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 Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:17 pm
A short while ago, a blind leopard had been introduced to "The Troupe." It was practically pride-sized now, helped in part by the leopard's integration. He was unfamiliar with the feeling of so many felines in such close contact. All his life, Kucha'angaza had been alone, even as a cub. Now he was surrounded; it was suffocating. In an effort to escape the confusion, he broke off from the group as best he could and curled into a tight ball of white fluff beneath a tree. That was too much, he thought fearfully, though he was ashamed of his shyness.
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:25 pm
Quote: "Something troubles you, Kucha," the deep voice of the Troupe's leader and creator Tembezishaha rumbled near. He had watched the new leopard leave the group for the solitude beneath this tree and couldn't help but follow. If Kucha asked him to leave, he would oblige, but he had the feeling there might be something on his mind. And generally the best cure for that was with a nice talk. He sat down a good lion-length from his leopard comrade, his smile in his voice when he spoke. "It is nice here, isn't it? Away from the constant noises of the children. They are a gift, true, but a rather persistent one, don't you think?"
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:35 pm
Kucha's ears perked up as he heard Tawi's "brother's" voice, though his face remained hidden in the poof of his tail. These were two unfamiliar things: cubs and another male. Shaha's velvety baritone shocked him; Kucha had grown used to the subtle tenors and sopranos of female voices. But it was oddly familiar because it was so similar to Kucha's own voice. He didn't know how to act around the lion, but he lifted his head perhaps a minute or so after Shaha spoke. "The cubs are.... confusing," he said, agreeing indirectly. "And loud." Kucha laughed a bit at that, a slight friendly glint in his silver eyes.
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:42 pm
Quote: Shaha chuckled and gave a great yawn, one that might have frightened other cats. But that was one advantage of Kucha's "handicap". The big lion stretched out himself, facing the other male. "You're telling me. I had a bit of experience with Ayane, but now there are five at once. Sometimes I don't know what to do with them," he replied, chuckling again. The glint in his blue eyes matched the other male's and he nodded a bit. "I wouldn't trade them for the world, though. When I think about, after everything I had done in my life, that I was blessed to have such wonderful children... It boggles even my mind. I hope you know this feeling someday too, if you wish." He had added the extra part at the end, not entirely sure the relationship between Matawi and Kucha, but having a nice idea.
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:52 pm
Kucha's eyes clouded back over with deep thought and memories. This was nothing like anything he knew. Tawi had told him about Ayane, and he had met Safi, but he was still amazed by the care in this family. The love he shows these cubs! he thought with utter surprise. "When I was young, my mother abandoned me," he said softly, turning his face away with a frown. "She thought I was worthless. Useless. Pointless, even. So she left me." The blind leopard felt awkward talking about his childhood, especially with this practically unfamiliar male. Kucha felt the need to change the subject. "So, what's it like? Family? Aside from the cubs, of course. Who is your mate?"
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:57 pm
Quote: Shaha's smile turned sad when Kucha opened up to him. He'd never known abandonment. He had grown up in a family much like this one, traveling entertainers and sooth-sayers. He shook his head, the sound of his mane rustling with the motion breaking the silence between them. "No one is useless, Kucha. My nanny was blind, and she was probably the wisest leopardess, no the wisest creature I have ever met," he explained and looked back towards the group. "My mate is Kijivu, the soft spoken cheetah. It is nice being among family again. I've wandered many passings of the moon's face, though not as long as you have, I'm sure."
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 7:09 pm
Kucha turned back to him with a thankful smile, glad to hear that his new friend had escaped the lonely fate that Kucha had as a young cub. But the news of Shaha's mentor surprised him. "You already knew someone who was blind?" he said with curiosity. Reverting quickly to the other subject, he said, "Ah, the cheetah? I smelled her near you earlier, so that makes sense. Was she a wanderer as well?"
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 7:15 pm
Quote: "I did. She was our seer, and her son was just a few seasons younger than my parents. She was a very kind and gentle creature, who told me stories of the past, even farther back than my mother remembered," Shaha remembered, smiling as the image of the old leopardess curled up beneath a tree with himself plopped down in front of her between a fidgity Kweupe and a dozing Mafunde as she told them stories of old. But then Kucha asked about Kiji. "Of... a sort. I found her one evening, broken. I helped her and she faced her problems. Then she returned to me and I knew in my heart there would never be another female like her in my life." He was careful on how much he said. It was Kiji's story to tell, not his.
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 7:35 pm
Kucha found an admiration in this unknown leopardess. She was blind, like him, but she could "see" He had heard tales of seers, but never imagined what it would be like, especially for someone who was blind. The story was intriguing. Kucha himself loved stories; they were his opportunity to imagine the world without trying to concentrate on all of the stimuli he received from his tuned senses. In that way, he was able to imagine Shaha's brief story. Kucha was never able to see, except in rare dreams and response to his environment, so he could picture what he wanted. "We have something in common, Shaha," he realized with a smile. "Stories. I would love to hear more of yours sometime." He had few from his own life that he could tell, but he had heard some from other wanderers that he passed on from time to time. It could be fun. Aside from those tales, he concentrated again on the lovestory. "That's quite... romantic," was all he could really say. Tawi had practically done the same for him, but he was embarrased to confess. The pair had honestly met each other rather recently, but they had grown almost instantly close.
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 2:50 pm
Quote: Shaha chuckled at that, nodding his head. "And I would be honored to hear some of yours. That is what stories are for, learning them and then passing them on to another to enjoy and learn from. At least, that is what my mother used to say. Story-telling runs in my family. I just hope someday one of my little ones will take it up," he sighed at that and his tail twitched. Perhaps his quiet little one, Safi might take the interest in stories, though it was starting to look like she would grow to be a dancer, instead. Her paws had already shown the ability and she had started humming of late. One never knew, though.
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 2:53 pm
"Well," the leopard chuckled a bit, "my stories probably aren't as good as yours. But they're more fun to tell; it takes imagination to think of things when you haven't got eyes to see them." He sighed as he thought this, though he was glad he had someone to talk to. It seemed a bit easier talking to Shaha than the others, if only because they were both male and had similar feelings. "I would love to hear your stories though," Kucha said with a quick smile.
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:09 pm
Quote: "There's no such thing as a not-as-good story," Shaha replied with a smile that was reflected in his voice as he shook his head. "All stories are different and special in their own ways. And I'm sure your imagination well outshines anything I could weave," he added and sat up so that he could scratch at one ear.
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:32 pm
Kucha glowed at the praise, however small it was. Aside from Tawi and a small few others, no one had ever really complimented him before. "I'm sure you've had more experience in the field, what with all the cubs you have to entertain running around," he said modestly with a slight chuckle. "I just speak the way I 'see,' though that means you're probably right about the imagination." He wasn't used to practically competing with compliments.
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:58 pm
Quote: "Well... I do, actually. I was raised to become a bard. My mother traveled from pride to pride, sharing stories and histories, as her mother before her and her father before her and his mother and so on. Each of us have had different ways of telling the stories, but in the end, we're historians in our blood," Shaha replied and smiled as he remembered his mother softly telling him stories of old, stories passed down from generations. He had loved hearing her tales as much as she loved telling them.
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:11 pm
Kucha perked his ears in surprise at Shaha's mini-story. He had been told that Tawi's family were storytellers, but he didn't know that there was real history in there. The leopard could tell there would be much to hear from Shaha in the future. "So," he asked with a sly smile, "Why don't you tell me one or two?" Kucha couldn't wait to hear what the lion had in his mind, and he knew there was definetly something to look forward to.
Indeed, everything in his new life was going to be just that: new and exciting. His new family would be there for him, and that Shaha would definetly be his friend. As the blind leopard curled back up into a cozy ball in front of the lion, ears perked eagerly for his tale, he made a truly happy smile. This was only the beginning.
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