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 Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:14 pm
AIM LOG: demonstrationevil & _ p a o cx Xinavane wandered along the boarders of the pride. Now that her children were teenagers, it was easier to get away, especially since she didn't have to worry about them and what they were doing. They had all become so responsible... hard to believe that she had been their age when she had them. But she hoped she had brought them up for a better life than that.
She smiled, sitting down and looking up. The pride was getting stronger as every day went by, and their members could help contribute to every day life, instead of being children. She had help on hunts now, and didn't have to worry about how so few adults could hold things together. Everything was falling into place, just as she had known it would, and her own children were helping out... though she was starting to miss them when they were little. Now they were getting their own homes, starting their training...
"Oh well." She said, lying out and planning out the next day in her head. Maybe she would find some time to spend with her trainees... she could ask her only son if he wanted to go hunting with her like they had when he was little...Tumaini surveyed the pride lands from afar, exhausted from the usually easy trip back home from her constant traveling. This sort of feeling was almost foreign to her, actually, as the only time her ever felt like giving way was after hard day's training. Walking had never been a difficult task for her, so getting this tired after just a day's walk worried her. "Lack of sleep," she said, pushing the thoughts from her mind, and the statement was true enough. Nightmares haunted her at night, shadowed faces and a million voices melded together causing her to wake with a start. She wouldn't admit it to anybody, but it was some form of trauma from that particular event. However, Mai had long since promised to herself that she was strong enough to get over it on her own.
After several minutes of just watching, Mai finally stood up from where she sat and made her way towards her home. On her way down from her perch at the top of a slope she caught sight of a dark pelted lioness lying nearby, so with a curious brow raised the lioness made her way over. One could never be too safe, after all, since the demon pride was so close by. "Hello," she called while still at a distance. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice..Xinavane's body went rigid a moment as she jumped to her feet. A voice she didn't know. And she knew everyone's voice in the pride... But when she glanced over and blinked. This girl... she didn't know her, but she didn't look like a demon... And generally demons didn't offer a tentative 'hello'. They just attacked. And she was a little far from the demon boarder...
She turned slowly. Maybe just a rogue? They did wander into the lands from time to time... "Hello there. Are you alright?" She asked, tilting her head a little and stepping forward. It could be a trap she supposed... but this wasn't a usual demon tactic. Not on an older lioness like her anyway. Which meant this was probably just some poor soul who had accidently wandered onto their lands without meaning to. Maybe she had just gotten lost... maybe it was worse and she had met the demons before she had met those who hunted them. She hoped not.Mai stopped several feet shy of what could have been considered a normal distance to hold a conversation. She couldn't help but be wary, after all, considering what had happened to her. Even before that though she'd always been careful. Now, after what she'd gone through, she was even more so. "Yes," she replied, tail swaying low and slowly from side to side. "I did have a question I wanted to ask you though.." she continued, watching the other lioness.
She didn't seem like she would belong to the demon pride. Her greeting, for one, was nothing like Iar's had been. Even though she was a stranger, the other lioness seemed sincere enough. But again, she had no reason to trust anyone but herself and the only other she answers to, so she wouldn't let her guard down until she knew exactly who it was that she was talking to. "Do you know of the pride that has settled in this area?""I know of two..." Xinavane said quietly, watching the other lioness carefully. It seemed less and less likely that she was with the demons, but one could never be too careful. But she was, thus far, passing the test of what the average demon would never do. Your average demon just attacked as soon as they saw the oppertunity. It wasn't as though Xinavane was prime material for kidnapping, and she would rather die than be a hostage... Probably a rogue, but she'd hold out for now and see what happened. Maybe she had just found a very unfortunate rogue.
"There is a group of demons... and those who hunt them." She said quietly, not revleaing her own origins just yet. If the demon didn't know where she was from, then it wouldn't be a problem... just a rogue, they wouldn't expect to fight back. If she was just a rogue... maybe she could get a reaction. Fear, or something like it, so Xinavane would know whose side she was on. One could never be too careful in times such as these, after all.
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:16 pm
She eyed the other now, still somewhat suspicious. Somehow Mai got the feeling she was holding back a bit of information that most others would've given up early on in the conversation. It was something she would've done had she been approached by a strange individual. "I see," was her short reply, which was then followed by a bit of silence as she examined her company. She didn't look hostile, and she didn't sound hostile - so maybe she wasn't. A rogue maybe? No.. she knew of the prides in the area.
"So which are you?" she finally asked after a while, growing uncomfortable in the quiet.
Xinavane smiled a little. She had known the question was coming. "I hunt demons." She was ready if the girl decided to attack her now... but honestly, she doubted that it was going to happen. She was a little more prepared for this girl to be completely helpless in the situations. Demons would have attacked her as soon as she mentioned the demon-hunters, she was sure of that.
"And I know you aren't a demon-hunter... so are you a demon?" She tilted her head to the side, smiling a little, "Or just someone unlucky enough to stumble on our war?" She wanted to be kind in case the girl was yet another innocent bystandard. There were already far too many of those wandering around who didn't deserve the misery that had trampled their lives...
Mai offered her a small smile in return; an amused, almost playful sort of smirk. It was interesting to have accidentally run into another from her pride since their Mwezi had yet to formally introduce Mai to the rest of the pride. She didn't really know what to say in the situation, but her body laxed once the lioness gave her answer. At that point the brown lioness took a seat, still watching her fellow pride member but with a lighter expression. She tilted her head curiously, only then remembering that she'd seen a lioness with similar markings a while ago on one of her trips back.
The next question brought Mai back to the present, and she almost snorted at the idea that she could be a demon, of all things. She shook her head and frowned somewhat. "No," she said, "I'm not a demon, but neither am I a rogue." And she left it at that, waiting for the other's reply.
Xinavane tilted her head. The girl... she didn't recognize her... but if she wasn't a bystandard and she wasn't a demon... "Ah, you're a demon hunter as well, are you?" She smiled and sat down. Now she was starting to see it... this girl was one of their members. Obviously she needed to work on getting around more often and speaking to her fellow members if she had failed to know who one of them was. She should have been ashamed of herself for that.
"A demon hunter as well. Who would have thought it? Forgive me. I've been so wrapped up lately... I haven't gotten to know as many lions as I should. Perhaps you know my son or my daughters... though they tend to get involved in their own business far too much to notice anyone else... I am Xinavane. The Pride's Ardhi."
Her smile widened when she caught on, nodding at her reply. "Yes I am," she replied, red gaze still on the lioness. Mai shook her head at her apology, knowing that it wasn't necessary since not many from the pride knew of her at all. "No, it's nothing," she replied, the smile returning. "I don't get too many chances to mingle, so it's normal for most not to know me." A chuckle followed that statement. "It's nice to meet you, Ardhi," and she bowed her head a little. "I am Tumaini, though my position in the pride is a private matter as of yet. You'll have to forgive me." Mai smiled apologetically, then cleared her throat.
"So what exactly are you doing way out here?" she asked, wanting to continue their conversation for a bit longer before meeting with Moto. "I don't normally run into any of ours this far out, adults or otherwise."
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:18 pm
"Ah... yes." Xinavane said, tiltng her head, "Don't worry, your position is yours and Moto's business until you both decide to reveal it. I'm not offended." She promised, nodding and listening to the other lioness' tale. She would have to make a point of getting out and about more. It wasn't fair of her to be cooped up in the midddle of nowhere just doing work. She needed to spend more time with the pride and those in it.
"Oh... being the Ardhi is a very rewarding job, but every now and then it's good to get away and get a breather, you understand." Xinavane said with a small shrug. "I like the quiet, when I'm away from the hussle and bustle of the pride." She shrugged, "What about you? Why do you wander around so far out here?"
Mai gave a chuckle at Xinavane's reply. She seemed the complete opposite of Mai, and it was interesting. "I see," was all that Mai could really say. She didn't know what it was like to be so involved with the others in the pride that she would want to get away from it for a few hours. Her job, after all, was to travel swiftly and efficiently, and the easiest way to do that was to do it alone. "I can't relate," Mai said with a little laugh. "I'm constantly away from the pride, so I'm more your opposite when it comes to this. I'd like to spend more time within the pride."
At her last question Mai gave a sort of shrug, though with a smile. "My position calls for it," came her reply, short and simple.
Xinavane nodded her head, "I see... I can see how that would take you away from us. Perhaps you will get lucky and Moto will give you a chance to stay behind every now and then so that you might meet more of us. Knowing the people you're fighting with... fighting for, that's important." She smiled a little, thinking on the group that had become her family. "It can really... change your perspective."
She stretched out, "I only traveled when I was younger... I like to stay in one place now. It gives my children a safe home, one where one day they'll be able to make a difference." Xinavane couldn't help but smile at the other lioness, "I'm glad that I've gotten to meet you though. If you're away so often."
Mai nodded, a hopeful gleam in her eyes at the thought of being able to stay more often than she did now. It was something she'd always wanted, but she knew that she was an essential member of the pride, and that her duty to those that she was fighting for, as Xinavane had put it, was more important than any personal wants. And it always would be until the next Baridi was appointed, but that would't be for a while.
"Simply doing what I do is enough to change my perspective," she said with a grin. "But what you said is true enough; during my last visit our Mwezi mentioned something of that sort to me. I'm sure I'll get to know my fellow pride members soon."
Mai followed after the Ardhi and stretched out as well, unable to stifle the yawn that followed immediately after she'd finished. The lioness smiled sheepishly and sighed. "A family would be a good reason to settle down," she replied, thinking it over for a minute. It'd never crossed her mind before, though. "I don't have one of my own at the moment though, and I don't see myself having one anytime soon."
Xinavane smiled a little, "Sometimes I'm still suprised that I have a family... and now that they're all so much older... I'm suprised that the kids are all grown up." She mentioned with a small laugh. Her children... she missed them when they weren't around. She was so used to the sound of her children laughing.
She nodded her head, "I suppose so... That just doing what we do changes things." She looked over her shoulder back towards the pride, "I may not fight on the front lines... but every day I see our warriors and our children trying to make a better world. And that makes me happy... happier than I ever thought I'd be when I was young." The world had seemed so much smaller when she was a child...
"I'm sure you'll find a time to settle down with a family some day." Xinavane told her, "And when you do, I'll be happy to help however I can. Raising three kids on my own taught me a thing or two. I like to think that I can be useful."
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:20 pm
"I've heard it can be like that when it comes to raising a family," she replied with a laugh. That was about all she could really offer, since she really did only know that much about raising cubs. She'd only ever heard stories and experiences of those who had their own, after all.
Then Mai sighed. "I wish I could be pulled back from the front lines every now and again," came her words, quietly and almost meant to be heard only by her. "Still, my duty to our pride is my priority in life at this point, so wishful thinking is best pushed to the very back of my mind. Besides, seeing the look on those demons' faces after we win this war is something I absolutely cannot pass up." And she gave a laugh before standing up again. "As for family.. I'll think about that when my time comes, I suppose, but thank you."
At that she turned her gaze back toward the heart of the pride lands. "I'm afraid I'll have to take my leave now," she said with a small frown. "It was nice speaking with you, Xinavane. I'm sure we'll meet again." And then she turned and kept her eyes out for the ever familiar pelt of the Mwezi, both eager and dreading to see her. She had news, yes, but it was the kind that she knew Moto would not like to hear.
"Yes..." Xinavane smiled, "The look on their faces... when I see the look on those monster's faces when we beat them in the end... that will make it all worth it. Whether I had a family or not..." All that she really wanted, in the end, was for them to be dead and gone forever. So her children would have a safer world to grow up in. "In the end... every little bit counts towards killing them all. That's what really matters."
She smiled at the girl she considered to be her new friend, "Yes. I'm glad you're proud of what you're doing. And I will alwyas be here for you, when you come back from your missions. I can tell... they're making the world a better place. And nothing could possibly make my happier than that."
She nodded to the other girl, "I hope you enjoy your short rest before you go back to your duties... I'll do my best to enjoy my break while I have it. Because the wicked never rest, as they say..." No. They never did rest. "...and so neither should we." She really did have to get back to work.
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