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 Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 11:16 pm
The first days after Kizuka's sentencing had been nothing short of a nightmare.
Every time she moved, pain shot from her now-nonexistent claws, up through her body. Some of the movements used muscles that she was quite sure couldn't possibly be connected to her feet in any way, and yet they still elicited agonized hisses as she ground her teeth together. And walking? That was...iffy. If one were to be strictly technical, she could walk, but it had become an exercise attempted only when ordered to move from one spot to another.
Resentment simmered inside her, burning bright in her remaining eye as she turned her head to fix her cousin in its glare. "It's a simple question, cousin. Even a mute can answer yes or no. Did you lie to me?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 1:27 am
 Silence had its way with those who kept to it - especially if silence was forced on them in a way not quite so conventional. This was the way the brooding, dark lioness was sentenced to not so long ago - the wounds were still aching, still visibly stretching, yearning to bleed at times, and yet, the pain was also slowly numbing away. The claws that once helped bring down the queen known as Ufahami were no longer, and the words that once brought two factions at a standstill could no longer be spoken. Magadi and Sakata made sure those days were long gone, and their judgment indeed left an impression on the so-labelled "treacherous" royal-blooded female, but none she would dare to show visibly.
Since the day of judgment, Malaika kept to herself (not that anyone would have wanted to associate themselves with her, except poor Kizuka who still had no idea how little she meant to her cousin), and did little to move around; she ate little, and as a result, her once rather healthy and built physique was withering away, her body becoming more frail as the days progressed. The ones in charge of securing her did what they can to force feed her, for if they did not, she would have starved herself - a fate better by far than what she was subjected to.
Ears instinctively perked, though with reluctance, at Kizuka's voice - a majority of what she heard these days, as their sentencing had been one in the same. Malaika felt great disdain over being lumped in with her puppet of a cousin, but it was no remorse she could voice. So she looked over at the blue-marked, similarly eyed relative, and stared apathetically. "Yes, did you lie to her?" came the voice of a young lioness stepping into the scene as if on cue.
It was a child of Jini's - not only that, but the firstborn - the one the blue-marked cousin of Malaika's had imprisoned, but luckily, escaped with no visible harm done. The days of being captured had little effect on the proud daughter's mentality; in fact, she had learned greatly from the experience and perhaps benefited in terms of mental fortitude. She was helpless then, and now, stronger in a sense. Not that she'd pick being kidnapped again over not, but some incidents are simply what you make of it - and the invulnerability of being captured did not perturb Mfuondoka's drive and confidence.
"Well, speak up!" she commanded in a smug demeanor, teeth flashing.
"Sounds... or doesn't sound like you'll get an answer, dear cousin Kizuka," Mfuondoka turned to the inquisitor, a small look of disapproval tugging at the corners of her mouth, "What are you doing asking her something? And about what lie?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:47 pm
She would answer...a rumbling growl died stillborn in Kizuka's throat, and her ears swept back at Mfuondoka's voice. She turned to face her owner (one of them), what remained of her eyes firmly locked onto the ground. She would have to go carefully here...she had spied for the Dhati long before the ill-fated kidnapping had been inspired. "She..." Kizuka paused, glancing over at the crimson-marked cousin, "She said she Saw my success. But if this is success, I find it a strange one."
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 2:37 pm
Despite how much the royal cubs annoyed her, getting their way through the brute force of their mighty dad, Malaika found some solace in Kizuka's submission to just the mere presence of the one she captured. Smiling inwardly, still taking the care to veil any emotion within, she kept still as she was harshly addressed, and as Kizuka attempted to scramble a quick explanation.
Did Malaika lie to Kizuka?
The answer seemed to lie in a past so far away ago, it took even the well calculated dark lioness time to think it out. The success part - of course she wouldn't lie about - in fact, the success of Kizuka was one of the main determinants of whether her plan would go well or not. That is not to say however that Malaika didn't have a backup plan in case that did not work. Throwing away decent assets in midst of a war was a bit foolish, and not a move Malaika would make unless there stood to be something gained.
Obviously, that was not so.
Dimmed orange eyes lazily locked onto Kizuka, then, an unanswered looked written in its expression.
Mfuondoka listened carefully to Kizuka's words while watching over Malaika for any visible form of recognition. When she saw none, she was impressed at the dark cousin's display (or lack thereof) - perhaps that is what kept her in good graces for so long in both the Mizimu and Dhati groups. But trickery would only get you so far, and was fortunately not tolerated within the pride lands.
"The spirits told Malaika of your success?" She didn't have to think about it to conclude, "It was a success."
Before either of the older lionesses could think to respond, Mfuondoka continued, "A success for the Mizimu."
"If you didn't take me, my dad might have gone to fight all of you too early. You needed to be weaker, less dangerous... Like what's his name, Magadi?"
Out of what knowledge she learned from speaking to others and from listening to her father herself, Mfuondoka had made her own assessments of the civil war. These were things she needed to know so she wouldn't be helpless in the future. She learned.
"He seemed pretty crazy when my dad dragged him back here," she stated, neglecting to mention the cause, "Or... did you mean your lack of success in taking more of my siblings? Were you supposed to take more than just me? I'm just as important as the rest of them are."
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:08 am
Kizuka began to open her mouth in protest, but something about Mfuondoka's words cut her short. It was entirely possible that--no. Malaika would not have endangered herself by throwing Kizuka into a venture she knew was doomed to fail. But could she have been mistaken in what she Saw? Possibly.
Either way, her resentment remained unabated. Malaika had offered everything her ambitious heart desired to twist her for her own uses. She might have remained more than this if not for that.
A bitter shake of the head. "I'm just a cousin. How was I to get close enough to know which would be favored? I was to take all of you, if I could. Failing that, any I could manage."
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 12:47 am
Calmly assessing the thoughts of her cousin, Malaika stayed still and inwardly shook her head at the response given to Mfuondoka. Of course, she expected nothing less from the less clever Kizuka; she was rather good at taking orders, but not planning them, so had practically fallen into an obedient role for her life. She couldn't even spare a white lie to the very lioness she captured - even at the young age Mfuondoka was, Kizuka gave no hesitance in exposing more than she needed.
Her eyelids lowered, still concentrated on Kizuka. It was going to be such a bore seeing her weakened cousin bend over for the younger cousin. If only she could just... close her eyes, and no one would bother her...
As Mfuondoka took in Kizuka's reply, she glanced at the idle dark lioness and narrowed her eyes. By what Kizuka offered, it did seem like Malaika had a much larger, and perhaps even dangerous position in the affairs of the war. Her betrayal of the Dhati seemed clear when Magadi himself enacted his own justice, cruel as it was. But how was someone like Malaika able to gain that much control over two sides of a major conflict? She stared harder, wishing she had more involvement in the Mizimu, but she had been just a child then.
"I was born first," she gave, "But we are all still equal. Mother and father have yet to name the heir and scion. But you picked well, if you were going by order."
She wondered whether questioning Kizuka more would aid her in gathering information of what exactly occurred during the war. Her mother had absolutely no idea what transpired, reduced to a state of mild sorrow and possibly regret that the Mizimu was put in that much danger, while her father had been too busy with post-war affairs to answer every question in depth. Mfuondoka felt too, that some details were spared as she and her litter were not adults yet. Perhaps even Sakata had been missing some information from the other side. Those were the things she yearned to learn. Not a single detail that became part of the bigger picture - whether they vanished or not - could escape from the curious mind of the queen and warleader's first child.
With her eyes still focused on Malaika for any sign of betrayal, surprise, anger, or anything at all, Mfuondoka addressed Kizuka calmly, "Why, Kizuka? We are family."
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:25 am
The royal sacrifice's words took Kizuka aback. It wasn't the question that startled her, no...'why' was to be expected from the young lioness she had stolen. 'Family' was not. Her first instinct was to be suspicous of it, to distrust her and any other who tried to claim her as 'family' after Malaika's manipulation. She was still one of Jinichongo's spawn, and it was entirely possible that she simply sought to soften Kizuka into talking more.
Fortunately, Kizuka had nothing to lose by talking.
"After your mother became Queen, family became little more than the blood that should have ensured me the same sort of power she enjoyed. What did she have that my mother did not? Had the spirits spoken differently, my mother might have been Queen, I might have been Heir, and you might not have existed." Her head rose, one eye milky pale while the other met Mfuondoka's. "I existed thus, as a Scryer. Then the spirits began to fall silent to the Mizimu...and Malaika returned with word of the Dhati."
Kizuka tilted her head, trying to ignore the throbbing in her paws. "What would you have done? The spirits spoke to them, when they were silent to us." She paused, then shook her head. "...Well, that is what I was told. They were probably silent there, too."
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 4:19 am
Body slightly tensed up as Mfuondoka asked Kizuka one question--just a single word--that could require many others in an answer. Part of the answers would include Malaika, and she did not favor that. Well aware of the secure gaze the younger, royal brat had on her, Malaika ignored it to look towards Kizuka. Her expression was cold, almost deadly... But she lacked the power and means to do anything near harmful. The look on her face seemed to speak out: Don't you dare be as stupid as you usually are.
But Kizuka proved her right. Malaika sighed inwardly, annoyed at how accurate her predictions were as well as the predictability of stupidity.
To her, there was never anything to gain from blabbing out truth and honestly, especially if there was much to discuss. Reservation of words were cards to be dealt when the right moment came; and even then it would be beneficial to... play a false card, though counterfeit ones could be believable if played by the right person. This was why Kizuka was in her current state; if only she had a fraction of intelligence as Malaika did.
She broke her blank mask, then, a frown plain on her face. She no longer cared for how Mfuondoka would take her reaction; her tail flicked at the ground to shove a small pebble towards Kizuka angrily.
While Kizuka was right to double take on Mfuondoka's question, even she suspected to play a small game to get that much. The response almost took her focus away from Malaika, but she could begin seeing the changes on her older cousin's expression. The uncomfortable shift in body and discontentment obvious on the face almost confirmed Kizuka's story.
"Really," she said flatly, not a tone giving away her increased curiosity, "What foolish thoughts that turn potential into betrayers."
That way of thinking never occurred to Mfuondoka until it came out of Kizuka's mouth. And even then, she could not comprehend it. To speak out against the chosen royalty was blasphemy. Mfuondoka would be proud the day one of her sisters was chosen to be the heir. Even if she, firstborn, lost the position of being future queen of the Mizimu'Tungika, she would gain great privilege as a royal sacrifice. So she chose not to respond, instead filing it away in her head to think over later.
"Look at what befell Malaika," she then replied, directing a paw at the broken lioness, "The spirits are always on our side. And even if they commune with spiritborn like her, treachery will always turn a blind eye... to those like you."
Her last statement was meant to be partially ironic, as Mfuondoka opened her mouth to speak again. However, an interruption in the scene broke her thoughts - Malaika had flung a stone in Kizuka's direction! Eyes shocked yet livid because of the action, she quickly turned to the dark cousin and flashed her teeth and claws.
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 5:21 pm
"Foolish? If you knew you carried the same royal blood as...say, your uncle, but were denied his high station?" She shouldn't have expected Mfuondoka to understand. The royal sacrifices were exalted even above other sacrifices, their precious blood kept safe until their spirits would be freed upon the new Queen's ascension. They could receive nearly anything they asked for...they would not know what it was like, to carry that royal blood but have it come to naught.
Her jaw set at what seemed to be a clever pun at her expense, but a flicker of movement at the corner of her eye distracted her a mere moment before the young lioness' ire was roused. Surprise colored her features--Malaika was rendered as harmless as herself, so what could have angered the royal sacrifice so?
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 2:17 am
The royal brat was quite bothersome to say the least. Malaika eyed the threats made against her, and had she any claws to withdraw herself, she would have mimicked the act. However, there was little she could do in regards to Mfuondoka and Kizuka, at least for now. She supposed she had to be good, at least for now, and so froze in face of Mfuondoka's possible wrath.
She could only take so much being a "plaything" of the spoiled royal annoyances, and taking further abuse wasn't beneficial at all.
Malaika could hardly conceal a snort of disdain at Kizuka, simply relying on the hope that the fool would shut up soon, and Mfuondoka would go away and learn nothing further. Kizuka didn't know what was in her best interest, and Malaika gave up on trying to alert her - even if it included her own betterment.
"She thinks she's better than this," Mfuondoka hissed in irritation, "Any move in protest to our home will be an act against yourself. You two may already be crippled, but there will always be more to take away."
She growled slowly, turning her attention back to Kizuka. A worthless cause was unworthy of her attention.
"All of that is foolish, Kizuka. If you are afraid of achieving more than what our grounded bodies are capable of, then you are even more foolish. Uncle Hodari has an honorable title, but to be a royal sacrifice is one of the most notable honors one can have. I wonder what wayward spirit led your heart astray... It couldn't have been all Malaika's doing. She could only have done so much. There is still choice, old cousin, to come back to non-foolish thinking."
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 2:45 am
She thinks she's better than this.
The words were in regards to Malaika, but they struck...something...within Kizuka. She had come face to face with spirits, had heard their will without scrying or sacrifices. Granted, this vaunted 'will' had consisted of 'wait here' and 'come with me or else,' but the encounters had left an impression. Her brows drew down, and her good eye locked onto Mfu's face steadily.
"We are only as good as the spirits deem us to be. The spirits chose for us to be here, to face what has been done." A pause, silence hanging in the air as she turned over her next words in her mind. "And to face that choice, yes."
She hadn't made the choice, not yet. One did not so easily turn a lifetime of resentment and misguided ambition onto its head. But she was considering it, and the door had thus been opened.
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Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 4:40 pm
Straining a murmur of derision at the line of thought put forth, Malaika shifted backwards from the two younger cousins, slinking into the deeper shadows that housed the den in which she was imprisoned. There was nothing more to gain from the scene, if there had been anything to grasp in the first place; she saw Kizuka beginning to fade from the reality of the situation as a whole, and there was no use in keeping her once-so-called "companion" an ally. She was alone--truly alone, and the impending future looked bleak without needing her powers to see into it.
Malaika remained subdued, her only comforting thought being either death, or an impractical chaos that had a less than likely chance of occurring. It was not a good position to be in, but she welcomed it all the same.
However vague the shift in demeanor was, Mfuondoka sensed Kizuka's acknowledgment, and nodded adequately enough to show slight approval in seeing promise - however, it was also short enough to emit a sense of strict boundaries in which that would be accomplished.
"I've had my 'fun' with the two of you for now; now, let me see whether Kali'ari would like to... indulge or not," she stated impassively, perhaps with just a tinge of a smirk marking her expression.
And with that, Mfuondoka walked away from the den to contemplate over what Kizuka had given and shown, what would become of the sedated Malaika, and when she would return for more "family time".
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