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 Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:12 am
 He never got tired of the view. Sitting out at the edge of the looming mass that greeted him every morning, to watch the sun rise to warm the savannah (and everything else it's rays could touch. Including his dark fur. It tried to cook that, actually..). Life seemed to come with the rising of that sun, leaving the dead feeling and quiet of night he'd use to play in with his sister behind.
He took a deep breath, savoring the cold air of morning, this action followed closely by a yawn of habit. Then, he rose up, turning to leave his morning perch. Someone else would rise soon, and it would have been mean of him to be blocking the lovely view of the sunrise.
Taking a new post by the pathway which would have lead to the top of the rock (as seen in the movie! 8D), Ai'kunliu sat.
He could see the sun from here just fine. The question was, in the dark of pre-morning, could anybody see him?
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:22 am
The same sunrise that greeted him greeted the dark mass below, and yet Ta failed to take notice of Ai at first. Instead he padded towards the end of Pride Rock, taking a deep breath before letting it lose with the winds. Every morning it still took his breath away, the seemingly natural view he was never blessed with as a cub. It was amazing, something he never dreamed of or even assumed was real, seeing how large the lands were.
Turning away from the sight before he got too caught up, he glanced down towards the near empty watering hole, making up his mind to bathe a bit and shake off the shivers of his past once more. Hopefully, if he worked it all out, Kami wouldn't know and he wouldn't have to deal with the dreams later that night. Finally making it to the path that led down, he blinked and caught the dark mass, and even without the white that made his apparent, Ta would have know a shadow was down there.
Swallowing, he waited a second, before slowly making his way down.
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:35 am
The dark male turned his head to look towards the entrance of the den that seemed to be the center of all things that happened in the pride, but, to his surprise, there wasn't the rocky sight he was expecting to see, but rather a -lion-. His suspicions had been well founded, that there would have been another coming to see the sights.
He smirked a bit, before turning his head to look back towards the sun, doing his best not to go into a session og fidgeting, or start laughing at his own inner amusement. It probably wouldn't have turned out well, or even seemed suspicious (even though he himself -was- a pridelander!)
Looking back again to see what the stranger, though he looked familiar, had decided to do, he quirked a brow at his approach, though it was probably one thing meant to pass him up, ultimately. Grinning a bit, he turned his entire body to face the earthy-colored male, bowing his head a bit in a chipper greeting.
"Good morning to you." there was a sort of mirth in the greeting, though it seemed as though the dark lion's posture was in a forced rigor, trying to not be -so- chipper he woke up -everybody-. Which, he had learned, he was capable of doing if he was too loud as a child.
He then turned his head, nodding towards the sunrise, his expression softening a bit at the sight. "It's a lovely sight, isn't it?" he inquired, striking up conversation in the casual way that he'd learned so many here were capable of, due to the interwoven structure of the pride's society.
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:51 am
Ta'Ziyan could feel the eyes on his pelt, and before when he might have not taken any notice, with the dream pushing his memories he couldn't help but feel his mane rise if just slightly. It was the way that the male was mostly black, and how his eyes stood out that made Ta just pause a bit on one of the many steps. Taking a deep breath and closing his copper eyes, he gained control once more and finally made it to almost pass Ai, before a voice spoke up and nearly sent him jumping off the rocks.
Turning his ears and than his eyes to the younger male, a seepish smile crossed his maw before he worked through what the other had said, his mind a jumble from embarrasment at being caught.
"Good morning," He said softly, a slow conversation starter as he worked through his words and tried to get his maw to work properly. Clearing his throat, he followed the nod and eyed the rise as well.
"One of the most beautiful things I've been blessed to see and expirence, and it is even more stunning from atop the rock..." It was not a sort of brag, more like a breathless thought that somehow seeped from him in a whisper. Tearing his eyes away, he just widened his grin.
"I'm Ta'Ziyan," He said with a bow, now used to giving his name upon meeting a new member of the pride.
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:03 am
There was a bit of amusement, though he did well to not burst out in laughter, in how this one almost threw himself off the rocks at his sudden speaking out. It was almost enough to make him want to do such things every morning, if only to see how many times it would take to actually see someone to go leaping off in surprise.
However, he had better manners then that, and was rather sure he wouldn't be able to do such things every morning, as, after a while, it would have become common knowledge that he was doing so (as well as frowned upon by many. Oh, it was so -tempting- though!)
He kept his expression as straight as possible while Ta fumbled to recover his ability to speak, though there was a slight smile to the 'straight' of this look. Not mocking, simply pleased to have company.
"Most beautiful thing I've followed my entire life." he agreed, sighing in contentment, then nodded in agreement. "Yes.. it is more lovely from the top of the rock. I myself spend the first few moments of it up there. I cannot keep it to myself, though, thus I moved down here instead."
It was a quick summary of how he'd gotten to where he currently stood, something he was so willing to tell freely to this.. almost-stranger, for sure.
Looking back to Ta, he nodded. "You are Ta'Ziyan." he repeated, making sure he'd heard correctly, "and I am Ai'kunliu. I'm pleased to meet you." he chimed, then tilted his head to one side. "Would it be invasive of me to be curious as to where you were going before I startled you?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:17 am
He nodded softly as the other agreed, and felt a bit bad that the dark male didn't feel like he had a rigth to stay up there. The top of the rock never was a private sanctum, and most of the royalty didn't wake for awhile yet, so it surprised him to say the least. However, he held his tongue for now, unsure of how to address his feelings, and instead was releaved when Ai spoke out his name.
"Ai'kunliu," He murmered softly, though as soon as he echoed the second part it slipped from his mind, Ai being the only thing that stuck. Shaking his head slightly at that, he cleared his throat and hoped he wouldn't need to pronounce the whole name so soon.
"The pleasure is mine, I enjoy meeting the pride, and there are so many..." Murmering that off, and wondered just how many were, until the question came up and he sent a reassuring smile, "I have nothing to hide at all, I merely am going down to the watering hole for something to drink, before it is filled with the morning baths." Rolling his shoulders, he quickly added in an afterthought, "If you would like to come as well, I would enjoy the company, it gives me an opportunity to meet another member of Kamilika's pride."
Smiling as he said Kami's name, he glanced back to the dens before looking towards Ai. Hopefully he wasn't being too forward.
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:40 am
He nodded as Ta confirmed his name. To him, it wasn't that complicated. However, he came from a sort-of-large family, so had met with more complicated names (except No's. Hers was -quite- easy to remember). However, he was used to any chopping of his name that may have come with it. It had come to be more common to be called by the first two letter than anything else.
"I would have to agree with that. There are many lions here. I've yet to have try and count all those that are here." It was actually a bit of a daunting notion, to figure out just -how- many there were out in the lands.
He seemed rather pleased that this one was so open to letting Ai know where it was his destination was, though not in such a way that it would seem he would have been upset if he hadn't been told. Moreso, he was glad to be so easily trusted. "Ah. A rather pleasant place in the morning." he agreed, rising up to his feet upon the invitation, more than happy to accompany him.
His gaze sort of followed Ta's when Kami's name was mentioned, his mind pondering if they were thinking of the same lioness.
Well -duh-. He -did- say it was her pride. Just -probably-, Ai. Durr-de-dur.
"I'd be happy to join you. It is better to walk in company with more than just one's own thoughts."
He liked Ta. He was easy to talk to, for sure.
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:51 am
As Ai joined him, Ta let out another warm and welcoming smile, also feeling a sence of glee that the other was so warm and likeable. Most lions around here were, though during every first meeting Ta felt a sence of fear, just because there was a chance one might be different than the rest, like Denahi or Uumi had been. Flicking his tail and those thoughts away, he slowly set a decent pace, before turning his mind back onto the conversation at hand.
"Many belive that the waters are best during midday, when the sun is at its peak, though personally I have come to disagree. I enjoy when not many are around, for the waters are clearer and much cooler, as well as everything is peaceful in the area itself. I do enjoy the...peace..." He trailed off at that, his eyes downcast a moment as he thought over the past few weeks, and what had happened just in the general area.
"It is oftin hard for me to get the motivation to catch the waters at such an early hour, however." He finished lamely, looking up.
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:03 am
He nodded as Ta explained his opinion on the time of day when the waters were most referable to him. "Oh, I agree." he glanced up at the sun with a nod. "It's lovely, but it is also an extremely merciless mistress to those whom bare dark coats like my own." he explained. "Morning is the best time for me to come out into such places were shade is scarce. Then I am able to spend most of the rest of my day, until sundown, near the dens."
Again, he was open to admit such things.
He couldn't help but chuckle a bit at how Ta finished his explanation of how he lacked the motivation to go out so early in the morning. "Perhaps, then, you should find someone to drag you out every morning." he joked. That was sort of how he had gotten into the habit, however.
Waking up mommy to take him.
"Motivation to do most things is hard to find in a community where we all do our own share of work." There was a pause as Ai thought, then bursted out into laughter. "Like, in my case, to hunt. My first attempt went so well, I got kicked in the face and trampled." he grinned a bit, finding the notion to be, in actuality, rather amusing. "So, in all things, it's obvious I'm not exactly too keen to try it again anything soon."
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:28 am
Ta'Ziyan chuckled softly at the story, though not at Ai himself, "It is hard to believe, but not all are fit to be hunters in a place that holds so many. Thankfully there are other jobs in need, such as a nanny for the cubs or a storyteller for the elder ones that want to know more of the world. I myself am lucky that I found my love, and thus didn't have to hunt...I wasn't bad but I wasn't the best at it. I seemed to only get enough for myself and not many more..."
Chuckling a bit louder at the thought, he glanced towards Ai, "If you wish to speak to Kamilika, I could always take you up to greet her upon our return, she should be awake by than." Nodding, he looked back to the waters as they came in view, the sight silencing him.
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:37 am
He had to agree. "I would say that I'm not suited for many things. Hunting, for one, or even, in most cases, things that would leave me out in the hot sun all day." He had to admit that he would go out every now and then, he didn't loom in the shadows all DAY, but... he didn't want to spend all day melting in his fur.
A smile met Ta's statement of how he had found a good niche in life with Kamilika, causing Ai to nod. "I would imagine that your new life is suiting you well, then?" he inquired. The offer to be introduced to Kamilika received a bit of a.. puzzled look, but he shook it off, nodding a bit.
"I'd like that." he agreed, his attention turning to where the pair was walking as well, content to the mutual silence that fell between them at the sight. Though, for Ai, not so much in awe, but moreso in that he'd not thought of anything else to say that would have been of any interest.
At least, nothing that would have been appropriate.
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:50 am
Ta looked at the waters as soon as they arrived, before turning back to Ai, "If anyone can help you find your place in this pride, it is Kamilika. I know from first hand expirence, she creates miracles."
Shaking his mane at that, he flickered an ear and his tail before leaning down and lapping up the waters. When he finished, he pulled back to check upon Ai and see if he got his fill before striking back up the converastion with a settle upon his haunches.
"A scout or possible guard-like position might work well for you, or maybe even a nanny or storyteller, since I have seen a few males take up that position." He added the last part hastily, his cheeks flaring as he hoped he didn't offend his companion.
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:37 pm
"I trust your judgement on that." he chimed with a grin, following suit of his companion, he lapped at the water, the tips of his growing mane about his face dipping into, and across the surface of, the body of water when they were close enough, keeping enough of the liquid in them to drip onto Ai's nose when he lifted his head again. To fix this, the dark male quickly shook his head with a bit of fervence to get the nuisance to come to a stop.
A confused look met the suggestions of what Ai could possibly do with his life, before he shrugged a bit. "A scout, no. Guard? Hmm..." he considered this suggestion for a moment, before laughing a bit.
"I think I could do that. Would just depend on what I was to guard. Everything? Be a little daunting I would think." He seemed to take the suggestions, all in all, in good cheer. Afterall, it was rude to be insulted when he was simply trying to help a poor guy out.
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 9:57 am
Settled a few paces back, Ta'Ziyan grew releaved at the sight of the other not taking his words the wrong way. He tended to fumble over everything once in awhile, and sometimes it got so bad people assumed he was trying to offend them.
"Well the only one I believe who would need to watch everything is the head guard...but otherwise I think there are stations...you know where lions are sent to watch over areas, the dens and even families I'm sure."
Nodding at that, he dug his claws into the ground a bit absentmindedly before looking away to the now blue sky. After a second of silence, he let his gaze fall back upon Ai and grinned, "There is always a place for everyone in these lands, for that much I am sure."
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:08 am
Sitting casually, Ai listened as Ta explained that, for the most part, a guard would -not- have any need to be everywhere. That was good. Ai couldn't be everywhere no matter HOW hard he tried.
And he -had- tried once in his life. Hadn't exactly worked out for him.
"Family guards?"
The dark adolescent considered this for a moment. Yes... it made sense to him. "I would imagine a family would be hard to guard, since they have a tendancy of going all over the place.." At least -he- thought so. His own family had been everywhere in his own life.
When the older lion looked from him and up to the sky, Ai too looked up to it, smiling a bit. He was unaware the focus of attention had shifted until Ta started to speak again, causing the dark lion to nearly faceplant out of pure surprise. Instead, he psuedo-'jumped' and jerked his head back down to look at his companion.
"Some places are found more easily than others, I would think, though." he mused in agreement.
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