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 Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 9:15 am
Though Kikawaida had lead Umo back to the swamp in the most direct route possible she had been away from the swamplands for more than a week by the time her toes touched the soft springy earth of the swamp borders. Her ears twitched as she took in, with a long, soothing breath, the scents she had known all her life.
Her ears flickered upwards as she listened "oh" looking surprised she turned her gaze to the large male, her eyes, though filled with a little apprehension were filled with adoration for the huge burly male. "Somone is here" she whispers, her voice lifting through the air.
Moving swiftly towards the boggy marsh, her head tilted high, her nose sniffling for the 'intruders' "Somone is here" she said again, though she stopped, smiling slightly, her dusty pink gaze gazing back to him. "The spirits welcome you Umo" she whispers turning and walking back to him, rubbing her cheek against his. Perhaps he could not hear them. But to her, the spirits sang of that forboeding change they had been speaking of for so long. The pride had returned. She was worried, frightened, apprehensive of the new arrivals, would she know them? Would they know her or would they chase her away? Her brow creased unhappily at the thought. The swamp was her home. Looking at Umo she licked his cheek and nuzzled in to his mane "I am worried Umo..what if they do not recognise me? The swamp is my home" she whispers, that delighted sound to her voice, that voice which, though still whispery, had taken on the bounce of a joyous return home, suddenly sounded wobbly and scared. Umo would make it okay..wouldn't he? They would recognise her? Oh, the spirits wouldn't let her be cast away would they? Closing her dusty pink eyes, all she could remember was that she had abandoned the spirits because of her wonderlust. Oh please, let the spirits forgive her.
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 9:48 am
Umo was nervous about this travel with Kika. His crimson eyes kept open for any possible danger that might threaten her or himself. He was afterall, not used to this place, though it was her home. It was what she was used too and perhaps Umo could get used to it as well. Kikawaida had spoke about how the spirits talked to her and Umo couldn't help but be confused by this but.. he was willing to learn if it came to it.
Umo padded behind her, cocking his head at her as she spoke. THe spirits welcomed him. He nodded his head in accnolagment and looked around a few moments before looking back to her. "And I greet the spirits warmly." He said, flat as ever. He rubbed his cheek against hers,
He looked around at the swamps, not sure if he should speak or not. " They will recognize you my love. You are their Kika and they cannot forget you so easily." He said reasurringly, stepping beside her and nibbling behind her ear affectionatly.
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 9:54 am
Suddenly, there was something more than a sense of a difference, more than the swamp's quiet, deep throb of life. Unseen, someting else appeared with a whisper of wings in the still air.
A pawprint sank into the moistened soil, left by no lion who could be discerned. The presence lifted, sweeping a circle around the pair and stirring their fur with a fleeting, wing-beaten breeze, on it the playfully sing-song words "We see, we remember, we greet. We greet!"
"Child," came then a throaty whisper, "She's coming! The sun's daughter has been waiting for you." Then, an utterance for Kikawaida's ears alone: "He's very handsome..."
A laugh rang out, many-layered and thick with a mixture of joy and knowledge, and then whatever it was was gone, leaving only a pawprint and the echo of laughter in its wake.
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 10:17 am
Kikawaidas ears twitched and tilted as the spirits, or what she considered the spirits spoke "Oh Umo, Umo could it be? My pride has returned!" She flushed though as the spirits spoke of Umo and she looked at him, hoping, preying he wouldn't be frightened by such a strange occurance. All her life she had seen such things and to her, to her they were of normal occurance "The sun, they have truely returned. Oh spirits show me the way" Her dusty pink gaze followed the winds path and she started to walk. All else was cast from her mind at this the most, gracious of welcomes. Had Umo even heard them? She knew some of it was for her ears alone but had Umo listened to the spirits words too?
Her childlike exhuberance took over as she pranced off following the way she thought the 'spirits' had gone, she had to see the suns daughter. She had to greet her queen, her prides head. She only stopped when she had bounced, she thought, far too far from Umo, turning and preying he wouldn't be afraid. "Umo, come Umo, my love we must greet the pride head together." Her legs were obviously shaking, her ears, twitching constantly. She was afraid, afraid and yet, and yet at the same time her heart swelled with joy, would her swamp be a home again? Had the spirit talkers truely returned? The spirits spoke kindly of whom ever was here.
Waiting, only for a moment, for Umo to follow in her footsteps she whispered, thought something deep in her mind 'I love him spirits, please, keep him safe in your lands.' A slight flush came to her cheeks and she sighed happily 'yes, he is very handsome' a giggly laughter left her then and she bounded on, she had to see what the spirits sang so happily about.
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 1:57 pm
Umo's eyes wandered quietly for anoutehr moment before he felt an odd occurance. A gust of wind perhaps. He looked about, only to look back at Kika and her surprised expression. "Your pride has returned?" He asked sort of startled, though he had a smile on his face. He padded after her, feeling a diffrent feeling for Kika. He was amazed. Seeing that Kika was hurrying on her way, he speed up to match her. "And greet them I shall Kika. I must admire I am nervous... what if I offend them?" He asked, looking at her pleadingly. "I do not want to offend them"
Trotting after her, his ears perked; he did not know what to expect. He had to admire she had such a connection with the spirits but.. did she really? He shook his head. Of course, she was specail. "I have to admit I do not know what is happeneing but I trust you Kika and I trust you know what you are doing. Considering you have lived with them all your life." He said, his shoulders bouncing excidely. He wasn't this nervous since... ever. "I mean... I do not know. I am nervous Kika."
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:25 pm
When the sun's daughter showed herself, it was in the distance, a pale head and back above the surface of a dark pool, headed towards them. She made her way through it with determined strokes, slower and more awkward than normally they would be. It was with quiet relief that the lioness reached the other side, water cascading from her pale form as she emerged. Speaking of her form, there was quite a bit of it -- she was heavy with extra weight not from gluttony, her back curved with the burden of cubs.
Asali'jua shook herself, flinging bits of plantmatter and mud and a spray of water droplets, before she continued towards the two lions. Walking, she retained a slow and patient grace despite her state, moving onward with slow and easy steps. Amber eyes focsed on the pair and remained there, as she made her unhurried way.
The Queen who came to greet them was damp, pale coat dingy and darkened from her swim, fur ruffled and laying every which way from her shake, but it was of no concern to the swamp lion, and she lost none of her regal air.
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:38 pm
"Oh" Kikawaidas eyes widened as she saw the female leave the water. Those soft pink eyes smiled and she calmed, at least calmed enough to not galavante up to the queen of the swamps. Her steps took on a more elegant step, her tail laying low and still, her ears back, though her body showed no sign of fear, the smile on her maw told it all. They really had returned.
The slender, natural form of the spirit talker came face to face with the queen whom had left. She lowered slowly to her stomach as she came to a stop, her tail laying flat out behind her "The spirits welcome you majesty" Her voice wispered upon a breeze almost, her dusty eyed gaze resting upon the thickly buillt femme. She wished to comment, and almost did except that she would probably be thought of as full of cheek. She wished to make a good impression.
Those large pink eyes closed for a moment and she raised, ever so slightly, from her low, dipping bow "Daughter of the Sun, I am Kikawaida, and this male, he has travelled far to return home with me." She paused for a moment, was she doing this correctly, she listened intently for a nudge from the spirits, something to tell her that she was speaking in correct tones to the ruler of the swamps "His name is umo, he is.." she paused feeling sheepish suddenly, was Umo hers now? She knew the word mate of course, She remembered her mothers words about her father. She had never met him but he had been her mothers love, her mate. That was far too long ago for even to contemplate at this time. Staying silent, she awaited Umo to perhaps, speak up, or for the queen to speak to her. She was frightened. Would she be caste away by this female? Would the spirits back her up? She was obviously the rightful heir, she knew that but she felt so afraid, she loved the swamp, she never wished to leave it again. The spirits had welcomed her though, they had welcomed her and Umo, this was simply the last herdle, please, let her be welcome in the pride.
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 7:20 pm
Umo was super nervous now. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do when the female, obviously higher ranked, showed herself. He looked to Kika for reasurance but she seemed as nerved out as he was. He stayed back behind Kika, his own body language showing he was of lower rank. He noted how Kika didn't show a sign of fear but he couldn't help but feel he did. Umo did not know of what he ruitine was with this Pride. He listened to Kika and nodding his head to his chest he spoke as well. "-I am her mate."
He did not know if he was speaking too loudly or to suddenly to show respect but... he didn't know how to explain it. "At least we wish to be Mam." He said flatly, not on purpose but becuase it was his manor of speaking. Thats one of the reasons he loved Kika. They spoke so similar. Umo was nervous. More nervous than he thought he would be.
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 4:17 am
Asali'jua inclined her head in acknowledgement of Kika's and the spirits' welcome, before calmly speaking. "I know who you are; I've been waiting for you. Rise, Kikawaida; we are Jini-misemi both, you and I. Come forward, Umo; she claims you, dark stranger of one voice."
For all her gravity, there was friendliness in her tones, a glitter of pleasedness in her eye. "I am Asali'jua, daughter of Tamu'harara and the Pale Stranger; grandaughter of Imara'moyo, King before the Flood."
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 9:21 am
Kikawaida sighed, a long, soft sigh of releif as Asali'jua spoke to her. She smiled. It had been many a moon since she had heard the phrase Jini-Misemi "Yes, it has been long since I have greeted another spirit talker I thought perhaps that I was the last" She smiles a little sheepishly. "My mother served beneath the lord before the flood, she saved my life when the dark waters came and consumed these lands."
Her gaze for a moment left the queen and she flushed slightly, her gaze full of gentle adoration for Umo, she was his mate, they were mates, he had said so. Another sigh escaped her, this one simply filled with the new, strange love she held for the dark male she had met upon her wanderings.
Dusty pink gaze once again rested upon the other female and though, she looked embarressed, she spoke, though as usual it was as if her voice were carried upon a breeze "I have forever resided in these swamps mistress, the tree where my mother left me still stands tall and strong in the center of the bog lands. It has been my home forever and a good ground for hunting frogs and crocodiles."Again she paused, what if the queen of the swamps didn't wish to know such information. Perhaps she would not appreciate the diet that she herself had survived upon for most of her years. Still, it seemed to her that Asali'jua knew of the secret to catching this prey, she was certainly the most, rotund lioness she had ever seen. Kikawaida glanced to the side of the femme, she certainly must have eaten many frogs to gain such a girth. Far from stupid, Kikawaida simply hadn't been taught the knowlege of child bearing. Children were a gft of the spirits, she accepted that as how they came to be.
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:32 pm
Umo was not sure what to do. He did not fully understand what the other female said, though he caught her name clearly. Asali'jua. He swallowed the lump in his throat. He called her the dark stranger. Looking sideways as she stepped up beside Kika, he looked to the no longer strang Asa and nodded with a grin. He looked to Kika as she spoke, had she brought up the fact her mother saved her? Yes, thats right; she did. He had been straight faced but smiled when Kika looked to him with that look on her face; that adorable face. They were mates now. That thought filled him with so much happiness he could burst. Asi had given him his wishes. Now they had to see to Kika's pride.
Umo caught Kika's gaze at the females sides. So she was a mother too be, or perhaps she had other litters. Umo's face went straight. Babys. Looking to Kika with a wide eye'd look. They were mates. Would that mean children someday. He blinked slowly. His very own children. He shook his head of these thoughts, he did not want to hurry into things. "Pleased to meet you Asali'jua." He said monotony. Dark Stranger of one voice indeed.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:49 am
"We were...scattered, but there are those who remain. Somewhere...perhaps, one day, they too will return. For now, it is we two, and those we have seen fit to bring in." Her gaze flitted to Umo. "Never have there been so many from outside, I think. There are three with me: my consort Jabali, his brother Matope, and the lioness Sehani. A small beginning, but we will grow."
"Thank you, Kika. I will remember that." Asali'jua nodded. "And it is a pleasure to meet you as well, Umo."
"But come, I will take you to the others." She turned then, and beganback the way she came, looking back over her shoulder with a glint of humor in her eyes, and a chuckle in her voice, "I hope you like to swim, Umo."
And so, she led them on deeper into the swamp; not into the very center, but past it, where there was a sizable island of sorts, a dry(ish) haven in the watery lands, where sun filtered down through breaks in the trees. There was a huge old tree to one side, with a great, natural hollow in its trunk, in which a dozen or more grown lions could comfortably fit.
Here, here was the place of the pride's rest.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:02 am
Kikawaida followed quietly. Her tail high, perked in a jaunty possition, her dusty pink gaze fixed for a short while on the wibbling figure before her. She wandered how many frogs it would take to look like that. Shaking her head her ears perked as she listened for any spirits whom might be watching the small march of lions. Water of course didn't bother the Khaki and brown lioness. She had spent her life here after all, the swamps were her home, her most loved place. When her toes touched the dry bank though she smiled gently, yes, she knew the place, though it wasn't her nesting ground she knew it would become her home with the pride "You bring great joy to my heart mistress, I had thought that noone would ever to return to this place. It is long since I have felt the swamp so alive."
It never even occured to her that it may sound strange to anyone that she listened tot he swamps spirits, especially to another of her own kind. "Consort?" she questioned, her ears tilting curiously, she had never really heard the word consort before, it still hadn't occured to the slender lioness that the swamps queen was pregnant, or that she must come part and parcel with a mate as well. For a moment, she felt a little enrvous, meeting these new lions of the swamp. She ahd to be happy though, they would make the swamp alive again, they would make the spirits sing the prides praise as she, faintly, remembered they had before the floods. Please, simply let them all accept her for who she was. Would outsiders be as understanding as Umo about her spirit whispering?
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:29 am
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:12 pm
The dark, strong lion pawed his way through his new home, trudging through the mud and splashing through the water. He felt the urge to explore, to find the best places to hide, the best places to relax, where all the convenient landmarkers were, the best places to train, and, of course, the best place to rest in silent serenity with a certain grey lioness that he had come to love.
Matope let his curiousity lead him, poking his nose through every leaf and behind every massive, slightly moss-infested trunk, either slugishly standing or gracefully fallen. After a bit of silent travel, his nose caught the scent of... Asali'jua?
The male was still fairly new to these lands, so he depended on the smell to lead him through the swamp to a part of it that he had never yet been before. As he broke through the barrier from the currently known to the unfamiliar, he indeed saw the sun-marked lioness, but also with her were two new lions, one another female and one a male, both never before seen by Matope.
(( Hope this is the RP I was supposed to post in... >w>;; ))
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