|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 4:30 pm
Cam still wasn't a very confident lion, but he had improved since he first met his Pridelander friend - and most of it was due to her, too. Having a friend that actually respected him certainly helped him mature.
But now he had to tell her a secret, which was sort of ironic, considering that when they first met, she told him that her name meant 'secret'.
Cam was on the run and he wasn't sure whether he'd stay in the Pridelands or not, but regardless, Siri had the right to know.. everything.
The small adolescent moved quietly through the lands, seeking out the spot where they usually met. There was no guarantee that she'd be there, but he had to try before he trespassed further into the Pridelands than he had to.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:55 pm
Puffy white clouds scuttled across the endless blue sky above the pridelands. The sun was partly hidden, but its rays still tried their best to scorch the grasslands spread out beneath it. Below it all, secure in the shade of a tall acacia tree, Siri yawned.
Such a slow day. She shut her jaws with a click and stretched, paws extended and claws out. Such a lazy day! Deep blue eyes scanned the horizon from under half-closed lids. The air was so warm, and the shade comforting on her sun-heated pelt. Maybe a nap wouldn't be a bad idea...
Something dark moved at the edge of her vision; she stared hard, eyes narrowed. A big something. Her ears pricked, flicked back uncertainly, then pricked again.
She sniffed the air...
"CAM!" With a shriek of glee, the lioness bounded to her feet and took off towards the black lion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 5:07 pm
"Siri!"
The purple form helped put him at ease, even knowing that he had to tell her something that could be upsetting. Cam quickly changed his walk into a stride, loping towards her with a soft smile.
"Hey," he said, pushing his muzzle against her shoulder in greeting. "How are you?"
He figured it probably wasn't a good idea to jump right into the discussion they needed to have.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:26 pm
She returned the greeting, purring deep in her throat. It hadn't been that long, but it seemed like forever since she'd seen him! Her thoughts roved back to that first day and she smiled.
"Still keeping the pridelands safe, I guess!" The lioness laughed and stepped back, her smile widening as she took in his dark form. "You've gotten bigger, Cam! No one would dare stand against us now, hmm?"
She turned and started walking back towards the shade spot she'd left behind. It was HOT out here! Cam must be dying with his dark coat directly beneath the scorching sun. "We can talk more when we get back to the shade, 'kay?"
... and since she REALLY wanted to talk to him...
"Bet I can get there first!" Laughing, she took off towards the acacia tree, paws pounding rhythmically on the hard-baked earth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 2:45 pm
"No thorn bush has gone without being served justice," he joked weakly, smiling at her. "You have too, Siri. I can't believe it's been so long! Look, I really need to..."
And then she was gone! He couldn't help but grin as he took off after her, paws mysteriously finding the strength they lost on the emotionally tolling journey. Of course, she won, and though she had won fair and square, he might've let her win anyway.
"Hey, Siri, I..." How to approach it? He took in a breath. "I need to tell you something, 'kay?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 2:52 pm
She laughed brightly as she fought to catch her breath, her muscles tingling from exertion. Joy filled her, pure and nearly uncontrollable. Everything was perfect, just like she thought it would be! Cam was here, the sun was shining, and there was a nice sweet-smelling patch of shady grass for them to talk in...
She turned, her eyes bright with happiness -- and froze. Something in the tone of his voice told her that this wasn't a joke. It was serious, and he seemed so worried... so upset...
Her expression grew instantly sober and she nodded towards the grassy patch. Without waiting to see if he followed, she trotted over and settled down. The sun beamed down around them, and outside their shelter it turned the land blindingly bright. She felt like she was on an island.
"Sit down, catch your breath." She said softly, concern clear on her face. "Then we can talk - I won't run off, you know." She finished, giving a weak chuckle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:48 pm
He hated seeing Siri so serious, so nervous, because it went against everything that she was. Cam swallowed nervously, swishing his tail as he went to take a seat beside her. "Hey, it's nothing that is gonna end the world or anything," he said, trying to smile. "I just think you should know, that's all."
After a moment, he looked into her eyes. "See, the thing is... well, did you hear about that cub named Tain who was cubnapped a while ago? When we were little? His mom is Moyo and his dad is Janikiwiti." Cam was confident that she knew, since Tain had told him about vague memories he had of Kitengele, Siri's mother.
"Well..."
Finally, it came out. "My mother was the one who cubnapped him. Last night, me and my brother and my sister helped him escape, and... well, here we are. When I first met you, I had no idea you were connected to Tain somehow. He doesn't remember you specifically - I asked - but he told me once about a lioness named Kitengele, who is your mother, right? Apparently, she's friends with his dad, and he remembered meeting you and your brothers and sisters when you were really little. He said there was lots of purple. I knew it had to be you, so you've probably heard about everything that happened."
Cam looked away, down at his paws. "And, well, you know me, Siri. I'm nothin' like her, nothing at all. But I thought maybe you should know. My name is actually Camulos, which is some stupid god of war that the two-leggers worship. I hate that name, so I told you it was Cam, just Cam."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 3:34 pm
Siri smiled weakly, but nervousness still welled inside of her and filled her stomach with knots. Cam was NEVER like this. He was always so happy, so... so... free! Though thinking back on old times, he had seemed slightly worried, a little bit concerned - but she'd chalked it up to their old games.
"Even so, it's obviously bothering you." She said softly, resting her head on his shoulder, "And what bothers you bothers me too."
She had actually heard about the cubnapping - Mama had used it as a way to keep the little cubs in the den after dark. 'If you go out when the sun's gone, you'll be whisked away by the monsters and never come home again!'. But she'd always thought that was just... well, that it wasn't true. The purple lioness listened to Cam with her complete attention, her mind reeling.
"But... I thought..." What HAD she thought? Cam had never really mentioned anything about his family, or where he was from. Her face grew sad, tears welling in her eyes. It must have been horrible for him. Growing up with a mother that was a cubnapper, and having to deal with a situation that no child should ever be in! Her heart ached for him.
For a long time she was silent, getting her thoughts in order. What could she say? What was there to say?
"Oh, Cam." She buried her head in his half-mane, purring weakly. "A name is just a name."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 7:02 pm
He was taken by surprise by her touch, but quickly adjusted, leaning against her for a quiet moment. "I know," he said softly, warmed by her statement. "Just like you aren't a secret, right?" It was a weak attempt at a joke but it helped him loosen up a little bit.
"I know it doesn't make a different in our friendship, but I had to tell you... someone. I helped Tain escape last night. So did my sister, Kai, and my brother, Ishida. We did it to help Tain go back to his family, but we're not going back, either. Enough is enough, you know? When I first met you, my mother had sent me here to spy on Tain's family." He curled his lip in disgust. "It wasn't the first time, or the last. But instead of doing what she told me to do, I'd just come here to play with you and then make something up when I got home."
Cam rolled his shoulders slightly, as if his muscles were stiff. "Tain is home now and we're trying to decide what to do. I think I want to stay here. After all, everything good in my life came from the Pridelands." He offered her a small smile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:31 pm
"Yes." She grinned up at him, relief (from what she didn't really know) flooding through her body. "Exactly so!"
As she listened to his explanation, her heart seemed to swell with pride. He was so brave, to defy his mother like that! Such a good person, helping that poor slave escape! He was perfect. Nothing like that horrid mother of his! She wondered if she could have done what he did, in his place. Would she have had the courage? It was a good thing that he fell silent at last, because she didn't think she could contain herself any longer.
"You always told me how brave I was, but... I wasn't really." She smiled softly, remembering their games. "After all, it was just make believe. You were the real brave one - living like you did under your mother's rule, and still having the courage and kindness to help set your friend free!" Siri beamed up at Cam, and she rather thought her heart would burst from the joy she felt. "I can't even say how glad I am that you're my friend, Cam."
She ducked her head, ears flickering uncertainly. How... how could she say what she wanted to say? Her mind lept to her meeting with that cheetah and she grinned. Blut words might not always be wise, but in most cases they got HER where she wanted to be.
Time to give it a shot.
"Cam... you know, if you lived in the pridelands, we could see each other all the time." She lifted her head, meeting his crimson gaze. "You could stay with me, Cam."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 6:16 pm
Cam sure didn't feel brave and would've vehemently denied it had he not been so pleased and honored by her saying so. "Oh," he said, blushing under his fur as he scraped at the ground with his paw. "Tain is the real brave one, y'know, not giving up hope and trusting us despite everything. But..." he smiled at her, "thanks, Siri. It means a lot to hear you say that."
Her next words surprised him and his heart began pounding against his chest. Something stirred in his stomach, a feeling he did not really recognize, but he knew for a fact it wasn't a bad thing. For a moment he looked at his paws before quickly looking back up, his eyes locking with hers.
"Well then, I want to stay here."
Cam smiled softly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:13 am
"It's true, Tain was really brave too. You all were." She smiled at him, her blue eyes warm. "But you and your siblings, you didn't give up hope either. You were in the same kind of situation, it was just more... subtle. You know?"
She gave an embarrassed laugh. "I hope you don't think I'm silly for saying so, but... well, I really like you, Cam."
His words filled her heart with happiness - a happiness she could feel fluttering in her chest and stomach, just waiting to be released with the right words. If only she could find them! She met his gaze and couldn't help it - she giggled.
"Good. THAT'S decided then!" Siri sat still for a moment longer, but energy seemed to fill her legs and she just couldn't SIT there any longer! She jerked to her feet and nuzzled Cam, a purr thrumming in her chest.
"And I'm so glad you want to stay with me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 10:02 pm
"I s'pose."
His body felt warm and tingly, and it wasn't from the sun. Everytime Siri spoke, he felt it, an almost flustered happiness. But this time, when she spoke, he felt as though he was going to pop.
Cam had felt love, of course. He felt it towards his brother and his sister, and had felt it towards Tain and Siri as well. But this felt different and he wasn't really sure how to approach it. Thankfully, Siri did it for him.
"I really like you too, Siri." He smiled and purred, and though he looked a little embarassed, it was clear that he was happy. When she giggled, he couldn't help but say, "Er, sorry, I meant that I like you too, captain."
Chuckling as well, Cam returned her nuzzle. "I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather stay with."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
