[PRP] Quest for Rhythm Begins (Isithunzi / Kani'noe)

[Kimaria]

He was growing, faster than he realised, though the world did look a little smaller than it once had.

Apparently, however, he was old enough to start his drum quest, a part in his life that he had been yearning for and yet dreading all at the same time. He remembered meeting Mawi Mai, listening to her beating on the drum, listening to that pleasant sound. From that day on he knew he wanted to play the drum.

It was perfect for him in everyway.

He'd get to play music and he'd get to play it in a group, so that he could merge in and not stand out too much. If he played as a group he was bound to be okay!

There was the little matter of finding his rhythm but he was sure that once he had started his quest he would find it in no time. He couldn't want it that much and not find it, could he?

His mother had told him who he needed to find. Isithunzi the Umshayi. Mawi Mai's own mother! So that was where he was going now. He was going to find her and ask her to teach him to make his very own drum.

Then the quest could begin.

He gave a cautious little mew, lifting both ears forward to listen for any signs that someone was around.  

[Light Atago]

Isithunzi had been spending her time fiddling with rhythm in her spare time, such was what she loved! She'd taken to fiddling around and playing nobody's song, but improvising. She'd mastered all of the Pride's songs (yes, even she had to admit she'd gotten a bit rusty over the time that the pride was broken.) But now that she'd gotten everything fine-tuned and tweaked enough for her satisfaction, she messed around, just to make a cool sound. Today, she was beating out a soft, though quick clawed rhythm on her drumhead. Short staccato beats were what the song was entirely made of, since her own rhythm had little of that. A little diversity- that's the spice of life, right?

It was a good thing for the little leopon that she had been playing quietly, though, otherwise she might not have heard his little call. The rhythm slowed and then stopped as Isi pulled her attention off the drum and onto the horizon. She saw a little face in search of something, and she guessed that that something was her. The grey lioness rose to her paws and called out to him, "You looking for someone?" She quickly slung her drum around her neck and headed over in his direction.  

[Kimaria]

He gave a little jump as the lioness spoke but the fear was shortlived. He realised then, after scanning the female's face that this was the one he had been looking for. Mawi Mai's mother. Their colours were very different but they shared the same markings.

His eyes were drawn to the female's pink ones and then after a moment he realised he hadn't said anything yet. He dipped his ears sheepishly and approached. His eyes fell to her drum then and his heart skipped a beat.

A drum! Wouldn't it be wonderful to have one of his very own?

"Y-yes." He suddenly felt shy and awkward. "I was looking for you. Mawi Mai's mother." He didn't know her name. If he'd been told it, he'd forgotten it. He tried to scurry around his memories but couldn't recall it.

"I'm Kani'noe, ma'am. I'm here to make a drum...if you'll...teach me how."  

[Light Atago]

Isithunzi chuckled at the juve that stood before her, he was rather cute! And hearing news of either of her daughters always brought a smile to her face. Isi wasn't with them all the time, especially now that they were growing up, but she absolutely treasured the time she had with them. "My name is Isithunzi, Isi if you would like to skip the mouthful," She said happily, approaching the leopon. "Kani'Noe, you've come to the right place to learn how to build a drum." Isithunzi said with a nod, glad to have a bit more purpose added to her day.

"Shall we get started?" The grey lioness asked. "It's a bit of a jaunt to get to where we need to be for step one, so we can chat more along the way," The lioness suggested as her tail swished lightly behind her.  

[Kimaria]

It was happening. It was really happening.

Here he was on the way to getting his very own drum. To him it was a sign of age, a sign of acceptance and most importantly a sign that the pride was a part of him just as he was part of the pride. The very thoughts in his mind scattered his apprehension about finding his inspiration.

He would find it.

Or maybe, it would find him.

"Nice to meet you, Isi." He had the distinct feeling that he should probably call her by her full name - out of politeness. But it was a mouthful and he wasn't sure he'd get it right if he tried to repeat. So, he adopted the shorter version instantly. It'd be easier to remember.

"Yes please." He chirped, bouncing a little. It was hard to contain his excitement, knowing he was about to embark on the most amazing journey of his life. Scary as well, but exciting too, always exciting. If he couldn't find his beat here then he'd certainly find it out...there, away from the lands. Maybe that's why he hadn't found it yet.

After all, the point of the quest was to find rhythm, and what would be the point of leaving the lands unless it was full of unknown, hidden music just waiting to be sought and found.

"Okay!" He turned. "I'll follow you." He looked up at her with shining eyes, full of respect and excitement.  

[Light Atago]

"Alright then!" Isithunzi said cheerily as she headed off eastward. "You start your drum with a gourd, it's the bowl, if you will, of the drum. They come from these trees out here... The best ones, anyway," Isithunzi said with a wink. She loved when cubs were eager, energetic on their quests, it always warmed her heart to see the spark of an oncoming adventure in a youngster's eyes.

"Tell me, Kani-- Is it alright if I call you that for short?" Isi asked, giving a pause for the juve to respond before continuing, "Do you know much about rhythm in general? Knowing how much you know lets me know what I need to teach you," Isithunzi explained, looking down to her most recent student. She always asked that question on a drum quest, she'd hate to bore the poor juve to tears with things they already knew...  

[Kimaria]

He skipped after her, keeping up with a fast movement of his young legs. This was it, it was really happening! His mind was buzzing so fast and so erratically that he only just registered Isi's first question and he pulled himself back from the excitement, briefly, to reply.

"You can call me that." Most other people seemed to shorten their names, he'd found, so there was no harm in him doing the same.

And then he turned his mind to finding the gourd. He wasn't sure on on earth they could grow on trees, but then again he had no idea how to make a drum. This was all new and fascinating to him and again he had to forcefully push back his thoughts to answer her second question, a little sheepishly too.

"I don't know much about music, if I'm going to be honest." He replied. "Or rhythm. I'm hoping I'll find it on my quest." He continued on a cheerier note. "So I'd be very grateful for anything you can tell me." He skittered alongside her and peered up at her expectantly. In the back of his mind the worry was there, the worry that he wouldn't have any talent, but it had to be. He just knew it was there somewhere, waiting to be awakened.  

[Light Atago]

"Well, we wouldn't expect you to know everything at your age, that's why we're here!" Isi said in response to the leopon. "While we walk, I'll tell you all about rhythm. Your rhythm is like... a song, or a beat, or a dance based on who you are. If that song were to be made into flesh and bone, it would be you." She said the converse, which was true too. "It's kind of like your beat, your groove-" the lioness did a little dance step as they walked at this mention. She may not be as good of a dancer as their Umsini, but she could do a few steps decently. "Whatever seems to be you, that's your rhythm." She left a pause for any questions Kani might have.

They were getting near to the area with the gourds. Isithunzi's mind was already on step 2... Had she gotten enough skins and teeth for this? She tried to remember when she last hunted... Ah yes, there hadn't been any quests since then, so she'd have sufficient supplies for Kani. "We're getting close," she said happily.  

[Kimaria]

He listened. He listened to her more than he had listened to anyone. What she spoke of was the one thing he wanted, the one thing that he didn't have. Rhythm. He had to become a song, a beat, a rhythm. He had to become music. It sounded like a hard task but he knew of others who had already done it.

He had to find his song.

"It sounds difficult, but I won't stop trying. I want to find rhythm more than anything in the world." He nodded, hoping that his enthusiasm alone would lead him to it.

And then she announced that they were getting closer and his heart leapt. It took him all his strength to go bounding off ahead. "Is it hard to make a drum, Isi?" He murmered. "When I met Mawi Mai, she had a beautiful drum. I'm not sure if I could make something that perfect."  

[Light Atago]

Isithunzi couldn't help but smile at the juve's determination. That was the kind of spirit she liked to hear! "I'm sure it will come to you easily enough, Kani," Isi said with a happy nod. "I'm sure you'll do just fine." Even those who had difficulty with rhythm seemed to get it before too long, or at least acted like they got it.

"Oh, you've met Mawi?" Isi asked with a tilt of the head. She hardly got to talk to the girls anymore, though it wasn't like she was detached from them. They were just growing up, it made sense that Isi take a smaller and smaller portion of their time. "Mawi does have a nice drum, but it's not too hard to do. You'll be able to make one simply enough." The tree was right in reach. "Now, you see up there? The gourds on the ground are the ones you want, they're the bowl of the drum. Bigger gourd means a deeper sound. Don't pick one on the looks of it, you'll decorate it later. Go for the sound..." Isi approached one and demonstrated; she unsheathed a claw and tapped on the gourd in question, it gave a hollow-sounding tap. "This one probably isn't so good. Besides the sound, you can kind of feel it, too. It's a little thin, it might break on you... So you want to test them like that until you find one that suits you." Isithunzi said, allowing the leopon to meander the gourds on the ground and investigate them. She herself sat back on her haunches and waited, there if Kani needed any more advice.  

[Kimaria]

Kani’noe was a good pupil. He listened to her words of advice intently, his eyes watching her every move, studying how she did everything just so. He’d learned that observing was a great way of learning so he did so as often as he could.

He nodded when she enquired about Mawi. “Uh-huh. Mawi’s really nice.” And he meant it. There was something about that golden girl that had given him something to smile about. She was a friend and as soon as he had finished his drum quest, he’d go and tell her all about his adventures.

But first he had to make his drum. So, when it appeared Isi’s words of advice had come to an end he walked tentatively over to the tree. The gourds were all different shapes and sizes. Some were well shaped, others not so. Some looked thick and clunky, some fine and delicate. There were others so big that he doubted he’d ever be able to lift them and some so small that he was sure their sound would be too quiet to hear.

The drum was an important part of a Nchi’mahadi’s life. He might as well have been picking which soul or heart was his. He walked amongst them for a long while, looking, pausing, tapping. But nothing was quite right – or in his opinion anyway. After a while his heart clenched and he wondered if maybe there wasn’t a drum here for him.

He glanced up at Isi but forced himself to continue looking, despite his fear. There had to be a drum, there had to be! And as he circled back around, his paw knocked into one, sending it rolling. He leapt after it, catching it beneath his paws and pressing it to the ground.

“Oops, sorry.”

And then he stood and looked at it. This one was small, but not so small that it’d be too quiet. It was thin, but not too thin that it wouldn’t make a tuneful note. He paused, hopes soaring. Could this be…?

He unsheathed a claw and tapped it. The note was certainly not hollow and empty and already he could imagine the sound it would make. A high, pleasant beat. Or at least, he thought so.

With a squeal of delight, he picked up the gourd and carried it over to where Isi sat, laying it gently at her feet. “Would this one do, do you think, Isi?” He twitched his nose with excitement.  

[Light Atago]

Isithunzi's pink eyes followed the juve as he wandered among the selection. She was glad he was scrutinizing each one so- it meant he'd get a good, quality drum. She gave him a gentle nod when he glanced at her, he had seemed a bit concerned, but both of them were relieved when he brought forth a gourd. She would be as heartbroken as the boy if he couldn't find one he liked. Isithunzi lowered her head and looked at it, giving it a claw-tap of her own.

"It's a very nice gourd. Sturdy enough to travel around, but thin enough to resonate. Nice choice." She said with a nod. They'd have to take it all the way back to the drum circle. "Next thing to do is to put the head on. It's a piece of skin from a kill, any kill will do. And a collection of teeth and claws will hold it in place," She said as she rose, gesturing to Kani that they were heading back.  

[Kimaria]

He beamed up at her with pride evident in his expression. His eyes glittered and already he was imagining himself playing it. The sweet sound it would make! He could barely contain his excitement.

"Skin?" He wrinkled his nose and wondered how they'd attach the skin to the gourd. He tried to think back to when he'd seen Mawi's drum but he couldn't remember exactly. "Okay!" And he trotted eagerly after her, holding the drum gently in his teeth as he went.

Finally. He'd found the missing piece of his heart!

He wanted to ask more questions about how the next stage was done, but since his mouth was full, carrying the drum, he was forced to wait patiently until Isi was ready to describe the next stage.  

[Light Atago]

She padded along towards the drum circle, they were almost there when she began to speak again. "What you're going to do next is put some holes in the gourd, either with your teeth or your claws, or both. The teeth and claws will go into the holes to keep the drumhead on- you know, the part you beat." She said when they got there. "Hang on a sec, I'll go get some supplies from my last kill." She went and padded off, only for a few moments, making a little sack of claws out of the skin she had and carrying it back, placing it in front of the juve.

"You get these just from a hunt, skin and claws." She said with a nod. "Would you like me to show you how I make a hole?" She offered, prepared to drill one for him.  

[Kimaria]

Unable to speak, since the drum was still in his mouth, he angled his head up to her and nodded eagerly, waving his tail high to show he understood and that he was very eager to continue learning about drum making.

And as she finished her explanation they reached the location and he set the drum down again, shaking his head. "Okay, I'll wait right here." And wait he did. And whilst she was gone he sat close to the gourd, rolling it very gently and very slowly beneath his paw. The motion was reminiscent to a mother rocking her infant in a cradle.

All Kani'noe knew was that this drum was the beginning of a beautiful future. It was as if he were crafting his heart and soul into this instrument. And he rocked it gently, his eyes following its motion in the grass until she returned.

He looked at the things she had brought back. Claws and skin stretched out in front of him just waiting to be used. Such simple things they were, boring and useless on their own. But put them together and they made something wonderful.

"Would you please? I wouldn't want to ruin the gourd by putting the hole through wrong." And he watched her every movement, preparing to copy her exact instruction.