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 Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 3:27 pm
Little sister of the queen of the Nihang Clan. Dark pelted. Green eyed. Loud mouthed. A female of gasht rank. Those were a few of the things that described Horowai.
She was not an easy character to get on with. She despised males and so couldn't spend any time around them without getting angry and flustered and kicking up a fuss. Then there was her personality. It was flawed, quite severly, and it handicapped her in making new friends.
She was a drama queen. She exploded every tiny little thing into a major event. Stepping on a thorn would become being bitten by a poisonous snake. Slipping on wet stones on the riverbed would have been a near-death experience. It was all for attention, of course. She adored attention, wanted someone to notice her and not think of her as 'just the queen's little sister'.
She had succeeded - but only partly.
Now most of them thought 'that's just the attention seeker.'
So, Horowai spent a lot of time alone, usually grooming and kicking up a fuss with anyone she happened to meet, harrassing leopards and other such creatures who trudged her way.
Today, the heat of the sun had her seeking shade and water. Her throat was parched and dry from her recent temper tantrum and she didn't think she could go on much longer without having a drink. So, there she was, loping smoothly beneath the caress of the dappled sunlight across her brilliant blue back.
Ahead she could hear the gurgle of the waterfall and immediately she quickened her pace.
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 7:35 pm
If Horowai was an attention-seeking drama queen, Panju was the demure, dramaless Parastar of the Kunanda'Nakhun. Then again, he was a male and certainly not blood related to a Matron, and was overall content with his life though it was not terribly exciting. He tried to give a lot of himself, for in this life he was trying very hard to gain some points for his poor soul, which must be one of the most impure of the pride to have been born male and white.
But he did not take such a thing personally. Whatever he had done to earn this body, he would reverse it. Hardly anything could dampen his mood, ever since his father Liza had spoken to him about his place in the pride when he was but a small cub.
Respect the lionesses. Oh, did he respect them. Perhaps too much, sometimes to the point of it being silly. If Panju had known that a lioness that hated males was coming to drink from the waterfall, which was nearby where he had stationed himself to relax in the cool for a moment, the adolescent would have vacated the premises immediately so as not to perturb her.
As it was, he did not know Horowai or her dislike of males, or that she was heading for him at that very moment. She was nearly upon him when he heard her moving through the trees, and when he spotted her he lowered his eyes and his head respectfully. "Good day," the Parastar greeted her politely, not rising from his spot where he was splayed out on his side.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 4:10 am
She started at the sound of a voice, whipping around to face-off whomever had spoken. The gimlet-eyed face was sharp with irritation and it seemed to take her a moment to realise who it was that had spoken...
...
...A male!
The wild flurry of her heart turned into an angry pounding and she spluttered on angry words, not quite discovering the right kind of response to that innocent and friendly greeting. The fur on her neck rippled and finally, after taking a good few calm breaths, finally discovered her voice.
"What the HELL do you think you're doing, male? Jumping at me from out of nowhere, saying 'good day' as if we're best friends! I don't even know you, Parastar, so watch your mouth. I did NOT give you permission to talk to me and I swear if you come here again, blubberin nonsense at me, I'll take this straight to the top!"
A pause. "Don't you know who I am?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:49 am
Panju's face dropped when Horowai's expression went from surprise to anger, and he wondered what had offended her so terribly. He didn't have a chance to ponder it and hurried to his feet when she began to berate him, not daring to meet her eyes or raise his head any higher than his shoulders.
The Parastar thought she might just be angry with him for startling her, and opened his mouth to apologize when she said he had not been given permission to speak, and closed it again. Perhaps he had been too informal with her, he thought. Panju felt a little mortified after that, shrinking back a bit.
He had gotten lazy with his manners and now he had dishonored himself, and did not even let himself think that Horowai's anger at a simple greeting might dishonor her, too. Parastar might be the lowest of the low, but there was still a certain way lionesses were expected to behave towards them. The thought briefly surfaced in his mind, but it did not matter. Horowai was still the higher rank and he had to find some way to shift her anger away from him, lest she was able to make trouble for him.
Still, he did not dare to speak, even when she asked him a direct question all that he could manage was a brief shake of his head, not trusting his voice in this moment. He did not know who she was, though by her tone it sounded like he ought to. As a cub, he had learned the names of the Adhi-raj, as well as those of the Matrons, but beyond the clan of his birth he did not know of many other lionesses.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 2:10 pm
She was being completely out of line. Then again, she was always like this. She'd been like it at birth and steadily grown worse as she'd gotten older. Now, as a young adult, she was quite often completely unreasonable.
However, his choice to remain silent seemed to please her and the angry expression faded a little. Now it was contempt more than anything else. She lifted her head high in an attempt to look down her nose at him.
"Well. You're obviously not very well educated are you, Parastar?" She didn't seem to care that she did not know him either. Hell, she didn't know the names of any male in these lands - or if she did she refused to acknowledge them in any way. "I am the sister of the Adhi-raj, Tejasvi'Nila, leader of the Nihang Clan. I am Horowai. You'd best not forget it or next time I'll give you a good cuff."
She snorted and gave her tail an agitated flick. "Poor Parastar." She continued. "You don't have much colour, do you? Being born a male or a female wouldn't have made much difference to your rank, would it?"
The fact that she was a gasht didn't seem to bother her. She was higher than him and that was all that mattered. "I guard these falls from intruders." She continued, enjoying the sound of her smooth voice. "A dangerous but honourable job if I do say so myself. Fighting with leopards, chasing off strange rogues. All in a day's work." Which was a lie.
Yes, she'd chased one leopard up a tree once but other than that she spent most of her days down here in the dappled sunlight, bathing or sleeping.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 6:39 pm
Panju relaxed a little when her anger seemed to recede, quailing under her gaze. He regretted coming to the waterfall today, though it was one of the nicest places to relax in the Kunanda lands on a hot day. Another part of him was angry and offended by Horowai's treatment, but he would not step out of line for anything.
The Parastar did bristle a little bit when Horowai implied that his education had been lacking, calling him ignorant. Even the knowledge that she was Tejasvi'Nila's sister did not quell this sudden stirring of pride. His father, Liza, had taught him very well. Because of him, Panju knew his place, although it seemed that this Horowai was too proud of hers. He thought that the threat of cuffing him was an idle threat-- certainly that would dishonor her in the eyes of the pride, to strike a Parastar for something like that.
His eyes flashed when she further insulted him and he clenched his jaw, reaching for self-control. Still he did not say a word, his back rigid, tail still and belying none of his agitation. It was true; he was very plain. He was the lowest of the low, the bottom of the barrel. He had felt out of place since he was a cub among his bright siblings, and Horowai's needling was salting still festering wounds.
But Panju finally let it go, drawing in a deep breath, and listened to her speak. Her arrogance piqued him again, and he wanted to quip that she probably did not need to chase off anyone-- listen to her for five seconds and they'd take themselves far away on their own. "Must be lonely," he muttered under his breath.
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Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:06 am
If she noticed that the boy was feeling angry and irritated towards her, she made no hint. In fact, she rarely ever noticed emotions in others, too busy wrapped up in her own little world.
Panju's thoughts were right, however, most intruders were scared off by the lack of conversation skills rather than any physical strength. Poor Horowai, she had no idea.
"Lonely? Lonely?" She huffed. "Do I LOOK lonely to you? Of course not. I have my wonderful sisters and the rest of my clan to talk with." So where were they now? Why wasn't she ever seen with any of them? Yes, lonely was the one thing that Horowai was. But she'd never admit it, especially not to a male. "Everyone wants to be friends with me." She continued. "I have to come out here to get some alone time. Some peace and quiet!"
She laughed. "But you wouldn't know about that." She seated herself somewhat delicately and cast him a fleeting glance. "You're very priviliged, you know. I don't often waste my breath on a male." She waved a paw vaguely. "I mean, at least you aren't a rogue male. There is nothing WORSE than a rogue male. No respect, no teaching, nothing. Zilch. At least a Parastar knows where he stands." She paused. "You're lucky in that way...I guess."
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Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 12:49 pm
Panju felt a bit bolder when she did not snap at him for speaking, watching her carefully. Her attitude still bothered him a bit, but at least she was being more civil now. The Parastar was wary of her, wondering if she'd go off on him, and he sat slowly, tossing his mane out of his eyes. He didn't know her, but he still didn't trust what she said. Panju doubted she had many friends, if she always acted the way that she had acted towards him.
Now that was uncharitable. Perhaps she was just having a bad day and was taking it out on him. He didn't appreciate it, but he could understand it, at least. It was his duty to serve lionesses besides, and if that was what she needed from him, he'd provide.
"I am honored," Panju said with a dip of his head, trying to sound more sincere than he felt when she informed him that he was being given a rare treat by having her speak to him. At least he did not sound sarcastic.
He smiled faintly at her last remarks. "Yes, of course you are right. I am glad that I am not a rogue," he agreed humbly, although for different reasons. Panju, since he had learned that there were lions and lionesses that did not follow Kunanda ways, had always felt a little pity for them. For how would they ever reach paradise in the next life if they did not abide by the rules? Honorless, they would remain in the cycle of rebirth forever, miserable mortals.
"If I am disturbing your alone time, I can leave," he said, his ire subsided.
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Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:55 am
"Well, good. Maybe you were taught something after all." With a rather unlady-like grunt she stood and moved over to the shallows of the water. The water here never gave a good reflection - being so constantly stirred by the falls. It was also never silent, though the rushing of the water was somewhat soothing in its own way.
Across the pool a frog sat on a bobbing lilypad, watching her with its beautiful, amber eyes. She didn't spare it a glance, however, caring only to soothe her throat. Talking really wasn't good when you were already thirsty.
When Panju suggested leaving she cast him a glance over one blue shoulder and looked hesitant for a moment. Wait? What? Didn't she hate males? Well, yes, she did. But this one was giving her attention and...well...no one else did around here. But how could she ask him to stay without...well...saying it outright?
Her face looked pained as she tried to think of a way to get him to stay. "...Uh, what's your name, Parastar? You do have a name, don't you?" That'll work! Ignore the fact that he asked whether he should leave. Keep on chatting! "If you did, you never gave it, even when I gave mine!" She'd clearly forgotten that she'd forbidden speech the moment they'd come across one another.
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