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 Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 9:49 pm
Matsai's steps were purposeful, his eyes intent on the destination he saw so clearly in his mind. Just a little farther... and he would see if his night time dreams were really true.
Before the sun had risen on this new day, he'd been deep in slumber, something almost unheard of for the adult male. Ever since he was a cub, he had learned not to sleep too deeply or for too long, because that is when the visions/dreams came to haunt him... troubling him till he woke with a cry and was forced to seek out the warmth of his twin for comfort. But last night... he had let his guard slip a little too much, and instead of a light dream of a certain umber female, he had dreamed of a fierce red one instead. He'd seen her, travel worn and angry, and he'd known that their meeting was fated to happen all too soon.
And that was what he saw today as he rounded the top of a hill and gazed down into the valley below it. A sleek red form, muscled and hard, bending to drink at a wateringhole hidden here. Little more than a puddle, it was sufficent for a couple animals, and his mother had probably stumbled on it all by accident.
Kiuma, traveling princess, former mate of a god, and mother to twin seers... Matsai trembled once as he looked at her, then stilled, waiting for either his twin to catch up, or for her to catch sight of him.
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Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 7:49 am
-It was an occurence so common that Ahai had gotten tot he point of not noticing his brother's nighttime antics unless they were particularly quieter or louder than usual. And more often then not, he said nothing of them, not asking nor prodding unless it seemed that something was hanging over his twin. Today that had not been the case, and so he had set off oblivious towards the hint that his twin had recieved.
Matsai paused, and Ahai picked up his step, huffing a little in feigned aggression.- "I'm not going THAT slow that you need to stop and wait for me." -But that smirk of playfulness died as soon as the crimson spot touched his eyes. A growl resounded in his throat before he could stop it. Was it that seer b***h from before?
But that too died just as suddenly. No wait. This was what he'd thought he'd seen on that day? This was.. His voice hushed afraid she might dart away.. or that it might be some trick to his eyes.- "Is that..?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 6:37 pm
A single black ear flicked as a matching form joined the one at the peak of the hill. He was lightly amused by the comment of waiting for him, but only for a moment. The figure below was far too captivating right now.
"Yes." He said simply in response to his twin's uncompleted question. "It is." Bright green eyes studied her, noting the differences from what he remembered of her. Mostly, he just couldn't stop thinking about how much... smaller she looked to him now.
Far below the pair on the hill, Kiuma raised her head and glanced back over her shoulder. Balaa shouldn't be too far behind her... and there was just enough of the water left to sate the young female. It had been a long trip today... it was nice to take a little pause and ease her thirst. Settling back on her haunches, she sat down in the grass to wait, casting her eyes about her in idle curiousity.
That, of course, was when the figures above her caught her eyes. The crimson lioness jumped to her paws with a low growl, her soft ears hard forward as she squinted upwards. Who was that...? If they were dangerous, they would find that she was quite a challenge even for two adult males.
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Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 7:31 am
-Upon his twin's reassurance Ahai's eyes devoured the sight below them, carefully taking in the details. They'd been looking for so long after all. They'd grown tall, strong, thick with a crowning of royal manes in all the time that they'd been apart.
Father wasn't with her.. and for that he was dissapointed. But somehow he'd known. Even without direct visions there had been that feeling ages ago that something wasn't right. That nothing would ever be what it was before.
But those thoughts drifted off as the brash twin darted down the hillside. He had to see her up close. Certainly he didn't realize that his approach against the sun might make him seem a threat. But then, when had anything like that stopped him before.-
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:07 am
Matsai's gaze flicked to watch as his twin darted down the hill, brash and impetuous as always. He who seemed to find the most difficult, most dangerous route... Matsai almost smiled as he shook his head and started down at a much more sedate pace. There was no hurry, after all, she was unlikely to be going anywhere. It gave him a nice chance to better study the lioness that was his mother, noting things he hadn't in his first inspection, such as the way she glanced behind her, like she was expecting someone to join her.
Seeing one of the figures seemingly charging for her, Kiuma tensed but held her ground, pushing down the fierce snarl she wanted to make. Perhaps this little seep hole wasn't as secret as she thought, and they just wanted a drink. If so, Baala might need to find a different place, since what was left was hardly big enough for three grown lions.
As the figure got closer, he also got more defined, and something tugged at Kiuma's memory. He was a deep blue, both were... their manes ebony dark. White paws flashed, white muzzles clear against their faces. Twins... there was no other way they could look so alike. She had a fleeting thought of thrice-damned Mrost, what with their blue coloring, but dismissed it out of hand. Not every blue lion was one of his.
It wasn't until they were close enough to show eyes of purest green did the pieces fall into place. Kiuma felt like she'd been kicked in the chest by a zebra, then run over by a herd of wildbeasts. Those eyes were Tanaka's eyes, and these two were her missing sons, the twins she'd been searching for. Kiuma fell back a step as Ahai... yes, the one lacking the star was Ahai, pounded up to her. She felt overcome by a swarm of conflicting emotions, namely joy at finding them, and pain at the reminder of everything she'd lost. Her expression was probably stricken, and when she realized it, she smoothed her fine features out, letting the face they were probably more used to emerge.
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Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 9:01 am
-His heart lept at each step that drew him closer in which she didn't dissapear from sight. He wasn't even sure why he was so happy. Perhaps it was a longing from the long distance apart. Perhaps it had something more to do with them finally having accomplished the task they'd set out for so very long ago. Either way a roar of triumph rippled from his throat as he drew nearer. And when finally he was close enough that her features and look of recognition could be seen his voice lifted, feet beginning to slow on the warm sand.- "Mother! We've been looking for you for so long."
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Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 6:45 pm
Matsai noticed the look on his mother's face, but dismissed it when her face smoothed out. Whatever she'd been feeling just then, she didn't want either of them to know about it. So, he'd just forget about it. Continuing at his slow pace, he came to join his twin, offering their lady mother a dip of his head and what might be called a smile.
"Its good to see you alive and well, Mother. We were worried." He said, his voice as flat and expressionless as always.
Kiuma smiled as her son roared, coming towards her as he called out.
"I heard." She said as she straightened up, the better to greet them. "I don't know if I should be upset or happy to see you. I went to the pridelands, expecting to see all my sons, and only found two of them. I was looking for you as well, so I'm glad to see the pair of you in fine shape. You certainly look as though you've filled out well. Such fine manes you both have." She said as she took a step closer, her red eyes filled with pride over the children of her body. Even if the sight of them brought more pain than joy, she was still glad that she got a chance to see them again. It had been far, far too long.
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 2:55 pm
-Any subtlies in mood, be they sadness or worry, were lost on the brasher of the twins, as he was obviously too excited to notice. Reunion, a simple triumph after so many setbacks and small failures, whatever it was it tugged at his adreniline, and a rumble sounded from the praise and simple pressence of Kiuma.-
"Are they still there?" -He wasn't surprised really, but news of his soft and crazy siblings were taken in with interest nonetheless.-
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 3:33 pm
Kiuma nodded slowly as she stood tall, the height difference between her and her sons not unnoticed. They had grown so much... and certainly inherited their father's size. Matsai, with his star-marked face, was the more slender of the two, but he was still an imposing lion.
"Your brothers never left the Pridelands and both seem to be doing well. They're softer than you two, of course, but they've grown as much as you have. Are you still going to the Pridelands? I'm sure you can see for yourselves then." She shook her head as she smiled, finding it odd to be talking with adults when she only remembered cubs.
Matsai watched silently for now, just listening to the pair of them. She looked just like he remembered... though smaller.
"We were returning there, yes. I don't know what Ahai wants to do now that we've found you, which was part of our purpose, but I suppose we might continue on." His eyes narrowed a little in thought, a sense tickling him. "And you, Mother? You've found us now, will you return as well?"
The idea struck him as false somehow, but he didn't voice it. The Pridelands just... didn't seem to be linked with his mother, save as her birthplace, and never really had. He couldn't picture their fierce warrior of a mother in that soft, lazy setting of green savannah and blue sky. Even the thrill of the hunt seemed too tame a thing for her. But if she didn't come back... where would she go? Would Ahai want to go with her? It was like they stood at a cross-roads and fog obscured the paths.
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 11:22 am
((Only a couple more posts you think?))
-He nodded matter of factly, as her question arose. He hadn't really thought it any further ahead then he'd needed to at the time. Find mother and father. Return home. It was all part of the plan.
He hadn't thought about how bored he might become once in the pridelands, or how things might not work out exactly. His mind had been too drawn off by the present and the difficulties and triumphs of their travels. It was only now as his twin's voice rose in question that the realization hit him.-
"Of course she will." -He answered for her, so naive about the path and journey their mother had indured herself in their long absence.- "Got to be someone there to protect the kingdom when our weak little aunty runs it into the ground."
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 12:29 pm
Kiuma's ears fell back at the assured way Ahai answered Matsai's question. Go back? Well, her purpose for traveling -had- been to find the pair, and now she had. Yet, she felt no desire to return. There was nothing there... save her sons and they were well grown now, they didn't need her.
She averted her gaze as she struggled with herself, her thoughts turning endless circles in her head. She just didn't want to go back, not yet. Just like always, the unknown called to her. Her paws wanted to pace down the path, to follow it where it led. There might be some good reasons to return, but her heart rebeled against the idea.
"Kamilika has been running the pride quite well without me... and I've spent so little time in it, I doubt anyone remembers me. It's probably inundated with rogues, all the riff raff of the savanna looking for a handout and a life with no work..." She sneered as she shook her head.
Matsai shook his head gently, looking over at his brother. "We could do that as well as she could, Ahai." He said softly. "And we would be twice as strong, wouldn't we?" His mouth twitched a little, his version of a grin. "Mother is... a traveler. A wanderer." He shrugged as he flicked his tail, shaking himself to settle his mane.
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Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 6:24 am
-Never the sort capable of hiding his emotions, it was easy to read the surprise and, ... was it dissapointment, that touched his eyes as first his mother and then his brother tossed away the ideas. For once his voice did not raise, his maw staying free of that snarl that usually touched him when he didn't get his way.
Whether he liked it or not, whether it was the way things should be or not, it seemed the choice was made already, and their wasn't a likelyness of swaying it. And somewhere, inside, the most subtle voice chided him at even thinking of fighting his mother about it. She was his mother after all, even if it had only been for awhile, so long ago.
A loud huff of air escaped him, body turning away from the crimson figure that had plagued his mind and mission for unumberable months.- "Whatever."
-Did she think she was 'better' then their home? That thought shook him quite heavily, the thought that the place he'd always fought for in bloodline wasn't good enough anymore. Or perhaps Matsai spoke the truth like always, perhaps she just had to wander. Green eyes cast back gazing through a thick ebony mane.- "Let's go Matsai."
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Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 3:31 pm
Matsai perked up at the call from his brother to join him, his ears laying back as he shifted himself. At the last moment, he jumped back and quickly went to his mother, making a rare guesture and rubbing his cheek against her neck and shoulder. A flash of visions flooded his mind as he went to join his brother, struggling not to wobble as he fought to contain them in his mind, absorb the tale of his mother's life that they gave him. With them came a glimpse of her future as well and he paused beside his twin, turning to murmur something softly to him.
"Go say good-bye, Ahaiyuta." He murmured, his voice heavy. "If you don't do it now, you... may never have the chance again. You may regret it..." He shook his head as he breathed deeply and let it out again, glancing back at the mother they had idolized for so long. She was still strong, fierce, powerful... everything she had been to them then, but they had changed, as had she. They couldn't be as they'd been before... Ahai might not realize that, as he did, but he would do his best to help him.
Kiuma blinked and frowned when her son turned from her in irritation, a grimace pulling at her face.
"I don't expect you to understand, Ahaiyuta." She called after him. "You havn't been through what I have and you don't see the world like I do. I'm sorry if you think I should be some perfect mother, but I'm not. I think I've proved that well enough."
She growled to herself, huffing softly. "You don't need me... you've grown to be fine lions. You've actually made me proud to be your mother." A small smirk curled over her face as she sat back and watched them leave, a soft sigh leaving her. It really was for the best. She'd never done much for them anyway, they didn't need her.
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 12:24 pm
-Again, the usual brashness that made up the starless twin did not show itself, and Kiuma recieved only a huffing half laugh in response to her 'reasoning'. - "And you haven't wasted half a lifetime looking for something that never wanted to be found."
-Perhaps he'd given up, maybe it had something to do with the small compliment that she'd just bestowed, perhaps it was just the shock, but she recieved no ill tones, nor would he add claim to her words, even if he had been angry. She hadn't been a bad mother, she could have been far worse.
His ears twitched softly as his twins words drew him back, reassurance in the familar tone even though the words themselves were not. Green eyes gazed back, taking in the crimson pelt one last time before his paws began to draw him in the opposite direction once more.- "Goodbye mother..."
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 10:44 am
Matsai nodded as he brother spoke, echoing the words softly. When Ahai turned back, his twin did too, following him as they left their mother behind. He wasn't sure they'd ever see her again and the thought gave him a twinge of regret and fear. He chalked it up to the cub in him fearing to loose his mother again, to repeat what had happened so long ago, but the adult pushed it away. He wasn't that cub any longer, and just as she said, they didn't truly need her anymore. She'd done what she could and they had done the rest. What else was there?
His mane brushed his shoulders as he walked, his mind elsewhere than his paws. There wasn't room for them in her future anyway...
Kiuma sighed as her face twisted in a snarl of distaste, not directed at her sons even though she watched them leave her. No, it was at herself and the need for this seperation. They were part of an old life, it seemed, and just like that old life and old her, it was over and done with. At least they had grown well and could have their own lives without her... it was little consolation, but it was better than nothing.
The red lioness waited a few long moments before she rose and turned in the opposite direction, breaking into a trot as she went to find her companion and the new life she was making for herself.
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