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 Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:57 pm
Momma had said that Banjo could go play a bit outside the den, as long as he stayed where she could see him. Pleased with himself for being a good boy - Momma wasn't gonna let his sister Tia on her own again for a while, since she had run off and encountered that snake the other day - he began to cautiously explore his habitat.
So far in his short life, Banjoko had not met anyone outside his own family. He had only had his mother and sister as companions and didn't there was anything wrong with that.
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Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 6:29 pm
Muroki hadn't realised he'd wandered so close to a family den until he scented it - he'd been exploring his new home lands and had been lost in the little things. What plants grew here, how the light hit everything, and so on. The big picture however was that he'd strayed too close to what he supposed he shouldn't have.
The 'Walker was still new to these lands and a total stranger to most.
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Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 1:26 pm
Banojko was so busily absorbing all the sights and sounds of the environment around him, he barely noticed the newcomer in his little world. Having gotten too excited with the fresh air and the sunlight, he was skipping from this plant to that flower, running enthusiastically to experience everything around him.
The young cub wasn't looking up - everything he wanted to see what at his own eye-level. Not seeing the big male, the excited boy ran straight into him with a little thunk. "Oww," Banjoko said, before looking up at the big male who towered over him.
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Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 2:20 pm
"Oh!" A small bundle of white, black and blue had run straight into the adult before he'd even realised he was closer to company than he had thought. Muroki blinked down at the cub, both eyebrows raised in surprise. He was soon smiling softly and moving so as to give it...him?...the room to right himself. It didn't look like the colourful little one had hurt itself and it had hardly harmed Muro. Unlike some lions he'd known, he wasn't going to snarl at it.
"Hello there...you alright?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:36 pm
Banjo had never encountered a lion outside of his own little family, and had never seen an adult male. The sight of this big stranger was a little frightening to the small cub. For a moment he wavered between two decisions: he could run back into the den and hide behind Momma, or he could be brave. He decided right then and there that he was going to be a brave boy.
His mother had not told him much of the outside world, or of the proper way to greet a stranger. So he went from instinct. "Hullo," he said. Looking up at the tall stranger put his head at such an angle that he had to sit down. "I'm okay. It didn't hurt so much. You're big. Who are you?"
Banjo paused a moment, thinking. Deciding that he didn't want to sound rude, he added, "My name's Banjoko, an' my momma and my sister live right over there in that cave. Do you have a cave to live in too?"
The curious cub waited to hear the other's voice. The unfamiliar male was a novelty, an interesting thing in his new world; he wanted to know all about him but didn't know the questions to ask.
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Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:01 pm
By the gods...had he ever been that small? Muroki could vaguely remember Rahima's cubs, Hisani and her siblings when they were as small as Banjoko - no, even smaller. Tiny, mewing, just a bit little-r than the 'Walker had been himself way back when he looked to the lioness for protection and lived with them all.
He listened, amused, as the much smaller male introduced himself. Muroki waited for the string of information and questions to stop, so he could reply in turn.
"I'm" - don't give a false name, don't give a false name... - "Muroki, I'm a new member of the pride. I thought you might have lived over there with your momma. And yes, I'm going to live in a cave somewhere too."
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Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:33 pm
Muroki. It seemed slightly bizarre to him that there was this new person in his narrow world. It took his young mind a moment to let it sink in.
Banjoko rememberd to be polite and to wait for the other to finish talking before he began to speak again himself. But he was somewhat disgruntled that the other gave him so little information about himself. Banjoko wanted to know everything there was to know about everything, and everyone too! Ah well, maybe he would ask more questions later.
Just then, he heard his mother emerge from the cave behind him and approach the two males. "Banjo, what are you -- Oh. Hello..." Nzinga began, before seeing a strange face near her son. Though there seemed to be nothing dangerous about him - she was pretty sure no dangerous beings were allowed into the pride - her motherly instincts put her on guard. "I don't believe we've met. I am Nzinga, and it appears you've already met my son, Banjoko."
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 2:05 pm
"Greetings Nzinga. Sorry if I've strayed too close to your den, but I bumped into your charming son."
Muroki was well aware of how mothers sometimes reacted to males being near young. It caused the big male to step back from the younger as he dipped his head with customary respect at the female. Somewhere in his mind a vague memory stirred of the red lioness standing over him and his adopted siblings, the usually peaceful female baring her fangs at some threat...and even further back, Kwaheri, his golden birth mother fending off hyena and buzzard.
"I'm Muroki - I'm new to the pride."
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Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:37 pm
Banjoko didn't seem scared, and Nzinga knew the little tyke to be pretty nervous about new things and people. So the older lioness thought perhaps there was nothing dangerous about the male called Muroki. "Greetings, Muroki," she said, allowing a smile to break out. "I am fairly new to this region myself. My boy here, and my daughter Tia, were born here, however. It's nice to meet another adult, as I have spent too much time in the company of these little ones." As much as she loved her two cubs, it did make her a little crazy sometimes to be alone with them day in and day out. She chuckled. "So have you come with your family?"
The adults were talking now, and that made Banjoko kinda bored. He found momentary amusement in attempting to bring down the branch of a tall shrub.
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Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 1:42 am
"No, all the lions I call my family are wanderers. I'm the only one to have settled down." Muroki thought of the mass of red and monotone lions, and inwardly chuckled at the thought. He was the odd one out with his more 'natural' sandy pelt.
"How have you found life with this pride? Everyone I've met so far seems very peaceful and friendly. A welcome change for the lonely and dnagerous lands I was roaming before, I can tell you."
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 4:00 pm
"It's so peaceful here," Nzinga said. "So calm and safe...I enjoy it very much. My life used to be full of worry and strife, but now I can finally relax. I would like to stay here the rest of my days, fate willing." She smiled at the thought. Peace and relaxation.
Banjoko did not have peace or relaxation on his mind. He had somehow gotten himself stuck upside-down, clinging to the branch he had been playing with. Always trying to keep a brave face, he did not panic or call for his mother, but tried to solve the problem on his own. Eventually he was able to pry his claws out of the bark, which then resulted in his dropping unceremoniously onto his back with a THUD.
"Ouch," the cub said, seemingly suprised at the sudden turn of events.
Nzinga looked over to her son, cocked an eyebrow in amusement, and added, "Of course, these young ones will keep me on my toes for the a little while longer."
"Do you enjoy it here as I do?"
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 1:45 pm
"Oh I don't doubt they will. A lively lad, your son..." Muroki smiled over at the cub who'd just removed his claws, recalling a simular incident when he was younger. Except he'd got his stuck do fast Rahima had had to pull him free.
"So far, it's been a great place to stay and I hope I'll be happy here 'til the end of my days. Occasionally I think I'll wander out, see if my family are nearby, see how they are....that sort of thing." He made a vague gesture with his paw, the little wave of you know how it is.
"No where I've been has been like this place."
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:26 am
"Indeed, it is a great place." Nzinga swept her eyes over the beautiful, lush terrain, heard the breeze in the trees that brought the sounds of faint children's laughter. She was lost, for a moment, in tranquility.
It wasn't for a few minutes that she remembered that she was actually in the middle of a conversation, that perhaps Muroki was waiting on her to speak. Nzinga snapped back to reality, looked at Muroki, and realized she could find nothing more to say. A few moments of uncomfortable silence passed.
Then she felt a nudge on her paw. Banjoko was looking up at her earnestly. "Momma, I am hungry."
That gave her an out. "It has been very pleasant talking with you, Muroki. At time it is very refreshing to speak to an intelligent person, as the only ones I have for company are two cubs. We should speak again sometime." She smiled with sincere pleasure, picked up Banjoko gingerly in her jaws, and began walking towards the river.
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