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 Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 2:36 pm
How long had it been since Malika'eusi left her children? The oldest of the litter of six lost count of the days, it seemed like forever since her mother had left them. However Zagaa'Tamanio was not going to let it get her or any of her sisters down. The assertive cub was going to do whatever it took to keep her family together. Having left the room of furs that she had spent much of her time before she could see, the green striped cub came upon the spring where she was given life to.
Coming up to the shores of the water Tama stared at her reflection and soon was lost in thought.
Perhaps I should call a family meeting to figure things out?
To figure out what we should do until she returns?
She -WILL- return....Right?
Many different thoughts swirled around in her head as she continued to stare at her rippled reflection.
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 2:59 pm
It was then her eyes narrowed, almost barely, a hint really, however, the action was there as the cub turned her gaze away from the distance. Slowly, she allowed herself to close her eyes, head lowering to her paws; there was no need to worry about what was out there. No need to dream, and no need to think. She was stuck here, within a place that harbored no love for her, and no love for her sisters.
At time, she wasn't even entirely sure her sisters understood this; No love. Being born into a place, a region that had and showed no love... born from a family, and into one that harbored no love. She was small, yes, but she was not naive. Even at her young age, Misae had swiftly understood how the oasis worked and just what was expected of her. She, however, wished for none of it; they could fight within the damned place to chose a queen. She didn't want the role, nor the responsibility. She didn't want these lands, loveless, damned within her mind.
Her young age prevented her from having experience, or knowledge of how to deal with the present situation, but her heart told her as much as she needed to know; she'd been born from a father that did not love their mother, nor them. That's all she needed to know to understand she wanted to get away from this place. It was the rational part of her mind that kept her there however; if she left, she'd die, being far to young and small to set out on a journey that she'd survive.
Misae lay lost in her own thoughts till the sound of someone approaching the springs alerted her, and red eyes snapped open. Her sister, she whom Misae had always somewhat pondered to be older (if merely by seconds) approached, looking almost torn, and the petite white cub couldn't help but smile warmly, soothingly.
She had her own problems and thoughts, yes, but Zagaa had taken it upon herself to protect she and her sisters above all. She'd taken the responsibility of keeping them alive and well, and Misae knew there was only so much time left till her greens tripped sister would snap under the pressure, thus she'd taken it upon herelf to sooth her, and aid her whenever necessary. This seemed to be one of those time and thus the white cub mewled out at Zagaa, "Hmmm.... I still think you worry too much, sister..." it was a call to her as she moved her smaller body to the right, leaving some space for the larger cub to lay on, upon the rock, "At times.... just at times, I wish I had wings," her eyes closed then, still laying upon her arms, her claws having left long marks over the rock's surface, "Wings... so I could fly away from this place," a pause as her tail curled around her, one red eye opening to reveal something akin to sadness, anger, a bitter feeling deep within, "I don't like it here."
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 3:17 pm
Having been lost in her own thoughts Zagaa'Tamanio had not heard the approach of her sibling. The voice of Misae snapped her from her thoughts and her head turned toward her almost purely white sibling. The almost look alike of her father was startled but did her best not to show it. She knew that she needed to be strong, if she started to doubt her thoughts and beliefs that their mother was going to return then they might all die.
No.
She would not let that happen not to any of them. Zagaa was going to do what ever it took to keep her struggling family alive. "Worry too much? I'm afraid that I believe that you are mistaken my dear Misae. I fear that I do not worry enough." That statement was true, she was afraid that she didn't worry enough, that she didn't worry about the food supply running out enough, that she didn't worry enough about the fact that although the water supply was bountiful at the current moment but that it would run out on them before Malika returned.
Her golden colored eyes watched the movements of her sibling. Zagaa knew she worried alot but she felt extremely inclined to do so. After all who would look after them if she did not? The young cub wasn't even sure that anyone else still remained in the oasis. Not after their father died....
Misae's words nearly cause her heart to skip a beat. Her black tipped paws scratched at the ground as the words formed in her mouth. She felt the same way but wanted to wait until the return of her mother. Clearing her throught she spoke up. "I promise you sister, that as soon as mother returns, that I will take you away from here, I would leave with you now but the others, they need me I know that." A pause followed her words as her eyes cast back to the water. "I do not like it here either, but I do not think it will be wise for any of us to leave just yet....." Zagaa wanted to take her whole family away but knew that in the end most of them would not be going the same way. She knew that all of them did not like it here, she could feel it.
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Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:31 pm
Ears flattened back as the cub looked away from her green pelted sister, "I am not mistaken today," there was a deep confidence within such soft words before her eyes closed. She always liked closing her eyes; she'd long ago noticed that such a simple gesture allowed her to get away from the horrible oasis. It allowed her to see other places; places she somehow knew existed. She refused to believe them to be her imagination, and she refused to believe herself to be crazy for wanting out of this carcass of a place, "Worry, worry, worry... but never any action to allow change; what we need... is change," her eyes opened then, blood red, so contrasting against her white pelt.
It was probable Misae would never understand herself to have the 'gift' of the 'Sight'; instead, she was more prone to believing that those places she could see within her mind's eye had been created just for her own special needs. She believed those voices that whispered to her in the night's breeze were real... spirits that talked of far away places, of things to be seen, and idly, each day she wondered if she should talk to her sisters about this.
"Mother will never return."
The words tasted harsh within her own mouth, but she knew them to be true the moment she spoke them, "She left," turning her gaze to Zaaga, she allowed it to linger upon the eldest of her litter, "Maybe we should leave too," never were her words harsh, but rather, they seemed sad, nostalgic for places she'd not seen before, and wishing for lions she'd never met before, "There's other places... places we've never been to; places where they know what love is, and what wings are truly for. I want to go there... I want to be anywhere but here; this place is dead. A carcass of what it was; father made sure of that," a pause as the small white cub finally stood up and jumped off the rock she'd been sleeping upon previously, "Mother is gone; she won't return... she will not return here, and waiting is... will be futile."
Seer or no seer, Misae would've been able to tell her sister this much, "She's out there somewhere though... and I do not blame her for not returning; maybe we should go. I want to see the place I see in my dreams. I want to see the place the wind whispers about when I rest and I want you to come with me and see that it does exist."
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 7:01 am
Zagaa'Tamanio bit down on her bottom lip as she considered Misae's words. Maybe she did worry too much, but how could she not when her family was at stake? When none of the adults seemed to care enough to help them out? When in reality.....all hope seemed lost?
Lowering her head her yellow eyes stared at the sand beneath them. Closing her eyes she thought about a few things. Zagaa was still listening to the other even though it was silent as her mind thought through things when her sister said the words that she never wanted to hear.
Mother will never return......
That echoed in her mind as her teeth dug into the flesh of her bottom lip. "She had her reasons!" Tama almost shouted, barely managing to keep herself under control. She couldn't...no she didn't want to believe what was obviously the truth. The minute she had spoken she had locked gazes with that of her red eyed sister. A shiver danced along her spine as she closed her eyes again.
Swallowing dryly she opened her eyes and spoke. "I know that you are right Misae, I wanted to deny it, I didn't want to believe that she would never return but...I couldn't stop myself from wishing, praying that she would return to us. That she was coming back...." A slight pause as she forced herself to keep her voice steady. "I am still wishing that she will return to us, return very soon. I know that it is pointless but I cannot stop myself from doing so."
At her sibling's next words she nodded agreeing. "You are right, we should leave but wha about the others?" Zagaa'Tamanio could not help but worry about her siblings, even Lake who had abandoned them, disowned them.
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 5:27 pm
"She had her reasons!"
The words were practically screamed at her, and the cub recoiled backwards, almost as if she'd been physically hit. Her ears flattened back somewhat, her red gaze becoming hooded as she looked away, "I know that..." her words barely above a hushed whisper, had her sister not been so near her side, she'd have probably missed them, "I know that," this time they were said with a bit more force, however, they were still rather murmured, her gaze finally seeking Zaga's, "But that's not an excuse for us to cling to hope... a hope that's likely to kill us all."
There followed a long pause as Misae sat herself down, her head turning away from her greener sibling, eyes focused on the far away distance. It was almost as if she were seeing things only she could see; hearing things only she could hear, "If not physically, it'll kill us spiritually at least... and if not you, it'll surely kill me anyhow," still the words were whispered, however loud enough for Zaga's ears.
The pale hued cub didn't turn back for a long while, though her ears did swirl to listen to Zaga's own words and doubts as she spoke, "You know... everything looks better when the right light is shined upon it," turning her head to glance over her shoulder, she offered the other cub a smile; it was that special smile of hers, the one she reserved for a mere few... a smile that made her eyes twinkle mysteriously, "That what makes the desert a beautiful place is that it hides water within; I once heard a story that tells of creatures so large they thought themselves special. They denied others, and denied to be like others too... they were far to large, they said, far too special... but one day the wind got tired and blew them over. The creatures fell over, and were never able to get back up, and they became the mountains, hi dding away in shame, all looking the same, and allowing other creatures access to them," her tale had no real motive, and never once did Misae mention that she'd heard this tale from the wind itself, however, upon it's end, she offered her sister a sad smile, "I do not wish to be blown over by the wind..."
Letting out a soft sigh she seemed to have been withholding, the red eyed cub looked towards the den, her brows knitting, "Let them pick; let them decide what they wish to do... after all, I will not be one to push any of them into something they don't want to do. That would be unfair. Just like you pick what you wish to do, you should let them decide if they want to go, or stay, or walk in a different, opposite direction... Mum walked away, for her own reasons, granted, and you want to see her. I want to talk to the mountains and the sea. I want to talk to the grasslands; that's why I wish to leave," slowly, Misae lifted a paw and placed it upon her maw, then she blew a kiss at the oasis that lay behind her, "I will not miss this place; father's dead and mother will not return."
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Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 7:46 am
When Zagaa saw her sisters reaction to her words...she felt ashamed, she hadn't meant to scream or raise her voice to the other but her mother was a touchy subject for her and it stung....It always stung when she talked about her mother or even thought about the white lioness.
As much as Zagaa'Tamanio didn't want to admitt it everything Misae was saying was the truth. As much as she would want to deny it push it from her thoughts she couldn't. Her duty was to her siblings, to make sure that they were alive and well, but she knew. She knew so well that this place was taking a toll upon her siblings, especially Misae. Kimiko wanted to escape just like she did, but not for the same resons.
Tama closed her eyes as she listened to the tale that her sister was telling her and remained silent until Misae finished speaking completely. Yellow eyes fluttered open as the cub's gaze shifted to the sky above them. "I know that Lakeshia has left us, disowned us if you will.....Kimiko...she wishes to leave, but not for the reasons that you do....as for Chau and Vinya'nyota.... I have yet to speak to them....Perhaps I should call a family meeting?" The green striped cub knew nothing of what to do, she was so confused, she wanted to stay and wait but knew that it would be a fruitless wait, even if she did return they would probably be dead. "Whatever their choice is I would like to stay with you...If you do not have a problem with that."
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Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 9:45 am
A pause as red hued eyes looked away into the distance; something seemed to cloud them then. Thoughts, doubts, wonder, but it was soon enough gone before she turned o face her sister again, "I mind not whom disowns me; I am me... and sadly..." her eyes hooded over at this point, her ears flopping to her sides, "I've never known the true meaning of family; it does not hurt me that mother and father are gone. It does not hurt me that Lakeshia is gone either, nor would it hurt me that the others were to leave me too."
Her eyes closed and she lay her form down, curled up on the ground. Her words were cut off then, and she answered nothing else for a long while, for her mind was thinking, and her heart was aching. No matter what she had said, the idea she'd been abandoned (for yes; her mother HAD abandoned her, in her mind. It didn't matter what the reasons. She had left, and that was that, within Misae's heart) hurt her deeley, and brushing it away with paw and mind was the only thing she could do. The hurt was visible within her eyes as they opened and slowly slid towards Zaaga's form, "I would like it if you stayed with me... but I will not demand it, nor will I expect it, for so far what little has been taught to me, is that this place holds nothing akin to love in it. I shall be miserable whilst I'm here," a pause followed and a hum rang through her body, "It always ends the same; everywhere you go," she sang softly, the words coming from somewhere she could not determine, "It seems like lightning strikes but there's no rain..."
Her gaze turned towards the distance again, "I can't stand this pain, nor can I stand to see you in pain," she still sang, her whispered words melodic, "I can't stand to you crash... so I turn to look away; I don't know how you do it. But everywhere you go, it seems like lightning strikes and there's no rain..." Misae fell silent then, and kept her gaze in the distant, moving trees. The fact she was a seer was unknown to her; the fact the wind whispered to her had never been questioned by her at all.
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:34 am
It hurt Zagaa'Tamanio to see her younger sister so sad, so unhappy. It also hurt her to know that there was little she could do about it. "Misae...." She mumbled softly taking a step forward. She green striped cub was unable to say anymore for the time being.
Then the other spoke and she listened intently. "I want to go with you." She stated firmly before continuing on with her words. "I promise I will get you out of here soon." Zagaa then nodded. "Promise." The older cub was intent on keeping that promise. When she made a promise she intended to keep it.
Then Misae fell into song and Zagaa fell silent listening to the words and the melody. The closed her eyes just listening now. When her sister fell silent she opened her eyes. "That was beautiful."
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:07 am
"It was sad," the words were an answer to her sister's last statement, "Though beautiful, it was sad; and it'll remain so while I stay here," this said, her head lowered and lay upon a rock on the floor, her paws scratching at the surface, almost as if her mind could not take it, being within this prison without bars, "I will wait for you, then," she whispered, turning away from her, eyes glancing up at the bright stars above.
The small cub wasn't a seer for nothing however, and soon enough, her eyes narrowed; the wind had picked up around them both, and as she spoke, her voice held a detached tone to it, almost as if it were no longer Misae talking, but someone else, "We might not make it out of here together; if we do not, I shall be waiting for you, where the songs of the sea call forth under the stars, far away from here. It is there I will wait for your return, where the stars sings and the ocean smiles, crossing the lands of those that believe in the spirits," her eyes closed momentarily, only to reopen; the red was glashed over, the light missing from them, "If you ever want to talk to me, all you have to do is sing to me with your heart to the wind; I'll be sure to hear you and guide you."
This said, the wind died down around them, and Misae blinked, her eyes returning to normal, her gaze fixed upon her sister's green hued form. There was no indication that she recalled her previous words at all, "What is it we wait for? The rest have left, and mother will not return. The wind told me so..." whispered words, a tinge of sadness.
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 7:43 am
The green striped cub nodded her head solemnly at her sisters statement. "You won't have to stay here much longer." She stated with a nod opening her mouth to say more when Misae started to talk strangely.
Instantly she closed her maw and furrowed her brow in confusion at the rather strange voice that came from her. Then the strange thing happened with her eyes which resulted in Zagaa taking a step backward in surprise. She did take the words into account and stored them within her memory in case they did not leave together.
Then her sister spoke again and she blinked ultimately confused by the event that had just happened. "I have to make sure that Chau will be alright, being deaf things will be harder on her than it will any of us, she's the most vulnerable here." She replied.
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 6:04 pm
"That is good," the female looked away, narrowing her eyes somewhat at one point, "The winds tell me it's time... and last night I had a dream," she looked back at her sister, seemingly frightened, "It was a horrible dream, Zagaa; there was a big monster... it was green and had huge wings, and bright red eyes... it was.... terrifying," as if to illustrate the fact, Misae shuddered softly, her body pressing itself against the ground before she took the time to roll herself to press her side against her sister's.
She had no way of knowing what her dream meant, or what it would mean in the future, but either way, it scared the young seer enough that she trembled lightly against Zagaa's side, "If Chau should wish, she could come too. What keeps her from doing so?" her voice was a whisper, distressed, "Zagaa... you don't need to be in charge of everyone. It is not your role... it is not your job to accomplish such a feat, if the others do not wish to. You need to learn that.... you can't shoulder all the responsibility. You should share it."
Her powers had always been distracting for her, but at the same time, they'd been a lifesaver, ever since she'd been born into the Oasis. Misae was sure that if she'd not heard the wind's stories and songs since birth, she'd have died, soul and heart, long ago. As it was, however, she was still alive. For how long, she knew not, but it was a start, "We should rest, Zagaa, and you should talk to Chou, if you so wish to. This place... it teaches us one thing though; to each their own, as sad as that is."
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:20 pm
The horrifying creature that her sister had described from her dream began to form in Zagaa's mind. A shudder ran down her spine as the final image produced itself to her. She instantly shook her head to rid herself of the thought before lightly nuzzling the top of her sibling's head.
"I have not been able to catch Chau at all to talk, or communicate with her in anyway. I...." The green striped cub let out a rather frustrated sigh. "I know, I know Misae, but I can't help but try to, because if I don't I'm not sure anyone will. I can't let my sisters die because I failed to take care of them when I had the chance to." She bit down on her bottom lip rather harshly after speaking, barely piercing skin and drawing blood.
"I agree....we should. I'll speak to her first thing in the morning." She said with a stern nod. Misae's next words made her catch her breath. "How unfortunately true that is..."
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:57 am
"Go then," the smaller, pale lioness reached out to bump her head against her sister's body, pushing her away towards the Oasis, "If it is something you must, it is something that must be done," and then, after such words, she offered Zagaa a small smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes, nor did it last long either, but... then again, whilst surrounded by such a place, Misae couldn't find it in her heart to offer others a real smile.
It was sad to note that she'd been alive for a while by then, and never once had the cub truthfully smile; not from the bottom of her heart and soul. In a way... she'd never truly felt happy enough to do so; not even the wind could make her smile, though it was cause for comfort. Alas, the small smile was there as a reassurance for her sister, "Go on..." she whispered as she stood up too, "I... will stay here for a while; I... want to stay away as long as I can," and thus as both sisters parted ways, Misae moved her frame to perch herself on top of a large rock on the outskirts of the Oasis itself.
From her perch, her eyes observed the horizon; a darkened line under the night sky that lead to places only the wind had whispered about. What she didn't know... couldn't have known, was that not far away, a large, winged figure was observing her from the shadows. And it wasn't til Zagaa was gone and away that it finally approached...
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Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:15 pm
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