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 Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:35 pm
 The sun was scorching on Koho's back as the old lioness started over all too familiar grounds. It seemed like everything held a memory too dear to voice. As she had come close enough to see Pride Rock, Koho had almost second guessed coming back at all, but she knew that she had too. Deep in her gut, there was only one place she belonged. Long ago, when she had gone off to find herself, coming home had brought her more joy than she could have imagined. Her only hope was that she would find such joy again, at least in part. Any family she could find would be enough for an old lioness to live out her days happily. The birds and beasts had whispered of her brother's death, which still pained her to have missed, but she hadn't been able to return then. Now though, now there was nothing left for her to look for but home....
Crossing over the rocky outcropping that marked the border of the pridelands, Koho became alert. She had no idea what the situation was in the pridelands after her brother's death, and she only hoped she received a friendly welcome...
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:01 pm
 Much had changed in the pridelands, peaceful existence shaken once again, the cycle of change shaking even what had seemed eternally sound. For his own part, Bushido's life had spanned the reign of four rulers, his relation to one he did not care to speak of. And yet here, in this land, even an old lion such as himself had found a home, love, a family, and despite all that had passed, life continued on.
Paws trod the boarders, senses alert, keeping his endless vigil. His nose twitched, catching a scent, a lion nearby, a stranger, yet perhaps familiar? Curious, he sensed no aggression in the scent, most likely a peaceful creature.
Following the scent, he approached the creature, blue eyes scanning for the first signs of a golden pelt, watching for any clues given by posture. His own steps were bold, strong, yet there was a gentleness in his gait, an honorable old soul.
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:10 pm
The scent met Koho's nostrils harshly. Not a familiar one, though one of confidence. Much had changed, and she must realize that she was now the unfamiliar. As a dark body materialized from the tall grass close to her, Koho looked up with soft amber eyes, lines deep in her skin, showing her age. She held her head high, she was of royal blood after all, but there was no arrogance in her face, only her ever curious nature. "Greetings stranger." Her voice was still supple, though her body was not. It carried over the tall grass which blended easily with her pelt.
The feather that hung from one ear swayed easily from side to side, a gift she had never let go of. It was the exact color of her mate's pelt and many of her children's and it was all she had had of them for too long. Though it gave away her otherwise beautiful camouflage, she had been able to hunt for herself just fine. Despite this, her body was lank, she had obviously been traveling for a long time.
For some reason, the old lioness was unwilling to voice her identity immediately. Perhaps it was some fear that the old family was no longer respected, or that she would not be believed? Or that that would lead to the truth that she was so afraid to know, had her family been forgotten for the ages to remember. Because of this, she remained silent, waiting for the dark male, for she could sense his gender easily now with her sight and her smell, to speak his piece, whatever it was.
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:28 pm
Ears twitched, catching the sound of each step, eyes watching each movement as he approached in silence. There was no trace of aggression in his own step, only alertness and perhaps a trace of curiosity. There was something familiar, though he was certain he had never met this lioness before, something struck him. Was it her pelt? Did she only remind him of someone he had once passed in his travels across the plains?
"Greetings to you."
His head lowered in a respectful bow, his voice soft, gentle, yet strong. There was a welcome in his words, no words of demand. Pausing several steps from the lioness, Bushido relax, certain that she meant no harm to these lands, rather a wearing traveler looking for a home, or perhaps returning to a land that had once been home as he himself had done.
"What brings you this way?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:35 pm
Koho hadn't realized that her muscles had tensed in the silence the trailed her vocalization. As the dark male responded in kind and kindness, she relaxed the muscles and took a breath. So far, so good. As if to further relax the mood, Koho lowered her haunches to the ground, sighting in a sort of posture that still kept her head high and her body proud, despite the weariness that played at the edges of her mind.
To his question, Koho looked out towards pride rock for a moment, "Memories, I suppose...." Vagueness had never been a personality trait of hers before, but Koho found herself more and more uncomfortable with her decision, yet ever as determined to carry it out, she needed a family again. Deciding to get information if she could, Koho turned to face the male again, "Tell me, if you please," she looked with almost an amused glint in her eye at Bushido, why wouldn't he please? "Do you know the history of this land? The lions of the old generation, the old king?" She delivered her questions in an even tone, though the hint of a tear appeared in the farthest corner of her eye at the mention of her brother. Her face tightened again, without her will, in preparation for his response.
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:55 pm
Tail flicking lightly, the lion settled on his haunches, a trace of solemness touching his maw. His own gaze turned toward priderock, tracing its figure for a moment before he spoke, his voice quiet.
"Much of what I know I only know from stories. I'm afraid the king had fallen before I was able to return, how I would have liked to see the lands under his reign."
A smile tugged at the corner of his maw as his gaze turned back to the lioness. It must have been beautiful indeed, if the land under his daughter had been any indication, he was certain the old king had taught her well.
"The pridelands I was born into was a much darker place I'm afraid."
He spoke of the reign of the rogue kings, of his own father, a despicable relation, yet one he had learned to live with. He could not change the past, could not choose his parents, he could only shape his own future and be a better man for his own children.
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 10:11 pm
The was comfort in the male sharing her attitude towards the situation. At least things hadn't changed so much that Koho wouldn't belong. There was still decency in the pridelands. At the mention of the king's fall, the tear pulling at the edge of the lioness's eye fell, tracing the markings on her cheek to fall and water the grass at her feet. "Yes... He was a good king...."
Then the male spoke of that which Koho knew little. She of course had been born near the time of her half-brother, and so could only remember the time when he had taken control. There were vague memories of her childhood, but they were not indication of how things had been, just of childhood baths and play times.
Her mind started drifting to other things, though, perhaps to escape from memories too painful for the moment. Amber orbs fell onto the lion's dark pelt, "You are not of our lineage then, what line do you hail from, if any?" She had done it, she had let her connection to the pridelands slip, if it hadn't been apparent from her pelt. But Koho had traveled much during her time away, and she could not recall a pride with markings such as this one's, though perhaps she just hadn't gone far enough....
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 10:46 pm
The revelation was not lost on Bushido, and though she had not outright stated it, it was not a difficult conclusion to reach. So that was why she had struck him as familiar, why the pelt had struck his senses. A relation of Mufasa, though he did not know how closely, nor was he one to pry.
"My mother was from these lands, the chosen mate of one of the dark kings who ruled for a short time. She took me and fled on Mufasa's return, though we parted ways shortly after. we didn't see the world the same way."
The words were difficult, touched by sorrow. It was a story he did not often tell, a past he rarely spoke of, not even to his mate or his children. It was a dark past, a family who's deeds he had so wished to atone for, a past he longed to erase. A creature of honor, the marks borne on his hide, it was perhaps a wonder that such a noble lion had been borne to such parents.
"Your journey must have been a long one, perhaps your home has missed you as much as you have missed it."
The smile returned to his maw, eyes soft, a welcome to the wearing traveler.
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Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:52 am
As the male related his situation of birth to Koho, she felt sorry that she had asked. Though it had always been his choice to answer, but it seemed to make him so sad. She had heard the stories of the rulers before her brother, but she had no memories of any horror during her earliest childhood.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pried...." Koho almost seem to chuckle though, at another thought. Looking to the dark male again, she felt she needed to explain herself so that he didn't misunderstand her amusement, "I never thought of anyone wanting to run from my half-brother...." The world was bound to recognize her at some point, it was best to have as few secrets as possible when meeting what she expected to be an entirely different pride of lions.
She did not have any fear for this male though, and was starting to feel reassured about her decision to return. At his next words, a flood of relief spilled over Koho, easing worries that she hadn't known she had. When she looked up to him again, it was with longing eyes, and an almost cublike uncertainty came over the old lioness, "Do you think so?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 11:44 pm
"Those attracted to shadows often flee from the light."
Last words spoken on the subject, Bushido rose to his paws, taking a step from the border, toward the great rock. Pausing, he smiled to the lioness, a paw raised in gesture toward priderock. It seemed silly for the returning traveler to only stand on the borders, home awaited within.
"I do. No matter where we may go, or how far we may travel, home never really leaves our hearts, and it will always be there waiting for our return."
A few more steps, making certain that she had followed before moving on, willing to speak a word of confidence if she hesitated. Mufasa's sister, he had not realized the old king had a sister, though seeing the lioness the relation was not surprising. Then surely the land would welcome her home.
"I'm afraid much has happened in recent times, change must touch us even here. I am sure you are anxious to see your family."
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Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:47 pm
As the male rose, Koho mirrored his actions. Though her legs were weary, she knew that she was capable of a few more sun marks of traveling, especially if home awaited at the end. Bushido's welcoming gesture brought a smile to the lioness' maw. He was such a kind lion, Koho felt lucky that she had met him, otherwise she may have fled back to the rogue lands.
At the mention of change, Koho's face became troubled as she padded behind Bushido. She had known that things must have changed, particularly with the passing of rulers, but the tone of the male's voice boded ill.
"Family...." Strangely, the word brought Koho little happiness. It wasn't due to a lack of wanting for her family though, but an understanding that her hope might be crushed. For so many moons, she had held onto the hope of her family being in the pridelands, but now that it was so close, she feared that the truth would not match her hopes. This caused her feet to drag in the dust, and her head to hang, so normally out of character. "I'm not sure what family will be here for me...." The worst thing for Koho would be to learn she had outlived one of her cubs, but the more general ache was that they had left just like their mother....
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 12:52 am
His tail flicked, gazed focused on the rock as it drew closer, grass rustling beneath each pawstep. Change had come quickly and without warning, shaken the pride and all that the had known. The queen had vanished, the heirs gone, and the council formed by the young prince. It had been a great change, an adjustment for all, only time would tell what would come in the future. Yet life went on, the land thrived, the pride lived on. And silently he could not help but wonder what had become of the queen, and if she would ever return.
"That I cannot answer. Though the royal family is sstrong, there are those that have left to follow their own paths, and those that have fallen."
He did not answer further, for he did not know how. Though he knew a general lineage, he did not know who she sought, could not have know of any children she may have had, or how many generations she had missed. It was true that the line of the great Mufasa had grown strong, though some had left, their blood remained strong within the lands. And yet many were young, perhaps too young to remember the weary old lioness.
But even if he had know, such words were not meant to come from him. For now, the lioness needed family, home, and rest.
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:23 pm
Koho had not expected an answer. It seemed unlikely that anyone other than the pride's storyteller would remember her, and so she had not expected the male to know. She knew that her only chance of finding anyone would be to get to priderock and look.
As they neared the rock, almost within shouting distance, Koho dithered over what the best approach to her arrival would be. She needed to speak to the prince, or whoever was in charge under the new rule. She hoped that such things hadn't changed in her pride, though perhaps it had....
Looking up and ahead, Koho voiced her question, "Bushido, what is your opinion on the best course of action once we reach priderock?" Though it was her home, more than anywhere else, it was still a place she hadn't been in a long time. She knew, in her mind, that it was better to ask a stranger's opinion, so that her arrival was not marred by unfriendliness.
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:38 pm
He looked to the lioness as she spoke, perhaps a bit surprised by her question before a smile spread across his maw. It was not a question he would have thought of in such a peaceful land of kind and friendly rule. However her nervousness was understandable, it had been many years since she'd last been home, a feeling he understood.
"Well, I would suggest you simply be yourself, I am certain you will be welcomed."
A reassuring smile, the lion paused in his steps. Though he could have easily spent the afternoon chatting with the lioness, Bushido was a scout, and he could not leave his patrol unattended.
"I'm afraid I will have to leave you here. The prince should be here, or one of the council. I wish you well, and I hope you find who you're looking for. We can speak another time if you wish, perhaps in the evening when my patrol is completed."
A reassuring smile, a respectful bow, the lion turned, paws carrying him down the rock, back to the boarders, continuing is tireless vigil.
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:59 am
The dark lion's advice was frank and honest, and Koho smiled at him for that. Of course she should be herself, what had she been thinking. As the lion made his goodbye, Koho responded in kind, bowing and smiling weakly at him. As he turned and left, the old lioness covered the last few lengths to the base of priderock and made her way up, starting to look for someone official...
((Crappy and short, but concluded XDD))
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