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 Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 2:18 pm
 Tamba's role had changed very little over the seasons. He had patrolled along the territory like Kota and Ravi, but his daughter felt it was time he had a rank all until himself - ambassador. And despite having relinquished his leadership to his more than capable heir, he didn't feel unhappy with his new title. He rather liked it actually, it still carried a slight air of pomp and circumstance. And it meant he could carry on doing what he did - meeting the new lions and bringing them in to the heart of the pride.
Today, he was found following the path of the river that fed into the furthest right side of the beach-estuary. They were quite blessed with their homeland really. They couldn't get the greatest range of florae to grow in the sandy-earth, but they still had access to their own little patch of undulating and rocky savannah. Fresh water on tap. Exotic wildlife and characters passing through.
Tamba was always fascinated by the trees that seemingly grew on land and in the water, their twisted roots like cages or traps.
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 5:54 pm
While Jumana's colours were nicely suited to daytime travel, it was not something the young lioness enjoyed. The sun was hot, she was far away from her river home, and she hadn't had a chance to go hunting. It was her own fault though, not that she would admit it, for being sidetracked from her quest by something shiny. How was she supposed to know that lions who wore pretty trinkets didn't want to share with her? Honestly. But now she was back on track, following the river as she had for days now. She longed to dip her paws in the river to cool them, but reminded herself that she had to keep going. Just a little longer and then she could rest.
But hold on... was that? The ocean?!
"I made it! I –made- it! Woo hoo!" The lioness covered the last few steps in a single bound, landing with a splash in the ocean water. It felt wonderful against paws that ached from traveling. She had found the ocean! Her mother had been right! All rivers did lead to the ocean! Jumana squealed like a happy cub and bounced around in the small estuary, clearly very, very pleased with herself. All her hard work had paid off. She was finally here!
It was only as she whirled around to admire her progress did she finally take note of the lion standing there. The young lioness froze mid-step, eyes wide. She hadn't even seen him standing there! Oh how her mother would be displeased with her! Not even having the manners to introduce herself before she started flouncing around in the water. Jumana's grin turned extremely sheepish as she stood at "attention" before Tambuzi.
"Um... hello! Nice weather we're having isn't it?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:38 pm
The lioness was a grey-silver blur as she ran past. Tamba had to look twice! When he did, the lioness was conisderably easier to view but still actively hopping around and splashing in the water. Curious, he retraced his steps back a bit to the area where the estuary opened out and just watched her.
She looked so happy. Had she never seen an estuary before? Or perhaps it was the sea. That made more sense, a great number of the pride's constituents had never seen the sea before they arrived here, and it had indeed been the draw.
"...greetings," he replied. "Indeed....a very good day...for splashing it seems."
He chuckled softly at her and took a few more steps closer, paws just touching the water's edge.
"Do you enjoy the water?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:32 am
Phew, the lion didn’t look angry at her. She had probably surprised him, she realized, by bounding into the water and splashing around like an idiot. Next time she met someone she would have to try to make a better entrance. Maybe just walking up and saying hello would be a good start. Jumana was lucky that this lion didn’t seem at all offended by her antics. Other lions may not have been so happy to have a lioness splashing around in their estuary.
“Do I enjoy the water?” She repeated, looking slightly aghast at the question. “Does a fish love to swim? Do birds love to fly?” The subtle waves against her paws made her smile return to excited as she momentarily dropped her eyes down to the salty water. “It’s my first time in the ocean though. This is the ocean, right? Where the river leads?” After traveling by herself for several months it was hard to stop talking in the presence of another lion. She hadn’t had a real conversation in ages!
Glancing around and then looking back at Tambuzi, she asked, “Do you live here?”
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 5:17 am
"Well, you definitely sound quite enamored with the water," he replied, impressed.
Most lions who found their way here had at least some reason to be drawn by the sea but not all actually loved the water. Some had come for the peace and tranquility and the removal away from a landlocked life. It was nice to meet someone so exuberant!
"And yes, that out there," he nodded his head over her shoulder towards the horizon, "is indeed the greatest water. We feel blessed she lets us partake of her beauty and life."
He entered the water and moved with a strange elegance for a male but was ow most Bahari-lions came to walk when in water. Like their form could not disturb it.
"Yes I do, Others do as well actually, we seem to have swelled in numbers steadily for a while now, which is always good news," he said with a friendly tone, having now joined her by her side. He was small for a male but he carried a certain air about him.
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:48 am
“The greatest water…” The young lioness whispered in awe, turning to stare out across the ocean. So much water. It was absolutely amazing. This male seemed to understand her love of the water as well, if the way he spoke about it was anything to judge by. She’d never heard anyone give a personal pronoun to the ocean, but somehow it seemed right. It was, after all, almost like the mother of all rivers. She liked it.
The way he moved in the water was not lost on Jumana, who studied him with her head tilted almost like a bird’s. Nobody who wasn’t used to water could walk quite like that. It had taken her mouths to learn how to properly swim in the water. Hunting had proved even more of a problem, one that she still needed practice to get rid of. Still, this male had a very certain air about him. It interested her.
“Others live here?” Her ears perked, clearly surprised. She had not expected anyone else to be here. Well, that wasn’t true. She had expected a few of her own kind to be here, river-followers who had found the sea. “Others like… how many? Is there a pride here?” Had she intruded on pride lands? She was even luckier than she’d imagined if she had.
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Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:29 am
"Enough for a pride I'd say," he laughed. Of all of the members of the pride, he must have only encountered a small number who had sought out the pride specifically.
"My name's Tambuzi, I'm an ambassador for the pride. My daughter is the ruler," he said with a pleasant tone and bowing in a very regal and somewhat dramatic manner.
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Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:16 am
She couldn't help but grin when the lion laughed. So her fears had been unnecessary. Surely this pride could not be very aggressive if this lion knew she was on pride lands as a non-pride member and he was laughing about it. That made her feel safer. Though, if there were enough lions here to make a pride, think of how many others she would get to talk to! After months alone on the savannah it was like a fresh kill to a starving wild dog.
"Your daughter is the ruler? Really?" Jumana's eyes widened as she looked the lion up and down. His daughter? Really? This day was full of surprises. "Woooow. It's very nice to meet you, Tambuzi, pride ambassador and father of the ruler! I'm Jumana, from the Four Rivers. Can you tell me more about your daughter's pride?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:01 am
"Pleasure to meet you Jumana," he replied pleasantly. This was definitely starting to feel better, he didn't have the same weight on his shoulders anymore and whilst that meant his daughter was now weighed down, he felt more like her father. Ready to help when his little girl needed him.
"And certainly, would you care for a walk along the bay? You could see some of our home that way and you won't be too far from the sea," he offered, beginning to wade out of the estuary.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 4:39 pm
"I would like that very much!" She grinned as she waded after him. A walk along the bay? Would it let her see more of the ocean? The body of water seemed to stretch for miles and miles, longer and wider than anything she had ever seen. She would have loved to swim in it, see how different it felt from the rivers she was used to. However, it would have been impolite to leave this male who had been so welcome to her to go and frolic in the sea. She would have plenty of time to do that if she joined the pride here. Surely they swam. Didn't they? She might as well ask.
"Do you swim in the ocean, Tambuzi? We used to swim in the rivers as cubs, but they're not quite as deep," she confessed.
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:09 am
Tambuzi smiled at her as she joined him for this gentle stroll. He emerged from the waters and onto the shallow banks, intending to keep Jumana on dry land for this little tour, at least for the time being. Everything that made up their territory was on dry land, but it was that stretch of blue that made the pride alluring for some. The bay was always fairly flat, save for the odd rock or boulder that punctuated it. It only got more varying towards the rocky cliffs and Leporogo, and of course back out onto the patch of plains that were their hunting grounds.
So the beach and cove provided quite the flat haven for anyone tired out by the rockier parts. Tambuzi led Jumana right down the long beach, keeping her to the left so that she may be closest to the sea-waters.
"Of course we swim in it," he laughed. "Although we do encourage lions to stay close enough that they can swim back or at least shelter at Leporogo."
He stopped a moment and inclined his head to what appeared like a half-finished bridge of rocks and stones. It jutted out into the cove some distance and was traditionally used as the best point to make offerings from. But it could be a life-saver as well for anyone caught in turbulent waters.
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Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:06 am
The lioness followed her tour guide as they began their journey, flexing her toes against the sand as they walked. It felt so different from the silt brought up from the rivers, not to mention the smell was completely different. There the air had been wet and fresh. Here it was salty and… strange, though that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. She had a feeling she could get used to it. A little sea shell caught her attention and she paused to touch it gently with her paw. How quaint! And the shape was so funny!
She was reminded of her escort when he spoke, and she sheepishly hurried to catch up with him. There would be lots of time to explore the beach once she made this her permanent home, and being inattentive was not a good way to get on Tambuzi’s good side. Jumana grinned when the lion told her that they swam, tickled pink by the very idea, before her eyes were dragon to the outcropping of rocks that Tamba nodded towards.
“That’s Leporogo? Woah~ I’ve never seen anything like it! Was it there when you came here?”
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:41 am
"Yup, it was. We're only a young pride really, although it did exist in another time long ago. I can only assume Leporogo has been here for time immemorial," he said, sounding quite knowledgeable but with a hint of respect for the lands he called home.
He started to walk again, at a steady pace. They travelled further along the beach and cove, it naturally curving around. They passed more rocky outcrops that were an extension of Leporogo and served as dens in some cases. The outcrops were the safest part of the territory should a storm come in. Those and the patch of plains that fed onto the beach. Most dens were made in the jungle from whence they came.
"I'll be honest - the weather here can be a bit tumultuous at times. You can never predict it, just as the sea herself."
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 3:50 pm
"Wow~" There had been something like that in their home; a large, ancient tree that they had said was born when the Earth itself was born. Nobody could remember a time without it. Though the rivers always changed and brought about change, the tree always remained the same. Perhaps Leporogo was like that too. She couldn't help but smile at it. There was something comforting about the things in life that never changed.
When Tamba started walking again the lioness kept pace. She let her eyes wander whenever she could, taking in the scenery around her. On the mythical Leporogo there appeared to be some outcrops, which she could only assume could be used as dens. They could sleep so close to the sea! What a wonderful idea! She could only hope there would be den space for her.
At his words she nodded, accepting. "That's alright. You let the other pride members know if we need to get out of the way of the water though, right? Like if you see a storm coming?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:01 am
"Oh of course! When you live here, you become accustomed to the signs of the sea. Everyone learns what to look for and what to be wary of on the horizon, so everyone acts as watch really. In the meantimes, we do our bes to please the sea, with offerings. At least one bone or piece of fur from every kill is sent to the sea, and when cubs are born, a little lock of their fur is given back to the sea as thanks," he explained, looking aghast at first. His pride's safety was always paramount.
He took her to the very edges of the territory, where they bordered the Kizingo'zaa to the south and the Tuait'tekem to the north. And then he walked her back to the hub of the pride, the more central locations where there would be more lions floating about.
"Well...I'd say thats it, I've shown you all you can see, but the rest you'll have to experience," he said with a wide smile. "Is there anything else you want to know?"
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