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 Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 4:32 pm
Hunting lessons had begun in the little family, and Shani was absolutely set on becoming the best possible huntress- as good, or better than her mother! She'd never have considered such a thing if it hadn't been her mother who'd suggested it. If she could be as wonderful as her mother, Shani would be a very happy lioness. She felt she was off to a good start, having made her first catch only a couple of days earlier.
Unsure of what she wanted to hunt, she was happy just to work on looking around and practicing staying quiet enough that she was hidden. She wasn't far from home yet, though. Shani hadn't even decided quite which way she was going to go, and she wasn't in any rush.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:36 am
Still, her promise kept on hitting her on the back of her head until she finally gave in and decided to try and hunt. Of course, this time she would do it alone... just in case she had another embarrassing mishap. It would be horrifying to be witnessed in making a horrible and juvenile blunder. Ghali would not stand to suffer through that again. Yet... fate seemed to be working against her, because as she was walking away from the den she spotted her sister. Ghali had a good idea of what Shani was planning to do... and that was to hunt.
And if Shani saw her, Ghali would probably get dragged into hunting with her.
An unladylike cuss word was muttered underneath her breath as she made her way to her sister's side. "Shani!" She might as well give in now.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:14 am
Shani had heard a little about Ghali's hunting trip, mostly she'd heard that.. they weren't really talking about it. Ghali wasn't too thrilled, and that was all Shani knew. Or it was all she assumed about the situation. She was surprised when she heard someone call out her name, and one look back immediately told her who it was.
"Ghali!" she cried, circling around and bounding over to her sister, "What are you doing out here? A-" Shani strangled a question and smiled brightly instead, not wanting to ask if she was going to hunt too.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:25 am
Ghali's hunting trip expedition was going to soon become a topic that was forbidden to be discussed even in the lightest of terms. Ghali would gladly be the lioness to enforce the new ban, because she did not want to hear about her failure every day... and she did not want to be the source of any kind of laughter that resulted from her hunting expedition. No, she wanted it to be kept on the down low. It was all right for her family to hear that she had not succeeded in catching her first meal. But, the details of the hunt were something that she'd rather have remain unknown. Fortunately, she trusted her mother enough to keep her hunt a secret from the rest of the family. Oh, she knew that they knew something had gone horribly wrong. But, they had no reason to laugh simply because they weren't given any details.
She loved her mother sometimes.
Ghali couldn't help but smile as her sister doubled back to her, taking a few steps forward to nuzzle her head into Shani's neck in a greeting. But, when asked what she was doing, Ghali tensed and decided that lying was the safest route. "Oh? Well, I was just going for a walk. I needed some away-time from the den. I might even consider moving into a den of my own soon." Of course, that really wouldn't happen for a while, but she was only talking about it to keep her sister distracted. Ghali did not want to be dragged into a hunt with her sister. No. Way.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:58 am
Shani was more than willing to ignore the incident if their mother was doing it for Ghali's benefit, and if it was what Ghali wanted. However, part of Shani was dying to offer to practice with her sister so tha they could get better together. It wouldn't do to act like she knew more, they'd only tried once that Shani knew and that wasn't enough to claim superiority over. She purred and affectionately nudged back at her sister when she was greeted, not really noticing the tension in Ghali's expression when she thought over her answer.
She her smile didn't waver until Ghali suddenly suggested she might move into a den of her own. It was not something Shani had ever considered for herself, or for anyone in their family really. It was just impossible.
"You can't move out, Ghali!" she cried, "Why would you do that?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 8:04 am
The fact was, Shani had succeeded where Ghali had failed, and even though it was one incident, that incident was enough to put Ghali off. She no longer saw her future as a huntress, and begrudingly she realized she'd probably take up the 'lowly' status of a scout. Being a huntress had more honour, but Ghali obviously didn't have the skill to hunt. She had the mind, but her body could not quickly follow the mind and its decisions. It left Ghali at a loss of what to do whenever she tried to hunt, and so she thought it easier to not hunt and look for something else that was better suited to her.
Ghali couldn't help but take some satisfaction in her sister's surprise when she mentioned moving out. Also, she had sufficiently diverted her sister's attention from hunting to the topic of moving out. "I don't see why I can't," she told her sister with a shake of her head. "I'm getting old enough to live on my own, and our den is getting a little cramped. I don't want to live with mom and dad forever. I want to move out on my own, make a living for myself." It was something that could be expected from Ghali, because she had a startling streak of independance. It was only a matter of time before she really moved out. "I'm not going to abandon you or the family. I'll just move into my own den and maybe settle down with someone. No big deal."
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:14 am
Shani was stunned, she didn't know what else to do or to say. She was very happy how things were, she imagined their whole family as perfect- even with Kubwa being a little iffy. She loved him and Tete just as much as the rest of them. They were all great just how they were, Ghali shouldn't be moving out- it would make everything that much different.
"But Ghali-" she cut herself off, not sure wher eto go from there and the mention of settling down with someone reminded her of the conversation she'd had with her mother. Mama had said it was very romantic, falling in love.. and she'd implied it would be especially romantic now, just no cubs. Was that what she really wanted? Was that what Ghali wanted?
"But.." she sat down, still not sure what to say.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:37 am
"But nothing," she said to Shani, and seeing her sister's lost look she smiled slightly, taking a step or two forward to gingerly nudge her head against Shani's shoulder. Ghali couldn't believe how shocked her sister appeared to hear that Ghali was planning on moving out soon. It was what most young lions did, and naturally Ghali wouldn't move far from home. She'd still be in the Pridelands, and walking distance away. She could not see what was wrong with moving out of the den, and even thought that Shani should be planning to do so as well soon. "It's not like I'm moving out right this instant," she reassuringly said to her sister, nudging her encouragingly to help her through this shock. It was amusing, almost, to see her sister unable to cope with the idea of Ghali moving out. But, Ghali wasn't smiling because of that. She was smiling because Shani cared so much about hre that she didn't want her to leave. It was touching, and it made her love her sister even more.
"I can't live with mom and dad forever. I need my own space, my own life, Shani. I'm about ready to take that step, and while I'm not leaving this instant, it'll be in a few months. I'm going to start looking for a new den soon. Perhaps you'd want to come along some time?" She was trying to include her sister in this process, just to prove to Shani that she was not going to be abandoning the family. It was just another step in the bid for independance, something she desired greatly at her age.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:45 am
Shani just stared dumbly for a moment as Ghali remained very sincere about this topic, and couldn't hide her relief when she was reassured that it wouldn't be right this minute. Moving out without any notice.. that wasn't something Shani cared much for, and she couldn't imagine their parents liking all that much either. At least Ghali mentioned it now instead of then.
"Have you told mom and dad about this?" she asked curiously, hesitating before continuing, "I- I can come along if you want. I didn't know you thought about this already.."
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:55 am
"Not yet..." she said evasively, making it clear that she wasn't ready to tell Mom and Dad about her intention to leave the den. She wasn't sure how they would take it, her being one of their precious baby girls. Ghali knew that Kubwa and Kipanya would have had it easier than she would. Ghali would have to prove to her family that she could make it out on her own. She wasn't entirely sure that they would let her leave, but sooner or later she would have to approach them about it. The young blue lioness knew that she couldn't just up and leave without talking it over thoroughly with her family. Her mind was already set, but now she just had to convince her family that it was the right thing for her. Surely they would understand her need to live on her own, and surely they would understand that she wasn't abandoning them.
"I would adore it greatly if you came along and helped me to pick out the perfect home," she told Shani with a warm smile. She could only hope that Shani would cope well with this change, and maybe even take her first few steps to leaving the den permanently as well. "I've been thinking about it for a whlie, and now I'm sure that it is what I want to do. I want my own home, Shani, and I'm willing to go through anything and everything to have it."
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 10:06 am
Like Ghali, Shani was in the position of being one of the baby girls in the family, who would not be allowed to leave the nest so easily. Unlike Ghali, though, Shani was not too keen on up and leaving unless their mother expressed specific thoughts about how great it would be. Shani was certainly not what some would call independent, but she was totally clueless about that and that was how she was happy. She nodded when Ghali said she hadn't yet told their parents, trying to show she understood and would not tell them yet.
She didn't know what else to say, now. She wanted to be supportive, but thinking it wouldn't exactly be a happy moment for their parents should couldn't help but hesitate. The only thing Shani could see doing them any good was to agree to help Ghali, agree to do it so that someone knew so Ghali couldn't get upset and go away because no one was being supportive.
"Ok," she nodded.
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Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:39 pm
Ghali knew there would be resistance from her family, especially her parents. But Ghali was a strong-willed young lioness, and she would have her way no matter what her family said. The only thing was that she didn't want to break the ties she had with her family, and in fact did not even want to strain them in the slightest. She wanted to leave on good terms with her family, with them backing her every step of the way. That was what she dreamed of, but if she could not have it that way she would live with it. Ghali knew that her family would support her, and if she upset any one of them by moving into her own den... well, she had her whole life to restore the bonds that made them a family. Ghali knew that it might pain her family, but that pain would fade away. This was what Ghali needed to do, for herself.
"Don't worry about any of it, Shani. There's no point to right now. It's going to happen, and until then we might as well enjoy ourselves." She had begun walking ahead, feeling restless and hoping that a good walk would distract Shani from her thoughts. "I'm not going to be abandoning the family by leaving them. This is just a step towards my independence. Even if they don't want me to go, I'm going." She shook her head, and with a deep sigh she turned her gaze back to her sister. "I was hoping that you would... perhaps help me calm them and come to accept my decision. It'd be easier with the two of us working together for me to have their permission to move out, and I would really like to have their permission. I'll leave even if I don't, but it would be nice to have their support."
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Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:46 pm
Shani quickly followed after Ghali when she started to move again, not wanting to let her sister just walk off because Shani was so stunned because of this little conversation. She sighed quietly when Ghali made it clear nothing was going to stop this from happening, Shani wasn't surprised but she was a little worried and disappointed. She opened her mouth to respond but when Ghali asked for her help she hesitated and closed her mouth. She didn't want to be a source of distress for her parents, not in the slightest- but if Ghali was going to go either way, she'd only be helping them all if she tried to keep them calm and on Ghali's side.
"I'll help," she muttered, with a nod, "I don't think anyone would want you to just leave, if we can convince them it's better.. then maybe no one will be upset."
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Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:58 pm
Ghali knew that even her sister did not want her to go. In fact, she knew that her sister especially did not want to see her leave. They had grown up together, played together, and even shared some of the same friends. They were sisters in every sense, and so Ghali leaving would most certainly strain the bond between them. But, it had to be done. Ghali would be surprised if her family was not expecting this from her. She had made it clear from the time that she was a cub that she desired independence. Of course, she was still loyal to her family and loved them, but Ghali displayed a high level of independence. She was just going to take it to the next step by leaving. Her family surely had to be expecting it soon. It would still hurt them, though, and that was what she feared the most. She feared that she would do permanent damage by leaving so early in life. But she could fend for herself, take care of herself, and live a happy life on her own while still visiting her family.
"Thanks, Shani." Her smile was incredibly tender and sweet when she showed it to her sister, sincerity ringing in her voice. She really did mean it. She needed Shani's help, and she would appreciate it even if it was only in a tiny amount. "They'll still be a little upset, but it will ease the pain of my leaving. I'll make it up to them, somehow. I just know that I have to find a den and live on my own."
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Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 1:24 pm
Shani was happy to have at least made Ghali happy, and knew that her agreeing to help was the best thing. If she could keep her parents calm and show to be so close to Ghali.. surely they couldn't be terribly upset with her! She too would make it up to them, she would help Ghali do so as well if she needed the help with that too.
"If that's what you need to do," she commented, "Then they can't get too upset, mom and dad love us- they want us to be happy as much as we want them to be. Right?"
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