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 Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:02 am
"Sure! And then we could make a path that loops around?" Omoa agreed, stretching a little bit so she'd be prepared for the walk. If it was near, it wasn't going to be much exercise that needed more than a simple stretch, so that was always good. Omoa hated stretching. It felt so weird.
Her brothers were out hunting with her father, Ithemba said. Boy, what a lot of work! Teach three boys how to hunt and being patient with all of them... she wondered if Ithemba had already been taught how to hunt, then, if she was out here all alone by a water hole.
Omoa wondered what it would be like to meet Ithemba's mother. Would she be nice, and friendly, like she imagined all mothers would be? Would she be welcoming to Omoa--but not with eyes filled with pity, Omoa didn't want that--when she saw the cub? Well, she'd just have to wait and find out. Her bright eyes watched Ithemba for the next move.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:10 pm
Ithemba nodded, smiling her usual relaxed smile and nodded. "Follow me." she mumbled excitedly. With a flick of her tail, she turned around and began to walk.
Once she had left the shade of the tall tree which covered the pool, the sun was hot on her black fur. Ithemba didn't care much for the sun. She much preferred the moon. She wondered what Omoa liked best. Should she ask? Ithemba's heart pounded. Asking questions was difficult for her for some reason. Especially since she was often told her questions were stupid. But they were friends now, right? Friends talked, right? Anyway, it would give them something to do on their way to her favorite places around the grounds.
"Do you like the sun?" Ithemba blurted clumsily.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:13 pm
"The sun?" Omoa repeated, surprised. Did she like the sun? Well, it had its good parts and bad parts. "Most of the time I like it, I guess. It keeps me warm when it's cold outside. It lets me see where I'm going.
"On the other hand," she continued, walking along behind Ithemba at an easy pace, "it is way too hot sometimes to go exploring. My coat is so dark it absorbs a lot of the heat; I can only imagine how hot you get with your black fur." She nodded at Ithemba's coloring. "As pretty as it is, though. I like winter, too. A lot of things. I like everything, mostly." She gave a smile. This was a good conversation, so far.
"Do you like the sun?" she returned.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 7:48 pm
So many things where coming out of Omoa's mouth and into Ithemba's ears, Ithemba hardly knew what to say. No one had every taken as much interest in one of her questions before and speak such a hefty response. It was exciting and scary at the same time. 'You think my coat's...pretty?' she wanted to ask, but couldn't find the courage to voice yet another question. Besides, it would've made her sound too much like a newborn cub. But now, to answer a question directed at herself.
"Sometimes," Ithemba said slowly. Perhaps that was a sufficient reply. Then again, maybe not. Compared to the response Omoa gave, it was very short; too short. Ithemba swallowed and unconsciously quickened her walking pace as she thought. She swallowed again after a moment and continued. "It's very hot. I like the moon better." she said finally. With a silent sigh, Ithemba smiled. It was as though a large rock had been removed from her beating heart.
Maybe talking wasn't so bad after all?
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:17 am
Omoa nodded, increasing her steps so she wouldn't be left behind. Ithemba moved uncharacteristically fast; if she paused for a rest there would be no way to catch up to her new friend. She was so happy that she had found another female to talk to, and it even looked like Ithemba was opening up a great deal to Omoa. Which was always good, because if they were going to be friends, they had to talk about everything together, of course. Because that's what friends do. They talk.
"The moon is very pretty. I think its nice sometimes, when I'm in a safe area, to sleep outside my den and look at all the stars and moon in the sky and fall asleep under them. It's so very pretty and peaceful and calming...and you get such a good feeling out of it. Have you done that before? If not, I think you should."
Omoa saw the smile from the corner of her eye and her own widened in response. Maybe she was talking too much, or maybe not enough. She figured that if the time came, she'd slow down the chatter and just talk about what was important to talk about.
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:26 pm
Ithemba smiled at the pulsing heat in her small muscles. It felt good to walk around. But once she realized she was walking fast out of nervousness rather than for speed, she gradually slowed down. Omoa had probably walked much more than she had in her life, Ithemba thought. A little, sinking feeling welled up inside of her. She tried not to dwell on it and instead thought of what Omoa had been saying and asking her. Had she ever slept under the stars? She couldn't remember. She mostly slept with her family in their den. Her mother didn't like her to go very far...
"I don't think I've ever stayed out for very long during the night." Ithemba replied maturely. "I'd like to..." she added in a mumble, glancing back at Omoa.
Further on, not too far away, Ithemba spotted her favorite tree. Its trunk was vast and shot up into the sky, seeming to go on forever; at least, to the eyes of a cub. Its branches stretched out like giant arms tipped with large, green leaves. Ithemba smiled at its greeting and continued to walk toward it. She hoped Omoa liked it...
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:00 pm
Omoa slowed as well, looking around at the many different trees they passed. She wondered which one was Ithemba's favorite, and it didn't take very long before the other cub made a bee-line for one in particular: a giant of a tree with huge, sweeping arms and in an impossibly large trunk. She couldn't help but stop some feet away from the base and follow it up, up, and up until she could see it no longer. The very top was lost to above the leaves, where she couldn't see.
"Wow," she said finally, trotting to catch up. "This is your favorite? It's so big!" Again, she marveled at the sheer size of it. Her treasure tree was a tenth--no, a billionth of its size!
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:14 pm
"Yes." Ithemba replied, grinning a huge grin. She was used to giving small, relaxed smiles, but she couldn't hold back her joy. Beneath the tree were small patches of clay spots. Ithemba loved to dig up the clay and play with it. She'd spent many mornings and afternoons beneath the tree's large branches. The tree itself actually represented everything Ithemba wanted to be; towering and powerful. Ithemba's eyes glowed a she she smiled up at it. She sat on one of its large roots and sighed. She motioned with her head for Omoa to sit beside her. "This is my most favorite tree..."
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:26 pm
Omoa's eyes were wide and her mouth open a bit as she sat beside Ithemba as requested.
"It's so...big," she repeated. "How did you find it? Well, I mean, how did you find that this was your favorite?" What a silly question, 'how did you find it?' She could have found it all by herself if she had chosen so, but she would never have known it was Ithemba's favorite.
Which is what she meant to ask.
Her eyes were drawn to the rich clay at the base. She wondered if the cub had made anything from it, and if so, what and where was it right now? Could she make something too?
"What else is your favorite in this place?" If everything was as big as this tree, she couldn't wait to see them.
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:05 pm
"Ah," Ithemba exclaimed quietly, rising from her seat on the large root. She tried to ignore the tugging feeling she was getting in the pit of her stomach to stop and play with the clay. But, if she got caught, her creation would just be destroyed. She didn't want that to happen, especially in front of her new friend. It would be the humiliation to top all humiliations. She sighed and decided it would be best to continue showing Omoa to other places; other favorite spots.
"There is a place over here that has a big pile of rocks." Ithemba explained, smiling. "Big and small ones...All kinds." What interest would Omoa have with rocks, though, Ithemba wondered? She must think Ithemba to be a very boring cub. Ithemba's eyes grew worried and she pawed at the ground, throat tight with embarrassment.
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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:10 am
"I love rocks!" Omoa exclaimed. Everything Ithemba was saying she instantly agreed with--she could not have had a better friend even if she wanted to. Though she really wanted to play in the clay and see what she could make, looking through rocks was always a fun past time as well. She wondered if any were as small as the smooth river pebbles she had picked up a few days ago, or even as big as the boulders she had come across only recently.
"Is one your favorite? I have some small river pebbles, and those are my favorite, but I bet I can find one that I like in this pile, too!"
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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 12:10 am
Ithemba glanced at Omoa, her eyes showing nothing but contentment; though, she wasn't feeling contentment. She felt it strange that the girl cub seemed to like everything she liked. It was extremely odd. Sure, it might be likely for someone to like one thing she liked, but it was more than impossible for someone to have the exact same interests...Right? Maybe the girl was just playing with her, trying to get on Ithemba's good side in order to get food, water and shelter? Ithemba continued to smile as her mind battled with itself.
"One is my favorite." she said. Then she sneezed. "Pardon," she mumbled, wiping her paw over her muzzle to drive the itch out. "Want to go look at the rocks, then? They're close." Her heart was fluttering at her constant pessimistic thoughts and she tried not to let it show. She was becoming better and better at masking her emotions to better suit her situations. She felt bad for it. Somehow, deep down, she knew Omoa was good. But she still needed to find out more. She turned and began walking in the direction of the rocks pile.
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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 8:04 am
Omoa didn't understand nor see Ithemba's inner struggle. If she had, the cub would have likely been very confused, as she did not think of the possible mind games one could use on another person. She only saw what there was to see, and did not think past it.
With a happy smile, she pranced in place and then followed Ithemba with a cheery "Okay!" at going to see the rocks, now. She wondered if they were all big, or perhaps they were all very, very different sizes? Like, a few pebbles and then almost-boulders? That would be fun to play with!
But, of course, she had to remember her manners. She had a sudden thought that she might be making Ithemba uncomfortable. And Omoa did not want that, oh no.
"Hey, Ithemba? D'ya have a nick name or something? Your name is very pretty, but we're friends, right? And don't friends call each other by a nick name? I would have one for me, but my name's too short." She frowned, thinking. "It could be...Moa, if you really wanted to call me by a nick name."
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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 1:39 pm
Ithemba literally shook away her pessimistic thoughts and got back to focusing on what was happening there and then. It wasn't like her to stray away from a conversation like that. She might've put some doubt in Omoa's mind. She didn't want that. She didn't want Omoa to be uncomfortable...Especially since Ithemba didn't know if she really was just playing or not.
"Nick...name?" Ithemba repeated slowly, glancing over at Omoa as they walked. She really didn't understand what that meant. Things had names. That was it. What was a "nick name"? Her heart pounded as she tried to think of what Omoa was talking about. Shortly after, she had said "Moa" which was part of Omoa's name.
Wait...A shortening of the name? Ithemba licked her nose and squinted, thinking. "You could...Call me Ith..." Her tail twitched by itself and her heart was pounding. "Ithie?" she said finally, hoping she had gotten the meaning of a "nick name" right. Her eyes wandered away from Omoa and she spotted the rocks. They were almost there.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 7:11 pm
"Ithie? That's a good one. I like it," Omoa replied, happily tailing her new friend as they walked towards the rocks. She smiled innocently at the other cub and followed her line of sight to the pile of rocks awaiting their approach.
"Ohhh, those look really cool!" she exclaimed, controlling herself so she didn't pounce on them before Ithie. That would be rude, and she didn't want to give her an excuse to not like her any more, which would probably be the worst thing Ithie could do right now. Omoa waited for her friend to reach the rocks first, and therefore obtain an invitation to look.
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