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 Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:27 am
::Rules::
Please read these first before posting!
This RP will begin a Private RP. Meaning it will first involve interaction between Kidondo, No and eventually Kimeti.
You can RP when the argument breaks out and the Pride would be able to hear the raised voices and the anger.
This next rule applies to everyone but No, Kidondo and Kimeti.
You may not interact with the three main characters at all. I want this to flow nicely and if lions are having to address three or four different characters at once then that will be ruined. The rest of the Pride will act as onlookers, listening in.
Once Kidondo has been banished and flees with No into the jungle you may then have your characters reveal their hatred, such as Ripuka.
Hopefully I've been clear @_@ I'll state again.
Your characters can join when the argument breaks out but they may only talk amongst each other. Any questions then please PM me or ask me on AIM! Thankee!
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:27 pm
Mother mother tell your children
That their time has just begun
I have suffered for my anger
There are wars that cant be won
Father father please believe me
I am laying down my guns
I am broken like an arrow
Forgive me
Forgive your wayward son
Walking in the footsteps
Of societys lies
I dont like what I see no more
Sometimes I wish that I was blind
Sometimes I wait forever
To stand out in the rain
So no one sees me cryin
Trying to wash away the pain
Mother father
-- extracts from the song, Keep the Faith by Bon Jovi He lay as far back in the den as physically possible, his body crushed up against the wall where the shadows were strongest. Now in the failing light the darkness was consuming his form so that only the white slithers of his eyes could be seen, glowing dimly in the moonlight.
Outside the desert stretched for miles, cold, empty and echoing the songs of the wind. It seemed to call to him now, whispering in his ears of promises of the future. Of great things, of despair, of life and of death. Each promise seemed to bring hope and despair clashing together, grinding against his skull until his brain reeled in agony. His body twitched as if his muscles had cramped and suddenly the future king curled in on himself, panting quietly in the dark. He was tired, so emotionally and physically tired and yet he feared sleep. He feared the dreams that lurked in his mind's eye, their abstract pictures and terrifying messages. His visions had been coming in hard and fast since his return here, not allowing him to sleep restfully. They were filled with promises of a horrible future for his kin, though whether that was because he did not act or did act was unknown. His path that had been so solid was now beginning to fall apart. Now he found himself standing before a split in the path, unsure of which way to go.
One way was to embrace the rogues, to allow their kind to mingle. The other? The other was to continue on the path of tradition, hoping beyond anything else for a miracle. Maybe Ripuka was right. Maybe the lack in faith had cursed them. And if so, was he to blame? Was he the one who was destroying his kind?
He growled, low and deep in his chest, shifting again. His eyes squeezed closed but the tension in his heart and body would not allow him to sleep. He was afraid now. Afraid of the future. Afraid of confronting the father that he loved so much. Had he ever stopped to tell Kimeti that he loved him? That he looked up to him as a wonderful lion despite his closed mind?
And what of No? What were his feelings for her? She was proud, wise and beautiful, if she had been born a Firekin she would have been the greatest of all. Her mind was as sharp as her claws and her heart was true. She was dark in pelt with eyes that glittered like polished jade. Just a glance of her brought a rare smile to his face and caused a flutter in his heart. It seemed as if it were fate that they had met, their destinies intertwined. Yet he found expressing emotion impossible, especially something like this. To look into her face, that face which held delicately carved features, a slender snout and spray of dark whiskers, and open up his heart. Could he do that? Could he? He shook his head in slow denial, hating himself for his inability to express himself. Today when that anger had taken him he had embraced it and thrust his soul into it's fiery jaws. Yet as quickly as it had come it had failed. If he found anger so weak in him what of love? Was love weak in him too? No. It was his love for his pride that would force him to make such a sacrifice.
Kidondo had a great love.
With this one comforting thought Kidondo let sleep take him, but he was not asleep for very long. For again his mind was racked with dreams, visions. This time he saw something that chilled his heart;
He was standing before his father, staring up into those flaming eyes. In those orbs he saw himself, staring back in fear. His face was sprayed with blood, blood that oozed from a sickly wound across his snout. Pain burned through his face and dripped from his open maw to land with small drops onto his paws. His father growled and leapt and their bodies clashed. Together they twisted, biting, snarling and clawing until they seemed almost to become one. Then suddenly everything went still and he was forced back, lying to crumple against the sand.
Kimeti towered above him, Ripuka and the other traditionalists standing at his side. They sneered at him, their fangs glistening like ivory in their jaws. Slowly they closed in on him and for a moment Kidondo saw No. His heart lurched and in that moment he drew his strength. His eyes closed and everything went black, the thunderous roar of a lion deafened him.
Then again the image returned and he stared into the face of his father. The king was lying on the ground, staring sightlessly up at his wayward son. It was those eyes that frightened him the most. Those eyes that remained imprinted in his memory even as he jerked from sleep.
His eyes snapped open to find the comforting shadows, but his body was trembling violently. He hated this. Hated feeling so alone.
If that was the future then he knew he had to change it, but how, he did not know.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:59 pm
While Kidondo’s thoughts might have made the world a flurry of deafening thoughts, it was deathly silence that the black cat entered into as she walked across the smooth stone. She did so slowly- both out of caution for who might have been around to see her sneaking about in the shadows, and out of concern for him. She could hear him making noises; if they were scarcely noises at all. They were sounds that fell like breaths of air and trembling, and those troubled her deeply. Something was happening to him. She could feel it all the way to her bones- something was not right. They hadn’t been discovered- surely the firekin would waste no time to react if they had. Then what was it, she wondered? What made his face look so haunted?
In herself, she solidified what she could. She had always been a stoic individual- and she reminded herself that the last thing he needed was her troubling him further. She had not lied when she said she did not fear the repercussions of what it was they were planning. And she would not fear them now.
“Kidondo...?” She asked steadily into the darkness of the Prince-Heir’s den, and slowly walked in without waiting for an invitation. She paused once the shadow of the room overtook her- looking once over her shoulder at the world outside, and then back to the room. She could scarcely see him pressed against the back wall. His eyes were wide, but they were not looking at her. “Kidondo,” She spoke again; this time not a call, or a question.
No moved closer, the dark shadows enough to make even her sleek body look pale. She lowered herself next to him and sat, observing his trembling form with a troubled heart. Oh Kidondo! What haunted him so? She lay her head on top of his mane and settled, trying to brace away the shakes. “What is it, Kidondo?” She asked calmly, determined not to let his state cause her to shake as well. But it was a hard battle.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:07 pm
He stared through her rather than at her, squinting into the darkness so that he might try and rid himself of these ghostly figures. Why wouldn't they leave him alone! He just wanted to do what was right, to make his pride great again!
It took him a moment to realise that this No was the real No and not another character in his visions. His breath caught in his throat and he tried quickly to gather himself. He couldn't look weak, not now, not in front of her. He had brought her here as the brave and mighty heir. What would she think of him now that he was a wreck?
He struggled to find his voice and the words to describe how he felt. It was strange. What had brought this on? Was it the conversation with his father? The meeting with his kin? Perhaps it was all of this...yes. It was all of it.
He sighed and literally forced himself to stop shaking, raising up to glance at her. His eyes seemed more tired now and his face seemed old, though it was probably just the way the shadow caught his fur.
"No." He spoke her name, not the word. "I'm sorry." He turned to watch his tail flickering almost invisibly in the dark. "You must think so little of me now that your eyes have set upon my weakened mind. I led you to believe that I was strong. I fed you lies." His ears drooped. "I thought my path was right. I thought it was true. So why does my heart doubt it? Why is it that when I look into my father's face that I feel a guilt so strong it feels like it could kill me? It happened earlier...with Ripuka too." He turned away, almost ashamed.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:01 pm
No smiled quietly and let him rise. A noise bubbled in her throat- not quite a laugh, but it was a pleasant noise. “I never thought any of this would be easy,” She explained, and rose up as well. “Kidondo, how could I think less of you because of this? This is going to be hard- but harder for you then anyone,” She breathed. “These aren’t just traditions, it’s your family.” The thought of rebelling against her own family hurt her heart just on principle. Had she? She’d certainly left them. But she had never had false assumptions for what she was getting into.
The black cat stretched her neck and looked towards the entrance of the den. “I don’t know much Kidondo. But I know I’m willing to follow you anywhere, and it has nothing to do with how strong or weak you are. The things you want to change are good things. They’re the right things. Whether or not people’s beliefs are involved...the only thing anyone can ever be sure of is what they can do themselves.”
Was that right? Her face grew serious, and she straightened her neck. She didn't know anything about being right or wrong. But she felt sincere, and she shook her head slowly. "Being a leader...you'll always be two different people. One that's yourself, and one that has to do things you wouldn't do otherwise." She hushed. "But Kidondo, if you didn't want to do this- I would follow you still."
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Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 1:17 am
Her words soothed that gap in his heart, stroking out the pain until it was left to beat freely. He knew what she spoke of was true and found himself deeply comforted.
"You are right." He replied, "sometimes I wish I hated my father, it would have made things so much easier. But I can't hate him, he has done nothing wrong. It feels as if I am going to punish him for who he is." The words he spoke were sad but they were true, to him anyway.
He shook his head and sighed, shifting himself slightly as if unsettled. "But I can't turn back now, I will not. I have responsibilities amd I must not ignore them." He bristled slightly. Then slowly he smiled and drew himself closer to her.
"But who am I?" He whispered in the darkness. "I am a lion who never had a cubhood, I am a lion forced to fight those he loves. I never played, never laughed, never took the time to enjoy life. That same weight will be on me when I die."
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Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 6:08 am
No shifted against him and slowly considered the things he said. But she didn’t know the answer. There was something about wanting to be important. She had never been groomed as a child to take any sort of throne. But she had never really been much of a child herself. She remembered getting so angry at Jing and Ai when they would pounce on her. She’d never thought she’d ever regret that. Even still, she knew the experience could not have been the same. Kidondo had never wondered in his life what would be his fate or needed to go looking for it. From day one he’d been the heir, and there was no escaping the weight of leadership even for a time.
“I don’t know if there is an answer,” No breathed and looked up to him. “You can’t get that time back. You’re a different kind of person...the kind of person that has to hope that eventually all those little sacrifices will mean something.” A weaker answer then before, maybe, and she frowned. But she truly didn’t know. Life had never shown her what happened to leaders who grew up without smiles and were forced to do heavy things. Perhaps surviving through it was all apart of some great preordained test.
“You’re a good man Kidondo,” The black cat reminded. “I know you will find a way.” And if he didn’t- she’d sure as hell push him in the right direction. And she was quite content to that job.
And then, with a smile and a slight change in her voice, she gently knocked her head against his shoulder. “And besides...childhood was highly overrated, you know."
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 6:41 am
He listened to her as if he were a cub listening to it's mother. Clinging to her words as if they were law, using them to heal his hope that had been torn by his own claws. And sas she knocked against his shoulder his heart began to warm again.
She was right. She was always right.
"I don't know how you do it." He murmured softly in her ears. "No matter how terrible things look you always seem to add that silver lining." He shook his head slightly and finally that smile found its way onto his face. "You know what. I'm so glad I met you, so glad you're here with me. If I had to return alone to face my father I'm sure that the guilt would have beaten me. With you here I can see that if I sat and did nothing then the future guilt would be far harder to bear. My task is difficult but it is the right way, the only way. It has to be done."
He nuzzled his face against her ears and a strange purring sound reverberated deep from the back of his throat. Finally Kidondo was at peace.
((possibly a good time for Kimeti to enter? Unless you have anything more for No to say?))
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:54 pm
The day had begun like any other and Kimeti went about his daily duties. After taking a stroll through the desert to look for anything that may be out of the miss, the King had stopped to lap up some of the refreshing water at the oasis. The liquid helped his parched and sandy mouth and throat and helped the King's mood a bit. As much as Kimeti adored the sand and heat, he never was partial to that gritty feeling in his mouth. It was something he had come to terms with but enjoyed easing that discomfort from time to time when a drink was in order.
Yawning the King stretched out his limbs before setting off from the oasis back to the pridal cliffs where the caves and pride members dwelt. He had plans today to take Kidondo out in the desert for a talking. After all, the cub was soon going to be full grown. It was about time he got some responsibilities and helped around the pride, especially if he was to be king some day.
Entering the looming cliffs, Kimeti headed in the direction of the cave in which his son had claimed. It wasn't the largest of caves and was furthest from the main pridal den. Kimeti hadn't though much about it really. He had just assumed that Kidondo wanted some space for himself. Little did the King know that his son wanted far more than that.
As Kimeti neared the cave he heard voices echo from the cut rock. One was certainly his son's but the other was unfamiliar. With furrowed brows, the King stepped just in the cave, and his eyes adjusted to the darkness to reveal a scene he had never thought he would ever witness.
"KIDONDO!" Kimeti roared out as an anger boiled within his very being. He stepped toward the two, eyes a blaze. "What is the meaning of this!?" He questioned. Eyes turning from his son to the slave and back again, waiting for a response from his eldest child.
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 8:03 pm
No kept her head steady as his rocked gently against her. She liked that feeling, and leaned into him. The time between them had always been focused on their mission- but she appreciated the brief moments where it was just them. She wasn’t sure about what he’d said- she wasn’t always right, but maybe between the both of them they could shamble what seemed to be the right path.
The sound of padding pricked the corner of her ear, but it wasn’t until the king’s booming voice rattled her head. She turned with a start towards the entrance of the den, where Kimeti now stood. His face was wild with a strange kind of expression- and No couldn’t help but bristle in response to it. Now what? This was certainly not the most desirable of positions... should she feign that nothing was happening?
But with the look on that face, No doubted such a thing could be resolved. The black cat rose from where she sat and rose her head- dropping perhaps forever the slave pose she had assumed. A throaty growl bubbled in her throat in warning as she stepped alongside Kidondo.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:25 am
To have an emotion changed from something akin to peace into a terrible fear in a matter of seconds stunned Kidondo to the pitt of his stomach. Somehow he had managed to stand, but even now he could feel the strength leaving his legs. He was frozen in spot, staring into his father's angry eyes.
It killed him inside to know that anger was directed towards him. Killed him to think that he had been a traitor to his own family. For a moment he struggled to find any emotion and then No growled beside him, kicking him into gear.
This is what they had come for, this was the time.
He raised his hackles slightly, pushing back all his fear, all his guilt and focusing it on his anger. His father had forced him to be a traitor. Yes that was it! Forcing himself to believe that one thought helped swell his faith in his path and with No by his side he felt somewhat invicible. And when he spoke his voice was strangely calm.
"Father..." He took a step forwards, knowing ho wimportant it was to get out of the cramped space. If a fight did break out he didn't want No near any flailing claws. His instinct to protect her was far superior to any others that he had.
"Father listen to me! Please, I beg of you. Hear me out! It doesn't have to be this way. We can work together to create a greater pride, a stronger pride. Isn't that what you always wanted?" He was desperate to get his version of the story out. "This isn't as bad as it looks." But he knew that it was.
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 10:27 am
Kimeti snarled at Kidondo as the younger male stepped forward and in front of the black slave. A slave, a SLAVE! Kidondo and a SLAVE! How could this have happened?! Kimeti was sure his son had more sense than that! Surely this black female was not more attractive than the pureblooded lionesses of the the Blood!
"The pride -is- strong! Few could stand against us now! We have flourished and grown! And now you have sided with the slaves!? Even having fallen for one? Have I not taught you anything?! HAs living in the desert not taught you any pride?! I -neve- should have let you leave to explore." Kimeti's massive form still overshadowed his growing son's and it was quite apprent what would happen should claws meet claws in a battle and Kimeti knew his advantage.
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 6:48 pm
No shifted to the side as Kidondo moved in front of her. It was a move she respected greatly- but in this time of sudden need, she did not want this king to see nothing but a weak slave ducking behind his son. She moved to the side of Kidondo so her front was revealed- but kept her flank behind Kimeti’s shoulders to not intrude upon his space as he begged his father for reason.
Her eyes cooled into a dull and stone-like jade. He wasn’t going to listen...and her heart saddened for Kidondo. Why? Why couldn’t this just end with everyone together? But there were dire needs here... and she waited for Kidondo’s rebuttle before speaking.
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Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 12:11 am
So many emotions swirled up within him, hate, anger, fear and sadness, yet he could not bring himself to change his mind. It was pointless now when his plot had been revealed. His father would not forgive him whether he turned back to his side or not.
He raised his head in an attempt to rise and meet his father's great bulk and stared up at him with his strange, emotionless eyes.
"Father, you are blind." He replied. "You see only what you want to see. Open your eyes! Look around you and see for yourself what we truly are. We are no longer warriors! There are mothers, old storytellers and cubs who have had no training in being warriors!" He snarled, "Warriors do not just rise up from the blood like magic! It requires training father. No. We are no longer a kin of warriors and soon we will be a bunch of babbling inbreds who stay huddled in the corner of our world, fearful of our own twisted shadows."
His voice had gained a strength now and he roared each word back at his father with such anger that he thought he might burst into flame himself.
"I have not sided with a slave, father. Look at her closely. Do you see a slave in those eyes?" The last sentence was said quieter, but it was too late to mask the fight from other ears.
Ripuka shifted out into the pale light, her good eye glowing like a great sun, burning in the night.
Kimeti's words came first and she trembled at the anger of her lord. It was only when she realised whom he addressed that she truly felt fear.
Lord Kidondo...
She drew closer, hesitated and strained her ears to listen to his words, snarling in return at the lack of respect in the child's voice. He may have been an adolescent now but he spoke as if he had learned nothing of his families ways!
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:58 am
Ny heard something though it seemed she was hearing alot recently but she was sure that she heard some shouting but then maybe she didn't. Either way the newly pregnant lioness went to have a look. If there was trouble she would keep away from it, if there wasn't she would stick her nose into the middle of it.
Ny didn't hear much of what was being said so walked over to the female that she had looked upto as a cub. "Ripuka, what is going on?" She hoped the female would know as she was confused at all the shouting. She wanted to lay down but this seemed too interesting, she wasn't about to ignore this, she knew something of the prince's plans as she had learnt it from No.
Maybe Ripuka would fill her in.
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