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 Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 11:25 pm
Kisulisuli:
He had never imagined that the outside world would be so...different. For all his big talk, Kisulisuli was more afraid of change than he'd ever admit, even to himself. He choked back the fear, replacing it with a tense anger. Much of the pride had left...his siblings, his father, and the rest of the old traitors who had, at one point, stood so firmly by the false queen.
He ground his teeth.
Some queen... she'd lucked out on the weather, lucked out on the pride's weakned state when she had arrived, but her luck couldn't hold out forever. With much of the pride gone, Kisuli saw no point in remaining. His mother wasn't coming back- he knew that now...and somewhere out thre, Maji could be in trouble. If he was still alive that is.
He paused and glanced over his shoulder. The valley he had called his home for the span of his life had vanished into the horizon. Good riddence...
Takatifu'moja:
Takatifu'moja was... troubled.
It wasn't something she normally was, in fact she was usually a happy young female. The world was such a wonderful place, after all, and she was happy to be living in it, right? She had lived a good cubhood, despite the sadness in the early time, and yet things had suddenly gone downhill. At first, she thought her gift to see things when she touched others was a good thing. But lately it had only been upsetting.
First had been that goddess. She had been a wonderful lady, so kind and she even gave her a small ride. Tifu had never thought she would have been able to see what it was like to fly, and yet Posca had made that possible. But to See her leave her cubs, to feel her sadness and fear... It had hurt her, made her feel so sad for the goddess and her children.
And then, to once again touch the lion she had come to treat as her father and find out that he actually was her father was hard to get over. It was supposed to be a good, happy thing, to know that she had a true father after all this time, and yet she didn't know what to do with that knowledge. He still ached for the cubs he had lost in the great shake. She knew she would never have been able to replace them as his adopted daughter, but as his true flesh-and-blood?
She had wandered away for some time to think about everything on her own. But so far the only conclusion she had come up with was to stop allowing herself to touch others.
She looked up from her musings and found herself no more than ten paces away from... a rather large lion. And he didn't look very happy.
"Oh... Hello..." she greeted, her words coming out a little bit more timid than she had intended.
Kisulisuli:
Suli had been lost in thought...grumbling over the past, grumbling over his present situation. The lioness had snuck up on him. His orange eyes blazed as he snapped forward, mane rising up off his shoulders and back. Teeth flashed as he bared his teeth towards the intruder. A rogue..
Takatifu'moja:
Tifu's ears shot down even more and she shrunk down to an even smaller size at his anger.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come up on you like that. I... I wasn't paying attention," she apologized, bowing her head quickly. She was respectful, but not stupid. Barely a heartbeat after she had bowed her head, her violet eyes were on him again, worried that he might come at her.
Kisulisuli:
Suli remained planted in place, his tail whipping around behind him furiously. She was small... a stranger. Her scent was unfamilar. Young too...
His eyes narrowed and his ears slowly rolled back to rest against his dusty mane. For teh moment, he said nothing.
Takatifu'moja:
She straightened a bit more, a look of confusion passing over her face. He still seemed agitated, but he hadn't attacked her or anything like that. Of course, he hadn't said anything either... Which was a little annoying. She had apologized after all.
"Really, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," she apologized again, tilting her head a bit to one side. She wasn't stupid, she didn't move any closer to him, but she didn't back up either. One paw idly played with the gold band around her paw. It was the only thing she had of her mother. Touching it gave her comfort whenever she needed it.
Kisulisuli:
His jaw tightened. After another moment of silence he took a few steps to the left, squared his shoulders and stormed forward once more. Just a rogue...one that would likely fall victem to the hyenas or some other such wild beast. So be it. "Whatever."
Takatifu'moja:
The younger lioness gave him a bit of a concerned look and padded after him, keeping her distance as she did so. He seemed... really surly. She wondered what made him so.
"Hey, are you okay?" she called after him.
Kisulisuli:
He flicked his tail as he passed, snapping her side with the dusty ruff of fur as his answer. If anyone there needed help it was her. What on -earth- was a lioness as young as her doing prowling around by herself? He glanced, shortly, towards the sinking sun. It'd be dark soon. Hunters prowled the night... of every species. It'd be his first night out of the valley.
Takatifu'moja:
Tifu jumped away as soon as she saw the tail come flicking out, hissing sharply. She had no idea what parts of another creature worked with her Gift, so she didn't want to take any chances.
"Don't touch me!" she snapped, ears back and fur fluffed up defensively. She didn't want to See anything, especially not from a not-so-good tempered lion. What if she saw what made him that way? Or some terrible thing in his future? She was really starting to dislike her "Gift".
"D-Dont..."
Kisulisuli:
"Feh." He stopped and tossed a lazy, foul-tempered glare over his shoulder, "That's it?" He rolled his eyes and started forward once more. Maybe the rumors about the 'wild rouges' had been just that- rumors. If something attacked her what would she do? Cry?
He smirked. Pathetic.
Takatifu'moja:
Tifu glared at him. She was really tough to anger, but to be having something of a bad day and then to run into this sort of guy. It was too much, really.
"Hey! Excuse me for wondering if you were being an a** because something was bothering you," she growled, standing up to her full height and squaring off her shoulders. She'd never really stood up to another before. It was a novel experience.
"And, no, that's not it. I asked you a question. The least you could do is give me an answer instead of swatting at me with your dirty tail."
Kisulisuli:
"Why don't you find a monkey to chat with about their deep, personal secrets? Or give your counciling to a zebra." He snorted again and continued his tense, aggrivated trod forward.
Females... always 'feelings'. It was no wonder they needed a cluster of them to survive...
Takatifu'moja:
Tifu's face changed from annoyance to confusion again and she tilted her head.
"I don't talk to my food," she shot back before following after him again. This time, she ran ahead of him and stopped a ways in front of him, glaring at him. She'd learned stubbornness from her father, that's for sure.
Kisulisuli:
Suli grunted, stopping shortly as the lioness pulled in front of him. He snorted, took a few steps to one side and continued on his way. What the hell was her problem?
Takatifu'moja:
Fine then. It wasn't really a matter of finding out so much anymore, though she was still concerned in part. Now it was more that she was stubborn enough to not let it go until she found out what made him such a jerk when all she had been was her nice polite self.
So instead of letting him go like she probably should have, she stepped back into stride near him, eyes keeping watch out for any sudden moves towards her. He had no idea that all it might take would be a simple touch from her to answer her question. But she really didn't want to know whatever might be in his past or future. Scary stuff that might be.
Kisulisuli:
He groaned, stopped, and turned to face the female. The fury had fled his features and replaced itself with simple aggrivation. Orange eyes fell on her and he gave a long, heavy grunt. "...WHAT!?"
Takatifu'moja:
Tifu simply glared at him and stood her ground.
"What? You thought I was just going to be all scared and run away? I'm smart, not a timid little mouse," she paused there to give him a long look. She really felt like using the cliché phrase of bringing up the time she was wandering about on her own before she was old enough to really survive on her own, but really that wasn't a road she wanted to go down. Not with this jerk.
"I asked you a question, and I'm stubborn enough to not let you wander off without getting the answer."
Kisulisuli:
"What's it to you?" He snapped, "If this is what you spend your time doing you should find yourself a mate....or a larger, more angry preditor to play with." He picked up the pace a bit, turning his stiff walk into an loping gait.
Takatifu'moja:
At that, Tifu finally sat down and just watched him go. Can't help them all, that little voice in the back of her mind said. Besides, if she went any farther away, she wouldn't be able to make it back to her father by dark. Her father... She looked down, raising one paw to stare at the pads. Could she even go back now? Abu-Nafasi was spending a lot more time with that older lioness. Maybe it was time for her to go ahead, out on her own.
"Go find a mate, ha. Yeah right," she muttered, shaking her head. How could she get close to another when she was afraid to touch them? And if she did, how could she resist the temptation to See more about them? What if they weren't as they seemed? Would she really want to know that?
She wished she could go back to being a cub when things weren't so complicated.
Kisulisuli:
"Should be easy. Go ask how they're feeling." He called over his shoulder, "Maybe you'll find someone as hopless as yourself." Or something that wouldn't take the invasion of privacy as well as he did...
Takatifu'moja:
Tifu's head snapped up with a glare.
"Nobody's ever hopeless unless they make themselves so!" she shot back with a growl. Her mother had taught her that. Whenever she has complained about the prayers being too hard to remember, that it was hopeless, her mother had always told her that nothing was hopeless as long as you didn't give up. Only when you stopped trying all together that it became hopeless.
Did that make her hopeless, then? She was, after all, giving up on living life properly because of her fear of her visions. No, that wasn't hopeless. She was just being cautious.
Tifu was tired of being angry. Who knew it could be such a stressful emotion?
"Whatever. All I wanted to know was if you were okay or not. Sorry for being concerned," she called back with a shrug.
Kisulisuli:
"Whatever." He called back, "Best find a den before dark."
It wasn't bad advice, actually. He wasn't a large lion- perhaps large for a mistweaver but that didn't say much...he'd heard the stories of the firekin. Towering lions with firey red pelts....the rogues that had invaded had been much larger as well.
He contained a shudder and continued on his way, slowing back to a heavy walk.
Takatifu'moja:
"You won't find a proper den in that direction, not by nightfall," Tifu called after him, standing and running a bit closer to him, just so she didn't have to yell so loud. She stopped and nodded in the direction he was heading in.
"You keep going that way, it's all flatlands," she explained and glanced back towards where she had left her father. There had been some caves and trees and stuff around there. They had found a nice cave to stay in for a while, that ways. And in the time they had been in the area, she had gone out far in most directions to hunt and have time to herself.
Kisulisuli:
"-I- don't need a den." He threw his head back, "Why....are you still following me?" He stopped, his front paw slammed down to the ground under him. He didn't have time for this....Maji could be dead by now. Obi was probibly lost somewhere, and this lioness' bordom was none of his concern.
Takatifu'moja:
Tifu shrugged.
"And what makes you think I do?" she asked, but changed her mind. Instead of waiting for an answer she probably wouldn't get anyways, she simply turned towards the way home with a shake of her head.
"I was only trying to help. But you know what? I don't think you really deserve it."
Kisulisuli:
"You couldn't help." He flicked his tail-once more towards her- before moving along.
Takatifu'moja:
"You never know what other's can do unless you give them the chance," she called back over her shoulder, watching him. Tifu had old eyes, especially when she was repeating the words of wisdom engrained into her before she had been abandoned by the pride she had been born to spiritually lead. At her age, they weren't supposed to hold the lessons or knowledge that hers held. Weren't supposed to have known murder or a death sentence. Of fear of being near ones own children or the meaninglessness of a short night between two lions who cared only for the moment shared.
She knew too much, and in all honesty, she hated it.
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Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 6:59 pm
Kisulisuli:
"One chance can become one mistake too quickly...", Suli grumbled, his paws slowing just slightly.
They'd given Masika a chance..they'd shown her the lands, the caverns, they'd welcomed her. Hesitantly- but they'd allowed her in their lands freely...look where it got them.
Growling, he threw his shoulders forward and picked up his pace once more.
Takatifu'moja:
"And letting help slip away is never a mistake," Tifu called back in a sarcastic tone she had learned from her father. She didn't move to follow him this time, simply sat down and watched.
"I wish you safety and luck in your travels!" she quickly added, figuring that was the best she could do to really help. Made her wonder what made him that cynical in the first place.
Kisulisuli:
"I wish you'd get eaten in yours!" He called right back, now at a distance where yelling was nessicary to get his point accross. Stupid female... help. What help could she possibly be? 'Company'? Who needed it...
Takatifu'moja:
Tifu jerked as if she had been struck. With a small sigh, she shook her head and turned, heading back towards her father. That guy really needed a wake-up call. If he was like that to everyone...Or maybe it wasn't so bad to live out on your own, without anyone to hurt you. She shook her head. That wasn't the way of the Goddess. She couldn't lose faith in the goodness in the world. Without that, she'd just be bitter and alone.
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