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 Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 3:18 pm
Maawio was sitting atop a rock, her tail swatting at the earth lazily. Her golden pelt was greyed with age, and what had once been muscular limbs had been weakening and thinning with the pressure.
Mbari was a good lad, and he was finally biting the bullet, exploring and she'd even heard whispers that he'd met someone. She hoped this was true. All of her other children had moved on and started their own lives, and with no Amari, Maawio felt like this was the last thing she needed to see on to be complete.
He would drop in to see her, to hunt for her, when she needed it. She had always been more than capable at hunting, but now she was not as fast as she wanted to be.
The golden lionesses eyes had not changed from the day she was born, she looked over the Pridelands with content. To say she was happy in her old age, despite everything, would not be enough.
Often thinking of her other children, she wondered what life had brought for them, Inari, Chunuka, Kiasi? Maawio hoped it had brought them all the joy it had for her.
So she lay, thinking, taking in the suns rays. There was little to do anymore, at this age, except enjoy oneself.
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 3:31 pm
He had been here as a cub, with his brothers and sisters and his parents. He remembered it, although not clearly. All he truly recalled was that it had been a land of green and blue. And there had been a lioness there, too, with blue eyes and golden fur. His grandmother. His father had once told him that he had been named 'Kengee' for her. Because both Maawio and Kengee had ties to the sun. Perhaps, however, his father should not have told him that. The new meaning for his name had made him reluctant to go on a name quest to rid himself of the very thing that he felt attached to. And, after a while, he began to question...
What if his birth name was his true name? What then?
Having been recognised by the guards as a member of Maawio's family - a prominent line within the Pridelands - young Kengee had begun the trek across the lands in search of the face he remembered. That kindly face with the sun in her name and that light in her eyes. And yet, though this was practically a 'home away from home' he moved tentatively, as if afraid that someone might yell at him for not having secured the correct permission. Thankfully, no such thing had happened yet, and as he drew nearer to the heart of the lands, his confidence slowly began to build.
Now, if only he could find her!
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 3:40 pm
There was a golden figure on the horizon, one she did not quite recognize from the character, but by the hue.
She lifted her head gently. There were many browns, tans and similar colours in the Pridelands, but the children that she bore, were, well, if she may say so herself, a very unique colour. They were bright, and they seemed to have the very sun woven in their pelt. It was something she had inherited from her mother, she supposed. The lioness smiled gently.
Her legs unfolded themselves, and she fell from her point of watch rather gracefully. The young stranger moved with purpose, and Maawio was curious. Now, If only she could show her cub self what she'd be like as an adult! No more fear, still the occasional anxiety, but that was built into her from her cubhood, but now practically hunting for adventure. She chuckled to herself.
She padded closer to the figure, and as she grew closer she almost did a double take. Aside from one or two tiny markings, they were virtually the same! Colour, markings.. Maawio couldn't see his eyes from this far away, but she made a hopeful guess at a colour.. Amber, or blue. As she moved further towards him, she called out gently. "H-Hello?" Sometimes she still couldn't shake that stutter, but now it was in excitement.
Wait. Was that an anchor on his nose?
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 4:03 pm
He saw her. Gold. Just like he remembered. Kengee blinked, paused in step, and looked at her. Even if they had not shared the same colour, the young male fancied that he would have picked her out from the crowd without too much difficulty. Her face had the same shape as his father's did and he wondered, suddenly, whether his did, too. It seemed strangely important that he bear a strong resemblance to his family. After all, was that not part of who he was? The blood in his veins? His ancestry? He was proud of it, after all.
Oh, wait, she'd said hello!
"Um..." He dipped his head a little, suddenly shy and embarrassed at having been lost in thought. He was alone this time. And bigger - though admittedly, he still had a bit of filling out to do. Kengee had to stand on his own paws now and this was his first step in the journey to finding his name. A journey that might take a lifetime if his doubts were anything to go by. "Hello. Do...do you...remember me?" He paused, folded back his ears and tried again. "Are you my grandmother? The one I met when I was very little?" If he'd gotten the wrong lioness then he'd never live it down.
But it had to be her. The eyes. The face. The fur.
He took another step towards her. "It's Kengee."
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Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2012 2:03 pm
It clicked, and became lit in her stomach like a welcome wildfire.
"Kengee!" She had seen him when he was a young cub, one of Inari's little ones. Well- he had changed his name due to his pride, but she would always remember him as Inari. Her Inari.
She wasted no time in moving forward on her creaking limbs and affectionately taking him into a short embrace. "Yes, I remember you, d-do you remember me? Maawio, your grandmother?" The golden lioness smiled with pride. She was probably being a little forward, but she couldn't help it. Now with Amari gone, she placed even more importance and love with her relations. Even those that were far flung.
She looked at the anchor on his nose lovingly.
"Come into the den, love! If you've t-time to talk?" She nodded her head towards the place in which she'd been spending most of her time, lately.
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Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2012 2:15 pm
She remembered him! She really did! Warmth filled him and he gave a swift nod, barely containing his joy at her recollection of him. "I do. I do remember. You are very gold. As gold as in my memory." Perhaps even brighter, though maybe that was because the sun was so very bright today. And, with a wider smile, he trotted into the den after her, eager to talk to her. Family had a way of being supportive when no one else could be.
He was glad he had come.
"How are you, grandma?" He chirped. "Have you seen any of my brothers and sisters recently? We're all out on our name quests at the moment, so we can't go back to the swamp lands until we've found our true name. Just like mum and dad did when they were younger, and my older sister, too." He did hope he was the first one to come here, though. He didn't really want to be viewed as a copycat.
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Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 4:38 am
She smiled widely at his compliment. Gold, indeed, was certainly how people remembered and spotted her in this almost entirely beige land. "You too! Look at how gold you are! Must have got it passed down from me, e-eh?" Maawio giggled and struggled slightly at the elevated entrance to the den.
When they were finally both inside she lowered herself gently onto the ground and addressed his questions. "I am well, but.. unf-fortunately your grandpa has passed. There is no need for sadness though - h-he was very old, and had a very happy life." She found it necessary to get that out of the way first, as it were, to prevent any awkward questions..or, well... she didn't really know why.
"I have not, no." The old lioness didn't want to admit it, but she was a little lonely of late. Kengees arrival was more than welcome.
"Name quest! Oh yes, yes. I see, th-that must be a little difficult." She tilted her head at the young male, sapphire eyes widened. "I do like Kengee though, what does it mean?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:36 am
He hadn't known his grandpa all that well but it was sad. Very sad. And he wondered how his grandma was doing without him. That would be like mum being around after dad had gone. His mum would be sad, too. She'd want her family around at a time like that. So maybe his grandma Maawio would like him here for a time, too?
"I wish we didn't have to get old." He replied after a moment, his face sad. The comment seemed strange coming from one almost fully grown. But the fear of death never went away. In fact it seemed to get only stronger. He knew what the Jini-msemi believed - which gave some comfort - but not everyone believed in the spirits. What happened to those who didn't?
"Well then," he added. "I am the first! And if...if you feel lonely, grandma, I can stay for a while? I don't need to go anywhere just yet and I don't mind staying here. It's nice." And he seemed to be almost looking for an excuse to say - that if Maawio said it was alright then he didn't have to justify his hesitancy about finding his name. "It's very difficult. I don't even know where to start looking for a new name." And he wasn't even sure that he wanted to. He loved his name. "It means sunbeam." He proclaimed with pride. "Because of my golden fur." He bobbed his head enthusiastically.
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 8:23 am
She tilted her head. "We have to get o-old, but it doesn't mean we are gone." Her large eyes looked to Kengee in a more serious glance than before. "We become part of our children, the land, the stars." Maawio nodded intensely. She had always had the Prideland way of life embedded into her very being. It was instilled in her from the very day her mother gave birth to her. However, she wasn't sure what Kengee believed. It was probably different.
He wanted to stay awhile! That was so sweet. She let out a loud purr. "That would be lovely Kengee, but only if you want to." The lioness supposed he was a little intimidated by this huge task he had to accomplish.
"Mine means sunrise! What a lovely golden pair we are." Maawio still had the ability to giggle intensely like a cub, and she did so now, look over Kengees colours again. They were so similar, and that anchor, it pulled on her heart, warmly. "I guess with t-these things, we don't have to search atall, they are usually within us, it just t-takes awhile to notice them."
She reached out a paw and nudged sweetly on the marking on his nose. "I'm sure you will figure it out dear, now, are you hungry from your journey?" She didn't hunt much anymore, but she could see what the younger huntresses had brought back today.
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 2:03 pm
He listened to her, wide-eyed. Perhaps what different prides believed were all connected somehow. There might have been a vary of beliefs in what happened after death but all the ones he knew of spoke of a continuation of life. And, if so many believed in it, surely such a thing had to be true. He had not known his grandfather very well but his grandmother didn't seem to feel alone. It was...nice. Comforting. And, before he could comment on it, she was telling him that he was welcome to stay so long as he wanted to.
And he did want to. With all of his heart.
"I do, grandma. I do want to stay. Maybe I could stay for a few days?" Or weeks, maybe.
He wriggled his nose at the touch of her paw and smiled happily across at her. "I love my name, Grandma." But he wasn't sure how much more he should say on the matter. About his worries. About his thoughts that maybe the Swamplands wasn't home to him in the same way that it was for his parents. "I hope you're right." And he gave an agreeing nod and suddenly turned sheepish. "If...if there is some food then...I wouldn't say no. I haven't really been able to catch much since...since leaving home." There he'd said it.
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 3:36 am
Maawio chuckled. "Of course you can, you can take all the time you need."
They were lucky in that the Pridelands was so lenient with visitors and even rogues, as long as they weren't hyenas, of course. That ship had sailed long ago, and brought about enough tragedy for awhile.
The old lioness heaved herself off the ground again, she did not like having a guest on an empty stomach. "C-come on then, lets go get you something to eat."
((End! Seeing as he's staying for a bit we could do more if you like <3))
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