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 Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 12:30 pm
Things have been easier since he'd dealt with the situation with Takatifu. After they parted ways he found it to be far too easy to avoid her - out of sight, out of mind - and as the Queen's condition became more obvious and was announced to the pride, he suddenly found himself far busier than before.
It's been easier in that respect, certainly, but the Queen... no, no. His mate. His mate, the Queen, has kept him busy. For a while Sakata had two tasks to perform: Warleader, and mate of an expectant mother. With their newly-forged 'peace' on the line (as well as the fate of his children!) the large lion was constantly working to please Jini and lead the pride. All of a sudden there was potential danger everywhere. That border wasn't guarded well enough. Game was decreasing too quickly in that region - there must be invaders nearby. His Queen - his mate - was now the most precious creature in the entire pride. So as the due date drew closer, the Claw was kept busier and busier.
The birth of the cubs came as a relief to all, even if it did not result in a decrease in the Claw's activity. Sakata is now working three jobs: Warleader, mate, and father. And if he's going to be insanely busy, then all of those who serve below him must be busy as well.
---
With a pleased little grin on his muzzle, the Warleader pads silently towards the den. All asleep, good. Except... "Pssst," he hisses quietly, darting a glance at Jini's sleeping form to make sure he doesn't disturb her. Most of the cubs have fallen asleep while nursing silently at her side, and her own chests rises and falls slowly with her deep, even breaths. Impatient, he bounces a little on the balls of his feet and leans forward, his voice low and insistent, "C'mon, hurry up Kali. You know I've got to get you back here before you're missed!"
Today he is serving his time as a father.
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Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 12:43 pm
Bright orange eyes kept their focus on the large figure at the entrance of the den, her heart racing with excitement. Her small black paws had managed to maneuver themselves around her slumbering siblings and she held her breath as she crept silently away from her watchful mother. One could never be too careful when escaping Jinichongo's eye, and she wasn't about to be caught, not today. Not when she was going to be with Daddy!
Brows furrowed and she found herself scampering out into the sunlight, where the large lion stood, awaiting her presence.
"Daddy shuuush!" she scolded firmly, swatting at his enormous paw with her own small one. "You're going to get us caught!"
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Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 12:51 pm
The mask he wears without thinking is off, as it always is around his cubs. Some day, when they are old enough to understand, he will explain to them why he has to show a false front, why the Warleader and Daddy are not the same lion. But not today, not yet. It's difficult at times - being so open around Jinichongo is... a challenge, to say the least, but he's trying to get used to it. No, he's trying to like it, so that things can be as they should be. As they were always meant to be.
Dark ears go back against his head when the tiny cub chides him, in an exaggerated display of shame and contrition. "Ow!" He exclaims quietly, lifting his paw and shaking it as if he's been mortally wounded. "Maybe you shouldn't be so slow next time, slowpoke!" Still grinning, Sakata moves away slowly (so that she can keep up) to bring his daughter on an adventure.
"Tell me about your day, Kali." Not a question, not quiiiite an order. He's been teaching her of the Claw whenever he can, and one of the first things he taught her is the fine art of reporting to your superiors.
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Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 1:13 pm
She lifted her chin and proudly strutted after him, full well choosing to ignore the fact that any strike she made against the lion ten times her size would have little to no damage done.
"I'm not slow," she fussed back, "I'm cau-tious."
She'd picked the word up from one of her mother's many lectures, not that she fully comprehended the term's meaning. She just knew to be careful, or the consequences would be far from her liking!
Taking two giant leaps forward, she waited until they were out of sight from the den's entrance, before responding, sans whisper.
"Puh." She muttered, her tail swaying back and forth as she walked, making sure to let him stay ahead just enough so he could lead. "You wouldn't believe how boring the Heart is. We just sat around and listened to her and Uncle Hodari 'gain. Stupid spirits don't talk anyways, we need to be more worried about those bad lions trying to cross the borders, right Daddy?"
She grinned at him, nodding her head in approval. Kali knew better than to eavesdrop, but she needed to know about these sorts of things if she was going to grow up to be a big strong Warrior like her Daddy was, after all!
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Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 1:22 pm
Sakata picks his steps carefully as he climbs the small rise, always making sure that it will be easy enough for the young cub to follow. He's pushing her, he knows that, forcing her to work those young muscles to their limit. But he's always... cautious. Careful, making sure that he doesn't push her too hard. For every small failure she suffers he makes sure there is a success soon after. Failures so she can learn. Success so she can crave more.
"Big word for a small mouth," he grins, looking back at her. "What other words do you know that mean the same thing, or almost the same thing?"
While inwardly he is thrilled every time she expresses her discontent with the Heart, the Warleader can't help but deliver the same lecture she has heard time and time again. "Now Kali, you know that you have to learn everything there is to learn about the Heart and the spirits. It's your duty to the pride as a Sacrifice, and if you do one day become the Heir you'll be expected to know more than anyone else." Okay, maybe he's exaggerating a little.
"But you're right, those border-skirters are a problem. They keep moving around enough that none of the patrols have been able to find where they are living. Yet." He pauses, looking down at her to see if she'll need some help up the rock-strewn incline. It's a little steep for her, but if she has been watching she'd know the path he followed.
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Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 2:08 pm
She scrunched up her nose at the question, glaring at the formidable rocky pathway that lay before her. Letting out a small grunt, she climbed her way up the first rock, before finally answering.
"It means something like being careful, right? Like... think before you say something stupid!"
She paused from her rock climbing adventure to flatten her ears at the reprimand. "I don't want to be the Queen." She hmphed, letting out a small squeak as she toppled down a rock after a careless hop. Straightening herself up and trying again, she continued, "Let one of the others do it. Mfundo's better at all that spirit stuff. Spirits don't wanna talk with a Warrior like me."
It frustrated Kali, despite her stubborn decision of becoming a Warrior in her future, that she could not read the insights of the spirits as her mother could. If she was Jinichongo's daughter, she should be able to talk with spirits too, right? And if the spirits were so important 'n stuff, then being both a spirit talker and a Warrior would TOTALLY make her important enough, without having to take on the silly title of Queen and sit around all day chatting with spirits. Kali wanted to fight, and from what she could tell, the Queen had nothing to do with anything physical.
Looking up at her father, she gave him the best pout she could muster. "Daddy... will you take me on patrol with you, next time? I betcha I could help find those skirters and take care of them with you!"
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Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 3:01 pm
"Something like that, yes." Fondness shines in his eyes as he watches the small cub's efforts. Look at how hard she tries, and how much she pushes herself. There's more of him in their children than he could ever have hoped for, and likely more than Jini would want as well.
How many times now has she said she doesn't want to be Queen? He's lost count, honestly, but each time it makes him grin a little wider. "The spirits will choose the best candidate for Heir, Kali. I don't think you have much say in it." When her ascent slows he discretely points towards the next rock she should climb to. "Don't be too cautious now, or your mother will wake up before I can show you the surprise. Slow and steady won't win this race!"
Sakata flicks his tail and leans forward, ready to reach down and grab the cub if she should stumble. But he'll let her keep on trying, even as he goads her to go faster than she should.
"On patrol, huh? Sure, I'll take you on patrol with me. If you can get your mother's permission."
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Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 4:55 pm
"Hmph." she said softly, continuing her climb. She was pretty sure the spirits would pass over her, when the choosing time came, but nothing was certain. It would really REALLY stink to have to give up fighting, especially when she knew she was just destined for it.
Her strenuous exercise was beginning to take its toll on her weary limbs, and she debated on asking him to pick her up and carry her the rest of the way. Monkeyback riding, though, was totally something a cub would do. She didn't want to be a cub, she wanted to be a lioness, and therefore, she must continue on!
Sighing, she lifted her paws up and forced her weight up onto the next rock, eager to keep up with the challenge her father presented her. Why couldn't Mother be as fun as Daddy was? She was so solemn and serious... it wasn't that Kali didn't love her or anythin' but just... why couldn't she be more fun?
The young girl shot a scowl at her father, though it was hard to tell it was a scowl as her eye markings gave her a natural angered face. She'd inherited it from her father, no doubt, but although she longed to be like her father, it was nice to not have others assume she was angry all the time! Growling, she gave another sulky pout, feeling defeated. "Daddy, you know Mother wouldn't let me! Can't you just... let me do it without telling her? Pleeeease?"
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Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 8:11 pm
She would make a good Warrior, he muses, while he watches the determined cub. Selfishly, he finds himself hoping that he is not there for the moment when she finally realizes that there is no way a royal sacrifice would ever be allowed to become a part of the Claw. And, at the same time, he wants to be the one to tell her, to try to soften the blow.
A small frown can be seen for a brief moment, but it is gone just as swiftly. There's no point fussing over what will happen in the future, and he'd rather not have the youngster glance up just in time to see him scowling at her. Not a great message to send, there.
"And why wouldn't your mother let you come on patrol, Kali?" he prompts, settling himself down in a lazy sprawl. Perhaps he's just getting comfortable, but there's something in his body language that suggests that he may as well relax since she's so slow.
"And what would you have me say to her when she finds out, hm? It's not nice to try to play us against each other, you should know better."
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Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 9:36 pm
Scrunching up her nose, she stood and stared at him for a few seconds. He was always pulling these kinds of things on her, bein' smarter than her and trying to teach her lessons. Hmph. Well, she'd show him!
Lifting her rump in the air, she wiggled it slightly before taking (what she thought was) a giant leap onto the larger lion's stomach. Grasping at his fur with her claws, she scrambled up atop of him, then shakily moved across closer towards his face.
"She thinks the Claw is dumb." the small sacrifice retorted, knowing full well that she was exaggerating things, "She wants us to talk to Spirits because she thinks it's cool. She doesn't understand fighting, not like me and you do!"
Settling her small black butt on top of her dad, she spread her paws out, steadying her position on top of the unstable ground she sat on. "And I'm not playing you with her, Daddy." She explained, exasperated, "We're just... not tellin' her! Like right now! She doesn't know we're out here, but it isn't going to get us in trouble, not telling her!"
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Posted: Sat May 16, 2009 6:49 am
Sakata bears the impact of her tiny body and the pinpricks of her claws without a flinch, remaining still and steady to make it easier for her to ascend. "That's not fair, Kali'ari, and you know it," his voice is suddenly stern, and he turns to look directly at her. "She does understand better than you think - and she understands that the Claw is here to protect the rest of the pride. Now what would your mother say if I allowed you to be exposed to the danger that a fully-ranked member of the Claw has to face every day?"
Childish daydreams and fantasies are one thing altogether, but her continued insistence causes a small seed of worry to sprout deep within him. She's still too small now to manage it, but what if she does decide to sneak out some day, to follow a patrol? No, that couldn't be allowed to happen. "You need to understand the difference. This is harmless, I'm just taking you to show you something. A patrol could be dangerous, and you're too important."
He rises to his feet, carefully, making sure that she is not jarred free. "Hold on tight! Because we're not in trouble now, but if your mother wakes and sees that you are gone we will be."
Moving sure-footedly along the rise, Sakata brings his daughter to what he'd wanted her to see - an early-morning training session, as one of the Veterans puts some new recruits through the paces. From their vantage point atop the ridge she can see the exercises. But, more importantly, she can see the work that the Claw is doing while members of the Heart are still asleep.
"What do you see, Kali?"
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Posted: Sat May 16, 2009 12:07 pm
"If I'm gonna have to be sacrificed one way or another, I might as well do it when I'm fighting!" She huffed, staring back at his firm and fatherly face.
Being only the cub that she was, Kali'ari had no sense of what death truly involved. They'd had the traditions drilled into their small heads by members of the Heart, but the sacrifices she'd actually witnessed had been few and far between. None of those that had been sacrificed, though, had seemed to be in any pain. From the way she understood it, the inside part of you just kind of floated around after leaving the body. Like... a seed inside a shell! It was silly to lose your body just standing around, not when you could really use it when you're fighting!
Her ears flattened, and she knew a "no" when she heard one, no matter what argument she gave. She knew she was special, being the daughter of the Warleader and Queen... but if they were all s'posed to work together to keep the pride going, of course they'd need more Claw. Why not? If she and her siblings were the best of the best, they needed some in every direction! She'd make her Daddy understand, one of these days.
Clutching tightly as best she could to his back, she watched with wide eyes as he moved over the rocks, and on to the top of the ridge. Down below, she could see the adults, some male, some female, practicing and sparring, working and training.
"Oh, Daddy!" She gasped happily, "Look! Look! They're practicing!"
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Posted: Sat May 16, 2009 10:06 pm
His only reply to her childish proclamation is to grunt, sigh, and shake his head as he walks. She'll learn, some day, when her youthful enthusiasm and ambition is eventually tamed by the truths of the world she lives in. Until that time, she'll believe as she chooses to believe.
Cub-claws clenched in his fur are a pain that is easily ignored, something that he's grown used to over the past short while. Sakata the Warleader is nothing more than Daddy the Playground to his children, and he wouldn't have it any other way. Even if the tiny wounds left by their razor-sharp claws do itch like stepping into an ant's nest.
"Really?" He affects a tone and expression of surprise, casting his gaze between the cub and the lions below. "Why do you suppose they'd be practicing at this time of day, when most others are still asleep?"
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Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 10:53 am
She wobbled herself further up, reaching his shoulder as she attempted to gaze out over all the hardworking Claw members.
Her brows furrowed at his question, going deep into thought as to why the lions would choose to practice during the early morning hours, as opposed to any other time during the day.
"Uhmm..." she started, glancing back in his direction, "So they... so they can fight better, since they just woke up? Or maybe they do it now, so they can go patrol for the rest of the day!"
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Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 5:24 pm
"Good guesses! Although the new recruits don't fight as well early in the morning. That's why they practice, so they can be ready to fight at any time of day or night."
After making sure that she is well-secured upon his back, Sakata offers a nod to the Veteran and begins to head back towards their den. Jini will be waking soon, and he'd rather get their daughter back safely before that happens. His footsteps are deliberate, and he ignores any protests that the cub may make. They've already been away longer than is prudent.
"But there is one other reason they practice so early, Kali. Because the Claw must always work harder than the Heart. We are all that protects the pride from the dangers in the world around us, so we must be strong and ever-vigilant."
It never hurts to remind her of that fact. If she is to be the next Queen, he'll do his best to make sure that she understands the value of the Claw. No matter what it takes.--fin--
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