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 Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 7:48 am
 Though she was obviously related to the large family of the sea, Tarni was certainly not quite as giant as her siblings. She was far from small but her body was more tall than bulky, she could be described as almost dainty really. Having come from a family of outspoken females, confident girls and brash ladies, it could certainly be easy to assume that Tarni was the same. She was not though, Tarni had always been quiet, she preferred to listen than to talk. Her sister, Afina, often told her that she needed to speak up or she would never get a mate.
Tarni wasn't sure that speaking up was the best way to get a male, she wasn't even sure if she wanted a mate. Afina did have a one track mind but her slightly older sibling was very happy and she was glad.
As the sun rose ont he horizon the teal lioness sat at the edge of the sea letting the water wash over her paws and lower body. The sea was on its way out so with every breath of the sea it left more and more of her body exposed to the cool morning air. She shivered slightly, but the shiver only confirmed to herself that she was alive and pleased to be by the briny cool waters. It was going to be a beautiful day and she would eventually have to go off and do some work, but not yet. Mostly everyone was still asleep, she had time to simply watch the waves and enjoy the morning sun as it painted with its artists palet on the waves.
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Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 7:57 am
He was slowly getting used to it - the hustle and bustle of a large group of lions as they puttered idly about their home. He hadn't lived in such an area before, but he was beginning to appreciate the constant thrum of noise. Admittedly he was still adjusting to the wary glances but this was to be expected, distant relative or not, he caused discomfort and brought potentially foreign and deadly ideas to the table. His daughter had already made her mark and now he had the unenviable job of trying to adapt or completely remove some of her ideas to give this pride a fighting chance to survive.
It was rare that he was wary of a challenge, but recently he did have to wonder if he was getting too old to clear up other people's messes. There would have been a resounding 'yes' from somewhere, but for the time being the world was silent.
It was early morning and the sun would come up shortly, when it did the pride would wake up. Now was the perfect opportunity for him to relax, unwind and think. He was never disturbed at this time of the morning and as such he took every opportunity to utilise it properly. He fed, watered, groomed and planned... hell, he even practised walking on the sand! So accustomed was he to being alone at this time of the morning that he didn't expect the wandering lioness to walk across his vision.
It gave him pause for thought.
She was of a family he knew something of, or at least had met.
...Aha, but she was the one with the sister who wanted to get married wasn't she?
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Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:22 am
The teal lioness lifted her gaze from the sea as she heard someone coming down the beach. It was Ram. She knew of him obviously, he had taken over the pride and he seemed to be making changes. Certainly her sister was pleased with him. She was holding her judgement, after all nothing as yet had truly effected her.
Padding out of the sea she nods her head, bowing ever so slightly to the lord of the Bahari. "Good morning." She whispers, her voice a delicate muurr, a whisper of the waves almost. She wasn't really sure if he wanted to be disturbed or not, but felt it was defiantly impolite for her to say nothing, especially as they seemed to be alone on the beach.
"Its a beautiful morning." She smiles a delicate little smile sitting herself down on the sand, if he wished to strike up a conversation, she would speak further but she wouldn't intrude on his thoughts if he did not wish her to, that wasn't her way.
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Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:36 am
The pride were not the only ones to reserve their judgement, in many respects, Ram echoed their sentiments. This place was not his home, nor where his heart lay and was simply a duty. His daughter had made her mistakes and he was the only one who could clear them up, this did not mean that he would treat them with hostility, but he didn't expect them to accept him either. A small part of him suspected they never would either and he wouldn't blame them for this, but he doubted they would cast him aside while he made changes that benefited them.
Foreigner or not, distance relations and bloodlines aside, he wouldn't forsake them just because it was easier. No, he would stay and rebuild, permitting these lions the opportunity to be as strong as they once were before. Admittedly it would take time and on some occasions, baby steps, but he wasn't one who conceded defeat easily.
Thus it should have come at no surprise that he provided a nod of his own towards the Mwani and offered what could only be described as a half smile. He had never been comfortable with smiling, but even the slightest of gestures could relax an individual so that they wouldn't become hostile.
"It is," he agreed softly and glanced briefly towards the horizon, the black turning into a silky navy-blue as the sun began to slowly lick at the dark line in the distance. "Although some would argue it is still the evening, based on the fact that the sun is not yet up," he added after a few moments and released a sigh.
"You are one of Afina's relatives, yes?" he hazarded uncertainly. He was still learning and suffice to say, it was going to take him a while to develop an awareness of who each and every pride member was.
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Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:56 am
Tarni smiled back a gentle unreserved smile, she didn't want to look hostile, i anything she appreciated what Ram was doing, she knew it couldn't be easy for him. He was here to do a job and many of the prides lions did not trust him yet.
"When you can smell the sunrise its morning." She laughed a gentle little laugh, sharing one of her beliefs with the male lion. "I'm sorry, I often think the sea smells different in the morning, like it is greeting the new day." She quietens, she didn't usually speak so much to a stranger but Afina had told her that the new leader had allowed her children their rites, which was a good deed in her book and made the big male at least a little more trustworthy in her eyes.
"Yes, Afina is my sister, you will know my grandfather too, Nahodha'kota." She stays silent for a moment a thought clearly working its way through her head. "How are you settling in?" She asks, not one to pry really but he seemed he had a lot on his mind and wanted him to feel welcomed. "I hope Afina didn't give you too much trouble she is," She pauses and looks very deeply thoughtful "difficult at times." she laughs a quiet tinkly laugh, she loved her sister dearly but she was hard work sometimes, they were really all lucky that she was mated to Xenon he kept her, mostly, in check.
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Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 9:05 am
He couldn't say he was able to smell a difference in the ocean on a personal level, but he would say the same about the weather on the slopes so he surmised it was a similar idea. Regardless, it was for the best that he didn't question it as he risked insulting the female. The Bahari had beliefs, some of which he didn't entirely understand as of yet and he was still in the process of coming to terms with them. Some of their traditions, beliefs and rituals rang a bell due to his blood relations, but others positively baffled him!
"I see," he responded simply before nodding to indicate he accepted her explanation, it was the very least he could do. At this point he fell silent and permitted the female to speak freely, by the tone of her voice she wasn't the most talkative of individuals, but this didn't prevent him from hearing what she needed or wanted to say...if there was one thing he was used to, it was softly spoken individuals.
"I recall your grandfather," he replied after a few moments, casting his mind back to one of the council members. He didn't know the older lion terribly well but he had already recognised that Nahodha'kota was greatly respected and to cast him from his current position of authority would have been ridiculous, especially when he was doing such a good job. "He performs his role admirably," he added as if to clarify his own position and support for the current power base within the pride.
Ah, but how was he settling in?
That was a rather valid question when he thought about it.
"Reasonably well," he lied smoothly without a flicker to indicate that he was. For all Tarni knew he was being completely honest - at least his life in the roguelands had it's uses, he was virtually unreadable in certain circumstances. "It is a very different place than I am used to," he added as an after thought and released a soft sigh.
"As for your sister I have met far more opinionated lionesses in my time, your sibling is a saint in comparison to some of those female," he remarked mildly, distinctly recalling his own mother. Not that he didn't love his mother, had it not been for her he wouldn't have been so strong in the face of adversity. "She certainly has a great respect for the traditions that exist in this pride, the vast majority of you do..."
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Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 10:17 am
Tarni tilts her head lightly, being a quiet lioness meant that she observed many things where others may miss them. His sigh made her tilt her head and she smiled a soft caring smile. "I asked my grandfather once what it was like to move from one place and settle in another. He was born in the pridelands, he said, it was like you left a piece of yourself some where else but you just knew that if you went back there, you wouldn't feel settled any more." She flickers her ears and smiles gently.
"My grandfather is a great lion, he has been here for a very long time. He loves these lands more than anything." She nods serenely, she loved her family and there was much of it in this pride.
"Our family is very large, and the traditions are important to us." Sh pauses for a moment and chuckles a little "My nephew told me Afina chewed your ear off." She laughs gently and shakes her head. "Afina is a very strong lioness she knows what she wants." She sighs a little, she wished she knew what she wanted like her head strong sister, but it was hard to know.
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Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 10:28 am
"She didn't chew my ear off," Ram replied mildly and shook his head, for an instant he looked bemused at the prospect of having anything chewed off. "She merely said what she wished to and when she had done so, waited for my reply," he explained. It was clear that while Afina was headstrong, her behaviour hadn't warranted any form of discontent on the part of Ram - in his eyes she had every right to express her discontent, particularly when she had been the pride since birth and well...his daughter hadn't been.
"I believe she also expressed an interest in marrying," he added after a few moments and blinked. He was still in the process of researching the exact rites surrounding this and as of yet, didn't feel completely confident conducting a ceremony. It wouldn't be long though, it only took him a short while to grow accustomed to what was required and once he was, he would grant Afina her request to shackle her mate even further.
...That being said, Ram had noted Xenon seemed happy to be shackled.
It was a strange romance.
"Alas while I left home you must be advised that my home was the roguelands, no real part of it was mine, nor did I settle in any specific place," he confessed and tilted his head to the side. "Perhaps I did leave a part of myself in those lands, but sometimes sacrifices need to be made to address the mistakes that have occurred as a result of your actions," he murmured. Admittedly it wasn't his actions persay, but his daughter was still his blood and while he loved her she had been foolish.
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:44 am
The young lioness smiled a slightly sad smile. It seemed a shame to her that he did not know what a real home was. She had heard that the rogue lands were home to lots of different creatures including other lions, but it was such a wide expanse that essentially, they could move across it without ever seeing another soul. That to her was sad.
"I'm sure you will find a hom here Ram. Home is where your family is and we can be your family if you want." She smiles a soft dainty little smile. "My family is very large they always welcome another." She laughs gently, and shakes her head, she knew that ehr invitation sounded all wrong and sort of forwards but she felt he needed a family here if he was going to live here happily.
"Not that I.." She tailed off and blushed a bit, yeah that sounded completely wrong. "What I meant was our family is large you should come and eat with us and such, we often have family meals together. Grandfather and grandmother have been here for such a long time but they both came from other lands, they found a home here and family." She flickers her ears and sighs a little. "If you wish to that is I don't wish to pressure you."
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 11:19 am
He hazarded a smile, he knew what she had been trying to say and he wasn't about to judge her for her forwardness. Even from initial observations she didn't seem to mean any harm to anyone, her concern was genuine even if her wording needed a little work. If he were to judge her because of that he would have been a fool indeed and if there was one thing he was not, it was a fool. Instead he merely shook his head and cast his eyes briefly towards the ocean as he considered her words - at this time it was not beneficial to make family connections in any shape or form.
...No, the only things he needed to do at this moment in time were simple. He needed diplomatic relations and a systematic power base within the pride. This in mind, he would make acquaintances but he was not about to slip into the routine of adopting another family out of loneliness. After all, the lion would eventually leave when all was well, developing those sorts of connections would only prove to be a pain.
"Perhaps I will take the opportunity to greet your family in the future," he offered with a diplomatic smile. He wouldn't refuse the opportunity to meet the pride members but he would do so in his own time and he would bring an gift so that he carried his own weight - let it never be said that he took advantage of others!
"Or at least more of it..." he amended as he noted he had already met a few.
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 11:26 am
The young lioness gave a small nod. "You are welcome, I know my family would welcome you." Her family welcomed everyone, they were very diverse in their own way. Many of her relatives had come from the rogue lands and beyond, she knew she was related to both the pridelands and the firekin and there were several rogues in the blood lines of her ancestors. Her family was diverse and they welcomed diversity.
She let out a quick sigh and turned her gaze to the horizon her deep teal eyes smiling at the rising sun. "I should get going, my job doesn't do itself." She laughs gently, sometimes she wished it did, she could happily have sat by the sea all day long.
"I hope you enjoy your walk. Don't forget to dip your toes." She smiles and starts to walk up the beach. "And don't forget to come and see us all." She laughs a gentle friendly little laugh and continues to hop up the beach taking easy strides across the sands she was so used to walking over.
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 11:41 am
"Dip my..." he murmured softly to himself and regarded his paws. It was only when she had gotten quite a distance away that it dawned on him and his lips parted in realisation. "Ah," he added simply and glanced over his shoulder towards the lioness. She had been a bit of a quiet one but she had no harm in her and it took no genius to see this - all in all she was considerably different to her sister.
Perhaps this was what large families were like - you had a wide array of personalities that all complimented one another. Alas, for the time being he wasn't privy to this information as he had but one direct family member and that was his daughter. Love her as he might do, he was limited in familiarity with a large family and knew little of what it could provide.
"Have a pleasant afternoon," he uttered with a soft sigh (though she wouldn't hear him) and with that, he turned and proceeded along his own path...
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