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 Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:40 am
Kayin was…uneasy. Mother had asked them to join Sahen’s Ligi, and they had. But in the short time since he’d become a Ligi, he’d already found himself…well. Usually when he worked hard and applied himself diligently he could do well in anything his mother tried to teach them. All of that training had, supposedly, prepared them for this. But as a Ligi…he was kind of useless. Already he’d been hated at by one of the Tama Lords just for being what he was. Not who, what.
He hadn’t had the heart to ‘correct’ him either. Luckily no one else had been around but…well. It wasn’t very Ligi like. At least he was assigned to ‘bodyguard’ now, and by some miracle it was Kafele whom he was to look after. So at least he was lucky there. But he couldn’t spend all his time with his friend. And he was just…a terrible liar. And a worse bully. So how could he possibly do this?
Jabari was managing. Somehow he was pulling it off. Kayin had no idea how he did it though. But maybe there was some trick to it. JAbari was smart. He’d always been smart. Clever. He knew his brother would have had some plan, some method to not drawing Sahen’s anger without harming innocent lives. And so he had, once returning Kafele safely to the mouth, gone to look for his pale furred older brother. Jabari would know what to do. His brother could help him…
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:01 am
Jabari laid at the entrance of the jaw, numbly poking at the bunny he had been delivered. He hated this. It took away his appetite, not because he was good at the job, but because some part of him enjoyed it.
He glanced up as he heard someone approaching, watching his brother with mixed feelings. "Kayin," he said. "How are you doing?" It might be a casual welcome, but there was a hint of more meaning under the words. This wasn't easy on his brothers, he knew. Tasso needed to be kept focused, but Kayin--Kay was so much more sensitive than Tass.
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:10 am
How was he doing? Now wasn’t that a question that should have had an obvious answer. “Fine,” he decided after a moment’s thought. Everyone said ‘fine’ even when they weren’t really. It was a default answer. Probably didn’t even count as a lie, though maybe that only applied when it was reflexive. “Better now that I’ve been assigned as a bodyguard and won’t have as many patrols,” Kayin added softly, padding forward until he could sit by his sibling. “S-so…uhm…patrols… how are you doing with those?” he asked meekly, wishing it were easier to hide behind a confident façade. He could, sort of, but not with his family. And not with Kafele either apparently.
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:18 am
Jabari sighed, rolling onto his side so he was staring at his brother head-on. "You always were a lousy liar, Kay," he said quietly. This wasn't the conversation to be having in the jaw, though, so he got to his feet, stretching and tossing the remains of his rabbit into a small pile of bones. "Why don't we go on patrol and I'll show you? You've got some free time, don't you?"
The Shatkona wasn't there, staring at them with that twisted smile of amusement, but he had ears everywhere, especially here in his home.
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:42 am
…yeah. Jabari could see right through him of course. But he’d sort of half wanted that. Not to mention expected it. When his brother tossed a half-eaten rabbit aside, Kay felt instantly guilty for interrupting his sibling’s meal. If Jabari were bothered by it though, then he would have waited and finished, right? So… no need to worry? “Sure, I have some time now.” He had yet to get specifics on how being a guard for one of the heirs worked, but with Kafele back at the mouth and with his family, Kayin had been particularly careful to avoid his sister due to his friend’s warning, he didn’t think he was needed in particular. There were lots of Ligi about here after all.
Which was probably why his brother wanted to leave. Stupid Kay, stupid. Why did he keep doing things like that? It was even worse now…maybe it was just nerves or something. But he could in no way afford to be so nervous and clumsy about the Shatkona. Not when his actions reflected so upon his mother, his family. If he screwed up, would Sahen blame them? Probably. Heck, he might even manage to get Kafele into trouble by default!
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:17 pm
"I can practically feel you thinking," Jabari said as they started down the path that led from the jaw. "You're just going to make it worse. Let me and Mother do the thinking." It used to be "let mother do the thinking," he thought. Since when had he gotten so egotistical? "Everything you think shows on your face."
He walked silently for a bit, thinking over what they should talk about. He would have to be careful, because Kayin wouldn't be. "I heard you're a guard for one of the heirs," he said abruptly. "Do you like him?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:09 pm
Kay's ears flattened against his head in dismay and shame as his brother spoke. Jabari was right of course. He'd always understood that he was not the best choice to do the talking when it came down to it. He was too...honest. He couldn't lie but poorly, and his dodges around truths he didn't dare speak were, while no longer blatantly obvious, did seem to stick out more than he'd like. Maybe it was the pause he took to carefully chose his words. He just did not think as quickly as his clever brother. And he certainly had not proven to be able to keep up with his mother's plans and plots either.
"Kafele? Yes," Kayin actually smiled, the dejected lay of his ears lessening, "We used to play when we were little, I didn't know he was an heir but, then, he didn't either." And he was so glad that it was his best friend rather than some snotty arrogant cruel powerhungry mini-Sahen...
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:20 pm
"Like me," Jabari summed up with a hint of dry amusement. "Look, Kay," he said, stopping where they could see most of the pride. "This is what we're doing what we do for. They're pathetic, they're starved, they're suffering because of Ligi. If you weren't having trouble with this, I would be shocked."
He started walking again. "I'm glad you like him," he said. "But is he worthy of being the Shatkona? Can he repair the mess in front of us?"
This conversation was quiet, a soft tone that would barely carry to the brother that was walking beside him.
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 2:03 pm
Kayin stopped when his brother did, his expression turning somber once again as he looked over the pride's lands. He knew. He knew this task of being a Ligi was meant to protect those of the pride under the Shatkona's crazed and cruel grasp. But... he just couldn't quite deal with all of the 'authority' he'd been given. He couldn't do the sorts of things the pridefolk seemed to expect him to...
"Kafe?" Kayin was quiet for a moment. More secrets how wonderful. Well he wasn't going to lie to his brother! But he would not break his promise either. "He didn't start out privilaged. He thought he was a huntress' son. He...he knows what it's like to be one of them." He wanted to add that he doubted anyone could possibly make the whole freaking mess any worse but he didn't quite dare. Not when it wasn't for sure who would overhear, though Jabari seemed good at keeping it quiet. "He might not be the heir though. I've not met his siblings. His sister thinks the Ligi are the evil ones and Sahen the helpless puppet, and she looks like me, but that's all he's mentioned." And his aunt's exile. But that might be tied in too closely to the promise Kayin had so sworn to keep. He wouldn't mention that either...
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 2:58 pm
Jabari was silent. It didn't really matter which of the heirs was likely to take over, if the prophecy was right. There would be someone to overthrow the Shatkona now. But what if it wasn't right? They had to cover every contingency, right?
"I haven't met any of the heirs," he said. "I think it's time I changed that." Including this heir that his brother was guarding. "Do you think you could arrange for me to meet him?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 4:26 pm
Kayin just shrugged again. "I don't see why not," he replied. Kafele would meet his brothers sooner or later, or so Kayin assumed. And Jabari had every right to investigate the heirs. Certainly he would know more of what to do about everything than Kayin did. And his brother wouldn't hurt his friend.
"Maybe you can come meet him with me when we get back?" he suggested after a moment. After all, it would be a simple matter. He didn't doubt his red-furred friend would be near at least where he'd last seen him...
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 4:46 pm
"In the Jaw?" Jabari asked dryly. "Or did you leave him somewhere alone out in the pride?" He started through the pride, his walk changing, his shoulders straightening and squaring. He looked as if he owned the place with that walk.
"I want you to bring him somewhere for me. Don't say now, leave a message with the stones. I'll see it."
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 5:02 pm
Kayin tensed slightly, looking at his brother's stride and straightening himself. But rather than looking like he owned the place, he simply seemed like he knew where he was going and wasn't in a worried rush. It was something at least.
"Bring him... you aren't going to do something to scare him are you?" the lion asked worriedly. It wasn't so much that he worried he'd get into trouble or something, Kafe was no tattle tale. But still...
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 5:17 pm
"How would scaring him keep me undercover, Kay?" Jabari asked. "I'm going to kiss his a** if I don't like or trust him, just like I do with the Shatkona. Or are you mistaking me for one of our other brothers?"
He watched as people flinched from him, their eyes hesitant, even questioning, but mostly fearful. That was how they were supposed to look at him. It didn't make anything easier.
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 5:58 pm
Kayin flinched slightly. "No brother, I was just...I'm sorry," the young lion muttered. He loved his family. AND he loved his friend. He couldn't help but worry that something bad would happen to them, possibly at the paws of the other. His brothers did not like the Shatkona or Ligi, like most in the pride. Kafele hated the Shatkona and Ligi too. All kept it secret. But Kayin knew. He dreaded someone he cared about being hurt because of their public appearence...
...and speaking of public appearence, he wanted to shrink away into nothing under the eyes of the other members of the pride. The fear, the hesitation and, in some, the unadulterated hatered... His shoulders hunched slightly and he drew a step closer to his brother as the walked, his eyes down to avoid meeting any of the others. He hated patrols.
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