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 Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 11:05 am
Thuli decided to ignore the fact that she’d just caught Orabela cub-sitting – she would remember it later, of course – in favour of Matifa’s little revelation. Blue eyes widened as she stared at the large lioness, wondering briefly just how she could’ve missed something so obvious.
“She’s one of the red pelts…?” Thuli asked slowly, quietly even. It wasn’t long until she was overcome with the expected excitement, bouncing closer to sniff the Firekin. Orabela had once said they smelled sandy. She wondered what sand smelled like. “Well, of course she is! What’s your name? Why are you here? Do you live in the outpost? Are you a good fighter?”
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Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 1:11 pm
"Nice to meet you, Thuli. And you, Kayin." Su replied, glad that the introductions seemed to be going so well. Thuli seemed friendly enough and the cubs were certainly adorable. Matifa had seemed so edgy about the others meeting her that she'd begun to wonder if she might be chased straight back to her homeland - and that wouldn't have looked good for her at all, especially after such a short amount of time here in the Bonelands.
The titles being thrown about so casually, however, were foreign to the red feline. Did 'Umzingeli' mean pride member? Or maybe huntress? Or was it their word for those who had newly joined? Her eyes switched back to Matifa but the answer was no more meaningful. Busisa? Had she been told these before? Had she simply forgotten? If so she needed to pay more attention. Still, it seemed to her that there was no real word for what she was. Not yet, anyway.
And then there was talk of hunts and more arriving. Had they gathered for the hunt, or...?
Except that now the conversation had begun, questions were being fired and Su's ears lifted, turning towards the one named Ora. "What Matifa says is true. I am from the Motoujamii. I am Firekin." Was Ora surprised? Maybe even angry?
And then even more faces. She was starting to feel a little dizzy, though she kept her polite smile firmly in place. "Hlengiwe." She echoed the name and introduced herself again. "My name is, Su. It's a pleasure." She just hoped she'd remember at least some of the names being given to her today. There were so many of them.
Oh, and then more questions! She chuckled to ward of her feeling of being overwhelmed and tried to conjure up some reasonable answers for them.
"I'm here to serve as...an ambassador." She used the term carefully. "An official representative of my people to ensure that the alliance between our prides continues to strengthen and thrive as time goes on." She smiled. "Which, I suppose, means that I have left my kin in the desert to make a home here, if you will have me." Just how temporary the move was going to be, however, she had no idea. She could stay until a ripe old age or, if this went badly, a couple of hours. There really was no telling.
"As to my skill at fighting. Unfortunately not. I was given basic training as all Firekin children are, but I chose to focus on studying diplomacy with my elders until I came of age."
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Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 3:37 pm
Of course, Kania felt it entirely necessary that she make herself known, with her brother absorbing all the attention. "Su," she chirped, fascinated by the red pelt of the older lioness, "My name is either Dania or Kania." She shiftily cast a gaze to her mother and brother before lowering her voice, "But you'll have to guess which.~"
Of course, she wouldn't give the other a chance to make her guesses, and she flocked to her mother's side. She may have been the more outgoing twin, but that didn't make her any less of a mommy's girl, and with her being in close range, Kania leeched to her side in a heartbeat. Of course, she made her attempt to frustrate her brother with a slap to the thigh as she bounced by him, tongue stuck out in childish fashion and daring him to show a little backbone.
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Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 6:21 pm
Had... oops. Ora clamped her mouth shut as Dina arrived on the scene. She hoped cinga hadn't heard her call Kayin an accident. The cub was anything but, and she had meant the word only in context of their curious gathering here today, but anyone who had heard that out of context could have thought differently.
But as always, it didn't take long for Ora to start talking again, and Hlengiwe's arrival was more than enough to prompt more words from the little lioness. "Guilty," she said in response to her sister, grinning. But rarely did she apologize for being loud. No doubt, the pride had grown used to her after all this time.
"So what does that mean, diplomacy? Like, being proper and all that?" Ora was obviously no diplomat.
-
Uh oh, mama was here. Kayin scooted a step away from his sister, as if to distance himself from any trouble that might arise - because obviously, Kayin could do no wrong. He shook his head with some indignance as he looked over at his mother.
"Mama, I don't cause trouble," he reassured her. Why would he ever do such a thing? He couldn't speak for his sister though, whichever twin she was. Either way, they were both causing trouble on a regular basis, as far as Kayin was concerned.
Then she slapped him, and Kayin whipped around and flew to tackle her and teach Kania - or Dania - a lesson, forgetting that he had just sworn that he was causing no trouble. They would all learn in time that, just as Ora didn't mince her words, so Kayin didn't mince his actions and rarely did he really think before reacting.
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Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:19 pm
Wodi was out stretching her legs when she noticed a small gathering forming, and couldn't help but be curious as to the reason for it. Before, she had usually been content to mind her own business, but, well...she'd come to find that sometimes interesting things happened when Bonelands lionesses group together. They could just be assembling to hunt, but then again, they could be ganging up on a poor, unsuspecting Umholi again - and if that was the case, there was no way Wodi was going to miss out on that kind of entertainment opportunity.
As she drew closer, however, she saw that the cause of curiosity wasn't a male at all, but a female...a red female. They had their Firekin ambassador, hmm? This would be entertaining.
"So we've got ourselves a red-pelt now?" she drawled, observing the obvious to no one in particular. The diminutive lioness eyed the stranger shrewdly, tail flicking back and forth as she openly sized her up.
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Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 7:03 pm
"Hi, Dina." Matifa quickly shook her head at the mother. Two of her cubs, surrounded by adolescents and a red-pelt. Matifa thought Dina was holding her cool rather well. "They've not cause any trouble at --"
Speaking much too soon was certainly Matifa's strong suit. The cubs went to tackling and playing, and all Matifa could do was give Dina her best, best smile.
It still surprised Matifa everytime she heard Su explain she did not fight. They were massive, stalky bulks of muscle. Perhaps Su was not the most preened and scarred of her group, but Matifa would have expected beasts so stuck up about their fighting to kick out someone who couldn't. Well. . . they sort of had kicked this one out, hadn't they? Perhaps she'd ask about it later, in private. It seemed like a touchy subject, and the Firekin Ambassador was clearly enjoying answering the plethera of friendly questions.
Funny, it had taken her two days to get attached to Su. Not that she yet trusted her with anything except joining a random hunt, but she certainly disliked the idea of seeing the Firekin irrationally upset.
So when Wodi elegantly slid in to join them, Matifa put her ears right back to her skull and her lips became a thin line. Unfortunately, frowning was a poor deterant, and the brown lioness really wasn't sure what to say.
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Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:45 pm
It seems Dina had arrived just at the opportune moment, her suspicions and curiosities spilled out of the mouths of youngsters: well, Thuli's specifically. It saved the Umzingeli the trouble of asking those questions herself, and needless to say she was eager to hear the answer. This was possibly the first time a red-pelt had been so close to them, ever since that disastrous meeting at the water hole. They came, they took, and now they were here. In the middle of their pride... right next to her cubs. That thought kept her feeling fidgety, never mind the fact she was surrounded by Bonelands lionesses that outnumbered the firekin extensively, her belly still felt like it was going to churn itself inside out with anxiety. She hoped none of this shone past her neutral, vaguely pleasant expression, as Dina was trying desperately not to let it get to her, for the sake of her cubs. There may only be one red-pelt present, but all it took was a single spark of confrontation and she was sure the brute would show her ugly nature.
Or, so she thought. Her ears swiveled forward as Su began to speak, her voice surprisingly normal to what Dina had been expecting. The term ambassador wasn't all too familiar to the grown lioness, having never had need of it before, but luckily it was explained. That- that actually didn't sound too bad. And did she actually intend on making this her home? These revelations astounded Dina, not enough to raise her opinion of the firekin, but enough to disarm the worried mother, at least for the time being.
Her attention shifted briefly as Kania, she was almost certain as to which twin it was, came to her side. With neighbors like the firekin, Dina had to wonder what would happen if they ever turned hostile. It made her all the more anxious about this one in particular, this ambassador to the hot-tempered giants. Would she report back? And what would she report? These thoughts might have gone on to further distract and bewilder the Bonelands mother, if not for Matifa's sudden abrupt to her statement and a flurry of motion by her paws. A tired sigh left her maw as Dina calmly reached down to grab both cubs, Kania by the scruff with the tips of her teeth, and Kayin by scooping him up with a front paw and sitting him in front of her. Cubs.
It occurred to her that this may have been her chance to walk away, with the excuse that these two needed to cool off, but Dina rarely walked away from anything. So instead, the seasoned huntress sat herself down on her haunches, placing Kania next to her brother and both of them in between her front paws. As of yet the lioness had nothing to say, still considering the motives of this 'ambassador', but she would at least sit quietly and let her speak to the others unharassed. At the very least, she could provide some supervision. There was no telling what trouble adolescents and busisa could get into.
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 2:49 am
Hlengiwe had to shake her head at Thuli. Of course her sister just launches into questions, assaulting the poor Firekin. It wasn't like she herself was curious. But perhps questions could wait from her for a later time, when she wasn't meeting the whole pride. After all, it was only a matter of time before the rest of the lionesses heard and saw the commotion.
She did have to wonder about Orabela though. It seemed she had a tail whether she wanted it or not. Maybe she should try to watch one of the new cubs that had been born. The pride had been blessed in that matter for sure.
Motoujamii, so that was what the real name of the Firekin was. She repeated it until she had it etched into her mind. Now she would never forget. It would be stupid of her to be living with one and not know the real name of their pride. It excited her to have met one of their ambassadors. "It's so nice to meet you Su! I hope you enjoy staying with us. Consider me a friend." She smiled up at the lioness that was much larger than her. Hlengiwe wasn't afraid to declare herself as a friend. She didn't believe in being mean to another simply because they were different. A glance at her purple mark only served as a reminder as to why.
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:32 am
Children, Su decided, were rather a delight; even if they did show up their parents at times. And this pair were no exception. Perfect brother and sister, it seemed. They certainly had spirit. She chuckled, amused by the little girl's antics. She was a twin? She'd not been a twin herself but there were two pairs of twins in her family. "Once I get to know you better, perhaps I'll be able to answer that."
And then she looked up and smiled across at Ora. "To help keep communication. To aid in fixing problems and ensuring there aren't any misunderstandings between our two prides. Perhaps you could call us warriors with words. I believe - and so do many others - that this partnership could bring much good to both of our prides." And she truly did believe that. The Firekin had been isolated for too long. This alliance was certainly a step in the right direction as far as she was concerned.
To Wodi, she responded after a moment's pause. Her tone was different and the look in her eye was not as open and welcoming as the others. "You have indeed." She replied. "And one of your own has been sent to take up residence in my country. The young male, Machozi." She remembered how he had introduced himself, mentioning the names of his parents, so official and proper. She probably would have grown to like him, had he stayed, though she had no doubt that she would see him again during official business. "He will be my equivalent in the desert."
And to Hlengiwe, she dipped her head graciously. "Thank you. I'm sure the lands will become a home to me in time. Our cultures seem quite different and I still have much to learn about your way of life, here. I hope you will all forgive my questions over the next couple of weeks."
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 11:55 am
It wasn't long before the gathering caught the attention of yet another curious cub. The splash of red amongst the more earthy tones stood out, drawing Maru's eyes like a flaming beacon. Shoving his way through the grasses until he joined his mother and siblings, he stared at the stranger with wide eyes. So this was a red-pelt...
"How did your pelt get so red?" he blurted out.
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 3:23 am
Warriors with words... now that Su had put it that way, Ora could begin to grasp what it meant to be an ambassador. It wasn't so different from the image the adolescent had of herself. She, too, preferred to fight with words. Her small stature had never really lent itself to any real physical prowess, so her wit and tongue would have to do. That was something Ora could understand.
The lioness's ears perked at Machozi's name. "My brother, our brother, Machozi?" She wondered aloud, as much to question as to ponder it on her own. Machozi in the desert, surrounded by all those red-pelts... She couldn't help but wonder how he would fare. Wasn't the desert an awfully hot place, with all that sand that peppered the Firekin's coats? Would he come back smelling like sand one day as well?
As much as Ora knew, and had known for a while, that they were nearing that time when her brothers would all have to leave and she might never see them again, it hurt to know that change had already come. Machozi's departure was just the beginning.
But she had to shrug it off. What was done was done. The young lioness, instead, put a cheeky smile onto her face and shrugged. "There isn't much to it," she said to the red lioness. "Our way of life... it's probably less structured than yours." Not that there weren't rules, but Ora had always taken rules with a small grain of salt. They existed to be broken every once in a while, after all.
-
"That one's Kania!" Kayin blurted out loud to Su, pointing an almost accusatory little paw at his sister even as Dina scooped him up. No, he would not let Kania's bubble go un-burst, and yes, he was sure this one was Kania. Kayin didn't think the softer-spoken Dania would have slapped him like that.
He turned a shot his sister a look, sticking out his tongue in return. See how she liked that. Being placed next to Kania might not have been the wisest choice, but for the moment, his mother's big paws on either side of them seemed enough to keep Kayin from tackling his sister again.
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 9:25 am
“Well, you still know the basics, right…?” Thuli was visibly disappointed when Su told them she had little interest in fighting. The adolescent had entertained the idea of getting some training from the Firekin and she’d hoped to find someone she could practice with before going to the outpost. She didn’t want to make a fool of herself on her first day, after all.
“So you’re staying with us?” Her eyes widened again when she realized who had been chosen as the Bonelands ambassador and she looked at her sisters to see if any of them had known about it. Ora seemed just as surprised. The image of Machozi surrounded by red giants was somewhat sobering. Ambassador? Bah, more like a hostage. She tried to joke about it but there was some obvious concern in her voice. “Machozi…? Sekayi might’ve been a better choice. He looks sandy enough.” Still, perhaps that meant at least one of her brothers would return periodically to bring news of the Firekin as opposed to the others that she might never see again once they’d left.
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 10:27 am
She had been pleased with herself to rile her brother as she had, glad to see she could draw others easily into a romp. But no sooner was she ready to swing back, mother had intervened and sat the two of them down.
Instead of being upset, she gave light purr and snuggled against her mother's leg, shooting a superior, victorious look to her brother. He was just too interesting to torment, after all, and this would possibly add fuel to the fire.
Her gaze shifted to the red-pelted lioness just in time to hear a voice that made her fur stand on end.... she glared over at the cause, then wrinkled her nose. Oh, it was only another brother. Now she felt outnumbered by boys, pining for her sister silently and showing no distress on the surface.
But she couldn't help but agree with him in this case... red pelts were certainly odd-looking to her, and where would the red even come from?
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 6:06 pm
Hlengiwe had been all smiles till she mentioned her brother's name. Her eyes widened and her smile turned slowly into a frown. Machozi? He had been sent as ambassador? How come they hadn't been informed of this? She didn't even get to say goodbye. Her face swung around to look at her sisters. Both Thuli and Ora seemed to also have just heard about this from Su. In true Hlengiwe fashion, she said quite loudly. "He didn't even say goodbye. I hope we will be able to see him again. Maybe at the outpost!" Her expression was hopeful as she looked to Su for confirmation.
As for questions, she doubted Su's questions would be as overwhelming as the questions that the pride would throw at the newcomer. She wondered if mother had heard about it. Surely Njalo would have been able to say goodbye even if her and her sisters had not been allowed to. The rest of the conversation had little importance in light of the fact that one of her brothers had moved on with his life.
~
Masozi blinked open his sleepy eyes before stretching his body out. He let out a content yawn and then with eyes still mostly closed, blindly felt around for Dina. When his little paws couldn't feel his mother around him, he fully opened his eyes. The ground where she had been was now cold. Panic set in and he got up to look frantically for his mother. "Momma!!" He called out at the top of his lungs.
Some commotion caught his eye, maybe Dina was there. He moved as fast as his paws could carry him. Sure enough, his momma was there. He rushed to her side. "Momma! I found you!" His little head pushed between her legs so he could sit directly in front of her. Masozi didn't like to be away from her for long. Then he took in the other adults. His eyes widened and his ears perked forward to listen in. He eyed the red pelted lion curiously but didn't say anything. His siblings were not as interesting as whatever the adults were doing so he paid no attention to them.
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 1:46 pm
[apologies for slight delay in response... real life stuff happened D: ]
Another cub, this one pale with eyes reminiscent of the oasis back home...well, before they turned murky and muddy from the lack of rains. She hoped that one day they would regain that brilliant colour and reflect the desert sky instead of the dried walls of the muddy sand. Hoped that someday the clouds would let up and fill the rivers and pools.
She smiled at the cub and lowered her head to speak to him, her voice lowered. "There are many stories about that. Perhaps I will tell you one or two someday." Her eyes twinkled. And then, to Kayin, she smiled. "Ahh, Kania. You can tell the difference? You'll have to let me in on the secret someday."
As she straightened again a serious expression fell back into place.
"Your brother? Yes, I can see the resemblance. You don't need to worry for him. One of my most trusted friends has taken him across the sands. He will arrive their safely enough and the Regents will not allow anything to happen to him." To Hlengiwe, she offered a small smile. "You will certainly get to see him again. I imagine he'll travel back and forth from time to time and no doubt he'll want to catch up with his family." Just as she, herself, would. "Perhaps your brother was not much one for goodbyes? The exchange was low-key and swift."
She stretched out her neck then and nodded. "Basics, yes. I suppose I do. I've had a good teacher." She looked across at Matifa gratefully. "But now that I've met all of you, I'll no doubt learn much quicker, putting what I have learnt into practise." She gave Thuli a brief smile, too. "I would love to stay if you are happy to have me."
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