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 Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 1:42 am
The watering hole was a beautiful relaxation spot, a scene of perfect tranquillity… which was well and truly ruined by their arrival. The boisterous young Aynashi squealed as she raced into the water, splashing loudly and flopping about much like a suffocating fish, she was the epitome of ‘childish’. The golden bird fluttered along above the water, fussing.
“Don’t drown yourself!” L’aiime squawked in frustration. Anayshi was a crazy child, but she did love her. She was just certain that the cheetah would be the death of all of them though. She glanced behind her, rolling her eyes at the ‘love birds’ – reluctant as they were to be referred to as such.
“Hurry up, you too,” L’aiime called out.. “You’re supposed to be chaperoning!”
”I thought that was your job, L’aiime,” Nyata’mtu called back, but she did quicken her pace, a bit concerned about her ward being left alone in the water. Her other companion, the male hyena who had taken to following them everywhere also quickened his pace, but that was mostly because she did, and he didn’t want to be left behind. He was unconcerned by Aynashi’s activities, as the cheetah was always doing things like this. What did they all expect of her, really?
“Is it fun, Aynashi?” Ning called out, as he gently touched his paw to the edge of the water, recoiling back at the cold.
“It’s beautiful, Ning!” She called back, but didn’t ask him to join. If she asked, he would, and she knew he didn’t really want to join her. She always felt bad making him do things against his will. He was a nice boy, just a bit weird. He was good for Nyata as well, he lightened her up a bit.
“Do be careful, Aynashi,” Nyata warned. “You don’t know what’s in there. I assume we checked for crocodiles before leaping in?”
Aynashi rolled her eyes dramatically at her guardian. “There were no crocodiles, Nyata. Relax! Have some fun! Why not come in and join me?” She tried to lure, but her guardian stared back with a look of pure disinterest.
“I’ll be here waiting for you when you get out,” Nyata responded calmly, raising a brow at her ward. “It’ll be your job to somehow dry yourself before dark. If you get a cold, then I will not be the one putting up with your snuffling.” She would be though. Every single one of them knew that she would be the one to deal with the snuffling.
Nyata wouldn’t let anyone else take care of her ‘baby’, and her baby was well and truly Aynashi.
She moved away from the watering hole, not far though, and settled underneath the tree, watching the cheetah splash at play. L’aiime was chatting with her as she splashed, hovering above her, to keep her company.
Ning followed Nyata, as usual, and found a spot next to her, but not too close, for fear of disturbing her. They were completely silent, as they usually were. They weren’t big on talking, but Nyata, oddly, found his company…likeable. Not necessarily ‘enjoyable’ but…it was comforting having someone to sit with. Someone to be in silence with. She didn’t have many of those people in her life.
Although, speaking of silence, the little silence that was brought from Aynashi being distracted by the water was well and truly demolished at the arrival of a stranger. The female – a leopard, from what Nyata could gather before she went head first into the watering hole – was a strange sight amongst the wildlife. Not as strange for the hyenas who were reasonably used to the weirdness that was Aynashi.
“What was that?” Ning murmured to Nyata, though he had seen the blur as well.
“I think it was a leopard,” Nyata said, rising to her paws and heading towards the watering hole. L’aiime was squawking in distress, as the leopard had not yet arisen from the depths of the water. It took a few moments before the head of the leopardess bobbed back into view. A joyous laugh came from her mouth as she splashed about, splashing Aynashi.
The young cheetah only gave it a moment of pause before she giggled and began splashing back. No names exchanged, no other words, simply discovering another playmate.
Nyata heaved a weary, worn out sigh. Oh to be young and naïve again! It was…exhausting just to watch. She was glad that she was older and wiser now.
“She seems so happy,” Ning murmured quietly where he stood at Nyata’s shoulder. She glanced over at him with a look of confusion.
“Who, Aynashi?” L’aiime butted in, fluttering over to land on Ning’s head. It was a really awkward position but the male didn’t protest, simply tilted his head so her talons were not quite as close to his eyeballs.
“Both of them,” Ning explained with a look of confusion. He had never been that happy, he realised, a sinking sensation in his stomach. Why had he never been that happy before? Was there something wrong with him? Was he just not made to be happy? It was a horrible thought, but he couldn’t stop them creeping into his head.
“They’re young and innocent,” L’aiime explained patiently, “not old and cynical like you two.”
“You are cynical too, L’aiime, don’t try and deny that,” Nyata protested, and the bird gave a wing shrug.
“Living this life, you kind of have to be,” L’aiime defended, but glanced at the duo splashing and racing in the water. “I hope she never gets cynical though.”
“She will,” Nyata pointed out. “Some day, she will. All that we can do is delay that point.”
“Maybe she’ll stay happy all her life,” Ning protested. “You don’t know that she’ll get cynical.”
Nyata’s eyes were dark as she watched the landscape. “She will.” If she was anything like her mother, Nyata honestly feared for her sanity someday. Hawa, while she adored her daughter, had never gotten over the disappearance of Aynashi’s father, who had never even known he had fathered a cub. Nyata was just thankful that there had not been more cubs in the litter than just Aynashi.
“Nyata, Ning, L’aiime!” Aynashi called out, padding towards them and bounding from the water with a look of pure excitement. “Meet Eva!”
The leopardess also bounced from the water, grinning ear to ear much like the young cheetah. “Hi! Sorry to interrupt! I was lonely and Ashi looked like she was having so much fun!”
Oh god.
Nicknames.
Please, please, please, Nyata begged to herself. Please don’t be what she was feared.
“So Eva was saying that she was travelling on her own now that her and her father have parted ways, and I told her about our little group, and how we are super fun and that we look after each other and stuff, and - and she’s super keen to join us! Isn’t that great, Nyata?” Aynashi exclaimed cheerfully, tail flicking behind her cheerfully.
Nyata’s face fell.
Great.
Another one.
“Greeeeeat,” she said sarcastically, but Aynashi, being Aynashi, didn’t hear the sarcasm and took the words purely at face value. She squealed in excitement.
“Yay, you’re one of us now!” Aynashi announced, and promptly pounced on her new friend. Dolc’eva squealed and began to play wrestle in the dirt rather than the water they had previously been in. They would be filthy in a matter of moments, and Nyata wanted to sob.
“Not two of them,” L’aiime whispered in horror. Even Ning looked a bit concerned. Another stranger? He doubted that the stranger was dangerous, but still.... it was another stranger, and Ning liked things just how they were.
Simple.
He had a strange feeling that life with Aynashi and this new ‘Eva’ was going to be anything but simple.
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Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 2:13 am
Their newest travel companion, a leopardess named ‘Eva’ or Dolc’eva to use her full name, was a strange one. L’aiime would give her that much at least. The leopardess, while as playful and cheerful as Aynashi, had her moments of seriousness. The avian had caught her staring out into the landscape like her life had aged her brutally and she was contemplating the fate of the entire world. Suddenly, within a blink of an eye, she would be giggling and playing games with Aynashi.
It was a weird mix.
L’aiime was curious. The avian followed Dolc’eva as she went for a walk, but Eva smiled at her, and waved her closer.
“You don’t have to follow at a distance,” Eva scolded gently. “Walk with me. Or I suppose you fly, but still,” she giggled lightly.
“So what’s your story, dear?” Well there was little point beating around the bush, was there?
Eva glanced at the avian with a look of contemplation, a hint of wisdom lurking behind her usually playful eyes. “I’m a rogue, born and raised,” she started simply, her pace lesuirely but she didn’t quite meet L’aiime’s curious gaze. “I was raised by my daddy, he is a rogue and a rogue for life. I’ve been moving all my life. Never had a home, per say, though I have my father. He’s my home, I suppose, but we don’t cross paths that often anymore since I got older. Not that we don’t want to, but it’s just hard to find each other in the big wide world.”
“You miss him,” L’aiime said simply, and Eva smiled, with a shrug.
“He’s my dad, of course I do. Don’t you miss your parents?”
“They’re not of this world.”
Eva winced. Woops. “Sorry.”
”It’s fine, dear,” L’aiime said with a sad smile. “It’s what happens when you get older. You think they’ll last forever, but someday, they just…aren’t there anymore and you’re left on your own. Thankfully I have my own little makeshift family, but I do miss them. Quite a lot at times.”
“That’s normal though,” Eva pointed out. She heaved a frustrated sigh. “I feel like I’m supposed to be doing something, y’know. I’m young, I’m free but I don’t know what to do. I just want to do something.”
“So why don’t you?” L’aiime queried as they came to a stop.
“I don’t know what to do.” Eva gave a sad smile. She was travelling the lands, trying to find something to entertain her, something to capture her attention. She knew that she could never be a pridal creature, that would bore her to tears. But without a pride, without a family, what did you do as an adult? Being an adult was boring, she decided with a huff.
“That’s life, dear,” L’aiime pointed out gently. “The whole point is not knowing. What you have to do is find out.”
“But how?” She groaned dramatically, showing her age for the first time since the conversation first began. L’aiime smiled motherly, landing on the leopardesses head and grooming her fur gently.
“You try new things, you explore the world, you take your time doing it, and you’ll find it when you’re meant to.” She smiled. “Sometimes it takes years, other times it takes moments or just a second.” She sighed, a faint dreamy quality to the sigh. “Sometimes it’s all in one glance. Sometimes it’s a lifetime.”
Eva was quiet, staring at the surrounding landscape. “Maybe I should explore for a bit,” she said, cautiously, but she hesitated. “Would you come with me?” She asked, nervously.
L’aiime realised in that moment that Eva was, unlike Aynashi, terrified of her future. Aynashi barely had the common sense to be afraid for her future, rather she was just excited for something bigger to come along. Eva was afraid.
“Of course, dear,” L’aiime soothed gently, and earned a smile from the leopardess for her efforts.
The duo, now a fair distance from their other companions, picked a random direction to set off, and walked slowly, soaking in the landscape. It was grassy, a few spattering of trees, but it was beautiful. Peaceful.
Eva sighed gently, a quiet sound but it seemed so loud in their environment. The silence fell again, and they continued to walk. However, the silence didn’t last long this time, a soft voice coming from a nearby direction. A laugh soon followed it, a feminine laugh that was joined in unison with a more masculine sound.
Eva came to a halt, waiting for the strangers to show themselves. L’aiime fluttered for a moment, before coming to rest on the back of the leopardess, waiting also. She wasn’t sure what Eva was doing, but she had a feeling that it was important to just let her do this.
The strangers came into view easily, standing out in the green environment. A pale male, almost pure white if not for a few pink highlights, followed by a female cheetah who was a brown colour. The pair paused, but both had welcoming smiles on their face.
“Well hello there strangers!” The male called out cheerfully. “How are you this fine day?”
“We are well,” Eva responded, cautiously but offered a smile of her own.
“Just out for a walk?” The female asked cheerfully. She was bouncy, and happy but she was not a young cheetah. Her figure was slim, but weight was carried at her belly, hinting that perhaps she had had cubs previously. Not a youth, certainly.
“Yeah, just exploring, what about you two?” Eva explained.
“I am just enjoying the beautiful day,” the male agreed. “How rude of us. My name is Dysi, and this is my friend Ghasia.” He motioned to the female with him, who smiled and flicked her tail in greeting.
“I am Eva and this is L’aiime,” she completed the introductions, motioning to the avian who chirped out a greeting.
“Are you two mates?” L’aiime cooed, curious at the duo. Both immediately laughed, and shook their heads.
“No, no, I am a spoken-for man,” Dysi explained cheerfully. “My mate is at home, however I felt like stretching my legs, so I am afraid I rather strong-armed Ghasia into accompanying me.”
Ghasia smiled at Dysi, not looking all that distraught over being ‘forced’ to accompany him. “I am not spoken for, as he says, but nay, we are not mates. Merely friends who share a walk or two. I miss talking to people, now that my cubs have grown and left home.”
“Not all of them,” Dysi corrected. “Ashki is still around.”
Ghasia frowned a little. “I almost wish he was gone.” She grew flustered quickly. “Oh that sounds so bad!” She rushed on, trying to explain. “I just mean that I wish he would have fun, live a little. He’s a young boy, and he’s just hanging around his old mother. It must be so boring for him!”
Eva flushed a little, realising that that was exactly what she wanted to do. Find her father and cling to him. “Maybe he’s just scared to be alone,” she suggested, unconsciously echoing her own fear.
“Everyone’s alone at some point though,” Ghasia sighed. “Sometimes being alone is the best thing. It’s lonely, yes, but it means you get to know who you are, not who you are when you’re surrounded by people! It’s scary, yeah, but its scarier if you suddenly find yourself without support and realise that you never learnt to support yourself.”
Eva flinched a little. Dysi saw, and frowned. “Are you alright, Miss Eva?”
“Yeah, I’m ok,” she stammered. “I just realised that I have to get home. It was nice to meet you! I hope you two enjoy your walk!” She blurted out quickly before turning tail and moving quickly away. L’aiime fluttered off her back, hovering and letting the Leopard put some distance between them before glancing at the duo.
“She’s young,” the avian explained gently. “Still trying to figure herself out.”
Both Dysi and Ghasia ‘ahh’ed in understanding. “I hope I didn’t upset her,” Ghasia fussed lightly.
“Not at all, I think you told her exactly what she needed to hear,” L’aiime assured gently. “Thank you. Good day!” She smiled at the pair, and took flight after Eva.
-fin-
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Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 9:47 pm
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