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 Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:29 pm
Upendo'Mpaji sat on the edge of the cave, looking out, out into the vast sandy beyond. Uzulu was gone, sons, their slaves, and mate gone with him. Mpaji presumed they went to visit the king, but he was told with a stern voice to 'stay put, and don't try anything.' Among those left were Ohahira, three of her daughters and their son.
The words rang in his head. 'Their' son. That's right, with a look over, he noticed the similarities between the two of them. That rich golden color, those markings. Mostly those eyes. They were his eyes, looking at everything about them.
But they were not born of his love, therefore they weren't a part of him. Only poor lonely cubs who wandered without mother or father and were slaves of the Firekin. He pitied them, being a slave was no life for any lion to live. He hadn't been one, not actually, not until Uzulu. When Motomilia let him go, told him to go. It was all a very tricky business.
He saw two in particular, unsure of where the other daughters had gone off too. Probably with their mother, who was not their mother. The male was there, along with another female. Both had his eyes. Blue, crazy eyes. But they were not his children.
The black one lifted her head as he came near. They slept outside, he wouldn't forget that. Perhaps they were jealous of his 'higher' position. He was, afterall, Kaanga's personal slave, and she kept him close, and in the same sense, he enjoyed her company.
Normally he would have grinned upon seeing them, but his heart was not up for it today. He'd never been alone with any of the kids, but he knew they either loathed him, or did not know him. Their leader, Tanana, was her name? She surely hated him, avoided him as best she could. It was no fault of his own, and he ignored it. Passing it on to some trait of Ohahira's.
"Tanana would be upset," the black one calmly lit in his direction, staying close to her brother.
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:54 pm
Sethatta saw the lion approaching. He didn't look up from where he lay, though. Ure had seemed slightly more interested in the situation. He was, however, not intrigued. This lion was someone that he looked like, whose blood ran through Seth's veins, whose own decisions made Seth a reality.
Glancing over at his father, he saw no expression of interest on his part either. No desire to see Seth or his sisters. Why was he here if he didn't want to be there? Seth let a little sigh erupt from his jaw. Well if Mpaji wasn't looking forward to it, then why should Sethatta?
He didn't even know this creature that was supposedly his father, his flesh and blood. He really wasn't interested in finding out much at this time, either. But then again, he didn't know his mother well either, which struck a nerve in a way. He wished he had a "real" mother but, it wasn't something he could consider for too long, otherwise he wouldn't live long in this hellhole they called home.
He turned back toward Ure. What had she said? Something about Tanana? That Tanana would be upset, right? "Why would she?" Wait, why ask? She's Tanana, she gets upset at everything.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 4:47 pm
"We don't have a father," Ure answered her brother simply, her tail thumping on the ground softly.
Upendo'Mpaji gave them a wry smile, uncertain of what to say. They were such well mannered kids. They hardly ever got into trouble. Yet, they didn't feel a part of anything like they should. He wanted to know they were his, but he knew he never could. It was as if a brick wall was placed between them and him. They both knew they had no father, despite how he treated them.
"How's life?" he asked, plopping down beside the female. The male seemed hostile. Males generally were as a matter of fact, and he didn't want the little one hating him because he got to close.
Ure gave him a smile and wiggled to make room, her eyes staring off over the sands.
"Its very beautiful today," she whispered, though gave no actual mention of how she was feeling.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:09 pm
He knew that. He just had a moment. He shook his head slightly, laughing almost, then nodded at Ure in agreement. It was true. They technically didn't have any parents, least... not ones that ever seemed to care. This was a moment when Upendo'Mpaji seemed to try and care, but Seth doubted he truly did. Duty, not enjoyment. Oh, no... Never enjoyment.
Hey eyed his father still, watched him as he moved and sat by Ure. Seth stretched ever so slightly, digging black toes into the ground. Ure commented on the weather of the day. She was right. It was nice out. It wasn't too hot out, the sun wasn't beating down with the intensity that it sometimes did.
"I don't live." Seth replied slyly. Sethatta tried to seem clever, however angry he sounded in real life. He felt he was clever, and that's what he wanted at that moment. "To live would mean I'd be living a joyful existence." He didn't mind being here all that much, as long as he did everything perfectly. "But I'm doing well. If that's what you mean. How about you, sis?" He asked casually, trying to change the direction of the conversation, or atleast get something meaningful out of her.
Seth may have come off as angry and tense, but really he just cared. He wanted to be recognized. To stand out. He didn't get many chances to do that. This was one time he could make an impression. And those who are related to you are often the most impressionable. They often cared back, whether or not they showed it. Whether or not they were with you a lot. If you stood out, you'd be remembered, and that's what Seth wanted. If he died yesterday, he would be known as solely a slave. But if he died tomorrow, he be known as a clever slave.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:27 pm
Seth was wrong. Upendo'Mpaji cared about them more than he could know, but it was no more than Upendo'Mpaji cared for any other creature of the world. He would risk his life for them, just as he would for Kaanga, Motomilia, Kwana, or any other small cub he knew. He'd do it for Uzulu's kids as well. Just as if they were his own, nevermind these ones in particular were.
Any normal person might not be able to tell the difference, but his children could and they hated him for it.
Upendo'Mpaji chuckled, apparently he thought his son was rather clever, even if it was ultimately stupid. "Looks to me like you're living a lazy existence," the father joked, giving a wink in the boy's direction. These cubs needed to get out, do something fun. The master wasn't about, they needed to find themselves a task, without really having one.
"Come on, let's go fetch water for Uzulu when he gets back," he told the two of them, rising onto his feet and stretching.
Ure turned her attention from the sands and looked her her brother, an unsure expression on her face. She didn't answer his question, Mpaji had interrupted that thought plane, or at least given her an excuse not to respond.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:02 pm
Lazy? Seth believed he was anything but lazy. But that was not something for him to dwell on at the moment. He steadily got to his feet. Find water? Why do work of a slave when it wasn't required. This was why he said he wasn't living. But it this was some of the little time he got to spend with his family uninterrupted by roaring and flying claws.
His father seemed strange. Not exactly strange as in a lion who believed they were a gazelle, but strange as in foreign. He seemed to think differently from Seth and his sisters. Asking them to get water for Uzulu? When it wasn't an order? Sethatta didn't understand the point. Obviously there was a point that he was missing. And it made him nervous to not know the path they would follow as the day turned before them and as their time winded down.
"Why should we fetch water?" The words had finally formed in his mouth as he stood and stretched himself. Seth turned to Ure, looking at her quickly to see if maybe her face held the answer but her face held the same expression his did, then turned back to Upendo'Mpaji. "It's just strange to me. ... To do something of the sort by choice, ya'know?"
He looked out toward the horizon. There was so much out there to do, to explore, and he was here getting water? He didn't understand still, but he didn't mind going.
"Not that I mind leaving to get water with you." He added timidly after a moment. "I just-- I don't know," he said quietly as he looked to the ground.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:09 pm
Upendo'Mpaji smiled. "You see, little brother, choice is something you will never lose, if you know how to find it." They had more choices than they could dream. Sure, they weren't beautiful choices, but there it was, that freedom. He could jump off the cliff, or not. He could fetch water, or not. He could make a mess, or not. Choice was everywhere.
Ure flicked her gaze towards Seth. "How are we going to fetch water?" To her, is was a much more pertinant question.
Mpaji grinned, and replied simply. "Oh, you'll see."
The nervousness in Ure's eyes showed, even if her body didn't, and she kept a close gaze on Seth, for he rooted her to the ground.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:35 pm
Choice. Now that was something Seth could connect to. Choice was a gift, he knew it. Maybe Upendo'Mpaji was trying to teach them something useful? Well, doing something must be better than sitting around in awkward conversation.
Ure amused him. How to fetch water? It didn't matter. They could just... Oh wait. She was kind of right. He tilted his head at this thought.
Grinning didn't comfort Seth. His father seemed sly and .. clever. Like Seth wanted to be. Maybe there was more to him than a father that wasn't there. But Seth couldn't tell yet. He was starting to grow fond of this stranger, which seemed strange.
Ure didn't seem as comforted. The look that she shot in his direction wasn't one of excitement, no. He looked away and giggled lightly under his breath. She was the dearest sister ever, he adored her.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:00 pm
It didn't take them long to get to one of the few watering holes. There was also the oasis, but he promised Kienge he wouldn't let any of the slaves go there without him. It was as if it was that young master's special spot. It didn't matter to Mpaji, as long as the children never learned of he oasis, they would have no reason to want to go there.
Today, however, he intented to teach these slave cubs fun. It seemed like such a cruel thing to have to teach. But he needed them to know the could have it, even if it was a twisted sick kind of fun that involved making their own choices that know one could ever know about.
Bounding ahead of them, she made his way towards the water, diggging into the sand. Not long before Ure walked slowly over, did he unearth limestone orbs that had been hollowed out with what looked like a claw of a very, very large male.
Ure smiled as she realized it was probably Mpaji. Who else would know of those pots location?
Curious she got a little bit closer.
"I don't believe I have received your names," he said, feeling guilty he didn't know them already. He would have asked Ohahira, but she didn't want anything to do with anybody.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:32 pm
Seth saw the water before them as his father charged ahead and started to focus his attention at the ground. By the time he arrived, Ure only a few seconds before, there were several objects laying in the sand. Were these what he had been focused on? Were they going to take water back in these objects? How many trips would they make?
Seth was so curious as to what his father was up to. Seth always wanted a blueprint of the master plan.
Sethatta looked queerly at Mpaji. Didn't know their names? Hmm, how odd. "Well I'm Sethatta. ... But, you could always call me Seth if you wanted."
He assumed Mpaji knew their names, as he was technically their father. Assumed he would've asked the elusive lady who was technically their mother. Who knows.
"A better question, though, is what are these?" Seth asked as he pawed at one of the little round objects, which rolled to the side as he did so and left a short indented trail in the sand behind it. He looked toward Ure who seemed interested in what they were too, but also unsure of their purpose.
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Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 4:57 pm
Ure responded gingerly with her own name. If Sethatta had done it, perhaps it was alright afterall. Their 'father' as it were had never done any harm to them, and it didn't seem reasonable that he would start now.
Then again, as Tanana would put it, was having slaves reasonable? It didn't matter. To the Firekin it was.
Mpaji chuckled, picking up on of the bowls to fetch water with, tossing it lightly where it floated a little ways in on the water. "They're carved limestone," he said with a wink. "Why don't you try it."
A swift movement of the head accompanied by one of those soft laughs picked the young Seth up off the ground and hurtling towards the water, Mpaji grinning all the while.
Ure looked horrified at first, until she realized there was no trick in it at all. It was as if Mpaji had just wanted to get Seth wet. But why?
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Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:50 pm
Seth had started to reach slowly for one of the limestone orbs, but was suddenly taken into the air by a warm maw and tossed! He wiggled in the air slightly, before hitting the water with a loud splash. Seth flailed his legs and flipped over, planting his feet in the soft sand beneath them.
"What?! Ho- Wh-why?" He was ever so confused! He was just thrown into the water. Why was he tossed?! Did he do something wrong? He must have done something wrong! He would've expected this type of treatment from a master, but not his own blood. "What did I do wrong?" He looked at his father with pleading eyes, then to Ure for a moment to see if her face had any hint as to the meaning of the matter.
He slowly walked out of the large puddle, and shook violently, getting the majority of the water out of his fur, but now sand was clinging desperately to his waterlogged pelt.
Was his father crazy? A mad lion? Socially disfunctional? Seth could not understand for the life of him why he was just pelted toward the water like that.
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 12:21 pm
Mpaji looked about ready to vomit he was laughing so hard, teetering from one foot to the other in an attempt to retain his feet.
"Heeohheeeeehee!" he gurgled, unable to say any words only look at Seth and burst into teared grins once more.
Ure looked flabergasted and rushed into the water to join Sethatta, pushing her muzzle into his wet side. When he moved, she moved with him, keeping a wary eye on the thing called 'father'.
The laughter slowly subsided. "Oh come on now! Done something wrong? What have they taught you children? Its a joke, you know, hahah Seth's wet?" He kept his mouth half open, disbelief streaking his face before he sighed and settled down into the sand.
"You've had harder lives than I thought."
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