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 Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:13 pm
They were firm friends even if they hadn't seen each other for a while.
However, even with a mate and five juveniles, Amari could not be truly tamed. He was a free spirit and he always had been. For whilst his home was indeed the Pridelands he also loved to wander. It reminded him of times when he had been young, a juvenile himself. He had flitted through the world like a breath of air without a concern in the world.
In fact he'd probably still be out there, flirting and charming his way into women's hearts if it hadn't been for Maawio.
He smiled at the thought of her, turning to gaze at his eldest trotting alongside him. The little boy had been blessed with his mother's golden coat and blue eyes and yet he bore the mark of his father; an anchor marking on his shoulder. He was going to be a fine looking male when he was older - and no doubt gain the hearts of many ladies.
However, for once, Amari was not trying to teach his son the ways of flirting. In fact this time he had come simply to introduce him to one of his dearest and oldest friends.
King Asikari."We there yet dad?" Chunuka piped up, bounding forwards and whirling around as if to turn upon his father. "I'm tired and there doesn't seem to be anyone about!" He pouted and gave a small off as his father clipped him across the head.
"What was that for?!""Stop being impatient, look you dope, we're there." He pointed with one paw and then leapt into a run. His great, heavy form lumbering clumsily. Each thud of his paw was thunder and as he picked up Asi's sent he raised his head and gave a tremendous roar.Chunuka gave chase, his shrill laughter filling the air. He loved to run! He loved to do anything and everything! His father's raor hurt his ears but he could not help but admire that sound.
It was amazing and he hoped he could roar like that someday.
It didn't stop him from giving a call of his own, his high-pitched, untamed voice following his father's like a squeaky echo.
With a shrug he put on another burst of speed to catch up with his dad, the sun casting his fur into a blinding sheen.
Gold next to brown, running together.
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:37 am
 Asi was laying on his side, baking away in the sun. The old lion was looking exceptionally well for a man who'd just recently lost his mate and didn't know what to do with the three cubs she'd left behind. Well, maybe not exceptionally. Or even well. Asikari was skinny. The kind of skinny that would never look good on him because he looked good fat. But he hadn't been eating well at all, so he looked as if he were a pile of skin and bones. Okay, not as far gone as that but he'd still lost enough weight to make the unhealthy change noticable.
He was staring off at nothing, perhaps thinking or perhaps pushing away the mental strain and emotional hurt. His tail tip was the only thing moving, unconciously flicking back and forth. A small frown slid onto his face. So he was thinking about things today.
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:20 am
"Dad?" Chunuka spoke, increasing his pace to send himself flying ahead. He was smaller but he was gangly in the leg rather than stocky like his father. He was going to be more graceful than his pa, that was for sure, though only time would truly tell.
"Wassup 'Nuka?" Amari slowed, gave a small cough and raised a forepaw to rub at his nose. His mane was caught as the wind changed and with it came another wave of Asikari's familiar scent.
He was close by.
"Is that who we're looking for?" Chunuka's nose twitched and he raised a paw to point in the direction he was talking about. For just a short way ahead lay a lion whose brown fur melted well within his surroundings.
"He don't look so kingly Dad." He blinked his bright blue eyes and skittered ahead, moving with a speedy gait.
He brought himself bouncing ahead and a meter or so from where Asikari lay. "Hello! Are you Mister Asikari? You look grouchy. Better cheer up, cos my dad's here to see yah!"
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 5:35 am
Asi's eyes narrowed and a look of agitation grew over his face. His eyes flickered over the golden little juvenile. What was he talking about, his father? He sat up and grumbled something. He wasn't a grouch! He was mourning! His head turned in the direction the cub had come and suprise floated onto his features. "Amari!" He said, the first time in days his voice sounded cheerful.
He looked back to the juvenile. "Oy, yeh be Amari's boy, eh?" He chuckled. All of Asi's children were grown, but he was glad Amari had to go through children too. If he remembered correctly Amari and his mate already had a son.
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Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:33 am
He grinned at the sound of his old chum's voice and quickened his pace, his bulk moving swiftly, though clumisly, across the ground. He shook his mane and slowed to a halt next to his son, knocking him playfully sideways with a paw.
"Hey there bud!" The rusty male grinned, "glad to see you're still about." He tipped his head slightly, "though yah ain't as fat as yah used to be. You on a diet?"
He sniffed and laughed, obviously not understanding that there might have been something wrong.
"Yup, this is my son. Chunuka."
"Dad." The juvenile's voice was a harsh whisper. Obviously the child found it hard to be quiet. Another trait gained from his father no doubt. "This lion talks funny." His golden nose scrunched up for a moment and he took a step closer.
"Who taught you how to talk Mister? A porcupine?"
Amari gave his son another gentle swat across the head and gave Asi a kind of 'sorry about him' look.
"You can tell he's mine can't yah."
Then sitting down his lumbering weight the lion beamed over at his old friend, "So how've things been around here?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 3:44 am
]Asi made a face. What, fat? He was never fat! He was just... well fed. Hmph, he should sock Amari for that comment. "Oh I uh... 'aven't been eatin' all tha' well." He said, shrugging off the comment.
He chuckled at Chunuka's observation and question. "Oh it be a'right Amari. The Boy jus' be curious is all, ne'er 'ear annee 'un talk like this I bet." He smirked. "I taugh' myself 'ow teh talk, boy." And obviously he never took the time to learn to talk properly once he met other lions!
Asi looked Amari in the eyes, he probably couldn't hide it for long. He frowned softly and shook his head. "Bad Amari, bad. Ari be.... with the stars now." He said this very quietly, looking down at his paws. "Nahi killed her." He said this firmly, digust thick in his voice. His oldest son! How could he?
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Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:10 pm
Chunuka's tail twitched slowly and he moved away from his father to avoid being cuffed again. He did love Amari but the big oaf really did like to embarass him. He wasn't a cub anymore. He was a grown-up boy now!
He grinned and nodded at Asi's words, only half catching the meaning, but it was enough. He sure hadn't ever heard anyone talk like that before.
"Can...you teach me to talk like that?" He asked, curiously, only to be silence by the adult's next words. Something about them rang a chill in his heart.
He knew what the stars were. His mother had told him all about it and how the King Mufusa was up there now.
"Dad?" He turned his head back to his father and the expression on the rusty lion's face was one he had never seen present on his father's face before.
Amari's jaw had come loose and there was something in his eyes that seemed to show more of his emotion than he wanted.
In them was pain, devastation.
How could this happen? How could something so awful happen to Asi. The lion might have been a grouch but as far as Amari knew he had never done anything wrong. He had been a good lion and a good King. How dare someone take away his best friend's happiness, and his own son no less!
Anger rose up in him to balance the grief but he momentarily pushed it down.
"Asi..." His voice sounded uncomfortable as he tried to contain the emotion inside of him. He couldn't lose control of his emotion in front of his son. He had to be calm. But the way his claws dug into the ground made it obvious exactly what he was feeling. "I'm so sorry..." It wasn't what he wanted to say but it would have to do.
What he wanted to say was, I'll kill him for you, I'll hunt him down, I'll avenge your mate, but he knew he couldn't. He thought of Maawio, of his cubs and the temper stilled - if only for a moment.
"I'm so sorry..." He tried to clear the croak from his voice, "What happened?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 5:58 am
Asi's eyes had glazed over a little as he concentrated on staring in the distnace. "I... I do no'know really, Nahi was outta tha' place real fas' once I foun' the two." He frowned thoughtfully. "Her..." He cut himself off and swallowed, glancing to Chunuka. No point in mentioning how her blood was everywhere. How afraid her face was, and how it would always be frozen like that. No point in mentioning that he had found a son from her that was not his blood, found him not long after finding his mate's corpse. Which only ment she'd been out with him, they were only cubs!
Oh why couldn't he have been so much better to her? His ears seemed to droop and the look on his face was getting more and more crushed. "There be nothin' annee'un can do about it." He said softly.
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:02 am
He listened and his heart ached. Suddenly he wanted Maawio close to him, to make sure she couldnever be taken from him. He tried to smile but the expression was poor.
"I'm sorry." The words were thick but they were kind and the male lion moved forwards, slinging one forearm over his friend's shoulders.
"Asi, if there's anything I can do, just let me know."
Chunuka's ears flattened and the little gold male slunk forwards almost hesitantly. He waited for his father and friend to finish speaking and then tried his best to make things right.
"Things will get better soon."
But would they?
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