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 Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:01 am
~Masamune~ Zizima padded slowly towards the watering hole, his tail flicking steading from side to side as he went. The large, silvery figure cast such a huge shadow behind him, that he seemed almost eerie ad not of this world. A herd of zebra were drinking at the very watering hole that he was calmly moving towards, yet he made no effort to hide himself.
A few heads rose, followed by quiet whispers. The zebras had spotted the huge, hulking lion and didn't know quite what to do. Should they run? Or should they just stay put and hope for the best? The latter seemed totally foolish, and within seconds the herd bolted, kicking up huge clouds of dust and dirt as they ran for dear life. "Heh." Zizima had only come for a drink, and wasn't at all interested in the zebra, for now anyway. It amused him how easily scared they were, but the small smirk that crossed his face quickly faded as he reached the water and lowered his large head to drink. Amy D Tambuzi had moved at a steady pace all day. It was great having some kind of freedom that adolescence brought, but it just lacked something - direction. Tambuzi had no idea where he was headed, what he was looking for, or what he was going to spend his days doing. Maybe a pride or something. That had lots of company and plenty to do. But he had no clue where the nearest friendly pride resided, and although confident in his charm and manners, he wasn't so sure he'd be accepted anywhere.
Tabuzi sighed, but felt uneasy as the sound of his exhalation disappeared amidst the sound of hooves. Lots of hooves. A herd of zebra were bolting straight at him. Had they even seen him? They swerved at the last minute, eyes widened at the sight of the grey and black lion.
He flinched. He actually ducked for cover from the very things he was supposed to hunt and kill. But when there's more than one, only an idiot would stand and get trampled. His gaze followed after them for a while, but he wasn't hungry so he didn't give chase. Instead, he just plodded on, his paws eventually reaching new soil. The water hole. Somewhat deserted, save for a few small brave animals.
And another lion. ~Masamune~ Zizima didn't even lift his head to acknowledge the other's arrival. His eyes simply glanced up towards him, looking him over, before they fell back down to the water he was drinking from. Only after his thirst was quenched did he lift his head, roughly shaking his mane out before staring straight at the new arrival. He was incredibly puny by his standards, and would even make for decent prey if he decided to make a change and turn cannibal. That thought didn't really appeal to the large lion, so he turned and went to walk away. He wasn't really one to greet others. Amy D Tambuzi watched the male cautiously. He learned long ago not to pick fights with lions larger than himself, which was probably most of the male lion population in Africa, whether by accident or not. He kept his distance, just on the fringes of the waterhole, watching the male for any threatening behaviour.
When he saw the other simply leave without saying a word, Tambuzi felt a little confused. He'd expected a large lion like that to be a bully of sorts, and had prepared himself for the worst. But the other just left.
Tambuzi shrugged his shoulders, not questioning his good fortune, and padded to the waters edge. He took long heavy gulps. He was thirstier than he thought. And then, rather unexpectedly, he just launched himself into the water. KERSPLASH! ~Masamune~ Zizima stopped dead in his tracks as he heard the loud splash, followed by a light shower of water on his back. Frowning, he looked over his shoulder and then turned to face the bumbling lion, lightly shaking off the small droplets from his body. "Please show me you can swim." The older lion muttered, not wanting to get himself wet saving the foolish youth.
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:06 am
Tambuzi spat water from his mouth and delightedly paddled around. He hadn't expected his splash to reach the larger lion, and he certainly hadn't expected the large lion to turn around.
"Errmmm...yeah, course I can swim..." he replied hesitantly. He even tried to avoid direct eye contact with the brute.
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 12:32 pm
It actually suprised Zizima how good of a swimmer the puny youth was. Still, he wasn't impressed by the lack of balance the lion had showed, and his swimming technique was completely without grace. It didn't even occur to him at first that the lion was making an effort not to make eye contact, but when it did dawn on him, he simply shrugged his broad shoulders and moved forward. If this lion feared him, perhaps he should give him a real reason to do so.
With a smirk, Zizima broke into a run, extending his claws and digging them into the dirt to propell himself even faster in giant bounds. It only took him a couple of seconds to return to the water, and when he got to the very tip of the bank, he coiled up. Again, it was only a couple of seconds before something else happened. The large lion sprung forward, leaping high into the air but with his head lowered as if he was actually trying to come down forcefully and pounce straight on to the other lion. With a crash of almost thunderous proportions, Zizima hit the water just beside where the lion was swimming, completely soaking the two of them. "That, my puny friend, is how we dive." It was very unlike him to actually go out of his way to scare others, but this one deserved it for being judgemental. Not that he cared what anyone else thought of him, more that he wasn't fond of others that judged solely on physical appearance.
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:17 am
Tambuzi rolled about in the water, driven by the force of this brute's dive. His head bobbed in and out of the water regularly until he could hold it up high enough. He sputtered and gasped, regaining his breath.
"Oh...cough...right..." Tambuzi replied amidst chokes. His feet paddled furiously in his mild-panic, but he righted himself soon enough.
He then swam out a little from Zizima, making sure not to take his eyes off him. Admittedly, he had been stupid to reveal his fear of this lion, and that can only be what had provoked him. So, Tambuzi tried another method.
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:30 am
Her tail lashed sideways, disturbing the grass that had so far kept her hidden from prying eyes. Oh how she loved to toy with the inferiors, to see the fear in their eyes as she leapt upwards and swiped out as if to rend their heads from their shoulders.
Her body quivered with excitement, a little drool dribbling from the side of her maw. She was hungry but it was not for the blood of lions. No, ever since she had tasted the flesh and blood of her own two little ones she had vowed never to bite into her own kin unless it be in a fight.
A gentle growl started in her throat, interlaced with a purr that made it sound all the more deadly. Powerful muscle rippled beneath her red-orange pelt as she crawled forwards once more, grass crackling slightly around her weighty form. A few steps more and that was it, she'd leap at them with fangs and claws revealed. This would be fun!
It was only when they began their crazed diving into the water that she pulled back, confusion lacing the expression on her face. What the HELL were they doing!?!?
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:56 am
Zizima was an extremely powerful and fast swimmer, despite his large size and the weight of his soaking mane. He easily caught up to the much smaller lion and began circling him, leaving just his eyes above the water for a moment before a faint growling sound caused his head to completely rise up and turn directly to face the approaching lioness. Having travelled all the way to the coast more than once in his life, Zizima had learnt to pick out sounds against the loud crashing of the waves. It was easy to pick up the growl when there was just the gentle lapping of the water against the bank and the occasional splashing as the lions swam.
A low snarl radiated in his throat as he trudged out of the water. He knew exactly what the lioness was, or rather, where she had come from. Any lion could be bright red, but it was the size of her that confirmed that she was indeed a Firekin. After violently shaking off his massive body and head, Zizima glared at the female with narrowed black eyes.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:04 am
Tambuzi grimaced as the large male began to circle. He certainly knew what it felt like to be a dying animal now, being stalked by a vulture. And he was surprised at his agility in the water. But he was smaller and quicker. He dived down under the water to escape beneath Zizima's bulk.
He emerged a short distance away, somewhat proud of himself for evading him. This was kind of fun, it wasn't often he met another water-loving lion. He twirled around in the water to face his game partner, ready to gloat about his escape, but Zizima wasn't in the water anymore. He'd wandered onto the bank, and, from his stance and somewhat aggressive aura, had obviously heard or seen something.
Tambuzi continued to float and paddle in the water a while, slowly inching himself towards a shallow part should he need to get to ground quickly.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 1:38 am
Oh damn...she hadn't want to be noticed that soon, but apparently she hadn't been given much of a choice. With a growl of her own she rose to her paws, revealing her bright pelt to the lions' eyes. They were being blessed this day, for not many could say they had set eyes upon a child of Finar-si. Her irritation rose at the disrespect the scarred one showed her, he needed to learn his place!
"You bare your teeth to a lady?" She flicked her tail, canting her head in an almost flirtacious way, then a piercing laugh rippled from her throat. "Silly, silly lions, do you not know of whom you face?" It was true she was probably not as strong as the large male but she could easily use agility and cunning to outwit him...as for the midget...well...he wouldn't interrupt.
"I shouldn't have expected any less from a rogue." She continued in a high and mighty tone, falling silent to wait for a reply, eyes narrowing.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 2:41 am
Zizima sneered, looking over the lioness as she revealed herself completely. "If you are anything like the rest of your kind, you are no lady..." He didn't exactly feel threatened by the female, but he wasn't ignorent to the power and agilty she undoubtedly possessed. "What is it that you want? A fight?" Saying that, a short and sharp snicker escaped his throat. "You Firekins are all the same. Blood-thirsty little drones, with no mind of your own. A pathetic existance indeed."
Zizima never ever refered to himself as a Firekin. He had very little respect for his origins, but he somewhat appreciated the Firekin genes that he was given.
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Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 1:27 am
Tambuzi had emerged from the water by this point in the encounter, standing on dry ground, dripping wet. He didn't bother to shake himself dry, it was too interesting to watch a female take on a male in a fight. Her pelt was rather bright, and somewhat more appealing to Tambuzi's eyes than it should have been.
Even though he'd left the water at the opposite side of the watering hole, he inched closer, more for childish curiosity and the need to know what was going on.
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Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 2:43 am
Her whole body tensed, golden eye widening in complete and utter shock. No one had ever talked to her in such a manner, they usually shrunk back in fear, turned tail and fled or perhaps just begged for forgiveness....this one however was different.
On one half she was angered by his comments but on the other there was a mild respect for him. Not many could say that they'd talked back to a firekin.
She snarled, gaze twitching briefly to Tambuzi and though he looked meek she didn't doubt that he had claws and teeth that were useable if necessary. Ripuka did not want to piss off the both of them, so for now she turned back to gaze at the larger male. "How do you know the ways of my kin, rogue!?" She snapped, bristling a little, for she was very proud of her pride and her family origins. "Do not judge what you do not understand. We are warriors, survivors, we are the children of Finar-si!"
She chuckled low in her throat, "what is it you have apart from that wretched scarred body?" She had no idea how he had gained them and she really didn't care. "It seems rogues battle as bloodthirsty as those of my blood."
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Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 3:18 pm
Zizima breifly looked towards Tambuzi, giving him a look that basically said for him to stay back. When he turned back to the suddenly ill-tempered Firekin, a reletively thoughtful expression touched his usually stoic face as he thought back to his youth. "My mother was a Firekin. She was...how shall I put it..." A distasteful smirk then touched his maw. "Firey." Cocking his head slightly as he went on, another line of thought entered his mind. This female looked around the same age as him, probably younger. Could she have been around when he was in hiding within the Pride? "I know a lot more than you think, O hallowed child of Finar-si..." Sarcasm wasn't one of his usual traits, but it would seem this brush with his past had brought out the worst in him.
When Ripuka took note of his scars, he shrugged his broad shoulders lightly, glancing over his shoulder to gaze over the many deep-red scars that were permanently carved into his flesh. "What do I have to go with these scars? The knowledge that I am free...free of a culture that is so ignorent to the ways of others that it cannot see past it's own dirty, deep red bloodlines..." He would've gone on, but he had gotten well past the bitterness that he had once had towards his mother and the Firekins, and he wasn't going to let this one bring it all back. "Plus, females dig the whole 'battle-hardened warrior' look..."
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Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:50 pm
"My mother was a Firekin..."
Well, that explains a lot, Tambuzi thought to himself. It explained Zizima's expansive size, his somewhat gruff expression, and his eagerness to enter into a conflict. Although he would have expected Firekins to hate the water, and Zizima obviously didn't. Tambuzi also questioned Zizima's grey and white colouring - certainly not typical of a Firekin.
For the time being, Tambuzi shrugged all these questions away and continued to watch intently. He shook himself dry, actually glad for once that he wasn't as big as normal lions - takes longer to dry. He clambered onto a small, falt-topped rock and laid there, letting the warmth heat his belly, and letting the sun dry his back.
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Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 4:32 am
Ripuka's eyes narrowed in distaste, "so, you're a half breed." She snarled angrily, lowering her body. "You should not hate your mother, she was merciful in letting you live, most other firekin would have slaughtered you the moment you were born." Her teeth clicked together, lips curling up to reveal her fangs. For she had killed her own children when they had been born so as to save herself the shame of raising some rogue's cubs. She had no mercy within her, none at all.
"You delude yourself by thinking rogues are any different. They pick fights, they try to maintain dominance over others and they are definately not free. They cannot go wherever they please in fear that the land belongs to another'a territory. You live around the prides so that you won't be caught and enslaved. You live in fear of them, especially us." She drew herself up proudly, twitching both ears forward and glaring at him. She would not stay any longer than necessary for she would not degrade herself by talking to an inferior.
"Oh yes, those scars are so attractive." Her speech dripped with sarcasm, "some simple rogue may find them endearing but I find them weak. They are your burdens, your reminder that you are an outcast! Remember that!"
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Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 4:23 am
"I do not hate my mother. Hate is such a strong word, more often used by Firekins I would assume..." Again, he shrugged his broad shoulders. "And for a time, she did love me." A soft chuckle radiated in his throat. "Love. Do you even know what it means to be loved? I saw how the other Firekins treated their young. It seemed like the relationship was always on thin ice, like the parent would turn on its cub instantly if it made a mistake or disobeyed...for a time, I was probably the most loved cub in the whole Pride." It was true, that his mother had indeed loved him for quite some time before she grew to resent him. It probably wasn't even her fault that that resentment devoloped, but Zizima had never thrown blame in any particular direction so it didn't really matter how his exile came about.
"If anyone is deluded my dear, it's you...sure, not all rogues are free, I know this. But I myself am free. I have wandered over all lands, whether they are owned by prides or not. I have travelled to places you didn't even know were there. More than once, I have walked so far towards the sun, that I eventually came across the ocean." A small but fond smile touched his mouth as he mentioned the ocean. "You, O child of Finar-si, are blind to such adventure. As I said earlier, you cannot see past your own dirty bloodlines...and even if you wanted to, I doubt the other Firekins would let you live to see another day." He wasn't trying to cut down the lioness, or even insult her. What he was trying to do was make her see sense.
However, it would seem that this female was not as bright as her fur looked. "These scars are not my burden, they are my freedom."
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