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 Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:02 pm
After venturing out for a half a day, Nyumbani eventually turned tail and followed the instructions the other had given her. Sure, Tara was in danger, but in Ohahira's current state of madness, Nyu was assured that her sister wouldn't be getting anywhere soon.
She needed to check up on her sisters to make sure they were okay. For if they weren't, in any way, she'd half believe what Ohahira said. But it was never an excuse to kill their own kin. Never.
In any case, the Unity Walkers were much farther away than she'd previously imagined and she was having no luck in great pace getting there. This was stupid, frustrating and well, she simply wanted to scream her lights out and tear up the nearest tree.
Unfortunately, that was miles in the wrong direction.
"Curse you! You damn gods!" she shouted at nothing in particular. Really, if they hadn't run out on her, she wouldn't have thought they existed.
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:10 pm
Things were slow, but certainly not peaceful. Outwardly, yes, but Banji had been waging a mental war on himself since the day his paws had walked away from that pride.
Was it really his place to tell Tara those things? But she seemed so sad, and he was helpful by nature. He hadn't thought helping his niece would result in hurting his sister, who he had hurt so many times before.
He was a shameful old lion, and it would probably be best if they never saw him again.
But, fate was a b***h, and hearing the voice, he reacted before reasoning. "Nyumbani?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:13 pm
Nyumbani's head jerked up as though she had been bitten in the side.
But she was not mistaken. It was definately Banji. What the hell was he doing all the way out here?
"Banji!?" she squeaked, trotting over to meet up with him. Maybe she wouldn't have to take the trip to mother afterall.
"Why are you so far from mother?" As far as she knew, Hasana would never let him out of her sight again.
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:17 pm
Quite the contrary. Hasana was angry with him, she'd even yelled at him, told him to 'get away'. He knew she meant to leave her alone, not abandon the pride entirely, but he couldn't stand looking at those guilty eyes.
Hasana just wanted her daughter back. This time, her actual daughter, not anyone else but her.
"I've left the Unity Walkers," he told her, hoping the issue wouldn't be interrogated much further. "I thought you were with them. Why are you out here?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:29 pm
How could he think that? She'd been gone since the night Tara had left. Would have left with her in fact, but the child left her in sleep, as Nyumbani knew she would have, but put her trust in the other anyway. It had been a bitter morning that stretched into many months.
Nyumbani wanted more than anything to ask more, ask about mother, but Banji wouldn't help her. He probably left long ago if he didn't know she'd gone as well. He might have left when Tara did as well.
Maybe Ohahira was right. Maybe Tara was destroying the way things were. But did it matter? Change was good. They couldn't be a giant family forever, as much as she wished it could be true.
"I left when Tara did," she answered, though it was only the half truth. She never meant to leave, but getting lost was a horrible thing. "Ohahira's gone too," she whispered, though it was as much to herself as it was to her Uncle.
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:37 pm
Banji nodded accordingly. Honestly, it was his understanding Nyumbani had just went to find Tara, but trusting her word he now realized she'd run away. How sad for his sister. Losing her beloved daughter and at the same time her first born.
And Ohahira too? He felt a twinge of pain in his chest. "Her also?" he whispered, in a voice one would use after hearing someone close to them had died. Perhaps Hasana would. Could she handle all this?
"Why would she do such a thing?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:42 pm
Nyumbani frowned.
"She says mother told her to leave." She paused for a second, looking at him hard. He had to listen to this. If he found Tara first, he'd have to warn her.
"She's crazy. She wants to kill Tara for ruining the family!" She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes. She hated calling Ohahira crazy. There was a time when she was just her younger, loveable sister. But not anymore, now she was something else. Something. Yes. Crazy.
"Can you believe it!? What am I going to do, Banji?" She honestly didn't know. Insults didn't work. Logic didn't work. Nothing was fixing the problem.
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:46 pm
Banji's duo-colored eyes were wider than he ever remembered them being. Hasana had told her to leave? Would she really do that? He felt a mild pang of guilt for not being completely sure she wouldn't, and then another, far more stronger, caused by the knowledge if she had, it was his fault with the other factors of the situation subtracted.
And then Nyumbani was telling him she wanted to kill Tara? There was just no way! Banji didn't really know Ohahira. He hadn't seen her quake in rage or the look in her eyes. He just simply couldn't fathom the idea his family, his sister's family, had gotten this bad. Or that any family could.
Still, Nyumbani didn't look like she was lying. No one could pretend to be so upset. "I... can't entirely," he admitted. "Do you have any idea where Tara is?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:15 pm
Nyumbani frowned. He better believe it, because it was happening, and it was real.
And she had no idea whether Ohahira was determined enough to be successful or not.
"Somewhere beyond the jungle." That was all she knew. As far away from the Unity Walkers as possible, probably. Because Tara hated them, she hadn't even come back yet, and now Ohahira had gone to make sure that never happened.
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:19 pm
Banji's first instinct was to inquire what she intended to do. She'd asked him what she should do, so his poor niece obviously had no idea, and reminding her of it would be bordering cruel. Things were so... fragile now.
"I'm sure she won't actually do it," he tried, surprising himself out how convincing that had sounded. "She dramatizes everything else, her sadness. It wouldn't be too out of character to do the same with frustration or anger, would it? I'm sure, if they meet, they'll just squabble."
And Banji himself had no idea.
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:23 pm
"Yeah," Nyumbani snapped, getting agitated.
"And mud's clear." Sure Ohahira dramatized, but this wasn't dramatic. It was pure, bubbling, screaming anger. She'd said the same thing to Ohahira, and she'd been wrong.
Most of all, she didn't have time for this. She didn't have time to go to mother, now that she thought about it.
So, she'd changed her mind fifteen times in the last hour. It didn't matter. The fact was, mother would give her the same bullshit explanation for their sister's behavior, and as much as she loved mother, Nyumbani had to admit, in this case, she might be wrong.
"You don't believe me. Fine. I'm not looking for help, just advice." With that she turned to leave.
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:31 pm
"Nyumbani," Banji beckoned. "I do believe you. It's just..." How to word something so complex? Was there even a right way? "I'm sure you feel like you know me, with how often Hasana spoke of me." And also the fact she tried to turn Tara into him. He'd leave that unsaid, assuming Nyumbani would think of it on her own. "But, I wasn't told of you for so long. I don't really know any of you, including Ohahira. I would like to believe none of you would willing hurt each other, but your situation... As involved in it as I am, I know so little."
He paused, thinking. Harder than he'd ever thought before. If there was one thing Banji could say, it was that he was a reasonable individual. If he'd made Tara leave, he could perhaps convince Ohahira not to do something she would regret. "I'll find Ohahira, and you look for Tara. I'm sure I can talk to her because I'm distant from her. I think she'll react different to me than to you."
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:38 pm
It was just what? That he didn't understand it? He couldn't, she supposed. No one could. They had to be there. To be truthful, Hasana spoke of him, but never in intelligable ways. Mostly, it was just how Tara was just like him.
Who cares if he knew so little. "Maybe you should learn to trust like this family needs." Not even she trusted everybody anymore.
But what he said worked for her. She didn't want to face Ohahira for a long while.
Assured, at least slightly, she left back towards the place she had last met Tara.
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