Then they take their lives into their own paws. Their presence cannot be tolerated." He stood again and closed the gap between them. "But there is plenty we can do, as mortals. Plenty that we are going to do. Soon, Firekin will be heading out to claim more water sources to prepare us for an impending battle. We still have hope, my friends."
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:52 pm
The three sat quiet as he spoke, and quieter still as he spoke of if their past came here. The dark one and their mother they could easily, and have no regret, fight. But the other, she essentially had saved them, in essence, from being sacrificed by their mother's foolish ideals. But, they would do all necessary to keep their home safe, to keep the loved ones here, safe. They were firekin and nothing else, they were born of the sands and fire, and here they would remain, defend, and fight.
"We would take the wings rom their backs," Ka spoke, "and defend all we know here."
As he spoke of others going out to seek water sources, Ka looked up to Kidondo, "But some should remain, to protect, yes?" He did not know how many would go looking for water, but he wanted to keep those here, that could not travel, safe.
"There is always hope, with your and No's guidance," Kai said, "and with all those here, there is always hope."
Ryujin stayed close to his siblings, and looked to Kidondo, and to the sand, they had come here what seemed like ages ago, and had grown through their young adult lives here. Unspoken, he only hoped, that Kidondo knew that the three of them not only looked to him for leadership, but guidance, as well as approval.
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:01 pm
Kidondo gave them a nod of approval, for approve he did.
He had no concerns that these three might turn and join the side of the winged lions. No concerns at all. He had known them for a long time now and trusted them as he would his own siblings. They had a gift - or a curse, perhaps - but it had not affected their minds. They were sound and they were loyal.
"That, I do not doubt." He replied to Ka, looking more relaxed now. "And yes, most of us will stay behind. Moto'Seide, the new Legate, will be leading the patrol out to the new territory. Some other higher officers may accompany her, but most of us will remain. This land is our home, after all, and we cannot risk it by sending too many of our strongest away." Of that he was adamant, remembering some of the others who had thought they might abandon the lands altogether...
"There is nothing without hope. We have come this far and we will continue."
And he believed that. He truly did. Horrors might come for them in the future. More pain. More grief. More anger. But they would succeed.
Because they were Firekin.
/fin
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