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 Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 2:48 pm
 It felt good to go out on a nice long walk again, though she hadn't wanted to at first. Kwasi absolutely adored the life of the mother, and it almost hurt to be away from he two beloved cubs. They were so perfect and wonderful and the most beautiful things in the world! But she had to be honest, it was hard, and for her own sanity, she had placed them to babysit with her friend, Chokuto, for an afternoon on her own.
So she was enjoying a walk in the grasses of the Pridelands, considering whether or not she wanted to hunt. She was coming close to the conclusion of a yes, if only so she didn't remind herself what Chokuto was like. No, not that she was afraid of him mistreating or neglecting her children, nothing like that! Despite their differences, she trusted him.
The problem was what he might teach her children while she was away. Kwasi frowned, her walk slowing. Maybe this walk wasn't so great after all. Maybe when she got home they'd be all covered in mud and all manner of dirty things. She sighed and determinedly pressed on. Nope, nope. Whatever Chokuto did, she would deal with later. A break was needed!
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Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:52 am
 Jemadari loved being out and about. In fact, one might be surprised that a male with such a thirst for challenge and adventure had stayed around in a pride at all. Perhaps other similar lions might have decided to head out and become a rogue, but Jemadari was different in that he liked to have a 'base' a home to come back to. He liked an adventure just as much as anyone but he also adored his family and friends. He was a sociable cat and the lonely isolation of rogue life just wouldn't have suited him.
At that very moment he'd been hunting for his mother for nothing more than a general catch up and a chat. With all his work on patrol and hunting and out helping his rogue friends he hadn't had much time to stop by and say hello. Certainly she was busy with her own life but he was certain she'd appreciate a visit.
That day, however, his plans were interrupted by the arrival of a pale-pelted female moving to cross his path. Jema cast her a quick glance, intending to give her a polite nod and perhaps a short word of greeting, except that he saw her frowning and wondered if something was wrong. The instinct to help someone in need seemingly overrode anything else he might have been feeling in that moment and he quickly diverted from his path and headed towards her.
"Hello, there." He paused a few strides away from her and tilted his head quizzically. "This might seem a little out of place, but...are you okay? I couldn't help but notice you looked troubled just now."
He gave her an encouraging smile. "Can I help at all...?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:09 pm
Wow, Kwasi. Just, really. Was she really so worried about Chokuto corrupting her babies that she hadn't even noticed a stranger walking by? And that she was apparently emanating a troubled air that prompted said stranger to ask if she needed help? To be honest, she was a little embarrassed, and that probably showed when she looked up at the male and offered him a sheepish smile.
"Oh, hello. I'm fine just... um, thinking." She wasn't sure she wanted to say what she was thinking about exactly, because maybe this lion would think it silly. He was a male, after all. How could a male understand a mother's feelings for her cubs?
On that note, she should have tried harder to find their father and make him babysit today. That would have been better than Chokuto... Too late now. She suddenly remembered she was supposed to have manners, and turned her attention to the male again, this time forcing herself to really pay attention. Kwasi vaguely noted he was handsome and had a nice smile, but was still too much into her mother mindset to gawk at him like she might have when she was younger. "Thank you for asking, though. And.. yes, actually, if you're not too busy." Help her in the form of a distraction, that sounded wonderful!
"What is your name?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:38 pm
"Ah, that's good then." He released a short breath of relief and felt the muscles in his shoulders relax somewhat. "Well, I'm glad you're alright. I'm starting to think that I see trouble wherever I go even if its not really there. In any case, I'm glad there's no crisis. I think the lands have seen enough of those for a while."
He seemed to brighten at her acceptance of help, however, his head lifting slightly as if coming to attention. His tail swished behind him in a show of his sudden curiousness. "Never too busy to help someone in need." He responded smoothly, taking another step closer and then sitting himself down amongst the grasses.
"I'm Jemadari. One of the many children of Angavu." He added then, with a brief smile. "Something tells me I should be familiar with you. Have you a lot of family in the lands as well?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:11 pm
It was impossible for Kwasi to not know about the problems they had with the hyenas recently (or recently enough), but she still felt a little surprised to hear about it. In truth, she may feel a little ashamed due to her lack of involvement in the whole ordeal, it seemed she hadn't been a very dedicated pridelander lately. "Yes, all this trouble is just awful... I'm sorry, but did you say wherever you go? Where else have you seen trouble?"
...Now, if one of those mangy monsters came sniffing around while her cubs where in the pride, she would be the first to charge and smack them in the face. Ah, how motherhood changed a person! It felt like just the sort of focus she needed! "I'm glad!" Kwasi really was, it seemed to be easier to not fret or worry while she was chatting to someone. Besides, she also liked chatting, always had.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Jemadari! I'm Kwasi'roho." At his question, she tilted her head. "I suppose I might." She couldn't say for certain, as she had lost track some time ago. "But the way you speak, it seems I should know you too! So, I guess we're even."
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:41 pm
"Hopefully those hyenas have learned their lesson and it stays with them for a long time to come. Perhaps if they came here with words rather than fangs, we might be inclined to listen to them. Unfortunately it seems you can't teach an old dog new tricks." And he would have listened to them, as well. Probably even now if they were genuine about it. "Trouble seems to be constantly brewing out in rogue lands. I venture out from time to time to see what help I can be to those who don't have the comforts of a pride." He shook his head somewhat grimly. "Nasty business with a cheetah the last time I was out. Kidnapping and murder, by lions no less."
Perhaps that's what happened to lions who didn't know the love and security of a pride. It made them cold and bitter and angry?
He blinked, seeming to realise that he was now frowning and quickly morphed it back into a smile. "The pleasure is all mine. Lovely to meet you, lady Kwasi'roho. Now that I know your name I will never forget it. I promise you that. Now is as good a time as any to make amends and get to know each other for a bit."
His tail twitched. "You said you needed some help with something?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 3:21 pm
She nodded in agreement to his comments about the hyenas, though, again, she felt rather silly due to her lack of involvement in the whole ordeal. "I feel bad for the pups born there." Kwasi ventured. As far as she was concerned, the pups were born clean, and then ended up corrupted by their environment! How sad!
Kwasi almost gasped when Jemadari mentioned a kidnapping and murder, but managed to just display a shocked expression. "That's awful! Who are these lions that would do such a thing?" Another thing was slowly getting stuck in her mind. This Jemadari fellow seemed rather noble, she decided she liked him. Maybe someday he could meet her son, and teach him all about being noble, and undo whatever non-noble things Chokuto might teach him.
Kwasi almost blushed at the way he talked. Almost, because of course she could never actually blush because she was a lion. But if she weren't, she would blush! So polite! When was the last time she had met someone so polite? He even called her a lady! Well, okay. Kwamua had been polite. But a different sort of polite.
"Oh, well, yes. You see, you're already helping!" How embarrassing. She offered him a nervous laugh, best come clean. "I... Well, I thought it would be best to give myself a break, so I asked a friend to babysit my cubs." Kwasi admitted. "But I haven't been able to relax at all! First time I really left them for a longer period of time. So I thought it'd be best to have a little chat with someone." Suddenly Kwasi decided that he shouldn't think of her as silly or foolish. There was nothing silly about being a mother! So she wanted a bit of distraction, that was fine. She just hoped he wouldn't start laughing at her or calling her weird or anything. Then she would have to totally change her opinion of this male!
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Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 2:25 pm
"Me too. So much hatred around them as they grow. What chance do those poor pups have to change things when their parents won't teach them that there might be another way of doing things?" He shook his head, frowning a little. Perhaps someday something might change and they could live as good neighbours should instead of at each other's throats.
"Some rogues have extremely odd beliefs. I'm not sure I'll ever understand it myself, but I think they believe that anything which isn't a lion isn't deserving of life." He sighed softly. "With so much hardship going on out there I almost feel guilty having a safe, happy place to come back to and call home. I took it for granted through my childhood. Now I can see how blessed I was."
He threw her a smile, drawing his ears forward to attention. "Already helping? Well, I'm glad I can do so." He paused to listen to her explanation and gave a few short nods of his head. "I don't have cubs of my own, but I think I understand what you mean. There is a bond between a mother and her children that even time cannot hinder. It's only natural to worry about them. I think I would be the same." He thought of his own mother with a smile. He couldn't think of living a life without being able to stop by and see her. "Are you a first time mother, then?" He thought it would be more likely that she would worry if that was the case.
He shifted his weight more comfortably. "Well, I do enjoy a good conversation. This is one of the nicer 'helping outs' I've ever had to do."
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Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:01 am
Kwasi found she quite liked this Jemadari. He was polite, and it seemed like he was something of a hero! Or in the very least her worked hard for their pride. "I can understand that feeling." Yes, she did feel guilty for having a very nice, comfortable and safe life.
He also even understood Kwasi's mothery instincts! Now, that was a very nice man. Not like Chokuto, who would probably laugh at her worries. It's a good thing they had been friends since cubs, or else Kwasi probably wouldn't like Chokuto at all. "Yes, it is. Their father is also a pridelander, but I couldn't find him to babysit for me today." Oh, right, she wondered if she should mention they weren't a couple. "Must be out hunting, I suppose. A shame, it would be nice if he already started spending more time with them." Now that the cubs were getting older and needed to spend less time with their mother, she imagined they would be able to spend more time with their father. She thought Kwamua would enjoy spending time with his cubs.
He better, anyways. Why wouldn't he? She had been raising excellent cubs! The three little darlings. "Thank you! I hope I'm not wasting your time or anything." After that little more-out-of-politeness apology, Kwasi decided she should give this lion more of a chance to talk about himself. She was happy to listen! "So, Jemadari, were you born here, as well?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 8:29 am
He chuckled. "He must be out doing the more fatherly things, right? Well, no matter. I'm sure he'll turn up at some point. Perhaps he's still a little nervous about being a father. Maybe it's worth cornering him and dragging him back to the den sometime. He'll thank you for it later...probably." He pondered on this a moment as if considering the option that his advice might not actually be very good. "On second thoughts, don't listen to me. I have absolutely no experience with anything like that, so I'm not the best person to listen to." Besides, he didn't even know this other male (or at least he thought he didn't) so how was he to know what he would like or not like?
He waved a paw at her to dismiss the idea. "Certainly not. Talking with others is never wasting time as far as I'm concerned."
He nodded, smiling again. "I was indeed. I've got quite a bit of family scooting around here, too. Lots and lots of sisters. My mother has just had another litter recently so she's been busy and I've been trying to give her some space. Well...more like peace and quiet, actually." He laughed. "She's always been pretty laid-back but I did used to give her the run around as a kid. Once got lost out on the borders and had to be brought back by a lioness from a neighbouring pride, one of those swamp-cats out on her name quest. We're still friends now, in fact, though I haven't seen her for a while. She has family here and visits them quite a lot...but I understand her grandfather died recently, so perhaps that's why she's been reluctant to visit. He was the main reason she would come here."
He sighed. "Her pride isn't too far away, but I think I'm going to stick here for a while now. Feels like I spend less and less time here, so I want to put that right, for the next few weeks at least. Besides, I'm sure she'll turn up when she's ready. She knows where I am if she needs any help."
He curled his tail thoughtfully. "Again, more proof that I don't spend enough time at home. My best friends so far are all rogues or live in different prides altogether. Well, perhaps we can change that today, if you would honour me with your friendship?" He threw her a hopeful smile.
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:21 am
"That's an idea!" The thought amused her a bit, and Kwasi was sure she was capable of doing such a thing, but she figured it might be unfair. "But I suppose I should just be happy he's around at all. We're not a... uh, couple, so..." She wasn't quite sure how to finish the thought. So she was lucky he hadn't just run off and never bothered with his cubs? Her own father had... kind of done that. She met him, later on, and he was totally absolved in her mind, since he'd had no way of knowing they existed. Matifu seemed like a good lion. But she had heard of less fortunate females, and she was glad Kwamua (and Matifu!) was a good lion.
"Well, anyways, I can handle it!" She thought she could. Her cubs were excellent so far, and she was confident they would stay that way.
Kwasi listened to the male with interest, because this all sounded so exotic and exciting. He knew so many different kinds of lions! She had heard about the swamp pride, but never actually gone far out enough to see it, nor had she ever met a swamp-lion. She decided that someday, when her kids were older, she would find an excuse to visit.
"That's awful that her grandfather died. It must be difficult to lose a loved one." Another feeling she wasn't quite familiar with was loss. Kwasi was beginning to realize she had a very... nice life, really.
Hi question caught her a little off guard, but she was pleased nonetheless. "Be your friend? I'd be happy to!" After she said that, the chocolate female wondered if she should have attempted to play it cool.
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Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:12 pm
His ear gave a slight twitch of surprise when she admitted that she and the father of her cubs were not a couple. It seemed to be somewhat commonplace, within the pride and outside of it. "Well, it sounds like he's a good sort of lion, sticking around to help out from time to time. Perhaps he might be around a little more often but at least he isn't completely out of their lives."
He laughed. "Of that, I have no doubt. You are as energetic as they come and I suspect that raising lively little cubs would require a lot of that. Cubs do have a way of keeping one on their toes. The amount of times I've walked past a cub trying to trick its way out of trouble whilst the parent hangs over them with their 'serious face' on are countless."
Jemadari was not familiar with loss either. He was surrounded by family - most of which stuck around - and they were all young and healthy not as Endesha's grandfather had been. "Age creeps up on all of us, I suppose. At least he was here, surrounded by family when he went. I could only hope for so much." His tail swished. "But enough about death and old age. We're both young with plenty of years left in us. Say, since we're going to be friends, would you do me the honour of accompanying me to the watering hole? All this chatting has made me thirsty." He threw her a wide grin. "I can even tell you the time I bumped into this mad female out on rogue lands who insisted on accompanying me on some grand adventure. A quicker talker than I am, she was. Barely paused for breath!" He stretched briefly and gestured in the direction of the water. By the hopeful expression on his face, you could tell he would have looked crestfallen had she declined.
(apologies for the wait on this ;; if I do it again, feel free to give me a poke! I'm thinking maybe your next post could be a wrap up with this one? <3 )
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:34 am
"Yes, he is." She said sincerely. Some might call what had happened a mistake, in some ways, because she ended up with cubs and no mate. But she could never call it a mistake because she had her cubs, and really, what mattered most wasn't the mate, but the father. And her cubs had that. Kwasi was pretty happy with how it had all ended out, after, perhaps, some initial panic.
When he asked her to accompany him, Kwasi initially thought of refusing and going back to rescue her cubs form Chokuto. But, then again, who could refuse such a face, and a story about a mad, talkative lioness? "I'd be happy to!" She said with a smile, and let him lead her away.
(Fin! <3)
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