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 Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:55 pm
Now the male was lying elegantly on a large boulder not far off from his kill. Even though he had eaten his fill and stuffed his belly, there was still quite a bit of meat left on the carcass and so he would not wander too far away from it in fear that it would be stolen by some other predator looking for an easy meal.
Yawning lazily, the brown lion flicked an ear to ward off flies as he watched the borders. Today was a good day, a peaceful day... in fact it was almost a little too peaceful. It had been quite a while since the heir to the throne of these lands had heard his little Voice inside of his head. He wasn't exactly copmlaining, but he was a bit nervous. The Voice had always had some sort of way to control Tamu's actions at times, and he feared that perhaps it was plotting something, something big and horrible.
For now, however, he tried not to worry about it as he simply rested and overlooked the lands that would eventually belong to him.
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Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:34 pm
 Masuka felt as though she had been walking her whole life. What had started as a wandering restlessness as a cub had become a lifelong journey of no direction.
Somewhere along the way, she had walked out her wanderlust and now sought nothing more than a place to rest and raise a family in the company of other lions. What she sought, was a pride. Her thoughts had been logical, she wished for a welcoming pride, the only pride she knew the exact location of was Asi's, hence that was where she headed towards.
Hopefully this would be the last walk her road-weary paws would have to traverse.
She gleamed like a brilliant ghost against the landscape, her movements honed to perfection by a solitary, huntress life. The many moons laid their mark on her sleek form in hunting scars and eyes that danced with the stories and tales she had heard and replayed in her thoughts. Perhaps someday soon she'd have a pride to share them with.
Something jolted her from these optimistic thoughts. The smell of prey was a signal to the lone huntress that dinner was nearby if she was willing to fight for it. This she had done many times, she hoped the hunter had been a cheetah, easily driven off.
She disregarded the fact that she had passed the Kusini borders not too long ago.
Making her way towards the scent, she let out a low warning rumble, making herself known in case it really was a lone cheetah or leopard that held the prey.
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Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:51 pm
Tamu continued to lay there on the boulder for quite a bit of time. There was nothing else for him to do really and he was simply letting his meal digest. Soon, though, he would probably have to head back. It wasn't so much of a distance back to where he normally slept, but it was enough that it would take him maybe an hour. And he wanted to get back before sunset.
But until he felt it was time for him to head back home, he simply stayed there and groomed himself. It was no good for a prince to look all bloody. So he focused on cleaning himself and getting the remains of his meal off. First he worked on his forepaws, left first then the right. Afterwards he focused on his face, using his tongue skillfully to get the blood off from around his mouth and all over his muzzle. During his grooming, however, a new scent drifted over towards him. It was another lion, female and alone it seemed. Not too long after he had discovered the scent, he heard a low grumble. She was near, no doubt drawn by the smell of his kill.
Rousing himself from his rest, the brown male stretched quickly then hopped carefully down from his rock and onto the ground, his cat's balance helping him quite well in landing perfectly.
Glancing about, he managed a glimpse of the lioness. She was a pale color, almost white but not so much. She had black ears from what he could see, and some marking on her shoulder. He was too far away to see the scars, though.
Folding back his ears slightly, he opened his huge jaws and let out a warning rumble in return. He wouldn't attack her unless she attacked first, but there was no reason that he couldn't be careful. Lone lions were often skillful and tricky--they had to be in order to survive on their own--and he would be keen not to let her get the better of him.
Flicking his tail curiously, Tamu-jitu couldn't help but draw a little closer towards the female. Why was a lone lioness like her so far out here?
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Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:02 pm
Masuka froze mid-step as her warning was rebutted by another, deeper, more masculine one. She had forgotten she was in lion territory, too used to lands where her own kind were rather scarce these days. She spotted him, a rich earthy male, probably an excellent hunter in this terrain, camoflaged. She was a dead of night hunter thanks to her ghostly pelt.
Her tail curled and flicked nervously behind her, the only outward sign of her nervousness. She was a cunning fighter but no match for an adult male. Still, she'd bluff it.
She sat gracefully onto her haunches, her blue gaze fixed on the other lion. His colouration was familiar from somewhere, but so were a lot of the lions she met familiar to those she had left behind on the road. Masuka let the pleasant smile curve across her muzzle.
"You win." she stated with a shrug "I took a gamble on a kill and ended up trying to chase off a lion. Guess I'm getting rusty." she casually licked the back of a paw, seemingly fully absorbed in the task.
"You know where the Kusini'Mwezi pride lies? I'm looking for it."
Maybe if she showed she was no longer hostile, he would follow suit. It might save her another scar or two.
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Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:18 pm
Even though Masuka had sat down and appeared non-threatening, Tamu wasn't exactly convinced. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, persay, it was more that he was simply being careful. She could always suddenly lash out and catch him by surprise. Sure, he was a male lion and so automatically bigger than her, he wasn't built to fight. And, as he got closer, he noticed her scars and immediately became defensive. Fighting scars or stumbles in hunts? He couldn't guess and wouldn't ask.
Staying alert but attempting to appear calm and relaxed, the male stopped about three yards away from her. He, however, didn't sit. For a moment he just watched her, as if trying to read through her eyes to see what she was thinking. Obviously finding nothing, he looked away and towards the kill.
"You want it?" he asked, tail flicking randomly. He had already filled his stomach and there wasn't anyone else from the pride around to eat it, and there was no way he was dragging it all the way back to the main gathering spot. And since he didn't want it wasted, he figured he'd be kind, as was in his nature.
"I've already eaten and--"
Tamu suddenly stopped when she asked if he knew where the Kusini pride was. He was a little dumbstruck as the question was rather out of the blue and because of the fact that she had wandered right into the place she was looking for.
"Well you don't have to wander so much anymore; You're on their land, miss. And you are also looking at the heir." He said it not to brag or anything, but to simply let her know. Since he'd be taking over the pride soon, he'd just thought it necessary that others know who he was. If she thought him arrogant or anything, then that was what she would think. But it didn't matter. The male was simply curious as to why she was looking for this pride. A bit far out to in the middle of nowhere for much business, he thought. Did she perhaps know someone in the pride..?
Voicing his thoughts, he looked straight into her eyes when he spoke. "Are you looking for anyone in particular? I may be able to take you to them if you wish."
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Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:37 pm
Masuka watched tamu out of the corner of her eye, equally defensive about him as he was regarding her. He didn't look like a rogue, too well built and sleekly furred to be a loner. She raised a brow at his offer of the kill's remainder, not used to encountering any kind of generosity out in the southlands. Still, she doubted he had an ulterior motive to his offer and merely smiled gratefully.
"You know, I wouldn't half mind that. Thank you."
She was on her way over to the kill when she caught the rest of what he'd said. The heir?! Not a good way to start really, trying to rob a lion of high standing in the pride of his meal. She grinned at this thought and looked over her shoulder. "You don't say? My sense of direction seems a bit out of whack after all that walking, I thought I had a few moons travel left until I found it." She smirked "A pleasure to meet you Mr Heir. I'm Masuka, a friend of Asikari. Is he still one of your number?"
She pulled off a chunk of meat with a paw and swallowed it before adding.
"It's been a long time since I last visited, though this time I come with request to stay."
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Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:49 pm
The heir of the Kusini pride merely dipped his head in response to her thanking him. He was amazed that she even accepted. It was really normal for one lion to give up his kill to another, especially a lone one. But Tamu was slightly different, he was kind and gentle and always wanted everyone to have their fair share in everything. And since he wasn't going to eat the rest of the kill, why not let her have it?
Sitting there, looking off to the side--he felt rude watching her eat--he tried to piece together this female, though his clues were few. And as he sat there, Tamu-jitu was finding this meeting to be very coincidental. Not only was this female traveling around looking for his pride, she also seemed to know his father.
Smiling to himself, he sat down then began to groom his front paws again, one at a time. "Asikari? Yes, actually, he's still here. Still alive and ruling." He wondered if this lioness knew that the one she was looking for was a king. If so, she didn't exactly show it.
"Requesting to stay, eh?" he repeated, pausing in his grooming of his paws to look at her once more. "Yes, I'm sure my father would readily accept you. You seem very capable. I will take you to him after you are finished eating if you wish." And with those final words he went back to grooming his paws, his gaze off of her and all of his concentration on his paws. The male merely left the female to her meal after that.
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 6:09 am
Masuka wasn't a lion to miss out on a meal, few rogues would ever turn down even a suspicious one and this male didn't strike her as excessively so. SHe ate fast and as much as she could before moving away from the kill licking her lips.
She sat down not far from him and proceeded to extricate the blood from her paws and face knowing all too well how easily stained her fur was.
"Asi's still in charge?" she said with a grin "That old grouch'd make a good leader I always said, apparently I was right." her tone was joking and light and her tail swished contentedly behind her.
"I'd be very much obliged if you might." she added, her bright blue gaze lingering on him, seemingly amused by his deferential and polite demeanour. She chuckled. "And thanks, I get by, not as capable as some but decent enough."
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 11:13 pm
Tamu continued to groom his paws up until the female was finished with her meal. He continued on a bit more afterwards as well, when she seemed to be grooming herself as well and getting all of the excess blood from her coat, which was a stunning silver that he imagined looked terribly beautiful under the moon.
But that was enough of that sort of thinking, he had offered to take this female to his father and being the lion he was there was no way that he would fail her.
"Yes, yes, he's still in charge. Mentioned that I'll be taking over soon, though," he murmured, flicking his ears curiously for a moment. His father wasn't sick was he? The brown heir surely hoped not. He hoped that even when he did become king his father was there to help him find his feet and guide him a bit until he truly got the hang of things. For now, however, he had to concentrate on this female... uh, whatever her name was.
"Say, what's your name anyways?" He paused for a moment then realized that she might not give her name if he didn't give his. "I'm Tamu-jitu, if it matters any. Or just Tamu for short, I'm not picky."
The heir gave her a warm smile before he rose to his paws and let out a great stretch. Afterwards he blinked at her then waited. He waited for her name and he waited to see if she was ready to go just yet.
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Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 8:29 am
Masuka smiled approvingly. "A fine and regal king you'll make no doubt." a playful smirk slunk onto her face "It'd be a pity to lose such a fine tour guide though."
She paused "Oh, my name, how rude of me to forget to mention, guess I have been out on my own for too long, I'm even forgetting how to introduce myself properly. I'm Masuka, a pleasure to meet you Tamu." she bowed her head slightly. "Not everyday one meets a strapping young prince like yourself"
With the ghost of a wink, she padded past him a little ways.
"Feel like showing me around the lands? If they'll one day be yours, no doubt you know your way."
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Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:41 am
A sort of stupid smile overcame Tamu's features at the compliment from the lioness. It wasn't everyday he got comments such as that. In fact, he rarely talked to anyone nowadays; he simply couldn't figure out where everyone was. Yet then a blank look came over his face as he blinked at the female. "What do you mean by that, miss?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. He was referring to her saying that 'it'd be a pity to lose such a fine tour guide'.
"Masuka.." he repeated, toying with the name in his brain and also on his tongue. "I like it, it suits you I think." Yes, a beautiful name for a beautiful lioness.
Blushing slightly when she called him a strapping prince, the heir folded back his ears slightly and tried to think of something to say in return. "And it's not everday one meets a ghostly beauty such as yourself," he purred, walking behind her a little.
Chuckling slightly, the male came to stand beside her. "Well, which is it that you want? The king or the lands?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:47 pm
Masuka smiled mischeviously "Oh I just mean that when you are king you won't have time to meet and greet lions like myself, which is a pity since you are naturally talented at it." She curled her tail at her hindpaws and waved a paw in playful dismissiveness. "Oh you flatter me too much! I'm too loud to be a ghost and not even half as graceful." she laughed warmly "Our meeting was fortunate then by any standards as we seem rare creatures in this big wide world."
Turning to face him she nodded "I think Asi can wait for now. The lands it is. Lead the way Tamu, lets see these lands properly""
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Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:04 pm
Tamu blushed under his fur at that little compliment from the lioness. He didn't think that he was so talented. She had just caught him on a good day, when he wasn't completely lazy or clumsy. But despite all of that, he still grinned and cast a side-glance in her direction.
"Yeah, no time at all. I'll have to sit on my lazy butt all day on a throne," he laughed, his tail twitching slightly behind him. "But you could always tug on my ear or something and drag me over whenever lions such as yourself cross our borders. I think a nice break from sitting around all day would be nice." He smiled and winked slightly at her before continuing on.
"Oh, very fortunate," he agreed, nodding a little. "You know, most of the time I just sit on newcomers until they surrender." Of course, he was joking.
Then, when she said that she wanted to see the lands first, he nodded then bowed slightly. "Whatever you wish, m'lady." And with that he loped easily away from the borders and deeper into the Kusini lands.
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Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:24 pm
Masuka smirked "Being king won't be all that easy I'd wager, having to sort out problems that arise and such. Still, getting the lion's share of hunts and the best snooze spots wouldn't be half bad either." she grinned "Though don't say that, I'll be constantly hauling you out and about and really, it's not very kingly getting dragged around by some bossy female, especially one like me."
She gave him a playful nudge as she padded up alongside him "Bah, I'd like to see you try and sit on me, I'm a tough cookie, been wandering a very long time."
Following after him she looked slightly anxious "Though I'll say one thing, I'm nervous about joining a pride again, haven't been in one since I was just a cub and will be lucky if I remember how to behave rather than, say, bullying the future king into showing me around." she laughed it off.
"Bah, lions will adapt no doubt, I'm not about to become a meek little lotus blossom overnight."
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Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:40 pm
Tamu's face grew serious as the female talked about how being king might not be as easy as he had joked about it being. He knew it wouldn't be, but he tried not to think so much about it. From the very beginning, he hadn't really thought he was actually going to be king some day. But here he was, closer to the throne than he had even dared to dream, and soon he would be the main power in the pride.
Yet, he tried to make himself think positively. He'd do well as a king.
"We could always make it a kingly thing to do, if you drag me around enough," he laughed, nudging her right back. "Oh really now?" he asked in response to her saying that she was a tough cookie. "Well maybe we should just see how tough you are," he grinned, nudging her again as if trying to get her to fall over so that he might be able to sit on her easily.
"I'm sure you'll do fine here," he went on, being more serious this time. "The lions around here are pretty nice and flexible." Well, most of them anyways.
"Bullying, huh?" he laughed. "So you really are going to be dragging me around by the ears?"
Falling silent for a moment, he thought about what Masuka had said about becoming a little lotus blossom. He glanced at his paws for a moment before looking back up at her and speaking softly.
"A flower can be strong, too, you know."
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