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 Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:13 pm
 Njalo wandered through the forest. He had, for once, spent the night sleeping, but it was in a very uncomfortable position wedged under the roots of a bunion tree, and he had a crink in his neck that growing more annoying with every step he took. He spied a watering hole and trotted over, suddenly thirsty.
He had only had a few sips when a scent tickled his nose. Another lion. He hadn't come across a lion in a while--sure, he stopped the occasional cheetah to ask about Kimanda, but he hadn't spoken to another lion in quite some time. Thus interested he sat up from drinking, but he could tell the scent was getting stronger. The lion should be... around. Njalo glanced around the clearing, unwilling to leave the pond because he wanted a few more gulps of water.
The green lion turned back to the water and slurped. The cool liquid ran down his ragged throat in soft waves. He closed his eyes, completely absorbed in the fresh, tasty, satisfying water. It must have rained here recently, he thought, and his mind drifted to Nyesha. The sweet goddess of rain. He should have thanked her for fresh water--but that wasn't right--she had said it was just renewed, taken off the land as mist, then let fall as liquid rain again. He was still thankful it existed.
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 3:52 pm
Nazih's mind was once more off going around in so many different places. Frustrated to a point. He met his dad, his real father. Not the one he thought was his father, not the one who raised him for those years when he was a very little cub. Even then he was attached to him. He had no clue why finding his dad upset him... Normally others would be over joyed and excited. Not him he was confused and frustrated, he told Rana (His adoptive mother) that he would be back later, he would be away for a bit, she was fine with that... The only thing that was bothering him was he didn't tell Sadiki anything about himself going anywhere.
He lifted his head as he sighed making his way thought the bushes of the forest. His eyes wandering, he hadn't slept much, just wandering, eating some times and drinking some water. He had ran into a few others but not that many that really made him feel tons better, so now here he was wandering for a bit, Maybe it was good for him? But he knew that he was in a bad mood. He sighed through his nose once more before looking up and around, something also caught his nose. He paused in his tracks his nose twitching a few times. He hadn't ran into another in a while and he wasn't to sure if he wanted to. But he also smelt water, that was the main thing he cared about at the moment.
He wandered up to the water himself, leaning over and lapping up some water... He didn't notice the other male, not at all, he would have went the other way he if noticed the male. He licked his lips and chin as he sat up for a moment to lick his chin and mouth before leaning back over and lapping up a little more water.
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 4:21 pm
Njalo finished his mouthful of water and opened his eyes, taking a deep breath. He gazed round at his surroundings--and a gray lion, not too far away.
Njalo's eyebrows raised. He was irked that the lion hadn't noticed him. Njalo wasn't filthy, but he sure wasn't shiny-clean either--how had the gray lion not even smelt him? Or maybe he had, though Njalo, and he had just chosen not to say anything. He thought this was more likely; it was certainly more rude. Rudeness agitated him --or perhaps in was his sore neck, but it all blended together at the moment.
And he liked company--didn't others? The ones he had spoken with seemed to, but perhaps that is why they spoke with him. Njalo shooed the thought from his mind. Surely, he thought, all creatures enjoy social interaction; it is far too lonely by yourself.
"Hey you!" Njalo called as cheerfully as he could, though underlying irritation was clearly present. "What're you doing?" He meant it as an innocent conversation-starter, but the edge in his voice had become more pronounced, and it sounded more rude than he meant. Njalo didn't notice, and waited for a response. The gray lion would not, could not, did not have the audacity to ignore being adressed directly.
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 5:27 pm
Nazih didn't catch the male's scent at all, he really didn't to focused on the water. He didn't realize how long ago it was since the last time that he had, had water. He wasn't all that sure. Not at all. He remember having water but he didn't remember when exactly. Apparently it was longer than he thought because right now he was bent on having water. This water that was in front of him. He wanted it.
That was until he did catch the other lions scent. That's when he paused for a moment, his ears twitching and his nose also twitching slightly. He wasn't in the mood for company but when he wasn't he always ended up running into some. He didn't look up right away in hopes that the male didn't see him however that idea was killed as soona s he heard the other's voice. Yep he saw him.
He was about to say something but the tone of the other lion ticked him off, the noce more he hoped the male wasn't talking to him. 'What're you doing?' the voice and the tone of the other male ran through his head again. He turned toward the male arching a brow getting a look at him. He was almost a pure color. Not of blacks, whites or grays, and on top of that... the males tone. It made a connection in his mind right away, his old pride... Did they find him? He grunted for a moment then let out a small growl.
"None of your business. Why? Who are you?" He snapped back, his tone more edgier than the other males, but it was his first and natural reaction. Even though what ever was going on in his life at the moment he didn't want to die. And if it was his old pride they would hunt down Rana... Also Sadiki, he didn't want that to happen. Instead he would hope the best but stand his ground for now.
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:02 pm
Njalo was, quite simply, taken aback. In his mind, he confirmed that the lion had intended to be rude by ignoring him. And now he was expected to concede his name? Not a chance! He wouldn't do him the honor of answering his other question, either.
"I'm an insulted stranger, that's who. Loping around like you're the king of the watering hole--didn't your mother ever teach you manners?" He tried to speak coolly, but being unused to squabbles, frustration and incredulity were discernible in his voice; Njalo would be first to admit he wasn't skilled at hiding his true emotions.
The way the gray male looked at him made Njalo feel inferior--or rather, it made him feel as though the other lion thought Njalo was inferior. Njalo could hardly bear a gaze with so much hate and distrust, surely a single shout on his part did not warrant such animosity.
"What's your problem?" Njalo finished the sentence in his mind: With me? How could the silver lion have hated him even before they began to speak? It didn't sit well with Njalo, and he wasn't about to pretend that it did.
"You have no right to act all high and mighty. I mean--just look at you!" He shouted, defending his own appearance, as he had just recently washed himself and was full of energy from his night's sleep. The gray lion, however, looked ragged and almost ill with--though Njalo forced himself not to notice--concern. Since when do the dirty insult the clean? He asked himself, outraged by the snobby, suspicious look that adorned the lion's maw. Do I look like scum? No, I am well-groomed, or at least compared to him I am. He dearly hoped this lion didn't have friends nearby--if he did, Njalo was all but dead. While he wouldn't take a beating without a fight, the green lion knew when to give up; if the teal-eyed monster he had just met could bring in reinforcements, he would have to opt out for his own safety.
"Who are you anyway, since you're obviously not the king of the waterhole?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 5:11 pm
Nazih held his stance strong, he wasn't planning on moving, not at all. He was simply minding his own business when this male interrupted him and started getting rude with him, not this male was acting like he was the rude one! He almost hissed at the male but he tried his hardest to keep his calm his hair on the other hand was starting to bristle. He knew he didn't look the best but why would the other male act like that.
He clenched his jaw, at first thinking about just turning around and leaving, avoiding the whole thing, but the other male saying something about his mother made him stick in his spot more. He growled lowly before shaking his head. "I do NOT think I am the king of the watering hole, But look at you!" He hissed between his teeth as he stared at the male. "And who do you think you are? You are acting more like the king of the watering hole than I am!" He growled, he wasn't even going to answer the mother thing. His real mother wasn't around to teach him however he loved his adoptive mother and he knew she taught him well but he still wasn't going to say anything.
He hated conflict and of course he ended up with something like this. He sneered at the male and shook his head. "Its none of your business, I'm not going to go and spill my heart to a stranger." He spat before looking over the male
Once the 'Just look at you.' escaped the other male's mouth he got more defensive, he had to wanted to kill him. He had to be from that old pride that attacked his. It was the only thing that made sense, why else would this male be pretty much attacking him. He growled as he continued to stare at the male, he couldn't believe this, the male was calling his names when he didn't even know Nazih! How could one even do that?
"Why should I tell you! You didn't tell me." He then sneered once more. "Well, who taught you, your manners? Huh? Do you think YOUR the think of the waterhole? You sure are acting like it!" He growled loudly, despite his attitude and his hissings and growls he wasn't raising his voice much, no matter how angry he was getting he was trying to keep his cool, or at least hide his anger the best he could.
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:38 pm
Njalo snarled. What an unattractive personality; and childish, too. It was the "I know you are, but what am I?" tactic that he had sometimes fooled around with whilst playing with his siblings--ultimately, he decided, it was ineffective. Still, the insult to his appearance hurt, as he had spent quite some time the night before working out the hard knots in his fur using his teeth.
"Look at me? Fine, look at me! I'm proud of my appearance; I'm clean, well-fed, and healthy--and that's far more than you can claim. I know who I am: I'm a traveller; and I was carrying on my way when you had to come bursting in, fuming. Maybe you're tired. You sure look tired. It would explain why you're not thinking straight at the moment, at least." Said Njalo, using a mock matter-of-fact tone.
Fine. So be it if a small dose of honesty would clear this up--well, honesty about himself, as he was already being brutally honest about the situation. But he would not admit his name. "Don't spill your heart--please don't; it would be a mess for me to clean up, though for it to stop beating would be a nice change--I don't want a memoir, I want a reason. Why are you so rude, angry, mean and stuck-up? I say 'hi' and and get a raging shout in return? That's just not right. What did I do to you?"
Njalo paused and glared at the lion with increasing anger as he asked the origin of his manners. On reflection, he never did have a role-model; though Primitus had been inspiring, gods were not suitable role models, Njalo thought, because their status could never be achieved through hard work.
"My mom taught manners to me before I left--life in the pride was too... sporadic for my preference" It was true, in a way; his mother had actually taught him what not to do, what with her crazy antics and delusions, but it seemed to have the same effect on his growth. He had still learned right and wrong; she had just happened to fall into the "wrong" category. A smirk crawled across Njalo's face as the lion accused him of acting like a king.
"Well," Njalo replied, eyes crinkled in a smirk, "I'll take that as a compliment, as I would acting as a benevolent king, lest my people tear me down. You see, I said you act as though you think you're king; if you say I act more kingly, I'd wholeheartedly agree... as long as it's a good pride, of course," Njalo shuddered--he'd never want to be head of the demon pride or any like it. Primitus had taught him how to lead effectively, and despotism was definitely not correct. Confidently, he added, "I'd be better leader than you anyway; I've had better mentors, I'm sure."
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 9:42 am
Nazih'Matata arched a small brow at the other male. He started to laugh, not nervously or happily but amused, an amused but rude laugh. He stared at the male then smirked softly. "Well, I am a traveler too, and I show it better than you. You look pretty good for a travel. Oh let me guess, you were part of a pride, knocked the princess up and got kicked out?" He then laughed again as another idea came into his mind. "You know the only guys that I've seen that look as... 'perfect' are the ones that are mama's boys or gay." He then shook his head. "I'm not tired." That was a lie but he could pull it off, it sure wasn't messing with his mind. He did know what he was saying and doing. "Don't tell me what I can and cannot claim, I am normall clean, well-fed and healthy." He hissed back before shaking his head once more. "Also don't tell me how my attitude is."
Then he just shook his head at the other male. Trying not to let out that rude laugh again. "I don't plan on telling you my life story." Then he snarled, he was not in the mood for this. "For one I am not rude, angry, mean or stuck up!" His eyes rolled. "For one your tone was not the best when you said this so called innocent 'hi' I got defensive because your tone was so rude. I come to get some water and I get this rude hello I after traveling non-stop for the last few weeks I kind of would rather just be left alone, nooo. I get a rude 'hello.'" He sneered at the male before rolling his eyes once more.
"I don't think your mother taught you anything." He sneered, he knew Rana taught him as many manners as she could. If he did one thing that was rude right away he was corrected. He grew up being corrected and taught right from wrong. He was glad, he appreciated her so much, he still did. She found this little cub, then from there she took care of him like he was her own.
"I'm pretty sure that as soon as you became king the pride would surely drift apart, ha! Or kill themselves as soon as you come. And No I did not say that you act kingly, not at all. A king would not be so rude, he would not be a little rude b*****d." He spat as a snarl escaped his throat. The hair standing up on the back of his neck before shaking his head. He wanted to go back on the road he was taking.
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:18 pm
"Wanting to be presentable does not make me gay, sorry," Njalo snapped back. "Nor did I get anyone pregnant, though I'm sure you're talking from experience. Wanted to steal some cubs so you and your lover could pretend to have children, eh? And I'm definitely not a mama's boy," Njalo paused as he recalled his crazy mother. The only time she seemed to tell the truth was at night, when she thought he was asleep... The green lion took a breath. "I'm only telling you what I'm observing," he shrugged, his hate settling cozily into bemused amusement.
"Denial is a natural step in the process of grieving," he said in a cold voice, and he let out his own cruel chuckle. "Traveling non-stop for a few weeks? No wonder you're a mess; you're just not used to it yet. I left home as soon as I knew there was more than a fifty percent chance I'd live. Honestly, you can't always assume you'll be alone--especially not at a watering hole; the only place you can make the assumption of loneliness would be your home, and as we have already established that this is not your home nor mine, we mustn't assume anything other than company." His voice had softened considerably as he learned more of the lion's situation. "You know," Njalo prodded for more information, "If you don't tell me anything I'm just going to assume the worst."
Well, Nazih was almost spot on the next one. "I'm sure she didn't on purpose, Ivie was a strange creature." Saying his mother's name felt odd, though he had never respected her as a child should. She was just... crazy. He thought her brain must have been addled. Fedha was quite obviously not his father; he was more of a crazed uncle figure--Njalo could thus see how his mother would like him then, but he had been happily mated, and had cubs of his own. "So then again, it seems we have something in common--your mother seems to have been rather ineffective as well." He smirked at Nazih, not really sure where his anger had gone, but happy that he could think straight and tease the other lion instead.
"If I led a pride it would prosper. If it didn't, I would feel quite sorely. After all, it was the god of leadership that taught me how to lead." Njalo's eyes twinkled, oh how he loved gods, and finally he had something over this other lion: he could name-drop. "He was a benevolent young lion; glowing gold eyes and wings that looked like a starry sky. Knew his stuff, too, and passed on a bit of his knowledge to me.
"I don't find myself rude; perhaps a bit talkative, but definitely not rude. In fact, I prefer company. It's why I called to you in the first place, even after you ignored me." Njalo stretched his neck, the crick still hurt, he realized sourly. Th other lion still looked quite enraged. Breathing deeply, Njalo tried to spread his clam dislike to the other ion--he didn't want to have a physical fight, no matter how insulted he was.
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:21 pm
Nazih ignored the males first set of comments. He really hadn't been that annoyed in a long time. He sighed shaking his head just clenching his jaw. He was bend on not answering what the male was saying. He was thinking about just wandering away once the male was done however when the male was talking about him him, Nazih wasn't used to it yet it frustrated him. "I was wandering as a cub, long time ago, for a long time. I'm more than used to it." He tossed a glare at the male before looking at the water. He hadn't been traveling as much since he got adopted but now he felt like he needed to get out, little did he know of half of the trouble he was going to get himself into. But then again he didn't know that everyone at home still would be proud of him.
"Well why would I tell you anything when I just walk up minding my own business and you act rude to me? You might deny it but I could pick it up in your tone." He hissed before moving away slightly. He wasn't that sure why he was so mad at this male. To much like those lions that attacked his pride. "Plus I thought you didn't want to hear a life story, huh? Well that makes perfect sense you're gonna say something like that then just assume everything?"
Even the male that he and Rana traveled with wasn't close to this bad. It made him sneer, want to do something to this male. "I don't want to hear you're sob story either." He snapped as the male was talking about his mother. He looked away being a little antsy now, to tell the truth he didn't want a fight either. "What ever." He rolled his eyes looking at the water. "I didn't ignore you. I didn't even notice you here didn't smell your scent until you said something. Quiet rudely too." He growled, to a point he felt childish but at the same time he felt like he needed to defend himself.
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Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:33 pm
"Mmkay," Njalo said simply when the other claimed to be used to traveling. He couldn't know if what his counterpart said was the truth or a lie, and therefore he could not contest it.
"From your attitude, I'd say you were abused as a cub or something," stated Njalo flatly with an overtone of mock pity, ignoring the pale lion's complaint. The green lion frowned.
"It's more of a comedy, really" Njalo whispered under his breath. He gazed directly at the lion; his last bit or information surprised him: "I know I'm clean, but I have a reasonably strong scent--you didn't even smell me? I was practically right next to you!" Njalo shouted soled in disbelief, as opposed to anger, and once he calmed down, he tried to do his best to apologize... sort of. The pale lion did not intend to be so discourteous, and Njalo's anger drained further. He spoke slowly, reluctant to admit a mistake.
"I... didn't mean to be rude in calling you, and I truly don't mean to prod, I'm just rather... used to getting questions answered--it is why I ask them, after all. Let's start over, shall we?" He paused.
"My name is Njalo'Umdlalo, previously of the Bahari'mtoto--the sea pride. Nice to meet you... I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, could you say it again?"
Njalo knew it was a tad cheezy, but he thought it was quite possibly the only solution available.
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Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 12:37 pm
Nazih was starting to just ignore what the other male was saying. The frustration that he was feeling was making his feet want to go back to wandering. His guess about Nazih being abused as a cub made him flinched slightly. He wasn't abused but he felt for those who did. Some times he would have rather been abused then have had his mother die in front of him.
He shook his head then huffed slightly. "No I didn't smell you. I wasn't in the range to smell you. I wasn't paying much attention to anything the the fact that I was getting closer to water" He shrugged before eying the male as he apologized. He sighed through his nose slowly giving into the fact that the other male was saying sorry. Normally his mind would be set on his normal place and he would be being stubborn and not forgiving the male however at the moment he was going to give in.
"I'm sorry for snapping back." He half of the way coughed before nodding to the male. "Yes I agree. My name is Nazih'Matata. You can call me. Nazih... I'm not from a pride." He laughed. "My mother was part of a pride but don't know much about my father... I just kind of met him." He laughed before shaking his head again he hated the fact that he just met his father...
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 6:34 pm
"Nice to meet you, Nazih," Njalo said, then sighed, "In all honesty, I don't know much about my father either. My mom was crazy, though, that's for certain, and the reason I got away as soon as I could. What caused you to leave; your mom delusional, too?" Njalo chuckled good-naturedly at his joking question. "If you've met your father, you know more than I do of heritage."
Njalo looked down and pawed at the ground. His father had always been a blurry figure; Fedha hadn't quite fit the role--no matter how much Ivie insisted he did--but he seemed to be pretty close. It was just off somehow. Who would his mother have gone to in order to have cubs that looked so similar to Fedha; it didn't make sense. As always, Njalo failed to trace Ivie's trail of thought.
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Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 6:53 pm
Nazih'Matata nodded in agreement. "It is nice to meet you too." After he spoke he heard the male talk about his mother, it almost wince and want to walk away again but he didn't do anything. "My mother was killed when I was younger, however I am raised by a female named Rana, she is very sweet, also very close to a mother to me." He gave a soft smile and nodded to him. "I ran into my father by chance. I didn't even know his name 'till now... Dharba."
He shook his head trying not to think about it but he couldn't help it, he really hadn't talked to anyone about it. "I look like him, I finally look like some one in my family." Then he laughed. "He told me I look a lot like his mo- my grandmother." It felt odd saying that for some reason. He shrugged the idea off before smiling at the male. "Fathers are overrated anyway." He laughed trying to lighten the mood again.
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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:15 pm
The smile slid off Njalo's face at Nazih's answer. He had been rude, right there, to neglect that possibility. "Sorry... sorry for your loss," Njalo said pathetically, and his ears dropped sadly.
When the lion spoke of his father, Njalo perked up a bit and tried to add to the conversation--he had thought about it often, though had never revealed his conclusions. "All I know about my father is what I could gather from the appearance of my siblings and myself. He'd be small, and probably has some dark gray--like my mane, and my sisters--you know, my mom tried to convince us that this other lion was our father. His name was Fedha," Njalo chuckled: the name sounded similar to Dharba, "He seemed about the right size, and had some dark gray, but he never fit the role... He had a mate, and other cubs. Besides, I think my father has green eyes, not teal like Fedha's. And he probably has more dark gray..." the green lion paused, it had been a while since he had last seen a member of his family, and recalling their features was becoming difficult. "In particular, my brothers all have little triangles under their eyes... my mom's green, which explains... well, me, but... oh! My sister has bands around her tail, and my mother definitely does not." Njalo laughed, then added, "And we all have black noses, so I'm guessing he does, too."
Then, with a sudden moment of realization that the green lion normally would have frowned upon as a characteristic of his mother, Njalo realized something, and announced it: "You look like Fedha! Without the dark gray fore-legs, true, but... so similar; you have the same base coat, you know..."
Njalo inspected Nazih closely now, but he didn't look anything like Ausi, Fedha's mate. "Are you sure," the green lion asked, utterly bewildered (he had never met similar looking creatures that had not been related), "that you're not from the Bahari'mtoto?"
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