|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 8:03 pm
 The slender form of a young adolescent stretched to it's greatest extent as he emerged head first from beneath the large hollow tree that his family called home. Tufted tail flicked light, dark fur shimmering in the morning sun, white markings shining in stark contrast. Youthful jaws parted in a broad yawn, paws curling against the earth, breathing in the peaceful air, ears flicking at the sound of the waking pridelands.
The den had recently become a lot more crowded, and though the old tree was more than large enough to hold the growing family, Shin'Jougen had found himself rather crowded. With so many new voices, the adolescent had begun leaving the den far earlier int he mornings, and spending most nights in the higher levels of the tree, sleeping on the high ledges or branches above where clambering cubs could not reach.
The young male had not been especially pleased to learn that his parents were having cubs, life had been perfectly find with just he, his sister, and their parents. And though he knew their parents love them as much as they always had, he could not help but feel his panda-marked hide pushed into the background by four whining fluff balls.
Perhaps it would have been more tolerable if it weren't for the fact that instead of one sister, he now had four. Four, four girls to deal with, it was intolerable. Of four cubs, Shin was granted but a single brother. Well at least that was one good thing, at last an accomplice, a little brother to share his pranks with. Speaking of which...
Turning back to the den, he peeked back into the darkness, orange eyes scanning for the single small bundle of dark fur, one soft paw raised to nudge the sleeping cub.
"Hey, Kiv, wake up."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 12:24 pm
He'd been dreaming, a strange dream that he wasn't sure he'd liked. There was no sun, no moon, but an even soft light that left everything in a state of half darkness. The grass was soft, and there was food when he wanted it. Water to drink and play in, warm rocks to stretch out on...
But he was alone.
Oh, at first he'd suspected that everyone was off hunting. But why would they hunt when the food was always there? Maybe they were hiding? Maybe he'd done something wrong? The cub whimpered and trotted unsteadily across the endless landscape, his voice absorbed by the soft light, eaten by the silence around him.
Alone. Alone. Alone.
The word seemed to fill him, become his heart beat, and he felt as if he must dissapear. Gasping, he ran, dizzy and unable to hear his own cries over the pounding in his ears...
Something nudged him, and the dream faded as conciousness displaced it.
"Mmmm." Kivuli muttered and stretched, his paws kneading into the soft ground of the den. Silver eyes blinked open and he yawned. "Whassamatter?"
His gaze fell on Shin and a wide smile lit up his face. "Brother!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:01 pm
The teenager raised one white paw to his muzzle, signaling to his younger brother that they should stay quiet.
"Shhh, you'll wake everyone up."
He glanced around the den, orange eyes falling on each form in turn, finding his parents, and each sibling in turn, remaining silent and still until he was assured that they were all still asleep save for himself and Kivuli. Finally, turning back to the cub who shared his pelt, a mischievous grin that only an older brother could give spread across his maws.
"Come on, let's go outside."
Turning with a light flick of his tail, Shin'Jougen again slipped through the opening of the den and into the morning air, a soft sigh escaping him as the early sun touched his pelt, ears flicking at the sounds of a new day. It was a perfect day, a day for two brothers to share.
Glancing over his shoulder, the older male waited for the younger to emerge from the sandy den beneath the old hollow tree.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:36 pm
"Ohhh!" The cub was wide awake now, his excitement barely allowing his voice to fall into a whisper. He followed his brother's warm golden gaze to the soft lumps around him, and was pleased to see that no one else had woken. He returned the grin with one of his own, pride swelling in his chest. It was just him and his brother!
The cub eased his way out of the den and shivered slightly in the cool morning air. However, the sun was up and Kivuli was certain it would be as warm and wonderful as yesterday was!
He tottered forwards through the high lush grass, tail high and eyes bright. What remained of the morning dew stained his dark pelt an even deeper shade of ebony and sparkled when he stepped into the sunlight. There was so much to see, so much to do! How could he ever live long enough to do and see all of it?
"What're we doin', Shin?" Kivuli chirped, his adoring gaze fixed on his older brother.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 10:42 pm
The young male grinned, tail flicking behind him lazily, a glint in his eye that declared he was up to something, something mischievous and certain to get them both in trouble. But the trouble would be well worth it, for there was no greater pleasure to a brother than tormenting his sisters.
"Oh I thought I would teach you the fine art of teasing our sisters. But first--"
In an instant the adolescent was on his brother, his head lowered to nuzzle his fluffy mane against the young one's neck, furry paws reaching to tickle at his sides, bright laughter falling from his jaws. After all, what was the fun in being an older brother if he couldn't tickle the little one, the same way their father had to him when he was a cub.
"It's tickle time!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 9:38 pm
Kiv recognized the look on his older brother's face; that look always lead to trouble. The cub's muzzle split into a huge grin. Trouble was so much better than being bored and alone anyways!
"Yeah, teach me!" Kiv pounced half-heartedly at his brother's tail, but his attention was still firmly fixed on Shin. "I wanna know!" His brother always thought of the best things to do! His sisters wouldn't stand a chance. He giggled.
"We can - EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Kivuli shrieked and collapsed onto the dew-covered grass. His small black body writhed as he gasped for breath, only to break out into another fit of giggles. His paws flailed and kicked as he fought to get away from his attacker. "ShinshinshinshinNOFAIR! NO-!" A peal of laughter interrupted him and he rolled.
"EEEEahahahaha! NONO! Not tickle time!" The tiny cub screeched, his body nearly convulsing with laughter. Two small paws wrapped around his brother's larger one and latched on for good. Back paws kicked frantically to knock his brother's other paw away, but he was weak with laughter. "Ahahah!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 04, 2007 8:33 pm
Laughter echoed in the young lion's chest, filling the morning air with the happy sounds of childhood, his sides heaving with his breath.
"Ha! I've got you now!"
Furry paws danced, 'tormenting' his brother despite the young cub's objections. But Shin knew when enough was enough, and unwilling to push his brother or himself past that point, his paws at last fell still as he flopped over in the dew covered grass, a small laugh escaping him as he did so.
"Now, how about we go catch some nice bugs for our dear sisters."
As he spoke that mischievous smirk spread across his maw again, white muzzle shimmering with the reflected colors of the rising sun. Yes, there was no surer way to send a sister running than with an insect conveniently dropped on her head.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 11:47 pm
"NONONONononononono...."
Kiv shuddered with laughter, beyond the point of sound. All that came out of his mouth now was a breathless weeze of air. When Shin's paws finally stopped their tickling he collapsed breathless to the cool dewy grass. His silver eyes flickered to Shin and he lashed his tail.
"Yeah! But bugs are coool! Why don't they like 'em?"
They didn't even taste too bad! Well... a few tasted kinda funny, and there was that funny black one that tasted downright horrible! But overall, he really liked them! And worms were cool too! In the dark dirt under rocks and in the mud! Speaking of which...
"Can we play in the mud by the waterhole too? Puh-leeeeeaase?" Kivuli stared pitifully up at his brother, eyes wide and hopeful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 10:46 pm
Shin'Jougen was very much a typical boy, and just as his younger brother after him, he had always thought bugs were interesting things. Though he had never been one to eat the creatures (wild gazelle was much more appetizing), the dark adolescent had spent many a sunny afternoon with his best friend Totoro, chasing after bugs, rolling in the dirt and mud, exploring everywhere they could possibly fit, tormenting his sister, and just getting into general mischief, a legacy he would be sure to pass onto his brother.
"Because they're girls, and girls are weird."
Ah the days of carefree youth, when the world was an open place, girls were gross, and everyone else was wrong about everything. Shin had once been like that, but now he was growing up, he was changing. And suddenly all those things seemed childish, even if they were still fun. Not that he was ready to fully grow up yet, and like his father probably never would, but now there was more to life. But today, today was a day for him and his brother, to act like the children they still were, even if one of them was growing up.
Shin lifted one white tipped paw, lightly ruffling his brother's 'mane' in a gesture of affection that only brothers would understand.
"Sure, we'll even bring how some mud for the girls."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 11:57 am
"Oh."
Girls = weird. Got it! The cub wasn't certain why this was, but if Shin said it, it must be true! ... but he wondered if ALL girls were weird, or if some were just a little strange, or maybe even NORMAL. Or maybe girls being normal like him was strange by itself, which means they would be a different kind of weird...
Kiv shook his head. Too complicated! Best to just stick with girls being equivalent to gross. He flattened his ears and cried out in mock protest as Shin ruffled his mane, batting playfully at his brother's white-toed paw. "You're gonna mess it up!"
Yeeeeees! Mud! Wriggling free, the cub folded his ears back and launched himself into an akward lope, tripping over his own paws more often than not. "I bet I can get to the waterhole faster 'n you, brother!"
Runrunrunrun! Little paws moved in a blur as he pushed his tiny body to go faster.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 10:10 pm
"Dream on, shorty."
Unfortunately for his brother, Shin had a distinct advantage. He was older, taller, faster, and well past the awkwardness of cubhood. Perhaps someday, if the young cub inherited the tall yet light build of his brother, that advantage would shift. But for now, the adolescent easily left his brother in the dust.
He didn't want to leave Kiv behind though, or discourage him to the point that he would just give up and go home, that would have defeated the purpose of their brotherly day out. So for now he simply trotted, staying just a step ahead of his brother, perhaps to allow the cub to think he could win the race, not out of cruelty, but from a desire to include him in any games. Not that he was actually going to let Kivuli win, if he did that he'd never hear the end of it.
"Come on slow poke, can't you run any faster than that?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 6:36 pm
"YAHICAN!"
Kivuli flattened his ears, stuck his tail straight out behind him and sprinted. The wind whistled past his ears and he was forced to squint his eyes against the pressure! Such speed! It was amazing! His short, chubby cub legs pumped as hard as he could make them.
He was flying!
He was faster than anything!
... so why was his brother still ahead? NOFAIR! FASTER FASTER FASTER FA--
"Oof!" Kivuli went down in a black and white blur, tumbling head over heels and landing in a pile of cub and too big paws. Maybe he should have been paying closer attention to where he was going.
Man, now he was NEVER going to catch Shin!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:53 pm
Shin skidded to a stop several paces ahead of his fallen brother, small dust cloud stirred around white paws, insects chirping in protest as they were dislodged from their morning roost.
"You okay, Kiv?"
Not that he thought for a moment the cub wasn't fine, after all, he had taken several such tumbles at that age, when his paws were far too big for his body and every step risked tripping. It was unlikely that a simple trip would harm the younger, it could have even been a trick, but Shin couldn't just not ask or ignore his brother's misfortune, that would have been mean.
However the dark cub did look rather silly, laying in a heap of fluff and dust with his nose buried in the dirt. And like any older brother, it took a considerable amount of effort and biting his tongue for Shin not to burst out laughing and a quick glance toward the horizon to hide the silly smirk on his maw.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:14 pm
"Hmph."
Kiv shoved himself to his feet and licked his dry lips. With a baleful glance at Shin, the cub staggered forwards and plopped down next to his older brother. His knees hurt! They were bleeding, he was sure! And his nose was all smushed and covered with dirt!
"No! It hurts!" Kiv cried, faking irritation and pain. Well... it really did sting! But he was a -boy- after all, he was strong! Hah. "I wanna..."
He crept forwards again, still sniffling.
"I wanna..!"
... a little further, past Shin...
"I wanna beat you!"
With a shriek of laughter the cub took off again, stumbling towards his goal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:46 pm
Settling onto his haunches, the older male rolled orange eyes at his younger brother; Kivuli could not be serious. Shin had tripped more times than he could count as a cub, and while it was awkward and sometimes embarrassing, it never hurt -that- much. Either his brother was playing a trick or...he was the biggest wuss on the pridelands. Either way, he was getting no sympathy from Shin.
"Why you little--"
Well that answered that question, a clever trick, one that may have worked were the brothers closer in age (and one that would certainly work on their sisters). Springing to his paws, it took but a few strides for Shin to be on his brother again, long legs and proportional paws giving the teenager the advantage of a long stride and a steady gait.
A pace ahead of his brother once again, Shin lowered his head enough to speak to his brother.
"Nice try, Kiv, better luck next time."
And they were at the water, that clear cool water, it rested only a few quick strides away. This early in the morning it would be all theirs, free of annoyances to break into their games.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
