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 Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:37 pm
It was the afternoon, the sun was getting lower but the world was still full of light. Any time now, Amalthea would be awake. Nobody slept longer than this night. Thoth had spent much of his day pacing, relieved of his patrol by a sympathetic Badiri, trying to think of what to do. There wasn't anything he could do about it, his thoughts had been turned on what to say. Amalthea had been as excited as anybody, she had been taught to accept all the ways and beliefs of the pride but nobody wanted to be a slave. Nobody wanted to know their god would not protect them.
There was only one thing left to do and that was to wait. He had only one idea and however unlikely, he decided to pursue it. So he left his den and went looking for Baba'nyota, lucky enough to have experience working with the lion, he hoped he could find him quickly.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 11:28 pm
Word had spread quickly through the pride - like a bird on silent wings, the whispers of the adolescents who had just about stumbled into the pride on young paws, who were finally taking their ceremony. It had been a serious time, but not without it's joy and wonder - and followed his wise footfalls like a bad shadow.
Nyota had recently woken up into the late afternoon sun, his dark pelt almost casting a shadow in the light, making him look like a roaming shadow. It had been a fair bit of time since they who were of age had gone down to sleep, the first couple finding themselves before anyone could really even blink. The third had taken a little longer, but everyone was relieved and happiness wrung through the night when she finally lifted her eyelids once more. Now the merrymaking and cheerful words had turned to darker tones - questions about the final child, about what the Great Lion had truly felt for her, were in the air.
Hopefully some good would come tonight.
Reaching his beginning post for the night, Nyota couldn't help but give a large, and long yawn - before shaking his head in the dying sunlight. It would be a long night - every new moon was the same, the shroud of darkness always made it feel so much more solemn. Looking out into the clearing, he caught sight of the body of another guard - the calm and caring Thoth - on the horizon.
Lifting his body to a more respectable pose, he waited till the younger guard came in more visual range, wondering what brought him to the dark lion so early in the eve.
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Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:17 pm
Thoth was not in a normal mood. He wanted to be calm, happy and accepting but he had never been in this situation before, he didn't have anybody to turn to. They were not biologically his cubs, he had no mate to talk it over with, to hold him back and remind him to wait patiently. He knew the others were concerned for Amalthea as well, but they had their own new lives to distract them.
"Nyota," he called a greeting when he was within earshot of the other lion, his boss, so to speak. It wasn't an easy conversation he was about to start but he would follow through as best he could.
"How are you today?" he asked lamely when he got close and stopped a conversational distance away, doing his best to seem cheerful but unable to hide his worry entirely.
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 4:19 pm
It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize that the other guard was troubled - it danced across his almost flawless face. Unfortunately, for Thoth, Nyota was just about trained to read the faces of those who crossed his path, but he kept it to himself, his straight face never cracking as he gave a curt nod to his company as he made his way closer to the head guard.
"A fair evening to you also, Thoth." He murmured lightly, before giving him a warm smile, finally, as the whispers of normal conversation started up. "It should be a warm night tonight. But, I am well. Rested, I guess you could say."
A dilemma, which made him pause for a moment, wondering if he should continue this direction of conversation, before shaking his head softly, and looking to the guard once again. "I hope you and the cubs are faring well, also." No reason to beat around the bush, Nyota was always one with curt wording and little conversation. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk, it was more that he didn't know how.
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 4:35 pm
Thoth nodded but did not really respond to the answer he got, he didn't expect that the head guard would be too distressed. He was surprised when the cubs were brought up, realizing he wasn't a very good actor and that even if he was, it wasn't a secret when there were members being initiated. He sighed.
"They are doing well," he answered, "Hecate has been asking about becoming a guard herself, actually." It was a slightly happier topic, one that was relevant to Nyota, before he launched into the main point of his visit here. Each of his cubs were ending up in a different profession. Atlas was to become a lord, Hecate wanted to be a guard, Kallisto was to become a huntress and Amalthea..
"But Amalthea," he started, hesitating before her finally could spit out his request, "Amalthea hasn't woken up yet, but she should- she will- tonight. I know it is Angani's job but I wanted to ask if I could go and be there for when she wakes."
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 4:53 pm
Nyota could almost feel the air become a little heavier as the mood changed, but he expected it as the sunlight slowly degraded around them, casting them in a golden light that bled through everywhere.
He couldn't help, though, but to give a small little snort in amusement, when he was rewarded with the knowledge that one of the little earth toned children that had basically followed Thoth home, was considering Guard duties. The ranks were always growing, and it made him feel good about the defense of the pride. Rewarding Thoth with a soft chuckle, he nodded to him. "A find guard she will be, I will await the day she comes forward to request the rank."
As a small silence blanketed them, he felt the next statement coming, almost, and as Thoth finished his query, the old starpelt was already shaking his head lightly, frown fixed on his maw as he leaned towards where the alter laid in the prideland. "That's not as easy as it sounds, Thoth." He trailed off.
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 5:16 pm
Thoth could see Nyota shaking his head before it became apparent. He knew it wasn't an easy request, he knew it was unlikely but he knew it was downright impossible if he didn't ask.
"I know," he admitted, frowning, "She was so excited to finally be placed, she knows the risks, all of the possibilities and I'm sure she'll be able to handle it in- in the long run- but she's barely grown up, she was never raised with this as the path for her. I'm her father, I want to be there for her."
He sat down, he was shaking a little bit. It was so ridiculous and he just felt bad.
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Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 6:50 pm
Oh, how his heart poured out to the guard - they had been brethren in arms for a long while now - and Thoth had shown nothing but trust and pride in his duties. . . but watching the emotions rifle through his features made the old brute glance downwards with dark pools. He, himself, knew there was nothing he could do - it was the law of the land.
And he was certain that Angani would have his head if he broke any of the rules.
Nodding softly with the ramblings of the purple lion, he could only listen and let him get it out, before glancing up again, hardening his gaze, barely affecting his emotion. "There is nothing I can do, Thoth." he groaned softly, before looking back at the general area that they were talking about. "The most I can offer, is to stand guard with you as close as we can to the border of the ceremonial area. But I cannot let you in, unfortunately.
. . . But you know how they say, strength in numbers?" He offered up, hopefully. "It may help if you have someone to fret and wait with, instead of pacing by yourself, my friend." What was going through the mind of the adoptive father, Nyota would never know, but he could guess, and it was nothing fun.
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Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 7:12 pm
Thoth's ears turned back as his request was denied. He had fully expected it to be the answer he got but there had always been some hope for sympathy. His eyes did not go to the ground but up to the sky, the sky that would be dark, empty and godless once the sun set. Amalthea would have no protection from the Great Lion but she would have him to protect her. He just could not be there for her now, it was not his job, not his place.
He was silent for a few moments more before he spoke again.
"I- I don't want to take you away from your own duties," he said, looking back at Baba'nyota, not meaning to question the judgment of the head guard but not wanting to cause any more trouble.
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Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 7:47 pm
Nyota expected this reaction, and knew it was coming. The silent defeat of hope that it would go the way he expected. It didn't help the Head Guard any more. How he wished he could bend the rules, but this was a serious issue, so the least he could do was offer up his services for the evening.
Giving a shake of his mighty head, and a reassuring smile, the dark lion took a few long steps towards his kin, his gaze softened up for the situation. "It's the least I could do. The numbers in our ranks are large enough that they can go with their leader just for one night." He replied seriously, before looking around them, as the sun's light started to filter out from under their feet, it's last sigh before the great beast's nightly sleep. "As long as I let them know before I come to walk with you, I'm sure it will go withou a hitch, and we can welcome the little miss as she takes her first steps to her future. I'm sure she would feel better knowing that she has those around her to support her, right?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:06 pm
Disagreeing would mean arguing with Nyota, and while that might have been enough to stop him he realized that he wasn't acting as a superior now but as a friend. So there really was no reason to argue. He sighed and leaned down a bit, grateful but unable to feel particularly pleased about it at the moment.
"Thank you," he said with a quiet sigh. He glanced in the direction he knew Lela, Angani and Amalthea were, wondering how much longer she would be asleep and hoping she would be OK. Lela knew them, she checked in every once in a while since she had been the one to meet Thoth when he returned with the little ones.
She would be OK.
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