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 Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 10:21 pm
Home.
There was a new kind of meaning to the word now, a kind of meaning she'd never truly managed to appreciate. Until now.
The soft cool squish of the mud between her tan toes, the thick wet air in her lungs, the dappled coolness of the shade... she'd missed this place. Missed these people. And she hadn't even realized. Sure building those walls around her heart kept her from feeling hurt. But they'd also kept her from feeling happy. From feeling loved, from being able to love. She'd needed the guidance of the spirits in the worst way, and they'd helped her to find so much more than just a name on her quest.
She'd found herself too. And she'd found it in the kindness of a stranger. Someone who'd been full of nothing but compassion, even for a lost little lioness like herself. A soul filled with love. It had been the name she was looking for, and the life she had found once again.
Janan'Daya smiled, letting her paws take her along the edges of the pride, where she often went now to watch and see if her precious brother would be returning today. She needed to tell him how much she loved him, and while the rituals must be observed, she just wanted to see him coming and know he was home safe...
This was ever so exciting.
Keena couldn't keep the smile off her face as she walked, listening happily and trying to answer all the questions the little god had for her. He was the cutest thing, even though she didn't think he'd be happy to hear that. Many males prefered to be called 'handsome' or 'rugged' or some such thing. But he was adorable, and she was so glad to have met him.
Even if it were merely happenstance, as she was begining to suspect. But that hardly seemed to matter now. He was such wonderful company, and she was happy to lend him a paw in his attempts to find out more about mortals.
She'd gladly keep him if she could have, take him home and introduce him to her adoptive daughter Star, who was currently with the wonderful leopard Dysi. Keena had some wanderlust going on with her, as she'd realized not too long after taking the little juve under her metaphorical wing. Kisun wasn't the only one with the desire to wander off, Keena just made sure she let people know when she was doing it.
"I met him around here, so the pride's territory must be this way," she announced during a pause in his words, loathe to interupt him but eager to share this bit of information. Soon they'd find someone suited to answer his questions about prides- whoops! Keena squeaked in surprise as her paw landed not on solid ground, as she'd expected, but sank right to the middle of her legs in some kind of mud or water.
Now that was unexpected!
"Watch your step," she cautioned carefully, hoping her warning wasn't too late as she tried to extract her paw. It came free with a wet sucking sort of sound, and she examined the muddy limb with amusement. "I guess we've found the swamps..."
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 6:34 am
It was too late. The godling had been talking both of Keena’s ears off with how questions anywhere from how often she needed to sleep to asking if she ever met anyone that looked like him. The last one had been a sneaky question he asked in order to see if there was anyone that looked like that could possibly be family. As it was, he was unaware his spots looks similar to other animals and naturally assumed his golden pelt and orange spots were something strictly unique to him. It was his wondrous pelt and gorgeous hair that he prided himself on – which didn’t make the dangers of a swamp come to him until he stepped alongside Keena and sand feet first into a sinking puddle. The slurp, suction sound of loose mud filled around him and in surprised panic, he scrambled up and on to sturdier but not drier land. His front paws were covered in mud as were half of his long mane.
He looked in clear disgust and surprise before his face fell way into a full-fledged pout. “EEEWWW!! MY PPAAAWWS!! MMYY HHHAIR!!!!!!!!!!! He looked over to Keena with misting eyes. “KEEENNAAA! LOOOOOKKK!!! He held up his paws pathetically at what had happened, and looked back down, not knowing what to do with himself. The swamp just mucked him up and as much as he could see, there wasn’t any clean water around to wash up. HE LOOKED UGLY THIS WAY!!!
Khuluma officially hated swamps.
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 6:53 am
Well. Someone was certainly here today. But it definitely was not her brother. Quietly, the young lioness made her way through the trees and plants towards the voices. Drawing nearer, she slowed, caution reminding her that not all strangers were kind. Some were quite dangerous indeed. Just because they deserved the benefit of the doubt did not mean caution could be tossed away.
Still, it was hard to find this pair even remotely threatening. Janan'Daya suppressed a giggle at the little lion's reaction to the mud of her home. Really, it wasn't so bad. It came right off if it had to, and it didn't hurt anything. Her fur was white too, and if it came clean so would his.
"Don't worry," she called, padding lightly forward until she was just visible though the leaves and mossy low-hanging branches, "It will come clean again." Silly little cub. Adorable though.
"Oh!" Keena gasped, scrambling to try rescuing the little god, did gods even need rescuing? They were gods after all. But Khuluma was so small, and he'd yelped with such alarm that the lioness all but fell completely into the sinking puddle of mud again herself in an attempt to 'rescue' the godling.
Sputtering slightly she gave herself a quick shake, the mud in her mouth tasted absolutely vile, and she was certain it was still on her cheeks and chin...possibly her left ear too. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know it was here," she choked, looking at the splotches of mud on his soft little coat and his silky mane. "I'm sure we'll find some way to get it off," the lioness soothed, glancing down at her own muddied fur. She hadn't quite considered this to be a problem, but clearly Khuluma was very much upset by it.
Distracted as she was by her companion's distressed state, she didn't notice the arrival of a newcomer until the lioness had spoken. Startled, she glanced over at the other female before smiling back at the little god. "There, see? It's nothing to worry about, look how white her fur is. I'm sure it can be cleaned off."
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 7:58 am
Gods such as Khuluma did need rescuing from time to time, and in this case, he was most appreciative for Keena to being his savior from the evil that was muddy muck. As larger than other young lions, he was picked up and helped out of the mud and to be safe, Khuluma decided he’d stick to Keena’s side. Inspecting himself, the poor lion looked nearly in tears over such a simple matter of muddy paws and hair, but he looked distressed over how he looked and how icky he felt. For a swamp, it was a rather unclean place. Who would want to make a pride in such a bad location.
“I’ve been all over the place while traveling and this, by far, is the most unappealing place to be.” He even was in the mountains where snow caused him to shiver, but at least it wasn’t that dirty there. Just bitterly cold. At least he had company to be miserable with, and he looked at Keena. “Aww. You’re poor face is muddy. I’m sorry for making you a casualty.” Well, at least they both were dirty now, which helped a little.
It was the new voice that really startled him, and he whipped around, turning in circles to pinpoint the voice among the swampy foliage. When he finally settled in one direction (no one ever said he was the God of Hearing), he frowned. He wanted to meet someone here from a pride, but NOT LIKE THIS! He didn’t even look presentable! Unfortunately, there was no way to undue a first impression, so he had to make the best of it by being charming. However, Khuluma wasn’t all up for charming when he felt dirty. It was one of those things that ruined his mood.
“ That’s good that it goes out, but it doesn’t help me now. This whole place is muddy. I’d get clean and then be muddy all over again with the next wrong step I made.” There wasn’t a safe, clean, dry patch that he could see. That was until he spotted Keena and remembered how Pala use to carry him. Smiling, he moved up to the lioness he was traveling with and gave her a pleading look. “Keeeeennnnaaaa," He sang sweetly."... can I sit on your back? It’s clean there.” Well, clean for now.
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 12:18 pm
"Hmm? Oh, it's fine," Keena shrugged when the little god apologized for her getting muddy. It was only to be expected in a place like this. Besides, it was nice and cool, and the day was warm. Just because it was mucky didn't make it an altogether unpleasant experience. It could almost be kind of fun, if poor Khuluma wasn't so very upset by it.
She looked around herself as the godling spun in circles, catching sight of the white lioness at almost the same time he did. "Hello," she called brightly, not the least bit fazed by the mud in her pale coat. It was a swamp after all. The lioness glanced down at Khuluma as he spoke, blinking as he sidled up to her with that pleading little look. Sit on her back?
"Well, I...I don't suppose there's any harm to that..." she said finally, crouching down a bit so he could climb aboard. "Just be careful not to fall," Keena cautioned him. Were all gods this picky about their looks? It was just a bit of mud...but how could anyone say 'no' to that sweet little face?
Janan'Daya moved out more into the open, fighting the urge to laugh at the way the little one ran in circles trying to spy her. Only her paws had gotten muddied, and her forepaws were brown-toed to begin with. It was probably because she was used to the swamps, where they obviously weren't. She was the one who'd slept here last night, and they were the ones dripping with mud.
"I hate to tell you this, but your on the borders of my pride's territory," she told them, shifting her weight to sit on the very edge of what she knew to be her home. Once upon a time it wouldn't much matter, but now strangers were generally regarded with fear and suspicion. She liked to give the benifit of the doubt herself, but even she knew the dangers that could come from being too trusting...
She frowned faintly as the other lioness shifted. Gold spots. She'd met someone with golden spots...but hadn't that been the stranger the spirits sent to help her find her name? She'd been so out of it, she couldn't remember what the stranger had looked like. Just a little flash of golden spots, and laughing words of kindness. Perhaps...but, no. It was far too unlikely. Besides, strangers were no longer as welcome within the swamps. It was too dangerous.
"I'm afraid you're probably going to have to turn back..."
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:24 pm
“Oh, Keena. You are a prize among your kind!” The godling jumped for joy and waited for the goddess to lower down. Giddy, he scrambled upon her making, making sure to not jab her and taking care as he climbed up on her back. When he was there, he looked about. Full-grown lions were much smaller than gods were. He might be too much for her. Well, for now, he would stay here until he noticed she was uncomfortable or stressed. Right now, he was on something warm, soft, and very dry. “Don’t worry about having me fall. I used to do this with…ah, someone-else-I-knew all the time. ”
Happy on his new perch, he looked out to the other lioness, looking over at her fine, white pelt and how muddy it now was. He had to wonder why she would be in such a place when her pelt would be treated better someplace drier. This question was explained by the fact she was in a pride, and he broke into a grin as shimmering as his own pelt. A pride lion! This was exactly what he was looking for. “ You found us one, Keena! You are very good at finding lions in a pride. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you had powers!” He shook Keena’s shoulders, excited by the fact they found just what they were looking for.
Puffing out his chest, Khuluma he smiled at the white lioness. “I don’t hate to hear that I’m near a pride territory. We are actually here to find a pride. My name is Khuluma, and Keena here is my escort. She took me to this place with my express desire to meet someone in a pride. If it isn’t doing any harm, may I ask you some questions? I promise I won’t do anything wrong or enter your territory unless you want me to. If not, I can just turn about and leave.” Of he could pretend to leave and then fly into her territory – maybe. This lioness didn’t look dangerous. “What do you say? Care to enlighten a poor, tired, traveler?”
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Keena grunted as the not-quite-so-little godling clambered up onto her back. He looked like a cub, but he seemed to be a bit bigger. Ah well, even though she was a bit on the small side of average for a lioness it wasn't like he was too heavy for her to carry...though he was going to have to get down if they needed to run any place. She might be able to hold him, but she wasn't going to be moving very fast while he was there! Besides, he might fall off if she tried. She was more worried that such a tumble would hurt him, but at the very least he'd wind up muddier than he was now. He seemed to be rather upset by the idea.
"Well, I met one around here, it only made sense that his swamp pride would be in the swamp right near by..." she mumbled shyly at Khuluma's excited praise.
Still, she was glad he seemed to have cheered up some. Little golden godling or not, she hated when someone was unhappy. Especially when she could help. Besides, she didn't mind the mud and he wasn't that heavy...his moving around made her worry that he'd fall though. Well, at least the ground was soft around here...
What an odd pair they were. At first she'd thought the little one might be the lioness' cub, they were both light with gold markings so it was possible. But now he was calling her an 'escort' and reffering to her as a 'prize amoung her kind'. Did that mean he wasn't of her 'kind'? Or...maybe he was 'nobility' as she'd heard some of the other strange prides had.
That might make sense. A young 'royal' lion and his...nanny? Retainer? No, 'escort'. That's what he had called her.
"Well, I can't let you in without asking the ones who lead our pride," Janan'Daya apologized, "But I don't see any harm in answering a few questions. What would you like to know?"
If only she knew what had happened to the last lioness who'd agreed to answer 'a few questions'...
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 3:58 pm
While he usually liked to get close to who he spoke to, he decided to instead speak up to be able to be heard over to where the other lioness was. He was a bit upset that she didn’t offer her name, but if she was here as security, giving out names to him might be her idea of a precaution. For now, he’d accept it. She was willing to answer his questions. "Oh, you are a most gracious, kind lioness. I appreciate all the help!" His words were only genuine and sincere.
Wiggling his behind in anticipation, he gathered his thoughts and gave a small “ahem” to clear his throat. Khuluma was preparing to let loose with his interrogation. “Well, your pride is a matter I’m curious about along with prides in general. First off, what lead you be in this pride and why are you staying here now? What are the benefits of staying here and would you ever leave? Can anyone start a pride? Who else is in your pride? How large is your pride and are most prides as big?” He paused, knowing that going onward would be too much to digest at once. Whatever answers he received would lead him to answer different questions.
As he spoke, he made sure to place a paw on Keena’s ear, just to make sure he wasn’t yelling into her ear. The last thing he wanted was for his friend to go deaf. It would ruin any chance to ask her any questions. As for the white lioness, she’d probably wish to go deaf if she was left in his company for too long.
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:14 pm
Keena squeaked as a muddy paw landed on her ear, trying to smother a giggle at the slippery feel of mud oozing down the side of her head. But it tickled! Haha! She was grateful to Khuluma for opting to save her hearing once he started with his questions, and cautiously inched a few steps closer to the other lioness to make conversation a bit simpler.
It was slow going though, for she feared dislodging her deitic passenger...and never thought she'd ever think that phrase. She had no desire to step and sink in mud unexpectedly, because that would probably cause the little godling to tumble in splat and then he would really be coated in the stuff.
She stopped when she felt the ground getting soggy under her formerly cream-colored toes. This would have to be close enough, she didn't trust the footing any further.
Janan'Daya approached cautiously when she saw the other lioness start to make her way carefully towards her. It was a bit rude to shout over a gap, but the pair of them had come in right at the wrong angle. There was a big boggy spot between them here, it was probably the thing both of them had tumbled into to get so very muddy.
But she didn't mind the mud. It was familiar, a part of home. And she'd delighted in the way it was so cool and squishy as a cub. It was still a bit fun to her now. Her darker ears pricked forward as the little one spoke, the mostly white lioness took a few wading steps into the mire, stopping when the watery earth reached her elbows. She'd no desire to sink any further in, this would have to be close enough. Idly she squished the mud between her toes, no one could see her feet and they didn't have to know she was essentially playing...
"Wow, you've a lot of questions," she chuckled when he seemed to pause for air. "Well...let me see... I'm in this pride because I was born here. My mother and father were once part of it, and the rest of my family is as well. I'm here because I like it here, it's my home. I had to leave to find my name when I came of age, and it only made me more sure that I want to stay here for the rest of my life.
"I suppose anyone who wanted to could start a pride. But they wouldn't get very far without others who would follow them. My pride has a lot of members now, my family is in it and their friends and their friends children and grandparents... it's kind of like a great big family really, only we're not all related by blood. I don't know too much about other prides, but I suppose they'd be kind of the same. Our pride is a bit big, though a lot of the lions and lionesses around my age are still out on their quests. My brother is." There, finished. Wow that was a lot of questions!
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 6:41 pm
As Keena moved, Khuluma held to her to maintain his balance. Unlike gods, Keena did not have wings to hold onto and keep him in place. Instead, he opted to hold on to her neck, and waited till she stopped moving before releasing his hold. When she was done, the other lioness took him mind from falling by starting to answer his many questions. Even though he had great hearing, he crawled up a bit further to set his front paws on Keena’s head, smushing her hair down as he looked up and over the lioness’ head to watch the white lioness speak.
It was all very rewarding information, but nothing Khuluma, Keena, and the white lioness could compare with other prides. Khuluma and Keena were never in a pride and the white lioness had never met another pride. This would need some investigating on Khululma’s part and that meant he would have to meet other mortals to ask. For now, he would take with him as much information as he could from this willing lady who was willing to answer. While he did have many questions, he was confused about why anyone would need to find a name. “ A quest to find a name? Why were you not given a name when you were born? What do they call you beforehand? Why would you need to find a name instead of being given one and if you don’t find one, what happens to you? Would this great family of yours accept you back to the pride? Makes little sense if they accepted you for so long without it.” Was this something special to just her pride or all prides in general. The idea of finding a name was silly to Khuluma, who had his name since waking up into existence. He just had a name already there, and he didn’t think it was the wrong one. He called himself Khuluma and that was what everyone else called him. Who could challenge him on it anyways?
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Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 11:05 pm
Keena was no longer sure she entirely approved of the little godling perched on her back. She had no desire for him to fall and be harmed, and with all the moving, shifting, and general potential for a fall the lioness was beginning to worry that the youngling was going to do just that. She scrunched one eye as he muddy paws landed on her head, fighting the urge to giggle at the slippery feeling of it sliding down the side of her face.
Honestly, if she laughed he might slip right off!
My, but he had a lot of questions, more than she'd thought a creature could hold. But there didn't seem to be any harm in it, it was more like speaking to a curious cub than anything else. And he certainly looked to be nothing more than that.
"My mother gave me a child's name, but I had to find the one that suited me as an adult. I wouldn't have gone home until I found it, sometimes it takes a long while but no one's ever come back without one." It seemed utterly foreign that someone would return without their name, who would do that? Janan'Daya wasn't sure what would happen in such a case...it simply never happened. A strange question, but she'd seen stranger things on her quest. "I've learned everyone thinks differently of names, but the spirits guide us to find who we truly are while we are seeking our name. I suppose perhaps that it is more than just the name we are to find?" Was she answering his questions properly? He had so many, and some of them made so little sense...
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Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 3:57 pm
This was all new to him, and he wondered if anyone expected him to get an 'adult' name when he grew up. Personally, he liked Khuluma and would not trade it for anything else. This certain was a bizarre pride, but he supposed everyone had their own quirks and beliefs. He doubted this mortal even knew of gods, but the mention of spirits made him second-guess himself. "Spirits? What do you mean by spirits? Do you mean Gods and Goddesses?" If she was referring to this, then did that mean that some of his kind were helping this pride find names?!
He scooted up more on Keena, frowning as he felt it difficult to get his balance. "Keena, you're too lumpy." He told her, wondering why she was moving around so much. Here he was trying to talk and she was being very hard to hold on to. She really needed some jewelry so that he could hold on to it.
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:22 pm
Gods? Janan'Daya frowned slightly. Others had asked that before, she supposed they must think of spirits as that, but what she'd heard about them made her think they were just a different sort of idea. Very different. People had lots of different notions though.
"No, I mean spirits," she told him, "I think what others call gods and goddesses are to them what our spirits are to us, but they seem to a different sort of thing."
Lumpy?
Keena tried to flatten her shoulder blades but they didn't seem the sort of things to flatten. Where else was she lumpy? "Uhm...I'm sorry?" the lioness tried, not sure how to go about fixing whatever it was that was wrong. She wasn't that lumpy, she was just...normal.
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Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 6:49 am
Khuluma waved his hand, dismissing Keena's apology. "No point saying sorry for something you can't fix. It's not your fault for being lumpy. I think you'd look funny if you had a flatter head anyways." He set his paws back on her hair and went back to addressing the white lioness. He was somewhat disappointed she wasn't talking about gods, but then again, wouldn't that be boring? Something new was something new after all.
"Well, I suppose if gods can be in the world, spirits can too. I wonder.." He wondered if gods could meet spirits, and if they would get along. One had to wonder what spirits even looked like!
"What do spirits look like, if I ever do happen across one? I'd like to meet one if I can." It seemed like a good thing for powerful creatures to see each other after all. Maybe they were great to talk to.
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