Thayiga'Thunzi had a rather busy day ahead of himself. He was scheduled to meet with several interested parties after the sun had risen to its full height that afternoon, and he wanted to get any morning business done before that. What he had not expected, was for one of the rangers to return with a rather odd request. Apparently Bamba, the ranger in question, had run into his 'mum' and 'auntie', as he put it, out in the roguelands last night and had invited them to join the pride. Thunzi wasn't particularly against this request, but most members of the Tani'Ajiri joined their ranks because they wanted to fight or find work as a mercenary. Apparently these two did not.
So Thunzi sat atop one of the pride's large boulders to ponder this request. He had told Bamba to give him several minutes alone to consider all the options, and he suspected the young lion would return shortly. On the one paw why would the lionesses wish to join such a militant group if they had no interest in fighting, and on the other paw perhaps they simply wished to find a home. Would the Tani'Ajiri refuse them? Should they? Was it mutually beneficial to let them join? The leopard had to consider all the options before he came to a decision.
It hadn't taken him very long to find the Face of the pride, Thayiga'Thunzi, but he wasn't expecting the leopard's hesitation. Sure, his mum and auntie didn't wish to fight with the mercenary band, but that was no reason not to allow them to join! The Mercs had just claimed a territory to settle down in, so its not like they would be on the move all the time and in constant danger. And even then, they were from the Ithambo'hlabathi, a nomadic pride that had almost always been on the move anyway. Bamba didn't realize how much he wanted this until he had been told that there was a possibility that they wouldn't be able to stay. He hoped Thunzi would reconsider the issue, and he was prepared to argue. Sort of. Word around the Tani'Ajiri was that Thunzi use to be the top assassin before he took over the job as the Face.
The pale leopard's tail began to twitch idly as he sat upon his rock, silver eyes turned towards the distant border that Bamba had come from. Two lionesses waited out there, somewhere, waiting for an answer. By what Bamba called them, 'mum' and 'auntie', he could only imagine they were older and possibly soft around their bellies. They may need some special looking after that the Tani'Ajiri simply wasn't prepared to offer freely. Thunzi frowned at these thoughts. They were a mercenary band, they couldn't afford to look weak in front of potential customers.
Several more minutes past before Bamba decided it had been long enough and it was time to return to Thunzi for his decision. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so nervous for a single decision. Perhaps when he had left the bonelands for the first time, having been a male and being kicked out when his mane was fully grown in. The young lion swallowed back whatever hesitation he may have been feeling and held himself up with a confidence he did not feel on the inside, but he'd be damned if he let any of that show. His mum had taught him better than that. It didn't take him long to find the rock he had left Thunzi on, but before he could call out to him the leopard turned his piercing silver gaze in his direction. The first time Bamba had met Thunzi, he thought the leopard blind, but the young lion had quickly learned that was not the case. Bamba came to a stop a respectable distance from the boulder and waited to see what Thunzi would say, though inside his stomach was twisting.
It had always been easy for Thunzi to read others. The outside didn't always match the inside, simply put, and right now he could read Bamba as easily as he could any other nervous wreck. The leopard sighed. He never knew Bamba to be the nervous sort, as the lion was a skilled tracker and bounty hunter that had completed numerous contracts for the Mercs. Why was this so difficult? "I suppose you're waiting for my decision", Thunzi called, steeling his voice against any hesitation he may have been feeling. "In short, my answer is no." The leopard reported, eyes narrowing as he watched Bamba visibly flinch with his words. He may regret this second part, as it may unnecessarily draw out the encounter, but he had to give the young guy a chance. At least a little one, to make his case. It may be good for him in the long run. "Unless, you can tell me why you think they'd be beneficial to the pride. You said they are unwilling to fight for us, so what can they do?" Perhaps it was a little cruel to expect 'mum' and 'auntie' to pull their weight, but the Tani'Ajiri were mercenaries, and they didn't need to be doing favors for free.
Bamba was galled, gutted even, at Thunzi's words. No? No! He hadn't seen his mum in years, and she just happened to show up at the border of his new pride? That could not be a coincidence. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed her until he spent all night chatting up the Tani'Ajiri to her. How could he go back to her now with an answer like 'no'? Bamba's mind was racing, looking for a way to change Thunzi's mind, when the leopard provided him with an out. Bamba's ears flicked forward and he settled himself back into a more neutral stance. He would need to be smart about this, he decided, so he took a moment to consider his words. "They're hunters," he began carefully. "They come from the Ithambo'hlabathi, the bonelands, they're use to surviving and hunting in harsh conditions." Would that be enough? He hadn't discussed with his mum or auntie, and he hoped they'd be okay with him offering up their services like this. But... this was a mercenary band, services were for sale.
Quite the show Bamba was putting on for him. It was almost too easy for Thunzi to read the young lion's every thought by subtle movements of eyes, ears and muscles. At least the ranger was determined, so Thunzi would give him that. The leopard's eyebrows rose slightly at the mention of the Ithambo'hlabathi, and though he'd never had dealings with that pride, he'd heard stories of the bonelands. Aptly named, if he remembered correctly. "Hunters, you say?" Thunzi considered. A lot of the pride's downtime was spent hunting for meals if contracts were sparse, and it would be beneficial to have members specifically designated for the job. Of course, he was still a little dubious on if 'mum' and 'auntie' would really be as helpful as Bamba seemed to think. "I'll consider it, but Bamba, first I would like to meet with your 'mum' and 'auntie' myself. Alone." Thunzi took the time to stand and stretch on his rock, it was time to get this morning business concluded before his other appointments arrived. He would judge these two himself, and if they didn't seem to be up to the task they would be asked, or forced to leave depending on how they took the news.
"Alone?" Bamba repeated, baffled by the turn of events. He wasn't sure he liked that idea, but Bamba really couldn't argue with the Face. It worried him that Damu and Asali would have no warning that the pride leader would be coming, and it worried him even more that Thunzi wanted to go alone. Bamba didn't want his mum or auntie to do something to earn Thunzi's ire, as he had seen the leopard occasionally sparring with Siyo'Jini, the Boss, and holding his own. Damu and Asali wouldn't stand a chance if they choose to make Thunzi their enemy. Bamba swallowed hard, unable to shake the idea of his mum getting hurt because he couldn't convince Thunzi to let her join. "I... well,-" he couldn't find the words to help him in this situation.
Thunzi had been just about to set off when he caught Bamba's reaction. He had expected the young lion to be relieved that he'd consider it, he had not expected the sudden panic that overcame the young lion. Thunzi's brows shot up as he watched the mix of emotions stir on Bamba's face and the leopard sighed, realizing what the issue was. "Relax kid, I'm just going to chat." He guessed his reputation proceeded him, which wasn't a bad thing, but Thunzi wasn't about to make a name for himself by beating up old women. The leopard rolled his eyes at the thought as he leapt from his vantage point down towards Bamba. His movements were graceful and light, but his eyes shone with a fierceness as he regarded Bamba. "Steel yourself, its not professional to crack so quickly under pressure," Thunzi chided the young lion before moving past him. Thunzi was much smaller than Bamba, or any lion for that matter, but the leopard held himself with an easy confidence that made him feel as tall as any lion.
"Yessir," Bamba replied, a little crest fallen. He hadn't realized how easily Thunzi had read him, and he hoped he hadn't made a fool of himself in front of one of the leaders. Thunzi was indeed smaller than him, but Bamba knew better than to tangle with anyone who could hold their own against Siyo'Jini. He wasn't even sure if he could go toe to toe for very long with the Boss, as he had not tried to spar with him yet. Maybe someday, but for now the young lion still had a lot to learn about fighting, as that had not been something they had taught him in the bonelands, In fact, he had only started to learn after he'd joined the Tani'Ajiri while they traveled the savannah as a roaming mercenary band. Only recently had they settled into this new territory, and he supposed now he needed to seek out more training. Especially if he was going to keep up with his bounty hunter work.
(Word Count: 1,737)