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 Posted: Fri May 08, 2015 10:35 am
Today was one of those rare days that Lumikani was away from her sisters and her family. Normally, she would be spending time with one of the triplets, or learning from one of her mothers. This time, however, she was fortunate enough to have rushed out at the break of dawn, leaving a fleeting goodbye and pushing off into the trees to rush from branch to branch on a quest to discover how far she could make it before the sun broke through the canopy.
It was one of those days where everything was making noise, the animals chittering loudly and rustling around her. Lumi took a moment to pause on a thick branch, her chest heaving as she peered out into the forest around her. The wind and the humidity were both soothing on her skin and she looked out at her world. This was her land, the land of her sisters and of their great mother. She wouldn't give this up for anything or anyone. She was home.
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2015 8:03 am
Maya leaned against the bark of a thick tree. Her eyes staring back towards the direction of Ast. Her mind swam with feelings of worry, guilt, rage, and resentment. She had hoped Teiluj would cling to her yet for years to come and yet, now the girl had become a young woman. To top it off had even had the nerve to attempt to heal an Oban. Monsters of the war. Her gaze grew harsh at the thoughts. They had enslaved other earthlings, and had even turned their gaze towards Jauhar at one point. A sneeze from Pacju drew Maya's attention as her gaze moved towards the Radaku. The mother of a litter of pups back home. She had left them in the care of the Oban and her daughter. Again the oban, a groan escaped her lips. If he even made a move to enslave her daughter he would loose more than just his brain. Maya thought to herself. As much as she wanted to stay at home, she had to leave in order to preserve her relationship with her daughter. It had helped that Shukri had offered for her to travel with him.
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 7:00 am
As Lumikani spun her head around on the branch, she caught sight of another in the distance. All at once, her body went tight against the tree, her breath held deep in her chest. It took but a moment for her to recognize the colors of a sister, and her shoulders fell as the tension faded away. She feared for a second that she might have stumbled too far from home, running onto another. Pushing that fear down, and pulling up the confidence she was known for, she called out to her sister to announce her presence.
"Hello there!" As she said it, she quickly moved down the tree in the way of a child, with confidence and skill the bordered on recklessness. Getting close to Maya, she slowed her movements and looked at the tall Alkidike, in awe at the muscle and weapons that the other had as well as the Radaku at her side.
"Greetings, sister." She said with a cheeky grin, shifting her weight on her heels with excitement. A warrior was before, and this meant that her day had just gotten so much more exciting.
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Posted: Sun May 17, 2015 8:59 am
Yawning Maya couldn't help the pinpricks of tears that collected on the corner of her eyes. She was tired and there was every chance that Pacju was feeling the same. Movement in the trees was the first thing to catch the archers attention. Her dark orbs sought out the source as it called out to her. Tilting her head to the side she watched as a youngling moved towards the forest floor. Amusment lit her gaze as she watched Lumikani. Younglings sure had a knack for hanging out in the trees. Maya thought to herself. Remembering the way Teiluj had loved climbing more than dominating the forest floor with her. At the child's approach Maya checked herself to make sure no weapons were held in her hand to allow the child to approach with greater ease. What was a youngling doing this far from Aisha? Her gaze searched the immediate area. Family? The girl spoke again and Maya nodded. "It's a pleasure youngling." Pushing away from the tree she was leaning against Maya stepped towards the girl aware of how her height might appear to the girl. Lowering herself to her knees so her head was of equal height she stared hard at the girl. "What are you doing this far from Aisha and so alone?"
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Posted: Tue May 19, 2015 7:24 pm
Lumikani got a good look at the Alkidike before her, studying the sister with visible interest and curiosity. Tall form with lean muscle, defined with a bow and arrow. The appearance was quite familiar to the youngling, as her elder sister also enjoyed the bow. Pursing her lips in thought, Lumikani figured there was no real threat from the figure before her, as it was clear Maya was a true follower of Aisha.
Naturally, her curiosity got the best of her as she turned to the Radoku, examining the bright colors all while Maya began to ask her questions.
"M'from Andile..." She answered simply, distracted with the creature for another long moment before narrowing her eyes in thought and looking back at Maya, "...and I'm not far from Aisha. Everyone says that mother Aisha is always here, in the trees..."
As if to prove her point, she stubbornly raised her arms around to point to the sky, her eyes looking up to the great canopy above them for a long moment before lowering her head and giving Maya another cheeky grin.
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Posted: Tue May 19, 2015 7:38 pm
"From Andile?" Maya thought about that before giving the girl a warm smile at her next comment. "Well they are right, Mother is in the trees all around us. But what I meant was a bit... well closer to her physically." She nodded at the youngling looking back towards Pacju. "Don't mind her, the Radaku wont hurt you. But do be careful she doesn't like to be touched by strangers. Even little ones like you. She's a fighter." Maya reached out to pet the top of Lumikani's head. "What's your name tiny warrior?" She asked giving another look around the forest. Certainly the youngling knew better than to wander too far from her parental guardians, Maya thought absently to herself.
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Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 10:40 am
Closer to the great mother? The elder Alkidike sister must mean closer to the great tree herself, as in on the island to the west. Lumikani had often asked the same question, both out loud and in her own silence. It was quite a wonder why she had never been to where she had bloomed, but she could only deal with the same answer for so long. Eventually was such a tiring response to hear, and so she began to accept it as fact and move along. In fact, she simply shrugged at Maya in response, before looking back toward Pacju with the same bright curiosity.
"A fighter?" Oh, but were those the magical words. Lumikani seemed to hum with life as she moved toward the tall Radaku, heeding the warning but getting close enough to breath on the tall creature.
"I am Lumikani, and one day I will become a great Amazon warrior just like my many sisters. I will fight for Aisha, an honor her for the life she has given me...will you let me touch you, new friend?"
Bravery and foolishness went hand in hand with Lumikani, and she bent her knees and held out her palms in front of Pacju, pouting ever so slightly with the hope of acceptance by the brightly colored familiar.
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Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 7:43 pm
Maya would roll her eyes if she could to mimic the earthlings exasperated ones. Younglings all seemed to be the same these days, all of them seemed to lack caution when things had been warned as dangerous. Then again it was probably her own fault for trying to reassure the youngling girl that Pacju wouldn't bite. Giving the proximity they now shared it was almost a give fact that Pacju would not take kindly to her space being suddenly occupied. Surely enough, Pacju rose and took a step back her hackles raised as her tail flicked once, twice then poised to strike. A snarl rippled across her muzzle as she lowered her head threateningly. "Well Lumikani, if you remain that close to her you wont live long enough to become this amazon you dream of. Be smart girl and step back from her, she's being generous enough to give you a warning. My suggestion would be to heed her warning. She does not often give them."
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Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2015 6:37 pm
Lumikani narrowed her eyes as the Radaku raised up and moved away, frowning fully when it snarled. This was not what she expected, and was no longer fun nor interesting. A short huff came out of her nose as she back pedaled a few steps away, forcing her shoulders up in a proud stance and gripping her hands into tight balls. She ignored the pit of fear of the larger creature, as well as the sweating she was feeling over her body as she turned back to her new friend and listened carefully.
She gave a short nod, eyes wider than normal as she glanced back at Pacju one more time with a tentative smile.
"...she must be vicious in battle..." Lumi said with a meek smile, moving her hands to rub together before a thought raced across her mind and caused her to spin around and face Maya fully with a hopeful expression, "...have you battled before...erm...what can I call you?"
Her thoughts were wild as she glanced at the weapon Maya carried, her familiar, and tried to remember her manners or what little she had. All of it bubbled out along with the nerves she still held from the fright of a very sudden Radaku warning. This day continued to get interesting.
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Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 3:41 pm
Maya settled on the ground in a tired slump as she watched Lumikani move back. Raising her eyebrows at the youngling. "Yes Pacju is a fierce fighter. I wouldn't trade her companionship for anything in the world." Snorting as she suppressed laughter. "Yes I've fought several times, though smart people avoid fighting. Even in the wars. I've traveled far, and seen so much. I am Maya." Raising a hand she pointed her finger towards the youngling. "Traveling is good when you're older. I remember the days when Sauti and Zena were discovered." She smiled fondly at the memories, especially the ones of a certain male earthling. Traveling was something she was now returning to. Just so she could spend some time with the earthling, though part of her hoped that another friend would also meet up with her in time. "Not all radaku are born fighters. Some have been far to tamed for that."
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Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 3:51 pm
As Maya settled and began to speak, Lumikani grew wide-eyed and excited. This was something new, a traveler who spoke of her tales and war stories. It was refreshing and new and so much different than the sisters who taught her lessons. Taking note of Maya, Lumi moved closer and settled on the ground as well, although her energy was much higher than the other Alkidike. It seemed as if she constantly had to squirm and adjust as she sat and listened, before finally resting an elbow on her knee and her face in her palm.
Maya had her full attention.
"You remember that...that was before the war!" She exclaimed suddenly, her back straightening and her arms flying up. She seemed to have no shame as she sent a flashing smile before looking over at Pacju again.
"If I get a Radaku, I would make sure it is a fighter...I plan to travel and explore the world and to fight to protect our home." She smiled then, "If I grow up, maybe we will fight together."
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Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2015 5:19 pm
"Many things happened before the war youngling. And there will be many things after the war that's the course of life." She paused to consider the girls words. "It is possible we would be able to fight together, but I do not care for the violence of war. Arguments and disputes cause problems. Problems that people only seem to be able to solve by destroying the lives of others."
Maya thought back painfully of the several times she had burned the relationships between herself and others. Though in part she didn't regret the actions she had taken. Some had been to protect her own daughter. Another reason why she was now traveling so far from Ast. She had to preserve her relationship with Teiluj before she drove her daughter away with her own distaste of the obans.
"Radaku companions are becoming increasingly popular since I was a Prentice. It doesn't surprise me a child like you would want one. But why not go for a Janarim? They are larger after all."
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Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2015 7:05 pm
Her brows furrowed at Maya's words, and Lumikani was at a loss for how to respond for a long moment. It seemed that Maya got lost in her own thoughts as well, before she commented on Lumi's choice of pet. A Janarim was something she heard about, but never got the chance to see. From what she remembered, they lived in a far off land well beyond Aisha's reach, and therefore would not be a good place for her to go familiar hunting.
But it was the final statement that got Lumikani in a bit of a huff, as she raised her chin toward her sister and took on a slightly defensive tone.
"Size doesn't matter! Smaller creatures are fast, and if they are smart they can overpower large beasts. I would choose a smaller familiar no matter the size..."
She said it quickly and huffed it out, clearly affected by her own size and how she felt about it. Letting out a breath, she looked away for a long moment.
"...do...do you have any tales from the war, Maya? All the sisters will tell us about are events, not details. But they don't tell us what war is like...how it feels to fight for a good cause and defend what we love..."
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Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2015 9:07 am
"Large beasts are smart too, don't underestimate a large opponent Lumikani. And the smallest familiars I think i've seen are little sprites." There was a stop in the conversation as silence followed her last question. War, Maya's face paled at the mention of the war. It was a terrible time, and she fully blamed the Obans for all the trouble that had been caused. Which is why she found it difficult to remain with her daughter at home, when she was growing increasingly closer to the Oban she insisted was in her care.
"I kept myself as far from the war as I could." Maya admitted slowly. "War isn't always a good thing. Just because we are strong doesn't mean we should go around proving it through violence. Though I still have no respect for Obans."
Pacju shifted about but remained rather close to Maya. Keeping her attention fixed on the forest beyond the fire.
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Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2015 9:18 am
Sure, large beasts were smart and strong, but they also fell harder and faster than the small creatures. Lumikani knew that Maya was trying to teach her a lesson, but deep down she would always hold a soft spot for the smaller creatures. And, when Maya spoke about a little sprites, Lumi was very interested and perked up once more.
Her mind spun, and it took her a long moment to realize her new companion had grown silent. Her brows furrowed as she looked at Maya for a long moment, wondering what had occurred to cause the conversation to stall. She nearly asked when Maya began to speak up once more, and for once she kept silent and serious with her elder.
"...but...isn't it our right to protect our land and our sisters? Isn't that why the great sisters train and become strong? So they can fight?"
She was confused. She could feel it in her bones that Maya was a great fighter and had been through so much, but her expression and voice didn't flow with pride, but possibly...regret? This didn't make sense to Lumikani at all.
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