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 Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:26 am
He lay in a secret, hidden place of the Kusini lands. He couldn't get over what he had done, and he didn't think that he ever would be able to. The only upside to it was that he seemed to have lost his Voice, for his head felt rather empty and vaguely peaceful. But even that wasn't enough to make him feel one ounce of happiness. After murdering his mother, he wondered if there was such a thing for him. If there was, he didn't deserve it.
Shifting his weight to become comfortable again, he groaned and blinked a few times. Tamu's life felt like a black abyss, frightening and never-ending. He supposed he deserved such a life, after what he had done.
"Forgive me, Mother," he whispered to himself, although he didn't feel as if he deserved her forgiveness either. She was far above him, and he was lower than the lowest of scum. What kind of son repayed his mother's hard work and tender love with death? It just wasn't right. He felt he could never deal with anyone ever again, despite whether they knew of his deed or not.
Sighing, he rolled over and looked up into the night sky. Stars glittered brightly across the vastness of it all, and for a moment he smiled. But he frowned just as quick, for he shouldn't have been feeling happy or at ease. His mother's blood would forever stain his paws (in a metaphorical way), there was no way to escape what he had done. Not now and not ever.
Yet, as he peered into the night sky, he couldn't help but feel some sort of comfort. Vaguely, the heir wondered if his mother queen was one of those stars, shining brightly with a great pride. He smiled again, feeling that she might be in a better place now. But then he thought of the fact that he was the one who had put her there, and suddenly he was depressed again.
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:37 am
The sleek goddess traveled slowly, these lands unfamiliar to her. She knew of this pride and its history, due to her domain, but she did not know the geographical way of the land here. She was learning, though, and she hoped that soon enough she would be able to navigate all of these lands without any difficulty.
For now, she simply followed a certain lioness' aura, the goddess having a paticular interest in this female. It was her daughter, the one she had so long ago abanded because of her stressful and pressuring situation. But, she knew, that was no excuse for fear. She had been afraid when she had birthed a mortal, plain and simple. She didn't know why she had ever let that male get close to her.
Shaking her head, she grunted and cleared it of any unnecessary thoughts. She was on a mission tonight, one that was of the utmost importance to her daughter.
Her senses picking up the presence of another lion, Koya perked up considerably. Sheh wondered if this was the lion she was looking for, the one that would ultimately help her to make her daughter's life better. But, she noticed, his aura seemed very sad and almost guilty. Confused, she rushed forward, though at a slow pace so as not to scare him. And, she added mentally, she didn't want him attacking her. She was a goddess, yet, but still female and not as strong as the males of her species.
Coming upon someone lying in the grass, she stopped for a moment and just watched him as he watched the sky. Looking up, she wondered what could be of such great interest up there.
"Mind if I join you?" she asked quietly, though the silent night didn't call for the use of a loud voice.
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:47 am
Tamu remained silent and still, watching the sky and the stars that occupied its great vastness. But it was all suddenly broken as someone spoke behind him. Flailing rather ungracefully, he jumped to his paws and whirled around. What he saw amazed him. Another god! First there had been K'Anatak, and now this one. But no.. it wasn't a god, it was a goddess! He could tell by the feminine way that her body curved in, as well as the lack of mane.
At a loss for words, he simply nodded his head slowly, moving to the side in order to make room for her--not like there wasn't room enough with the wide landscape of the Kusini lands. But, since she had asked to join him, he figured he'd make room for her to do so.
"I-I'm Tamu-jitu, miss," he stumbled, completely awe-struck. What luck was this, him meeting two immortals in one lifetime? Could it have been anything other than luck, he wondered. But those thoughts didn't matter. Thoughts distracted him, and this goddess deserved all of his focus.
Looking at her politely, he saw a sort of familiarity in her. "Have... Have I seen you before?" he questioned hesitantly, greatly unsure. But how could that be? Surely he would have remembered an encounter with a goddess!
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:59 am
Koya merely smiled at the male, refusing to say more until he had spoken. As he made room, she moved gracefully, making him look rather offbeat and clumsy. Settling down beside him, she sat tall an dignified. She was a goddes, and as such she had a sort of idea in her head that she was better than the mortals. But it wasn't an arrogant, cocky 'I'm better than you', it was more of a natural difference, like how adults were better than cubs because they knew more and were intelligent enough to keep themselves alive.
Cubs... she had a sudden flashback, her memories creating an image of her laying with a little daughter. She remembered feeling proud in that moment, so amazed that she was a mother. But the consequences of mating with a mortal were dire, and she quickly abandoned the cub.
Sighing, she looked at the brown male beside me. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Tamu-jitu," she said kindly. "I am Koya." She didn't need to tell him that she was a goddess, he had probably figured that out already judging by his awe-struck looks.
"And to your question, no," she replied. "You have not seen me before, though I have seen you. I have been watching you lately, observing you."
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:15 am
Tamu bowed his head respectively towards the female. Though he was to be king of an entire pride (though he felt he didn't deserve such a title), she was still a goddess, and she was still higher up in the hierarchy than he was in the scheme of life. Thus, he had a great deal of respect and awe for her.
"Koya," he repeated. It was such a beautiful name. Then, as she answered his question, he thought for a moment. If he hadn't seen her before, then why did she look so familiar?
As she mentioned that she had been watching him lately, his eyes went wide. If she had been watching him lately, then did that mean that she had seen what he had done to his mother? If so, then why was she talking to him? He didn't deserve to see anyone right now, not after sinking so low. And he couldn't say that it had been his Voice, since that was just making up an excuse.
"W-watching me?" he fumbled, his fur prickling with unease. "How much watching?" he wondered aloud, flicking his tail uneasily. This was rather uncomfortable. Had she come to punish him? He didn't know what she was the goddess of, but he knew for sure that she could probably whoop his a** any day.
Scared, now, he merely waited for an answer.
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:34 am
The goddess watched him with pure azure eyes, carefully observing him. He was a kind soul, that much she could tell from the way that he bowed his head respectfully and talked to her as if she were his elder superior. And, really, she was. Hundreds of years old, she was far older than he could ever dream to be. And, being so old, she was much more experienced and more intelligent about the world.
As he repeated her name, her round ears perked slightly. It was strange, hearing another say her name. And because he was a mortal, it was all the stranger. It had been a long time since she had had an interaction with any mortal.
Then, he seemed to grow tense and almost scared. She wondered if she had done something, but then she remembered that she hadn't. Merely sitting there, she had done nothing to cause him fear. Although, the source of his frightened nature seemed to come from the fact that she had admitted to watching him.
Curious now, the goddess extended a wing and gently brushed his side. With that simple touch, she was able to see it all. His memories flooded her mind. She looked at the ones that were most recent, and saw with great horror as he slaughtered his own mother. He had felt greatly guilty about it afterwards, but that didn't change the fact that he was a murderer.
Gasping, she rose to her paws and distanced herself from him. "Oh my.." she breathed, looking at him in a new light. But she had also noticed, with his memories, that he hadn't actually been the one to do it. It had been his body, but not his mind nor his will. It had been something else, something darker and more dangerous that had been lying within his own mind. And because of that, she dismissed the fact that he had killed his own mother. He was still a good lion, pure of heart.
"I have seen enough," she replied vaguely. "You know, you and I are not so different. I have not done something so violent, but probably just as worse in anyone's eyes," she said quietly, her eyes clouding for a moment.
"But the past only shapes the future, and yours is very bright indeed. I know that you are to be king, and you will have a lovely lioness by your side, so beautiful and graceful." Underlying her words was the sweet hint of something greater, something secret. She wanted him to ask, though, before she would reveal it.
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:04 pm
Tamu breathed shallowly, his nerves simply killing him. He wanted to know why this female was here. Sure, he enjoyed her company and felt extremely lucky to be in her presence, to be talking to her, but he felt like he didn't deserve it. And he was also being paranoid, thinking that something horrible was going to happen to him in a matter of moments. Surely she didn't just come to chat?
As her wing extended and brushed his side, he flinched noticeably. He wondered if this was the beginning to whatever it was she was here to do. Maybe it was to scare him, shake him up a little. If that was her intent, then she was doing a damn good job.
Koya pulled away, and he felt extremely ashamed. Whatever she had done, it was apparent that she had seen what he had done to his mother. How that was possible, he wasn't sure, but the brown lion simply had a feeling. A very strong feeling, at that. Or perhaps it was his paranoia gettingn to him, making him think that every living creature was focused on him murdering his mother.
As the goddess spoke of his past and something about violence, he was then only too sure that she had seen what he had done. And she had also spoken of her doing something just as terrible. He didn't think it was possible, but she probably knew more than him and so he didn't argue. Plus, he hadn't the slightest idea of what the goddess might have done, so he didn't have the right to go comparing.
When she talked about him being king and having a beautiful lioness by his side, his eyes widened again, though he was more surprised than anything else. Now that he thought about it, Koya did look strikingly like Masuka. Was there a possible relation between the two?
Blinking, he voiced his thoughts. "Masuka, are you two.."
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:19 pm
Koya smiled at the other, reassuring him that she meant the least of harm. She had seen how edgy he was, he seemed right about to spaz out and fall over from fear if so much as a little bird got close to him. Thus, she remained fairly distant from him. (Though, it was out of respect for him as well as for her own safety that made her stay so far away)
He remained silent, though she hadn't expected him to do so much talking. Now, after seeing what he had done to his own mother and seeing the way in which he felt about it, she was amazed that he was handling himself so well. This male was most certainly the male for the job in which she was looking to have filled. But she was also glad that he had already had contact with Masuka and seemed to like her well enough. Without that little boost, she might have had a harder time trying to convince him to do her bidding.
Which, on that topic, made her remember why she was here.
"You are troubled, Tamu-jitu, but after you've hit rock bottom there is no place to go but up," she said, the cliche not sounding so much like one with her beautiful, smooth voice.
As he seemed to guess that Masuka was somehow related to her, she smiled tentatively. The goddess was on uncertain grounds with her daughter, and she wasn't sure that she was even remembered by her offspring. Was it possible? Masuka had been so small when Koya had abandoned her. But, she told herself, she was going to make up for everything. All in good time.
"I'll admit that the silver lioness does have some sort of relation with me, though I will not specifiy beyond that," she told him, giving him a look that told him not to prod her further. "And I have a task for you. Since I am related to her in some way, I feel a strong sense of protection towards her. Being a goddess, however, my time to spend watching over her is very limited. I want you, great king, to help me. I want you to take care of her and to love her, to make her happy. She deserves that much at least."
"Are you willing?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:32 pm
Tamu sighed, his shoulders feeling rather heavy as he slumped over. Though he was in the presence of a goddess, he still didn't feel any better about what he had done. He just wished he had been able to prevent it somehow. If only he had been stronger, more forcing. Then, maybe, he could have subdued the Voice and so prevented his mother's death. But, he realized with great sadness, that would not help him now. What was done was done, and there was no changing the past.
Looking up at Koya's deep blue eyes, he found his round ears being pressed firmly against the back of his skull. He felt ashamed now more than ever.
Yet, as she spoke of being in relation to Masuka and that she had a task for him, he found he could hardly believe his own ears. Was the goddess really offering him a job of sorts? But why? He certainly didn't deserve it, although he wouldn't object to the terms of the job. Loving Masuka and taking care of her? That he already tried to do, and he felt wasn't hard. He loved the lioness with all of his heart, and he so wished that they could be a family.
But with his violent streak, what hope was there?
"I-I am," he stammered. "But, do you really think I could do it?" he questioned, having apparent doubts in himself.
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:37 pm
Koya smiled, her wings stretching as she moved to stand up upon her paws once more. Though the male had seemed rather unconfident about whether he was fit enough to do the job or not, she felt that he could. She had seen the way he looked at her and she had heard some of his private musings, when he had been wandering alone in the lands. He genuiunely loved Masuka and, though she knew nothing of love, she felt that alone would suffice.
"Do not doubt yourself," she spoke to him quietly. "You love her, and that is all you need to do. You two will be together, through thick and thin, until death do you part. Do not disappoint me."
Then, spreading her wings wide, she jumped off of the ground, her wings catching a good drift of air. She then took off in a graceful flight, leaving her son-in-law to do his duty, the duty she had given him.
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