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 Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:11 pm
 Hlengiwe had once again wandered off from her mother. She had been having fun till a couple lionesses, ones she didn't know, had started to talk to each other as if she wasn't there. They were talking about her mark, the unnatural one. She had about to give them a piece of her mind but then she got to thinking about it. None of her brothers and sisters had a mark like hers. She sat for quite some time thinking about it before deciding she needed to ask her mommy.
Hlengiwe got up and started to run back to Njalo. Her little paws seemingly tripping over nothing and she fumbled a few times on the way back. After finally finding her mommy again, she lay down with a sigh. "Mommy!" She called a bit loudly since sometimes her Njalo was not all there.
(Note: This is a backlog rp. )
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:11 pm
Given that there were lionesses scattered all around the pride, Njalo'sasa never worried much when her cubs disappeared from her sight. Despite her relaxed demeanor the young umzingeli's ears were always open, attentive to the cries of her cubs should they end up in danger. At which point in time the protective mother would spring into action with the ferocity only maternal instincts could conjure, but luckily--despite its name--the Bonelands was a relatively safe.
That meant plenty of time for her little ones to explore while Nja sprawled in the warm sand, enjoying the heat of the afternoon. Given her active lifestyle even while pregnant the lioness hadn't gained much extra weight on her slender frame. Now that she was feeding a small army the milk she carried left her with a strange heaviness that was far more cumbersome than a belly full of wriggling, pawing babies. It was worth it though, of that she had no doubt.
With her chin propped on a rock, eyes closed as golden rays soaked into the fading gradient along her back she certainly appeared to be sleeping. Yet when Hlengiwe toddled over to flop beside her, Njalo seemed to recognize the tiny steps as one of her own. Purring lazily in response to the shrill shout that beckoned for her attention, Yup.. Nja is Hle-le's mommy...
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:30 pm
Hlengiwe rolled over laughing. Her mommy was very funny sometimes. She kept rolling over till she was against the warm fur of Njalo. A smile of contentment graced her face. "Of course your my mommy." She nodded quite vigorously while lying on her back.
It was no wonder that she had Njalo all to herself. Her brothers and sisters were probably running around the Bonelands playing and causing trouble. Hlengiwe soaked up the moment of having time alone with mommy. It was good too because for some reason, she didn't want to voice this question in front of the rest of the family. Usually, she just said whatever she wanted but this bothered her on a personal level.
She looked up into Njalo's face with as serious a look as a cub can give. "Mommy, I heard some of the older ones talking. They were talking about my mark." Hlengiwe held up her right paw with the dark purple mark. "Why do I have it mommy? I know it must be something bad? How come I'm the only one with it?" Her eyes were big and trusting. Of course mommy would know the answers.
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:42 pm
The soft sound of her daughter's laughter, of any of her children's laughter, was sweet and always put Njalo'sasa in a better mood than she was already in. If that was even possible for the bubbly female. Head lifting to glance at the tiny ball of fur that rolled across the sand until she was stopped by the blockage that was her mother's side. Like two of her other cubs Hlengiwe was nearly dark as night and except for the unusual marking on her forepaw she resembled the rest of the brood so acutely that one would have thought that Njalo had actually given birth to her.
Of course, for the bongo-marked lioness having Hlen nearly as long as her own cubs had caused her to mostly forget the little one's true origins as a wee stray found during the pride caravan's travels to their new territory. As far as Njalo was convinced Hlen was one of her own.
Blinking brilliant sunshine colored eyes at the paw that was thrust out at her a freckled nose stretched to press her muzzle to the warm pads. Rough tongue licking at Hlengiwe's foot with motherly affection as if uncertain what else to do with it. It's a cute mark!
The rather sober expression she was given from her daughter's face made Njalo consider the question more seriously with a dwelling sigh. Why did she have it? As far as the lioness was concerned that was like asking why the sky was blue. Her muzzle pursed with an effort to contemplate such a puzzling question that Nja clearly wasn't accustomed to before answering as casually as if they were discussing the weather. Nja doesn't know why Hlengiwe has that mark, but Nja doesn't think it's bad no matter what the others say. It makes you different.. like your brothers and sisters! Thuli has blue eyes.. but neither Nja or your papa had blue eyes and Machozi is grey but neither of us are the littlest bit grey! Sometimes.. cubs look like their parents, parents... so that we don't forget where we came from!
Bobbing her head proudly to have deduced something so philosophical the umzingeli canted her head hopefully. Wondering if her answers had sated her daughter's curiosity.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 4:01 pm
Hlengiwe had no idea that she was not the cub of Njalo's. Since she had been raised with the rest of the cubs, they were her birth family. She had no memories before them. In fact, she so strongly believed that they were her family by blood that anyone who bad mouthed anyone in her family would get a piece of her mind. She was quite protective of them. Her family meant more to her than the rest of the pride. Of course, to a little cub like her, her mommy was akin to a goddess.
She giggled as her mommy licked her foot. Hlengiwe liked getting cleaned. It felt refreshing to her and made her feel close to her mommy. Sometimes, she liked to lick her siblings affectionately even if they didn't always taste that great. It brought a big smile to Hlengiwe's face when Njalo commented that it was cute.
She watched her mother thinking about her question. Her blue eyes watched her mommy with patience for the answer. When the answer did come, it was her turn to think really hard on it. It was true that they didn't all look the same. She shouldn't let the others words get to her. "So my mark might be from one of mommy's old, old, old family?" Hlengiwe did not know the word ancestor yet so she put it in terms she understood.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 4:32 pm
Who knew being a mother would mean having to know so many things? Njalo'sasa had never been the brightest lioness in the pride. Instead she had rested on the laurels of her skill as a solitary, ambush huntress which had always made her an asset. Maybe she would have tried to become better learned if she had known that there her future cubs would bring her so many questions to answer and so many problems to solve! Curious cubs meant smart cubs though and Nja liked to think she was handling the challenge of feeding their minds fairly well. In fact, sometimes her astuteness startled even herself, but she wasn't above asking others wiser than he for help when she wasn't sure of an answer.
Watching intelligent eyes glaze as Hlengiwe digested the information carefully, the sweet-faced Njalo only beamed all the more when her daughter seemed to accept her explanation. Yes! Yes that is what Nja means! Hle-le is so smart!
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:10 pm
Hlengiwe nodded with a big smile in response to Njalo. She may be a complete klutz but she could understand a good amount of what the older ones said. Most of the lionesses talked freely about things around her and her siblings. It was just that she liked to listen to what they were saying in case they said anything bad. She rolled over onto her stomach and nuzzled her head under Njalo's chin. "I want to be smart mommy." That way she could know what she was saying. She had a small tendency to say things she didn't fully understand.
There was one other question on her mind. She had heard the word 'lusizi' far too many times to not think about it. Hlengiwe knew that it was not a good thing and it was not only her labeled as a lusizi. Even her siblings had been called that. It took awhile of listening closely to conversations but eventually she had gathered enough info to put some things together. "Why am I a lusizi?" She asked it slowly as if unsure. Mommy would know that answer to this one too, she was sure of it.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 9:57 pm
Licking Hlengiwe's forehead happily the bubbly female laughed at the declaration, purring with pride as she ushered the little cub against her chest affectionately. Hlengiwe is already smart! All Nja's cubs are smart!
They must have got that from Matifu, not that the lioness would ever say as much. There didn't seem much need. It was obvious enough wasn't it? Such intuitive curiosity couldn't have possibly come from their mother. As if to prove her point those blue eyes peered up at her with an endless fountain of intrigue about a world she still had much to learn from. Asking for answers to a question that made Njalo heartsick.
Even though their father was gone, the cubs were lucky that it was their half-brother who had replaced the empty position amongst the Abholi. Had it been a more ruthless male their safety would have been in question, not that the lioness would have allowed any male--regardless of his station within the pride--to harm her offspring. The last litter of Matifu's proud lineage. Thanks to Gakere being a Lusizi wasn't quite the shameful title it had once been, though sometimes traditions were slow to change within the Bonelands. Turning her thoughts to Hlen's question to keep from lingering on the thought of the deceased Matifu whose memory made her chest strangely heavy, Nja fell quiet.
Lusizi.. Repeating the word gingerly at first the happy-go-lucky Umzingeli finally smiled and shook her head. Don't mind those other lionesses, Hle-le! Being a Lusizi only means that your papa isn't around anymore.
And there you had it. A simple explanation from a simple mind.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:51 pm
Hlengiwe closed her eyes with a small smile as Njalo licked her forehead. She snuggled in closer against her mommy, enjoying the soft fur against her own. There was nothing more comforting then cuddling with her mommy or with one of her siblings. She didn't particularly consider herself smart especially since she tripped quite a lot. "I'm smart like mommy," she purred.
In her eyes, Njalo was very knowledgeable and always had the answers for her. Mommy was the only one she trusted to answer her questions. She knew that mommy would never lie to her.
Hlengiwe looked up with big eyes at her mommy. She wondered briefly what was going through Njalo's mind. Mommy had suddenly turned really quiet and it worried her slightly. Her mommy was always happy so it was strange to see the expression that she currently had.
When she finally answered, Hlengiwe nodded before looking at her paws. She hoped it didn't mean they were teasing her daddy. That would make her upset. Then she said something without thinking much. "Big brother doesn't treat us differently." She smiled up at her mommy. So it must not be that bad if he treated them the same as all the other lions.
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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 9:47 pm
Smart like mommy? Njalo crinkled her freckled nose cutely with good humor. Apparently the saying was true; mother is god in the eyes of a child. Hlengiwe certainly overestimated her mother's brilliance or at least, that was how her mother felt though she would have never said so out loud. Instead she made a soft sound of amusement and nuzzled her daughter lovingly. Shaking her head in agreement. Nope! Njalo is very lucky that Gakere is such a good older brother to her cubs!
It was a double edged sword in every conceivable fashion. Even if Gakere was the cause of Matifu's demise the Umzingeli couldn't hate him. He had given Matifu's death purpose. Ushering in the new order. Giving him that one last battle to go out on. He had also assured her cubs safety for if it hadn't been Matifu's own son and thus her cubs half-siblings to take his place, in time it surely would have been another, more ruthless lion. No, Njalo couldn't hate Gakere. She couldn't hate him anymore than she could anyone else. Cheek rubbing against Hlen as she spoke quietly. You should thank him the next time you see him. Njalo thinks... he would like that.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 12:15 am
Hlengiwe nuzzled her mommy back, a deep rumbling purr coming from her. She had to agree with what Njalo said about Gakere. Big brother treated them exactly as he treated everyone else. She liked it because it made her feel like one of the adults. He made her feel as if she wasn't just a little cub that didn't know anything. That always made her happy.
Hlengiwe had no clue about the details surrounding her father's death. No one had ever told her anything. So she didn't know what he had been like or that her own big brother had been the cause of his death. Mommy certainly didn't like to talk about it and she didn't want to think about the reasons why. In fact, she thought it was because he had been old. All old things died so she had come to that conclusion herself.
"I will mommy. Next time I see him, I'll tell big brother thank you." She nodded enthusiastically and accidentally bopped her head against Njalo's chin. It made her giggle. Then she let out a big yawn. "Mommy, can I sleep now?" She didn't even let Njalo answer her. Her eyes slowly closed and she was soon asleep against her mommy's chest with her chin settled on Njalo's paw. All that questioning had made her very tired.
( Thanks for the rp! )
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Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 11:59 pm
Surprised that such a deep sound could come from such a tiny body, Njalo giggled softly. It was strange that the warmth of her cubs so close to her made her feel safe and warm--wasn't it supposed to be the other way around? Somewhere deep beneath the surface of her consciousness she did wonder if she did enough for her cubs and if they got as much out of her being their mother as she did out of them being her offspring.
A small nod of approval caused their heads to collide abruptly and despite her huff of amusement a gentle lick from her rough tongue sought to ease what sore spot might have been left behind on Hlengiwe's forehead. Watching her midnight daughter's mouth open wide in an impressive yawn, the request barely left Hle's maw when the little figure fell into a gentle slumber against her breast. A fond smile touching the happy-go-lucky Umzingeli's lips as she carefully rested the arc of her neck over the slender backside like a blanket. Enveloping her daughter in her warmth while her child slept, though the devoted mother remained very much awake.
[ FIN ]
(Thank you! This was really fun. Njalo needs more rp with her cubs.)
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