|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 4:42 am
 "You know, I've changed my mind. I don't think I want to meet this lion after all," Muscar grumbled, looking at his twin.
She had been working very hard to arrange this meeting between him and the lion she'd met while he was out hunting and with whom she continued to meet. She had finally confessed when he brought pressure to bear on her, but he was still irked that he'd had to force it out of her at all. She should have told him, like she did the first time.
And that was what made it really painful for Muscar. The first time. Gliri had no memories of it because of the fever which had taken most of that year away from her and his care never to mention it or allude to it. As far as she was concerned, she had been very ill and that was all. She had no idea of what had happened in that year, but Muscar remembered, and this situation felt so similar, it was like he was doomed to keep reliving this horror.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 4:50 am
 Gliri glared at her twin brother and growled deep in her throat. As growls went, it wasn't a particularly threatening growl, but Muscar should get the message that she was not joking, and she very seriously wanted him to meet Shazidi.
"You have no choice in the matter, I'm afraid. I've already arranged to meet him today and told him that you would come along. If you don't come with me, I'll tell him that you were afraid to meet him."
In all likelihood, Gliri thought, her brother was a little afraid to meet Shazidi. It wasn't as though the siblings had a lot of experience making friends, though they did meet new people fairly frequently. It was one of the risks that came with being rogues, rather than having a pride with a generally pretty static population. Gliri, however, was usually the one who didn't want to meet new people and tended to hide or flee when confronted with the unfamiliar.
"Come on, Muscar. He really is a good person, and I think you'd like him if you got to know him. It's really important to me." It wasn't kind of her to do that, but sometimes manipulation was necessary. Besides, they were already there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:45 pm
 Shazidi glanced over his shoulder towards his home and shook a little. He'd thought it would be best to meet further away from his family's den, but hadn't realized exactly how nervous he'd be. What if Gliri's brother hated him? What if he was a brute and tried to kill him? He wasn't prepared to die so young. There were major experiences he'd have yet to have, such as being there for the birth of his first litter of cubs, or watching his offspring find their perfect mate. It would be a shame to loose such a beautiful experience just for making someone angry.
His tail twitched anxiously. His creamy fur was well groomed and his dark mane was silky smooth. He'd taken good care in cleaning himself up this morning and thought he looked fairly decent. He wanted to make a good impression on Muscar, if only for Gliri's sake. She was important, and that meant Shazidi would do anything to help her, even if that meant being faced with a protective twin brother in an unfamiliar setting. That was what good males did, right?
What had he gotten himself into?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:15 pm
"There he is!" Gliri whispered excitedly, nudging Muscar's shoulder.
She recognized Shazidi's form in the distance and had to make an effort not to go jogging up to meet him. Almost every time since their first meeting, she had to resist the urge to run to him. He made her feel safe and special, like her brother did, but also something more. If she was asked, Gliri would have said that she loved him. Admittedly, it would be whispered in a very quiet voice in a dark corner of her heart, but she wanted Muscar's blessing.
Her face lit up, though, when she saw Shazidi. Oh, gods, she was happy to see him. Sure, she'd seen him recently, but seeing him again was still enough to make her heart beat faster with delight. If Muscar knew, he would probably be furious. But maybe he did know. After all, it wasn't as though she could easily conceal the way she smiled when she talked about him, or even thought about him. And going by the way Muscar tended to scowl when he caught her smiling like that, she guessed he didn't like it.
"Please be nice, Muscar. He...means a lot to me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:27 pm
Muscar sighed softly, his gaze following his sister's to rest on a creamy lion with darker points and an even darker mane. He was far too male to suit Muscar's tastes, but he thought he could see what his twin saw in him. Somehow he hadn't expected that the other fellow would seem nervous. Gliri said that he made her feel safe, but how could she feel safe with someone who was nervous about meeting her brother? If he'd been in a mood to be fair, Muscar would have acknowledged that he, too, was nervous about this meeting, but just now he was not feeling very fair. He was feeling over-protective and a little affronted by Shazidi's very existence.
He stopped when he thought they were close enough, though he could tell Gliri wanted to move closer. They were close enough to talk, and needed to get no closer. Knowing Gliri, she would probably want to position herself somewhere behind him, somewhere safe. Except, no. This was an unprecedented situation, where she wanted him to meet someone, and not the other way around.
He didn't know what she would do once introductions were made, but from the look of it, she didn't seem to be doing much to make introductions. Her last words were a plea to him to be nice. Very well. He would be nice. Or at least civil. He could do that much for her. But, gods, this felt familiar, and he didn't like it.
"Hello," he said, meeting the other lion's eyes. "I'm Gliri's brother, Muscardini. I assume you're Shazidi?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:51 pm
Shazidi felt smaller the closer Muscar approached. He smiled at Gliri, being sure to subdue it a bit to avoid angering her brother, and stood as they approached. Polite, agreeable, likeable. That's all Shazi had to manage, and he'd have made it through this meeting with no harm.
He took a final deep breath as they approached the point of no return and let it out quietly. "Yes sir, I am. It's great to meet you. I've heard quite a bit about you." He gave a polite bow of his head and turned to Gliri. "Hey, Gliri. It's good to see you again."
He wanted to say so much more. He wanted to express how happy Gliri made him, and how happy he was that they hadn't moved on yet. He wanted to ask to introduce the both of them to his family and to share stories and good times with them. He wanted the awkward first meeting to just be over.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 4:10 pm
Gliri shot her brother a look. It was quick, almost not there at all, but she was reasonably certain that Muscar caught it. Muscar had grown up watching her for such quick signals, and he was good at interpreting the slightest of gestures. At least, Gliri hoped he would be. Because she was not pleased with the way he was starting this. She understood that he was not happy to be doing this, but at the same time, she really wished he would just pretend to be happy and play along.
"Hey, Shazidi," she said, returning his greeting warmly, while still managing to keep her overall manner subdued. "It's good to see you, too. I'm glad you could make it."
She very deliberately placed herself at an angle to both males, signaling that she was not playing favorites between them. She also hoped that if things deteriorated, her location between them might forestall actual physical conflict, though she couldn't imagine things going that badly. Neither Muscar nor Shazidi was particularly violent by nature, though both seemed inclined to protect her. She was fine with being protected, but not when her would-be protectors couldn't get along.
"Don't worry, Muscar, I've only told him the good things," she said with a smile that only looked a little like it had been pasted on. "And the same about you, Shazidi."
Very quietly she added, "I hope the two of you can see these things in each other."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 4:14 pm
Muscar did, in fact, catch his sister's look and had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes. He was going to behave well. She needn't worry about that. Apparently she didn't have to worry about Shazidi behaving, either, judging by how carefully polite the other lion was being toward him. 'Sir'? That was something he didn't hear often. Or at all, really. It was almost enough to make him smirk, but he suppressed that urge, too. It was easily done, considering the warm greeting his sister gave.
"So we've both heard all the good things about each other. I guess that means Gliri's left us to discover the bad things for ourselves?" Now it was his turn to shoot Gliri a look, one which conveyed that he was joking, at least in some small part.
Really, Gliri worried too much. He wasn't going to attempt to crucify Shazidi unless the other lion gave him an excuse. A part of him hoped that he would. If he did, it wouldn't matter that Gliri had tactically positioned herself in between him and Shazidi. He could go over her, or around her.
But he shouldn't be thinking these thoughts. They weren't conducive to making a first impression. Or seeing the good in Shazidi, as Gliri had softly wished he would. Why did she have to care so much about Shazidi? It made Muscar feel inadequate.
"Why don't you tell me a little about yourself?" he asked, forcing a friendly smile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:38 pm
Everything seemed to be going okay, and Shazidi felt his muscles relaxed slightly. Not enough to make him feel actually comfortable, but between a pleasant outlook and Gliri's closeness, he could find it in him to give a genuine smile.
That was, until Muscar's 'joke'.
He blinked and sputtered a little. "I assure you there's nothing to be worried about." He swallowed softly and tried to regain a little composure. "Uhm. Not much to tell I suppose. You probably already know my family lives near by. I have eight siblings, who you've probably heard causing trouble all over the place, and I'm the quietest out of all of them. I'd much rather enjoy a peaceful river than anger a herd of elephants, unlike them." He chuckled and shrugged. It was a little uncomfortable to just blurt out information about himself, but he supposed he just had to suck it up and do it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:54 pm
Muscar listened to Shazidi and tried to find something dislikable, other than his nervousness. Being nervous was no reason to dislike a person, particularly if one took into consideration Gliri's personality. She went beyond nervousness, and Muscar loved her unconditionally, which is why he was so mistrustful of Shazidi. It wouldn't matter how many assurances Gliri offered him, or how polite Shazidi was. This was his twin sister the other lion was interested in, and it would not be easy for him to win Muscar's approval to make off with Gliri.
"Remarkably, I've managed to see neither hide nor hair of your family. Perhaps we hunt in different directions." It wouldn't surprise him, given that he had been taking care to avoid the direction Gliri said Shazidi lived in since he had learned of the other lion's existence. He didn't want to run into any of them.
It was significant to Muscar, however, that Shazidi came from such a large family. For one thing, it meant that if things with Gliri did progress - gods forbid! - she would be well-protected, in theory. But she might also be overwhelmed by so many people living in close proximity. Eight siblings was practically a pride unto itself.
He smiled, and it was an easy smile that didn't offer any hint at what his next words would be: "That's very interesting, though you're correct in your supposition that I already know most of that."
His smile became more pronounced, and just a little bit sharp-edged. "What I really want to know is what your intentions are toward my sister. I'm sure you understand my concern, as we both know Gliri's a very special girl."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:01 pm
Gliri's heart went out to Shazidi. His position was unenviable, and she knew Muscar was hardly going out of his way to make him more comfortable. Unfortunately, she could only hint at her brother. She couldn't actually control his actions. She thought - she hoped - that he was relenting when both males began to relax and a smile appeared on her brother's face. Her own smile was definitely more feminine that Muscar's, but also reminiscent of it in the way that only a twin's smile can be.
Her smile shifted to a grin as Shazidi described his family. She was glad that she'd met him, rather than one of his brothers. They sounded like fun lions, but she knew full well that any one of them would have frightened her accidentally with their more boisterous, outgoing manner. Even now, knowing of them second-hand, she thought they might be a bit much for her all at once, but with someone safe and reliable by her side she wouldn't mind meeting them a few at a time.
She looked hopefully at Muscardini, but seeing his smile sharpen made her own smile fade. She knew what that smile heralded, but it was too late to stop him from asking what had to be the most embarrassing question in the history of history. She cringed and her ears lay flat against her skull with displeasure.
"Muscar!" she exclaimed, horrified. Then she turned quickly to Shazidi and said, "You don't have to answer that. I'm sorry. He's just being overprotective."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:19 am
Shazidi's heart skidded to a halt and he stared at Muscardini with an expression of pure surprise. Was he serious? Shazi wasn't even sure he'd heard Nazih himself utter that question, but here he was, faced with the task of answering it in a way that made him look like a good lion and didn't anger Gliri's brother. He took a deep breath.
"It's okay Gliri. He deserves an answer. You're his only sister, and you're important to him." He turned to Muscar, a determined look falling over his soft features. "But she's important to me, too. I like your sister very much. However, I only want whatever she wants. No more, no less. I won't push her, I won't betray her, I won't hurt her." He frowned. "My intentions are to be there for her for whatever she needs me for, be it just a friend or.. something more." He smiled softly at Gliri when he was done talking, with all the warmth and love he did indeed feel for her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 8:52 am
Gliri would have happily sunk into the earth. She was crouched unhappily where she had only moments before sat up straight and hopeful. She should have known things would go like this. She knew Muscar, and she should have seen the signs which pointed to this sort of thing. She was, for the first time in her life, actually angry at her brother, and partially tempted to commit violence against him.
She stepped toward her brother, bringing her mouth close to his ear and whispering, "This. Is. Unnecessary. And if you continue with what you're doing, I will never speak to you again. Ever."
Gliri stepped back to her spot and squared her shoulders as Shazidi reassured her that it was all right. She did not think it was all right, but she could force herself to be at least as brave as he was being and deal with this in an adult manner, without cringing, cowering, or running away. She would have liked to run away though. A lot.
She didn't, though. She held very still while Shazidi answered her brother, much like a prey animal that knows it's been spotted but is trying to blend in anyway. Her heart was beating about as quickly as that same prey animal's would be, too. She already knew, although there was no way to convey it to Shazidi, that there was no right answer to the question in her brother's eyes. But to her, Shazidi's answer meant a great deal.
She returned his smile quickly, aware that she was probably giving him false hopes by encouraging him. She wanted him to know that she felt the same way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 9:19 am
Muscardini looked nonplussed at his sister's warning, but in truth he was concerned. He didn't know if Gliri had it in her to actually refuse to speak to him ever again, but it was a risk he didn't want to take. He needed his sister more than he could express. He didn't want to lose her over this, but he also didn't want to lose her to Shazidi. He managed to smile at her in what he hoped was a reassuring manner, but noted that it was from Shazidi that she took comfort. He was not pleased.
But listening to Shazidi's answer Muscar found himself in an even less palatable position. He recognized the other lion's tone, because it was what he sounded like to himself when he thought about his sister. Not the potential for romance part, but the part where he was willing to be anything she wanted him to be. He had grown up acting as her sole friend and protector, and even though the role was demanding, he was not willing to relinquish it to anyone else.
"I'm not comfortable with you," Muscardini said truthfully. "I'm not comfortable with the fact that you have been sneaking around seeing my sister for...how long has it been, anyway? I'm sure you really do mean the best, but you should have sought me out initially, made yourself known to me. The sneaking around...no."
He shook his head, trying to decide what he should do from here. Shazidi would try to placate him. He knew that, but he didn't know if he could be placated. He'd unwittingly hit the exact spot of what bothered him about all this. He could maybe live with the idea that Gliri would love someone else, but the fact that they'd been sneaking around really hurt him. It hurt him and made him angry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 9:35 am
Shazidi gave them both a confused look. Why did this seem so tense? Why should his care for her make everything seem that much worse? He watched the way Gliri kept very still and the expression on her brother's face. He'd said something wrong. He'd messed this up.
His face scrunched up at Muscar's words and he tilted his head. "Sneaking around? I haven't been sneaking around at all. I've been visiting your sister and enjoying her company and learning about her life. None of that involves sneaking. She's a grown lioness, and I am a grown lion. Neither of us needs permission to go out and spend time with our friends." Forget placating. Shazi's pride was being shot at here, and while he didn't have much, he was a little protective of what he did have.
He was not some sleezy male who went behind backs and took lionesses at his leisure. He was a good, kind-hearted male with everyone's best interest at heart, and to be accused to sneaking around to get to someone's sister was a painful call.
It all seemed a little unfair to Shazidi. Here he sat, doing his best to be a good friend and meet with her family and learn all her could about Gliri, and here her brother stood analyzing him and making accusations. His sisters and brothers didn't demand to meet Gliri and judge her, and neither did his mother or Nazih. Didn't he deserve the same respect?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
