|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:19 pm
"I don't see why you need another one. One pain in the a** would be enough for me. You should have just sent me in to kill the mother when he was just a babe. He would have been a much better fighter if we started him early."
"Hush, Thambo, you'll see. I won't keep him if he's useless." Xibalba crooned softly to her hyena, who was standing guard in front of the cave where she had laid Farai for the night. Such a naïve little cub, not aware that the world was full of those who took the weak as slaves. The lioness was no Firekin, abusing her slaves and keeping them cowering in fear. Physical abuse was just not her style. She likes the mental arena much better. "Is he awake yet?"
Thambo gave a small shrug. "No idea. I haven't heard any whimpering yet." He tilted his body to scratch one black ear.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:29 pm
Just then, Farai did start to wake up, eyes blinking open blearily as he stirred slowly. His first observation was that his head hurt... really hurt, actually, and he made a quiet sound of pain and distress.
The second thing he noticed was that he wasn't with his mother or father, and he couldn't scent them anywhere close by. Instead, he was in an unfamiliar place... and it was dark, though he could see light coming from the mouth of the cave.
Standing up on shaky legs, he took a few steps toward the entrance, and then saw the shapes of Xibalba and some other kind of creature outside.
She ... she had taken him away! That thought instantly drove away everything else in his mind, and Farai stared into space, wide-eyed. This was bad... his parents would be worried! Why ... why would she do something like this?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:41 am
Thambo's ears perked instantly at the sound, turning his red eyes to peer into the cave. Huh. So the brat was awake. He didn't see why his mistress wanted another one of these lions. Thambo supplied her with everything she needed. He made sure her spy network was stable, he brought her vulture chicks to raise into spies, and he had even brought her back a female hyena. Nanako had been bribed to work for Xibalba, but hey, another hyena was another hyena. Now she'd have two body guards. And she wanted a little lion cub. Che.
With a low rumble, the hyena continued to watch the cub as he made his way towards the mouth of the cave. Perhaps he could scare this one into submission. Utesaji had been old when they'd met, and thus the lion could not been threatened. This one, however, was young enough to be pushed around a little. The hyena grinned, before turning his attention to Xibalba. "He lives."
The lioness looked up from her claws, and smiled sweetly at Farai. "Hello Farai. Did you sleep well? This is Thambo. He was very interested in meeting you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:27 pm
Farai had stopped then, staring at the hyena. He had never seen one before, and already ... he was starting to get scared. He was supposed to have been home hours ago, and he knew his mother would be worried. But now, he had no idea at all where he was!
But ... it didn't matter. He just had to get away. Then he could look for her, and try to find the way back.
Without even answering Xibalba's question, the little juve darted out from the cave and tried to run between the two of them, nose pointed toward freedom.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:16 am
Thambo had never understood why his mistress enjoyed catching cubs, but he did not question her. Lions had always been trouble for her, whether it was because they did not innately fear her like many creatures or simply because they were all stubborn fools. The females were alright, but Xibalba said they could be too smart. They would either be extremely loyal idealists or troublemakers. Males were easier, she said. You could play on their pride and their weaknesses. Thambo secretly believed that they were also much stupider than females, and that was why they were so easily dominated. Stupid like this cub.
The hyena was after Farai instantly, aiming to grab him by the scruff. It would do him no good to break the cub's neck, even though it was tempting. He never did like the competition. But Xibalba had caught this one especially, and he would had to wait for his opportunity.
Xibalba let her pet go after Farai, but moved slowly to stand in the direction he had been running too. Let Thambo use force. The lioness would use her words. In the beginning they may not be as effective, but she would still refrain from physical harm. All she needed to do was get her hooks into him mentally, and no physical punishment would be necessary. "Something interesting outside the cave, Farai?" She asked, golden eyes narrowing a fraction. It appeared that the cub would need to be taught who was his mistress now, and mummy wasn’t around to save him. He could try to run all he liked, but he would soon learn that no one left Xibalba without her permission.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:12 pm
Farai yelped when the hyena caught him, swinging back and forth in the larger creature's jaws almost hard enough to make him sick. That, on top of the fear, knowing he'd been stolen away, and the knock to his head earlier meant that Farai was most definitely not happy right now.
"Let me go!" he protested, twisting around and trying to get away. He figured out quickly enough that wouldn't work, though... and instead turned to trying to reach for the hyena's neck with claws. He was still too small though, and eventually hung limp, glaring at Xibalba.
"I want to go home," he said, trying very hard to keep the fear from his voice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 11:52 am
The hyena resisted the urge to grin around his catch, keeping his face decidedly neutral. Now that he had the cub, it would be up to Xibalba what he would do with him. No amount of struggling or fighting could convince Thambo to put him down. To do so would label him as weak, and he would not allow a small lion to make him appear as such in front of his mistress. Thus, the hyena remained silent, allowing Farai to struggle and squirm until he conceded defeat. Thambo raised an eyebrow at Xibalba, a silent question, however the lioness shook her head. The black hyena would hold the young male until he knew his place.
"I'm afraid Thambo does not take orders from anyone but me. You would have to be much more convincing than that to get him to let you go." Xibalba was pleased with her pet, if only because he had shown some restraint. It was no mystery that Thambo did not like lions or anything that was a threat to his place in Xibalba's web, which was why she devised subtle tests to make sure he remembered who he owed allegiance to first and foremost. So far he had not disappointed her.
At Farai's demand, Xibalba put on a confused look, head tilted to the side. "Home? Why would you ask to go home when you are already there? This is your home now, here with me. Do you not remember?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 1:10 pm
"No, this is not my home!" Farai burst out at that. "You're not my mother and my sister isn't here and neither is my father and I hate you!" A little pause and he twisted again, trying to get at the hyena. "And you're just a nasty scavenger!!"
It didn't even really occur to him how much danger he could be in here, as Farai was just upset, tired, confused, and didn't want to be here, not at all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 5:10 pm
Xibalba's smile didn't leave her face as she pretending to be interested in her unsheathed claws. The cub wasn't stupid. Of course he knew that this was not his home. He was too old to not remember the place with his mother and father. But the lioness had more tricks up her sleeve, and with a few partial truths the cub would be all hers. "Of course they're not here. They gave you to me. Why else has your mother not come and rescued you by now?" In truth, Xibalba had traveled far and in a very discrete route so as Farai would not be found easily, but he didn't have to know that. "She has your sister. What else could she need?"
The hyena had to resist the urge to give the young male a shake at the comment. It was tempting, it really was, but Xibalba would most definitely punish him later for being too rough with him. No matter, though. He would make sure Farai got a swat to the head later when his mistress wasn't looking. Thambo only owed her his allegiance. He owed nothing to this pitiful blue cub.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 10:42 am
Gave him ... to her...? Farai went limp again at that, eyes widening. That couldn't be true, right..? His parents had told them that they loved him... loved them both.
"You're a liar!" he finally yelled, though there was maybe a seed of doubt there. Could it be true... ? Surely not!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 4:46 pm
Xibalba feigned a look of innocence, though inwardly she grinned. Perfect. It didn't matter if Farai spent his entire time with her in denial. All she had to do was plant the seeds of doubt in his mind and it would be a sore point forever. It was easier to do such things with young minds, but the majority of her charges could be twisted in such ways. With Thambo it wasn't necessary, and he was blindly devoted to her cause. But with Utesaji, all she had to do was bring up his brother and his behaviour fixed itself instantly. The more things she had to blackmail another feline into doing what she wanted the better.
"You can call me what you want, but the truth will become evident to you soon enough, young Farai. Your mother knew one day that you would wander farther than usual, despite her telling you not to. It is in the nature of every cub to become curious. She told me this and I came to pick you up. However..." She paused rather dramatically, staring down at her paws. "If you don't believe me, why don't you wait here for your mother to come and get you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 2:50 pm
Farai huffed at that, looking rather disgruntled and still upset. "That doesn't make any sense! Why should I wait here? I'll go find her and ask her, how about that?" he asked in return, growling at the other lioness.
He didn't trust her! His mother wouldn't do that... she loved them. And so did daddy.
Back to plan A. "Let me go!" he yelled then, twisting around wildly. Stupid!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 3:49 pm
"You would have to be able to find her first, would you not?" Xibalba had all the time in the world to argue with this young lion. Besides, if she got tired of him she would have Thambo escort him back to the den and sit and watch him. Then, after she had had a good nights sleep, she could return and continue this conversation. In her mind, it was clear who had the advantage, but she did not need to lay things out for Farai. He would get tired soon enough.
"And what about all the other nasty creatures out there who would very much like to eat you for dinner? You think you could find your mother before they found you?" This in itself was a lie, as this was Xibalba's territory and few creatures willingly strayed alone into areas that smelled like multiple hyenas and lions. That was asking for trouble. "He's not going to let you go unless I tell him to. Thambo doesn't listen to young lions."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 9:52 pm
Farai growled at that, glaring at Xibalba again. "Then you tell him to let me go! At least if I get eaten trying to get away from you, it'll be for a good cause!"
Not that he really had any idea what he was talking about ... Farai was just incredibly stubborn and totally unwilling to give up at the moment. Whatever she said, he would have some kind of answer for, whether it made sense or not.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:00 pm
Thambo growled around the young lion in his mouth, extremely tempted to give him a good shake. Ordering Xibalba around! Ha! Just who did he think he was? Even Utesaji, a full grown male lion, didn't give orders to his mistress. Sure, the big blue oaf liked to think he had some sort of control, but the black hyena knew better. This young lion, however, was heading the right way for a good beating. Too bad he wouldn't be allowed to do it unless Xibalba said he could.
"Why should I listen to you? I received you as a gift, and I generally don't take orders from gifts." Xibalba gave a small shrug, though her eyes narrowed just a fraction. No, she would not be taking orders from anyone. She was the one who gave the orders, after all. "For a good cause? Haha, what cause? Returning back to the mother who gave you away?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
