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 Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 8:11 pm
 It took a lot of fish to satisfy a full grown lioness. This was a fact Nzinga was well aware of. She had been told more than once, lions were not meant to fish; they were meant to hunt. It took a lot longer to feed herself by the riverside than it took an average lion in the grasslands. But it was the life she was accustomed to. She knew she was an oddity. Zing had resigned herself to a life alone, just her and the river from whence she believed she came.
Each day was not much different than the last. She spent most of her time trying to feed herself; the rest was spent resting. When she was bored, swimming was enough diversion to satisfy. Content to be her own companion, she generally shunned the company of others.
This new morning found her sleeping in the tall grasses not far from the bank. Had she heard the approach of another being, she normally would have slinked off into the water, unnoticed. But this day was not going to be like every other.
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 8:34 pm
Indeed, today was not going to be quite like any other. For how many days in your life did you see a goddess glide down from the sky? For that is exactly what happened. Bathsheba, white wings spread out elegently from her shoulder blades, banked with the wind currents and began to glide to the ground. Magic was what kept her up, true, but using the wind always made things easier. She landed with the grace of someone who had been flying all her life, folding her feathered wings on her back. She lifted her head, white hair falling against her neck neatly.
She paused to cast a lavender glance around her. Her posture spoke of composure and of a calm nature, for though she had just come from thousands of feet in the air she acted as if she had been walking along the ground all along.
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 8:47 pm
The light breeze that disturbed Nzinga's fur and caused her ears to twitch would normally not be a cause of alarm. However, it was not the breeze that stirred her slowly-wakening brain, it was the odd scent carried with it. One that was disturbingly familiar and yet, also strange. Still, not much will frighten an adult lionness into sudden wakefulness. Zing took her time stretching first her back, then her legs, not bothering to open one bleary eye until her toothy yawn announced she was fully ready to wake up.
The white, winged vision that greeted her sleepy eyes made Zinga, at first, wonder if she was yet dreaming. When she realized that the bizarre sight of a flying lion was reality, survival instincts kicked in. She promptly leapt (at least three feet) straight up, flattened her ears and screeched such an obnoxious, unintentional feline yowl that Zinga could hardly believe the sound she made came from her own throat.
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:02 pm
A chill ran through Bathsheba's heart as she heard a cry that could have shattered glass. She turned her head instictively, unable to hold her composure and make the motion smooth and refined. Her change to a controled, reserved goddess was not wholely complete. There were times where it was tipped slightly and hearing such a sound did just that. Her ears twitched as she saw the lioness and it took all her self control not to look dismayed at her reaction.
Taking a small step back, but swallowing and holding her head high she eyed the lioness levely. "I'm apollogize., I did not mean to startle you," Her voice was calm, smoothing over her impulsive action a moment before.
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:15 pm
Truth be told, Nzinga was a bit embarrased by her reaction. If she was anything, she was level-headed, and she was not prone to such outbursts. But she thought, it's not every day that the morning greets you with a flying lionness.
Heart still pumping from the initial shock, fur on the back of her neck standing on end, claws dug into the dirt and her ears flattened against her skull, Zing realized as she looked over the stranger that she was not a threat. Yes, there was something different about her, but she was still just a lion like herself. Cautiously, Zing relaxed. While she typically was harsh to strangers, her curiosity for once overcame her antisocial tendancies. Trying to act as though she had not, in fact, lost her cool, Nzinga attempted to cover herself by quickly (and somewhat dumbly) blurting "What are you?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:28 pm
Sheba should have expected such a question, especially since the reaction she had recieved was so strong. Seeing that the lioness was no longer...well frightened out of her whitts and was willing to talk she felt a little better. Though she gave no visual change in expression as a reaction. Composure...she needed composure. Everything was normal. "I am a goddess," she replied simply. "By the name of Bathsheba." She didn't give her domain, not wanting to confuse the lioness too greatly. Obviously she hadn't seen a diety before and there was no need to compile her with extra information.
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:41 pm
"Bathsheba.." Zing slowly sounded out the unfamilar name. It felt strange. A goddess. Alright. Whatever that was. A lion that could fly. She supposed that was no stranger than a lion who swam.
Even though she was no longer bristling, Zing was not what anyone would call friendly. Curious, perhaps, but no more so than any cat.
The fact that they were different from others of their kind (Sheba was perhaps moreso, but Zing was prided herself on being different) was of enough interest to her that she did not immediately consider escape to the water.
"I am Nzinga," she announced with haughty demeanor. "I am from the river. You, I presume, are from the sky?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:59 pm
Sheba could sense Zing's arrogence, as well as her ignorance. She obviously knew not what a goddess was. And yet she felt no desire to tell her that gods were immortal-they died and were reborn. And that they possessed magic beyond that of mortals. For one, this lioness did not seem the type to believe her. And besides...complications were not in Sheba's best interests. "Not quite. I am from the realm of the gods, though I don't not really reside there as of now. I have duties to preform as I travel." And that was as indepth as she was going to go with this one.
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 5:57 am
This information was mildly interesting to Nzinga, but beyond her scope of the world. Part of her still assumed she was dreaming. So what if there was a goddess standing right in front of her, what was that going to do for her? She couldn't think of anything she could want from this lion: not information, conversation, or companionship. While she did admit to herself how much she would probably enjoy a pair of beautiful wings like that, she figured they would probably be ruined if they got wet. She was beginning to feel the rumblings of her empty stomach that told her a day of fishing was in order.
She could think of nothing to say that wasn't along the lines of, "Realm of the gods, huh? Is it nice there?" or "is it fun to fly?" She assumed a yes would be the answer to both questions. Part of her, the part that wasn't dreaming, did want to get to know her better - after all, you don't meet a goddess every day. But her avoidant instincts and her hunger were driving her a different direction.
"It is an honor to make your acquaintance. Now, if you need nothing of me, I am afraid I must heed the call of my stomach." She tried to be civil, not wanting to openly offend a being whose power she was unaware of.
Zing raised herself from a sitting posistion and slinked over to the bank, wary enough to not turn her back completely to the stranger. Luck was on her side this day, for a fat, dark fish hovered motionless a few feet from the bank. With the speed of a feline and the grace of experience, she reared onto her haunches, struck both forepaws into the water, dug her claws into the the fish and before it knew what had happened, she had flung it onto the bank. To watch Nzinga fish was surely an odd sight, but she never once thought about it.
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:37 am
Sheba seemed unphased by the finishing, even if it was odd for a lioness. She had seen stranger things in her lifetime. It was getting harder and harder to be surprised anymore. Perhaps part of it was the wonder of cubhood was far behind her...perhaps a nother piece was the control she strived for. There was no room for awe any longer.
"You are very skilled," she told the other lioness simply. It was the truth and that was that. There was no need for flattery and she wasn't going to bother with it. She took a few light steps through the grass, her movements graceful and with purpose. It was obvious she wasn't going to stay. She had nothing to do here and duty called elsewhere.
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 11:12 am
Even though she should've been happy that the other lion was leaving, something tugged on her heartstrings, not wanting her to go. What was wrong with her? She shook her head, trying to focus. She had a nice big fish. She was going to regain her solitude, something she valued. Wasn't that what she always strived for?
But the winged lion - that Nzinga secretly was begining to admire - had complimented her. Wasn't that something?
She thought about offering to share her meal. But she just couldn't bring herself to call her back. She watched her walk away for a moment, then turned back to her quarry. It was better to be alone, really - noise scares the fish away.
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