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 Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:18 pm
If one didn't know the poor god, this might seem a funny sight; the rather large, lumbering fellow with what could be seen as horrific looks… pawing pitifully at a butterfly, unable to reach the flittering creature. Ears drooped against his mane, he continually reached for the butterfly, paw stopping just short of touching its wings. There wasn't any desire to hurt it; no, none at all! They were too similar, or at least, in his mind they were. The wings, first off; both were light, fragile, and yet somehow kept them both afloat. This thought made him smile; at least he could fly with them!
Frowning slightly, his mind wandered. What… had he been thinking about, in the first place? Lowering his paw once more, and watching the butterfly dance off in the breeze, he sighed. Something… it'd been important. Deciding that something so important couldn't be forgotten, he lowered himself to the ground, sighing.
"But… what is it I'm forgetting?"
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Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:20 pm
Lea never forgot. She had never been a mother herself, but having raised dozens of cubs in her lifetime, including the current mtawala, she knew the importance of a sharp memory. Any and every event might become important in the future, and she made it her duty to keep track.
Perhaps it was because of this knack that she was still out, wandering so far away from home. Bring lions back to the tribe. We need you to do this for us. For the first time Lea would have liked to forgotten the mtawala's words, but it was no use. She was stuck out here until she found at least a single lion to bring home.
Her pale eyes fell on the butterfly that fluttered toward her. Butterflies were a rarity back home, and so it still came as a surprise to see one in the flatlands, even though she had learned that they were common there. It flitted away, and she set back on her course, only to find that it was blocked by one of the strangest sights she had ever seen. It looked to her like half lion, half dragonfly, but common sense told her it couldn't possibly be. She blinked, shaking her head, but it was still there.
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Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:27 pm
Uha's attention was snapped from his thoughts at the sight of the approaching lioness. Blinking slightly, he shook his head. Oh. What a time to get lost in his thoughts… when potentially kind, and new company approaching! Fluttering his wings gently, he was at this point beaming. How wonderful! This was yet another story to tell Mtima; finally, he was able to tell her interesting things HE'D been doing!
At least, hopefully, she'd find them as fascinating as he did. Mortals were still strange and foreign to the god of memories; he could see what they had done and experienced, yes, but it wasn't as though he had met very many himself. So each experience with one was something new, and fantastic! Maybe this was why Mtima spent so much of her time among them; they were quite fascinating to get to know, and observe. He would certainly have to ask her, when they spoke again!
"Hello!" He called happily, wings raising and fluttering again as he did so. "Good to meet you! My name is Uhamisho!" And this time, he WOULDN'T forget to introduce himself! By the gods, he was getting better at this. "Might I inquire what your name is?"
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Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:32 pm
Lea tilted her head at the odd creature's mannerisms. Most lions she knew weren't so enthusiastic about greetings. She wondered if perhaps it was common to his species. Though the lioness had been raised to dislike other species, she couldn't quite bring herself to feel that way about the male. Aside from the wings and cuffs above his paws, he looked just like a lion.
"My name is Lea," she said. Lea meant for her tone to be cool, cautious, but she couldn't keep away the intrigue.
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Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:36 pm
"Lea? That's a lovely name!" He said happily, the bright and cheery tone still present in his voice. She didn't seem as enthusiastic as Azima or Mtima, but it certainly didn't mean she wasn't nice. Maybe... there were entirely different ways to view kindness! Mortals were so curious in that! Settling his wings to himself once more, he ruffled slightly in excitement.
"I'm sorry to ask this of you so suddenly," Uha interjected quickly, eyes suddenly bright and tone filld with curiosity. "But... you traveled here by paw, didn't you?" He made a slight gesturing motion toward her back, still grinning with giddiness. "I mean.. because you don't have wings, so you have to walk, right?"
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Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:40 pm
"Right," she said, raising a brow. What an odd fellow. "I'm rather used to travelling by paw due to that particular lacking." Her blue eyes wandered to his wings, which she gazed at in silence for a considerable bit of time. "What are you, exactly? Where I come from, there are no lions with wings."
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Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:48 pm
"Well, yes, I would assume," he nodded enthusiastically, still smiling. "But... do you enjoy walking? The last mortal I met said she did," he added, gesturing lightly with a paw, "and I'm wondering if all mortals.. feel the same? I'm sorry, I'm just... new to this mortal business." He admitted sheepishly, grinning.
At the question of what he was, Uha raised his wings and practically beamed. "I, uh... I'm a god. I control memories." He said proudly, leaving out the little fact that... he didn't exactly remember his duties. Mtima had been the one to point out his domain to him, when he'd forgotten everything. Good, sweet Mtima! He would be so horribly lost without her.
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Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:54 pm
"I suppose that I do. I raise my tribe's cubs, so I would likely not be cut out for the job if I didn't enjoy movement." Lea thought his use of the word 'mortal' as odd. Why single her out with the word, as though he wasn't? As though anyone could be...
Oh.
The lioness' expression was that of pure shock. God of memories? She thought that Bomabembea, Sakitu and Mkodi were the only real gods, the others mere myths that other prides believed in. "There... are gods?" she spluttered. "I mean... beside Mkodi, Bomabembea and Sakitu?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:42 pm
"Cubs! How wonderful!" He exclaimed happily, wings fluttering yet again. He hadn't met any cubs yet, to be perfectly honest, but from what memories he could see.. they were wonderful, adorable little things! And to take care of cubs, as a duty... why, it'd be fantastic! He realized, with some amusement, that some part of him was extremely jealous.
When her look changed to one of pure shock, however, he sobered in confusion. Were gods... truly that unusual? Tilting his head slightly, he listened to her words with extreme curiosity, and then nodded. "Why, yes, of course! There's.. a lot of other gods, actually. Myself.. Mtima'safi, goddess of souls... there's a goddess of sin, and a god of virtues.. I haven't met them all, but yes! There's definitely more gods than just them!"
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:46 pm
How could that be? The three gods were the foundation of her beliefs. If an unlimited number of them existed, what did that mean for her tribe? The thought was deeply troubling. If they learned of the Aali'makabila, it could spell trouble. Though this god seemed pleasant enough, she did not trust that the rest were the same way.
"I... I see," she said, struggling to retain her normal composure. "Where I come from, we are raised to believe in three gods. It's surprising, to say the least, to learn that more exist..."
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:47 pm
"...Oh." This was said very simply, Uha's bright demeanor suddenly troubled. His usually happy face was set coldly, with disinterest; if one didn't know any better, the God would look... dead. Blinking a few times before he responded, Uha furrowed his brow slightly.
"...I'm sorry," he mumbled quietly, glancing to the ground. Now what? Didn't... believe? He'd just shattered... everything this poor lioness believed in.. by existing. Standing up, he scuffled away a bit. "I can... go, if you wish. Take your memories of ever meeting me, if.. that's what you'd want."
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:52 pm
"I..."
It was tempting, it really was. Suddenly things were different, wrong. But to hide the new knowledge would be a lie, and Lea was an honest lioness.
"No. That would be dishonest." She steadied herself, looking him in the eye. Though she had no doubt that he was much, much older than she, the lioness couldn't help but take on her usual motherly role. "Don't blame yourself. You've hurt no one by merely being who you are. It is a... culture difference, I suppose. The existance of gods other than our own does not hurt us."
She flicked her tail, lifting her head proudly. "Mountain and Winter live with our tribe, founded our tribe. There is no known history of other gods visiting. I see no reason to worry over it now."
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:53 pm
He would've been glad- proud, almost, to know the lionesses thoughts. At her reclining of his offer, he smiled. Destroying memories... it was almost like destroying a life, really. It was something special that you'd created, completely and totally unique to you. And when you destroyed them.. well, a part of you was going away. And that was horrible. "I'm... glad you feel that way, then. It's... hard, to destroy memories. They're... alive. To me, anyway. Kudos to you, for being an honest lioness."
At the mention of cultural differences, he nodded lightly. "I... suppose that's what it is, isn't it? But... I mean no offense, how strange to know there's a culture with only two gods." This was spoken innocently, no malice in his tone. "I take it, then, you do not wish for gods to visit you?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:54 pm
"I would think they are," she replied. "In our stories, not only is Bomabembea the goddess of mountains and Sakitu the god of winter, they are mountains and winter. It is an integral part of who they are. I appreciate the offer, but am glad that neither of us wanted it."
Lea smiled. "As it's strange to me that there are more than two gods, and therefore cultures that worship more than our two." The lioness tilted her head at his next question, considering it. "No, but in the future, I don't know, perhaos. Knowing of other gods does not mean we have to worship them." Like Uha, her tone was not rude in any way.
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:54 pm
"I should love to hear those stories, should you ever have the time to tell them." Uha said gently, smiling. "I'd ask now, but you seem like you're busy, and I won't ask you to stick around entertaining an old god you don't believe in." He laughed- honest to Mkodi, genuinely laughed at this- and shook his head. "But, yes, I'm glad as well. It's nice to see there are mortals with good heads on their shoulders."
When Lea went on to her explanation of his thoughts, he 'hmmed' lightly, before nodding in agreement. "That makes sense, of course. And, should you ever like, I could come visit. Travel is easy for immortals, after all." He offered kindly, glancing up to the sky once more. "Flying, I would assume, lets you get to the mountains more easily."
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