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 Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 1:38 pm
She stood staring out across the horizon with a look of pure longing on her face. Her expression mirrored that of a maiden who awaited her lover to return to her after many years. But for Laka this lover was adventure. She awaited him every day and, whenever she came here to the borders, she hoped to see him. Hoped he would snatch her away and take her to a land of excitement and wonder.
But this day, like every day, there was no sign of him.
The land was as still and quiet as it had always been and sometimes Laka wondered whether there truly was a world out there after all. And, if there was, it chose to ignore this little corner to its peaceful but somewhat lonely isolation.
It wasn't that Laka disliked her home. In fact, these mountains she had been born and raised on held her heart just as it held the hearts of all who lived here. But for Laka, knowing home wasn't enough. She wanted to know other lands too, other lions. She wanted to see a little of the world to widen her experience of life. She didn't want to shut it all out just because home offered her safety and security.
She leaned forwards into a stronger breeze, raising one forepaw as if she were preparing to bound into the sky. And then she roared, head back and jaws parted. Eyes tightly closed.
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Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 1:42 pm
He shouldn't be here.
Late last night, he'd been tired. Tired, angry, feeling betrayed. He'd given up on Kari, she'd made him wait too long. The heartache hurt, but it was only an ache, a lot less than the male had expected. It had lead him to thoughts that perhaps she hadn't been the one, and he should continue searching. His thoughts had been preoccupied, and exhausted, he'd collapsed in an area of tall grass.
Waking up this morning, all he'd had to do was take a quick whiff - something he'd neglected to do last night - to realize he was in a pride's territory. It stank of lion, and for a moment he wandered if he'd entered Firekin territory again. He didn't want to make that mistake again, not after last time. Another whiff confirmed he wasn't. This place was different - close to his first home, and not too far from where his mother was. But somewhere he hadn't been before, somewhere new.
Intrigued, unable to stop his curiousity and his thirst, Taku moved forwards, treading further into the lands.
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Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 1:50 pm
And when she'd finished with her 'gazing out across the lands' time, she half-turned to head back, wondering what her family was up to and whether she'd be dragged along on another hunt. Not that she minded going hunting...but it wasn't exactly special any more. She wasn't even fully grown and it had already lost all its shining wonder that it had first had. Strange how her mother and elder sister seemed to pride themselves so much on their hunting ability.
Laka liked the sneaking involved, liked seeing how close she could get before the prey noticed her. But she didn't much like the chase or the clash of bodies as she moved in for the kill...
And then she caught the scent of the stranger too and her body froze instantly, head half turning to scan all around her.
Who was that?
A stranger?!
Some would have found that scary. Some would have been annoyed or outraged. But Laka...Laka was simply excited about such a thing.
She whirled back to face the way she had been only moments before and spotted the movement not too far away. Her heart leaped and, before thinking about the possible consequences of such actions, called out to the stranger.
"Hey, you!"
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Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 1:53 pm
Hey, you?
Who, him?
Takuma turned in the direction of the call with a frown, legs tensed and ready to turn and leg it should the stranger prove hostile. After all, he was on owned lands that he had no business treading on. They had every right to kick him out. But as the lion came closer, something became clear -it was a lionness. A female. Taku relaxed, somehow feeling more comfortable. He could take her, and she didn't seem like she had ill-intentions anyway.
"Uh...hey?" he spoke, unsure of exactly what to say. Did she want something?
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Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 1:57 pm
Yes, it had to be said that Laka was not the most intimidating lioness in the world. A part from being a small lioness she was also wearing her 'oh my gosh how exciting!!' expression. ( 8D !! ) Probably not the most intimidating face she could have made. But that wasn't really Laka's way. She didn't have a scary bone in her body and there was no way she'd even think about threatening him.
Besides, fear was a little lost on her. This was home, after all, and nothing bad happened at home. Not to mention her whole family was only a short lope away. If she called for them, they would come. No doubt about that.
And then he answered and she slowed her pace, stopping once she was within a few strides of him.
"You!" She gasped. "You're an outsider!" Her tone made it clear that she was actually happy about this. "But...you have tattoos, too?" Her head tipped, referring to his markings. "But...I can't read them." She moved a little closer. "How odd..." It seems she'd forgotten her manners in all the excitement.
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Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 2:04 pm
You? Him? This lionness, she didn't really seem all that articulate. Maybe this was a pride of stupid lions. Dummies. And Takuma certainly wasn't a dummy. Nu-uh.
Tattooes? What was she talking about? Taku frowned, twisting his head around to look over his markings, before glancing at her. "No, these are just markings. Like, on my pelt, they're part of me." he responded with a shrug, turning himself so he could keep watching her as she moved. "What're tattooes? Like those markings on you, the fake ones?"
He was odd? Not likely.
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Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 2:09 pm
She blinked, somewhat sobered by his answer. She was getting ahead of herself and she was being plain rude. Outsider or not, she was sure Eeva would have greeted this one in a much more polite manner...
But she wasn't Eeva and...well, could she be blamed? He was new and exciting and different!
"Well, they're very pretty." She replied smoothly. And then smiled up at him when he asked what tattoos were. "Uh huh, that's right. They're markings that are painted onto our pelts, see." She held out a fore paw so he could better see the delicate, floral designs painted there. "But, these marks, they're....well, they tell a story. Story of our lives." She smiled as if that made perfect sense. "This is the Ela'wadiyi Lands. We all have tattoos like these here and all of them are unique to us. Pretty cool, huh?"
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Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 2:12 pm
Pretty? Taku frowned, more to himself this time, glancing back over his markings. He wasn't sure he'd call them pretty, necessarily. They were alright, though, he supposed. Shrugging the thought off, he glanced more closely as she offered a paw, explaining what they were. Stories? That was...that was actually quite cool. He found a smile spreading over his face, the lion feeling a little bit of a fool but not caring.
"That's...yeah, that is quite cool," he agreed with a genuinely sweet smile, inclining his head as a greeting. "Sorry. I'm Takuma. I can...leave if you want."
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Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 2:16 pm
She smiled even wider when he agreed and then shifted a little closer, more in the fashion of an eager puppy than a feline. She was very proud of her heritage and couldn't believe she was getting the chance to share some of it with an outsider.
She wasn't actually sure whether that was against the rules or not...but at that moment she didn't really care.
But then, what? He was going to leave? If she wanted? Did he think she wanted him to go? Noooo.
"No!" Her reply was immediate. "You can't go now, Takuma! We've only just met and you're the first outsider I've ever met! Do you know how long I waited for someone like you to come along and talk to me?" She didn't wait long for a response. "Too long! I've been coming here every day, hoping that I'd bump into a rogue and it never happened and now look! Here you are!"
She paused to catch her breath. "Oh...and um....I'm Laka." She shot a sort of sheepish grin across at him.
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 1:35 pm
This girl was...she was a little eager, huh? Shuffling a little further away, so she was a comfortable distance away from him, Takuma flashed a charming smile so as not to harm her feelings. The smile turned to a surprised expression, however, at her sudden outburst and babbled words. So he didn't have to leave? She didn't want him to? ...Oh, okay then. He'd stay, then. Taku didn't like making others sad, especially not girls. Not pretty girls...
"Okay," he responded with a wide, somewhat goofy grin, swinging his hind down onto the ground so he was sitting beside her, patting the ground beside him with a paw as a signal for her to sit beside him. Ohhh, he could tell stories, like how his mother did! Taku hadn't picked up the storyteller gene, at least not the magical one that his mother seemed to possess, but he liked to think he wasn't too bad.
"Okay, Laka," he responded, looking down at her with crystal blue eyes, "...What would you like to know? I've travelled a lot. Not everywhere, but...a lot."
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 1:42 pm
She practically bounced with joy when he agreed not to go. This was so amazing! She couldn't believe he was here like this. Talking to her and smiling at her and being totally awesome! This was just way too cool!!
And, when he patted the ground in an indication for her to join him, she wasted no time in settling herself at his side, breathing in deeply and holding it so that she could hear his every word.
What would she like to know? Ack! Where did she start?!
Smiling back up at him, she finally released her held breath and answered. "Everything!" Her eyes practically sparkled with curiosity. "What's it like out there? Is it scary? Dangerous? Are there huuuge lions and magical lands just like in the stories my Mother tells me?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 1:47 pm
She was like a child! Taku couldn't help the wide, even more goofy grin that spread across his maw as he remembered his time in the Bahari'mtoto recently, talking to his new younger siblings and nieces. They'd been just like this. But not as...well, not as pretty. His smile turned more sheepishly at the thought, and heat rose in his chees, though thankfully it was hidden by his chocolate fur.
Everything? Taku grinned, chuckling a little, "Uhhh...everything? Okay..," he pondered, glancing to the sky. Should he answer her questions, or just launch into it from the start, and explain the Pridelands, where he was born? "It's pretty amazing. It can be scary, yeah, and dangerous - there's this one pride in particular, and the lions are all red or black and HUGE. Like seriously, and all they want is to fight. It was...yeah, that was pretty scary."
He frowned thoughtfully for a moment before continuing, "There are amazing places, too. I once found this place - I was at the top of a waterfall, and I couldn't see the bottom 'cause of all the steam and mist, and there were these amazing birds that were blue and purple and yellow...it was just, like...beautiful."
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 1:59 pm
She settled herself more comfortably, her eyes wide and unblinking, looking up at him as if she could see all the things he spoke about reflected there in his face. She certainly was a child at heart, especially when it came down to the outside world she knew nothing of.
And then he began and her eyes grew wider and wider until they looked just about ready to roll straight out of her head.
"They sound really scary! I mean, who would want to fight all the time? We don't fight here in this pride. I mean there was a contest once. My elder brother took part. But that's all." She shook her head, amazed. "Fighting is bad. It makes people unhappy. Have you been there, Takuma? To see the big lions? Did they try and fight you? Did you win?"
She was getting a little carried away again.
And then she tried to imagine the landscape he was describing. A waterfall, so tall you couldn't see the bottom. And lots of birds flying all around your head, calling out to one another.
Her heart pounded at the thought of it.
"It sounds wonderful..." She shook her head. "You're so lucky!"
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 2:05 pm
"Yeah..." he mumbled, giving a nod. He didn't understand why they fought, but he certainly did understand that the lionness he'd run into had been completely hot. He'd only been an adolescent, naive and guillible. But she'd been gorgeous, enough so to entice him into a fight with her to learn her name. He grinned at the memory.
"Yeah, I fought one. A lionness, she was a bit older than me. I didn't really...well, there wasn't a clear winner and loser. But I impressed her enough that she told me her name?" he answered, giving a small shrug. Did that make him a winner? He wasn't sure.
"Yeah...it was wonderful," he mused, a smile lighting up his face at the thought. He was quite lucky, really. "I've been to lots of prides - my mother and two sisters live in the sea pride down on the coast. And I was born in the Pridelands. And..." And he had children in the swamplands, but he decided he'd leave that part out. "And I've got a twin sister. She's wandering around too, though."
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 2:15 pm
"Woooow." Laka looked impressed about this. He'd fought a big bad lion and managed to find out her name? How exciting! This lion certainly had had some great adventures, that was certain. He looked pretty big and strong to Laka, but if these lions were supposedly bigger than him...?! Well, she wasn't actually sure she wanted to meet one, especially if they were looking for a fight. She'd be squished beneath their massive paws!!
And then he listened as he spoke about the land of his birth and his family, spread around the world. Laka only knew the members of her family that lived here and, as far as she was aware, that was all there was.
"The Pridelands? Really? That's amazing! My mother was born there too, and lived there for a while. Then she came here and settled with my Father to raise a family." Her tail twitched. "I'd love to see it someday. It was where she was raised after all..."
She seemed to grow a little calmer around the subject of family. "It sounds like you have a big family, too. Family is the best thing in the entire world. I got lots of family, too, but they all live here. Maybe I have other family outside but...I'm not sure I'd recognise them even if I came across them." A pause. "So, you're family didn't mind you and your sister travelling around then? Even though it is dangerous out there?"
((losing the colour cos its hurting my eyes! >< !! xD ))
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