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 Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 1:22 pm
"No, I'm certain of it." The voice muttered faintly, low and shuddering with age, as green-toed paws squished through the damp swampland and a grass-like tail swished slowly in the air behind them. "I heard something coming from this direction."
She didn't wait for an answer as she made her way through the brush and towards the faint voices; she already knew very well what her companion's response would be.
"I know I've heard them before, but this time they're different, I think. They're solid.." She paused a moment, violet eyes darting as if she were searching for the words her mind had forgotten. "They're real."
The curious ramblings of the old lioness continued unanswered, as was typical. Harimu was an excellent companion, but sometimes his conversation was lacking. He sat there, eyes dulled, listening quietly as always.
The old girl pranced over a rotten log without missing a step, her walk like a graceful and unusual dance she had spent years perfecting; hopping over this, skirting around that. Her movements were as an unconscious habit not concerned with thought or consideration, the land was like a part of her own body and she knew every freckle and every wart on its skin. But she had not tread in this patch of it for a long time, and things were changing, she could feel it in her tired bones..
It was that change that caused her dance to come to a confused and abrupt stop, at the hand of an out-of-place vine positioned below her feet. The lioness struggled to regain her footing, but lost the battle and went crashing to the ground, Harimu falling with her. Her eyes gleamed with curiosity as she looked it over, the small fallen plant that had the power to disrupt her entire system. She frowned. "Trying to trick me, Kiwanda?"
Harimu had landed not so gracefully on his back before quickly squirming to his feet, a sound emanating from his throat as he called for his mistress. The sound rang in her ears as the low rumble of an irate lion cub, pleading for attention.
In any world other than her own however, it would be registered as more of an amphibious croak.
"Oh, there you are." The lioness smiled sweetly before scooping up her 'charge' with a paw, putting him back in his place; on the top of her head. "Try not to get lost, Harimu. We must stick together in these strange times.."
Harimu gave his standard reply. "Ribbit."
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 2:08 pm
Emerald eyes gazed about the new world in wonder. A name had been given and a life truly began. Johari was wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, and had bounded away from her siblings readily, eager for a day of adventure. Surely she wouldn't go far, and be missed by her family now would she?
Delicate ears perked up above those lush green eyes, as the sounds of another reached her sense of hearing. She wasn't far from the fated vine, and her tail swished in anticipation as she lowered her creamy buttermilk body to the ground. Elaborate designs in her markings didn't do much for hiding her, but she did her best attempt at stalking practice. Slowly, paw step by tiny paw step she advanced upon the voice that sounded so sweet.
Little Johari was doing just fine in the stalking department. That is, up until that tiny twig snuck up under her unsuspecting pawpad. A combination of a snap and a yowl pierced the quietness around them. The young cub, the dreamer of the litter, froze in her tracks, eyes wide and ears flattened against her skull. Had her 'prey' heard that? She remained frozen in time, awaiting her fate. Caught? Or lucky brush with danger? Only Kimu would be able to determine that....
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 2:41 pm
The old lioness' olive-green ears swiveled backwards in alarm at the odd sound, her brow furrowing in thought as her eyes searched for the source of the disturbance. The snap of a twig was strange indeed, but not so uncommon as to disrupt her calm. It was the high-pitched yowl that caught Kimulimuli off guard. It hadn't been so long that she'd forgotten that sound. She'd heard it often in her memories, her dreams. But the cub's yelp cut through the air like a knife as a sudden awakening to something completely new.
Kimulimuli's purple eyes widened with all the innocence and inquisitiveness of a child, despite the wrinkles rippling and fur graying around them, her maw widening into a good-natured grin as she finally caught sight of Johari. "Who's this now?"
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 3:05 pm
In all truth, the yowl was probably more of a squeak than a true yowl, especially in pitch. However, the effect was the same. When purple eyes trained upon her, the evergreen depths of Johari's own met them with a combination of wonder and curiosity, along with a twinge of pain as her paw throbbed.
"I....M'name is Johari..." It was about all she could spit out. This female didn't look like her mother at all. Nor did she look like her father. And she certainly didn't smell or look like anyone else she'd met yet either. "Who...whoare you?" Her stuttering wasn't something natural to her, and more pain induced than fear induced. True, there were times when Johari felt fear, but meeting new people wasn't one of those times. Every time she met a new face, it was a wonderful thing, so how could meeting a stranger ever be something to be afraid of? Her ears perked up a little, listening and watching to the world around her.
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 4:07 pm
Mng'aro had been sitting on his haunches, fascinated by the ripples on the surface of the water that surrounded their home. If he looked intently enough, he would swear that he could see the shapes, indistinct and blurred, of lions he'd never seen before, fighting, hunting, and even, at times, resting beneath the waves.
So intent was he on the ghost-like images playing out before him, that he almost fell into the water in surprise when the faint yowl of his sister reached his sensitive ears--he was the only one who'd heard it, most likely, since everyone else was either sleeping or out exploring.
Getting to his feet, the awkward pale cub bounded off in the direction he'd heard his sister cry out in, panting by the time he'd gone no farther than a few feet. As he made his way through the underbrush, pale fur smeared with grime, he began to feel as though his heart was going to explode, it was beating so fast. "Jo...hari?!" He cried out, voice hoarse, and the words interspersed with gasping attempts at getting enough air into his lungs...even the short run had him feeling slightly lightheaded, honeyed eyes a shade unfocused.
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Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 1:52 pm
"Johari.." Kimulimuli murmured quietly. She blinked slowly a few times just to make sure she was actually seeing the tiny cub. Before she could reflect further on this new mystery, the other small one bounded forth from the brush, heaving for air as if he'd just ran the entire stretch of the swamps and back. She turned her gaze towards him, vibrant purple irises peeking from the corners of her eyes.
The petite femme had stirred within her an odd recollection, even a feeling of familiarity, and it was even more present within this cub. His white fur sparked her fading memory; the colors were nearly exact to the Pale One, her niece's mate. Her eyes glistened with a slow recognition and she gave him a gentle and inviting smile.
"Chuju'mja, you've gotten so small." She mused quietly, her tone warm with informality. "Or perhaps I've gotten big.. I really haven't noticed."
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 5:20 am
In thinking no one else was nearby, Mng'aro was slightly mistaken. Nyoe had been wandering close to his brother and sister, and quite intentionally. Some might call it nosey, but he was really just a little overzealous in his self-appointed duty to watch out for his siblings sometimes.
He was a bit further away from Johari than his pale brother, but his tipped ears did pick up the faint sound of the squeaky yowl, and he sprang into a quick lope in his sister's direction. As he drew closer, he started to pick out voices...they didn't sound like anything was the matter.
So the brown cub slowed his steps, coming upon his sister, brother, and the stranger at a composed trot. The old lioness certainly looked like she belonged in the swamp, since she was the colors of it, but he definitely didn't know her.
Confidently, probably comically so, considering his age and size, he asked, "What's goin' on here?"
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 12:38 pm
The young lioness looked back gratefully at her littlest brother as he struggled to her aid. The pain in her paw was momentarily forgotten as she rushed to his side to ease his pace, and to give him a shoulder to lean on so he could catch his breath. It wasn't until after she'd placed herself beside him that she brought the wounded paw back down in such a manner that drove the twig further up under the offended pawpad. Another, more pained yowl, though softer in tone, slipped past her muzzle, and she raised the injured limb off the ground.
Nipping at the pawpad, the youngster tried to get the twig out, only succeeding in making a small trickle of blood that had been caused by the twig wedging itself up under her pawpad, a small stream, caused by her nibbling at the twig and moving it around, the injured part widening ever so slightly. Her nose slightly bloodied, marring the soft creamy fur around it, she looked to her brother Nyoe as he sauntered into view, a rather pitiful look within her evergreen eyes.
In the process of yowling and chewing at the terrible pain, the creamy femme hadn't heard the old lioness refer to Mng'aro as "Chuju'mja" though the name wouldn'tve rang any bells to her anyway. All she knew at this point was two familiar bodies were near, one unfamiliar, but seemingly friendly body was also nearby and no one was helping her with this pain in her paw.
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Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 12:36 pm
((Not sure who's turn it is, but it's been sitting for a bit. x_x;;.. So, I'm going. xD;;;;; ))
Kimulimuli stepped over to the little injured femme and instinctively nudged her paw up before licking at it to try and dislodge the twig, not bothering with any sort of formality. What was keeping social distance when one's paw was in mortal danger?
As she sniffed the little princess, it suddenly became clear who she was reminded of. The scent of the swamp was heavy on her, but also strong was a foreign smell. Although the little one had just uttered the name Johari, it flew out of the old lioness' mind as easily as a leaf skirting across the bog. "Young Swafi? Chuju'mja, your daughter has gotten as big as you!"
It took a few moments for her to notice yet another presence. She raised her head from the other pair and watched the third cub with raised brow, her mind swimming. There was no mistake who it was.. But it was quite odd. This one.. Wasn't it.. A male?
Her mouth went agape. "Tamu'harara, my girl.. How much you have changed."
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Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 7:29 pm
The twig was dislodged by the older lioness, and Johari's eyes sparkled in thanks up at Kimulimuli. Her ears turned like radars, listening to the strange names the old one spoke of. She hadn't heard this names ever before. Who were these lions theyw ere being mistaken for? Pawing at the older lioness, Johari giggled softly. This old one was quite the funny one, that she was!
Piping up, the creamy lioness replied out of turn. "What's your name!"
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