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 Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:52 pm
 -The air was crisp and cold. So different then it was in the day. In fact everything seemed different at night.
The life of the pridelands was for the most part tucked away, most large beings sleeping. Things were quiet, and cool, and lonely.. But there was beauty in that lonliness, and tonight Xu didn't romp and play like she usually did. Tonight she simply sat and watched the stars, ivory body seeming to glow in the moonlight.
Most would think that her sickness was a curse.. sleeping through most of the daytimes and life of regular lions. But she found the night to be a sanctuary. She didn't mind that her body forced her to move around through the darkness. In the night there was noone to have to be as good as. She didn't have to worry about whether or not the world was passing her by.
In the night it was only her and the stars. And the stars moved even slower then she did in their trek along the endless sky.-
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Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 8:56 pm
 The lioness was not the only creature prone to wander the lands at night. For the dark male, night was peaceful, contemplative, a time for meditation and self reflection. In the quiet darkness, Bushido thought of the past, of the present, and of the future. The pridelands had changed much since he had last seen it as a cub, it had grown and prospered into the lush land he had at last returned to. And yet, he knew that the wind always brought change, and even this paradise was not invulnerable.
Tonight he wandered as he meditated, his dark hide lost under the starry sky, white tipped paws stepping softly and silently, picking his way through the rocks and grass. His mane fluttered lightly in the evening breezing, golden streaks catching the starlight in a dance of gold and silver. It was indeed a beautiful night, so clear it seemed he could reach out and grasp the stars in his paw.
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Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:43 pm
-She heard the sound before she actually saw him, just the tiniest hint of rustling grasses as he treked. Had it not been the night she probably wouldn't even have heard it. But she did, and slowly her head turned to seek out the source, quite expecting to find one of her siblings or extended family coming to search for her.
But instead it was a foriegn figure, dark body with light mane, quite older then her she could tell, but that was about it.
Golden tail tip flicking gently back and forth she pondered over bothering the individual, before going with a compromise instead, simply calling out pleasantly across the nearly silent night.- "Hello stranger."
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:24 pm
He stepped through the lands with eyes closed, navigating his way by scent and sound alone, noting the terrain under each pawstep. To others it may have seemed inefficient or silly to block the visual sense, but the dark warrior was one with his senses, taking in the world with more than just his eyes, and thus he was better prepared for whatever may lay in his path.
It was not until he heard a voice, dark ears swiveling amidst white mane to find the source, that blue eyes opened, his gaze settling on the white form of the young lioness. It was late for the young to be out, but perhaps she like him, had her reasons. And if ever there was a night to sit under the stars, this was as good a night as any.
He approached silently at first, tail flicking through the peaceful night air, only speaking at last when he stood but a few feet away.
"They're beautiful aren't they."
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 7:30 am
-What a pleasant presence he held.. His words and motions as soft and peaceful as the night that engulfed them, and for a moment she let her eyes dance over the gold markings that adorned his dark pelt.
They were quite like hers actually. Bizarre shapes of gold. Though his seemed far more detailed, and more numerous at that. She'd always through of herself as a star, the special white and gold of her coat. But this male was like the night sky! Golden beauty slipping the night.. and in the moonlight his mane seemed to glow as if it were the moon itself!
Finally turning her head back up to the sky, probably long after she'd began to seem rude for staring, she murred happily.- "They are that."
"The stars are probably my most favorite sight in the world. I'm lucky that I get to see them so often."
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Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:39 pm
The older male did not seem bothered by her gaze, his own eyes focused on the stars above, tail flicking in the damp nighttime grass as he settled on his haunches. The stars were indeed magnificent, brilliant and peaceful, silent reminders of the vastness of the world around them.
"They are mine as well, for under the stars we can see ourselves as we truly are."
His voice was as calm and soft, his head bowing in a slight nod, tail flicking thoughtfully. He was still for a moment, simply enjoying the silence of the night and the lights above. There was a contemplative expression in his eyes, perhaps he was thinking of a distant memory or the changed land around him.
"Then indeed you are lucky. For though many look at the stars, few actually see them."
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Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 8:33 am
"Ohh..?" -The soft sound of questioning slipped from the young lioness at his words, eyes turning to glace at him once again. Ivory ears falling softly, as her olive eyes searched for silent answer.- "As we truely are?"
-She certainly didn't know what she was... What she was to do. Looking up once more she tried to find what it was he was speaking about, though in truth she saw nothing. Only the soft sparkle and glimmer of her familar stars.
They were beautiful yes... they filled her with a soft comfort and hope. But did they really tell something about her?-
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Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:01 pm
The dark male nodded, blue eyes turned to gaze at the lionesses for a brief moment before turning to the stars again. In the moonlight his mane seemed to glow, strands of gold and silver twinkling with each movement of his head.
"The stars remind us of all that has passed and all that will come, and under such vastness, the small details melt away until all we are left with is the rawness of our own existence. It is then, when we are at our most pure that our hearts speak the loudest, if only we are willing to listen.
It was true there was no greater time than the beauty and peace of the night for meditation. When the rest of the world slept, there was little to break one's thoughts, and surrounded by such beauty one could not help but contemplate the beauty, or lack thereof, in themselves.
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Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 10:49 am
((Man Xu can be soooo hard to write for. crying I'm so sorry for the delay!))
-Her eyes followed his own up to the stars as he spoke, listening intently at the bit of wisdom that was offered. What was passed... and what was to come. So often that was all the lioness thought about. The past grand deeds of her family, and her lack there of. The bright futures of them versus her uncertain and shakey one.
But to let that all go away.. and just be her.. to see what she was made of. Perhaps that was all she needed to help make her future all the less shakey. To forget worry for reflection.
What a truth.. and gift had been before her all this time that she'd not seen. And when finally she opened her mouth, it was nothing more then a soft and awed whisper.- "You're very wise.."
"And yet I've never seen you before..." -Eyes sliding back to him once more, she began to wonder if he was something she'd made up.. his pelt so like the stars above. But she could smell him.. Feel the soft subtles of heat rolling from him in the cool night..- "Do you live in the Pridelands?"
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 9:47 pm
A small smile parted his maw with a faint laugh that could have passed for a snort, a flick of his tail disturbing the strands of grass that had already grown damp with dew.
"Not wise, just old."
Dark ears twitched, lowering to sink in his white mane at the young lioness' words, a look of sorrow deep in brilliant blue eyes. For all his years and wisdom, all that he had gained on the warrior's path of honor, Bushido was still haunted by his own past, unable to escape the deeds of his parents before him, their dishonor that he still lived with. Silently he wondered if he would ever escape.
"I do, though as I have only recently returned it's understandable that we haven't crossed paths yet, especially in such a large pride."
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:34 am
-His snort broke the sort of awed silence that had overtaken her, bringing him back to the 'realm of mortals', and the hints of a sheepish smile marred her ivory maw.- "Ahh.. well age is not everything.. I have younger siblings that seem far wiser and more experienced then I am." -But she did suppose.. that in general.. the longer you were around, the more you have before you to pull from.
She didn't quite catch the aire of discomfort around her question, but she did notice that something was askew, and she continued more carefully as she spoke. Xu too should have carried guilt, but by some blessing of fate she'd been spared. Had the cub not been disobeying and running about at night the mighty king would have never had to come to her rescue and his demise.. But noone had thrusted that blame upon her as a child. Atleast not to her face, so, despite their tiny tugs at similiarity, Xu remained oblivious to the male's subconcious unease.-
"I've lived here my whole life. Never once even crossed outside the borders like some of my siblings have."
-Streching her forearms mildly, as it became apparent that she was settling in for the long haul.- "I've never felt trapped though, because the stars move. It's very slow and hard to see... but they do. They move and I feel like I'm traveling along with them."
"I suppose that's why I was named after them, Xu Wu Hui." -She did not ask for his name. Perhaps she still half believed that he was nothing more then a half dreamed figment.-
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Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 12:04 pm
"I am Bushido."
There was a certain eeriness in his tone, a baleful mysterious air as if the mere mention of his own named had pained him with the memories of the past. Or perhaps it had not been his voice at all, but a spectre that had risen to speak through him, mocking him. Whatever it may have been, by the time he opened his maw again, the sorrowful tone had vanished, his composure regained.
"There is indeed a certain wisdom in youth, for the young may freely speak, without the limitations we place on ourselves as we age. As there is also wisdom in age, sights to be shared only by those who have lived long enough to see them."
When he turned, there was a small smile on his maw, a true smile that showed even in those deep blue eyes. This young lioness had a grace and wisdom all her own, and he was pleased to have met her, to have shared in that knowledge that she did not seem to realize she possessed.
"The world is a large and glorious place, full of magnificence I thought I'd never see, as well as darkness I wish I hadn't. But home, that is the most wondrous place I know, for that is where true peace lies."
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:47 am
-She listened to his words softly, ears perking to catch each word as she mulled over it slowly. The peace and tranquility of the night kept things so slow and simple.. she didn't feel rushed to make decisions, to answer. Instead she could ponder without worry over whatever, and his words turned over and over.
To travel... might be nice. But she was afraid too.. What might happen to her all alone in the rouge lands? She wished Jing were there.. that he might have taken her, but that was fruitless wishing. But as Bushido said, home what the best place? So perhaps it wasn't even worth the effort and risk. Not if she could find something here worth becoming a part of.
When finally words came from the lioness, they rolled out almost as a laugh, replying to his sentiment.- "Unless of course one prefers the more adventurous bits of laugh. I'm quite contented with peace." -Was she? She thought she was.- "But my sister No. Adventure seems to call her far more then peace. In fact.. I believe the place she's headed is just about as far from peace as one can get."
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 1:06 pm
"We all must follow our own path, as each star in the sky has it's own course. For some it is the adventure that calls, but what is life when there is no home to return to?"
The lion spoke from experience, much of his life spent as a wandering rogue, a soul without a home. It was honor that had driven him to return to the land of his youth, and for honor he would remain there, but under those night stars, sharing his wisdom with the young lioness, Bushido could not help but wonder if it would ever truly be home.
A soft smile on his maw, he turned to the lioness, a brief inclination of his head as he rose to his paws, a silent farewell before taking his leave, disappearing as a ghost in the night, leaving the lioness alone with his words.
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:47 am
-Xu reflected on the words, eyes turning to watch the figure as it disapeared into the night, just as it appeared. Had it been a dream? She didn't know.. but either way, she quite liked the dream male.
Eyes turning back to the stars she sat in silence for a long while, thinking of her own path. There had to be one for her.. she just had to find it. Oh how it would be so much easier if she could just ask.. but things didn't work that way.
Lifting herself finally, she started to make her way home with a yawn, whispering mildly.- "Good night stars. Good night Bushido."
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