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 Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 7:09 pm
It had been a little while since the old Head Guard had made time to talk with Uchanjaa - the youthful lion using all his time to learn the ropes of guarding the grand pride. He wanted to talk with the lion, and see how he felt in this pride, and how he felt about being a guard and the whole little talk that he liked to come up with when his guards have had been under his command for awhile. Semantics.
Clearing his throat, he scanned the area for a hide or hair of the lighter pelted lion with his remaining eye, his tail thumping the ground in an idle rhythm. This should be a lovely night, he hoped.
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Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 7:17 pm
 Any pelt was lighter than Nyota's at night, and so Uchanjaa might be forgiven for not noticing the Head Guard waiting for him right away. He was also tired from walking over what seemed like most of the pride's lands and keeping an eye out for anyone or anything that might harm Selene.
And he had to do this every day for how long? It was enough to make him wish that Kibi had been born a slave!
Well, he might wish that, but he'd never tell her because it would hurt her feelings, shock her and probably horrify her as well. But by the God it would have made his life much easier! Then again, the God did all things for a reason, even if mere mortals couldn't see it as His eye did.
The brown lion wrenched his wandering attention back to the present as he came up to his commander. "Good evening, Sir," he said, trying to come to attention and failing, voice revealing his tiredness and general displeasure with the way the world was laughing at him.
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 10:05 am
The large dark head of the old guard flinched a little as it registered the sound of the tawny red guard that he was waiting for, his face turning towards him, but ruined eye forever closed - but a smile parted his muzzle into a grin as he lifted himself up to face the guard completely.
The sour note that Uchanjaa's face couldn't hide made him smile a little more, eyebrows raising and his one eyed glance riddled with curiosity as he sat down again. "Merry met again, Uchanjaa, you look rather tired, has something been keeping you on your paws?" he murmured.
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 6:25 pm
The brown lion was sorely tempted to simply demand to know if Nyota had had any sort of hand in landing him as the Royal Nanny. After all, he was the Head Guard right? And assigning things like that was his job!
Uchanjaa realized he was grinding his teeth and made himself stop by force of will. "You could say that," he growled, his ill temper not at all alleviated by Nyota's apparently cheerfulness.
"I've apparently been reassigned to guard Selene alone," he managed not to spit the words out, but there was a negative undertone all through his voice. "Today was the first day."
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 9:40 pm
Ahh, so that's what it was. Unknowing to the young guard, Nyota had had no choice in the decision, and only had heard it in passing this afternoon when he was stopped by the freshly crowned king. It was both sweet and saddening to see Thoth in the role now, the death of the previous queen still heavy on his soul, and bare raw on his face.
Throwing that darkness to the wind, he looked over Uchanjaa over once more before nodding a little. "I can understand, a little, I am not used to beinga round children very often, myself." He murmured in his caring way, before shrugging. "I wasn't given much of an offer, to be honest. I have my own family to care of, and endless guards to watch over. Besides, I'm sure she's a good company."
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Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 5:35 pm
Uchanjaa continued to bristle as Nyota spoke. He didn't want to hate the Head Guard, but he absolutely despised his newfound position. It didn't help that day one had been singularly frustrating, but he'd have to do this every day for months on end. The thought was enough to drive any self-respecting lion mad!
"'Good company', eh?" the younger lion echoed with a snort. "Only if by that you mean a spoiled brat who's determined to discover the exact amount of freedom I'll allow her. Who'll become snippy if I say a single word, so we spent most of the day in tense silence!" Anyone who knew Uchanjaa would be surpised by now at the sheer amount of words coming out of his mouth. The brown lion was usually much quieter, preferring to speak through actions and gestures.
But his frustation with Selene had unhinged his jaw.
"Nyota, sir, are you sure there isn't anybody else who can do this?" he asked pitifully, the edge of a whine in his tone.
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Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:32 pm
The bristling could nearly be felt in the air, the closer you were to the new Royal Nanny, his eyes squinting with distaste as he talked about the little princess like a plague. It took him everything to keep his mood cool, but his eye couldn't help but sparkle with a renewed interest in children and the politics that surrounded them. It aws like they had their own little aura that adults were somehow always wrangled in to, at the end. He would secretly see that it was not a bad thing as he grew, but for now, they couldn't help but watch his guard squirm, enjoying it a little.
"She's just being a child, It may sound odd, but I've had to go through that myself, and my little one wasn't even a royal, just a brat." he chirped contently, before shrugging a little. "You never know, your anchor may be exactly what her wild personality needs, in the end." He tried to argue with, his face sobering up again, before looking around.
"I wish I could make promises, try to explain to the Queen and King how unhappy you are at this time, but you know how their Highnesses are . . ." he trailed, before the whimper of the voice got to his heart-strings. Was he getting old? "If you promise to try two weeks with this, I'll see about trying to subdue them into some kind of deal. One time offer." he murmured.
He hoped that the two weeks would soften the young guard's heart a bit. Enough to stir him away from trying to woo over Thoth with amusing tales of the child-heiress and her young entourage.
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Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:37 pm
The younger lion was privately certain that he'd never been such a brat even when he'd been Selene's age. If there'd been a brat in the family, or in the traveling group, it'd been his sister. Hands down. Still...maybe Nyota had a point about anchoring the heiress...though Uchanjaa didn't see how he could possibly do such a thing if the girl refused to acknowledge his presence!
"I suppose that would be best," he agreed unhappily. Then the brown lion paused, realizing how sullen he sounded. "I'm sorry sir, I don't mean to whine and complain...it's just...not at all what I expected to be doing as a Guard. I mean...I'm not a babysitter, much less a Nanny!" His voice still rose slightly with indignition on that last, hated word.
But he truly did appreciate what Nyota was willing to do for him. And two weeks wasn't really that long, all things considered. He owed it to his pride to do that duty for at least that long.
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Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:52 pm
"It's a bit of a rough and tumble name for a male to have, Nanny," he murmured out loud, his face still lit up. "Only the strongest could be able to hold on to it and show the others what he can do. I'm sure you'll do fine, regardless, Uchanjaa. If you need any help, you have me - of course. I have only had one daughter, but I've seen some days. Also . . ." he trailed for a moment, "You could have it worse. It could have been the kit-and-kaboodle. You were only set with one of the cubs." He reasoned.
He understood the poor lion's frustration, and could sympathize with him. But it would be good practice, right? He was always going on about his true love that had followed him to the pride and ranked so well, the prospect of them with child always on the tip of the time, he always wondered when the tawny guard would come to him with cubs in paw. It amused him, ultimately.
"Consider it good practice for when you have some anklebiters." He finally mused, attempting to display humour.
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Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:57 pm
Uchanjaa grumbled unintelligibly, which was probably for the better, considering what could be the only possible content of his grumblings. The only thing that could be made out at all was "Says you..."
The younger lion was on the verge of something rash or just walking away when Nyota added a last comment. Pale eyes flashed as Uchanjaa glared at his superior. "But those will be my kids!" he pointed out. "And no one will have to guard them every moment of every day," he continued, still somewhat sullen.
There was no convincing Uchanjaa on this subject. Not tonight at least, though it was entirely possible in the future. Once he'd had more time to get used to the idea.
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 5:27 pm
It almost elated him, how easily he could pull the strings of the younger generation - and ultimately how youthful their responses were when they retaliated. But he was calm and collected as the Nanny retialiated under his breath, his tail flickering almost lazily as he waited for a coherent response.
When he came to a response finally, Nyota could only nod, his eye closed and his mouth pouted out in an almost 'you're right' fashion, before opening his dark eye again, his tail still in it's play across the ground. "And I don't doubt it, with the kind of parents they'll be blessed with." He finished the thought, trying to win Uchanjaa back with flattery.
"But my offer to attempt to win something over still stands. If you're willing to hold off for a bit." He murmured again, looking Uchanjaa over with his knowing eye. "Do you feel better getting it off your chest, at least?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 5:32 pm
The younger lion eyed Nyota with a touch of suspicion. It sounded to him like the Head Guard was up to...something. He wasn't sure what, only that it had to do with him. But if he should be so bold as to voice that kind of accusation, he was guaranteed to have the older lion take him down a few notches.
Then he wouldn't be guarding Selene for several days at least, as the Healers set him to rights. Uchanjaa winced mentally at the thought. He couldn't be certain which was worse at that.
"All right," he grudgingly replied at last to Nyota's offer. "It helps, but not having to do this would help a whole lot more."
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Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 3:13 pm
Nyota was normally a terrible liar, but his face stayed as stony as normal, his only good eye watching the younger . . . nanny fret about his position. Shrugging it off, he could only continue to support Uchanjaa . . . from the sidelines, at least.
"I cannot make magic, my young friend." He murmured, looking away from Uchanjaa, viewing the area around him. "But I'll see what I can do - try to at least be friendly with the young Princess, last I need is a little royal snapping at my nail, whining about my guards." He stated, bluntly, but with a wisp of amusement in his voice.
"Anything further I can help with?" he asked, honesty in his question.
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Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:57 pm
"Very well," Uchanjaa replied grudgingly. It looked like he'd have to go through weeks and months of guarding Selene and it wasn't exactly the most enjoyable duty in the whole pride.
"No, I don't think there is anything else you can do to help," the younger lion replied dully. "And I think I should get some sleep. Good night, Sir."
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