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 Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 5:06 pm
 A smile played on Qahwa's face as he thought about the night before. It hadn't been particularly special in the traditional sense, but he'd had fun. He and the leopardess he'd been traveling with the past few days had decided to play a game of hide and seek in the dark, and somehow it had actually been every bit as fun as when he was a cub. He was still smiling, even though they'd parted company at the stream earlier that morning. They'd only agreed to travel together until they came to the river, since their paths would diverge at that point. She was going to meet her family and he was...going. But he had no intention of following her home. They'd enjoyed each other's company, but not so much that he was interested in meeting her parents and siblings. Or her mate. That meeting would actually be very awkward, he thought, and one he wouldn't mind avoiding. So they parted company and Qahwa decided to head toward the mountains. He hadn't been that way in a long while, though there was still quite a distance to go before he reached them.
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 5:44 pm
 Mokovu started heading over to where he felt he should return, back to the place he faintly remembers when he was a cub. The mountains, he met many lions who retold stories about the mountains and their harsh winds and frosty ground but it was comfort to him. He grinned as a feeling inside him grew, maybe he would meet his family or see someone who would recognize him. Somewhere inside he knew he was always meant to return home, something was waiting there for him, he just didn't know what.
He had met many lions on his travels and learnt a lot and something about his journey made him feel wise and intelligent. Some even promised to meet him one day in the mountains or told him to come back for them when he has settled.
So here he was travelling the lands once again hopefully to the place he would spend his life. The only problem now was finding it.
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 6:42 am
Qahwa's smile didn't fade when he picked up the faint scent of lion on the breeze. Some days it did, because he knew lions could mean trouble for a leopard like himself, but today he was feeling good and had a sense that all was right with the world, and in a world where all was right, he had nothing to worry about. In other words, he was putting his trust in the gods and hoping they wouldn't betray his trust by getting him pounded to a pulp or something equally unpleasant.
To test this theory, Qahwa decided that rather than going his way and leaving the lion to go his other way, he would alter his course somewhat so that he would actually encounter the lion. Why not? More often than not, the people he met in his travels, even the lions, were not overtly unfriendly or hostile. It was just that the ones who were also tended to be the ones who stood out the most clearly in his thoughts and memory whenever he came to the point of meeting someone else.
It wasn't difficult for him to spot the light-colored lion. He was definitely larger than most of the lions Qahwa had met recently, and carried himself with a confidence that Qahwa was in a mood to match. The leopard's confident stride was still more of a slink than any lion's would be, but his head was held up and his tail's position indicated ease. Just the same, he automatically erred on the side of caution, keeping his distance to call out:
"Hello there."
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 1:33 pm
Mokovu traveled on, only using his instinct and distant faint past to carry his feet and lead him to his home. He has been waiting so long for this opportunity, and finally he made his way back. Mokovu heard someone's greeting and he turned his head to see who it was.
Mokovu looked a brown leopard male who followed by but with a distance, clearly checking if Mokovu was a threat or not. Mokovu dipped his head politely to show the leopard he was not hostile. He grinned a bit as the Leopard's posture mocked his own, carrying himself with confidence but still showed ease.
"Hello, and who might you be?" Mokovu asked with a friendly tone as he slowly moved closer so they could talk easier but still make the leopard feel comfortable. He wondered where this leopard was heading and also what gave him the courage to just approach a random male lion.
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 5:38 pm
Almost, Qahwa's smile faltered. Certain things just rubbed his fur the wrong way, among them when people greeted him as though he was a child, just because he happened to be smaller than they were. Lions in particular were guilty of this, but others did it too. He always had to resist the temptation to answer that he might be anyone, and then elaborate on who he might be. He knew what they meant to ask, but there was just something so condescending about that particular turn of phrase. It rankled.
He restricted himself to behaving well and giving the anticipated answer, rather than choosing to be a pain in the a**. It wasn't necessary, and if he drew attention to this thing which annoyed him, it would only annoy him further. Better to just move the conversation along and see if it got better. Just the same, his tail gave the barest twitch as he replied:
"I'm Qahwa. And you?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 10:17 pm
Mokovu eyed the leopard carefully as he watched his smile falter and tail twitch. Mokovu realized there must be some level of intimidation, then again this leopard had tried to match his stride. Mokovu never intended to make others feel lesser, why he was one of the few who looked at all species as equal. He switched his pace to go slower to make conversation easier he also let his tail and ears fall a little into a relaxed position.
"A pleasure Qahwa, the name is Baridi Mokovu, you can call me Mokovu for short" He said with a respectful nod. He wanted to show that he was pleasant and friendly, he hated scaring off company. Mokovu swerved past a tree and slowed to a stop by a small stream. He bent over to take a quick sip before looking back to the leopard.
"So what brings you out these ways?" He asked curiously as to where he was from or has been. Mokovu himself has been all over, a traveller in search of something. He just was not sure of what.
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Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 5:49 am
Qahwa, while ordinarily a little too eager to pick up on slights, both real and imagined, was not actually in a mood to be offended by the lion altering his pace to make the leopard's life easier. He knew it had been meant as a kindness, and just because he was usually irritated when people made exceptions for him and treated him as though he was some kind of handicapped person just because he wasn't a lion, he had decided that today was a good day, and good days did not include getting into arguments with lions who thought they were being considerate.
"Mokovu," Qahwa repeated, taking care to mimic the lion's pronunciation and inflection as exactly as he could. Names were important things, and he always thought more of a person who could pronounce his name correctly, thus he usually went to the effort of making sure he pronounced others' names correctly as well.
"I'm pleased to meet you, Mokovu," Qahwa said as he waited for Mokovu to have his drink.
Personally, Qahwa wasn't thirsty, though he knew common sense would dictate that he should drink while the water was available. Thus he surrendered to common sense and lowered his head to the water, taking a few obligatory laps while Mokovu asked what brought him to where he was.
He grinned as he finished drinking, licked the droplets of water clinging to his chin, and replied, "Nothing, really. I roam around a lot. My friends say I have wandering paws, and I occasionally get whims to travel. I was feeling in a mountainous mood this morning, but since then I've been feeling a bit indecisive."
"What about you? Are you on your way somewhere, or just making your way anywhere?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:10 pm
Mokovu smiled as the leopard repeated his name. He had made sure he said it right and Mokovu respected that he acknowledged how important names were. Names were what identified who a creature was and made them who they are. they in a way to define someone. Mokovu believed to change a name or give one another name was a big deal, it meant something may it be good or bad.
He nodded his head after his drink as the male greeted him as company. He watched as Qahwa took a sip too and waited for him to talk, he was quite interested what brought this leopard these ways.
When the leopard spoke Mokovu was intrigued. Wandering paws, the words seemed to settle well in his head. He too was a traveler and his paws have been many places and he has met many people. Mokovu was intrigued how the leopard felt like he wanted to travel the mountains, Mokovu too was on his way there, his soul seeked it.
"I too am on my way to the mountains. There is something there that has been calling my name since the day I left. I don't know what but I guess I will find out once I'm there" He said with a tone that seemed to almost trail off into his own thoughts. He started to feel nervous and many emotions all at once. He was not sure what awaited him in the mountains and he was almost afraid to find out. He debated going, perhaps he should wait longer...
"I have to go...I just have too" He said as he shook his head, he could not delay this any longer. Even the wind felt like it was calling him and showing him the way. He could feel it in his fur, in his bones, and in his soul.
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Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:57 am
"So you're from the mountains originally?" Qahwa asked, licking water from his chin and muzzle after another drink. "It will be something of a homecoming for you then, won't it?"
He wondered if that "something" Mokovu referred to was actually a "someone." Sometimes it was not a place or a thing which drew others, but a person. Himself, Qahwa always found himself gravitating back to the territory of a friend of his, a lioness named Haldeilda. It wasn't a romantic attraction, but simply a matter of their being good friends and sometimes Qahwa craved her company.
"Has it been a long time since you've been in the mountains?" Qahwa would have asked, but Mokovu's next words brought him up short and the question died unspoken on the tip of his tongue. Instead he just nodded his comprehension. He knew about that fervent, undeniable need to be moving on. It had never served him ill before, and he would not try to convince someone else to ignore their instincts.
"I won't keep you any longer," the leopard said. "It has been interesting meeting you."
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Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:20 pm
Mokovu nodded at the young leopard. He used the word homecoming and Mokovu looked down sad, he wasn't sure what it would be like.
"I am from the mountains but I was so young and gone so long I do not know what it will be like returning..there may be no one to go home too or perhaps they wont accept me..." His voice was now filled with concern but he had to go no matter the fears he may face. He had to know what has become of them, he hoped they would still be there. He just wanted to know and meet his family, and catch up on all that he has missed.
"...you see last time I was there I was a young cub, I was exploring outside the den when I was not supposed too and got lost during a blizzard and never found my way home. I was lost but also afraid to return so I travelled the rest of my life..." He told Qahwa as he remembered the storm. It brought back the struggles and hardships. The memories of starving and being dehydrated most his youth, he had only survived by people he had met along the way. The odd ones tricked him into thinking they were helping but really did nothing but drag him down or almost kill him.
As the male spoke Mokovu felt like he had rushed their meeting. He soon realized something.
"It was interesting indeed and quite the pleasure. I am unsure if you wish but may I offer you journey up with me? I would love the company"
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Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 7:28 am
Qahwa listened with some interest to Mokovu's talk of the pride he'd left in his youth. He filed the pertinent points away in his memory, but they probably weren't the points Mokovu found as important. For Qahwa, it was important to know that there was a pride in those mountains, that it might not accept one of its own back after a prolonged absence, and that there were blizzards to contend with, possibly. The sort of things a rogue leopard needed to know.
"Sounds hard. I'm sure they'll be glad to see you though, once they figure out who you are." Lions changed so much from the time when they were cubs, Qahwa really had no idea how they managed to recognize long-lost acquaintances and friends and family members. It was just uncanny. Manes. Ridiculous things.
"I do appreciate the offer, Mokovu, but I think it would be better if I didn't come with you. If you're unsure of your welcome at home, I can't imagine it would be improved if you showed up with a leopard in tow. Most prides don't tend to look well on that sort of things." He grinned, hiding the fact that he really resented the prejudice he spoke of so blithely.
"Good luck, though," he added sincerely. He was still in a good mood, after all, and didn't dislike Mokovu. Why shouldn't he wish him well?
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:35 pm
He looked at Qahwa as he spoke, this leopard was smart. If not smart then brilliant, Mokovu could tell. He admired those traits in such a specimen.
"Well that is if they are still there" His voice quivered a bit as he spoke about them. He grew nervous to see them, he almost wanted to turn back and run and keep on running. How could he prove he was from there? surely someone from his family or pride would recognize him.
"I wish I knew if they welcomed others but I could not tell you. Perhaps you are right...I should do this alone." He told Qahwa as he felt a tinge of pain for the leopard. It would be so hard living when someone did not accept you just cause of your breed. It almost seemed unfair, he had no choice that he was a leopard. Mokovu noted that if he were to return he would propose other breeds being welcome if they were not already welcomed.
"Thank you Qahwa, and please do stop by one day I am sure I will remain around the area no matter what the outcome. I wish you luck as well" He nodded to the male before turning to the direction he was heading. He hoped this would not be the last time he saw Qahwa, he had enjoyed the talk.
With that he took off again running to the mountains. To home.
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