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 Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 9:20 pm
Ever since she was little, Mwezi had always had the feeling she was different from her shockingly colorful siblings. Different from most other lions actually, with her naturally pale coat and pink eyes. In all her time on the planet--granted that was hardly a huge stretch--the cub had only stumbled across one other like her.
A gazelle fawn whose pale coat had stood out against amidst the tides of tan.
Ever since Mwezi's fascination had continued to build and climb and claw at her consciousness. The moon spilled little lioness cub had traveled innumerable miles in search of others like herself, but one in particular had brought her to these murky swamplands. A white crocodile.
Mwezi had promised her father and sister she would see them again, once she had found the legendary creature she resembled, but now that she was here the pale juvenile, verging on the cusp of adolescence wasn't so sure. The trees here whispered to her, telling her she was home.
All too happily wading through the mires, picking up each paw nearly over her head with each sinking step. Once as pale as the moon, her mother would have gasped in horror to see her daughter's beautiful figure masked beneath caked layers of brown sludge and almost completely unrecognizable.
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Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 9:28 pm
Arufu was skipping his normal mud bath, and instead was just soaking his poor paws in the cool mud. He had wanted something a little different to eat than the usual swamp fare, but was unaccustomed to how hot the ground was during the worst of the day. His heat-sensitive paws were not happy with him, and he was doing his best to soothe their anger with the salve of mud.
His ears twitched, and he glanced around. The swamp was never silent, but it was easy to tell what was a normal sound and what might be more out of the ordinary. The movements didn't sound quite right...perhaps a Provisionary learning the ropes?
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Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 9:46 pm
Ever since arriving in this haunting place days ago Mwezi'moma had found it to be eerily quiet as if no life existed beyond the occasional slithering movement of a reed snake or the scurrying hop of a toad. No lions anywhere to be found. So one could imagine the mud cat's surprise as she sloshed along, hoping to somehow stumble across an albino crocodile only to find the lilac maned male lingering near the bank.
Pausing in mid-stride. Paw lifted high. Dripping globlets of the thick, dark sediment stirred from the bottom of the stream.. she stared. Pink eyes wide.
Uht-oh. What to do now?!
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Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 9:53 pm
Arufu glanced around, until his own pink eyes met a smaller pair that matched his own. He blinked a few times, since he was not really expecting one so young. He was silent, but he shuffled his paws a bit, letting the mud continue doing its work. Finally, he broke away from the stare, and moved towards the smaller lion.
"Are you ok? Are you lost?" It seemed strange to find one wandering out alone this far from the central area of the pride. She seemed fine, just startled, and quite mud-stained with her white coat and the dark coloured mud that lingered in these parts. "I'm from the pride around here, if you need a place to rest?" Yeah, he liked youngsters, but he sort of sucked at dealing with them when they didn't want to play.
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Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 10:39 pm
I'm not lost! I'm in a swamp! The filthy little lioness chirped finally. Seeming to find her voice rather quickly upon the realization that the unfamiliar male wasn't a threat to her. Splashing towards him completely unconcerned by the fact that splattering flecks of mud were sent spewing everywhere with each struggling bound to close the distance between them.
Brows furrowing incredulously upon noticing that his paws were all that sunk into her personal guiding trail through the sprawling den of gnarled trees and easily disorienting surroundings. You'll never blend in like that!
Lifting herself up on her hind paws two perfectly shaped prints labeled the stranger's shoulder. That's better!
They formed less defined streaks as she slid back down onto her butt, wagging slender tail two and fro. Seeming perfectly satisfied with herself and the new addition of mud to his form before blinking puzzledly. Her head flopping to one side in exasperation. There are more of you!?
She certainly hoped they were better dressed than this one! If they all stood out the way this one did it was going to be impossible to find her crocodile!
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Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2011 3:33 pm
Arufu couldn't decide if he was confused or amused at the younger lion in front of him. He was still trying to figure out how to respond to her when she planted two wet, muddy paw prints on his shoulders. He blinked a few times, taking it all in...and then burst out into laughter.
"Hey, I'm usually more muddy than this. My paws hurt." He lifted one out of the mud...but it was so caked with the stuff that it was hard to show the youngster how much it hurt. Ah well.
"There's a whole bunch of us," he answered. "They're just usually further that way," he said with a jerk of his head.
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:21 pm
Albeit startling, the warm sound of his amusement was infectious enough to cause the rather serious-faced juvenile to smile awkwardly. What a strange lion he was, but it was good to hear laughter again after having come this far on her own. All too frequently she thought of her father and sister whom she had traveled with since as far back as she could remember. It got lonely on her own.
The odd comment caused fair colored eyes to examine the paw that was extended in explanation, oozing mud as it was. His paws hurt? Though Mwezi wondered why, she didn't bother to ask. Instead, she considered meeting these other lions he spoke of. With a guide who knew the way she could certainly find her way deeper into the heart of the swamps and perhaps...
just maybe...
One of his kin may have seen the legendary beast Mwezi sought. Head canting gingerly in question, Will you take me there? To where the other ones are?
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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 2:07 pm
Arufu's ears perked forward after the seemingly timid young lioness seemed interested in finding out more about the pride. "Certainly," he said. "It's a bit in this direction, but as soon as you're settled in most of the swamp is under the pride's control. So you could just, wander around and stuff." A lot of the lions did. It got a little crowded if everyone was always near the central area of the pride.
"What's your name? I'm Arufu."
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Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:26 pm
A thoughtful expression dawned upon the young female's face as she took in their surroundings, almost with disbelief. They controlled most of the swamp? Why hadn't she seen anyone until now then? Had she really only been skirting the edge of the swamp? Just how big was this place?!
Taking a breath to calm the looming sense of being overwhelmed that had begun to creep up on her, Mwezi tried to look at it logically. Surely someone within the pride must have seen her illusive crocodile then! Maybe some of the elders who had been in the pride for several generations?
Directing her attention back to the tall, butter yellow male Mwezi offered her name a bit hesitantly, Arufu? I'm.. I'm called Mwezi'moma...
Granted, covered in mud, she didn't much resemble the paleness of the moon at all.
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:12 am
No, she didn't really reflect that, but it was going to be hard to do that in the swamp! "Its nice to meet you, Mwezi," he said with a nod. It was still strange that a young juvenile was wandering around on her own, but she had to be one tough cookie to last this long. The swamp had its own dangers, but he figured that if she could last this long being so young, everything else would be easy!
"It won't be quite so overwhelming once you see how...well, laid back isn't the right word, but its along those lines. It's a nice place to live in."
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 5:53 pm
Canting her head slightly, an earnest smile finally found its way to Mwezi's maw as she allowed her guard to drop, just enough not to leer at Arufu so critically. He was right about the Swamp at least. I guess so.. it's easy to feel at home in the mud here.
Awaiting her companion to lead the way towards the inner domain of the sprawling, gnarled landscape pink eyes gave the almost haunting surroundings another leisurely glance. Some may have found this place foreboding, but to the youth it was comfortable and concealing. The perfect place to wade with her own kind and cause mischief. I think I'll like it here.
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Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 3:40 pm
"You'll love it."
He nodded in front of him, beginning to lead the way. It would be nice to be back to see everyone. Arufu needed to be a little more social...and bringing Mwezi back was a good reason to be!
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