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 Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 7:34 pm
 He was tired... Tired and beginning to lose the hope that he'd held onto for the sake of his mate. By day they traveled as a family, teaching their two remaining cubs and Chang things as they went along. By night they traded watch, unfamiliar with the territory that they'd wandered into and unaware of what might be near, not willing to lose anything else to the wilderness. Every so often he would wander off while Kindo took watch, following their path back into the wilderness to see if maybe, just maybe, Kivuli would be there waiting for him.
He never was.
Before they had picked up to wander onward he had spent two days away from his mate and their small family searching for their lost son, feeling responsible as any parent would. He had promised Kindo that this time would be different than the last; that they could raise their family together without worry of anything happening.
He had let her down... He would do anything to make her happy again. He would find a way to bring the stars down from the sky if that's what it took... And one day he would find a way to reunite her with their lost son...
But for now there was need for something else. Now, more than anything, they needed a place to rest; a place to raise their family. They needed a home.
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 4:02 pm
She knew Tamba was trying to be strong for her and putting on a smile so he wouldn't hurt so much was starting to take it's toll on her. Mothers weren't suppose to loose their children. Yet she seemed to so well. She tried so hard to be good, to keep watch on them, and she couldn't even do that.
She had spoken to Tamba a few times about finding a home, somewhere to belong again, and maybe this time she had. She had heard that there was a pride not far from here that would welcome them. They were a nomadic sort so her mate wouldn't have to be stuck in one place all the time.
Sitting in the sun she watched her two remaining cubs and Chang discuss the finer points of stalking. They were growing up so fast ...
Biting her lip she tried not to think of Kivuli having to grow up out there all alone.
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 6:30 pm
Tawa'di's nose twitched. What was that scent? More strangers...his heart's beating increased slightly. How much more time did he have? Knowing his son, and the stories that were told to him, he would not be as welcoming to strangers as his father was. Tawa'di would never blame the child, but hopefully once he took the lead, they would not need to raise their numbers. Tawa'di knew that numbers did not guarantee protection, as their pride had been quite large once before. No, but they would drive away the temptation in other's hearts. He only had to hope.
A small groan escaped from his chest as he raised himself on all four paws, slowly waddling his way to where his nose carried him. His powers, once so strong to tell him everything, had faded as well. His memory worked, but he could not See anymore. That disturbed him more than anything.
Slowly, as the lion's age had caught up to him recently, he made his way towards these strangers.
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 6:47 pm
He caught the scent as the wind reversed itself for a moment, wrapping its way around him before turning back the way it had come, no doubt carrying his scent along with the scent of his mate and their band of misfits family. He paused, waiting for a moment before motioning for Kindoro to pause as well, stepping up in front of her to place himself between his family and the lion whose lands they had wandered into. They meant no harm, of course, but rogues were not always accepted in the lands of others... His relationship with Kindoro had long ago proven that.
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 6:55 pm
When she moved to follow her mate the rest of her family got up to follow. Her two children kept closer to her side now and they were always quick to scramble to her side. Somehow she knew it was more that they knew that she wanted them there than they wished to be there. Chang had always kept close to her side probably from his fear of loosing his 'mother' again.
"Tamba ..." She nudged her mate's shoulder with her head gently. "Don't stand so stiff."
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:03 pm
Growing exhasuted, the lion had to pause once in a while to make himself catch his breathe. Getting old was certainly not for the weak at heart. Gathering his will up again, be pushed on, sure of the direction in which he was going. Thankfully not all of his talents left him.
His green eyes had scanned the area before him, slowly catching sight of what his nose had told him; strangers. Quite the bunch, too. Letting his lungs refresh themselves without hinderence of continuous movement, he took this moment of rest to judge what he could see from here. It wasn't much, but it also didn't alarm him.
"I am old," he said with a trace of irritation. He did not mean to, but it was hard for him to regain the energy that he had lost. Only the energy from the sun seemed to help the old lion through warming his muscles. A few more surrying movements of the paws, and he was close enough for formality's sake. Next time, he'd start dragging his son out. He needed to learn all of this, and then Tawa'di wouldn't need to do as much of everything, either.
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:11 pm
His brow furrowed slightly as he glanced over at his mate before letting his shoulders slump just enough that he didn't seem so rigid, even if he was still far from being completely relaxed. Try as he may there were still some things that he had not yet been able to put from his mind. It was the other lion's proclamation that finally made him relax a bit more, head bowing slightly out of respect. "We aren't looking to cause any trouble... Just passing through with our family while searching for what we've lost..."
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:14 pm
She smiled softly at the elder lion. He seemed a bit old to be wandering about and yet somehow he reminded her of old Dohani. She figured he'd be tromping around the borders until he fell apart.
Shaking her head slightly she turned her attention back to her mate and the other male. "You haven't happened to see a young male wandering about have you? One that's soft green in color with a black mane?" She was still hoping that someone, anyone, would have seen her son.
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:21 pm
Tawa'di chuckled. "Never said you were making trouble." Always, the younger folk always assumed as much. Maybe if he was a cub, but nah; he would know better to be trouble.
As he let his humor warm his insides, the old lion had to offer a sympathetic shake of his head. "Nothing of the like, I'm afraid. We get quite a few strangers such as yourselves wandering into the lands, but I haven't heard of one described as such caught within our boundaries." His chuckle returned. "Not that there is anything to fear."
"If family is all you're looking for, we may not be of much help. We, as an extention of the pride that I serve, can offer you a place to stay while you are in search, though. Perhaps one of the other clans has heard something, one that has wandered further out than mine has."
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:29 pm
Although the thought of staying somewhere without wandering elsewhere made him tense on the inside he recalled with certainty the promise he had made to his mate; if ever they found a place that would welcome them, all of them, he would settle with her and their children in calling it home. "A place to stay would be nice..." He had meant to say wonderful, but he couldn't quite bring himself up to that. "If I knew that Kindo and our cubs were safe I could extend my own search a bit..." He glanced at his mate and the two youngsters slowly on their way to adolescence tucked against her, lifting his gaze for a moment to the white lion with his red and green markings that had become like another one of his cubs... Almost.
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:04 pm
Her ears fell slightly at the news. Another soul found and another one that hadn't seen her son. She missed him horribly and just wanted him home with her and Tamba. But she couldn't go out looking for him, not with the other two and Chang.
"If he had come this way i'm sure everyone would know. It wouldn't be like him to hide." Not her Kivuli. "It would be wonderful to have somewhere to stay while we look."
She could even feel safe enough leaving the other two with Chang while she went looking with Tamba. A pride meant safty and more eyes to keep on her little ones.
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:22 pm
Tawa'di smiled slightly, nodding his head. It seemed that they needed to confirm with one another that it would be all right, so he did not press the issue. Instead, he took a different route.
"I'm Tawa'di Kanati, acting leader of the clans that form the Ela'wadiyi pride." He offered a slight bow to the two of them. Introductions were never a bad way to start an aquaintanceship. "I worry that we may not be too much help to your cause, but we can extend the decription and name of who you are looking for to our other clans. We roam over these lands without aim, so some are further out in other border areas than just here. They might have more information." He twitched his tail, supressing a sneeze. "If you wish to have a place to stay for a couple nights." Or longer, but he didn't voice this opinion just yet. It wasn't time, and they were obviously worried about who they had lost.
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:32 pm
He turned his head at the sound of the elder male's name, bowing his head slightly again. "I am Mtambaa'miti... This is my mate, Kindoro'ardhi, and our children... Shujaa, my son, Mng'Ariza, my daughter, and Changaniza." He nodded to each in turn as he made the introductions before stepping back slightly, willing to let his mate do more of the talking as to where they would be staying and for how long.
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:37 pm
"Any information at all is help." She smiled softly. "I can not honestly say it would not be better if you did know where he was but at least if we find out he is not here we have one less place to look." She would find her son eventually.
"Thank you. I would like the opportunity to speak to the other clans, with your permission, to see what they might know. If we have somewhere safe to stay it will be easier to search."
And maybe she could convince Tamba that it was a good time to find somewhere to call home
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:49 pm
Tawa'di waved a paw with little care, but a smile did peek onto his face. "We would not mind. I will guide you back to where we normally reside; my clan, at least." They would probably want to regroup, if only momentarily.
"The clans might be difficult to track, but I can offer you their normal roaming areas if it would be of help. Merely mention my name and they should assist you as well they can." He avoided mentioning that they would do so with open arms; he only had so much control over his pride. They should help, but not all pride members were so open to having strangers roam through their lands. "Mention that you're friends of mine, as well. That will bring over even the aloof ones."
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