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 Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 11:21 am
Tall, dark and handsome. This was how he had been described by passing females and yet they hadn't received a whiff of appreciation. He had no time for dalliances, particularly when he had a job to do. Unfortunately the lion did have to concede that he had reached a roadblock in regards to this job, and despite his best efforts, he had yet to find away round it. If it had been a simple case of a large object being in his way then he would have gone around it, but when his objectives had completely and utterly vanished...
What was he do to?
There had been no gossip, no scent, the lion was now wandering idly and blindly. Wandering in vacant directions, he had yet to uncover any information of use and he was vastly losing patience. Nevertheless he saw no reason to completely lose his temper, it was his motivation that needed the most attention. To fail was to return to a public execution, to succeed would lift him to the lofty heights of the gods. If he were to consider his current state of mind he could conclude that he had no desire to die, but he didn't really have any further desire to wander in a random direction either.
He needed clarity, he needed cold hard facts and they just weren't there.
It was for this reason that he had come to an abrupt halt, settled himself on a low slung set of flat boulders, and fallen silent. If he were to motivate himself correctly he was going to need a solid and coherent plan. No more wandering absently, he needed to pick a direction and walk in it, but he also needed to make sure it was the 'right' one. Thus, it should have come at no surprise that he had elected to ignore the world - small talk was a distraction and the 'weak' irritated him anyway.
If something more interesting padded his way then maybe, just maybe, he might pay heed...
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Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:06 pm
Epine de Rose Really sorry for the wait on this one. XD.
Waseme had been crippled in the worst of ways by a cruel combination of nature and bad luck. The lions of the world could often find it in their wretched hearts to sympathize with those who had external damage and hardships that were readily seen with the naked eye. They were by far less willing when the damage was to your sense of self. She had lost everything and the world didn't care one bit.
Waseme didn't want pity, only acknowledgement. Only for someone to nod and echo her every time she bemoaned how unfair it all was.
Her name meant "let them talk". Her mother felt it appropriate and amusing. What an ugly cub she'd been, black on only one side of the face, above one eye and around her paws. She could at least be grateful she had grown into a more appealing coat, but it did not compare with her sister's beauty.
Though corpses weren't too beautiful, now were they?
Waseme had always fancied herself self-aware, but she could not hope to comprehend what truly was needed to prompt a renascent interest in finding a reason to keep going. It was not proper to speak of. No one wanted to say or even think there were those that found motivation in "aggressive" solutions.
To be blunt, someone needed to shout or smack her self-indulgent melancholy out of her. Else it would consume her more than it already had.
She was a sorry sight. No scars, but unkempt fur; pathetic looking as they came. The worst of it was that little something that suggested she had not been born this meek lioness she carried herself as now.
Perhaps it was the way she lifted her head so fearlessly when confronted with strangers like him.
Waseme hadn't noticed he was there as quickly as she should have (undoubtedly not as fast as he picked up on her arrival), but once she did, she stared at him with bold suspicion.
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Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:37 am
Hopefolly xD It's fine, we have a lot going at the same time! And I want to throw another one at you soon. >_>
Atsu'hara did not have tolerance or patience for the weak. They were a hindrance upon society and often leached more resources than was appropriate. He had tolerance only for strong warriors who had succumbed to fever from their wounds, provided that they recovered swiftly and returned to their original standings. Otherwise, the weak were nothing more than a millstone to be removed from society. Oh he wouldn't kill them outright, but he would remove them from an area and let fate have it's wicked way.
...This afternoon was no exception.
Or it would have been, had it not been for the tingling sensation that had swept up his neck and crept just behind his ears. She was staring at him, the wreck of a lion had come to a halt. Did she seek his pity or assistance? She would receive none... Pursing his lips in distaste he cast his gaze back towards Waseme and much to his surprise, she was staring back at him with equal ferocity.
What had been distaste quickly turned into interest, he hadn't seen that sort of look for a very long time. Only the females of his pride had demonstrated that sort of courage.
"Impressive, I was unaware leeches carry such a look of disdain," he observed and lifted a brow. "What do you want? I have no time for charity."
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Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 5:08 pm
Any evidence of a plaintive expression had given way to an incredulous stare worn like she made a profession out of being offended. This was the way one looked when, as royalty, they'd been insulted. She may not be a queen now, perhaps not ever again, but how dare he. How dare anyone.
"I have no desire for a rogue's charity," she spat at him. "You have some nerve." And there it was again, only this time in her voice instead of her eyes: how dare you.
Had he no sympathy? This lion didn't know the things she'd been through. It was impressive -- no, astounding -- that she was up and about at all. Her sister had been the one to drown! Her daughter had been the one to run!
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Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 12:28 am
His heart bled, no really, it did. Couldn't she see it? His expression was a mix of amusement and distaste which in normal circumstances wouldn't have worked. Nevertheless he somehow managed to pull it off, conveying his lack of regard for her behaviour. If it had not been clear already, it should have been now, he had no respect for her and as she gave him no reason to change this view, he wasn't sold on her indignant response. He hardly saw his remarks as nerve but if she wished to take offence at them, then who was he to judge, hm?
"I never said I was a rogue," he stated coolly, lifting his brow as his features shifted into a scathing expression. Just as she could look indignant, he could transform into something decidedly unpleasant as well. So many individuals in these parts were quick to jump to conclusions, his mere presence in these lands indicated that he had no home. He was judged, mocked or regarded as weak... ah, how little they knew! They found out very quickly that he was not one or such games and if they were unlucky, this lesson was their last.
"If anything I carry more weight in this world than a wreck such as yourself," he remarked, lifting a paw to motion at her bedraggled coat. She was one of the more unkempt creatures he had seen in these parts - maybe a crazed hermit, who knew?
"With that in mind I don't see how my observations require nerve, when they are a mere statement of fact," he waved his paw in a small circle and pursed his lips. "Ah, but perhaps you are one of the sort that does not like honesty. Is this the case?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 11:46 am
"I never said I was a rogue."
The adage was about a cat getting your tongue. No one ever said anything about hypocrisy grabbing a hold of it. Waseme's jaw moved like she'd say something to defend herself, but she never did manage it. Born self-centered, starved for prestige, and at times unfathomably arrogant, yes. She was not, however, an idiot; nor blind to the corner she'd just backed herself into. If someone assumed her a rogue she'd squawked like a bird with only one song: How dare you, how dare you!
His ruthless (and accurate) review was a fate worse than inflicting physical wounds. Waseme always griped she'd have rather her mother beat her than insult her. From the mouth of someone whose hardships had been partially self-inflicted, the hard-earned backlash of one poor choice after another.
"Ah, but perhaps you are one of the sort that does not like honesty. Is this the case?"
Waseme leered at him, then averted her gaze elsewhere. The fire in her eyes died in that moment. "No, you're wrong, I'm not..."
Not what? Like that? A wreck? Anything else he had to be thinking about her right now?
The world just didn't understand. If they could only understand.
Waseme made a meager recovery and answered him. "No, it's not the case."
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:48 am
"Liar," Atsu'hara stated flatly, his expression that of pure distaste as he watched the lioness battle with whatever it was that was causing such 'hardship'. Truth be told he would have bet money that she was already beaten by the issue because anyone who wasn't, wouldn't look like her. She was positively ruined and what little spark she had left was pitiful. Really, he should expend at least some energy to put the bloody whelp out of her misery, he could then save the world (and himself) from another encounter with such a ruin.
"I dislike liars, they are cowards. Cowards are dishonourable, weak, fickle..." he finally rose, padding slowly towards the lioness before circling her, his lips pursing into a thin line. She even smelled appalling from this close, had she never heard of a bath? She may have disagreed with his assessments but her actions spoke otherwise, anyone with respect for themselves just wouldn't do this.
Look like this.
Smell like this...
"Where I come from we dispose of such creatures without remorse, they will only live to leech off the strong in society. They have no uses, nor do they look pretty as ornaments in a living state," he came to a halt, lining up his gaze with Waseme's. "I would do this world a great service in removing you from it." he mused.
"And then I could trade your parts for information..." he began to walk again, circling the lioness for a second time. "There are strange prides in these parts who would pay a high price for your coat or bones; at least then you would have a use..."
"And you'd probably look more impressive as well, given they would take reasonable care to maintain 'your' condition," he mused as an after thought.
"So why don't we try this again, hm?" he drew closer, his mouth just behind her ear. "Why would a lippy little creature like you, who promises much but looks like nothing, claim that what I say is wrong? What evidence do you have to claim that you are worth more as you are now, than as blood, bone and fur to be traded, hm?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:53 am
"Liar."
There was a difference between lying and being a liar. She had committed the act, but did not bear the title simply because she strayed from the principle of honesty once. Somehow, she felt she'd deserve it if she were to rebuke the accusations. That seemed contradictory, confusing, and cruel. Was her life anything else?
Waseme had taken root in that spot. One might wonder why anyone in her condition would stand still and allow such a surly critic to lambaste her for things that she felt by and large were not her fault. Her 'condition', even, would not be spoken of in regards to her physical standing but instead the state of her life: unlucky, unfair.
Unlucky. Unfair. Unlucky. Unfair.
Chanting it wasn't doing well to summon some higher power to ease her woes.
As he first circled her, Waseme turned her face away from him and glared daggers at the ground. Blunt ones in desperate need of sharpening. She steadied her frantic heartbeat and met his gaze just in time to be told what a great service her downfall would be.
No need to slow her heart now. It had almost definitely ceased on its own and dropped somewhere down into her empty stomach. She watched him closer after that and could not have heard him more clearly had he enunciated every syllable and shouted them at the top of his lungs.
"What evidence do you have to claim that you are worth more as you are now, than as blood, bone and fur to be traded, hm?"
What few extra pounds of body weight she had maintained had probably been shed with as hard as she was shaking. She didn't remember curling her lip back and there was no recollection of when her claws came out, yet they were.
Waseme span around and met him head on, their eyes merely inches apart. Hatred smoldered in hers and not all for him.
"Stop it," she snarled.
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:15 am
Oh, what do we have here?
Atsu'hara may not have moved an inch, but her sudden and firm 'outburst' gave him pause for thought. After a few moments of consideration the lion's lips pursed and in a painfully slow fashion, he lifted his head away from her ear. He had yet to provide her with the rest of her personal space, but in those moments he did have the decency to grant her the smallest of gaps to breathe in. Suffice to say that he knew of cowards and very few of them had the guts to reply in such a succinct manner.
Admittedly she had the decency to quiver, she knew a threat when she saw one and for that he gave her credit...but he did have to wonder where she had found the strength to respond when she had been so pitiful before. Clearly the lion had missed something, the lioness had hidden qualities that may or may not have appeared as and when required. This meant that she may pose a greater threat, or she could simply be barking very loudly but have nothing to support it.
...Which was the most likely?
"Or you will do what, exactly?" he replied smoothly, his right brow arching a touch to indicate he wasn't completely sold on her performance. So the lioness may be capable of pretending she had claws, but she had yet to use them and it took more than showmanship to intimidate Atsu'hara.
Now, if she actually got those claws out he would find things far more interesting...
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:47 pm
At her best, Waseme was a complex mix of a planner and a decider. Once she was spoken of as a queen that did not linger in the realm of uncertainty when there were choices to be made. What they didn't know was she had prepped herself for any possible scenario she could think of in advance. She was not making knee-jerk decisions as opposed to playing out one of the solutions she had already imagined.
This, she was not prepared for. Not at all.
And since he wouldn't let her be pitiful, she could only be angry. Angry at her mother, sister, and daughter. At the weather. At bad luck. At herself. At him.
Waseme sounded off another snarl and lashed out, aiming to smack him across the face. No claws were spared in the act of it. Epine de Rose I think I mentioned this already, but if not: Feel free to have him kick the crap out of her. Smack her, pin her, whatever. She's obviously not in any condition to be fighting, let alone winning. At all. XD
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Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 1:23 am
Bark and bite, it was a rather surprising turn of events. Nevertheless he didn't afford himself time to ponder lest he end up with a rather gruesome scar. He had no desire to lose his eyesight and as a consequence, he ducked as she threw her weight towards him and then he pounced. However he didn't pounce on her directly, on the contrary he sprang over the disgruntled female and used her back as the necessary 'board' to thrust himself forward. Suffice to say that his full weight probably wouldn't have been appreciated, but she had been the one to strike first.
Words were to be reserved for later though and rather than taunt further, the larger and decidedly healthier lion elected to put the lioness firmly in her place. Landing softly nearby, he quickly turned round and abruptly rammed against her side, his shoulder first as he attempted to press her to the ground. It would only be then that he would place his teeth to her neck and highlight just how important it was to assess your enemy first.
That being said, he was intrigued as to where such a spark had been hidden. There was something more to this lioness than met the eye...
"I will say it only once, female," he murmured darkly. "Kneel and know your place," he stated.
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Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2013 11:28 pm
She did strike first. Adrenaline had already rushed from the tips of her toes to the very end of her ears and with it she bared his weight enough to fall, but not collapse entirely. That surge of energy couldn't compensate for lack food, water, and sleep. The hit floored her; by time she comprehended the sky was what she was looking at -- the sight of it obstructed by parts of mane -- she had teeth to her throat.
Waseme once ruled a pride believed that the end of your life was only the end of one life. She had never accepted it completely, yet found comfort in it when at her breaking point.
"My name is Waseme," she growled. "And I will not. You kill me. Go ahead. I swear to each and every God, I'll come back and haunt you as many times in as many ways as a lion can be haunted. And at the end I'll return as a hyena and cackle on the way to your grave, you b*****d."
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 8:08 am
Atsu'hara lifted his head and replaced teeth with a large paw. He pressed down idly on her neck, applying an ever increasing amount of pressure as she spoke. When she had finished with her threats he did nothing more than give a snort of laughter at first. Her threats were all on the condition that he was religious, superstitious or had concerns that even if it were possible, this 'haunting' would affect his life. Suffice to say he wanted sold on them and eventually he flexed his claws and dug them unceremoniously into her neck, 'gently' at first, though it would be very clear that things could all change in mere seconds.
"Your threats, they carry no weight," he began and this time, he did cut into her throat. "They are based on a multitude of conditions that I do not meet," he continued, slipping another claw deeper into her neck. "The assumption that I am religious - rest assured I am not, these beings might be powerful but I have no doubt they die with ease if a weakness is found," he clucked his tongue, 'tsking' three times.
"Two, do you genuinely think that they would care about a weak and insignificant lioness? You do not think you are the only leech on this earth, do you...?" he shook his head and chuckled, slowly drawing a rather neat line beneath her fur.
"The third, would be on the condition that I believe in such ridiculous concepts, there are no such things as wraiths, ghosts...or anything supernatural. They are used as weapons of war or fanciful stories to distract or terrify," he pressed down on her neck again and sighed.
"Finally - when I die I shall be buried with full honours. Just like you, hyenas have no place in my pride lands. Regardless of the form you believe you might take in your future, you will die."
"So 'Waseme', no matter how you look at it," he lowered his head again, a sly smile on his lips. "You will always return as a rotting and insignificant figure, wiped from the annexes of history."
He fell silent again, then gave a small snort.
"So, before I do set in motion this chain of events I shall give you one more chance," he tightened his grip and smirked. "Recognise that which is better than you."
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 5:20 pm
Waseme thrashed as much she could, snapped at the offending paw, and bared her teeth at him for all the good it did. Her growls came out as sputters, coughs, and noises she knew no word for. What he said -- she could only hear some of it. Once, she had been under water, trapped, and it had been much like this.
But he was wrong. There was fate at work. It had decided her life would be one of ridicule, derision, and self-loathing. It gave her things just to take them away, things she had to work twice as hard for as anyone else. Three times as hard as Kitambi.
Now it wanted her life and had sent a monster here to take it. This lion was death, and it was death she looked in the eye.
Rotting and insignificant, he said. If only that were true.
An earthquake envied the way she shook. "Y-You are," she rasped, leering.
Temporary surrender. That's all this was. Alive or dead, she would haunt him.
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Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 1:54 am
Surrender, he knew it when he saw it.
The lioness had finally conceded defeat, is only because a small part of her wanted to live. That spark of life that was hidden under the 'pity me' routine that transformed a potentially impressive lioness into a sobbing mess. A dark smile soon crept onto his lips and he withdrew, pulling his claws away from her neck as he swept away from her fallen form and back towards his rock.
"Well done, you are not quite as pitiful as the rest," he concluded, pausing temporarily to access the distance between himself and his 'perch'. He then leapt, bridging the gap. A few moments later he was once again comfortable nested into position and had his gaze fixed on Waseme, his lips pursed into a thoughtful line.
"Your kind rarely find the strength to speak, they simply struggle and then still," he tilted his head to the side and lifted a brow. "Which means that you are not all that you seem - or rather, you amounted to more in the past," he clucked his tongue and released a sigh. "I am intrigued... Those who fall from grace are equally as pitiful as the next but the reasons are always amusing."
"Did you lose your lover, family, friends..." he was clearly being sexist. "Or in a more unlikely twist of fate, did you fail at a mission and are therefore shamed." he waved his paw in a small circle.
"'Gods' forbid that you're so helpless that you can't feed yourself, that really would be the epitome of weak..."
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