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 Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 9:57 am
 Though she was a messenger, Ai didn't really have much she needed to do. She had yet to really be called upon to deliver any important message. That was probably due to the fact that nothing was really going on that required the delivering of messages, and she was okay with that. Actually, her main job now was raising cubs, who would hopefully one day be perfect messengers. Part of raising these cubs was feeding them.
Usiku was the better hunter in these realms, actually capable of tackling some of the ibex that were around and not rolling off a cliff in the process. She couldn't even hunt baboons (frankly, neither could he), because they had large, sharp teeth and could overpower something as lightly built as a cheetah. Which was why they usually hunted together.
Today she was alone, though. No particular reason. When alone, all she really could do was catch a few hares, or birds. At least the cubs still didn't eat too much. She had just managed to surprise and catch a wattled ibis, not exactly the best meal ever (she hated birds, too many feathers and wings hitting you in the face when you were killing them), but it should be a decent enough snack for two cubs, or a whole meal for one.
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Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:26 am
 Xun Li ran as fast as she could toward the den. Luckily she'd caught sight of Mom before she got too far from her and arrived at the den without telling her the important message from the Empress.
Xun Li tried to put the breaks on, to stop as quickly as she could, but ended up tumbling and scitting head over heals until she was sprawled out in front of Mom a little embarrassingly. "Hi, Mom."
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Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:30 am
She was, by now, a little used to life with hyperactive cubs that ran around at break-neck speeds and tripped and tumbled about. Still, she perked her ears and looked mildly concerned as he youngest daughter simply flew over and ended up on the floor before her. "Hi, Pshun Lee." she said, moth still full of bird.
Deciding it was best to talk to people without a mouth full of feathers, Ai tossed the ibis a couple feet away, closer to the den. "What's the hurry all about?" As far as she knew they weren't doing any drills right now!
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Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:44 pm
Xun Li smiled at her mother, beaming with pride. "I met the Epress and she sent me on a mission with a message, Mom!"
Xun Li stood did a little stretch and then started dancing her mother's front paws. "And we had a talk about what good messengers did and didn't do. And she told me I shouldn't mention the wrestling sounds you and dad like to make when you think we're asleep." She admitted shamelessly, even though she hadn't told the Empress that, she figured since Mom already knew about the sounds she and Daddy make it was okay.
"Can I deliver the message now, Mom?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:01 pm
"You met the Empress?" Her first thought was Crap, my kid met the empress. I'm doomed. Her second was that maybe it wasn't so bad, considering Xun Li didn't look like she'd just had her soul crushed or anything. She looked happy and proud! which was good. Ai just feared that the empress could be rather intimidating. Maybe Ting Lan knew to change her attitude when around cubs.
Then Xun Li brought up something very stupid, and her ears laid back. Awwwkward. It wasn't as if it were something they 'liked to do', in the sense that it happened often. They had done it once nearby. Just once! Every other time they had left and found a better place! "Good. Don't bring that up again, to me, or your father or siblings or anyone, ever. I've already told you that, Xun Li." It was just embarrassing enough that her daughter had heard that one time, let alone keep bringing it up. Usually she was the more relaxed between herself and her mate, and had even been more chill about the whole ordeal last time Xun Li had mentioned it, even joked a little. But since the cub had already been told to stop, it seemed she needed to be firmer.
She was also slightly terrified Xun Li had mentioned that to the Empress. If there was anyone you didn't give personal information like that to, it was the Empress. Not because she shouldn't be trusted, of course, but frankly, she shouldn't have to hear such nonsense. "So she gave you a message? Alright, let's hear it!" She said cheerfully, perhaps partially to make up for being stern a few moments ago, and plopped down on her haunches to listen.
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Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:58 pm
Xun Li nodded "And I remembered to call her Mistress Empress Mom! And I didn't address her first, she started talking to me" Xun Li was very proud that she remembered bits of the protocol Mom and Daddy had been teaching them as well. "And she said that a good messenger repeats the message exactly because if the messenger gives too much opinion than it would make the message compromaised. Mom what does compromaised mean? And then she said that not to be afraid to speak up either, because a good messenger can interrupt the message or give other advise and stuff1 And I'm to tell the others that as well. And she said you're doing a good job." Xun Li didn't really notice the firmness of her Mom... distracted. Especially since she'd already promised the Empress she'd practice and all.
"Isn't that cool Mom! She thinks we're going to be good messengers and all!" Okay, maybe the Empress hadn't said that part, but Xun Li had interrupted it that way. And Xun Li was determined to make Mom, Daddy, her siblings, the pride, the West House and especially the Empress proud of how good a messenger she would become, because of the faith she showed in the little leotah. She bounced in happiness.
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:31 am
Ai knew just what it was like when a cub wasn't paying attention. "Xun Li, did you hear what I said?" The cheetah hardly wanted to have to reprimand her daughter again, or actually punish her. But kids needed to know they should listen to their parents. She wasn't very demanding at all, which meant that when she did ask for something they should be all the more happy to oblige!
Still, the message received was rather nice. If the empress were sincere about it. Ai even felt rather proud, and fluffed up slightly with a smile on her face. Good! "That's very good! I'm glad you remembered how to treat her. Compromise would be when you change the meaning of the message. You could give whoever you're delivering the message to the wrong idea of what whomever sent the letter meant. And then the only one to blame would be you." She nodded, because only bad messengers would mess up like that.
"She probably didn't mean interrupt the message." The cheetah tilted her head, frowning. "You'd best only speak your opinion after your finish delivering the message, unless asked." She doubted the Empress would have told her daughter to do such a thing. "But Im very proud of you, Xun Li! you did very good today." She leaned down to bump her forehead against the cub's.
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:50 am
"Mom! Don't bring it up! I'm practicing!" Xun Li whined as only a cub could and pouted. She was suppose to be practicing! How could she practice if Mom kept bring the subject that she was practicing not to bring up up!
"I thought it was something like working things out?" Xun Li sat down and tilted her head. She remembered the word being used once when their was a fight over a ply bug or something like that. They were told to compromise and work out how to play with it. She didn't remember much, but Xun Li did remember the bug being squished as part of the compromise. And because it had been fun. Maybe she got the wrong word in her memory?
"Ok, Mom. I'll keep my opinion til after the message is given and then maybe I'll tell them it. Maybe be. I think I need to practice that too. Do you think I should go find Daddy and the others and tell them too?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:04 am
"You brought it upon yourself." Ai said with a nod. "Cubs who don't listen to their mothers get nagged, that's the way it is." She shrugged, but she was happy enough to drop it once she was certain Xun Li had listened to her.
She smiled at her cub afterwards. "Yes, it does mean that too. It can be when you settle things, find a mid-way that suits everyone involved. But it can also mean to... uh, reduce the quality of something, or prejudice something. Lower it's quality, I guess. That's what you would be doing if you didn't deliver the message faithfully." But she was happy that her daughter had remembered the word from earlier, because it meant she was learning. and had a good memory!
"I think telling your daddy and your brothers and sister what you lerned from the empress is a good idea." Ai nodded.
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:40 am
Xun Li tilted her head. "So a bad messenger compromises a message. But a good and intelligent messenger or person can find a compromise between conflicting parties?" So in a weird way a messnger was a compromiser one way or the other. Hmmm. Maybe she could start thinking of herself as the Compromiser. If she figured out how to be a good compromiser. That might take practice too.
Bounding to her feet, Xun Li prounced around her mother smiling. She could deliver the message four more times! "Where do you think they all are, Mom?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:44 am
It was a sound enough logic. Zyanya didn't feel the need to point out, at least not for the time being, that usually a messenger didn't settle disputes themselves. But it was a possibility in the future, as growth in a diplomatic career could lead her children to become a bit more than simply messengers.
But they could learn that later!
"I think I saw Zhenzhen heading over to the creek with your father." As for the boys, she wasn't sure. Probably not too far off, maybe doing a few runs. "They might know where your brothers are." She nodded. It would be nice if Usiku knew where the boys were, because whenever she realized she didn't know, it kind of got her worried.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 4:55 pm
"Okay Mom!" Xun Li dashed around her mothers paws as a farewell and then took off to find Daddy and Zhenzhen. They would love this message, yes they would!
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