Saagar'Tarang and Sipho (Mogami)
Satsurashi:
It had been many years since Niwan had been in these parts, and yet the trees and even the scent of the air seemed so familiar. It was as if she were here only yesterday, back in her old home with her family. Since the attack on her pride she had been away, and so in fact it had been many years since she'd dared return. In fact, it wasn't until she'd heard a rumor from a passing rogue lioness that the Iknimaya were making a comeback that she'd even tried to return. Part of her always held out hope that her people had survived, and yet she had always been afraid to come home and potentially find nothing.
The forest was very quiet now, and Niwan knew that even though it was near midnight that there should be more sound than this. She self-consciously realized that she might be making more noise than she realized. Hunting on the savannah, as she had been up until this point, was very different from hunting in the forest. She winced as a twig cracked under her step. She would have to relearn how to tread carefully in this more delicate environment...
Mogami:
Sata’s work often took the blue lion to the borders and tonight was no exception. The Whisperer had been tracking a herd of klipspringers when a sound caught his attention and his head turned abruptly.
“Sipho. Go see what that was.” He whispered to the bird in his head as quietly as possible. As the pride’s guards were quite efficient, it was unusual for Sata to be the first to notice an intruder. As such, he assumed the sound was caused by a large prey beast or a small predator. He took his nose to air, trying to catch unfamiliar scents in the breeze.
----
Sipho had become rather good at sitting nicely in Sata’s mane as the blue lion worked. Bah! Worked. It seemed to the bird that taking long walks and talking to a few creatures here and there could hardly be considered work.
“You’ve become quite bossy, Blue Cat.” The green-eyed bird told Sata with an amused expression but took to the air nonetheless without arguing. He circled the area for a few moments and it wasn’t long before he found the origin of the sound. Landing on a nearby branch, the bird chirped playfully before greeting the lioness.
“Hey there, pretty stranger. You’re not from around here, are you?” It was better to check first. It wouldn’t do to go tell Sata there was an intruder in the jungle if they were to find out later that it was instead a lioness he hadn’t seen before. Sipho was a relatively new addition to the Iknimaya, after all.
Satsurashi:
The sound of wings overhead made Niwan's eyes dart skyward. She saw the avian just before he landed, and she would have thought nothing more of it but then the bird spoke to her. In her eye, it took guts, considering that strange lions might well think of a bird as dinner if they could catch it. But she supposed this might be his home too, and that perhaps these days he was used to lions if he lived near the pride. She made up her mind to be respectful, even if she wasn't quite sure yet why he was interested in speaking to her.
“No, I'm... well, sort of. I used to live here.” Niwan responded and kept her voice fairly low, not wanting to attract unwanted attention. It had been a long time since she'd been here, and she had no idea what dangers might hide in the forest now. “I'm looking for the Iknimaya. Heard of them?”
Mogami:
“Used to? But not anymore? So… stranger but not really?” Sipho thought aloud, trying to decide what he’d say to Sata. He had no reason to doubt the lioness’ words when she so similar to the lion’s from the pride. “You look like them. Like Clerm.” He was still thinking out loud and not really planning on answering any questions. “I’ll tell him.” It amused the little bird to leave with a few cryptic words that might make the lioness a little confused or worried. Hey, he wasn’t a messenger bird!
“It’s a lioness.” He said as he landed at Sata’s paws and then fluttered back to his fluffy perch. “She used to live here but not anymore.”
----
Sata nodded when his winged companion spoke and then started walking in the direction the bird had come from.
“Is she blue?” Sata asked quietly and bird let out a little chirp. “Did she say anything else?” As Sipho remained silent this time, Sata had no choice but to keep walking – with a few corrections here and there – until he had finally reached his destination. Oh yes, she definitely had the blood of the People. Perhaps she was one of those lions he’d only heard about in stories, the one who had disbanded after the war and were now returning in these peaceful times.
“Welcome home, Sister. I see you.”
Satsurashi:
Niwan had plenty of questions once the bird spoke, like who Clerm or “him” was, but she didn't get a chance to ask them before the bird flew off. She considered following, but decided against it. He was much faster flying through the air than she would be scrambling over logs and roots, and anyway, his words sort of suggested she was not alone here like she thought she was. In fact, she had just about made up her mind to turn and hide when she heard the very faint sound of pawsteps approaching. Whoever it was, friend or foe, they already knew she was here.
The look that registered on her features when she caught sight of the blue lion was either relief or surprise, or something in between. His words, once she heard them, assured her that he was one of the people, and therefore her search was over. She breathed out a long sight and appeared to relax a bit.
“I see you, brother, and am glad you found me.” Niwan told him, her voice calm but her emotions running wild. She was just so glad to have made it! “I am Niwan, and you are?” Niwan also registered the familiar bird perched on the blue lion's mane, and the question was directed at him as well. Obviously he was an ally.
Mogami:
The look on the lioness’ face had Sata wondering if Sipho had told her something strange and that the winged companion might’ve forgotten to tell her that she was safe in the jungle… and perhaps more importantly, that a blue lion would soon pop out of the darkness.
“I’m glad I was the one to find you. It’s always nice to see one of our brothers and sisters returning.” He smiled brightly and walked towards the lioness with easy-going steps. “I’m Saagar’Tarang though most shorten my name to Sata. Are you well? You are not injured in any way, are you Sister?” he tilted his head as if to watch the lioness from various angles. The rogue lands were known for being harsh, dangerous and filled with unsavory folk so it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
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“I’m Sipho.” The blue bird finally said after one long pause as if he’d been considering not answering. “Hey, hey! Doesn’t she look like Clerm? She does, doesn’t she?” He was quite excited now, jumping down from his “feathered hat” position to the ground, hopping between the two felines’ paws. It was obvious the little bird had absolutely no fear in him but that tended to happen when a bird was born in a pride where lions often took birds as their companions and then moved to another pride where the lions refused to harm any creature that wasn’t to serve as nourishment.
Satsurashi:
Niwan was beside herself, wanting to ask many questions, and yet she kept silent. Part of it was wanting to hear what Sata and Sipho told her, but also she was listening to the sounds of the jungle, and sound which she had not heard for many years. Now that she knew she was home, everything felt different and her trepidation from before had melted away. Now it all seemed familiar and welcoming.
“I am unhurt, though I'm a little weary. I've traveled alone for a long time.” Though already, she could feel herself feeling better, as though home had energized her somehow. It was probably Eywa's doing, she guessed, or perhaps just relief that her travels were at an end finally.
Niwan's attention turned to Sipho when he hopped down around their paws. She was sort of amazed at how fearless he seemed, so unlike the creatures of the rougelands. “I don't know Clerm, but maybe I am a distant relative of hers?” Niwan guessed, and felt suddenly excited at the prospect of finding out. There were probably many here that were, in one way or another family.
“Have many of us returned?” she asked, her curiosity piqued. She wondered if perhaps any of her immediate family still lived here.
Mogami:
“Let us head for the home tree, then. You can rest and find food there but I will take you to the Head Warrior or our Spiritual Leader first.” Sata grinned somewhat playfully and even Sipho chuckled above between his ears. “My parents.” He required no specific deference because of his lineage but he was rather proud of his family and it showed.
“Sipho, warn the warriors in the area that our sister has arrived. They will be concerned if the catch a scent they don’t recognize.” He then turned to the lioness again. “The Warriors are the ones who usually greet the newcomers so we better tell them you’re here before they come looking for us.” He gave the lioness a quick wink and started making his way towards his home, hoping she would follow him.
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Sipho did not seem particularly pleased about the new request but in all honesty, the little bird couldn’t wait to go badger a few unsuspecting Warriors. But it was dark and it might not be easy to spot the lions in the dense jungle especially if they climbed to the trees and remained perfectly still – as it was often the case.
“Alright, alright.” He agreed with a little dramatic sigh, opening his wings taking to the air with ease. The blue bird circled the lions a couple of times before he increased the radius of his circles and finally disappeared from view.
Satsurashi:
Niwan followed, eager to revisit the home tree again now that she was back. As Sipho disappeared Niwan found herself looking all around her, at the trees and plants that at one point she had seen every day. The whole experience felt sort of dreamlike to her, but in a good way. However it was what Sata had mentioned earlier that had her attention now, even as she still gazed about.
“You are their son?” Niwan asked, surprised that she was in fact in the presence of pridal royalty. “Forgive me, I didn't know. I'm glad our pride has survived. Are the leaders now the same as before?” She knew the odds were against that, but it would be encouraging to hear mention of some familiar names again. It was a bit daunting, thinking of the pride full of strangers she was about to rejoin.
Mogami:
“Oh, please. Do not treat me any differently, Sister!” Sata said quickly, craning his neck to look back at the lioness as he led the way. “My father is Eytucan and my mother’s name is Zelt’sin.” His eyes lingered on the lioness as he waited to see if she recognized the names but he almost tripped and so the young lion’s head returned to its proper position and he was smart enough to look where he stepped after.
“Sipho!” Sata called out when he spotted a familiar shape in the skies. “Did it go well? Can you go on ahead and have the hunters prepare a meal for Niwan? And warn my father I’m coming to see him? If you can find him, of course.” Perhaps he was pushing it a little, giving his little companion so many tasks in a row and Sata did look somewhat apologetic.
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“All done. All warriors warned.” Sipho reported proudly as he flew towards Sata but landed on a branch when his larger companion began spouting a series of requests. While they did make sense, Sipho was tired of doing the work and he missed being on his fluffy perch.
“I’ll find your father but no more.” He pointedly ignored the lioness now, knowing full well that he’d agree to anything if she simply smiled at him. And without another word, the blue bird took off again and quickly disappeared from view.
-----
“Alright, alright.” Sata chuckled as he watched the blue bird fly away and turned to look at Niwan once again. “It’s still a long way to go before we reach the home tree… don’t worry about Sipho. He’ll take care of everything regardless of what he said. You are tired from travelling so I suggest we walk in silence from now on. This way, Sister Niwan.”
FIN!
