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 Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 11:10 am
players: graceangel, lithia brandon, and possible appearances by mogami
characters: tarik, randar, and possibly Nanu (Tarik's sister)
He was leading the way with his tail swishing happily behind him. Tarik's thick dark mane rustled with summer breezes that would sometimes pick up and move through. That always made the earring he wore clink as it hit against itself in the breeze as well. He was the one who knew where they had to go back to meet up with his family. While they walked together, he decided that they would take their time. It was reasonably certain his older siblings hadn't gathered all the lions who were gonna accompany the family. Too many of them had made friends and close acquaintences in the land of the dawn walkers. He would be an idiot to not realize more would follow them.
These sorts of thoughts made his eyes tick over and give Randar more studying. He started to look at her markings more specifically. The color of her eyes. The way the shades of gray met on her fur. He was even more curious about the story behind the red marking on her hind that had the appearance of being bloody. He realized it couldn't probably be real blood since it looked like it had long since stopped dripping. Was it a tattoo? He wanted to ask her, but he didn't wanna make hurt her by subjecting her to memory attempts she might not be able to get.
He then saw a small oasis. His tail brushed up her side to grab her attention. "Hey, let's go over here. Let's take a break. We're not really in a hurry anyways."
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Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 1:56 pm
Randar followed alongside Tarik quietly, sticking right next to him. She kept her head lowered and her tail low behind her, swishing slightly but not leaving the safety of where it was curled very often. It was not that she was unhappy, or even scared. She was just shy, and uncertain of herself at every moment, regardless of how much she learned or how she came to understand herself as she was now.
She was glad to have a companion with her now, though, and she stuck to him. Almost literally, with how close she was walking beside him.
Despite that, she jumped when his tail brushed her, looking up at him curiously and then following his gaze to the oasis nearby. She nodded and padded toward it, glad for some water and a bit of a rest. She was used to walking long distances, but she still got tired, and there was never anything wrong with a nice rest. Kept them in good spirits, and made sure they didn't over work themselves.
"Are you tired, Tarik?" she asked thoughtfully.
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Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 5:56 pm
mogami don't forget to quote lith; to let her know it's her turn to post wink
He looked at her carefully. He was afraid she'd be repulsed by his being just some lazy male who was a good for nothing. "I also was just kind of thinking. Before we end up in a big hullaballoo with all of my family, it would be nice to just spend time together. I wanna get to know you more. You're totally about to be my wingmate and travel... buddy."
He wanted to make a meh face about the choice of saying travel buddy. He was having a hard time articulating exactly what she would be to him. "I am really pretty happy you decided to come. Until it's all happening, you might not be able to see just what a gift and blessing your being with me will be."
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Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 10:11 am
Nanu was rushing to the small oasis where she was hoping to find one of her brothers. The patched lioness had been looking all over for him from the moment Nanu had heard that he was joining the caravan that would soon be leaving the desert. She felt a pang of worry as she realized how many of her family members seemed to be returning to their roots, leaving Nanu and her husband behind. Even some of her children had started leaving or making plans for departure and they were still adolescents. Leaving, leaving. Everyone was leaving and she was being left behind. And yet, despite the heaviness in her chest, Nanu didn’t believe she was ready to follow her family in this endeavour. The desert was still home for her, the only one she’d ever known and the lioness didn’t think she’d be looking for a new place to live anytime soon no matter how lonely the familiar sands were becoming.
It was with an immense relief that she spotted the familiar shape of her brother in the distance. She started running as fast as she could, ignoring the scorching sun as she closed the distance between herself and the pair of lions who were reaching the oasis.
"Tarik!" she shouted against the suffocating breeze.
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Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:42 pm
Randar looked at the ground bashfully, nodding her head. She didn't think she was doing anything particularly amazing just by keeping him company but he seemed to really appreciate it and she was glad to hear that. She nodded feebly, wondering if she had ever had a travel buddy before. She didn't think so, and that made him the first.
That she could remember, anyway. And that was all that mattered.
He was helping her make new memories and that was what she wanted anyway. She needed to stop worrying about the past, and she found that it was much easier to do that when she was not left alone to think too much.
She heard a voice nearby though, and turned toward it. A lioness was running toward them, and she seemed to know Tarik. Tilting her head, Randar watched the other approach, her tail flicking behind her curiously. She scooted a bit closer to him just in case it was not a friendly encounter.
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Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 2:01 pm
Tarik reared his head up at the sound of his name. He first looked next to him at Randar His ears swiveled, and then his memory caught up with his ears. He was up on his feet in a second. He gave a half hearted roar to let her find him. "Nannnnnuuuuunuuuununnnnuuu....I am over here, sister!"
He turned his head towards Randar. His eyes were all warm and happy. "You're about to meet my sister. She's one of my litter mates. I haven't seen her since before the pride started falling apart. In fact, the day of her wedding is probably my last good memory there."
He then shook himself allowing any negativity from those thoughts to ripple down his spine, and his tail flicked them away. He started to walk forward, and then he walked a little bit backwards. He noticed Randar moving close to him, so he came up from behind to sit behind her. He sat up as tall as he could and hugged an arm around her. He whispered in her ear gently. "Don't worry. Noone will hurt you with me here."
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Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:36 pm
Running at full speed wasn’t a particularly good idea during a hot day in the desert. Nanu reached the pair with a lolling tongue, panting heavily as if each breath was painful. Still, her eyes were as alive as ever and they darted between her brother and the unknown lioness several times, filled with silent questions as she noticed his protective stance, until she finally decided her priorities. Nanu’s intense gaze settled on Tarik and she spoke.
“Are you leaving, too?” she asked her brother with a tiny frown that showed her concern. “I heard you were… leaving. Are you?” Belatedly, the patched lioness realized that it had been a while since she’d last seen Tarik and this might be somewhat of an odd way to start a conversation.
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Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 9:50 am
Randar watched the duo, feeling a little out of place. If she had a family, she did not remember them, and she was nervous around other creature's families. Not that she had much experience with that, either. Still, she felt like she was suddenly one too many, and she shuffled her paws a bit.
"I'm glad you're happy, and you get to see her," she said, when he explained things to her. And she meant it, ears perking up a bit to see him smiling and excited.
She was feeling her worst before he sat down near her and put his paw around her. His words made her believe in him and she leaned against him on instinct, nodding her head slowly. She was sure that he meant what he said, but also that he had no reason to say it. Surely his family were as friendly as he was.
The other lioness reached them and Randar watched her thoughtfully, quiet and coiled into herself submissively. She didn't think it was a good time to be saying hello, so she would let Tarik answer her questions first.
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Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 7:49 pm
Tarik could feel Randar's movements beneath him. He kept an arm around her to offer her comfort. Sitting behind her, he wasn't able to see her face. He hoped he was comforting her nervousness.
His features relaxed once his sister approached them. "Heyyyy Nanu. I regret to tell you that, Yes. I am leaving. I'll be traveling with mom, dad, and the rest of our clan who wish to go. I will be part of the security guarding our party as we move. Sister, meet Randar."
He extended an arm towards his sister. "Randar, this is my sister, Nanu. Always was she instigating about how I needed to find me a female and settle down." He playfully stuck out his tongue at his sister. He looked at his sister and finally noticed the growing frown. "Hey, now. I'm sure you could have come with us. I'm guessing your children are your reason why not?"
His tail flicked side to side. He felt concerned that this wasn't making his new companion feel too awkward.
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Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 5:13 am
“So you are all leaving.” Nanu’s expression was a mix of annoyance and resignation as her fears were confirmed. The desert had felt emptier after the pride had disbanded but the nights would feel much colder as all the warmth and familiar faces of her family started disappearing.
She sighed dramatically, seriously considering for the first time the possibility of following family once her children had chosen their own paths. It wouldn’t be long until all the boys’ manes had finished growing.
“Some of my children have already left.” Nanu said. “In the end, we might do the same. Maybe we’ll find you.”
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Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:08 pm
Randar watched the two and felt bad for Nanu, though she did not know her. The poor thing looked very upset to learn that she was losing more of her family, and Randar could imagine that it was very difficult for her.
"I hope you do come and find him," she said after a beat, then she crouched down a bit, ears drooping awkwardly. "I mean, if it makes you happy to be near your family. I think it's... something that's important, if you have it..."
She looked at Tarik for some reassurance, leaning against him in an effort to have him protect her, just in case she said the wrong thing. She was so awkward about being the wrong lioness, about saying the wrong thing or finding someone that did remember her, and would hate her for whoever she had been before.
But she couldn't remember, and she felt like she was no longer that lioness any more. How could she be? But then, she had no evidence besides bones and the marking on her that she was a bad lioness. Just a sinking feeling.
"I'll... I'll make sure he doesn't get into trouble," he offered feebly, not sounding like she could do that but wanting to offer some comfort if she could.
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Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 4:56 pm
Tarik's eyes flicked away from his sister's. The feelings in them made him feel ashamed. He didn't honestly feel like he should feel that way, but out of all his siblings, she was the one who often seemed to care the most. He never felt like just another one of them with her around.
When he felt Randar pull inward to him, he just silently comforted her until Nany mentioned maybe finding him later on. "Nanu. I do feel bad that you'll be left behind on your own. It's a tragedy beyond all feelings that can be assigned with words. If you aren't there by the time I have cubs of my own, I might often feel like... I wish you were there to share that with me; the way I shared in your time of happiness and joy. But... I understand if you feel a need to stay where you are till they are grown. I feel for you though. Those lands are long been empty. Not much is left there. And, it's not like we're all just leaving for anywhere. This is the land our kind came from. It's like a homecoming."
He sat up just a little bit taller, so he could wrap an arm around Randar's neck and nuzzle his forehead into the side of her head just behind her ear. "Yes! I shall not be lonely.. or feeling lost."
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 11:37 am
Nanu grinned wickedly. She hadn’t intended to make her brother feel guilty though she took a good amount of pleasure from his quickly changing expressions. The patched lioness watched the interaction between the pair before her carefully, her grin widening when she saw him standing tall after looking at Randar.
“Family is important.” Nanu agreed, finally addressing Randar directly. The patched lioness was known to be pushy and very much in-your-face and it took every ounce of restraint in her body not to tease the shy lioness about her relationship with her brother. She suddenly wished she had more time to get to know her.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Randar. I don’t think I said it before.” She turned to Tarik again. “I can’t bear the thought of having brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces that I’ll never know. Even if my husband and I decide to stay here, you can be certain we will visit. That much I can promise you. Maybe you’ll have some little ones to show me by then…? I would expect at least seven, like me…” She hoped Randar wouldn’t mind a little indirect teasing and in typical Nanu fashion, she threw her brother one of her trademark deceptively innocent looks as if she’d merely commented on the weather and not her brother’s fertility.
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Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 11:07 am
Randar watched Nanu and smiled a bit, from her cowering position next to Tarik, when she was spoken to. Randar liked making friends, though she had never really done it much before, and Tarik was the first real lion to take any interest in her at all, as far as she could remember.
And that was okay with her, if he was the only thing she remembered at this point. He was already making her life more interesting and worth living. She was suddenly having experiences, interactions. It was all very thrilling, though a little overwhelming for such a shy lioness.
At Nanu's words, though, Randar's face fell and she looked terrified, her ears flattening against her head in surprise and bashfulness.
"S...seven?"
She looked up at Tarik for help, not knowing how to respond to something like that. She understood that it was a joke and she tried to smile, but it looked meek and shaky. She nuzzled her face into his fur in an effort to hide.
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Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 11:17 am
Tarik merely waved a paw at his sister in her little provocations. "Don't worry, Randar. My sister just likes to be a little pushy sometimes." More like, more often than that, but he also didn't want to say anything to Randar to give her any negative impressions of his sister. She was one of his closest siblings. The thought then flickered sadly through his eyes that she probably was actually the closest. His eyes looked at her with a deep sense of regret. However, he had already put his purpose to going with the family.
"Well sister. You know.. I do hate to break promises, so I think I best not make one regarding any certain number of cubs." He rubbed Randar's shoulder gently as he leaned towards her to whisper in her ear though it was a tad louder than a whisper. "My mother has had two litters. Both of them had six cubs. It would seem it is rather common for my family to have large births; however, it's hard to tell at the moment if that is a trait carried by the females."
He then shrugged his armlessly. "Well ladies. Only time can tell what the great circle of life shall bring to me. When life is visited upon me, I shall be filled with joy and thanksgiving. Until then, I don't think I'll worry too much about that. Worrying is after all a helpless habit if it doesn't have a result of some type of course of action." He had hoped he side stepped his sister's poking well enough.
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