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 Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 12:28 am
He'd been gone too long, the growing boy knew that.
He'd just breached his rough-and-tumble juvenile stage and a handsome boy he was turning into. He had long slender legs, a tangle of brown fur between his ears and a striped pelt that was now slighlty dusty.
It was customary now for Aapep to be seen with a crooked little smile, a charming grin that could maybe charm his way out of trouble. Because if mother had woken up and found him gone, she'd be worried and he'd never meant that to happen.
So as it was he was sprinting for the den, the breath laboured in his lungs. He'd had a busy morning, lost complete track of time, but it had been tremendous amounts of fun!
And as he grew within hearing distance of the den he slowed to a walk, trying to quieten his breathing.
"Mother?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:46 am
It didn't take long for Kirjava to notice that her son had wandered off again. Not that it surprised her too much, since cubs were always off and about, wanting to look at the world all by themselves. She had had it easy with Ravi, since he never went far from her, but every one of her cubs were different and it was not appropriate to compare them as such.
She shook her head as her crimson eyes took in the light that was beginning to brighten as the sun was coming up. While she knew it was something that cubs had, curiosity, that didn't make her any less inclinced to worry about him. So much could happen...she was taken away very young. But she must'n think that, they were far from the desert.
Her tail flicked slightly as she just rested in the den with only her thoughts for company. Such tedious and torturous memories could be bad, but it was hard to push them back when she had time to herself with nothing to do but dwell. Just as some memories started to push through, she heard a small voice call out to her. Ah, her son had returned. She turned her head in the direction of where his voice had come as she replied, "Here, Aapep."
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Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 10:05 am
He looked guilty as he drew to the dens entrance and peeked inside at her. "I'm sorry if I worried you mother, I didn't mean to be gone so long." And he slid in to settle in front of her, blinking up with his large, dark eyes. Okay, so now was the time. Confession. It was always good to be honest and the only reason he hadn't told her before now was because he was worried about worrying her.
All the worry!
But he had so much to tell her now and he knew it was for the best. Secrets were hard to bear. "I...went to see my friends, in the pride near here." And he hurriedly continued. "But they're nice, mother, I swear they are. I know I shouldn't have gone on their lands, but they were really friendly. They welcome visitors and Mawi is my best friend, she has a drum and she plays music and I'm learning too." He looked sheepish and trailed off.
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Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 11:17 am
Little cub eyes were the worst manipulators of all, it was hard to not look at them and feel things slip away. Kirjava looked at her son and she realized that he was starting to grow up. His legs were getting longer and his mane was starting to grow, it wouldn't be long before he would be bigger than herself. Ah, the thought made her sad. It was hard being a mother and knowing that sooner or later she'd be alone once more.
Though, Aapep's words snapped her back to attention. He went to a pride and made friends? Oh dear, the thought of a pride nearby made her heart stop cold. While she knew that not all prides were like the Firekin, it was hard to forget the past. But her son had come back, which was a good thing because it would mean that the pride didn't take outsiders as slaves...or if they did, they could use him to lure her back there two and get the both of them.
She brushed the thoughts away, they were foolish as it was obvious to her that her son really did enjoy himself. It would also explain where he was sneaking off to, she knew about it but didn't say anything to Aapep as she knew he'd tell her soon enough. Plus, she didn't want to control where he wandered off to anyway, since she'd have to get used to the idea that he wouldn't always be with her.
"I was worried, but that's what mothers do, is worry about their cubs," Her worry for her son was being outweighed by the fact that he said he had made friends. "You made friends over there? Are you sure you're allowed in their land? Just as long as you're sure and don't start any trouble Aapep..." She didn't know what to say, since there was no reason to scold him, he was only being himself afterall. So instead she decided to let him talk since he was so enthusiastic about all of this. Perhaps it would help to displace some of her fear and distrust.
She licked the top of his head, "Well then, tell me all about it."
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:05 am
He tried desperately to read her facial expressions, but couldn’t. Sometimes Aapep got the feeling that his mother had many things running around inside of her head, haunting her maybe. Sometimes she seemed quite sad and then the feeling would be gone and she’d be her normal self again. He was curious, it had to be said. But he wouldn’t ever pry. He got the feeling that if his mother wanted to talk to him about anything; she would when she was ready.
Maybe, like him, she could express herself through dancing. After all, his natural talent had come from somewhere! Maybe his mother could dance and she wasn’t aware of it yet.
“I think I am allowed. But I promise I won’t cause no trouble.”
And then when she asked him to tell her all about it, he brightened instantly and bounced to his paws, seemingly unable to stay still whilst explaining to her about his adventures.
“I met Mawi, she’s my new friend, and she had a drum around her neck. And she beat it and I danced and it was so much fun. She said I was a good dancer so I started practising. And then I met this other lioness, she was a dancer too and she agreed to give me a lesson. So that’s where I was this morning. She was teaching me some stuff. She said I had potential!” He bounced. “Jiza said that she would be happy to teach me again.”
And then he looked thoughtful. “I was thinking, mum, maybe you would like the pride too.”
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:18 pm
She watched her son, feeling his enthusiasm roll off of him like waves. Kirjava couldn't help but to feel proud of her son. He seems so passionate about what he's talking about, that she was a bit taken back by it. But, she listened intently to what her son was telling her. A bit surprised, since she had never encountered lions who wore drums around their necks. But, she wouldn't doubt her son since he wasn't the type to go around fabricating tall tales.
She let him talk, not wanting to interupt his moment. But then, his words took on a different meaning and tone, completely catching her off-guard. Like the pride? She had spent her time avoiding prides as much as she could, she didn't want to risk her life and make the same mistake twice. But, it made her wonder if all of this was starting to affect her son. It was difficult being on the move with little securities to offer her son. Why else would he speak about her liking the pride? Perhaps he was too observant. She was curious, "You really think so? Why would you think that?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:18 am
He pondered for a moment. Then, very carefully he returned his eyes to her and continued. "Sometimes I think that you don't like travelling around so much. I think, maybe you're lonely when I'm not around. In a pride there's people around all the time, there'd always be someone to talk to." He nodded.
"I think you'd like the people too, they're very welcoming and very calm natured."
He nodded, smiling. "Have you always been a rogue, mum?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:45 pm
Her son's words had her breath caught in her throat. Kirjava didn't know what to really say. Did she really not like travelling around so much? Perhaps, it was more of her fear of those red pelted monsters that haunted her more than anything else. Crimson eyes looked to her son as she questioned, "Is that so?"
With a soft smile, "But of course I get lonely when you're not with me, Aapep! Who else will watch over you and keep you out of trouble!" She teased lightly, but had full faith in her son. He had a good head on his shoulders, one she was proud of.
The latter question, she blinked. Always a rogue? It's something she's always known, besides the cruel desert, that is. She knew of no blood-relatives, no siblings and her parents, she had no idea. The closest thing she had to a relative had passed on...Kiburi. The lioness's name made her heart flutter with both sadness and love. "I've been a rogue most of my life, Aapep. There was a time where I didn't travel the lands day after day. A pride I was apart of...or rather, a pride that owned me." The last part dripping with venom. "I was so young and innocent, thinking that the pride had good intentions only to come and find out that it was all a cover." She looked at her son, "They had taken me in as a slave. I had no rights, I had to obey their orders or face their claws. While it was the worst time of my life, it was also the best time of my life. I found Kiburi, my sister. While we weren't related by blood, we were both slaves to the pride and the bond that we shared was something that they could not take away. I also had Ravi, your older brother, while I was still a slave. I had escaped some time after that with Ravi, it was no way to raise a cub..." Her voice trailed off softly at the memory before it picked up again, "It's hard to begin to describe the fear...the feelings that I feel when I hear of a pride near by. My capturer swore on his life that he would search for me if I left and kill my son."
She shuddered at it. Ravi was her life, her first son who grew up in hard times. Even now, she wished things had been better for him, that things had been different. She bent her head forward to lick the top of Aapep's head affectionately, "Life's not easy as a rogue, it never has been. But it's heaven compared to what I grew up with and I've been content with that. You never fully appreciate a piece of meat or a lap of cool water until it's been taken away from you." It only seemed nature to tell Aapep all of this, he was her son and sooner or later she wouldn't be able to tell him. She knew she was getting older with each passing day. Her heart ached to see Ravi one last time before she passed on, to get on better terms with her son.
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:23 am
He listened quietly, his little heart swelling with so much emotion that he wasn't sure how to express is. So he just listened, one ear tipped towards her, back arched, forepaws set back against his stomach. There were words that Kirvaja said which he'd never heard before.
Slaves.
Kiburi.
Ravi?
And suddenly he understood, or partly understood, the look that she wore sometimes. That glimmer of sadness in her eyes. Aapep always knew that his mother had been through a lot but listening now he realised that she'd been through far more than he ever would.
And then when it was clear she was finished he felt the prickle of tears behind his eyes. And then she pulled him closer and licked the top of his head and he was pressing himself to her forelegs and chest. "Mother." And he blotted his tears against her fur, determined not to let her see him cry, determined to be strong for her.
"How could they do that, mother?" He wanted desperately to ask about his brother but decided against it for now. That could wait. There was a harder, more important subject to tackle now. "Mother, I promise, so long as I live, no one'll ever hurt you. I'll keep you safe." No one would ever put his mother through torment again. "I don't understand how lions could be so cruel. Why would they want to hurt someone? Why would they do that?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:17 pm
As Aapep pressed against her legs, Kirjava took comfort in this. She was not alone, she never would be but it was hard to remember than when she had other things instilled in her. She couldn't help but to frown slightly at his tears for her, she felt guilty that life was hard for him. It would be no wonder that he was enchanted by the lure of a pride. She had been as well, but her choice was obviously something that had cost her dearly.
She lowered her head and rubbed her cheek against his head gently, greatly touched by his words. They meant so much to her. "You have no idea what that means to hear you say that, Aapep."
His latter questions were hard to answer. There were things that even she did not know about. She had long ago tried to find reason for their actions, since she was not of the same mind as the Firekin, she did not know the real reasons, only ones she could fathom up. "You have to realize that not every lion out there is friendly, Aapep. Not everyone has good intentions, why I had to find out the hard way," She paused to collect her thoughts, "I don't know why those lions are like that, I was in no position to question their actions. But I do know is that is their way of life, they are born and raised in that way of thinking."
She turned her head slightly to look at her son with a serious expression, "Which is why I never want you to go anywhere near the desert, that is where they live. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you as well." With her paw she brought him close to her, her memories were such a double-edge sword, though the memories of Kiburi made her smile softly. At the very least, her sister wasn't suffering. Softly, not to upset her son further, "I wanted to wait till you were older before I told you this, but you're old enough to understand. You're growing up right before me eyes."
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:19 am
And he would. He would protect his mother, because unlike most others he had met, she was the only family he had. Well, yes, this wasn't exactly true. But the rest of his family were no more than a stranger with a name. His mother was very real and he loved her.
But even though Kirjava tried to explain to him why some people were just brought up to be bad, he couldn't understand. He was a good boy with a good heart and to think of hurting others distressed him. He knew he would never be able to bring himself to hurt someone and yet there was a pride who thrived in it.
How dare they hurt his mother.
"I won't ever go there mother, I promise." And he wouldn't. He was afraid of those sand lions, afraid of what they were capable of. A more passionate, fiery lion might have taken off to seek revenge - just as Kiburi's own daughter was doing. But Aapep knew that nothing he did would make up for Kirjava's suffering. It would still be there. So, his place was at her side, forever, to keep her safe and make sure no one hurt her anymore.
"Thank you for telling me, mum." He whispered softly, wiping roughly at his eyes with a paw. "Now I understand what...well, why you look sad sometimes. Lions like that don't deserve the life they were blessed with." He shook his head, disgusted at them. "But these lions in the music pride. I know they are good. They laugh and they smile and they play. They are passionate and loving, everything that I see in myself and in you." He rubbed his face against her.
And then a pause. "How did you escape such awful lions, mother?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:40 am
She licked his cheek affectionately, she knew of his silent tears that he had for her. But she nodded her head slightly, "I can tell, you're so full of energy when you talk about them. It just seems like a strange thing to me, that there are prides out there are that good."
At his question, the answer bubbled up from within. That night, was the longest night of her life. "My best friend, Aleu, knew the deserts rather well and knew the situation I was in. She waited till the moon was covered before seeking me out and pointing me in the direction of freedom," She paused, "That was the longest and scariest night of my whole life. It wasn't easy, especially since Ravi was just a cub at the time and traveling through the desert at night..." She let her voice fade off softly.
"When I was free, I was at a loss. I had no idea what to do with myself, Aapep. I had spent the good portion of my life in the desert and being free, I didn't know where to begin. But, there's nothing more comforting than feeling the grass underneath my paws, that's for sure!" She softly laughed.
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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:08 am
And he decided then and there to introduce a member to his mother, and he knew just the person! There was no one friendlier and brighter than his best friend Mawi Mai. She'd be the best option to help relax his mother into trusting a pride cat.
"It sounds awful." He huddled close to her, imagining his mother and an unknown cub at her side, travelling through the darkness, away from lions who had hurt them. He nodded softly at her words, glancing across at the grass around them. He couldn't imagine a land where no grass existed. How could herds live without grass? How could lions live without herds?
He lifted his head up. "Mother...where is Ravi now?" Had he died during the escape? Or did he actually have a big brother out there somewhere? If that was the case then he was desperately curious about him.
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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:09 am
At his question, Kirjava's body language soften. Every cub had a special place in a mother's heart and Ravi was no different. She let her gaze drift off towards the horizon, "The last I had heard from my friend, he was somewhere near the ocean with some other lions," She paused briefly, "I had thought about seeking him out, to see him again but have been afraid to do so. And then, I had you and surely could not travel that far with such a young cub." The distance to where she had last heard where Ravi was would be a small journey, something she would not want to tax on any of her cubs.
She let out a soft sigh, "I fear though, that he didn't part with me on good terms. At the time Ravi had just starting growing up into his adult legs, I had found a friend to keep me company. I still feared for our lives and wanted Ravi to learn how to defend himself should we be discovered, but I should have never have pushed him on that matter. That's just something not of his nature and I should have just accepted it, but I was so afraid for him. It was right after that when he left to be on his own," She paused, not wanting her voice to tremor slightly. "I never knew how hard it would be living without him. I always knew that cubs grow up and leave their parents, but to watch them grow up right before your eyes...it has a whole new meaning. Which is why I'd like to see him again before it is too late for me."
She bent her head forward and rubbed her cheek against Aapep. She had very strong maternal instincts, but the things that Ravi and her went through had them sharing a bond that was beyond what words could describe. "You would be able to tell who he was just by looking at him, Aapep. He looks almost exactly like me, but much taller and bigger than I am. I just hope that he is happy." Unbeknownst to her that Ravi is indeed quite happy and has a family of his very own.
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Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:06 am
“Near the ocean.” He remembered Jiza telling him about the ocean. She had said it was the most beautiful place, that it was filled with wonderful music. She had said that if he ever got the chance, he should go and see it. And he had said he would try. He had said that he would take a friend or two. And now, not only did he have the desire to hear the music; he also had a burning desire to see his brother.
“I would go with you now mother.” Aapep replied, almost too eagerly. “I want to meet him and I want to see the sea too. Jiza, the lady who has been teaching me to dance, said that the sea is the most fantastic place she ever went to. I don’t mind the journey, not at all.” He wondered whether he should still ask Mawi to come along.
And then he flicked an ear. “I don’t think Ravi would be mad, mum. I could never be mad at you, no matter what happened. You only did what you thought was right, so that he could protect you and himself from others, right?” He shook his head. “I bet he’s already forgiven you ad hoping you’ll come and find him.” And then he added in a small voice. “I won’t ever leave you mum, not even when I’m fully grown.” And he truly meant it. He would never go too far from her, never spend a day without speaking with her or going to see how she was.
But there was something she said that he didn’t understand. Too late for her? Too late for what?
And then she moved on, talking about how Ravi looked, and Aapep had the feeling that if he ever saw his older brother, he would know him straight away.
“I;m sure he is happy. But he’ll be happier seeing you again, I’m sure. I mean it mum, if you want to go, then I’ll go with you. The pride can wait, this is far more important.”
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