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 Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:31 pm
Ow. Ow ow. Owwww! He would never have admitted it while still in the sight of Kasdeya, but the wounds she'd inflicted really did hurt. The cut on his chest wasn't so bad, but the gouge that went from just under his ribs to his left hip was rather deep, and while not gushing blood, it stung with every step. Even if he'd planned to leave the area, he couldn't. Not yet at least. So, grumbling, he'd headed wide of the steaming mountains from whence the strange cub had claimed she lived, and looped around to the far side of them. The place stank of lions, but it was all older scent, and he knew none were here now. It was hot too, hotter than he'd have liked, but it would do. A little ways along he came to a stony outcropping. It would do for a shelter. With a grunt he slunk into the shaded depths under the overhang and slumped to his side. He would clean himself and rest here, and be on his way once things cooled, at night. He would be harder to spot then too.
He lapped at his wounds, ignoring the bitter taste of his own blood. His mouth stained red as he worked, but he paid no mind. Clean wounds first, mouth later. At least they didn't seem infected. That was good. If he'd been that badly off, he'd really be in trouble. As it was, the stomach wound would likely scar, but it wasn't nearly as noticeable as the chest gouge. And that was good. He was proud of his perfect hide, and how unmarred it was.
"Stupid cub...attacking for no reason...don't know what got her so hot and bothered. Except maybe all the heat around here." He grumbled to himself before settling his head down on his paws to rest. He flicked one ear towards the open space that led into his little hollow. He would be sleeping with one eye open for the time being.
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 3:44 pm
At the thought of Nyota, Kasdeya curled up and shut her eyes to rest for a moment. The scrap had certainly worn her out and she did not feel like explaining her new scars to anyone just yet - she hadn't enough time to fabricate some story.
It was then that Kasdeya remembered Nyota telling her something about the color of his eyes. She did not believe him as first, but he seemed determined that the gold of his eyes were proof of his demonic blood and that it meant he was a very powerful demon. As much as Kasdeya hated to admit it, Nyota was incredibly skilled for a cub and had already proved himself many times over.
And strangely enough, the dark cub from the roguelands also shared these same golden eyes. In fact, Mahewa's eyes were even more gold. Did this mean he shared their demonic blood as well?
Bolting upright, Kasdeya's eyes went wide and she glanced about curiously as though to check if anyone was around. Had Kasdeya found another one of their kind? Wouldn't her father be proud to see that she found another demon herself! She could further strengthen their entire pride by leading Hewa to join them!
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 4:36 pm
Mahewa was happy to sleep away the greater part of the day. While the sun peaked and then began to wane, he remained lying among the rocks, hiding from sight, sound, and sun. His slumber went undisturbed, and the wound on his side soon stemmed, caked over with rusty blood, but no longer paining him near so much. The chest wound was superficial, but it had stained his chest reddish for the time. His thigh on the other hand was rather deep, and the gouges were plain against his otherwise smooth body, as he lay on the side opposite them.
A fly, smelling the blood perhaps, buzzed into the cave and landed on his ear. He stirred from slumber and flicked it away before sitting with a yawn. Moving caused only some pain in the injured areas, which he was glad of. He would not be disabled, just possibly marked. Ah well. He was a rogue, he couldn't hope to stay unmarred forever.
Perhaps now would be a good time to venture out. From the sun's position it had been an hour or so, and surely that cub wasn't around anymore. Yes, he'd enjoy himself now. Despite the rude greeting, he still wanted to see this place's pride before he left.
With a good stretch to loosen his stiff muscles, he was off, slipping from the den he'd found and into the long grass. Ho hum, trees and grass and dirt. And the mountain. It was still hot, to his dismay, but there wasn't anything he could do about that. Except sweat.
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:13 pm
Still unsure of his surroundings, the demon leopon Bavu ventured slowly over the grounds. Since it was becoming increasingly clear that he would be going home no time soon, the young male decided it best to try and get himself a bit more familiar with his new “home.” Why not? It wasn’t like his mother would be coming to save him.
He still believed it was mostly her fault that he had been taken away in the first place. If she really cared about him she would have found him by now.
No, it had been too long. She would rather tend to her other cubs than come looking for him. It was his own destiny to find a way out of the demon lands. First, however, he would have to get a wee bit bigger. Still a cub, he hardly had the ability to flee from a powerful tribe of demons.
Coming to a stop, Bavu noticed someone just ahead of him in the grass. A lion male, though he looked older than the other one he had met some time ago. No doubt another proud demon. Frowning, he thought about retreating, going so far as to look over his shoulder. But he knew it was no use.
Get to know what was going to be his new family.
Keeping his ground, the male waited to see what the other would do, clearly visible should the other so much as glance in his direction. He had a feeling this would either be very interesting, or end in a lot of pain for him.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 2:45 pm
While Mahewa was hoping to lose the small demon cub he had encountered earlier, Kasdeya had nearly the opposite in mind. Setting out from her den, the female searched for the mysterious, golden eyed male that had been so skilled in combat.
It took a great while before she found what appeared to be his resting place, evident by the stains of blood, exiting pawprints and familiar scent lingering. With a sly grin, the cub followed the tracks until she came across the sweaty, uncomfortable looking male. He looked far weaker in his current state, clearly worn out with healing wounds. The cub couldn't help but snicker to herself that it had been she who caused a great portion of his distress.
Before she took a few steps in order to make herself known, Kasdeya caught site of another cub, about her age, with striking eyes as well. He was familiar to her, but never before had the two spoken to one another. Narrowing her eyes, Kasdeya recognised him as one of the cubs brought into the pride by a current member. Bavu, she snarled.
It was just her luck to encounter someone else when she wished to speak with Mahewa. Their last encounter was certainly not the most positive and it would be difficult to have the older male understand where she was coming from. And Kasdeya was not about to beg - in front of company anyhow.
Stepping forward, the cub cleared her throat and looked towards Bavu and then Mahewa. With a bold voice, she spoke, "I must speak with you, rogue."
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:25 pm
At the sound of rustling brush, Hewa looked up. He expected that cub again and tensed, ready to fight...but no. It was a cub alright, but not THAT cub. This one was...not a lion. Something else. Part lion at least. Hewa relaxed a little, this one didn't seem so...violent.
"Hello," He called over to Bavu. "Are you from this pride as well?"
Alas, his moment of relaxation was not to last. Out of the brush crept Kasdeya, and he frowned mightily. "Lovely." He growled. Hackles raised and he regrouped, standing taller, covering the pain his side was radiating. He could still fight, would fight, if she came closer. But then...what?
He eyed the female strangely, looking between her and Bavu. The other cub seemed at a loss...or at least Hewa read it so. "So now you want to speak? Well I'm willing to talk, but only if you act like a sane cub and don't try to attack me for no reason." His tones were faintly sarcastic, biting enough to hopefully dissuade Kas from attacking again through shame if that was her intent. Distantly he wondered if he could enlist the other if it came to blows again. "Well, what do you want? And who the heck do you think I am? I'm not 'Rogue', cub. I'm Mahewa, got it?"
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:40 am
Bavu noticed the male had looked in his direction, his throat tightening for a moment as he pensively waited to see if the creature would prove to be more demon than welcoming. He hadn’t yet met a lion that treated him with ill-will, but with a reputation like “demon pride” he didn’t rule out that there weren’t members within the lands that were less than friendly. Ones that like to lie for fun and hurt other animals for walking the wrong way.
It made him nervous, though he tried to swallow it down.
“It seems so,” he replied faintly, “though I never wanted to be.” He said nothing more on the matter, thoughts of his kidnapping too fresh in his mind to be reflected on with anything but a bitter attitude. He missed his home while hated his mother for letting him get stolen. The pride scared him but it seemed a great place for adventure. So much good and bad cluttered his life at that moment. How was one small cub supposed to make any sense of it? Perhaps meeting these new lions will help him figure some things out. Not everything, but at the very least he’ll be able to see what other members of the pride were really like.
“My name is Bavu,” he introduced himself, though soon fell once more to silence as he spotted another cub heading their way. Another lion, though this once decidedly more feminine. She seemed to be in a bad mood too, none to happy to see him or the other lion that was located nearby.
She seemed less pleased to see the other male, however. Watching the conversation unfold, Bavu stayed silent. He felt more like a third wheel on a date gone horribly wrong than anything else.
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 11:37 am
Kasdeya had noticed the sudden shift in the way Mahewa held himself. While he wore a pained expression on his maw only moments before, he quickly hid his internal feelings and forced a bold expression on his face. The small demon cub could only grin at this, glad to have caused him such a great amount of distress. The wound Mahewa left on her side also stung, but was nothing Kasdeya allowed her body to pay mind to at the moment. She had known she was looking for a male and wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he had hurt her.
Having caught the end of the conversation between Bavu and Mahewa, Kasdeya couldn't help but look over towards the hybrid and glare. This was her conversation and she was planning on taking control of it. With a light hiss, Kasdeya turned away from the cub and returned her gaze on the larger male.
"Mahewa. Ah." The name did not seem familiar to Kasdeya in the least, which was upsetting, considering the small cub was trying to determine whether the older male was actually one of them. She had been quick to attack, without even considering the possibility that Mahewa might have been a perfect specimen to add to their growing pride. More lions meant more power and with more power, the entire group would be taken more seriously.
Clearing her throat, Kasdeya looked towards Mahewa carefully. "While it did not appear you believed me before, this pride is home to demons. True demons in the bodies of lion hosts." When speaking about her pride in a serious manner, Kasdeya seemed a much - less frightening lioness. She was entirely entranced in her own words, showing that she fully believed them. This was how she had grown up.
Nudging with her muzzle towards Bavu, she let out a light laugh, "The others believe this hybrid to be one of us, though it is not my place to say they are wrong. As they have believed in Bavu, I am sensing something different about you, Mahewa. Your eyes, your dark pelt with blood colored scar markings." Kasdeya grinned, "I believe you to be one of us."
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:01 pm
Hewa scowled, seeing how the female differed to Bavu. He'd taken to keeping a list of negatives he'd found about her in his mind, and though mean to others was already there, he felt the need to add unkind to cubs. Maybe it was just him, but everywhere else young children were a thing to be kept safe and treated with gentleness. Even cubs were kind to other cubs. Wasn't it that, to tell how good or evil a group was, you looked at their young? Those inherently good, even as babes, treated each other with civility. Those by nature evil...well he was staring that option down nose to nose now, and her name was....well he didn't know her name either, but so be it. He didn't plan on getting too familiar with the little 'demon'.
He did not like the way she was eyeing him, no, not at all. Where before she'd turned eyes of anger onto him, she now wore a face of barely concealed superiority and smugness. That couldn't be good. He stared her down, carefully neutral. "That's right, Mahewa. Got trouble with it? Take it up with my Da." He frowned. What was with this cub?
Oh, great. More of that babble about demons. He looked past her at Bavu. Surely the other cub would be as lost as he, right? And he'd-wait, what? "Woah woah now. First you attack me for no reason, and now you're trying to take me home with you? " Oh he got it now. A demon was someone who was crazy! The female was out of her mind, simple as that. "And what'd be in it for me, huh?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:45 pm
Bavu frowned, watching the female. He didn’t think he was going to like her much. She looked at him like he wasn’t worth anything. If he really was a demon, than he deserved as much respect as anyone else. What did being a hybred have to do with anything? Why did she use that name like it was somehow a bad thing? He liked being part lion and part leopard- it meant getting the best of both worlds. Maybe one day it would come in handy for him.
Right now, though, he was just focused on keeping himself alive while he debated what to do with himself. Escaping was always so present in his mind it was hard to ignore, but he knew running out into the lands wouldn’t help him at all. He had not seen where the female had taken him from. Not the direction or the distance. So upset had he been at the time that he had passed out for a good while during the journey.
Fear of some strange animal holding onto his neck with her fangs could do that to a cub.
If he did escape, he would surely be lost in the wilderness. No, it was better to wait. Explore. Learn where he could go. Perhaps talking to the other demons would help him with that. They must know what happens to be around the place, right? Unfortunately, if this girl was any indication, the demon members were not a friendly lot. The other lion, though, seemed a bit different. Though as the conversation unfolded he came to see that this creature was not an original lion of the demon pride after all. So no wonder he was nicer.
Silently, he observed, wondering if the two were going to fight with one another.
He should have brought a snack with him.
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:39 pm
The defensive nature Mahewa took up when Kasdeya spoke his name caused the small female to smirk. It was pleasant to see that she could cause the older male to react so emotionally, even without really trying. With a light laugh, she shook her head, "No, no. Your name isn't important now. At a later time you'll have an opportunity to find your demon's name and then your former name's meaning won't matter." She didn't mean to speak poorly of the male's name, but it was something the demon's knew from a very young age. All demons were expected to go on a quest for their true name. Their former name is understood to simply be a pet name given by parents.
Mahewa's shocked reaction caused Kasdeya's smirk to slowly fade. Why weren't her words sinking in. Glancing over to Bavu, the female hoped that perhaps the other cub could offer something to assist her. Afterall, there had to be some reason the others had taken him in. He believe he was a demon, right?
But Mahewa's final question was enough to motivate the fire haired cub. Seeing the frightened expression on Bavu's expression, Kasdeya turned to him and forced a smile to indicate that she was speaking to him as well. All these opportunities were open for him as well.
"There would be more in it for you than you could imagine. You will be trained by the most skilled demons in the pride to find a massive entity of power within yourself - your demon. You will have shelter, food, protection and be treated as an equal amongst your peers. One day, there will be a great battle and all youths may challenge one another for lead position of the pride!" Kasdeya spoke with such enthusiasm that it was clear she fully believe everything she said.
Once she was finished, she made a gesture with her head towards the pride, "Will you follow me? The elders can explain better the gifts of becoming one of us."
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:27 pm
Bah. Demon's name. What other name did he need except 'Mahewa'? Sure, maybe a second name would be nice...he could find a use for one ,that was, but why would he really need it, and why did Kasdeya talk like he already had one? Didn't parents have to give you things like names?
He followed her glancing look to Bavu, and realized he must be part of this demon group they were raving about. Well he'd not seemed too bad, and even now he was just watching, calmly. So maybe it was just that this female was crazy.
Still, the benefits she listed weren't all bad. He'd been away from home so long, it really was time he got down to brass tacks getting the rest of what he had to learn sorted out. As it was he was doing alright, but he could do much better with a bit more training...And Kasdeya had seemed rather well trained for a cub...Heh, challenge to be leader of the pride? That wasn't on his list, but wouldn't Bodaway be surprised to hear he'd taken a place over? If nothing else the sound of free food and shelter was a good one.
Thinking a moment longer, he finally shrugged and took a step after Kasdeya. "Sure. But only on the terms I can leave whenever I want, if I want."
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:16 pm
Bavu looked from one lion to the other, wondering why he had suddenly become a member of the conversation when moments ago he had not been a part of it at all. They had been continuing some argument from before and he had no place in it. So why now was this female looking at him and explaining things to the both of them? He wasn’t that important. He barely felt like he belonged in the pride at all.
After all, he was just a cub stolen into the place, not one that had been born there or welcomed in a traditional sense. Maybe there was something in that he had been stolen just to be a part of the pride, but he was too young yet to consider it.
Listening, he found himself intrigued. It certainly sounded like the place had some perks to it. “Power…” he said faintly. Like the kind of power he might have been able to use to keep himself from being stolen from his home. Maybe he could use this to his advantage later on. It was an… interesting thought, to say the least. Then there was the whole pride leader thing. That had a nice ring to it as well.
“Would hybrids be able to participate in this?” he asked the female, finally finding a bit more voice. That strange lions who had spoken to him before… they had said that he would be a powerful demon. What did it all mean?
He, though not sure if he had been invited along or not, was now following Kasdeya, falling in stride with Mahewa. Maybe this pride wouldn’t be so bad, though in his mind it would never be a home. His home had been taken from him, or he from it, really, and he would never forgive this place completely. Not ever when he was older. That much he truly believed.
But he was still young and idealistic.
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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 3:11 pm
Kasdeya had already begun to lead the two towards the Kings of the pride. At the sound of Hewa's voice, she turned her head back and smirked. He could certainly leave whenever he wanted, but Kasdeya would ensure that that day never happened. Mahewa had been claimed in the mind of the small cub. He was her recruit and a lion that would forever be in her debt for introducing him to the most incredible pride he could find. Kasdeya was entirely confident in their pride and knew that Hewa would soon find that everything she spoke was truth.
Returning her gaze to the direction the small group was headed, Kasdeya simply listened as Bavu whispered quietly to himself. It took the lioness a moment before she realised he had actually asked her a question. Not bothering to look to him as she responded, Kasdeya said, "Typically hybrids are excluded from these types of ceremonies. We are heavily a lion pride, though there can often be exceptions depending on the strength of your inner demon." Turning back for only a moment, she added, "You would need to prove yourself to the entire pride."
That had been enough for the pair to know for now. Kasdeya wondered how little Bavu knew about the pride. Even slaves were entitled to learn, she believed. The beliefs and ceremonies of their pride were so impressive she thought it would only make the slave more useful if he was knowledgable in at least some of their ways.
Continuing forward, Kasdeya grinned at the thought of her father's expression when he saw what she had found for the pride. He would be so proud!
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