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 Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:35 am
 Toboa's tail hung limply behind her, dragging in the dirt along with her paws as she padded slowly in search of one of her pridemates.
The morning sun was already beating strongly, but the dark lioness felt no comfort in its warmth on her pelt. Toboa had heard from her fellow huntresses that Nahmba was to embark on her Death Walk soon.The bright old lioness was not Toboa's biological mother, but she had played just as large a part in her life - teaching her to hunt, telling stories, showing her the way of the pride, and giving advice on how to win over an Umholi (something which had yet to be successful, but that was most likely due to Toboa's timidity).
And so, Toboa's heart was as heavy as her paws as she roamed the pride in search of Nahmba. As hard as it was, she couldn't let the older lioness leave without saying a personal goodbye.
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Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:57 pm
Nahmba had always been a dreamer. She imagined rogues to be strong, handsome and worth of cubs and would find herself hiding cubs four months later, or begging a passing rogue to take a male she dare not show to Matifu. For Gakere, she had believed he would make her proud and she would see him again, but his return had been unpredictable. The rogue lands were no different.
Many nights, Nahmba had dreamed of them. Mysterious trees that lay beyond the plains; water that stretched further than the eye could see; lions that lived in water; gods with behemoth wings and the power to move mountains. Reality, however, was that she had no idea to survive as a rogue. Hunting had long been absent from her daily routine, and doing so alone was an impossibility. So, the prospect of seeing the world excited her and demanded she leave, but the ever-present instinct to survive placed fear in her heart and left her depressed.
But, today was a good day, and as she lie at the top of a tall rock formation, looking out into the pride, Nahmba felt her heart full of joy for those she had known and those she might meet.
"You are very small down there, Toboa," Nahmba hollered downwards. The lioness rested three meters higher than Toboa's skull. Pale paws, new white speckles traveling up her legs, dangled over this edge. The formation sloped off in the back, and could easily be reached by those with the energy to walk around and step over a few large cracks and fallen debris. It continued upwards far to the lioness' left, providing a swath of shade.Rennekae (( Thanks for starting! ))
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 8:13 am
Toboa started a little at Nahmba's call, the fur on her spine beginning to spike in embarrassed surprise. She had been so intent on finding the older lioness and trying to decide exactly what she would say to her that she hadn't noticed Nahmba's scent strong in her nostrils.
Glancing up, squinting against the sun, Toboa could make only make out a silhouette. Sizing up the rocks, the dark huntress padded around and mounted the rocks in a few nimble springs. Once at the top, she approached Nahmba and gently butted her shoulder with her head.
"I feel very small today, Nahmba." A brief pause as Toboa's words caught in her throat. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to continue. "I.. I hear your Ukufahamba is soon. Is it true?"
Toboa had been playing with a small stone with one paw, surprisingly unable to look Nahma in the eye. As she finished speaking, she turned her gaze to watch the lioness out of the corner of her eye, her head still resolutely facing the stone as if it were somehow important.
A part of her actually hoped that Nahmba would tell her the rumors were just that - rumors, false, speculation; but the tightness in her chest told her that she was acting like a cub. Regardless, she waited, barely breathing, for Nahmba's response.
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 6:31 pm
"You are not so small now," Nahmba purred. Toboa's affectionate nudge formed Nahmba's muzzle into a smile. Rumble still in her throat, she bumped the leg of the dark-coated lioness.
"It is true." A slight strain had inched into Nahmba's voice, but her face appeared content. "I will get to see the huge, wide world before I cannot see it anymore." As if to affirm the necessity for the practice, Nahmba added, "My eyes are not so good anymore, Toboa."
Inching further to the right, the pale lion allowed plenty of room for Toboa to join her. "I do not leave today." Nahmba's muzzle parted in a grin marked by randomly missing teeth. The smile scrunched up her eyes, giving her the appearance of someone blissfully unaware of what lie ahead.
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Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:17 am
At Nahmba's confirmation, Toboa's paws went numb. She slumped down dejectedly next to the elder; even though there was plenty of room, she settled so that their flanks touched, dark and pale, young and old, symbolic for anyone who cared to look. Nahmba's next words finally brought Toboa's bright blue gaze up to meet that of her older companion. While wisdom and spirit still brightened the dusty blue, Toboa hated to admit that she could see the milky gloss of age. I guess I never realized that everyone else was getting older, too, she thought to herself. "Then today should be on of happiness - of fond memories and lazing about in the sun." Toboa purred. There was no point in wasting her last days with Nahmba being depressed - there would be time for mourning later, but there would not be time for this. "What do you think of Nguvu and Mhisani's cubs?"Kaelyndra I think, OOC, Nguvu was still an Inselelo when we started this, but I don't mind if you want to play it like he isn't anymore IC.
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Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:38 am
Rennekae (( Playing it as though he still is sounds good to me! ))
Dull as they were, Nahmba's blue eyes still brightened at the mention of cubs. "Everyone was so worried all his children would be so pale." A large smile crossed her face and her tail swung about behind her. "But, that little boy is the color of damp earth. Just like his daddy when he killed the crocodile." Nahmba's voice had dropped when she spoke, as though speaking a conspiracy that no one else had grown wise to.
"And what does Toboa think?"
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