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 Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 6:20 pm
The world was truly a wide and wonderful place, full of more excitement and delight and sadness and wonderment than anyone could even begin to contemplate. And, incidentally, Thilivhali was beginning to think that he had already seen most of it, primarily by accident. While attempting to find the jungles, he found himself in a vast desert, with only razor-sharp rocks as far as the eye could see. When he tried to find an oasis, he only located a series of mysterious caves. And now… now, he had been trying to find the Pridelands---hoping to ask for directions, plus he had heard that gods tended to hang around there---he found… well, he wasn’t sure what it was. Water lapped at his paws and he very hesitantly looked at the salty liquid, trying to figure out what was wrong with it. Water wasn’t salty! Everyone knew that!
And then there was the sheer size of it… Thilivhali had, of course, seen lakes, normally while looking for something else, but this was something else indeed. This wasn’t a lake. Lakes had, by definition, opposite shores. And there was nothing that he could see, as his silver eyes scanned the water. Nothing at all, except for the clear blue… and the white-capped waves too, he noticed. Intrigued by the way that the waves moved, he sat down. It seemed very logical to him. This part of the ground was mostly dry, so, therefore, the water’s edge did not come all the way up here.
He had been following the shore for a few days now, idly wondering when this lake would stop and turn drinkable. It really was very strange… and alive. It was definitely alive, he noted, still watching those waves. Water didn’t move like this! Not ever. It was as if it was breathing! Look at it, as the water inhales, sucking the moisture from the sands. And on each exhale, it gives it all back. Thilivhali was so entranced by the movement of the light and water that he didn’t notice that the water’s edge was getting inexorably closer and closer. Oh, and the waves were getting just a bit taller as well…
It was just breathing, in and out and then in again and then out again. Occasionally, it would leave a few tendrils of some sort of plant on the shoreline, along with small rocks and all other sorts of things that Thilivhali couldn’t even begin to identify. Something shiny caught his eye and he eagerly began to investigate, with all enthusiasm, a small sort of shell. It had legs and claws and it was moving! How weird… Turning his back on the ocean, Thilivhali continued to watch as the hermit crab determinedly made its way across the beach.
Unheeded behind him, the waves continued to grow. The noises were ignored as ‘unimportant’. Clearly, this little… bug-like thing was far more interesting. It wasn’t until all light was blocked out that Thilivhali turned back to the ocean and noticed the wave coming directly towards him. What happened then was a sort of whole-body slump, as if every single cell in his body had, very quietly, murmured ‘oh dear’ to itself and tried to sidle out of the room as quickly as possible. The lion tried to leave as well, but just a moment too late. The water crashed down on him, soaking him through his thick fur and slicking it down. He looked rather like a drowned whippet, all soaked and shivering. Well, that was fun…
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 12:00 am
 The young red mother started toward the beach from her new den just a few minutes prior. It was something very new to be able to have a few minutes to just walk off by herself. Here the cubs were safe for the first time in their lives, no rogueland dangers to try and claim the little wonders so she felt free to just go off by herself for a little bit while they slept, or so she thought they were sleeping.
With each lazy step she took towards the ocean's edge, her paw prints lay deep in the warm sands. At the sight of the unfamiliar male watching something moving her tracks stopped. Without her cubs with her, she didn't need to be on too high alert so there was no reason not to be friendly. It was as she was working out if the male was of the pride or not, that she saw the wave coming. It was too late to warn him before it hit. While she hadn't seen a wave do that before, it was clear he hadn't either and that made it unlikely he was of the pride.
Resisting the urge to laugh a little, it was comical to see the lion that looked like he was quite big and threatening one minute, turned much thinner and a lot less intimidating. Almost like the ocean was showing her she didn’t need to be afraid. Feeling safer, she walked towards the male and called to him, her voice warm with an up edge of mirth in her tone, "Greetings, stranger, and welcome though I see the ocean has already said her welcomes." Everyone of the pride talked about the ocean as if it were alive and she had started picking it up as well. Smiling, she stopped herself about four feet from the lion, not only to avoid the same fate as he had, but to give room. The rogueland raised lioness had learned that not all males were bad and only out to harm lionesses, but still had that inbred cautiousness at first meeting an unknown male. It didn't do her much good with the leopard that left her alone with his cubs, but for lions, it had served her well.
The sounds of the ocean were a soothing backdrop, with this being the first place she felt safe with her young cubs, everything about the place said the same to her.
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 12:28 am
Well, always look on the bright side, Thilivhali felt. If you didn’t look on it, then no one would. Speaking of no one else looking, at least no one had seen hi… that last silvery hope vanished as he heard laughter nearby. His ears pinned back against his neck in embarrassment and he looked over at the lioness that he now knew was there. Ok, bright side, bright side. Where was the silver lining in this cloud? He had made someone happy! Yes, that was good. Seeing that spark of delight on someone else’s face was always a good thing, especially if they had faced especially hard days before.
“I thank you and, might I add, that I vastly prefer your welcome to the… the…” his voice trailed off as he wrestled with the unfamiliar word. “The osheen’s welcome,” he finished lamely, feeling pretty certain that he hadn’t said the word correctly. Ah well. Live and learn, live and learn. For example, he had already learned that avoiding the waves was probably a good idea. In fact, the next time he heard the ominous slosh and sloosh of water behind him, he scurried up the beach, a bit closer to the red female. The water still lapped at his feet, but that was ok. He didn’t dare get any closer to the other lion, in case she thought he meant some harm.
He had learned his lesson about approaching females. A very painful lesson, especially from the salt in the water. “If I’m welcomed any more, I don’t know if I’ll ever be dry again,” he quipped lightly, shrugging away any of his own concerns, completely oblivious to any worries that the female might have. Subtly, he tried to shake his hind foot, just a little, since there seemed to be something attached to it.
“My name is Thilivhali and I’m afraid I’m a little lost.” Since whatever was still attached to his foot remained firmly anchored, he shook his leg harder. “I’m trying to find the Pridelands…” more shaking ensued. “Do you have any idea where they are? Oh, excuse me…” Finally, he looked back at his toes in surprise, since the little hermit crab had attached itself to it. Well, that explained what was squeezing his toes then, now didn’t it? “Well, will you look at that?” he said, mostly to himself, looking at the crab as best he could. “That’s amazing…” Eventually, he managed to dislodge the little creature and urge it away. Sure, killing it would have been easier, but why kill if you don’t have to?
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 1:14 am
He had certainly brightened her day up more, though she lacked no amusement with cubs always around playing with each other or being endlessly curious about the world around them. Smiling warmer to the newcomer, she was certainly set more at ease by the fact he seemed to have a sense of humor though she didn't laugh at first because she wasn't sure if he was trying or not.
Without the cubs with her, she was less inclined to be too upset at his approaching closer; instead she stayed still and even sat down feeling secure enough. Not only did his words help, but in pridal lands, she was sure the Calvary would come if she called an alarm. His attempt at ocean would need to be corrected, when the right time came.
Finally, she could help but laugh, light waves of it as he spoke of being welcomed any more. It was true, should the ocean decide she wanted the male, he'd be soaked forever, though the sign of favor is always a good thing, she supposed. Upon hear his name and an explanation to why he was there; she waited to find out where he was going before speaking.
Now seeing the foot shaking, she tilted her head to the side to see why, assuming seaweed or something had gotten caught on the lion's paw. The pinching crab lucky for the soaked black male, a real crab would have hurt a whole lot. Impressed that he didn't kill the thing, she couldn't help but keep smiling. Commenting on the creature, she mentioned, "Looks like even the creatures of the sand and ocean wanted to give their welcome as well." While sand would have been fine to say and leave at that, she took the chance to say the word he had not pronounced quite right again. Raising cubs, she had taken to just saying words normally as much as she needed to before the cubs learned to say them as well, no exaggerating words or sounds.
With the hermit crab on its way, she returned to the lion's reason, "I am Senatla, and these lands are of the Bahari'mtoto pride, one of the many that welcomes strangers." After telling him he was on a pride's lands, she felt it important to make sure he knew he didn't have to run before getting caught there. The horror stories of the Motoujamii land never far from the lioness's mind.
Looking up towards the sun, she worked a few things out in her mind. Thinking, evident by her ears swiveling back and forth, eyes looking to the left at the sand per her habit, places she had been filtered through her mind until she found the one she wanted. She was envisioning the Pridelands so as best to help the lion find where he wanted to go.
Finally, she answered, "Your more the a little lost, Thilivhali, the Pridelands lay a long distance from here. You'll need to follow the sun's path and the large lake, follow both until the end of the lake then keep following the sun." Living so long in the roguelands, she used the sun to give her an idea of which what she was going, as well as the moon or anything that could give her a sense of direction. "I believe the prides you'll encounter are friendly enough, though if you run too far and hit the desert, turn around, the Firekin will as soon turn you into a slave then speak to you." Little bits of wisdom she had heard as a cub from her mother and aunt before they vanished.
"Are you from the Pridelands?" She asked, curious what someone so far from their destination would be doing there in the first place. Company was always nice and she wasn't eager to see this new male leave so soon. He had something rare, a seemingly a sense of humor that was nice to hear.
Somewhere in the grass leading up to the beach, a very young hunter was stalking. It was not prey he was after in a sense, it was his mother. He had woken up to find she wasn't there. Leaving his siblings to sleep in peace, he went out to find her by himself.
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 11:57 am
“I consider myself thoroughly welcomed. I don’t think I’ve ever been this welcomed before. Normally, a simple ‘hello’ does the trick, but I’ve always heard that actions speak louder than words.” Ah! There was that unfamiliar word again. Osheen. No, that wasn’t right. It wasn’t an eee sound. It was an eh sound. Oshehn. Something more like that. Well, he would get the hang of it eventually, especially if it was repeated often enough. Very nice of her to use it more than once, he felt. And very nice of her to welcome him too. One of his last meetings hadn’t gone so well, and that memory would never leave him.
Oh, the Bahari’mtoto? “Oh dear…” he murmured, going into his patented whole-body slump. “I must’ve gotten turned around or something… still, at least it is one of those prides that welcomes its visitors with water, small pinchy things, and greetings. That’s better than the alternative.” Oh, yes, like Senatla, he had heard the stories of the Motoujamii lands. If pressed, he wouldn’t be able to explain what he had heard, only that it involved a lot of unpleasant things. Stories told to small cubs were often vague, since a cub’s own imagination was often his or her own worse enemy.
He listened carefully to the directions, trying to dedicate them to his memory. He had an excellent memory, he honestly did. He was even named for it. The problem was, it simply wasn’t… well, it didn’t always work the way he felt it ought to. In order to remember things, he needed to see them with his own eyes. To know the world, one needed to experience it. It was quite a talent, managing to get lost despite a perfect memory.
Once he felt that the directions were cemented in his mind, he smiled warmly at the lioness. “Thank you, Senatla; it truly is a great help. I don’t have a very good sense of direction, you see. When I was a cub, I once got lost in a small clearing about three feet away from the den.” Water dripped down his sides and, for a moment, he considered shaking himself out. But, that would get Senatla all wet, and that would certainly be rude.
“No, no. I’m not from the Pridelands. I’m from very far away, from a small forest. Very lovely place, especially right at the beginning of the wet season. I’m searching for… for someone.” It was always tricky to explain what he was searching for, and slightly embarrassing. “Are you part of the Bahari’mtoto?” he asked curiously, oblivious to the pintsize tracker.
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 12:41 pm
She could believe it, everything seemed to come to welcome him, the cries of the birds and the sounds of the waves almost seemed, laughing. It was probably her imagination but she could certainly see the ocean having a reason to smile at her job well done. "The ocean and this pride certainly strive to make sure they are hard to forget." While she thought it was a good enough place, stable and perfect for raising cubs, the wonderer in her still remembered what it was like to travel.
Her eyes and head dropped with his slump, gathering from it that he was not where he wanted to be. Ears full perked, she begain to understand why he didn't seem too happy. "Whats always helped me when I didn't want to get lost was to follow the sun or walk against it. Its hard to get lost turned around if you know which horison to walk towards." As a rogueland raised lioness, she never had a reason to want to really know where she was except to find things he needed when she needed them.
Happy she could help him, and offer a bit more friendly of a welcome then the crabs and waves, she smiled more, the type of smile that always reaches the eyes. His story wasn't too surprising, cubs could get easily lost when they aren't paying attention to anything but their playing.
Curious who he was looking for, she doubted she could be much help unless the person he was looking for lived in the Bahari'mtoto lands which she doubted from his reaction. "I am becoming part of the pride, rogueborn and raised, I came to the pride because I needed somewhere safe for my cubs. Alone with my litter would be asking for trouble." Little did she know, trouble was coming. It was only when it was too late did she see him, and cringe.
Sewelo had crept up on his new target, the male who could mean trouble, he didn't know. With the sand to his advantage, the little cub didn't make a sound as he got closer. Wiggling his butt a second, the black and white cub growled, as scary as a mouse maybe, and leaped onto the male lion rawring up a storm and showing his baby teeth as he 'attacked' batting with great vigor at the lion's boney sides warning, "Thats my momma!" He didn't use his claws because his mother told him not to once and he hadn't sense, but that didn't mean he didn't act like he could still get the stranger.
Sighing softly, she shook her head embarressed to no end. "Sewelo! You do not just attack a visitor like that!" Repimanding the cub, she then turned to the lion, sure he'd use the same gentleness with the overactive cub as he did with the hermit crab. Offering an apologetic smile, she then turned a disapproving look at her little cub. "I am sorry, thats my son, he won't do any harm." He better not, to attack like that was crazy, especaily when Thilivhali was as non-threatening as they come, it was obvious he didn't mean any harm.
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 1:17 pm
“I’ve tried to do that before,” Thilivhali responded in a tortured-sounding voice, each word wrenched from his throat. It was easy for him to admit having a bad sense of direction. It wasn’t really something that he could hide easily. Even attempting to hide it would only make him seem more foolish. But… well, admitting that he couldn’t find his way even when using the sun for directions, now that was just sad, an especially pathetic thing to admit to a lovely lioness. “I usually somehow get turned around. Or, more likely, I end up going on a diagonal. By the time I realize my mistake, I’m pretty much solidly lost. But, I can almost always get myself unlost again. And getting lost has its benefits. If I hadn’t gotten lost out here, for example, I wouldn’t have seen the… ah… ocean.” Once again, the word sounded strange in his mouth, as if Thilivhali felt that it ought to be dissected before he should say it again.
Oh, so Senatla was going to become part of the pride? That was nice, being able to be around and depend on others. In his travels, Thili had occasionally wandered through a pride’s lands. Well, not a real pride. Normally, it was a tiny group of four or five lions, all closely-knit. There was something nice about that closeness, that unity. Being able to turn to someone for help and support when you needed it most. And, in the best groups, you didn’t even have to ask. They would simply know that you needed help. That was family, he felt. It wasn’t blood or relations. Family was knowing someone so well that you knew everything about them.
Speaking of family, Thilivhali was about to be welcomed to death. At first, he merely blinked from the sudden pressure in his side. Huh. Must be another hermit crab… lucky for him, he noticed the look on Senatla’s face before he tried to brush the offending crab away and actually looked down at what appeared to be a tiny black and white fuzzball.
D’aww… now that was just adorable… and it gave him a pleasant idea. He winked at Senatla, just to let her in on the joke and braced himself for the next ‘blow’. When it fell, the black lion rolled away from the cub, as if the tiny swatting paws had bowled him off of his feet. Once he stopped rolling, he remained in the sand, the little grains of rock clinging to his fur. “Oh dear… I think I’ve just been welcomed to death. Alas, but what can I do against such a mighty warrior?” There was something funny about the lion cub. Something… off. Thili brushed his thoughts aside, deciding that he was just imagining things. Everyone was a little ‘off’.
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 2:59 pm
It was difficult, she could hear, when he told her he couldn't seem to navigate by the sun. While she didn't have any problems with it, the way he went seemed problematic. "Getting lost certainly does, I am glad you found your way here." There was a subtle nod when he said the word ocean right. Not only was the water worth seeing, but it should certainly avoid him looking like a bit of a fool to others trying to say the name and getting it wrong. Most treated the ocean like it was alive here; they might not take kindly to her name being said wrong. Personally, she didn't really buy into it, but for her cubs’ safety, she'd believe just about anything.
Seeing the wink, she claimed and watched the two interact, for this moment alone she was glad he had found the pride. To see him play with her son, and not treat him like he was anything but a normal cub was heartwarming. Having feared so much about how others would react to the hybrid, she was learning that her fears were hardly founded.
If the gray-eyed lion didn't already earn it, he truly had a gold star in her book. A light sigh escaped her as she sat and watch, finding the way they were interacting just entertaining. He was really good with cubs, it seemed, playing along so well. For now, she’d sit out letting them play unless she needed to step in.
Sewelo's ears lowered when his mom reprimanded him, but he was distracted when he was able to knock the big stranger over. Riding the wave of success, he looked to his mother a moment, when she didn't seem mad, the little cub kept the offensive. Pouncing forward he landed as hard as he could, trying to make deep paw prints in the sand. Ears went back and he opened his mouth as wide as it could do, fiercely rawring and growling, a little ball of furry ferry for sure.
"Thats right, I am the toughest, bestest hunter and fighter around, next to momma." With no male to look up to as a father figure, his mother was everything, the universe. Which is why he had to keep her safe, she was too important not. Pacing back and forth around the lion's head, he had a very serious expression on his face as he 'interrogated' the new comer. Mouth in a very studious look, eyes searching as if sizing up a rival, keeping his pacing around to look as intimidating as he could, asking him he’d say he was the scariest thing around next his siblings angry. "You are going continue to be nice to her, right?" Wanting to play more, he had a hard time keeping it up, but first things first.
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Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 1:34 pm
Cubs really were adorable, no matter what species they were, especially when they were in that ‘rawr, I are ferocious hunter!’ stage. Sure, there were some downsides to having cubs---less time for oneself, more mouths to feed, and, of course, the constant worry that someone might hurt the babies----but, from what Thilivhali could see, the pluses outweighed all of that. They must, because otherwise lions would have stopped having cubs a long time ago. Maybe one day he himself would have cubs… but not yet. He was still too busy traveling and he couldn’t imagine letting someone else raise his cubs, or even missing a single moment of their lives.
“Yes, I can certainly see that. Never in all of my days have I seen such a brave warrior,” Thilivhali said gravely, humoring the little cub. Something niggled at the back of his mind, calling for his attention. Something was just off. No matter how many times he tried to brush it off, it still kept coming back. Clearly, the only thing he could do was try and figure out what was ‘wrong’. The legs were oddly low, Thili could see that. But cubs were often slightly awkward, weren’t they? It was part of their charm, as was their tendency to believe that they could fight off the world. “With such a defender as yourself, you and your mother have nothing to fear.”
Well, at least they had nothing to fear from Thilivhali. Even when attacked, the black lion was more likely to run away rather than fight. Sure, it was probably cowardly, but he simply didn’t like the notion of actually hurting anyone. The world had enough pain and suffering in it without him contributing any more to it. Of course, he sort of ignored these ideals of his when it came to hunting… but, everyone had to eat, right? At least he tried to limit the suffering from his prey. Also, if prey died more quickly, it was less likely to hurt him. Another one of his long-term goals was to avoid physical pain. He really was getting better at it.
“This is a much better reception than the one I got the last time I encountered a mother and her cubs,” he said, mostly to Senatla. Although, he supposed that was his own fault. He had scared the poor cheetah so of course she would try to defend her cubs. Hopefully, she wasn’t traumatized by it…
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 6:15 am
Sewelo fully did believe he could fight off the world. He beamed when the bigger intruder recognized that he was such a brave warrior. So long as that was understood, there would be no problems. Head held high, teeth still showing as he was not about to let down his guard, the little cub thought he looked every bit the top fighter he was. The only ones that could beat him in a fight were his siblings anyway and they had to team up.
Assured he had nothing to fear, after all, the newcomer just said that, he was much more relaxed. Standing, he bound the two paces he needed between him and the lion, his tail out and moving as a sort of natural balance helper. Head butting the strong black shoulder, the little cub gave him a little nuzzle and told him, "Your okay!" Smiling, this natural tendency towards climbing came into play and he attempted to climb up his shoulder using the front paw and strong little legs. Once again, no claws were used.
Watching Thilivhali being turned into a tree mixed with a playing partner, she still marveled how a rogue male could be so good and patient with cubs not his own. Her theory was that he had perhaps a litter somewhere at some time, or brother and sisters.
Pulled from her thoughts by his voice again, she blinked a second and took in what was said. A smile of understanding followed her words, "I am not surprised, had Sewelo or my other cubs been with me, I would have been on edge as well. Should it have been in the rogue lands, then it would have been a more hostile meeting. I know how the mother felt, and unknown rogue lion around your den, especially if she had been alone, chances are she was terrified you'd harm her cubs. Rogue males have a reputation, both good and very bad." Males indeed, she had learned a lesson that begot her cubs that it wasn't just lions that could be one night then run.
To bring it home, she just made sure it was understood, "I am sure you'd be on your gaurd as well if you were guarding your den with your own cubs and someone came too close with intentions you can't be sure about. If they are nice, then there is no worries, but the price of being wrong is far too high." As those last words fell, she looked at her son and mentally restated it, the price of lossing even one cub was far, far too high.
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 1:05 pm
D’aww… Seeing Sewelo nuzzle his shoulder was quite possibly the most adorable thing that Thilivhali had seen all day. Perhaps for several days, actually. Very subtly, so Sewelo’s pride wouldn’t be hurt, the black lion used his own paw to help the little cub up onto his shoulder. Nah, he didn’t mind being used as a climbing structure, especially since the little cub was being so careful not to use his claws. Besides, it was adorable. Anything was worth seeing Sewelo being so cute. Just look at him, with his little paws and tiny teeth and his itsy-bitsy little tail waved around like a balan… wait, his tail. Thili focused on the tail now as it wiggled in the air. The tail lacked the distinctive tail-tuft that lions had, even as cubs.
A hybrid then. And since he didn’t have the neck ruff of a cheetah, Thilivhali assumed that Sewelo was part leopard. Well, that was just fine with him. Cubs were cubs, no matter what species they were. Besides, in the grand song of the universe, hybrids added a harmonic that was all their own, every bit as unique as the felines themselves. He frowned slightly, imagining something threatening his cubs. Yes, he would definitely fight to defend them.
“I’ve been told that there are some things worth killing for. I haven’t come across any yet, but I keep an eye out for them anyway,” he said, looking towards Senatla. “Food, I suppose, is one of them. But, I can only think of one thing worth dying for and that’s the safety of a cub.” Any cub, as far as Thili was concerned. They were all special. “I don’t really mind that she attacked me. I must have looked really terrifying to her, the poor cheetah. I just wish she had given me some directions before chasing me off. I hope she’s ok now.” And that was actually true; he honestly did hope that the cheetah was feeling better and safer now. Sure, she was insane, but that probably wasn’t her own fault. And, even if her insanity was her fault, he still couldn’t bear her any ill-will. She was only doing what she thought was best for her cubs.
“So, Sewelo isn’t your only cub? How many siblings does he have?” Thilivhali didn’t think that this was too impertinent a question to ask and he honestly was curious about it. It wasn’t like he was asking after the cub’s father.
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 8:24 pm
Unaware that he was anything but a pure lion, the little hybrid also didn't notice that he had help getting onto his target. Walking around a little on the giant soft back, he felt like he had conquered a mountain. Sitting, his head was held high and his chest puffed out, yep, he was the best of the best.
Sitting still for long only happened when his mother told him to sit still and stay put. Those were awful times because there was always something he'd want to play with but being told to do something meant it had to be done. With his head tilted slightly to the side, he asked, "Are you going to stay here?" Thilivhali was seen now as a potential play mate. Certainly, he was a lot of fun and really neat to climb on! Ignoring the adult conversation, the cub played around, stalking the mane for fun, not pouncing just batting at the fluffy black stuff that almost looked like it would eat him if he got to close, which became a miniature game as his world grew colors and little shapes played along with him.
Senatla smiled more watching her son play. While she was positive that Thili would not be staying, she did hope he would find his way back from time to time, not only good company, he got along well with Sewelo. Killing for, her cubs were worth that, as was her adoptive family. Nodding she elaborated a bit, "Cubs are worth dying for, I agree, I find that family as a whole is worth both." She'd put her life on the line for her cubs or her adoptive sister, they were her everything, she'd also rip anyone and anything to shreads that tried to harm them in the least.
It was a cheetah he scared witless, that was something. "A cheetah? While they have speed, they lack the raw power of a lion, its very understandable that she felt even more scared facing such odds. I think so long as her cubs were fine, she'd be just fine." Thats how she felt, so long as her own cubs were fine and happy, there was little wrong with the world.
The question of Sewelo's siblings came up and she answered not the least bit bothered by the question, "Sewelo is one of six." Such a huge litter, just the thought of keeping the all alive and happy was daunting, though the trouble of it was down a little now that they were in pride lands, a pride very watchful because of so many cubs of their own.
Talk of his siblings brought his attention to the adults. Well, since they were brought up, he decided to educate his new friend, "Khozama and Sare'Nafsi are my sisters, they are alright most of the time. Kijani,Motsu, and Asphamet are my brothers. Kijani tries to wonder off on his own sometimes but they are all fun to play with." So long as no one becomes a cry baby, which Motsu can do if he is being ganged up on.
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 3:09 pm
Oh dear… why did normally easy questions suddenly become a good deal harder to answer if the asker was a cute and tiny cub? If anyone else had asked Thili if he planned on staying, the answer would have been a simple ‘no, but thank you for asking’. But cubs… well, they were an entirely different story, with big easy-to-read print, colorful pictures, and happy endings. And telling Sewelo that Thili wasn’t going to stay for very long was definitely an unhappy ending. He wouldn’t find what he was looking for if he just stayed in one place. Oh, and pride lands made him a little nervous; Senatla was nice, but other pride members might not be so accommodating towards a random rogue male.
But… cute cub… how was anyone supposed to resist the cub? It was a good thing that Sewelo was on Thili’s back; that way, the black lion wasn’t faced with the big-cub-eyes-of-doom. No one could ever resist that, he felt. “I won’t be staying for very long… just another day or two.” Just long enough to get his bearings before returning to traveling. That sounded fair. To keep Sewelo distracted and amused, Thili shifted his tail around. If there was one thing he knew about cubs, it was that most of them would attack anything that moved and he didn’t mind having his tail attacked. It was cute.
Wait, six? It was tough to avoid goggling. It really was. That was one of the biggest families that Thili had ever heard of. His own litter, the one he had come from, had contained only three cubs. “You’re very lucky. Cubs are amazing. I’d like to have some, one day. You know, after I settle down. I can’t really imagine having cubs and then leaving them alone out there. And not seeing them grow up.” Ok, so it really wasn’t that subtle. He honestly was curious to see whether or not Sewelo’s father was still around. Thilivhali wasn’t a lion who believed that all cubs needed a mother and a father or anything, but he felt it was beneficial for a cub to have at least two parents. It made things easier anyway, like hunting.
Hey! That gave him a good idea! In exchange for welcoming him, Thilivhali could do his best to help Senatla with hunting! If there was one thing the black lion was good at, it was hunting. Also, he was a top-notch cub toy, as could clearly be seen. “Sounds like quite a family, Sewelo. But I bet you’re the toughest and roughest hunter, aren’t you?”
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 4:39 pm
Sewelo's happy games ended when he was told his new friend was leaving. Looking at the back of his head, the little cub pouted clearly unhappy with the answer, he started to protest, "But, its nice here, momma says.." Ah, something moved at the corner of his eye and it got his attention. Crouching, the young cub started towards the twitching tail.
While sad to hear that he would go, she wasn't all that surprised. "I hope you find your way back here, at least." It would be nice to see the friendly rogue again. Nothing about his reaction to the number would surprise her, it was a little hard to believe for her as well, except when she saw the six curled against her sleeping or eating.
Nodding, the young mother truly agreed, "They are worth every sacrifice, I know I am blessed to have them." Looking to the side a moment, sometime it still bothered her that Kyp had not stuck around. He didn't know, but still, it would have been nice to have a mate by her side which now, she couldn't help but doubt she'd ever find anyone. "You'll make a good father, I can see, and a rare one to wish to stay around, as least as far as rogues go." It was her unhidden response; there was no father for her own cubs.
Sewelo ignored most of the conversation, but when he was spoken to again, the cub looked back. Showing his powerful teeth, the little pearly baby teeth, he answered, "Yep, I am the best and strongest, they just won't admit it." Not even his baby brother, whom he had bested in many play battles before.
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 6:21 pm
“It definitely is one of the best places I’ve visited lately, and certainly the most welcoming,” Thilivhali said, agreeing easily that the place was nice. There was something very soothing about listening to the roll of the waves, to say nothing of how… well… nice it was here. And the other creatures, of course. It was nice to be welcomed instead of chased off or attacked. And it was the perfect place to raise a family, being all sheltered and safe from the outside world. Perhaps, when he settled down, he would return here to raise a family. It was clearly a safe place for small cubs and Thili recalled passing by many small caves on the shoreline. Plenty of places to explore, perhaps enough to keep even him amused…
“Now that I know where this place is, I could find it again.” No ‘probably’ or ‘maybe’ about it. Thilivhali would find this place again, if he so wished. Sure, he might end up seeing half the world while searching for it, but he would find it again. He didn’t have his name--- ‘One Who Does Not Forget’--- just because it sounded pretty. After finding places, he was good at finding them again, especially a place as pleasant as this one. “So long as you don’t mind me coming back, that is,” he said quickly, with a grin that could have been called sheepish, if sheep had sharp teeth.
Oh, so the father wasn’t around? That was sad, in a way. But, it was the father’s loss; he missed his cubs’ first steps, would never hear their first words, and would never feel that swell of pride at their first captured prey. Those were the things that Thili looked forward to seeing and feeling. Even just watching Sewelo made him proud, and the hybrid wasn’t even his own! “All siblings are like that, Sewelo. You’re very lucky to have so many. I had two growing up and I haven’t seen them for a long time now.” A little sad, but… well, they all had to go their separate ways eventually. It was only to be expected.
Hmm… now, how to broach the topic without sounding like he was insinuating something? Thilivhali’s brows knit together as his mind wrestled with the topic. Or hurting Senatla’s feelings, of course. Some lions were very picky if they felt like their hunting abilities were being impugned. “It must be very hard on you, providing for all of your cubs and yourself,” he said carefully, clearly choosing his words with special care. “While I’m here, I wouldn’t mind hunting for you, Senatla.”
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