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 Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:42 am
"Yet another day spent on the horizon-" Sekizen said to himself as he sat down by a small water hole. "This'll make a perfect spot for camp." There was a shallow cave-like impression nearby where the lion would sleep for the night. He'd been becoming quite adept at hunting- though rabbits weren't very filling. Over the day his attitude towards the roguelands improved considerably. The previous day he had been miserable, but he was getting used to it, and was coming to like the solitude every now and then. It was something he was unused to in Pride life.
He let out a loud yawn and looked into the setting sun. What would he do if he found Nix again? Would he ever tell her? Would she ever like him how he liked her? he doubted it, and that slightest doubt sent his mood plumeting behind that smiling face. He shut his eyes and gave his head a shake- he had to get his mind off that. What would happen would happen. He padded over to the water hole to get a drink.
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 4:40 pm
 White paws beat against the ground softly as it's owner made her way swiftly across the lands. It had been some time since the lioness had parted ways with her God friend. His words had uplifted her and had helped her return to her old self. Well more or less. Traces of her insanity still lingered upon her but it was virtually gone.
Malika'Eusi continued forward having already searched the oasis, which she had found because of K'Anatak again, for her children and finding no sign of them. She didn't think that they were dead, no she knew that they had made it out of the oasis and were probably finding themselves happiness or at least a better life than one they would have had if they had remained. Still she couldn't help but look for them with ever creature she passed.
By now Malika was really just wandering without any real direction. She had no idea where she was going or where to go. In other words. She was lost. However, the female figured that in a way she was always lost.
Shrugging those thoughts from her mind Malika focused on finding a source of water that she could rest near.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 6:38 pm
Sekizen perked up at the white figure approaching across the grass. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow on the savannah. Soon enough it would be night. The male raised his head, looking towards the coming figure. He brightened. Though he had been enjoying the solitude, he did miss another lion's presence. "Hello," he called to the figure. She wasn't too far, he could tell it was a female. He hoped he wasn't intruding.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 6:48 pm
At the sound of another's voice Malika's ears perked up and she turned her head towards the area from which she believed the voice came. It was then that her violet colored eyes settled upon the white and black male. The female's first thought was turn and walk away, she wasn't sure if she could handle another meeting with a male, but then she decided that if she didn't now she might not ever.
"H...hello." She replied stammering ever so slightly as she walked a bit closer to him before stopping and tilting her head. "I'm not interrupting anything am I?" She inquired hoping that she wasn't yet at the same time was.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:03 pm
"Oh, no, you're not interupting anything," he said, shuffling over to make room for the female at the water hole if she wanted a drink. "My name's Sekizen," he introduced quickly with a quick bow of his head. Sekizen hadn't seen her before... No doubt she lived in the roguelands. He shot her an encouraging smile, hoping to boost her confidence just a little bit. "I'm from the Pridelands, I'll be heading back sometime," He said, filling her in.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:12 pm
A light smile crossed her maw at his kindness. It was when he moved that she saw the water. Gratefully she moved to the watering hole and lapped up some water before turning to look at him. She then returned his bow with a bow of her head.
"I am...Malika'Eusi. But please call me Malika." She replied with the same light smile as before. "I'm from..." Her voice trailed off and she looked unsettled for a moment. She wasn't sure how to answer him and tell him where she was from because now she didn't have a home. "I come from the jungle." She told him having decided that since the jungle was the first place she ever lived that she would use that instead. "I don't think I'll be returning any time soon though..." She admitted with a light shrug.
"It's nice to meet you though." She told him with a nod.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:24 pm
"Nice to meet you too, Malika," Sekizen said returning her nod. "The jungle... If you're trying to get back there, I know exactly how to get there. I ran into a leopon the other day and directed her towards the jungle, where she was headed." He nodded again. He'd be more than happy to take her on the right track if she was a little lost.
He changed the subject. "Are you hungry? I could go catch something." What she didn't know, and what he failed to recall, was that the biggest food he could catch was a rabbit, though he was getting good at getting them.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:35 pm
Malika shook her head. "I don't think I'll be heading back anytime soon, I haven't been there in some time." She explained before adding, "It's not my home any longer.....It hasn't been for a long time." It was true, it had been such a long time she hardly remembered the place at all, only that is was humid and had lots of vegetation.
When he offered to go catch her food she shook her head again and let out a soft laugh. "I'm fine, but thank you for offering." It made her happy to see that there was some right before her, someone that she didn't even really know trying to be so nice to her.
Malika suddenly had the urge to ask him a question. "What's the pridelands like?" She was filled with curiosity having never been there and having heard so very little.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:55 pm
Sekizen nodded. He understood how somewhere could be your home, but couldn't at the same time. Though, he truly hadn't ever been in the position. At the mention of his own home, he jumped, elated inside just at the thought of that wonderful place. From behind his normal face he told her all he knew.
"It's a wonderful place, truly wonderful. My mother was the first of my family in, I do believe. There are no slaves, nothing bad, really, that I've ever experienced there. Everyone's nice, willing to share kills and stories. It's a truly big Pride, but I feel we have strong leaders at the helm. There are storytellers for the cubs of the Pride and scouts to protect everyone. They accept anyone in, no matter the species. Wonderful place... I'd never dream of leaving."
Which brought him to why he was out here. "I left, though, trying to find someone who I doubt would ever find me worth the time. So I'm turning around and heading home," He said with a nod, having made his decision literally in the last minute. He hadn't found Nix, and was therefore giving up. It was a horrible feeling, but he locked it inside himself as he did everything else. One couldn't tell anything was bothering him from behind that mask he always wore.
"At any rate," he said, pulling his mind off Nix, "You should come visit, I'm sure you'd like it there. If not for a lifetime, then just for another stop along the way."
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:16 pm
"It sounds like a nice place." The pale lioness replied thoughtfully trying to imagine such a place in her mind. It really did seem nice to her. Now it was definitely a place she planned on going to eventually. "Do you come from a big family?" She couldn't help but ask, it was something she had never really experience and wanted to hear how it was from another's point of view.
His next words made her frown. He was putting himself down. "You shouldn't say that." She told him in an almost scolding tone of voice. "You'll never know until you tell them whatever you have to." She paused with a wrinkle of her nose as her violet colored eyes studied him. "Just because you haven't found them yet doesn't mean you won't." Malika didn't like the fact he was putting himself down, she didn't like it when anyone did.
"I would love to visit the pridelands."
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:37 pm
How she could read his emotions that easily was a mystery to Sekizen. Nobody had ever seen through his walls unless he had made a slip up. He replayed his words and actions in his mind, searching for a slip, but couldn't find one. "I've got five siblings and no dad," He had been reaching an equilibrium with that internal conflict. He didn't like how he didn't have a dad, but was getting better with accepting the fact.
If she could see through him anyway, why not take down his walls entirely? That'd be too... unstable. Internal conflict flared within the male, but he choked it down too. He couldn't help but wonder if she'd notice it.
"Ah, they're not that important anyway. I came out on a whim... Didn't really think about whether it was what I really wanted or not, and in the time that I've been out here, I've decided that I think I'd be happier without." What he said there was genuine. Sekizen started to think that his future with Nix, even if it came to be, wouldn't be what he really wanted.
"I'd love to take you back with me, if you really want to go." He couldn't help but let a smile come across his face. What a fitting end to his trip out- He'd left alone, and would return with someone else.
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Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:19 am
Malika was able to read the other's emotions rather easily because her past experiences helped her, than and she well...partially guessed. Of course she wouldn't tell him that, it would get her no where to do so. "You have more than I've ever had...." She remarked with a sad expression. "Having no dad can be hard on you..." She stated in the same sad but thoughtful tone of voice.
She continued to watch and to study him, she wasn't sure why but she was. "I must bother you..." She commented thinking back on how it had bothered her to not have her parents around.
She arched a brow momentarily at him and his words but it soon fell back to it's original position. She could tell he meant every word of it and nodded and gave him a smile, a nice big smile. "As long as you aren't putting yourself down. I'm sure that you'll find someone that will bring you much happiness."
Malika nodded rather enthusiastically. "It would be great if you would, I probably wouldn't be able to find it otherwise." It was true, she has a rather lousy sense of direction.
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Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:20 am
How is she doing that??? Sekizen thought , semi panicked over it. Nobody could ever see through him- nobody. Nobody except Malika. He pondered it before saying another word... Why keep up the act? He decided he'd give it a try- not having walls up. It didn't seem to make a difference to her.
He allowed his emotions to show, since holding them in was doing no good with Malika. "Yes, it's been hard. I'd like to know him more. But... I've only seen him once, and haven't managed to find him again. I always keep my eyes peeled, his black with white patches, his name is Toshiro, and he's got three V-shaped scars on his shoulder." Sekizen explained, that summed up all he knew about his father. Little did he know that Toshiro was a general for Nyekundu, and he didn't realize, either, that Malika had known Nyek.
He changed his mood quickly, though, smiling without holding anything back- happy from having a travel partner. "I'd love to take you to the Pridelands! I'm planning on heading back tomorrow, rest up tonight." He wasn't sure where she would sleep. He supposed that they could both fit under the overhang.
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Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:37 am
Her smile instantly faded at the sound of Sekizen's father name. She felt her heart skip a beat. All the memories she had hated and suppressed came flooding back. "D-d-did you s-s-say To-to-toshiro?" She stammered taking a step backward. She looked paler than she was naturally. "I...I...I knew him." She finally spat out looking down at the ground. She swallowed dryly.
Her gaze then shifted to the triple V scar she carried on her hind leg. "A scar like this one?" She asked glancing at him briefly before looking back at her own scar. Her ears flattened against her head as she thought of the oasis pride.
A light smile crossed her maw but faded rather quickly not being able to shake the bad feeling the oasis gave her now. "That'd be great, thank you." She told him with a light nod.
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Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:45 am
"You knew my father?" He perked up. He knew practically nothing about his father, and thought maybe if he knew some about him, maybe he wouldn't feel so bad about the male out of his life. Judging on how the female reacted, he believed it must have been a good thing he never knew him. He looked at the scar "Exactly like that, only on his shoulder. He didn't do that to you, did he?" Sekizen asked, ears folding back. Was his father a harmful lion? He had saved Sekizen and his brother, Shin, from becoming a meal for the crocodiles... He never imagined that his father could be someone he should fear.
"Tell me what you know about him, please," Sekizen asked, almost begging. He needed to know his father as much as he could- it was obvious that Seki would never find him. "Was he bad?" Perhaps Sineri had been right- when a parent is gone, there's a reason. A sickness rolled into his stomach. He didn't want his father to be evil- but what if he was? What if his father was a brute, with little brains who went around hurting the weak? Sekizen would resent ever having such a creature be his father. His ears stayed pinned back against his head.
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