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 Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 4:17 pm
 The morning air was thick and heavy, yet cool and chilled, unusual for African plains, but almost expected in the region after the rainy season. Kamau, a lone lion stood in the heavy fog, his dark mane weighed down and dewy where he sat waiting for the sun's rays to rejoin the earth. He sighed, the mist swirling before his breath and clearing only inches ahead of his eyes. He was perched atop a rocky outcrop, figuring it would be the first to catch the light, that is, if it ever came. Flicking his dark brown tail into the soft earth, he rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, surveying the few feet he could see ahead of him.A small form, white and black and quite compact, wove through the grasses, taller than the shoulders, but shorter than an adult's knee. The juvenile snaked it's way through the fog, not caring to glance over her shoulders occasionally. It's father had it's paws full attending it's sisters. The white fur was stained by birth and by blood, dirt and with mud, and a giggle emerged from it's throat. Kamau's ears shot forward, his eyes staring blankly ahead for the strange noise that had come from the grasses. He stood, stepping to the end of his perch tentatively, and peered forward, below him. His breathing shallow, he looked hard at the dark ground, the few feet beneath him bearing the heaviest coat of mist.
"Hello...?" He called out, his voice only reaching his own ears for how heavy and condensed the air was. They flicked again, anxiously, panning the plain for response. The next thing that reached his ears sent shivers down his spine. Another giggle. It wouldn't have been so eerie if not for the scene lain out by the weather, had it been a bright and sunny day, the lion would probably have only been slightly irked by would could easily be explained away by a rambunctious cub exploring in the fine day. And deep down, the lion knew it was a cub, but it was bone chilling in the setting, and as a drop of dew fell from his mane to his nose, he flinched. Black ears saluted brown ones as they heard a voice holler. It was a big lion's voice, and the head attached to the ears tilted. A giggle was the only answer it gave, and it began to zero in on this new thing. Red toes squelched in muddy spots, and more gleeful vocalizations were also forced out. The tiny toes found their way up a rocky embankment and onto a sort of stand, one that was elevated off of the ground. But lavender eyes could not see quite perfect, and it was frustrating. A snapping twig from behind brought Kamau's attention to his rear. He pivoted and faced it, hunching and growling in a fierce manner. The child's voice forgotten, he snarled. "Hey!" Words now to the sound, Kamau hushed, and squinted before him. Only a black form was distinguishable, and it grew larger as it approached... Or rather it grew smaller. Only about the size of a juvenile now, the shape stopped a few feet away from him, though he could still see it move, and now make out more of the information, though much of it was lost in the white of the fog, blacks stood out, and a muted red found its way through to his green eyes.
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Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:58 pm
 Awiti'asha stood only a few bounds away from a large and snarling beast, it's call fearsome and loud, it hurt her ears. And, it confused her. She'd only heard her father, Bwana, call in such a manner when there was something big and scary approaching his family. So why would a big lion use the sound on her? Or maybe! She was in danger, and this lion was trying to warn her! Awiti flicked her ears, confused and trying to piece it out, though if it were the latter, she was not in any sort of rush to run and hide. At least her call had hushed the snarl, but now she was confused as to where it had come from. The mist was thinner on the butte, but still hard to see past. The juvenile was unsure if the large shape in front of her was the source, or just another outcropping of rocks. She tilted her head, and took a step forward, her sensitive pink nose twitching and her mouth agape in awe. "Hellloooooooooo?" She didn't yell, but instead it was hushed, a whisper, and delicate in the wafting vapors.Kamau lowered his body slightly towards the ground, turning a keen eye forward, and peered into the fog.
"Hello...?" The confusion was evident in his voice, and he slowly took a step towards the little bundle.
"Who're you?" The lion pursed his lips and furrowed his brows, not eager in the least to find the answer."Awiti'Asha! Hi! I'm a lion!" The juvenile piped up, her little chest thrown out. "Rrrrrr! I'm scary!" Her expression was one of triumph and determination, though there was no task at hand. She bounded further forward, pushing the fog from her frame. Awiti's mouth fell at the sight of the big brown lion she almost ran into, but the corners of her mouth were still held upwards in a grin. "You're huuuuuuugeeeeee!" Taking one more step forward, she batted his nose. Kamau almost flinched back at the light bop on his nose. He rose to his full height, and towered over her. "Pffft. I'm not 'huge'. Elephants are huge. I am a normal-sized lion." That was a lie. Kamau was only about the size of a large lioness. And he was horribly self-conscious about it. But, this little juvenile couldn't possibly know that. He looked down his nose at her, while she wagged in a very chipper manner. It was strange. Why on earth was she so happy?
"Hey, uh. Kid. Awiti. Where are your parents?" The little girl tilted her head."Parents? Oooohhhh! Do you mean Daddy and Gouta? Or Mommy?" Awiti tilted her head, smiling, as if the lion could possibly know who here parents were.
"Well, Daddy and Gouta are somewhere. I just left them last night. I'll go back. They know I'll go back. It's not like I haven't gone away before. They know I'll go back. But... Mommy... Well. Mommy didn't come back. Neither did Tezo. I didn't get to know her much, but I think Daddy kinda misses her and Mommy sometimes." Kamau stared blankly, it seemed like this cub would never stop. "But, he says he loves Gouta. I don't know what that means. Doesn't make sense. They're both boys!"The brown lion tilted an eyebrow. "But I'll go back! I always go back! I gotta tell them when they're gonna die!" Awiti seemed content in her explanation and sat, curling her striped tail around her red toes. Kamau didn't respond. He was dumbfounded for a moment.
"Die...?"Awiti nodded, "Dead! Gone! Kaput! The end!" She watched the strange look on his face. "You know. Like... Stuff you eat is dead! And they'll be dead if I don't tell them!" Kamau still didn't follow, he was about to open his mouth again to speak, but he was cut short.A roar cut through the thick fog, a parent's concerned call for their wayward child. Awiti's ears perked, and she smiled, looking back to Kamau. "I gotta go back now! See you mister whatsyouface!" The juvenile clambered clumsily down the perch and took off running without another word.
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