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 Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:18 pm
Inari was growing everyday, not only in size (even though he was still tiny, but he ebelieved he was getting big quite rapidly) but also in mind and adventures. But today his adventure of trying to be out on his own ended up in a way he didn't partitially like...he was lost.
He had left the den and gone towards Pride Rock to have a look around closer, but now he couldn't find his way back. He knew being out alone was dangerous, not a smart thing to do. He knew that mom and dad would be upset at him for being gone so long. The sun was even beginning to set, the horizon lighting up in firey colors.
How was he going to get back?
Things somehow seemed different around the pridelands, something was missing, though Inari wasn't sure what. He wasn't really up on the "whats happening today" scene. He was a cub, adventure was his life! But now...now he needed help.
Stopping in his tracks he sat and then fopped down onto the ground, his tail flicking behind him. He was lost and needed help, and no one seemed to be around that would help him, not at least from what he could see. He needed some guidance, but wasn't sure where to go.
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Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:57 pm
Sarabi panted softly as she neared the base of Priderock, the old queen having just barely made it back from the watering hole before the sun had set. That trip seemed to get longer everytime she made it... She had to set out ealier now, racing the sun to make it back before dark.
Red eyes the color of the sunset scanned the massive stones before her, thoughts slipping through the mind behind them like mist. Coming to a decision, the queen came to a stop and settled back onto her haunches, resting a bit before her last stint up to the den. Once there, she'd be able to rest again, find some release in sleep before the next day. Tail gently flicking, she sighed softly, drawing in a deep breath only to let it out slowly.
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:49 am
Inari's ears were folded back as he contemplated what to do, if he wandered too far, he could get lost, or get eaten by something, or get hurt, end up somewhere dangerous. Amari would be mad at him if he wasn't home soon, the sky was already painted orange with teh sun setting, his curfiew was now. Inari knew the den was somewhere near Pride Rock, where exactly he couldn't tell. He had never wandered this far before.
Someone was here.
Standing up and trying to see around him, Inari could see someone not too far off, seeming to head in the same direction he should be going. Maybe they could help him. IF they were in the Pridelands to do harm, others would've swarmed here by now. From what Inari had heard of stories passing between pride members, the king would've already jumped an intruder. Inari was proud to be part of a pride where the king and queen were so loved by everyone. He hoped one day everyone would know his name like others knew theirs.
Creeping slowly towards the figure Inari tried to figure out who it was, female, because a male would be so much bigger, and have a mane if they were the figure's size. Surely she would help, she had to. As he slowly approached her, he noticed something, she looked so familiar...
"Ummm...excuse me..." he spoke softly, stopping a mere few feet from her. He definitely knew something was familiar, she looked just like...like the queen? Was this even possible!? Inari was both shocked and he felt honored to be in her presence. Even thought INari was still a mere cub, he knew what it meant to be in the presence of a king of queen...a definite honor for any lion no matter how big or small. "Could you help me? ...I'm lost..." he spoke, his eyes trailing to the ground, his tail flicking to the side once.
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 10:47 pm
Sarabi turned at the sound of small paws and a soft voice, shy in tone. Ruby hued eyes dropped to the form of a brown cub, his eyes cast down to his paws. A soft, gentle smile slid onto her face, reassuring him that he need not be shy around this lioness. The queen loved cubs more than anything save her mate, and it showed in her stance now.
"Hello there, dear. Lost are you? Now, we can't have that..." She gave a soft, rumbling purr as she turned to face him, settling back once more. "Its almost dark, and cubs like you should be tucked away safe at their parent's side, ready to sleep. Tell me, what's your name?" First step in finding out where this little one should be, and how she was to get him there. Her own rest could wait till she'd seen to the needs of this young one.
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Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:20 pm
Inari looked up to meet her ruby eyes, his ears still flattened back due to embarassment and his shyness that seemed to come out of no where. She looked so caring and nie, and Inari made sure to remember this, for he would one day return the favor. If the queen was able to help him, he would certainly try to help her someday if she wished something upon him.
"I'm Inari..." he spoke quietly, but raised his head and puffed out his chest a bit, to make him look stronger and not afraid (even thought he was, being far from home not able to get back). "I came out here to play but its almost dark and...and I can't find my mommy or my dad..." Inari felt like he was being too childish (thought he was just a child). He wanted to be strong in other's eyes. Inari sniffed once and crept closer to Sarabi and sat by her side curling his tail around himself, "I dunno where they are..."
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Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:14 pm
The queen nodded sagely as she listened, rounded ears perked forward towards the cub. "Inari... such a nice name. Tell me, Inari, who are your parents, and where do they usually den?" She spoke soothingly, hoping to ease his fears and get him to trust her a little more. Her whole demeanor was caring, motherly even. But that's just part of who Sarabi was. Now, she used it to her advantage.
Her larger tail drifted to lightly circle the little cub, not quite touching should he want to move away from her. Sarabi quite understood how scary the savannah must seem, with dark nearly upon them.
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Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 1:44 pm
Inari watched as Sarabi's tail curled around him making a little circle, and he felt more at ease, his ears perking up a bit now though he was still a bit embarrassed. He puffed out his chest at ehr statement of his name, he loved his name, it was so similar to his dad's name. He felt totally at ease around Sarabi now. Not many in the pridelands had shone him such kindness (even considering the few adventures he had been on).
"Dad is big and my name is like his...but instead of an 'I-N' at the beginning, its a 'A-M'...thats what my brother said...momma is golden and has blueish eyes. Den is that way...I think..." he said pointing with his tiny fumbling paw. His eyes then looked up at Sarabi with a hopeful expression within them, "Do you know them? I've heard dad talk nice things of you and the king," Inari said with a smile. A few times during the night when Inari was to be sleeping, he could hear his father murmur things about Sarabi and Mufasa, nice things, that made Inari want to be strong just like his dad and Mufasa.
Inari liked to hear stories sometime, even it he wasn't supposed to. He liked hearing his father talk of other lions Inari had yet to meet. Inari was so excited and happy that if he came across any that could help him, it was Sarabi. News and gossip traveled fast within the Pridelands, and Inari had not only heard of hos graceful and happy Sarabi was, but how kind she was to others. He smiled up at her, his tail flicking every few minutes. He was glad he had found someone who would help him indeed.
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Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 10:36 pm
"Amari?" Sarabi asked, her head tilted as she gathered the little cub closer with her gentle tail. Yes... he did have something of the brown male around him. Then his mother must be Maawio. Sarabi remember her quite well, and her mother's obsession with having Maawio mate to her own cub, Simba. It was a blessing that Maawio had found another to love, since it wasn't likely the two would have made a good pair. That part of the mystery solved, she nodded along with the rest of his words, casting her ruby eyes in the direction he'd pointed. She smiled at hearing of Amari singing her praises, since she'd not had the pleasure of personally meeting that lion. Still, it was nice to know that others spoke well of her.
"Yes, I do know your parents. I know Maawio very well, in fact. Do you want me to walk you to your den, Inari? I think its about time both of us got to sleep, don't you?" She purred gently, reaching down to gently nudge him with her soft nose.
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Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:48 am
Inari's tail flicked once or twice while her tail pulled him closer to her. He felt safer here, and he was no longer nervous, which greatly pleased the tiny cub. He hated being nervous or afraid, he wanted to appear strong and courageous, but he was still so young, and Inari had a lot of things to learn.
"Yes please, I would like that very much," he said with a playful smile upon his face. He let a tiny purr escape his throat as she purred at him and nudged him on. Inari pushed himself to his paws and stood in front of Sarabi and smiled, ready to go and be at her side. Inari never thought he'd meet Sarabi this soon in his life, it was such an honor for him in his tiny heart.
He moved himself to stand on her right side, Inari looking quite small when measured up next to Sarabi's forearm, was he was ready to follow her whereever she took him. Inari trusted Sarabi greatly, and was extremely greatful for her kindness.
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Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 1:10 pm
The queen smiled as she pulled herself to her broad paws, one of the few things about here than had remained the same size through her illness. Now she seemed more the gawky teenager than an elderly lioness, with her large paws and lanky frame. "Alright, lets go." She said softly as she nudged him with her nose again, stepping past him in the direction of his den.
Sharp shoulderbladed stuck up through her fur as she walked, muscles rolling beneith the loose skin. It was later than Sarabi would have liked, but there was no help for it. She hated to be out of reach of the den when night fall came, fearing for her own welfare should something malicious catch her in the darkness. But this cub's safety was far more important than her own, seeing him home to his loving parents was worth the risk of walking back to Priderock in the dark.
"By the way, Inari, what are you doing out here so far from home, so close to dusk?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 4:54 pm
He smiled as she nudged him and he padded along by her side. He felt bad he was being such a nuscense though, then Sarabi would have to walk back to her den all by herself, all alone. He shivered at the thought of having to do that, complete darkness around him, eery sounds in the night? No. At his current stage in life he would just sit and cry in one spot, crying for someone to find him. But Sarabi had found him today, for that Inari was quite glad. He kept up with herm almost stumbled once because of his footing, but Inari was getting along fine. Her question made him smile though, and slightly puff out his chest to make himself look bigger.
"I was trying to get strong...learn how to pounce and stuff...make my dad and mommy proud," he said with much pride in his eyes and heart. He wanted to make his family proud, "I want to be strong so I can be a good pride member," true honesty. He wanted to be the best he could be.
Inari stepped along quietly, wind carressing their backs at they walked, it carried the faint scent of other lions and the pridelands with it, one scent stood out among the rest, Maawio's scent, the scent of Inari's beloved mother. He could hear his heart pounding with anticipation, such a happy feeling. They were almost there!
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Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:48 pm
Sarabi smiled gently as she padded along, her steps slow both to match the cub's bumbling pace and to conserve her own meager strength. Tail swinging gently behind her, she spoke slowly so as not to exhaust her breath. "You don't have to be strong to be a good pridemember, Inari..." She said gently, turning her head to cast ruby eyes down at him. "All you need is to care for your other pridemembers like you would for your family. That sort of what a pride is... a great big family that helps and cares for each other. Even the weakest of our pride can be a good pridemember. Strong is only good for things like hunting, or if the pride needs to be protected, and even then, a smart lion who isn't particularly strong can beat a strong, but stupid, lion."
Her lecture was short, but heart-felt. After all, wasn't she the weakest of the pride? Even the cubs could run circles around her, and it was only the love of her pride that kept her on her throne with Mufasa. Sarabi liked to think she was a good pridemember, even if she could do no more than offer a listening ear and wisdom born from years of expirience. Grass brushed gently against her slat-ribbed sides as she moved, parting them with a slim forepaw before stepping through. She could pick up a faint smell too, and knew they must be getting close.
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Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:23 pm
He listened closely and nodded at her words, she was so smart! Inari wished to get smarter too, so that maybe someday he could help others too, do as Sarabi had said and protect others like they were his family. He felt like he had gained a better understanding of not only himself, but what he was part of. He was part of a pride, a family larger than the one that held him in closer binds by blood, but by pride his family was large. Inari would become smarter and stronger and be the best pride member he could be.
Inari would be his own self, but for the better.
"Then I will be smart and strong!" Inari said as he play pounced forward and smiled up at Sarabi with his golden eyes. He felt smarter already, even.
Taking a few more steps the smell of his family was greater, and he swore he could see bumbling shadowed silouettes tumbling over one another. It had to be his siblings, he believed he could see his older brother as well.
Sarabi had helped him so much!
Inari hoped to return the favor someday.
"Thank you so much!" he purred and snuggled against her for a moment, expressing his gratitude the only way a small cub his age could. He felt so greatful, he couldn't be happier. "I promise I won't get lost again, I'll be smarter," he said stepping back and smiling up at her.
Slowly he began to pad towards his den but not before turning around to take one last glance at the noble queen, Sarabi, the one who had helped him so much, dark was approaching, soon Inari would be dreaming of being smarter and stronger.
"I hope someday I cna find you again, perhaps then you can tell me how to get smarter!" he said with a true smile. His tail flicked to the side as he waved a paw in Sarabi's direction as if saying 'good night.' With that Inari turned and bounded off towards the den.
Today had been a good day.
Inari had met Sarabi.
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 2:01 pm
The old queen smiled gently, the fading sun leaving her cast in shadow. It felt good to have helped one of the young ones of the pride, and have impressed on them just a little more knowledge than they had before. She gave a little sigh and turned, taking her directin from the great looming shadow that was her home. "You're welcome, Inari. Good night and sleep well, child." Her voice caried gently on a soft breeze as she padded away, disappearing into the tall grass.
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