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 Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:02 pm
It was rather well known throughout the Unity Walkers that Mteuli was a traveler. In fact, much of his traveling worked on pride relations and recruitments, so it was almost an offically assigned duty. Having other accompany him on occassion was something he was used to. He often took his daughter Shula out and about and the future queen, Vinaya, was constantly escorted from pridelands to the heart of Unity Walker territory. When he had spoke of going down to the sea, something that rarely happened due to the distance, he recieved a request from another pride member. She had always wished to visit the sea, or so she claimed, and he had no qualms about taking her and her young son with him. At present, however, he had left them to enjoy the waves while he worked on more practical matters: hunting. He felt it only right that he take on the job, since she was a new mother and he left them quietly to the roar of the waves.
Nkechi was a simple minded lioness. She loved her home and her family more then anything, and a morning visit to the sandy beaches was as common as breathing. Though she was not quite as adventurous as her children, she liked to walk just on the edge of the waves as they lapped up to soak the sand. She smiled and continued her walk, not seeming to mind, or at least notice, that she was now along the pride's offical borders.
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:13 pm
Laini stared at the waves crashing down on the shore. They made such an usual noise, she thought. But metaphorically, she was comparing them to the inconsistency of her life. And more importantly they provided her with the one thing that had brought her to the Unity Walkers: wind. A nice gentle breeze came off the water, one the Savannah rarely provided. And certainly not so cool. She was glad Mteuli had let her come. At first, it had been rather compulsive of her to ask, just a thought off the top of her head. But now she was certainly glad of it.
She turned her eye, then, on Ori, playing in the waves. The sand seemed soft enough under her paws that she was sure it couldn't hurt as long as he only stayed where the water lapped onto the surface and then back out again. She was sad that he could never be as strong as she'd have him be. For him, it was just another time to play. She knew she couldn't be around to be strong for him forever. She wanted so bad to give him someone to be with him when she could not. She didn't want him to be alone, as she had, as he might never be able to be.
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:24 pm
Nkechi continued her walk down the beach, thoughts of loneliness far from her mind. They had been forsaken ever since she had met Noari. And yet, if the question ever arose, dark thoughts of the graveyard could still plague her, though they weren't as strong as they used to be. This place almost blocked them completely with its peaceful waves and the joy of her friends, mate, and children.
Finally distracted from her casual joy she spotted a brightly colored figure just a bit of a ways down. Friendly to a nearly foolish point, she smile brightly and hurried to meet the stranger. As she drew closer she noticed it was another lioness. And oh! She wasn't alone! "Hello there! Are you knew to these parts?" she questioned cheerfully.
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:36 pm
Under normal circumstances before she had a reason to care about anyone, she might have snapped at the copper-red lioness as if she was not approached on friendly terms. But having a child such as Orifiel had drained it right out of her. Instead there was a suspicious look that dissolved into a weary smile. "Yes I am." She felt almost shy at the situation, as if she had no right to be here. Perhaps it was the friendliness of the lioness that had made her feel so shy, as if she might accidentally do something mean. She sneaked a glance at Ori but he was paying no attention, absorbed in his own world as a cub is apt to be.
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:44 pm
"Ohh~!" Nkechi gushed warmly, her green eyes twinkling, "Well welcome then! I know you'll like it here, it's so beautiful and peaceful." It didn't even seem to matter to the paint-colored lioness that the other might not be staying. Fore, either way, she'd be enjoying her time here, wouldn't she? And Chi was not the brightest of individuals, so she didn't dwell on things that were overly complicated. This other female was here and she hoped that she was having a good time, that was the bottom line.
"Is that your son?" She questioned good-nauredly as she watched the small cub with a look of adoration. She absolutely loved children.
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:52 pm
"Oh... um, thank you," Laini said. She sensed that the lioness didn't have all her facts straight but as Laini had offered none, she could do little than assume by her friendly speech that it was with the best intentions.
She looked back over to her son at that comment. There was a twinkle in her eye when she looked back. She didn't have anything to be particularly proud about when it came to him but his constant happiness certainly was something endearing about him. "Yes, that's my son, Orifiel," she beamed. "And I'm Laini'Ukungu." It felt natural to add her name to that part of the conversation.
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:03 pm
"It's very nice to meet you!" She chimed sweetly, seeming a bit oblvious to the other lioness's shyness or perhaps reluctance to speak, "I'm Nkechi, though you can call me Chi if you like." Instead she continued to talk happily, obviously not minding Laini and her son being here what so ever. "He's so cute! I love children, I really do...I have six you know! They're such darlings~" she rambled with a warm smile, the thoughts of her children causing fluttering motions in her heart. She loved them so.
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:13 pm
Laini nodded as the lioness replied. Yes, yes of course. It would be expected from such a bubbly person. Why wouldn't she be? The old Laini would have felt a stab of bitterness, almost of jealousy. But now, there was a little pang but only minimal. She couldn't find herself that happy. Not really. After all, this lioness had six, a happy family, a large family. They were probably always there for ea- Her train of thought was interrupted. She had an idea. She had what she was sure was a brilliant idea. After all, she barely had this sort of idea at all. And what a wonderful idea it was.
"And everyone wants what's best for their children," she said, smiling. She looked back at Ori who was laughing and pawing at a crab scurrying away from him in a fury. "No one wants their child to end up alone." Her idea was written across her face but she wasn't quite sure yet how she was going to come out and say it.
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:25 pm
Nkechi was far too dim to pick up any possible implications the other mother had. Instead she just went with the flow of the conversation to the best of her ability. "Oh yes! I'd never want them to be all alone...I remember when I was alone before Noari found me...it was horrible! All those bones and shadows and no one around..." She trailed off, her facing looking obviously pained at the memories. The graveyard was not a place she liked to think about, "Ohh...it'd be horrible for anyone to go through that!"
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:39 pm
Laini was ok with the fact that Nkechi didn't read into what she was saying. The point was that she didn't at all seem like she'd be against Laini's idea. It was perfect. If she was the more energetic type, she might have done a little jig. "Yes, it would be horrible. I don't think I could have my little Ori go through that. And you don't want your's to be alone either. Perhaps we could come to a compromise?" She smiled hopefully, almost pleadingly. It was a wonderful plan. Sure this place was far but after all, it was for the best ...and sacrifices needed to be made. Right?
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:47 pm
Nkechi blinked, looking politely confused. She had no idea where this conversation was headed, so she really didn't know what to think by the suggestion. Ever eager to be explained too, however, since she didn't seem to mind being short on brains she cocked her head to one side curiously, "What do you mean?" She settled back to sit down on the sand, curling her tail around her paws. Obviously she was ready for a length explinatin that she'd have to try wrapping her mind around.
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:59 pm
Her breath caught in her throat and she felt a bit of alarm. The lioness didn't exactly seem exactly like how Laini had read her a moment ago, perfectly willing. She felt a bit nervous now but she still wanted it to happen. "Well..." she started, "You know how painful it is to be alone? Well, I thought as mothers... I mean I know we don't really know each other but I feel a common bond." She glanced at her cub. "Our children are blessed things and deserve to be with someone, not to end up alone. Ori's a sweet thing and I only want him to end up with someone wonderful. And I was thinking maybe you thought the same way about one of your children." This was the hard part. It was so far the best speech she had ever made but not a very good speech as far as speeches went and now she had to make the statement that could make or break the speech. "And if we do indeed have a similar idea in the matter, maybe we could secure them that happy future. Maybe we could tie them to each other."
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 6:08 pm
"Well yes, I'd feel horrible if any of my children were alone," Nkechi agreed, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that she wasn't smart enough to understand the subtle implications of the option of getting the children together. But she was ever so willing to help her kids, because she loved them more then anything in the world. "How would we do that...?" she asked, looking more worried at their not being a way then to any idea that the other lioness would suggest.
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 6:18 pm
It was probably the fact that she just assumed that it would fall together from there that left her the most surprised at Nkechi's question. Or maybe it was because it revealed a hole in her plan. "Um, well. I guess it'd be that we agree that when they grow up, they'd be together. That when they grow up, Ori would come back here to your daughter and then they'd have each other forever." Laini realized she had no clue if Nkechi even had a daughter. Now that could just clinch the whole idea right then and there!
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 6:28 pm
"Ohhh, alright," Nkechi agreed, almost too simply. But in her mind there wasn't any question or any problem with that plan (though of course she probably didn't understand it to it's full extend). Neither child would be alone and that would be perfect. There was one little bump, however, to overcome. "I've got two daughters, though," she chimed and again looking rather perplexed. Planning things just wasn't her strong suit.
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