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 Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:31 am
Kiburi stretched out her aching limbs under the sun, her tired, broken body feeling greatly comforted by the warm rays. Now that she was finally free a little of her old spirit had returned, and yet even though she had started anew, something was not quite right.
The lioness who had called her sister had told her that her family hated her and so that was why Kiburi finally decided to settle here. Uumi and Sy had said it woudl be okay and she had to admit the place was quite beautiful. It was cooler here, much, much cooler and yet the sun still touched her with a comfortable warmth that she much enjoyed.
She could breathe here.
Grass was a luxury she had dearly missed, trees too. Yet in all this perfectness there was something missing; her family.
It broke her heart to think of how much she had hurt her family, her wonderful mother, her perfect father and her cheerful brother. She missed all of them, every single one of them and the thought of never setting eyes on them again hurt.
Would they understand if she tried to explain? If she tld them of the hardship she had enjured in becoming a slave? How just the thought of seeing them again kept her alive when she was bloodied and dying.
Her spirit was in tatters and yet it was not broken, for even now Kiburi yearned for forgiveness, to see her beloved ones again. Now though, it seemed an impossible task and she found herself here in the Kusini lands, hiding away from those who might wish to harm her.
She sniffed quietly and sighed, her poor, damaged body flinching with pain as she shifted her weight to roll up onto her stomach. Her body was skinny and ruined and her eyes were no longer sparkling sapphires. In fact there was nothing left now of the energetic and adventurous cub. She was an adult who seemed ten times her age and too timid of the world ever to leave the borders of this pride.
"I'm s-sorry." She knew no one would hear her apology, but it lightened her heart to say the words. Atleast here in this place she could live out the rest of her days where no one would hurt her, even if that did mean never seeing her family or Zenoni again.
"It l-looks like we won't be s-s-tarting up a family in the Pridelands a-after all Zezzie."
She was of course unaware of the tiny bodies that were growing within her womb, their forms so small that her tiny frame let on nothing about her condition.
For whether she wanted it or not, Kiburi would be a mother, though such a gift would almost mean something else.
The end of her life.
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Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 7:06 am
Mchele had run as fast and as far as his legs would carry him. All the way from the very edge of the desert and now to the edge of the Kusini'Mwezi's lands. If he was so desperate, filled with such longing to see his dear littermate again, he might have wondered if he'd been sent on a wild goose chase. (if he knew what a goose was).
As he crossed into the other pride's territory he slowed. Taking a couple of breaths he lifed his head and called out Kiburi's name in a roar. Once, twice, three times before he had to stop and suck in oxygen again. No doubt someone would have heard that... but who? He wished to himself that Kib had but the chances of her being in this part of the pride's territory, especially right on the boarder, would be remote.
More likely it would be a member of this pride. In which case he hoped they were friendly. Perhaps if he explained to them his situation they might be able to help? They might even be able to tell him if Kib really was here and take him to her? Just so long as they didn't try to chase him off their lands. With so many clues as to Kiburi's whereabouts he couldn't stop and give up now.
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Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 9:23 am
That voice? That roar? Could it be...? Could it possibly be!?
Her head snapped up from where it had lolled sleepily on her forepaws, eyes suddenly brightened and ears tipping forwards. Though she had not heard her brother's cry since he had been a juvenile the call would ever remain the same.
Cubbish squeak or lion's roar she would always recognise the tone of her brother. Always!
Her heart lurched and in her desperation to reach her long lost sibling all pain was forgotten. No longer did the thoughts of guilt dwell in her mind. Now all she wanted was to see him. This could be her only chance to meet up with her brother and she wouldn't give it up, even if he did hate her for going away.
Her replying roar was weak but it rumbled deep in her chest, tearing free in a hoarse, barking sound. She was here, he was there, it was time to be reunited!
Her heart quivered with nervous anticipation as she began to limp in the direction of her brother's call. Would he be happy to see her? Would he be angry that she had broken her promise? No. No. Mchele would understand, out of anyone he would understand. She had missed him so very much; his bright pelt, their playful antics, waking him from slumber when they had curled against their mother's side.
Was she really an adult now? It seemed like only yesterday when she had played tag by the waterhole with her brother. Only yesterday when she had bumped into mean old Rocky. Only yesterday when she had gazed into her parents faces to see them smiling back at her. She had been so happy at the Pridelands, so, so happy that it seemed strange she would have wanted to leave. Adventure wasn't all it was cracked up to be but in a way Kiburi was glad to have left. By doing so she had come to realise just how precious the little things were.
That true happiness was not found in fame and glory, but by being close to the ones you love.
Tears welled in her eyes as she moved awkwardly across the ground, enjoying the feel of grass on her hardened and well-worn pads. Would her brother even recognise her? She was not the plump little princess she had been in the past. Now she was a petite, sick and terribly thin little lioness whose eyes portrayed too much suffering.
But she was still Kiburi inside and no amount of torment could take that away.
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 6:42 am
Mchele had been padding anxiously, ears upright and listening for any sound while his eyes hunted the horizons. He was just about to head off, skirt around the territorye's edges, when he heard a sound.
A roar! Though a strange one. He didn't recognise it, so weak and hoarse and unlike how he remembered his sister sounding. But he waited, tail swishing behind him, to see if the owner of the cry was coming to see him. He might be able to ask them for help?
What he spotted was a thin, pale lioness approaching from the distance. Though the body shape was unrecognisable, the pelt colour was promising. A pale cream, similar to parts of his own fur. Could it be what he always hoped for? Could it be his sister at last? He didn't wait to find out slowly, instead bounding forward to meet the lioness with renewed energy.
As he drew in close, it became apparent that the female wasn't in the best condition. He slowed to a halt several yards from her and stared in shock. So skinny, battered and broken. But despite the change in her physical condition, she still had the same markings he remembered. The particular pelt colour he would hunt for when stalking for a playmate as a cub. And that brown mask around her eyes that only made them seem even brighter when she laughed and called him 'Meeechelllleeee'.
It was those eyes now that held him captured. They looked on him with tears. Of saddness? Joy? But looking into them he couldn't be more certain of who she was.
"Kiburi...." He murmered softly before suddenly lunging forward, his face changing to one of unimaginable delight in a second. "Kib!!" Without pausing he rubs his face against hers, nuzzling and even giving a few licks of joy. "I've found you!"
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Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:34 am
Was this a dream? Would she wake up to find herself alone again?
But no, here he was before her, the perfect image of a male. He was strong, healthy and fine. Her eyes were captivated by his thick, full mane, his well preened fur and the sparkles in his eyes.
Yes. Mchele had not changed at all and even better he seemed happy to see her.
Her heart gave a lurch and with a small mewing sound - almost cublike in manner - she stole forwards, meeting him as he moved to rub his face against hers.
"M...Mchele." Her breath caught in her lungs but it was not from fear, it was from relief. Finally after all this time she had found him, the brother she had missed so very much. "I thought y-you would h-hate me for breaking my p-promise." She sniffed and moved to bury her face into his mane. "I'm s-s-sorry. Can you ever f-forgive me?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:19 am
Mchele gave a huge sigh, breathing in the scent of his long lost litter-mate. It was a happy sign and he couldn't stop the huge grin on his face. For a moment he didn't even realise she had spoken, a combination of his over-emotional state and her unfamiliar stutter.
He opened his eyes and pulled away to look her in the face. "Forgive you? Kib, I've always forgiven you, for doing as your heart needed. To... filling that space and answering those questions it asked. I was upset for a while... but with help I learned and now I understand why you had to go."
His eyes dipped a moment. "You don't have to be sorry. If any I...." He glanced away and back again. "Could you forgive me for not finding you sooner? I... I found out about the Firekin. What had happened.... that's why you didn't return. It's not your fault. And now, now you're safe again! Oh mother and father will be so relieved. I know they don't say it in front of the cubs, but I can see it in their eyes. We've all missed you so much."
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:34 am
And at his words everything seemed to fall into place. She crushed her face into his mane again and sobbed for all she was worth. His scent, his warmth, his soft fur. She had dreamed of this day for so long and now finally it was here!
Then finally when there were no more tears left to shed she drew away from him and stared up into his cheerful face. That was Mchele, and he hadn't changed a bit. He was just like the little cub she remembered.
"Y-you mean mummy and d-daddy aren't mad? I thought they di-didn't want to see me again..." Then she absorbed more of what he had said. "Cubs? We h-have more bro-brothers and sisters?" She remembered Bakhti mentioning it briefly before she left but that memory seemed distorted and faded now.
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Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:37 am
"Mad?" He blinked at her in confusion. "Why would you think that? They miss you! We all do. There's never been any hate..." He smiled at her and rubbed his muzzle against her cheek, brushing away some of the tears that stained it. "You must come and see them. Then you will know it's true!"
He felt restless to get her home. Bring her back to their parents. They didn't hate her, not that he could tell. And why would they? He certainly didn't! Not anymore. But she seemed hesitant, and weary. Her body was so thin... not the plump heathy cub she'd left home as. Maybe they ought to take it slow?
"Cubs, yes! Six of them." He nodded happily before looking a bit embarressed. "And myself.... I have three..."
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Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:02 am
"B-but..." Any hesitations she may have spoken were lost as he rubbed his muzzle against her face and with a small squee she buffeted him happily and nodded.
She would trust Mchele. He was her bestest brother after all.
She listened to the numbers of cubs with a warming heart and her eyes widened as Mchele spoke of his own babies. "Th-three?" Her word was a whisper. "Oh! Mchele! I bet they're b-beautiful!" She smiled, "Do they have their d-daddy's pretty f-fur?"
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