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 Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:46 pm
It had been a long time since Ukali had left the sanctity and peacefulness of the gods' haven, and longer still since he had visited the Pridelands. But even as he adjusted the angle of his wings and dropped down lower to soar in a lazy arc around the savannah below, he could see Pride Rock jutting up like a looming, hazy blue tower in the distance.
He had long ago come to admire the Pridelanders for their strength and perseverance. They were arguably the largest pride in the area; they not only survived, but florished; and they did it while respecting the land and the creatures in it. Ukali had silently watched several generations of kings - Mohatu, Ahadi, Mufasa - grow and become great rulers.
The god touched down near the pride's borders, folding his wings in against his body. Giving himself a brisk shake to tame his wind-blown mane and toss one of his ponytails haphazardly over a shoulder, he eyed the view around him, keeping his ears and nose open for anyone who might be nearby.
He'd been keeping a low profile for such a long time, he still felt some of that uneasiness of letting mortals see him. Now that he was letting his guard down, however, he could both literally and figuratively give his wings a stretch.
((Edit: I'm figuring we're going by general TLK canon here when it comes to past rulers... if we're not, smack me and I'll edit. <3))
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Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:59 pm
"Gotcha!"
A small, immature voice rang out throug the golden grasses, accompanied by thumbs and the rustling of the grass. A flirt of a brown tipped tail was all that could be seen at the moment, the rest of what appeared to be a cub's body hidden from sight.
Ushukuru, who's name ment 'Gratitude', son of not one, but two lines of kings, and prince of the Pridelands, was chaising yet another small bug. And, like always, his chaise had led him farther than he'd originally, or ever, intended to go. But no matter... he hardly noticed, far too intent on get his little cub-paws on a bright blue butterfly.
It teased him so... with its fluttering and flitting, dancing to and fro before him. And he could have sworn that each time he landed, missing his strike at the bit of sky-made-living, that it laughed at him! Of course, that could have just been the sound of a bird somewhere in the grass... but it sounded mocking.
Glaring up at the butterfly from his grouch, the little cub huffed. "Darn you! Can't you hold still for just a minute? Quit all that fluttering around!" He growled up at it, watching as it fluttered close and away again.
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Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 8:14 pm
An ear twitched and he looked around; was there someone nearby? And the voice came again, confirming Ukali's suspicions. He turned toward the voice to see a cub pouncing at a butterfly, not having much luck with getting it between his paws.
As stoic as he usually was, he had others think he was cold, arrogant, unfeeling. Which wasn't true most of the time -- except for the unfeeling part anyway. He rarely displayed outward emotion; whatever was going on inside his head usually stayed there. And sometimes he just... didn't feel anything.
Cubs were one of a few exceptions, however. Younglings would bring a smile to his face when nothing else could.
"Hello there," he greeted, tucking his wings closer in almost self-conciously as he brought attention to himself.
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Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 8:47 pm
The deep voice coming from his side pulled the small cub up short, mis-stepping into a stumble that he quickly righted as he whirled to face the stranger. Butterfly forgotten, Ushu studdied the brown god through wide red eyes, his head tilted to the side in curiosity. What a strange looking lion! He had his mane pulled into tails, and he had the oddest jewelry on him... Not many of the lions he knew wore stuff like that.
"Who are you?" He churped out, puffing up in an attempt to bluff fierceness. "I've never seen you before." The little prince move cautiously from the grass till he could see the other clearly. Another part of the lion made itself apparent then, only adding to his strangness. Wings? Only birds had wings... Though Uncle Tanaka had one kinda mangled one.
Did this mean the stranger was part bird? Or some how related to his uncle?
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Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:13 pm
Ukali knew how strange he must look to the youngster, especially if he hadn't seen a god before. While more and more of the gods and goddesses were chosing to let themselves be seen and roam the mortal world, he couldn't imagine it would be common knowledge.
"I'm sorry if I startled you," he commented. "I'm Ukali." He could have offered up more information, as the cub was clearly staring at him as if... well, as if he had wings. Which he did. But for now he offered nothing else, waiting to see what the cub would do instead.
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Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:36 am
Brow furrowed in intense thought, for a cub, Ushu stared for a moment longer at the strange lion before realizing what he was doing. A sheepish smile pulled at his maw as he dropped his eyes and gently scuffed in the dirt, recalled to his manners. "I'm Ushukuru. Its, um... nice to meet you." Glancing around as if to find something else to talk about, his eyes were irrisistably drawn back to the lion and he drew breath to speak again.
"Hey, how come you have wings?" Seeing now reason not to, the cub spoke his mind freely. "Only birds have wings. Uncle Tanaka has one wing, but... its not really much of a wing. Are you a bird or something?" His head tilted as he took up his staring, once again forgetting the unspoken rule that it was rude to stare. The short little tail flickered back and forth, little brown tuft sweeping the air.
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Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 6:49 pm
"Nice to meet you as well, Ushukuru." Ukali let a smile form freely; Ushukuru was like most cubs it seemed -- inquisitive and blunt, the latter especially when curiousity got the best of them. It brought back memories of Kiva and Shiva when they were Ushu's age. He'd have to look for them later; he hadn't seen either of his daughters in a long time. The Ushirkino Watembezaji would have to be his next visit; with any luck, he'd find Kiva among her pride.
He idly wondered what Ushu meant by "Uncle Tanaka", but didn't question the cub. He figured this Tanaka was another god, but why he only had one wing, Ukali couldn't fathom. Other gods had different kinds of wings, though, Ukilia being the best example he could think of, and a few didn't have wings at all. Why should a one-winged god surprise him?
"No, I'm not a bird," he answered with the same smile. "I'm a god. Maybe your uncle Tanaka is the same?"
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Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:39 pm
A frown creased the little cub's forehead, the concept of 'god' completely lost on him. "Uncle Tanaka doesn't look like you, though... he's white with a gold mane, and his wing is black. Besides, he's my aunt's mate. That makes him a Pridelander, not a god." Shaking his head at the strangeness of adults, the cub padded closer to this new lion, circling him in little bounds and leaps.
"Hey, um... Ukali. Can you fly with those wings? They look heavy... and so does that thing around your neck. Don't you get tired carrying them around? I get tired when I run around.... I bet its way worse for you." All these questions, and how he must seem, was even starting to get to the little cub. He didn't usually ask this many questions... but then, he didn't normally meet lions with wings either. Could this creature really be a god? And just what was a god? At least he seemed nice... he'd answered the questions so far and didn't seem to mind them.
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Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 1:20 am
Ukali couldn't help a soft chuckle at the cub's reasoning, but didn't press the matter.
As Ushu circled around him, clearly trying to get a better look at him, Ukali obliged him by standing and unfurling his wings some, refolding them at his sides. The sound made by his adjusting feathers was minute, not as quiet as an owl's, but not much louder.
So many questions! But the caretaker of strength was happy to answer, lying down on the ground so that he might be closer to the cub's eye level. "Mmhm. I can fly," he nodded in answer. "But, not with my wings. You're right, I am too heavy for that.
"But these aren't as heavy as they look," he added, motioning with a patterned paw toward his gorget and armbands. "For me, anyway. I'm stronger than most; I'm the god of strength." Had it not been Ukali who said it, his wording might have come off as boastful. But his tone was carefully controlled from years of experience; he was truly not conceited. "These help me limit my strength, to prevent... accidents." He didn't elaborate; he didn't want to scare the cub. But he could very easily hurt someone if he wasn't careful.
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Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:25 pm
The little cub started and shied as the god unfurled and furled his wings, bouncing on small paws to fall into a crouch. When Ukali finally settled on his stomach, Ushu rose and continued him slow circling, though his steps where light and cautious in case the large creature made any sudden motions.
Finally, Ushu finished his circle and came to a stop infront of Ukali. Dust rose as he plopped his little behind in the dirt and stared up at the other with bright, unblinking eyes. "God of Strength, huh? Does each god have a title like that?" Tilting his head to the side a little, the tan prince frowned. "Is that kind like how I'm 'Son of Rehani, daughter of Mufasa and Sarabi, Prince of the Pridelands'? That's my title." His little chest puffed out as he smiled in pride. His grandmother had told him what his title was, and though he knew he shouldn't, he did like to trot it out when he could.
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Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 8:30 pm
Well, that was a new way to look at it. "In a manner of speaking, yes," he agreed. "Each god and goddess has a specific 'domain' that they protect and control. There's the gods and goddesses of sacrifice, unity, seperation, duty, time, change, love... the list goes on." And those were just the ones he managed to list off the top of his head. Most were -- or had been, as the case may be -- family.
"Ah, you are royalty then!" He smiled down at Ushukuru, recognizing that childish pride many great kings had as cubs -- and then tried to forget it as soon as they were grown.
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Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 9:31 pm
Ushukuru puffed out his little chest as he struggled to adopt a solemn expression. "Yes, I am. My grandparents, Mufasa and Sarabi, are king and queen, and my mother is a princess!" He couldn't help the childish grin that formed on his face, or the pride that swelled in him. He was proud of his family, and for good reason. They were all so strong and brave and kind... the best family a cub could have! And with so many of them, there was never a shortage of cubs to play with.
A thought occured to him and he cocked his head to the side, soft little ears perking forward. "Is being a god kinda like being royal?" He wondered, his tail flicking back and forth behind him.
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Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 9:56 pm
An interesting question indeed. "That would depend, I guess," Ukali answered at length. "In many ways, I'm just like any other lion. I have family, I have friends, I've been through some good times and some bad ones... But some gods have some of the same responsibilities as royals.
"My daughter, Kiva... she is the goddess of unity. She watches over a pride called the Ushirkino Watembezaji, and in many ways, you could call her a ruler. But the Unity Walkers have their royalty, and Kiva is not their queen."
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Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 11:44 am
"But..." Confusion rolled through the cub's small head, his ears perked hard forward as if he could catch the older lion's understanding through them. "She watches over the pride, but she doesn't rule? That's just weird. Doesn't she want to be the queen? That's a very special job, you know. Momma says so, and so does Grandma. Its a hard job, but I lot of fun too, I guess. I wouldn't want to be Queen, though, I'd rather just play all day!"
He grinned as he gave his last statement, bouncing to his paws as if unable to sit still any longer. "I'm good at playing!" He laughed, crouching down so his tail stuck up into the air. His cream-tipped paw lashed out at a stray bit of dried grass, sending it up to float lazily back down. "I'm going be a great hunter one day, too! Playing helps me, Momma says. It makes me grow big and strong and fast. Some times I play with other cubs, but I like to go off and chaise bugs once in a while. They dont' go crying to mommy when you accidentally play too rough."
That thought brought a little scowl to Ushu's face, and he seemed to be remembering one such incident, and how sore his backside had been from the weight of Mother's paw. He still didn't think he'd deserved it... he hadn't ment to hurt his sister, but then she shouldn't have been playing with the boys if she couldn't handle it.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 8:55 pm
Ukali chuckled. "Kiva's place isn't to rule, though; she simply protects and cares for the pride.
"And your Momma's right," he agreed. "Soon enough you'll be big and be able to hunt and do grown-up stuff."
((Sorry for the wait and for the crappy post. >< I couldn't think of anything to reply with. D: <3))
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