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 Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 10:26 am
Applying for: Chewa
Player: pinchmonster
Prompt: Finally, you see the end of the road. You and your group are nearing the Aka'mleli lands. What is Chewa thinking, now that his goal is in sight?
They were only a few days out now.
Dusk had settled quietly over the land, the late hours of twilight merging effortlessly into the near blackness of night. Chewa had settled the group into a small outcropping of rugged stones that piled together to form an alcove that was just the right size for the travelers.
From his resting spot a short distance away from the other lions, Chewa allowed his mind to wander. These quiet hours of dawn and dusk were the only times that Chewa had to himself, and he'd come to cherish them. He didn't usually think about anything in particular, but tonight he had much on his mind. Foremost in his thoughts were the others, his traveling companions.
Soft snores rose from one of the lions; Chewa bet it was Sikivu. It bought a small smile to his muzzle. Sikivu was a good lion, strong and fatherly to the others in the group. Chewa had had to ask him for advice on more than one occasion, and Sikivu had given it freely. Chewa sometimes wondered if he had the strength and leadership to do what needed to be done. Sikivu had been gracious in offering help when Chewa needed it, and advice when Chewa was a bit too aggressive in his demands to keep moving.
Chewa knew he could be standoffish more often than not, and more than once this had caused spats between himself and Jahina. She was too happy-go-lucky at times, too perky and peppy. It irritated him to no end and he'd snapped at her quite a few times during their travels. She was too young to realize the importance of Chewa's duties, and had, on more than one occasion, upset him to the point where he felt pressured to admonish her sternly.
Yamini had come to him on those occasions, her solemn face almost pleading with Chewa to try to understand that Jahina meant well in her jest. He took her words quite seriously; it wasn't often that the unbonded lioness spoke, and when she did, Chewa listened. She was the only lion in the group that worried Chewa; oftentimes she was so quiet and trapped by her own thoughts that he couldn't help but be concerned for her. He could only hope that returning to their homelands would help her.
He hoped it would help them all.
A louder snore shook Chewa from his thoughts, and his pale gaze shifted back towards the group. Tilifika had positioned herself so that her foot was mashed into Sikivu's face, and she'd begun snoring softly. Tilifika had been the youngest when they'd began their quest back to the homeland, but she'd grown into quite a remarkable lioness. A bit headstrong at times, with high aspirations, Chewa knew she meant well and was unsure of how she'd be received once they returned home. Chewa knew she'd be fine but she didn't seem have the certainty that he did.
A soft, shrill cry broke the tranquility of the night air. A small, swift movement, the whispering of wings, caught Chewa's eye; that of Mvua, his bonded. The hawk landed on a small rock before fluttering to land on Chewa's mane. "Is all well?" he trilled softly, not wanting to wake the group of lions and birds that slept deeply in the cave.
"Yes," Chewa replied, moving towards the others. Soon they would be home, and maybe things could even go back to normal. Chewa could only hope.
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Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 12:29 pm
Applying for: Chewa
Player: Ecavi
Prompt: Finally, you see the end of the road. You and your group are nearing the Aka'mleli lands. What is Chewa thinking, now that his goal is in sight?
Serious. Humorless. Earnest. Cold. Grim. Boring stone-faced Chewy.
It didn't matter anymore the things they called him, the things mostly she called him. They were finally almost back home and it was almost frustrating how hard it was to get through that last little bit of the journey. He could have done it in no time, he was awake before any of them and he could keep going for longer than any of them but he had to hold himself back and stick with the group because they just couldn't go that fast. He worked so hard to get this far, he wasn't exactly an adult when he decided it was his job to help take care of everybody- he just knew that Sikivu needed the help. And he and Sikivu were the only males, but that probably shouldn't have mattered as much as he made it seem. The sun was setting on another day he had started hoping would be their last out here. While everybody else was done for the day, Chewa still had plenty of time to plan ahead.
"Mvua?" he muttered, looking around him for his hawk companion, "Mvua!"
The brightly marked raptor descended from a nearby tree where he'd been alternating between preening and keeping an eye open for anything particularly tasty to wander by and landed by the base of Chewa's tail, a favorite perching place of his. It was just easier to carry on a conversation from there, Chewa could turn around and he wouldn't be looking down at him. And Mvua didn't have to waste any energy trying to fly at eye level, hovering wasn't easy or worthwhile for a chat.
"Yes?"
Mvua was generally a quiet bird that could appreciate routine and liked to keep things in order. He'd been quite disturbed by the earthquake and was just as eager to return home and resume life with the Aka'mleli. It strengthened his resolve knowing it mattered so much to Chewa, who he trusted more than any other. He was an excellent secret keeper for the pale lion, not caring to share every detail with the general population to start with. He knew far more about Chewa than Chewa let on.
"Can you tell how far we are?" Chewa asked, turning to look at the hawk. He got a short nod in response and with a pinch where Mvua's talons pushed off of Chewa's backside, the hawk was up in the air, aiming high to look for something familiar. Chewa didn't bother sitting down, Mvua would be back to tell him. He almost held his breath as he waited. It happened every night for the last couple days. The closer they got, the more eager he got.. until it was time to stop and he began to think about what it would be to actually be home again. He worried about who wouldn't be there, who would be there, how the rest of the pride had managed through the quake.. and then he worried about what it would mean for him when they did make it. Every morning was time to "get over it" and every night was more time to brood.
Mvua came back down and settled into his perch on Chewa's back, "It's hard to say how close, things are familiar but who knows what the quake did to the land."
"True," Chewa muttered, sitting down. Startled, Mvua pushed off and flapped his wings to land softly on the ground, ruffling his feathers and hopping around to the side Chewa was on. "But we know we're almost there, we'll be there soon, maybe tomorrow." Chewa didn't have to look down to know Mvua was either rolling his eyes or fighting the urge to do it. They speculated about things a lot, mostly about what happened to everybody else at home, but now Chewa was wondering about other things.
"Do you suppose we'll still be friends after we get home?" he asked, laying down now.
"I'm sure Tili would be happy to stick around," Mvua offered with a chuckle, but he knew that it probably wasn't going to cheer Chewa up.
"Yeah," Chewa muttered at the mention of the ever-determined Tilifika, "But- what about Jahina?"
"Jahina?" Mvua repeated, more surprised to hear Chewa say it than anything. He'd thought about these things before, just never bothered Chewa with such a silly topic.
"Yeah," Chewa muttered again, but in a slightly different tone, "I know she thinks I'm too serious and boring but I'm just trying to make sure everybody gets home safe, trying to make sure she gets home safe." He wouldn't dare tell anybody but Mvua, he even doubted himself, but it was the thought of Jahina wandering off and never bothering to speak to him again that made him most anxious. They didn't exactly get along now but he hadn't always been so boring.
Mvua hesitated but then tried to brighten up, "I don't see why not."
"Seriously?" he sighed, looking at Mvua- clearly not believing him.
"OK, OK, OK," Mvua said, shaking his head, ruffling his feathers and hopping onto one of Chewa's paws, "Maybe if you lightened up a little."
Chewa only glared at that particular suggestion, everybody told him that often enough.
"I'll even help with your smile."
The glare changed, it was almost playful- and Chewa quickly lifted up his paw and shook it, sending Mvua flapping wildly to catch his balance and land back in the grass.
"So close," he said, chuckling at the almost-smile he'd gotten from Chewa and hopping back just in time to miss another playful-annoyed swipe meant to quiet him, "Everything will be fine."
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 3:44 pm
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:38 pm
Applying for: Yamini
Player: Kimaria
Prompt: With the fact that she is still without a second pairing, Yamini wonders if it is because she may be nearing the end of her life as well. How is she reacting to this morbid idea? (note: the lions do not worship the goddess Hestia, but the birds do)
Death.
It was coming for her.
She knew it. They knew it. Everyone damn well knew it! So why were they pretending that it was all going to be okay? Why did they insist on trying to tempt her out into the sunshine to join them? She just wanted to be left alone to deal with it – or not, as the case may be.
It wasn’t that Yamini wanted to die. Not really. She had at first when the world had been crumbling in on her, crushing and loud and frightening and stealing away the little life of her paired one. Her kite; poor Tume. Yamini had screamed and screamed until the darkness came for her, too; her dreams flicking between nothingness and the body of a limp, trapped bird, its lifeless eyes staring out at her from the place of death.
Those eyes still came to watch her as she slept, calling her, bringing with them a message that she both feared and wished for - if only because it would stop this horrible dread.
She closed her eyes and felt the hot tears run free, working their way through the dusty fur on her face. She wanted Tume back. She wanted the land to return to the way it had been before the quake. But that wouldn’t happen and such hopes only made things worse.
She had spent the last few days thinking up reasons as to why a new avian had not come to join her. Perhaps to alleviate her fears about the possibility of her impending death. Either way, no matter how good the reasons were, the one she feared the most cast a shadow of doubt over every single one of them.
Perhaps the lack of an avian companion was her punishment for not being able to save Tume. Perhaps it was because, whilst Tume had been alive, she’d never really appreciated his aid and friendship. Or maybe it was simply that her new avian had not yet found her way to her. Perhaps if she made herself more visible, he or she would discover her and life would start looking up a little.
Or not…
She sighed deeply and sadly, setting her head across her forepaws; fully prepared to fall back into her depressed, withdrawn slump when something invaded her stream of thought.
A voice. A cheery, happy and somewhat comforting voice – to be more exact.
Jahina.
No doubt the young female was coming over to see her and tell her about sort of mischief she’d gotten herself into. Such childlike innocence rang some warmth into Yamini’s heart and she hoped that, if only for a little while, Jahina would bring her some respite from the sorrow and fear that had hold of her, never wanting to let go.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:43 pm
Applying for: Jahina
Player: Kimaria
Prompt: After quite a scolding from the serious Chewa, Jahina wanders off to console herself. What does she do?
“Wow, he sure was angry.” Jahina grumbled as she retreated from Chewa’s blazing glare and into the comforting hedgerow that would shield her from his angry eyes. “I was only playing around. It’s not like I meant for it to happen.”
Ngeu – who had been silently laughing throughout Chewa’s tirade – literally guffawed as she came to settle on Jahina’s shoulder, wings flaring to help keep her balance. “I can’t say I blame him, Jah-Jah. But it was a fabulous aim!! I’ll never forget the look on his face!”
“It was terrible aim, Ngeu! I was meant to hit you, not him.”
But Ngeu wasn’t listening. “SPLAT! Right in the face! It’ll take days to get the mud out of his mane!”
Jahina rolled her eyes, but the smile was slowly creeping its way back across her face. “It was pretty funny, wasn’t it? But boy was he mad! And you weren’t helping matters. I could see you laughing at him behind his back. I thought my sides were going to split!!” She bounced suddenly, jarring the vulture and forcing her to take flight else tumble to the ground. “But now we’ve got to live with an extra grumpy Chewy, now. I hope your happy. I f you hadn’t dodged the mud in the first place none of this would have happened!”
“But dodging is part of the game.” Ngeu reminded, coming to land a few strides ahead and hopping ungainly across the rocky landscape, hunched and awkward looking as always. “Besides, in a few days it’ll all be forgotten. We’ll just steer clear of him until then.”
Jahina made a face. “I feel sorry for him really. That boring stone-faced Chewy. He needs to lighten up and live a little, doesn’t he? Just because he’s declared himself our ‘Guardian’ doesn’t mean he has to be so serious all the time.” She huffed. “Someone needs to show him how to have a good time!”
“Sounds like a job for Jah-Jah and Ngeu!” The vulture replied, her eyes already kindled with sparkling ideas.
Jahina laughed, ears perking as she moved forwards and flopped somewhat ungracefully onto the dusty ground. “Alright, my partner in crime, tell me what you’ve got!”
The vulture leaned forwards, lifting her wings to shield both of their faces from view as they plotted. “Okay, listen up. This is gonna be a good one.”
And anyone who passed by would be able to tell they were up to no good; their whispers and erratic spouts of laughter a clear sign of what was going on.
Jahina and Ngeu were plotting another of their many ‘Cheer up Chewy’ skits. And as always, they would be met with the same stone-faced expression and a lecture.
But was it worth it?
The simple answer: yes. Yes it was.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:38 pm
Applying for: Tilifika
Player: Azael_Rose
Prompt:
The young lioness stomped away from her companion, grumbling under her breath, "What does he know! I'm not that young..."
Just a few minutes earlier she had been talking with Pisha about her plans, plans that would really show how competent she could be. But he wouldn't listen, shooting down each and every one of them. Tilifika finally had had enough and yelled at him. They went back and forth with raised voices, each trying to make a point on deaf ears.
Eventually she walked away, and he flew into a nearby tree happy to ignore her. She headed to the plains where the large game was, it was dangerous and she knew it but it was also the easiest and fastest way to prove herself. Tilifika was determined to earn her keep within their small group. She may be the youngest and smallest but that wouldn't keep her down. No, not this one - Tili was as stubborn as they come.
Soon enough she was at the plains. The small lioness dived behind a pile of rocks, getting herself ready to pounce on an unsuspecting wildebeest. A straggler from the group moved closer to her position. This is just too easy, she thought with a twitch of her tail. The young male was so close she could smell the must of his fur. She waited until he turned and nibbled at a plant. Then without any hesitation she leaped out from the rocks onto her prey's back. She dug her claws into his hide but her teeth missed his neck as he bucked.
Tilifika was off balance and hanging by just her nails when the wildebeest started to run. Realizing that she had a slim chance now at taking it down, she tried to free herself but alas one paw remained stuck. Her front left paws still clung to the prey's neck. The young buck took a hard right and swung her out against the rocks that circled the plain. He was desperately trying to shake her.
The sheer rock face battered her back and bruised her limbs but she still held on. If she hadn't, her front leg might have broken. She tugged trying to loosen her embedded nails but that seemed to panic the buck more. She was out of options and another rock face loomed closer as the wildebeest stampeded towards it.
"Tili!" A voice called out from above. The lioness tried to look up, but couldn't with all the thrashing. She knew who it was, Pisha had come to the rescue. The dark vulture swooped down low, missed and tried again. This time he nipped her stuck paw hard enough for her to yelp and pull back. The last nail released from the hide and she was free. Pisha swooped back down, this time in front of the buck and gave a piercing caw. It distracted the him enough to slow down and Tili took the opportunity to roll off of him.
The ground was hard and she took yet another beating, but she was alive thanks to her friend. She watched her target lope away back to his herd, which were somewhere out of sight now. She groaned and didn't look at the vulture when he landed besides her. He inspected her wounds from a distance, saying nothing. "I could have had it..." she said almost weakly.
Pisha nodded, happy with her condition, "Perhaps a different day. Now let's get you back home." For once she didn't argue.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:03 pm
Applying for: Yamini
Player: Azael_Rose
Prompt:
((I named her companion for the prompt))
Much time had passed since the earth had moved and shattered Yamini's world, and taken her small companion Ande ('pillar'). She felt empty and not whole without him. He had kept her so level-headed and out of trouble as an adolescent. Now she was not herself.
She waited for Hestia to send her a second bonding but none have come. It greatly worried her, and at first she believed she had done some injustice to the birds' goddess. Questions flowed through her mind, wreaking havoc on her mental state. Did I not try hard enough to save Ande? Did I mistreat or ignore him in some way? What did I do?!
She didn't want to dwell on the possibility that her life was nearing its end. The dread was still there but Yamini refused to even think of it. Her reasoning had been that she would have died along with Ande during the quake if that was truly her destiny.
So she started to think up of why she had not been sent another bonded, and finally one idea stuck out. They were not home with their pride, they were lost from them. If they returned home then surely she would find another companion. That had to be it, it could be the only truth and it gave Yamini hope that all was not lost. Now with a fire in her belly, she was determined to reach their pride at all costs. She would live on for Ande...
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:42 pm
-writing up her entry- :3!
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 6:19 pm
Applying for: Chewa
Player: Samuality
Prompt: Finally, you see the end of the road. You and your group are nearing the Aka'mleli lands. What is Chewa thinking, now that his goal is in sight?
Dawn has just barely broke, the glimmering fingers of the sun’s rays playfully dancing upon the horizon. The light was coy this morning, not yet ready to immerse the earth with its warmth and thus the lions continued unheeded in their slumber. All, of course, except for one.
His coat as ashen as the stony sentinel he resembled, Chewa stood watch beyond his pride members; a silent guardian. As always, the lion was the first to rise. He rarely slept long on an ideal night and with the encroaching mountains looming ahead his mind was even more distracted; sleep had been impossible. Finally, after so long and such peril, the lost lions would be returning home. It was a brooding excitement that filled the grey lion, so eager to prove his self to the pride yet at the same time instinctively wary of what may lie ahead. Just as the mountainside had changed what Chewa thought would be a permanent countenance, so could have the place they called home. His brow was furrowed; even the flapping of wings as his avian companion fluttered to the ground at his side did not rouse him from his swirling thoughts. It must have shown; the black hawk, tipped in tendrils and dots of orange, regarded him for a moment before clicking his beak loudly to announce his return.
“Earth to Chewa, hello? Wow, I’ve never seen someone actually get lost in thought,” chirped the bird, a smirk crossing his face.
Chewa stirred, his brow remaining furrowed as it turned into a scowl at Mvua’s words. “Do you think it will be the same?” he pressed his friend, in a serious tone not uncommon to his deep voice, as he remained staring at the mountains and ignored the jest at his expense.
Mvua followed his gaze, not surprised he failed to get a reaction from the seemingly humourless male. But he knew enough to see his bonded was troubled. The poor lion had been only young when his life was turned upside down; forced to grow up too fast, it was no wonder the boy put up such a solemn and stern façade. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly, “But does it matter?”
Chewa turned suddenly, peering curiously at the hawk. “What do you mean?”
The bird smiled, and with a swooping wing, gestured at the four lions and lionesses sleeping behind them. “You don’t need to go home to prove yourself, Chewa. You’ve protected those who have become your kin, you’ve gotten them this far. It doesn’t matter what lies ahead, whether you become a member of the pride’s guard or not. They,” he paused, again gesturing to the group, “will always need protecting in some way or another and you love them, so you will always be their special guard. You have their respect; you will always be needed with them, regardless of what happens when we return.”
The pale lion was quiet for a moment, pondering what Mvua had said. The hawk knew him better than anyone, that little bird knew all of his hopes and dreams; as well as his fears, apparently. He looked back at the mountains, a hint of nervousness chipping at his stony confidence. But he shook his head- Mvua was right.
His sombre gaze turned from the mountain pass and softened as he took in the dozing four, an affectionate smile flickering across his lips. They had been through much and although a couple managed to grate his nerves more often than not, he did love them as he would his own family.
He would always be their “boring stone-faced Chewy”.
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Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:09 am
Applying for: Tilifika
Player: MoonRazor
Prompt: Tilifika and Pisha have an argument; explain what it is about.
“Pisha, would you stop already?” The lioness rose from where she had be lying, shaking her head as the black vulture reached to pull a tangle out of her forelock. A scowl adorned her dainty features, perfectly matched with the angry glare she directed toward the bird.
The vulture scoffed and shook his head in return, returning her stare with his stark, almost transparent turquoise eyes. “No, I will not stop,” He snapped, hopping after her. His wings snapped open and, with a brief flutter, he landed atop her withers and continued grooming the feisty young lioness, whose attempts to rid her back of the vulture all ended in vain. “Look at you, Ka,” he continued, still pulling at her tangled forelock with his beak. “Just look at you.” A small sigh issued forth from his pale beak, accompanied by yet another shake of his head, which seemed to say what am I ever going to do with you, young one?
“Look at me what?” Tilifika retorted, a huff escaping her as she relented and slouched back to the ground.
“Posture!” Pisha snapped again, curling one taloned foot until the claws dug into the bright lioness’s back, and a protesting whimper could be heard as Tilifika straightened her shoulders. “Look at all of you,” he resumed, releasing his claws. “Here you are, trying to show the world you matter, and you have no concern whatsoever about your own appearance! You have to look the part, Ka, not just think it!” The vulture hissed his disapproval as he came across a particularly tricky knot in his friend’s mane. “Nobody is going to look at the mess that you are and think, ‘She will do great things.’ You know why? Because when you look like a mess, you are a mess, and until you clean up, you’re not going to get anywhere in the world!”
“Says who?” Tilifika frowned, an indignant pout crossing her face as she slumped forward again.
“Says the bird who understands the world, apparently far better than you ever will.” Pisha rolled his eyes. The difficult knot had untangled at long last, and at once, the black bird began combing through the lioness’s hair for more offending tangles. “I said, posture,” he added, squeezing a talon again, and was rewarded by an instant straightening of the lioness’s back. “Like I said,” he continued. “You have to look the part. And that’s not just in keeping clean, it’s also in your posture, you hear me? Nobody looks at a slouching brat and thinks, ‘She’s going to go places.’”
“Yea, well, nobody’s going to look at the stupid bird on my back and think, ‘Geez, he’s really something!’” Tilifika growled, suppressing the urge to sprawl forwards again.
“And therein lies the difference between us, Ka,” Pisha said patiently, as if he was explaining a simple concept to a young child. “I don’t need to ‘really be something’ like you do. You can have all the fame and glory, if you ever get it. I’m just along for the ride, and I didn’t ask for any of it.”
“That makes you a loser, Peesh,” Tilifika huffed, irritated as always by Pisha’s complete lack of ambition. How could she ever have befriended such an aimless creature?
“Pisha, thank you very much,” the vulture snapped again. “A lack of desire to be in the limelight does not a loser make, dearheart. Dirt and tangles, on the other hand…” He trailed off pointedly, allowing the lioness to complete the sentence as she pleased.
Tilifika said nothing, defeated, as she always was by Pisha’s turn of words. He made some sense, and if she was, in fact, some sort of loser, then she wouldn't be going places like she had always expected, and had always strove for. Without ambition, she didn't know where to go, what to do, or what she had to look forward to.
The vulture sighed and rubbed his beak lightly against the back of her head. “You have much to learn yet in this world, Ka,” he told her, his voice now soft as he reassured his friend. Words could not say just how much he loved his bonded. “But you will be going places. You will do great things, I promise you.”
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Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 8:15 pm
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 6:22 am
Applying for: Yamini
Player: DarkHeartedSorrows
Prompt: With the fact that she is still without a second pairing, Yamini wonders if it is because she may be nearing the end of her life as well. How is she reacting to this morbid idea? (note: the lions do not worship the goddess Hestia, but the birds do)
Despite it being mid-day, the ground was shadowed as the sun hid behind large clouds and took a rest from watching the lands. Yamini worried her lip as she sat on a rock and watched the rolling clouds float by, never letting more than a second of light stretch through. It made her mind wander to her own problems.
She watched every day as the other members of the group traveled and conversed with their companions. She watched the smiles grow and the bonds strengthen through every hardship they faced. But she lacked the same feelings. She hadn't found another companion, and it was beginning to look like a storm cloud on the horizon, warning her of the coming doom. Sometimes she wasn't sure if there was sunlight on the other side.
She missed her bird - the one she'd lost in the quake. They'd been a perfect pair, thinking almost as one. The kite had been a mother hen of sorts, making sure Yamini didn't get run into anything unprepared or with too large a head. She missed the feeling of someone always watching out for her and making sure she'd be okay.
Now Yamini wondered about what the fates were telling her. It had been so long, she should have be paired again, but still there wasn't a feather in sight for her. Was Hestia telling her something? Did she foresee Yamini's future, and refuse to send a bird to suffer with her? What was her future?
She fought back tears as she looked towards the ground. Hestia was obviously telling her that she was not forgiven for allowing her previous companion to be killed. She should have been more alert. Should have snatched her away before the rock could hit her. Yamini herself would have been able to survive the rock hitting her; she should have protected the beautiful kite with her own body. There were so many things she should have done and hadn't and now she was being punished for it. The others would notice, eventually. They'd gossip about her, and the thought of it broke Yamini's heart. She just wanted to fit in and have a companion again.
"I'm so sorry." She whispered to the ground, a single tear falling to the darkened earth.
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 7:40 am
Applying for: Chewa
Player: MoonRazor
Prompt: Finally, you see the end of the road. You and your group are nearing the Aka'mleli lands. What is Chewa thinking, now that his goal is in sight?
“A snack for your thoughts,” Mvua’s distinctive voice jarred Chewa from his reverie as the black hawk hopped toward him, dropping the carcass of a small, now-unidentifiable rodent at his feet. From the moment they had met, Chewa had noticed something special about the way the black hawk spoke, almost as if the hawk spoke constantly in song. His lilting voice seemed to croon in time to some muted rhythm that only Mvua could hear, and always his words came almost song-like when he spoke, the pitches varying like the sound of rain against a motionless mirror of water, in a manner that Chewa found inexplicably comforting.
“Hm?” The gray lion raised his brow at the hawk, regarding Mvua with crystalline, gray eyes that had the tendency of staring unblinkingly at their target for extended periods of time, either completely focused upon the subject, or seemingly staring straight through it. It seemed rather as though the half-wild gaze that rested within those gray eyes knew nothing in between, nothing any less intense, for either one – focused or not – had the ability to completely unsettle its target, as Mvua had soon discovered upon meeting the somber young lion.
Old before his time, Mvua had always said to himself, though he knew better than to voice such concerns to the lion.
“Come on, Che,” Mvua met the stark gray-eyed stare with his, equally unsettling at times, though perhaps in different ways than that of his companion. For deep within Mvua’s crimson eyes, there burned a fire brighter than anything anyone would have expected in a creature as small as he, a driving fire that fueled the black hawk in his never-ending quest to aid his best friend in anything the lion might decide to do in life. “It doesn’t take a friend like me to see you’ve got thoughts aplenty running through your head. I would be surprised if you didn’t, so… A rabbit for your thoughts.”
“It’s nothing,” Chewa nosed at the carcass, but left it untouched. He had not the stomach for snacks; Mvua had been right – he had too many thoughts running wild and unchecked through his mind, and he had little idea where to begin to rein them in and regain control. “Nothing that matters, Vu,” the lion added, noticing the subtle quirk of the black hawk’s brow.
“Oh, good, Che. If they don’t matter, then clearly, they don’t exist, right?” Mvua shook his head at the lion, rather as if he was dealing with a small, somewhat petulant child – as it seemed to the hawk the lion still was, in some ways. “And clearly, they aren’t important,” He quipped, hopping over to the rabbit he had brought and sinking his beak into it. No point in wasting good food. “Not hungry, are we?”
Chewa sighed, lowering his head onto his white-dipped paws as he regarded the feasting hawk. “If you insist…”
“I do insist, Che,” Mvua interrupted between bites. “This is what I’m here for, okay? If you don’t trust me, you have nobody in this world.”
“I do trust you, Vu, I just… it’s not fair for me to burden others with my own worries. Not when there’s so much else we could all be worrying about.” Chewa murmured, his gaze fixed upon the black hawk, but staring at nothing in particular as he attempted to confront his ghosts. It was a hassle for the both of them, Mvua’s demanding to know Chewa’s worries and thoughts, but if the lion had to be honest, unloading them onto the black hawk was an outlet for his emotions that he couldn’t quite function without. Even if he didn’t do it completely willingly, the knowledge that Mvua was there and would always know when it was time to grill him for worries was a reassurance that Chewa would always be glad to have, whether he liked to acknowledge it or not.
The hawk said nothing, only hummed in response as he dug deeper into the rabbit, waiting patiently while Chewa drew up the courage to share whatever it was that was haunting him at the moment. There was always something, Mvua knew, that was on Chewa’s mind. The lion took the world too seriously, and that, the hawk feared, would eventually lead to his downfall.
“I just… this is it, Vu,” the lion began. “We’re almost home; this is what we’ve been working for since day one. For all this time, this is what’s kept me going: getting us home safe, all in one piece. This is all that I’ve thought about every moment of every day for so long, and…” Chewa took a breath. “Now that we’re here, I don’t really know what I have left. We’re at the end of the mission that’s pretty much consumed me, and I don’t even remember what life was like before having to get home. I don’t know what to do after this, and it feels almost like I’ve lost my identity…”
The hawk abandoned his rabbit, raising his head and hopping over the carcass to close the distance between himself and his bond. “Che, I know you. I know that you always need to have a goal to focus on in order to function properly, and in order to bring the best out in you. And this one? This has been a big goal, and now you’ve reached it.” The lion nodded. “I get why you’re feeling like this, Che, but listen to me, alright? This isn’t the end. No, it’s just the beginning. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you, my friend, your whole life to find yourself and figure out what you are and who you are. There’s your goal, Che, to find yourself.” Mvua butted his head against the lion’s shoulder reassuringly. “And even if it isn’t, it doesn’t matter. Just focus on that first, and if somewhere along the way, things change, then so be it. That’s life, and you’ll just have to learn to roll with it. But you never need to worry, okay? It’s just the beginning. Remember that, Che. It’s not the end of anything.”
“Right,” The gray lion allowed a rare smile to cross his face. “The beginning.” He lifted his gaze to the sky, tracing the route of a light cloud as it scudded lightly across the vast expanse of blue, pushed from one point to the next, moving ever forward – rather like himself, he supposed. “Things are going to change, though, aren’t they, Vu? They can’t possibly stay the same once we get home…”
There was a trace of sadness and nostalgia in the lion’s voice as he spoke, to which the black hawk once more butted his head lightly against the lion’s shoulder. “Of course they are, Che,” he said. “But they don’t have to change completely – not if you don’t let it. Everything is in your hands, Che, everything. It’s not going to spin out of control, trust me.”
To this, Chewa nodded his head. “Yea. But even if it does, I guess that would just be the start of something too.”
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 10:05 am
Applying for: Yamini
Player: Depawsit
Prompt: With the fact that she is still without a second pairing, Yamini wonders if it is because she may be nearing the end of her life as well. How is she reacting to this morbid idea? (note: the lions do not worship the goddess Hestia, but the birds do)
The ache that tore at the lioness' heart refused to relent, the guilt, the remorse, and the sorrow. Everything seemed to close in on her at once.
Not only had she lost her companion, she had lost the light in her own eyes. It was her time, and she knew it. Death was slowly coming for her and she was doing her best to prepare for it, as much as it frightened her to to the core to do so.
Lying in the shade of a nearby tree the female wept silently to herself, not allowing even a muffle to escape her lips as silent tears streaked down her face. He was gone, and no one else was coming for her. Except death.
It had been days since the earthquake. Days that the lioness had spent pushing her limits, torturing her wounds, and putting stress on her already frazzled mind, all in hopes of finding her best friend, all which had been for nothing.
Anger quickly consumed the female and she lashed out at the ground beneath her body, clawing at it in anger, and quickly pulling into herself as the pain from her wounds became clear.
"If only I had been a better friend..."
The words echoed as the female heard the far off giggles of the other survivors. Another silent tear fell to the dirt below her. Never again would she feel that happiness. Hestia had chosen not to grant her a new companion, and that could only mean she wasn't far from her final resting place.
Burying her head into her paws the female murmured a few final words before drifting off into another sleep filled with the remorse and nightmares she would carry to the grave.
"Good night dear friend, I shall be with you soon.."
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 1:40 pm
Applying for: Chewa
Player: La Merwaffle
Prompt: Finally, you see the end of the road. You and your group are nearing the Aka'mleli lands. What is Chewa thinking, now that his goal is in sight?
"..."
"Come onnnn! What are you gonna do when we get to Aka'mleli? Tell me!" The ever persistent, ever determined Tilifika asked him for what, to him seemed like the five millionth time. "Don't make me ask a fourth time, Chewa. What are ya going do?" Okay. So maybe not 5 million, but it was close enough in his opinion.
He had a hard time answering questions about himself and an even harder time with ones about things beyond his current objectives, so this inquiry really threw him off his game. Chewa didn't like putting himself first or for that matter, considering himself at all. When left to think, he was a 'what if' kinda quy. The kinda of 'what if's that made people react with emotions. Emotions and feelings were things he didn't want to deal with.
He liked being the strong one. The one the pride, or their little piece of pride, relied on and acting on emotions makes it hard for people to depend on you. Emotional leaders will always make a bad choice based on emotions. It hazes the mind's vision and he was determined to not let that happen. People can die that way and he would not let more people close to hi-"CHEWAAAAA! Anyone in thereeeee?!"
"So loud..." Sighed the large lion, slowly standing up from a short rest. The pink lioness coughed and stepped back as dust surrounded her. It became quite apparent that Chewa's mane was not just gray because of his coloring when he shook while stretching.
"That's gross," she moaned after she relieving her poor noise from the intense sneezing sensation the dirt and dust had brought on. "Are you ever gonna answer my question? Huhhhh, Chewa?"
His answer became very clear as he walked forward, leaving her and his sleeping companion behind. It wasn't even that he wanted to be rude to her, despite her harassment and banter, it was just that he didn't even know what he would do. He'd had his goal so high for so long, he hadn't even thought of what would be left for him after the fact. Once he figured it out, he'd tell her. But now, with his goal in sight, his mind was too cluttered to be seeing clearly and he didn't like it one bit.
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