Painted MooseIt was the dusk of the evening by the time that Kifunguo found his paws at the edge of Tikoto’s territory. He knew it to her lands because of the stench of decay, and the screaming. The dark God had heard it miles away, but hadn’t been able to descend fast enough to save the poor creature. Whatever it was it had died in her embrace, so he had moved on. It wasn’t the deranged lioness he had come to find, but rather her latest conquest.
The name that was on her lips even now.
He walked with a purpose, wings tucked in close to his larger than life frame until he came to rest near a tree by her borders. If he had to wait for a month he would; anything to save the life of the poor soul who prodded here.
SeakiChozi had taken some time to heal, the wounds stitching together and becoming a bit smaller over time, but of course he couldn’t stay awake until they closed. They had only barely healed - deep scabs rather than sluggishly bleeding wounds that had been there before.
But, truth be told, he missed Tikoto’s scent and her claws on his body. He hadn’t even been back in the pride’s lands for a week when he began to miss the lioness. It had taken him merely a few minutes thought before he was rushing out of the lands again.
He stumbled a little, unable to contain himself as he darted towards the land, glad for his lion-stanima and his cheetah-speed. He didn’t want to wait much longer to see her, honestly, and he hated that he was so far away as it is.
Painted Moose
He could hear, rather than see, the approach of someone other than himself. Patience was a virtue he was learning to value, and it took Kifunguo a great deal of it to allow the hybrid to gain ground. Though he had no idea if this was the creature Tikoto was so enraptured with, he knew it to be a Cheeton, because of its bone structure. It was as if he were listening to an odd frequency. The channel was familiar to him, but the reason…Why would Tikoto be interested in such a creature?
Stepping out to rise, he called out into the hollow air, “Chozi. I wish to have a word with you.” If it were the being then he would have the right one, and if not…Well, being a God sometimes eliminated horribly awkward scenarios.
Seaki
Chozi squeaked when he heard his name. Oh gosh, he really needed to pay better attention to his surroundings, because the Lion was huge! Bigger than any lion he had come across. He stumbled to a halt, looking up at the other male, wondering how the other knew his name.
"Who are you?" He asked, suspicious.
Painted Moose
"My name is Kifunguo, God of Bones." The words at this point rung so hollow that they held no true meaning. He had spoken with so many mortals as of late that he felt as if they should all just know him by now, even though in reality it had been as little as three that had crossed his path. "I mean you no harm. I only wish to speak with you about your...friend, Tikoto."
Seaki
A god? He really should have expected that. He gave a nod, still wary of the god. "You know Tikoto?" He asked, stepping a bit closer. She never mentioned him, obviously. They had been, ahem, otherwise occupied at the time. "What - what about her, is she alright?" he frowned, nervous.
Painted Moose
Bolstering his resolve, he slowly approached the smaller creature, careful to keep his wings tucked in close. "She is well this evening." Even as he said it, Kifunguo grimaced. If only she had been too ill or tired to find new prey. "It has come to my attention that the two of you have been meeting under...intimate circustances. While I don't intend to stop you, I feel as if you should know more about her to make a wiser decision." Quick and blunt; there was no fluff about him. "Have you spoken with her about her past? Or anything, beyond carnal activities?"
Seaki
While Chozi was glad that Tikoto was alright, he sputtered, flushing. He looked away for a moment. "Um, no, We've not really, um, spoken about her past?" Carnal relations, how straight forward. He liked her, though, as she was now. He knew she did some less than favorable things, though he had to be told by another though. He didn't actually know anything though.
"Why? Is it important?"
Painted Moose
Kifunguo snorted. Of course they hadn't, otherwise the Cheeton wouldn't be alive today. The thought of the two of them involved in activities was...odd, to say the least. "I believe it is, just so you have some idea as to why she is what she is. Unless you would rather not know." He wouldn't force the topic, but he thought he might as well offer.
Seaki
His ears flicked back, "Shouldn't Tikoto have a say in whether or not I know?" He asked. He had to admit he was curious though. Personally, he was born with the feeling of emptiness that could only be cured by the ripping of his flesh, but not everyone started out like that he guessed? "I mean, I'm curious, but would she get mad at me?" Her being mad at him could force him leave, or completely just destroy him.
Painted Moose
"As I would give her, were she in her right mind." If she were healthy, then he wouldn't need to be the one giving Chozi such a talk. "So long as you never broached the subject to her, I doubt that she would become mad at you. This is strictly for your benefit, anyway."
Seaki
Chozi paused, frowning for a moment before nodding. "Alright," he told the large god after a hesitating pause. He didn't want to lie to the lioness, but it would be helpful to know he guessed. "Alright, I'll listen."
Painted Moose
Kifunguo nodded, and turned himself so that he could sit comfortably on the ground. "During my last visit to the mortal plain I witnessed a lioness who had been attacked by leopards give birth to her last litter. All of the cubs were still born, save one. This was Tikoto." He took a deep breath, and continued, "I took the cub for myself and tried to raise her. The girl was sickly, pale and puny, always coughing. When she was in her right mind she was a star."
Seaki
Chozi sat near the large male, listening to the story. It was hard to imagine Tikoto as a weak, coughing cub. Or puny, really. She was bigger than him now, but he had a really small structure, so it made sense.
"You raised her?" He asked. He didn't really understand - what changed? Or what didn't change, really.
Painted Moose
Kifunguo nodded once more. "I did." His sightless eyes looked to the past, imainging her as the sweet eyed little girl she had once been. "I raised her as best I could. There were times that I was forced to leave her, but I always made sure to come back." He sighted, lowering his great head. "Unfortunately, even the best of intentions fall short. When I returned she had a fever, and nothing I did could calm it. It...affected her. The heat seemed to burn through her mind and her soul. I spoke of her mother, and she thought I WAS her mother." Kifunguo paused for a moment before continuing, "When I fed her she rejected any meat, saying it tasted like other lions, but it wasn't it was just prey..."
