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 Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:13 pm
It hadn't been more than a few minutes since he gotten to the promised place between him and Yareha, and his paws already itched with worry. He truly felt that everytime his trouble-bound son was on the breaths of the other ranks, it was something he had said, or done to upset, or surprise others.
But he loved his son unconditionally, as all his children, no matter what he could pull in such a short time. It just worried poor Kivuli, he just wanted the best for all his children - but he knew he had to let them find their own lives.
Sighing soften, his claws dug up around the ground, displacing the gravel at his toes, waiting as patiently as he could.
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:25 pm
 Yareha didn't often pray, but lately it seemed like only the Great Lion could possibly fix the mess he'd made of his life. It hadn't seemed so horrible before, but now the consequences of countless choices had made things nearly unbearable. First his public punishment, then the double whammy of Iei's cubs and the estrangement from Laelia, and now this! He knew Kivuli loved him and he knew his father was willing to go to great lengths to help him. He only hoped that love would go far enough. A sigh of relief escaped him as he finally saw his father, waiting at the appointed place. But he didn't speak yet, nor would he until he was right there next to the older lion. And hopefully there wouldn't be any shouting to alert anyone. It had been hard enough concealing what tagged along and he didn't want anyone else seeing him with them so soon. Finally he made it close enough where they could talk quietly. "Dad," he began, still moving closer, and gently chivvying something at his heels, "I need your help." He nudged the cubs behind him around where Kivuli could see first one and then the other twin. KIZEVKizev was lost. In every possible way. He had no idea where they were in relation to home, mostly because he wasn't sure what "home" was. He vaguely remembered his mother, but she'd said that the big white lion was going to take care of him and his sister from now on. And the big white lion hadn't said much but he'd brought them here to another big white lion. Which one was going to take care of them? The cub didn't know, and that scared him a bit. So he shrank back, close to his sister. Whatever happened, they'd stay together. He vaguely remembered there being other sisters, but none of them looked as much like him as Wazitandama did. So they didn't matter as much.
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:17 pm
Hearing the shuffling of his son coming up to him did little for the older lion's nerves, but seeing Yareha in one piece made him breathe out a sigh of relief, his eyes lidding in a soft glance as he leaned closer to him, his fretting seeping off him just a little.
"Yareha, you are well. . " he said meekly, his voice betraying him for once in his life. It wasn't until his son started shuffling uncomfortably that Kivuli looked him over again, his eyebrows knitting a little as he looked him over once again. At the desperation his voice nearly dripped with, Kivuli could only take in what he was seeing before him, as two sets of sleepy, uncertain eyes suddenly were infront of him, his eyes stormed softly with questions as he looked up again.
"What did you do?" He could only murmur, his mind nearly drowning him out with questions, but it was that one that came out first, with no hatred, just wonder. At closer glance, they looked . . . like family. But there was a lot of difference, nothing that clicked as recent, as something close to home. "How did you find them? Are. . they do not look like your prior . . . endearments."
-----
It was like the world had shifted for Wazitandama, but there was little she felt she could do about it. Through heavily lidded eyes, she saw only white and golden fur around her as the lion she had been given to by her mother whispered to the other beside her.
She couldn't remember much, just the sudden loss of warmth from the dark lioness she could only remember as mom, whispers of promise and good words from whomever this lion was as they made the trek home, having complained a little on her way, her small paws tiring fast.
Feeling the warmth of her brother, Kizev, she curled up softly against him, white and gold fur touching white and gold fur, as the mirror cubs watched what they could, her head filling with worry.
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:26 pm
The lion sighed. He didn't really want to explain this to anyone, let alone his own father, but if he expected to secure the other lion's help he'd have to be completely honest. "Their mother's name is Ghazaala," he answered quietly. It was...before I met Laelia." He didn't think he'd have to say any more to explain that bit, as Kivuli himself had some experience with that sort of thing.
"She wanted me to take some of the burden off of her and I couldn't really blame her - there's six in all. But I agreed to take the twins." He paused, marshalling his thoughts.
"Dad, I really do love Laelia, but if she knew it wasn't just Iei...can you take them? Please? You're the best father I could think of and our markings are similar enough that no one would doubt it!" His voice cracked slightly at the end, but he was desperate. If he had any more scandal attached to him, he might have to leave the pride just to find people who'd look at him and see a person and not a lodestone for drama.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kizev's purple eyes never stopped watching the two white lions standing above them. He nuzzled his sister as much for his comfort as for hers. He didn't really understand a lot of what they were saying but he got the feeling it was important.
And it involved him and 'Dama somehow. He knew the word "twins" and knew that's why he and she were so much alike. So whatever the big lions were talking about, it included them. He didn't know if that was good or bad, but then again, he didn't know enough to wonder if it was good or bad. It simply was.
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:54 pm
"Your honestly isn't lost on me, son." He murmured softly at the whole explanation, his eyes lowering to the cubs once again, dual coloured ears swivelling as he took them in visually. They sure did look like they fit in the family, his father's markings loud and proud on their shoulders, something Yareha had not received from him.
"So you want me to watch over them, as if I had been the father, then?" He murmured down to at them, still talking with his son as he attempted to reach out for them, his paws softening as they reached. It wasn't a question of if he could watch over them, Kivuli had done it before, and felt he had done a great job by himself - it was the idea that they were considered in need of a figure who wasn't . . . his son.
Sighing opening, his eyes hardened as he lifted his head, his jaw setting, feeling that he was going to have to be strict - it was the only way his son would learn. "I will do it, I will do it only this once - but Yareha, be aware that I will not take this lightly. I will take them in and they will only know me as their father. I don't know how I'll get around the fact that they are now motherless - they are young as is and I will have to find all the help I can." He started, looking over his son with an intensity he had set in his looks.
"You will never tell them they are yours, you promise me?" He quipped, feeling a little guilt from his sudden turn. "Nor will you tell anyone else - this is between us, and will always be. You will be their brother, Yareha, as will Mahina, and Koray, siblings to Aysu, and your siblings. I will not allow them to know of another life, until they show they are ready - and even then I will hold this lie for you, for you are my son." He finished, looking down to them with a sudden and abrupt softness - he loved children.
"I have one last condition." He withered lastly, waiting for his son to take it all in.
------
The sudden sigh that the white lion startled the little Dama a little, her purple eyes suddenly up on him - feeling the exasperation, but not knowing how to react to it. She could tell that this was a conversation for her and her brother - twin they said - but what for . . . and when would her brother and she be able to just lay down and sleep?
All she wanted was to be somewhere warm again, curled up with family and just . . . being a cub, being cared for and this weird feeling in the air to go away. It was unsettling to her . .
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:03 pm
He held his breath as Kivuli considered his request, no his plea, for aid. He found himself nodding in agreement. What he was proposing, what his father was considering, was the biggest lie he'd ever heard of and it was one they'd have to keep for the rest of their lives. He felt a pang of sorrow for what he'd be giving up - the chance to raise his younger son and the boy's twin, the chance to take paternal pride in their accomplishments, the chance to be their father.
He was giving up that certain future for a second chance with Laelia. It was a steep price to pay, and that didn't include whatever condition Kivuli was imposing on top of that.
"I...understand, Father," he replied quietly. "I know it's a huge thing to ask of anyone." He could have gone on, about how wonderful a father Kivuli was to do this, about how it would probably be best for the cubs that a far better role model raise them. But he was sure the older lion already knew those arguments. Restating them would be a waste of breath and could wear tempers thin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kizev yawned as the big white lion talked a lot. He was so tired, he was starting to have trouble telling them apart. Except for the colors. The one who'd brought them here was the yellow, like the sun. The other was blue and reminded him of the moon.
He agreed with 'Dama though - he wanted to sleep, and soon.
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:21 pm
A soft smile crept on the older male's face as he watched his son nod fervourously with everything help shot out at him, his faith restoring in Yareha slowly, but surely. Sighing to himself, he murmured down to the children incoherently, more like a soft cooing of a parent than anything before nodding.
"You must promise me that you will work on your love with Laelia." He stated, a sharp tone to his voice, but he made sure every word was clear and heard. "She seems as smitten to you, as you her, but if you continue these antics, it won't be just me who's shouldering your secrets." He continued, tilting his head. "I worry that this could go either way, and with how much you're putting in to both this, and the romantic endevours with those whom your heart follows so easily, you may end up by yourself. I did say you were romantic."
"I just don't want to see you hurt, and I don't want more children to be born to you that you regret, or will hurt to watch from afar. I lost one child to a relationship like this, I don't want to see this happen to you, also." He finished, watching for his reaction.
---
Feeling the movement of her brother, she only caught the tail end of the yawn as she looked over to him - sending her in to her own yawn spell, before pawing at him, sleepily, in retort to the sleepy spell.
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:29 pm
Yareha smiled at his father. "Believe me, if not for her, I wouldn't be asking this of you." But that didn't make the rest of what Kivuli had to say wrong and the smile quickly faded as the younger lion considered his father's words.
"I swear," he stated softly, "by the Great Lion that I will do all within my power to repair the relationship between Laelia and I. And that I will try much harder to think before I speak and do." It was the best oath he could make, answering not only Kivuli's demand, but also what he'd begun to think was the most consistent factor leading to all of his...problems.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kizev yawned again, set off by 'Dama yawning in response to his initial yawn. The big white lions were still talking softly, seriously, though the moon one had made a nice noise in the cubs' direction. That was enough, in the boy's sleep-fogged mind, to make him a good person.
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Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 10:05 am
It took a few moments of silence for the words to sink in to the darkness before Kivuli's eyes set and softened again, as if he had decided the world in the moment. "That will be enough for me, then," he murmured, before leaning down to scoop the twins under him, their little bodies light with sleepiness, and his paw soft with nurture.
"Are they named yet? It will be interesting to tell them apart until the boy's mane sets more in," he stated, as if the hardships had already been past and gone. He was already starting to father them, as if no time had past since Yareha and his brood had found their paws under them.
----
A big warm paw had seperated her brother from her temporarily, the moon had swept him from the sun, leaving her open and vulnerable for a moment. Her lilac eyes flickered between the large males, hoping nothing ill would come between Kizev and her, but after a moment, the moon's golden paw came and swept her in to the ocean of white fur also.
It felt so cozy here, like. . . A belonging, something she wasn't sure how to explain yet. Leaning against her brother, she sighed, her fear quietened again.
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Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:53 pm
Thank the Lion that his father was so understand and so willing to give him this last chance. He had to make it count, had to make it worth it. The yellow-maned lion nodded silently in response to his father as the older lion changed the subject.
"Wazitandama is the girl and the boy is Kizev," he told Kivuli. Yareha felt a pang - probably not the last one - of regret as he saw his father take these grandchildren as his own children. But, it was, in many ways, best for them. If the white lion failed again with Laelia, these two wouldn't suffer for it. The same could not be said for the other four he was raising himself.
"Thank you, Father," he said sincerely. "I know my...youngest siblings...will be in good paws."
With that, the younger lion slipped away into the darkness towards the cubs slumbering in his own den, who knew nothing of the half-siblings now in the pride.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The cub purred sleepily and nuzzled the big paw that had reached for him. He wasn't sure what had happened, but he knew one thing. He was safe with the moon, and with his sister. That was all that mattered to him. He was too young for anything more.
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