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 Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:54 am
For the first time in a long time, Iana thought of her sister. Where must she be now? Was she still with that unsavory black lion? The huntress flattened her ears at the thought. None of her business, he had said. He hadn't taken her to see her half-sister. What a suspicious, sneaky little worm. Akinyi was her sister, even if they had different mothers-- family was very important. Not only here, in Khenet, in the grand aged halls that the Dawnwalkers revered, but to Iana, the lioness. The manner of their parting still tasted sour to her, but she had not let it bother her since coming here. And really she should not let it trouble her at all, she told herself. Akinyi had made a choice. They might never see each other again, and there was little Iana could do about it.
The huntress emerged from the dens of the temple into one of the communal areas, where cubs were free to play and members of the pride could relax-- and where the young received their education. It was a curious practice; the only education Iana had received before coming here was in the nitty-gritty business of survival, but it was a custom of the pride and it was indeed to every member's benefit. There was quite a heritage to maintain here. Even for cubs. Iana did not know that Akinyi had given birth to cubs, much less that one of her nephews was among the young of the pride.
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Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:06 pm
While Iana had no idea one of her nephews was sitting among the other younger members of the pride, Zari knew full well that his 'Auntie' was somewhere in this pride of lions. His mother had told him so. And although he didn't exactly know WHERE she was, chances were, if he looked hard enough and long enough, he'd find her. Although... he didn't know EXACTLY what she looked like... but he had a pretty good idea! She had to look like Momma, right? And she had said Auntie Iana was the color of his underbelly, with squiggly marks, so that was a start too. How hard could it be?
Only problem was... he couldn't manage to find the time TO look for her. Between lessons and having to stay in the temple, it wasn't exactly a conductive environment for finding someone specific. And after his last fiasco, he didn't think any adults were going to be very receptive to escorting him all over the pride lands, looking for a single lioness.
To be fair, it hadn't exactly been an escape attempt. He hadn't been trying to leave the temple -- that was against the rules, and he knew better than to break the rules when he had just gotten here. They might have sent him back! No, he hadn't been trying to escape, per se... just... escape from all the eyes. It seemed like whatever he was doing, there was always someone watching, and to a cub like Zari, who was mischievous and a troublemaker at heart, that was a fate worse than death. And for a while he had thought it had worked. Get one of the girls to cry as a distraction, army-crawl through the crowd and away... Only problem was, he didn't factor in what he would do after he got out the door. And how other lions would respond to a random cub wandering around and generally not being where it should.
Ah, best laid plans of mice and lions.
Eying the lioness who was watching his group, (quite carefully, he might add -- she must have heard about him,) the tan lion sighed heavily, rolling over onto his back. Then onto his stomach. Over, and over, rolling and rolling out of sheer boredom, until he felt the connection of his back against a pair of legs, and he grunted, staring up at the lioness he had accidentally ran into, folding his paws under his chin and blinking.
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Interesting Conversationalist
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Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:43 pm
Iana wasn't really watching the cubs so much as staring off into space, settling back onto her rump, curling her tail around her hind legs and relaxing in the courtyard, listening idly to the voice of the scribe instructing the young cubs. She stretched, rolling her shoulders slightly, not noticing that one of the cubs was rolling in her direction. It wasn't until he connected with her legs that she jerked her head around, blinking down at him. Almost immediately her eyes widened. Other than the warm grey spattered on him, he strongly resembled Akinyi. Almost to a T. But that... was impossible! Akinyi hadn't had cubs.
Still, those wispy markings on his legs and back were a mark of Akinyi's dam; she hadn't seen many lions with markings like that. But it was a big world, she couldn't assume... no way.
She shook her head, lifting a paw to brush the cub's forelock, smirking down at him. "Paying attention to your lessons, I see, young cub," she winked down at him. Although Iana had a somewhat astringent personality usually, she had a bit of a soft spot for cubs, she'd found. Particularly for one that so strongly resembled her half-sister.
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Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:53 pm
"Ah, yes ma'am," he replied, grinning a bit when she winked, scrambling up and shaking out his coat before plopping down into a sitting position, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible to anyone who might have seen that.. He hadn't yet realized the implication of her coat and markings, still too relieved that she hadn't scolded him. That and he was rather unobservant, when he wasn't paying attention. Kind of absent-minded. Glancing back at the scribe, he cub made a face before peering back up at the lioness, grinning broadly fore a second before realizing something. Immediately he dipped his head, tucking his tail under him and looking sheepish, peering at the ground a bit then up at Iana.
"Pardon me, ma'am... You're not gonna tell on me, are ya?" Shifting his paws a little, Zari gave her a slightly worried look, glancing back at the scribe again before back at his half-aunt. "I... uh... kinda 'm on my last warning..."
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Interesting Conversationalist
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Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:02 pm
The huntress was amused by the little cub. He had a grin that could melt hearts. Little cutie. Her grin broadened when she saw how he glanced at the ground and up at her, looking so adorably pathetic, and was sorely tempted to tease him. But he looked so worried that she couldn't, and she lay down on her side, stretching out and shaking her head at Zari, the swirly markings stretching down her sides plainly visible.
"Nah, I'm no snitch. But you'd better pay attention to your lessons at some point, you know! It's important," she flicked her tail, giving him a meaningful look, an air of amusement and permissiveness about her. Iana reflected that she really ought to scold him and send him back on over to the scribe, but she remembered being that age. It was no fun to have to pay attention all the time, not with all of that energy eager to be spent.
"What's your name, cub? My name is Iana," Iana said, curious about him in spite of herself. She knew he must be the offspring of some pride member that happened to resemble her sister. But still.
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Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:14 pm
"Ya, they tell me iffa don't pay attention, I can't be in the pride. I don't think momma would be too happy with me. And then I'll never find my Auntie... Ia..."
Zari's voice trailed off a little, his little cub brain whirling a mile a minute as he processed what she had said, his eyes first narrowing a bit as he thought, and then growing three sized than they had been a few moments before, his grin spreading across his face as if he'd just been told the best secret ever.
"AUNTIE IANA!"
Suddenly Zari was up on his paws, and within the course of a millisecond, BOINK! -- he was jumping, like a little cricket bug, landing half-straddled over her back, wiggling a little in a weird quasi-hug that was just so typical of him.
"Boy'm I glad to see you! I've been lookin for ya everywhere! Wull, not everywhere, they said I couldn't leave the temple, but I tried lookin for ya everywhere in tha temple and tryin to get people ta look for ya but they said lotsa lionesses were the color of my belly 'cuz this is the dawnwalkers and apparently that's a really common color or sumthin."
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Interesting Conversationalist
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Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:06 pm
Iana blinked at Zari as he trailed off, giving him a puzzled look, a little wary as he narrowed his eyes. What was he up to? She jerked her head back as his eyes widened, and her heart thudded against her ribs, feeling a bit as if she'd been turned upside-down when Zari exclaimed. Had he just called her... AUNTIE?! She looked mildly shell-shocked as he hugged her with his body, blinking vapidly. There was no way. There had to be some mistake. She barely listened to him as he babbled, sitting up a bit and taking a paw to him, looking him over.
"What are you on about, cub?? I can't be your aunt. I've only got one sister and she hasn't had cubs," she furrowed her brow, very slowly leaning towards the one possible conclusion, but still finding it patently ridiculous. There was just no way that Zari could be her sister's offspring! Who would Akinyi settle down with? Certainly not that black lion!
"Who's your mother? Isn't she a part of the pride?" Iana blinked down at him, trying every possible outlet, anything that would avoid reaching that inevitable truth that this cub that sat before her was out of her half-sister Akinyi.
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Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:08 pm
Zari slid easily off her back as the peach lioness sat up, still grinning and babbling about who-knew-what, obviously quite pleased with himself that he found her. He was a master finder, donchu know?
Tilting his head at her, he continued to grin, although the fur between his eyes furrowed a little, obviously semi-puzzled. "But you said your name was Iana... 'n my momma said my auntie's name is Iana. Auntie Iana," He replied simply, confused but not looking too perturbed. She fit the description perfectly, he had no doubt in his tiny little mind that it was who he had been looking for.
"My momma's name is Akinyi, 'n my dad's Unzu, but they told me it's impolite to call your parents by their first names, so I don't. 'N no ma'am, she lives in the roguelands with my brothers and sisters. Well, actually, I think my one sister's in another pride, but I don't remember. I think they want some peace or something? Which momma says she can't get with me around, so she sent me to go live with you! Isn't that great?!"
It seemed that questions were a bad idea with this cub -- you ask him one thing, and he'd keep talking and talking and talking...
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Interesting Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:46 am
The apparent aunt eyed the cub, not sure what to think. Could there be another Iana among the Dawnwalkers? She couldn't say she'd met everyone in the pride; it was possible.... maybe. But when the little cub told her that his mother was named 'Akinyi', she felt a little faint. It couldn't be possible. Not Unzu! She swayed a little, blinking down at Zari numbly. What he said implied that Akinyi knew her whereabouts. Which was eminently possible. But to hear that she was in the rogue lands, with that guy, with cubs!! was almost too much for the lioness. Her shock turned quickly into anger and resentment and probably a bit of hurt. If her sister knew where she was, why had she not sought her out herself? Or was it too much trouble to check in with her sister?
Still, she couldn't blame the cub for all of that. Her expression softened as she recalled where she was, and she realized she hadn't said anything for quite some time, just stared at him like he had fourteen heads. Quickly, she smiled.
"...What's your name, again?" Iana asked, in a voice tinged with some of her frustration. She couldn't believe she was an aunt. Surely they weren't that old yet! He looked at least a season old. That ... that.... If she ever crossed paths with that black lion again, she would rip his ears! But this cub was just so damn cute. No sense in alienating her.. nephew. She reached up with a paw to ruffle his head tuft again, at first hesitant, then with some affection.
"I'm sorry, cub. I just wasn't aware that my sister... that you existed," she amended gently.
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:34 pm
"I'm Zari!" The cub piped up, more than happy, it seemed, to provide any information his aunt. He didn't seem to notice any of the frustration in the peach-colored lioness' voice, his expression comically pleased with the entire situation. After spending so long in the temple, he had thought he'd never find his aunt, and even doubted (just for a second though!) that she was even there. Maybe she'd left! Maybe she was hiding! Maybe she was some super-secret princess who they kept somewhere safe at all times because evil outsiders would come and murder her in her sleep or take her away as a prisoner or... or anything! His daddy would be proud, oh yes. And that was something he strived for, even if it forgot sometimes -- the over-eager, over-excitable cub thoroughly enjoyed conversation, enjoyed company and praise. He also liked chasing bugs, and hiding in tall grass, and...
Flashing his most sincere grin, Zari let his tail flick against the temple floor, as if he couldn't sit still for very long, tilting his head to one side so his ear flopped against his head, staring up at Iana with round blue eyes.
"That's ok. I didn't know you existed until momma and daddy told me to go towards the buildings. Then they told me to find you and you would be my guardian and that you were awful nice, which is weird because it wasn't awfully, it was awful, and I told daddy that was bad grammer, but he told me that was correct, so I guess I musta been wrong or something, even though that's what they always say you're suppose to say."
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Interesting Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:43 pm
Iana smiled down at Zari, his outgoing attitude quite adorable, and she sat back on her haunches, curling her tail about herself, and laid back down, stretching her legs out and tilting her head forward to nose the small cub, licking his head tuft. Those big eyes were just unfair. As blue as his mother's, she was sure, looking over him. She frowned as he recounted the story of why he'd been sent here, a little affronted at the level of irresponsibility. To let a cub this young wander off!! That Unzu b*****d had probably talked her into it.
"Of course I'll be your guardian," she told him, though a small nagging part of her made her wonder if that was such a good idea. She felt protective of the cub, patient with his babbling.
"Family is very important, Zari," Iana looked at him, her eyes soft, smiling. "You know that right?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:52 pm
Zari's expression turned into a mini sulk as the lioness licked the tuft of hair on the top of his head, fuzz sticking every which way. Typical, it seemed, of smaller cubs, who hadn't really grown into their skin or fur, and certainly having none of the dignity of a full-grown lion or lioness. Overall, they were pretty awkward, and Zari was no different, his paws seeming way too big for his body and now his fur fluffing in different directions. Still, he was much to distracted to do anything about it, especially at Iana's acceptance.
"Really?!"
Once again, the cub pounded on the lioness, burying his face into her stomach, the rest of his speech muffled a little. "Oh thankyouthankyouthankyou! I promise I'll be good, I promise I'll be really good and listen to everything you say and not wander off."
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Interesting Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 8:03 pm
Iana was already amused and in love with the little cub, loving his little frustrated expression, and she raised her eyebrows, looking down at him. She grunted as he jumped onto her, rolling over slightly, wrapping a paw around him and pulling him into an embrace.
"Zari, don't make promises you can't keep! You're a cub. But I'll look out for you, sweetie," Iana winked at him. Still, she wasn't exactly sure what role she should play in Zari's life. He seemed to want a mother. But Iana wasn't sure she was ready for such responsibility, nor was she sure that that was what Zari truly wanted from her. She supposed she'd just let the cub show her himself, and left it at that.
"How many brothers and sisters have you got, dear?" she asked, a little curious about his family life. His mother, after all, was a lioness that she had known and grown up with for most of her life, and though she abhorred her taste in males, it would be good to know where Zari came from.
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 8:43 pm
"Me... and Zuri... Bahati and Usoa... Kidani, Haji, and Mijose."
He seemed to have to think about it for a few minutes, lifting his head from her stomach and his eyes to the ceiling, squinting his face as he counted. "Seven. Too many, momma says. But I know she loves us so much. Pappa too. I kinda miss them..." Zari's voice trailed off a little, thinking back to his family. His characteristic grin faded for a second, but it was back a moment later, his tail bouncing. He sure was expressive, that was for certain. "But I'm happy to be here. I'm happy you said yes, Auntie Iana. You're really nice."
And it seemed like he meant it. It was quite possible he couldn't lie. Usually the truth ended up just coming out, even it was bad, and it often got him in trouble. But he couldn't seem to stop the onslaught of words that flowed out of his tiny little mouth.
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Interesting Conversationalist
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:33 am
Iana nodded, mildly impressed at the final number, and cocked her head at him, grinning. "I bet your momma says too many," she was amused, but also sad, wishing she had been there to nurse her sister through the birth. She couldn't resist ruffling his fluff again and sat up.
"You're a cute little guy, how can I resist?" she winked down at him, getting to her feet. "Let's see about having you share my quarters, hey? It's only proper that family lives together," she smiled at him, leading him off through the shady temple.
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