Mbari was in an odd mood. He sensed it was something to do with his age. He wasn't an old lion, his joints were wonderfully in shape, his coat was decent, not a fleck of grey. He wasn't past his prime. However he cast his golden eyes over the horizon and he could see families, friends, even the occasional bitter argument.
Mbari loved his mother and father. He didnt see much of his siblings, but that was to be expected sometimes, they had lives of their own, and as much as it was unfair to admit it, him and his mother had bonded the most. Perhaps as they were most similar, sharing the same nervous disposition, or perhaps as she was his only first born at a younger age. He couldn't have wanted for more as a child.
Padding across the Pridelands he was always hoping for a chance encounter, something that opened his mind a little bit more. He loved what he had, but he felt like he needed change, and at the same time, that inevitably scared him, what would happen if his life drastically changed? Well, maybe he'd had enough of being scared, maybe he wanted to know more.
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 3:37 pm
By all means was Tsukiko a wanderer! Her paws took her with some frequency past the pride's borders, but today she was staying within more familiar grounds. Her daughters now fully grown, the dark colored lioness had plenty of time to herself.
This could be both good and bad. It did give her plenty of time to think! But it also meant that there wasn't often people who she could bounce her ideas off of. Truth be told, many lions around here, though never unkind, were simply uninterested in some of Tsukiko's favorite subjects. Which was fine, she still had friends. And every now and then she could have a chat with Suramuni.
Because the Pridelands was chock-full of lions, it wasn't unusual to walk past others, and at this point it wasn't even necessary to always smile and say hello as you passed. At some point, Tsukiko was bound to get distracted and walk right into someone. Especially someone whose golden fur matched the sands so well!
To her credit she didn't actually walk into Mbari, but she did get pretty close. She took a step back once she realized her mistake. "Oh, oops! Sorry. I guess I was a little distracted."
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 11:46 am
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"O-oh, s-sorry!" Well, here was a chance encounter! He shook his head slightly with frustration. He had grown right into adulthood and still kept his stutter, it was like an annoying tick that rose its head, especially with an unfamiliar face. He was always worrying about first impressions, and it did nothing to ease his vocal chords. He supposed Maawio had always had the same problem, though.
There were so many lions in the pride now, since he had grown the Pridelands had become home to many more faces, all of different colours and sizes and with different histories and stories too. He found this all rather interesting, but shamefully did not have many friends with whom to chat about all aspects of life. Family weren't always what he needed.
"I-i can vouch for that, my mind likes to wander off, e-especially lately." His maroon eyes had trouble meeting hers for a few moments, so they lingered around eyeing up nearby shrubs, hoping he wouldn't seem as nervous and neurotic as he was.
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 3:12 pm
"No need to apologize! My fault entirely." She nodded, and quietly took note of the stutter. That was a bit unusual, really! But of course, Tsukiko wouldn't think any less of someone because of something as trivial as a stutter. He looked a little nervous, but she also wouldn't worry about that. Odds are he would calm down.
Oooh, what was that? Perhaps this lion also enjoyed dipping into deep thoughts about the world! "Really? Where does it wander to?" She asked, curiously. Tsukiko was always happy to find new subjects to think about! And new people to chat with.
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Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 6:24 pm
Mbari wasn't usually one for divulging the inner workings of his mind to strangers, but then again he had never really been approached in such fashion. His eyes wandered over the lionesses face at first and then found the ground again, his mind both racing and void of thoughts. It was very unusual indeed.
Given that Mbari wasn't usually so open, but he felt unusual this afternoon he began to talk, still occasionally falling over his stutter.
"I-I i don't usually have these k-kind of conversations, to be h-honest." He prepared to set her up for something akin to disappointment. "I'm just not sure where I'm going, y-you know? I don't f-feel like I've done what I've meant to do."
Considering the lioness new nothing about him, that statement could seem rather vague, he decided to try and bridge that gap slightly. "Anyway, I'm Mbari a-and whats your name?" He asked with a toothy grin and a cublike manner, tail flicking to curl around his back legs
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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 7:19 pm
A patient lioness, and figuring it might take a little while to get this male to really talk, Tsukiko sat down. If he really said he didn't want to talk, that was all fine and dandy! but for the time being she felt it might do this guy some good to chat and relax a bit.
"I see. Hmm, maybe you should. Talking can sometimes be very helpful!" To gather thought, formulate ideas and theories and plans. All very good stuff. She didn't think anything ill of his issue, to Tsukiko it all seemed very understandable a trouble. "I can understand that. I was also pondering over that the other day." She nodded.
"My name is Tsukiko, it is nice to meet you, Mbari!"
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:15 pm
She seemed very sweet, and she certainly seemed to have the time for his somewhat mindless blabbering, as she had sat herself down. He smiled cautiously, and looked over her once more. "W-well. It's nice to m-meet you too!" He said, positioning himself comfortably on the golden ground. "I-I just feel like, I haven't done what my family has." His eyes glazed over for a moment. "W-well, I love my family, don't get me w-wrong." Thinking of his mother, he knew she would be proud of his social advances, he was not used to talking to strangers, and he was doing rather well lately! "I-i just haven't done alot with my l-life so far, sometimes I feel like I'm missing out." He felt like he was revealing too much to this lioness already, but it was waiting to come out for most of his life. His maroon eyes looked up to meet Tsukikos face. "I-im sorry if this seems weird, a-as we've only just met."
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Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 7:26 pm
"I don't mind that we've just met if you don't." Tsukiko shrugged slightly, she didn't tend to discriminate against who she would listen and talk to based on that. She certainly understood why some lions did, though, and would be respectful of their preferences. But hey, if he was wiling to talk, she was willing to listen!
"As for what you've said, I think that is... well, I've pondered over a similar situation before." She nodded slightly. "If you are happy and content with your life, that is excellent! But the lack of change tends to bring on feelings like yours." Tsukiko said. "I don't think anyone would have to change too much, unless they want to. But perhaps it would be helpful for you to start setting a few goals and working towards them. What do you see in others that you think you want?" She asked.
"Oh! I'm sorry, if I'm boring you or... or upsetting you, or anything, please let me know." For all her thinking about emotion, Tsukiko could occasionally be rather bad at perceiving them. Not always, but... sometimes.
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 5:04 pm
She spoke a lot of sense, not only that, but she said in such a respectful and calm way that it didn't make him feel scared of change. Maybe that was what he needed? But what goals would he set and work towards? He wasn't sure, and all of these thoughts spinning round his head began to make him dizzy. He exhaled deeply.
"Y-you're right, the weird thing is, w-well, I'm usually really scared of change." He smiled sheepishly. "Maybe I do need i-it, though. And I d-dont mind that we've just met, I suppose talking to you is a c-change, so that's a start, right?"
"If you don't mind me asking, Tsukiko, h-how did you fix it?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 7:29 pm
Hmm, that definitely would make it difficult! "Being scared of change is... rational." She said, thoughtfully. After all, changing from something that apparently was working could possibly prove disastrous, since 'change' could imply any sort of difference. "It might sometimes not be for the best." She realized then, that by saying that, she might discourage this poor guy! "Not that I think that'll happen!" It was Tsukiko's turn to smile sheepishly.
"My situation was a bit different." She admitted. She had never really been in a situation of discontent like Mbari, as Tsukiko often kept herself busy thinking about new topics to ponder over and discuss. "You could say I nipped it in the bud early on. Once life started to become monotonous for me, I took up a hobby." Or a way of thinking, or whatever. "I think a lot, about a lot of things. Reflection helps keep the mind sharp and happy, or that's how it went for me."
Buuut. "Friends certainly help. They tend to present you with all kinds of new situations! If you're patient and willing enough to deal with them, sometimes things can turn out unexpectedly well. Even sometimes recklessness. I became pregnant of a lion I barely knew, and though at first I was apprehensive about the whole situation, I am glad I had my daughters." It might seem a personal bit of information, that she had a random fling and raised three daughters herself. But Tsukiko saw no reason to be ashamed of it, and as such had no qualms about discussing the matter. "I also wander a lot, and try to see things. Different places, different times of day." That might actually be a good start for him. Slow change, just trying to notice things he hadn't noticed before about his daily routines.
"For you, I definitely recommend making more friends!" She smiled. "Here's a start. I could introduce you to a few of mine, if you like."
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:15 pm
He nodded, taking it all in. She certainly seemed to know what she was talking about, and he always knew that it was best to take advice from others that had been in a similar situation beforehand. She did make him panic at first, but there was something about her presence and the way she spoke about things so kindly,so that it made him feel rather better about things.
"I d-didn't tend to think about things too much, to be h-honest, I just kind of plodded along. I g-guess reflection is good for the mind."
Friends, more friends. He guessed it always boiled down to this, social anxiety was yet another barrier in making sure he found certain aspects of life more difficult. He had however, managed to make passing friends, just none that he believed would stick around. The information she relayed as she contiued was indeed rather personal, but he found himself admiring her for it.
"Ah, three daughters! H-how wonderful." He smiled broadly, the news of new life, however delayed, always brought a smile to his face. "I-i guess I have been talking to new people lately." He contemplated her offer for a few seconds, and then nodded briskly."S-sounds like a great idea." Maybe things were changing after all, and maybe it was time.
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:13 pm
She nodded. "And, if I do say so myself, it tends to be pretty safe." In contrast with her friends who indulged in more radical behavior to keep themselves happy, Tsukiko was rarely ever injured, and if she was it would be from normal, routine hunting. Thought had never harmed her!
"Mmmm, yes. All grown up now." They definitely could handle themselves on their own, but Tsukiko liked to hope they'd never really tire of her, and still like to spend time and visit. Whatever they decided, later in life. "So you're on the right path, Ithink." Se smiled and nodded. "Okay! I guess I can introduce you to Kwasi sometime." Chokuto and Wingu might be a bit much for Mbari. Kwasi was more of what most people would call normal and well-adjusted.
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 9:30 am
He chuckled. "I g-glad you think that I'm on the right path, He smiled warmly. He did feel better already. Change was what he needed and it seemed like it was happening for him now in a more positive way, and he wasn't so afraid anymore.
"That'd be r-really good, t-thank you Tsukiko, I-it's nice to meet you, by the w-way." The sentiment was delayed but still entirely genuine.
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((Shall we finish here and maybe have them RP out a meeting with one of her friends/him bringing her the death of his father as they are about to go somwhere or something? C: up to you ))
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 3:54 am
She nodded, Tsukiko definitely thought this lion was on the right path. He had realized something was bothering him, and despite apparent insecurities, he seemed willing enough to work to change his life for the better. And she was glad for it, even when the happiness of others didn't really influence her directly, she liked to think the world was a pleasant place for most in it.
"Not a problem. It was very nice to meet you too, Mbali! If you ever need to chat again, I'll be around." She nodded, standing up. Tsukiko figured she should probably leave him to think for a bit, as he might need it. "I'll continue my walk now, I think. Good-bye, I wish you luck!" Tsukiko dipped her head and smiled, and after giving him an appropriate reaction time, continued to walk along, as she had been doing when she nearly bumped into him.
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Sounds like a plan to be! Perhaps the one about Mbali's father? o:
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Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 1:21 pm
He looked to Tsukiko kindly, they had only just met, and exchanged a conversation but she had already helped him onto the path of realising what he had to do to make his life seem like it was... going somewhere.
"M-mbari, actually." He said nervously, "But Mbali is close enough!" He joked. "T-that'd be lovely, please enjoy the rest of your walk." He bowed his head with a smile and began to walk in the other direction.
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