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 Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:58 am
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Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:02 am
 [ "In the Shadows" ]
No sleep...
No sleep until I am done with finding the answer.
Won't stop...
Won't stop before I find a cure for this cancer.
Sometimes...
I feel I going down and so disconnected.
Somehow...
I know that I am haunted to be wanted.
I've been watching...
I've been waiting...
In the shadows for my time.
I've been searching...
I've been living...
For tomorrows all my life.
In the shadows...
In the shadows...
They say...
That i must learn to kill before i can feel safe.
But I...
I'd rather kill myself than turn into their slave.
Sometimes...
I feel that I should go and play with the thunder.
Somehow...
I just don't wanna stay and wait for a wonder.
I've been watching...
I've been waiting...
In the shadows for my time.
I've been searching...
I've been living...
For tomorrows all my life.
Lately I been walking walking in circles, watching waiting for something...
Feel me touch me heal me, come take me higher...
I've been watching...
I've been waiting...
I've been searching...
I've been living...
I've been watching...
I've been waiting...
I've been searching...
I've been living for tomorrows...
In the shadows...
In the shadows...
I've been waiting...
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Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:22 am
2.]
Zuko doesn't really have an extrodinary past, no more than any other member of the Ela'wadiyi, at least. A deep loss in his younger days simply found him feeling estranged among those that were once familiar.
When Zuko was born it was just months before the attack on the Ela'wadiyi by the marauders. He was well into his juvinile days before his parents gave him a younger sister. [The siblings were far from close. His sister lied to him often, and used every opprotunity she could to humiliate and best him in front of their parents and others. She also had a lack of compassion that left a deep rift between the two, though this fact was lost on them due to their youth.]
His mother was a gentle lioness and handled her children with a wealth of patience and a nurturing paw. Their father was much more distant of them, but this was simply his way. Zuko and his sister competed constantly for his pride and approval, and their mother was often there to soothe her son's frazzled nerves. He was already short tempered to begin with, his sister hardly helped matters. His mother was almost the only one to ever see him smile and to make him laugh. They were very close, and she tried her best to be a better influence on him than those of his father and sister.
When the attack came their mother was among the casualties, leaving behind a devastated son, an angry mate, and bitter daughter. Not surprisingly it was shortly after this that Zuko decided to leave. Having taken a devastating blow by the death of his lifegiver, and simultaneously feeling distanced, fed up, sickened and run in emotional circles by his sister's manipulative ways and his father's indifference it seemed to be the only logical choice to maintain his sanity.
Zuko has yet to find out what became of his father and sister, if anything, since he left before the Ela'wadiyi's journey to the new land was even halfway done. He disappeared for quite some time, actually, roaming on his own and earning a reputation for himself in his attempts to proove himself strong, worthy of recognition.
The combined emotional stress of his situation and his unrelenting determination to finally silence his sister's snide tongue and proove her wrong have left what few redeeming qualities he once had hard to find. His compassion is buried deeply now, hidden under months of hard words. He's cold, and respects women less and less the more that he comes by. It's as if he's resentful towards all females, simply for not being the mother that he lost. As if that weren't enough he's easily flustered by bolder females, and often lashes out in an attempt to hide his embarassment [vulnerability]. This has, needless to say, gotten him into trouble on quite a few ocassions.
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 11:47 pm
Tahja Estes 3.]
Zuko doesn't really have an extrodinary past, no more than any other member of the Ela'wadiyi, at least. A deep loss in his younger days simply found him feeling estranged among those that were once familiar.
When Zuko was born it was just months before the attack on the Ela'wadiyi by the marauders. He was well into his juvinile days before his parents gave him a younger sister. [The siblings were far from close. His sister lied to him often, and used every opprotunity she could to humiliate and best him in front of their parents and others. She also had a lack of compassion that left a deep rift between the two, though this fact was lost on them due to their youth.]
His mother was a gentle lioness and handled her children with a wealth of patience and a nurturing paw. Their father was much more distant of them, but this was simply his way. Zuko and his sister competed constantly for his pride and approval, and their mother was often there to soothe her son's frazzled nerves. He was already short tempered to begin with, his sister hardly helped matters. His mother was almost the only one to ever see him smile and to make him laugh. They were very close, and she tried her best to be a better influence on him than those of his father and sister.
When the attack came their mother was among the casualties, leaving behind a devastated son, an angry mate, and bitter daughter. Not surprisingly it was shortly after this that Zuko decided to leave. Having taken a devastating blow by the death of his lifegiver, and simultaneously feeling distanced, fed up, sickened and run in emotional circles by his sister's manipulative ways and his father's indifference it seemed to be the only logical choice to maintain his sanity.
Zuko has yet to find out what became of his father and sister, if anything, since he left before the Ela'wadiyi's journey to the new land was even halfway done. He disappeared for quite some time, actually, roaming on his own and earning a reputation for himself in his attempts to proove himself strong, worthy of recognition.
The combined emotional stress of his situation and his unrelenting determination to finally silence his sister's snide tongue and proove her wrong have left what few redeeming qualities he once had hard to find. His compassion is buried deeply now, hidden under months of hard words. He's cold, and respects women less and less the more that he comes by. It's as if he's resentful towards all females, simply for not being the mother that he lost. As if that weren't enough he's easily flustered by bolder females, and often lashes out in an attempt to hide his embarassment [vulnerability]. This has, needless to say, gotten him into trouble on quite a few ocassions.
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 11:59 pm
Tahja Estes 4.]
Zuko doesn't really have an extrodinary past, no more than any other member of the Ela'wadiyi, at least. A deep loss in his younger days simply found him feeling estranged among those that were once familiar.
When Zuko was born it was just months before the attack on the Ela'wadiyi by the marauders. He was well into his juvinile days before his parents gave him a younger sister. [The siblings were far from close. His sister lied to him often, and used every opprotunity she could to humiliate and best him in front of their parents and others. She also had a lack of compassion that left a deep rift between the two, though this fact was lost on them due to their youth.]
His mother was a gentle lioness and handled her children with a wealth of patience and a nurturing paw. Their father was much more distant of them, but this was simply his way. Zuko and his sister competed constantly for his pride and approval, and their mother was often there to soothe her son's frazzled nerves. He was already short tempered to begin with, his sister hardly helped matters. His mother was almost the only one to ever see him smile and to make him laugh. They were very close, and she tried her best to be a better influence on him than those of his father and sister.
When the attack came their mother was among the casualties, leaving behind a devastated son, an angry mate, and bitter daughter. Not surprisingly it was shortly after this that Zuko decided to leave. Having taken a devastating blow by the death of his lifegiver, and simultaneously feeling distanced, fed up, sickened and run in emotional circles by his sister's manipulative ways and his father's indifference it seemed to be the only logical choice to maintain his sanity.
Zuko has yet to find out what became of his father and sister, if anything, since he left before the Ela'wadiyi's journey to the new land was even halfway done. He disappeared for quite some time, actually, roaming on his own and earning a reputation for himself in his attempts to proove himself strong, worthy of recognition.
The combined emotional stress of his situation and his unrelenting determination to finally silence his sister's snide tongue and proove her wrong have left what few redeeming qualities he once had hard to find. His compassion is buried deeply now, hidden under months of hard words. He's cold, and respects women less and less the more that he comes by. It's as if he's resentful towards all females, simply for not being the mother that he lost. As if that weren't enough he's easily flustered by bolder females, and often lashes out in an attempt to hide his embarassment [vulnerability]. This has, needless to say, gotten him into trouble on quite a few ocassions.
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:02 am
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:03 am
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:03 am
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Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 1:05 pm
How she'd managed to slip away unnoticed was beyond her yet... maybe their father was simply so preoccupied with his own matters that he didn't have time to pay attention to what one of his children were up to. You'd think she was a cub instead of an adult!
The scarred female made her way slowly through these strange lands, eyes taking in the sights without really seeing. There was a large rock formation that she could see in the distance. She only recalled it subconciously in dreams, however, as her birth pride. Dessert stretched out beyond her eye's physical capacity. What she could make out clearly were lush grasses, which were just too tempting to resist any longer. Tai was weary from her travels, and so far had not found that which she had been desperately searching for...
~I just need to rest my eyes, just for a little while.~
And if she should be happened upon, she'd have to go from there, but she couldn't take another step.
Mteuli loped along through the tall sea of light green, his sandy and black colored standing out rather easily. Small animals scurried away as he came near and Zebra and Antalope dashed away. He didn't rightly care, however, since he wasn't hunting anyhow. His fluffy form moved rather elegantly for his size. He seemed rather relaxed and calm, gazing at his surroundings absently with a small smile on his maw. Ah, the joys of traveling. He did miss his home rather, but...it was always a joy to see new places and meet new people. He didn't really bother trying to explain it to Mteule, since he wasn't sure he'd understand.
"Mm....?" He blinked slowly as his gaze fell onto a white from a few feet away, looking tired. His ears smoothed forward and he loped over with polite curiousity. "Are you alright, my dear?"
Tai immediately felt her body tense, though the change was more an invisible ripple of muscle beneath her fur. Instinct told her not to try to run, but to brace herself instead, sadly. She immediately swiveled her head around enough to look at the male, though she kept herself low to the ground. Her scratched eye came into view as she gazed back at the male pride cat through dusty ocean blue.
"I... I'm alright. I'm sorry if I shouldn't be here," She added quietly, not in a shy tone, but uncertain all the same.
"Forgive me, Miss, but you do not look in top shape, excuse my forwardness," Mteuli said in a casual way, sounding as if he was only musing over the idea. "And not be here? Nonesense. This land belongs to no one, and even if it were the land of my pride you'd be welcome." He settled back on his haunches, a few feet away as to not make her feet sufficated or threatened or anything such thing.
A jungle...? She'd traveled through the jungle, or a jungle, rather, in any event.
She rested her head on her paws, trying to at least appear comfortable for all that it was worth. She actually did seem to be put somewhat at ease, he had a gentle air about him that didn't set off any sense of panic within the female, something she hadn't had in a long while yet.
"My name is Tai, but I'm hardly from anyplace so noteworthy."
She hated her home, full of miscrients and monsters as it was, lions roaming everywhere that would just as soon rape you as look at you... It was horrible, and her father had no regard for female life whatsoever. He terrorized the surrounding prides and acted like an overall tyrant.
"Tai...lovely name. A pleasure to meet you," He dipped his head in a small, smooth yet somewhat casual seeming bow. He cocked a brow at her being from nowhere noteworthy. Ah...not something she wished to speak of, it seemed. It was a shame, to having something troubling the fair lioness so. "Well, it is surely good to know, then, that it is not the place that makes the lion, mm? For you do not seem to corrispond witht he word describing your home."
Her birthpride was much kinder, incidentally, and so had been her mother. It was just a shame that she hadn't more backbone to give her daughters, it seemed.
"Likewise," She answered in a kindred tone, softspoken and scincere. "and thank you for your kind words..."
He, on the other hand, had been lucky enough to grow up in a wonderful home. Though that didn't leave the seer male without small problems of his own, he did not take the place for granted. "Not simply words, my lady. Beliefs," He smiled softly, tilting his head slightly before glancing towards the sky. It was nearing dusk now the sky had begun to show changes in color.
Tai didn't know what more to say, but had other reasons for diverting her eyes however discreetly. In doing so she also became aware of the hour by the firey glow that the sky was beginning to slowly cast, bathing both of them in orange, gold, and red hues, but her white pelt much more noticeably. She'd stand out like a wounded zebra in croc infested waters at this rate.
"I should be on my way, kind sir," She murmered quietly, rising wearily to her paws again. The rest had been brief, but she did not want to be out in the open come nightfall when her fellow predators began to roam.
"You look weary still," Mteuli commented, his eyes still on the sky. He didn't make a move to stop her, but the smooth way his voice moved, like water over stones, somehow suggested she should stay. "You shouldn't push yourself too hard, Miss. Some damage can take a lot longer to heal then it can to inflict. And this is as good a place as any to stop."
"I'm afraid it isn't." She answered, seeming to decide on heading in the direction of west, maybe she'd find a rock formation she could hide herself away in. She'd sooner risk injury than the alternative. She couldn't defend herself in her condition as it was. She barely passed as healthy. "I appreciate your concern, Mteuli, but I don't feel comfortable sleeping out in the open like this."
She was definately afraid of something, but what it was he couldn't quite place. Ah, how he wished his visions and gifts from Kiva were not so random. It would be nice to use it to help for a change. His ear twitched thoughtfully, "Mm...any particular resting place you were prefer then?" He was comfortable leaving her to run herself into the groud, if on purpose or accident.
Tai paused, not looking at him directly, but shifting her eyes in the direction she knew he was resting still. Should she trust this male...? How could she know he wouldn't turn on her once night fell?
Then again, if he planned anything like that she was already in trouble, it didn't matter the hour or if she went off on her own or not. He knew her scent now.
What she wouldn't give to go back to a time when she was allowed to be more trusting, when youth protected her from such fears...
"Just someplace safe..." She sighed, near inaudibly. The sentence was meant only for herself.
He could tell she didn't like being around him, especially in the growing dark. Did she perhaps fear males? It was entirely possible. He wanted to sigh in slight dismay, but withheld himself. It was not the time to be selfish. Not everyone could like him, he supposed...he was just rather used to it.
He stretched out his front paws slightly and then shifted onto all fours. "I do believe there was a nice rock resting beneath a tree not far away. Perhpas I could take you there...and then leave you as you please, since you seem to prefer it as such." While the comment normally would have seemed accusing, the way his sweet, soft tone suggested it made it seem normal and natural. He had no hard feelings towards her and did not seem to place any blame, or try to put any guilt, upon her.
Nor did she react as though she felt guilty. Her reasons were her own, and though it hadn't been her intention to direct any accusation at anyone, and she certainly hadn't disenjoyed his company so far, she still couldn't help her wariness.
"I would appreciate the escort, but I really don't want to put you to any trouble." She answered carefully.
"It is no trouble at all, My Dear. I'm heading in that direction anyway, I believe," he answered simply, patiently. He had figured she wouldn't want his help, no matter how safe he made it appear. She just didn't want to trust him, not even as far as she could throw him. Anyone else might have started to feel bitter towards her caution or even simply given up and walked away. But Mteuli was not that kind of male. He could persist if he felt his intetions were right.
Tai seemed to relent, for reasons unknown at that point. She simply nodded softly and paused, waiting for him to come up alongside of her and lead the way.
He moved forward at nod with a small smile, "It's not far." Giving her space to be comfortable, he loped along ahead slightly, mvoing to where his memory clearly told him there would be some shelter. Well, he was grateful that she was going to follow him, at least. Finding her a place to rest would set his mind more at ease. Wandering while so worn was not the best idea, after all.
She'd follow at the best pace she could manage, easing into a light pace. They moved in silence, however. Her thoughts churned like rapids through her mind...
Mteuli allowed them to walk in silence, not wanting to trouble her when it was obvious she was distracted by her inner musings. So he led the way steadily, making good time but being sure to not to push her physically, especially when she was so tired. Finally the rock came into view, a dark shadow under the black shape of a tree against the horizon, "There we go, my dear. That should be good, should it not?"
It would indeed, a shelter away from prying eyes, and not many would bother with it as it was not raining nor hot, nor too cold yet. Yet.
As though that weren't enough, Tai actually found herself dreading being alone again once Mteuli left. He'd be taking with him some vague sense of protection that he'd offered...
"Yes..." She answered, clearly conflicted.
If seers were mind readers, then he could have easily be acused of one. For, he asked then, "Would you mind terribly if I slept in the field beyond? I think I would like a nice rest before heading out in the morning." He hoped he had not read her wrong. That worry had also had him requesting to be at a distance from her, but still somewhat near. It should, he hoped, not trouble her mind too much to have him about 50 feet away or so, should it? He hoped not. If she felt that was too near or she wanted to be alone he'd carry on. He wasn't one to want to cause her more worry, as he didn't feel he was worth it, after all. He didn't wish to add to her troubles.
Now that seemed a fine solution to the problem. She wouldn't feel like she was completely defenseless nor completely open to attack!
"I wouldn't," She conceeded, careful to keep any excess emotion out of her voice beyond the polite tone of before.
"Ah, I thank you," He smiled warmly. He was glad to have seemed to have gotten it right. "Well, I wish you good night, My Lady. Sweet dreams." He slipped off as the darkness finally began to set in, moving smoothly along through the grasses until he was a clear distance away before setting down.
Tai watched the male move away into the distance, murmering a good night after him as he went before settling down under her own shelter for the night. She hoped he wouldn't be too cold or anything.
She roamed over the area once more with calm eyes, resting her head on her paws and curling up. It was going to be a long night...
Mteuli awoke with a slip of his maw into a silence yawn, the rays of the sun digging through his eyelids. He had slept rather well and been rather warm in the night. After all, he was a big fluff ball, so getting cold shouldn't be a problem. He blinked his eyes opened and stretched his paws forward. Mm...the air smelled like dew.
Sitting up he glanced at the slowly lightening sky before looking over his shoulder. He wondered if that female was doing alright.
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Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:31 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 2:05 pm
Afu It was mid-morning and Afu had paused for a little snooze in the shadows of a small group of acacia trees on the savannah. She's near the border of the Pridelands, she does know that much: but other than that little bit of geographical knowledge, she's not too worried about where she is otherwise.
The flies were out with a vengeance today, it seemed, as Afu's tail flicked in annoyance at more of the buzzing creatures. She's not one for mudbaths, but she wouldn't have been able to anyways: the option isn't available. The nearest waterhole is several miles south, a long, sluggish trek over the flatlands. The blazing sun beat mercilessly down onto the dusty earth, and it was just too hot to move across the ground. The black lioness's pawpads, used to such things, still protested at moving anywhere except in the shade, so in the shade she'll stay...all day, if need be. Night will come soon enough, and with it, blessed coolness.
The lioness grumbled, shutting her eyes as she shifts to another position, trying to get comfortable despite the heat. Her skin itches everywhere, and it's just no use: sleep won't come. She'll just have to endure the day in a kind of miserable half-trance. Her snort raises a little cloud of dust in front of her, which she watches out of half-lidded purple eyes. Even the distances are deceptive today...there's odd shimmers on the horizon, both near and far, wherever she looks. Afu closes her eyes. She does not feel equal to the day. Elly Those that thought flying was a blessing with no downfalls were truely blissfully ignorant. If the heat was unberable on the ground, surely it was ten times worse the closer one flew to the sun.
She was so high up that she didn't even cast an actual shadow below, at least not much of one. Elly wished her brother was around today, maybe he could make up some clouds to give off some kind of cover from the beating rays of sunlight. What had the sun god so intense today anyway? The young goddess finally relented. She just couldn't take this anymore!
She tucked her wings in to her sides and leaned forward, stooping into a steep dive towards earth. The air whipped over her fur, and she laughed. Of course, why hadn't she thought to do this sooner? Ah, it didn't matter much now. The grasses of the Pridelands stood vibrantly crisp in the distance, but instead of visiting those lands she opted to land closer to the border, on the outside to be exact. The dusty goddess wasn't even aware that another was in the area, mistaking the black figure for some type of hole or pit from the corner of her eyes.
A quick flare of her wings, a backstroke (She didn't need her wings to fly, but it did make controlling her flight much easier, she'd found.), and she pushed her paws out underneath her again, landing with a few forward steps of leftover momentum. She shut her own violet eyes to shake out the wild plume of fur on her head and the back of her neck, did the same for her wings, then tucked them in again and turned, looking for that shadow in hopes of finding a nice hole to shade herself in...
Eyes narrowed, that was no hole at all, for since when were pits and holes lumpy?! Well! Now she was just irritated! How dare that thing-- whatever it was-- trick her like that! She'd give it a piece of her mind, she thought as she marched boldly towards it, granted it was alive and not just food for those ugly vulture birds. Afu It's the shifting of the air currents that alert Afu to the cub's presense: her nose, much better than any human's, twitches into action of it's own accord, wrinkling and unwrinkling as it tries to sort through the new scent amid the hundreds of other scents. It's hard going; the heat makes everything dull. Finally admitting to herself that she won't figure it out for another twenty minutes at this rate, one sharp purple eye is uncovered amidst the black 'lump,' and the head of a feline slowly rises in the shade. Afu's gaze is similar to a snake ready to strike: it's clear she does not take well to being woken in such a fashion. Or at all, really, it probably would not have mattered how she was woken, simply that she was.
The sharp comment that's on her tongue dies away, however, as she spots just what interrupted her from her siesta. It's a lion cub, but like no one Afu has ever seen...it has wings like a magnificant bird, only they suit the lion, not the avian, in their wingspan. The dark lioness frowns, taking the time to carelessly cross her forepaws as she studies the odd creature before her. It looked about as irate as she felt, but still very young. Unless she's greatly mistaken, this is a child of the species. Probably a predator. An air predator...she wonders why she hasn't heard of this before. But maybe there's not much of an advantage to flying, not out in the savannah where a preybeast could see you coming from miles away.
One of Afu's brows raise as Chamchela comes closer, and she flicks her tail in slight warning. Elly "Just what are you doing acting like a hole?"
An odd.... question? Demand? Surely it wouldn't make much, if any sense to the unfortunate lioness that had captured Chamchela's attention.
Elly paused not even a yard away, standing before Afu with her head held high and her chest somewhat puffed out. Her winged tail slashed at the air once before arching up somewhat over her back, only to tick back the other way again, restless. Afu The purple eyes narrow to slits.
"Goodness, didn't your parents teach you better manners?" She questions, with a smile that doesn't quite meet her eyes. Afu entirely ignores the question, content to stay in her little bit of shade and snip back at the cub rather than move out of it. "If you want an answer, I suggest you ask the question again, and this time be a little more polite." Elly The cub hissed, baring, for the moment, harmless fangs in an expression of utmost displeasure. Above all else, Elly had really come to hate being bossed around by adults, and only in fact seemed to tolerate it when the direction came from her teacher (Mrost), her mother (Kiva), grandfather (Ukali), or her stepfather on truely rare ocassions (Ororo). She certainly wasn't going to put up with it from some mortal that she didn't even know.
"I don't -need- manners! I'm a goddess, and goddess' don't take orders from mortals!" She snuffed matter of factly and quite fearlessly despite Afu's much larger size, little black claws scratching miniature trenches into the ground. Quote: Surprisingly, Afu only grinned at her, but there was warning in the grin: her teeth flash white against her black fur. "Temper, temper," She murmurs. "Your tongue is going to get you into trouble someday, goddess." The last word is openly mocking: it's hard to tell if the dark lioness actually believes her, or if she's just being derisive.
"Has it ever occured to you, little sparrow, that it would be wise to find out who you're speaking to before you go and insult them? You might someday find out you've bitten off far more than you can chew. And judging by your size and tongue," she adds, eyeing the cub up, "...that'll be sooner rather than later, and your pretty little hide won't look so nice with a few holes through it." Quote: Chamchela's only response to the first bit of Afu's response was to glower in irritation, brooding in silence. She was a tad too young to fully grasp that she was being insulted, but she was more than quick enough to pick up on the possibility that Afu didn't believe her claim. What was morer, she bitterly realized that this dark lioness was right. Mother had a mortal disguise, so it was entirely possible that the one before her was just using one as well. What if she was another goddess like herself, or mother, or grandmother even?
The cub growled audibly, lips quivering over her teeth from the force. She roughly scuffed the ground with one paw, kicking up dust and dirt to send it floating somewhere to her left. She hated being wrong, even more than she hated being bossed around, and she hated -admitting- she was wrong even more than just BEING wrong.
"Whatever." She muttered sharply, though it was somewhat clear that the point had been made. "I can defend myself just fine." She practically sulked, purple gaze finding Afu again with the same glower in place. "And anyway, shouldn't you be taking your own advice?" Quote: The dark lioness watched the cub's actions with cool interest, before turning and licking her shoulder once, coiling her tail around her relaxed form. Afu gives a little indulgent smile at the 'defense' comment, designed to offend.
She actually laughed at the next statement. "That's the advantage of being an adult. You can generally get away with more at my age than at yours." The cub vaguely reminds her of herself or her half-siblings when they were younger...well, perhaps she hadn't been so openly defiant, but she had certainly been thinking it. "But yes, even I have to be careful," she says, her lip rising in a very slight sneer. She's had her own share of mistakes over the past, but she's also not fool enough not to learn from them. "I assume if you had the capacity to hurt me already, you would have done so, not sit around insulting me. Bullies insult, sparrow, and they're really cowards at heart. It's not generally how one likes to be portrayed." Quote: Elly glowered further, directing her glare to the ground for a moment and dismissing her irritation for the time being, trying to at least. Once satisfied, she returned her gaze to Afu again, confidence and certainty restored. She seemed to have relented now that she found that she had been outsmarted. If what Afu said was true, Elly couldn't wait to grow up now. If people in their pride respected her -now-, just imagine how they'd be when she was a fully fledged goddess! Would she ever get offerings like mother did?
"I didn't come down here to beat up anyone, and my name's Chamchela, not sparrow."
To the point, blunt, and naive yet, all traits that made it clear that she was still every bit the cub that her size made her out to be. She'd no doubt be a dangerous force to mess with once she had some age and experience to back her. And though she was a bit more reluctant to do so now, she -was- learning from mistakes, but more so from those around her, like most children did. Mrost and her grandfather served as something like role models-- lions she wanted to grow up to be like-- Strength and War... Then there was this new lioness, whom, Elly would admit, she was starting to admire. She liked that the older female wasn't impressed, even though it hurt her pride and her little ego to acknowledge it. She bet that NO one bossed -her- around, not even her own parents! Quote: Afu closed her eyes. She's bactually glad that the cub doesn't prolong the arguement...she's too blasted hot at the moment to keep going at this rate, and she wanted to avoid physical blows for the same reason. At least the brown whirlwind was smart enough to catch on, and the dark lioness was intelligent enough to know when she'd won enough to stop verbally poking at the child.
"And mine's Afu," she says, opening her eyes again. It's on the tip of her tongue to ask just what Chamchela is, but she decides against it: the girl's just far too cocky for her own good, and if she decides that she had the upper paw again, things could go back to being messy, with no hope of Afu salvaging the conversation. Her brain slowly snags on the first part of their exchange, and she frowns again, puzzled. "Whyever were you looking for holes, Chamchela?" Quote: Afu. Right. Short and to the point, and Chamchela liked it, much better than her own name, which came off clumsy to her young tongue. She preferred her nickname, but didn't usually give that so freely to strangers.
Elly seemed reminded of the heat just then, with Afu's question, and tiredly planted her hind quarters on the parched ground, ignoring the discomfort in favor of some semblance of rest. One wing tucked in, her tail curling around her paws, while the other wing lifted in an attempt to shield her from the blazing heat much like Afu's shade was doing.
"Well, holes are good for shade because the sun can't always get in em'. Right? Your fur is so dark that I thought you were a pit up from overhead." Quote: "Come on in the shade, then, it's a few degrees cooler, at any rate," she remarks dryly. "And yes, I do, that. Nighttime is much better for me, and not just because of the temperature. I wouldn't say no to a waterhole right now, but..." She shrugs, not wanting to admit that she probably wouldn't make it to the next waterhole without some serious effort on her part. This weather was just as bad as the desert. The next place Afu decides to settle in, she's going to make certain it has plenty of water, all the time. Quote: Happy to take that advice, oh certainly. Elly didn't waste a moment in relocating herself, moving alongside Afu's dark form and turned. Once happy with the spacing, she shifted to sit, then lie down, letting her tail flop where it may. She even let her wings flop where they may, too hot to keep them tucked in close. She grunted in response to the water hole comment, and fell silent.
It wouldn't last long though, curiosity struck up again and got the better of Elly. She rested her chin on her paws and peered over and up at Afu from the corner of one eye.
"It's hot like this where I used to live, too, but there's water everywhere. Are you from here?" Quote: This was definitely one of the odder meetings between Afu and another living being. Normally, she didn't converse with children...she left them to their parents to deal with, and the orphan brats, she ignored. Of her own daughter, she'd barely seen, much less paid attention to beyond the basics. Motherly affection did not run deep in Afu. So a part of her is rather surprised when the brown cub takes her up on the offer, flopping down in the shade like - Afu still can't resist the comparison - a fledgling sparrow exhausted after a long flight. She resists smirking, instead stretching out to her fullest and uncrossing her forepaws, instinctively, to lose the maximum amount of heat.
She would be content to stay silent, but that wasn't to be. Grumpily, she kicks her brain in gear again as the cub questions her.
"Hmm? Ah - no. I come a long way from the west, where it's cooler and rains more often. Still, I've lived in a desert, which is about the same as this at this time of year." Afu's eyes settle on Chamchela, and she wonders if there are others like her, or if she's just an odd freak of nature. "What was this place called, that you and your parents are from?" Quote: Elly was no mindreader, thankfully, for even if it wasn't a direct insult she likely wouldn't have taken kindly to being compared to a freak of nature, though then again, who knew, maybe she would if she were a little older. For the time being she just laid there and let Afu spin and shoot the question back at her.
"They call themselves the Unity Walkers or something. My mom is a guardian to them, or... whatever, I guess. I dunno where my real dad is though, my mother refuses to talk about him." She confessed, with completely blunt honesty. Quote: Afu fortunately (or unfortunately) never had that problem. She knew quite clearly who her mother and father were, and that neither of them had much time for her. Not that she had cared. She was quite ready to leave them behind, and she doubts the cub was missing much in her life, particularly if her mother doesn't want to talk about it...that doesn't point to a caring and kind father.
"Unity Walkers..." she murmurs, diving into her memory of prides she'd met up with. She shakes her head, however. "That's one pride I've not yet come across." Guardian? Perhaps that was the best option for these winged creatures...the pride could feed and sustain them, and they could warn of...what? Impending danger? Danger within the pride?
"I doubt you're missing much, not knowing a parent. It's better for you anyway...you learn to become more reliable to yourself sooner." Quote: Not that Elly would've known, but it was likely that not many knew of the Unity Walkers at all. For years the pride had laid dormant, after the divide. It was all much too far beyond Elly's time for her to understand.
She began to examine the bracelet on her right forepaw, picking at the fangs that clattered on her ankle with one claw.
"He sounded totally boring anyway. Mom said my brother takes after him a lot, and all -he- does is sit around and stare at the clouds all day."
~Tornados are -much- better in my opinion.~
Biased much? Yes, rather, unfortunately. She looked up at Afu again then and nodded in agreement.
"I don't miss him. I sure don't need him to take care of myself. I even already taught myself how to use my powers some." Quote: Hmm. A dreamer, then. Definitely not someone that would get anything accomplished...and probably less of a help to a mother than a chattering squirrel. After all, you could eat the squirrel if it got too annoying.
But it's the last statement that piques, for the second time since the winged cub's arrival, Afu's interest. It's only seen in the barest flicker of her eyes, but she lazily raises her head again, blinking. It was the way Chamchela made the statement that made her wonder..."What can you do?" She questions, quietly. Quote: The baby's eyes lit up as she gazed up at the black "jeweled" lioness, like the attention-hound that she was. Even the slightest hint of intrest was enough to get her going, though it was too hot to be prancing around, so she opted to stay seated where she was, well, laying down anyway.
"I make tornados! Like the one on my necklace."
Her chin tilted up briefly to give a better view, the small dusty-lavendar charm dragging a little on the ground.
"You want to see?" Quote: "Yes, please," Afu says graciously, eyeing the child. She's not sure what this 'power' is, nor what to expect, but she knows what a tornado is...well, somewhat. She's never actually seen one, but she's heard them described; like the dust storms one sometimes sees in the desert.
The dark lioness falls quiet, attentive. Quote: Well, that was reason enough for Elly to actually get off of her lazy bum and get up, back out into the heat. Her mother didn't really... allow her to use her powers due to the damage it could cause, and the only time Elly got to do so was when with Mrost, so she was grateful for any chance to spend some time working with her domain, and Mrost had taught her not only how to create them and maintain the small ones, but how to squelch them too, to keep damage from going out of her intended range. She -had- learned some control in that right, thankfully. Eventually she'd be able to control larger ones, when she was older he said...
She pulled herself to her paws then, padding back out into the heat, ignoring the discomfort to her pawpads. Rearing back to sit on her haunches, Chamchela lifted one forepaw, spinning one claw in a circular motion. The first second or two produced nothing, but then dust and dirt could be seen gathering, and as the funnel grew, so did the wind in the area pick up. Once it was large enough to maintain without her manipulation Chamchela stood up again and stepped back, blowing on it like a human would be seen doing with flames. The twister began to whistle and howl a bit as it gained life, eventually the size of a tree.
She maintained that size then, not wanting her companion to get sucked in. Carefully she glanced back, curious to see what Afu thought. Quote: It's a good thing that Chamchela is so intent on her small whirlwind to notice the astonishment that transforms Afu's normally controlled features, and a sharp intake of breath, more like a hiss, that comes from her. The dark lioness had never seen anything like this before...! Nor had she heard of it, except in myths and legends that none but a child would believe. What is Chamchela? Can all of her kind do this? A million questions zip through Afu's head, all directly related to the question: Can I make use of this?
She trembles: not out of fear, but from excitement. She struggles to get herself under control, however...it'd do no good to look surprised, and so when the cub is looking in her direction again, she merely looks pleased, her pupils dilated slightly more than normal.
"Impressive," she comments dryly. "Did your mother teach you that?" And, she wondered, can anyone do that? Almost immediately she dismissed the thought. If she had any 'powers,' like this cub had, she surely would have figured out how to use them by now. Quote: Elly waited until she saw Afu's satisfaction to snuff out the Tornado, doing so with a scuff of her paw on the ground, and it simply dissipated all at once, almost poofing from existance. The dust and dirt the only evidence remaining that it had been there at all as it swirled about in the air and floated or plummeted back to Earth.
"Nuh uh. Mom's just the keeper of Unity. She doesn't have the same powers as me. I taught myself." She responded, a bit or pride tacked onto the last half, the child bounding back over to Afu's side, slowing to a confident trot as she reached the comfort of the shade again. "Grandpa and Mavu are the only other gods I know that have physical... do... domains." That -was- the word mom and Mrost used, wasn't it? She wished she'd paid more attention to that converstaion suddenly.
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