[PRP] Size Matters [Hewa & Hakuna] FIN

[Das Tor]

Hakuna sighed in relief as her spine popped, shaking herself after she got up. She must have slept wrong during the day...she rarely had problems with her back. She chuckled and started out from her den. She didn't need her faceplate tonight...just her adornments. Tonight was going to be special...their first festival would begin soon enough. And despite her new-found calm and composure (so strange to think of herself in such a way), she still had the bloodlust that was very much her.

The wicked grin that passed over her maw just emphasized that. Yes...no killing, but oh the harm she would cause and the blood she would spill. Let the non-demons try and prove their strength.  

[ShinosBee]

There was a lot to be done. The festival was coming up, and with only so many adult paws to put to work, Hewa had been wrangled to help. He'd risen with the sunset and set off for the volcano to get his task for the night (probably working to block off the maze they'd found from the rest of the volcano even more). He wasn't paying too much mind to where he was walking, he was too excited to have the festival, and he didn't notice at first when he drew alongside one of the adults.

Eventually he glanced over and started. How long had he been walking with one of the leaders?! He gulped and bobbed his head, ducking to bow before he could be chastised. It was one of the females of rank, but he hadn't met her just yet.

Slowing to walk a step behind Hakuna to differentiate for her rank, he got back into step and said, "Ah, I'm sorry...I don't think we've met. I'm Mahewa."  

[Das Tor]

Hakuna's eyes flickered to the great bulk that had decided to walk beside her. Well...wasn't often one saw a lion so large, even in the demon pride. And he obviously wasn't full grown yet. When he took a step back, she chuckled.

"I am Hakuna'jina. You were the young one Kasdeya brought to us, yes?" Hakuna, despite her simple rank as a Tirma'eth, kept up with what was going on in the pride as best she could. She was rather protective of the pride. It was the first place she'd truly belonged, and she'd helped create it.  

[ShinosBee]

"Yes, I was," he admitted. Alright, so being 'brought' to the Aikanaro'Hini wasn't exactly how he'd put it, but that was alright. More like was threatened, coerced, and eventually convinced to visit. He'd joined of his own choice in the end. "It's nice to meet you, Hakuna'jina."

He walked on in silence a ways more, a little awkward talking to an older female, especially one who'd had a paw in establishing the pride, from what he'd heard. Eventually the silence began to get to him, and he spoke up again. "So, do you think the Festival will be fun? I've never been to one, even before I came here, so I don't really know what to expect."  

[Das Tor]

Despite his size, he seemed a bit uneasy. Then again...from what she'd been told, he'd been brought in a bit later in his youth. So...she wasn't surprised he was still growing into his paws, so to speak. "It is good to meet you, Mahewa. I'm curious...what blood runs through your veins to give you such size?"

The thought of the festival made her smile. "This shall be my first as well...but I look forward to it." She chuckled. "Perhaps we'll even find a few demons to add to our ranks."  

[ShinosBee]

Mahewa nodded and sped up a bit, drawing to walk more evenly with the lioness. She seemed friendly, if a little cold, but then he'd learned that this was a typical attitude among the Aikanaro'Hini. It made things a little harder for those who were sociable and warm by nature like himself.

"Ah, it's Firekin blood...I'm half." He stood a bit prouder, thinking back to his family so far away. His dear mother had been a rogue, but his father, Bodaway, was a great lion of the desert, huge and strong. The way things were going he would be nearly as large himself, and it made him glad to think that part of his father lived in him. "You're rather large for a lioness, at least that I've seen. Any of the desert in you?"

So this really was the first festival. "That would be nice. I'd like to see more adult demons find us. Not that cubs aren't a wonderful thing to have around too, of course."  

[Das Tor]

Hakuna chuckled. "I have no Firekin in me...though I have seen them. Many look like they belong here, with their fur of fire and gold and smoke. Makes me glad their blood has finally found its way here." Her smile was warm. "No...my blood is that of a demon goddess. She does not dwell among us, as Sparda and Morifaer do...but I have no doubt she will one day visit." She took a deep breath. "It was her guidance in my dreams that told me what I was when I was still very young."

The crimson lioness nodded. "Yes. Cubs are wonderful, but we are in need of more adults. Strong ones, of mind and body. Ones to look after the cubs and teach them, and more hunters, so we need not spread ourselves so thin." She sighed. "Too few and too many jobs."  

[ShinosBee]

"Really? Well that's interesting. What was your mother's name, if you don't mind my asking." Hewa was glad too. "My sister is here as well, equally as blooded. With luck many of the next generation here will gain that." Of course, he didn't think on that enough to realize what that would entail. He was still naive enough to not think about his future and the world of females.

"What was it like, growing up knowing? In all honesty it wasn't until I was put before Iartuupe that I understood my demon. He came to me, and reassured me, and with his guidance I was accepted. It's hard though. Sometimes I don't understand our ways."

"I can understand that." Of course Hewa didn't mind helping, but he did miss playing with the cubs. Regardless of their thoughts for him he thought of them as companions, and missed them much. "Once they grow however we will be well off."  

[Das Tor]

"Nafsi'kataa." Hakuna said the name almost with reverence. "A fitting name for a demon-goddess." She smiled at the darker lion. "Such blood would certainly benefit our pride. Give size to an already fearsome visage." She chuckled. "Not to mention Firekin are like colors to quite a few of us." Yes...so the likelihood of unsuitable colors filtering in was very low.

"It was...growing up, I suppose. I always had confidence in who and what I was. And I tried to get my sister to realize she held the same blood as well. Alas...I had no luck in that. Though I did make quite the fighter out of her." She grinned. Yes...Moto was a fighter because of her. "The little half-leopard you may see running around is one of her sons, the only of her litter I could grab then. I've been training him, so that he'll be an asset to the pride." She chuckled. "If you need clarification on something, I'm quite willing to help you to the best of my abilities. I know many of the other adults are too busy, or aren't the best of teachers."

Hakuna nodded. "Yes...we shall be very well off. The cubs of our pride are strong, and many are smart." She chuckled again. "I even have a son looking to be a guard, like myself."  

[ShinosBee]

"Nafsi'kataa..." Hewa repeated. "What does it mean? You say it's fitting but...I'm sorry, I don't know what it means." He puffed his chest out a bit at Hakuna's praise, his steps widening, though he slowed them to maintain pace. Oh yes, he really could be an attention whore when he wanted. He nodded. "I was surprised at the similarities...really, the Aikanaro looked like a batch of, no offense, but midget Firekin. At least compared to some I've seen."

Hmm...if a demon goddess could produce a child that was not a demon...well frankly he was surprised that there weren't more tales of children born in the pride that had been turned out for not having 'the blood' as it were. Still, it did seem only one generation had been born since the pride began...He wondered in a distant sort of way when the next would appear.

"Any help you can give would be just fine. I had to rush to catch up, and Bele will too. I might bring her along to you next time, if you don't mind. Oh, who's your son?" He still hadn't worked out just who was related to who here.  

[Das Tor]

"Last Breath." She chuckled. "No worries. It is like many do not know the meaning of my own name." She quickened her pace a bit, unconsciously testing him and his endurance. She did the same with everyone she walked with.

"When you seek help, just find me. I have one of the larger community dens, since my cubs still live with me. If I am not there, I am on the borders." She loved being a guard. Some considered it a lowly position. Not Hakuna. No...to her, it was an honor, for the guards were the first defense for their growing pride. It was a position of trusted honor.

"Sil'in Drathir. He is a strong boy...and cunning. I have no doubt he would make an excellent guard...or whatever path he chooses to follow."  

[ShinosBee]

"Last Breath? Huh, well it seems fitting for a demon." He widened his steps, relaxing into his gait. With longer legs he was able to still seem to be walking while catching up easily. "I'll keep that in mind. There aren't many larger dens full, so it should be easy enough."

He'd never met her son, but he made a point to remember that he would later. It would be nice, especially if he was going to go far in the pride. As lax and laid back as he seemed, Hewa certainly planned to find himself in a seat of power one day.

"I'm a guard now. Or well, sort of." True, he was no adult, but the short handedness of the pride had made that one of the things he could do. "I like roaming around." Nevermind that he wasn't the greatest at his job...Maybe he should tell someone eventually about the 'demon hunter' cub he'd seen.  

[Das Tor]

Hakuna nodded. "I don't expect to have them with me much longer, however..." She sighed, a strangely wistful sound from her. "Cubs grow up so fast..." And changed the mother they were born to. Hakuna had changed a great deal since the birth of her cubs and entering into the pride's service...But she did not mind the changes. Change was good.

"So you're one of the others helping to keep me from wearing myself out." She chuckled. "I do believe a thank you is order." She nodded her crimson head in thanks. Were it not for the other adults (and the occasional adolescent it seemed!), Hakuna was certain she would have worn herself out long ago.  

[ShinosBee]

Hewa grinned rougishly at the praise, dipping his head along with her. "It's a bit hard now...But imagine when te rest are grown. We might have trouble finding jobs for them all!" but then of course the next round would come and there'd be even more cubs to care for. Hmm, funny, he'd really never cared about where the next batch of little ones came from before. He must be getting bored or old or something.

"I like wandering around though, so it's not too hard. Sometimes I find food to bring back too, but not as often as I used to. I'm thinking about checking out the borders on the other side of the pride sometime soon." He let them get a bit closer to the volcano. "Have you traveled very far, Nafsi?" This might be his last question, he realized. Unless they were told to work in the same area in the volcano after this.  

[Das Tor]

"Ah...perhaps." Hakuna nodded. "Though...if our pride continues growing as it does, the shortage of jobs certainly won't last long." That thought made her a bit giddy. To see the pride she cared for as a mother did a cub grow...it filled her with pride (no pun intended).

"Before I settled, I traveled a great many places. The desert, the jungles, the savannas...I tried going into the mountains once, but I found it too cold for my tastes." Hakuna didn't like the sun...but she didn't like great cold either.