|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 10:41 am
 Life for the pink lioness had been relatively quiet and seemingly peaceful. While she had lived within the Kizingo'zaa she had been well cared for and respected; however, as this tentative friendship between the prides had grown, so too had their trust, and in time she was able to return home. Thus it had been with a sense of deep nostalgia that she now wriggled her furry toes in the sand, peering at each grain as it ripped between them and ultimately stuck to the base on her paw.
Ahhh, it had been so long!
It wasn't that she disliked the Kizingo'zaa, in fact they were a wonderful set of individuals, but she craved the sea air, the food and the culture she had been raised with. Despite it's faults, the Bahari'mtoto had been her home since birth and she would always treasure it. Unsurprisingly, with these thoughts running through her mind, a smile remained plastered to her lips and though she may not have been entirely aware of those around her at this moment in time, that wasn't to say she wouldn't acknowledge one if she ran in to them...
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 10:53 am
 It had been some time since he'd first awakened amongst the Bahari lions and all Nire's bruises, scrapes and lingering pains had healed in that time. He hadn't left yet, however. He'd long since accomplished his primary goal, that of leaving the island, but he'd quickly discovered that the mainland was even more impossibly vast than the ocean! At least here he knew where he was and who was around him. If he left, well, he might find more leopards. But there was no guarantee they'd be any nicer than his own family. Sure the lions here were friendly, but what did they have to fear from him? Even as he asked himself the sarcastic question, Nire knew he was doing his friends a disservice. The Bahari'mtoto were incredibly open and welcoming, refusing to allow silly little things like species get in the way of a good time. He was wandering around aimlessly, pondering for the thousandth time whether he should leave or just give up and tell Ram he wanted to join the pride. And even so, he was no closer to a decision. So it was no wonder at all that when he caught sight of something pink, the leopard dropped the unending self-argument in order to investigate. "Hello!" he called out, coming closer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 11:00 am
The Bahari were, if anything, hospitable. Granted, they had been decidedly uneasy since the tsunami and the dispute with their neighbours, but it had been through a firm stance and direction that they had not lost sight of who and what they were. While security had been increased to ensure suspicious activity was found, they had never stopped an ardent explorer from wandering their shores or sharing a meal. Granted, Zephyr had yet to be informed of the islands and their inhabitants, but as the leopard called out to her she wasn't entirely surprised to see him - he was another visitor after all!
"Good morning!" she replied, tugging herself from her thoughts and placing her attention upon the male. Upon closer inspection he had the most unusual paws, so bright that they stood out against his dark coat. It was quite a fascinating sight to behold, and yet the more she looked, the more she couldn't help but note that he looked an awful lot like seaweed.
"Or...afternoon," she furrowed her brow and glanced up. "I have no idea how long I've been stood here," she mused, shrugged her shoulders and returned her gaze to the leopard. "You are a visitor no? It is rare for us to see leopards, they seem to like being on their own from the stories I have heard."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 12:40 pm
Nire blinked and looked up as well, studying the sky. "I think it is afternoon," he agreed after a few moments' consideration. Time often snuck up on him like that too, especially when he bent his mind to the problems at hand. The ones that he wasn't going to allow to distract him from the lioness in front of him, because that would be incredibly rude.
The leopard supposed that it could be considered strange that he, who had been so picked on and reviled by his kin, to the point where he quaked inwardly with fear whenever he thought they were around, was so comfortable around lions who were far more fearsome than his siblings. But the lions had never done anything untoward, and were incredibly friendly. So maybe it wasn't so strange after all. Maybe it only seemed strange because he hadn't met another leopard since waking up in the Bahari. He couldn't decide.
"I guess I'm a visitor," Nire admitted, though he hadn't actually thought of himself in that way until she suggested it. But "visitor" implied "transience" and wasn't he still trying to figure out if he would stay or if he would leave?
"I do know that I haven't seen any leopards since I woke up here. I don't even know where the nearest ones live." Most of the lions he'd spoken to had heard some form of gossip about him, to the point where Nire took it as a given that this lioness had likely heard something as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 2:12 pm
Ah, so it was the afternoon! She had been completely oblivious to the time and it came at no surprise that she had skipped breakfast and lunch - ah, but she wasn't terribly hungry, though she'd probably feel it later in the evening. Rather than dwell on the possibility of 'starvation', she returned her attention to Nire and tilted her head to the side. As he spoke, she offered a warm smile and nodded in understanding...although there was one little thing he had said that had given her cause for confusion.
Woke up here?
...Had he just materialised out of thing air?
"Ah, well there are some nearby," she confirmed with a small smile and shook her head. "There is one that visits regularly as well, though he brings plants and takes his leave fairly quickly," she mused. She was of course referring to Raja, an individual that she hadn't seen in quite some time. No doubt he would show up again at some point though, he had said he would! Nevertheless she placed her thoughts to one side once more and pursed her lips.
"...But what do you mean by 'woke up here'?" she queried.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 2:54 pm
So there were leopards nearby? And one that actually came into the pride on (apparently irregular) occasions? That was news to Nire, and he wasn't entirely certain what to do with that information.
What really surprised him was that the lioness seemed to not know a thing about his...adventures. He hadn't really had to tell the story to anyone before, and wasn't certain what to say.
"Um," the leopard grasped for the words, "well, I'm not from here." Stupid, she'd certainly figured that out already! "You know there's, uh, some islands? Out there?" he waved in the general direction of the ocean. "Well, I was born on one. And, uh, decided to leave. Solomon told me that they found me washed up on the beach..."
Needless to say, Nire wasn't an expert storyteller.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 3:04 pm
Nonsense, he was the best story teller in all of the Bahari and any cub would have told him so. Admittedly said cubs would then have spent all of his free time questioning him about the finer and otherwise insignificant details, but he had gotten his point across. He came from an Island, it was in the ocean, and he'd fancied a change and left. What she hadn't accounted for was that there were islands and well... They were so close. She'd lived here all her life and she had never seen them before - what kind of godly power, if any, had decided to plant them on the doorstep now?
"Islands," she repeated slowly and turned her gaze towards the ocean. She hadn't been gone that long, at least it hadn't felt like it, and yet these islands appeared to have spawned over night. "Right," she said finally and then nodded, making a mental note to pull someone aside so that they could explain what had happened, when it had happened and how it was even possible. Alas, this was what happened when you zoned out and were suffering from nostalgia!
"But if one of the Bumani said you were found on the shores..." she shook her head and furrowed a brow. "You swam the whole way here?" she mused incredulously. "I didn't even know we had islands and I was born here!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:10 pm
"Yes, islands," Nire agreed as the lioness finally spoke. It sounded as if this was news to her. He wasn't sure why or how, but who was he to argue with a lion?
"Oh no, I didn't swim the whole way, or even most," the leopard reassured her. "I managed to catch hold of some driftwood, which buoyed me above the waves, and the current simply brought me here." He paused and considered what he'd said. "I think I was unconscious for most of the trip," Nire added.
He didn't say that he thought the islands were a bit too far out for a day's casual swim (though he admittedly didn't know how far a lion could swim in a day) and he certainly didn't mention that he had no interest whatsoever in going back home or to any other islands that had been found.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 7:47 am
She had been in the dark for a long time, or so it seemed! To have islands right on the shores and to have never known, it was quite the surprise to say the least. Alas, she would have to pursue this at a later date, once she had caught up to her mother and family to ensure they were well and everything was well... safe. She hadn't had the opportunity while she was with the gypsy prides and she felt it best that she set her priorities right - islands were supposed to be relatively low on the priority list!
"Well..." she pursed her lips as she regarded the leopard. "Just as well the gods pushed you in this direction rather than out into the endless ocean," she mused and shook her head. That would have been a sorry tale indeed, and who knows where he would have ended up if that had been the case? "I'm glad you found us though, we may have some gruff healers but they'll get the job done and make sure you're still standing!" she chuckled and then cleared her throat.
"Some of our neighbours may not be so pleasant."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:19 pm
Nire hadn't even given thought to the gods, but he supposed it was probably a good idea to acknowledge that they could be quite responsible for his very survival. There was no way of knowing, of course, but that didn't mean he shouldn't say a prayer or something in thanks.
He wasn't sure what the lioness meant by gruff healers, the ones he'd dealt with hadn't seemed to be the most difficult of people, but he didn't know enough to be certain one way or the other.
It was nervewracking, however, to hear the lioness speak of the neighbors that way. Of course, Nire didn't have a very good idea of what she meant by the word. Sure, he knew the meaning of the word, but the mainland was so big and while the leopard was accustomed to having other creatures around him, he wasn't at all used to thinking about other groups of people outside the one he was living with.
"Oh?" he replied inelegantly, too out of his depth to be able to summon more words.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 9:05 am
"Weeeeell..." she smiled and tilted her head to the side. "I will be honest, I haven't seen them myself but I've heard rumours here and there," she explained. Pausing, she motioned towards the Kizingo'zaa and then to various other locations with an outstretched paw, after she had done that she elected to describe them. If he intended to explore, he should had the very least be prepared for whatever awaited him, at least that was her take on it... otherwise he was going to find himself in an early, though not so watery grave.
"Our allies are over there, they're the Kizingo'zaa and they're really nice. You don't have to worry about them, they're perfectly lovely," she explained, electing not to discuss the time they kidnapped half a dozen cubs. Best no one knew about that, they had all forgiven each other and that was that!
"Over that way you have the pirates, they're nice enough but you don't want to push your luck," she continued. "Now as for over there..." she hesitated, what she had heard about the pride in that particular location was all hearsay, but it wasn't exactly pleasant. "I'd say that you might want to avoid them, they don't like anyone other than themselves and apparently they'll try to enslave you," she murmured uncomfortably. "They're not the nicest folks to say the least..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 6:48 pm
"Enslave!" Nire repeated in shock, eyes and mouth wide open. That was...rather horrifying to think about. He didn't know much about Kizingo...Kizi...Kiz...the group the lioness had mentioned first. He'd never heard of pirates, and the ones she hadn't named, the ones who'd enslave him, given the chance...
"Wow. I guess it sounds like the Bahari is the best place to live around here," the leopard mused aloud. It wasn't as if he'd ever go back to the island after all. But even though his kin had been nothing but horrible to him, he wasn't sure if he wanted to be totally out of reach of them forever.
Weird, wasn't it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:26 pm
She chuckled, perhaps it was her biased love of her home that made her inclined to agree with him but she knew better than to force her views on anyone. Her mother had been determined to protect her and her siblings from the views of the pride and if she were to do the same... No; instead she offered the leopard a wry smile and glanced towards the ocean in a fond manner.
"I won't lie, I personally think it's the best place," she confirmed softly and tilted her head to the side. "But you never know until you explore other places, there might be somewhere else that tugs at your heart strings more than here, you know?" she returned her gaze to the leopard and winked. "You aren't the first leopard to come here, but you are the first I've known to be from the coast," she explained.
"The only other one I know came from a place that's a total mystery to me - he just showed up one day and then 'poof', he was gone again," she waved a paw in a somewhat dramatic fashion. "Off to explore the world, document his findings, all of that. I've no doubt he would say that 'best' is definitely in the eyes of the beholder," she mused. A pause, and she pursed her lips, regarding the male thoughtfully for a time.
"Although if you're not the travelling type I would definitely say this is a fine place to reside, for sure."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 12:06 pm
Nire had to laugh with the lioness, it was clear she was biased in favor of the Bahari, but he didn't mind. True, she might be exaggerating the danger of the other prides, but that didn't mean they weren't dangerous or that she hadn't spoken truly.
It did make him feel a little awkward when she mentioned a different leopard who'd been and gone. That other leopard sounded strong, cool, confident and independent, all things that Nire rather wished he was and knew, to his sorrow, that he could never truly be. He fidgeted nervously until she stopped talking about the other leopard.
"It does seem like a nice place to live," he ventured shyly once she brought the subject back around to the Bahari'mtoto.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 7:29 am
"Oh it is!" Zephyr agreed enthusiastically and chuckled. She was beginning to suspect that the leopard was terribly shy, one who wasn't entirely certain of himself as of yet. He wasn't the first she'd met like that and he certainly wouldn't be the last - wayward souls came and went all the time, she just hoped that he worked out what he wanted sooner rather than later. After all, the quicker he worked things out, the sooner he'd have time to enjoy them!
Ahhh but if only Raja had been there to offer his own view on the world too, he would have had so much more to say.
Alas, though she may have loved to stay and chat, she did have obligations to greet her mother and make her return known. No doubt Ram would be an interesting encounter following her 'sacrifice', he'd have more than a few words to say. That being said, she may have had her obligations but she suspected that Nire might like some alone time himself...though she pegged him for another encounter later, particularly if Raja ever showed up again!
"Mmm, but as much as I could put you to sleep with my view of my home, I just came back," she confessed softly and cleared her throat. "My mother and siblings don't even know I've returned!" she shook her head, clearly noting her own bad form. "I should probably let them know that I'm here, but if you ever need me you know I'll be around."
"Ooooh, and if Raja ever shows up you really must meet him!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
