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 Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 5:47 pm
 The silver moonlight glistened over the swamp. Some lions were gossiping that the spirits had gone quiet since the death of the old queen. For Jaha-mnamo-Ukosa, a new comer to the swamps, along with the rest of her family, these were merely unjustified rumors. She did not want to contradict those who had lived here for generations, yet in her eyes, the swamp itself seemed to radiate with a spiritual presence that chilled her to the bone every night. The air teemed with life’s music.
She was making her way toward her family’s dens, specifically the den of her son. She hoped he would be around or that she would meet him along her way. Since their move, Ukosa hadn’t seen much of Makali’Kondo. Ordinarily this wouldn’t bother her. Now that he was an adult she sort of enjoyed being able to spend time apart from him. His mane reminded her too much of that treacherous male, Hori. Makali’Kondo knew the story of his father differently. To him, Hori was the hero who saved his life before he was born. Being around him only reminded Ukosa of her deceit. No one could ever know the truth, most of all her son.
Yet now her life was changing. She might finally be ready to have cubs with another male. Perhaps she would even find the courage to trust her heart to him, but she doubted that very much.
She didn’t know if she was going to see Makali’Kondo because she wanted to talk to him about the possibility of new little brothers and sisters or if the changes brought out a desire to forge a more intimate relationship with the son she always tried to distance herself from, emotionally speaking. For all the things she taught him, all the values she tried to impress upon him, she rarely showed him the affection he deserved. This was not his fault. Perhaps now the healing could begin.
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Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:26 am
 Makali'Kondo padded slowly along the swamp land, a peaceful gaze etched on his face. He was adjusting to his home much quicker than he expected of himself. He couldn't exactly say the same for his mate and daughter though, which ultimately caused pangs of sorrow in his heart for making his family suffer. But they would soon learn to love the land that had been his home for ages. It was far better than trying to survive in the rogue lands, that was certain.
The male was heading back to his den as the night had arrived in the blink of an eye. Perhaps he ought to think less and pay more attention to his surroundings. But Makali caught the faint scent of his mother along the way. His senses sharpened and he immediately grew focused, looking for the signature pale brown fur that belonged to Jaha-mnamo-Ukosa. Surprisingly enough, he was growing fonder of the older female day by day and slowly letting go of her... mistakes. That's what he would call them.
Catching a glimpse of her body, the lion trotted forward, whispering out, "mother" in an affectionate yet compelling tone.
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:03 pm
The young grandmother froze and looked up, caught in the familiar moment of awkwardness that always came when she saw her fully grown son looking so much like his father with his baby blue mane. Her smile looked like the reflection of a smile seen on the surface of a gentle pool. Frail, as if Maka could blow it away with a sigh.
She approached him on soft pads. Instead of going straight to greet him she paused, their muzzles almost touching, and lowered her eyes from his before nuzzling him affectionately, as any mother would, except Ukosa did not always nuzzle her son when they met. She usually only smiled at him from a short distance. When they sat together or walked side by side there seemed to be an invisible barrier, a bubble around her, separating mother and son. This was the way it had always been with them. She knew, or she hoped she knew, that Maka did not resent her for keeping this distance between them. It was not his fault. Whenever she nuzzled him, as she did now, it felt like she was stepping out of a cozy, protected den in which she had lived alone all her life, and it made her uneasy.
Only recently did she truly begin to regret placing herself in this bubble. She longed to escape and be with her family, to feel in the moment with them as she did when she was young. Hadn’t she?
Their embrace was fleeting. She nuzzled him gently for a moment then, feeling awkward and cold she backed away, lifted her eyes to Maka and smiled almost apologetically, as if she might have startled him as much as she startled herself.
((Sorry for the wait. I knew my post was going to be complicated, so I wanted to make sure I got it right.))
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 1:44 pm
The physically strong female before him truthfully never ceased to amaze him. Of course, there had been times when she'd never acted as a mother (from his limited knowledge anyway) but now that he had returned, their relationship had gotten better. She had always been emotionally troubled, but Makali partially blamed himself for it. She admittedly had a lot to deal with when he was a cub, especially dealing with his rowdy attitude and whatnot.
The male watched her draw nearer, his expression neutral yet indicating a hint of tranquility. He expected her to greet him with the usual smile, but the male adult stood stiff when his mother nuzzled him. He didn't mind the affection - it was bound to happen sooner or later. Makali could tell she was trying; trying to break the distance that had developed between them over the past few years. It just wasn't as easy as it looked. And as much as he enjoyed Ukosa's presence, the curiosity was nagging him. What was she doing here at night in front of his den? He felt her pull back and chuckled softly at her awkwardness. It was a feeling neither of them weren't used to, but surely would over time - if they continued to work on being true mother and son.
"What are you doing here mother?" he inquired, a tiny smile back on his muzzle.
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Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:56 pm
She returned a subdued smile. “Can’t a mother visit her only son whenever she wants? How is everything?”
She knew she was stalling for time, desperately trying to put her thoughts in order, but she also wanted to know. The last time she saw Bangili her granddaughter was feeling extremely frustrated with her life in the new pride and though Ukosa had done her best to consol her, it seemed nothing in the world would break her innate dislike of the swamp. Now more than ever Ukosa pitied her for her stubborn attitude. The simple act of trying to find joy in the swamp had already made the old lioness significantly more… well, not happy, but she felt hopeful. Hope is important.
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Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 2:05 pm
Makali raised a skeptical brow at his mother, but answered her question regardless.
"Sure a mother can visit whenever," he tilted his head. "But it's not like my mother to do so. Everything's well though. I think Bangili may be slowly adjusting to her home."
A momentary frown flashed across his muzzle as another pang of remorse hit him. He wasn't sure if he hated himself for forcing his precious daughter to a place where she longed to be rid of. It made him want to spoil her in many other ways because he felt incapable of providing any other happiness for Bangili. And for his mate, Min Ziara as well. Makali didn't pity himself in any way - he just wondered if he'd made the right choice by bringing them to his pride land.
The male paused before tacking on, "And you? How are you feeling?"
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