But right now that wasn't important. What was important was that he find his leopon friend so that he could show off and brag about how great he was. Lucian did have a small child like side that came out when he was around the leopon whether he was gonna admit it or not. Risasi was probably the closest thing he had to a friend.
The teen paced about quickly as he traveled through the dens on the search for the leopon.
Risasi was not around that day. At least, not where the leopard was looking. Instead he would happen upon a black lion, tall, lean, muscular. A well trained, honed beast of a lion whose face was less than friendly and yet not set in a scowl. There was a sharp, dangerous edge to his blue eyes, but beneath that there was something lonely, isolated, and even a little sad. He was in between tasks at the moment, not occupied but gearing up for his next visit to his friend, if she could be called that, on the island. He would bring her food, as he always did, and he would listen to her talk. He might even speak in turn, though it was very much like drawing blood from a stone with him sometimes.
His keen eyes soon saw a young leopard moving toward him. Watching impassively, the sentinel of a lion sat, his cut figure as imposing as a statue, imagining the leopard would pass him on by as all the others did.
To everyone else, he was just another solder.
Lucian would have passed the lion right by if it wasn't for his curiosity. He'd never seen this proticular lion before. He was cut finer then any diamond and had a sharper face to match. Lucian, who knew just about or of everyone, had never come across this lion.
The leopard stopped , keeping a very small distance between him and the lion. Arrogance. The leopards biggest sin. He made it no secret that he was studying him with the facial expressions he made.
"Just who are you?" He asked at last, looking puzzled. His tone was rude and demanding, Lucian had concluded that this lion must not be important if he, son of Atia, had never seen him before. Yeah, more arrogance. One day that was sure to be his own undoing.
Kijembe continued to watch Lucianus without registering any kind of emotion on his muzzle. He did not seem intimidated but really, he did not seem to be feeling anything at all, one way or the other. There was no trace of annoyance or impatience, just as there was no trace of concern or even interest. He did, however, blink when the leopard approached him.
“Kijembe,” he said simply. He didn’t ask who the leopard was. It was very much like he didn’t care who this boy was, son of Atia or not.
Mostly because he didn’t.
He stood, regarding the leopard again quietly. Kijembe, of course, did know who he was. He made it his job to know of everyone, to follow their movements. He wanted to know them, without actually knowing them. Or rather, without them knowing him. It was easier that way.
The leopard almost tilted his head when the lion didn't ask him who he was. Lucian felt a slight blow to his all to big ego. It showed painfully clear on his face.
Atia would have slapped him for showing so much weakness. But Lucian didn't care. Not right at the moment at least.
"Kijembe." The leopard repeated after a long moment of awkward silence. "I'm Lucian," The way the leopard said it was on the condescending side, as if the lion should know him by sight and fear him. The leopard gave the other a small smirk.
“I didn’t ask,” Kijembe said calmly. It wasn’t an attack or a jab, but a statement of fact. He hadn’t asked. Of course, just by saying it he was being rude and he was aware of it. He just didn’t let that keep him from letting the thought slip out. He shook his head.
Now he felt like he had to say something.
“Do you need something of me?”
Another stoic delivery that could come off as rough or rude, but wasn’t meant as such. He was just bad at talking to people, besides two specific ones, and he couldn’t train himself to do better without constant practice. The idea of constantly talking to others, however, was just not appealing.
The leopard felt his ego die a little more when the lion told him he didnt ask. The leopard knew he hadn't but it burnt his tail to hear it come from the lion. So it had been on purpose.
"Need anything of you..." The leopards tone was dry now. He was frusterated. "Are you of use to me? Who are you to ask if I need anything of you."
In side the leopard was seething, he wanted to say a few other things but he knew nothing of this lion. What if this was some one imporant and he made an a** of him self. Atia would kill him for dishonouring her.
Kijembe considered the question quietly.
“No, I suppose not,” he said honestly. He probably wasn’t, unless the leopard was close to the Caesar. Very close. Close enough that he might order Kijembe to assassinate someone on his behalf. Other than that, though, Kijembe had nothing to offer the other.
He lived his day to day life as a healer of sorts, though he never had to adopt an official title and no one ever asked him. Maybe because he was so intimidating. But he practiced herbal healing, and did offer his aid to those who needed it, in times of fighting or after games.
He wasn’t the most popular doctor around.
“I only asked because you approached. If you didn’t want or need anything, I can only assume you did not mean to speak to me. But you asked me who I am, so obviously you want something of me.”
The lion had a point, but hte leopard still hated his answer. It was direct, not a good mix with some one who was practiced in worming his way through life. Lucian's face twisted once more.
"I do want something from you, " The leopard raised a brow, did he really? Yeah. "Information about who you are and what you're doing here."
The leopard took a seat and tried to his best to look like he meant business. The key word was try. Something about the teen just ruined the effect all together making it ineffective.
Kijembe wasn’t inclined to answer the young leopard,
His demeanor shifted slightly and his eyebrows fell, a slight scowl appearing over his features. He shook his head slowly, looking away from the other male as if something over there had caught his attention. Of course, there was nothing, his blue eyes not focusing on anything but the distance.
“I am a Citizen of this pride, and have been for all my life. I serve the Caesar, and the others that live here, as you do. You know my name. There is nothing more to know about me,” he said, his voice low and strained, as if talking was a great physical effort. Really, he was just not a fan of saying so many words together at one time, save with Shilo.
“Does that satisfy you?”
The leopard took a breath and then nodded, he wanted to know more. The strain in the others voice gave him the idea that his voice must tired. Pitty.
The teen had so many questions. He'd never seen nore heard talk of this lion. Granted alot of lions and leopards in the pride that were not of dire importance he knew nothing about.
"So you're a slave or something?" The leopard licked at one of his paws not even making eye contact as he asked.
The black lion eyed the leopard critically for a moment.
“No,” he said, shaking his head. The word was long, slow, and measured. He cleared his throat. “I am no slave. You can call me a healer, if you like. I am a soldier. I perform many duties for the Caesar. Anything he asks of me. I don’t spend much time out here, with the rest of the citizens.”
He had probably said too much. He shook his head. He didn’t want the leopard prying too much: the point of being an assassin was no one knowing you were an assassin. Though, he was sure there were those in the pride that had their suspicions, and whispered about him when they thought he couldn’t hear.
He always heard, though.
Assassin was not something that came to mind. Some one close to the caesar was the only thing that was going through the teen leopards mind as he sat there mid lick, frozen. He'd just pretty much made an a** of him self in front of someone with close connections to the ceasar. Atia would have his hide if she had known.
"You're ... " He lifted his head and looked at the other, terror bled through his face. What was he gonna say now? The leopard was sweating bullets.
Kijembe looked at the young leopard critically, examining his terrified expression. Not something he was unused to seeing. Had he figured out what Kijembe was? A monster. A murderer. If he had, he was doing a good job of hiding it, save the surprise and fear in his face. Still, there was something about it that didn’t strike Kijembe as the look the others got when they found out.
Granted, when other people found out they were usually just about to die, so that fear tied into their expressions as well.
“I’m?” he prompted with surprising patience, canting his head slightly to one side. He eased his expression into that one of pure detachment again, stoic and impassive. He watched the other carefully, though. If he had an inclination of what Kijembe did, he would have to be watched.
Closely.
The leopard shook the terror from his face. "You're nothing sir, sorry to have been so rude earlier. " The leopard got up and gave the other a small bow of his head to express he really meant it.
He clearly was important and Lucian did not want to make an enemy. Not of anyone who mattered in the pride at least.
The leopard turned and left the lion to him self. He still had to find Risasi after all and hopefully not run into Atia after that spook. Yeah, hopefully.
Kijembe looked slightly surprised at the change that came over the leopard. Apparently he thought the lion was someone worthy of respect, since he had now adopted calling him ‘sir’. Kijembe couldn’t disagree more. He was no one. Nothing. He deserved no kind of respect, not for why he was close to the Caesar. But he couldn’t very well say anything, lest he prompt more questions. So he nodded, accepting the apology.
“It’s no matter,” he said quietly as he watched the leopard walk off. He sighed, almost relieved, shaking his head to himself. That had been more than he had spoken to anyone outside of the ruler himself and Shilo in a long while. It was tiring, in a way, but certainly interesting.
He might have to keep an eye on Lucian. Not out of threat, but because he might want to talk to him again some time.
Waiting until the leopard was out of sight, he stood and walked away to find some food and drag it back to the waters, and then to Shilo. He felt like visiting with her now.
END!
