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 Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 7:16 pm
Chamchela's expression became something of a thoughtful pout as a pair of boys made their way to the edge of her mother's shrine. Curious, the little one watched for a moment before looking to her mother expectantly. Couldn't they make their presence known YET? One look at her mother's returned expression answered that loud and clear. No. Not yet, but soon. She seemed to be waiting for something, but Chamchela was getting impatient as to find out -what-.
"I'm certain your paths will cross again someday Shemshi, you needn't worry over that." Mteule smiled faintly, attempting to reassure the young male. He watched for a moment afterwards as a bright yellow spot began to move away from Tanashita at last, Johari sneaking away from the parent to take a few curious sniffs of one of Shemshi's paws.
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Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 10:53 am
A squeal met Paki's ears and immediatly he recognized it as Nakawa, the game turning into reality and the cub froze. Taking a deep sniff and letting the world soar into his body through the scents, he caught wind of his nephew and bolted in that direction. Senses told him when to dodge a large looming leg, scent told him that he was getting closer and closer.
"Nakawa!" He called out as he got to the edge of the slope where his nephew was further down.
Paki bristled immediatly from the smell of water that rose from the edge of the slope up to his ultra sensitive nose. His nephew was down there near that water, that must have been his problem.
Digging his paws down into the mud and slip of the slope, Paki moved forward slowly and sniffed around for Nakawa in the hopes of grabbing his tail to pull him back up.
ninja
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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 7:53 pm
Nakawa licked his face that still dripped with water as he waited. Only a moment had passed before he heard a familar voice. "Paki? I uh... I'm kind of stuck in this icky mud." His soft voice at first called to the water below him but he soon turned his head to look over his shoulder at his uncle.
His golden eyes watched wide with worry as his uncle came slowly down the slope for him. "Wait... I... Be careful." He stamped over soft words as he watched, wishing there was another way but any other way he could think of they'd both get in a heap of trouble. Catching on to what Paki was trying to do Nakawa stretched out his tail toward his uncles nose.
"Stay with Tui and don’t run off..." Those were mother's words and now he was stuck in mud when she wanted him to stay clean. He couldn't let the adults see him like this.
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Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 8:42 am
Kifijo had watched the cubs vanish a few yards away with a wary eye. Not that he didn't trust them to be careful and stay out of trouble, but...
They were cubs. And Paki couldn't do everything that Nakawa could.
The ingrediants for this new 'game' simple spelled disaster whichever way he looked at it.
Kif could only hope that they didn't get into any trouble.
And he couldn't hear them.
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Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:01 am
"Don't worry, I've got you. Just don't panic or move." Paki told him just as he snagged him by the tail and pulled.
The cub knew that it would probably hurt his nephew just a bit to have his tail yanked like this, but it was the only way that he knew how to do it. All the little cream cub could do was pray it didn't hurt.
Jerking his head to one side rather sharply, Paki hefted Nakawa all the way from down near the water to the solid ground up beside him. All the muscles in his neck pulled at one time in the process, nearly forcing his front paws deeper into the ground and the mud as he did so.
Grunting when his nephew was up on solid ground the little pale cub relaxed for a moment and instantly regretted it. The ground slid under his paws and sent him careening into the water with a high pitched screech. Water was the one thing in his life that ever frightened the poor blind cub, mostly because he couldn't tell which was up or down. Water sucked into his lungs and he thrashed around in pure panic, blind silver eyes wide and white muzzle open in noiseless horror as he tried to breath something that wasn't water.
ninja
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Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:09 am
Kifijo thanked his lucky stars and the Gods everday.
That he had an amazing mate.
That he had such a great family when he had once had none at all.
And that he--
Suddenly, a shriek in the distance curved his ears to one side, recognizing the voice as a cub and.
Paki's.
It was Paki. He was hurt. He was in trouble. This was what he had been afraid of. All along, someone was going to get hurt, and the probability of it being his youngest son--
The thoughts didn't even begin to finish in his mind before he had leapt from Tana's side, swerved around the pride's members, and dashed into the trees, heart racing at the thought of him being too late.
Kifioj thanked his lucky stars and the Gods everyday.
That he had an amazing life.
That he had a family in those he had never known.
And that he had the best hearing of his family.
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Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:17 am
Tears ran down Paki's now wet face, though he didn't quite know if he was or not, just that he was all wet and cold and heat was pooling within his chest. The attempts to hold his breat or suck more in was just succeeding in winning him more water within his lungs.
The cub was just about to give up entirely when his body gave up for him, limbs went limp and his eyes rolled slightly as they closed and he started to sink from the water in his own body. Claws retracted back again as the small cub sunk down below the water and all that was seen was the tip of one of his chocolate paws as he dissapeared.
In his unconscious mind, Paki didn't know if this was the end or not, though he truely hoped that it wasn't despite not being able to think at all. Even if he loved his family and they treated him differently, they were his family... they deserved to be told of how much he loved them. How much he wished to be just like his Pappi and how much his momma helped him.
ninja
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Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:27 am
Kifijo scrambled over a fallen log and almost straight into a hidden mud-pit before leaping over and continuing on his way.
His legs pumped faster and his heart raced dangerously close to the edge.
A white shape neared before him, looking down into a rather strong stream's current.
Paki was nowhere to be seen.
Kifijo didn't even yell for him. He jumped in insantly. The waves were not strong enough for Kifijo to even notice them twice, but to a blind lion and a young cub, it was terrifying.
The father opened his eyes underwater, having gasped in a long breath of air. The water was a bit more murky than the surface let on. He would have to use everything but his eyesight.
And now he was just like his son.
His large paws easily swept water away from him, propelling Kifijo through the water as his legs scraped the floor.
When his tail touched fur, he whirled around, feeling with his paws and swimming close enough to try and recognize who this fur belonged to.
Cream and chocolate was all he saw. It was all he needed before Paki was in his mouth and Kifijo was swimming to the surface and the shore.
The adrenaline was near gone, but the everpresent thought of him being too late weighed heavily on his mind as he dragged his body onto shore, gently laying Paki to rest against a tree trunk.
"Paki? Paki, it's me. It's dad. It's Pappi. Please, Paki, open your eyes."
The cub didn't move.
Kifijo almost neared desperation. His nose pressed against Paki's stomach in hopes that the water in his lungs could be pushed out. He didn't want to break anything, but the water was deep in there. He pushed a bit harder, trying to bring Paki back.
"Paki, if you don't open your eyes this instant, I won't bring Moyo back." It was a lie (Moyo had her own life and no longer was under her father's rule) but if it helped to make Paki want to live, then he would lie all he could now and make up for it later.
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Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:00 pm
Water pooled around Paki's muzzle as he was placed on the ground and tapped over and over with a large nose on his water swelled belly. Suddenly water exploded from the white cub's muzzle but he didn't move, his breath was short and one of his paws twitched faintly.
Slowly a groan pulled from his muzzzle and silvery eyes opened up slowly. Glazed as anything and tears running down his cream colored cheeks.
"Pappi... is Nakawa alright?" He croaked out faintly, still worried for his nephew despite his current state and past predicament. It was how he was, though as his sides rose and fell in fluttering motions, the water only just having come up and the adrenaline only just now having slowly dissipated from his body. It left him weary and tired and weaker than he'd ever felt in his short life. It was pathetic.
ninja
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Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:44 pm
Nakawa stood motionless and speechless near the waters edge. Tears streamed down his already wet face after watching the horrifying scene unfold. He began to shake softly as he watched Paki's motionless body leaned against a tree trunk. His mind raced with nothing but how it was his fault everything Paki had gone though.
Suddenly his sad eyes widened when he seen Paki move and though he was still scared he shakly moved up next to him. With a lump in his throat he began to speak. "I'm... here... Oh, Paki... I'm soo sorry..." His whisper was soft and raspy but heartfelt as his eyes welled with tears. "I... I didn't... mean for any of this to happen..." He whispered and gently nuzzled Paki's cheek before looking back up to Kifijo, his golden eyes glazed over. "Will... he be okay?" His soft question ended with a soft whine.
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:27 pm
Kifijo almost cried with relief.
"He's right here. He's fine. How do you feel?"
He was extremely tempted to forbid Paki from wandering off alone or ever leaving the den in the first place. Would it be worth it to risk more loathing towards Kifijo from his son in order to protect him? Was it bad of Kifijo to be leaning towards such a decision? Wanting to protect his blind son?
But he knew that it wouldn't be worth it. Every little thing was still a danger, and Paki would only gain experience and skill if he had the chance to learn things on his own, or at least in the company of someone who understands, is supportive, yet there to help if he wants it.
Like Moyo.
And, Kif hoped, someday he would also be one.
The giant lion slowly picked Paki up in his mouth, walking gently and as smoothly as he could until he reached a soft, grassy area to lay Paki down again. He turned toward Nakawa.
"He'll be fine. Why don't you run on ahead a bit. I don't want a big fuss, so I'll tell Tana and the others." He nuzzled his grandson affectionately, stretching out to lay beside his youngest.
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:30 pm
Pricking both of his ears in Nakawa's general direction, so he'd made it and hadn't fallen in with him. Not that he wasn't positive that Nakawa could swim, Pkai figured that he'd have to learn how to do a little bit of that himself.
"Good." Paki said slowly to Nakawa, rolling his small body over and glancing at him blindly before pushing the top of his head with a paw and smiling. "It's not your fault. Stuff happens."
Just as he was about to stand up, Kifijo picked him up in his jaws and laid him down on the grass. Sighing softly, he patted down the point blades of grass with a chocolate paw and dropped his head to a paw softly.
"I'm fine Pappi.... really I am. I was worried about him.... S'all." Paki said softly, realizing that he was an idiot for not asking for help.. but they didn't make it any easier on him. He was always belittled and coddled, he hated it.
ninja
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:39 pm
Kifijo nodded absently, picking at a patch of blades nearby.
"I know you're fine. And I know you were worried about your nephew, even though he was worried about you and I was worried about you both. It's a whole circle of worrying. It never goes away."
It was slowly getting dark. A few stars twinkled here and there, but the moon had yet to appear. The sun was still shining a little, heading to sleep in the west.
"What game were you playing?" he asked, rolling onto his back to look out upon the few stars that were visible.
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 3:08 pm
Thinking about this for a moment, Paki pushed himself up on his stronger shoulders and sat looking up above him at nothing. Nothings swirled in front of him... nothing shifted in his view.... nothing.
"Are the stars out Pappi?" Paki asked at last. They reflected in his glazed eyes despite his ability to see them, unknowingly he'd probably made the conversation weird for his father, but then the cub would never know.
"Um... we were playing some game that Nakawa came up with... called... "here/there" I think he said?" he made a face and laughed a little. "It was actually fun, cuz it was easier than tag."
ninja
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 3:19 pm
"'Here there,' huh? You'll have to show me sometime. We could get the whole family to play it, I bet."
Kifijo glanced above him to count the small amount of stars slowly becoming more visible as the time passed and the sun continued on her way down and into the west.
"There are only a pawful out, right now. More like fifteen. Close to twenty. They're small, and Sun is still travelling on down to the West. In a few minutes, she'll be gone and the stars will all be dancing. Won't that be a pretty sight."
Pun by Kifijo. But he didn't correct himself or glance down at Paki, even though he knew his son couldn't see him even if he did glance down. He could probably feel it, though.
Kif hoped and prayed for all he was worth that he would stop thinking of Paki as different, and just thought and treated him like everyone else, disabled or not.
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