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 Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 1:26 pm
 The cool night air felt good against her face as she walked slowly through the tall grass. It had been Mazi's idea to take a walk and she appreciated the chance to get away from the others for a while. She had been easily irritated lately, and it wouldn't do to start a fight with one of the other pride members. Moving in a leisurely pace was nice, especially after a day of exercise and sparring.
"We really kicked his butt," she said, and grinned, "Didn't we?"
Her spirits were still high after their successful attempt at team fighting earlier and there was a spring in her step and a shine in her eyes that had started to become rarer and rarer lately. It seemed she was angry more often than not these days. Anger was what drove her to continue to work harder and harder every day. She could rest later, when the taint that was Mizimu'Tungika had been washed away from these lands.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 5:14 pm
There was a lot more tension building among the lions and Skugga seemed to be getting more tense also. Mazimwi thought it would be better if she got away from everything for a bit and get some fresh air. He was pretty relaxed even though the atmosphere was getting a bit hectic so he was hoping that Skugga would begin to feel better.
Grinning crookedly at her comment, the lion nodded. "Yeah we definitely did. He was skilled but we overpowered him in strength and intelligence." He had been practicing learning all he could from the various lions of the Dhati. Mazimwi learned quickly and became an strong fighting force quickly. It would be only a matter of time that he get just as skilled as the Mizimu warriors. And as he had expected, Mazimwi worked very well with Skugga and their skills meshed together very well.
Mazimwi looked at her facial expressions carefully wondering what she was thinking and how she was feeling at the moment.
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:30 pm
"I've tried something before," she said and stopped to sniff an indention in the grass where a small animal must have rested not long ago, "I threw my weight at the legs of a lion to knock them off their feet. We could try that perhaps... One of us tries to get the warrior off balance and the other moves in for the kill."
She talked about fighting and killing another lion as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and not stranger than to hunt and kill an antelope. To this day she had never killed an adult lion, but it couldn't be much different than hunting for food. The jugular and windpipe is in the same place after all. Bite them and they bleed. Choke them and they die.
"You might have to do the tackle since you're heavier," she mused, "Unless our opponent is closer to my size."
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 2:45 pm
"Ah. Yes, that would be very smart. It would catch their unawares and then we'd be able to take advantage of that. We definitely have the upper hand in battles now." He was rather excited now for the upcoming battles because fighting got his adrenaline rushing. He liked not being lethargic all of the time and liked doing exciting things that tested his skills.
He wasn't fazed about her nonchalant tone concerning fighting because that was just... her. He wouldn't expect any less. "I would have to do the tackling. You'd be faster in getting to the kill anyway." Grinning, Mazimwi felt confident about everything now. It was a good thing that he started sparring with various lions... or else he wouldn't be able to keep up with Skugga.
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 4:59 pm
For every passing day Skugga was getting more and more convinced that fighting was what she was born to do. She had been momentarily confused in her youth, but luckily she had found her place now. The colours of her coat even suggested that she had the spirit of a fighter, and how could she deny her own spirit? Sure, the pelt wasn't everything since even a lion born with a cowards taint of green could eventually redeem himself. But denying the true nature of your spirit was just a waste of potential.
"I'm glad I came here," she said, "I think hearing about the Dhati was the best thing that has ever happened to me."
Would she have met Mazi if she hadn't left, she wondered. He was such a good friend, and it would have been a real loss if she had never met him. Perhaps his travels would have brought him there too, but who knew? She was lucky indeed to be here, with such good friends and strong fighters at her side.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 10:15 am
The days just kept going by and Mazimwi was losing track of how long ago he had met Skugga and learned about the Dhati. Skugga was the best thing that ever happened to him... Without her, he would still be on the plains wandering around, alone as usual.
"That's good." Mazimwi paused and contemplated something. What had happened to Skugga's sister? There was a time where she was supposed to come join the Dhati and Skugga talked about her very often. What happened? Mazimwi felt like he should ask but he felt like he was invading....
"So Skugga, what happened with the plans with your sister?" He looked at her questioningly wondering if he had gone too far this time. Maybe he could do something to get Skugga's sister to the Dhati. He could tell that sometimes Skugga looked very sad or angry and that wasn't fair. He really hoped that he could do something.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:18 pm
At Mazimwi's question, Skugga froze mid-step and her expression went from carefree to cold in an instant. It was true that she had talked more about her sister when she had just met Mazi, back when she still had hopes that Yuusa would come around and follow her.
"She's... She's not coming," she said and turned her head away, "She just tries to make me go back there whenever we meet. We... Ah... We don't talk anymore."
Since her sister was worried she had made sure it was safe with the Dhati before going back for her, but Yuusa wouldn't come. She had worked hard to learn how to hunt and be able to provide food for both of them, but Yuusa was content being fed by her future murderers. Even when she fought and managed gain better sleeping quarters for her delicate sister, Yuusa stayed stubborn. Skugga had worked her tail off to make sure the Dhati was a much more inviting place than the Mizimu'Tungika, but nothing seemed to sever Yuusas ties to the pride she was born in. It was infuriating
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Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 11:46 am
The second he asked it, Mazimwi knew that he was treading on thin ice. The lion felt like this needed to be brought up because he didn't see her talking closely with anybody else... Something must have happened to Yuusa that Skugga hadn't told him. He knew that there was some reason for Skugga's change in mood... why she had suddenly gone crazy over training and sparring...
He stopped beside her and looked at he curiously. "Why not? What changed her mind?" It was bad... that they were no longer talking... Skugga used to speak very fondly of her sister and something... bad must have happened. Mazimwi pondered the thought slightly but he wanted her to say it. It was bad to bottle things up.
He knew that there were a lot of things that he would never figure out about Skugga but he just wanted to know this. Maybe he could help her deal or try to convince Yuusa over to the Dhati. The Mizimu didn't seem like the right place for anyone.
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Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 12:10 pm
Skugga sighed, slowed to a halt and sat down heavily. She had thought it would be just a matter of time and effort to get Yuusa to join them, but it had become painfully obvious that her sister had no intentions of leaving the Mizimu murderers. She just wanted to lure Skugga back. What kind of life would that be? Skugga knew what happened to Sacrifices who ran away and tried to come back.
"I don't really think she changed her mind at all," Skugga said slowly, as if she just now realised this, "I wanted to think she'd join me if I just worked hard enough to make her life here as comfortable and secure as possible. But I was wrong."
She settled down, resting her head on her paws and folded her ears back slightly. She had been angry at Yuusa for so long, but it was an anger tainted with sadness, and tonight that sadness had finally surfaced. It scared her, but the defences she had built up were cracking and there was nothing she could do about it now.
"She never wanted to leave," she said, "I realise that now. You see, I did everything in my power, and then some, but nothing was good enough for her. It's as if nothing I do is ever good enough for her."
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 10:39 am
Sighing, Mazimwi wasn't sure that she was telling him the whole story. It had seemed like Yuusa was somewhat interested in joining her sister at one point. Something had changed everything for Skugga and Yuusa but Mazimwi didn't want to push the point right now.
"Yeah? Well, there's still a chance that she would come someday right? But... you don't talk anymore." That didn't make any sense. Unless something absolutely horrible happened, he really didn't believe that they would stop talking... It didn't even cross his mind that maybe it had something to do with the pelt that connected Mazimwi and Skugga.
The lion really wanted Skugga to be happier and not angry and he knew that if Yuusa somehow came to the Dhati, maybe that could happen. He remembered how fondly Skugga spoke of Yuusa and that was just the sister bond. It was unfortunate that they were no longer talking...
"I understand. Maybe it'll just take her some time to absorb everything because she basically has to turn away her lifelong beliefs. So she could show up someday, keep hope for your sister."
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:43 pm
"I don't know," Skugga said, not quite daring to keep her hopes up. Just how would she react if Yuusa just showed up someday? "What if I keep hoping and she never comes? I think I'll have to live with the fact that she chose the enemy."
She must not let this make her weaker, or she would only get herself killed. And over what? Someone who didn't have the sense to save themselves. No, she would have to close her heart, and force herself to remove every last trace of hope. She looked up at Mazimwi with a newfound determination. One day when every last Haruspex was swimming in their own blood she might get to meet Yuusa without fearing that her sister would be Sacrificed at any time. But until then...
"Remember that she is our enemy now," she said to Mazimwi, "We can't trust her since she doesn't know what's best for her yet. And I have to live with the knowledge that she might never know. Until she sees the Mizimu lies for what they are she can not be trusted, and they might even try to use her against us."
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:55 pm
Frowning slightly, Mazimwi had always been an optimistic lion but even he understood what she was talking about. It was difficult to keep hope and then have them crushed; sometimes the hope wasn't even worth the pain later on. "Well, you're strong enough to get through this. It's important to keep hope or else there really is no chance of her coming here. And if that doesn't happen, I know that you'll be strong and you have me to help you if you need it."
He spoke sincerely and hoped that she wouldn't forget that Yuusa was still her sister. "I understand. Though, you two have a greater bond than any other lion can even realize. So, you have to trust that she would never intentionally try to harm you." Shrugging slightly, Mazimwi just wanted to offer some words of advice because he hoped that this would ease her mind a little bit. Who knows when she would go overboard on the training and might seriously hurt herself.
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 1:23 pm
Skugga rose abruptly and started to pace back and forth. Hope would only make her weaker. Weakness would only get her killed. Let Yuusa hope that she'd come creeping back to Mizimu'Tungika. Let her sister be the weaker one.
"I know my sister," she said in a dangerously low voice and shot a dark look at Mazimwi, "You don't. You don't know what she might be capable of. How do you know she wouldn't hurt me? If a Haruspex told her it was the Spirits' will that I died she wouldn't hesitate. She would kill me. Or kill you if she thought it'd hurt me."
And it would, Skugga found herself thinking. It would hurt her if Mazimwi should die because of her. For a fleeting moment she wondered if she should try to close her heart and shut him out too. Remove all ties that could be used against her. Become cold, hard, and emotionless. But she dismissed that thought almost as soon as it surfaced. She was strong already; Mazi had got that right. She would indulge in this friendship for a while longer. At least as long as it made her feel stronger, and not weaker.
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 1:43 pm
Mazimwi really just wanted to sigh but he refrained from doing so... There was a part of him that really felt for Skugga. Though, Mazimwi didn't let her words bother him; it's not that he didn't care... If she was really pissed and wanted him to leave then he would do so. But right now, she really just needed someone to vent to. "All I know is what you've told me about her and you've said some pretty damn good things up until this point." The lion shrugged slightly and returned and stubborn look at her.
"You really shouldn't worry about me. I think I can take care of myself right now and I wouldn't let her kill you." He could tell that she was really tense and could lash out at any minute but Mazimwi moved closer to her. "Don't worry about it. Really. We're a team now and she can't hurt the two of us together." Mazimwi quickly ended his comment before he said anything he would regret.
To him, it seemed like Skugga was just putting up this tough front to prevent herself from breaking down. There was so much stress and she did need to focus on something. So, Mazimwi wouldn't push the thought anymore. He took another step and nuzzled her slightly. "Everything will be fine."
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 2:19 pm
Skugga leaned into his touch, grateful for something else to focus on. When he moved in close and said it like that she almost believed that everything would be fine, and she nuzzled him back closing her eyes and relaxing ever so slightly.
"Maybe," she said with a sigh, "Maybe it will. But it's not just Yuusa that worries me right now."
She fell silent for a while, wondering how to say this. Mazi didn't know about the Mizimu'Tungika like she did, and whether he liked it or not it might make him vulnerable. She had to protect him.
"There's a huge lion in the Mizimu called Sakata," she started, now leaning heavily on Mazi and speaking in a low voice that only he could hear, "He's the Warleader, remember? Anyway... He has a dark coat with even darker stripes running down the length of his legs and he has similar stripes on his face. Orange eyes... Dark blue mane that is almost grey looking..."
She paused, hoping that Mazimwi would be able to recognise Sakata from her description if he ever saw him. No, scratch that, she hoped he would never meet him.
"If you ever see him," she said and turned her head to look at him, "You run. You understand? Run and don't look back. There is no honour in being torn to bits by a lion you can't hope to defeat. He is that strong."
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