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 Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 5:00 pm
The very same thought went through Yuusa's head at Vunjika's comment, but it wasn't as if it was the first time. Cub-like, she buried her face in the older lioness' flank for a moment.
"Mmm." She took another deep breath, and finally got her body back under control again. "I do hope not," she mumbled softly, more to herself than to Vunjika. Then she leaned back a little, enough to be able to look the Minder in the face, and smiled yet again. But this time in gratefulness.
"But look at me... I'm sorry, Vunjika. I don't know what came over me. It seems we are all a little on edge, lately, aren't we?" She placed a paw gently over the older lioness' and managed another embarrassed little giggle. "But thank you, for your patience. Now and always."
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 8:41 am
The lioness stood still, allowing herself to smile down gently at Yuusa. Really, some of them never really did grow up, in some ways. They were bigger, more mature, yes, but they still longed for comfort, protection, from their elders. Then, remembering herself, her face settled once again into its stoic expression.
"It's the uneasiness in the air." She wrinkled her nose up disdainfully. "Everyone's nervous, jumpy, worried. Especially with word of the diminishing herds and the lack of food as proof." And she couldn't simply just sit around like this anymore.
She harrumphed, giving the lioness a controlled smile. (She couldn't be too soft, could she?) "I wouldn't be a Minder if I wasn't patient, my dear. Though really, some of the bratty ones do really push our patience at times."
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 10:26 pm
Yuusa giggled again, firmly determined to recapture her good mood, and encouraged by the rare smiles that Vunjika favored her with. Though really, she must be quite a sight indeed if the strict old Minder felt inclined to show her so much kindness.
"Anyone in particular you are thinking about? Not me, I hope." She dramatically batted her eyelashes at the older lioness for a moment, trying to look obviously pretend-worried to lighten the mood a bit. But the nod that followed the little display of playfulness was still quite sombre. "But of course, the lack of well-filled bellies also does seem to make us more irritable. It's a bad cycle - one frustration fuelling the next." she heaved a small sigh. "I really hope it ends soon."
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Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 7:48 am
"There are too many." Vunjika grumbled. Really, the problem with cubs was that they had loads of energy, which made her feel all the more older while caring for them. And there were always, always a few who found it interesting to defy their Minders.
"I hope so too." She muttered, her face set into a grave expression. "But I have a feeling there's more to come." She had seen a war when she was much younger, and Vunjika felt a stir of foreboding within her. This would not end well, just like the previous war.
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Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 1:13 pm
Yuusa had to supress yet another giggle at Vunjika's bitter reply, but her mirth was quite short-lived. As the Minder's expression turned very grave, Yuusa's ears flattened out, and she lowered her head a little as if trying to dodge the ominous currents she could feel in Vunjika's voice.
"Don't say that." In her own ears, it sounded a bit too much like a plea, but she couldn't help it. Unpleasant shadows of suspicions that she'd rather not think about right now stirred at the back of her mind. "I'm sure it's just the spirits being restless for some inscrutable reason. The Heart will guide us, when they have deciphered the signs."
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:22 am
"It's not as if the pride hasn't seen war before." She turned a stern gaze on the younger lioness. Vunjika did not approve of others being oblivious, hiding behind excuses from what was inevitable. Yuusa had said she felt the uneasiness in the air too, and she could not simply dismiss it and think that everything would be fine.
There was a storm coming ahead. "When the Mizimu'Tungika find out about these...rebels, there will be a war." She was sure of it, as sure as she had been that nothing good would come out of it when the previous Queen had announced that attack.
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 1:29 pm
Yuusa visibly flinched at the no-nonsense tone in Vunjika's voice, and the straightforward brusqueness of her words. It crumbled all her defenses and laid the truth out before her in a most unavoidable way.
She lowered her gaze and swallowed through a throat that suddenly felt quite dry. Of course. It was inevitable, wasn't it? Should the Mizimu ever find out about the dissenters following behind them... an open conflict was quite unavoidable. And how would they not find out? Already the whispers among the sacrifices were far too many, far too loud. It was only a matter of time before someone chose to really look into the matter, surely... and the dissenters...
...why would they be following the Mizimu, staying so close, but so quiet, if they did not have violent intentions?
Yuusa shuddered and closed her eyes.
"It will not end well," she mumbled, hoarseness creeping back into her voice. "It just can't. I wish... I really wish you weren't right on this one, Vunjika."
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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:41 am
Her gaze was still focused on the younger lioness, the harsh glint evident in the depths of the blue orbs. Vunjika pressed her lips into a straight line (well, as straight as it could possibly get), hoping that her words did, indeed shock Yuusa into accepting the truth. It seemed that way, but sometimes, one could never tell the true inner thoughts of others.
"Wishing doesn't help anything." She set her jaw firmly. "We can only pray that the spirits watch over us all." And not let our numbers be so diminished as after the last war. She added in thought.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:39 am
Yuusa's head remained low, and she stared at the ground as the Minder's words sank into her thoughts. Slowly, she nodded, and raised her head, meeting the older lioness' eyes with a closely guarded, almost resigned look in her own.
"I will pray," she said, trying very hard to find comfort in that, and the thought that the spirits influenced everything. Anything that would come to pass - that had already passed - was all within the spirits' will.
"I will pray for all of us." She tried to smile again, but the corners of her mouth kept trembling, as if trying to resist it. "And I suppose I will fight as well, if it should come to that. But we can't lose hope, can we? Let's hope that the spirit's plan for us is a good one."
Vunjika probably didn't like her talking like this, but in all honesty, Yuusa didn't really care right now. She was looking at Vunjika, but she was talking to someone else. Herself, perhaps. Or the omnipresent spirits.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:43 am
"The spirits...have strange plans with unpredictable outcomes." Vunjika murmured, the image of the previous war fresh in her mind, almost as if it had happened just yesterday. So many of the lions she knew had died, and Vunjika sometimes still wondered if the spirits did intend to diminish their numbers so greatly back then.
The older lioness sighed, shaking her head and turned a strict admonishing gaze upon Yuusa. "It's getting late. You should go rest." And then...see what tomorrow would bring.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:01 am
Yuusa smiled and nodded. "Yes, of course. Some rest would probably do us both good." She got to her feet and gave the Minder a small, grateful bow of her head. "Thank you for talking to me, Vunjika. It was good seeing you again."
She knew very well that she would find no more rest tonight, how could she? But there was no reason to worry the older lioness about that. She gave Vunjika another little smile and turned, slowly walking away in the direction of her den.
It would no doubt be a long, restless night, but this time, Yuusa felt it would perhaps be better to spend it alone. She had a lot to think about.
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Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:54 am
She nodded her head in return, and gave Yuusa an impatient dismissive wave of the paw as the latter lingered, ushering her off. "May the spirits watch over you, Yuusa."
The Minder watched the younger lioness walk off towards her den before turning to head towards her own, pondering about what Yuusa had mentioned to her, especially that of the rebel pride. She would have to look into that...at this, she stifled a yawn, deciding that it would have to wait till her duties finished tomorrow.
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