Khalima had traveled from her Jungle of Secrets to come here. Several days did it take to get here, but there was a reason that this is where she had chosen to meet with Makena, a cub she rescued moons ago. It was morning and the sun had already finished it's silent orchestra of colors and had begun to give way to the brighter clearer light. Her steps were cautions at first as she scouted out the the area, the grass was lush here because of how close to the swamp it was and the scent of water hung in the air here. She looked about carefully with those untamed green eyes, making sure there wasn't danger near because this area commonly had poisonous snakes and other... undesirable company. Seeing nothing to disrupt the meeting she had planned she circled back to a specific spot, right beside a large flat and dark gray stone that lay cupped in taller grass, however Khalima kept herself in the shorter part of the grass so that she could be seen. She sat on her haunches spotted haunches, her mind preparing for the meeting and the heavy topic they would speak of here for it was here, right here upon the stone behind her where everything happened and where it all started. This place felt like hard and bitter sweet memories, quiet as the faint warming breeze moved across the grass, moving it like green water in slow waves. It was here, Khalima waited for Makena, stilling herself as her green transparent shawl ruffled in the movement of the morning air.
Makena had waited a few days before leaving her new cub with her mother to make the journey to meet Khalima, at first she had been afraid Mavka would be worried she was abandoning him but he had been listening when she had talked with the spotted lioness so the young cub wasn't too worried, besides, he was getting some time with his grandmother too, Kamara also was happy to cubsit for her daughter, proud of the lioness she had become, sad that she wanted the answers, making Kamara feel, just for an instant, like she'd not been enough but she knew her daughter was her own person and needed to know, she thought Makena was very brave to go looking for the answers.
Not hurrying, but taking a little time too, lost in thoughts as she travelled, Makena made her way to the promised meeting point. She was both excited and afraid of what Khalima was going to say about her past. It took her a few hours, and the sun was reaching it's peak before she was able to see the familiar spotted coat. She carefully approached, not wanting to startle Khalima if the older lioness was sleeping. "Khalima?" she whispered, she didn't want to disturb her much either.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 5:24 am
Revel1984
Makena had waited a few days before leaving her new cub with her mother to make the journey to meet Khalima, at first she had been afraid Mavka would be worried she was abandoning him but he had been listening when she had talked with the spotted lioness so the young cub wasn't too worried, besides, he was getting some time with his grandmother too, Kamara also was happy to cubsit for her daughter, proud of the lioness she had become, sad that she wanted the answers, making Kamara feel, just for an instant, like she'd not been enough but she knew her daughter was her own person and needed to know, she thought Makena was very brave to go looking for the answers.
Not hurrying, but taking a little time too, lost in thoughts as she travelled, Makena made her way to the promised meeting point. She was both excited and afraid of what Khalima was going to say about her past. It took her a few hours, and the sun was reaching it's peak before she was able to see the familiar spotted coat. She carefully approached, not wanting to startle Khalima if the older lioness was sleeping. "Khalima?" she whispered, she didn't want to disturb her much either.
Khalima was sitting like a spotted statue, eyes closed and head slightly tilted downward, she wasn't sleeping but meditating while she waited. She was prepared for it take possibly days for Makena to arrive and she would have waited as long as she could. Thankfully it didn't take too much longer, only part of the way into the day when Makena had arrived, whispering Khalimas name. Her green orbs slowly opened and she slowly stood, sitting in the same position for several hours warranted her moving some so she walked a few paces, parting the thick and lush green around her to meet Makena with a soft nuzzle to Makena's moon adorned shoulder. Khalima's freckled tongue licked a few times over Makena's shoulder in a grooming way and then she spoke, her voice sounded somehow a little different out here, still ragged but less to echo off of here in the open. " Good to see Quiet Moon made it safely, how is your mother and Pulse doing? Is the cub being good?" She inquired, sitting back down onto her spotted haunches next to the once lost cub, all grown. Khalima had a presence to her that was hard to put ones paw on, it wasn't hesitation, yet wasn't sadness but just something heavy and somewhat comforting at the same time.
Makena was relieved she hadn't seemed to wake Khalima, she slowed her pace when the spotted lioness got up and walked towards her, closing her eyes for a second at the grooming. She bent her head and returned the favour. "Pulse, so that's his heart name" she said, smiling "Yes, they are fine, he seemed happy to spend some time with her on her own and mom likes having a small one around for now" she chuckled, it was early days and they were still figuring each other out around the new cub "I named him Mavka but i will remember his heart name" she gave the smaller lioness a gentle headbonk, much as she had in the jungle, before settling down into a resting position. "You said you would tell me where i came from..." she said matter of factly, she was hesitant to learn the knowledge but she wasn't going to back out now, she needed to know.
Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2025 8:54 am
Revel1984
Makena was relieved she hadn't seemed to wake Khalima, she slowed her pace when the spotted lioness got up and walked towards her, closing her eyes for a second at the grooming. She bent her head and returned the favour. "Pulse, so that's his heart name" she said, smiling "Yes, they are fine, he seemed happy to spend some time with her on her own and mom likes having a small one around for now" she chuckled, it was early days and they were still figuring each other out around the new cub "I named him Mavka but i will remember his heart name" she gave the smaller lioness a gentle headbonk, much as she had in the jungle, before settling down into a resting position. "You said you would tell me where i came from..." she said matter of factly, she was hesitant to learn the knowledge but she wasn't going to back out now, she needed to know.
Khalima have a small smile at the cubs new name, an approving look upon her face as she looked upward at Makena "That is a fiiine name indeed" . Her voice was a bit quieter here, almost like she didn't want to draw attention to them being here. Khalima's expression got a bit more serious as Makena cuts right to it, but still a softer expression. She turned away and started walking toward the berm of grass that cupped around the big flat stone that for now, wasn't visible. "Well then, let's go here. Less for prying eyes to see while we speeaak.. In order for me to give Quiet Moon what she asks, I must first tell a story, so that Quiet Moon has the entiiiire answer." She looked about as she quietly walked towards the taller grass, seemingly more cautious here than in the Jungle. It was interesting to see her out of her usual element, Khalima always had a different presence while in the Jungle, but here she doesn't act like the very top of the food chain. There is something that lives not far from here that keeps Khalima on her toes, Keeps her quiet and keeps her moving with her body a bit lower than usual.
Khalima have a small smile at the cubs new name, an approving look upon her face as she looked upward at Makena "That is a fiiine name indeed" . Her voice was a bit quieter here, almost like she didn't want to draw attention to them being here. Khalima's expression got a bit more serious as Makena cuts right to it, but still a softer expression. She turned away and started walking toward the berm of grass that cupped around the big flat stone that for now, wasn't visible. "Well then, let's go here. Less for prying eyes to see while we speeaak.. In order for me to give Quiet Moon what she asks, I must first tell a story, so that Quiet Moon has the entiiiire answer." She looked about as she quietly walked towards the taller grass, seemingly more cautious here than in the Jungle. It was interesting to see her out of her usual element, Khalima always had a different presence while in the Jungle, but here she doesn't act like the very top of the food chain. There is something that lives not far from here that keeps Khalima on her toes, Keeps her quiet and keeps her moving with her body a bit lower than usual.
Makena smiled wide when she caught the approving look Khalima gave to the name she had chosen for her cub.. Her cub... hers, her very own, she was so happy, recalling that just that morning he was tumbling around, playing with his grandmother's tail. She frowned though, when Khalima grew more serious, watching the change in the smaller lioness's demeanour, she was clearly not comfortable being out of her jungle but there seemed to be something else underlying, an edge of fear perhaps? Makena shook her head, What on earth has KHALIMA got to be afraid of? she thought to herself. She followed Khalima until they reached wherever it was the spotted, mysterious lioness wanted to get to. "Tell me your story" she asks, once they're at their destination.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2025 3:10 pm
Revel1984
Makena smiled wide when she caught the approving look Khalima gave to the name she had chosen for her cub.. Her cub... hers, her very own, she was so happy, recalling that just that morning he was tumbling around, playing with his grandmother's tail. She frowned though, when Khalima grew more serious, watching the change in the smaller lioness's demeanour, she was clearly not comfortable being out of her jungle but there seemed to be something else underlying, an edge of fear perhaps? Makena shook her head, What on earth has KHALIMA got to be afraid of? she thought to herself. She followed Khalima until they reached wherever it was the spotted, mysterious lioness wanted to get to. "Tell me your story" she asks, once they're at their destination
.
Khalima lead Makena thru the taller grass that was dense and smelled sweet and green, onto the large flat stone within. It was plenty big enough for both of them ands had some room to spare, it was also still cool to the touch even in the direct sun and a smooth deep gray. Khalima turned about to face Makena and she had a strange warm expression taking over her exotic face as she sat, folding her spotted tail nearly over her paws. She took a breath a moment and began her story with her jagged voice and green eyes that were looking at Makena but seeing something else altogether. “ let me tell this one of a beautiful and strong large lioness and her two beautiful cubs. Long ago, this lioness had brought to me her two cubs, where I stay near the boabab trees. Two tiny cubs who had fallen ill with a sickness that made them cough. Carefully, I examined them and she trusted me to do so. They felt feverish and hot to the touch, they were not skinny, but they were also not eating right because their liiiittllee noses was stuffed up and they could not breathe while they nursed. I immediately went to work, chewing some feverfew and assortments of other bitter things making a paste, making a medicine. For three days, they stayed with me with their mother and through the application of the medicine and her careful care they were able to breathe, eat, and begin to become well. It was the first time I had been around Cubs so very young, they were so small, barely had their eyes open and I thought for sure they would have been more frail. However, they surprised me with just how hardy they could be, and they didn’t even lose weight in the time that they couldn’t nurse. Their mother was tender, loving and very, very protective. Being such a large lioness, she seemed more than capable of defending them, as well as had the courage enough to do so. It takes courage to travel to me for assistance, although where I wait is more neutral ground, it’s still in the roguelands and it can still be dangerous with two tiny cubs. They were so small she could carry them both in her jaws at the same time and she did, she did so for several days in order to reach the shaman she had only but heard of and had never seen. Much later on after they had left, the thought of them never left my mind. However, I had realized I had uuusseedd most of my resources and needed to make a trip to the swamp land, not far from where we sit now. So I fed and in the night I left on my journey. Over the hill to the west of where we sit, is where my journey had led me, several days from where I haaaad started just after the sun set had lost all of its color, and the horizon grew dark. I began to hear terrible sounds from over the hill, roars and scuffling and the laughter of maaaany hyenas, so I laid flat of my belly and peered over its edge as much as I could in the dark. It was that very lioness I had helped several weeks before with her two sick cubs and she was in a fight for her and her cubs lives… completely surrounded by hyenas. There were so maaaannyy, that had I had gone down there to try and help it wouldn’t have mattered. I knew then that her fate was sealed no matter how hard she fought and I felt so useless to help. I cried in silence watching her try to protect her little oonness.” Khalima paused a moment, a deeply stabbing pain filled her heart with the memory, although she didn’t lose composure, a tear rolled down the left side of her face, leaving a darker stripe in her Speckled fur. She took a breath and continued. “ She battled them for hours, and in that time, one of the 16 hyenas had taken one of the cubs, killing her instantly. The lioness went into a raaaage and roared a sound that must have been heard by the spirits somewhere, the pain was tangible and I still could do nothing as even more hyenas showed up for the fight, as I watched. It wasn’t to last though, within an hour or sssooo, the lioness who I knew, fell silent. I knew it was over…” she paused again, a hard to read expression on her face and she took another breath, calming her mind and contented again, steady looking at Makena. “ I could not bare to watch them feed on her flesh, normally animals eating one another isn’t a sight that bothers me, but it did that night… But something in the air just told me to stay, to wait. For what I didn’t know but I waited. I waited for what felt like hours until they were done. It was early morning, but the moon was still out, when they had left and I was sure they were gone. So down the hill I went, where the ground was tooorrn and red. Nothing was there to see that I care to describe, however… I came to the center of the area where it had all happened, there was this large flat stone in the middle of mostly torn down tall grass…” she paused again giving Makena a moment before continuing. Her heart was pounding, she didn’t know if Makena was going to hate her for not trying to help, though it would be within her right to do so. She, after a moment, continued “ in what was left of the tall grass, a clump of it that had somehow gone untrampled, is where I found the lioness’ remaining cub. Alive, unharmed and frightened but….so very quiet under the fading moon. She was the youngest cub I had ever taken in. I brought the cub back to the jungle with meee and fed her the milk of an ancient moonflower in order to keep her alive.. That cub I named… Quiet Moon.. “ she stared at Makena with a bitter sweet expression and somewhat misty green eyes, she finished with the answer. “ No Makena, your mother loved you with all of her might, you were not abandoned out of rejection. And it was here, right here where one part of your story ended and another part began.” Khalima watched Makena, waited for her reaction with stillness much like when she waited to go down that bloodied hillside long ago.
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