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 Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 3:56 pm
Zam smiled at Blakes words. "Well how long we stay will depend on Nieve. I'm not to worried 'bout my brother Atant. I'm more than sure he can care for himself but Nieve is dead set on finding'em. Keeps telling me that she can't be without her protector." Zam said with a shrug to show he couldn't understand Nieve's methods. At Blakes mention of Holly Zam's ears perked but he didn't say anything just yet. Could just be a coincedence, he thought to himself. However at the sight of the lioness Blake called Holly he knew instantly this was the teen he had met before. "Well Miss Holly, pleasure seein' ya again. Didn't realize this was yer home."
Nieve payed little attention to what Zam and Blake spoke of and when they finally came to the den she did little but give Holly a polite nod and a 'hello' before laying down in one of the comfy spots Blake had pointed out.
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 7:59 pm
Holly had just started to get over her shock, her ears perking again while a glint came into her eyes, and replied, "Small world isn't it!" when she finally spied the young cub as she looked at her and spoke. Everything about her fell into deep disappointment with that one single uttered word, though she struggled to keep her composure and please her father. It wouldn't do to be rude, after all, and so she bowed herself to the cub and said, "Hello, Nieve." Looking to her father (who was giving her a very odd look by this point) she asked, "Is there anything you wish me to do so that our guests can be made comfortable?"
Blake was indeed giving her a look of disbelief and confusion. Not only had he been surprised at Zam's comment to Holly, telling him they'd most certainly met before, but by the change in her personality soon as she saw the cub. She was no longer her usual playful self, instead she was a bit cold and formal. "Holly, are you okay?" Assured that she was fine, he said, "Why don't you go fetch them some food...perhaps a couple nice juicy rabbits for starters to satisfy them." He watched as Holly nodded her head, and careful not to look at Zam, she turned tail and headed towards the savannah at a run. Shaking his head, he turned to look at Zam and said, "Hmm, I must confess I've never seen Holly act like that. Forgive my daughter, something must be on her mind."
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:13 pm
Zam looked just as confused as Blake at Holly's actions. She'd been so cheerful just a second before she layed her gaze on Nieve. Zam looked over to Nieve who'd already fallen to sleep where she lay. What had caused Holly to look so sa.... Did she think Nieve was his daughter too? But why did she act so... heartbroken about it? He couldn't get it. Oh well he'd talk to her when she returned. Turning his gaze on Blake he smiled and shook his head. "It's alright. I can understand."
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:29 pm
Blake thought about asking if he knew why Holly was acting so weird, but decided that would be a bit rude, and so settled for asking, "I hope you find everything to your liking, as it seems Nieve has for the moment. Perhaps you should rest as well. Synda should be here shortly."
Holly took her time catching the rabbits, but still it wasn't long before she returned with three nice fat bunnies in her mouth. Obviously her skills had much improved since the last time they'd met, and it was with a bit of pride that she finally laid them down in front of Zam. Muttering something about hoping he liked them, she gave him a formal smile and removed herself to lay down by the shore of the pond on her favorite rock. Idly, she moved her paw in the water and watched the ripples expand outward, very quiet for her her usual demeanor. Though she didn't see it, she was glad her father thought better of asking her what was wrong and left her be to find her mother leaving the three of them alone.
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:42 pm
Zam nodded at Blakes words giving him a kind thank you before going and making himself comfortable. He layed not far from Nieve and watched her sleep until Holly returned and placed three rabbits before him. Glancing at the rabbits for just a moment he then turned his gaze on Holly as she layed down near a pond. Zam pondered just leaving her be but he couldn't make himself do it. Getting up Zam placed one of the rabbits next to Nieve so it would be there when she decided to wake and then he picked up the other two and walked over to sit next to Holly's rock. There he placed the rabbits down on the ground and turned his gaze on the pond. "I know what yer thinking... And yer wrong. Yer father thought the same thing. ...Nieve's not my daughter. She's a friend of a friend who we were both lookin' fer when we got together. When we lost the scent trail of our friend we just stuck together. It took all of my abilites to get'er to agree on giving up on the search fer now."
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:54 pm
Holly was surprised to sense Zam coming to lay down nearby but said nothing, neither discouraging or encourging his behavior. She was fighting for control of her whole being and though she listened to what he had to say (it was evident on how her ears perked as he spoke), still she didn't reply, now feeling not only embarrased but incredibly stupid. Even the thought that her father had made the same mistake didn't make her feel any better. Finally when she did speak, she only said, "And you'll be continuing your search for this friend soon? I do wish you much luck in your journeys." She was still a bit cold, not only now from her embarassment but the disappointment that he would be leaving soon. She had never told anyone that he'd been on her thoughts more and more lately since they'd met and spent the day together. Why she wasn't sure. Just a cub's fancy, perhaps. His leaving would be fine, she doubted she was his type anyways.
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:06 pm
Something about Holly's coldness hurt him to the core. Laying his ears flat against his head he looked down at the dead rabbits at his feet. "It's gonna be a while before Nieve is ever ready to really deal with the journey it will take to find Atant. I know he's more than a moon's walking distance around here. She'll have to be almost adult before we can ever leave and she seems to be a very slow grower..." Zambarau said his voice thick with a sadness he could not explain. "She's eh... actually older than I am... She's only a few moons younger than Atant and Atant is many moons older than me."
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:21 pm
Holly this time turned to look at him in sadness of her own. Nieve was older, yet...was she like Nova? "She sounds like my best friend Nova. Nova's the same size as Nieve, but is much older than me. I doubt she's as old as Nieve, but still...Nova was born long before she came to our pride and before Mom as even pregant with me and my brothers...Her mom, who's now the Queen of a neighboring pride, only found out recently she will remain a cub the rest of her life..." She laid her head back down sniffing a little, mostly cause the news had been nearly as hard on her as it had been on Nebula to accept. "I always hoped she'd grow up, but...she won't. The Guardians who loathe Nebula so much for wanting to be mortal are making her life hell, and now not only killed off her first mate, but made sure her daughter will never grow..."
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:46 pm
Zam sighed and he glanced away. So there were others like Nieve out there... He didn't rightly know why Nieve was the way she was but neither did Nieve. "It's nothing anyone can do anything about. It's sad but yer friend Nova will more than likely die the size she is. Heck Nieve may die the size she is. I don't know what made her the way she is all I know is that she can't travel at her size and I won't allow her to. She looked bad when I found her while on one of Atant's trails. She was pretty much half starved cause she couldn't catch anything bigger than a rabbit and she was lucky if she caught a rabbit. She told me she resorted to eating bugs at one time..."
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:00 pm
Holly nodded, thinking back to when Nebula telling her about when they'd arrived and Nova'd nearly died before they reached the pride, and the thought that she'd almost not met her friend made her tear up a little, but quickly she composed herself as best she could. "No, I suppose your right about all that...it's just sad to think they'll always be like that...yet in a way I envy it. They'll never loose their cub-like innocence...well, maybe they will..." Lost in thought, she actually laid her head in his mane seeking comfort from her sadness, and nearly closed her eyes before realizing she'd done something stupid again. Lifting her head, she resolutely stared at her paws and willed her face not to blush. "I'm sorry for how I've been acting, for that misunderstanding. Nieve will be safe here and well cared for and protected, no matter what happens. Perhaps she and Nova could meet...I'm sure they'd make wonderful friends."
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Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:24 am
Synda had been trying to get herself back together when the stranger came. She trotted from her little Oasis retreat toward the pride den. There, she saw Blake and a cub.
Quietly, she padded over and nudged Blake's shoulder. She gave him a gentle smile and whispered so as to not wake the sleeping one. "Synda sorry for being late. Synda....needed to deal with things." She gave a short sigh and flicked her tail. "Who cub? And Who else came? Where is Holly?" Her questionable manner was still apparent in her adult years as it was in her youth.
She settled on her haunches next to her mate leaning her head against his large mane. Synda closed her eyes and smiled a little just resting herself a bit. The sun had gotten quite hot, but it was still bearable.
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 4:34 am
Blake had been happy to see his mate so quickly, as he had been getting worried about why she'd not shown up and answered her questions quickly. "Her name is Nieve and she came with another lion named Zambarau Asadi. She's not his daughter, though. They were traveling together trying to find another lion but Zam finally talked her into giving up the search for now and asked to join the pride till she's bigger and more able to care for herself."
As Synda sat down and leaned her head into his mane, Blake laid his chin on her head and smiled. How he loved her! He could stay like this for a long time. Staring ahead, he saw Zam and Holly talking together quietly, Holly laying her head in his mane much like Synda had to his, and though she pulled her head back after a moment and blushed feircly, he couldn't help but grin and murmur to Synda, "I think our daughter has found someone..."
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:02 pm
Zam didn't move at all even when Holly laid her head in his mane. The only reaction he gave was a glance and a gleam in his eye that showed he didn't mind her laying her head in his mane. In fact when she lifted her head back up the gleam in his eyes was shadowed over by disappointment. "Don't appologize to me Miss Holly. Don't evar appologize to me. Don't feel like ya have to. Cause ya don't." He told her as he turned his gaze on her, his eyes carrying a tenderness even he couldn't manage to hide. "And I bet Nieve would like that. Not often she meets other cubs in the same condition as her."
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:45 pm
Holly looked at Zam in the eyes and what she saw made her smile and blush even worse. To say it made her whole soul melt would be an understatement. Mentally berating herself for having so little control over her emotions she asked, "Should we wait to ask her first before she met Nova, or should I go get her now? I know Nova'd be more than happy to come here asap, and I already know her mother doesn't mind as we each tend to make the trip between prides often...I mean, if I left right now and hurried right back, I'd be back by nightfall..." She was rambling now, half excited about Nova meeting someone like Nieve (and knowing it'd ease Nebula's mind that she wasn't alone as a permacub), and half...well she wasn't sure what the other half of it was caused by other than Zam's overall presence.
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 11:18 pm
"Nieve is welcome in pride as long as Nieve wants." Synda chuckled gently. "Ahh...Holly has grown, Blake. So have Neo and Halo. Children grew faster than Synda wanted..." Her tail flicked a little as she nosed Blake's cheek. "But Synda glad. Zambarau Asadi seems to be nice male." Her tail wrapped around Blake's as she looked over at her daughter.
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