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 Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:31 pm
A figure of dark blue and black paced over the border of the Pridelands, shivering as that invisible barrier passed him. Matsai was strangely glad to be returning, even if he didn't really think of this place as his home. His home was wherever his twin was, but his birth place did hold some bit of sentimental value to him. Ahai was somewhere behind him, probably still brooding over the fact that their mother hadn't wanted to return with them. The seer shook his head at that. Its not like their mother had ever been around that much, why should this distance bother his twin? It wasn't really anything new.
Matsai tried to shake off those thoughts as black ears perked and green eyes panned the area, searching for any of the pridal lions. Maybe one the two brothers they'd left behind were still here. It might be nice to see them again, even if he'd only ever been really close to Ahai. Meeting others of the pride would be good though, he needed to meet more lions and hone his skills as a seer. Banjoko had been a sort of breakthrough, and he was eager to take it farther.
He didn't admit, even to himself, the secret reason for why he was really here...
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Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:12 am
Verdad lay in th dappled shade under a tree. She's run off to get a little time to herself for once and rest. Her paws pulled against her chest as she yawned. It was such a lazy day away from the pride. She wondered how anyone could do it so often. Maybe she just liked the feeling of being busy? Whatever the case, she had to admit that she liked the crowed feeling of a pride.
She smiled and lazily scratched at the pebbles by her paws. It felt so odd to be grown. Something about being an adult and not being able to run around like a child anymore confused her. She's never truly gotten over wanting to play.
After finally remembering her duties, Verdad stood and stretched. She needed to get back to her pride for the time being.
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Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:40 pm
A soft, almost un-heard rattle of pebbles nearby caught Matsai's attention, and a black ear flicked in that direction, followed by his eyes as his head turned. Suddenly, it was like he was in one of his visions again. Every detail, every line and splash of color... he could have sworn he'd seen it all before.
A white paw lifted and moved forward before settling in the dirt, spreading to take the weight of the large body it supported. He'd changed too, though the only time he really noticed was when he saw Ahai. It was like looking in the mirror... seeing how he must look in the face and form of his twin. To see the changes in the lioness by the tree, even though he'd seen them in his dreams, still came as a little bit of a shock... Taking another slow step, he raised his head up, feeling a playfull little wind ruffling the ebony strands of his mane. Green eyes gazed thoughtfully before he could bring himself to speak, but when he did, it was almost a relief to.
"Verdad." He called out, though not real loudly. He just knew she would hear it... she always had...
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Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 5:11 pm
As the lone lioness started on her way back to her home, her name ever so softly was on the wind. She figured it was one of her charges calling her name since it seemed distantly familiar. Her claws tapped on the ground as she turned and made towards the voice.
She wasn't really in the mood for an entire litter to start chewing at anything they could find on her but what could she do? It was her job. Still slightly in a napping daze, yawned as she came closer to the source.
"What do you want?" It was a rather unlady like response on her part but she really didn't care at the moment.
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Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:49 pm
A slow blink was really the only response the big, blue lion could formulate for her question. What did he want...?
What did he want? Matsai wasn't sure even he knew, though he suspected that his mind automatically cringed from that particular thought. A ghost of a hint of a frown twitched at his mouth and moved through his eyes, and he settled for just regarding her with his green gaze, waiting for... something. A sign of recognition? Definitely. Happiness to see him? Maybe... On that score, he wasn't sure if he wanted her to be happy to see him or not.
Which, soon after he had the thought, he was forced to admit the lie in it. He did want her to be happy to see him... he wanted her face to light up, her smile shining from her face and her eyes sparkling. He wanted vision lioness and childhood friend to rush up to him, babbling with questions of where he'd gone and what he'd done, and why. It made him grumpy, this feeling, but he couldn't deny it.
Now... where had that come from? When had he started think of her as 'his'...?
All this flashed through his mind and was gone in a moment, the only sign of his turmoil another slow blink of his eyes. Finally, he spoke again, hoping. "Verdad?"
Maybe... maybe this wasn't her... but no, there couldn't be two lionesses that color of orange, lovely green eyes boldly circled in blue.
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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:45 pm
Verdad was tired. Worn out rather. She'd been caring for cub after cub after cub. She wondered where they all came from sometimes. Her tail and head hung low and the sparkle in her eyes had been long gone since the morning. Of course, she was always cheerful no matter what she was doing but this was almost the edge of the pride and it could have been anything. Though it did know her name and that was odd. It was probably just a cub or parent who needed her help again.
At the lack of response, her lip curled. She may have been sweet and kind but her patience had begun to lag behind her cheerful demeanor. She lifted her head just a bit to see a figure just beyond her. Why was the smell familiar. Verdad regarded the shape for a moment before moving a bit closer.
"I don't have all day whoever you are so tell me what you want-..." Her sentence ended at the familiar shade of blue. Her eyes darted to the ground in dis belief.
No. It couldn't have been.
He'd been gone for so long. He couldn't have just waltzed back into the pridelands after all that time. She figured he had run off somewhere and found a girl. Her tail did a nervous twitch as she gathered up the courage to look up again. She couldn't have ever prepared herself for his return.
"Matsai?" The look of distaste of her face melted into a wide smile that almost matched the vigor of her childhood. "Matsai?!"
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 8:58 pm
The blue male felt a thrill of satisfaction when she finally reconized him and her voice came with the sound of his name. The corners of his mouth twitched, and a lesser being might have been smirking like a fool.
"The one and only." He murmured, taking a few steps closer. Oh, she was a good sight. It was wonderful to see her with real eyes rather than the minds-eye. "Were you expecting some other blue lion, Ver? Your lover per haps, waiting for a tryst in the savannah grass?"
His teasing was dry and cynical, but it hid a sudden and real desire to know. She'd grown up, lived as much as he had, and there were many lions their age in the pride. Had she found a mate, a lover? Did she even... have cubs? Inwardly, he flinched and grimaced at the thought, feeling the low heat of anger and jealousy. Who would dare to take her from him? He had seen no visions of her with another... surely he would have seen one, if one existed.
All the while he thought, his voice stayed impassive, if a touch colder than a moment before.
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:15 pm
Verdad stopped dead in front of him. Even in her excitement, she knew what would happen if she got too close to her childhood friend.
"I wasn't expecting anything Matsai. Like I always do these days." She chuckled softly, flicking her ears forward. "Why would you think that I was looking for someone? You jealous?"
After all these seasons, it was odd to be presented with the lion she wanted to see most. He'd gotten big and seemingly strong due compared to the other males around. Of course, he'd always be her blue companion no matter how big he got but this was ridiculous. "Good lord Matsai. What have you been eating lately? Do they have like...instant muscle antelope running around outside the borders?"
"I've never been outside the pridelands since my run in with that hyena. What's it like out there? Is the sky a different color? Does the water taste different?..Are the girls prettier?" It was then that she realized that she knew nothing about Matsai and his journeys.
What if he really wasn't alone?...
What if he brought a family?...
Or even worse, what if Ahai was nearby?
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:41 pm
At her mention of being jealous, echoing so closely his own thoughts, the male's ears pressed back into his mane as he jerked his head back, narrowing green eyes.
"I didn't say I was jealous... It would be logical, you being grown to adult and out of my sight for so long, to have taken a mate, even have cubs..." He trailed off, rolling heavy shoulders. Her comment about his size did make him feel rather proud, his chest expanding as he 'puffed' himself up a little. A child-like response, perhaps, but the last time he'd known her, they had both been children. "And you know size comes from the parents. If you remember, my father was rather large, larger even than I am now."
The bombardment of questions took him by suprise and he settled back to wait for them to finish while he formulated a response. "Its the same out there as it is here, but not everyone is so nice and boring... The sky is the same color everywhere, the water tastes the same and..." Her last question pulled him up and he paused, finally shaking his head. "I've never noticed the girls out there. I couldn't tell you if they are or not, though they tend to be tougher... Ahai got his tail kicked by one." He huffed softly, his version of a laugh.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 5:44 pm
Verdad grinned subtly, chuckling all through his talking. "You [i ]are jealous aren't you? You wouldn't have cared when we were cubs you. But I guess it doesn't matter anyway cause I don't have anything like that. Everyone around here is either taken or scared away by Aden."
She counted with the digits on her paw, starring up at the sky as she did so. "Not many to chose from around here anyway when you're a nanny. Too many cubs to look at as it is."
Her tail twitched as he spoke about what he'd learned about th outside world. Ver wondered why it sounded so interesting even though what he was describing seemed pretty mundane. Of course, she couldn't hold her laugh at Ahai's misfortune.
"I knew it would happen one day. I would've kicked it myself if...you know...he wasn't 7 million times bigger than I was." She doubted Matsai would actually think she was tough enough to do so but it had been awhile. She could put up a front at least.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 11:25 pm
Matsai's face blanked at her insistance that he was jealous, and had he been anyone else, he would have glared fiercely at her.
"I am -not- jealous. Besides... wouldn't that make you jealous too then? You're the one that asked if the girls out there are pretty." He grinned inwardly, thinking he had caught her. He felt a flood of relief to know that she didn't have anyone. He was almost grateful to Aeden for keeping away any would-be suiters. Not that the red male could keep Matsai away if he chose to be with Ver... Now where did that thought come from?
Black ears flicked as he shook his head to settle his mane, a rumble in his throat. "I don't think you would have been able to, even if you were the same size." He said blankly, teasing her. "You're a nanny now? I don't see how a nanny could beat my well-trained brother in a fight. Though, its an amusing thought." Matsai eyed Ver, overcome with a strange need to touch her. A life time of restrait prevented him, but he couldn't shake the need. Instead, he tried to distract himself with questions for her.
"What made you want to be a nanny, of all things? Do you really like taking care of other people's cubs so much? They'd drive me insane before very long." He remarked, giving a mock shudder.
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Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 3:29 pm
Verdad chuckled, swishing her tail triumphantly.
"Well, I was just wondering. I've never been out of the Pridelands. All I've seen are all the other girls pairing up and I couldn't help but wonder if we're just better at it or if there's others out there who can rival our girls." Of course, she'd neglected the fact that she was 100% rogue blood. She doubted Matsai knew about that anyway. He probably figured she had just been born on the outskirts. There was enough space for the to happen either way.
Her eyes lit up at the subject of her job. It wasn't every day that someone wanted to know why she'd been chosen anyway.
"What can I say? I can't hunt. I can't breed and I can't fight. Taking care of cubs makes me feel important and vital." Ver nodded matter-of-factly. "I have strong morals and an attitude that cubs flock to I guess. You haven't been here since I was small so you have no idea how much more mature I've gotten..."
She almost wanted to laugh at the sentence herself. Mature was a far stretch even for her adult self.
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Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 3:49 pm
The blue male didn't care to comment on the statement about Pridelander girls. He'd had little experience with them, besides Ver. It was interesting to know that the others of their generation were pairing up, though. He'd not felt a need for something like that, but... well, he was not one that liked being left behind. It was something he'd have to think seriously about later, maybe talk to Ahai about it.
That brought out a thought of his twin with a female and he nearly choked, letting out a soft huff. It was against everything he knew about his brother and he couldn't even picture what kind of a female would pair to his brother.
He listened to her talk about being a nanny as he thought, her words drawing his mind back to her. She couldn't hunt? He found that a little hard to believe, since she'd never struck him as particularly clumsy. An eyebrow rose when she said she couldn't breed, a twitch moving the corner of his mouth. That was an odd thought... And she had gotten mature, eh? All sort of thoughts were running through his mind at those innocent statements and he eyed Ver, his tail gently twitching.
"I suppose I don't find that all to odd." He murmured. "It has been a while and you certainly look more grown up than you did before... it would make sense that you've matured as well."
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Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:18 pm
"It's been a long while since we were cubs ourselves. I've watched a good few cubs grow to adulthood. It's rather rewarding to see them grow up into such nice individuals." She laughed wholeheartedly. "It especially feels good when I was the one who took care of them. My influence guided them to be good souls."
She could have rambled on for hours, she was so happy. Ver had her friend back and Matsai hadn't changed as much as she thought he would. At least in personality. Of course, his brother could still sneak up behind her and ruin in but she guessed that was part of talking to Matsai. If she had anything to do with it, maybe her will would keep the brother away.
"Well, as you can see, I still like to talk. Probably the only thing about me that hasn't changed. Oh! Have you been in the pridelands long? It's changed so much around here since we were kids. Do you wanna tour?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:14 am
Listening with more attention than he showed, Matsai's face blanked further when she mentioned having watched cubs grow to adulthood under her care. Had it really been that long? Sure, he'd grown and so had she, and they'd both seen and done many things, but... it didn't feel that long, especially now, sitting here listening to her chatter. He felt like a child again, a peace in him that he hadn't felt in a while and hadn't known he missed.
He blinked at her question and shrugged heavy shoulders. "I just arrived, actually. You're the first one I've met since we got here." He didn't mention that she was the first one he'd sought out the moment he arrived, as well. "I suppose the Pridelands have changed as much as we have, logically, but I find it hard to really believe. They always seemed an eternal thing, unchanging into forever." What an odd thought... that the place he'd been born might possibly be different than the last time he was in it. It made him wonder just what else in his past might have changed and become new to him.
"Actually, I think I would like a tour. I assume you're offering yourself as a guide?" He said, blandly. It was a little tease, but still a tease.
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