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 Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 8:18 am
The Wand and the Woman
Bantu was not the type of person to steal things. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She wasn't the type of person to just steal things on a whim. As leader of the thieves' guild, she had to set a good example for the rest of her little clan. Though they were not exactly the most respectable of clans out there, they were generally only known for dealing on the black market. Thus, anything they stole had to be worth something. The majority of those under Bantu's command would have loved to just take whatever they needed, but she insisted they steal for monetary profit. That way, the guild could benefit, and then they could just buy whatever they needed. Of course that meant that many of the guild members had a lot more time on their hands, which meant they spent most of their time either provoking one another or just generally being delinquents. Sigh. But the point of all this was that Bantu did not encourage frivolous stealing when it didn't bring about any long term gain. Thus, the hyena-woman had no idea where she had felt compelled to take that wand.
It had been a very boring little thing, probably chewed by rats by the look of it. There was definitely nothing astounding about it, and it didn't seem to have any magical powers. (She had waved it around a bit to see if she could turn her assistant into a frog. Alas, nothing had happened. Mwelewa had not been too impressed.) Bantu couldn't honestly explain why she had been drawn to it, but before she had even realized it the wand was in her hand and she was hurrying out the door. The shop owners hadn't posted any wanted ads – she had checked – and. Mwelewa had checked it all over for a magical tracking devices. The jackal assistant found none, and no wanted ads had been posted in weeks. Thus, Bantu assumed that it was worth no monetary value to the shop-owners, and so she could keep it. It still irked her why she felt the need to have it, but there you have it. The hyena woman wouldn't question fate.
For the first few days she had kept it on her dresser, still deciding what it was she liked about it. She was also partially ashamed that she had had such sticky fingers, especially when she discouraged it among her own. Eventually, however, she had decided that it would make a great addition to her current jewellery. She had wrapped a rope around the end – for some reason it felt wrong to put a hole through the stick – and made it into a pretty little necklace. When anybody commented on it, she thanked them, and said it was a gift from home. Only Mwelewa would know about its true origins. And, as an added bonus, since it wasn't a very nice stick none of the other guild members appeared to covet it. The stick was safe around her neck, and Bantu was quite secure in the knowledge that it would belong to only her for as long as she chose to keep it.
It was during this time that she received an invitation to a certain woman's funeral, though she hadn't the slightest who the woman was. Even Mwelewa – who knew everything – didn't recognize the name. Regardless, Bantu had allowed herself to be dressed up in traditional Gaian funeral wear, and made her way to the funeral. For some reason, she felt the need to take the stick along with her, even though she knew it would probably look strange on the outside of her clothing. She had, however, grown very attached to it, and so it had accompanied her to the funeral. And what an adventure that was.
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 8:19 am
An Unfortunate Funeral
Dear Mama,
How are you? How's Gaia treating you? I heard you and Baba came over just a few weeks ago. I hope you're getting settled alright and everything made it safely through the journey. I know Baba would be upset if that crocodile lamp broke on the way here. He would probably say that this place was cursed, and you guys should all go back home, right? I know you guys hate phones and the like so I'm just going to keep writing you letters. Maybe once I stop by I'll hook you up with a computer or something. Believe me, it'll be a lot cheaper for the both of us if I get you an email. You know how Baba complains about money.
Anyways, life has been okay for me here. Had one run-in with the law enforcement, but for the most part nobody comes and bothers us. We all have a Thieves' Licence anyways, so it's not like they can call us on anything. They just like blaming local gang stuff on us. You know the drill. I told my boys and girls that they needed to mind their p's and q's for a bit, but once we got settled they were free to do what they liked. So far nothing too major has happened, and nothing like that one time back home. I picked up a little trinket that I'd like to show you when I come to visit.
Oh, right, before I forget. I went to this Gaian style funeral the other day. Talk about weird customs. They're so sad and black over here. It's really depressing. I didn't even know the msichana who died, but I went anyways. Met some weird species there, Mama, let me tell you, but none of them bit or had rabies so I was okay. So we get to the church, we sit down (Mwelewa and me), and while the funeral is going on some msichana gets into a fight with another one and disrupts everything! I mean I'm not an expert on all these Gaian customs but I didn't think it was very nice.
Apparently it was a trap or something because this magical hole opened and things started coming out! I have no idea what was going on, but Mwelewa and I were seriously considering just getting the heck out of there. I don't even remember half of it (everyone was panicking too much for me to see anything) but by the time it was over the creatures were gone and everything calmed down. I said my goodbyes to the funeral... co-ordinator I guess you could call her, and then Mwelewa went home. Talk about crazy stuff, eh Mama?
Well, that's all I have to tell you. I'll come by sometime this week to help you move stuff around. Tell Baba not to fret and say hello to little Katiti for me.
~ Bantu
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 8:22 am
The Wand Becomes... A Whisp?
Dear Mama,
Thank you for the hasty reply to the last letter. I am glad to hear that you and Baba have settled down alright. If you ever need a hand, feel free to send me notice. I've got a couple of ruffians who could use a little bit of eh... ibada, if you know what I mean. Fighting in the streets, honestly. I knocked their heads together but I'm not sure if that'll last. So if you need anything moved or the grass cut or anything, don't ask Katiti to do it, and don't you do it either. Tell Baba to call up Bantu and she'll help you out. I got the people, you got the work. It's a nice trade off, and it'll save you money. It was very nice of Bibi to send that money over. Tell her that Bantu says 'thank you very much.' She's being a big help, so she deserves my thanks too.
Things are alright over here, besides that little scuffle. Everyone else seemed to be adapting quite nicely, and Mwelewa has been socializing with all the neighbours. Apparently that's a good thing, before they've started waving to me in the streets. I think he promised them that we wouldn't steal from them, which is fine by me. They don't have anything worthwhile, and it's not nice to steal from your little community. They can at least get the protection of the Thieves' Guild. I heard one of my boys nabbed a ruffian the other night and took him home. Apparently he was trying to steal someone's car. You make sure to tell Bantu if anyone's bothering you or Baba or Katiti. I'll send someone over to make sure they get it good.
You remember that kibarango ndezi I picked up earlier? It started spewing this mist thing, and I can't get the mist to go away. Do you think I can bring it over to have you have a look at it Mama? I think it's some sort of magical whispy stuff. Mwelewa says he's never seen anything like it before, but it doesn't seem to be causing anybody any harm. When I come over on Friday, I'll bring it over for you to look at. It's a strange thing, but I don't really want to get rid of it.
Be there Friday!
Bantu
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 8:25 am
And Now There's a Rat Baby. What a strange stick...
"Mama! Baba! Katiti!"
Bantu wrapped her knuckles against the door of the rickety wooden house, wand clutched in her spare hand. Friday had come, and it was time to see what her family was up to. Knowing her mama, no doubt all of the boxes were unpacked and everything in the house was spotless. She had probably had Baba and Katiti working until dinnertime every day. Bantu had asked if she wanted help, but her Mama had told her that she had two able-bodied men in her house and she didn't need her daughter's help. Besides, Bantu's sister was supposed to be coming over, and her husband could help. Still, the hyena-woman had insisted that she had to come over and lend a hand sometime. Thus, here she was, waiting for someone to open the door.
It was Katiti who opened the door. Her sixteen year old brother had grown quite a bit taller since the last time she had seen him. He was tall and lanky, still not quite filled out. His ears were still too big for his head, and his hair looked like someone had just dragged him backwards through a bush. Katiti's green eyes still sparkled with intelligence and mirth, as grinned cheekily up at Bantu. "All us able men handled it, yeh can go home now sista." The hyena woman grabbed her brother in a headlock, barking out a laugh when he started squirming. "Yeh much too small to be an able man, Katiti. Now get inside." She let him go and gave him a little push, following him in and shutting the door behind her. Katiti stuck his tongue out, before dashing into the nearest side room as their mother came out.
Mama Bonecrusher was getting on in her years, her black ruff tinted with bits of grey. She was short and stocky, with a square jaw and sharp amber eyes. Her scars were few and far between, easily hidden by the dark spots on her brown skin. She dressed rather flamboyantly, her long brown garments covered in beads of many colours. She carried no visible weaponry, and wore half the bone jewellery that her daughter wore. There was nothing too aggressive about the way she looked, but Bantu knew better than that. Mama Bonecrusher had raised six children with a firm but loving hand, three of which had (unfortunately) died in the clan wars ten years ago. Bantu's older brothers had been among them, as well as her younger sister. Katiti, Bantu, and her older sister Chagina were all that were left. Still, the woman carried herself with a great air of dignity and pride. Even Bantu, who was a very strong-willed hyena woman, knew her place.
The moment Mama Bonecrusher spotter her daughter her face broke out into a toothy grin. "Eh look at my beautiful daughter! She come to see her mama when her mama says she don't need the help!" Bantu couldn't help but grin at her mother's words, allowing Mama to pat her affectionately on the cheek. "Come in and we get you something to drink. Baba! Baba stop chatting up Chagina's boy and get in here! Come see Bantu!" The leader of the Thieves' Guild barked out a laugh, bone jewellery clicking together. "It's okay Mama, I can go in a see him myself. Chagina's here?" The two women began sauntering towards the living room, still talking as they did so. "Mhmm, I told you in that last letter she was commin'! She's got a little one on the way and everything!"
Bantu resisted the urge to snort quietly. Mama Bonecrusher had always encouraged her children to have at least as many children as she herself had had. The idea had grown on Chagina, and it seemed that she was content following in her mother's footsteps. Bantu, on the other hand, had no desire to have children of her own. Managing her guild was practically like having children of her own anyways. Still, she had to admit that Mwelewa's little daughter was quite cute. But she had no man, and she wasn't just going to go out and get pregnant because her mother wanted grandchildren. Chagina could provide her with all she needed.
"Jambo Chagina! Hali ngani?" Bantu called as they entered the living room. Chagina looked up from the book she was reading, beckoning her sister closer. As the hyena women moved forward she caught sight of Chagina's husband. He was... surprisingly human. It wasn’t that Bantu didn't like humans, but she had always thought Chagina would marry another Ajaba. The sight of so much plain white skin was a bit strange for her. Still, she decided that she would be friendly, and plopped down next to her sister. "I hear good things about you," she said, nodding to Chagina's pregnant belly. Her sister shrugged, but looked rather pleased.
"He's happy, I'm happy, and Mama's happy. I can't complain. This is William, my husband. Will, this is Bantu, my sister." Bantu nodded when she was introduced, resisting the urge to give him a hyena grin. He seemed a bit uneasy, probably from being around so many Ajaba. She really couldn't blame him, especially since he was forced to have "manly chats" with her father. While Mama Bonecrusher was quite talkative and open, Baba Bonecrusher was like a black cloud. His spots were large and a deep black, concentrated mainly around his dark brown eyes. Unlike his wife he was heavily scarred, with many warrior tattoos on his face and his arms. His clothing was simple and hand-woven, as dark as his eyes. He most certainly didn't look friendly, and Bantu would be the first to admit he was rather frightening. Baba was a good man though, always firm but he would protect you with his life. It was good of this William to try and get on his good side.
"Bantu! You said you wanted to show me your kibarango ndezi?"
Mama's voice interrupted her thoughts, and Bantu nodded eagerly. "I was hoping you'd have a look at it and see what it was." She handed the wand over carefully, watching her mother take it. The Ajaba sat quietly while her mother examined it, listening to her tut over the number of rat bites it had. Truthfully, Bantu felt a little naked without the stick around her neck, but she kept her mouth shut. She knew her family would never steal anything from her, especially something so plain. Mama Bonecrusher gave the wisp a small poke with her claw, only to jump when it gave a little squeak. Bantu jumped, suddenly wanting to take the stick back more than ever.
Before she could try and get it back from her mother, the wisp began to change shape. While before it had vaguely resembled a ghost, it was starting to look more and more like a baby. A little head formed with large pink ears, the body filling out until arms and legs became distinct. The hands and the feet were as pink as the ears. Before long, Mama Bonecrusher was holding a fully grown baby in her arms, complete from his little pink nose to little pink tail. The baby squeaked again, blinking brown eyes up at the Ajaba. Mama Bonecrusher seemed only able to stare at the little child, whispering under her breath in Swahili. Baba, however, appeared to still be grounded. He left the room and returned with a small blanket, taking the baby from his wife and wrapping him up. The child gurgled happily, giving another happy squeak when he was finally handed to Bantu.
"Take good care of him, Bantu."
Bantu could only nod at her father's words, amber eyes staring down at the child in her arms. Well... that was fast.
"Two grandchildren," Mama Bonecrusher whispered proudly to her husband as she watched Bantu hold the small rat child in her arms. "Not bad."
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Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:35 pm
Learning to Mind the Ratbaby
Bantu hadn't really been thinking about having children. She had a guild to run and profits to manage, not to mention that she hadn't found a suitable man. Her kind were not above mating without love for the sake of strong children, and so the Ajaba wasn't against getting pregnant by a man that was not her mate. She had yet to find someone that would fit her needs, and so having a child was out of the question. Thus, she was wholly unprepared for the arrival of the rat baby, and rightly so. After all, what leader of the Thieves' guild had a spare crib, diapers, and all other baby necessities hanging around?
Needless to say, the hyena woman was extremely lucky to have such a supportive family. Mama Bonecrusher had given her some baby clothes and blankets, and Mwelewa's own wife had gone with her to help pick out other baby necessities. She had been extremely generous with her time, and had spent quite a lot of time with Bantu to teach her how to mother the little rat baby. Fuzzy, as Bantu had dubbed him until she found a more suitable name, seemed to be totally at ease with everything. He giggled at all the toys, he liked all of the clothes with the soft fabric, and he especially loved all of the people that came to see him. Fuzzy had only cried once, and that was when Bantu had accidentally bent his tail. She couldn't blame him for that. Bending tails hurt.
The first week with her new charge flew by. Bantu ended up investing in a sling so as to keep Fuzzy with her all the time. She told Mwelewa that she feared he would be taken and used against her for ransom or something, but the knowing smile on the wild dog's face told her that he knew better. Truthfully, Bantu didn't like being away from him. He was not a fussy baby, but the very fact that he was alone in his nursery until she could check on him bothered her more than she'd like to admit. Thus, she decided that he needed to stay with her at all times. He wasn't a big distraction. He slept, ate, and squeaked whenever he found something that he liked. Sometimes he would giggle during meetings, but a silent glare from Bantu silenced anyone who would protest against his presence. He wasn't hurting anyone, so why should he be barred from the meeting room?
The Ajaba ended up visiting Mama Bonecrusher almost every other day, just to make sure that she was taking good care of the little baby. Her mother seemed to be brighten up considerably at the sight of her new "grandchild" and even Baba showed a little interest in him. Fuzzy seemed to like Baba, even despite his rather scary outward appearance. He would giggle when Baba moved, apparently enjoying the movement of his jewellery. Bantu had even seen her father smile at him to get the rat baby to laugh. Overall, she was incredibly pleased with her progress as well as how well the baby fit in with her family. But there was just one thing bothering her. She didn't have a clue what was going to happen to him.
Was he a normal kid? Was he going to grow up normally? Could he return to the stick? With numerous questions and no answers, Bantu was stumped. Mama Bonecrusher finally suggested that she find that invitation and track down where the wand had come from. Though she did not really want to return to place she stole the wand from, Bantu was willing to go there if it meant she would get answers. And so off she went.
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Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:41 pm
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Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:36 pm
Dear Mama,
Things have been going well with the kibarango ndezi. He doesn't speak but he makes all kinds of squeaks and giggles. I've yet to see him cry about anything. Went out to the headquarters like you told me to, and I met this really strange guy. He called the kids who come out of sticks "zombies", because they had died and come back to life. I wasn't entirely sure what he was talking about, but he said that he didn't think they were being controlled by a shaman or anything like that. I don't understand why someone would resurrect another person without intending to use them in some way. Then again, the kibarango ndezi was resurrected as a stick and then a baby. Even so, they could be planning something when he gets older and they can actually use them. Perhaps that was why I was drawn to the stick in the first place. We'll have to keep a close eye on him to see if he shows strange behaviour.
The man at the "HQ" had a kid too, and he didn't seem to be controlled by anything. Usually the shaman has to mark them or something to bend their well, but the kid seemed to move like every other kid I've seen. If this is magic, it's very complicated. Do you think you could write back home to the Shaman and see what she thinks? It would be much appreciated. Also, ask Baba? I do remember that one of his soldiers got resurrected by a shaman and used, so I'd like his opinion on the matter.
No, I still haven't decided what to name him. I just call him Fuzzy now, and he seems to like that very much. Does anybody at your house have any ideas what to call him? I guess in the end if I can't think of a better name I can always name him after my advisor. Who he doesn't seem to like by the way. Mwelewa did this barking noise and he started making these clicking, irritated noises. I don't know if it was the noise or what, but I told Mwelewa not to make it again. I don't need him shrieking like I've heard rats do when they get upset. That would not be a nice sound to wake up to in the morning.
Bantu
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:22 pm
Dear Mama,
Thank you for the information and the charms. I put it around the kibarango ndezi's neck, and he seemed to like them very much. It looks like he's not being controlled by anyone, at least for now. He doesn’t seem bothered by the charms, though some of my followers are giving them strange looks. Apparently they've never seen an inverted antelope skull before. It doesn't surprise me, seeing as they've lived in this Gaia place their whole lives. That, or they've come from many other worlds that don't use such magic. Still, I'm very thankful that you sent it. It puts my mind to rest.
How is Katiti's arm? I can't believe that bozi fell off the roof trying to get a cat out of the tree. Why didn't he just go and get a ladder and Baba to help him? Or even Chagina's husband. He would have done just fine. But no, the bozi has to go and fall off the roof. He's much too heroic. If he wants to be a hero, tell him to go back the homelands and live as a warrior. Of course, I'm sure Baba has already told him that, so you don't need to tell him twice. How is Chagina doing? If she's been going to baby classes and the likes, can you ask her if I can come with? I want to know the types of places to take the squirt. I hope she has her kid soon so Kiba will have someone to play with.
Oh, did I tell you? I decided to call him Kibarango Ndezi. I know, I know, it's not the most amazing of names, but it fits him perfectly. After all, what better way to name him then to remind him of his origins? Besides, it'll just be for when we go out or he goes to school. I'll still call him Fluffy. Not that he has much hair, but he looks like he's growing some at the very least. I hope it's not white. White would be horrible to wash. You remember that albino daughter of Kiva's? She was so brown as a young pup!
Anyways, keep safe. I'll come over and visit again when I get a day off.
Bantu
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Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:43 pm
A Lost Ratbaby
Bantu's lip was curled back into a snarl as she towered over two of her younger thieves. Beatz, her cook, had caught them fighting behind the kitchen during the lunch hour, and had dragged them both by their ears to see their boss. The badger warrior now stood off to the side, arms folded over her chest and a scowl on her face. Beatz was generally the amiable sort, but she took great offense to fighting behind her kitchen. Not to mention this sort of fighting was something she considered extremely dishonorable. The pair in question, Haj and Gari, was staring pointedly at the floor, hands stuffed in their pockets.
"Haj!"
The Ajaba barked, watching the boy step forward. He was doing a good job maintaining his composure in front of the angry hyena woman. Bantu did give him guts for that. But he was still extremely stupid in her eyes. Fighting behind the kitchen. Did they honestly think that Beatz wouldn't hear them? She may enjoy her music, but she wasn't deaf. Bantu reached down to grab Haj roughly by the front of his shirt, bringing his face close to hers.
"This is your first warning kid, so I'll tell you how it goes. Everybody makes mistakes. One time, I'm not going to throw you out. Do this again, and I'll make sure to find you a suitable job cleaning out the latrines in the back."
Haj gave a small but shaky nod of his head, and Bantu released him. "Get out of my sight, and be sure the next time I see you it isn't because you've been picking stupid fights." The boy raced off the moment his boss had finished speaking, and the Ajaba turned her attention to Gari. Gari was no fight time offender. The girl seemed to enjoy picking on some of the younger guild members, and while that wasn't something Bantu cared about, she did care about the fights she started. She flashed her teeth at the girl before giving her ears a box.
"You stay out of trouble. I don't want to hear nothing about you getting in fights. Now go."
Bantu watched as the girl sulked off, rubbing her ears as she left. Sigh. Why were her guild members so stupid? They were thieves for the Great Skull's sake. They needed to learn how to be sneaky. Who fought in broad daylight where the cook could hear them? Jeeze. "Thanks for that, Beatz. Sorry to have them bother you like that." She scowled at the thought, still irked she had to be dealing with troublemakers. Beatz, on the other hand, simply shrugged and gave Bantu and affectionate punch in the shoulder.
"Never a problem. Might box the next ones' ears myself." The cook sauntered off, humming as she headed back to her kitchen. Bantu sighed softly, before heading back to her own room. Stupid troublemakers had ruined her morning routine. The hyena woman marched upstairs and into her room, closing the door behind her with her foot.
"Hey kibarango ndezi, how are you? Sorry I had to leave you like that, but I needed to go deal with some troublemakers. Can you believe them, fighting behind the kitchen? You'll be better than that, I know—"
At that point Bantu had leaned over to peer into the ratling's crib, only to find that there was no ratling to talk to. The Ajaba's blood went cold. Where was her baby? She had just left for a few minutes to go and deal with some ruffians! What could have possibly happened to him in that time? Bantu did her best to stop the panic that was turning her stomach to ice. She had to be calm. The window hadn't been opened, and he wasn't anywhere in the room (he was much too talkative to remain silent when he heard her voice). That meant that someone in the manor must have him.
Someone had gone into her room and taken him.
If anyone had thought Bantu was angry earlier, it was nothing compared to what she felt now. Amber eyes narrowed almost to slits and teeth bared, the Ajaba was a walking storm cloud. Or rather, a stomping storm cloud. She growled as she spun around, stomping out of her room and down her stairs. Anyone who might had been in the hall had retreated the moment they heard her coming, reduced to pairs of eyes peeping out from behind semi-closed doors. Bantu paid them no notice, instead focused on listening for a noise. Any noise, a squeak or even a peep, and she would know it was her ratling.
As the Ajaba stormed past the common room, a giggle made her stop dead in her tracks. Was that him? Several voices laughed along with the giggle, others chattering excitedly to each other. "Do it again! Do it again!" Someone said, and several squeaks could be heard over the laughter of the group. Bantu recognized those calls anywhere, and the hyena woman saw red.
"WHERE IS HE?!"
The crowd that had been gathered around the Ratkin baby took one look at Bantu and scattered. Only two members of the group remained, white ears pressed flat against their head as they sat a little closer to the baby. Even Kiba seemed to feel the anger radiating off his mother. His large pink ears pressed backwards against his head, and he clicked his teeth together in a brux.
Bantu snarled at the two offending members of the weasel clan, and the pair took a careful step backwards, away from the child. The hyena woman had the rat baby in her arms in an instant, holding him close to her in a very protective gesture. Amber eyes still burning, she glowered at the weasel twins. "Care to explain what you were thinking, Twitch and Spark?"
For a minute, it looked like neither of the ermine boys were going to speak. Then Spark cleared his throat nervously, before replying, "He was calling, Boss, honest. We were just coming in the window of one of the rooms up there when we heard him. We didn't mean to go in, but he heard us and started calling. I didn't want him be upset, so I figured since you were gone for a bit, we could bring him down here for a bit and entertain him." Two sets of brown eyes stared up earnestly at Bantu. Kibarango gave a low churr, causing the Ajaba to reach in and pet him. Well, no harm had been done, so she supposed she could forgive the two of them. But later.
"We'll discuss this later. You are dismissed."
Bantu turned on her heel and headed back upstairs to her room. Sometimes she wondered if this job was worth it. Honestly.
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Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:27 pm
Letting Others In
"Bantu, please. Don't be so angry."
Mwelewa pleaded as his nervous blue eyes watched a silently-fuming Bantu pace back and forth. She merely grunted as his words, amber eyes still narrowed. How dare they go into her room and take him? Just who did they think they were?! Sure, Twitch and Spark were one of her favourite members of the guild – only because they were not only competent they were also good at keeping out of trouble – but that didn't give them any right to take her ratling. He was hers! She had taken the stick, and now the baby was hers. And nobody was going to take it from her.
"Bantu...."
The Ajaba women stopped her pacing with a huff, turning to face her advisor. Mwelewa gave her a sheepish smile, clearly doing his best to consolidate her. "They were just entertaining him. Besides, you have to pack for your trip tonight. What are you going to do with him then? You can't take him with you." Though Bantu's eyes narrowed, she knew that her advisor was right. What WAS she going to do with him? The trip would be three days of sneaking into mansions that were highly guarded. It would be much to dangerous for her to bring along a baby. Could she really leave him in the hands of Twitch and Spark?
She grimaced at the thought, shaking her head. No. They couldn't be left to take care of a baby. The two could always entertain him, but they would not be good parents. Bantu had just taken two steps forward to start her pacing when a knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. Who would be knocking on her door at this hour? "It's open, what do you need?" The wooden door swung open to reveal Beatz, who grinned lazily at her as she strode inside. A soft jingle behind her alerted Bantu to the presence of Gyp, who glided in after the badger cook.
"Sorry te bother you, I know yer busy and all, but I think I know how to solve your problem." Beatz started, nudging the door shut behind her with her foot. "We were thinkin, and we—" She paused to gesture between herself and Gyp, who merely folded her arms across her chest, "Can watch over yer little baby. I'd be in charge of the main things, like feedin him and makin sure he's alright, and Gyp would take him out with her to her market stall whenever I'm real busy." The vixen nodded slowly at this.
Bantu didn't know quite what to say. Leave her rat baby... with Beatz? She had never even thought of that option. The badger cook was a little interesting, but she had a good heart and a firm hand. No one could protect Kibarango better than Beatz. The hyena woman wondered why she hadn't thought of her old friend in the first place. Gyp on the other hand.... Bantu was a bit curious as to why the vixen had volunteered. It was a well known fact that Gyp dealt rather harshly with children, not having the patience. Why would she want to watch the ratling all day?
As if reading her mind, the vixen spoke up for the first time since she entered the room. "I like him. You and I both know how much I don't like children Bantu, but let me say that this little creature can ensnare the heart of even the coldest beasts." With a wry grin, Gyp glanced in the direction of Kiba's crib. "I won't take him anywhere he won't be safe. Besides, he should go out and meet others, right? Socialization would be good for him." To this, Bantu had to grudgingly agree. Perhaps she really could leave her beloved rat child to her two most trusted friends. She knew that Beatz would take good care of him, and that Gyp would keep her word about letting him come to no harm.
With a sigh, the Ajaba ran her fingers through her hair. "Alright. I'll let you guys watch him. You can let Twitch and Spark play with him for a bit, but don't let them do anything stupid." Beatz grinned broadly at this, moving forward to clap Bantu on the shoulder affectionately. "Don't worry too much, Boss. We got it under control. You go pack yer things, and Gyp will take him down with her to her market stall."
Bantu nodded, shoving her hands in her pockets and sighing inwardly. This was one of the reasons she didn’t have children. It was too stressful leaving them. "Right. I'm going to go pack. I'm holding you to your word..." She gave both her friends a look, before striding out of the room and into her "study." The thief boss had much to prepare.
Gyp moved to lift the rat baby gently from his crib, settling him in his sling. "Come then, little one. We go off to set up my stall." And with a soft jingle from her bracelets, the vixen and the rat baby were gone.
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Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:29 pm
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Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:05 pm
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Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:08 pm
A quick note is scrawled on a napkin, left on top of the paper piles on Bantu's desk: Quote: BOSS WE BOT RATBABY SOM NEW THINGS. HOPE YOU DON MIND. LOTS OF PLUSHIES AND FUZZY THINGS, PLUS BLANKIE. HE LIKES THEM. <3 TWITCH + SPARK
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Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:10 pm
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:57 pm
The Boss Returns
Dear Mama,
How are things over there? Chagina is still staying over there, I'll assume. How is she doing? She'll be due soon, so I hope her husband is taking good care of her. I'd imagine you're very excited about it, so don't worry if you open this letter a little later than you usually would. And make sure you call me if you need anything. I can always spare a minute to come down and help you. I'm never too busy to come down and help you and Baba, you know that.
Business has been going well over here. I had to leave Kibarango Ndezi in the care of my close friends – you've met them all the last time you stopped by the manor – which was a little rough at first. But I had to go on a business trip and I couldn't take him along with me. You know how dangerous some of my trips can be. It would have been no place for a baby. Anyways, Gyp tells me that she took him with her down to her stall in the market, and that he met a very nice little boy down there. She says that it would be nice for them to meet again, despite the boy's rather shady guardian. I'll have to look into it myself. Beatz took him with her to the grocery store, and she ran into someone with some other kids. Rather nice gentleman, she said, and Kiba seemed to like the child of his who was chewing on a bone. Twitch and Spark brought him out to buy some toys for him (I don't know if they're spoiling him or what) and came back to tell me that these wand babies aren't zombies. I'll tell you more about what went on when you guys come over and visit.
It was a bit hard leaving him for the first time, but I was glad that everything went smoothly. Beatz says he's very easy to take care of, and he didn't seem any less affectionate towards me when I returned. Is it normal, Mama, to not want to leave your children for any great length of time? I mean, he's not actually my biological child, but he's still my kid. Plus I've always considered all the kids in the guild to be mind – seeing as I look after them – and I can leave them all okay. Did you have any trouble letting go of any of us, even though you had so many of us?
Hope everything is well over there. Again, call me if you need anything.
~ Bantu
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