|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:56 am
Tanashita hadn't seen her homelands in a long time. Her and her mate, Kifijo, had been raising thier cubs for a long while out in the open plains. Tana was once again heavy with a new litter, and they decided that the best move was to rejoin the pride. Tana missed her family tremendously, and she knew that with so many lions around there would be no way the new cubs could be captured like Riku was.
Tana walked through the cool jungle lands, her footsteps silent as she went. She knew Kifijo was around somewhere, and she hoped he'd appear again soon. She wanted him with her when they entered the prides lands, unsure what the reaction from them would be.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:13 pm
All good things eventually ended, and while the same couldn't EXACTLY be said for Theluji and Matifu's boys, they were indeed growing up. Soon they'd be off hunting on their own, able to help defend the pride and take mates of their own.
Though lately his oldest boys HAD been acting a bit stranger than usual... He suspected that it might be another rivalry and that it involved a female, but, given the small number of them in the Pride it was a complete mystery as to WHO.
He hadn't seen his own sister in months now, or his nephews and niece, let alone his brother-in-law. Where were they these days?
His wandering brought him away from the valley, beyond the rock-wall-barrier and out into the humid jungle. He was currently unaware of his sister's proximity, though that wouldn't last long.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:26 pm
Tanashita wandered through the humid land, her pale eyes scanning the area intently. She wasn't used to this type of scenery adn she wasn't sure what may come out of every shadow. She really wished Kif was there.
Suddenly Tana stopped, sniffing the air carefully. A wide smile spread across her face as her brother familiar scent filled her. He was near. "Matifu!" She called, unable to control herself, even though she knew it wasn't the best idea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:01 pm
The Hunter froze in place abruptly, the sound of the foilage around him ceasing to a hault as well. Was that his sister he'd just heard?
Matifu's own pale eyes scoured the trees, nose on high alert now even as his ears pointed the direction the sound had come from. His heavy paws began padding forward immediately.
"Tanashita? I sthat you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 6:58 am
As Tana saw the large form of Matifu padding towards her, she felt a lump in her throat and she nodded vigorously. "Y-yes! It's me!" She smiled brightly and ran over to him, nuzzling him happilly. "I've come back!" She smiled to him, eyes shining. Her cub-filled belly had grown quite large, and it was obvious she was with child.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 9:19 am
"Well, I can see that!" He gave a hearty chuckle, brushing his head affectionately back against that of his sister's. To see her within the pridelands again was more than he could hope for! His eyes were alight with joy, something that only those close to him knew how to read just right in his pale eyes, same as her's. "Have you come home to stay, sister? There's so much to fill you in on, the others won't believe it! Kiva, she's visited the twins recently, in the flesh, sister. She's shown herself to them physically! Mteule and Mteuli are convinced that it's a sign of prosperous times ahead!"
At this point his beaming smile turned to more of a sly grin, and he stepped back and to her side to look at her hanging mid-section with mirth and joy.
"And it seems they were right, so, Kif, and the others, will they be coming too?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 6:49 pm
Tana smiled brightly at his words, thinking about the lions he described. She hadn't seen them in so long! As he looked at her, she grinned, laughing a little with him. "Kif is around somewhere. Moyo and Baki may be coming, I'm not sure yet. They're so much older now, Matifu... And Riku, well..." Tana's head dropped low as she spoke of her eldest son. "He was... captured... And taken away..." The pain of this event was obviously still hurting her, even though it happened so long ago.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 12:39 pm
"Moyo, come along. We need to meet your mother's pride and become all initiated and all," Kifijo teased his daughter. She had grown into a beautiful lioness, just like her mother. He chuckled and whacked her with his tail playfully.
"And you know to be polite, and social, and--" "And nice, and polite, and even more social," Moyo continued, interupting with the well-known instructions that Kifijo had told her for weeks. "Yes, father dear, I'll be sure to do as your wisdom instructs."
She grinned impishly, trotting along beside him as they walked toward the meeting grounds of Tana's pride. In some way, Moyo was apprehensive and wary of what would happen. After all, the day her mother's brother appeared in their den was still a clear image in her mind. Not to mention her father's great anger and frustration of being taken by surprise in his own home.
But who could blame him. She'd be just as protective with her cubs. When she had them. When she and Kiwi became closer. Hopefully. "That's my girl."
Kifijo picked up the pace a bit more, jogging across the sandy plains and through patches of high grass. His mate's scent--and that of her brother's--quickly reached his nose on the high winds.
If Kifijo knew then what he did now, he wouldn't have been so quick to growl at Matifu that day in the den. He knew that the other lion would never hurt his own family, even if his sister was so far away from home.
Some part of Kif hoped that they could reach a sound agreement together, but another part said leave it be. What's done is done; you can't change the past. Moyo glanced at her father as he picked up the pace, quickly copying him and running at his side.
"Did you get any news if Bakari was coming?" she began, hoping to engage him in conversationg. She had a feeling that she knew what he was thinking about, and she had no intention of letting him dwell on it. At least, not alone. "I haven't seen him in so long. I hope he will." Kif shook his head.
"No, no news. But he might have talked to your mother; we'll ask her when we get there." Already, he could see two distinct shapes in the distance. Tana and Matifu.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 4:24 pm
Matifu just smiled in his usual goofy-knowing way, listening to his sister ramble on about the kids... it was so great to have her back again and this really did feel just like old times: Standing around in the afternoon warmth just gabbing away about recent-going ons, both in and out of the pride. It was surely yet another sign that things were finally coming together again for them.
However, at the news of his nephew's abduction Matifu's spirits fell. He'd last seen them as children still, barely old enough to be weened. Hearing that one of them had been cub-napped... it tore at his heart, and it made him furious all at the same time! Who was the b*****d that dared intrude on their family? Matifu wanted to know that much so he might be able to hunt him down one day and make him regret it, he was so angry. It seemed like Tanashita had already suffered enough anguish though, he couldn't put her through more, and truthfully who knew after all this time? Who knew?
His expression had gone slowly from one phase to the other, the changes always gradual and never harsh. From happy, easing into sorrow, shifting into anger and finally neutral before he attempted to look comforting.
"I'm sorry Tana..." He gave a deep rumbling purr and took a step closer, pushing his head forward to brush against hers with a strong gesture of affection.
He didn't know what else to say for her on that matter, the pride's numbers were too fragile yet to attempt a rescue, though he honestly would have headed one up right at that moment if there was a way. He didn't want to tell her things he thought she'd want to hear, because the truth later might hurt worse if the cuts came from white lies.
"You know that we're all here for you, if there's ever anything we can do..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 6:11 pm
Tanashita watched Matifus expression change, and she nodded sadly to him. She knew that Matifu would want to immediately go after Nyekundu and his gang, but Tana also knew that thier pride wasn't that strong yet. Maybe, someday... Or maybe Riku would escape.
As she felt his comforting gesture she smiled sadly to him, and nuzzled him back gently. "I know..." She heard a rustling behind them suddenly and whipped her head around. As she spotted Kifijo and Moyo, Tanas spirits rose and she smiled brightly at them both, nuzzling each in turn. "Kif, Moyo, you remember my brother, Matifu." Tana said, hoping Kif and Tifu would get along better than the last time..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:58 am
Kifijo grinned happily, nuzzling his mate as well.
"Yes, I remember Matifu. How are you? I suppose we'd be...brothers now, in a way," he said, directing his words to Tana's brother.
Kifijo could not help but hope that they would only be peaceful and not cause any problems; after all, stress on Tana (which would be from Kif and Matifu 'arguing') would only harm the cubs. He glanced at her round stomach and puffed his chest out a bit more, immensley proud. Moyo rolled her eyes at her father, nuzzling her mother with a happy smile.
"I was only a cub when I met him, but I remember." She smiled warmly at Matifu from behind her father. "Mother, is there any news of Bakari?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
