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 Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 1:41 pm
Normally, Kalanu loved the Sky Festival. It was a lot of fun when all the clans got together and celebrated everything from births to deaths and welcomed joining members. Unfortunately for her, though, she was dreading the moment her path crossed with anybody from the Shadow Clan. She might have only been worried about running into Poa, or even Laka, who knew well who she was and, no doubt, what had happened between her and her brother. But anybody could be result in an awkward meeting. This was particularly distressing because she had no way of knowing who was from the Shadow Clan and who was from any other non-Mantis Clan.
She was wandering around, looking to see if she might find her parents and stick with them after she had spent her morning watching some of the Cloud Ceremony (cubs were always endearing to watch!). But it was hard to find anybody in particular in the crowds that had gathered near the Stargrove for the festival.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 1:56 pm
 Ona'raha Subiani was plodding along the outskirts of the gathering, disinclined to get too embroiled amongst the crowds. Gatherings like this were special things to be treasured but they also made him nervous. He'd always been on the timid side and though he was much better than he had been as a youth - before meeting his mate - he still didn't feel wholly comfortable. His family were around somewhere, too, though he'd managed to lose sight of them somewhere along the way. Most of his family were far more social than he, though it had to be said that a few of his children would have much preferred to stay away.
Their mother would not hear of it, though. Rehema had always insisted that the whole family attend and so attend they had.
In fact, it was as he was looking for her that he spotted the gold-embellished lioness wandering alone. He tipped his head, curious. Did she look a little nervous, too? Well, he could understand that better than anyone. The small male - being a pure blood - smiled, lifted his head, and padded softly towards her.
"The crowds can be quite overwhelming, can't they?" He smiled.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:00 pm
Kalanu had spotted Ona'raha Subiani in her peripheral vision before he approached and since, at a glance, he looked very much like the one lion she hoped most to avoid, she put her eyes on the ground and tried to pick up the pace-- but then he approached and offered kind words and she realized it wasn't Poa. Still, when she looked up, it was unmistakably one his relatives- judging by age, most probably his father. And that was almost as terrifying.
She looked at him with wide green eyes, seemingly unable to control her facial expression at this point- and she couldn't will herself to run off, either. She was stuck. So she offered a shaky smile.
"Yeah," she agreed, "Just trying to find my clan again."
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:10 pm
Her eyes were wide as twin moons and he couldn't help but be a little amused by it - though he was careful not to look as such. He didn't think anyone had ever looked at him like that before. Little, meek Ona'raha. Who would be startled by him?
"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. Perhaps I can help? My name is Ona'raha Subiani. Son of the late A'kiutu Subiani and Abadon Fa'moyo. Officially I'm a hunter of the Shadows, though I tend to do more storytelling than I do hunting. That is my mate's expertise." He smiled. "I managed to lose my clan, too. Apparently it is a thing easily done."
He gestured to the festivities going on close by.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:16 pm
Yes, this was definitely Poa's father and that made her very reluctant to offer her name in return, though she knew it was very rude not to offer an introduction in response to his.
"Pleased to meet you," she managed politely, hoping it was enough to skip over her own name without much thought, "I suppose I'm really looking for my parents, everybody is probably dispersed through the whole crowd getting ready for the Tree Ceremony."
Another nervous smile.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:21 pm
If he noticed her lack of introduction he didn't say, simply giving her another encouraging smile. "Hopefully hey won't be too hard to find. Would I know them, I wonder?" Unfortunately with the bulk of the Ela'wadiyi lions bearing only simple markings beneath their tattoos, it could sometimes be difficult to tell which family member belonged to which if you didn't know them well. Kalanu's dark fur gave nothing away, neither did her simple white markings. The answer may have been there on the tattoos scrawled beautifully across her pelt but it was rude to stare.
"Bird Clan?" He hazarded a guess. He knew a reasonable amount of lions there since one of his sons had married into it a year or so past.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:26 pm
She doubted he would know her parents, though they liked to brag about how large their family was- and truthfully, that did mean they had to be easier to notice in the Mantis Clan. Still, there was no avoiding mentioning it now.
"Mantis Clan," she said, "My parents are Dongo and Huong. My father is bright yellow and black, my mother a lot like me, only her stripe is pink."
It was easier to forget that her fur was so dark and her tattoos so complete that it was hard to tell Kalanu had a stripe from her nose to her tail. Her family's bright colors should have made it easy to spot them but it wasn't helping her any.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:43 pm
Huong and Dongo. No. The names were unfamiliar and Ona'raha was certain he would remember ones like that. "Sorry to say that I do not know them. Still, with such bright colours, it shouldn't take us too long to locate them." He often forgot how brightly coloured a lion could be. Shadow Clan, primarily, was made up, mainly, of earthy tones. Still, he'd heard the name 'Mantis Clan' mentioned recently. By his son, Poa, no less.
He wondered...
Could it be?
He dared to ask. It couldn't have hurt, otherwise. When he spoke next, his voice was gentle but hopeful: "Could you, by chance, be Kalanu?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:49 pm
Just as she was starting to think she might get away undiscovered, ready to thank him for his offer but be on her own way to find her parents herself, he asked if she was Kalanu. And she knew better than to outright lie about her identity.
"I am," she murmured, glancing down to her feet before looking back up and attempting to straighten herself up now that she was found out, "Kalanu Kalisetsi. You must be Poa and Laka's father, I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself before."
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:01 pm
"It's quite alright." He waved off the apology. "It's nice to put a face to a name. I happened across a moping son a week or so back and managed to wrangle out a detail or two." He sat down, perhaps to try and make the situation less...awkward? No, perhaps awkward wasn't the word. "He didn't want to tell me, mind you, but his mother had been harassing him and I think he wanted a male perspective."
After all, females didn't have the worry about moving clans.
"Listen, Kalanu, I think maybe we should go and find that son of mine. He owes you an apology at the very least and he's had plenty of time to think things through. He must know that you are around here somewhere." Unless of course...
"Unless you'd prefer not to." He supposed he could understand that.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:07 pm
Ona'raha's understanding didn't really make her feel any better, if anything it made her feel worse for trying to hide her identity from him, but none of this meeting felt very nice. She wasn't really over Poa, she managed fine when they were at home and she could continue on with her day like nothing was wrong. But the idea of facing him again was painful.
"N-no," she said, shaking her head, "I don't think he'd like that, I can't--"
She didn't want to go through that rejection again. She knew there was a part of her that still clung to the idea of being with Poa, missed him dearly, and that was why she knew she couldn't handle it again. Even if he was simply apologizing again, it was a reminder of the choice he had made.
"I can't."
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:24 pm
His ears dropped back into his mane to see her so...so sad? That son of his sure had made a big mistake. If only he had picked up what was going on before it had reached this point. Told Poa that he didn't need to worry about the clan. That he couldn't sacrifice future happiness for them. They would always be family. Distance wouldn't change that.
"I'm sorry, Kalanu. Poa is a good boy but he has his father's fear of change." His pale blue eyes grew sorrowful. "But perhaps it would be best to see him again? He might say otherwise but he has missed you and it's always good to talk things through."
Slinking behind them, through the crowds, a dark brown lioness - who had clearly heard some of their conversation - faded back out of sight.
"Maybe not now." Ona continued carefully. Perhaps it was still too soon for that. "But perhaps later on in the festival, before the clans part. No matter the outcome, a conversation might put your heart to rest."
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:42 pm
Fear of change. She knew what a big deal it was to ask a male to leave his clan, especially to Poa. She'd always known his clan was everything to him, it was hard to miss when most their 'dates' had been playing games on the borders of the Shadow Clan territories while he guarded them. It would be scary to leave all of that behind and his harsh rejection had made it seem she hadn't even been worth a thoughtful pause before refusing.
"He didn't want to talk," she said, her posture defeated and her voice almost toneless as she suppressed every emotion that threatened to take her over at that moment. She didn't know how to keep arguing about this, part of her hoped someone would spot her and intervene so she wouldn't have to give in- Sesere had to be somewhere nearby, the avian was enjoying the festival, too- but nobody did.
"Where is he?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:49 pm
"Maybe now that he's had some time to think on it he'll be more able to talk to you?" Ona'raha stood up again and turned to look around them. There was still no one familiar around that he could see. "But you shouldn't rush into anything you don't want to do."
He jutted out his jaw in thought. "Maybe you'd like me to go and find him on your behalf? I could give him a message? Or simply tell him that I saw you?" He felt bad for trying to force her into the meeting though he was certain that - no matter the outcome - they would both feel better for it. No more wondering or theorising. They could tell each other their honest feelings and both know where they stood. "If I told him we had spoken, perhaps it'll force him into action."
 
"No need, dad." A sudden voice blurted. And, across the way, came Eeva, pausing to grab at her brother's ear and give it a sharp tug. Poa - who was taller than his sister now - gave an embarrassed whimper and wrestled free.
"I can walk myself." He snapped, moodily.
Eeva looked incredibly pleased with herself. "Hi Kalanu!" And, tipping her head onwards Ona, she added: "Come on, Dad. Mum is looking for you."
Ona'raha, with a kindly smile, turned back briefly to look at the dark pelted female. "Will you be okay?"
Beside his sister, Poa was dithering, pawing lightly at the ground, his head low and body language anxious.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 4:01 pm
She knew it sounded like she was giving in, asking where Poa was now, but she was still undecided. As Ona'raha listed the options they had, her head felt like it was spinning as she tried to imagine the possibilities and consequences of each and every one-- but then someone interrupted them. She turned to see who it was and her eyes widened when it turned out to be Poa and his sister. She seemed too stunned to react, her swaying tail the only sign she was struggling to stand her ground.
Finally, Kalanu glanced to Ona'raha, almost feeling reassured by his kind smile and managing a nod- if only so he might leave. They were stuck now, at least until everybody who was encouraging them to talk left. Poa looked as bad as she felt, she only hoped she was hiding it better.
"Poa," she greeted him, her attempt at a neutral tone coming out sounding hurt.
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