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 Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:10 pm
“Absolutely not,” said Tendaji.
Esen and Tujil-dasu exchanged a look. “But she’s come from so far away to see you,” Tujil-dasu began.
“No,” said Tendaji. He spared a quick, terrified glance for the oversized leopard that sat so calmly next to Tujil-dasu.
“This is what you said you wanted,” continued Tujil-dasu.
“Noooo…”
“At least talk to her.”
Tendaji took a few steps back. “I…”
“He’s kind of a runty little leopard,” said Esen.
“Is not,” said Tujil-dasu, “you’re just fat.”
“Am not.”
“Leopon,” hissed Tendaji.
Esen curled her lip at him. “I am a leopard, thank you very much.”
“She’s just fat,” explained Tujil-dasu helpfully.
“I am not the least bit fat! You see this? It’s all muscle.”
Tendaji took another step back. Esen was the biggest leopard he had ever seen, nearly the size of a leopon. “Go… go talk to Safi!” he said. That would be good, wouldn’t it? Tujil-dasu had explained very patiently that Esen was a very nice lady leopard who would never, ever hurt him or anyone else. But the size of her! Safi could handle it; Safi liked ladies. Tendaji liked ladies too, or he had once, but he couldn’t handle any of this right now. Certainly not this massive… leopard thing… that Tujil-dasu had brought back with her. Sure, he’d made a few comments about finding love, but this!
“Esen came here to see you,” Tujil-dasu explained, “not Safi.”
Tendaji snarled in response.
“Who’s Safi?”
“One of his brothers.”
“Is he good looking?”
“I brought you here to see Tendaji,” Tujil-dasu growled.
“Right, but if he isn’t interested…”
“Just give him some time –“
“Stop talking about me like I’m not here!” Tendaji snapped.
“It speaks,” said Esen.
“Back off.”
“Make me.”
Tendaji eyed the leopard up and down. “Maybe I will.”
“Little man,” said Esen, “I’d like to see you try.” But she smiled as she said it, and tentatively Tendaji smiled back before he remembered himself and scowled instead.
“You’re just fat,” he said, a slight tremble in his voice.
“He’s a rude little fellow, isn’t he?”
“Well you are pretty fat…”
“Would you stop that!”
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:12 pm
Tendaji took a deep breath. This entire situation was ridiculous. He didn’t trust the female leopard, he didn’t trust any strange females, particularly felines, but… Tujil-dasu was there, wasn’t she? She’d told him over and over that she’d never, ever let anything bad happen to him. And his family was real close too. Even Safi. And his family knew how to fight, they could defend themselves. Defend him. Not that he wanted to be defended… he didn’t want to live the rest of his life like this, afraid.
“My name’s Tendaji,” he said carefully.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Esen.”
“You’re very… purple.”
“I thought you said he was eloquent and well spoken,” Esen complained to Tujil-dasu.
“Give him a chance,” hissed Tujil-dasu.
“Did you come here to talk to me or not,” growled Tendaji.
“Well a minute ago you were trying to pawn me off to your brother.”
“I just said to go talk to him!”
“And maybe I will.”
“You’re such a, a… big fat purple thing!”
“And you’re a cross-eyed, floppy tongued, snub-nosed, ground dwelling fur ball.”
“And you’re a long bodied, uh, thick headed…”
Esen laughed, a deep laugh that came up from her chest. Tendaji blushed, torn between anger and embarrassment. Laughter, always laughter. It would be different if Safi was here – Safi knew what to say to ladies. Tendaji had tried many a time to sweet talk women, but he didn’t have the knack. Maybe it was better that way; maybe it was better that all the lady felines stayed well away.
But Esen surprised him. “Don’t you learn any sharper words,” she asked, “growing up with brothers?”
“Me an’ Kamau an’ Izin don’t fight,” he said stiffly. He didn’t mention Rynskald or his sisters – they had stayed behind when Abrafo and his mother left the pride and he’d never gotten along with Rynskald to begin with. Always picking on Izin and things. Nor did he mention his half-siblings; he’d been an adolescent when they’d been born, hardly an appropriate age gap for a fight.
“More’s the pity,” said Esen. “It sounds like you could use the practice.”
“Well you’re… er.”
“My point exactly.”
Tendaji gazed imploringly at Tujil-dasu. What on earth had she been thinking, bringing back this mad leopard? He had asked for love, not an antagonist! Tujil-dasu ignored him, her tail wagging ever so slightly behind her. To her mind, everything was going just fine and dandy. Esen and Tendaji were talking and everything – wasn’t it great!
“Rot breath is a good one,” Esen continued, ignoring Tendaji.
“I don’t need help with insults!”
“Oh but you really do.”
“You’re not the least bit ladylike,” he complained.
“I grew up with three brothers,” she explained, “two of them older than me. My ma didn’t spend too much time looking after us, so I learned from my brothers. They taught me all kinds of things – interesting things. Much better than learning how to be ladylike… what’s that mean, anyway? Show me a lady.”
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:13 pm
“Ladies are… polite,” Tendaji began, wracking his brain. He didn’t much care for the way Tujil-dasu was watching him; he didn’t care about offending Esen, but Tujil-dasu was his best friend. “Well spoken.”
“I’m well spoken. I know plenty of good words.”
“Insults don’t count.”
“So what, a lady can’t defend herself?”
“Noooo, that’s not what I’m saying. A lady…” he closed his eyes, trying to remember what he’d been looking for when he first sought true love. “A lady is kind,” he said slowly, “and clever. But a lady doesn’t use that cleverness to be mean to other folk! She uses it to help the people she cares about, look after them and stuff. A lady has a good sense of humor, but a lady never laughs at anyone else’s expense. A lady is strong enough to look after herself, but accepts help when it’s offered. A lady knows her own mind, a lady deserves someone to look after her and to, to… make her happy. Be there when she’s sad or sick or tired, carry all of her worries. A lady is like a sunrise: distant and wonderful and unique in all the world.”
“Even ladies deserve to know a few good words,” Esen said archly.
“Maybe,” Tendaji said with a sigh.
“You’re a lot smaller than I expected,” she said, “but I’ll stay anyway. At least long enough to teach you how to insult people properly.”
“Wonderful!” said Tujil-dasu, ignoring Tendaji’s panicked expression. Esen might not be what Tendaji wanted, but Tujil-dasu still felt she was exactly what he needed.
Word count: 1,126 words
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