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 Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:45 pm
Every nerve in Kiuma's body was wound tight, nearly vibrating with tension. Being outside... it was strange. She hadn't left her lands since she'd first found them and gave birth to her second litter. They had grown to fine adults, strong and sleek, smart and independent. Even gentle Hippolyta, the one she'd chosen as heir, was fulfilling her high expectations. She was a little too serious and quite a worrier, but she had grown up well. Of course... that was why she was out here in the first place. With her daughters grown, it was time to contribute to the growth of her little pride the only way she could.
Red eyes slitted against the bright sun, the queen of Antianeira pondered what she was going to do now. She would only be gone as long as it would take to find a suitable male and return with her belly full of cubs. Last time, it had been a black male, plain but rather sweet of temperament. Despite her low opinion of males, she had spent an enjoyable time with him. Would this time be the same? Or... would she have to put her claws into it?
Katana'k was musing to himself, but differently today it seemed. Today he was mortal, or at leasts eemed like one to any who came around himself, unless they got too close, then they would feel the feathers of the invisible wings perched upon his back. He smiled to himself wickedly, wondered about things in his life gone wrong, that Goddess for one, he worried of any sawn tha had come from that encounter, any spawn that might hunt his own pelt like he hunted his brothers. "Ah well," he spoke aloud, rolling onto his stomach he stretched his sleek black forearms, muscled and in mortal form, littered with scars. The marking in silver and scar over his eyes ever present.
He would find his brother, and reay him dearly for the mark that would forever plague his pelt, the horrid example of his weakness in that moment so long ago. Pride deep in his chest ran thick in his blood, and he was not one to be toyed with, nor ahve his pride tainted.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:45 pm
Creamy paws light on the ground, Kiuma found herself thinking about what kind of male she wanted this time. Last time, it had all be convenience... he had been in the right place at the right time, so to speak, and she had jumped at the chance to join her companion in mother hood in an attempt to comfort her. That hadn't... worked out so well. This time... this time, she wanted someone she knew was strong, sone with power in their very makeup. She deserved it. Her daughters deserved it. Her pride deserved only the best from its queen and any offspirng she might bare.
It was with this feeling of pride, this wish for the best of the best, that let her lift her head and look forward to this journey. Her mind floated free with dreams of strong, beautiful daughters, Antianeira growing to rival the other prides and never again afraid. That was a dream she would die for, that she would be happy to die for.
Kiuma blinked as a black smudge in the distance caught her eye. It was too large, too black for a shadow or a bush... Her steps grew quiet, stealthy... wary of what she might find.
Katana'k huffed and didn't care too much really, he snarled at nothing in particular, he wanted to ruin something, tak out his frustration. The cicada tree he was looming beneath caught his attention, and he rolled off the slate he lay upon, glaring bright white hues at the piece of living earth who shaowed him, but now, caught his keen interest, his deep feeling of destruction that also filered in his blood thanks to his father's blood. His father, he was a true warrior and indeed one of the most noble ever.
He snarled again, remembering how his brother had come to find his father first. "How dare he, he who isn't even of such worth or nobility, such pride and honor in a single moment," he rasped, the anger fueling him as his claws unsheathed themselves from his paws digging into the soil beneath his weight. "I will find you brother, and huh, I wonder if you'll have someone for me to take from you, or take you from them, pity, you were always a furball, not guts, no pride," he spat. His right paw thrashing out towards the trunk, taking out a great chucnk of bark, the cicada silently screaming in pain. A blow that would not heal and eventually lead the thing to a poor suffocating death with no nutrients of water, Katana'k had cut too deep.
He sneered at it, flopped onto the slate again, "He should've held pride closer to his heart, the buffoon."
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:47 pm
Kiuma watched as that black shadow moved against a tree and it shook, the sound of shreading wood more clear as she got closer. What had appeared to be a shadow, actually, was a lion, and a big one at that. The slash on the tree was evidence enough of what he'd done and she found herself impressed with the depth of it. He was stronger than most and coupled with his size, he was quite an impressive lion to be sure.
Ears twitching, she padded closer, unable to resist the urge to heckle him a little bit. She hadn't had contact with a male in a very long time, it was time she got off on the right paw... well, sort of.
"I suppose you know all about pride, don't you?" She called to him as she stopped at a safe distance, her tail twitching gently back and forth and a sharp-edged smile on her face.
Katana'k didn't expect to hear a voice call out to him, he turned his head, pure white eyes settling on hers. His eyes seemed to glow, no pupil or color visible, nothingess. Though hers, they seemed to be pericing him without voice, he sneered and chuckled to himsef. "You have no idea," he flicked his tail, watched her. She seemed unafraid,s trong, sure of herself, pride though, was it there, would he pry? Simple question with a simple answer, yes.
He could feel it emulated in herself, pride in herself, whole self and others, something else, pride in something bigger maybe, something else, a thing, or another indvidual. "What makes a lioness as yourself venture off alone? You seem to have pride, or at least supposed strength and guts to come this close," he sneered again, his longer saber fangs not showing in his hiding, but if they were showing, they'd glint as he grinned. "What is your name?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:48 pm
His eyes were what struck her. White... pure white... Her own red ones widened as she froze up for a moment in surprise and confusion. Those were the eyes of a normal creature, or not of one she'd ever met before.
Her ears twotched as she frowned briefly at him, wondering how to answer the questions he asked. She was unaccostomed to feeling out of her depth. "I go where I want." Kiuma countered, a little sharper than she'd intended. "I don't answer to anyone, but myself, and I've always been strong. Is there a reason I should be afraid to get close to you, hmm? Nothing scares me, certainly not you." Boastful maybe, to make it seem he couldn't hurt her. He was larger and stronger...
"My name is Kiuma. And yours?"
"Ah, spoken as someone who truly does take great pride in ones own self, impressive. Don't misunderstand my meaning, but it has been a very long time since I've met any female who held such pride and dignity in herself," he said with a nod. Turning his whole form to face her he let his tail curl and then flatten out again. Claws sheathig again into his paws, he eyed her over while the getting was good for she would not be able to tell what so ever, which made him smirk.
"Kiuma, so strange to have one as yourself be alone. I'd suspect others might follow someone such as yoruself, but perhaps you are alone," he said bluntly, shuffled his mane. "I am Kaana'k," he said with a grin, and chuckled again at her question, "There are many things you should be wary of me for, though I'm impressed you have not turn tail yet. Why do you venture here, out for a stroll, or looking for meaning?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:49 pm
Kiuma drew herself up as she felt pride making her chest swell a little at the compliment. It was nice to have someone recognize that she was a strong, able female.
"Thank you, I guess." She said as she lifted a paw and brushed her chest fur smooth. Her eyes brushed lightly over him and slid away again, the fur along her spine standing up as she felt those strange eyes of his on her. Not that you could really tell, unless he was facing you. She tossed her head lightly as she flicked her paw before setting it back carefully to the earth. "I have others that follow me. It just happens that for the moment, I'm on a quest of sorts... Having someone trailing after me would only slowly me down."
Kiuma tilted her head as she took in his name, wondering what it ment. It was an unusual name. "I don't run from danger and if you know anything about me, that is what you should know first and foremost." Her paws flexed in the dirt as her face curved in a snarl. "I did not get my scars from running away."
"And do you think I got this from running away?" he asked lifting a paw, pointing a black claw towards his eye where scars crossed over it permanently marking him of his failure against his brother, marking him of the weakness he once had. "Everyone has their demons, only those who know how to control them are the ones who are strong enough to survive," he peered over her, gave a grin. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm feeling as if you've dealt with demons many a time in your lifetime, been hrut, but came up for air, still surviving even now."
He ook a step to teh side, not advancing towards her, just, watching her, watching her minstrations as she was there before him, watched her eyes. It had been a long time since he kept his true form from a mortal, not that he was displeased with himself, not at all. "A quest? Curious, very curious, on your way to battle with a warlord or..is it something more?" he asked with a sneer, "Something mroe dangerous, do you have a battle with a God underway Kiuma, seeking him out?" he asked playing the part, wondering if somehow someone had told her of his own existence.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:50 pm
The red female shook her head as she gathered her haunches under her and sat back. She didn't feel like leaving just yet and she might as well be comfortable while they talked. She licked the dirt from between the pads of her paw as she listened to him for a moment, tail gently twitching. Red eyes rose as she gave him a stern look, everything about her sharp and hard-edged.
"I have more demons than most, I think, and delt with more betrayal. I'm too strong to bow under the pain... I will not submit to it." Her eyes followed him as he moved, acting nonchalant even as she tensed a little. She wouldn't be caught unprepared if he up and decided to lunge at her.
"No, its not a battle... I'm not fighting anyone, persay. Its flattering that you would suggest something like that... but its not that simple. If it were only a fight it would be easy enough to finish him off and be on my way. As it is, I'm having a much harder time finding a male to get close to, not chaise away..." She hadn't really ment to tell him, but it wasn't that big of a deal.
"Really now?" he questioned, stopped, turned towards her. he grinned to himself, show himself now? no, not just yet, for the perfect time it would be a grand moment he would remember. "Pity, I bet you intimidate them, of course, males want to be males, the strong, those in charge, to be submissive to a female, in some prides, it unheard of. Pity for them, having a strong woman at your side can be one of the grandest things in life, knowing that your children would grow storng, adn that your woman would defend herself and be secure if for some reaosn they had to venture off. Pity indeed."
Flicking his tail he watched her, tilted his head, "Why, if you find trouble being around a male, I'm sensing its because of trust issues, hate for them maybe? Something, then why do you still dweel here, near me?" did she know, he let his claws slip out in case, if his brother told her about him, he'd be prepared, female or not, he would not faila t another battle.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:51 pm
Kiuma layed her ears back as her face twisted again. Katana'k was the last one she wanted to get into her past with... she didn't even know him and she didn't want the pain that came with remembering and explaining why she distrusted males. She tossed her head, the necklace around her throat rattling gently.
"Of course I intimidate them. I have made myself into something they should fear and with good reason. And while you may like the idea of a strong female at your side, you are alone in that ideal..." She snorted, turning her face away. "I have made myself a place where feamles may live without the threat of males like you, but there is one thing females can not do alone and... that is the reason behind my quest."
There, she finally said it... It was nice not to have to hide it, though it wasn't like she really had to. "I have had a lot of experience with the uselessness and untrustworthyness of males... I have very good reason for disliking them." She eyed him, wondering herself why she stayed now. "Perhaps I stay only because I recognize the strength in you, strength to rival my own."
"Males that don't believe such a thing lack intelligence it seems, from what I know of course," he flicked his tail, listened a pride of females? Interesting. Then he chuckled, tossled his mane, "Ah, a way to bring your pride new life is beyond a full grops of females then, you need males for one purpose, adn one only, some males would find it fortunate to love and leave, others would press for more, some, wouldn't care either way. Though, cubs, a strange thing indeed, life needs to be strong in them, weakly bred rats are useless," runts, pfft. Though he said nothing else, now his mind was running elsewhere.
"But I see, very interesitng Kiuma, though, you don't say why you don't trust males, but- we all have our little secrets now don't we?" with that he let his fake form fade, his eyes still were glowing white, his fangs now seemed to grow, claws outstretched, armor upon his form, wings at his forearms, and black wings outstretched from his back. He shook his wings, cracked his neck and stoo with his back stright, chest out, horns dark glitning with sharpness. "Everyone has secrets," he grinned.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:52 pm
The red lioness shrugged, unable to argue with him about the supposed intelligence of males that disliked strong females. Her face twisted as she thought again of why she was out here, why she'd truly approached him in the first place. "In my pride, it has been decided that when a female is ready, she will venture out of the lands on a quest of sorts. Traveling the lands, she will search for a suitable male to father her cubs. It is almost too perfect a solution... our daughters grow strong and intelligent as they learn of the world, and they bring back strong cubs to swell the pride's ranks." She shook her head, her tail flicking. "If it were not for the fact that a male is needed, I would prefer to do without them entirely."
Her red eyes lifted as she studied him, wondering if he would take offense at that statement. She couldn't hide her low opinion of males, even if she wanted to. Hopefully, he could respect that. "With how few our numbers are right now, even hidden as we are, we need the best and only the best for our cubs..."
Her voice trailed off as her eyes widened, Kiuma's fur raising down her spine as Katana revealed himself for the divinity he truly was. Jerking to her face, she hissed in threat, her ears laying back, If he wanted a fight, even as a god, she would not die without inflicting serious damage to him. "So even now, a male lies to me, revealing that he was not what he had made himself out to be..." She hissed, feeling an echo of betrayal in her past.
"I have not lied, perhaps, misguided, but you see, even as I am, to be mortal has its..." he didn't know hos to say it exactly. "I am as I said, does physicality really mean that much to you? Calm yourself Kiuma," he watched as she became defensive, "If I truly wished to do harm, trust me, I would ahve already made my move, however I see no need to do so. I am of Pride, adn you hold pride in your heart, for that, you do not cross my path in an ill manner," he said with a nod, pulling his wings to settle them on his back. "Let me tell you something, something not a lot of others know, not a lot of immortals wish to say...gods envy you, mortals, for mortals pass on, any moment could be your last, which makes every moment more precious. Gods, we will never have that, we pass, yes, but I have known not of one that could pass and never return to their cycle of eternal life."
He watched her, took a step back from her, "If you feel as if I have done you wrong already, it is for you to decide, you pride is dwindling, males are not your friend, I know and respect that, I even despise my own brother, we each have our own hates, dislikes, but some keep us alive...my drive to kill my brother...and yours, to replenish the ranks..." he flicked his tail, watched her. If she wished him to leave, he would, but his gut told him otherwise.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:54 pm
Kiuma calmed only slowly when he made no move to attack her, his words doing a small part to settle her. "I have been betrayed twice by the males I held dear to me and seen my own father murdered by a rogue male. My Lady was even raped by one while we were together, eventually leading to us parting. And you wonder why I dislike and distrust males?" She snorted gently, shaking her body all over to brush off the rush of adrenaline she'd gotten.
She quieted as she listened to him, shaking her head at the wish to die. What purpose would that serve, when living you could do such good? "I have known enough gods in my time to kept clear of them... they are dangerous, even more so that they have little care for the trials of the mortals around them. You are just like him, you know that?" Kiuma found it hard to actually say Tanaka's name, even after so long. "Trying to kill your brother seems a waste of your time and abilities. Especialy since, as you say, he will only revive again later."
She shook her head again. "I'm almost glad my only mission in life is to care for my pride and raise strong daughters."
Katana'k gave a snarl at her dismissing his trials, what he desired, and he held back the anger fueled in his blood, "My brother is the reason my mother is dead," he said bluntly. Though in truth, he never knew if she had died, only assumed it, "He is the reason, I blame him for my father leaving us, you say you hate males for reasons, and I hate my brother for my own, we both have dislikes for certain males, certain gods, though I ahve not yet met another like me," he said with a spat. Women, strange beings they are. "If I find him, I will bring him within an inch of death and seal him away somewhere," he said while his fangs glinted, "I ahve my ways Kiuma, do not doubt me," he snarled. It seemed they both had reaons.
He shrugged his shoulders, took a step away, testing her, seeing if she'd ask, be bold, something, testing, he could do it if he wished, "Seems like theres nothing else to say, is there?" he turned his back, took steps slowly as if anticipating..he would see
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:55 pm
The red lioness rose as he stepped away, taking a step towards him as he made to leave. Despite the sparks between them, she couldn't deny that the reason they conflicted a little was the strength they both possessed.
"Wait... please." Such an odd word, one she so rarely used. "I... appologize." Another word she used even less... "As I said... I'm not the biggest fan of males and it clouds my reason." It was so hard... so hard to just come out with it and stoop low enough to ask.
"I want to ask you a favor, before you leave. It will take only a moment and then you need never see me again. However, it will benefit me more than you can ever know, and that's why I beg you indulge me." Her voice dropped, roughened. Only once had she ever lain with a male because of love, only once had she pushed a male to lay with her for the same purpose she was now asking Katana. She wasn't exactly used to this sort of thing.
Katana'k stopped, heard her voice, and turned his head to peer at her, his white eyes on hers, still peircing, still holding strength. he watched her, listened to her words, they had their own reasons, had their own needs, dreams, desires. he gave a breath depe into his lungs, he never met one with pride in herself and her own pride in itself before...never. It..intrigued him, no less. Her words she chose, though, he spat at,
"Though there is no right way to word it, ask it, do not make yourself seem so low, never degrade yourself, never lose what drives you, never lose your pride," he took steps towards her. let his wings stay on his back, perched, the wings upon his forlegs drawn in. He got within inches of her, stopped, and raised his right paw to nestle it beneath her chin, make her look up towards him, his eyes. "Say they will become strong as you, that you will care for them, is all I need...do not let yourself, and your heart fall so low. Promise me this, and it is all I need to know..." truly he was no romatic, but he was not always a hethen either.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:59 pm
Kiuma jerked as he spoke, her eyes slitting into glitters of red when he touched her jaw. It was all she needed to stiffen her spine, letting her know that he didn't think less of her for having a need he could fill.
"Give me cubs, Katana'k. You are stronger than any mortal male could be and I -will- have the best for my cubs. I deserve that, my pride deserves that, and my future daughters deserve that. I am a queen and a lioness that has proven herself worthy, so I ask you. Will you help me and energize my pride with your strength?"
There, she had said it and felt none the less for it. She watched him with fierce pride in herself, knowing that what she said was true.
He felt a surge in her, it felt like fire in his own veins, he closed his eyes, listened to her voice as she spoke. Fire seemed to spill through her nad he could feel it. pride, there, growing, surging, wanting, needing. Opening his eyes he nodded, became closer to her, though did not make sudden harsh gestures, movements, or spoke harshly. He understood that she disliked males, probably was disgusted by hte fact she needed to seek out a male to keep her pride going, but he gave credit to herself, such a lioness, why were there not more? "I won't hurt you..." anymore than his presence already had, or will. Strength would become born, and a red lioness would be there to guide them.
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