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 Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 1:04 pm
Maktaba, nursing his wounded sense of justice and heroism, had decided after his last encounter not to go looking for new friends for a while. Exploring the rogue lands and taking in the sights and sounds of new places was fine, but until he found a place with fewer cubs down holes and angry mothers and cubnappers, he was going to just… lay low.
After his last encounter, where his hero complex got the better of him and he deigned to help an unfamiliar lioness who, in turn, ran off with someone elses cub, he was not feeling particularly useful or helpful. In fact, he felt rather like a bad guy, and this conflicted him. Plus, his tail still hurt from where a cub had bitten and clawed on to it so he could use it as rope to get out of a hole.
Bad day, all told.
The older lion was sitting by a large tree, enjoying the shade and the quiet. His rump and tail were paining him and he had his head on his paws, defeated as he mulled things over. Maybe he wasn’t made for actually doing the helpful things. Maybe he was just meant to know how, and show someone else. A trainer, or someone who just watched over things. He wasn’t really sure, but it was vexing and he heaved a sigh, kicking up a little cloud of dust with his nose.
He found himself walking aimlessly across the land. Again.
He'd lost count of just how many times he'd done this in the past... recent while, really. His wings were small and did not really work too well for far distances and long times, so he was used to alternating between walking and flying, according to what was needed. Still, he had no particular reason for padding across this territory, other than the fact he'd woken up that morning and had set off in that particular direction.
Silos went were his wings (or paws, in this case) took him. It just so happened that today, that was here. He was usually tugged by a sense of being needed, though he had no idea whom it was that might be subconsciously calling him today - he rather missed Rokopelli and only wished he could turn around and go to her. Maybe even talk to her about how he felt (as confusing and ironic as it was).
Alas, he too had a sense of duty (albeit fickle) and for reasons beyond him, Silos couldn't turn around and leave. It wasn't till he spotted a large tree, and a lion sitting bellow it, that he strayed from his path; from a distance, he probably didn't even look like a god, what with the fact his wings were so small and easily missed. His horns, one broken, and the other peeking out of the mass of wild orange hair that wasn't even long enough to make up a mane, were easier to spot however, "Yoh!" he called out to the lion, whom looked rather down on his luck, he he dared say so himself, "You look bummed, pal. What's eating you?" ignoring their status as god and mortal, he padded closer and sat down a safe distance from him - it was sort of strange how many lions tended to act violently towards him upon first meeting, so keeping a safe distance was probably for the best, "What's up? Or down, in your case."
Maktaba didn’t look up when he heard a youthful kind of greeting floating his way. He closed his eyes, hoping that maybe if he pretended to be asleep he might be left alone. He opened them, though, when he heard the paws coming closer, though they seemed to stop not too far away. He glanced over idly and noticed that this wasn’t really the kind of company he was used to getting. He picked his head up, surprised.
“Hello.” He said, clearing his throat and trying not to look dumbstruck. He couldn’t help that he was instantly interested about this new company. He was a sucker for new things, for learning and for fascinating happenstances. Gods, or the idea of them, had always intrigued him. Magic, really, or something close to it. He didn’t know what his beliefs were, but he didn’t think he needed them to still be fascinated.
“I, ah. A cub pulled my tail,” he summed up, looking embarrassed. It sounded really lame in that context. He shook his head and, with a grunt, sat up. Heaving a worn sigh, he couldn’t keep his soft green eyes from examining the other critically.
“What brings you this way? I hadn’t thought I’d be drawing attention. Bumming around under this tree.”
Well, this reaction was not the type he was used to getting - mortals reacted usually in one of two ways around him. They either loved him quite a lot (in the case of children, and those that hadn't lose their inner child), or they despised him on sight and tried to attack him (usually those that felt a tad more bitter, usually older lions).
Granted, it never did them any good to attack him, but still, it was frustrating and he wasn't really in the mood to deal with an attack, so Maktaba's surprised was very much welcomed over the alternative, "Hi!" he greeted back rather cheerfully, arching a brow as he watched the other male over. He should have given him time to adjust to the situation but Silos had never been one to have much patience - again, it was something that came with his domain.
Instead, he moved nearer to enjoy the shade of the tree now that it was clear (at least in his mind) that the other male wasn't going to get violent. Unfortunately, the other male's words caught him off-guard and he paused mid step, "I... what? A cub did what?" he tried his best not to laugh, he really, really did, but there was nothing he could do to keep the rich chuckles that bubbled up from escaping him, "Seriously?" he wasn't, however, making fun of him - it was like the god was laughing WITH Maktaba, rather than AT him. If the other male could see the difference though, was questionable.
"Oh!" a pause and the god hmmmmmed, softly, "I really have no idea. I usually just let myself walk - my paws and wings tend to take me where I'm needed. If I'm here, it probably means you subconsciously called out to me. You'd be surprised how many people do that and then get violent with me. Bummer," a pause, "The names Silos. I'm the keeper of Youth."
“Keeper of Youth,” Maktaba echoed, eyes lighting up, “that’s brilliant.”
He shook his head to wake himself up from his trance of interest, slowly digesting the rest of what Silos said. This was all too interesting, and the lion could feel a surge of giddy excitement as he thought about all he could learn here, though he had to make a note that his new company might not want to talk about or teach him anything.
Sometimes Maktaba’s head ran ahead of him.
Pretending that being laughed at for his plight didn’t bother him, which really it didn’t since now he had something new and exciting to focus on, he nodded. “That’s incredible! I called out to you? I didn’t even think that. I mean, of course I didn’t, I didn’t know you were around but, ah. Wow! Okay. So my subconscious drew you here. Amazing.” He babbled when he was excited. He babbled when he was confused, too, so sometimes it was hard to tell the difference.
“Oh! I’m Maktaba, by the way. Keeper of absolutely nothing, but very much pleased to make your acquaintance!”
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Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 1:57 pm
Brilliant? Seriously?
He rather much liked that idea, but it was also obvious he hadn't quite been expecting a compliment, "Huh! Someone remembers their youth fondly the, because most the people I meet try to smack me around because they claim I'm to blame for how old, tired and weary they feel - let me tell you a secret. I'm not responsible for that. That's totally my brother's domain, not mine. Age. I don't age anyone. In fact, I do quite the opposite!" his chest puffed out with pride, the rainbow feathers that dangled from his necklace all that much obvious due to the gesture.
What Silos had forgotten to mention was that while it was true he could rewind people's clocks back, and even stop them from advancing... he had no way of undoing said deeds. He was thus, careful whom he bless, and whom he cursed.
Well, this was surely one way to keep the god's attention; the other male was stroking his ego rather well, "Sure did!" he puffed out again, looking like his day had been made, "Lot of people do it - it's usually the young 'nes, but there's ones like you. Bet you feel a ton better now that I'm here too."
He chuckled again, "Not true - you're keeper of your own life. Rather valuable that. Might wanna treasure it. You guys only get one, after all."
“Oh?” he tilted his head. He hadn’t even thought to blame the God of Youth for his aging. But maybe that tied into the fact that he wasn’t exactly ‘religious’ so much as ‘studious’ when it came to Gods. He probably wouldn’t even blame Age for it, even though it was his domain. To Maktaba, aging was natural and, all told, he was rather happy with how he was moving along. His life had been good so far, in strange ways, and he couldn’t be angry at anyone for where he was now in mind and body.
Eyes catching sight of the feathers and watching them for a moment, as if to sketch them into his mind, Maktaba nodded and then looked back at the God.
“You know, I suppose I do feel better!” He picked up his paws and padded them against the ground. His back was feeling better, as were his sore muscles from all the traveling he had been doing. He had a lightness in his chest that he hadn’t felt in years and, underneath that, an urge to cause some trouble. He tried his best to ignore that impulse, though.
“I’ve always thought my life was pretty important,” he snorted, laughing, “I’ll be damned if I let someone take it away from me. Boy, when I was younger I thought I could take over the world. I’m starting to feel like I still could, truth be told. Ah! We used to have these berries, or something. Herbs? I can’t even recall. They were brilliant though. Made life so much more fun for a few hours, at least.” He laughed again, harder, at the memory. He and his few friends used to know how to have a good time. Now he was reveling, smiling dopily, perfectly happy.
"Oh, 'course you do, pal!" he chirped happily, "That's cause I'm sort of like... a walking, talking fountain of youth, don'tchaknow. My presence makes you mortals feel all young and stuff again, though I here it comes with both pros and cons. No idea what that means though," it was also why he was so used to moving around too - his staying in one place too long was bad. He couldn't afford to allow certain mortals to benefit and not others, hence the constant moving around.
It was a hassle, now that he thought of it.
"Pfffft, you'd be surprised how many people think that - mommy, daddy, imma grow up and take over the wooooooorld!" he shook his head mildly, "Let me tell you another secret - I've lived many lifes, and no one's won at that game yet. There's even some amongst us who give it a shot - it's just not how things are meant to work or something," he paused and snapped his fingers, "I think I know those berries! Might wanna be careful 'round those though. Their effect on you ain't nearly as good as mine. It comes with side effects."
Then again... it was obvious that his presence there came with side effects too, "Well, I admit it's sorta nice to talk to someone that won't give me a face full of claws in a while. Usually I don't get along with most people Other gods think I'm annoying except a select few - I'm sorta a runt. Won't ever grow so large as them, and most mortals are either wary or... violent."
“I didn’t know! But I do now. That really is brilliant,” he laughed in wonder, “a walking, talking fountain of youth. Wow.”
“It’s true. I mean, no one’s won it yet. Right now. I’m not following the orders of any one lion, so I suppose the world is still free,” he grinned broadly, baring his fangs in a completely non-threatening way. He had a very jovial air about him, which seemed to be getting more free as time slipped by. He found it was easy to enjoy himself, feeling young again.
“But wait. You mean Gods try and take everything over? I assume other Gods beat that idea out of them?” He was lost, but thrilled about it. There was a lot he didn’t know. He resolved that he would have to find more Gods and learn more about them. Right after he found some of those berries…
“A runt? That’s a shame. Well, I don’t know why anyone would want to be violent, when you make the tiredness in old bones go away, and remind me what it was like, being younger. You know, that was a part of me I tried to get away from. I did so much I wasn’t proud of. I’m not proud of. But damn. It was fun.”
He laughed at that, getting up suddenly and ducking down, flicking his tail behind him as he watched the other keenly. It almost looked like he was contemplating jumping on him “I think folks should thank you, not attack you.”
"Won't ever win either, that's for sure. The world ain't even young anymore and there's still peeps that think it. No dice, says I. Alas!" to each their own, he figured. He'd always felt rather happy with just being king of his own lil patch of grass for the night - he'd never needed anything else, but then again, he'd also always been a free soul.
"Mmmmm... well, there's the mother of all gods. There's Life. Mkodi. She's like the head-boss. I don't think she'd ever really allow any of us to step outta line. We gods sorta live and die... and live and die and live and die all over again. It's a cycle. You get to go through it once, we do it for eternity. M'sure if there was someone that wasn't following The Rules, she'd know. And his domain would be passed down onto another soul - a mortal would take it up and become god in turn. A lot of us were mortal at some point," he couldn't remember if he'd ever been a mortal, but then again, he didn't recall his past lives all that well - something about living the here and now.
"Huh... well, that'd be because when I'm gone... that feeling leaves with me. I'm meant to move around, you see. Can't stay in one place too long. wouldn't be fair," a chuckle escaped him, "And yeah, runt. You've got a bigger mane than I do! You should see some other male gods, they sorta dwarf me in size. Some of them do at least. Specially the nasty ones."
Silos arched a brow and remain sitting where he was, waiting for whatever it was the other male was going to do, "Ohhhh... you better not be planning on challenging me, mate. I'm the king of games."
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Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 2:00 pm
“True enough,” he said, nodding his head at the mention of Mkodi. He was thrilled to learn a little about passing on domains, though, since he had never heard such a thing before. It made sense. Someone wasn’t doing their job, someone else did it for them. Much like how some prides worked, really. Except with a lot more meaning and a healthy dose of ‘eternity’ thrown in.
“I might have a bigger mane,” he grinned, “but at least yours isn’t graying. I guess that comes with Youth, huh?” he thought himself clever, but realized he hadn’t even really made a joke. He was feeling a bit loopy, but it was just from having too much fun.
Like back in the good old days. He used to live for fun. How had he ever let himself get so serious?
“King of games, huh?” He grinned broadly, wiggling his butt, which wasn’t sore any more. He pounced at that, trying to tackle and pin the God, not really thinking about it. He just wanted to play, and wrestling had always been fun for him. “We’ll see about that!”
"Ah, mine'll never grey. I'll probably die young. Cause yeah, got lil doubt I will. I seem to attract trouble - maybe it comes with the domain too," amusing how the female he was attracted to was Confusion. Oh, the irony indeed, "Hell, the one goddess I'm.... partial to," he seemed to hesitate to use the word, "Is Confusion - I think I'm doomed from the start," a grin was offered at the mortal before he shook his head, "You're getting rather high, ain't yah?" He was going to have to move soon enough; he was going to have to leave soon, or else it might be worse for the mortal later.
Still, he couldn't turn down a game, now could he? "King of the games, that's me. Can't beat me at 'em," he was going to make sure this mortal at least had a dose of fun before he moved on; he wanted to remind him that not all was lost and that deep down, in his heart, he was still useful, youth or not. He just had to look for it.
He took the pounce on, jumping back against the other male playfully, almost as if they were arm wrestling; it was all about trying to pin his opponent. Still, it was all a game, and there was no real pushing, shoving, or use of his supernatural strength.
In fact, after a while of wrestling, he finally allowed himself to be pinned down. Best of all, it hadn't been noticeable at all that he'd allowed the older male to win, for he'd put up quite a 'fight', "Well, guess that makes YOU the new king of games, huh?"
“Partial too?” Maktaba echoed with a grin, though the God had mentioned it a little while ago. He had been too busy wrestling with him to really respond, but now that he had the other pinned, basking in the glory of the win, he had time to leisurely consider what had been said. “Confusion? Females are confusing enough, without special powers thrown in.” He shook his head and sighed.
He had never been able to settle down. The one lioness he had ever fallen for had died, and he hadn’t been much for their company after that. Maybe he just didn’t want to risk that kind of hurt again. But he didn’t want to think about it. He was having too much fun for reality at the moment.
Laughing, he focused on the fact that he had pinned the God. Backing up, he graciously let him up. Out of the goodness of his heart, so he wasn’t embarrassed. He didn’t notice, or chose not to notice, that he had been allowed to win.
“King of Games huh? I like that title!” he laughed, “but you can always challenge me again some time for the title back. Not saying you’ll get it, though.”
"Huh, you talking from experience there?" he was mildly interested, if only because, well, he came from a litter of five godlets, all male. He'd not had much female interaction aside from Roko's and well, she WAS confusing, "Rokopelli is two people in one. Roko and Pelli. You don't get more confusing than her. Them. Whatever," it was obvious by his tone of voice though, that he was at the very least, rather fond of her.
After the male allowed him to stand up, he shook himself free of dust and leaves he'd collected during their wrestling match, "Maybe you should look for one. A girl I mean. Even if they're confusing and all. I really like Rokopelli myself. I think I might look for her after I leave here, "Maybe tell her you're the king of games. Not sure how much good that'll do for yah though," he chuckled mild and stood on all four, "I think you just need company. There's a lot of things that can make you feel young. I'm not the only thing and... those other things are usually way more healthy, I hear."
Maktaba smiled when he recognized that tone, nodding. He knew that tone pretty well, and he was glad that, at least, this God had found someone who put it in his voice.
“Look for one?” he laughed, sighing, “I’m too old for that, I suppose. No one looks back, these days. I had one, before. But she died.” He sighed, his good mood fading a bit. He looked at the ground for a long moment, not saying much of anything for a while. He sighed.
“Maybe you’re right,” he said. Maybe finding someone, ah, else… would help him keep this kind of youthful spirit. She had loved him, after all, and he had always delighted in it. At his happiest, without the recklessness of when he was actually a cub growing up.
“Well, I appreciated this short reprieve from age, in any case. Thank you for your company, at least. And this thrill. And the game.” He laughed, sitting down. He got the feeling the God needed to leave. He had a lady friend to find, after all, and Maktaba didn’t want to keep him from that.
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Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 2:01 pm
"Hmmm.... never too old for that. Never, I don't think. My older brother's way older than you and he's still got in him," of course, then again, his brother was eternal. His ears flopped down a bit as he heard of his mate's death. He wasn't an experienced talker so he had no idea what to say.
However, he did know what he could offer and so he padded forward and and then reached out to lean his forehead against the other male's, even if it was awkward, "I rather like you. I don't like many people. I'll give you a gift. I think you deserve it," and he closed his eyes, whatever it was he did, it was over as soon as it'd started and the god pulled away, "If you ever need me, just for a talk, or if you're in trouble, you can call to me. I'll listen. It won't matter where I am - if you call, I'll hear your voice and I'll be here instantly."
Maybe it'd do him good too. It'd been a rather long time since he'd talked to someone more mature than ... well, a cub, really, "Ah, no problem. It was nice. But no, really," he turned to leave but paused, "If you ever need me, call," and then he was gone, vanished as if he had never been there
Maktaba nodded when the God spoke of his brother, chuckling a bit. He imagined it was different for Gods, since they lived forever, or were reborn. But it didn’t matter, really. Love was love, after all.
He closed his eyes when he felt the other lion put his forehead to him. He didn’t know what was going on, but he wasn’t too awkward or put out by it. He opened his eyes when the God pulled away, looking a bit perplexed. He smiled, nodding. “Thank you, that’s very generous.” He said, touched, really, that the God might care enough to even offer the option. Not that Maktaba would use it. He felt he would be intruding, but it was a comfort to know, anyway.
Before he could reply with some polite goodbye, or indicate that he appreciated the thought, the God was gone. Maktaba blinked. Absolutely fascinating, he thought to himself. This whole encounter had been. Now he had a lot to ponder, which would keep him busy.
He had forgotten all about his hurt tail and grumpy mood from before.
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