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 Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2014 5:09 pm
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 He couldn't believe it. He honestly couldn't. Something had happened - what, he wasn't too sure - but the demons had dispersed. They were gone, all of them. He had woken up and he had been completely alone. He had hung around the area for a few days before finally leaving, although he was terrified to do so, sure that a demon would hunt him down and punish him for trying to 'escape'. Still, he was near starving and there were no prey animals around any longer.
Bozi sniffed warily as he poked his head out of the den he'd found to sleep in for the day. He was sticking to traveling at night, but it was still not very dark yet, so he didn't dare venture out. He was hungry, though, and was hoping for a passing morsel to hunt down. Thankfully, one of his main jobs in the pride had been to hunt, so he was actually pretty good at that. The only problem was nothing seemed to be passing other than rabbits.
He eventually snuck out to get one and return to his den to eat, eyes nervously darting to the mouth of the cave, making sure no one was coming in. He nearly swallowed the rabbit whole in his attempt to eat in record time, wanting to be ready to move out once night fell. He had about an hour still, though, and by the time he was done eating not five minutes had passed.
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Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2014 6:09 pm
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Bozi looked up as movement caught his eye, his heart hammering in his chest. It was a demon, he was sure, come to drag him back and punish him for leaving. He froze to the spot and collapsed, lowering his eyes to the ground out of fear. Oh no...
But the voice that came was friendly and he didn't recognize it at all. Warily looking up, a cheetah trotted into view. A bit of the fear that gripped him left, as cheetahs weren't demons. On top of that, she was a pale purple in color, not proper demon tones. Still...she was a stranger. She could be working for the demons to help round up their slaves.
"H-hello," he said weakly in return, still on his belly, mouth a bit bloody from his quick meal. He quickly set about cleaning himself up, as appearing before someone that wasn't a slave required a perfect appearance...or as perfect as one could make themselves. The only exception were to wounds inflicted by demons, which were to be left alone.
Beyond that, he didn't say anything, trembling like a leaf before the smaller feline.
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Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2014 6:42 pm
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Iluba was alarmed as the lion fell to the ground almost immediately as her voice touched his ears. Her eyes widened and her ears fell back, is he hurt?! was all she thought as she went toward him. When she was closer, she could see he didn't seem gravely injured in any way, he had some blood on his mouth, which he promptly cleaned, and other scars and wounds, but nothing that would make him fall like that. As he shook, trembled like a baby gazelle without a mother.
Her eyes widened, she spoke quietly and slowly, "Are.. you injured? You fell as I approached.. Are you okay?" She wasn't quite sure what was up with this lion, his large body almost cowering before her in terror. "I can find you help if you need it." She wasn't sure what else she could offer him right now. His entire body spoke frightened, she tried to seem friendly, putting on the cutest smile she could muster.
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2014 8:34 pm
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Bozi continued to tremble as the cheetah moved closer. Oh no, she definitely was working for the demons. Maybe she was a slave herself, sent out to round them up. No one knew...although there was something about the way the female carried herself that didn't speak of a life of servitude. She was too bouncy, too happy, too concerned. Slaves knew not to exude that kind of confidence and lightness, not even when around other slaves.
"Injured?" he echoed, surprised by the question and the offers of help. Stunned, and rightfully so, Bozi shifted from trembling in fear to staring at the cheetah, his mouth slightly open in surprise. No one had ever offered to help him before, not even when he had truly needed it! Helping other slaves had been strictly forbidden unless told to do so by a demon, or when hunting, and demons had never given him a second glance when he had lay bleeding on the ground. Or, if they had, it had been to laugh at him.
"Um...n...no, no thank you, mistress, I am quite well," he said meekly, still low to the ground, but no longer trembling. "Just...just a bit. Nervous."
Understatement of the year.
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 6:49 pm
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Iluba cocked her head to the side, and then looked around for a moment as she began to giggle at his words.
"Mistress? Haha, that's a silly thing to call me. My name is Iluba!" She sat before him and nodded her head slightly, a "hello" of sorts, grinning at him. She thought his choice of words was curious, calling her mistress, and the way he responded to her questions. She shook it out of her mind and moved on to her next question. "Why are you so nervous? Is there something I should be worried about, too?!" She jokingly opened her eyes wide and looked around, hoping to get a laugh out of him.
"Maybe instead of staying in this silly nerve-racking place, we should go somewhere else and find some food? That's what I was doing out here to begin with, and it looks like you probably wouldn't mind some meat either." She wasn't quite sure what was going on with this lion, but she was determined to break him out of his shell, so to speak, no matter how long it took. It had been a long time since she had met someone that made her more curious about them.
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 12:10 pm
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"Great to meet you, Bozi," she said warmly, happy to see the big fellow was finally settling a little, body almost sitting with out the shakes. The story of his past, or recent past, made her a little uneasy. She had heard of lions taking slaves in certain areas. She didn't know that they were this close though, or that they took other lions. It frightened her, all of it. Slavery made her stomach turn from the beginning, but now, knowing what more she did know, it was very scary and real.
She decided it might be best not to be too forward with this male and to let him do his own thing. Perhaps they can cross paths more in the future, now that he is free.
"Bozi, it was wonderful to meet you," she said slowly, as if he needed to be spoken to in a very calm manner (and honestly, it might help a little). "It is beginning to get late though. Perhaps we should meet again tomorrow, we can get you a proper meal. It would make me very happy if we could meet again!"
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 3:52 pm
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The small lion was thankful for Iluba's calm and slow voice. It really did help calm his nerves. None of the demons had ever bothered to talk so nicely to him, although there were a few of his fellow slaves who would do so after he had been hurt. There had been a kinship among the slaves that, while they never stood up to the demons, they were always there for one another after the demons had gone.
"O-oh, yes," he said with a hesitant nod. "It...it was very nice to meet you as well. It's nice to know there's friendly faces," he added with a more genuine smile. It was tiny, but there, and very, very real. He quickly ducked his head, though, almost ashamed of the gesture. It was so new to him that it made him shake just a bit. That would go away with time, he hoped...he didn't want to appear as cowardly as he had in the past to everyone new he met. He'd never make friends that way.
"I'll...um. I'll just be in this cave here," he said, nodding behind him. "So. If you did want to come by. I'd enjoy it."
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 8:38 pm
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Iluba peered over Bozi's shoulder to see the cave he referenced, it was indeed there.. and cave-like. She was never one to enjoy them, too dank and dark for her liking. But she wasn't one to judge him for it; she also didn't want to tease him for his hiding spot, it seemed the poor thing had been through enough. She could definitely sense the sincerity in his action and words, though, and knew what she would be doing with her day tomorrow.
"Wonderful. I will meet you by your cave, perhaps a little after sunrise?" She was still speaking slowly, and her voice was very warm, perhaps he could sense her slight excitement. She thought back to her many weeks with Mama Moo, a baboon, who taught her some healing as she looked over his scars and some not-quite-healed-over cuts. "We can do some hunting then, it will be before it gets too hot and the prey are usually just waking up as well. Similarly, I can bring a few herbs to help you healing and maybe with some of your scars, too. I know a little bit about it. If you'd like that is."
In the back of her mind, she wondered if the demons the lion referred to were real. If they were like the spirits that Mama Moo had talked about before, like the spirits of earth and water that lend their powers to those who understand and respect them. It frightened her, honestly, to imagine a place where demons walked. It made her sad to think that Bozi may not have ever felt freedom until recently, and she was determined to change that for him.
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2014 6:12 am
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