|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 1:31 pm
 Luaith walked restlessly toward the under ground pool that served as the Mazunguko water supply, his eyes foggy with sleep, but his mind reeling with what he had seen. The cries of the hurt and the dieing ringed in his ears and he knew another journey outside of the quiet solitude of the maze landscape he now had begun to call home would come with dawn.
He had just healed from his last encounter with a pack of hyena's who had not believed him, as it was always the case, that their home along the wooded, dried, rocky, old river bed was going to flood. They had chased him off. Luaith had waited, hand as he seen, it has come to pass.
The young lion had saved as many as he could, and they in turn had helped, but in the end, so many had died...and rather then gratitude, they had seen him only as a bringer of the disaster and had chased him away. he still bore the bruises of rocks and half healed nips at his legs...and yet..he would go out again...because he had to...because he always had to, to stop the dreams.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 2:09 pm
 It had been three days since the collapse of the New Tunnel. His wound had stiffened till he could barely walk, even with the healer's poultice strapped over his hip. Of course he had been released from his duty while he healed, as he could not get about the pride as fast as Nahasi needed to, but he still reckoned that, with his extensive knowledge of the less well-known tunnels and cut-through, he could still get around the pride almost as fast as an able-bodied male who used the conventional routes. Still, there had been no arguing with the young king who had been worried out of his mind over Juan's wounds. So the leopard had allowed himself to be put on enforced rest and left his king in the paws of another guard.
Thus it was that he had found himself at a loose end, with Nahasi busy with the daily running of the pride and his own position taken by another, Juan felt at a loss as to what to do with himself. So, on Nahasi's fevered suggestion, he had come down to the clear spring pool to rest and bath his wound.
He was already in place when the young lion seer came through the tunnel entrance and into the open cave that served the pool area. Turning his head but not getting out of the shallow water where he lay, he dipped his head politely to the young male. "Greetings." Juan was well known for being reticent and not one to gossip. No one in the pride had heard him string more than four or five words together at any one time, no one that is, except Nahasi. So his short and concise greeting was no surprise.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 2:28 pm
Luaith nearly jumped out of his fur at the greeting coming from inside the water rather then next to it. He had thought himself alone, but that seemed not to be the case. The light here was good enough, because it was in the 'twilight zone' were light from the upper world still came down to weakly bath the lower level.
He dipped his head in greeting, and in a weary, but rather deep voice, returned the greeting, " I did not mean to disturb your rest. I was merely coming for a drink and to plan the best route toward the En Gedi territory."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 2:52 pm
Pale violet eyes followed the other male as Juan dipped his head slightly in an expression of apology. "I am sorry if I surprised you." He offered, his low voice barely loud enough to be heard across the low-ceilinged cave. Watching the young male for a long moment one almost felt as if the leopard was half stone, a part of the caves in which they lived, for he possessed a calm stillness not unlike the rocks around them. But he was indeed flesh and blood, as his recent injury proved.
Shifting a little stiffly in the water, he nodded an understanding to the youth's words. "You are no disruption." He replied, voice honest and calm. In truth he did not mind being alone, but just as much he did not mind being in company, so long as that company did not expect him to talk overly much. After a few moments of quiet, the pale grey leopard spoke again. "I can not offer advice, my apologies. I do not know of that pride."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:11 pm
With his dark fur and shadowed markings, Luiath blended in as much as the leopard did, rock and shadow staring at each other in the wane light of the cavern. The Seer looked off into the distance, looking past the healer, into 'nothing' as the dream came back to him, leading his minds eye along the path he must travel. Taking a deep breath, he turned back to meet his dark violet eyes to pale.
" It is no bother to me Basa-Juan, my paws will find what my mind Sees, and the En Gendi will not believe what I will tell them. In the end it will be my word against many and I will walk away from them, and wait till what I saw comes to pass, and then I will help as many as I can."
He shrugged his shoulders, looking far older then he should. "It has always been this way, it will always be so. Till the dreams end, or my life does."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:17 pm
Juan regarded the young lion for a long time, the silence stretched between them unbroken apart from the slow drip-drip of the cavern roof as droplets flashed through the air to pattern the water's surface with gentle ripples. Eventually the leopard stirred, sending out larger ripples yet the eerie quiet of the cave remained until his voice whispered through it like a caress, his naturally soft tones barely above a whisper in the silence.
"You should seek out the Haven of the Gods. If you wish to life the curse of your dreams... Like the river flows to the sea, return to the source." Typically, that was all he said, leaving the lion to interpret his words, though thankfully he did not speak in riddles and had no intention of being obtuse.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:24 pm
" My father is a God, the God of Ash I am told. It is he I shall seek when my mane has fully come in and I am strong enough for such a journey. If he can not help me, he may know of one who can. I do not mind being a Seer, or helping those in need. I mind never being believed. I always see true, but to never, never, have those visions be seen as truth..it wears on ones soul."
He took a breath, wondering what had made him speak so much, normally he was a silent lion, who kept to himself. Perhaps it was the need to vent what had been troubling him for so many years, or to finally have another who understood why he would seek out a God, to find his father, when before it had always been Alasiri who he had considered his true "father' from the day he opened his eyes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:37 pm
The god of ash? It seemed fitting, considering the youngster's pelt and the depth of weariness in his eyes, his soul would be his father's domain if he did not find help within a few years, even Juan could see that. He stayed silent as the young lion vented, understanding the need to do so and accepting the brief outpouring with a calm expression, like the ripples on the pool the young lion's words flowed free and were taken in, the weariness and pain drawn from him if only for a brief time by the release of his words.
"When the time comes, you will be strong enough. I believe you will find your answers." His voice was calm and soothing, almost as if when he spoke it was not he, but the rocks and earth that sheltered and protected them giving him their voice. He watched the other male calmly until suddenly he stood, half-limping, half-hobbling across the cave to stand before the younger. "Stay and listen to the water. It oft soothes me when I am troubled, mayhap it will do the same for you." With a rare smile the leopard dipped his head before moving stiffly out of the way so the young lion could tread the path to the still-water pool.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:00 pm
" Thank you Juan, I am hoping the clear surface of the pool will allow me to See the path I must tread to find the En Gendi lands. The quiet and the peace that the caves offer have made my Seeing easier since the first day I set paw to the Pride. I am thankful you have taken me in, stranger that I was."
The young lion, who seemed far many more years then his mane showed, settled on his belly, his dark wine colored eyes becoming unfocused as he let his mind go and began to 'wander' the paths that allowed him to see his way to were his dream of destruction had warned him towards.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:05 pm
Juan dipped his head politely. "I am glad to hear our haven has been of aid to you. That is why this pride was created." Pausing he added. "We were all strangers once..."
After a moment he turned and slipped out of the cave's entrance, vanishing into the darkness of the tunnels and leaving Luaith to his contemplation and dream-walking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
