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 Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:15 pm
 Txur wasn't being lazy, but he didn't have anything to do, having fulfilled his required duties for the morning. Ordinarily he might have lingered at the tree of souls, just to appreciate the peaceful atmosphere and calming effect the tree seemed to generate, but he was in the mood for more a more active free-time activity.
Taking an unusual direction back from the tree, Txur decided to head to where the warriors trained and ask if he might join them in practice. His father was the commanding warrior, which meant he wasn't an uncommon sight in the area, given his close ties to his family, but he still didn't often ask if he could train with the warriors. It wasn't quite against his nature, but it was definitely out of character, and he wasn't particularly good at it.
Nevertheless, he was allowed to be someone's punching bag and scratching post for a time before his opponent very politely suggested that he might have had enough for one day. Feeling bruised and battered, but strangely at peace, Txur agreed and wandered over to the side to watch the other lions at their work. He did admire their talent.
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Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 1:58 pm
Across the far side of the area, one particular male slowly wound down his own practice and slipped away from the others, padding round the tree line until he drew close to the pale-maned priest. Despite the violent activity he had been engaged in, the muscular and much scared hide was clean and glossy, free of sweat or injury. By the time he settled down and stretched his forepaws in front of him, his breathing had fallen to its regular deep even rhythm and he looked completely at ease.
After a while, yellow eyes turned to the priest and Tsamsiyu dipped his head in greeting. "Oel ngati kameie, Txuratan." He said, using the traditional words without a thought, a habit that he had never quite managed to drop after his parent's deaths so many years ago. Of course, having grown up in the pride, Tsamsiyu knew all the members by name and face, even if he rarely actually spoke to them, being who he was, his routine didn't always mesh with everyone else's but he did try and avoid being a total hermit.
"They are good, yes?" Looking back at the warriors he smiled faintly, though a shadow existed within his vibrant gaze, one left behind by the savage invasion that the pride had once suffered, when he himself had been a warrior. Tsamsiyu able to recall the bloody fighting and unnecessary deaths of his kin far too easily.
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 8:21 pm
Txur was content to sit in silence, just watching the others practice. When an older lion came to join him he continued to do so, accepting the other's presence with tacit good will. He had learned early on in life that sometimes it wasn't necessary to talk, even to be friendly. Many times words just got in the way. At least when he was younger. Learning not to say anything had taken a while, but now he was pretty adept at companionable silences.
"Oel ngati kameie, Tsamsiyu'eyng," he replied without taking his eyes from the match he was watching. "They are very skilled. Unfortunately, I am so lacking in these skills myself, I can't truly appreciate what I'm looking at, except to observe that they seem to be very good."
In other words, he couldn't tell when one warrior had an advantage over another, or predict how a match would turn out, or say why the combatants had done certain things and not others. He could really only appreciate how impressive they looked doing their thing. One downside to priesthood was that a priest at work did not look particularly impressive or interesting.
"Still, they're good enough not to leave me broken and bleeding when I take it into my head to try to do as they do." Here he grinned at his own lack of prowess.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:14 am
Tsamsiyu himself was perfectly happy with the quiet, but equally he enjoyed the brief connection to his pridemates that conversation could provide. Being of a more solitary nature than most he would reach out to others often when he found himself with a rare bit of free time. Dipping his head at the returned greeting he let his eyes roam over the combatants before them, unconsciously watching their techniques, knowing how most of the bouts would end up, but the majority of the pride's warriors were as equally talented as each other so he feared none of them sustaining any true injury.
Glancing back to the male at his side he smiled. "Not everyone is born to be a warrior, just as not everyone is born to be a priest. You and your brothers and sisters of the priesthood are just as important as the warriors." Chuckling he looked once again at the displays of prowess in the forest clearing. "Your work is as mysterious to me as the stars, but I am grateful for it just the same." Giving Txur a wry smile Tsamsiyu chuckled. "I would rather train young warriors than priests, it seems by far a simpler occupation." Like every warrior he had been through his own Uniltaron (Dream Hunt), but he knew almost nothing about why it happened or how... his memories of that particular night were fuzzy at best and down right weird at worst. Better to let those who understood such things preside over them and pass that knowledge along.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 12:14 pm
Txur grinned. "I have no doubt about the importance of my brothers and sisters in the priesthood. I know our work is important."
The thought of the work of the priesthood being mysterious sort of tickled Txur. He knew it required a great deal of study and practice, but that was the same for every craft and calling. It was also good to know that the others in the pride were grateful for what the priesthood did. Txur loved his work, but that didn't mean he didn't sometimes think it was taken a bit for granted.
"Not too different, really. No one gets hurt at least when your students are inattentive in the priesthood."
It wasn't as though student priests weren't made to prove their knowledge completely thoroughly and on many separate occasions, so even a single afternoon's inattentiveness wouldn't put anyone at risk due to a ritual being performed incorrectly by an improperly schooled priest.
"Do you ever do any work with the pride's cubs?" Txur asked. Whenever he was able, Txur would spend time working with the Iknimayan cubs, teaching them about the pride or the gods or anything else he could share with them that interested them.
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Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:22 am
Tsamsiyu chuckles softly, gaze once again on the warriors training across the way, though his attention remained on their conversation. "If you say so, but I agree, a lower rate of injury is a good thing, even if you priests have your fair share of dangers." Here he looked at the other with a kind of respectful awe. Having been on the receiving end of more than one ceremony, the Toruk was well aware of just how delicate the balance was while they were performed, and he knew many a lion wouldn't have succeed on such occasions if it wasn't for the priesthood's collective experience and talent.
The other male's question teased a soft, regretful sigh from the retired warrior. "Not as often as I would like.... I spend what time I can with them but I spend many days in the forest and only return to Hometree between missions. But they are a joy to work with when I have the time." He wondered about his own cubs, if or when he ever had a family of his own. He was hoping he may be able to stay closer to the pride, to take less missions out in the savannah and mountain areas that lay beyond the Iknimaya boarders. But such trips were a closely guarded secret, even from his fellow pridemates, and so he remained silent on such worries. But he hoped Eytucan would look upon his request favorably when the time came.
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Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:10 am
"Of course," Txur said. "I ought to have thought of that."
His own father was the commanding warrior of the pride, but that didn't require him to go into the forest all that often. In fact, it rather required him to stay within the pride to help warriors train. Txur heard that there had once been a time when the pride had but a few warriors, and the majority of lions who felt the urge to do physical things became hunters rather than warriors. But that had been before Txur was born.
"But they are fun to work with most of the time." He couldn't help adding those last four words. Because the lessons Txur taught were not generally active, young cubs could become antsy and bored just sitting and listening.
"I hope when I have cubs of my own, they're attentive pupils, and I don't have to hear bad things from their instructors. I'm sure I'll turn out to be a horrible disciplinarian."
Not that he had cubs, or even much possibility of having any in the near future. He had long harbored affection for his childhood friend Petra, but he had never spoken of it to her. She had so many other things to worry about as adviser to the next consort, he didn't want to add to her concerns. He also had no idea if she shared his feelings, and that made him reluctant to speak, too.
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Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:57 am
Tsamsiyu smiled softly, though the expression was a little regretful. Yet he did not wish to change his life, or his role in the pride. What he did, he did for the future generations, to make sure that what happened to his family, his parents and brothers and sisters, never ever happened again, to his kids or his grandkids, or anyone in the pride he knew and loved. Never again would war decimate his homeland, not while he still lived, and he hoped that in the future, another Toruk Makto would continue to protect them. He hoped to train his apprentice within the next few seasons, before he got too old to teach all he knew to his replacement. He wanted to take the youngster out into the roguelands, to pass on everything he had learned over his lifetime, so that the next generation of protectors could advance that knowledge and continue the tradition. But that would mean either having his own family, or scouting a cub from the pride, which provided him with a quandary, for he could not reveal his role to anyone until he was sure they were the one he would train, but equally, he was not around enough to get to know the up and coming youngsters well enough to make that choice.
Shaking the circulating thoughts form his mind he returned Txur's smile. "I am sure they will be as well behaved as any cub, they are young and will do as youngsters do. But there is no harm in enjoying ones childhood... they grow up fast enough as it is." A slightly wistful tone entered his words for a brief moment before he shook the feeling off. He would find his mate if and when Ewya decided he was to do so.
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:41 am
Txur wondered if the hint of regret he read in Tsamsiyu's expression related to his single and cubless state. He had not really thought of the pride's Toruk Makto in that way, but he supposed the warrior would have as much desire as anyone else to have a family someday, despite or perhaps because of the danger of his position.
"Doubtless Mother Eywa will ensure things have the intended outcome," he said. It was a thoughtless nothing, and despite his curial status in the pride that was not what he believed. He believed something more along the lines of a lion being responsible for figuring out what Mother Eywa's intent was, and then acting to fulfill it, rather than waiting for her to do everything.
"I have tarried too long here. I am sorry to cut our conversation short, but I'm supposed to be meeting Sister Petra shortly and I would like some time before that to try to make myself presentable." He smiled at the futility of such an effort.
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 2:26 pm
Unaware of the priest's thoughts he turned and smiled at the male, expression friendly and relaxed, his typical attitude when he wasn't working, hardly looking like the experienced, battle hardened old warrior he actually was.
"Indeed she will, and of course, it was not my intent to distract you." Chuckling he sat up as the other male stood. "Give my regards to Sister Petra?" he chuckled softly at Txur's last comment and shook his head, clearly refuting the other lion's wry smile, for Txur was a very handsome male and in Toruk's yes, was a fine example of his pride.
"May Ewya watch over you, Txur." He offered by way of a good bye. Standing himself he knew he should be getting back to his own duties. Offering the priest a nod as he turned and padded off, Toruk lingered a few moments before also bending his steps towards the heart of the pride and Hometree, where he would check in with Eytucan before going out on patrol.
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