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 Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 8:32 pm
 Kafele yawned as he walked with heavy steps, visibly annoyed – though perhaps not as much as he felt considering he had learned to keep his emotions in check. His brothers were both busy, Livius with uncle Sikudhani and Azu carrying on a whispered conversations with Amira. And, unsurprisingly, his sister was once again stalking their grandfather so it seemed every member of his family was doing something but the young red lion. And because Kayin and Jabari were both busy as well, Kafele was being followed by a dark Ligi he didn’t really know very well. He wasn’t interested in actually talking to one of Sahen’s cronies so the young Lord had specifically told him to walk behind him and not to say a word. It might be a bit rude – not that a Ligi deserved any better - but his escort seemed quite happy with that arrangement anyway.
But Kafele needed these walks. While he was aware that it wasn’t completely safe for him to do so, the worst thing he could do was remain secluded in a sea of Ligi closely watched by his grandfather and slowly becoming forgotten and feared by his fellow pride members. He wanted everyone to see him and, if they so dared, talk to him. That didn’t happen very often he had to admit.
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 9:59 am
 Ixi padded along the path, minding her own. It had been a while since she'd last struck up a conversation with the fiery-coated lion from up on the Weeping Lion. She couldn't help but wonder, how was he doing? Was he doing well? Was he eating well? If he was up there, he'd HAVE to be eating well. She'd noticed there were a few lions in the lands who DIDN'T eat well.
Of course, she tried her hardest to make sure her mother ate well, as did she herself.
When she spotted a white mane coming up the path, she hesitated a moment, before pricking her ears. Yes, that was who she thought it was! But she decided to play it casual, simply continuing to pad along, the only sign of excitement about running into a familiar face being the flick of her tail. and ears trained forward, fire-gold eyes dancing with anticipation of saying hello.
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 11:38 am
Kafele knew at once who she was. The blue coat was distinctive enough but his gaze was drawn to the brilliant fiery eyes of the lioness that was moving closer.
“Ixi!” he almost shouted and quickly moved to stand right in front of the mean-faced Ligi, throwing a curt command as the dark lion appeared to feel inclined to inspect the new arrival. Anyone could tell she wasn’t a threat, honestly!
“How have you been?” Kafele was glad to see a friendly face but cautiously curious as well. Would she recognize him as one of Sahen’s heirs? Had the harsh life of the Ashnai’le dampened her spirit in any way?
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Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 10:02 am
She eyed the Ligi warily. Oh, that was a new fixture of an otherwise friendly encounter... But, for the moment, she opted to ignore the dark lion in favor of... "Kafele, it's been a while!" She practically bounced as she got closer. Now her excitement wasn't so easily hidden, and it had spread from just her eyes to her whole body like a wild fire. "I've been good myself. Hunting pretty well!" She turned to the side, as if to show off that, no, she was not lean and hungry. "How about you?" She tilted her head, eying the Ligi again. "Keeping out of trouble?" It was like talking to an old friend with her.
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Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 2:07 pm
When she used his name but not his title, Kafele’s smile grew instantly wider and he shot a nasty glare at the Ligi who had growled quietly under his breath.
“Ah, good. We really were is desperate need of more hunters.” Or lions willing to hunt, but that was a matter for another day. He was meeting Ixi again and she looked happy to see him: it was all that mattered. Well, almost. He couldn’t help but notice she was looking at his shadowy companion. He couldn’t think of a way that he could hide the reason behind his friendly escort without outright lying to her. “I’m been good.” Which could be applied to both his condition and behavior. “Will you walk with me?” The red lion pointed with his head to the side, hoping they’d be able to put some distance between themselves and the dark lion.
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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 5:52 pm
When his smile grew, Ixi couldn't help but smile herself, the leery feeling slowly vanishing. "Of course I would love to take a walk with you, Kafele!" As she started up the path, she looked up at the birds flying overhead. "Look at them, so happy and carefree... I wonder sometimes what it's like to be a bird. Fly anywhere in a matter of hours or a couple days..." She chuckled. "When we came here, it took us a couple weeks to even find ourselves at the pride's borders..." She looked over at Kafele. "It's a strange feeling, to spend so long walking... And then you're in one place..." Her ears went to the side a bit, as she smiled and puffed slightly. "I think that's why I like hunting, it lets me relive that just a bit."
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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:29 pm
The red lion looked up with a wide smile, watching the birds for a few moments before speaking again.
“Have you settled in… ah… nicely? Did you have any problems?” Kafele suspected that arrival of a new hunter was always greeted with cheer amongst the starving pride. But to taste freedom and to suddenly find one self trapped in such an oppressive place would be like a clipping a bird’s wings if he was to use the current subject as a metaphor. He’d hunted very little in his lifetime however, so he couldn’t exactly relate to what she was saying. It was like when Kafele released his tension by taking long runs with Kayin, most likely, but he couldn't be absolutely sure.
“We’re all lucky to have you.” He said a little more quietly, his smile becoming gentle. She was so cheerful still! The young lord had expected her to have lost some spirit, not to smile so easily... He didn’t understand it himself and he couldn’t even explain how happy he felt to see her like this. There was still good in this pride, there was hope still. Not just hate, fear and distrust… there were lions like Ixi, too.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 10:00 am
Under her blue coat, Ixi blushed as she looked down. "Thank you, Kafele.. I'm lucky, too, to find a pride so happy to have me around..." While it didn't seem like many smiled a genuine smile around her, it was still nice. She smiled gently, looking back up at the red male. "And yes, I've settled in quite well. I think Mother has, too.." She'd noticed the brown lioness watching a male that seemed to come and go at random. Of course... Ixi now found herself becoming... Fascinated - Was that the right word? - with this male. He was an interesting conversation, to say the least.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 5:19 pm
“I’m glad…” his smile faltered after a few moments and the red lion looked ahead, sighing deeply. This was the second time he was meeting Ixi and it was also the time to come clean about his heritage. He did not want her to find out about it through anyone else and risking losing… whatever this was. A prelude to friendship, perhaps? He couldn’t deny that he was rather fond of the blue lioness even if he barely knew her and the fact that she wasn’t a part of his beloved House (tainted as it was from his grandfather’s rule). She was kind and beautiful and Kafele had a hard time keeping his eyes off her fiery gaze.
“I have something to tell you. A… little confession of sorts. Something you wouldn’t have understood before.” Well, she would now. Surely, whispers of Sahen’s cruelty and the pride’s bloody history had reached her ears at this point. The red lion kept his voice low, not wanting to be heard by the dark guardian behind them. “Our ruler, Sahen. The Shatkona. He is my grandfather. My family didn’t know for a very long time but it’s true. It seems I have inherited my red coat from him even if it’s not quite as brilliant as his…” He didn’t look away this time, determined to grasp every hint of a negative reaction from the Tama lioness.
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Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:42 pm
The lioness considered the male's words, processing them slowly. She didn't reply at first, instead remaining silent, and for a moment her usual bubbly personality seemed to melt away to something far more subdued. Finally, her gold eyes, ever the window to the fire under her ice-cool coat, flicked toward the fiery-coated male, with his own ice-cool eyes, and she smiled. "I still think it's plenty brilliant, Kafe." She didn't even stop to think about the fact she'd just shortened his name. "Besides, it's not always what's on the outside that matters... Sometimes it's what's on the inside. Besides..." She paused, examining a stone with her paw. "The pride I came from... Anybody could have been the king or queen, it was all a matter of... Who actually had the power? Who could out-fight the others, or out-smart the others? Or... If somebody DID inherit the throne... Who did the Goblin King appoint his heir?" A bit of a giggle was let out. "But this is certainly not the Tokolosh, is it? We're not exactly goblins here, and we don't dress ourselves up quite as much as they do! Which I like... I can admire everybody's coats, and their faces and their markings.." Like the shortening of his name, she once again didn't think before she spoke, "Like yours.."
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 7:39 am
Kafele’s cool gaze grew infinitely warmer when he heard his nickname being said aloud. As she spoke of her former pride, Kafele sighed with relief. It seemed Ixi truly didn’t care about his lineage or what ancestor his red coat betrayed. It was an amazing feeling, and one he had grown used to expecting when he was around Ixi, to know that he wasn’t going to be judged by anything other than his own words and actions.
“You’re amazing, you know that?” the young lion told the beautiful blue lioness, a small grin not enough to express the full extent of his relief. He even forgot they were alone but it wasn’t long until caution and a protective urge calmed him down a bit. He spoke in a whisper this time, looking a little more serious – and maybe even a little insecure - this time. “It’s not really safe right now. But maybe… you and I… we… could meet up again some other time? I could ditch my escort and… or I can bring a friendlier one. Would you… like that? To see me again?”
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Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:59 am
Under her blue fur, Ixcatzin blushed. It made the fur appear purple - A fair balance of blue and red, as it were. "Oh, Kafe... You flatter!" She gave a gentle little wave of her paw, slightly playful in nature, before trying to hide her blushing face.
An ear flicked. She was returned to the awareness that they weren't exactly fully alone. Her voice dropped down to a whisper. "Where would we meet up, though? There's eyes everywhere..." She'd once heard a bird say that Big Brother was always watching... Given how many animals were smaller and could be bullied into anything by a lion, she didn't doubt that. "And when...?" She glanced back. "I'm not so sure I like escorts..." The eyes she didn't mind SO much - There was a loose association with being watched there. But an escort was... Well... Right THERE. It was unnerving to have one lion follow you everywhere.
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Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 4:26 pm
“They are few…” Kafele whispered as he lowered his voice again. “But there are some friendlier escorts I know.” Sometimes being alone was riskier than having Kayin or Jabari with him. When he was with the Ligis he trusted Kafele drew far less suspicion than when he tried to be alone - when was he truly alone, anyway? It seemed not even the birds that sang over their heads could not be trusted and it reminded him of the great risk that he was taking by getting closer to Ixi. These were such dangerous times and he already so much to lose – his mother, his siblings and his uncle. It was nothing short of crazy to risk adding another weak spot but Kafele just couldn’t help it. The Atmaja impulsiveness he tried so hard to restrain demanded that he didn’t pull away from the Tama huntress no matter how difficult things might become.
“Anyway, how about we meet here tomorrow? I’ll bring someone who I’d trust with my life.” Kayin already knew about her, of course but the red lion really wanted to be able to introduce the two of them.
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Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 9:10 pm
The blue lioness' ears pricked a moment, as she tried to imagine a nice Ligi. From what she'd observed so far, she found it hard. But... Given the options... She glanced toward where she knew a pair of eyes would be, before returning her attention to Kafele. "I think... If you trust them, then I can trust them, too, Kafe." She gave a bow, smile returning to her face and the fire from her eyes warming the contrasted cool of her fur. "I'll meet you back here tomorrow!" She got ready to all but prance off, then stopped. One paw up, tail curling under her and ears folding just a bit back for a moment, she glanced to make sure the Ligi wasn't watching. When she was sure, she took a moment to gently butt her forehead against Kafele's shoulder, smiled at him, then hurried off. She suddenly felt like she could bring down a zebra on her own.
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Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 6:56 pm
Kafele almost shrank before the sweet gesture, a silly smile stuck on his maw until he realized just how dangerous something like this could be if they ‘d been seen. A quick glance behind his shoulder told him the Ligi’s attention had been elsewhere at the moment and he sighed in relief. This – whatever this was – had to kept under absolute secrecy or else the consequences could turn out pretty dangerous for all involved.
“Bye…” the red lion whispered in a dreamy tone, turning to leave as well.
- FIN -
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