Tamana was quiet happily snoozing, lost in dreamland where he could see Mvua. Of course...he was on his way to visit her once again, but since the Aikanaro was a ways from the Matembezi...well, it wasn't a straight shot. He HAD to sleep at some point. He was not expecting to get pounced AT ALL. He yelped as he felt another weight on him, then growled and tried to get the weight off so he could take care of whoever was trying to squish him.
He found himself staring into his Uncle Duo's cobalt eyes. He sputtered a moment, then growled.
"Dammit, Uncle Duo! Th' hell'd ya sneak up on me like tha'?!" Duo laughed and got off of his nephew.
"Damn, man...your expression was priceless! And I scented you in the area. HAD to pay a visit. Me 'n' Shini and her cubs aren't likely to be visiting the rest of you for a while." Tamana nodded sadly.
"I know. Mind, it's jus' Shini 'n' th' li'l ones I'll miss! 'Cause yer an ijit." Duo gave the other lion a flat look.
"Uh-huh. And who's the idiot for being snuck up on in the rogue lands?" Tama snorted and started setting his fur to rights.
"'N' yer th' self-proclaimed God o' Death. Ya sneak up on EVERYONE. So this didn' coun'!" Duo facepawed and shook his head, sighing.
"Whatever, man. Look...I want you to pass word about something for me. There's this girl I made friends with a while ago. I told her she should visit me after a while, and that if I wasn't in the Matembezi'wasakaji, I'd be in the Adrhi'Mrvingo'Patano. She's a leopard, and her name is Kairi. If she shows up...can you tell everyone she's a friend, and maybe have someone escort her to the Ardhi? Just in case she shows up before what I need to do is done? I don't want her hurt." His nephew blinked, then nodded.
"Yeah...I can pass on th' info. She sounds like more 'n jus' a friend, Duo..." Duo smiled sheepishly.
"I like her a lot...but I got things to do. She's a nice girl, Tama. Sweet and kind, but full of spunk. She's easy to get smiling or laughing, and it's somehow easier to do those things around her, too." Tamana laughed.
"Yer totally gone, Uncle Duo." He grinned. "N'worries though. I'll let th' others know, 'n' I'll escort her myself if needed!" His uncle wasn't his favorite lion, sure...but Duo was a good guy and deserved some happiness. Duo looked relieved.
"Thanks, Tama. That means a lot to me." Tama got a mischievous look.
"N'problem. After all...why make a pretty girl suffer 'cause yer an ijit?" Duo's indignant protest of 'HEY' went ignored. "S' how's Shini 'n' her cubs?" Duo grumbled a moment, then sighed.
"Shini's doing good. She seems to be doing okay as a mother. Especially considering some of the cubs." His brow twitched. "Rhine's a little hellion, and Bansidhe is...s**t, Bansidhe. Mazai's calmer, but her brain's all logical. Astraia seems to be the most 'normal' of the bunch. Not that any of us are EVER normal." Tama chuckled and nodded.
"Damn straight. Normal's for wimps. S' how's Pestilence?" Duo nodded.
"Well said, my nephew. Ugh...did you HAVE to bring the old man up?" The cobalt-eyed lion sighed. "Guy's STILL a slave driver. And now he's PARANOID on top of it! Like Shini and me are REALLY going to let ourselves get caught. We're not much good to the Colonies if we're caught." He shook his head, then looked back to the other lion. "So...how's everyone else? And where're you headed?"
"Well...everyone's okay, I guess. Gramma's gotten this...idea in her head for a festival o' some sort. Commander Dovev was kinda wondering if she got too close to some Medic's plants. Kyouko misses ya guys. Don' be s'prised if she shows up in the Ardhi one day. Pro'ly dragging someone with her." He sighed and shook his head. "Lelimeka, one o' Shup's daughters, th' one tha' came from th' Mwako, she's settlin' in jus' fine. 'N' I'm headed t' meet up with th' most beautiful lioness in my eyes." Duo perked up, curious.
"Oh~? You've got yourself a girl willing to put up with your idiocy?" Tamana stuck his tongue out and sat up staight.
"Not an ijit. 'N' Mvua'wingu is a bright light in th' darkness, a flower in th' desert! I met her by accident...but best accident o' my life!" He frowned. "But she's a slave, in th' Aikanaro'hini. She can't risk running away yet...but one day, I'm goin' t' free her, Uncle Duo. She deserves t'be free. Until then...I'll be her light, so she never gives up hope." Duo had never heard his nephew speak with so much convinction and determination. He blinked...then grinned.
"Love bug bit ya!" He pulled the other lion into a noogie. "You'll free her one day. And you'll have lots of little cubs, and grow old and white together, and tell all sorts of stories about distant lands and dark creatures and how heroic you were!" Tamana sputtered, wriggling to try and get out of the noogie.
"Uncle Duo!" He grumbled. "I'm not lookin' t' be heroic! I jus' wan' her happy 'n' safe. She seemed so sad th' firs' time I met her..." His ears drooped. Duo frowned and let Tama go.
"Oh come on, man, cheer up!" He smiled slightly. "You'll save her. Heck...if I live through what I gotta do, I'll help ya! Least I could do for you, since you've promised to make sure Kairi gets to the Ardhi safe." Tama stared at his uncle a moment...then gave him a thankful look of relief.
"Thanks, Uncle Duo. She...she means a lot t' me." He looked to the ground. "She reminds me a li'l o' Mother, before she died...but there's something abou' her tha's completely HER, too. I...I don' know how t' explain it..." Duo pat Tama's back.
"Than don't try. I'm glad you've found someone who makes you happy. Just don't go screwing it up!" Tamana grinned.
"No worries there! I have no intentions o' it!"
