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 Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:02 pm
 Ilahle'Wumuhu was growing nicely, as were all her siblings. And as she grew, the young female was becoming more adventurous.Despite the changes in the land and the possible dangers, she was often exploring the land she felt she belonged to body and soul.
Though her body was, she mused today, not altogether suited for the harsh sunlight. The heat sank into the black fur and while sometimes pleasant it could also be draining. It was something she thought about sometimes. Her parents were white and black mostly, unusual for their glorious breed, so Ilahle knew that it wasn't the colour of your fur that made you a Firekin. Maybe it even made you more of one, because you had to be even stronger to survive out here...
With a small snarl, she pulled herself over the edge of a small outcrop of rock and dismissed the temptation to seek shade already. The mid-morning sun was fierce but so was she, and she planned to get some ground covered today damnit.
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:24 pm
 Had the young cub told Uzulu such things, he would have stopped to ponder. Red was the color of Firekin for certain, but so was black, and white. He'd seen a few who posesed the color yellow, but he gazed over them with scrutiny and anger. Upendo'Mpaji was yellow, but he was no more than a slave. The prince, however, seemed not to see things this way. The Firekin, he'd decided were a thought; not just a color.
Uzulu, however, knew that they were a bloodline. You could not make a lion a Firekin for they were not born with the beauty of one. They were nothing but scum, and fit for slaves. It was good of the King to cast out the son, though Uzulu would have thought it much safer to simply kill him. Son's left to live plot and come back and Uzulu knew that a belief more than a passion could bring change.
He gave a hard gaze back towards the slave, but he had his head dipped like always. There was no sign of anger or rebellion in his eyes. He helped Kaanga out around the cave more than not. Everything he noted about the creature was exactly what he'd wanted in a slave, but every glance rose the hair on his neck, as though he were up to something.
"Pick it up, slave," he snapped, even though the golden lion was going at a perfectly acceptable rate.
Upendo'Mpaji perked his ears forwards to catch the command, but other than that made no adjustments to his physique. He continued head down, tail swaying, but his footsteps had become just a tad longer. Uzulu bit his tongue and turned back around, scowling at the fact there was no punishment to be given. If the slave ever did rebel, it would be a dangerous time. He was larger than any Firekin he'd ever lain eyes on, and beautiful to boot. Not a scar on him, which either meant he listened well, or he was quick.
Uzulu made sure it was the former.
His ears caught the sound of movement against the rocks and he paused. The yellow's footfalls quickly ceased behind him and Uzulu had the chance to listen. It was light, almost light the scuttling of lizard feet, but clearly not as agile.
A few moments later a young female Firekin cub poked her nose over the escarpments, looking rather heated and ready for a fight. A small smile came over Uzulu's features. He had always wanted a daughter, but Kaanga hadn't given him any. A sore dissapointment she was, he thought, the frown returning to his face.
"Careful," he told her softly.
Behind him Mpaji dared to lift his head and let steel blue eyes gaze the area. 
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:41 pm
"I will be, sir." She panted out her breath once then regained her composure. The sun and the rocks had not beaten her. And the cinder-cub didn't plan on losing face in front of her elders either.
Ilahle wasn't sure exactly who Uzulu was, having been out of her familys den to explore but not to meet other Firekin. Not yet. She had been introduced to very few of the pride, most likely because of the current drama over the King and his son. Yet she knew enough to bow slightly to the large red male, though she hesitated at Upendo.
Tilting her head quizzically, she made the same reverant gesture to the male, knowing respect could save your life with some lions. Besides, she was a pound or two of flesh and some insinct inside screamed for her to run away from males who were not her father when she was this young. There was no way of knowing he was a slave when she'd yet to see one and only just grasped the concept. And with the sun dazzling her, his pale yellow looked white enough.
(Sorry my posts are a bit short ^^; This is only my second RP with the lass and she's my first Firekin, so getting into the swing of things)
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:45 pm
Uzulu beamed. She was already playing into other people's interests. If she kept like this she could possibly own the thrown at her adulthood. Then again, there was the possibility that she was only a Kaanga at heart and no desire for power, danger, fights, or superiority. He surely hoped this wasn't true.
"No need to bow to him, lady, he's a slave, he bows to you." Without a second statement, Mpaji had lowered his head to the young firekin cub before him. It seemed he was well trained, but Uzulu was always suspicious.
"Now say, do you have a name, young lady?" He gave her an ill practiced smile. It seemed as though he was always frowning, except around young female cubs.
He honestly believed them to be superior to the males, and not because of their gender, persay, but the drive that went with it. No male could drive as fiercly or sneakily to get what they wanted and deserved.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 6:56 am
She watched Mapji's bow with surprise but with obvious enjoyment. Her tailtip twitched happily. No one had ever bowed to her before, unless during sibling jests which didn't really mean much. It was odd that it pleased her, really. It reminded her of the time she and Spaki had talked about how the Firekin were supposed to be the best lions, while all the rest were stinky and weak...
Mapji didn't smell badly nor did he look like a weakling. And yet it was his place to bow to the young cub.
"I am Ilahle'Wumuhu." She turned her gaze back on Uzulu and smiled, her names meaning in the common language resounding in her head like an echo. A cinder born from ashes. A strong Firekin name, and structured like her dear mother's.
"Who are you two?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:30 am
Uzulu made sure tha Upendo'Mpaji didn't smell badly. The little rat had to bathe just as regularily than the rest of them, sometimes more often. In case of unexpected appearances Uzulu had to be sure that his family and possessions looked just as good as the last.
"My mother gave me the name of Uzulu."
The red and white lion gave a look back to Mpaji. He'd never asked the animals actual name, but that didn't mean he didn't have one. Kaanga had a name for him, but he wasn't sure if that was his real name. A name that meant 'love giver' didn't seem to befit the slave to well, but you never knew.
Truthfully, it did, quite well. Upendo'Mpaji was all about love, play and youth. When master wasn't looking, he took the cubs out on adventures, determined to be the father figure that Uzulu could not be for none of them were daughters. He fought desperately not to say his name outloud, even though his heart burned for rebellion. He felt more a Firekin than any of these others, he had met Kwana, afterall.
"If he has a name, you need not adress him by it," Uzulu added, still watching the slave heatedly.
"Upendo'Mpaji," the slave said softly, knowing that Uzulu meant for him to say it. It was a rare treat given to him by Uzulu. Kaanga insisted that he speak, all the time, head up, smile on his face. But he was careful not to do such around Uzulu.
"If you'd like, we can send him on an errand. Any errand you'd like." Uzulu had since turned back to the young Firekin cub, very impressed with his personal slave. Not many had them, a rare treat, one should say.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:46 am
"Names have power, I've been told." Ilahle tilted her head, trying to decipher the meanings of Uzulu and Upendo'Mapji. But they were words she'd never heard before...which was a shame since she really did think names were important. They were one of those things that defined you, to Ilahle, to whom everything was still touchingly simple in life. Mostly.
"...what errand would you like to do, Upendo'Mapji? Truthfully." Brown eyes studied the slave closely. There was a hint of uncertainty in the question, but the last word came out with the authority of a true command. Uzulu had said they might send him on one, but the cub wasn't sure about this whole master-slave relationship.
Most Firekin didn't have slaves these days. Was it like a parent-cub relationship? Did it matter if the slaves wanted to do things? Ilahle knew when you played games, it was nicer to make sure the others had fun too - was it like that?
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:59 am
Upendo'Mpaji was uncertain on what his answer should be.
"Go on," Uzulu snapped, a growl from his throat. "She asked you a question, you answer."
Relief seemed to flash across the slave's face. As long as he was allowed to answer. He was adressed, so he must respond, but he wasn't used to talking with cubs. It felt so. .. . odd.
"I'd like to go fetch some water if that's okay?" It had been a project he was working on, and he had been anxious to see how Uzulu would react to it. He knew Kaanga would like it, but Kaanga wasn't the 'master'.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 10:15 am
"Please." Curious, she smiled at the huge lion, then turned back to Uzulu. He was in charge here after all. Fetch water? As in actually bring it here from the waterhole? How? She couldn't wait to see. Though he'd better not just hold in in his mouth...ew. Sweetly, she made sure it was okay to send him.
"Can we ask him to get us some water, please? I've never seen anyone carry water."
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 8:16 pm
Uzulu nodded, a smile gracing his lips, his eyes unforowing for a bried moment. He, too, was interested to see what the slave brought them, for he'd never seen anything fetch water, either. However, as long as the slave kept his brain places that weren't escape or rebellion, Uzulu was perfectly content.
"Go."
The lion didn't wait for either of them to change their minds, but was off into the sands, heading out towards one of the watering holes to fetch.
"So," Uzulu started, lowering himself into the lying position to wait. "What brings a noble of the Blood all the way out here."
He kept on conversation for a short while in this fashion, asking light questions and smiling all the while, until the sands began to move again with the appearance of a moderately wet lion.
Between his teeth was a rather large stone, that upon further inspection could bee seen to have been hollowed out. He brought this and placed it before the young cubs feet, scratch marks apparent on the sides where the slave had used his claw to create such a divit in the rock.
It wasn't much, but the water was heavy, and the stone by for moreso. However, it was enough for a young lioness to drink comfortably, Mpaji assumed.
"Ah, smart," Uzulu noted, and Mpaji knew it was the best praise he would ever receive from his master.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 4:32 am
While the sandy lion had been gone, Ilahle had tried to be the best cub she could and give the best impression possible. Uzulu was the first adult she'd met besides her own family. She wasn't a silly little female. She had brains and ambition, was proud of her Firekin blood. She was no runt either. Hopefully in this light conversation, she was making a good impression, so that no lion could say Ra and Ny's daughter was worthless.
"Clever trick Upendo." Ilahle grinned, when he arrived, her pretty face delighted with how the water had been brought here. Carving th carrier must have taken strength - and she looked at this slave in a new light. So. Slaves really weren't stupid and smelly. Besides not being Firekin what did make them lesser then?
"Isn't easier to carry the water-pears of the small cacti...? Oh, though their water is bitter."
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