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 Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 5:23 pm
He woke up. He went away. He came back.
Now he had two sons.
It had happened just like that, without warning. There had been Kaanga's pregnancy, of course, the joy overwhelming him until he felt he would burst everyday until they were born. Or she, if there had only been one.
Yet, there had been two, and at the time he'd thought it lucky, but he was quickly dissapointed again. Both male. Finar-si did not love him as he had thought. Royals or no, it seemed it wasn't something that was so highly looked upon any longer. The only hope that came was from the one that looked like Kimeti.
Still, no daughters.
He glanced back, his face set hard, eyeing a white figure at the cave peak. A white boy. He frowned, if it was possible to do so any more than he already was, and rose, swaying his way ungently towards the creature. If it wasn't sleeping, it would be woken up very shortly.
He picked it very quickly up by the scruff of the neck and dropped it.
"We're going for a walk." He left no option.
He'd seen the slave do it many times, drag his children up from their groginess, insist they were getting fat, it was no shape for his small baas. They'd follow him. Whether they liked it or not, he couldn't tell, but it kept the discraces away from him at least.
Kaanga, however, would give him no peace. Always telling him to spend time with them. How could you not love such beautiful young boys?
Very easily.
He stared at this one now. What was it, Kienge? Yeah. That had to be it. He waited for it to follow. Whatever the hell it was. No daughter, that's for sure.
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Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 4:59 pm
 He had been dreaming.
A strange dream, one that robbed him of his restful sleep. Shadows, flickering shapes of lions he didn't know, danced and flitted across his vision. Dry grass crunched beneath his paws and sand shifted dangerously. Fire crackled and rushed, laughing at him and licking him with it's long tongue; the heat nearly unbearable! From the corner of his eyes he could almost... just -almost- recognize someone, feel their name spring to his tongue. But when he turned to cry for help, they were gone - blended in with other ghostly shades.
The heat! Something around him, ripping into the back of his neck! He was sweating, melting, bleeding, dying -
Kienge gasped as his small body thudded back onto the hot sands he'd been resting on. For a moment he lay there crumpled, sides heaving as he panted, his mind grasping towards consciousness and understanding. He was awake! Someone has saved him... Then the words sank in.
A walk?
"Daddy?" Pride swelled up in the tiny cub's heart. Dad wanted to spend time with him! Kien scrambled to his feet and trotted clumsily towards his father's retreating form. The heat burned into the pads of his paws but he ignored it, intent on the red figure in front of him. A low purr thrummed in his throat. "Where're we goin', Dad?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 6:39 pm
Did they always ask such questions! Surely if he had sons they wouldn't be born fools. It had to have been Kaanga's blood. His was certainly not this dull.
"I told you, for a walk." He frowned, shook his head, but didn't change his pace. He didn't even know why he was out here.
Wait. That's right, Kaanga had told him to spend time with the kids. Since when did he start listening to her? Well, for a start, since they had kids. She seemed to have some natural instinct for raising them. He might have had better luck if one of them had been of the opposite gender. Besides, the stupid slave seemed to be doing well enough. Not surprising, they seemed to be on the same level of brilliance.
"You haven't been getting into trouble with your mother, I hope?" He really didn't know what else to say, scolding seemed highly appropriate. They were tough, he was sure some part of their tiny brains could take it.
"What do you think of us, runt? Are you proud?" he asked suddenly, leaving no reasoning behind the question. He was, of course, referring to The Blood as a whole.
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Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:19 am
Kienge's steps faltered, his spirits flagged, but only for a moment. Panting and jogging desperatly to keep up with his father, the cub managed to find the energy to make a face.
"I -know- that." He explained. Although for him this 'walk' was more of a 'run-fast-and-hope-dad-doesn't-leave-you-behind'. "I wanna know where we're goin'!"
Geesh. Was it that hard to get a straight answer out of anyone? No one ever wanted to say -where- they were going, they just wanted to go. Kienge wrinkled his red-streaked nose. He was begining to suspect that no-one ever really knew where they were going, at least... not until they got there. His father's words cut into his thoughts.
"No, no trouble!" Well... nothing too serious, anyways. He stifled a grin and tried to keep his expression serious. Dad seemed awful serious, maybe he should be too. He winced at the word 'runt'. Hey, he was bigger than his brother! And how could he be proud to be something, when he knew no other way to be? But that wasn't the answer his father was looking for, and even Kienge knew it.
"Everyone says we're the best, so of -course- I'm proud!" The cub beamed up at his father, and promptly tripped up on a stone in his path.
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Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:48 am
Uzulu watched his son trip and a very gentle smile rolled across his lips. It vanished as he bent down to pick the cub up and set him back on his feet - even if the cub could do it himself.
"Good. Don't let that slave push you around, you hear? He lays a paw on you, come to me." Whether it was out of supremecy or Uzulu actually felt some sort of caring for his son, it was hard to tell - but did it really matter?
For a long time there was silence, and it seemed as though Uzulu was doing his characteristic method of not answering questions. Little words was the way to work, it inlisted fear. That and a good solid stare. Perhaps he'd teach some of these things to his son. Perhaps that son might bear him a daughter. It wasn't as good as his own daughter, surely, but still, it would make him feel successful.
"Where do you want to go?" Normally something he reserved for the females - this independence, but the little cub seemed to be trying hard enough, so why not give him a little break. See if he could handle it.
That was all he was doing.
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Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 7:16 pm
Kienge nodded seriously, his eyes fixed on his father's. His legs worked furiously to keep up with Uzulu, but he tried hard not to let how tired he was becoming show.
"Okay, Dad." Slave can't touch him. Got it. Kienge wondered if 'slave' was another name for Mpaji, or if it was a title, like son or father. The cub gave a mental shrug and put the thoughts behind him. After all, he would have complained to his father anyways, if Mpaji did something he didn't like.
"Uh..." he didn't really know the area around here... everything kinda looked the same. He glanced about, seeking inspiration in the dusty land around him. His tail drooped - he couldn't see much beyond the cliffs and some scrub bushes; no where special. Somehow he got the impression he was supposed to have a desination in mind. Then he recalled an overheard conversation, and the mention of an oasis nearby.
Pricking his ears and raising his tail again, the cub peered up at his father. "The Oasis! Could we go there?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 7:18 pm
Dad.
The word caused Uzulu to stop and look at his son for a second before shaking his head and moving forwards. It put him in a more irratable mood than before. He wasn't sure he could get used to this new title. Even Uzula sounded more natural to him, despite the fact that he hated it.
His frown grew as his son decided they wanted to go to the oasis. It was really a rather long journey - at least from the cubs cave of birth. Gritting his teeth he debated on whether or not it was safe enough to take the cub there. Not that the oasis was dangerous, but so many things could distract a cub there! He needed Kienge's undivided attention.
"No." He tried to think of an excuse, but there wasn't much of anything. Finally he came across the sapiest thing he could find. "I'm taking you hunting."
The slave couldn't hunt. Kaanga, well, he didn't expect her to be able to. Somebody had to provide for the family.
"I know males aren't supposed to hunt, but its good for creating fighting skills." There. That should do the trick.
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:16 pm
Kienge flinched when his father denied his request. Had he done something wrong? Was the oasis a bad place? His ears flattened, red tufted tail tucked closely against his stomach.
Wait. Dad wanted to take him hunting instead? Him, hunting?
The cub immediately perked up, his tail swaying behind him once more. How awesome! He could really prove himself if he could catch something huge an' dangerous! Maybe he could even feed his Mama and brother. Wouldn't they be impressed. Rightfully so, of course..
The cub pranced, his head held high. "Where're we gonna hunt? An' what dang'rous thing are we gonna get?"
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Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 4:52 pm
Of course the cub had done something wrong. He'd been born a woman. No, it was Kaanga's fault, stupid woman. She couldn't do much of anything properly.
He regarded his cub with cold, green eyes. The stupid boy was prancing, what a nit. Oh well, did he expect anything different?
He grunted, and swished his tail, picking up the pace a little bit.
"On the edge of our pridelands." It was really the only place suitable to hunt. The boy could start on a few mice or birds, and gradually move up from there, day by day. He supposed they could make a ritual out of it. When Kaanga wasn't there, or he felt like getting away from all her incesent questions, the boy could be taken hunting. He laughed darkly, "Nothing dangerous, yet. Your mother would place my bones to the sand if you got injured."
That settled, he looped back around and headed due west from their current position. They were already close to the edge where they lived, far away from the pride itself. Perhaps something exciting would happen to the cub, but Uzulu doubted it. Cubs expected to much.
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Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 11:13 pm
Kienge caught his father's cold glance and guessed (wrongly) that he was admiring his son's amazing grace and agility. With a sly grin the cub increased his prancing and kept pace with his father. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and his sides heaved with the effort, but he wasn't going to let his father down!
He would prove that he was worthy of being a member of the Blood.
"Aww, Dad, can't we get somethin' better an' dangerous? Not just little boring creatures like mice. Me n' Kai can hunt those on our own!" The cub interrupted his prancing with a growl and a few sideways leaps. Long claws kneeded the sand and his tail lashed - tiny sharp fangs glittered.
"Seeee? I can fight em an' catch em! I can be big an' strong like you!" He caught back up to his father and beamed up at him. "Pleeeaaase?"
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