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 Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 1:57 pm
Kaanga strolled down the sun warmed path, the light of morning only just starting to rise above the Motoujamii. It was one of the most active times for life in the desert- and as she walked, she became delightfully aware of small lizards crawling about rocky crevasses, and a hawk or two circling lazily overhead. They would all vanish as soon as the sun fully removed itself from the east and the hot sun drove them into hiding. She’d miss them then. But her slight resignation was quelled by the purpose of the morning stroll. She was going to see Uzula! The strange lion wished to speak with her father- and a bit over enthusiastically, she had let him know of her plans to bring him by in the morning. She’d woken up early because of it.
It had, however, somewhat troubled Kaanga to think she could be so eager for attention. But Uzula was a kind sort. She doubted he’d mind- at least, she hoped he wouldn’t. Nervously she twisted her tail and dusted off her chest. Either way, she had promised him she’d take him to see her father.
It didn’t take too long to scale the rocks the large firekin had used as a couch the night before. It was still mostly dark- and although she couldn’t tell if he was asleep or not, he did seem to be reclining. “Good morning!” She called pleasantly- and if he had been asleep, her tone was loud enough to attempt to wake him. “Uzula-~” She said again, and sat.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:10 pm
Uzulu poked a lazy eye open in the darkness. He could barely hear the soft footfalls of another as they worked their way up the rocky maze. It was early, what on earth would want him at this hour? Still, he’d woken up to the dark often in the jungle, and found he had grown a liking to it. In the desert, the early morning was the best time to be about, it was cool and quiet. The animals that ventured seemed to have a longing not to break the certain peace. It was only when the lions began to prowl that excitement began to build, only to fade again once the heat of midday hit.
Grunting, he slid himself back onto his haunches, blinking twice and stretching his jaw. A typical lion yawn broke the quiet of the air, and was quickly strengthened by the sound of Kaanga’s voice. A slight smile came to his lips. So he’d intrigued her enough to return. She seemed to be gleeful about it, as well. Personally, he liked to rise late in the morning, and go to bed late as well. Prowling around in the darkness struck his fancy, as it did several other animals.
“Morning Kaanga,” he yawned, sitting up farther and stretching out his front limbs. The rock had caused his muscles to stiffen in the night, and a good rock-rub would suit him well. Flopping down once more he rolled over onto his back and peered up at the white face. “What brings?”
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:25 pm
Kaanga brimmed as she noticed he was up, and hushed herself as he yawned. There was something powerful about a lion’s yawn. And something even more to be said about an animal that struck power in even such a mundane task. Kaanga alighted herself, and peered downwards to his head. He had green eyes- had she ever seen green eyes like that before? Her tail corkscrewed, and she shut her own yellow ones appeasingly. “I spoke with my father,” She seer uttered. “You may speak to him this morning if you like.”
But before anything else could be said, Kaanga frowned. “Although, it’s a bit early- I think I thought it would take longer to walk here.” Truth be told, she’d been very eager to run up to Uzulu that morning. “So...um- maybe not, directly now but it should be light by the time we walk back. I think. If not, he might be up. I mean, I asked him and...” She trailed off, and skewered her brow. She had to remember if Kimeti had actually been listening to her at the time or not. But either way, he’d want to know about some male camping out on his lands.
“He’s a good king.” She concluded. “My father.” She had forced herself to believe that.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:42 pm
Uzulu continued to watch her from the position on his back, wiggling now and then to get the itch out. He approved of her going to find her father. She’d made quite short work of the event. At least she was on top of things, even if she talked more than she was worth. He tried to contain his excitement. Here he was, only a day into the lands of his home, and he was already to meet with the King. Not to mention he seemed to be winning over his daughter faster than one can count grains of sand.
Uzulu closed his eyes and rolled them inside his head before returning to his feet and standing. Misjudging time was common, but by this much?
“Shh. . .” he said, giving her a cocked-mouth grin and shaking his head. “I’m sure it will be fine. Besides, I don’t mind waiting.” He winked at her lightly, giving his body a shake. “Shall we then?” he asked, carefully putting one foot in the other as he began the descent.
“I have no doubt he is,” Uzulu confirmed. “But your father’s not here right now, and I have a lot to catch up on. So if you would, tell me how customs go.” It was his secret way of getting right down into her lifestyle. Lions like her blabbed about everything, especially their life story. He’d look forward to that. All those little pieces to weave.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:29 pm
Kaanga smiled, a slight tinge of color shifting across her face as he shushed her and gave her a wink. He was so... what was a good word for it? Clever. She settled on, even though it was not really the word that adequately fitted what he was doing to her. She was completely bought on his faux gentlemanly behavior. But as she might later recall- maybe it wasn’t so much that she was naive, but that he was also very good at it. Either way, he was already making her blush when he gave her attention like that.
“Customs...?” She asked rhetorically, and trailed off. She tried to remember the things they told the younger lions, and the things old Ripuka was always trying to sell them on. But were they anything new? “I don’t think much has changed...” Kaanga admitted, stepping down beside him and trying to keep herself stable. She didn’t want him to think she couldn’t climb down anything!
“Well,” She started. “We have slaves. Although some of them ran away recently...” Actually, Kidondo had helped her escape. “You musn’t be rude to father, of course. He’s king. And Finar-Si is above all else..” She rehashed. “No...nothing new. Or do you not remember what it was like when you were little?” She asked.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:43 pm
The more appropriate word would have been – well it was several words – a maniacal conniving seducer. Basically a big jerk with no intentions except for himself, and Kaanga was falling right over in front of him. Not quite literally, but almost. He chuckled, but he couldn’t blame her. As a youth he’d have trouble climbing himself, finding little precipices just out of reach. He’d have to jump for them sometimes, and most of the time he had failed. Luckily the sand was more forgiving than the other surfaces of the world.
Slaves. That was very interesting indeed. He’d look forwards to sending them all about the desert in the heat of the day, watching them come back with those looks as they thirsted for water. Sometimes he’d let them have it right away and other times they’d have to wait. The foul beings would never ask, they were too smart for that. For even as a youth, he struck hard as a Firekin. He never had been one to show mercy, least of all to one not of loyal blood.
He quirked a brow at her in interest. It wasn’t often he let his sharp gaze slide, most of the time his eyebrows were set hard on his forhead, unwilling to show joy. Unless, of course, he was in the presence of a lady, like Kaanga.
“Ran away?” Wherever had they gotten the bravery to do that? “You tracked them down and killed them, right?” The contempt for the race was clear in his voice. He would spare no slave with enough rebellion to consider such an act.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:50 pm
For the first time she frowned, and shifted her jaw. “Well...no, I’m not sure what was done about the slave who escaped.” Ever since meeting Ashki, and seeing how ingrained the ideas of being a servant had been upon his ego she had always questioned if it was right to keep slaves. She was just as sure of the firekin supremacy as everyone else...but...did they have to enslave others to prove it? But she knew most firekin would never agree, and she had long swallowed down that opinion. She did not seem too bothered that Uzulu had reacted in such a way. Besides- she was still too far enamored with him that it didn’t even throw a red flag. She even wondered if perhaps with some time she could show him how she felt about the issue.
“She was my father’s personal slave. Kiburi...” She echoed, and shifted. “It’s best not to bring it up around him. I don’t think we can spare anyone to go and hunt down a slave. We’ve got to focus on keeping the pride strong.” She echoed, although it was obvious that she was repeating what had been told to her.
“My brother, Kidondo-“ She added. “Maybe that’s what he went off to do.” But...if she knew anything about Kidondo, she doubted that was the case. In fact, his leaving might has well have coinsided with Kiburi's. She didn’t want Uzulu to think something was wrong, however.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 4:02 pm
If she didn’t know, then that was that. There was no point in pressuring her over the matter. She was probably feeling guilty for the loss of the slave, and he could see that. It would have made her father non to happy to have lost such a valuable asset. It would be a touchy subject for her. So he concluded it was daughter to father concern, and said no more on the subject.
She spoke a lot of her brother, she must have been very fond of him. He’d had siblings, as far as he could remember. One of them had gone off with a Firekin uncovered as a half breed. Uzulu liked to think that particular sibling of his was long since dead, or had never existed to begin with. Still, there was another brother, but he, too, had died in the plague with father and mother. He was all that was left of their small traditional band of Firekin. So, in order to hold his bonds together, he had to make everything work. Which was why he was tolerating Kaanga, and on his way to see Kimeti.
“How far is it, you reckon?” It wasn’t a very good change of the subject, but it would do. Most of the time he was much better at such things, but the darkness seemed to be befuddling his mind. Odd.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 4:38 pm
“Not much farther.” Kaanga spoke with a smile. She was glad he had troubled with some questions- now they had idled around enough it was daybreak and the sky, much like that which they had met under, had bled onto the desert sand in radiating shades of orange and pink. It made her pelt look more like a hazy form of the traditional firekin colors, and not so much of her strangely pure coat. There had been another white firekin- and Kaanga wished she had met her before she had gone rogue.
Approaching closer to the shadowy shapes of her home, the smell of lions began to invade her nose. Familiar creatures- and she took them all in slowly. She loved her home, no matter what troubles it might have been under. “Wait here- I’ll go get him.” She spoke, coming to a stop besides a encorpment of rocks. She did not wait to hear a response, gently turning and climbing up the crest of them, towards the rest of the lions.
“Father-?” She asked, her ears perking.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 5:48 pm
Kimeti had just begun to rise from his slumber as the gentle voice of his daughter broke through his hazy world. With a yawn, the King stretched out his limbs as sleepy yellow eyes gazed upon the ghostly hued form of one of his daughters. Why the little one was up and about already and pestering him he wasn't sure but Kimeti dearly loved his cubs even if them being born was just a way to produce an heir. Their ways and antics had wormed their way into his heart. Unbeknowst to the King, this little bit of tenderness was one of the few trait he had picked up from his mother.
With a shake of his mane, to rid it of any dust and sand that had accumulated during the night one last yawn and stretch was all Kimeti needed to get his senses up and working properly. Taking a few steps away from Karama who had taken residence in his den along withthe other cubs, Kimeti padded towards Kaanga. "What is Kaanga? Isn't it a bit early for you to be up and about?" He questioned her.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 5:57 pm
Kaanga frowned, and gently rubbed herself against her father. It was a cautious act- but since it was early and none but Karama was about, she did not think he’d mind her eager affection. “Remember, yesterday? I said there was a firekin looking to speak with you?” She gleamed, and gently twined her tail. Most things Kaanga said were taken with a grain of salt- she spoke quite a bit, and usually it was in a strange rambling jargon. But she took no mind to it.
“He is down there. I think he wishes to return to us. He’s a good male, I think.” She hushed, and walked to the ledge as if she had to get another look at him. “I found him, I did. Well- he was coming home...” She continued, before shaking her brow.
“His name is Uzulu. He left before the plague.” She explained in her usual flurry of random information.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:02 pm
Kimeti smiled down at his daughter at her sign of affection but at the mention of a Firekin wishing to speak to him, brows furrowed. He remember Kaanga saying something of the sort but had brushed it off, assuming it was another one of her fairy tales to keep her entertained, but apparently it was more than that.
Taking a few steps towards the exit, Kimeti gazed out and down and caught sight of the tell-tale color of Firekin pelt. "Well, I guess I shall speak to him and get his full story." He looked down at Kaanga. "It was good of you to lead him home, Kaanga. Now shall we go down and greet him and welcome him home?" With that Kimeti walked out of the den and into the early morning light as the sun continued to peak its way up and over the horizon.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:14 pm
Uzulu had been lying in the sand, waiting for the arrival of the king. He sincerely doubted that the ruler of the Motoujami would wish to see him, but Kaanga had assured him time and time again that he would, indeed, speak to the lowly Uzula. Needless to say, she hadn’t said it quite so blatantly, but it was there, in her voice all the same.
At the sound of the footfalls he turned his head upwards to see Kaanga and another lion descending his way. In a flurry of motion he was upon his feet. It was not wise to look so lazy in the presence of nobility. He didn’t know if this was an advisor to the king, or the ruler himself, but in any case, with Kaanga in his presence, Uzulu had to show respect.
He dipped his tail and head low, and waited for the two to come down. He hoped Kaanga hadn’t said to much and ruined his chances of proving himself to the leaders of his forgotten home.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:48 pm
Kaanga smiled and nodded her head, picking up on the silent indication from her father that she was possibly giving him a headache. She tried to hide the fact that she was incredibly excited about this. If Kimeti liked Uzulu, maybe he would permit him to hang around with her some? The idea of spending time with him delighted the princess, who would not yet see through the act. She had even pushed away his comment about slaves.
“Uzulu,” She spoke, using his proper name, and turning to indicate her father. “This is my father, Kimeti.” The white lioness took a few steps to the side submissively, to let Kimeti do the rest of the talking. She had set up and arranged the meeting- but it was up to Uzulu to not make a fool of himself.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:26 pm
Kimeti's golden orbs eyes the lion in front of him as Uzulu bowed his head and dropped his tail in a form of acknowledgment. This itself caught Kimeti's interest for the King had quite the ego and pride in his capabilities as ruler. As Kimeti studied the lion he had to admit, that this male looked very much to be from the powerful and noble Firekin, but looks were only half the battle.
As Kaanga introduce him he glanced down as his pale hued daughter and nodded to her as if telling her that she was no longer needed but was welcome to stay. He then turned his attentnion back to the newcomer. "Uzulu, my daughter claims you have returned to join the pride." He said calmly and with little emotion in his voice as he watched Uzulu intently. "I was far too young to remember you should you have left the pride at the time you informed Kaanga, so I must ask you, why did you decide to return now? It has been some time since the pride has reformed and begun the thrive again. Was there something that has kept you away from us?"
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