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 Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 7:29 am
Worn, that was all that was there. The tree Aysha and the littles had laid under the days before was now locked inside a ring of dirt. A golden mass moved under the branches, circling under it. The grass was parted back revealing the dirt that it once held with its roots. The lion had been up since the crack of dawn prowling around the acacia tree. His ears pinned back, his eyes on the ground following the dirt ring, and muttering to himself. His body was shaking.
It had almost a good 4 or 5 months since Ger first met his father, Kujack. Those four months were the most wonderful times and the most painful times he had ever had. He loved the moments he had with Kujack, Aysha, and the kids. It was a family, the one he always dreamed of. Kujack was an awesome father, strange at times, but he was great to have around considering he could be as childish as a cub around him which was always fun. Aysha was like a mother to him, nice, caring, and sweet. He felt calmed around her for some reason. Then there were the cubs, god they were bundles of energy; imagination, determination, ambition, attention, and sometimes irritation. That pretty much summed up the five cubs. He smiled with the thought of them.
Then there was the ones he left behind. Pausing to look out to where the Pride Lands should be. Ger had left markings in strange places to remind him where his birth home was. He knew where it was, he found it during one of his runs months ago. He could have left Kujack long ago if he really wanted to, however there were two things keeping him back; His promise and the family. Looking back he could see their faces again. Trina, the female that made him feel loved, care for. He thought she might've forgotten already and moved on with her life. She probably had a family now just like Ezeoha. Ezeoha, he had a family, but he still remembered him. That was good. Though they were still part of the same family, he felt the older male (by a month) as his own brother. Almost slipped last time. Then there was his mother....Jahazara. Her warmth, her milk, her care, her love...all over her still stuck in his mind. She must've been very disappointed in him. He left the Pride Lands and deprived her watching her son grow up.
Ger was older, much older now. His mane was growing out, his fur starting to change color around his chest, his mane growing out as his bangs fell over his face. Then there was that stupid cowlick. It had been almost forever since he touched it last. Just to remind himself, he reached up and touched it with his paw. It was still there. Sighing, he continued to walk around the tree once more. His paws were worn a bit, dirty from the dirt and bits of blood too. He was a mess, not emotionally but physically too.
"...what am I gonna do..."
After meeting with Ez, he came up with a way to help him. There was a way to get both the things he wanted. But, what was bothering him....was the answer.
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Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:45 am
Aysha appeared slowly at the entrance of the den. The cubs were still sleeping, and so she decided to take the opportunity to get a moment by herself and just think. After all, with five cubs, there was much for her to think about now. Like...
She spotted Ger, pacing around the tree she often lazed under when the sun was too unbearable upon her black fur. He seemed distressed, and she wondered why. Things here seemed alright for the most part, and it didn't seem like anything bad was really wrong with the way they lived, and it certainly didn't seem like they were in any danger of something or someone. So why did he look as if his stomach were going to suddenly be vomitted up?
Moving slowly towards him, feeling and looking a bit older than she was (that's what cubs could do to a lioness), feeling a motherly urge to comfort him or just see what it was that was bothering him. As she neared him, she rumbled low in her throat, just to make a sound so she wouldn't startle him.
"Ger," she said softly, her dark eyes full of great concern. "Is there something wrong?"
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Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:05 am
Ger paused and looked back to who called his name. It was Aysha, the lioness whom has cared for him along side Kujack. She seemed worry. Well, she should be. The male sighed and turn to her.
"Aysha...."
He murmured, looking down at his paws, long dirtied from too long ago. He had given up on cleaning himself for the while until he sorted this all around. Faintly, his body has small cuts on them from when he was a juvenile before his mane came out. He had some issues then that carried onto present day. He felt horrible and at the same time grateful.
Sighing heavily he fell down onto his belly and placed his paws over his head, whimpering. His tail curled around him, his eyes shut tight quivering.
"Aysha....I...I dunno what to do..."
His body shivered like a frightened cub. In a way...he was.
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Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:31 am
Aysha watched the younger lion intently, her ears falling back slightly. She could tell that there was something wrong, and she was anxious to hear what it might be. At first she had thought it was adolescent things, nothing to really worry about. Yet then she looked at him and noticed that this was probably something much more serious than that.
As he fell down to his belly and placed his paws over his head, she frowned and moved quietly to his side. She didn't panic too much, since she figured that would only make things worse.
"What are you talking about, Ger?" she said in a smooth tone, hoping to calm him down a little. If there was anything life had taught her, it was to not worry in times like these, for it often made everything all the more worse.
Nudging him gently, she ran her smooth tongue over his ears and face, hoping to calm him down a bit more. It was a motherly lick, like the ones she had often used with her own cubs when they were upset about something. It seemed to be a soothing gesture to them, and so she hoped that it would do the same for Ger.
"Just calm down and tell me what's wrong.."
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Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 12:58 pm
Ger opened his eyes and remained in the same position. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Aysha cared for him, he knew that. She worried about him and he knew that. Sometimes he worried about her too. Ger sighed and looked out to the horizon from where he could.
"Aysha...you know I'm not your son...you should know I do belong to a pride, a one very well known. However, I made a promise to Dad that I would stay with him. I won't go back on my word....but I also made promises to others back home that I am now neglecting. I've thought about them, I've lost countless nights of rest. You've must've noticed me not in the den and always away from home. I just don't know what to do...."
He paused and sat up, a bit more cheerful, not a whole lot, but a little.
"The other day, well a couple of past moons, but I met an old friend of mine. His name is Ezeoha, he's one of royal family and my relative. So I guess that makes me royal, that aside I was able to meet him again after leaving home for so long! We talked about things, catching up then we talked about me. He told me that if I wanted to get what I wanted I'd have to figure it out how. I did...but now I am nervous of what Dad will say."
That cheerfulness then vanish at the mention of his question. It would be one of the most important questions of his life and....he could not bear to be denied. The male sighed and laid down again.
"Aysha, I have to ask Dad something, but I have a feeling he'll decline. I know he will, he will be thinking of me when he will answer. He would want the best for me and less about him. But what I want if for the both of us. No. All of us. You, me, Dad, the cubs, all of us. But I am scared, Aysha. What if he says no?"
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Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:01 pm
Aysha listened intently to the male, round ears perked forward at attention. She didn't say anything the whole way through, but rather nodded her head to show that she was indeed listening to him and understanding his words.
As she listened, she felt bad that she wasn't closer to him, that she couldn't do anything else besides offer him luck and some advice. She wished that she could do something else, something more solid and concrete for him instead of giving him the airy, nonsubstantial words. It pained her to see him like this and to not being able to do much about it.
When he finished, she thought long and hard. She knew now that this was a great obstacle in his life, and that probably the rest of it depended on how her mate, Kujack, responded to whatever question it was that Ger had for him. Letting her ears fall back, she nudged him again and sank down to her belly so that she could look at him eye-to-eye.
"So you want to be able to live with both your friends and your family, instead of jumping back between the two? I've seen you wander off at nights, Ger, and I think I understand the worry that you are feeling." She paused for a moment, her eyes watching him. "Choices like these are among the hardest, and it's only harder to bear through them when you are alone." Another pause. "I want to help you, Ger, in any way that I can."
She shuffled her paws slightly, not used to this sort of thing. She was actually still rather young and she wasn't used to this whole advice-giving thing.
"I don't know what I can do really, not unless you tell me. But one thing I'm certain of is that I can talk with Jack, persuade him perhaps. I want to see you happy. Even though you are not actually my son, I treat you as if you are and I love you as if you are. I will do everything in my power to help you, Ger."
Pausing again, she remembered something.
"Why do you think Jack will say no anyways?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:23 am
Ger laid there for a moment letting everything sink into him. At least, she bought a smile to him. He turned back to her and nuzzled her affectionately and looked back up to the leaves of the tree. Though it blocked it, the sky was still above him and so were the clouds. Clouds were so carefree and just followed the wind, so calm and peaceful.
"Aysha....Dad would want for the best for me. He would let me go if he thought it be best for me. You two both have a family to take care of. However, if he says no...then I have no other choice but to stay with the family and...."
To be honest, he did not want to finish that sentence. He did not want to leave anything behind, no one, nothing. He wanted to have it all and all will be well. After talking with Kimaji, a female lioness from the forest reminded him of all the fun he had when he was a cub. The night with her reminded him of how wonderful company ones especially an old friend's. Ger was able to speak with Ezeoha, he gave him the idea in the first place. He was the only of all those Ger had sought guidance from was able to give him an answer that he agreed with and that would benefit all. The male sought no guidance from his family....that was what made him nervous. On some occasions he had spoken to Kohji but he had sworn to secrecy.
"I am just worried that I won't see Dad again and at the same time I am worried I would not see my mom again. No offense to you, Aysha, I love you just as a mother, but she is still my mother. If Dad found out...."
He trailed off as his ears pinned back to his head. If Kujack found out before Ger was ready to ask...it would be awkward. Ger was a lion of pride and decent moral, he was courageous but this...it made him feel like a kitten confronting a large canine. He was scared.
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:24 pm
Aysha nodded her head, completely understanding what the young lion was talking about.
"That is true, Ger," she began. "Jack cares for you as if you were actually his son. But why do you think he'd want to let you go? What is it that you want to ask him?" she inquired, tilting her head. She hadn't the slightest idea of what this question to her mate might be. It couldn't be all that bad, surely? Shaking her head, she looked long and hard at Ger. He was troubled, that much was for certain.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, Ger, I can go with you when you ask him? I'm sure if I'm there and offer support to you, it will help Jack make a better decision?" she offered, flicking her tail slightly.
She stayed silent after that, not knowing what else to say. All she could do was offer him support, and wait out the rest.
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:15 pm
"I wanted to ask him....I wanted to ask him if he would come with me to the Pride Lands. Not just him, all of us. You, me, Dad, Athena, Inoa, Hayate, Kohji, and Kohaku. I want us all to go there. It's safe there and lots of food and the cubs could be free to roam, though I'll still make sure they stay in the distance that I normally set up here."
He paused as his ears spayed back.
"Aysha....would you like to come with me to the Pride Lands? You'll be able to meet my family, but I'll still stay with you and Dad."
He asked, backing it up with some reassurance to his question. He watched her with teal eyes, his brown mane falling over the right side of his face. His eyes were glazed over with liquid, it had been for a while.
"Aysha, just like you said, I am not his son but he still sees me as his own. However, you two have your own family to care for so I understand if he declines the offer. Dad could either keep me with him and come with me...or let me go and leave with the family. I am just...."
He chuckled a bit as he looked down.
"The boys will be sad that their play-mate will be gone, you know? I promised Hayate that we would learn how to climbs trees together. Inoa, well I rather enjoy his imagination, Kohaku's hyperactiveness needs to be managed somehow then again that is what makes him him. Kohji will be fine without me I think....and Athena, she'd miss me I guess. We should ask them too before anything happens for sure. After all, they are still family."
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:48 pm
The black and white lioness' eyes widened a bit as Ger revealed what it was that he was planning on asking his 'dad'. She understood now why he was so afraid that Jack would decline. Up and moving the whole family was a huge decision, and she wasn't sure how her mate would react to the idea. She had never really talked with him about where they would stay and if they would ever join a pride, and so she didn't know what his opinions on the matter were.
"Oh, Ger.." she whispered, folding her ears back. Now she had the same fears as him, and she was anxious to hear Kujack's answer.
As he asked her if she would like to go to the Pride Lands with him, she smiled, her eyes watering a little. She was just so proud of Ger, he had grown up very well. "Of course I would," she replied simply, nudging him with her nose.
Moving away slightly, she listened again as he began talking once more. Once he was finished, she nodded her head. "Yes, I see what you mean. The cubs are very attached to you, Ger. It would break their little hearts if you left..." She sighed. This was a very tricky situation. "I can't bear to see them sad like that. Ger, I will go with you when you as Jack, if that's okay? I fully support you and I think it would be better for the family if we moved somewhere safer." Not that this place wasn't safe, it was just that it was in the middle of nowhere and there was no telling what could happen out here.
"I will do everything in my power to convince Jack to move the family."
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:07 pm
"Oh, not join the Pride, Aysha, I could not ask you all to do that. I am part of it as it is. I've asked a good friend of mine to hold a den for us. I asked her to find a big den, a really big den for all of us so it wouldn't be crowded and the cubs could play in it while it rained and...it'll be great to be home with my family and..." he smiled. "My new family."
He smiled again. He sort of leaned against Aysha welcoming her comfort for all it was worth. It was as precious as a gem from the ground they walked upon, at that moment it was a diamond. He nuzzled her softly and licked at her chin just as a child would their mother. He purred a bit and looked up to her with both eyes, the bangs falling aside.
"Well, if Dad decides to let me go by myself then I will stay here with my family. I too cannot bear to see them heart-broken. And besides, you know how Dad gets," he chuckled. "Aysha, you think I am too protective of the cubs? I'm just being a big brother right? I sometimes feel like they are my own cubs...maybe it is because I am growing up or maybe it is because I am just being protective of yours and Dad's littles ones. Or maybe it is because I love you all that I want to protect them. Maybe, or, uh, and."
His words fell over each other which made him giggle a bit. He smiled up to her his charming smile that he had grown into using a lot. It was sweet, caring, nice, and charming but somewhere in there was a bit of flirtatiousness and seduction, faint but there. He must've picked it up from being with Ezeoha all those years ago. He did not do it intentionally.
"Thank you, Aysh. I really appreciate this. I just...could bring up the courage to ask Dad if he would, you know?"
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