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 Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:27 am
He'd taken the time to talk to some of the members, including Kibela, the rogue who had journeyed with them to help in the war.
And now, after meeting Azarax and confirming that he was indeed Ripuka's son he felt a sort of calmness falling upon him. Perhaps it was sparring with the younger lion that had invoked this sense that everything would be okay. Or maybe it was simply talking to others that made him realise things wouldn't always be this way. That one day they'd have others to help them and this pride could return to a new and greater state of glory.
Now that his sparring was done he was returning with No to give an update and maybe recieve one from her. They'd both been extremely busy over the last week or so.
Unsure where she was, he opened his mouth and gave one of his typical calls for her, knowing she'd recognise his voice.
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:46 am
There was no question of who the roar was as it echoed across the valley. No, still covered in dust from her morning cleaning session with Kibela, couldn’t help but flash a tricky smile. Kibela had said they were well matched- sometimes it was bordering on empathic nowadays. Perhaps they were both just eager, but it pleased No to think they were both on the same mindset. She gave a low, quick roar to signal her coming before quickly stalking off into the direction it hailed.
Finding him wasn’t too hard- but keeping the smile off her face was.
“I’ve been summoned,” She thrummed as the black cat came into sight, cresting over a small patch of sand and rock. Although it was business- she gently rubbed against him as she sat down. He seemed a bit tussled, and she suspiciously arched a brow. She might have mentioned something about it- but then again, she was still covered with the day’s dust and hardly looked like she’d been ‘taking it easy’ either. Somewhat self-consciously, she patted herself and let it be.
“How do you fair?” She smiled, taking a moment before catching him up on her own doings today.
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:51 am
He laughed. "And like magic you appear." He sat with her and couldn't help but smile. It looked like they had both spent the day busy. She covered in dust and he covered in sand from his catch up with Azarax.
"Well enough." He replied. "Looks like you've been busy too. Not overworking I hope." He rubbed his face against hers, the purr rumbling in his chest. "At least no one can call us lazy. I don't think I've worked so hard in my whole entire life and all I've been doing is talking, explaining, understanding."
He glanced around the lands, taking in the sight as if looking at it from a great distance, surveying it as a whole. "It's coming along well, isn't it, our home." He released a held breath. "Soon, everything will be in place."
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:03 am
She grinned. “I’ve been up to my knees in garbage half the morning with Kibela,” As if to demonstrate, she dusted herself off again, and a small plume of debris caught in the wind. “Unfortunate that I never factored in cleaning into our grand plans of war. There’s a lot of junk left behind.” Hopefully now the majority of the bones and rot was deep below the sand.
“And I never overwork.” She preened in addition- but, both of them knew that was probably the understatement of the century for the both of them. “Mostly.” No chuckled, and took his lead to look out across the vast desert that now lay below their collective paws.
“It is…” She said honestly, this time dropping the chesire grin for a more serious expression. “Even underneath all of the trials and mess, it’s beautiful.” Even now, a breeze was slowly catching up, giving a slight break to the otherwise heated day. She stretched her neck up and let it lightly puff against her. “-but you say you’ve been speaking all day? Anyone in particular?” No, just as her mate, was particularly eager to hear of any individuals that stood out. Particularly now that they needed to start sharing the weight of management across a group which had once been rebels.
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:28 am
"So, definately overworking then." He replied, affection laced in his tone. "Cleaning was certainly something I hadn't considered, but if it needs to be done..." He glanced at her. "I think you're probably the only ruler to have ever done such a thing." He laughed. "That's good, though. We're different already and that's what we always strived to be."
It made for a striking image in any case.
"Yes. Do you remember that tan lion we met on the day when the traditionalists left the lands? I managed to catch up with him, finally. I've been meaning to ever since that day." He cleared his throat. "The lion is Ripuka's son, Azarax. He's very different from her and not just in looks. But he's similar to her too, though I wouldn't have thought it. He's a very determined young lion. An impressive one too, by the way he fights. He's only young and yet he's bursting with potential."
He cast a look at her, wondering if she was catching his drift.
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 2:12 pm
No feigned exasperation, dusting herself off one last time for dramatic effect. "To think, that is what I shall be known for." She lamented, but all the same, she was rather pleased with herself. She'd make this place great if she had to build it from the very sand they were standing on. A little clean up work was nothing.
Hopefully, however, no one got any ideas about asking her to make that her permanent duty.
But joking aside, No turned serious as soon as Kidondo switched gears back to business. A tan lion... No stretched her memory to remember the fellow. These past few days had flown by in such a fluster, it seemed as though they were blending together. But....yes, yes, she did remember this one. Her head rose with the acknowledgment. The slave that had been far too large to seemingly be only but. She had not, however, gotten any sort of reading on his temperament. "Ripuka's son?" She spoke, her serious face falling to genuine surprise. That old bird! She had to hand it to her- although last they met she'd been the plucky sort, she would not have placed her as a mother so late in life. A testament, she supposed to what they would continue to deal with.
She couldn't help her suspicion. A son of Ripuka would require a careful eye. But she knew Kidondo was no man to be tricked- and if he seemed endeared to him, No reminded herself not to be so prejudicial. They needed all the help they could get. And if this truly was an ally in the form of one of Ripuka's offspring- she did not doubt he would be a powerful one. "I admit, I'm surprised to hear she has such a child. But for all Ripuka was, she was cunning and shrewd- I suppose I don't need to ask what drove him away from her."
"You think he might be a good candidate then?" She asked.
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Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 5:32 am
He shook his head. "From what I gather she abandoned him to the slaves soon after he was born. Not an easy task, even for her, I'd imagine. Even still, as cruel as it sounds I think she did it to protect him from the others. In the same situation I might have done the same." He tipped an ear. "He's not the only cub either, he has siblings, but they stayed went away with Ripuka during the divide."
He paused. "He's a sound sort. A good fighter too. He acts on impulse and has a lot to learn but he passed my tests and almost managed to pin me. I yielded before he could embarrass me much further than that, I must say." He chuckled quietly.
He nodded. "We'll have to be careful, but his teaching in traditions was neglected due to his upbringing, and when it came to it, he chose us. He could have returned with his family. But then, why return to a life of slavery? He stands for more than an odd-coloured Firekin. He's the very symbol of why things need to change. He is strong and cunning and everything a Firekin must be, except for his pelt. If we don't give him a chance to rise above the 'slave' he was forced to be, then no one will."
He paused and looked to her. "I don't know whether I'm thinking this through. Ripuka was dear to me as a child and I feel like I owe it to her to protect her son. But I'm hoping that what I'm about to say is more than that. I can't explain it. There's something about him, so much potential. I felt as if I could trust him and that doesn't come very often. There's many here I still feel slightly wary of, but not him. Not Azarax."
He fell silent then, seeming to gather his thoughts. "What would you say if I told you I was thinking of making him General?" He added hastily. "But not without your blessing, of course."
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Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:22 am
No listened intently as he spoke, gathering what information she could about the fellow and storing it somewhere in the back of her mind. It would be hard to absorb all of it at once- but she would make note to investigate this male. But her scrutiny aside- she chuckled as Kidondo recounted their spar. “Not an easy task,” She thrummed. Certainly, any general of there’s would need to be in such a condition. They needed an equal in battle- if not one even superior in strength. Someone who could figurehead their forces and arrange the army.
“I trust your intuition.” No pursed. “If you believe him to be up to the task, then this is marvelous news. We need people we can trust. And tactically, it might be a boon to us to promote a former slave to such a position.” She continued, the wheels in her mind turning. A slave would be a good bridge between the true-blood firekins that had joined with them and the rogues. “Someone the former traditionalists will know, but the rogues can relate to.”
A small smile flicked across her face. “Someone who can near best the regent is not someone we want to put on the wayside.”
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Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 10:25 am
He nodded. "My thoughts exactly. He's a good link to have and it'll be more effective in a higher position. We can keep a close eye on him at first, just to make sure, but I don't think we'll have any problems with him."
He smiled, leaning forwards to nuzzle at her gently. "Certainly not. He's got natural talent. With a little training he'll be fiersome. Once he starts serious training he'll be a force to be reckoned with." He shook his head. "Ripuka would have been proud if she could see how his life was going to turn out."
He leaned against her then. "I'll need to do some training myself. I need to become a better fighter if I'm going to keep my respect here. There's many things we can change in the Firekin, but their love of strength won't be one of them." He stretched. "In any case, Azarax is perfect in every way."
He paused. "Did you mention Kibela earlier?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:30 am
A purr thrummed in her throat. “I’ll keep you on your toes.” She toyed, although knowingly, it would be she that would need to work on her own abilities. She might have had the mind of a firekin, but her size would be something she would need to continue to hone to her advantage. If Kidondo was right about this fellow, she was glad. Between the three of them, they could grow into a force to be reckoned with.
“I am sure she would be,” No spoke quietly as his head rubbed against hers. Would she? It was hard to tell with Ripuka. She didn’t doubt however she’d soon learn of what her son had become. “We will need to speak with him further then and be sure our vision is the same. The sooner we can get a force in order, the less chance traditionalists will have of having a rebirth.” Or infiltrating.
She was surprised how much this pleased her. The fact that he was Ripuka’s son still weighed heavy in her mind- but for the moment, she would ignore it. The last thing the budding kingdom needed was thoughts of trechery amongst them. They would have to, on some part, take a leap of faith these early days.
But so far, so good.
“Yes, Kibela helped me this morning.” She added. “Probably still cleaning the dust off I imagine. She seems to have a good head on her.” No’s ears flicked, and a grin snaked across her face. “She was scolding me on not resting enough.” Not that she had taken the advice to heart- but she respected someone who could speak their mind.
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:40 am
He smiled. "I don't doubt it." No was wily and cool, he already envisioned her as a wonderful fighter. He certainly wouldn't want to mess with her in any case! True, he had been worried about her during the war, but that was only natural, he loved her. Even still, if she had been the greatest warrioress in the world he would still have worried. He couldn't imagine life without her.
"Very well. I'll arrange an audience with him as soon as possible. It'll give you a chance to judge his character. If all goes well, we'll give him the good news."
Maybe he should have had some doubts, but in truth Azarax had completely won him over. The way he had lived his life and struggled through to rise above the others was a clear sign of strength. He seemed a little reserved in speech but held nothing back in battle. He had to admit that the lad's skills had surprised him.
He laughed aloud as No described Kibela.
"Yes, that sounds like her. She gave me the very same lecture, you know. I think unwittingly, we brought a caretaker with us." He paused. "What about her, do you think? How do you judge her character? We've both known her longer than Azarax."
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:29 am
The black cat nodded. “I’d like that,” She’d half the mind to go see him this instant! But, lest the two get into another sparring match, No supposed they’d better arrange a meeting sometime in the next few days. She wanted to know this fellow. She could see the excitement the find had on Kidondo, and she saw no reason to believe it was not warranted.
But on the subject of Kibela, No rose her head in consideration. Of the rogues that had joined with them, the fellow pridelander had seemed to adjust the quickest, even though she herself admitted it was a difficult process. She was glad to hear that she wasn’t the only one who had received a scolding from her. “I think she has a good head on her,” No admitted. “And she’s not afraid to voice her opinion, even to us.”
It was a quality that should have agitated her. No did not like other people telling her what to do, bar Kidondo. She like to think that No knew what was best for No. But she knew Kibela was right- they did need to rest occasionally. Even if it was something she could not comply to, she admired the consideration. “I think she’s good at reading other people. I like that.” No concluded. “That’s something we need.”
“Also, I hear black cats from the pridelands are supposed to be incredibly witty.” She mused, a tricky smile creeping across her face.
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 11:38 am
He listened to her, his face serious but thoughtful. However, that smile curved the corners of his mouth at her last remark. How very true! It was such an odd coincidence that two black cats from the Pridelands were born with such sound, sharp minds.
"The Pridelands clearly has good breeding lines." He purred. "You are definately the wittiest pair I have ever met." He crinkled his nose with amusement. "Either way, I'm glad we're both familiar in thoughts on her. She certainly has some good, strong personality quirks. She manages to lecture with subtlety, not something easily done."
He stretched out his forepaws and nodded briskly. "She's certainly an asset to the team. I wouldn't do without her."
He tipped an ear. "Do you think you could see her on the council?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 5:50 am
No considered this for a moment, leaning her head back in thought. Yes, the council did need to be formed… and as she searched her thoughts, she could think of few other people who had made as much strides in adapting and assisting them as Kibela had. Although No’s relationship with the female had not always been as close, she was well aware that Kidondo and she had often spoken to one another on various issues. She liked that they trusted her. Hopefully the others would too.
“Yes, I could certainly see that.” No concluded, a rumble thrumming in her throat. “I think she is quite committed to seeing this land bettered.” And as a native to the pridelands, she also knew how to contrast the two lives together.
A smile brimmed across her face. “So, Kibela and Azarax…not a bad start.”
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Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:38 am
He rolled on his back in the sand, forepaws curled against his chest and hind legs extended. The warmth tickled his stomach and spread through him, bringing a slight smile to his face.
"I'm glad you think so." He replied. "They'll be strong additions to our team. So, when do you think we should give them the good news?" He flicked an ear and shimmied sideways on his back so that he could reach up and give her a lick on the chin.
"It'll make life easier, knowing we have others we can depend on. It's hard shouldering it all on our own."
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