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 Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:15 pm
Quote: Asali meandered amongst the rocks as she climbed up to the impressive home of the Pridelanders, seeking the dens. She'd wandered about the place for a few days since meeting Jing and they'd had some fun. A nice fling, good parting and no bad feelings. Then she'd visited a nearby group that supposedly sang all their stories (very fun), and she had meant to come back...just not this soon. In a season maybe. But she had a pressing reason for being back so soon, and was trying to find her friend and brief flame amongst what felt like all the lions in African, all crowded into one place. Quote: The lion in question was just returning from a meal, blood just freshly groomed from his fur. He would've been on his way to see his mother and the cubs if he hadn't spotted Asali first near the rocks. Blinking, he felt a small flutter of warmth at the sight of her, like seeing an old friend after a long time. It hadn't been so long though, but he was glad to see her none the less.
"Asali! You've returned a lot quicker than I expected. I would have thought you'd found enough stories out there to keep you occupied for some time." He smiled, and clearly didn't mean that in a manner that he wanted her to leave.
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Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:15 pm
Quote: "Jing!" She smiled, genuinely happy to see him. She wasn't an easy one to befriend and she wasn't often impressed but Jing she'd grown fond of. "I found many stories, but since a few seem to be beginning soon, I though it best to be here...." It was quite a cryptic remark made with a tilted head and a thoughtful expression. "Don't suppose we could go somewhere to talk?" Quote: Some beginning soon...? Jing didn't have much chance to immediately dwell on those words, smiling a bit and motioning with his paw. "Come on. There's some sort of privacy up here."
He motioned her to follow then, glancing back over his shoulder before leading her up along Pride Rock towards the storyteller's roost.
New stories... beginning soon. Why did that stick out in his mind so much?
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Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:16 pm
Quote: Asali hadn't really visited the 'storytellers roost' last time - bit busy - but now she looked about her with interest. One day when she got old, she'd consider settling down to tell her tales in a pride...one day. Then she studied her companion. "How've you been? Well...?" Quote: "Well enough, yes..." He replied, moving to round the rock that Tai usually perched on, circling it once so that he was facing Asali again, almost as if suggesting she make use of it, with him sitting at her right paw's side. "Bit busy with my mother's new lot, but only out of choice. You can imagine not much happens in a place like this, so peaceful." Some would call it boring, but Jing was too preoccupied with his own thoughts lately to notice.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 8:46 am
Quote: "Peaceful is good though. It's not always a safe place out in the roguelands." She thought of her past and quickly pushed the thoughts aside. Her past no longer existed to Asali, it didn't, it didn't. Still, when non fiction was abandoned she knew a hundred tales of the dangers out there. "Which leads me on to what I needed to tell you..." For once in her life, the spunky story weavin' female was lost for words. Quote: Jing nodded quietly, watching her in respective silence as her words sunk in. Something was certainly weighing heavily on his new friend's mind, and he worried. Had he caused her some turmoil? Was...
".... You're pregnant." He realized, though he stated the fact calmly, watching her and hoping that his steady demeanour would help to anchor her, to show her that he was not shaken by the idea, or at least that he would not run away and leave her to bear it alone. There was no question, though realistically he knew the cubs might not be his, but he trusted those he befriended and he didn't think she'd be here if she honestly suspected otherwise.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 8:47 am
Quote: "Always knew you were a sharp one." She said, with an odd sort of smile. Asali felt more calm in that he wasn't freaking out and that she no longer had to actually break the news. She was happy that they'd stayed on good terms and had hoped he'd react....favourabley. "I was hoping I could make a den nearby, just outside the lands. And maybe the cubs could actually live here. My roving ways isn't really the most secure lifestyle and I'd like you to know them and..." Quote: "Asali.... I have to protest." He sighed, but then smiled a bit, hopefully encouraging. "I think it'd be much safer for all of you just a bit past the borders. You're welcomed to stay in the lands for as long as you like, you know." He replied, drawing closer to her and giving her an almost brotherly nudge with his head against hers. "I'll be there for you and the cubs. I realize you probably didn't have this planned anymore than I did, but they won't suffer for it."
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 8:48 am
Quote: "I should probably see your queen? Though it was easy enough to stay here, I doubt she'd be happy if we just move in." She nudged him back, almost sisterly. He was a good friend and she was sure she'd made a good choice in coming to tell him. Things in these lands were much different than far away, where all cubs were fathered by one king. And they weren't always that great a father....Jing'd be a fine one. Their cubs would benefit. Asali was sure. Quote: "I can bring you to her later on this evening, if you don't mind staying for a while. She's often very tied up with her duties these days, not to mention her own brood of nine." He replied, clearly wincing a bit at the last part. Nine cubs, could they begin to imagine such a large group? Let alone of royals.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 9:33 am
Quote: "I don't mind the wait. Maybe I can meet your Tai as well. I'd be honored to meet a storyteller as much as I will a queen." Nine cubs. Hmm. That'd be quite nice. She had the opposite reaction to the idea. Asali wouldn't mind having a large litter. They'd be a pawful but it'd be worth it. Then again a small one could be more intimate. Hmm. Quote: "Oh, I'm sure that you two will have loads to talk about." He chuckled. "It's a shame, really, she's the only one if you don't count her three apprentices. There's room for another, but for all the lions here we seem to be short on anything but hunters." Though his aunt was fixing the scout shortage, slowly but surely. "She'd love to meet you, I think I'd best find a way to busy myself while you two chat, though." He teased.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 9:34 am
Quote: "Hmm...if I were older, I'd ask about it. I plan to settle down one day, but for now there's too much of the world to see and too many stories to collect.." She mused. Maybe one would pick up her love of stories and could be destined for the role of storyteller here. Or would feel like travel and could tag along when the were old enough. Quote: "I'm sure that there are many prides that would or will benefit from your knowledge later on down the road. My Aunt is almost as old as the royal family's previous generation as well, and I'm sure that her stories were gathered from experience." He nodded, agreeing with the idea that she'd benefit in the long run by gathering more stories first. "... You might also visit the Unity Walkers, if it's stories that you seek. Those lands are choked full of them. I've heard that there's one in progress now, in fact. If you're lucky enough to meet their goddess in those lands I'm certain she has a wealth of knowledge to pass on." There were rumors of those who had met her. "They have some members and former members that visit here sometimes. I'm sure you'll pick up even more legends and tales just by staying here for a spell."
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:00 pm
Quote: "You've been there?" She looked at him with surprise. He'd not shared any information about the Unity Walkers during their few days of fun. But it was interesting...it definitely sounded like somewhere she should go. Asali had yet to meet a god or goddess either, which as aful considering how many stories of them she knew. Quote: "I haven't, but my cousin, Ayato has. He has a son there. The father of my other younger cousins is also the former head hunter there, Tai's last mate. He's been traveling for some time and he carries the knowledge of the pride's history, which in and of itself is quite a tale. Their ambassador, and former Earth priest, Mteuli is also tied to Tai, I believe they're good friends, and Ayato is the father of Mteuli's first grandchild." He finally finished up, smiling a bit. He'd be the first to admit that their family had all types of confusing ties all over the place, some they didn't even know of. "... We have ties almost all over the place. My sister is, in fact, right now off fighting a war against the Firekin. Sometimes it seems like normalcy is just something this family experiences on a surface level."
He recalled that dark night when the king of these lands had died protecting his youngest sister, a story that no one liked to tell in these lands.
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:04 pm
Quote: "Hmm...looks like our cubs will grow up to be interesting lions, with such a legacy behind them." She beamed. Normalcy was fine, but she liked the sound of this much much more! Quote: "Oh, naturally." He sighed a bit, but was smiling. Come on then... We'll find a den and then I can bring you to meet Tai." He offered, motioning with a paw for her to follow him back down. Quote: "Hmm...a den. This'll be interesting, I'm used to roughing it out in the open." She got to her paws and stretched, and when she did it was quite noticeable she'd put on weight and it a way that was not-just-fat. Just showing.Oh the joys~ "Just need something dry and close to paw really. And as private as it gets when a pride is as big as this is." Quote: "Well then you're in luck, because I think I know just the place." Jing smiled, bringing her back down Pride Rock again. Well, he'd been hoping for something to keep him busy, and what better than a litter of cubs? He was lucky in that his first sired litter was with a female who he could safely call friend. What adventures were waiting for them in the world of parenthood, he couldn't help but wonder. Quote: "Perfect." Asali said, pleased to find her partner in 'crime' if not in love was so handy. She too felt lucky that her first fling that had actually resulted in pregnancy was sired by someone she felt she could trust and actually liked. Very lucky.
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