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 Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 4:13 pm
Golden eyes watched the rising sun with a gentle smile on her muzzle. Bowing her head she whispered a soft prayer that her parent's spirits had began their journey upon the circle of life, that they would guide her steps in the years to come...and that she hoped she made them proud with her choices.
It was one such choice that drew her thoughts back to the present. She had thrown her lot in with a injured lioness whose pride had been over run. Having pledged her meager aid, Ebere took her new responsibility quiet seriously and when the black lioness woke, she would find a fine breakfast waiting for her.
Ebere smiled gently, " Good morning sleepy head. How do you feel?" She nudged the freshly killed hare towards her companion before sitting back on her haunches.
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 11:18 am
Hippolyta yawned sheepishly, blinking at the meal that was pushed at her. She smiled shyly, reaching to pull it closer. "Um, thank you..." She said softly. The black lioness had never had to depend on another to feed her, learning to hunt early and nearly always being successful in her hunts.
It had been a while since she'd collapsed at Ebere's feet, and Hippy's wounds were starting to heal. Her strength wasn't completely back yet, which was why she still allowed the sweet female to hunt for her. It wasn't comfortable, to be dependent, but she was learning to accept her limitations. She was also coming to realize that such a thing could be an asset to a queen... if she ever managed to become more than queen-in-exile.
Hippy sighed a little at her thoughts and tore into the food, filling her stomach with the warm meat and energy it would bring. Thoughts of that brought thoughts of how she was going to go about freeing her pride and putting her mother's spirit to rest. It seemed an impossible task.
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:50 pm
Ebere's smile softened as her golden eyes watched Hippolyta. Her voice was soft and understanding when she spoke again, " It sounds cliche I know...but time does help the pain. It will always be there, like a cold ache in the depth of night...but it will get better."
She would know, every day she missed her family with an ache that cut clear to her soul, but each day it seemed a bit easier to get up and move. Each sunset that came no longer seemed like the last.
"We need to plan if we are going to help your people my queen. We will need allies, strong warriors to fight for our cause." And to her it was now -their- cause.
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:37 pm
The black lioness sighed, slowing in her eating till she stared broodingly into space, her meal cradled in her paws. Allies, warriors... where would she find such females? It would have to be females too... males couldn't be trusted not to join ranks with the usurpers, seeing a pride of females easy for the picking. So far, Ebere the gentle healer was her only recruit, and that would not turn the tide, much as it made a difference in the young queen's life.
"My pain will have to wait, Ebere, I'm afraid. I can't indulge it now, not where there is so much counting on me being whole and strong. Grief will only weigh me down at this point." She shook her head to chaise away her gloom and tore into the food again, finishing off as much as she could. She felt a little guilty, not leaving any for the other female, but Ebere was better able to hunt that she, and the sooner Hippy could hunt for herself, the better.
"As for plans... I would like to go north, to find the pride my mother's brother resides in. I want to tell him of her death, maybe see if there are sympathetic females there that would help us... or if we could find any along the way. I don't know... its hard to think of the best course right now."
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:50 pm
She nodded her golden eyes never leaving Hippy's face. When she spoke of pushing aside her pain, Ebere frowned faintly, "Ignore such main will only cause more pain later...but I do understand your reasoning. When you need to talk I am happy to listen."
Her ears perked as she listened to the queen's plans. Her head tilted as she studied the dark lioness with a puzzled expression, "You would discount your uncle out of hand? Surely he would like revenge for the death of his sister. I would not discount any aid he would offer us, nor any male he would trust."
She smiled a little sadly, " Not all males are to be feared and mistrusted. "
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:49 pm
Hippy blinked in surprise as the turned to look at Ebere, a frown creasing her brow.
"Ebere, I'm not involving any males in this. His issue of revenge is his own matter and he can deal with it on his own. Males can't be trusted, not completely. To a point, yes, but not the way you can a female... What if they up and decide to join the usurpers? It wouldn't be hard and they would have much to gain if they did! There is little reward for helping us free our female pride... why wouldn't they turn on us?" She huffed softly, frowning as she lay her ears back. "You've seen what they've done... but I guess I can agree with you, in part. Calypso's father wasn't bad, but I would never trust the pride to him."
She grumbled and shook her head, finally heaving herself to her paws and shaking herself, working out the kinks in her joints and the lethargic feel of her body.
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:55 pm
"So you would judge all males by what a few have done?" She arched a brow at her, not snapping but her tone was firm. "Would you reject help that is offered just because the sex of the one who offers it?" That was just plain stupid.
"He is your family, my queen. Brother to your mother. Do you truly believe he would betray you?" Gold eyes watched her patiently. "As for reward...There are those out there, whose only reward is doing what is right and helping those in need. "
Her father had been one such as that, always rushing to the rescue of any in need. "Do not close off options we might need, my queen...one strong body might win the battle. "
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Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 10:54 pm
The dark queen wasn't used to being argued with. Hell, she wasn't used to being in a position where she needed to argue. Her new rank still sat heavy on her, stiff and unfamiliar. She'd always known that one day she'd have to make all the important decisions, but who knew it'd be so hard? That people would actually argue with her?
Red eyes narrowed at the green lioness and Hippy grumbled to herself. "Ebere, there is a reason my pride rejects males, even our cubs. My mother would not have made it so if there were those out there that were trustworthy enough to join us. And she wasn't the only one to think that way! An entire pride can't be wrong..." She said stiffly, flicking her tail in annoyance. She didn't want to argue with Ebere, not with the lioness who had done so much for her, and continued to do.
"I really don't want to argue on this... even if a male were to help us, I can't see him doing so for no good reason other than because it's right. Some would say the right of it lies with those who are stronger, as its the right of the stronger to rule the weaker. And he wouldn't even get the reward of joining the pride afterwards... he'd be sent right back where he came from. Pain and possible death for helping us, with nothing to gain but a long walk back home. I won't risk my pride and my family on odds like that."
She sighed, her expression falling. "Please, Ebere... Can we just leave it alone?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 6:47 pm
"....Not all males are bad, my father.." her voice caught for a moment, tears gathering in her eyes, " My father died protecting us all..." She clenched her jaw looking away when Hippy begged her to drop it.
"Very well, since my words are going to fall on deaf ears for the moment, I will have to plan for the worst then. If my queen will excuse me?"
In all honesty, she didn't want to cry in front of the other lioness. With her cold words about males, how could she understand how Ebere mourned the loss of one of 'them'?
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:00 am
"I never said they were all bad..." Hippy struggled to express herself, faltering when she heard the tears in Ebere's voice. Her face fell and she dropped her head, shuffling a paw against the dusty ground.
Ebere couldn't understand, and she was starting to think that this would continually be a point of contention between them. Males were good to produce cubs, and perhaps as friends, but for little else. You couldn't put your full trust in them, you were only asking for hardship if you did. It was females, sisters, mothers and aunts, that you could trust. That you could truly love...
Hippy looked away, embarrassed, and nodded stifly. "Alright, Ebere..." She said, even as the reminder of her title poked her like a thorn in her side.
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 4:28 pm
Ebere bowed to head before padding a short distance away needing to think. They were so very different...but so very much alike. Her ears flicked back faintly as she paced. How could someone be so closed minded? They clearly needed help if they were to save Hippy's people. But who was she to criticize a queen? Taking a deep breath to swallow her pride, she turned back again.
"You are right my queen. It is not my place to tell you what to do...I only seek to help you in rescuing your people." She gave her a tentative, hopeful smile before going on. "I will follow where you lead my lady."
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Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:56 am
For a while, Hippy watched the green lioness pace with a heavy heart, sad that their views on this should be so different and so firm. For now, it would just have to be something they lived with, each holding to their own opinion. There would be no changing Hippy's mind, not over this, but she didn't feel it right to force Ebere to change her's either. Maybe time would change them, but for now, she just wanted to see her friend smile again...
The dark head lifted when Ebere turned back, a hopeful expression in her own eyes. "I want your help very much, Ebere. I don't want to argue with you, truly I don't. I'm sure we can find all the help we need, if we just look. I'm... I'm glad that, at least, I have you by my side." She said softly, answering her smile with a shy one of her own.
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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 4:16 pm
Her smile was more genuine as Hippy smiled back at her. Their feelings on males would always be a fight between them, but she was willing to ignore the issue for now in favor of the more pressing needs ahead of them.
"If we are to travel, we should leave as soon as possible. You have healed enough that walking will not reopen your wounds and if there is battle.." She trailed off not really wanting to speak such things into existence but it was a very good possibility. "And if there is battle the traveling will have built back up your muscles and improved your wind."
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