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 Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:05 am
Today though, she had had to get out for a bit. Stretch her legs, clear her mind... escape from the pressure of ruling a pride and all that entailed. A sulky, unreliable daughter, a pride full of females looking to her to make everything right and perfect and safe... For someone who had anticipated many years before taking up the responsibility, it had come on too soon and laced with problems she didn't know how to handle.
And now another problem nagged at her and yet again, she had very few answer for it. The pride's cubs were all lionesses grown... a joy, but a worry as well. No new cubs meant no growth. No growth lead to stagnation and eventual ruin for any pride. But who could blame the Amazons, when new cubs meant interaction with the hated males... males who so recently had held them down under razor claws and bared teeth.
A sigh escaped as she paced her slow way along the border, trying to set aside her worries for a little time and find the peace she so desperately needed as a balm to her soul.
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:34 am
 Sylwanin felt restless again. She had been sticking close to her home pride's lands for so long, debating if she wanted to return, but recently she had gotten wandering paws again. She figured it had something to do with her lack of returning to the pride that she could not keep from wandering away again every so often. Being at the borders of her pride was not the same as being in it among her people.
She could not be among her people again, though. Not with the shame she had brought onto herself. Sylwanin was starting to wonder if she had not been guided back to her pride's lands finally just to torture her more for her wrongs. She should have done her duty as a priestess, stayed with the young and old that could not fight and protect them, give them strength from Eywa. Instead, she had thought that task too unimportant and taken her claws to the battles.
The lioness stopped for a moment to stretch her large, long form and look at herself in a puddle. She could see her brothers in the markings on her pelt, see her sister's pure black form if she ignored the markings. She missed them, she missed the striped forms and golden eyes everywhere. She missed her friends, most of which were dead by now, she was sure. The war had been horrible. How could she face those that survived? She did not realize she had wandered near another prideland until she noticed another lioness. She bowed her head to the other. "Hello."
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:29 am
Hippolyta stopped at the sight of a strange lioness, her stance falling into a wary once, ready for whatever came her way though not openly aggressive or defensive. She was a Queen after all... it wouldn't do to cower before a stranger, even outside of her lands. Her mother never would have done so... a figure forever in the back of her mind, judging herself against.
The black lioness inclined her head respectfully, nodding a greeting. "Hello, Traveler. Are you new to this area?" She studied the other carefully, doubting that she could find anything amiss even if there was something... after all, she'd been so easily duped before. It bothered her, to be so suspicious of another female. It went against her nature, but experience had taught her harsh lessons. Perhaps someday she could regain her former outlook on life, but then, maybe not. A Queen must be tempered with her experience, after all.
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:14 pm
Sylwanin watched the other female and when she did not seem intent on striking, Sylwanin sat on her haunches and wrapped her tail around her paws. It was a defensive gesture, of sorts, but it also showed she was no threat. Her mind was on the things she had done wrong too firmly for her to bring out the proud, ready to fight attitude that had kept her alive in the roguelands. The question brought a small smile to the lioness' muzzle. "I may have traveled this way before, but I cannot be sure."
"I do not remember all the days I have traveled, so some of the territory is not able to be recalled easily." By the look of her, the other lioness was part of a pride. Well fed, well kept, and not overly concerned with a stranger spoke of someone that had help close at paw to live and if she needed it in a fight. Sylwanin put a paw up to rub the beads on her front paw, for Eywa's blessing or others might say luck. She did not want this to turn ugly. "Am I intruding too far into pride lands? I can retreat the way I came. I do not want any trouble."
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Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 11:27 am
The Queen relaxed marginally as she spoke with the strange female, finding something of the easy comradery that was to be found out in the rogue lands. When every lioness was for herself, there just seemed to be an unspoken understanding that 'if you don't hurt me, I won't hurt you'. Here, they were just two lionesses passing some time...
"I think I know that feeling, of traveling so much you start to forget the look of all the places, or the places have changed the next you pass through. You aren't in a pride's lands at the moment, but if you travel much farther in this direction, you might find scouts. How they treat you would depend greatly on your intentions, I expect. They're not overly aggressive, but that pride had a bad run in with some nasty rogue males and they're still on that hair trigger you learn in battle..."
She felt some of her lightness leech out of her at that thought. Would her pride ever be the same? They had been wary before, but now... it felt like they would always be destined for hardships. But... maybe that was just survival and the cost of living as they wished to.
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 12:31 pm
Sylwanin smiled sadly at the other lioness comment about battle. "I remember war all too well. The pride I came from fought a war that nearly wiped them out. Lions intent on wiping us all out... It has been a long time since I fought, and I do know what you mean by a hair trigger. I am grateful that I have had time for mine to fade, though it is always there even if faded." She wondered what could have happened to the pride if they had a bad run in with males. There were some things she knew could be meant by it, she was not naive enough to think males perfect.
Part of the lioness just did not like to think such things could happen to others. "If you do not mind my asking, it was only males they had trouble with? Is that common here?" If it was, it would be a place she would want to avoid in the future even if she did not return to her pride. She really needed to make peace with her goddess, redeem herself, and getting into more fights, justified or not, would not be the way to do it.
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:06 pm
Hippolyta laid her ears back in thought, her face shifting into a frown as she studied the grass at their feet.
"I don't know if you could call it common or not...Antianeira was founded as a place of safety for females, and as such, there are no males in the pride, nor are they allowed in the lands after the age of adolescence. Every female there came because she wished freedom from male influence. But it was their misfortune to be taken by a group of hostile males led by a single female, who tricked the pride into letting them inside." She shook her head at their foolishness and the pain it caused. "Its not an easy story to tell... there was a long time of suffering under their rule. So you can see how a newly-freed pride would feel... wary of strangers."
The queen glanced over her shoulder, scanning the trees so like those nearer the pride dens. Her poor pride... and now she must lead them, her strong mother gone to join the spirits of her grandparents. Again she wondered how she would ever stand up under the burden.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 11:04 am
Sylwanin put out a paw and touched the lioness' shoulder. The kind of thing that the pride had gone through was hard even for the lioness to speak of. That spoke volumes about the situation. "Betrayal is always hardest when it comes from those you trust most. My pride may have been attacked by an outside foe, but I did more damage to them than any enemy."
She hung her head in shame and looked down at the grass as well. She was ashamed of what she had done, and to see another that had been betrayed made it all the harder to face her own actions. Sylwanin pawed at the grass a little. "I forsake my duty as a priestess, to keep the cubs and elders safe... all because I was young and hotheaded and wanted to fight along side the warriors."
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 6:22 pm
The dark queen tilted her head at the admission, wondering a little at it.
"Part of my sympathizes with your decision, and another part understands the shame in what you did... Was the outcome bad?" She said softly, her ears drooping in sympathy. "You don't have to speak of it if you don't want to, I understand. I... I could not protect my mother, when we were set upon by rogue males, and I fled. She died under their claws, and though I barely escaped with my life, I still feel the shame of it, of not being stronger."
Hippolyta shook her head, disliking how gloomy the conversation had become. She and a stranger were pouring out their hearts to one another... something she had only done with her mate before. It was strange and unsettling... and yet a relief as well.
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Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 11:04 am
Sylwanin looked up at the other lioness and her ears drooped as she answered the question. "I do not know what my actions resulted in for my pride. In the fighting, I became lost. I traveled too far chasing our enemies and was not paying attention to the land around me. By the time I realized this, I could not find my way back. I spent a few years wandering, and have grown in that time for a hotheaded adolescent to an adult with many regrets."
"I recently found my way back to my pride's lands and have spoken a little with old friends, so I know they are well again. I am told my brother has become a fine king and that our goddess has blessed the People with her presence again... but I only lurk outside my pride's borders and speak to others. I know that we won the war and that my pride is rebuilding... and that some wish me to return." The lioness smiled softly at the thought of returning but it did not last long before it went to a frown again. She was still unsure her actions could be forgiven.
"I cannot bring myself to face them all, to go back and face my goddess. The shame of such a horrible breech of faith and failure in my duties sits so heavily on my shoulders." Sylwanin shook her head and looked quite lost again. "But the fact remains that I must return some day. I must face them all and ask for my goddess to forgive me... for my family and people to forgive me."
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Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 11:33 am
Hippolyta was silent for a while in thought, her red eyes solemn. Finally, a smile graced her face and she dared to bump her shoulder against the other female's. She felt a growth of kinship with this stranger, though she remembered with a twinge that they had just barely met, and might not ever see each other again.
"I think perhaps your pride does not condemn you as much as you condemn yourself. What punishment you will receive will be no worse than the punishment you have given yourself all these years. I do not know much about goddesses, or about prides that aren't my own, but if they are anything like a mother... They will forgive you your failings and help you to become a stronger lioness. There is courage in facing what you fear and taking responsibility for your actions." She shrugged as she smiled again, feeling lightened from their conversation. "I think you will be pleasantly surprised, but what do I know? I am only a stranger, after all."
She stood back a little and bowed to the dark stranger, acknowledging her an equal. Weren't all females Queens in their own right?
"My name is Hippolyta and I am queen of the lands you were about to enter. It has been a... pleasure speaking with you. I would like to extend you an invitation to visit my pride whenever you wish, as long as you promise you will never bring a male here, or speak of our location to one. If by some twist of fate your pride will not take you... we will give you a home and a purpose again, I can promise you that." She said, a smile in her voice and on her face.
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 7:51 am
Sylwanin thought at first the other lioness was going to condemn her for her actions or her cowardice, but the reaction she got was much more pleasant than she expected. It was almost as if this lioness knew what she was going through. The black lioness bowed to the other in return. It was nice to think someone did not judge her badly for what she had done or what had happened.
She smiled softly and a little sheepishly at the other lioness. "Perhaps you are right... my brother was always so kind and forgiving, as were the others. Perhaps I worry over nothing. It would be so nice to see my family and so many old friends again. Eywa, our goddess, is very much a mother. I fear her disappointment more than anything... but perhaps you are right. I do have to face my fears eventually no matter how much I do not wish to."
"I have found strangers often have a very fresh and useful point of view to consider when one becomes stuck on a resolution. That is one of the things wandering has taught me. You are a wise queen, and I thank you for your offer... but if I can find the strength I should at least try to return to my People and help my brother and his queen. I would never bring anyone let alone a male to your lands as it is not your wish... but I might come back to visit again." Sylwanin bows to the queen in return and thinks about this new prospect. If her pride did not take her back she had a place that would take her. It was nice to know she had another option, even if she hoped she would not have to take it. She at the very least had a new friend.
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 6:00 pm
The dark lioness smiled back and bowed her head.
"I think I would rather agree with you on that point." She said, her tail happily swishing. "I have often found truth in it." Hippolyta glanced over her shoulder into the trees about them and up into the sky, tracking the movement of the sun. She had been gone for hours now and if she didn't appear soon, its likely one of her guards would come and find her, probably with a lecture on duty and responsibility. She hardly needed, or wanted, that.
"I'm afraid I need to return now, Friend. Perhaps I will see you again, if our paths should cross. I hope everything turns out well for you and you find the end of your journey safely." She said as she bowed respectfully, and with a touch of warmth and good will.
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