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 Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:09 pm
When the sun rose once again over the endless horizon of the savannah, it did not find its faithful friend at his usual post. The golden light crept slowly across the grasslands with questing fingers, combing over rocks and trees in search of it's long time companion. It found him outside his den, sitting meditatively still, and bathed him with a warm joyous greeting having found its friend once more. Serithi smiled a small salutation, eyes still closed. The air was full of the sharp, copper tang of blood and upon the altar inside was a heavy water buffalo buck, a proud looking creature even in death. The sunlight glittered in the fresh blood painted on a dusk grey pelt, illuminating pteroglyphs of the hunt with sudden life.
His beautiful mate at his side, dark maroon eyes surveyed his family. 5 cubs was amazing, two beautiful girls and 3 handsome young boys. Filled with pride, he lifted his voice and gaze to the sky and prayed, deep baritone voice rolling like thunder.
"Great Hunt God,
I have come to you many times,
child and grown,
lost and found,
in failure and in victory,
your humble servant
and most grateful of scions.
Now I come to you as a father.
Look upon my cub, O Hunter,
I beg your blessing upon them
and offer you a father's oath.
I will teach them their minds to think
and raise them to be wise,
the see the secrets
that the tall grass hides,
to listen to the language of those without words,
of the risings of the sun
and the moving of the herds.
To smell the foe
they cannot see,
to taste the sickness
in foul meat,
I will teach them to have quiet hearts,
to love without demand,
and to have strength of spirit,
to defend both kin and land.
I will teach them of the secret paths,
high among the jungle trees,
and they will know not to fight or kill,
if there isn't any need.
I make this pledge
with a father's love
the best that I can do,
and hope with a father's wisdom,
I can raise them to be true.
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:05 pm
Just as the sun found its faithful companion in Serithi, it found a steadfast friend in the golden lioness beside him. A lioness who had always loved the light and warmth it gave, and carried that light into the night. Moto'nyota stood next to her mate, a calm smile of fulfillment on her face as she kept an eye on her cubs.
Cubs, her...She still had a hard time believing she had five beautiful little ones of her own. Each of them was different, even so young...in personality as well as appearance. And each one held a place in her heart. As she nuzzled one who tried to wriggle away to play, she wondered if this was how her father felt, even for her insane sister.
Once Serithi's prayer was done, she added her own in her sweet, soft voice. A voice that carried despite the tone.
"And I come before you,
One who has only known your whispers,
As a new mother,
asking for your blessing.
As they shall learn from their father
how to hunt for nourishment,
I shall teach them to hunt for that which will heal.
I shall teach them how to survive their mistakes,
so they might teach others how not to make them
And so they may hunt another day.
I shall teach them that with the strength to kill,
must come the compassion to leave some alive.
And that with compassion must also come
the resolve to kill when it is needed.
My oath is small...
But it is sincere.
For I say this with the love of a mother."
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:27 pm
She stands besides me, Serithi thought and it thrilled him as little ever had before. He had never dreamed of the day that he would find a female he could easily call his equal and now that he had, she dizzied him with her inner strength. He closed his eyes enraptured as she began to sing a sweet, low prayer of her own, letting her words carry his heart to heavens and farther. She understood his God and honored him the same as he and he was so proud to present not only the cubs, but her as well to his diety.
As she finished, he stepped forward to his first born son, whose coat shone with the riotous gold of morning, roving his dark red gaze over every detail as his heart searched for the right words to speak.
" My son, my sun, first born as the dawn begins day. To you shall fall the task of leading, of weighing what is and what was and what will be. Duty will not sleep with the sun, always will they look to you for guidance. Be wise, my son. Be resolute and compassionate. Humble among servants and king among cats and always know a father's love last beyond time and earth."
Lifting one massive paw, he gently pressed it to the cubs forehead leaving a war paint paw print behind.
" We name you Hekima, power of judgment."
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:53 pm
Moto had no paint. For once she did not have her plants on her. All she had was her breath and her fur and her blood. And for her blessing, her breath was all she needed...for she remembered, faintly, warm breath floating over her as words of blessing were spoken to her.
She leaned down to her first born, her silent little boy.
"You are the oldest, the dawn. You are the beginning of something new." She ensured her breath brushed against his crown. "Just as the oldest must be strong of body, you must be strong of heart." She licked the top of her son's head and sat straight again.
"Welcome to the world, Hekima."
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:10 am
The cub was still slightly dazzled by the morning sun as his father approached him, his giant looming form casting shadow upon the cub and shading his eyes from the bright morning rays.
He gave a hearty mew as his father's giant paw touched his forehead, decrying that his name would be Hekima and leaving his mark upon him. Hekima gave a slight pur as he reached for his father's massive paw in play, hoping to pin it in hopes of showing his father his strength.
As his father backed away and his mother approached him, he gave his tail a flick of joy. He enjoyed his mother's breath upon his fur and her lick upon his crown and leaned forward to nuzzle her.
His parents and his siblings, whom he had nothing but love for, he would make them proud. He would protect them, and ensure that no harm came to them. In all this large world he had entered, they were the first he saw, and the first in his heart.
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:45 am
Serithi smiled warmly at his son and batted his paw gently at the boy, deep maroon eyes silently reminding the young one to behave. Stepping swiftly to the right, he stood before his first born daughter, who's smile already reminded him of his own mother, in a desert land long ago, but she definately had gotten her innate sense of poise from his lady love. Pausing a moment, eyes half lidded, he thought.
" My daughter, second born and morning star, may your eyes always be bright with the wonder of the world, for it falls to you to be a clever girl. Learn the secrets of the whispering winds and the ways of the ants that crawl. Listen to the hushed tones of those who do no good and speak softly, but wisely with knowledge and authority. Be more crafty than your enemies. Be proud, but not prideful. May your senses be sharp for the devil is in the details. Always know a father's love lasts beyond time and earth."
Once again, he laid a paw to the young cub's forehead, laying first blood to her grey coat.
" We name you Tarajia, to hope for."
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:35 am
Now Moto stood before the first of their two daughters. The serious little one who reminded her so much of her father in personality...She leaned down, so her breath would brush the cub's fur.
"First of my daughters, second-born...you are the one who will lend your eyes and ears to your brother...Where he cannot go is where you shall travel, and the shadows he cannot see are your domain." She licked the top of her daughter's head.
"Welcome to the world, Tarajia, my hope." It had been Moto's idea to name the girl such...and Moto hoped that what happened to she and Hakuna would not happen to her daughters...
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:48 am
The girl was not truly used to the sun, though it had hit their den every morning as it rose. But...it was beautiful, even more so than the light that came into the den at dawn. The first girl-cub had a faint smile as her two beloved parents spoke to her older brother, than her.
She sat happily in her father's shadow, for even as a cub, she knew the shadows were her domain. How could they not be with her fur? When he placed his paw on her forehead, she purred. She had a name, something her mother said was important, and her father's mark.
She sat a little straighter, a little prouder as her mother gave her blessing. Her mother...her dearest mother. The little cub would strive to make her proud.
Just like her brother beside her, the little gray girl had only love for her family, and admiration for her strong father and compassionate mother.
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