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 Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:45 am
Sun and stars - Xu and Zuri Quote: -The little white and gold cub padded her way slowly away from the den, listening to the sounds of her siblings slowly dissapear. She was tired truthfully, and the sun was awfully hot today.
Glancing around for some sort of shade she finally spotted a little spot of darkness settled alongside a small rock. Padding over into the cool and slightly less bright shade, she settled her little body on the ground, head coming to rest on her paws.-Zuri blinked as she scampered along following the sounds of others. It'd be a while since she'd seen day light much less anything else besides her father and brother. She paused when she saw a white pelt shimmer as a little sun crept from the shade tree.
She moved over towards the cub. "Hello?" She said tilting her head as she came closer.-Xu yawned widely, her little mouth seeming to open many times it's size, before she gazed at the golden cub that'd wandered up.
Rubbing her cheek against her own paw with a hint of a giggle, she offered a soft greeting, tail flicking back and forth.- "Hiiiiie."
-She'd not played with any cubs except her family yet, and she stare expectantly at the other girl. She wondered how many kids were around. And where this gold one came from. She was so bright, like the sun even!-Zuri's tail flickered as she watched the white cub's mouth widen, she looked at it with a tilted head. "You could fit a warthog in that..." She said sort of bluntly with a big grin, "You could fit a a merkat in my daddy's mouth."
She sat down looking at the plet of the other before asking, "What's you're name, and why are you laying here when you could be playing?" Her head tilted quickly to the opposite side.-Xu blinked abruptly at the statement. A warthog!? Certainly her mouth wasn't that big. Was it?
Well at the very least she was awake now, ears flicking forward as she giggled.- "Oh no! That's almost big enough to eat cubs. He wouldn't do that though?"
"Xu Wu Hui, but you can call me Xu if you like." -Tail flicking gently, she cocked her head to mirror the actions of the golden cub.- "I'm just resting because I'm tired, I was up playing alllllll night."
"What about you?"Zuri giggled at her, "Nooo, I don't think he would. I mean after all that's cannibalism. And in most places that's not smiled over." She nodded all wise like.
"All night!? I can't even stay up past nightfall, I couldn't imange playing all night long." She looked slightly amazed that a cub could stay awake that long.
"Nice ta meet you Xu. My name is Auriuzuri. But you can call me Zuri." She grined again her tail flickering.-And her wise words were taken with a soft nod, filtering the information into the back of her mind. She was glad really, she certainly didn't want to be gobbled up some day! She was soooo tiny.. good thing Mommy and Daddy were big for protecting her.
Grinning wide at the amazement she purred a little, a noise she hadn't quite mastered yet, but it was a pleased rumble none the less.- "I stay up almost every night! But then sometimes I nap in the daytime. My brothers and sisters usually sleep in the night though too, so I have to play quiet."
-Giggling a little more, she stood, stepping forward in the sort of affectionate greeting her family had always done, just butting her head into the golden cub's shoulder.- "Hi Zuri!"The "bald" cub grined as she giggled, "Well maybe I'll have to sleep in one day and try to play with you one night?" Her tail flickered as she thought, "Do you want to do something now maybe we can look at the clouds and see if we see any shapes in them."
When head butted in her shoulder softly she chuckled and returned the soft but, "Hi yourself!" ^-^
-Eyeing the sun-like pelt of the other cub, she pondered over the offer, inwardly thinking that, just as she was one with the night, her pelt matching the stars. The sun cub was one with the day.
But maybe she could stay up one night? Xu sometimes stayed up most the day. Well besides the times when the others said she slept. She didn't remember those.- "That's be neat! Does your daddy let you play out at night?"
"And sure, we can play cloud watching!" -That was an easy enough game to play when you were tired.-There was a pause in the grin that cub held to think. "I'm not sure... Never tried, but we can find out!" She said with a nod. Her tail flickering. "Later on of crouse I'm not quite sure where he is at the time being."
She rowled happily at the agreement to watch the clouds. "Maybe we can find one that looks like two lion cubs!" She chuckled and looked around, "Now where to watch them at?""Heeee... Maybeeeee" -Xu glanced at their surroundings gently, trying to spot a good place to watch from.-
"Do you want to lay? Or sit?" -There was the shade in the distance.. but she had a feeling she'd fall asleep there.. not to mention the leaves blocking the view. Maybe they could watch from atop the little rock she'd been resting by.
Hopping up she glanced around her, calling down to Zuri lightly.- "Which way do you live Zuri?"She murred thinking, "Well we could do either. Which ever is best for you. Seeing as you look like you want a nap." Her tail flickered as she moved over beside Xu and hoping onto the rock as well.
"Which way do I live?" She looked around for a moment getting her bareings a pointed off towards her den. "Over there. I'm not sure how far it is from here really..."-She looked gently in the direction of Zuri's pointing, nodding as she filed the information. Which wasn't hard considering this was the first non family member she'd met! And when the question sounded she craned her head lightly, back towards the gigantic rocks in the distance.- "My family and I live in one of the dens near the bottom of pride rock! I have a big family, so it feels a little crowded sometimes. Lots of brothers and sisters, do you too?"
-Spotting another stone on the savanneh a little bit away she motioned towards it lightly.- "That one looks flatter, it'll be nicer to rest on while we watch. Sometimes when you slide off of rocks you get hurt." -She nodded sagely, wisdom she'd learned from uncautious rock hopping back near the den.-"My family is rather small, my brother and father and myself is all that's there. And I don't know my mother." She said with a frown. Looking towards the great rock. "Wow, you live at pride rock. That's so cool." Her tail flickered happily.
Nodding softly she smiled, "Okay that sounds like a good place to watch clouds from." She grined, she'd never really what you say rock hoped because there weren't that many around."A small family is neat though! More attention from dad. But that's sad about your mom..." -She didn't know why one wouldn't have their mommy. But.. it was probably better not to ask.
Hopping off of the rock, she began to trot her way over to the other rock, peeking to make sure the golden cub stayed close behind.- "There are lots of lions that live at the rocks. And the king and queen live up at the top. Mom says they're gold like the sun. That's kind of like you!"
"That's pretty neat 'cause I'm like the stars. That what my name means. White star."Following behind Xu she giggled, "I suppose it is." She looked at the cub tail flickered as she padded long behind.
"Yes daddy said the king and queen are rather nice, I heard they're getting quite old though." She blinked for a second before giggling. "There's a good few lions that are my color I bet."
Nodding she grined, "I think daddy said my name ment golden beauty but I don't remember right off hand. It was a while ago.""Maybbbe. I'm the same color as my daddy. But I have my mommy's yellow marks. My brother Jing does too! Everyone else is black like mommy." -She chattered on lightly as they walked, crouching and hopping up onto the rock as they finally reached it.
Settling over to make room for the other cub she grinned widely, before her eyes turned up towards the sky.- "That's a nice name too."Zuri grinned as nodded, "Me and my brother are pretty much twins. We've got daddy's markings but I'm guessing we got our color from mother, because daddy doesn't have the golds in his coat."
She pounced ontop of the rock pawing at Xu once she she landed giggling before laying down with the cub. "Thanks" She turned her eyes to the sky looking at the clouds up above them. "Have you ever wondered what makes the clouds?" She asked looking from them to her friend and back
"Ohhhh, so your mommy is probably a golden lion then. She'd be hard to find in the pridelands!" -But with that, that conversation was done and she giggled a little, pawing back playfully in retaliation.
Eyes glancing high she watched the white gathering in the brillantly blue skies, trying to pick out a cloud that looked like something, until Zuri's question sounded.- "What makes them?" -She blinked in surprise. It was a good question. One she'd never thought about, but a very good question indeed.-
-Maw tightening in a look of soft thought, she pondered aloud.- "I don't know actually. They're soooo high. It can't be something the lions do."
"Maybe birds make them? Or stars? They're white like stars after all."Zuri nodded and giggled at the retaliation. Her tail flickered as she watched the clouds looking for a shape of sorts or even a lion in them.
"I know, they look like they'd make nice things to sleep on." She said with a nod as she watched. "Maybe... or maybe they're their to keep the sky warm?" She said flickering her tail happily.-A good place to sleep? To keep the sky warm? She pondered over the thoughts, relating it to the thing she liked to sleep against. Her mommy or daddy's belly.
Where clouds really like mommy and daddy bellies? That kept the sky warm? That must have been alot of work, since the sky was so big. Her ears flicked forward mulling over the thought. There were lots of them.. and they weren't really like mommies and daddies were they? Talking quietly to lull the sky to sleep. Did the sky sleep at night? Or maybe in the day like she did. She certainly seemed to see clouds in the day more often.
But then where were their heads!? She was so confused. She'd have to ask mom or dad. For now she just stared at the sky, simply nodding.- "Maybe they're like that."A giggle pass the golden female's maw. "Yeah Maybe, I mean after all those past kings need a place to sleep in the day." Her tail flickered as she watched.
Then a sudden ohhh, "Look Xu, a rabbit!" She pointed with her paw in the direction of the cloud that looked like a rabbit to her.-The mention of past kings also confused the cub, as of yet having not heard of the beliefs that touched these lands. But it was quickly forgotten as Zuri pointed out the cloud.
And after giving a bit of a rabbit-like hop and giggle, she nodded before beginning to search the sky some more, ears flicking forward as if they'd help out in the search.- "I wonder if we can find some lion ones, or flower ones."Zuri chuckled and looked around the sky as she shurged, "Maybe There's so many there's bound to be a lion or a flower." She grinned still looking around the sky.
"Maybe there wil even be priderock up there?" She looked over to Xu for a second before turning back up to the sky.-Zuri was right, there certainly were alot of clouds up there, more then she could even count. And as they moved they shifted, ever so slowly changing shapes.
They must be one up there. Ears perking with Zuri's words, she giggled.- "That'd be a really silly shaped cloud!"
-Eyes focusing on the clouds she watched them pass with soft concentration until finally she hopped, pointing excitedly to a cloud with stray whisps that billowed out like petals.- "Look! There is one! A flower cloud!"Looking at the could Xu pointed out Zuri also bounced with a giggle, "Yay!! It is a flower!!" Her tial flickered happily behind her.
"I wish we could pick them." She said with a giggle, "they'd make really pretty gifts." She looked around for more clouds shaped like flowers. "Ohh look there's another flower looking one." She pointed the opposite way of the first.
She giggled looking over to xu, "Do you do this with you're family?" She asked tilting her head slightly as she watched the clouds dance."That would be an awesome gift!" -She pondered over the thought softly, thinking of taking home a cloud flower for her mother.. or perhaps even stealing a star out of the sky for herself. That would be SO cool!
White and golden tail twitching she glanced around for something taller.- "The clouds are so high though.. we'd need to climb a tree to get one. Or maybe up on top of pride rock! I bet that's high enough."
"My family? No not yet, star gazing yes, but not cloud watching." -She giggled a little softly.- "Maybe I could ask my mom or dad too though!"Zuri chuckled and nodded, "Yes it would be a lovely gift to give." She looked at Xu and smiled, "I know and they're so large. Ohhh on top of pride rock might just work." She said with a nod.
"I've only seen a few stars before I've had to go to bed." Her tail fllickered softly. As she watched the clouds move on slowly and dream like. "Yes maybe they've done it before."-Xu's little maw streched wide with a yawn, blinking her eyes a few times as she watched the clouds drift. It wasn't a very good game for keeping her awake, the soft heavenly shapes trying to lull her to sleep.
The chatter in fact was the only thing that was keeping her up. Turning gently, to grin at the golden female, she mused softly.- "One day you should come play with my brothers and sisters and me. There are lots of us so we can play fun games. Hide and seek. Tag. Hunting party." Evening escapades - Xu and Ai Quote:  -It wasn't suprising that the little ivory cub was awake this late at night. Nine times out of ten she was it seemed, some ironic joke of nature, pulling the little star to be out when the rest of them were. Making her awfully sleepy when everyone else was awake. But it never seemed to damper her spirits, trying best to be part of family events.
She'd been quiet so far this evening.. but as time passed and more and more of her family drifted to sleep she was beginning to feel lonely. Lonely enough to be a little naughty it seemed. Creeping silently upon her brother, she extended a paw, little paw tips brushing and bating at the tuft of fur at the edge of his tail.- Night time was meant for sleeping. It was how things seemed to be, and Ai'kunliu never questioned it, going to sleep when he was tired, and waking up when he was no longer such.
Or when he was under assault. Whichever came first.
He'd been snoozing peacefully for what seemed to be only a short time, before something brushed over his tail. It was nothing, however, as the cub remained sleeping, rolling over onto his other side and burying his face into his paws peacefully, happily in dream land....
Until it came again.
Again, Ai ignored it, attempting to remain sleeping. But when it seemed as though the disturbance wasn't going to come to a stop, the dark-colored cub let out a whine and pushed himself up slightly, complaining the whole way, before nothing the white-and-gold figure that was 'attacking' his tail and, for a moment, thought it was his brother, Jing, before realizing, indeed, that this was a sister unit.
With another complaint, Ai flopped back onto his side helplessly.
"Too late...sleepy..." he whined, pawing back at Xu.-She'd wondered how long she could go on without being noticed. And soon enough her question was answered with the soft whimper of compliant from her darkly hued brother.
An apologetic smile touched her, even though it didn't belong, as she crept up closer to his side pawing at his belly now that he was this awake. If she had woken him, he might as well play after all!-
"It's not THAT late" -She whispered cheerfully, playful trying to avoid his paws, not quite taking the hint.- Another squeak was produced from the boy as his tail was freed from attack, which was turned on his poor little defenseless squishy belly when it was exposed, causing Ai to attempt to sheild it with one paw, while batting at his sister with the other.
Rolling onto his stomach, the cub pouted and stuck his tongue out immaturely at her, sprawling his limbs out, before pushing himself up to his paws. A tiny yawn escaped from his lungs, which, for Ai, was enough incentive for him to flop back down and try to sleep again. Which he did.
"It's plenty late..." he retorted, rolling onto his back and looking over at the others in the den, checking to see their status of 'awake', then back onto his side again. "Even mommy and daddy are sleeping, see?" he pointed out. -She couldn't help but giggle a little. Ai was funny! Batting and getting up and falling down and rolling this way and that. Her grin grew and she imitated him, lifting herself, dropping her little body nearer to his, before rolling onto her own back. Sticking her little paws in the air she wiggled them lightly as if she were walking on the den walls, before she rolled over beside him, reaching to nibble and pull gently at a black ear.- "I'm awake! And the stars too."Pouting, he watched as he was mocked via imitation by his sister, folding his little paws across his chest and attempted to mimic an air of 'authority' about him, but failing horribly. Afterall, it's hard to be authoritive, when the 'victim' of such, is trying to eat your ear.
Ai turned his head away as Xu started to attack his ear, aiming to free it from it's torture, but instead was making it, in general, worse. Note to Subconcious;
Do not try that next time. Doesn't work.
"Yeah, but your always awake." Ai pointed out, growling playfully and throwing himself onto her in a semi-pounce, while trying to not put his poor little head-appendage into anymore pain.
"Rawr!"-She continued to nibble and tug, taking his attempt to escape as a playful one as opposed to the actual attempt it was. Her ivory and gold tail swaying happily back and forth.
But when he pounced the poor ear was finally freed, small giggle slipping from her as she tried to paw him off of her. It wasn't much of a fight but Xu didn't seem to mind really as her tiny little body wriggled beneath her brother playfully.- "I think you guys just sleep too much!"Ai laughed as Xu attempted to 'escape' from his brotherly wrath, shifting his weight as he was pawed at, before scrambling over her and plopping into a pseudo-pouncing position, his butt wiggling in the air.
"Nuh uh! You just don't sleep enough!" he challenged, pouncing at her, missing horribly, then simply tagging her lightly on the side. A grinning, he then ran past her. "You're it!" he teased, bounding out into the space in front of the den. It wouldn't hurt if they were still in sight-range to be outside the den playing.. would it?
Mmm. Nah. "Maybeeee" -She answered with a soft singsong. It was a far enough statement. She certainly felt tired in the daytime. So Ai might very well be right. But reguardless she wasn't tired tonight. And it seemed that her harrassment had waken her brother enough to play this evening.
Upon being freed and then tagged she quickly hopped herself up, bounding out after him towards the moon and starlit night on ivory paws, voice raising a few octaves as she reached the outdoors.- "Not for long I'm not!" Looking back behind him as he fled the den to play outside, almost melting into the darkness that had fallen outside, except for the obvious betrayal from his own natural markings that illuminated his location.
"OH YES YOU ARE!" he called back, laughing and bounding about in a circular pattern. All he had t'do was stay ahead of her. Right?
That and not waking up the parents would give them plenty of time to play.
Bounding off into the grass, Ai ducked down, attempting to hide in it's stalks, while giggling madly. He wouldn't have been laughing if it were Jing. Then he would've been running as far away as possible to get his older brother in trouble.-Eyes surveyed the area as she padded outside the cave, pondering in which direction to travel. Ai was much harder to find then Jing, ecspecially at night when his pelt blended in with the darkness that swallowed the land.
Padding in a wide circle as she debated which way to go her ears twitched, catching the giggles on the wind. Grin widening Xu play crouched, before bounded in the general direction of the sound, calling out lightly.- "Just wait until I catch you Ai!"
-She pondered over some sort of fitting punishment. Tickling maybe? Or a big sloppy girl kiss to his cheek. Giggling almost as loudly as he was she searched about.- Ai watched as his brightly illuminated sister-unit looked about for him, ducking his head down a bit. As her attention seemed to shift to him, Ai let out a squeak of surprise, before the rustle of grass gave away that he was moving locations.
As well, it gave away where he was headed as well.
"I'll have to wait!" he crowed back in a teasing manner, implying that he was such a good hider (*snort*) that he would be able to hide from her FOREVER.
Which wasn't quite so, but it wasn't the place of people to ruin the dreams of cubs.
Flopping back down into a crouching position hiding in the grass, Ai again began to giggle. "Not ahhh!" -A giggle and squeal escaping the cub at the taunt. She was a good player, yes she was. And even if he was bigger and stronger then her, she'd get him eventually.
Ah ha! As the grasses began to wobble and rustle Xu was able to find her brother even in the darkness. Bounding towards the mass of grasses as she followed after the appaent trail he left behind. Slowing as the grasses began to settle she crept along, ears lifting to catch the sound of her brother's giggle, while trying hard to contain her own.
It was hard to pinpoint his exact location.. but when she thought she finally saw him, a little bit of black within the grasses, she crouched, pouncing rather clumisly paws outstreched as if she intended to hug him to death when she caught him.- "Itttttttttt!"Being as flaunting as he was, Ai held no real fear in his sister finding him in the grass, thus had taken to distracting himself with something else, such as something shi- ooooh, bug! Easily distracted, the cub looked down to the crawling insectoid, watching it curiously.
In fact, he wasn't aware his sister was behind him, until her warcry filled the night air, causing him to yelp in surprise, and scramble forward quite a few steps, then have a sibling unit land flat on top of him, squishing him into the ground.
Squeaking panickedly, he rolled onto his side, or rather he attempted to, pawing at Xu in an attempt to get her fat-behind off of him. "YOU'RE SQUISHING ME!" he whimpered. -A soft squeal of pleasure escaped her as she actually landed upon the soft pelt of her brother, though soon enough she was struggling to stay on as he bucked and pawed, her own paws wrapping around his chubby little body.
Ears lifting and twitching with the cry, she glanced down at him suddenly to see if he actually looked hurt, before finally she retaliated, pawing back, through her legs did slip down to rest most of her weight on the ground.- "I'm not heavy enough to squish you Ai!"
-A play growl touching her throat she reached down to take a n** at the loose skin near his neck, lamenting lightly.- "Not fat!" "Very fat!" Ai wailed back at her in joking distress, attempting to drag himself along histrionically, before 'giving in' and flopping onto his stomach, little legs pushed out in front of him in a vague attempt to look like he'd indeed been crushed by his younger sibling.
One of his ears flicked at the attention his 'excess flab' was getting from her, moving a paw to rub at it awkwardly. That had -so- felt funny to him.
With a playful growl of his own, the cub again tried to escape Xu's grasp, giggling madly. "Alright alright.. I'm it..." he surrendered, waiting for the girl to get off of him, before he could start his chase. ((Hey pach dear :3 Do you have any idea or want of where this rp is going? Or would you mind if I let them find my newest familar in this rp? I don't want her to 'own' the bunny, but I kind of want them to be friends. So if you don't mind/have any set plans for this rp anyway, I thought maybe I could pop her intro in here. :3 ))
"You're mean.." -Was the tiny whine that slipped from the little cubby as she finally slipped off of him, tongue held comicly from her mouth at him just long enough for her to be sure he'd seen it.
But then she was off, hellbent on getting a little bit of a distance advantage in the time it took him to get up and start running after her. Ivory paws bounding over the darkened grasses, her eyes searched back and forth for a good hiding place. Golden tail tuft flicking in excitement, that she seemed to not realize gave way her position as well as her glowing coat.
Finally something came into view, a little rock, and she tried to creep behind it, squishing herself as small as she could to try and hide all of her tubby little body behind it. Though it seemed unbeknown to her that once again her tail rested outside of it, glowing brightly in the night.- Ai pouted a bit at the accusation, puffing his cheeks up a bit, then sticking his tongue out in return, then closing his eyes and counting out loud, which would allow the sibling-unit to run without him watching her. It was.. er.. fair enough, he figured, even though by the time he'd gotten to seven, he had already opened his eyes and was bounding about to find his sister.
Which, in itself, should have been easy, but seeing as it was Ai, he was not the most observant cub as to look for her bright coloring, but rather, the whole sister, whom... wasn't.. there?
Ai'kunliu let out a whine upon realizing he couldn't SEE his sister, and he started to romp about distressedly, looking for her, even crawling up on top of her rock and sitting there, looking off ahead of himself for the cub that laid almost at his paws. ((Awww. XD But you don't have to be smart when you're cute about it))
-Xu listened carefully as her brother's steps drew nearer, tiny little body taunt and ready to leap up and run away when he spotted her. But then suddenly there he was! Up on her rock, and she closed her eyes waiting for him to squash her back.
But when the inevitable didn't come, she lifted her eyes and ears, catching his watchful gaze. He didn't know she was there! What a total sillyhead!
She wanted to pop up and scare him.. but then.. he'd be able to tag her easily... Eyes searching for something.. and finally finding a tiny rock, she flipped it upwards at his feet, before turning and setting off, a bit slower and less gracefully then she'd been trying for.- Sillyhead was the proper word for it indeed. Ai continued to look off in an attempt to spot some little peice of the sibling unit, and, being as distracted as he was, lept about three inches back when something hit his paws, causing him to mewl and look down at his toes and the little rock that was there. Where'd -that- come from? He looked at it for a moment, before turning attention from it, and off to look ahead again, only to see a moving white body he was VERY familiar with running away in another direction.
"AH-HA!" he decreed, NOW spotting her, and tumbled off the rock, landing on his stomach, before scrambling to his feet and running off after her, laughing. He'd catch her yet!
"I GOT YOU NOW!"  -Xu squealed in impending doom, as if she believed that Ai was directly on her toes, bounding hard and fast through the grasses. Until a soft flash of orange touched her eyes, and she nearly tumbled over trying to stop.
What was?
A tiny little figure lie curled in the path, little black body curled, long ears standing up like blades of grass.. and a soft splash of orange just enough to draw the cubs attention. And she forgot of the game that was being played, reaching out a paw tentaively.- "Weirddddddd..."
-Tiny jaws nipping at the hare's ears she lifted it, swinging around to show Ai.- "Yok wha I fown I!"-Awaken with a start, the baby bunny's eyes buldged, whimpering unhappily as it pawed up at the unknown beast that had it.- "Myy earrrrrrrssss. Owwwwww!" Ai screeched to a halt through the grass, tumbling over a rock, and then onto his face as his sister let out an outburst of discoery, holding her prize up into the air. "AIIIIEEE!" he squeaked as this process unfolded, leaving the cub face-first in the dirt. Ouch.
Lifting his head up, the cub crinkled his nose, covered in dirt, and whined a bit, before approaching his sister and the strange creature in curiousity. "... BUNNY!" he decreed, pressing his nose into the poor creature's fur and sniffling it with a curious furiousity.
The whine from the bunny caused the male's ears to perk up ever to slightly.
"Hey! It can talk!" he pipped suddenly, prodding his sister's find with a paw, then giggling. "Of course I can talk.. I'm not a baby" -The unhappy wailing continued, and indeed the young bunny looked just like the baby it claimed not to be.--Xu set the little one down quickly. Half startled by the outburst, but more so she could coo in soft awe at Ai's brillant words. A bunny was it! How neat!
Giggling, she peered at the tiny bunny, hopping a step to the side.- "Bunny! It's sooooo cute and tinyyyy." -Her tail flipped through the air in amused enthusiasm.- Ai's nose crinkled a bit as the kit claimed to be exactly what it was not, a rather befuddled expression coming over his face. But.. it.. huh?
With a bit of a whine, the dark male sat down and stared at the bunny, before his sister let out a squeal over it, causing him to nearly shoot up into the air, before his ears perked and his head spun quickly to look at the whiter female, blinking a few times, before lifting a paw to his chest to check his pulse carefully.
"... I guess 'cute' is okay.." he mumbled. Afterall, being male 'cute' wasn't exactly his choice of adjective.
Dropping onto his stomach, he prodded the bunny a bit, before crinkling his nose a bit. "And it's not -that- small.." "Pick on someone your own size." -Huddling gently, she peeked at the two cubs that surrounded her, listening to their conversation as slowly the worries of being eaten began to slip from her. Maybe they didn't know that hares were often eaten? Maybe they were full?
Ears twitching at the female's squeal. Cute?-"We're not picking on! We're playing." -She lower her face down to the bunny once more, nose pressing against soft ebony fur as she sniffed at the scent. She'd have to ask mom about these bunnys in the morning! Or rather later in the day... Momma wouldn't like it if she knew they were out playing again at night. She'd have to make up a story about finding one tommorow!- "Picking on?" Ai for a moment considered if he'd been picking on ANYBODY to begin w- okay, so Xu didn't count as being 'picked on', since it HAD only been a game. But maybe for the sake of this little one it count as such.
"But I was only playing!" he defended along with his sibling, also sniffing the hare's ebony fur, which matched his own in an odd way, before he looked to Xu and frowned a bit.
"Are you gonna keep it?" Ai inquired, ears perking up ever so slightly as he considered how safe a hare would be amongst as many cubs as they had for siblings. It would probably be a little dangerous, the poor thing might be sat on or something like that! And squished bunnies weren't that much fun. "Do you think momma would let me keep her!?" -Xu's voice raised in soft wonder, the thought not having occured to, but now that it had...
She bounced on happy ivory paws around the bunny.-"You can't HAVE me! I live here" -The bunny cried indignantly, placing her paws over her eyes. Sure she lived her alone, but she wasn't going to be toted off to be a snack or anything. Eventually she'd find other hares around..""Ohh well.." -Downcasting her eyes lightly, she pouted just a little, bumping her shoulder lightly into her sibling's.- "Mm.. maybe we can just be friends then! In the morning."
-Eyes casting upwards at the stars she began to wonder how long it'd be before mother noticed them missing, and started out after them.- Continuing to stare at the bunny, as if testing to see if it really WAS talking, Ai looked up at his sister when she posed her question, considering it with great tact. After quite a bit of time deliberating, he shrugged. "I dunno." However, when the bunny protested the suggestion, Ai frowned a bit.
"Who would want to live out HERE. It's COLD out here.. much warmer inside." he decreed, sitting up and dusting the dirt he'd accumulated off his tummy, then looking to his sister and the shoulder she had bumped with.
"In the morning..?" he paused, seeming confused by it, before realizing it was a suggestion.
Oh.
"Yeah... " he agreed, considering if mommy or daddy had noticed them missing yet, looking behind him towards the looming shape which seemed to watch them play....
geeze it was big. -The bunny's little face contorted almost comically, little tongue sticking out as she grew unconiously more comfortable to the accosturing.- "I live in dens! Holes and cracks. Not just outside. Silly cubs, dontcha know anything?""We live in a den!" -Xu piped dutifully, but already her attention was becoming more and more disjointed. She didn't want to get Ai in trouble. Ecspecially after he'd come out and played with her and all!- "We should all go to our dens I think? I'm getting a little tired."
-It was true, finally the sleepiness of the night was creeping onto the nocturnal cub, and as if to prove the point, a small yawn escaped her, tail swaying softly beneath her.- Ai made a face back at the little bunny, his lower lip pouting out like WOAH. "Well out -here- is good enough, since more of you live out here than I have -ever- seen in -there-." he added, his head turning to look towards the structure that served as host to their own den.
However, Xu's suggestion of going back home caused him to look up at her with a sort of 'hmmmmm?' and blank expression, as if he were processing what the exact statement had been. His sister's yawning, though, caused him to bump his head gently against her shoulder.
"All right, all right. We can come out and find Mr. Bunny again tomorrow.. yes?" the dark cub suggested, looking to the rodent when he added the single-word question. Though Ai was a cub, he still tried to give it a 'I'll hurt you if you say no.' look.
Didn't work, though.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:47 am
Starting to show - Shairi and Zimwi'Jicho Quote: The large male was utterly happy and content with the world, a loud purr coming from him as his mind rushed over the thoughts that almost always occupied his head nowaday's.
The thought of cubs, the thought of little bodies containing bits of him and bits of his beloved mate Shairi.
He felt like a big, bumbling playful cub, so happy and flamboyant at the thought of travelling with another one to love.
As always, he'd been hunting, he'd made it his job to gather food for his mate.
Even though he may have been pushing it a bit by catching a lot in one day.
But he was so excited and worried and curious.
All these emotions, that, before he met Shairi, he never thought he had!
And he trotted back towards the den with a large grin on his face, carrying a small, slimy white thing with many long things attached to it.-Shairi sighed gently, a sound of content nearly as soft as the ocean breeze that carried the noise away. Settled half in and half out of the temporary den, she'd been watching the waves pull in against the sand.
It hadn't been very long at all since the talk that'd tipped her life, and very wants, upside down. Changed her thoughts of traveling to include things she'd never thought of before.. a mate.. babies.. And already her belly was beginning to swell with promise of those dreams. She could only take the stars that it'd happened so quickly.
Turning gently to settle upon her side she slowly began to lick at her swelling belly, soft wonder touching her as she tried to think about it. How it happened.. how many little ones she was carrying. It was all like a wonderful wonderful dream. Continuing gently with her task, her ears lifted gently as instinctually they'd begun to whenever her mate headed off, happily awaiting his return.- The large male padded into view, the slimy white thing still dangling from his chops as he saw his candy coloured love and gave a loving sigh.
At the sight of her swollen belly he couldn't help but feel more joy well up inside his chest.
Before he moved closer, ears flattened back as he smiled and lay the floppy, wet creature down at her paws before nuzzling against her.
"Good morning love." He said softly, watching her before he moved to lay behind her, looking over her shoulder at her pretty face."Good morning."-Her ears had flicked softly with the subtle sound of shifting sand as he approached, but she didn't actually turn to look until his voice flowed gently into her ears. Offering a bright smile, she shifted gently letting one back paw bat harmlessly at his bulky mane, teasing gently, for of course she knew the answer.- "Trying to get me fat are we?"
-Hints of a giggle touching her, she turned gently to look back at the strange beast between her paws, genuinely taken aback by it's weird appearance. But she wasn't about to hurt his feelings.. After all... maybe it WAS good and it just looked strange. Head dipping she took a tentative bite of the slimy little creature, having to pull hard to n** the meat away from it's flimsy little body.-Zimwi' smiled as he watched her eat before glancing at her swollen stomach and purring loudly before nuzzling against her lovingly.
She was becoming huge! Either they where going to have a lot of cubs or this kid was BIG.
You could tell he hadn't seen a lot of pregnant females in his lifetime, especially not ones holding HIS babies.
As he turned back to watch her eat, he chuckled at her reaction.
He'd reacted the same way and damn if it didn't make him jump to have that floppy, slimy creature in his chops.
"How are you doing today?" He inquired, wondering how she was dealing with the pregnancy.-She smiled with soft relief as he spoke, trying hard to stiffle the giggle as she chew the small bit of meat before replying softly.- "It DOES feel really strange in your mouth.. but it tastes pretty good actually. What is it? A strange fish?"
-Eyes drifting to her stomach as his words travelled that way a gentle purr rippled through her. So sweet and concern.. It wasn't that he did anything particularly surprising.. but nearly everyday that was how the cheetahess felt. Surprised, joyful.. that she'd found someone so sweet and wonderful.-
"Mmmm..." -She hummed thoughtfully, soft blue eyes searching for his brillantly green ones.- "Well I think. I do think I'm getting awfully sleepy and lazy. But it doesn't hurt or anything.. It just feels nice and comforting."
"Sometimes I can feel a little bit of moving and shifting. I wish that you could feel it too."He chuckled.
"Well I caught it from the water so yeah, I think it is...dosen't look like one though." He said frankly.
The lion was almost lost in those beautiful blue eye's, eye's you could bathe in, but he was snapped from his little love hypnosis as her soft voice tickled his ears and he smiled softly.
Shairi was such a joy to be around, never though the painful or upsetting side of anything.
Not that there was anything upsetting about having a cub mind you...but the pain.
He'd heard it was like being ripped in half and the thought he got in his head made his spine shiver from within his skin.
The male then smiled softly at her last word's before moving and gently placing his head so one of his ears was against his stomach, a look on his face becoming almost cublike with curiousity as he tried to listen.
He could hear it.
The beating of his mates heart and the thiny 'thu-thump' off the little person, or 'persons' which where inside her.
And that made his smile grow.
"Well then I'm sure that's what it is." -She nodded to his statement, dipping her head once again to tear with effort another peice from the strange prey, chewing more quickly this time. Along with being tired, it'd seem that she was eating and wanting to eat more and more the more her belly grew. An amused smile touched her maw as she pictured a bunch of a tiny babies, gobbling up the food before it got to her stomach.
As his light ear pressed gently against her stomach, she shifted once more, until the full buldge of her belly was presented to him, trying hard not to purr, as she soon realized what it was he was doing. Instead her smile grew until it was almost too large for her maw and she watched him contentedly, tail brushing gently against his side.-
Zimwi' watched her contently as he listened to her soft heartbeat and that of their child or children, he was so happy.
He had a beautiful mate and soon he would also have his own little one's to looke after with her.
Life was good.
As her tail brushed against his side he gave a rumbling purr and he moved up to nuzzle against her chin, his tail entwining with her's like they where young lover's in spring.
So innocent and yet so deeply in love.
"They're going to be so beautiful...especially with you as a mother."-Her tail, the longer of the two, intertwined and locks with his before the end extended to gently brush back and forth against his chest, neck streching gently to pull the nuzzle close to that sweet spot on her jaw that always drew a purr from her.
Like a couple of lovesick children, swallowed in bliss and contentment, as if nothing else in the world really mattered. Settling her head down on her paws she passed a sweet smile back to him, asking whistfully.- "Or strong and brave like you.. Who do you think they'll look most like?"
-Eyes traveling back to her belly she wondered how long it would be until they arrived.- "I can't wait to show them all the beauty of the world..." The lion smiled at her, only to very gently lick across her cheek in a sort of small kiss before listening to her intently.
Cream ears perked up as he chuckled a little.
He never REALLY thought of himself as that brave and strong, but if Shairi thought so it was a nice little ego stroker to say the least.
He then gave a light, graceful shrug.
"Personally I don't think it matters, because whatever they'll look like they'll be beautiful either way."
As he looked down at her stomach aswell, the smile grew and he gave a loud purring 'mrow' like sound.
Making him sound more like a cub then a large, dark coloured lion.
"Me either."-She murr a little gently with the pleasant thoughts, agreeing almost immediately on his suggestion. She liked her colorings.. and she'd grown quite the affinity for his over the time spent. So there was no way the little ones could be anything but lovely. And her mind slowly began to drift into thoughts of all the ways the little ones would be spoiled as they traveled the lands.
Food and protection from their father. Lullabyes and comfort from their mother. And love. So very very much love.
Blinking the weariness from her eyes, she shifted gently, stirring as she debated whether she felt up for walking around, or simply laying in the comfort and pressence of her mate.- "I hope that it isn't long before we can travel again..." -And with a soft and playful wink she added lightly.- "Good thing you got that practice carrying me around not long ago."The large lion gave a chuckle while watching her, feeling quite sleepy himself, but that was probably after using up most of his energy of hunting the slimy creature for his mate.
But he didn't care, as long as he was laying beside her and his unborn cub or cubs, to him, all was right with the world.
At her word's, his ears perked up and he watched over her, only to then smirk and gently nuzzle his nose against her cheek.
"Yep, I doubt the little legs would be able to keep up with us...I'll have to be their mode of transport till they can.""Indeed, or when tiny paws get tired from walking. Little ones can be so rambunctious." -Contenting herself to lay, she turned once again to pick off another bite at the delicate and rubbery prey, chewing before another thought drifted from her.- "Some can be a real pawful too. I hope that our cubs are happy.. Not like that poor little cheetah in the jungle.."
"Well.. I'm sure they will be. After all, who could be sad when you've got a family that loves you and a whole world beneath your feet to wander.""Exactly." The large lion agreed to his mate, only to nuzzle against her.
He was very happy and content with her being as peaceful as she was, despite the little creatures that took up her space inside and probably most of her energy.
But the sight of her optimistic smile brought a bubbly purr from him.
"Do you need anything else?" He asked."Mmmm..." -She shifted thoughtfully, looking from her food, to the expanse of water outside the den, and then back to her mate, before she settled herself into the comforting sad below once again.- "I think right now the only thing I need is a nap. Cuddled up against a certain someone if he doesn't mind."
-She grinned a little playfully, waiting to see if he'd accept her request and pull himself up closer to her. Beyond the simple affection the warmth of him next to her was secure and comforting. Chasing away any worries, and even soothing some of the mild cramps and pains that came with the beautiful task of motherhood.- Old faces in new places - Shairi and Hasidi Quote: -Soft melody drifted across the warm air about the candy colored cheetahess as she sauntered slowly along, body already beginning to pick up the waddling sway that the new weight within her created.
It was only one babe, Shairi could tell already, for late at night when she lie cuddled in against Zimwi she could feel the small pulse within her. The heartbeat that melded with hers and her mates in the silence of the night. But her stomach had swollen grandly anyways, testament to the behemoth hybrid, a baby unlike any other she'd ever seen.
Besides the waddle she seemed no different, smile plastered to her maw as always, eyes watching the unfamilar area with soft interest. She'd never been here before.. but the scent of her kind was strong. Strong enough to rouse her and pull her attention away from her sleeping mate, to explore silently the intriguing surroundings.-The female pink cheetah may have not changed but Hasidi surely did, no longer was his dopey smile prescent, it was replaced with a more mischevous and excited smile that wasn't as child like. His soul had changed a great deal since then, he no longer felt dumb, or slow, but felt intelligent and often times he knew what was going on around him.
His lasting limp has worsened by travel as well as being attacked by Mafa and the small hyena goon. The left side of the dark red lion was scabbed and healing nicely.
His eyes were blurred as he walked along, it was too early for him to think about anything but food, and of course his beautiful friend, Kari.
His eyes widdened as he saw a large pink form and he assumed it was Kari, "HEY I THOUGHT I LEFT YOU IN THE TREES?"-His figure was easy enough to pick out however. The 'young brother' she'd felt so drawn to so quickly back in the day, when she was working her way through similarly unfamilar lands.
His name.. Hasidi, yes that was it. Silly, and sweet, he'd showed her about, found her a place to sleep. Not realizing the words he spoke and that they weren't meant for her, she lifted her voice in a soft giggle, coming forward cheerfully, as quickly as her rotund body would allow.- "Surely you can't have imagined I'd stay in those trees for this long. Always a traveler you know."
-Drawing nearer she spotted the wear on his body, but overpassed it simply, for something else touched her mind. He'd traveled this far himself! That was wonderful, just as he'd wanted. Grinning widely she greeted him sweetly.- "Hasidi... I see you've become quite the traveler yourself. That's wonderful. Have you seen lots of wonderful things yet?""You're certainly not Kari! Shairi!" he quickened his pace, his heart racing. The creature that inspired him to travel was ACTUALLY infront of him. He didn't think he was much different from what he started out as, maybe he had grown a little wiser, and started to nkow alittle more about the world. He was still of course, little brother material.
"I can't believe it's..it's you!" He giggled like a child and as he approache her. His eyes widened at the weight she had gained and he was unsure what to say.. maybe she was just fat?-A happy little murr rang from her as he drew forth a little more excitedly, her own tail twitching with soft satisfaction.- "I'm surprised to see you this far out too. But it's a very welcome surprise!"
"I'm so glad I decided to go for a walk, instead of just waiting around while Zimwi slept. What a lucky turn of events."
-Brillant smile touching her features, she settled herself on the ground before him, excitedly bubbling.- "Tell me, where have you been already? What have you seen? I'll tell you about the beautiful endless waters!"He sat down, shifted his weight lightly from one side to the next until he was comfortable and then he began to speak, and this would be the most Hasidi has ever said in his life;
"I came to The Pridelands first were I met a young man named Ezeoha, and he was a l-a-dies man, and then from there I met another young man in the pridelands. I traveled into the grave yard as well, the large rocks there are really spooky," he paused for a breath, " I was attacked by a large female and her terrible brat, but before that I met Kari, and god do I love her," a blush," she's my new best friend, she is pink and white, and a cheetah! I wandered into the graveyard on accident and was attacked, Kari saved me by helping me clean all of my wounds," he stopped abruptly and looked up at her excitedly.
Ahh, adolescents, you can barely understand them, but it was all the truth. Now he was with a young pink cheetah of his own. And he secretly fantasized about them starting a family (even if he didn't know exactly how that worked) and going back to see his mother. He had left the Kusini lands on a whim, thinking that if the pink cheetah before him could travel, so could he. He also wanted to find his original birthplace, the Kusini was his true home, and this new place he may find…well he'd think about that when the time came.
"What is endless waters?" Poor Shairi will have to take all of that information in, and then explain the waters.-She listened with soft interst, ears perked forward to catch each word, nodding softly. She'd been by the Pridelands, never into the graveyards, though she'd passed near enough to see them.
A soft look of worry touched her face however momentarily. She'd always been fast enough to get away before she could be attacked. However if he had someone to take care of him.. well then he probably wouldn't get in as much trouble again.
Nodding softly at the resolution of his story she started up her own, leaving his question unanswered for the time being.- "I see! Very exciting. And how wonderful that you have a travelling companion! I do too now actually.."
"When I left I headed back towards the southlands to see if I could find my parents. But I ended up getting injured and being unable to walk. Thankfully a sweet lion saved me.. and took care of me until I was better."
-She trailed softly, whistfully, for it seemed that see had that same notion as him, despite her age.- "We visited the jungle and then we set out on the long journey to see the neverending waters. It's very very far, past all the other lands and unlike anything I've ever seen."
"The plants are different, green and tall. The ground isn't firm at all, but shifts beneath your paws all the time.. making a very soft bedding. A soft wind always tugs off the water, and the water streches further then you can see. All the way to the sun in the evening."
"And that's not it! The water itself is strange.. you can't drink it, but it sways back and forth and moves on it's own. And the strangest fish you've ever seen live there too!"
"I plan on going back when the time comes to have my cub, but I got a little restless and wanted to move around before then." -She glanced down to the bulge in her stomach, giving a gentle lick to the pink fur.- "I hope the little one enjoys traveling as much as Zimwi and I do."The adolescent male seemed to completely ignore the comment about the water and the world changing, he was baffled at the fact she was going to have a baby. What did that exactly mean? Was she going to find one like Tisha found him? His amber eyes shifted looking up at her confused.
She seemed happy, and he did not want to 'rain on her parade' but he had a few questions that he needed answered. The time to ask about the trees and ground would come soon, but right now he was enthralled with the baby idea.
"where do babies come from?" a lump was in his throat and his voice seemed garbled and unmistakably childlike, "Tisha says baby's are falling stars...but you said you and a lion found a cub?"
He shifted his weight sitting in front of her, his mind whirling with the thoughts, baby, traveling? Sand, trees…? A sigh escaped him and he looked away from her.-She waited to see his eyes light, the soft excitement on his face that she recalled from their meeting before. But when it didn't come, and his mind switched so swiftly she couldn't help but giggle a little, trying hard to keep it polite as possible.
Ohhhh 'little brother'... what a silly little thing he was. And he didn't even know about babies? Well.. then again he had been adopted. Smile widening, she wrapped her tail gently about herself, explaining with a soft muse.- "Oh no.. we didn't FIND a baby. Though many cubs that lose their parents are found by others. We made one ourselves."
-She pondered over whether or not to go over the whole skematics with him, curious eyes looking over his body. He was certainly old enough.. but.. what an embarrasing thing to tell about! But she oblidged nonetheless.- "Boys and girls that are old enough can make babies together. And after they've made the baby it grows in the mother's stomach until it's ready to come out."Hasidi was late in his adolescence by most standards and nearly a "man" but that did not take away his naivety, he was still just a child, sheltered and lonely for the most part. After meeting Shairi and hearing of the world that changed, and now? Well now he was hearing about making babies.
"Alright..." he wrinkled his brow looking at her confused, " I..well.." he puffed out slowly blowing his awkwardly long mane from his eyes.
"What is the water that goes on forever? And soft ground?" His eyes glittered excitedly, the confusion disappearing completely, if one looked under "attention deficit disorder" you would find Hasidi's smiling face. In the back of his mind he thought of what she said, and also thought of asking Kari if she wanted to 'make' a baby with him, she certainly /was/ pretty!-She was relieved to say the least that he hadn't continued on to ask exactly HOW the babies were made.. thinking back on the process herself brought heat to her cheek, a blush thankfully hidden by pink fur.
Murring gently at his question she tried her best of explain.- "The water goes for as far as you can see, all the way out to the sun in the evening.. and like I said it moves and sways. I'd like to see on the other side, but I don't know that I could walk that far.. and Zimwi isn't a big fan of the water."
"And the ground.. it's kind of like dirt.. but for some reason it isn't packed hard down like the dirt you usually walk on. You can see each little piece of dirt, and they all move seperately so your paws sink into it a little when you walk. If you dig some of it out it makes a really nice and cool sleeping spot as well.""I want to see that place too, how do you find all of the beautiful spots? I found the pridelands, and the graveyard..and here..the only thing beautiful here is the cheetahs," he blushed. He'd grown of course, grown into a young man and being near some of the cheetahs made his cheeks burn and a lust inside of him grow.
"I want to ask Kari to go so many places with me, like the water and back home to meet Tisha and my sister," he smiled eyes glittering with excitement.
"Are you going to take your cub traveling with you?" He thought about starting a family with Kari, but could you really travel with a little one?-A soft amused giggle touched her, and she answered with a soft and singsong muse.- "I'm just lucky I suppose. I let my feet carry me wherever they please. But sometimes I'm told of places too. The waters I was told about. They're far past the pridelands. To the west as far as you can walk."
-Her pink and white tail began to twitch softly at his words, a soft joy touching her. Before Zimwi she'd known nothing of love.. and probably would have thought him just silly.. but ever since having felt the feelings herself.. well she wished them upon everyone! Everyone should be so happy and lucky as herself.-
"I'm sure we'll spend a few weeks at the beach after she's born, but we do plan to travel. I couldn't keep cooped up in one place for long."
"Luckily Zimwi is strong enough to carry the cub when it's feet should tire. So we plan to so the world to the little one." -Her gaze dropped affectionately to her stomach as she spoke of the little life within it.-"I...umm..I'm very happy you found someone that you love, and I would love to meet your cub once she appears," he beamed, he liked seeing Shairi as the happy mother. He had not confessed his love to Kari, but if Shairi was this happy as a mother, and in love, could Kari be too?
"Well, you've told me of places, and I'd like to visit some of them," he giggled like a child.
An idea dawned on him, what if he had cubs as well, they would probably look like Shairi's little one! "If I have a family one day, do you think our cubs could play..?""Of course! I think they'd be good friends. And if you're traveling too, then perhaps we'll bump into each other more often." -She nodded strongly, feminine purr rippling through her throat as she lifted herself to stand.-
"It's a promise!"
"But for now..." -Her eyes drifted softly towards the distance, soft smile touching her maw.- "I think I ought head back. Zimwi will be waking before too long, and I don't want him worrying about me when he does."
"I shall see you again soon right?" -Her tail flicked gently, a confident smile settled upon her. She asked the question, but she already knew the answer. Even if she had to hunt him down herself, she'd make sure that they met soon. And perhaps by next time, there would be a little one in tow.-"Tell your m..mate that an old friend of your says hello, and that he is a very lucky lion, a beautiful cheetahess and a little one on the way," Hasidi had never been so bold in his life, and was liable to fall over right there dead from saying something like that.
"I know that one day we will meet again, and hopefully I can meet Zimwi and you can meet Kari," lowering his head slightly he spoke, "and maybe a beautiful little cub too!"
Looking around he tried to remember what exactly he was on his way too, he remembered having to hunt..but did not remember exactly where he was told to hunt. Could he hunt..? Well that's for another story. -Her tail flicked gently, a soft little giggle escaping her, as she bowed her head in aggreement, blue eyes dipping downwards.- "I very much will. Best of luck to you too until we meet again."
"I can't wait to meet Kari." -Watching him for a moment longer, she finally turned, taking slow steps that'd become necessary since the buldge in her belly had appeared. What an absolutely wonderful surprise! Even though she couldn't find her family as of late.. Hasidi made up for that, and already her mind was drifting to their next meeting.-
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:50 am
Stand up for what you want - Mufasa and Ta Quote: -Settled upon the warm rocks of the Prideland ledge, Mufasa gave a strong yawn, eyes wearily blinking to keep himself awake. He was such a silly old thing.. staying up most the night to simply peer at the new life that blessed his den as he curled near his mate. Five wriggling little bodies.. just as their latest litter had ended up being. Beautiful little babies.. so full of hope.. and innocence. He'd not been able to drag his eyes from the sight until the stars began to slowly fade away.
And he was paying for it now, body heavy and dragging as he tried to stay awake well enough to do his 'job. Tail flicking lightly he half hoped that he wouldn't be bothered today, as he didn't really have the energy to make it much further then the watering hole on this day. Such a silly old beast.-
Stretching from his slumber, Ta'ziyan still had yet to speak with the king about sleeping with Kami. Instead, he found a spare den not too far away, having yet to meet Palesa again though intending to do so once he settled down back home. Cleaned and not even a trace of the old form Kami found him in, the only change that was tell-tale was the fact that his ribs were seen whenever he walked.
Moving up the steps slowly, the male had caught sight of the King from below while he was wandering, and decided it was about time to follow through with his promises. Landing on the large ledge with a yawn as well, he padded slowly up and paused a few yards away.
"Your Highness?" He asked softly, his head lowered slightly in a submissive manor, "I was wondering if I could barrow a moment of your time?" Trailing off on his question, he waited silently for a response from the elder male.
-His eyes lifted lightly, settling on the familar copper figure as it approached. It was strange really.. having watched this one grow as he had all the other many children in the pride. And yet something nipped at him with the presense of this one.. his cheerfulness usually dissapearing. The sick and twisted consequences of that paternal urge to protect his daughter. Even though deep down.. he was quite aware of the situation.
He'd have to be blind not to see the way she fauned over him. And it was enough for him to drag up the hints of a smile, though he didn't rouse himself from his lounge.- "Certainly, I've got all the hours of the day and nothing to do."
"What is it you'd like?"
Not sure where to move his paws, Ta'Ziyan just settled right where he paused, letting out a nevous clear of his throat before glancing around and mentally getting his words together. Finally understanding what he needed to say, he just looked back to the lounging King, and hoped for the best.
"Well...it is about Kami...lika," He added the last part quickly, not sure if he had a right to call her by her nick name in front of her father. Suddenly, he realized it would be much easier if the princess was with him, but he had no idea where she was, and he knew he was on his own.
"I...wasn't around for a long time...and a few days earlier she came and found me and asked me something, I wanted to make sure it was alright by you first, of course," Realizing he was rambling, he shook his head, "I would like to request your permission to stay by her side in your den, your highness." Keeping it short, his dark ears flattened as he waited for an answer.
-The king had to try hard not to huff at the request, soothing his inner worries. Or atleast attempting to. It wouldn't be any harm really? In fact with him in the den it only meant Mufasa had the chance to watch the two more readily.
Kami would be happy.. Sarabi would probably be happy.. and he.. would be happy.. ish. Giving his mane a strong shake, he shifted with a light sigh, before answering.- "You.. you can stay within the dens. I'm sure she would like that."
"However.. you must know that there are new cubs within the dens. You may not get much peace in your sleep.. and you mustn't upset Kiuma and her mate. Yes?"
Ta'Ziyan almost let out a whoop, before suddenly the second part of Mufasa's comment came in, and he frown to himself.
"As long as Kami and I are together, your highness, I am sure the cubs will not disturb us, and I won't be there during the day to upset the princess or her mate. During the day I wish to meet the pride now that I am back, and hopefully Princess Kamilika will join me some times as well." Nodding at that, he looked at the distance of the pridelands, happy to get the sight of lands once again.
"I have high hopes now that I have returned..."
-His eyes settled more readily on Ta as he spoke, listening with soft interest to the words. It was strange how abrasively he'd taken to the male.. and he almost felt bad that his thoughts were so negative when the things that always came from the male were soft.
Permission to stay in the lands and be Kami's friend... Assurance that the two would stay within the lands, and that he'd help her along. And now he was doing what Kami could not because of the shyness that'd settled upon her at such a young age. In fact.. he was beginning to think that the lion would even ask his permission to mate with his daughter.. if such a notion ever touched his head.
He almost laughed, instead a geniune smile touching his golden maw.- "Well as long as you don't mind then."
-Mind filtering back towards his daughter, he pondered gently, words lifting, before he let them hang, almost unsure whether he should say the words or not.- "You know...."
Smiling at the response, and how the King actually accepted the idea, Ta seemed to just preen with satisfaction for a moment, still looking out into the lands before turning his ears towards the elder before him.
"Hmm?" He asked softly, looking to Mufasa before testing his luck and padded a few steps closer. It seemed as if the other wanted to keep it quite, and so Ta'Ziyan would try and do so for now. So as he sat there, he slowly drifted to his belly to be at the same page as the larger lion, though respectfully of course to make sure he was lower than the king aswell.
-Mufasa watched out of the cornor of his eyes as the young one settled nearer to him. Whether a sign of respect, or geniune curiousity, it drew the words from Mufasa's mouth, playing over the thoughts in the air.- "It has been a tradition since the beginning of this pride to arrange a marriage for the first born of the family"
"I don't know why we never did it for Kami..." -Actually.. it was likely because they HAD done so for Simba.. and after losing both him, and Kami's elder twin.. there had seemed more important things then keeping tradition.
Turning his gaze he offered lightly, something that probably seemed strange considering his usual words for the copper lion.- "Perhaps it was for the best?"
Ta'Ziyan had rested his eyes now on his paws, wondering just why the king was bringing it up. It almost seemed as if the king was musing his and Kami's relationship, and as he slowly raised his eyes, he tried to catch the kings with a curiousity that never surpassed him. Yet, when they did meet, and when the words were finished, Ta's eyes were once more on his paws, and his mind slowly getting to work.
"I...I never knew Kami was a princess you know...when we first met..." He spoke softly, as if trying to explain himself to make up for the fact that he was interested in the future queen, "Back than...all we were, were two cubs who happened to be lost, and happened to run into eachother a few times to create a friendship. I never knew she was a heir until I finally discovered she lived in these lands..." Glancing to the king, he added softly, trying to lighten the mood.
"I dont think Kami would have liked an arranged marrage...she would never have discovered what true love was had she not found it herself...I guess..."
"I think you're right actually." -He skipped the explaination softly, saying nothing of it. He himself had watched Sarabi from afar in his youth, pining in soft secret over his brother's proposed bride.
And had he not become the king, he would have kept that pining secret, living vicariously through her happiness until he could have found another to share his time with. If that was possible. He was unsure nowadays. Had he loved her so much even then? Or was it something that time itself had molded and brought about so strongly. Covering his love and admiration for her like a pearl, with layers and layers of love and longing when finally the two were one, watching over these lands just as his father and mother had.
Finally drawing himself from his thoughts, he let his tail flick gently behind him.- "She's very delicate.. In fact, I'm quite surprised she was even brave enough to become friends with even you. I think arranging a marriage for her would have simply pushed her further into herself."
Ta'Ziyan just smiled at the thoughts that shifted over Mufasa's mind, distracting him as his words trailed off. Had he and Kami become like that, always thinking of eachother and not saying anything during the times they were appart. He hoped not, for than they would not really get along with new friends, and Ta'ziyan really wished for Kami to have more friends. He feared that in their times together, they might grow tired, and though he might be getting paranoid, he wished not for that at all.
"I..." Blinking at the next comment, he suddenly lowered his eyes before adding his thoughtful opinion, "We both were hurting when we met...and I guess we related enough that things clicked...and there were no pretenses or judgement, it was just the two of us, no names, nothing...I am glad I met her though, I am glad that I found such a friend in such dark times, and I hope that I have helped her as well...I try to help her as much as I can these days..."
-Uncertainty was certainly a trait both Kami and Ta shared, and suddenly Mufasa's words lifted, slipping more into the tone of an older male giving another advice, instead of the abrasive protective father he'd become so used to playing.- "She's grown so much over time, and I'm sure a good portion of that comes from you. Your friendship."
-Settling his head down onto his paws, he sighed a little whistfully.- "She is happy and determined these days. It's more then I could have hoped for."
Ta'Ziyan watched his head fall, and put past all of the proving and trying to live up to something just to be him, and slowly he poked a paw onto Mufasa's shoulder.
"She has always been happy, your highness, though it may not seem that way...I think...I think Kami just feels like she needs to live up to something. And...in the past she never thought that was possible...and didn't want to disappoint you. She loves her pride, but it is you she loves the most, and you who she wants to please...and I think while you see determination, it is actually her stepping up to the challange, because now she knows...she knows that everything will be alright, even if there are mistakes along the way..."
Trailing off again, he just set his head on his paws, and let out a huff of air, "When she found me...I saw the change in her too...she found her bravery, she found where it was hiding and finally has pulled it out to show the world..."
-His eyes shifted lightly to the comfort, thinking over the word as they settled upon him. Be believed it, all of it as he thought, his daughter's avidly visible admiration. He wondered if she knew how he felt about her? How proud he was of her?
However he found himself speechless for once. And he simply offered a nod to the other male. There was nothing else to say really. Atleast, nothing he could drag out of himself. Not the appreciation he had tucked away that the male had cared for his daughter all this time. Helped her grow instead of shattering her, as his worries always imagined he might.
Finally a question came, soft upon the warm air, curious.- "Why did you wait for so long?"
"Wait so long for what?" The youth asked, before standing up slowly and stretching his limbs, "If you mean wait so long to actually step farther in my relationship with Kami...I guess it is because every time something is rushed, we always end up running..." He didn't want to admit it in front of Kami's father, but he knew their relationship has been unfair, and they deserved so much more that the difficulties they had.
"She is fragile, and I know that with each step we take, we need to tread carefully. Though also, we grow stronger in our bonds as well...and I know soon enough Kami will surprise me with her boldness...she finally knows just what she wants in life, and isn't afraid to fight for it...if that makes sense...did I answer your question?"
-Mufasa's whiskered flared suddenly, taking to offense the innocent words that he himself striped of their innocence in his mind, he stood. His smile was gone, as he tried to fight the glare that wanted to touch his old features.
His mate, his children.. they were his weakness. Making him act in ways he'd never act otherwise. And though he softened his unwarrented aggression gently, it was obvious that the mood and time for ideal chit-chat had passed.- "I meant why you'd waited so long to ask to stay in the dens. You could have come to stay as a child."
-His muscles finally awakened, he took a few pacing steps, before glancing out at the savannah. Waiting for the answer simply out of politeness.-
Ta'Ziyan cowered at the sudden flash of anger, and just looked with wide, copper eyes as the male strode away and seemed to sheen a cold thickness around their conversation.
"I waited for the same reason I didn't ask to join the pride until I was an adult...because of you, your highness...I want to please you, to get your imput and your concent with anything I do with Kami. Out of respect, and out of fear...I fear your rejection..." Murmering the last part, he turned away himself and looked at the den, and suddenly he felt as if everything that just happened was erased.
"I...I have a small den near the base of the rock...I-I shall stay there from now on..." Lowering his head, he knew that he could never stay in the royal dens unless he had the full acceptance of the King.
"I am sorry for taking up your time," and with that, he started to pad away.
-He felt guilty for the outburst, ecspecially when the copper male began to slink away, speaking words that stabbed into the heart of the king.
And he lashed out again, more out of fear for his daughter, and anger at himself then at the male. Though who knew if Ta would be able to see it amongst the angry bark as the king circled around to stop his path.-
"You're telling me that you're willing to give up my daughter's happiness, and let her suffer because you're afraid of me? If you really care so much then what weight do a few simple words hold?"
"When one really cares for another they should be willing to face anything."
Normally, any other lion would lash out at such an action, and yet Ta just blinked at the king, before his eyes took on a sign of sorrow. He did not see the fear or anger, but only the pure hatred that laced the words, and slowly he shook his head.
"You don't see it...I guess it really is hard to see since Kami is never really around when we talk..." He murmered lightly, before his frown tightened, "Though it may hurt her with the idea of me not sleeping in the chamber, becuase she told me her day would be bright every single morning if she woke by my side...but alas, I doubt that would happen if ever day she awoke to her father's glares..." He paused a moment, before adding, "I know you don't like me." And with that, he moved past the king and towards the steps, his intent to make Kami happy, not leave her to suffer when seeing the father she loves hating her best friend day in and day out.
-Obviously HE didn't see. Mufasa knew how much Kami cared for the boy. But that didn't really matter right now. If Ta would not fight for her, then he could not have her.
Better her heart break now and here then down the road when the one she cared for shyed aside and allowed her to get hurt over something as stupid as fear. He would test him right here and right now, and if the boy failed? Well then, he could stay in those lower dens all he wanted.
Long strides pulling he closer behind the male he called out.- "The only thing I don't like is your blatent cowardice when the topic at hand is something so precious."
"How DARE you claim to care for her and yet not fight for her." -It was obvious his aggressions were simply in his voice, not once allowing the aggitation to draw him towards swinging, or biting. But he was expecting some sort of retaliation in return. Be it physical or verbal, he needed something, and would tail the male until he got it.-
Slowly, his strides stopped and his form begain to shake. It wasn't oftin that Ta'ziyan would get angry, in fact the last time he got angry was when Palesa tried to stop him from giving Kami her space. He didn't think about how right she was with the matter, just how always someone would stand between him and Kami, not understanding just how much they were making things worse instead of better.
"Just stop it!" He let out in a sudden roar, ignoring all of the lions nearby who seemed to look up, and he spun around with a thick glare, "What do you know about my relationship with Kami, when were you ever there to watch us, when were you ever there to actually try and get to know me!" Snarling at that, he made no move to attack the king, but his words were strong, a clear sign he was fed up with the male's games.
"You want to know why I dont fight for her, well I will tell you why. It is because every single time I try, she runs away, every time I try to do anything, she is gone. And now, now that I have her back again, I am not going to screw things up for a third time. Now like I said, just leave me alone, becuase there is no way I am going to hurt Kami's father. I may not see eye to eye with you Mufasa, but I still do respect you, but you are getting on my nerves-"
Cutting himself off with another quick turn, he just stalked away with angry breaths, realizing that indeed, he had grown a dark side while hiding away in the shadows of his nightmares. Never did he realize he could lash like that, and while he looked back at his words, he suddenly regreted them. But he had gone well over the startting line, and there was no turning back. He just hoped Kami wasn't hiding and watching him than and there.
-A snarl rippled through the king instinctively as the words assualted his ears, but truthfully they were enough. And he didn't begrudge the male as he made his way off in frusteration, Mufasa himself turning to stalk back off to the rocks.
Ears laid back heavily he settled himself down to the ground with a huff, wondering if they're fight had been enough to rouse and upset his family within the dens. And more pressingly.. just how he was going to tell his daughter that'd he'd run off her best friend.- This is what I want - Kamilika and Ta Quote: -It wasn't often that Kami spent her days napping in the den, but just as her father had been, she'd been intrigued by the cubs. Almost a soft feeling of jealous and lonliness taking up her night as she wished she had someone to cuddle close to her, be it Ta or her babies.
But finally she'd fallen asleep, and slept late through the morning, rousing only when the angry noises outside began to sound. And at first she thought she was dreaming, hearing words that didn't really connect, ears twitching as she recognized one. Her father.. and suddenly the other Ta.
Bolting up, her heart setting forth at a flutter of worry, she sprinted towards the edge of the den, half expecting it to be a dream when she got there. Less then pleased to see it wasn't, seeing both her father prowling back to lay with an angry huff. And the copper pelt of her friend dissapearing.
What in the world had happened? Torn between the two, she pressed her thoughts away, quickly making her way towards the rocks and after Ta, calling out behind him as she drew nearer.- "Ta!"
Stomping down each of the steps, he continued around towards the lower dens, the ones that were hidden well below the rocks and in the shadows. Passing some of the larger ones, he stilled before his as the light voice of Kami echoed into his ears, though he refused to turn to look at her. At the moment, his eyes were fuming and he just let out a snort.
"...Kami..." He finally called out, just to show he was there, and turned on his paws. Padding into the sunlight, he blinked up to her and felt his anger fade slightly, though it wasn't all gone. Of course, the fight was over her, but he wouldn't tell her that, "What...what are you doing here?"
-She paused in her step when he finally turned, offering the soft hints of a smile, though her ears hung cautiously back, giving away the worry that ebbed at her.- "I think I was having a bad dream.. Probably shouldn't stayed up so late."
-Paw dragging softly on the rocks, she made her way down another step, watching his curiously as she turned his question back around at him.- "What were you doing up there?"
His face looked downward at the question, his mane falling across his eyes and presenting a dark, brooding look. Maw shutting tightly, he just took a deep breath before letting it out, and keeping his eyes low.
"It was nothing..." With that soft reply, he turned back to pad towards his den, unsure what to say until he paused at the entrace. Kami really had yet to come to his den, he always ventured to meet her during their rare times together. Looking around the even smaller room than before she met him, he turned back.
"Welcome to my home..." His voice was meek, and he flashed her a half-smile before rushing in, the smile fading to a frown once more.
-Her look of confusion didn't fade with his words, as she tried to decipher the vague answer she'd been given. In fact it only mixed with worry as he continued on darkly, strangely. However her ears lifted with the word 'home', and slowly she began to follow, stopping when she'd reached the small enterance.- "Did you not ask him Ta?"
-A simple statement, for she knew the lion before her, and that no matter what she'd said, he would ask her father's permission as well. It seemed she wasn't the only one that trusted her father's opinion over her own.-
Silence was all that greeted her question, and instead the male curled up in a confortable position and let out a small yawn, "I did just wake up, but I guess the heat just seems to be getting to me..." Letting out a forced laugh, it drifted before he cut it short and settled his head on his paws, already feeling horrible for the fight, and now he was avoiding all of Kami's questions, which was against the rules of their game.
Swallowing, he flattened his ears before adding as soft, inaudible, "I asked..."
-She was taken aback by his strange actions, visiably uncertain. But finally she let her golden paws carry her into his den, forcing a hint of a smile upon her maw as she gazed at him alone, too puzzled to bother with checking out his new place.
Words were muttered, but she couldn't make them out, settling onto the ground softly. Openning her mouth to speak, she paused abruptly. Frowning a bit before she tried again.- "Did I actually hear.. yelling?"
He just settled there in silence, his ears the only sign that he was following her movements, though when she entered the room he always knew she was there. Letting out a soft sigh, he nodded to her question, and wondered if he should go on about it or just let it settle.
"I..." He murmered lightly, speaking up better than a moment before, "...went to see your father this morning...while you were still asleep..." His eyes turning, he shifted to face her better, knowing he owed her that, and let his eyes settle on her form, the golden hue soothing his tension.
"You should use a quieter voice when you talk... " -It was an attempt at a joke, a soft smile touching her for the briefest of moments.
But she knew well enough that it was a bad joke, and hoped suddely that he wouldn't be too irritated by the words, considering his obviously foul mood. It only she knew why..- "Why.. are you staying in your den? Instead of mine?" -Soft, tentative words.-
Shifting again at her words, he didn't make a move to laugh, and his whole form seemed to grow tense once again. Lowering his head, he just glowered in a soft pout before letting out a heavy sigh, something he always seemed to be doing.
"You should ask your father about that one Kami..." He explained softly, "Or maybe just ask why he doesn't approve of me being anywhere near you, when he has no idea just who I am, and doesn't give me a chance..." Settling his head on his paws, he just curled his claws into the dirt that lined the den.
-She recoiled softly at his words, not exactly the response she'd been wanting to hear. Her father was like... a god... in her eyes. The ever knowing wisdom and peak to strive to be like. And yet now..
Her mind wavered softly. It couldn't be true... He couldn't not like Ta. Soft emotion touching her voice she stomped a paw against the ground for his attention.- "But.. I asked you to. That should matter, shouldn't it?"
-For once she actually disagreed with the king, and it was a heavy thought. He may have always been right before.. but he wasn't right here. Not if he wouldn't let him stay.. Not if he thought he saw something in Ta that was to be disliked..-
Ta'Ziyan paused in his breathing for a moment at her voice, the soft sorrow causing him to frown before stand. Moving to her side, he settled down again and made sure that he was touching her at least from side to side, and slowly he let out a soft purr.
"Don't get me wrong, we did try to get it to work, and your father agreed...at first..." He said softly, smiling as much as he could, "But than...you father just snapped...and that yelling was us...and I decided as long as your father disliked me, I should not be in a place where that anger can effect you for long periods of time. He said you might suffer if I decided to not stay, but I know you would suffer more if the two males, the father you love and your best friend, fought whenever together and in your presence...I don't want to hurt you like that...so for now...this is my home..."
Moving his cheek to hers, he brushed it lightly, "Please understand..."
-Though she had the comfort of his weight and heat beside her, Kami's ears began to droop slowly as the story unfolded. She was sorry for both of them.. her father and Ta.
But something else was more previlant at the moment, and she found herself spitting out the words before she really had the time to think them over.- "Then I'll stay with you here."
-Simple, matter of fact. It wasn't up to either of them to choose what was best for her.. and what would make her happy. It was her.-
As soon as she said that, his whole form stiffened and his maw fell. Gaping at her, he blinked once, twice, and than three times before any thought fluttered through his mind. Before long, he was coughing and shaking his head, his mind traveling to where all of the others assumptions might begin.
"But Kami..." He whined, his ears falling, "What will everyone think when they see that the heir is spending her time in a den...with another adult male...alone..." Heat raised to his cheeks, "They will think that we are...are...mates..." Meekly, he lowered his head with slight embarrasment, before murmering softly, "Just as you thought of myself and Palesa...they will think we are bonded..." He did not mean it as an insult to her thoughts, but merely an example she could relate to.
"But Ta... we are bonded. We're best friends remember." -Murring a little, she rubbed her shoulder against his, before motioning towards his chest where the old necklace lay hidden among his mane.- "Ever since we were little we've had a way of showing how we were bonded together, and you never minded before."
-Determined grin touching her face, she continued on lightly, unintent on losing this 'argument'.- "No matter what Ta, it's what I want. So it's either you in the royal den, or me down here."
-Finally she took a moment to glance upon the small den, suddenly curious if it was big enough for the two of them. And if perhaps she should have asked.. instead of demanded.-
He didn't say anything for a long moment, just following her motion to where the necklace hung from his neck, and to the charm that hung from her own tail. Murring slightly himself at her action as well, he figured she had all the idea of the mess she was getting into.
"You know...I didn't mean a friendship bond Kami, I mean a mate bond, as in..." Letting out a soft laugh, he added, "You know when a female loves a male very much, and he loves her in return, they end up bonding together...mind, heart, soul..." He said that all with a soft, teacherish voice, joking about it, "Than they move in together...and...well look at your sister and her mate...they make cubs...people will think you are going to expect cubs as well, and...well...I dont want anything going around that are rumors...and I dont want to fight with your father...so maybe..."
He trailed a moment in thought, "Maybe we can just work hard to spend our days together?" It was obvious with his manor that he was getting close to giving in.
-A soft look of feigned shock touched her, and she tossed teasing words at him, as she stood, giving herself enough time to think over his words.- "Pervert. Such impure thoughts Ta."
-She wasn't really afraid of people thinking such things. If anything at all, she was more afraid of them actually happening. Still as of yet tender in of the occassion that had left her with cubs before. She didn't want it.. not to be put on the spot again.. not yet.
But even before in her childish hormonal flaunt Ta had been noble and pure. There was nothing to worry about with him.
Walking around the den lightly, making an attempt to look as if she were inspecting it as she thought, she finally stopped, turning to face him once more.- "I won't get fat Ta, so there will be no reason for those sort of rumors."
-A soft look of seriousness touching her face, she offered one last time gently.- "If you don't want to share your den with me then you only have to say so. But I..."
"It's what I want." Just lowering his eyes, not really knowing what to say to her tauntings and not realizing the thoughts that brushed her mind. Shifting his paws lightly side to side, he lifted his head only when he saw her pad around the small den, his face flushing at her steady relay before standing and moving closer. When she finally spoke up once more, and somewhat guilted him, he felt it hard, though he scorned her not.
"If it is what you want Kami, I am not one to deny you...though I only wish for the best for you..." His voice echoed out in a soothing tone, moreso to himself than he imagined for her. He just tried to tell himself silently that nothing would happen, and that no one would freak, not even her parents, but he knew that would all be just a lie.
"I do...I do want to spend my days by your side Kami...but we never have the time like we used to..." Admitting that at last, he just turned his head towards the entrance, a bout of shyness creeping through his system.-His uncertainity and shyness pushed past Kami, perhaps something she'd actually done conciously herself, her own features growing a grin of soft triumph.
Tiny hints of freedom lined her path and dangled before her. But more importantly, they were bits of freedom that could be shared with Ta. Just as they had when they were children.
Golden ears swiveling forward she offered a smile, though he couldn't see it, slowly beginning to pad her way to his side. Attempting to try and sooth over whatever worries rested within the fragilties of her friend.- "What is best for me is to be happy. And to learn to do some things on my own.. not always just listen to what I'm told. Otherwise how will I know how to think for myself when I'm older and the day comes when there is noone left to tell me what to think."
-Tail flicking with youthful joy, she finally drew close enough to almost touch him, leaning towards his side to give a reassuring brush to his cooper pelt.-He met her action half-way, a more courgous step as he smiled warmly to her words, his eyes shimmering jokingly as all worries seemed to melt away at her precemity. If she thought it was alright, it had to be, because in the end he had the same beliefe that Kami knew what was best.
"Ah, but there shall always be someone to advise, be it your maned wolf friend or even me, in all my knowledge and glory!" With a puff of his chest, he raised his head and tried to hold his smile, before failing and falling into a light assult of chuckles.
As he calmed, he just smiled as the day was still young, and turned towards the opening of the den, his pelt shivering with a new sense of awakening.
"Since we still have time in our day, dear Kami, would you like to spend some time walking through the pridelands, for besides my intentions of spending much needing time by your side, I shall need to clear my mind before we tell your father of...the news..." His cuckle became nervous at that."Well... that's true." -She murred softly, attempting to soften the giggle that touched her with the soft pleasantness of seeing her friend laugh.
And at his offer she nodded strongly, feminine golden frame pressing past him and out of the cave, turning back to look at him only when she was finally far enough out for her pelt to glow under the ray of the sun.- "I'd love to take a walk. Anywhere in particular you'd like to go? Or should we just wander like we used to and see where we end up?"
-She didn't make mention of his last statement, keeping her expression pleasant and happy, her tail twitching. Despite the worry that it brought her friend, she'd deal with it herself. Quite surely if the rest of her siblings could run around all over the earth without even asking permission, then she'd be able to sleep just a little further down the rocks.-"Let us wander," He said softly, following her form closly and pausing at her side, "I am in the mood to search the lands around us and hope for any sort of new sights. Besides, today might be a day where we meet someone new, you never can know."
With that simple statement he rubbed his face into her neck in a soft hug, smiling his thanks as his eyes shimmered when he pulled away. She was always there for him, always making sure things worked out just fine in the end, and he was very much glad of how it worked out. Them alone together would mean more time, and more time with Kami meant his life would only get better. He knew that much.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:53 am
Superdog! - Cascata and Demani Quote: An adolescent wild dog where walking in the outcast off a big forest in the southlands he had no idea where he was because he never been here before and he just decided to wander off from his pack for a while. He wagged his tail and sniffed around in the air to pick up many funny smells he never smelled before.
" What is this place? "
The young male continued walking strutting around in a very childish way like he was still a little boy. Not that he wasn't but he never felt much older actually but when his body became stronger you could just many more fun things then just sitting around in your pack all day he grinned and wagged his tail more happily.
-Tiny little puppy paws carried little Cascata as she made her way through the forest. She liked to wander around in the daytime, because everything was clear and cheerful. She only wished those glowy floaties played in the daytime too.
Oh well.. she still had the butterflies.
Ears perking with the sound of underbrush rustling, she turned to look for a source, and upon finding none, figured it to be one of her many siblings, come to play a bit of hide and seek. Letting out an amused bark, she yelped out playfully, tail wagging.- "You're not gonna sneak up on me and scare me this time!" Demani blinked with his golden eyes turned his head around when he heard someone barking and telling him he is not gonna scare her this time? what? who was that? the young male barked back and took a big jump towards the little pup he did probably scare her when doing that.
But this male had the most brightest smile and wagging his tail faster then the most pups where so he didn't look that scary.
" Wha?? who are you? " -A soft squeal of surprise escaped the pup as the unexpected form jumped towards her, eyes widening. But the beautiful bright pelt, with sploches much like her own, and the seemingly friendly attitude soon soothed her worries.
Tail wagging cautiously, for a moment, she finally took a few step forward, flashing a soft smile.- "I.. I thought you were one of my brothers. But you're not! I'm Cascata! Who're you?" -She certainly didn't remember him from around the pack.-Demani watched the pup with his golden eyes he lowerd his front legs to take a closer look at her his bump was sticking up and he looked very funny he looked more like a large pup then an almost adult but his body was telling something else he was strong and muscular just like an adult should be..
He tilted his head to the side oh she could spoke then she wasn't that small.
" Haha i hope not because i know you are not my sister! i am Demani nice to mee you "
His tail started wagging again.. "Hiiiie Demani" -She dragged the words out with a cute little squeak, tail beginning to take up the quicker pace of the elder dog. And as he crouched lightly, she giggled a little, stepping forward to let her tongue lick at his nose once in a form of greeting.-
"You're not from here are you? That's okay, I can show you the best places to play here!"" Hiiii Cascata!!! "
He just had to say it in that childish and silly way the blueish pup did heh now he understand why he didn't want to grow up just because he was almost and adult didn't meen he had to be all boring as the rest off the adults. Then he felt a lick on his nose and he blinked surprising and then she got a lick back but on her cheek..
" Ah no i am just taking longer walks from my pack since i am bigger now....and i want to try and find my sister who got missing a while ago "
He smiled he was sure his sister was ok because she was smarter then him so she had to survive. He nodded to her sentence off mention playing places.
" That sounds good show me if you like "
-She grinned happily at the lick in return, a soft pleased noise escaping her. And as he spoke of being bigger she looked over his body, hoping over until she stood beside him, giggling a little at the way he towered. Both in height and length.
But it didn't matter to her. She'd play with anyone that wanted to play! And Demani certainly wanted to.
Padding forward a few steps, she motioned for him to follow, tail swaying quickly back and forth, almost enough to wiggle her entire little rump.- "I'm too little to play to far away yet. But I don't mind, I like the woods!"
"In fact! We could play follow the leader until we get closer to home where all the fun stuff is?"
He laughed at Cascatas behavior silly pup his sister where never like that she was always intelligent and always think before she act his brother was more like him. He looked down at her and watched her tiny tail sway.
He waited for her answer and laughed again when she mentioned follow the leader he hadn't play that game that much before but he knew how it was working. He puffed her side with his nose..
" Ok you be the leader i follow you! and what more fun stuff is it there? "
"Alright, this way then!" -She began to lead enthusiastically, taking of in a fairly quick trot, though it probably wasn't a hard pace at all for the male to keep up with, with his longer legs. And she weaved softly between trees, making sure he was following and repeating her, looping completely around one tree before she headed off again.-
"There is swimming at the watering hole! Or tag with my family. Neat things to find and collect. Butterflies to play with. Flowers to sniff out." -She listed thing after thing with a happy bark, leading him futher and further into the familar forest she called home.- "Do you have all those things in your pack?"Demani nodded and followed the little pup and tried copy her exact moves een her facial expressions he tried to copy. The looked around the area it was nice here very nice and a little cooler there he came from.
" Oh swimming sounds nice! "
Bugs had never intressted him and neither the plants he liked more dangerous things like picking on other animals that could be dangerous to a dog.
" Ah well i have a waterhole nearby...some plants and trees but not as many as this and it's much hoter there i live but it's still nice " -Ohhhh! He was real good at this game! Perfectly following her lead, and she began to giggle as she noticed the extra care that went into actually following her expressions. He was like, the master of the game! Woooooow.
Hopping up and over a tiny little shrub, feeling it's branches tickle at her belly, before answering him lightly.- "Hotter? I like to lay in sunspots sometimes to keep warm, but most of the times I like the temperature."
"Ohhh! We're almost there!" -Her tail wagged quickly as the scent of the water touched her nose.-Demani looked proud and cocky over his good game experience he had been a master off the most at home because he loved to try and do everything and nothing could ever stop him fro doing even bad things sometimes.
Demani laughed at the playful cub again she was just so cute was he that small once? he couldn't remember maybe the world had felt bigger from the beginning..
" Ohhh great! what is it like? just so you know i am the best swimmer~~ " "Woooow" -A look of obvious awe touched her, followed by a happy grin.- "I can't wait to see then! I haven't been swimming too many times yet. I was too little and I couldn't see anything."
-She picked up the pace gently, little pads carrying her excitedly towards the familar watering hole, having half forgotten the game they'd been playing. And when the glint of sun off the water touched her eyes, she gave a few celebatory barks. No one else seemed to be around, but he was the best swimmer, so if something went wrong he'd save her! Yes, nothing to worry about but having fun.- He laughed he was a good swimmer he didn't know if he was the best but probably the best one she had seen heh so it didn't matter at all. He looked down at Cascata and then towards where the waterhole where suppose to be..
" Oh what a nice place for a waterhole and it smells so fresh "
He got all excited and made a little jump from all excitement to take a better look at the waterhole. Such a pretty place this was sure his home was good but there was always better places right? to bad his pack hadn't settle down in a place like this.. -With his approval for the watering hole, she left his side, bounding towards the glittering waters. She may not be very good at it yet, but she LOVED to swim! It got her all nice and clean. And there were tons of games you could play in the water!
Splashing into the shallow edges of the hole she gave a happy little howl, hopping around in splashy circles as she waited for Demani to join her.-Demani made a bomb out off his body and splashed down into the clear and sparkling water. Water was splashing everywhere and making the sourounding all wet. Then he realized that it might be stupid doing that poor Cascata was still just a baby...he satrted to look around for her her colors was a little similar to the water too...
" Cascata? you ok? " -She squeaked in surprise, lifting a paw to try and shield her eyes from the gigantically humongus splash, giggling softly as the torrents of water sprinkled down like a rain shower, wetting the fur that hadn't yet dipped beneath the waters.
And when his words came, she barked out happily, padding out a few more feet, until the water almost covered her back.- "I'm fine see! I love the water."
-Tail lifting to flop heavily back and forth against the water, she hopped on her paws.- "I want to see you swim though!"Demani blinked and watched Cascata she seemed just to like it that was good he got a little worried there for a second. He took a deep breath and splatted some water towards the pup. He barked back happily and took some big big motions with his paws to get closer to her.
" I can see that heh...oh well i am already swimming but i can show you some more "
He dove under the surface and started to swim under the pup and around and around he was actually holding his breath pretty long under the water...maybe he didn't notice he had been under that long he had to take a breath sometime.. -She giggled some more, turning as the waves of water splattered in her direction, before finally turning back as he spoke, tail wagging heavily as he dissapeared beneath the surface.
She'd just wanted to see him swim all the way across once, but this was exciting too. He could go all the way under! And stay down a long time.
Actually.. it was getting too long, and a soft look of worry touched her face as she searched the water for his pelt, the teal and white blending a little to well with the sun and water reflecting up at her.- "D.. demani?"Demani had practiced his skills holding his breath he didn't know why maybe he needed it someday if he was in trubble because you never known. After a few more seconds he decided it was time to come up he slowley floated up and licked the pups neck when he stuck his head up..
" Heh you got scared little one? "
He laughed and grinned waving his tail under the water still happy and he wasn't effected at all being under the water for some time. His bangs where haning down in his eyes so he couldn't see his pup friend that well he tried getting them out off his face with some blowing but that didn't help.. -A momentary look of worry continued on her face, ending in a soft pout as she replied lightly.- "I didn't know if you'd be coming back up. I can't swim underwater yet..."
-But it slowly faded with the obviousness that he was okay and happy and she giggled a bit at the soppy mess the water had made of his fur, dragging it down all funny. Hopping out a few steps, keeping her nose held up high so it didn't dip beneath the water, she hopped to lean her front paws against the older pup, standing on her tippytoes.- "Can you swim all the way across? It gets too deep for me."Demani shoke the hair out from his face and blinked some to get rid off the water near his eyes. He smiled and puffed at the pup with his nose a little.
" Ah well i am a good swimmer i have been one since i was your age maybe i am born with that ability...i always liked being near water "
His named ment monsoon so that fit him really well and his colors fitted for that name too. He looked down at the pup when she swimmed up to him and holded her front paws against him..
" Ah sure i can...want me to carry you on my back? "-Indeed, a similarity between the two, for the little 'waterfall' also felt drawn to the waters. Perhaps one day she'd be good like him. For now the only thing that was keeping her back was her young and girlish fears.
Her ears perked, a happy little whimper touching her throat at his offer and she nodded strongly.- "Yessssss pleassssse!"The teal dog helped her up on his back with his nose pushing her up. Then he started to swim across the other side and then he continued to swim in small circels just to get his legs use to the swimming he actually hadn't been swimming that much latley he could use some more warm up.
" Ok Lady~~ where do you wanna go? "
He smiled and looked around the area there was a few places he could swim at the deeper areas or just near the waterfall or they could just spot for fish.-She settled on his back comfortably, finding a place where she felt safe before her eyes lifted to glance about at everything.
Where did she want to go? Out where it was deep! Where she hadn't seen before! Or maybe all the way across? Letting her tiny paws dip into the water, wet and sloppy tail settling upon his back, she barked out excitedly.- "The middle Demani! The middle!"
-And adventure at it's finest, and she didn't have to worry at all or get frightened!-Demani grinned and hold them up with sweaping his tail and paws under the water surface. He glanced at Cascata in the eye off his corner she really seemed to enjoy this..that was great!
" Ok so the middle it is "
He started to swim forwards towards the middle a few grey fishes got scared when big Demani came swimming right over their home and you could see there skin sparckle in silver below. When they arrived at the middle Demani barked and wagged his tail.
" Ok now we are here sweetie...what do you want to do here? " -The pup watched with wide eyes as they slipped further and further from the shore, a soft giggle escaping her as she watched the little fishies swim to get out of his way.
And as they stopped, her ears perked with the question, before she crept with a tiny ounce of bravery down his back a little, until both her front paws rested in the water.-
"I wanna seee." -Tail swaying lazily back and forth, a soft testament to her pleasure as she peered into the water. Sticking her little muzzle into the water, and up past her eyes she blinked as she watched from underwater the soft currents and bubbles that strayed from his feet.
Surfacing after a few moments, with a childishly dramatic puff of air, and wiggle of her face, she slipped back up to his back, seeming to hug at him as she barked happily.- "The deep water is neat!"
-However as soon as her outburst quieted a wide yawn touched her muzzle, soft whimper as she suddenly realized just how tiring all the playing with the bigger pup had been.- "I think I want to nap now.. Demani naps too?" Family is everything - Cascata and family
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:55 am
Twin Terrors - Ahai and Matsai Quote: Matsai sat quietly outside the pridal den, waiting as always for his twin to appear. The hot sun beat down on his blue coat, heating him through rather nicely, and the cub couldn't stifle a little sigh. It was a glorious day and he reveled in it, even if his expression didn't show it. Calm, cool, Matsai prefered to hide what he felt from prying eyes. An impatient little flick of his tail was his only movement, and he wondered what was taking his brother so long.
Last night had been another bad night... he'd woken up in the middle from a terrible nightmare and had never been able to fall asleep again. In it, terrible lions, fair glowing with power, had spread wings of fire and torn into his father, ripping his own wings from him. Dreams like that were common for the young cub, much as he hated them. Why did they plague him so? Maybe Ahai had the same dreams... it would be a great help if he could speak to his twin about them, confide in another creature the pain he felt in them.-A mild grunt escaped Ahai as he streched one last time, paws finally carrying him out into the sunlight. And as soon as the harsh light dimmed enough for his eyes to bear to be open, he quickly padded over to his twin, a playful growl touching him in greeting. It seemed more appropriate then a purr really.. for whatever strange reason.
But for it's brother the meaning was purely playful and light, not the warning that it held when sounded towards any other. Yawning wide, he tried to peek and figure out what Matsai might have been doing, unsure of how long before him he'd left the den.- "What'r you doing Matsai?" -He asked finally letting his back paw scratch at his stomach lightly.-A flicker at the corners of Matsai's mouth was his greeting to his brother, followed by a flick of his golden-tipped tail. His paw lashed out to bat at his twin's head, his own growl rippling in his chest. "I was thinking, Ahai..." He chuckled as he danced back out of reach. "And sitting. What did it look like? Unlike some lions, I use my brain once in a while."
The jibe was gentle, a playful prod with no malice attached. The blue cub paced around his mirror image, carefully keeping his eyes on him at all times. No telling what Ahai might do, and better to be prepared than to find himself pinned to the stone in play. Ahai was... wonderful, to say the least. No one else understood him quite like his twin, even if they didn't always get along like twins should."Yeah yeah." -His eyes rolled softly back taking the playful taunt with a grain of salt, as he offered back matter of factly.- "And brains are overrated."
-Watching with a smirk as his twin began to circle and move around him, he couldn't help but feel comforted, joy even. For as often as his other siblings found a way to grate upon his nerves, Matsai was always there to do the oppisite. To sooth whatever bit had been frayed.
But his mind was not on any of that today, his twins mirrored nightmares pushed aside nearly as soon as the sun had touched the cub's eyes. He was going to get him! That pace was just too tempting.
But instead of pouncing and knocking him over, Ahai grinned, hopping up on back legs as he tried to push himself up onto his twin. Waiting to see if the weight would knock him down, or if he'd end up going for a ride.-"Hey!" Matsai squeaked in suprise as his twin jumped onto him. "I'm not an antelope!" Growling in mock anger, the cub let his legs crumble beneith him and rolled to try and escape his brother's hold, paws flailing at the blue hide. Roaring (for a cub) his challenge, he scrambled onto his paws and pounced back towards his brother. Yes, a little rough and tumble... just what he needed to clear his mind of the past night. Dreams were terrible things, Matsai had come to learn, and to be avoided at all times.
At least Ahai didn't give Matsai dreams when they touched. That seemed to be an inevitable thing whenever the blue cub came in contact with another creature. The dreams would well up, flooding his mind, and they normally featured the creature itself. Mother and father didn't bother him as much, since the dreams were rare, but only with Ahai did he see nothing at all. Thankful for that small grace, Matsai yowled happily, his limbs flailing. Asserting yourself is everything - Ahaiyuta and Kaikuri Quote: -The little blue cub trounced through the grasses like a warthog with hungry hyena's at it's heels. Caring very little for the snapping of grass leaflets left in his path, and the unholy racquet that sounded through the air. Run run run, smacking grasses flat with his head and shoulders down like a battering ram.
Until finally his chest began to heave from exertion, slowing to a trot as he looked for a rock or something to perch himself on, so that he could view his handywork from above.- Kaikura had managed to sneak away from his family and wander off on his own. There was only so much lovey-dovey talk he could stand from both his parental figures. Besides, he was going on an adventure! He was tempted to puff out his chest at the idea. He was a big strong warrior and he was going to have great adventures! And without his sissy siblings
He prowled around low to the ground, with his tail thrashing excitedly behind him. Finally he stopped when he heard something moving. Perking his hears he peered up carefully. Maybe it was a monster he'd have to fight! He saw a blue shape dart past and then come to a haunt a few feet away, panting. Tilting his head curiously he began to move towards it. He had never seen a living thing that was blue before...besides butterflies. It had to be a monster.-A rock.. a hill... something? He wanted to see the little maze and path he'd created. See how big his effect had been on the unsuspecting grasses. Maybe he should have found a rock in the first place.. and then played around it..
A sneer touched him at the thought, it wasn't helpful now.. only irritating. Huffing a little he slunk through the grasses, tail lashing, oblivious of the cub that'd spotted him. Just wait until he was bigger like his dad! Then he could squish down all the stupid grass and it wouldn't be so hard to find a dumb rock.-Kaikura stifled a cub-like growl that was forming in his throat. He could see the blue thing moving around...and he was going to get it! Luckily the monster didn't seem to notice him as he stalked closer. Pausing when he was within leaping distance he tensed his muscles like he had seen his parents do. Then clumsiy, he pounced right at the creature, "RAWR!" His brown form jumped and launced himself at the unsespecting cub, but no claws were outstretched. He hadn't exactly figured that part out yet."WHA!?" -Black ears flicked forward, similarly green eyes peering at the sound as suddenly a little body came flying at him. It happened too quick for him to retaliate, or pull his own claws forward, but he braced himself for the hit.
And as the other cub careened into him the two tumbled back Ahai laying on his back as eyes tried to survay the details of the situation, a young and rather unimpressive roar escaping him.- "Get offa me!"
-Tiny paws attempted to kick at the brown cub, as he added unpleasantly.- "Unless you wanna be my lunch that is."Kaikura grinned in triump, feeling pride swell in his chest. Haha! See, he was strong! He wasn't going to end up like his dad, no sir! Though his grinning he barely noticed what he was sitting on until it began to kick him and he paid more attention. He did his best to bare down his weight and keep the other pinned. A look of bitter disappointment flickered on his young face, "Ah man! You're not a monster!" He was so put out he didn't notice the other cub's threat. Man, what a drag! He thought he had tackled an evil creature or something. Darn.-Ahai's emotions ran across his face like a book, irritation.. as the moronic cub grinned like a doofus, insult as the words flickered over his eyes, and then anger as tiny claws unseathed themselves, swatting hard in the direction of the other cub.
How DARE he! First he bowled him over for no reason at all, and now he was treating him like he was some harmless little cubby? Obviously he had NO clue who he was dealing with. Attempting to push the other cub off of him he snarled.- "Are you so sure about that?"Kaikura squeaked in surprise as Ahai's claws almost nabbed his face. A jolt was sent through his body in shock and for an instant his grip was loosened. He tumbled off the other cub, though in landed on his belly. He rose easily from that positon to give Ahai a furious and sour look. "Geeze, watch it!" He clipped with a bristle of his fur before shaking your head, "You're not monster. Monster's are big and scary and hidious. You're just blue." He didn't really mean it as an insult but...he didn't really care if the individual took it as such either.-Making his way to his paws Ahai visibly bristled as well, fur standing tall on his back as irritation laced his face. He HATED being small.. he couldn't wait for the day he was as big as his daddy. But that's why he was training. Becoming stronger.
Puffing himself as big and tall as he could manage he growled.- "I may not be big yet, but I'm plenty scary kid."
"Wanna see?" -He lowered his head lightly, taking the unfamilar position that he knew went with prowling and pouncing.-Kaikura eyed the other cub with curiousity. He too wanted to be strong, but for the opposite of Ahai's reasons. He didn't want to end up the hippie that his father was. He wanted to grow to be a big strong male who could do anything! So while he was rather dense when it came to others he did notice that the other cub was kinda interested in the same thing. Sorta. He tilted his head to one side slightly and murmured, "Well...you don't really seem scary to me. I'm real brave!" He stood proudly where he was, his green eyes sparkling against his white mask. "But...you do seem kinda strong." He paused and suggested, "Hey, I bet we'd both be real strong if we trained together!" He cleared his throat stiffly, "Not that I need it or anything."-His expression slowly faded as the cub spoke, the words strong pulling more at him then the 'not scary' part. Muscles loosened and he looked over the other cub curiously. It really wasn't a bad idea.
Matsai wouldn't let him play and wrestle all the time.. so having someone else that was kind of strong to wrestle and train with might be nice. And obviously the cub wasn't completely useless if he'd snuck up on and pounced him before.
Nodding gently he finally offered the slightest hint of a smile.- "I couldn't hurt to train together I suppose. I'm Ahaiyuta. You?"Kaikura grinned widely to show his own pleasure. He wouldn't admit it too himself, but he was very excited to have someone to "train" with. His brothers and sister were no good for that. On the contrary, his parents didn't like him rough-housing at all. This was going to be great! "I'm Kaikura!" He said with pride and a condident flick of his tail. "Good to meet 'ya!" Even though he didn't really think about it that way, in reality he had just made his first friend. And it was going to make things so much cooler!-Finally letting a full fledged grin filter upon his features, he nodded, testing the name on his tongue and memory.- "Kaikura."
-Padding nearer, he let the other cub's enthusiasm wash over him, his own tail beginning to sway with mild excitement. A sparring buddy would be neat. And would come in handy. Most of the pridelanders he'd seen so far had looked so meek and stupid. Maybe they weren't all bad though.- "You can call me Ahai if you like, that's what my family calls me for short."
"What do you wanna do first? Wrestle? Or maybe we play tug? Or hunt or something..""Ahai...cool," Kaikura nodded his grin growing so that it allowed his mouth to open in an obvious smile. With a flicker of his ears he jumped back, bringing his front close to the ground with his tail thrashing in the air. "I think we should...practice stalking!" Though he had to admit, wrestling sounded uber fun too. But they could always do that afterwards, right? They had all the time in the world! "I could see you real easy with you're blue fur...we should see if we can hide it!" He sounded excited at the challenge. He wasn't sure if it was possible to hide Ahai's blue coat.-He nodded at the stalking comment crouching gently in imitation, though his face clearly showed the skepticism that laced the comment on his pelt.- "This is the pelt of a prince. You don't just hide it." -He scoffed, before puffing a little. He was proud of his brillantly hued coat, something that made him and his twin so special amongst the golden pridelands.
It probably WOULD be easier to hunt without it though.. - "If I can hunt and catch things even with this bright pelt it just shows what a skilled hunter I am. Strength over trickery."Kaikura looked just as skeptical as his friend. He honestly didn't see anything princely about it. It just looked silly...like he was a bluebird or something. "Prince...? Flower prince...bird prince?" His teasings didn't intend ot have any bite to them, but he didn't make an effort to soften them either. He continued though, "Yeah...maybe, but...imagine if you could be sneaky too. See then you'd be even stronger then just being skilled and stuff!" ....Right? Made perfect sense to him!-His brow lifted, a frumpy frown touching his maw. It seemed the young prince had an ego that was easy to bruise.. and he was trying hard not to just bite the little tramp for his insult. No no.. he was useful.. for now he'd just have to get over it.- "No, a Prideland Prince. I'll have you know my grandpa is the king."
-Turning lightly to look up at the golden rocks, mind wandering momentarily to the weak grandfather that he felt no real love or connection to, he finally oblidged, flicking his tail with soft contempt.- "I guess we can cover it up this time. If you're afraid you're not skilled enough to hunt with me and my pelt."
-His eyes began to glance for something that color his bright hue. Dust would soften it.. but whatelse other then mud all the way at the wateringhole?-"Who's the one who pinned ya?" Kaikura replied simply, a smug tone in his young voice. He couldn't help it. Sure, they were going to be training buddies, but right now he felt like he was the one on top. The foolish pride of cubhood, sure, but he HAD pinned the other and held him rather well. Besides, he didn't really know what to believe when his friend said he was a prince. He was pretty sure the royal line of the pride was orange...maybe red, but not blue. No way was it blue.-The edges of Ahai's mouth drew up in a silent snarl, but he simply pushed ahead of the other cub, his tail swaying irritantly however.- "Whatever."
-Attempting to change the subject and get to training before he ruined this little 'partnership' with his temper, he asked lightly.- "What do you think we should use to cover my pelt? Dust? Mud?" "Mud's probably good," Kaikura said with a nod, shifting a thoughtful paw along through the dirt. His ears twitched slightly as he tried to think of the best way to find a good, dark patch of it. "Maybe the watering hole has some...it usually has red mud...and brown mud too. I bet it could cover up your bright blueness." He grinned, springing to his feet with a energetic leap and a sharp flick of his tail. Somehow the idea of splattering another cub with filth without getting in trouble was very appealing."Alright, that's the only place I know for mud too." -Tri colored paws turning the youth towards the direction of the familar watering hole. Lightly he motioned with a nod of his head, before bolting into the grasses.- "Come on, let's go!"
-He held a silent challenge in his thoughts. Maybe he could beat the other cub there. But he wouldn't say it outloud.. else he might end up feeling foolish soon enough if this cub was some sort of speed star.
Weaving through the grasses just to miss the rocks and obstacles that might slow him he continued on, waiting for the smell of the watering hole to touch his nose.-Boys were competitive, that was just a fact of life. So when Ahai took off at a run Kaikura needed no further encouragement. He leapt after him and began to sprint through the grass. His course seemed more linear, for he didn't even bother to avoid rocks or dips in elevation. He just plowed on like a head-strong boar charging. Granted, his sprints were light and long like a lion, but it didn't seem very predator like. Maybe he needed to work on that. But in any case, he ran off to the watering hole, hoping to beat his friend there. But if he lost...he had the excuse that Ahai had a head start.-Tiny paws carried him, body held low and compact as he traveled, though his ears remained perked and clear, waiting for the sound of the other's paws.
And as the sound did draw nearer and nearer he pushed himself harder, paws streching out wide in each bound, relief washing over him when finally the familar scent of the waterhold assualted him.
Bursting through the edge of the grasses and onto the packed dirt, he grinned widely, proudly to himself. Even though it very likely WAS just the head start that'd gotten him their first. Padding forwards towards the waters quickly, in an attempt to quiet his heavy breaths before Kaikura appeared, he began to drag his paw along the shoreline, looking for mud thick enough and gooey enough.- Kaikura burst through the stalks of green only a few moments after, his chest moving up and down rapidly in heavy breathing. He frowned as he saw Ahai had beat him. He straightened up a little, making it appear like it was no big deal. Ahai had had a head start after all. "Yeah, this mud looks good," He nodded and put his paws into some of it. He wasn't afraid to get dirty.-A simple sound of amusement touched Ahai's throat as he caught the hints of that frown, but already he was beginning to dip his paws into the mud at the shoreline, using his back paws to splatter the thick muck up along his shoulders.
And he sat waiting for the other cub to splatter mud in places that he wasn't quite as capable of reaching, a soft smirk touching his face as he once again tried to one up his new friend.- "This was a good idea. This muds pretty heavy, so I'll have to try even harder to run and hunt with it. I can handle it though."Kaikura began to splatter mud upon Ahai without shame, lifting dripping paws only to fling them forward to send the mud flying to land on his companion. "But mainly you won't be so bright blue anymore," he asserted, for that had been the point in the first place. After all, one didn't blend in so well if one was blue and the grass was green. That just didn't work.-A soft sound of amusement touched the young lion, and he continued to smear, drawing the clods of mud along his bright pelt, until he began to look more and more like his companion.
They probably looked ridiculous to anyone around them, prey or predator, but the cub took on the task with a seriousness much more then 'mere childsplay'. And when finally most of his body was covered in the gunky heavy mud, he grinned, standing up to test his balance.- "Alright! Hunting time!"
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:57 am
Beg for your gift - Tego, Hivu, and the cubs Quote: -Tego grunted softly as he settled tiredly against the ground, tail curling about him as he lean against the large beast he'd been carrying in tow since early that morning.
It'd been a brillant idea he thought as he rest lazily pondering over what he'd wanted to eat for breakfast. By now that uppity 'cow'-leopardess must have been starving, her fat belly keeping her from hunting by herself. What better way to torment her then to drag some giganticly scrumcious morsel before her, and then eat it himself with her to whimper and wish.
So he'd set out, the sun barely in the sky and traveled far.. further then he'd been in a long while.. even past the place where he'd first met Hivu. Until the jungle was no longer visiable, and savannah grasses surrounded him on all sides. It'd been a task to say the least.. avoiding lions.. waiting and herding, until finally he'd taken down that young antelope on his own. But it was nothing compared to the trip back.
Dragging a beast that weighed perhaps more then him, over rocks and grasses. The mild skirmish that'd occured and he defended his catch before traveling on again, finding the task even harder as the jungle brush got in the way.
But it all simply egged on his game, brought to his mind the sweetly sinster though of Hivu's dismayed face. Watching her squirm before him. Watching her jaws drip with need and lust. Making her admit that need. Ohhhhh it was all too perfect.
Lifting himself from his rest once again, he took a heavy breath before his teeth sank into the large beast's neck once again, beginning the slow process that dragged him nearer and nearer to Hivu's tree, nose searching for her scent.-All the cubs were safely sleeping in the tree Hivu had called home. Indeed it was now all of their homes, and Kumbuko had been waking up earlier and earlier with her newfound strength. But this time she was disturbed in her sleep by a strange smell. It wasn't fish, she had never smelled such a thing. Her mother had never gone out to get them anything that would require her leaving the jungle, it was too dangerous.
But the scent tantalized the young cub. It smelled good, and it was unmistakably food. She raised her head, the object wasn't too close, she couldn't see it... Better ask mother.
"Mama, mama wake up!" She said, proding her mother with a paw, "Something smells yummy!"
As usual the black and white leopardess was woken up by her middle child, that one was quite the early riser. She yawned, stretched, and sniffed the air. Oh there was food alright, close too, and most certainly dead.
There was another scent, one that was all to familiar to her. Tego. Wouldn't it be an interesting surprise for him to come across her with her cubs already born. No doubt he was still unaware of that, perhaps he had the food. Antelope if she wasn't mistaken. He was probably just wanting to tease her with it. How like him.
"Yes dear, something does sound good. Stay here for now though. Maybe it'll get closer." She said in a hushed tone to Kumbu, "just keep quiet for a bit and let mommy handle things." She said, Kumbu fell silent and watched her mother intently. Whatever this was sounded exiting.-Tego grunted a little, giving the antelope an annoyed and rough yank as yet again it's hind legs got stuck on a sapling as they passed. But soon enough the sight of Hivu's tree touched the distance, at the edge of his sight, and he stopped softly to rest, but now his hunger actually beginning to lust for the beast before him.
Struggling a few log strides further he settled himself on the ground, laying out the prey between himself and the tree, hoping silently that she'd be there. Slipping to the ground, he finally let his teeth sink into the tempting prey, pulling a slab from the neck that was already poked and ripped at from his journey back towards the jungle.
He'd eat a bit.. and if she didn't show up soon enough, he'd creep further and look for her. He didn't want to seem TOO obvious.-Hivu heard a grunt, and the smell got closer. "Stay here." She whispered to Kumbu before slinking out of the tree to meet Tego.
"Hello there Tego, quite a meal you have there." She commented, watching him eat his kill. "Tell me, what would cause you to want to go all the way out to the savanah, kill a beast, and bring it all the way back here to eat it? Seems like a lot of work for a good meal." She said curiously. "Wouldn't it have been easier to just eat it out there?"
Kumbu jumped silently to another branch where she could see what was happening. There was another leopard! And he had a... Something, she didn't know what it was, but it was probably what smelled so good. She said nothing, and listened carefully to what they were saying.
Wait, was her mother teasing him? She always told them not to tease eachother... It confused the little cub, she had the strongest urge to jump down there and meet the new leopard, perhaps ask him for some of his food.
Another thought crossed her mind, who was this? Was this her father? Now she had to know, she squirmed impatiently on her branch, wanting desperately to go meet him, but she resisted the impulse... For now. Bu stirred and turned on her branch, luckily it was big and supportive. She had a strange dream. Yawning, she turned her eyes to her sister who has already awaken, like always.
"Kumbuko, you are awake?"
She asked, grooming her fur to prevent sleep fur. A daily and thorogh process. Looking around she saw Nac on his branch and her sister next to her.
"Hey, where's mother?"
Looking around with no presence but the three in the tree, she looked down to see their mother and another...leopard? Who was he? What was it that he carrying? Food? What was he doing here? Was he cute? Handsome? Intrested, Bu wanted to find out about him and more of him. Slowly, she climbed down to a lower branch, not too low, just one below her own. -It was hard to hide the grin that plastered the leopard's face as the familiar leopardess' voice rang through the air, her figure drawing near. But hide it he did, taking another large bite of the beast before him, chewing it with soft and slow satisfaction.. as if it were the greatest meal on earth, keeping silent long after her questions had ended. As if the mere taste was more important then anything she had to stay.
He bet she was hungry, and his eyes watched her body gently for a sign of it, oblivious to the young ones that rest up in her tree, and to the decrease in her cow-like belly.
Ears flicking upwards finally he mused softly as his claws drew across the flesh, readying another piece.- "I woke up wantin someone special to eat today.. but I wasn't really hungry when I took it down. I'm hungry now."
-It was a matter of fact statement, followed by his familar childishly mean smile.- "I figure I can eat off of it for days and they're still be plenty to go to waste, or perhaps the fishes. I wonder if the fish like antelope?""I should think you are." She said, watching him eat, "From the looks of your kill it must have taken ages to bring it back." She said, rolling her eyes, why would anyone want to bring it back? Perhaps what was left when finished, but certainly not all of it.
She showed no sign of hunger. It was early in the day, she would like some food of course, but it would be easy to get something herself. She would not stoop so low as to ask Tego for food.
"Perhaps they do like antelope, but I wouldn't know, tell me Tego, since when do you care what the fish like? Been making friends with my meals have you?"
Kumbu couldn't stand it anymore, she leaped down from the tree and sat next to her mother, "Mama who is this?" She asked, looking at Tego, but without waiting for an answer she asked Tego. "Who are you? Whats that?" She asked, pointing at the dead creature he was eating.
She was so full of questions, but she didn't want to ask them all at once. Her biggest one was 'can I have some?' but she didn't want to say it. Somehow it seemed... Not very nice, she had not quite grasped the concept of being rude yet, though she seemed to know when she would be and promptly stopped herself.Bu flinched with Ku's sudden movement from next to her to next to her mother. Slowly, she got down the tree, leaving a row of claw scratches.
"Ku."
She whispered sternly to her sister. Looking to the other leopard, he was a male! There was a male other than Nac! And he was very handsome too. His black sleek fur with a nice white and bright yellow markings. A fine male.
"Please forgive my sister, mister. This is my sister, Kumbuko. I am Limbua. And you are, if you don't mind me asking."
She was determined to know more about him. Her voice was soft and gentle yet with a hint of intrest as always when she spoke to Nac."You underestimate me Hivu dear." -A mild chide as he streched his frame for her to see.- "It wasn't a bid deal at all. And it gave me something to do at that."
"Now now, you know how much I like to swim. Always so vain of you to think that everything is about y...." -His grin wided at her question, though his words were cut off at the sudden acession of not one.. but two little beasts.
Cubs obviously.. leopard cubs.. no. Not exactly atleast. Ignoring their question, his glare turned towards Hivu, focusing on the stomach he now noticed was slimmer once again.
She'd been right.. they certainly weren't stupid ol' Ixy's.. Their colors.. their bodies. His thoughts bubbled from him, a matter of fact statement.- "Don't tell me those are YOUR little freaks?"Hivu looked at her daughters, "What are you two doing here? Kumbu I thought I told you to stay up there." She said sternly before turning to Tego. "They are mine, thank you very much." She said coldly, "And they are not freaks, they're just like you and me." She growled, "Creatures of this world, it doesn't matter who their parents are."
"Freaks? We are not freaks!" Kumbu said angrily, suddenly not liking this guy at all. "Mama, who is this mean guy?" She asked, pressing her head against her mothers fur.
"This, Kumbu, is Tego." She said, glaring at him, "He's not very nice at all, but don't mind him, he's just full of hot air, thats all." She said, nuzzling her black furred, daughter and hoping that her words would make Tego angry. He deserved it after all.Bu flinched. F-freak? Is that what he called her!? HOW DARE HE! NO ONE INSULTS MY SISTER AND GETS AWAY WITH IT! he snarled to herself, totally oblivious to teh fact that she was included in the freak comment. But she could not forget his handsome features. Torn between family and a very nice looking male....oh well.
"HOW DARE YOU!" she shouted, "We are not freaks! We are very special, just wait and see, we are special." she finished. A sudden ping hit her head softly and an image ran past her eyes as she shook it off. Slowly she crept to her mother's side and looked up at her in confusion.
"Mother...what is a....Lim? Am I Lim?" she asked quietly turning to her mother. Well her name was Limbua, so she could be unless there was another animal out there with a similar name, right? Her name could not have been that rare, right? "Mother?""Like you and me? Hardly." -He scoffed, dragging forward his insult from the day before, feigning concern though quite obviously he wasn't concern if the children heard such vulgarity.- "Everything you say only verifies the mixed and mangled your brains got while you were getting yourself knocked up Girlie."
"These 'special freaks' are no leopards at all.. just look at them." -He crept closer to the cubs, watching for Hivu to strike him out of the corner of his eyes. Meal forgotten for the time being.
Ohhh.. this was a new game now.. He wondered what the reaction would be from the female if he snatched up one of the little freaks. Squeezed it a little in his jaws. He imagined that would torment the leopardess just a little. Either that or she'd thank him for getting rid of the little eye sores. Tail lashing violently with his thoughts, he grinned widely at the more colorful of the cubs, retorting back towards Hivu.- "Nice guys finish last after all. You were nice to that stupid leopard boy and what did it get you?""Well there is one good thing about this whole conversation Tego." She said, ignoring his comment, "It proves I was right, they aren't Ixachy's cubs, they're Limbuko's." She said with a nod, before looking at her older daughter.
"Lim? How do you know about him?" She asked in a confused voice, "No, you're not a Lim... Lim is your father."
"Meanie!" Kumbu growled, sticking her tounge out at Tego. "Mama, why is he so mean?""Lim is Daddy?" She was now intregued, "Lim? Father? I want to meet him!" she smiled up to her mother. He must've been where they all got their purple markings and those bead like designs! Lim! She had to find him, meet him! Bu wanted to know more about Lim. Her father, her sire.
"Oh...that...well, I dunno I just heard his name is all." she said with shifting eyes.One paw... two paws... three paws... Oh dear there slipping off his perch Narcissus fell to the ground. The deffinaing sound of air whipping around him woke him. "Oh... AHHHH!!!" Whomp. He landed on Tego's back eyes closed and trimbling. Taking a paw from his face he shivered looking down at the black back.
"Wha..." he looked over to where his sisters were and his mother... oh dear this wasn't his mother. He got up and slide off the male's back looking at him head tilted.-Tego snapped in the direction of the outstuck tongue, acting as if he intended to bite off the tiny pink bit had be been close enough, toothy grin touching her statement. However his eyes soon drew back to Hivu, shrugging his shoulder.- "I never said they were his. I just said that you were delusional if you thought this 'Lim' was a god."
-He'd been about to speak again, some mean comment on the idioicy of Hivu and her choice in men when suddenly a weight crashed against his back, and he almost faltered, head snapping back to the final freak as it righted itself on his back. Roar rippling through his throat, he turned quickly thrusting his growling muzzle right into the face of the male cub before he even had time to settle his little body completely upon the ground. Tego was obviously fuming, and from this position there was very little other then a full out attack from the leopardess that'd be able to save her only son if Tego snapped.- "You little moron!"The falling cub surprised Hivu as much as it did Tego, she nearly jumped at the shock of it, but managed to only flinch a bit. Her motherly instincts kicked in, Tego was furious and if he attacked her son would be helpless. She unleashed a roar of her own, "Don't you touch him Tego!"
It was scary really, she had never been so angry, not even towards Tego, her claws were extended, her head low in an agressive stance, and her ears were back against her head. This mother would stop at nothing to keep her cubs safe. A loud growl emmited from within her, maw in an intense snarl.
Where had her brother come from? There wasn't much time to think about it, she squeaked and cowered as Tego roared at him, though not nearly as much as when her mother retaliated. She knew this male was a meanie head, but her mother? Perhaps she wasn't being mean, but she sure was being scary.
And with good reason, Kumbu snapped into one of her 'angry' mood swings, growling angrily and rushing over to her brother, "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" She growled as loud as she could right in his face. If Tego did anything she would be right there with her mother defending them.Bu quickly padded before her brother, standing in the way of the aggressive male. She had no clue what she was doing, it was as if her body acted on its own accord. Maybe it was her sibling instinct to protect her younger siblings being the oldest. Or perhaps it was just because he was a boy in danger. Either way, she was between the two males, a small defenseless female cub with no experience in fighting.
"STAY AWAY FROM HIM!"
She cried out, snarling loudly. Instinct. As much as she would loved to live and see more boys, she was willing to die right there for her brother if need be.
Nac looking as if he was ready to pee himself looking from his mother and then to his sisteres and then to tego. "I'm sorry mister..." He choked out and after a moment he attempted to shove his sisters aside and give them dirty looks.
Gathering up somewhat of an apologetic look while trying to be brave and not coward like some little sissy. "I didn't mean to.... Honest, if I would've been awake I wouldn't have landed on you like that and scared you." He looked at his mother, "Mother it my fault dont' be mad at him..."
Looking up to this rather large leopard fellow he tried to give him big puppy eyes. "I'll make it up to you sir!! Just tell me what I can do." Maybe I can get him to praise me... maybe he'll give me something to do and I can get approvel from him on how good I look... It'll prove to my sisters how much more good looking than them I am.-Tego hissed as the barrage of freaks settled before him, Hivu's own words assualting him from behind. And he was fuming, hair bristling on his back as he fought the urge to dig his claws into the pelts of the moronic children that sat before him.
Ignoring the plight of the male child and the words that shifted from them Tego lifted himself, stalking back over to his prey with an angry growl.- "Obviously you've yet to teach your children of the monsters that prowl the jungles and eat the helpless. Or perhaps you still haven't grasped it yourself."
-His game was gone, this was no fun at all. The stupid children.. and stupid Hivu again. As if her acting ridiculously girlie with Icxy wasn't enough.. now with children it seemed her attitude had changed again. Well screw her. He didn't need her to have fun. Barking on last threat he cast a dark look towards Tego, malice lacing his words.- "You'd better keep an eye on those cubs. Wouldn't want one of them to become someone's dinner."
-Lifting his prey, he gave a hard tug, adreniline helping him pull the large beast away from the group and back towards the falls. Now what the hell was he going to do with this?-Hivu took a deep breath as Tego left, they were all safe and that was all that mattered. "Look all of you, Tego is not someone you want to run into all alone, understand?" She said softly, "He is not friendly at all, if you happen to find him sometime and nobody else is around, come find me, alright?"
Kumbu turned to her mother, "Yes mama." She said, her temper fading, "You alright Nac?" She asked, looking at him in a concerned fasion. "Tego sure is scary, isn't he?"Bu let out a breath of air and sat herself down, watching as the other male left. He was handsome, but he needed some major help on his anger management issues. He has many anger flaws, though that is how Bu saw it. Slowly she got up and nuzzled her brother. "You alright, Nac?" she asked looking over his fur and body for any wounds that may have appeared from the fall.
"Yes mother, I'll be sure to stay away from him." Or rather, admire him from afar rather up close. Nac murfed brushing down his fur as he got bombared with 'are you okays.' His pride was hurt, what was worse was that he didn't get so much as a grin from the male he sighed. "Yeah I'm fine..."
He looked after Tego before sitting down slightly crushed. "I thought he was rather nice. Maybe he wouldn't have been so cranky had I not landed on him.... I mean after all wouldn't you be cranky too?" He asked looking at his mother. Tears flitering up, "The ugly brute didn't so much as notice my apology...." Getting up he murfed and headed towards the tree, looking rather hurt that he male didn't even care that he'd offered to try to make it up to him.
"Maybe if I could prove I was sorry.... He couldn't be that bad.... I mean after all he was just caught off gaurd...." He sighed... "All my fault." Looking back towards the male as he dragged off his kill, Nac moved over towards his mother and nuzzled into her fur, "Mooootthhhheeer, make him see I'm sorry!!"
"Make uncle tego come back and play nice!!!" He said looking up at his mother his eyes big and begging, he wanted another male around... Tego seemed like someone he could learn from. Maybe that's why he called him uncle... "I need another male arounnndd..." persistance whining... maybe it'd get on her nerves enough to go after tego. Maybe it'll change his attitude and make him see that I am sorry. Nac thought to himself pretty hopeful like.Iris_virus
-Tego pulled the beast after him with force, at one point nearly ripping apart a tangling of vines as he yanked as his stuck beast with frustration. But finally the sound of the falls touched his ears, and he turned his direction to it, coming to settle in the clearing that surrounded it.
Claws dug into his prey, ripping and tearing at the poor carcass for no reason other then letting out agression. Sighing finally when the entire back leg had become indistinguishable from his assualt. Taking a large bite he turned, coming to lay on his back, eyes switching to the little bit of sky that peeked through the canopy. It really was a good antelope.. all things forgotten.- "Rather nice? No Nac, he's not very nice, even before you landed on him he was being mean to us, right girls?" She asked her daughters, receiving a nod from Kumbu. "He's just an angry brute, he has problems with his temper." She said, shaking her head.
"Its not your fault little one." She said, stroking her son gently with a paw, "I'm afraid I can't make him see that you're sorry, but don't you worry about it." She said gently.
"Uncle?" She asked, "Uncle Tego doesn't play very nice, but maybe if you see him again he'll be in a better mood."
Well, that was over, time to start finding something to do today. Kumbu climbed up the tree and started batting at leaves with her tiny paws, paying no attention to the scene below.
There was a bird on the branch, facing the other direction, it was small, but not so small that it couldn't fly away if it wanted. This could be a good game, sneak up on the bird and then play with it. Kumbu crouched down and started creeping towards it, making little noise and being sure not to rustle the nearby leaves too much.color=orange] Bu yawned and climbed back up the tree again and laid nicely on her branch. That was eventfull and exciting but that just made her tired. She needed some more time to rest. Next time, she was gonna let Nac handle it himself. It was apparent that Nac didn't appreciate her gesture. He wanted to gain approval from him? What? She just sighed and looked down.
"Mother? I am going back to sleep for a while. I am tired." she spoke, hoping she heard her down there. Slowly she rested her head next to her paws and closed her eyes. Soon enough she was out like a light. Nac sighed looking at his mother and nodded, "alright..." He looked around, "I'm going to trot down the the river and explore. Otay?" His tail flickered.
"I'll be careful." He added with a nod. As he started to head off that way, he was almost curious as to were tego had gone but he knew better than to go looking for him... but if the accidently ran into him maybe he wouldn't get eatin. "And if I run into uncle tego I'll come running back."
His intentions were more along the lines of, if tego snapped at him and tried to eat him he would run, but mayhaps tego had, had time to cool off. "I wanna see ifI can't find something as pretty as you to bring back mother." He added over his shoulders pauseing just insite of her waiting to see if she'd actully stop him from going off."You go ahead and rest if you like Bu." Hivu called up to her before turning to her son. She didn't really want him going off on his own, but she had to give them some freedom. "Alright, if you want, just don't be gone too long, alright?" She said, smiling warmly at his complement. Flattery would get you everywhere.
The bird Ku had been stalking flew off from the noise, oh well... Kumbuko just lay down on her branch and dozed off, even with all her energy she could do with a nap."I won't be Mother!" He called out as he bounded off happily towards the river. Once out of site he started looking for a pretty flower like him for his mother. Hoping around the rocks, he paused at a partiucally pretty bush and chuffed picking it looking around for more. He needed to get his collection nicely in tow before he headed back towards mother.
Findingm ore along the river he chuckled picking them and weaveing them into a crown.... well rather large necklace. Before hoping back towards where they'd made their home at. Humming as he wondered back he giggled. "I can't wait to see uncle tego again. I'll apologize then and make him understand I didn't mean to."
He grinned as he ran back taking his mother the presant.Hivu smiled at her son as he returned, he was such a sweet little boy. "Thank you Narcissus, they're beautiful." She purred, "Now I think you could use some rest, look at your sisters, they're all tired out. Even Ku!"
She laughed, "Get some sleep Nac, I'll be back with some food later." She said with a warm smile.Promises fulfilled - Limbuko, Hivu, and the cubs Quote: -It'd been a few months since the young god's paws last drew him to the lush jungle. To that young leopardess within the depths so in need of comfort and affection. And it was the promise he made to her that rippled through his mind as the edges of the jungle touched his sight.
He'd said that he'd visit when next he was in the jungle, and so that's what he was doing. Though finding her might be a tricky task, he hoped when he found her she'd be happy. A look of peace and happiness as opposed to the somber neediness of their first meeting.
Making his way towards the familar waterfall he lifted his nose, trying to find the scent of a creature he'd only met once, ears perked for signs of life.-Hivu was indeed at the waterfall, the cubs were sleeping in the tree, they had dozed off some time ago and would probably be up and about again soon. The leopardess was looking into the water, trying to find some fish, but it was no good, there simply were no fish about right now.
Shaking her head, Hivu looked up and saw a splash of purple in the mostly green scenery around her. A familiar splash of purple, it was Limbuko! "Limbuko!" She called to him cheerfully, moving towards him at a brisk trot.
"How good to see you again!" She chimed, stopping a few feet from him. She had grown in more ways than one since their last meeting, she was a full grown adult now, and she was much more responsible, she had to be, caring for her cubs. -A purr rippled through his young throat as the familar voice touched his ears, eyes turning to meet the the sight of the familar leopardess. She'd changed yes.. the pleasant look on her features, the slim and sleek body that signified adulthood in mortal bodies.
Drawing a wide smile for her, he took the last few steps between then, lowering his head to brush his cheek gently against hers, before he settled himself to look over her, tail swaying with general contentment.-
"The pleasure is all mine" -Feathers flared as he teased gently, before a soft sincerity touched his features.- "I'm sorry I didn't come back sooner, the world is such a big place to wander. But I'm glad to see you in such highspirits." Nac was the first of the cubs to wake. This was a rare occasion for him. But something seemed to have disturbed him because as soon as his eyes popped open he flew from his preach right to the water's edge and looked in paws checking to make sure all his parts where still there. "Ohhhh that was horrible...." He muttered releived when he saw he was still one peice.
Takeing the time to smooth out any of his fur that had went oddly durning the night he looked around to see where his mother was... spotting a big purple fellow he became curious and troted around him looking pausing at the male's tail before joining his mother sitting like a purrrfect little angel.
Pawwing at his mother's front leg after a moment he looked up at her and seemed to have a very important yet sercetive question to ask.Kumbu was dreaming, a purple figure was with a black and white one, but it was blurry, she couldn't make out who they were... She moved closer and the black and white one was soon joined by a black and purple one. The black and white figure greeted her, telling her the purple figure was someone she needed to meet...
The little leopon woke with a start, what a strange dream... No matter, she jumped down from the tree and scampered over to her mother and brother, who were strangely with a large purple thing with... Wings? How weird was that? Oh well, better disregard that now, "Mama! Who is this big guy?" She asked, screeching to a halt a foot from the stranger and eyeing him suspiciously.
Hivu chuckled at Lim's little pun, "No problem, its nice of you to come though, being a god must be demanding." She said with a nod, "Anyway, there is someone I'd like you to meet, or rather, a few someones." She said before realizing that one of them was already there.
"Oh! Hello Narcissus, is everything alright? I'd like you to meet Limbuko." She said, looking from her son to the god. "Limbuko, meet Narcissus, he is your son." She said calmly, wondering how he would take the news.
Of course, here came Kumbu. It was a bit of a shock at first, but there she was. "Kumbu, this is Limbuko, he's your daddy." She said with a laugh, she simply couldn't wait for Lim to meet his other daughter, especially since she was boy-crazy at such a young age.Limbua laid curled up upon her perch, purring softly in her sleep. It was obvious of what she was thinking, rather dreaming off. Male, big males, small males, strong males, handsome males. Ones who protect, ones who care, ones who love. A softly smile curled on her maw, her tail draped over the branch, hanging limp over the side. She has happy in her little dream unaware of the four below.
She was missing her father!
When Nacrissus fell, she stirred slightly, but curled tighter. Then there was her sister's voice that penetrated through her fur. Then there was the voice of her mother that reached up to her ears. Suddenly the voice of a male that went straight to her heart and soul. Slowly she uncurled and let out a cute yawn before looking down to the family.
Her eyes fell down to the strange creature beside her family, A male? Who...is he? she thought up there. Carefully she got up, sluggishly and walked along the branch to get down. As Bu continued to walk, her paw swayed a bit from her tiredness, sending her over the edge falling down.
"MOTHER!""Perhaps a little, but there is always time for visits with those that enjoy my company and vice versa. Even if they are a bit far and between." -His grin only widened at the chuckle drinking in the good mood as his lush tail swung with soft contentment. However the quick appearance of others soon stalled his motions.
His feathers twitched uncomfortably as the little one seemed to 'inspect' him.. and then before he knew it another was running up, spouting rudely as they intruded on the visit.
He'd have to be an idiot to not realize it, and indeed he wasn't one, catching the colors... the spots... they were obviously his children. The fact that he'd sired leopard children was rather weird... but it was no mistake. So he didn't flinch when she spoke the words her already knew, though his smile melted softly to a look of curiousity.-
"Narcissus, Kumba." -He tested the names on his tongue, looking at them for a moment before his eyes drew uncomfortably upwards, touching Hivu's once again.- "A boy and a girl huh? They've lovely coats..." -Not as lovely as his of course.. but the black did look awfully nice with the hits of his coat color. This was... overwhelming to say the least, and for once he found himself stuck, unsure of what to say. Tail curling around himself he settled upon the ground, feathers laying back softly.
But suddenly a sound from above drew his attention and eyes peered upwards. More then two it would seem.. and this one was a bright flower.. colors flashing like the feathers that decorated his back.
Quickly stepping up from his lounge, he took a bounding step forward, hoping he'd it close enough for her to land on him in her descent. The last thing he needed now was some crying kid to pull down his mood.-Narcissus stared at Lim his mouth fell.... but soon her recovered coughing slightly looking from his mother to his father... He'd just met a lioness the other day, and to have told her he was a leopard... he lied... "Oh dear... this might be a problem explaining" He muttered softly to himself, this seemed a bit troubling for a moment but then he forgot about it and shrugged.
Her tail flickered quickly. "Hello papa! You can call me Nac if you want too!!" He chimed and run up to attack himself to the lion's leg. He asked looking up at him his maroon eyes large. "You have pretty feathers!" He said looking at them once again tempted to try and play with them but more interested in how similar their tails looked.
Looking at his sister he blinked and rolled his eyes, he atleast waited until he found a spot where the grown ups weren't talking to speak.... welll atleast he waited until he was introduced."Limbua!" Hivu said in a shocked voice, watching as she fell, a sigh of releif escaping her as Limbuko caught her. "This would be your father sweetie, you really should be more careful, you don't want to get hurt." She said, walking over and licking her gently on the head.
"Well Limbuko, here they are!" She said with a chuckle, "Kumbuko," She said, nodding to the darkest cub, "Narcissus," She said, now indicating the half-and-half colored cub, "And Limbua." She said with a laugh.
"Kids, you're daddy is very special, he is a god." She said, figuring it was better to tell them sooner rather than later.
Upon hearing that the purple thing was her father, Kumbu immediately brightened up, "Hi daddy!" She said, rushing over to him and snuggling against his leg, "You're very pretty, your feathers look like my shoulder!" she said, showing him her marking, which she was very proud of. "I'm the prettiest of my siblings though" She said in a whisper, just loud enough that the god could hear her.
She had recently stopped calling herself Kumbu, much to the relief of everyone else. The little cub was getting smarter by the minute, though she would probably never be as smart as her siblings, at least not for a very long time.Limbua fell with a soft thud, before landing she saw the male leap from his perch to her. To her it looked as if he was flying...Carefully, she rose up and looked down at the purple male she landed on. The beautiful violet pelt her siblings shared, that she did not. The wonderful and colorful feathers that littered his back was breath-taking. Slowly she hopped off, sat, and admired her father in all his glory.
"T-thank you, father...." she murmured, shuffling her paws a little. He was handsome, pretty, and well...gorgeous, not to mention he protected her. He was just like the males she dreamt of. Big and strong.
"Well, Self proclaimed 'prettiest sibling', I say I am the prettiest." she said snarkly, holding her head up high. "Bu is the oldest, and the best...well as far as females go." Her eyes could not help but to fall back to her father occassionally. This is the third male she met so far, Nac, Tego, and her father, Limbuko. Now, with the three of them, there may be a fight for their father's attention, and Limbua was gonna make sure she won it first.
"Father, why are you so pretty? Your fur is so soft, and those feathers are nice too." she cooed, smiling sweetly up at him, tail flicking side to side behind her colliflower rump. Oddly, she was the only of the three to not inherit any of her parents' dominate pelt color. -A soft huff of relief escaped him as the flowery cub did indeed land on his back, watching her slip to the ground before the onslaught of words and attention shifted to him.
He liked attention and all... but these children were like vultures! Swarming about his legs, picking at his attention... atleast the words they were speaking were pleasant ones.
But he found it hard trying to pick one to reply to. So finally he simply nodded towards Nac and Kubuko.- "Thanks. I quite like my feathers too." -In fact they lifted forward, spreaking out like a peacock for better inspection.
And then his glance went to Limbua.- "Why? I suppose it's just the way I was made. It was necessary for my domain." Nac looked aound at his sisters. They take all the attation... he thought and backed off slightly sitting down looking around his tail flickered watching his father.
Bored slightly he looked around for something shiney, or something to play with but he couldn't find anything with in the instant vacinity and he didn't want to be rude and run off so he sat ther listening to the others talk.Hivu watched contentedly as they talked, it was good for her children to meet their father, and Lim was taking it... Well it could have been worse, right?
"Ha! How can Bu be the prettiest when you don't have black or purple?" She asked, admiring her own fur. Hers had the sharpest and most precise markings, and that was what she loved about it. The others had mixed colors all over their bodies, she liked being different in that way. Even mommy didn't have as pretty fur as herself.
Her mouth opened in awe at her fathers displayed feathers, they really were gorgeous. "Daddy, I think I look like you! I'm just black instead of purple!" She said, stating the obvious. She was the only one to have the yellow beaded markings on her face and paws. Her sister had white ones, but in her opinion, those didn't count.
"Daddy, who do YOU think is prettiest?"Bu narrowed her eyes and stuck her nose up, ignoring her. It was her opinion and she had her own, that was it. There was not much to say, she didn't need to stand up for her opinion on herself, Nac was Nac, Ku was Ku, and Bu was Bu. Slowly, she moved to her brother, and sat beside him.
"Sorry for ignoring you, brother. Get a nice rest last night?"
She asked softly, looking over to him from the corner of her eye. Now that one mentioned it, Nac looked more like their father than Kumbuko did. He shared the same pelt, almost, and even had a grape vine design on his tail. Unlike her two siblings, she barely looked like her parents. At first glance, she was the blacksheep, the oddball, the out of place cub. As the rest of her family were black and violet, she was pink and colliflowered. The only thing that she could think of linking her to her family where the beads around her eyes, just like Kumbuko and Limbuko. Sort of hurt inside knowing that, thinking of it. Sometimes she would dream of it.
If she was not gonna be seen as the daughter of the God of Pleasure, then she will go out and be known as the daughter of Limbuko! All will know her blood line and then no one can mistaken her as the odd one out!-He was relieved as slowly the children began to depart, the boy slipping off first, only to be joined by the colorful female, only to leave the noisy cub before him. And for a moment a frown touched him as she blathered away.
Sure he thought he was beautiful, wonderful, spectacular... But he didn't go on and on like this cub did. Trying to thrust her thoughts on them as if she needed them to agree to believe her own words. And when the dreaded question touched his ears, he quickly lifted himself from the children, drawing his form past them to settle alongside of Hivu before stating matter of factly.- "Your mother is the prettiest."
-Ivory tail swaying gently he added thoughtfully, eyes traveling to each cub as he spoke their name.- "However you're all pretty, and you all look like me. Nac has my purple.. Kubuko has my spots. And Limbua has colors that mirror my feathers."Nac saw Bu wonder up beside him. His ears dropping slightly as he was spoken to. He felt... so out numbered by his mother and sisters but he shurged. "I suppose.... fair enough" He muttered slightly bothered by the dream he had still. Watching Ku he sok his head before once again looking around he noticed his father's jewerly which he wore. At first he'd missed that.
Peering at it he stayed quite as he laid down. He wanted something like that, it'd make for a great reflection and not once would it ripple and ruin. He wondered how far he'd have to go to get such things and then his ears twitched again, unpleasantries of possibly always having to put up with his sisters. He didn't mind so much but yet they seemed to smother him. He hardly ever got to met any males for long for last time tego was chased off, and lim's attation had rather gone to them.
He'd completely missed the statement his father spoke save for his' name. "Wha?" He asked looking startled and drug from his rather self indulged pity.Hivu blushed, not that anyone could tell through her dark fur. "Thank you Limbuko, but I think you are the prettiest." She said, nuzzling him affectionately. "Kumbu, all three of you are equally pretty." She said to her daughter, "You're all special in a different way, take what your father said for example." She said, looking to Lim.
"You're all different, but all beautiful." She said with a nod.
Kumbuko still thought she was prettiest, but she decided she didn't care too much, after all, she was for certain the strongest of the three, and being the tomboy that she was, she didn't care a whole lot about her looks.
"How does daddy be so nice?" She asked, looking into his eyes that were a reflection of her own, "How does daddy make sure everyone is happy?" She asked, unaware of his domain.Limbua's expression winkled when her sister bought up the subject of Limbuko's domain. She was once heard of something that two would do if they were in love, but she felt she was old enough to know being the oldest. Slowly she padded over to her sister and pawed at her side.
"Ku, could we go play for a bit?"
She asked, unable to think of anything else to say. Her eyes fell over to the God of Pleasure, smiling softly. She finally met a male that fell into her term of 'male'. She was sort of disappointed he was her father, and much older than she. Maybe she was getting ahead of herself, but for some reason, males were all she really cared about besides herself and her family. She felt sort of at ease knowing she had some tie to her father, but his feathers? Elegant, soft, fragile, sort of fit her.
"Father, perhaps you would like to talk with Nacrassuss instead of us girls."
She giggled softly and nudged her sister away. Nac needed a male model after all, he was the only male of the family besides Lim of course.
"Come on, let's go fishing for Dad, Ku."-His smile finally drew wide once more, with the leopardess settled at his side, the soft affection of her nuzzle touching against his cheek. Tail flicking over until it rest laying over hers, he stayed lost in the simple comfort of the familiarity. Something in his control and something known.
Lilac ears flicking gently with the question from the ebony cub, he answered with a soft shrug of his adolescent shoulders.- "It's simply knowing what to say and how to treat people. If you think about other's feelings and happiness first, then it is easy to say things or do things that you know will make them happy."
-Silver eyes shifting gently as the flower cub tried to pawn the male off on him, he simply settled silently. He wasn't going to hunt out the boy.. ecspecially the way he pouted now in the distance.. He'd far rather speak with Hivu.. ask her how things had been, if she enjoyed being a mother. But if the cub came forward.. well then, that was the way it was.-Nac's eyes narrowed down at his sisters. He didn't really care, nor thought it mattered if Lim wanted to give him attation or not. He got up and shook his fur out and huffed. "I'm not some baby that needs attation all the time." He said, appernetly Bu's comment hitting the wrong nerves.
He puffed up and shook his head softly deciding to ingore them again. He was pondering if he ought to go off and play with the flowers, maybe make some crowns and necklaces and things for himself... and his mother, maybe his father too but he didn't know if Lim would want such a thing.
He murffed and moved to wonder off and pick a bunch of flowers to bring them back to were they were staying.Hivu smiled at Lim, purring softly and sighing happily as she watched her children and Limbuko, it was a strange family to be sure, but her family nonetheless.
As her eyes turned to Nac, she saw him seeming rather irritable, but she didn't know what to do other than let him play with the flowers. He always seemed happier after doing that for a while.
Kumbuko shrugged at her father, "Okay." was all she said, not really wanting to try to understand his thinking on the subject.
Was Bu asking to play? Really? "Yeah, okay." She said, going with her sister, fishing was one of her favorite hobbies! She had a nack for scaring the fish away too early, but she managed to catch some. Occasionally she got a rather large one, cosidering her size.Bu walked along, looking back to her brother. Perhaps her gesture wasn't a good one on her part. It sort of saddened her that she was not able to make Nac, her own brother, happy. Perhaps she could not any other male. Bu pulled her ears back and looked down at her pink and colliflower paws alternate under her. She made a note to talk with her brother later, just one on one. If she cannot make him, or get him to be, happy, then she has failed as a female. If what her father told her sister was true, perhaps there was a slight chance.
Her head turned to her sister with a forced, meak smile and nodded softly.
"Alright, before the fish go further down river to the lake to sleep."
Slowly her paws carried her along to the nearby river. Her eyes glancing back to her brother every now and again.
-Lim's silver eyes travelled after the cubs for a long moment, a soft smile touching his lips at the fine choice of his son. Flowers WERE beautiful.. something he himself loved to sit around and enjoy from time to time.
Finally eyes dragging back to the leopardess he let a purr rumble through his chest, maw bumping affectionately against her cheek.- "You seem to be in better spirits then you were when I last saw you. Is.. motherhood bringing you joy? They seem like quite the handful." -A soft hint of a laugh touched his voice.. it was more of a curious statement then an insult.-Nac sat there among the flowers tying them and making some small pretty jewerly out of them. It seemed not much was going to keep his attation this day. For some reason he felt alone.... but pushing that aside he slipped the braclets on his forpaws before making something a bit larger."Indeed I am." She said happily to Lim, "It brings me much joy to see them grow and learn, it's worth the difficulties of being a parent just to see them happy." She said, though her son didn't seem to be very happy at the moment...
"Oh yes, they can be." She said, thinking of the time the three of them had been playing tag, nothing seemed to tire them out. She flicked her tail around so it wrapped around her legs, she wondered if the children knew the difference between species... She wondered if they knew that they were different, she didn't know of any other half leopard half lions, much less half GOD.
"Yah!" Kumbu said trotting merrily along with her sister. This was going to be fun! But the young leopon couldn't help but wonder why her sister would want to go fishing. After all, she never seemed to like getting wet at all.
She pushed it from her mind as they reached the river, staring at a smallish fish for a moment before lashing out at it with a paw, snaring it. "Hey, I did it!" She said proudly, placing the still flopping fish on the bank where it couldn't get away. Her next attempt wasn't so successful, she missed it terribly and toppled into the water, "Humph..." She grumbled as she climbed back out, trying her best not to get discouraged. Bu smiled as she watched her sister fished the fish from the river. She was actually much more provided than she was. Nac was much more creative than she was. Bu was still thinking of a quality that she was better at the two at. So far, she had come up empty pawed. She had time, she will find one...hopefully. When Ku splashed into the water, climbing back out, Limbua could not help but muffle a laugh.
"You...alright, sister?"
She asked, chuckling between words. She sat down beside the river, her eyes glancing back to her sister and then to the river. Just as her eyes fell to the moving water, she saw a shadow right there in front of her. Quickly, she mimicked her sister and swiped her claw into the water pulling out the fish. It was smaller than her's but she did it.
"Kumbuko! I caught one! I really caught one!"
She cried gleefully, hopping around the flopping fish. Abruptly, she stopped, staring at fish, gasping for air. Small, wet, and helpless. Who was she to take it's life? It was still young, no, she couldn't. At least, not this one. Bu carefully picked it up, flailing more, and carefully placed it back into the water, watching the shadow move away.
All Limbua could do was smile softly.-Well.. it wasn't HIS opinion of pleasure.. but.. mortals tended to cling to love.. to families. And his chest swelled softly momentarily.. a itchling of pride at the fact that he'd broughten her a joy that would last her all her days.. something that she seemed truely happy by.
Laughing a little, he cast a playful n** at her neck, teasing her softly.- "What would the world be without a little trouble and excitement from time to time anyway."As is was slow work nac was having trouble finishing what he'd choosen to work on. It was hard trying to figure which would fit an adult better when one is just a cub. He stared at the half unfinished necklace as his ears flickered in slight irraitation.
After a few moments he scuffed it off and stated working again aiming to make it a little bigger than what he hoped was right.Hivu chuckled, "The world would indeed be quite boring without it." She said with a smile, looking around her for a moment. "Its times like this that make you apreciate all you go through, its the times you relax after hard work that really make you happy... Without hardships, times like this would just be another day, they would be meaningless."
"Yeah yeah, I'm fine." Kumbuko said with a little laugh shaking off her fur all over and sprinkling her sister with drops of water.
"Hey, you did it!" Ku said happily, maybe she could do this after all. "I gotta admit, I didn't think you had it in you." Ku said, looking at the little fish. Her sister might have seen a young defenseless creature, but she herself saw food.
"What are you doing?" She asked as her sister put it back, "You know, that all was kind of pointless if you're just gonna put it back in the water." She said, giving her a strange look, "Why'd you put it back?"
The oldest sibling disregarded the water drops and smiled at the moving river. What Ku saw and what Bu saw must've been two different things, she wasn't the one to see everything as a preditor, though she was one. Ku saw something that she could eat, Bu saw a helpless creature who barely started its life.
"Ku, how would you feel if someone killed you? You just started your life a while ago, sure, but you barely begun it. Wouldn't you want to live it? Put it this way, I saved that fishes life, I am now responsible for it. How about that?"
She said, smiling over to her sister. Then she turned to the river again, her eyes moving with the passing shadows heading downstream. She raised her paw up, ready to strike when the moment was right.
Too fast....too small....there!
Just at the moment, she swipped down her paw knocking two out of the water. Two for the price of one! Bu looked down at the two and saw a little one again. Another? Was there some breeding season in teh past month or so? Carefully, she pushed the small one back in and looked back to the rather decent sized one. Not too big, not too small, it was good enough for one to eat.
"I got one." ((You guys are free to skip me and keep rping bits that don't affect me if you like. I've had a few issues getting into Lim's character lately, and I don't wanna hold you all up. ))
-He nodded thoughtfully, taking in the words softly as his tail twitched back and forth behind him. Such mature words.. To find pleasure out of the hardships in life. But beautiful words at that.
Purring rumbling through his throat he sat lost in thought. These children were his.. part of his flesh and blood. But what was he supposed to do now? It would be rude to just up and leave... no.. he settled himself gently next to Hivu, shoulder pressing lightly against her own. He'd just have to wait for them to come back and say goodbye before he left.- Nac finally finished with what he could of the necklace/crown and yawned he was getting tired. Dragging himself back over to his mother he placed the flowers beside lim and curled up with a yawn. "Night,night."
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 12:00 pm
Bringing joy into the world - Shairi, Zimwi, and Hidaya Quote: -Time had passed.. seemingly both slowly and quickly as life continued for the happy couple and the young one that rested safely within Shairi's plump pink belly.
They'd traveled a little to stave off her need, but when the time neared they found theirselves once again by the familar and beautiful ocean.. in the den in which the baby had been made so long ago.
They'd known for awhile now that only one babe rest inside her, and yet her stomach grew and grew as if she held many, a tribute to the special little one that rest inside. And for the past two days Shairi had been doing nothing more then eating like a starving hippo.. and sleeping the hours away. A soft routine that she worried might soon upset and worry her love.. but thankfully it seemed it would be over soon enough.
An uncomfortable and loud mewl escaped the cheetahess as her stomach and abdomen cramped tightly, rousing her from her sleep. Trying to curl the best she could with her swollen belly she tried to shy away the light of the day, soft worry settling upon her. Was something wrong? With the baby perhaps? A tangle of worried and unattached thoughts slipped over her in her half awake, half asleep state.-Zimwi' had been worried about the great size of his mate and with only one cub inside her, he was worried about the size and health of the cub.
As usual he'd been hunting, however he'd also been looking out for any rogue males that might want to hurt his mate and unborn child.
He'd become the protective hero in just a matter of day's.
However, as the sharp mewl of his mate suddenly rang out, his ears perked up and he praticly leapt from his post where he had been fishing.
A trail of sparkling water droplets rushing behind him before falling to the ground as he quickly stuck his head into the den and looked over his mate with a worried expression.
"Shairi?" He started. "What is it? What's wrong?"-Finally the cramping loosened, and she unfurled herself just in time for the familar voice to slip through the den, blue eyes searching gently for the silouette of Zimwi against the light.
And through the grogginess she offered a soft purr to try and comfort him, wincing when once again the cramping began to ebb on her belly.-
"I... I don't know actually..."
-She'd never witnessed childbirth before.. being an only child.. and traveling so much that she'd never made friends long enough to be their for their cubs. So all of it was new and confusing.. but atleast now she was awake.
Rolling to her side with a whimper and groan, she cast her eyes once more towards him, asking softly.- "A pain in my stomach and loins.. it almost feels like the little one is trying to push it's way out."
-Gasping softly as she tried to find a position that was comfortable to lay in.- "Do.. do.. you think it's time?"The lion paused, eye's widening as he watched his mate be in such pain, however he'd heard of many times when female's gave birth they would feel such pain.
He gulped softly before moving in and gently nuzzling against her before moving to lay so he was behind her, comforting her through this as he watched every moment of this happening.
"I think so, love." He started softly, nuzzling against her neck as he tried to calm her.
"Just breath deeply."
The way Zimwi' acted, you'd almost swore he thought he was giving birth.
But still, this was a tense time for him, it wasn't every day you became a first time father.The lion paused, eye's widening as he watched his mate be in such pain, however he'd heard of many times when female's gave birth they would feel such pain.
He gulped softly before moving in and gently nuzzling against her before moving to lay so he was behind her, comforting her through this as he watched every moment of this happening.
"I think so, love." He started softly, nuzzling against her neck as he tried to calm her.
"Just breath deeply."
The way Zimwi' acted, you'd almost swore he thought he was giving birth.
But still, this was a tense time for him, it wasn't every day you became a first time father.-The comfort of his body as he lay down next to her, soothing her fears and simply being there was intense and brillant, and gently she returned his nuzzle, nodded softly at his words.
It wasn't so scary as long as she knew what was happening.. and having Zimwi there as well helped to stake the fears further, letting out a large huff of air as she took his advice. She'd just have to let Mother Nature and instinct be her guide.
As her belly cramped and pushed she shifted and turned within the soft sands until finally she found a position that didn't push so hard on her sore and taunt muscles, though her back stay continually pressed again Zimwi's side, refusing to leave the touch.
She drew in breaths again deep as he'd said feeling the muscles loosen before again they tightened and cramped, and she gritted her teeth. It DID feel as if the little one was pushing on her inside with each contraction... and though it wasn't the truth, simply muscles doing their job Shairi took it as a sign. If the little one wanted out so badly, then she needed to help it!
Gasping her breath in she pushed hard along with the contraction, feeling the soft shift of the cub as the contractions began to loosen again. Drawing deep breaths until the tightening crept upon her again, and she pushed until finally the tiny body was free of her, and she lay her head down tiredly.
Her stomach was on fire.. and the pain at her loins was indescribable.. and yet at the same time the contractions were fading and weakening.. no longer having the poor cub to push against, and slowly she tried to lift her front end, to see and retrieve the blessed bundle of life that was finally there.-The air was cold!
Why was it so cold!? And why was the ground so gritty and always moving as she moved?
She didn't like it!
With the cub's first breath, she gave out a loud, mewling protest at this sudden change of atmosphere.
Wet, cold and blind, she wriggled against the sand trying to find the warmth that had once consumed her being.
Everything had happened so fast, but he was there for her.
Like he'd always be there for her.
However, as he felt the last contraction ripple through her being he looked down to her hind quarters and saw the wriggling little ball of pink fur.
And his eye's widened immensly at the sight and sound of his first child.
"...oh my God..." He said softly, through a choky voice before he moved and gently picked the cub up.
It was quite large, but still, was just this incredibly tiny baby.
And as he picked it up, he took the greatest of care settling it down next to it's mother.
Not taking care whether to check whether it was male or female.
Just happy none the less.
"Look at our beautiful baby..." He said, all choked up by the sound of it too.
She was touched!
Who was that? Was it mommy? Or daddy?
Her little limbs flailed slightly in mid air before she was placed back down of the ground...only this time she could feel warmth nearby and immediatly saught it out.
Bumping blindly into her mothers belly and giving a loud, annoyed mew before she found something.
It smelled nice.
She latched onto it with her toothless muzzle and started to drink the first piece of nourishment in her life.-Her ears lifted to catch the pleased noises of her mate, feeling her heart flutter with euphoria as he spoke. And she couldn't help but thank the gods and stars when he did the task for her, lifting the babe and settling it beside her.
Beautiful! Pink like her! With ears and a face so like her. And yet large, a tail like her father.. and that beautiful trail of black touching the baby's little paws. She was absolutely, beautifully, wonderfully, perfect. And Shairi found herself at an absolute loss of words, instead letting a heavy purr rumble through her throat as she leaned in to clean the little, tongue taking delicate care to clean every last inch she could without pulling the babe from the teet she suckled at so hungrily.-Zimwi'Jicho purred loudly, eyes watching on at his mate in the most proudest of manners, gently licking the top of his loves head before whispering against her lobe.
"Well done Shairi..."
He then continued to look on their new child, ears flattened back as his tail curled protectivley around his beautiful pink lady.
Only to move his head and gently sniff at the cub inbetween it's mother's grooming to check it's gender.
A smile, then beamed happily from his features.
"It's a girl."
And that said girl, was paying no attention to the mumbly voices around her.
Or the horribly blurred images that surrounded her.
For now, she was hungry and the wonderfully tasting stuff coming out from the warm, fluffy thing that she would soon call 'mommy' was the only thing that would satisfy that hunger.
The tiny creature giving off another, squeaky mew at the touch of both her mother and father.-Laxing on her cleaning long enough to allow the father his soft affection and then inspection she simply grin as she watched him, murring happily.- "Thank you dearest, but I don't think I could have done it without you."
"I can hardly believe it's true.. It just all feels like a perfect dream.. and yet here she is.." -Her eyes settled on the cub for a long moment before finally they drifted again to Zimwi, joyful tears beginning to fall from those soft blue eyes.-
"I'm so happy! We're... so very very lucky." -Along with the little one it seemed a new life had been birthed for Shairi as well. One of responsibility.. and hope.. and an unbreakable love, both for her mate and this child.. who'd barely been in the world a few seconds. It seemed she'd loved her since the first time she felt the little heartbeat within her, and finally seeing the little one, and the wide possibilites of the future Shairi's tears only strengthed, curling around her little one as her mate curled about her. Quite certainly, for this moment alone atleast there was not a cheetah in the world happier then the candy colored female.- The lion gave a contented smile, licking his mates cheek while he looked over their frail, tiny daughter that continued to nurse softly.
Only for a rumbling, soft purr to come from him, that smile looking like it would burst open his cheek's if it grew any larger while he lay beside his mate and glanced at her softly.
Now came for a different challenge, what would they name such a perfect and beautiful baby?
"Hey Shairi?" He started softly. "Would you like to name her or shall I?"
Meanwhile the little creature continued to give no heed, more interested in the taste of mothers milk as she curled against the warm, soft tummy fur of her.
What a soft world this place was...but it was still cold and gritty!!-Letting him lick away the joyful tears, Shairi slowly calmed herself, falling into the soft purr that resonated from her mate. A name? It seemed a silly thing to not think about before.. but then.. they never knew what they would get.
Sighing blissful she shifted her eyes back to the little one gently, offered.- "I suppose whoever can come up with the most fitting of names should." -Tail curling to brush gently against him she cocked her head curiously, pondering over what would possibly work. It could be something based on her beautiful colors... or perhaps something to do with being a part of the two of them. A name was so important..- "Hmmmm"The lion watched over both his two girls softly before giving a thoughtful rumble at what to call the little female, ears flattened back as his vibrant green orbs watched the wriggling ball of fur.
He then purred deeply before nuzzling against his mate's neck and continued to think.
"Hmmm...what about...Hidaya?" He asked, ears perked forward to see if his mate liked the name.
"It means beautiful.""Hidaya.." -She tested the word softly on her melodic voice, before finally she nodded, nuzzling the top of her head into the underside of his chin.
Watching contentedly the little bundle of life, she couldn't help but laugh a little, casting her mate an apologetic and seemingly embarssed smile.- "You know.. I think I'm kind of tired again. Let's hope this little one sleeps as much as I do these days."The male smiled at her approval only to very gently snuggle against her, his poor mate.
He could guess she was exhausted, he defied any other person not to be after pushing a little piece of their flesh and blood out.
At her laugh, his ears perked up and he smiled at the little embarassed look.
Ahh...those naive little expressions made him melt.
"Oh I think she will...but wait till she learns to walk..." He said, brows raising as he gave a playful smirk her way.-She shyed away from his look, giggling just a little as she rest her head gently across one of his large paws.- "Well perhaps by then I'll be more energetic again."
-Reaching a candy colored paw to run over Hidaya's tiny back, she purred loudly.- "After all, by then she'll probably be beginning to eat what we do, and I'll have all my energy for trying to keep an eye on her."He smiled and nodded softly, resting his head gently on her shoulder as he watched his little daughter and his beautiful mate.
It was like the most perfect scene in the world to him, picturesque, beautiful and so very serene.
Zimwi' gave a rumbling purr at the sight of both of them, tail curled around them, or tried to, protectively.
Little Hidaya squeaked as she was touched and rolled slightly onto her back, squirming and mewling as she did before she felt the warm sand of the den on her tummy once more.
What an ordeal this new place was.
Honestly, it would have the decency to calm down and let her settle wouldn't it?
Zimwi' chuckled at the sight and then licked Shairi's cheek.
"Sleep if you want to my love...I'll look over both my angels while they rest."
A good try from the large fluffy male trying to be romantic, however there was a distinct little poo-face look from the cub as her snout wrinkled with her gum filled mouth opened wide and pink tongue sticking out in an adorable yawn.
Personally the father thought it was a comment on his 'romance' and gave a very soft chuckle.-Shairi on the otherhand, took the romance happily, strong purr rippling through her feminine body as she rubbed her cheek gently against his paws, settled in beside him.
Drawing herself to curl around the baby, she watched her for a few moments before her eyes began to flutter, the sweet melody of dreams tugging at her. There was plenty of time to watch the babe in the future. She was their's now.. forever and ever.
So softly the cheetahess' eyes slipped shut, breathing settling to a soft slow pace as she fell asleep to the sound to the two heart beats on either side of her, and the soft newborn shufflings.-The tiny creature felt the warm surround her and snuggled into the nearest piece of fur she could find, giving of a small, cub like purr of contentment as thing's finally calmed down.
And she started to slip off into a peaceful, longing slumber.
Zimwi' watched both his girls, purring softly as they both fell asleep and moved a little, still allowing Shairi to rest upon him.
But moving so he would be the first one the encounter anything that tried to enter the den...let's just say they'd get one hell of a shock.
However...strangely enough, he was quite optimistic that thing's wouldn't come to that.
He was now a father, proud and with a responsibility to guard these two beautiful creature's.
The lion craned his head to watch over the pair and all at once, feeling the peaceful unity and love that one feel's in a family. In Daddy's pawprints - Ahaiyuta and Tanaka Quote: -Ahai streched his chubby little cub body along the rocks, apendages reaching as far as they could manage as the sunbaked rocks toasted his underside. Yawning widely, he attempted to blink the laziness away, eyes searching for something to do..
His brother's blue pelt was nowhere to be seen, and very little of anything seemed to be going on. In the distance he could see some gold and brown pelts.. Silent mild interactions in the boringly unexciting day.
Lifting himself with a sigh, he gave his little body a bit of a shake, heading towards the dens at a lazy plod. Maybe mom or dad would be about? They certainly made things more exciting. And if he happened to find them alone without the pestering of other siblings then even better. He could show them how strong he was getting! Boy would they be proud.-The large white lion stood impossing on the rocky peek of the den, his ears flicking, green eye scanning, his senses on high alert. However this lion was not watching for a threat, but rather the 5 small forms that scurried through the pridelands on their childish adventures. For more than a god now, this lion was a father.
His tail twitched, a small flicker of blue catching his eye. It was a familuar blue, one that seemed dominant in the god's lineage. With a small smile, the lion lept from his perch, paws carrying him toward his young son.
"Ahai, what're you doing?"-As the impresssively massive body of his father descended Ahai caught scent of the familar and comforting being, similarly green eyes turning upwards. And excitedly little paws carried the young cub closer to his father, a wide grin settle upon his features before he stated matter of factly.- "Looking for you!"
-Tiny eyes peered upwards in soft awe and respect, his tail twitching with cub-like excitement, and for a moment he seemed softer, less abrasive then the facade that usually assaulted others when meeting the young one.- "I'm bored. Can I help you do what you're doing?""Oh really?"
Tanaka couldn't help but chuckle at his young one's enthusiasm, so energetic. He place a paw on his son head, ruffling the tuft of fur that would eventually grow into a stunning mane.
"You're bored eh? Well then, how would you like to go hunting?"
Fatherhood had changed the white demon. But even though he had settled in the peaceful pridelands, there were times that he missed traveling with his mate, days that he longed to spread the conflinct was so a part of his very existance, and there were times he too grew bored. Yes a father-son bonding over the murder of some poor defenseless prey beast sound like a wonderful idea.-He nodded strongly to the question, tiny blue paw reaching up to paw at the ruffling that he pretended not to enjoy. Quite obviously beaming at the attention.
From as far back as he could remember, the days when their little cub eyes were first openning and they were being allowed to roam around Ahai had taken an affinity towards strength and size. Pushing at his siblings to get the teet he wanted most. Wrestling around with Matsai whenever his twin would allow. And father.. a beast that stood so largely above all the other adults he'd yet to see had skyrocketed to that place in his heart and mind that parents often did. A pedastool to be achieved towards.
So he nearly jumped when the offer set forth. To go out with dad and actually hunt! To see how big and strong his father really was, and to show him all the hard work he'd been doing himself. He was totally going to be helpful! Not just some little cub getting in the way.
Grin spreading happily, he nodding before bounding forward a few steps, waiting for the massive ivory paws to catch up with his.- "Yes! Let's go hunting!!" A broad grin spread across the lion's maw, fangs barred in a murderous streak that he had kept to himself since settling in these lands. Yes, a hunt with his son, how delightful.
Smiling at his son's excitement, the lion fell into a hunter's prowl, his paws large, strides long, every aware of the young cub's presence, his eye always watching to make sure Ahai was following. The question was, what to hunt? It needed to be something fairly small, large prey could be dangerous for a small cub. Something like....ah, a young female gazzelle grazing nearby. Most prey would be too much for a young cub, but this one was small enough to include the young one in the hunt, and there were no horns to hurt him. Perfect.
Turning to his son, he silently gestured toward the prey, motioning for him to stay silent and out of sight.
"Shh..."
Fangs barred, talons extended, the white lion took the crouch of a hunter, tail flicking, his green eye narrowed on the unsuspecting prey. -Ahai mimiced the action, his malicious little smirk touching his maw as his eyes settled upon his father, trying hard to imitate the motions and yet still keep up fast enough not to be lose among the grasses.
He'd prowl a few length's until his father surpassed him and then he'd bound forward a few more feet, and begin the process again. Shoulders held this way, head down low, ears forward.
But he didn't quite seem to grasp the concept of quiet, and with each bounding process he sent grasses shifting and swaying, sounds echoing around him. One didn't NEED to be quiet when they were strong enough. Oh no. They could just take whatever they wanted.
When finally a beast of Tanaka's choosing came into sight he listened carefully, eyeing the 'large' beast from the grasses, trying hard to keep quiet and out of sight. Even going so far as to hold his breath as green eyes peered at is father.
Get um dad! Was the silent little cheer that rang through his mind.- Tanaka shot a glance at his son, a silent reminder to remain silent. Cubs didn't always understand silence or that sound travels, but to an adult whose prey could outrun them, silence was vital, stregth wasn't much use if you couldn't catch your prey. But that knowledge was something that would come with time, and for now Tanaka simply smirked at his son before turning his head, shifting his gaze to the prey.
The hunter crouched, tail still behind him, ears and nose on full alert, picking out every sound and scent, warning him of the slightest movement around him as he stalked silently through the grass, talons pricking at the earth with each step. Closer, and closer the predator crept until he was as close as he dared. Fangs bared, the lion crouched, muscles coiled like springs.
The gazelle's ears flicked, suddenly aware of the predator's presence a moment too late. It turned, powerful legs springing an instant after the lion had lept, talons surging forward, seizing the creatures back end, dark hooks sinking into it's hide.-His ears fell gently at the look, pride hurt with the silent repremand, but not even a couple moments later they were up again.
As he watched the hunt unfold before him he crept another step further, eyes flashing back and forth between father and the prey. Studying the way his father's muscles drew and then expanded as he leapt at the gazelle. Studying the idiotic beast move too slow and get a nice set of claws to her backside.
He could smell it! Fear. Blood. His claws seathed and unseathed self conciously. He wanted to feel it too! His claws caught in the beast as it flailed and struggled uselessly.
With or without signal from his dad Ahai bolted from the grasses and into sight of the beast, crouching his little body as he tried to find a good place to try and latch onto. Without having to worry about catching a few of his dad's claws in the back.-The lion's ears flicked, the telltale rustling of the grass catching his eye, distracted for a moment by the movement of his son. In that moment of distraction, the gazelle kicked, attempting to free itself from the predator's grasp. A smaller or less vicious lion might have lost it, but Tanaka's mass was simply to large, his talons too deep for the hapless prey to free itself.
With a snarl, the lion instantly turned his attention back to the prey, a jerk of his paws, a shift of his weight, and predator and prey crashed to the ground with a loud thud and the snap of breaking bones. The creature struggled helplessly, it's back end disabled by it's snapped spine, hind legs useless against the weight of the massive lion.
But the lion had not killed his prey, consciously disabling the beast while leaving it alive. No, for that he had something special in mind, this was after all a father-son hunt. Smirking he turned to the blue cub, a rough purr in his throat as he lowered his head to nudge the young one toward the creature.
-His attention snapped to the prey beast as the loud sound of cracking rippled through the area, watching intently both the actions of his father and the stupid animal. Feeling a soft bustle of joy as he watched the antelope fall helplessly he padded forward only to be nudged further by his father.
The backend was no fun, standing still due to the injury inflicted upon it.. but oh how the creature bellow and cry. He wanted to disable it too! Make it's voice stop the way father had made it stop moving! Crouching momentarily he bounded the last few steps, claws extended as his little body came to rest with a hard thud against the antelope.
He didn't really know exactly what he was supposed to be doing. But he figured his father would guide him if there was more to it then simply what he did know. Mismatched lessons of games with his brother play through his mind and soon he was kicking and clawing at the beast's shoulder and neck as he tried to climb on top of her. Eyes searching for something similar to that spot on his brother's neck that always ended their game he let his claws sink in and out of the flesh beneath him, a malice rumbling purr escaping him at the sensation of the warm liquid and the raise in octaves at the beast cry out beneath him.
Finally finding the underside of the antelope's neck he sunk his teeth in the warm skin, tenderly at first as if he were playing with his brother, before pressure finally began to press his teeth through the sensitive skin. But alas.. the beast still cried and moved as best it could.- The white lion watched his son, ears flicking, a maleviolent smirk on his maw as the hapless beat screamed. What a wonderful sound it was, made all the more sweet by a father's pride.
The young cub was small and inexperienced, but at least he had a basic idea of where to strike. Reaching out with one massive paw that nearly dwarfed his son's small form, Tanaka pushed the blue cub back from his selected target. Shaking his head to indicate the mistake, he then gestured to a different spot on the creatures neck closer to it's ear, the spot where the jungular was most vulnerable, marking it with a slice of a talon that barely broke the surface.
"Your fangs are not strong enough yet to crush it's windpipe, you must strike more precisely."-A momentary frown touched the cub's maw and eyes at the words of his father. He seemed to hear them over and over again in his young life.. and at the moment it was the one thing that he was striving to prove wrong. Not big enough. Not strong enough. Just wait and see. He'd be big enough and strong enough soon. And then everyone could just shut their stupid mouths.
However the frown was quickly gone, for he knew from the tone and simple family intuition that that was not the way his father had meant it. It was a lesson, not an insult. And even if he had a handicap now when he was little, that still put him ahead of most. How many other cubs his size could say they'd killed a gazelle?
Following his father's advice, tricolored paws pulled him further up the neck, emerald eyes boring a hole into the spot his father had marked, burning the sight into his brain so he'd never forget.
Claws digging into the creatures neck to produce one more loud scream of protest he promptly snapped his little fangs onto the spot his father had marked, biting down with such a force it almost made his teeth hurt. He had to do it right, to make father proud! And it worked, the scream of the gazelle cut to a soft gurgling until finally no sound at all came, and the beast lie quiet and still. Only then did his jaws release, emerald eyes quickly turning to his father, as his blood tinged maw produced a proud smirk.-A vampiric grin spread across the lion's maw, his tail flicking like a stalking serpant through the grass, a rough half purr-half growl rubblimg in his throat. Dark ears flicked at the last piercing cry of the fallen beast, green eye glistening in the river of blood that surged, taking the creature's life with it. His young son had done well, spectacular.
"Well done, Ahai, well done."-The cub's grin grew wide with the praise, letting himself slip from the fallen beast as he bounding the tiny length between the two of them. Standing himself proudly next to his dad, even though he looked almost comical dwarfed beside him, emerald eyes peered upwards.- "We have to take it home now right!"
-Ohhhhh he could just see it now. Mom would be so proud, like dad! Maybe even Matsai would be too. He could hardly wait. Blue tail flicking excitedly back and forth he hopped towards the beast again, looking for a place to grab hold to 'help' drag it home.-The laugh that rolled from his jaws was haunting yet unmalicious, the demon taking great pride in his son's actions. Oh how hard the young one strived to please his parents, to raise himself above all others. If only he'd know that his father was already proud of him just for his existance, perhaps someday he would understand that.
Placing a paw on his son's head, he ruffled the small 'mane' once again, a fatherly smirk on his maw.
"Yes, we'll take it home now."
At last lifting his massive weight from the fallen beast's hind head, Tanaka stood to his paws. His head lowered, the lion closed his jaws around the shoulders of the beast, savering the sweet metallic taste of the blood that touched his tounge as he hoisted the prey from the ground. Pausing a moment to be certain Ahai was at his side, the white lion set off toward the family's den, father and son returning home side by side carrying the fruits of a successful hunt. What a glorious day.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 12:02 pm
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 12:03 pm
See you in my dreams - Limbuko and Khari Quote:  Khari, approaching a thick forest, stepped lightly onto the path. The sound of water rushing, birds chirping, and the scurrying of animals could be heard throughout the forest. The weather, brilliantly sunny, made it seem like a perfect day. Khari purred. " Lovely, Lovely day." Her wings tucked in close to her body, her white stood out amonst the leafy shades of green and the brown beneath her feet. " So much more refreshing the desert, now isnt it?" She enjoyed the damp atmosphere for a moment. At least it wasnt damp and hot, because the trees provided shade so only some rays of the sunlight was seen from the forest, but it was anough to make it seem cheery.  -Lim was within the forest for those exact reasons, having learned from the jungle he'd visited on a handful of occassions the wonderful reprieve from the sun that the trees gave. And after many days of baking his pelt under the african sun, the sight of trees in the distance had drawn him forward.
The forest wasn't as particularly colorful as the jungle was.. with it's tropical splash of colors, but it was serene and beautiful nonetheless, and the young god had quickly contented himself simply perusing through the vegatation, weaving in and out around the smaller plants the littered the ground.
His path was willy nilly, weaving in and out, and though he didn't know it yet his current steps were leading him towards the edge of the forest and the unknown pressence that rested not far away. Perhaps if he got closer he might be able to detect her godly aura.. but for now he simply play along, brightly hued pelt and erect feathers shining brightly through the earthy hues.- Khari, walking lightly, almost hovering now as now to disturb the forest's tranquilty, gave a small smile to those curious that were now peeking at her. Nudgin a leaf out of her path, "Like a game of hide and seek. The seeker would have a awfully hard time." She thought ruefully letting out a small laugh. If she looked far enough, she could still see the sands of the desert, her fur warming at the thought of treading out there, again. Grimacing, she took the simple path throughout the forest, leading her straight to her destination.
As she walked closer and close, the presence of Lim went unnoticed as Khari stared in awe and delight at her surroundings. She gently bit the stemp to retrieve multi-colored seemingly flower and muzzled it. Now, how was she to arrange this? On her hair.. maybe? -The goddess' soft actions kept her pressence hidden from his ears.. but it wasn't long before his eyes gave her away, spotting the large flash of white.. and tiny accents of blue that stood out through the forest hue's. And he watched for a moment as she settled herself picking at a flower, soft smile hitching upon his lilac maw.
A goddess.. beautiful like a cloud that'd fallen from the skies. Even without the wings she'd have looked like a goddess, her white seeming to glow from within the shaded understory, soft beams of light dancing across her pelt.
Crouching gently, he stalked forward a few steps, pulling himself closer to the gentle goddess before finally he stood tall, feathers splaying out widely and proudly, voice touching the air in a soft muff.- "What is this I see? A beautiful cloud fallen from the skies?"
-Charming smile attempting to hide the playful look in his eyes the adolescent continued.- "Do you need help? I'll help lift you back up to the heavens."Khari,out of the corner of her eyes spotted a bit of purple amonst the shades of green. A purple god? She though bemusedly before answering. "A cloud fallen from skits? I believe I do like that metaphor." Having a sparkle in her eyes, this was possibly the first time, that she wasnt the first one to greet others.
Staring at his brilliantly hued feathers, the purple of his pelt contrasting nicely, and the sturdy seeming horns protruding from his mane on his head, she teasingly asked, "If I'm a cloud from the sky, are you one from the deep depts of earth come to tell me of my misdeeds?" Oh he was quite a handsome lion, that any girl would've fallen for in dozens. She thought wryly. -He beamed with her obvious approval to his words, dripping the words along in a fine string. He loved to play and flirt, weave words that brought looks such as hers to the face of those around him.- "I'm glad you do, it's very appropriate I think. Beautiful, soft and white, with kisses of blue from the very sky in which you clung before. I suppose it couldn't bear you leaving it completely."
-With her tease in return, he lifted a brow, laughing gently as he padded the short distance between them, until only one bounds length remain between him and the goddess.- "Misdeeds? I can't imagine that. Clouds are pure and beautiful. And besides.. when treachery and sadness befall them they turn grey... not the white you so clearly are."
-Giving a soft shake of the white mane that drew back at his shoulders, he settled himself, tail flicking with contentment.- "So no.. I may be earthbound, but I'm here for your pleasure, not your misdeeds.""I suppose it couldnt, now that I'm fallen from it." She gave a light blush to his words, dipping her head, so he wouldnt see them. Then lifting her head to observe the skies, which was blue with nary a cloud in sight but more of freen, she chidingly reminded herself, it wouldnt be wise to stare at a sky in a forest.
"I admit, I'm flattered by yours words but there are times where I cant be as pure as you think. I do have my own faults but I cant imagine you do." Khari murmered softly, tilting her head to observe him, of course she could, since he was so close to her.
"MY pleasure? What more could I need? I can fly, go anywhere I wish.. I dont quite think theres anything much better than that.. with the exception of meeting such handsome lions like you?" "I suppose we all have our faults. Our misgivings. But as long as our virtues outweigh our faults, then we can still be called good." -He pondered over the thought softly, before brushing it away, a bit more philisophical then his young mind tended to roam.
With her later statement however his smile grew.- "Ah! Truely the simple pleasures in life are the best. They help to make sure that each day is spent pleasantly."
-Feathers ruffling and holding higher with the compliment, he dipped himself into a hint of a bow, raising his eyes from their lower position as he spoke, smile gleeming.- "Ahhhh, but the pleasure is all mine dear. Limbuko, god of Pleasure. And you, my dear cloud?" Khari hid a smile at this lion. Apparently, his mind didnt wander far, but enough to woo the girls. Agreeing with his later statement entirely, she wondered out loud, "I dont believe theres anything much better than that? Is there?" Her curiousity often ran out on her.
Khari laugh softly, apparently he liked to have his ego boosted. Staring at his gleaming smile, she felt that there was something more than just an introduction. Returning the politeness, she curtsied. "Khari at your service, The goddess of dreams. Will my nickname be cloud for you from now on?" her smile radiated, as she spread her black wing out, and left the white wing tucked into her side. "Because as cloud I can represent a storm with this wing?" "Ohhh.. I'm pleased by a lot of things really... to name one as best would be hard... Flying is nice yes... Freedom is even better."
"But I also find the company and affection of others to be particularly pleasant. And also surrounding myself in beautiful things."
-Lifting himself from his bow finally, his eyes drifted to the outstreched wing, trying very hard to bite back the juvinile pick-up line that taunted his mind, though another nearly as silly escaped him. A soft wink accompanying it.- "Dreams huh? I thought I knew you from somewhere."
-Lightly chuckling away the words, he nodded softly to her question.- "If you don't mind that I call you by that nickname, then I shall. I like having a name all of my own to call others with."
-Streching a paw forward he rippled the muscles in his back, streching as he let his feathers begin to settle back gently, before he stood again, now a step closer.- "What brings you to the forest today? Godly duties? Or are you simply enjoying yourself?""True, for they only care amongst themselves knowing that they are already beautiful beyong words." She stared at the flowers a short distance away chuckling at them.
"You've met a male god but you dont mention female. I assume you've met alot of them so far, I myself included, correct?" Khari lifted a paw causing the jewel on it to ring softly. "I'm afraid I've only met the opposite gender as of yet, of our domain." Giving an ironic smile she mentioned "One would think that it'd be easier to find one of us, seeing as rumours of them have come into existence much but.." She shrugged helplessly.
"Quite generous, arent you?" Her eyes flickered. "Its almost as if your happiness just in.. other ways." She finished up. "but your a nice god nonetheless. My power doesnt reign like yours but it brings you -- almost to a different reality?" -His smile curled a little more, like a young boy who'd been caught redhanded, before finally he gave a nod, extending his paws softly outward.- "I've met the goddess of the swamps, the goddess of unity, and yourself. Though.. I've heard of more from the mouth of young mortals. So I'm hoping to meet more along the way."
-Drawing his paw back he settled himself once again to be comfortable, assuring her whether she needed it or not.- "However that's a quest for another day, since it seems I was drawn towards your company for the day."
"I find pleasure and happiness to walk hand in hand.. at sometimes even be one and the same." -He murred to her sentiment, letting his eyes touch the forest for a moment before they drew back to the brillantly white beast before him, his own words of praise touching the air.- "Dreams can often bring pleasure too though. I know I've slowly lulled out of sleep to find a smile rested upon my lips from time to time."
"They're truely treasures.. a fine gift for you to give.. well.." -He paused softly, glancing to her dark wing curiously, before he continued tenderly, hoping not to offend her.- "Except for nightmares. But.. perhaps there is a balance that's needed?""As for me, I've met the God of Curse and the God if Nightmares. One of them is quite nice character, although I wouldnt say the same for the other." Khari gave a small grimace. "Nevertheless, their both enjoyable in their own way. Now you've been added to the list, have you not?" Khari said happily.
"Thank you for being so considerate towards me." She gave him a warm smile to let him know that she enjoyed the gesture. She truly liked her purple companion. Shaking her head, her bangs setlled on one side, she listened intently to him.
"I'm glad to have done my job, then, so well if it works on the god of pleasure." Khari flashed a brilliant smile.
"Thank you for the comment, I think pleasure goes with dreams hand in hand, dont you?" As he continued on, she wasnt surprised or hurt by his comment. Giving him a pat on his paw to show that she wasnt offended, she continued "I see that you also understand the concept of balance. Most people dont think about that, when I meet them but I do have a small reign over the darker side of dreams. I'm afraid." Khari's face softened at the thought of him, but shaking her head, she gave a snort. "Baku has the larger reign and used his powers.. quite frequently." -He'd immediately felt sorry for her at first, when she mentioned the to seemingly dreadful being she'd met. But her words soothed the notion, and he instead kept quiet, nodding gently to the words.
Purring softly at her smile, he added lightly, his tail twitching gently at the thought.- "Indeed, to think you have the powers of affecting so many, both mortal and god alike." -Power and confidence were such attractive qualities and though he might have originally thought her to be delicate.. the clouds also held power and authority. Casting rain upon the lands, shading out the very sun.
Thoughts drawing back as her paw came to pat against his own, he leaned forward brazenly, letting the pink tip of his tongue slip from his maw to catch the tips of her paw as she withdrew it. Eyes focusing on her with a soft interest as if trying to persuade her along with his words to be drawn from the thoughts that brought such a displeased look to her.- "Unpleasant memories or people have no place in the mind of a beautiful cloud. Come, let us find something fun to do."
"I don't know that we can do much flying without leaving the canopy, but I'm sure we can find something to your liking to do within the forests."Khari's face reddened a bit while Lim had licked her paw. She never had much contact with males that way, so this probably was being her first time. "All right then." She agreed. Standing up, she leaned her paw forward to stretch farther to let out a sigh of relief.
"Sitting does take toll on me, although one wouldnt expect it to because walking would seem to but it doesnt.." She look perplexed by this train of thought, Did body functions ever make sense? Clearing her head, she turned to him "Flying is out of the question yes, shall we take a stroll until we think of something?" She asked softly. -His smirk twitched softly with the reaction, a young boy quite pleased with himself it would seem. And as she lifted herself he mirrored her actions, streching his body for a moment before he stood. Shaking and ruffling himself he settled his 'mane' against his back, and let his feathers flare forward before he took a hopping step forward.-
"Sometimes resting is nice, but often enough walking is even that much better. Restlessness is a heavy weight."
-Eyes touching the sky as she spoke of it, and then filtering back to the face of the goddess he nodded enthusiasticly.- "A stroll will work. Never know what we'll find. These forests are a bit of a mystery to me. I don't think I've been here for a very long time."Stifling her smile to herself, Khari was amused. The young god looked pleased, but what he was pleased about, Khari prefered not to think about it. "You have pretty -- although bright but outstanding feathers." She said staring at them and then tilting her head to give him a small smile. "One wonders how you fly without wings."
"I'd say restlessness is a bit of a burden if you cant release it." She thought about cubs, always like that, and had a fond look on her face. If she had parents to restrict her from her freedom, she probably wouldnt be the way she was now.
"I havent een here for long either. I tend to roam to random places, you could say I'm a drifter, perhaps like you?" She suggested. "Hmmm" -He glanced back at his feathers as her question rose. In truth his feathers were just as useless for flight as many a bird's were. They were simply for show, for attracting mates even if you wanted to look at it that way, she he gave a bit of a half laugh, rustling the feathers gently.- "It's more like levitation then flight I suppose. But then... it's far less tiring then flight, and I still get that wonderful feeling of air ruffling through my feathers."
-Leading the way, only a step or so ahead, he let his feet carry him across the cool undergrowth, tail flicking with soft contentment.- "Mhmmm.. kindred spirits. Being bound to one place is a horrible fate.. but being able to roam and slip about free is a wonderful treasure."
-Eyes flicking back to the 'cloud', his smile grew softly.- "It's not often I find those who wouldn't prefer being tied down to a place or family.""Satisfying, still." Khari nodded, her eyes serene. Looking at Lim wryly, she said "Being bound can be a chain.. or a blessing depending on how you look at it.. and who you're stuck with? But for the meanwhile, I do agree with you on that statement."
"Oh really?" Khari asked teasingly. "I have no one who would twiddle their paws waiting for me, at home." She laughed softly. Her image had one lion in mind though.. but she quickly pushed the thought away. "Ah." She said with a gasp of surprise as they had reached a very, inhabited place, where more animals were seen than before.
Suddenly, Khari's mind was invaded by the dreams of those sleeping, and she winced. Before soon, when she matured, the rein on her powers probably wouldnt hold any longer. Staring at Lim, her head a bit dizzy, she said "A nice spot, isnt it?"
"Such a thing would bring me nothing but pain. I do not wish worry and waiting upon anyone.. ecspecially one that I care for. I'd much rather be a treasure to bless an already content day. Then a necessicity that brought grief when I was gone." -The words were soft, more of a thought spoken aloud then anything else. And when finally they were done his eyes turned, playful smile once again tracing upon his maw.
He hadn't seen the wince, but the gasp he did hear, and curiousity touched his features. Stepping closer, so that his shoulder brushed against her's he agreed.- "Quite beautiful a spot."Khari, now quite back to normal nodded. "You have a way with words, dont you?" Khari asked, amused now. "I simply stay un-attatched because of the freedom it allows, you. You dont have to answer for anything!" She furrowed in her eyebrows.
Feeling re-assured by Lims touch, she lifted her paw up to touch a leafy plant overhead. "Pretty. Its like.. your own personal mini-forest, dont you think?" She looked around, her eyes filled with more excitement. -He smiled softly, always pleased to hear the words no matter how often they sounded. It was amazing how often something as simple as words could bring joy and pleasure to another. And it filled him with pride everytime others took notice of his silver tongue.- "Just as I'm sure you have a way with weaving the sweetest of dreams."
-Eyes drifting upwards towards the foilage, he let a purr rumble gently through him.- "The forest really is a wonderful place, I should stop in more often. Not as thick or hot as the jungle, but just as green." -His tail flicked back and forth with soft contentment, and a soft sigh slipped from him before he could stop it.-
"I'm very glad I could have such peaceful and pleasant company today.""Sweetest? I think you overestimate me but I should say the same for you. You're quiet adept at doing your job as God of Pleasure." She smiled inwardly as Lim seemed to take enjoyment in her comments. and why wouldnt he? She was ectastic when people complimented her.
"The forest is more enjoyable than the jungle in the summer." she noted, thinking of all the pesky parasites, such as the mosquitoes. "Who knows? If you stop by a forest again, we may meet each other.." Her eyes sparkled. She loved reuniting with old friends again, and Lim was no different.
"Thank you." She curtsied to Lim's comment. "I'm glad I made a new friend, that is so courteous."
"But.." she looked towards the sky, admist the leafy branches. "Its getting quite late. We've walked around for a while, havent we? I'm afraid I havent much time more to continue our walk. Maybe we'll meet again?" -He nodded softly, the subtlest of motions as her words and body told the story of their soon to be seperation, not at all fighting it. They'd been together for awhile now, in fact he'd wasted away most of the day pleasantly with the goddess, and he smiled oh so lightly at her choice of words. Courteous. My wasn't he the deciever from time to time.
Bowing his head down softly, he offered a playful few words, before giving his sincere goodbye.- "At the very least, I should hope to see you in my dreams now and again. But yes.. it'd be my pleasure. I shall have to scour the forests a little more regularly."
-Stepping back a pace, he ruffled his feathers softly as he wanted for her to go, ears perked to catch anymore departing words the Cloud might have.-"I daresay, that you have better things to dream about, that a stranger you've just met." She said lightly. "I'm sure that we can see each other in other places than the forest, sometimes." She said giving a soft laugh.
She lifted a paw gently to his face and gave a good-bye smile to Lim. "Take care, okay? I'd hate for something to happen, to such a pleasurable god." She slowly retracted her paw, and placed it on the ground before waving a goodbye, and dissapeared in a single moment, off to another destination. Beautiful Stranger - Limbuko and Faye Quote: -A wide yawn play against the young god's lilac maw as he resettled himself lazily upon the small hill that overlooked the steppe. Grasses spreading far and wide in mixed carpet of golden and green.
He lounged upon his perch like a king, brillant colors and feathers standing out grandly from the simplicity of the world around him, his mind drifting among thoughts of unimportance as the sun settled overhead.
He wasn't really bored.. nor troubled.. it was simply one of those days that called for nothing, simply the rest and sun baking his pelt were enough to set his spirits high, and he watched the grasses with mild interest.. waiting to see if a play of some sort might happen upon him eventually.-*Resting within the tall golden-green grasses lay the form of a lioness. Her pelt was a soft violet hue and it was appealing to the eyes, making it hard for her to hide herself… but then again she didn’t want to hide, no. Faye wanted the world to see her, she wanted everyone to embrace her beauty and fall to her toes. She was the queen of this little grass mound that she rested upon and she dominated it without a care in the world.
Her wide neon-green eyes softly narrowed as the suns bright raze coated her fur with a soft layer of heat. This feeling sent a soft purr through out her body and chest as she rolled onto her side and beamed at her perfectly clean paws. Yellow strands of hair covered her left eye as she relaxed against the earth’s grassy surface, enjoying doing absolutely nothing.*-It was actually quite some time before the grasses swayed just right in the wind. Just enough to let the lioness' pelt touch the eyes of the young god, and as soon as it did he squinted softly.
He'd imagined it hadn't he? Or perhaps it was simply his reflection in a waterhole that he hadn't before noticed. Ears and eyes perking forward with soft interest he watched intently, waiting to see the soft flash of color again before he stood, subconciously shaking his body to rid of any dust that may have settle upon him.
Could one imagine things twice? Maybe.. maybe not. But his interest was perked, and slowly he began to trot down the hillside, more like a child then a hunter, eyes wide and uncaring of the rustle and noise he made as he tromped through the grasses in his path.-*With a soft sigh the lioness rolled onto her belly and shifted her weight gracefully. She had heard something rustling... and it was moving closer and closer to her, so out of slight defense she rose and with wide eyes she softly gazed at the oddly decorated male that was making his way to her.
She frowned slightly and felt a gasp pass her maw. His pelt color was just about the same as hers! What was this- this couldn’t be… Faye was the only one with such a color, she just had to be! In the back of her mind she was simply the best... and only one with such a fine color, so seeing this male really did put a damper on her emotions.
She was frustrated now and it could be seen as she rose to her paws and puffed her chest with a slight annoyance.*
“Who do you think you are?”
*She called out with, moving herself closer to him with haste. Her brightly colored eyes narrowed rather bitterly as she stepped right in front of him, so that her chest brushed against his and her face pull right up to his the best she could. Faye was very shocked and wanted a damned good reason behind off of all. Who was he and why was he here!*
“Mmm?”
*She rudely jerked her head to the side and pulled back, her fur standing still. She was so lovely when she frowned.*-As the lioness lifted her sleek and beautiful adult body from the ground Lim couldn't help but admire her build. Perhaps even rudely so the way he stared, but quite truthfully... he'd never seen another other then him with 'the most beautiful of colors'... and a female at that... How very delightful.
His grin had began to build, some soothing words of charm about to leave his mouth when suddenly he was assualted with her displeasure, and his brows lifted curiously.. feathers rustling softly.
She held a soft beauty as she slank forward in frusteration, those brillantly dazzling eyes peering at him with such force and energy. He wasn't sure why she was angry.. but at the very least it seemed anger more then viciousness... so as she drew so near.. and the soft scent of her play at his sense he offered her a smile instead, puffing out his adolescent chest with pride.- "Limbuko. God of Pleasure. That's who I 'know' I am."
"And you miss? Pray tell the name of the lioness with such a breathtaking pelt." -Eyes rolling off in the hint of a young playfulness he teased, whether or not it was appropriate.- "Albeit perhaps a nasty disposition."*As he spoke Faye felt the hair on the back of her neck stand still... his words were laced in a unknown tone… one that made her feel uneasy, yet at the same time, this intrigued her. He was so different, it was like nothing she had ever seen before.*
“A God...”
*She murmured and looked away slowly. Was this what her sister spoke of when she said she had a mate that was… a God? He was stunning in color and form- could it be that all Gods looked so lovely and pure- physically she saw now flaw when she looked at him... this made her very interested in him, though she wouldn't show it.*
“Limbuko..”
*She softly repeated his name once, and then twice as if to get it imprinted in her brain. He was very dashing but she resented him right now... He was stealing her spot-light!*
“Well then God of Pleasure, what are you doing here?”-Though it might soon become a nusaunce.. for the moment her avasiveness only strengthed his growing grin.. like a coy game of cat and mouse. If she would not tell him her name straight off.. well then, she'd just doomed herself to his company until he'd worked it out of her. And despite his youth, when he wanted too he could be awfully patient.
Shifting a little, flicking the ends of his ivory ponytail to his other shoulder he pondered over her question, tail beginning to sway with soft amusement as he settled upon an answer.- "Here in these lands? Nothing more then lounging away a warm day."
"Here in this exact spot however.. admiring the view."
"But perhaps I'm intruding on something?" -Ah finally, a hint of politeness touched the air.- *Faye wouldn’t tell him her name, not just yet. She wanted to see if he would even bother trying… she was not easy nor would she be easy. This was a game to her and if he wanted to play it and win the prize of knowing her name then he wouldn’t complain.
Shifting her weight to the side she sighed at his words. If he was flirting with her then it was not working… and if he wasn’t then he should have been. Faye didn’t know what she wanted but she knew she wanted to want something. Eyeing him now she gave him a sly smile before sitting herself back and lifting a paw to her maw, where she slowly cleaned it with her pink tongue.
Her green orbs never left his form… it was as if she were testing him in some sick way. She was indeed frustrated with him for stumbling upon her when she was enjoying herself… but she was most upset with herself. Her sister had a God for a mate, and if all Gods looked like him then she was really missing out. She hated being so small and knowing that her sister had already made something of herself pushed her into a whole new level of jealously. Faye’s eyes softly slid to a narrow as she finally looks away from him after cleaning.*
“It is a fine day… the sun is nice and welcoming. Mmm, you are not intruding, I was just relaxing.”
*Maybe she was being fickle but she felt herself slowly fade back into a clearer state of mind and soon her anger with the god faded. She was wrong to have lashed out at him and she knew it. Sighing deeply she gave him a softer look and slowly rolled herself back to the ground.*
“If you would like to join me, then you are more then welcome to.”-Despite his own usually silver tongue, and skills at lathering on the charm, he easily fell for it himself. And as the lioness settled herself, watching him so seductively over that violet paw he found himself not even noticing the strange and quick change in her words, registering only the pleasantness of them.- "Ahh relaxing is such a wonderful thing too do though. Ecspecially if you have company."
-Eyes finally slipping from the lioness he lead himself in a bit of a circle around her, before finally he settled his body onto the ground, close enough to perhaps make her uncomfortable, if she was the sort that didn't like affection or attention. Grinning gently he crossed one paw over the other, letting his feathers relax a little as his eyes slipped down to her flank, tracing the oddly beautiful marking that rested there.- "And of course I'd be happy to join you. Time spent with a beautiful young lioness is the most precious of time."*It didn’t seem to really bother the wide eyed female much when he moved to rest himself beside her- she didn’t seem to mind her lack of personal space. As he spoke Faye found herself smirking dully. She had heard it all before, his witty charm wouldn’t affect her much, but she gave him enough confidence to believe he did in fact charm her by pressing herself a bit closer to him as his words played off of his snake like tongue.
He was dashing and very pleasing to the eyes, but Faye wouldn’t show interest, no… not right now. Her mind was far off… drifting in and out of thoughts of her sister and cubs. Faye disliked feeling so… ugly and old. Her own sister, younger in blood had made something of herself, while Faye simply wasted her life away, moving from male to male… land to land. She had no meaning thus she felt useless.
Softly she sighed and looked over her shoulder, eyeing out at the golden greases softly. They danced within the winds… putting on a show for the two as they sat in silence for a moment, before she spoke up... signing softly to herself, unaware of what she was doing.*
“Blue skies to forever~”
*As Faye spoke she eyed over at him with a soft smile. Her paws slowly laced along one another as she purred to herself and continued on with her soft-toned song.*
“Green grass blows in the wind dancing.”
*She paused, snapping back into reality and with a soft blush she looked away from the God of Pleasure, slightly embarrassed and confused.*
“So-so… mmm... so sorry about that, day dreaming..”
*Yellow bits of hair fell past her line of view and covered her left eye as she slowly pulled her gaze back to him, still slightly embarrassed.*-She was a Siren this lioness... Lounging there with her pelt brushing dangerously againt his. Her beautiful coloring seemingly not the only thing that rang of lovliness from the nameless beauty. Her voice a sweet serenade, glowingly green eyes haunting him and drawing him inward until simply a sigh settled from his throat, taking a long moment to recover as she stopped.
And that then blush.. and the sudden soft look away that was so different from the aggression she'd shown before. A soft shiver rippled through his adolscent body, soft twinges of lust beginning to creep on him, as if his powers had been turned on reverse.
Oh how he wanted to reach out.. n** at that delicate violet pelt, hear the siren purr as he lost himself in the pools of her eyes. Just to have that pelt so near to his own beside him.. to claim it as his own.
Sighing once again, a long note that dwindled into a rumbling purr as his mind finally drifted back to reality he answered softly.- "Don't be sorry.. your voice is truely beautiful. I could simply sit and listen and lose track of the whole day if I were not careful."
-Smiling gently, he leaned his head in nearer to her, an action that would have seemed playful and curious, though truthfully he was searching to take in her delicate scent.- "What was it you were day dreaming of, miss? Something we could perhaps make a reality?"“…What do you mean?”
*The lioness questioned softly as the young god loomed beside her. Her eyes softly traced along his neck line trailed up to his maw as he spoke to her. Something about his movements made her body quiver, and it set her fur at a bristling point. She was over taken by his appearance and movements. Faye was very hard to read… her mood has been changing; she was a bit on the bipolar side it would seem.
Maybe it was a mixture of all sorts of emotions due to family matters and a lack of self control. Faye couldn’t settle herself down in one place for too long without growing tired of it and leaving, and this was the main cause of all of her aggravation. The soft coated female looked for love in all of the wrong places, it seemed.
Softly she lowered her eyes to her paws and sighed. Her tail slowly brushed along his as she spoke out, her tone light and unsure.*
“I know that some day I will grow old and wither away… and I guess I fear this change, I fear existing… but never really living.”
*As she spoke her bright colored eyes narrowed upon him in interest. Faye knew that some day her body would age and she would fade back into the earth, that was how life seemed to work, but was it the same for a God? She had heard stories about such things, but she didn’t quite understand, she longed to know the feeling, to understand it better.*
“Oh… God of Pleasure, do you feel pain?"
*As she spoke her eyes slowly narrowed upon him and her body curled a bit closer to his. She was like a small cub, asking for the answers to questions that she had longed to ask. Something inside of her had snapped and in shame she looked away from him, feeling lukewarm salty water trail down her cheeks, leaving behind a soft water stain. Tears had formed within those glossy eyes of hers. Faye was holding back a fear she couldn’t contain.
Slowly the lioness rested her head against the God’s paws, and without anything else said rested her tear stained face.*-As her fears sounded and touched his ears, they drooped softly, as if to block out the thought and possibility. For truely.. it was a sad thing. That such beauty often had to wither and die. It was a mortal fact of life yes.. but that made it no less harsh when a butterfly settled to the ground for the last time. When a flower's petals curled and departed.
And the soft pain that carried in her tone and in those tear sparkling eyes only brought a frown to his maw, and he was thankful when she drew close. Nuzzling his lilac maw into the soft yellow tufts of fur that decorated her crown he was silent for a long moment before finally his voice began barely above a whisper.- "Most beauty in life is fleeting. So many things fill the mortal life that if you're not careful to grab out at them they might pass you by. Love, freedom, adventure... family. Joy."
"If you've clung to any of them in the past, or do in the future then truely you have lived your life. Worrying about the end only takes time away from doing things to fill that life."
-Tongue slipping from him to brush once comfortingly against that brillantly yellow hair, he continued softly.- "I feel pain.. both in the physical and emotional. When I'm cut I do bleed. When those around me cry out I feel it as well."
"It is possible that as a god I might feel more pain... for it's an eternity I get to watch the beauty in life appear and be taken. Watch those I care for swept away in the cycle of mortality."*As he spoke the lioness rested herself against him. In a way his words comforted her… though she knew that he was right, she felt relaxed hearing them. Not many would take the time to deal with her emotional brake downs… after all.*
“It’s just- I think I am just worried over nothing… I know what fate will do, but I can not help but feel like I missed out on something… my sister, my little sister has a mate and cubs; she has it all. I just hate her for it… though I know it’s wrong of me.”
*She felt a deep sigh pass her chest as she rolled herself up from him. Though she looked a bit confused she smiled and did her best to act like she had never been crying. She was weak when she cried… so she wouldn’t cry.*
“I don’t want to sit around and waste my life.”
*She stated with a soft nod. Her wide eyes seemed to softly narrow as she gazed down at him. He was very kind to her… even if she felt a bit naked around him… he treated her well.*
“Who has time for tears…?”
*She questioned softly, before moving to her paws. Faye gave him a soft nudge and spoke.*
“Let’s get out of here.”-He fell mostly silent trying hard to keep his differing opinion from touching the air. He thought having one mate and children was something that tied one down. Though.. with the shortness of mortal life it wasn't strange that they clung to the notion. He himself took his happiness in freedom.. and making everyone happy.
However her words slowly drifted as she began to comfort herself, and his smile returned once more, nodding to the sentiments as they were laid before him. Lifting himself as she nudged, he gave a soft shake of his frame, before readying himself to follow.- "Then we won't waste a moment. Where would you like to go.. dear"
-He nearly laughed, realizing suddenly that he still didn't know the name of the complex siren.-*Slowly Faye padded ahead of him and took in a deep sigh. Her chest softly ruffled and with a soft smile she eyed back at the charming God.*
“To anywhere.”
*His words made her feel better- though she would always have this pain within her… knowing that someday she would die… she understood where he was coming from and to her it meant a lot. He cared enough to answer a question that she longed to have answered.*
“Come on!”
*With that Faye quickly started off into a light run and dashed out into the golden grasses before him. Her green eyes softly narrowed as she moved along. Faye softly panted and felt herself stopping only to gaze back at Lim. She gave him a coy smile before dancing in a circle and moving onward.*
“I’ll tell you my name if you do something for me.”
*She called out to him with a sly grin.*-And then there she went again, rushing off before him. Eloquence lost, he stood dumbfounded for a moment, before he bounded after him like the 'young' boy he was, grin settling upon his maw as he watched the violet and golden colors splash through the grasses.
Ears lifting gently from his ivory mane at her proposition, he quickened the pace, attempting to get close enough to see her face as curiousity got the better of him.- "Oh? What would you like me to do?"
-Logic would have told him not to agree.. incase she had something in mind that he couldn't possibly deliver. But foolishness was a young boys friend, not logic, and he smiled widely.- "Of course I'll do it, whatever it is"“I want a feather.”
*She spoke out Bodily, ruffling her chest. He had the most entrancing colors and his feathers were simply stunning… and Faye wanted one! She turned herself to face him again and spoke softly.*
“Give me a feather and I will give you my name.”
*Her eyes narrowed softly as a soft grin passed her maw. Really Faye just wanted a reminder of the lovely male God; something to have even after he left…*-Brows descending minutely, Lim was stunned by her request. Having expected something extravagant.. and yet.. finding himself almost wishing she had.
Vanity often got the better of him, and in most other cases he'd have scoffed at such a request.. tarnishing his own beauty for someone else was one of the few pleasure he did not feel obligated to do.
And yet he kept those thoughts at bay, silver eyes drifting between those brillant eyes and the smile that lifted her maw.
Perhaps... it was just ONE feather after all.. Noone would notice really... And it would look quite striking alongside that lilac coat. Besides, he'd already promised to whatever it was.
Stopping as abruptly as she had, he ruffled his feathers forward her givingly, letting that charming smile pull across his maw once more.- "Which color is it you fancy the most then?"“Mmmm… I want you to pick.”
*Faye wrinkled her nose with a soft smile. She could tell by his reaction that this wasn’t something that he was expecting, but Faye wasn’t really all that complex, she just liked to play games. Her eyes softly settled upon him as she sat herself down just a few feet from him.*
“What color do you think would look best?”
*She questioned with a smile, before turning her chin to the right, as if to allow him to see where she would place this feather. A necklace perhaps, along her lean neck.*
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Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:07 am
Favorites - Ahai and family Quote: http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=5932795 Fix your mistake - Limbuko and Sheba Quote: The realm of the gods. This was a place Bathsheba didn't visit often. She stared at the strange landscape with cool violet eyes, feeling a small frown tug at her lips. She had wanted to take a days rest only from her wanderings, her patrols...and had decided to come here to escape it all. Though she didn't think of it as escape, for that would be neglect, would it? It'd be selfish. And yet she wasn't sure she could relax in this place. It did not give her the comfort that the busy mortal world did.
She settled back on her haunches with a sigh, her white wings folded at her side. She let her shoulders slide forward ever so slightly. There was no one here to observe her...did she really need her composure here? Her mask? And yet, she was afraid to drop it completely, else she was not able to put it back on again. So, reluctantly, she sat up straight again, feeling very very tired. Rest? It seemed a joke.-The love goddess.. the shadow goddess. Lim's mind traveled through the soft thoughts of the few scatterings of names he'd heard within the mortal lands. Beautiful creature he'd not yet met, and finally.. after not running into them on the surface, he made his way back to this unfamilar place.
The realm of gods and goddess.
He had nothing against the place, though nothing really for it either. But as long as it could present him with sight unfamilar from those below, he'd take his chance.
Traveling along at a lazy stroll, feathers held high like the vibrant peacock he was his eyes danced about the unfamilar scenery, trying to hard to narrow down one pressense.. as that prickling feeling of other immortals was apparently in multiple directions.
Choosing the strongest tug of them however, he picked up the pace, padding along with a soft murr lacing his smiling maw.-Sheba let out a weary breath, turning her head to look over her shoulder. She felt stands of white hair slip around her wings as she did so, peering into the distance where she felt the tug of another. This was the god's realm, so it could only be another God or Goddess. After her last meeting with another of this land she wasn't sure she wanted another meeting. She had been left tired and irrate from meeting the God of Reflection. She didn't need that again, being weary as it was.
Yet she knew it was someone different. They had an unfamiliar pull. Unwilling to move from where she had chosen to rest she simply waited. She only hoped the meeting wouldn't bring her too much trouble.
-Speckled grey and white touched his eyes, followed by a soft perk of his interest as that soft touch of lavender met his sight. From the position and distance it was hard to tell the sex, but Lim had never been very choosey anyway. And any new face was a good one.
Inspecting her in a way that might have actually seemed rude in it's intensity he drew nearer. Her coloring was calm, lovely and simple, her wings lush and prestine, and that long mane almost made him guess that she was male until he drew near enough to catch the feminine scent that surrounded her. Calling out finally when he was close enough to be heard he mused softly, ever the friendly greeter.- "Well hello there. Hiding away from the mortal realm? Or perhaps waiting for someone?"Sheba's frown langthened at the question, though she did not look away from the other god. Unlike him, however, she kept her gaze politely on his face. "Resting. I hide from nothing," she replied simply. It was a serious answer to a casual question, but she couldn't help it. Hiding did not appeal to her, even in relaxed terms. "And no...I'm not expecting anyone." She turned her head slightly, though she continued to watch him from the corner of her eyes. Her poise had returned. -A frown! Well THAT wouldn't do at all. Lim drew forward immediately, bracing the lengths between them in a few long strides, until he stood only a length or so away from her, brows cocking softly.-
"One should not seem so sad when resting. Unless of course I'm disturbing something?"
-His tail flicked softly, silver eyes locked on her face. Whether he'd intended to stay with the goddess or not, now he was oblilgated to. He could make anyone smile. Hell it was his job. And this goddess was but a mystery to pluck at, until that familar expression settled upon that maw.-"If you aren't sad, then there is no reason for such a sour face. It really doesn't suit you in the least."
-Oblivious to the inner turmoil and distaste the female was felling, Lim continued in his happy speech, going so far as to bow a little as he greeted her back, feathers rustling vainly.- "Wonderful to meet you Bathsheba. I'm Limbuko. God of Pleasure."
-Standing tall once more he creeped forward a few steps, until he was almost near enough to touch her should he reach out. And there he stopped, grinning at her like the young god he was.- "I happen to know a thing or two about joy, and happiness, and contentment. You my dear don't seem to be bustling with any of them. Is something wrong?"Sheba's mouth pressed together sourly. Of all the Gods she had to meet, it was the God of Pleasure. And by the looks of things this was not an area she had experience in handling. Discomfort twisted at her insides and she felt her head leaning back slightly as he drew close, to give them as much distance as possibly without havning to be so rude as to get up. "Nothing is...wrong," she said carefully, though that felt like an utter lie at present, "I suppose there is nothing that requires me to be....'bustling with joy' as you called it.""Requires?" -His eyes widened softly, a look of absolute bewilderment touching him. She couldn't be serious... And it was nearly impossible to imagine that one could go an entire lifetime without pleasure and joy.
He was taken aback, and his words came out softly.- "I believe that's part of the point. To let other thing slide and simply enjoy the moment. In whatever way that pleases you the best."
-Eyes sliding narrow in soft curiousity he enqiured rhetorically.- "Surely you're not so busy that you can't enjoy yourself for a brief moment.""You don't know how busy I am," Sheba replied simply. Did she really have to explain herself to him? "Besides...acting on my every whim...it doesn't really suit the Goddess of Duty, now does it?" she added with care. She hoped that would be enough for him to understand. Her childhood self was not what was best for her domain, nor those who fell under it. She had a reasonsibility and that came first. Always first. Wasn't it the same with all gods and goddesses?-He probably would have scoffed, had it not been so depressing. But this.. this was just sad. He was busy too.. always moving around to bring pleasure and joy to new people. But that didn't mean that he had to frump through everything and not enjoy the trip.-
"It IS your duty to yourself and your happiness to act upon your whims and your needs."
"One is perfectly capable of taking care of others and themselves at the same time."
-Lim wasn't usually one for a debate, but this goddess' dowry words and air were beginning to grate on him and his aura and he challenged her mildly.- "Who and what duty are you fulfilling while just laying here and resting? Noone buy your own, and your bodies need for reguvination. What harm is there in simply enjoying your rest? It takes no extra time or assertion at all. Noone is losing anything by your choosing to actually enjoy your domain and what you do."Sheba felt her pride prickle at his words. Irratation filled her being and it took quite a bit of her learned control to keep her temper in check. "That is easy for you to say," she clipped, able to keep from flaring but unable to stop her own rash words. She was tired and while se had learned composure from her wild childhood days, it was far from perfected, "You've got a domain that quite easily pleases you. Duty isn't always fun, thank you very much. And some things are just...more important then being a little impulsive." She didn't mean to start an arguement, but it couldn't be helped. Not now. Perhaps she was also a bit sensative because not long ago another God had badgered her, hounded her about loosing her fire. She didn't expect anyone to understand.-Lim's expression pursed, less out of anger and more out of irritation for her obviously different views. Pleasure god or not, he always thought he was right.. and this female was like a giant stone. Completely immovable.
Expression melting softly, to once again a more composed and calm look, he gave his shoulders a shrug, settling himself onto the ground beside her. He hadn't used his powers in ages.. and if anyone needed them. Surely it was her.
Clearing his mind softly, he gazed at the speckled lioness softly as his powers attempted to dig into her, searching for any signs of those instinctual pleasures and urges. Trying to draw one forth, as his voice offered soothingly.- "You're right.. your domain sounds a little more trying then mine.. but even so there must be some points about it that you enjoy? Something you've done that has brought you satisfaction?" "I never said I didn't enjoy it," Sheba said slowly, feeling for moment as if words were hard to find. And with a small tingle down her spine she became painfully aware of how close he was. She felt her face flush under her light colored fur, which probably gave it a slightly pink shade as she clentched her jaw in uncertainty. Why did it feel like someone was twisting and tugging at her insides? She tried to squash the feeling but it was becoming hard to do. Panic was beginning to rise as well, feeling as if she were loosing her grip. As if she were slipping back into her ignorant childhood. "It's just..." she murmured, remembering she was talking, "...different then what you would think I guess...it's more...ah..."-Ah ha! There it was! And one of his favorite instinctual urges too. Now that his powers had located the emotion tucked away, slowly it engulfed it, ebbing it gently forward, trying to strength at the tug it'd have on her.
He wasn't sure exactly how it worked.. and in truth it was something different for everyone. To some it cast thoughts, or tried to convince thoughts that'd before been surpressed. To others it actually simulated the physical feelings. And to others still it even played with the hormones, trying to trick their bodies into believing that whatever want it was playing on, was a need. A necessicity.
Leaning in softly, whispering as his maw hung near enough to her ears to tickle at the fur that surrounded them, he mused softly.- "You'd be surprised really. It's hard for someone to understand if you're unwilling to open up. But when you do you'd be surprised how often two seemingly different ideas and opinions are really almost hand in hand."If more blood could rush through Sheba's head she did believe the rest of her body would go completely numb. Her ears snapped back as she made a sharp intake of breath, which soon caught in her throat. Her body jumped away from his like a startled rabbit, her nerves seeming to quiver. What the hell was going on? She felt naked, her wall gone in an instant. What had he done? Confusion flooded her eyes as she tried, internally to grasp onto something solid only to fail. She had fogotten what it felt like to act on fire alone, on impulsiveness. It was frightening to be back there again.
"W-what did you do...?" she asked, her voice shaking and sounding too high in her ears."Do? I didn't do anything." -He lied cooly as if it were the truth, his ivory tail flicking gently to and fro, seeming entirely cool and relaxed next to her. To tell the truth he was actually a little more relaxed and sluggish, an unfortunate effect to using his powers in high force.
Brazenly he leaned forward despite her outburst, placing a lusty lick disguised as a calming gesture against the delicate fur of her neck, offering innocently.- "What has you so up in arms? I thought we were relaxing?""You had to have done something!" Sheba protested with very real fire, very real passion, and very real anger. She had not felt so out of control since her childhood. This fire to just be herself at let the world be on its own. This desire to be free, to do what she wanted. It felt like her reason, her logic was shutting down, being torn away from her. And she was panicing, for she didn't think she could bring it back. She couldn't even tear away from his touch anymore. "I-I'm not myself...I..." she couldn't find the words."Shhhhh.." -He tried to calm her softly, less then pleased that his plan wasn't working as he'd intended, and infact, seemed to be upseting her even more.
He'd persist a little longer though.. atleast try to right the problem. Nudging his cheek against her shoulder he tried once more in that soft and soothing voice.- "Is it such a bad thing to escape yourself for a few moments of time? I won't let anything bad happen to you." "I...I miss things, when I'm not in control," she whispered, closing her eyes. Memories tickled her mind, of friends dying for duty. If she had been composed then...if she had been paying attention, would things have been different? If she had been the goddess she should have been? Strength was her life, it always had been. But even the strong had weak moments. Was that so wrong? She didn't know. And she was almost afraid to find out.
And yet, because of it she had locked herself away. She hadn't wanted to be herself, for fear things would go wrong. Perhaps all she needed was to be herself for a while...and to prove those childish ideas false. "Nothing will happen...?" she questioned, not happen to her, but elsewhere.-Control... had he realized.. had he taken long enough to speak to the goddess before he'd decided to 'fix' her he would have realized how poor his decision was. For one liked control his powers were not a blessing. But already her words were beginning to settle, and he withdrew his powers gently.
It wouldn't take them away, the things he'd already drawn forth, but no longer did he tug at the strings of her emotions and inside. Body settling softly, submissively beside her he simply let his feathers lay back and brush hers.- "I won't let anything happen to you until you feel like yourself again."Sheba sat back, taking deep breaths. She was beginning to calm, but she still could not bring up her walls. She would have to be laid bear for a while yet. It was stranger, for it wasn't so much that she wanted control. She needed it. She feared that without it she could live only a life of neglect. She could never do her duty and never help others. She let her violet eyes slide open and shift to the lion beside her. Her smile shook, but she still offered it, "I...I'm not really sure what myself is supposed to feel like anymore, to be honest. But thank you." It was true. Herself...composure was not herself. It was what kept her in line and made her able to live her life as she had to. It was...different.-And there it was, the smile he'd been trying so hard to pull from her. Weak as it may be. But instead of the joy and pride that usually filled him after completing his task, a sort of bittersweet guilt filtered through him. And he had to try hard to offer his own smile back.
Her words were so heavy.. perhaps the best was simply to be idle until she was feeling okay. And softly he mused words of little consequence to her.- "You seem like a traveler too, yes? Or do you have a settled home somewhere?""Yes...I travel. But not for myself. Mainly to make my rounds for my domain, I suppose you could say," she replied, finding it strange how easily her words were flowing. Was this what it felt like not to be bound by expectations and resonsibilities...? Did it really feel so nice? She was started to wonder. "I don't really...think I know how to do anything for myself anymore," she admited, her smile becoming solid but sad. For the first time since her childhood she felt a tinge of regret. It was small, not so powerful to make her wish she hadn't become dedicated to her purpose. It was more of a feeling of...loss. As if she wished she had learned to serve both herself and others at the same time. She felt a child again."I travel out of restlessness... and a want to see all there is to see.. and also for my domain." -He spoke lightly, his own expression sombering gently at her admission. He could tell her that she should change it. That she could start anew. But it didn't seem appropriate, not while he was trying to help her calm once more.-
"Perhaps sometimes I do a little more for myself then others." -This was a good example were his impulsiveness and selfishness had turned on him.
Streching his limbs gently before him, he pondered a little more what to ask. Probably not about family.. perhaps not about past.. Ahhh.. he knew!-
"Your pelt reminds me of the rocks hidden in the mountains. Not the common golden ones.. but those rare speckled ones that help hold the mountains tall and strong. They're really quite beautiful." Sheba did seem, however, to be lulled into a sense of calm now. It almost felt like a mist or trance, for she wasn't sure how it came about. Perhaps it was because...she had run out of energy to fight it anymore. She wasn't getting her mask back, that she seemed to have accepted. At least, not in time to use it with this meeting. But she seemed to be recovering enough of her witts to have a good conversation. "You are quite clever," she told him, a true smile tugging away at where the sad one had been, "To find a way to try and compliment someone's virtues and appearances in one comparison." She shifted a little, feeling a little embaressed by his words. She didn't have her composure to hide behind anymore. And even with it she had always been awkward with compliments.-The amused and childish smile returned to Lim briefly, and for a moment he seemed to reveil in the tiny victory, laughing a little before he pushed her words away.- "It's my job to find the pleasantness in everything I can manage. And I have seen many many things in my travels."
"Often enough though virtue can be the cause of something seeming beautiful. So it isn't hard to do, as long as you know how to look."
-Leaning in a little he teased softly, becoming more comfortable now that she too seemed to be calming down.- "I am usually not called on it however." Unconciously she leaned toward him slightly as he did the same, perking an ear smoothly to catch his words. "Really...?" she murmured, sounding amused. The calm that had decended over her briefly had soothed her and she was slowly finding a comfort with the brief freedom she held. She was even beginning to...enjoy it, as risky as that was. But reason had been tossed out the window long ago due to Lim's magic. It was not soon to return in full strength. "Is that how you prefer it...?"-He couldn't help but laugh. A delighted and amused chuckle, that caused his smile to grow with the very action, but softly he shook his head, tossing away any worries she might have that the laugh was at her.-
"No no. I quite enjoy variety. The subtle and not so subtle differences in personality." -He nearly seemed to murr with his amusement, letting his voice fall once more to that comfortable hush that was made for how closely the two sat. Another grin befitting him as he spoke again.-
"Boldness is a wonderful thing. Something that's not seen in as many as it should be. I treasure it when I do see it."Sheba dropped her voice comfortably down to his level, for somehow speaking otherwise would sound too loud and sharp in the growing quite. Her voice had always been more of an alto, and it clearly showed it as she lowered her tone to a richer to keep it from becoming noise. He had set the pace and she was unconciously matching it.
"Really...? Is it that hard to find...?" she questioned simply. She had never really thought about it before. And she wasn't sure she really was now either."Indeed it is." -Eyes drifting away from the goddess, and outward in thought, he mauled over his travels as he spoke.-
"It is often easier, to step back and let someone else take the lead. And you very often see mortals doing that simply to get along. Because it's easier to hide behind someone else then to stand up and face the consequences that come with such boldness and strength.""Mm..." Sheba felt her gaze slip out of focus, her attention focused on her thoughts rather then her surroundings. "But...I think it takes a lot of strength to step down at times too..." she murmured, remembering a few of her own experiences. Times when old leaders had the duty to step down for the new despite how they wanted to stay and fight for what they thought theirs. "Hmmm.." -His tail flicked gently, not particularly thinking over the thought. As his expereinces didn't give much for the idea, however one thing did rise to mind. The often silent struggle between two males as they decided which of the two would be the dominate for their meeting. Perhaps there was some sort of strength in being the one to give in, and allow the other the power for awhile.- "Perhaps you're right."
-Shuffling his paws lightly, he shifted to let his muzzle brush against the grand mane she had, asking timidly for once.- "Are you feeling any better?"In fact, she did feel better. She felt an odd serenity had taken over her as if she had been draped in it like a cloud. It was an odd lull like a lullaby she couldn't escape. She had given up trying to. She didn't even flinch at his touch. No frown, no disapproving look was given in return, but instead she let her gaze slide back over to him. This whole encounter almost felt hazy...almost like a dream, yet it was reality. "Yes...quite a bit, I think," she said letting out a small breath and a tiny smile.-A subconcious tailflick swayed as finally he was gifted with a true and actual smile, as small as it may have been, and an almost silent purr rippled through his form.- "I'm glad to hear it."
-Shuffling his mane, to lay rather to the side away from her he let his gaze cast out upon the familar territory, silently thankful that his lapse in judgement had happened here.. and not out on the savvanah. Here was so serene.. so safe.. It was unlikely they'd be bothered. Unlikely his use of magic would end up with the lioness being hurt.. or taken advantage of in anyway.
Wasn't THAT a hoot? That he, who would have been so inclined to take advantage of the poor girl in the first place, now sat guard and worried about such acts inflicted by others. Ruffling his feathers in soft scolding, he finally lifted his voice once more, offering nothing more then simple musings.- "The godlands are usually too lonely and barren for my tastes. But they aren't so bad when you have company. Almost serene and blanketing."Sheba was ungaurded at present, that was true...and that left her vunrable. However, it also let her uncontroled. If she had been truly angry about something it would have been a wildfire, her childhood relived. Any of her emtions could have gotten out of hand. But he had soothed her and therefor she was calm. And far more relaxed then she had been in a long, long time.
"I think...it's peaceful," she murmured softly, memories of her travels tickling at her mind. "It's...the only place I can rest." She never rested in the mortal realm, never slept. Somehow she always felt she was failing if she did so...so she came here when her body cried, 'no more, no more!'."It is peaceful.. which is good when you want to rest." -His eyes drifted over her curiously. He was lazy as time.. quite often in fact. He could rest and lounge, he could goof off and play without guilt. But this goddess was so strong, so... unrelenting in her tasks.
It had to be painful for her.. hurt her, whether she knew it or not. But deep down he couldn't help but feel a mild respect for her and her drive. Truely his compliment before hadn't simply been fluff.. but a good assesment.
Shaking the thought away, he murred in a soft whisper.- "Are you tired then? Would you like to sleep?"With a small tilt of her head and a smile she shifted her lavender gaze to him, "Later...perhaps. Why sleep, when I have company...?" Company she wasn't fussing over, or shielding herself against. Sleep could wait. She didn't know...if she'd ever had an enounter like this again, where she was so calm, so relaxed. She'd treasure it while she could. For there was no doubt she'd have to return to her duties in the mortal realm soon enough.-The softest hint of a laugh touched him, followed by the delicate nod of his head.- "Very true."
-The encounter had certainly righted itself nicely, and though he was finding it a little difficult, to find subjects of mild important and comfort of speak of, it didn't bother him too much. He'd have been just as fine settled silent alongside her as they watched the scenery. But instead he dug for conversation, going so far as to prod at quite possibly a sensitive subject.- "If you don't mind me asking, what is it that the goddess of Duty does down among the mortals?"It was actually really easy to talk about her occupation. It was her life now, so why wouldn't it be easy to describe...? She shifted her wings a little, while thinking of the best way to phraise it all, "Well...I...do a lot of advising, really. And when necessary I can magically strengthen or weaken someone's obligation to a duty...but I suppose you could say it's not a whole lot action, but...it's still...important." A small frown formed on her lips as she recalled an event in her childhood. Back then, if she had been doing her job she could have saved lives, stopped the fighting. Instead she had acted only on her own whims, and many a friend had died pointlessly. She didn't want that to happen again.-He nodded softly, not disagreeing with her notion. Though he wasn't the most dutiful of creatures, often using duty to his domain as a guise to slide out of other things, he still understood the importance of it. And the weight so many other put on the intangible drive.- "I on the otherhand do my job more through actions then anything else. Actions and words, powers only on a rarity."
-Of course, he would not mention those powers if she didn't ask.-Bathsheba nodded. That was quite respectable...for if one relied only on their powers, what did that really prove? Certainly gods and goddesses had those abilities for a reason, but certainly not to abuse them. She turned her head, looking at him carefully, her eyes gaining a fleck of silver. She could see his strands of duty, and they were quite strong. "Well...no matter your reasons for your actions, you are very devoted to your responsibilities," she murmured softly, her smile a little wider and a little warmer.-He ruffled softly under the approval, nodding simply to her statement. He tried really. It quite upset him to see others in pain and upset. And as silly as it may sound he really did take great pride and joy in seeing a smile, ecspecially when he himself was the cause of it.
Perhaps that was why his smile grew as her own did, and softly he mused, cryptic words touching his throat.- "One day I'll have to perform my duty for you..." -Well better so then he had on this day.-]http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=6535861
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Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:09 am
Old friend? - Limbuko and Ukalia Show her the world - Shairi and family
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Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:12 am
Hello again pup - Cascata and Demani A flicker in the stars - Mufasa and Sarabi
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Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:15 am
Confessions - Kami and Ta Quote: -A soft glow resonated from the lioness as she made her way back towards the royal rocks of her homeland, images of the hours before replaying gently before her eyes. At first she'd been terrified at the thought.. of going to try and see her children.. If Tefu had seen her.. or someone else at that matter.
But the ebbing at her heart had only grown stronger since the birth of Kiuma's cubs... the lose of her parents.. and the recent apperance of Kiva and her own cubs. So she'd set off reluctantly, though her pace turned to excitement as the familar scent of Tefu touched her senses.
Kami had waited and slunk along the grasses until finally the familar golden pelts touched her eyes, and there she sat silent, seeming not even to breath as she took in the sight of them in soft awe.
Mani already had the beginnings of a mane like that of her fathers.. the same beautiful auburn. And the smile that set upon Zuri's face.. Her heart flutter as she watched in soft silence as the sun pulled along the sky.
Oh how she wanted to talk to them.. to feel their fur. How many times in that one afternoon had she debated doing it. But in the end she'd simply spooked, and finally sent herself on the path to home, a soft feeling of satisafaction brightening the bleakness that'd been her mood for the past days.
However as the rocks drew nearer and nearer, and the scent of another, more familar lion touched her, her smile began to softly fade, pausing for a long moment to stare at the upcoming rocks. She'd kept the secret for so long... Could she keep it much longer?
Lifting her paws she once again began to make her way the distance to the rocks, somber and thoughtful silence settling upon her.-Settled outside of the small make-shift den, a large coppery form rested and relaxed in the waning sunlight. Over the past few months, his form matured and grew into the true adult he needed to be. Everything fit together, worked out and the nightmares of his past were just that. Nightmares that never would become true again.
Lifting his head a little, he glanced around on instinct, before his gaze landed on an approacing golden form, one he knew so well dispite him not having her scent. All at once, his body straightened from where it once was and he lifted to his paws, excited for the encounter that was about to come. She had been gone most of the day, leaving quite early, and so he felt slightly empty until just now.
His blood pumping with slight nervousness around his best friend and his one true love, he watched and waited for her to come the rest of the way. It took quite a bit of will for him to not just jump up and greet her, as his paws itched to do just that, but his mouth had less restraint.
"Kami! There you are!" He called as soon as she was near, forcing a smile as he remembered to be cheerful. The topic of death was still around them, and he found it hard to avoid it when it was lurking everywhere in the mourning lands. Hopefully today they would be clear of it all together.-Despite catching his scent before, Kami's ears and eyes lifted in soft surprise as the pleasant greeting touched the air. However the surprise lasted only a short moment, before a smile of her own pressed upon her golden maw. Quickening the pace for the last few strides between them, she drew near enough to brush her cheek into his copper mane, adding simple affection to her almost silent greeting.-
"Hello Ta. You weren't waiting were you?"
-Eyes lifted upwards to watch his features, she hoped he hadn't been. She'd been selfish as of late.. running off for an hour at a time just to sit alone and think instead of doing her queenly duties. Hopefully he'd just been enjoying the day?-He returned the greeting happily before pulling back, his boyish grin crossing his maw once more before he looked into her deep red eyes.
"Not at all Kami, I know you wouldn't leave me without saying something, and that you always come back...so I just enjoyed the day after my meal...did you eat?" All at once his question forced its way through, and he looked around her to make sure she was eating. He would rather spare his meals for her than see her suffer from hunger pains.
As his eyes trailed down her side, he qucikly realized he was fawning over her and snapped his eyes back up with a seepish laugh, hoping he didn't look too foolish in the process.-She couldn't help but giggle a little, head dropping softly with the almost silent laugh as he spoke, a soft familar joy overtaking her at the familar way in which his words often spilled out. Not just simple statements.. but an overflowing of words.
Tail flicking gently, she let her eyes follow his own to her sides, oblivious to the fact that he himself had caught.- "I actually haven't eaten today.." -She'd been too busy slinking around the savannah..- "But I'll see about getting something soon."He got caught in her laugh, only able to hear it from how close the two were, before he realized what she said with a soft ping of horror. Covering it though, he just shook his head before looking out into the distance a long moment.
"If you have nothing else to do, we could go now?" He offered lightly, turning his copper eyes back onto her with a slight pleading for her to say yes, his mind hoping she would not have any other duties for the day. Little did he know she already avoided what ones she had.-She nodded almost instantously to the offer, happy to have something to do other then think.. or sit around the den until someone came in need of her. And the fact that it was Ta.. well, that only made the offer that much more inticing.-
"I don't have anything to do, I'd be happy to go." -Eyes lifting once more to touch his, she let the softest hint of a purr ripple through her. She was grateful.. Ta always did so much.. and even if it was something as simple as retrieving food, it made her heart flutter with soft joy. As alone as seemed to think she was these days.. after the loss of her mother and father.. it couldn't be more far from the truth.-His grin lifted all at once, he missed her purr and just bounded around her and away from the den a few steps. Pausing to think of where to go, he was caught a bit off gaurd by the winds and just turned back around to look towards the Princess. All at once, it felt like old times, the two cheering eachother up with simple things, like walks and baths and fun little games of preditor and prey. Everything indeed was perfect.
"What meal are you interested in Kami? I am sure we can find almost any game this time of day, since most of the pride doesn't eat until later." In all truths, Ta didn't plan on eating at that moment, but he loved to keep Kami company so he had no complaint.-She followed, paws light as she bounded the few length's that brought her almost to his side, before she began to ponder over his question.- "Mmm... I'm not very hungry.. So something small I think? I don't mind what it is.""When I'm not falling on my face, I suppose." -She mused playfully, taking it as a playful challenge of sorts, as she tried to pick up the speed as she took the lead.
And for the moment she seemed to be alright. Paws and body travelling across the savannah with a grace that was uncommon of the lioness. Perhaps because her thoughts weren't on the action, but instead on her game with Ta.
Eyes checking to make sure the copper lion remained at her side, though her ears already told her that he was, she led on, only slowing when the hunting grounds neared, a littering of rabbit holes hiding through the grasses.-Keeping up with her, he found his breath slightly catching just because of the distance, and as they slowed he was breathing deep whisps of air. Looking around with bright eyes, he caught sight of the rabbits hopping in and out of the holes, and grinned softly at the feat.
"Shall I hunt, or would you like to pick one out, since I already am satisfied with my meals?" He turned his eyes and waited paitently for her response.-As she drew to a soft stop, she took in a heavy breath, trying to calm her breathing and heart back to it's natural pace, settling herself upon the ground, as her eyes danced upon the hunting ground.
Her stomach grumbled softly, just a whisper of a testament to the belly she'd neglected for the day, and she pondered softly.- "I don't think it matters which one. Any one is fine."He lowered his head softly and smiled, before pushing her gently to the spot where the most rabbits had migrated.
"Than go for one, I'll be right here..." He didn't know why, but he liked watching her do things on her own, it always made him fall even more for her, because of how much she tried and how well she did. However, he never pushed her too much, for as soon as she asks, he is there to give, including help when she doesn't feel confortable with anything.
Settling on his haunches, he waited to see what would happen.-Again surprise touched her features, and obvious reluctance touched her steps. She was no good at hunting.. he knew that. And yet there he was pushing her..
He was trying to help. The same way Tefu had tried to help. She tried to squeeze the other male out of her thoughts, angry at the intrusion spurred on by the events of the day.. and now.. this familar occurance.
But finally she pushed forward, crouching low as she tried to keep her eyes and her focus on a rabbit near her. Hunt.. hunt.. think of hunting..
Muscles coiling and releasing she sprung after the small beast, paws landing in time to watch the tiny rabbit slip from her grasps. She trailed after but was too slow, and the little one slipped into it's hole in the ground, Kami skidding to a stop above the hole.-He watched silently as she jumped...and missed, before a soft frown set on his maw. Slowly standing once she stopped, he moved to her side to look down at the hole as well, before turning to look to her.
"Why do you dislike hunting?" He asked softly after a long moment, not a taunt or a hauty comment, merely a inquireing, for he wasn't going to butter her up with how close it was, "Something...something is blocking you, because I know, I truly know you can catch anything if you put your mind to it Kami...you are amazing at whatever you do-"
Cutting himself off at his rambling, he shook his head and lowered it so his mane crossed his face, "Sorry...that was out of line.."-Perhaps it was the emotion of the past days... Perhaps it was the need to prove Ta wrong for always thinking so highly of her. Or perhaps it was simply the culmination of guilt weighing on her heart at the piling of lies she'd placed upon her best friend. But as his words touched her ears, she drew back quickly, emotion grasping so strongly on her voice a sob almost crackled through her words.-
"I can NOT do it."
-Squeezing her eyes shut she managed to stay in place for once, but she wouldn't look at him.. she couldn't.-
"I'm no good at hunting. There are plenty of things I can't do. And I'm certainly not perfect or amazing." He recoiled at the reaction, before his same deep frown set in his maw as he listened to her words.
"With that attitude, I am surprised you made it this far..." It was a soft comment, one that lacked real bite, "No one can survive thinking they are the most worthless lion in the world Kami, and it is time you worked on your self-confidence...because it is holding you back from so many great things, and I am not talking about royalty...I am talking about friends, family, adventures..." His voice died with each sentence, until his ears fell and he turned away himself.
"And for the record, you are perfect...you have always been perfect Kami, because you put up with me all this time...in my eyes, there is no one above you, there is only you...and...and..."
He tried to grab for words before letting out a huff and walking a few steps away with a frustrated growl, "I hate seeing you put yourself down like this...and I can't do anything about it..."
With that he flopped to his belly, a dust cloud bursting from his weight, "I hate not being able to help you at all...it hurts to know I can only fail you in these situations...""Please Ta don't..." -Her soft plea fell silent as she listened to him, ears drooping softly. She didn't think she was worthless... She really didn't. But that didn't make her perfect either.. if only he knew.. if only he knew.
Eyes openning to peer at Ta as he moved away from her, she faltered for a long moment fighting between her logic and her heart. She couldn't keep going on like this.. and it wasn't fair to him either. But was she really willing to take the chance that might run him off forever?
To bring his vision of her crashing down..
Thoughts filtering back to the golden pelts she'd been watching earlier, and she took a step forward, bolstering up the boldest position she could manage. And somehow she managed to press her voice through.- "I don't think I'm worthless. There are plenty of things I can do.."
"But I'm not perfect."
-Eyes shying closed once more, this time to try and sheild the tears that threatened, she continued on, voice wavering.- "I just can't.. keep going on lying to you. Doing horrible things and hiding the truth and then listening to you tell me over and over again how wonderful I am."
"I've done so much wrong Ta... And... and.. you need to know." -Her plea finally fell silent, listening softly for his words. She hoped he'd hear her out at the very least. And not simply try to prove her wrong.-He huffed loudly at her comment of not being perfect, clearly a childish side setting in while a pout crossed his maw. However, this time he listened to her words, and was surprised at where they were going. Slowly, he turned his head and looked over his shoulder, confusion setting in as her eyes shyed away and she went on and on.
She was hiding something, had been hiding something from him this whole time, lying? Clearly from his features he didn't believe it, and as she went on his eyes narrowed slowly while things seemed to almost fit in and fears flared to life.
"What are you talking about?" He asked slowly, choosing his words and tone carefully as his jaw set soon after, "You've been hiding things...?""I'm sorry." -The immediate apology slipped from her as his words narrowed, something she took as accusition, whether it was or not. And those tears no longer threatened, instead glistening from her eyes in a show of fear, guilt, and pain.- "I... was trying to protect you Ta.."
"I was afraid for you and for me." -Pain lamenting her words, she let her hind end fall so that she sat upon the dirt, paws retracting close as if to protect her from what she figured was inevitable.-
"But I know it was just being selfish now. I can't have you being with me.. around me.. unless you know what I really am. Whether you hate me for it.. and.." -Her voice broke, unable to speak the words leave herself.-
"Or if you forgive me for it... But I need you to know me.. for me. Every detail and every bit."As her words continued on, he wanted to snap at her to just say it, though inside he knew she was having as much trouble speaking as he was comprehending. However, that did not stop the doubts and assumptions that filled his mind, and he focused not on her tears, but souly on her words, and what was to follow.
While she trailed off, she was only met with silence, the copper male just sitting and waiting as she built everything up to that very moment. Somehow, he knew this would be once again another challenge they had to face.-A heavy sigh racked through Kami as she tried the best she could to collect her thoughts, trying hard to get the words out before they were lost in emotion. His silent and still form pressed her onward, atleast he seemed to want to hear her out. Of course he did.. - "You've always been so wonderful Ta... which is what makes this all so hard.. because you didn't do anything wrong.. anything to deserve it."
-Her voice drifted softly, sounding almost like a thought, though it rushed to it's finish.- "When we had that first fight... the one were I ran away.. I didn't go very far. Only towards the edge of the pridelands... and I was so upset.. so worried that you hated me.. so ate up in those stupid emotions and hormones. And he was so nice... and helped take care of me those days.."
-Shifting softly, her eyes cast softly in the distances, looking at nothing at all really.- "It wasn't even until after my father and I returned from our trip.. after you and I talked and found out why we'd fought that I realized that I was.."
"That they were growing inside of me...."
-Eyes lifting for a moment, she lamented softly, eyes searching him for the anger that she knew must be touching him.- "I'm a mother Ta. Two beautiful little twins."
"But I was so scared... for me.. and for you. Because I didn't want you to know.. to think that you'd done something wrong. And I didn't want to be with Tefu.. so I ran.. I ran to the southlands to have the babies.. so noone would know."
"And then when I came back... you were so sad.. you were so sure you'd done something wrong to make me leave.. and I couldn't tell you why I really did. And it's something I've had to wrestle with every moment of every day sense then. To know I lied to you.. To know I had the cubs of a lion that I don't care for remotely in the way that I always have for you. That I abandoned those two young babies on their father with no warning... and have continued this charade for so long.."
-Slowly her body began to rock, a minute movement as her head hung low to let the increasing tears fall from her eyes.-
"I'm not perfect.. in fact you might go so far to say that I'm horrible.. That I don't deserve the good things that have been given to me.. Ecspecially your care and friendship. But... I'd rather be horrible and lonely.. if it means you know the truth.. and that you've judged me for me finally.. and not simply from the pedastol you've always put me upon."
-Sighing heavily, a whooshing of air that seemed to signify the end of her story, her eyes lifted once more, and she braced herself the best she could against the uncertainty.. the judgement that lay before her.-
"I will understand if you go.. if you can't stand to be with me now that you know... but... please know that I'm sorry.. for not realizing before it was too late how I felt for you. How I'll always feel for you.. even if the rest of your days are spent far beyond my grasp."As her sigh spun through time, his heart and body stilled. All breath caught deep in his throat, the lump growing as each second ticked slower than the last, her pauses like long lapse of silence that never seemed to end. He knew, for those moments, that indeed something big was about to be said, and yet her voice seemed to fade just at the same time. Everything around became drowned out with her whispers tickling his ears, and his heart beating like quick intakes of breath.
Each sentence contracted with his heart, and his mind put the puzzle together. At first, he saw her leaving, the vision of her golden pelt disappearing in the distance causing his body to shake. And than the 'him', some rogue he imagined as a very handsome male, strong and old and more than willing to take on an eager female. That is where the anger brushed in, moreso for the nameless, so-called nice male. He was sure, or so he assumed, that the male just did it to knock the beautiful lioness up, only for a simple night of pleasure.
And so his assumptions grew with the puzzle, and his beratings silently pushing down his shoulders with an unimaginable weight. As she spoke of her return, and how she knew, he wondered how clueless he was for knowing her his whole life. They were close, or so he once thought, close enough for him to be able to tell. But than again, he reasoned, this all was news, and the numbness that followed that thought sheilded him from the announcement of two cubs.
Maybe had he just been told upfront, he would have realized his hopes of it only being just one, but at that point numbness was all that he saw, felt, and could see.
Kami went through all of it, all alone and without his assistance, nor his concent. It was not that he wanted to own her, but concent as in his fatherhood. Simply a fleeting fantasy, but he always saw her as a beautiful mother, one to bear his cubs and take care of them peacefully, together always in their own warm den.
But all of it was gone, and as she spoke of their friendship, and how she wanted to protect him, he merely turned his gaze away and kept it towards one of the distant rabbits. However, he did pick out one thing, and that was how she said she felt for him...not how she loved him.
Suddenly, all at once he stood in a huff, before he let out a growl and slammed his paw hard on one of the near-by rabbits who just happened to be in his reach. Suffocating it on the ground, he scooped it so it flew and landed near Kami, his eyes still held away. Silently, he turned and padded away, clearly unable to say anything to it, so he merely said.
"I need to go..." It was a defeated tone, though inside he was fuming with how little he knew, and how everything seemed to suddenly break down once again, "I need to go." Saying it with more force, he didn't look back, but just left his words in the air. She could follow, but he wouldn't promise a conversation. He would promise nothing but his silence, for never would he act upon Kami in such a fury. Even if their trust was severed once more.-He didn't strike her.. didn't yell.. instead he just turned, and her eyes lifted to follow him, her body too pressed beneath her shame and guilt to do the same. She'd known he wouldn't.. deep down.. but she almost wished that he had. That for once he'd reached out and actually punished her for something... instead of punishing himself.
She wanted to follow.. to say she was sorry over and over again. Until she'd thought he'd heard it enough. But they were only words.. and the more she spoke them.. the less value they would hold in the end.
Her hunger was gone, the prey left lying in place, eyes not even touching it as she stared at his retreat. And only when he was far enough to almost be lost in her sight could she pull her body upwards, bounding after him, until she was close enough for her final call to reach him.- "I won't try to stop you Ta.. I don't want to force you.. or make you do things that'll bring me joy anymore."
"Whatever you decide... I want it to be whatever will make you happy."
-Voice and body falling still, she once again let herself fall to her haunches, red eyes following after the copper lion as he left.-This time, as her voice broke out across the silent barriers he held, his paws stopped and his ears perked. He would give her that much, for as she now started her truths, he wouldn't be one to stop them. He realized how hard it was for her, after this long, so deep down he promised to listen, even if he couldn't speak that to her.
And as she settled, he slowly turned and looked at her, gave her one simple look. If she were close enough, she would be able to catch the promise not to run this time, but only that split second. For after that, he turned once more, and headed away from the pridelands. He needed to be alone and to think.
"Kami..." His words shifted out, a soft pained whisper, and than he was gone.-That heavy sigh shifted through her body, shaking at that very heft of a golden pelt, and she stayed put, watching until he was gone before she once again pulled her body forward.
Her stomach grumbled.. though not from hunger, but rather sickness that rippled through her body, an overwhelming nausea to the emotion that'd been expelled in the moments before.
Golden paws carrying her slowly she made her way back. Back to the den that had once been so full of life.- Love blinded forgiveness - Kami and Ta Quote: ] -Kami's crimson eyes flickered softly shut once more, a huff of air escaping her as she lounged across the golden rocks. Ta had not come back.. neither to the pridal den nor the small one she'd shared with him not long before. The night and morning had come and gone. And now another morning was slowly wafting along.
Did she really expect him to come back? She hoped he would.. with ever fiber of her being.. but hope and expect for two greatly different things. And that was why her body still lounged in this same spot, having laid down the afternoon before. She was distracted.. and yet somehow it seemed right. She wondered for how long she'd wait to see if he returned. How long before she could pick up the pieces and atleast function in the means necessary of her new title.
Eyes flickering open once more, she let her eyes touch the sky. Wishing that the night would hurry up and come again.. so she could speak to her mother and father.-His paws continued slowly back to the rock, no matter how much his mind warned of what he would face there. For the past few days, Ta'Ziyan had returned to his cub-hood den, a small hole in the southlands that had once seemed so much larger. His memories of the home were what drew him back, of how he knew not of his mother and not of his past, but simply worked to survive on his future.
And look where he was now.
Shaking his head of the depressing views on his past, he left his goodbyes to his home with his first step back into his new homeland. It was home, he knew that much, and as he passed the waterhole, he went back to the dens that truly were where he belonged. Kami or not, he was at his home, his true place where he belonged, and that is where he would always returned this time.
As each step got closer, the scent of another filtered and tickled his nose, causing him to slow even more. Bags were under his copper eyes, not having slept at all since he left the lands, and he could only blink a few times to clear the clouds before he caught sight of the goddess before him. The goddess that was not quite and golden as she once seemed. Shaking his head, he paused and lifted it slowly.-It was only pure luck that her eyes drifted downward in time to catch the familar copper pelt. But when they did she blinked visably, trying to dechiper whether it was him or simply a trick of her mind and the sun. But the image did not fade, and all the sudden that same flutter of her heart, and nervous twist of her stomach resurfaced.
She wanted to get up.. fling herself at him and curl within that thick mane of his.. and cry away the worries she'd had of him not coming back. But was he back because of that? Because he was forgiving her?
Or was he back for another reason?
Lifting herself softly, simply so that he'd know her attention was on him, she sat silently, though it was obvious by her eyes, and the soft flip of her tail that their was hope beneath that nervousness.-He just stared silently for a long moment, his eyes sunken slightly from no sleep as his mind shut off from all thoughts. Eventually, as she looked down at him and just stood there, he began to think once again, and his eyes lowered so bangs obstructed her from viewing his face. The advantage of any sort of angle was that each could hide from eachother quite easily, and he decided it was still time for him to hide the best he could.
He had no idea why, but already he was shying away. Maybe it was the lack of trust between them, or maybe it was just because before they hid from eachother as well, but once more he decided to hide in the darkness of his cave, the security of his past more welcoming than the thoughts of his Kami with another.
Than, as he walked below the rock and towards their den, he realized just what was bothering him, and all at once his steps stopped and he let out one ragged breath. He was jelous, jelous that some no-face male had taken his Kami and left her with cubs. Also, he was angry she had to give away family, family that had he been the father, he would have worked his hardest for them to know their mother, since he never knew his own.
So he stood there, debating hiding, or going up to confront Kami and set things right once and for all. The decisions were between himself, and someone else entirely.-But he didn't come to her, instead he slipped away and out her sight, and in that moment her heart sank like a stone thrown into a pond.
Her fears had been realized.. and how could she be so stupid. She knew how he loved these lands.. how often he'd spoke of how wonderful they were. About traveling just so he could come back and enjoy these lands even more.
He hadn't come for her.. He'd come back for his home. And now the future that lay before her was one with him around but never there. A future where she was a queen and her only tie to him was to make sure that he was safe.. Him and any family he might sire in that familar little den near the bottom of the rocks.
She wanted to cry.. but instead she slid once more to her belly in defeat. Childishness taking her over as she crept to the edge of the rock ledging, letting her head hang over to try and catch sight of him once more.-Once more Ta waited several, long minutes, his heart heavy and weighing down his shoulders to an unimaginable pain. However, inside his mind he was debating, scaling out the pros and cons as to his choice of going up, or staying down. After a long second, he made his dicision, and his paws moved once again.
She had come for him, so now it was his turn to go for her. And so it was decided, he would discover her and redeem his claim, in the most non-dominating way possible of course.
There he went up the rocks, making his way and thanking whoever was above that no one was around that early in the morning. And as he got to the top of the spance, right before the dens, his eyes trailed to where Kami had lied back down. Stilling after every few steps, he tried to control his breath until he could move no further, and waited.-Eyes turned gently at the sound of his ascent, surprise lacing her features after the thoughts that'd been swallowing her before. He HAD come.. For what purpose she didn't know, but he had.
Turning gently, she stayed laid across her belly, a soft and subconcious sign of submission towards whatever the copper male had brought for her. But softly her voice called out, stronger then she'd imagined it might.- "Hello Ta.."Watching her slowly as she turned, he just stared until her words came out, and he detected every single hint that followed. Letting out a rough sigh, his head turned to the side so he could look to the distance, silently thinking, before turning back.
"I would like to speak with you Kami...hopefully somewhere alone." It was soft, controled, and as his eyes shifted to the awakening pride, his body seemed to fidget as well. Of all things, he wanted what he said to be private, and for no rumors to spread over simple misunderstandings.-Nodding softly, she took great efforts to lift her body, letting the sore muscles strech before she took a single step forward, eyes casting towards the savannah in return.- "Alright then.."
"Th... Your den? Or perhaps somewhere further into the savannah?"
-A few more steps drew her closer as she awaited his decision, auburn tail curled lowly beneath her.-He pondered over the choices silently, looking past her towards the copper flowing sea that was the pridelands. Thinking over the needed amount of time, he just shook his head to get back to reality and looked back towards her with a serious expression.
"Lets find someplace in the Savannah...the rocks are too dark at this time in the morning with the shadows covering all of the entrance..." trailing off into a pathetic mumble, he just shook his head once again before turning and moving a few slow steps.-Her steps were slow at first, her muscles loosening as the well needed excersize relaxed her weary body. But soon enough they quickened, until she'd almost over taken Ta.
The wait.. and thinking about what words he might be planning to say would only drive her crazy. The sooner then occured, the better. And then she did overtake him, slipping to the side of the rocks as she readied herself to step down the stones to the savanneh below.-
"Perhaps out near where we used to play? There were never many herds there.. so I don't think any would happen upon us while out hunting.""As you wish..." He murmered distracted, going over the soon to be conversation in his mind. With a set frown, he failed to see Kami pass him until he heard her paws on the rocky path. Glancing up, he quickly moved after her until they reached the grasses, and once more moved to the lead.
He could see she was in a rush to get it over with, and as he passed her, he gave her a soft smile.
"Be yourself, would you...you're making me nervous..." And while it was meant to be a joke, his tone was grim and his smile thin, however, his eyes grew softer as he tried to make things easier yet.-The softest hint of a smile touched her at his words, disreguarding how stressed they sounded. It was slightly comforting.. to hear the words nervous uttered, with how often that same emotion had been eating her up over the past few days.
And she oblidged him softly, letting him take the lead once more as she fell in step a length behind him. When he was in her sight she felt the urge to say something.. but she fought off the urge the best she could manage. Soon enough. After whatever he should have to say.
Letting the sun bake at her golden pelt, she trudged softly along behind him, trying hard not to think of things he might say.. or things she should say herself.-And so they moved on in silence, his paws and hers both padding through the grasses and over the slight hills of the Pridelands. The path was set in his memory now, something he would never forget with each passing month or year.
And soon enough, they arrived, on the same hills of their past and what would hopefully stick in the future with family to come. Pausing a second, he just looked on with a soft, whistful smile. However, he quickly turned his eyes towards Kami and silently waited for any sign that she was as ready, for he doubted he could ever be.-As the reached the familar hills of their youngest days, Kami let forth a silent sigh. One of rememberance and worry.
And softly she settled herself down, resting on her haunches in a silent promise not to run as she had so often in the past when things got tough and things she didn't want to hear touched the air.
Tail curling gently around her paws for comfort, she lifted her ears softly forward towards him, eyes dropped to the ground like the days of her youth.-As he watched her settle down, his small smile grew and he forgot about the whole issue that started this, almost. Padding slowly closer to her, he settled on his haunces as well, and eyed her downcast gaze. She seemed ready from how she listened and steadied herslef, and so he took the chance that she was ready.
"Kami..." Trailing off suddenly, he cursed mentally before shaking his head, "Please...please look at me..." and with that, he leaned to nudge her cheek upward, a gently guide to hopefully push her to gaze with him. Their conversation wouldn't get very far unless that had that intamate contact, the bond of the gazes and windows to the truth.-For a moment her eyes squeezed shut, fear and worry lacing her mind, before she followed his soft motion. Lifting her eyes to took his own tentatively, offering as well the gentlest hint of a smile.- "Sorry.."His copper eyes seemed to water a moment when they met, but he just blinked it off before shaking his head, "Hush Kami..." it was a soft, loving whisper for there was no need for him to speak any lounder. At the moment, their breaths could mix from how close they seemed to be, and he pulled back only slightly to give her the room she might need in the moments to come.
"I love you Kami, with all my heart and all my being, and in these times to come I want you to remember that. Nothing will ever dull the love I hold for you, it will only make it stronger...with each moment I pass with you, I find something new to fall in love with, and it isn't just your accomplishments, for I love your...well I can't call them faults..."
"The only thing I dislike about your situation of becoming a mother Kami, is that I was not there by your side, not there to help you through the pains and the moments where sometimes it overwhelms you so. Be it with dispair...or love," Trailing off for a long moment, he just cleared his dry throat before tentativly adding.
"And...from my time I've thought it over, I've come to realize...that I'd wish it were me to father those cubs, and not some random male who took advantage of you Kami, for no male in his right mind should think it right to let a mother out of a cubs life and accept is as standard..." Shaking his head he finalized, "That last sentence came out wrong..." and so he was silenced.-Golden ears caught each whispered word as she listened in soft awe, silent even had she wanted to talk. The very weight of the words, carried on the tender infliction was enough to make the lioness want to curl up in his warmth and never leave it. But then.. it hadn't been him coming for forgiveness. And so easily he himself had forgiven.
The later words stung softly, as she realized that still he blamed Tefu, and as his statement only fueled on her own guilt about leaving the two. But she couldn't have expected any better. She'd been given far far more then she could have hoped for already.
Lifting herself she took the tiny step necessarily to draw her figure beneath his own, nudging her head gently into the crook of his neck as the soft trailings of a purr rumbled.- "You shouldn't be so kind to me Ta. But I shall give thanks to the gods everyday that you are."
-Sighing softly with relief, she nuzzled once more into his thick mane, before her eyes drifted upwards.- "I promise that I won't ever again keep anything from you Ta. Or lie to constrew anything. I want to spend every last day of my life with you by my side. In good times and bad. Give you everything in the world.."
-She trailed for a soft moment, lifting her voice from it's whisper to proclaim more strongly on her final words.- "To love you the way you deserve to be loved."As she moved close, he seemed to falter a second before relaxing. Lifting up his neck, he waited until she settled in before lowering his head so he grew verymuch confortable. The sigh that followed was assisted by his own deeper purr until he closed his eyes and listened to her response.
Each setence she gave he listened to, responding with a light chuckle or just warm silence. Once she finished, he opened his eyes to find everything looked just as bright as he once remembered.
"I promise as well, and...I know that what happened in the past is something we can never forget. But I swear, if you are ever ready to start a family with me, I will make sure that together we shall stay, through better and through the worse. Nothing will make me turn you away, I am too far in love with you for that."-She faltered noticably at his words, wishing more then anything that she could give him that here and now. A family of his own. A family that belonged to her, a piece of her and Ta that she could care for. But her heart was still sore, and her mind still lingered with those same fears that'd tormented her before.
She still wasn't mother material yet.. she still could not hunt.. nor provide the care and time necessary of newly borns. Ecspecially with her new assesion and responsibility to the pride. But she leaned in against Ta anyway, closing her eyes as she sighed softly.- "Some day I'd like that.. a family of our own."
"But for now I shall be happy just having you."
-Nuzzling in against him once more, she asked softly.- "You'll stay in the royal den with me.. yes?"His laughter filtered before he could control it, breaking the soft silence they once held before. Lowering his head tighter into the embrace, he grew content with just that, and minded not that she wished to wait.
"And I shall be happy with just having you, but it still feels...akward about the dens...unless you are insinuating something?" He trailed off as the thoughts crossed his mind, before he lowered his eyes without pulling away."It is more strange to me Ta.. that you are ready to father my children... and yet are taken aback by the thought of staying in the same place."
-Clearly, even without the words muttered, she'd assumed things, and softly that came into lightly.- "Other couples live together... And just thought.."He pulled away, though quickly lowered his head softly to look her in the eyes, "You wish for me to be your mate?" It was a soft, hoars whisper, one of wonderment, before he suddenly shook his head and re-worded the question.
"Where would you like for me to stand in your life Kami...please tell me exactly where you wish for me to be, forever and ever.""I..." -She paused softly, a flush rising to her cheeks as she adverted her downward momentarily, cuddling to hide in his mane. It wasn't that the decision was hard to make. She'd already assumed that's what they were.
After the words he'd just spoken to her.. it just seemed natural. But the words themselves were trickier to come across, that softly girlish tug of embarassment touching her.
But finally she forced her eyes forward, her maw showing a smile that was almost sheepish.- "I'd thought it was obvious..."
"I want to be your mate finally Ta. From now until forever. And you mine."
"Is... that okay?""How can I refuse a request like that?" He chuckled out softly, moving close to emmerse in her warmth in a hug, holding her protectivly with his position while they both were seated still.
"All I wished was to hear it from you, to hear the words that I knew we already held in our hearts. Forever Kami I shall be yours and only yours, until the day we move on to spin our tale within the stars, nothing will hold us appart, not even time. I love you Kami, and I always shall..." And with those truthful words, everything was forgiven and stored away to be learned from, though never forgotten. The lesson was over, and now it was finally time for the two to discover the happiness they justly deserved.
"Let's go home."
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Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:17 am
Apperances decieve - Ahai and Verdad Quote: -A huff of satisfaction escaped the blue cub as his claws finally snapped the bizzare stringing. The poor bracelet probably belonged to some lioness somewhere in the lands. But he'd found it hidden among the grasses and it was beyond repair now.
Beads spilled upon the ground, his emerald eyes quickly following after them as they skidded to a rest. Oh how he loved to break things.. to assert his pressence above things.
And nothing did that more then watching it fall to pieces beneath his tiny paws. Golden tail tuft flicking with soft contentment, he stepped forward softly, positioning his paw over the rounded wood beads. Maybe he could break those too.-Verdad was in her normal nap. it was one of the only times that her body actually slowed down during the day and yet her tail still twitch from time to time as her energy threatened to send her off again. Soon, it won. Green eyes fluttered open with their usual race followed by a loud and undeniably cubish yawn. She licked her chops and blinked the grogginess from her vision. Her tail tapped against her thigh until she finally gave in to her nature. Red waved paws padded along the dirt as she tried to find something to do.
"Something to do..."
Suddenly, a shiny bead rolled past her paws. It intrigued her to no end. She pounced on the smalln wooden ball as it passed and laughed triumphantly. "Ha! Beads can't get past me."-His paws pressed downward, trying hard to squash the wooden circle, going so far as to press his weight against the soft object. But it didn't give in the least, instead simply pressing into the dry dirt beneath him, becoming imbedded in sun tanned soil.
Giving a less then amused claw at the dirt around the soil, he gave up boredly, eyes twitching upwards to follow the path of more of the tiny beads. Crouching softly as he crept towards the mass of wooden circles, he suddenly stopped as a sound touched his ears. A voice.. and close at that?
Eyes turning gently to try and follow the sound, he waited for movement in the grasses, ready to pounce at the slightest sign.-Verdad was too enthralled with the small wooden bead to care about much of anything. She scrambled after it as the bead rolled from under her clumsy red paws. Emerald eyes watched as it tapped against another of it's kind. The two nearly identical beads confused her. It was normal to see a few beads here and there but never so close together and never the exact same thing. Easily amused, the small orange cub batted at whichever was closer, sending the second even farther than she could have thrown it.
"Cool..."
The young lioness crounched down and pounced on the two beads sending them farther away. Her suprisingly sharp eyes caught movement. Blue movement. Her heart jumped as she pondered who it could be. Of course there was only one blue moving thing that big in her memory.
"Matsai! Come out and play with me."-Matsai? His muscles loosened momentarily. Whatever was drawing near knew his twin? And yet the voice was unfamiliar.. Some friend that his brother had kept secret? Well well... that wasn't very friendly at all.
Smirk settling upon Ahai's face he wondered if he could actually pull off the charade of being his brother.. but almost immediately knew the answer. His forehead would give him away.
Slipping through the grasses however, he stopped nearer, still mostly hidden behind the blades as he called out lightly.- "And what would you like to play?"Verdad laughed as she crouched down. "Why are you hiding Matsai?" She didn't want to get an closer in fear of touching him. Her tail flicked as she rolled one of the small beads under the pads of her paw. Matsai was different today. He even smelled differnt.
"You got wierd. Why don't you smell normal?"
Her curiousity took a immediate backseat to the word 'play'. She jumped up, spinning happily in the air. "Can we race? Or could we just run really fast." Her eyes were wide with excitement.-He smelt different, and quite certainly acted different, and she'd been quite astute enough to pick up on it. So Ahai crouched once more, straining between grass blades to make out the form of the little female. But as of yet it was only brightly colored patches.
Fidgeting upon his back paws he finally sprung, body flying through the grass as he pounced, set on simply knocking into her, perhaps trapping her. He was getting pretty good at it these days.
Unintent on really hurting her, he was far too interested in this secret friend of his brother, his emerald eyes locked onto her, calling out with a snide little grin.- "I'm hunting not hiding and I'm sure I'm WAY faster then you."Verdad shifted happily on her paws. Her nap had left her groggy but a nice run would do wonders. Matsai was acting differently. Much differently. He'd never completely hid himself from her before but maybe he was playing a game. she took a step closer, sniffing at the strange scent he brought. He normally didn't smell that way.
She leant forward slightly as the streak of blue knocked her to the ground. The breath knocked from her small body, Verdad covered her head with her paws. She didn't want to see him like this. She didn't even touch him this time.
Her orange body curled up in a tight ball as memories flooded her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."-A proud smirk touched him as he landed properly, paws pressed softly against his vibrant fur. And his eyes searched her markings curiously. Her colors really were nice.. bold, like his twins and his. But suddenly she was cowering and he drew his maw in close to her paws.-
"Didn't mean to what?" -His face constrewed almost to a comical expession, confusion touching him. He didn't share his brother's problem, nor particularly notice it, considering his own ability to bypass the affliction.
Lifting one paw, he batted at the paws she hide beneath, laughing as he taunted.- "And you're calling me weird."The small orange cub quivered in fear. She didn't like being knocked down. Her tail went limp as she began to slowly move her paws away from her face with his coaxing. Her immediate reaction to the cub above her was curiousity.
This certainly wasn't Matsai.
Her eyes starred blankly at the look alike. It confused her to no end hat they looked so similar. He had mentioned a brother. Maybe this one was him. She could have asked anything. His heritage. His siblings. Even his name...but this was Verdad and that was out of the question.
"You're not Matsai..."
Her brow furrowed at his taunting. 'I'm not wierd. Matsai knocked me down before. I didn't do anything this time so I was...scared"-The soft sensation of her body quivering beneath his drew up a bizzare pleasure in the boy, and his grin grew without his notice. Like a prey animal, but she didn't fit back nearly as much. That wasn't much fun.. even if it was cool to watch her cower and fret.-
"No Matsai is my twin. I'm Ahaiyuta."
-At her comment he finally withdrew himself, letting his tricolored paws once again touch the dirt, as his tongue stuck out of his mouth.- "What's wrong with wrestling and knocking down? Me and Matsai do it all the time, and he doesn't cower like a baby."
-Taking a light n** in the general direction of her haunches, he teases more.- "HE wrestles and fights back. It's his favorite game." -Okay, so maybe not his favorite, but he never minded and sometimes even smiled when they did.-Verdad wanted to bury her head in the sand. His gaze frightened her. She didn't like feeling the same as those beetles as she gave chase. Her tail twitched, half with her energy, half in fright. THis wasn't fun at all in her eyes.
"Ahaiyuta?..." The blue cub did look quite like Matsai but they acted so differently. Her friend ould never have voluntarily kept her petrified with fear.
"I don't like being knocked down. I can't touch him anyway. It hurts him...""Yep, Matsai and Ahai. Twins. Best friends." -Or so her thought atleast. His brother always held at a pedastol above. He was growing a little irritated now however.
Why hadn't Matsai told him about this girl? Why the hell did Matsai even care to play with her? As of yet she seemed dreadfully boring. A wuss and weaking like their youngest sibling. The only thing at all interesting about her was her colors.
Huffing softly he turned, casting his eyes once more to the savannah.- "Yeah well you're boring. And if you hurt him, then why would he want to play with you?"size=10] Verdad cocked her brow as he spoke about them. Best friends? But Matsai was her best friend. Her only friend infact. Why hadn't he told her more about the supposed twin brother he had? She scowled at the blue cub utterly unamused by his little game.
"That wasn't a very nice thing to do, pretending that you were him. What the hell is your problem?" She didn't realize that she had picked up that quite unsavory attitude from her older brother. It was the first time she had snapped at someone else besides him anyways. Of course, she was still young and impressionable, easily irritated by behavior that she didn;t exhibit. Rudeness was not in her vocabulary until she met him.
"...And I am not boring."-Ears lifted and his eyes drifted back to the girl as she snapped, and he laughed, turning to look at her once more, making sure she noticed how much his juvinile body towered over her tiny cubby one.- "I can pretend to be whoever I want to. It ain't hurting anyone."
-Drawing up the corners of his maw in a soft growl, he narrowed his eyes once more.- "You're the one with the problem, acting like such a little brat baby over something so stupid."
-Stalking a few steps away he spat, a visible and childish symbol of the disgust the little girl was rippling through him at the moment.- "Are all girls this stupidly annoying and bratty? Sheesh." Verdad snorted. She didn't want to converse with lions like Ahaiyuta but there was no one else around. Her eyes once again were dull with fear as he stood over her. She wasn't enjoying this at all. She didn't want to be small anymore. His growl scared her even more. No one had ever growled at her but somehow she resisted curling up in the ball that made him say such horrible things before.
"I don't have a problem. My brother's a brat...not me."
A sigh of relief sounded when he stepped away. Still frightened, Ver drew circles in the dirt. "No...""Oh? Just you and my sister then?" -He snorted unpleasantly, tail lashing back and forth as his mind whipped in circles.
But finally only one thought remained, and he gave her her silent wish, stepping further away, intent on slipping back into the grasses and heading off to find something more entertaining to do.
But first thing was first. Pausing at the grasses he called back matter of factly.- "You're not good enough to play with my brother. Your stupidness will rub off on him."
-And almost threateningly he added, letting that growl play on his throat once more before his eyes turned before him once more.- "You'll be sorry if you do."Verdad felt tears well in her eyes at his words. She couldn't just stop seeing Matsai. He was dear to her in many ways. His stupid brother just had to come and wreck it all. She kept her head to the ground as he stepped away from her, ears pressed flat against her skull. Was she really not good enough? Would he really end up acting like her if they were around eachother too much?
She bit her lip to hold back her tears until he spoke again. All the pent up emotion inside her bubbled in her stomach.
"I'll see him whenever I want..." She spoke softly to herself too solidify the promise even though it was shielded from his ears. Matsai was her friend and she would see him whenever she damn well pleased. Brother or not. Honorable Sir - Kami and Bushido Quote: Dusty paws made their trek, rustling the waves of green and gold grass in his wake. The journey had been long, though the dark lion showed no idication that it had worn him, at least not mentally. Though a meal and a good night's sleep would have been welcome.
Before him, looming ever closer, his blue eyes met the large rock formation that marked the center of the land of his birth. How the pridelands had changed since he'd last seen it so long ago, it had prospered and thrived into a place of peace and beauty.
Having no knowledge of events that had transpired, the dark lion wondered if Mufasa still reigned or if another had taken his place.-The golden lioness, the spitting image of the great king who had sired her, sit softly among the lower rocks of the royal landmark, auburn tail tuft curled about her toes, as her red eyes searched for nothing in the vast savvanah.
It was still hard for her.. all that socialization.. So often she found herself coming off to hide for a bit at a time. To rest in the familiarity of being alone, and hide within the daydreams of her childhood.
The day had been a lazy one so far, and her mind drifted to the thought of her blood, out there in the golden savvanahs. How were her children? The golden little twins Mani and Zuri?
She was sure they were fine.. Tefu was a wonderful lion.. But still.. with the recent loss, her eyes begged to see their familiar pelts. How big were they now? Perhaps she'd look today... Seek them out in secret and steal a peek.- He continued his journey, the image of pride rock looming closer with every step. He only paused for a moment, long enough to search the horizon with brilliant blue eyes, his ears taking in the sounds, his nose the scents of the land as if searching for something or someone.
As he drew closer to the rock, his eyes settled on a hint of a gold, a gold that he had only seen briefly in his cubhood, but a gold that he could never forget. Perhaps it was the king he sought, but as the figure grew in his vission it became clear that it was not Mufasa, but a lioness who bore his pelt, perhaps she was the king's daughter.
As he reached the base of the rock, the dark lion paused, his eyes resting on golden lioness, his head briefly bowed in respect. It would have been presumptious to approach further without invitation.-While she certainly wasn't a hunteress or anything even remotely similar, the lion's approach caught her attention. His dark and unique pelt standing out from the savvanah grasses. Eye's lifting softly, she watched as he approached and then abruptly stopped at the base of the rocks.
She didn't know him.. but that didn't mean that he wasn't part of the pride. But when he didn't move, she finally lifted her voice, offering politely.- "Is.. there something I can help you with?"The lion's head lowered briefly in a respectful bow to the golden lioness. For a moment he was silent, blue eyes meeting hers, reading her expression and her posture. Was that a trace of sorrow he saw?
"My name is Bushido, I have come to see the ruler of these lands."
He had elected to speak generally for now, least he offend by speaking the name of a ruler who may have been displaced since he had last seen the pridelands.-Ahh... so he was new then. She doubted that any member remained within the lands that hadn't yet heard the news. Shifting a little uncomfortably she roused the hints of a smile upon her maw.- "It seems luck is with you Bushido. I'm the one you're looking for."
-She debated standing, finding herself growing increasingly uncomfortable perched so high above him. But finally she lay instead, seeming to drip over the edge of the rock as she tried to figure out his intent.- "What is it that I can help you with?"It seemed he had chosen wisely in his words, for indeed there was a new ruler. He wondered what had changed and how this golden lioness who shared the pelt of the previous king had come to power. But he knew better than to inquire about such a subject, whether it be offensive or a painful memory. If the lioness wished him to know she would speak of it on her own.
"I wish to return to my home and serve as an honorable member of the pride."
He gave another small bow, his tail flicking lightly against some insect that flew nearby.-Kami eyed the stranger curiously, not an attempt to be rude really.. simply taking in his sight, trying to figure out his age... though she found herself unable to do so in the end. It was so varible from what she'd seen in her little bit of traveling.
But finally her words perked, making her intrest known.- "You're from here? Born here perhaps?"
-Why did you go? Where did you go? The curiousities tug on her mind softly, but she kept them at bay for now. In the future such questions would probably become part of the process in which she learned about each lion and lioness that stepped within the lands. But for today she was tired of sad stories.. and was worried that such a question might bring forth just that.
Smiling softly, she gave a wide nod.- "Welcome home then. You are free to stay, and to join the pride. I'm glad you came back."His head lowered in a nod, a silent answer to her question. For brief time he did not speak, perhaps choosing his words as much as he was assessing the situation and the expressions of the golden lioness.
She had not pried into his past further than he had offered, had asked nothing beyond a simple question before accepting him as an experienced leader would have, though he lost no respect for her because of it. Judging by her expression he was certain it was not due to disinterest. Perhaps she was being polite, or perhaps something must have happened recently and she was not prepared to hear such stories.
"Yes, though I have not seen the lands since my cubhood. I am happy to see that it has thrived so since then."
A respectful bow to show his gratitude.
"I thank you, it is good to be home."-Her smile grew just a little, the auburn tuft of her tail flicking gently.- "My father did a very good job of letting the pride grow and flourish. After all my traveling, it's still my favorite of all places."
-Eyes slipping from him for a moment she looked outward towards the savannah.- "I don't know how long it's been since you've been here, but it seems that more and more cubs fill these lands. And more travelers find a home here then I can ever recall in the past. Most is probably the same as you remember? But there is life creeping about whereever one looks."
-It seemed she was babbling now, and she continued on softly, whether he wanted to hear or not.- "Soon enough there will be new duties and tasks for members of the pride who are so inclined. I've been thinking it couldn't hurt to expand the number of nannies to match the growing numbers of cubs. And perhaps inlist some scouts to keep care of the borders and watch over the pride."The slightest hints of a smile tugged at the lion's maw, faint though it may have been it was genuine.
"It is indeed quite an accomplishment to form such a prosperous pride of so many members, his pride and honor fill this land."
His head lowered as she spoke of the land before he had left. Of course she could not have remembered it as he had last seen it, he was sure Mufasa had had no children at the time. The lioness had not seen the land as he had nor experienced the darkness of the two kings before.
"I'm afraid it was not so magnificent when I last saw it, darkness touches even the most peaceful of lands."
Looking up again, blue eyes searched the lioness' expression, wondering what questions she had and if she would ask them.
"I would be happy to serve in whatever way you require, though perhaps I would be best suited as a hunter or scout"
Bushido had never been around cubs, watching over them would have been better suited to someone who knew of their tendencies and their needs.-Ahhhh, so he was quite a bit older then her? Her ear's perked softly with intrest at the tiny tidbit he'd offered. But she didn't push it any further then that. If he was joining the pride, that meant plenty of time in the future to talk. To ask questions of curiousity without him feeling pressed to answer simply for his approval into the pride.
Shifting gently, she let her tail curl around her, pleasant musing touching the air.- "I will keep that in mind then, when the time comes."
"In the meantime.. do you recall the way about mostly? Or will you be in need of a tour while you search for where in the lands you'd like to settle?"Though he did not speak it, the dark lion was grateful she had not inquired further into his past, though he would have answered had she asked. There would come a day that he would answer those unasked questions that she must have had, as the leader she had the right to know; but something told him that this was not the time for such a story.
"The land may have changed, but I believe I can find my way. The best way to learn is to explore."
Indeed he had explored much of the lands in his brief time there as a cub, always eager to learn and find his own way. And though that had been years ago, he was certain he remembered at least the landmarks. And if not, well he'd just relearn it.-Nodding softly in agreement, she settled once more comfortably upon her perch, smiling softly at the respectful gesture. He didn't have anymore to say.. she didn't think..
But what if he did and she was simply taking shyness for politeness.... Well.. she'd just seem rude then she guessed. But oh well.. hopefully he wouldn't hold it against her.- "That's very true. I won't hold you any longer then. Hopefully I will see you about the savannah though." "I am sure we will, perhaps there will be more to speak of then."
There was no disrespect in his voice, no hint that he held anything but respect for her. Indeed ruling a pride was no easy task, something that he believed she would do with honor as the king had before.
"I thank you again."
Bowing his head in a respectful farewell, the lion turned, leaving the queen as she had been before. For now he would reacquaint himself with the lands of his home, and perhaps meet with some of his new pridemates. After all he had a lot of catching up to do, and a past to make up for.
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Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:22 am
Help me again - Kami, Kiva, and family Cruel mirror - Kami, Daemon, and Ruffian Quote: So here he was, finaly here, waling on the soil of the far edges of the Pridelands. He honeslty already felt as if he was really home. His birthplace, teh area he had been so afraid to go back to, where he had not have found if he hadn't come across Ruffian, his current traveling companion. He hoped she would stay, it would be nice if she did.
They had traveled a long way to get here, his paws ached, but his heart and spirit grew stronger by the second, he was finally home. He should've never had left, but he had some ghosts to deal with in his mind. Problems to overcome, he had, he only hoped someone might remember him. The only that may would perhaps be the king and queen, Mufasa and Sarabi, he remmebered the stories his mother told of them before he went to sleep and took his naps when he was a mere cub. But who knows, things could've changed since then.
Perhaps he would come across either, the current king or queen of the pride, ask them if he may join once again. But how to find them in such a vast place? "Perhaps it would be best to head towards Pride Rock...we might find the king or queen there...they will tell us if I may become part of the pride again..." Daemon said speaking outwardly, to himself and to Ruffian as he walked. His tail flicked side to side as his paws came into contact with the soil.
He was finally home.Ruffian silently stood next to Daemon, her black coat a stark contrast to her companion's white one. She viewed the lands that they had entered grimly, not quite sure on what the two of them should do.
Before she could dwell too much on the though, Daemon had offered them a solution. She gave him a nod, assuming that Pride Rock was where the royals would lay.
"As I said, I will follow you, Daemon. I am a stranger to the ways of this land, and put my faith in you to keep us from harm," she said firmly. Her tail swished behind her as her amber eyes grazed over Daemon's blue ones. "Just lead the way."-Kami trudged along slowly, golden paws carrying a heavyness that as of yet still hadn't left her body. A soft fatiuge touched the lioness' face, a mix of grief and stress, but her body remained liquid in it's movements, almost as if it traveled on without her mind or expression.
Today she was escaping the rock, pushing herself away from the place in which her parent's scent still lingered in hidden corners, eyes downcast upon the golden grasses as her ears listened to the soft shuffle and clank of the jewelry that adorned her.
Her trip was not sneaky, nor graceful, and as she settled with a huff near the edge of the borders her eyes searched gently out into the vastness before her, she couldn't help but scold herself for her actions. She had to get over it.. to be strong for everyone else. The good of the pride outweighed the good of a lone princess.. or rather now it seemed... a lone queen.-Daemon smirked and flicked his tail at Ruffian, though his expression still kind and friendly, "I'd never let anyone harm us, I'll take care of you here Ruffian, promise," his blue eyes set on her for a moment, then his eyes noticed a golden figure moving about the taller grass. Then it became a lump on the ground, seemed to stumble before just...sitting there.
He glanced to Ruff, "Perhaps we should see if they can help us, stay close..." he knew that if they approached a lone pride member, and others saw, that perhaps they could be ambushed, but not while he was there, he would take care of Ruffian. As they got closer, Daemon tried to put on teh best smile he could, his voice soft yet rough,"Hello? I hope we're not intruding..." stupid statement, they were intruding, well sort of, he was just trying to get home.
Daemon stayed quiet then, perhaps the lioness (as he noticed that was what the lump was as they approached) did not hear him. She looked somewhat distrught, but he wouldn't say anything to try and pry into her problems. Daemon's thoughts were of joining the pride, hoping Ruffian would stay too.Ruffian gave a little growl as they approached the stranger. Why not just say what needed to be said, instead of the idle chit-chat? Ruffian was not one for small talk, and she was intent in knowing if this new stranger could help them or not.
But this wasn't her place, and she would stay as a shadow next to Daemon. Her copper-toned eyes warily watching this lioness that was a bit before them. She could sense that there was something amiss, some sorrow that this lioness held, but as to why, who knew. It did not affect her personally, and so she would not worry about it, for the time being.
She sat next to Daemon, hoping that would show a bit of formality and humility (though in most cases, one might not think that). Who knows, perhaps this lioness was of bit more importance then what met the eyes. Though not the kindest creature the sun had seen, Ruffian knew to respect those that were above her place in life."Hmmmm?" -Her red eyes drifted wearily upwards as the voice dragged her from her thoughts, eyes settling on the pair. And she blinked quite visibly.. a rude silence falling upon her at the familar sight.
White male.. paired with a dark female. The two mirrored Ausi and Daimyn so boldly that she wondered almost if she were dreaming.. a strange and unfair delirium of the two who bore the young one that her father died protecting.
But this was not them... The male bore markings.. and the female did not.
Clearing her throat, she cast her eyes downward in soft apology, golden ears lowering as her voice floating meekly to the two.- "I'm sorry. You're not intruding upon anything except for my own wandering thoughts.."
"Is.. is there something I can help you with."Silence was cast in the air, almost stlae, something perhaps similar here that happened before? Daemon didn't know, he would not intrude upon it either. He had a purpose for coming here, though he was still apologetic about intruding during a time of thinking, he wondered what she thought of, but would not press any further but just to apologize once more.
"Again, I apologize for us coming at an inopportune time, and perhaps you can help us..." Daemon said as he tried to think of how to put things into words. So many things to say but he didn't want to ramble on.
"I've traveled a long way to get here, my name is Daemon, this is Ruffian," Daemon said motioning to Ruff with his paw and he smiled, "She helped guide me here. I was born here, a long time ago, and left because...of a loss I suffered. I was wondering, if you knew who I should go to, to ask if I may join the Pridelands once again..." he hoped she would know.
He really just wanted to be able to be in the place he once called home. He glanced to Ruffian out of the corner of his eye, to make sure she was okay.Ruffian was a little disturbed at the sight of the blood-shot eyes that the stranger had. This was, to Ruffian, a red alert that something amiss had definately happened lately. She was one that did not want to enter a situation without knowing what she was getting into.
The thing was, how was she to get the information out of such an obviously-upset creature? She pondered a bit, ignoring Daemon as her mind poked at the idea.
The black lioness stepped from Daemon side towards the lioness, just stopping short of stepping onto the poor adult. She glanced downward at the stranger, her eyes softening as best they could before she spoke.
"What makes you cry, golden one? Your body reeks with sadness, your eyes exposing it for the sun to see." She swished her tail behind her, as often her habit was. "Such sadness concerns me when I may be pulled into it."-She nodded softly to his formality and kindness, putting in the effort to lift her ears gently as she listened to the words that drifted from him.
He wanted to join again? THat was wonderful news! With the soft whispers of some families wanting to leave any new blood was good blood. And she certainly could relate to the tie to the lands and home.
She'd been about to talk when the female spoke, and Kami fell silent once more, mind lossing the formalities that had been on the tip of her tongue. It was only right to tell them.. before they decided if they still wanted to enter.
Shifting her weight softly, golden paws kneading at the ground she offered a softly apologetic smile, eyes traveling slowly between the two as she spoke.- "I suppose it's best if you know if you wish to join the pride."
"The pride recently lost it's king and queen. Alot of grief still lingers among the lands.. but already some hope and joy is beginning to spring up as well. It is hard to keep sad for long when so many young ones run about.. "
-Auburn tail wrapping gently around her front paw she let her eyes drift to the savannah.- "It is a little more difficult to let go of the grief however when those lost are your parents...."
"But.."
"I am the one you need to talk to if you still wish to enter the lands. I'm the new queen, Kamilika. Daughter of Mufasa and Sarabi." -Lifting herself, eyes finally fixing once again on the couple, she bowed her head in gentle greeting.-Daemon watched Ruffian step towards her, she sounded, different, softer voice, caring, a different side of Ruffian he had yet to see, but he smiled, it was nice. His ice eyes watched the golden lioness, then listeed to ehr speak. Something they should know? He paid attention.
So sad.
They ahd lost the king and queen, devastating, but perhaps with loss could come the rebirth of something knew and greater, least what Daemon believed. But hearing that she was the one to talk to, if he wished to join again, was calming, but also depressing in the way that she had lost both ehr mother and father. Mufasa and Sarabi.
Then Daemon thought of something.
"I'm sorry Kami," he said in his rough voice, but it was softer now, compassionate, his tail filcked to the side, "My mother gave birth to me here, I lost her when I was only a cub, so I couldn't bare to stay here. But I remember...stories...of you parents. My mother I think knew Sarabi, I heard stories of Mufasa as well...both were grand," he bowed his head in respect to her. Kami was the new queen, he was sad she lost her parents though.
"If it is alright with you Kami, I would still like to return, this was my home once, I would like it to be my home from now on..." he glanced at Ruffian from teh corner of his eye, he wondered if she was going to stay here for a while too.Ruffian's tail flicked, her ears perking up when the golden lioness spoke. She knew that there must be immense sadness, but this wasn't to the degree that she assumed. Losing parents was something that Ruffian could relate to.
The black lioness gave a soft sigh, backed up a bit, and lowered her head, the closest that she would probably go for a bow. "I'm sorry for your loss, Queen Kamilika. Losing a parent is one of the hardest trials in life."
The lioness moved back next to her companion, glancing over her shoulder at the golden lioness that laid in the grass. "But I am sure that they would want you to smile, Kamilika. Their strength is yours to take and make your own."
Ruffian was speaking more then she normally did, but she felt like it was something important. Even if it didn't comfort Kamilika, it made Ruffian feel a bit more comfortable. "I also request residency in these lands. I want to stay with Daemon here for a time longer." A brisk nod was offered to Daemon as she spoke, not taking her eyes off the Queen."I do suppose you're right.. thank you." -She smiled a little softly to the kind words from both the lions, a sad smile, but obviously grateful nonetheless. And slowly she drew herself upward from her seat on the ground, eyes leaving the couple long enough to motion softly over her shoulder and towards the rocks.- "I'm glad to hear that stories of them have left an impression. I hope that they will for a long time still. My parents did so much for the land, it only seems fitting that they should be remember by it."
-Taking a tentative step, seeing if they would indeed take the hint to follow she continued.- "It would be a pleasure to have you both in the pride then. New friends and families are the best blessings these lands could ask for."Daemon watched Ruff and he smiled, Ruffian was going to stay? That was great news, he wasn't quite too sure if she would or go back to where she had been residing before, but this was great. Daemon stood and took a step following Kami, looked to Ruffian if she got the idea to follow as well.
"The stories my mother told me will forever be with me Kami, to remember her, and them," he said softly with a nod. Yes, he would always remember his mother, and the great king and queen that once resided here when he was but a small cub.
His heart swelled when Kami said it was a pleasure for them to stay, that meant..that meant he was home now. He was home and actually had a home now. He had to restrain himself from jumping around, he was so happy, so excited. "It is my honor to be a part of this pride again, Kami, is there anything you would like me to do for the pride? So I can also earn my place here again?" Daemon asked, he could hunt and guard things well, living out on his own taught him those skills.
He wanted to make sure he would indeed be a part of this pride, and contribute as much as he could to it.Ruffian slowly padded towards her companion and then started to follow the newly appointed Queen, silent as her head bobbed between the two of them. It was definately a pleasure to have somewhere to live, even if only for a time.
"Thank you," she said with sincere thanks. She didn't have much else to say, since she had only heard about the greatness of the Pridelands, though she wasn't certain which ones were true or not. So instead, she just nodded with Daemon, keeping to the silent that she usually embraced. Perhaps she was a little embarassed with everything she had said before?"Oh?" -She seemed for a moment taken aback by the question and assumption, but soon let the smallest hint of a giggle escape her, as her tail took to a contented sway, even amid the damper step she still carried.-
"It is always appreciated that any extras you might have be shared with others around. That should suffice until you are settled in."
"Though.. soon enough I shall be making my rounds to find those that might want a greater part in the pride.. Scouts.. Greeters.. Nannies.. along with the regular hunting packs."
"You can think about which you'd prefer and be most qualified for if you like, until I come looking."Daemon listened, ears perked up. He glanced towards Ruffian, who seemed rather quiet, perhaps she was nervous? Well, to tell the truth he was nervous as well. How could he not be? He wanted to make sure he could be a part of the pride, and be known here. Not just because of his past here, but what he could do for the pride.
Hunter?
That was the first thing that came to his mind that he could help with. He could scout as well, make sure the boundaries were well watched so that rogues that were potential threats could not pass through quite easily. He was smiling though, forever smiling knowing that he was home.
He would think about that until he was settled in, but then another thought hit him. Where would he settle in to? "If you don't mind me asking," he said, breaking the minute silence, "Where would be free space to settle in to?" He wondered where he would be placed, if there were places for those who just joined. Or perhaps there were empty dens? Hmm...where would Ruffian like to stay?
Perhaps they would share a place together...maybe?He sure was pushy, wasn't he? Just accepted and already wanting a place to live. Well....she'd deal with it. The black mistweaver swished her tail behind her, no pause in her voice as she answered Kamilika's call.
"Scout," she replied. The absence of hesitation in her voice might of been a little rude, but she decided that she could both be a scout, and a hunter. Plus, she could use her duties as an excuse to be alone, to think as she always did. Away from everyone. It would help her transition to the way one lived within a pride.
Her brown eyes stared unblinking at Kamiliki before she gave a short, polite nod. Yes, that would be best for her, as long as the Queen would allow it.-She pondered for a moment over the dens and places she'd seen lately, in her solitary treks throughout the land. And finally she answered thoughtfully, a soft uncertainity lacing her voice though she tried to hide it.-
"It really depends on what sort of home you'd like.. Some prefer to be within the community, and live around the dens of the royal rock. There are still some free, if you hunt them out."
"Those that like privacy though.. from children or others often strike out into the land. I'm sure there are dens littered through the lands.. or if you care less for dens, out croppings, watering holes, and grasses."Daemon blinked as he thought of the possibilities, but it also depended on Ruffian, where she would feel most comfortable. For she was in rogue territory when he came across her, Daemon wasn't sure if she would want to be really close to the hustle and bustle of the Pride life. But he knew regardless they would now be part of a larger family, would have a place here.
He could go hunt some out later on as well, he flicked his tail as he walked. It seemed so strange to teh white lion to be back home, but his memories and appearance always made him remember this place, his mother, the sister he never knew. Daemon wondered if that place where he was born was still around. Perhaps, either that or it could've been destroyed by flooding or destruction from another creature.
Daemonw as just glad to be here now. Took (it seemed like) a year to get here, but that was in the past. What mattered now was the future here in these lands.Ruffian's tail sweayed behind her as her eyes went from the Queen to Daemon. She wouldn't care where he wanted to live, but they could figure that out later. She was just thankful, although she wouldn't say it out loud, that Daemon had been accepted, as well as her. She doubted that she'd make a bunch of friends, but she had a place she could stay in comfortably for a while.
She was a little surprised that Daemon didn't reply to Kamiliki, so she picked up where his silence laid. "Thank you, Queen. We shall keep all ideas in mind while deciding where to den." She offered her another slight bow (more like a nod) with appreciation. The Queen seemed welcoming, even through such a hard time in her life, as well as her pride's.-A faint smile touched her as she nodded to the lioness' words, her own eyes casting towards the rocks.- "I'll escort you to the rocks if you'd like, but after that I suppose I ought to quit hiding for the day, and go about my duties."
"I'm sure if you have any other questions or problems there will be plenty of others ready to help."Daemon kept up padding along with Ruffian and Kami, eyes traveling over everything he had not seen in so long. He was an excited cub on the inside, he was trying to keep his composure on the outside. It was just so good to see the tall green grass, and Pride Rock in the not too far distance.
He wondered if his mother would be proud he came home.
"Yes, that would be very nice Kami," he said with a nod. He was also excited to see if he knew anyone here in the Pridelands, or found anyone that new his mother. Seemed unlikely, that was so long ago. Perhaps after they got to the rocks, he and Ruffian could go out and explore a bit, try to maybe find a den (he hoped together but time would tell) he also wanted to visit a spot if Ruffian would go with him.Ruffian's mind was mildly blank, just wondering how her life was going to turn now that she had a place to live in, where she was allowed to be. She mentally shrugged it off as she walked with her friend and the queen, deciding that it wasn't anything to worry about. Take it all one day at a time.
Already saying her thanks, she would of rather left and not go towards the rocks where most of the pride lived, she assumed, but it wasn't her place to make the decision. So she followed pace with Daemon, hoping that there wouldn't be too many lions around when they arrived. Perhaps she could slip away with Daemon right before they got to the rocks...-The whole thing made her a little self concious, quite obviously not used to the power or responsibility yet. She felt almost.. unworthy of toting and escorting the lions behind her into the lands. But then.. she wasn't anymore, no matter how much she felt it inside. Oh how Kiva would scold her for such dowry and guilty thoughts. And that drew up Kami's lips once more.
She remained silently, except for a few vague gestures as they made their way through the gold and green grasses. The hunting party tends to head that way. The largest watering hole is that way.-Daemon's eyes were cast upon everything, trying to bring back any memories he could seek out by seeing familiar things. The one thing that stood out was Pride Rock itself, it made him smile, it made him feel warm inside. He was glad he and Ruffian had come across Kami so soon as they arrived, it made him feel a bit more comfortable here, that he met teh queen just as he and Ruff came.
It finally hit him then, when the breeze gently crossed their path, bringing familiar scents back to him.
He was finally home.
And even moreos...Ruffian was staying too.
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