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 Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 12:25 pm
Panic, panic, all the panic... the muses gone, the music silenced, and the voices around them had all become muted. The pride had gone through a period of turmoil as they tried to adjust to their new state of being. Some had been grateful for the newfound sanity, many more had been saddened or even terrified. Some left, some came- it was just the way of things. Shandor, however, had never heard the voices- he'd heard his other-voice but that had lifted away, leaving him with room to think. That nagging voice wasn't there when he slept in past sunset, that snarky brat was gone when he took an extra mouthful of dinner, and that snickering had gone silent whenever he glanced approvingly towards one of the young ladies of the pride.
He was free. The others would grow to feel the same he was sure.
With their new skillset, the remaining members of the pride were honing themselves. Stealth, cunning, tact, and strategy became the new voices, the new muses, and the new driving force. Secrecy became their friend and companion. The night was filled with dance and song where once there had only been quiet muttering and rambling. Life went on, cubs were being born left and right, and for the most part- they were adjusting well enough.
This afternoon, he'd stirred from his rest just as dusk began. He'd stretched, yawned, and groomed himself into waking and still had time to enjoy the tapestry of color and light beyond the horizonline, shining off the waves as they lapped lazily against the sand. The gulls were getting in their last minute hunts up above and many of the pride members were preparing for a hunt, a raid, or a dance. Things seemed managed well enough... it had been a while since he'd checked the borders of his territory. With a last approving glance out towards the pride, he turned and loped towards the small pathway through the cliffs.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 3:13 pm
 The Kizingo'zaa was a pride that reminded the dark brown lioness of many things. Their traditions, their stories, their songs - it all rang true to her band of travelers. And yet, she knew it had not always been that way for the pride of lions. She came in at the tail end of their turmoil and chaos, even stepping in far enough to hear the cries of a few of them calling out for their muses, whatever those were for them. Perhaps part of this occurrence was what intrigued her to join these lands, to leave her troupe. There were always lions leaving, coming and going. Though she said her farewells to her family with a heavy heart, it was also with bright eyes that she looked forward to starting an adventure with this Kizingo'zaa. That, and the one she first met when stumbling upon the lands...
She liked to think that she contributed to the stabilization of the Kizingo'zaa, relaying stories of her own traditions and methods. Coincidentally, it was all very familiar for both parties. It filled her heart with warmth and joy that she could help these lions recover from their tragedy. And the sea! She had never lived in a static place, but she had also never traveled exclusively by the sea before in her life. The sea was an amazing sight, and seeing it everyday was something she would appreciate every single day.
She adopted the title of "thief", being used to moving on her paws and scouting out perimeters. She was used to curtsying passersby and extracting information from bordering neighbors and such. Life was seeming to settle down now again... She started to simply enjoy listening to the sea and songs by the end of the day, after all work was done.
The day was closing in, and the dark lioness moved towards her pride from the perimeter check she had been doing. She was getting closer to the heart of the pride, and no doubt lions were preparing for tonight's selection of songs and dances. Her paws were eager, and she quickened her pace. And then, a shallow white form came into view. It was...
"Shandor?" she called, a rising joy in her voice, pace doubling unconsciously.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 3:27 pm
Shandor?
For a moment the familiar title ruffled him and swelled up a knot of tension in-between his shoulders. This close to the border it was dangerous to use their true names. With all the rogues going and coming it was all too likely that one of them might pick up on it. Perhaps he was just being paranoid.
The scold that had poised itself on the tip of his tongue died as he turned about and beheld the lovely and familiar face of among the newest members of the pride. They had lived within similar troupes though in those days he'd been so out of his mind between himself and his other-self that the days had been a blur. They had found him as a sick, weak cub mewling out for his twin and muttering nonsense to himself.
Now that he was in his right mind, he realized the trouble he must have been to the travelers.
"Mirela." He addressed her with a smile and a tip of his head. "Grown weary of dancing on the waters already?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 3:49 pm
Mirela was able to pad towards him quick enough to catch a lasting glimpse of his postured hesitance, an indicator of his interrupted thoughts. She had a knack for observing these things, which was one of the reasons she knew she could be a helpful contribution to the pride. When she first met him, he had been under much stress especially because he himself had gotten over some of his own chaos. She smiled sheepishly when she came up to him, ears folding back a little in embarrassment.
"I mean, Riddle..." she said in a light apologetic manner, dipping her head to who was her king and also her good friend.
She brought up a small giggle at his inquiry, stopping in her tracks as she finally pawed up to him. He definitely seemed much bigger and had a strong presence, she thought, looking into his dark eyes that stared back with a silvery light.
"I can never get enough of the waters!" she remarked, "It's an entirely new and fantastic life, living by the sea... Like a dream in itself, you know?"
Mirela brought her head to nudge Shandor's shoulder playfully, looking at him with an amused expression.
"And where are you headed, away from tonight's celebration! I think not! It's also a royal obligation to attend these events."
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 3:56 pm
"Pet names already from the lips of my muse. I'm flattered." He smirked and lowered his head to nuzzle against her as she brought her sleek frame up alongside his. A strange contrast, this one, to the rest of the pride. Where some were walking around listless and almost sad and others were awkwardly trying to find their footing in their new way of life, the blue-striped female had practically danced into her role and loved every moment of it. A breath of fresh air she was, and one that he thought was sanity-saving in and of itself.
"A dream and a nightmare walking the same road. Word has it our closest neighbors felt the fury of the sea while we had only a few interruptions to our lovely coastline." The poor creatures. And he'd only recently granted permission to scout that territory for any... curious cubs wandering too close to the border.
He chuckled and gave a short shrug. "The music plays on without my eyes and ears present there. I wanted a glance at the borders to see that we don't have any unwelcome guests to the party. And yourself? I thought you would be putting the mummers to shame by now, little romani."
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:20 pm
"Oh!" she said aloud to his unexpected touch; surely he didn't do this as a normal greeting!
As she took in his words her flushing from his greeting waned away as Mirela regained her composure. Surely he jested! That was why he was the proclaimed Riddle Mouth, wasn't it? She raised a brow, still just glad for these encounters. Maybe some part of her was embarrassed to admit that it happened this fast, but she had grown somewhat fond of Shandor over the course of their meetings. His perseverance through whatever he faced was admirable, and she always kept an alert ear up for whatever he had to say to her. His words also were practical - a thing she found to be quite goofy and yet endearing.
"I have heard similar tale, and it is unfortunate that the sea also brings bad tidings. Still... I am not used to it yet, and perhaps if we treat our blessings well, we will know how to lessen losses with our resourcefulness if that time ever comes. But I surely hope it does not! And oh, Shandor, that's not the way to go! I just came back from the path you were taking, and there is nary a shadow of another in sight."
As far as the compliments went...
"Enough of that talk; your muse, am I?" she said in playful protest, "Perhaps that will get you motivated to join me with the mummers, then? We haven't in a while, you know! What with your secure patrols keeping us safe and all. If you made just one little exception, it might as well bring about the doom of our pride!"
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:27 pm
"Yes, well the bad can live with the good. The sea is a reminder of that. Any moment she can choose to swallow us all up and the world would just continue on." He smirked. "Just like a lady to keep the world on its toes. One slip of the paw and its into the depths in over your head. Some say you'd be better off living, others say glad to be dead." He smirked a little and turned himself to face the young lioness. Her playful energy was infectious. He himself couldn't fight the growing smile from his maw or the spark of energy in his otherwise dark eyes.
"Now now, let's be fair, if half the pride can go about picking their muses, why can't I? I find myself becoming the practical sort. I'd like my muse to be real. And here she is, tugging me into a dance when there's work to be done. What insanity is this?" He motioned her forward. "Very well, little temptress, lead on to the fire. Let's make the mummers blush."
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:48 pm
She lightly rolled her eyes at his morbid conjecture of the sea. Oh, Shandor. No wonder he didn't mind her being around whenever she was; he needed someone to brighten his days with whatever positivism she could give!
"Well, if all it took was that to get you moving, I should have done that a long time ago!" she admitted, "An unlucky muse I am, to not know of her muse-ly duties and powers."
She stalled momentarily, looking into Shandor's face. It was hard to tell how he felt, looking into those different but piercing eyes. She couldn't tell where he was going with this muse thing; perhaps he had alluded to it once or twice before, but she rarely thought anything more of his words; as practical as he was, he did tend to speak in metaphors and imagery that she found to be enticing, always keeping her on her paws.
"Tending to everyone is work, too! Even if it is executed in dance. Your presence brings a lot of peace, comfort, and joy... It always has to me, anyways. Regardless, shall we?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:54 pm
"It was that or a firm set of claws to my behind. I prefer the former, thank you!" He started a brisk lope down the way he'd come but paused to throw a stern look over his shoulder. He could have sworn he'd heard there was some sort of..purple maned leopard haunting the borders... no doubt looking for a piece of gypsy to satisfy a lonely cold night. Shrugging it off, he looked ahead and continued on. If she said it was safe it was safe.
"Frankly, I don't think half the muses knew they were muses and the ones that did didn't know what they were rightly supposed to be doing with themselves. I say you're the most practical muse I've met. Not to mention the most sane." He chuckled a little and added, privately, in the back of his mind that she was also the most lovely. Playful but forbidden, evasive but welcoming- what a puzzle this one. He loved it.
"I can name at least three lions that would disagree." He pointed out. "But they're barking mad so it's all white noise." He nudged her shoulder. "On we go then."
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 5:01 pm
Mirela laughed; it was good that Shandor also had his share of youthful energy and jokes in him as well. She nodded at him, appreciative and secretly smiling to herself for his kind words. He was too kind. And yet, she still let herself be wooed by them no matter how many times he said anything.
"Right beside you, Shandor," she spoke as she easily slipped into place next to him.
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