|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:10 pm
 "Oh dear..."
Ziska hadn't meant to take a wrong turn on her afternoon walk, but that was exactly what had happened. She knew that it was impossible to get completely lost within the Ela'wadiyi lands, but it was embarrassing to be separated from your own clan. Your home clan, where your own mother was the alu'nadi.
The brown and white female frowned to herself as she glanced around, realizing that the sun was closer to setting than she realized. There was enough light to move around, but it wouldn't be long before it hid itself behind the mountains. She was going to have to find a place to settle in for the night. Hopefully with another clan, if there was another one nearby right now...
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:14 pm
 Tsi-Tsi was probably a bit further from home than Dad would like. But as long as he was back before the sun wad completely gone, he should be all right, right? He'd already spent a few days - not all at once - determining this fact, so that experience should keep him out of too much trouble. But he didn't expect to see another lion wandering around. She was bigger, much much bigger than he was. She had to be a grownup like Mom and Dad! It never occurred to the cub to fear her; she was as tattooed as any good Ela'wadiyi would be so she was obviously safe. "Hi!" he called out, running over to greet her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:21 pm
Ziska blinked at the all-alone cub with big teal eyes. "Hi!" she automatically replied, returning his greeting. "You're...all alone?"
As soon as that short question escape her mouth, her ears flattened against her skull. Well, she was alone. And lost. Who was she to tell a cub what he shouldn't do, if she was doing it herself?
Ahhh. "Um, what clan are you from?" she asked with a small bob of her head, since she didn't recognize him that much.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:24 pm
"Well of course I'm not alone, you're here!" Cub logic. You had to love it.
He cocked his head to one side as the adult's ears flattened. Was something wrong? Was she upset with him? He didn't entirely expect the question about his clan, but he supposed he should have.
"I'm from Bird Clan," the cub chirped happily at her. "What about you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:39 pm
"Oh man...I'm really lost." She didn't know where bird clan normally was this time of year, but it made her worry that she was more lost than she realized. She wouldn't really be able to do anything about it until morning but...
"Oooh, that's where the wanidatsi is, huh..." She figured he may not be that happy that she had wandered from her pride, but she hadn't done it on purpose!
"I'm from the wolf clan," she said, finally answering his question. She smiled weakly, feeling stupid. "I, ah...got a little lost..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:43 pm
"You can't be lost, you're still in the pride!" Tsi-Tsi replied cheerfully. That was something he'd been told, that he could never truly be lost as long as he was still within the Ela'wadiyi lands. And they were both there, especially since they both had the tattoos.
"But you can talk to my Dad. I bet he can tell you where to go! He knows everything - he's the Wanidatsi!" the boy relayed happily.
As far as Tsi-Tsi was concerned, his father Skan knew anything and everything that could possibly be important.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:48 pm
Ziska swallowed hard. She felt a surge of anxiety, since she would have to ask him if she could take shelter with them tonight. Oh, why did it have to be the bird clan?
SHe did her best to smile at the little cub, because he was being very helpful. "I suppose you're right...I'm just lost from my family, I guess you could say." Her tail twitched at that. She was happy that, in being female, she would stay with the majority of her family for her lifetime. Though, the Ela'wadiyi weren't so separated that you never saw your family again if they married into another clan.
"Is...your father in a good mood?" she asked. Sometimes he wasn't, though Ziska couldn't imagine him being sour to his own children. Only outsiders, or so the gossip was.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:51 pm
That was a good question. Tsi-Tsi's father wasn't always in a good mood. This was usually related to Tsi-Tsi doing something he shouldn't. Such as not getting back home before the sun went down.
"Um...he'll probably be in a better mood if I go home now," the cub admitted with a glance towards the sinking orange disc of the sun. "Want to come with?" he offered the grownup lioness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:54 pm
"That would be a very good idea! I'm Ziska Waya, by the way. Its nice to meet you," she smiled much more friendly at him this time. She was still worried that Skan would at least be disappointed in her mess-up, but at least she was being guided to them by his son, and it would only be one night. Ziska would make certain of that.
"Thank you for all your help, too!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:57 pm
"I'm Tsi-Tsi Kanati," the cub replied. Ziska. He liked that name. She seemed very nice for a grownup too, not at all inclined to be upset with him or lecture! That always made him happier to be around grownups.
"Oh, you're welcome! You're part of the pride, so I have to help you," he told the older lion quite seriously. His Dad had a duty to the pride and he made sure that Tsi-Tsi and his brothers and sisters understood the meaning of the word, and that they understood that they also had a duty to that same pride, though not, of course, the same duty.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:07 pm
Ziska laughed. "Well, maybe you can come visit the wolf clan some day. Its only fair, with me having to visit yours!"
She was very thankful to have a guide, otherwise she might have been stuck sleeping out alone. Company was always better than none, even if she didn't know anyone that well within the bird clan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:10 pm
"That sounds like fun! I'd love to see your clan! I want to see them all!" he told her excitedly. It was kind of boring just being in the one clan day after day. He knew just about all the lions in Bird Clan by sight. It woudl be fun to meet others, like Ziska!
"Maybe I'll ask Dad if I can go with you, huh?" This seemed like a wonderful idea to the cub.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:15 pm
The white and brown lioness nodded. "That sounds like a good plan, once we see your dad." Ziska was starting to think that this was supposed to happen, in some strange, broad sense. She hadn't really ever been away from her clan, and it was nice to know some of the other members outside of gatherings and festivals. "I bet we can convince him to say yes if I let him know how helpful you've been!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:20 pm
"Whoopee!" the cub gleed. This would be so very much fun! He couldn't see any reason why his Dad would object to a trip like this. Then again, there was a lot he didn't know yet. He was, after all, just a cub. And as a cub, he was still learning an awful lot of things. There seemed to be an awful lot of things his Dad expected him and his siblings to learn.
So he would. Eventually. But right now he had to bring Ziska to his home!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
