Kisoni
He was no fool; he'd seen them embracing on the shore that night. As much as his paws longed to confront the younger lion--to rend him limb from limb--he knew it was useless. Intelligence in light of emotion was sometimes a bothersome thing, and yet usually right. He trusted his daughter to make a wise decision. Ignoring the voice that told him he still didn't trust this male she'd chosen, Nyota headed down the shore away from them once they'd unknowingly slipped past him and into the jungle. He had not desire to hear what fanciful nothings Hadithi was whispering into his daughter's ear.
A good portion of Nyota knew that he was being irrational. It was this "intelligence," as he termed it, that kept him from striking. The thought of Misae being taken from him was not one that he cherished, no matter how much his love for her scared him. The conversation he'd had with Hadithi hadn't truly assuaged his feelings towards the boy. If anything, it'd make Nyota all the more certain that the male was a lunatic. What was worse, he was a smart lunatic. His messages of peace and kindness were a little comforting, though, Nyota had to admit, if begrudgingly. Had the male been filling Misae's head with thoughts of war and destruction...
Well, that was why it worked, didn't it? Misae was predisposed to flock towards anything with so positive a backing, even if it were against all laws of common sense. As much as he loved and took pride in his daughter, Nyota had to admit that she was more gullible to some things than others--after all, she maintained that Nyota was a kind lion.
Wet sands squicked under his feet, and crabs scurried away from him only to return to their former positions when he'd passed. All about him the beauty of this place seemed to hum and dance with laugh. Nyota found himself watching it, thinking on the steps a flower took as it bobbed when he realized what he was doing. Eyes wide with horror at himself, the male gave a great snort and continued at a light jog down the stretch of beach.
He was not a kind lion! Of that, Nyota had little doubts. True, he had showed mercy and compassion... even love.. to Misae, but she was one of the few who he deigned worthy of such things. Over the past months he realized he'd told her things he wasn't liable to admit to others easily; true thoughts on others, some of the things he'd done or wanted to do in the past (though she thought they were stories of lions long past or encountered on trips). Of all the things he'd told her, he thought she may have realized what he was by now. Yet, that slow, special smile still drew upon her lips when she saw him. She still followed him when he told her to come, and still slept beside him... save the past few nights.
Nyota gave a soft sigh, paws slowing to a halt in the wet sand as the tide lapped at them. it was an annoyance, but for now he didn't notice it. Instead, his eyes went up to the wide, full moon above them and instead of seeing Misae's shining white face, he saw another that made his heart somehow, against all forms of logic, both melt and freeze at the same time.
Dark Fire Angel
It was against that pale shinning moon that Nyota probably saw the pink form of the winged lioness, descending till she graced the ocean with her front paws, then gracefully, she allowed the waves to engulf her fully. It could have been a mirage, had it not been for the fact that instants later, the goddess' head burst out of the water, her pale pink locks flying as she tossed her head to rid her eyes of them. Then, slowly, she moved against the water till she emerged from the water, her form and image probably ethereal looking, almost like straight out of a dream, magical, for during all moment, the goddess kept her wings fully visible, stretching dramatically to fling water away from them as she emerged fully.
Her head turned towards the waves then, and she roared softly, calling to something, someone, and soon enough, small black lump of... fur, dragged itself out of the waves, waddling up to the shore by the lioness, a small distance away from Nyota himself. The lump in question gasped and coughed up water on the sand, a small stripped tail twitching and thumping on the ground. It then whined, and the lioness smiled, pulled her head back and laughed; the laughter was sweet, and magical sounding. nothing about it was mocking or evil, but rather, the contrary.
Dipping her head, the goddess picked up the small lump of fur, that turned out to be, amusingly enough, a small, drowned looking genet into her maw. She held the genet up by the scruff of her neck, turning to pad away from the shore, dripping water over the sand; tell truth, it had been the sweat Audilifu gained from the long journey she'd been enduring that had forced her to seek water to bathe in. Night seemed to be the best choice to take a bath unseen, alas, she'd not counted with Nyota being there, and thus as soon as she turned to pad down the beach, she met, eye to eye, with the brown hued male.
"It saw us, Dili! It saw us! LOOK AT IT! It's staring!" the ball of fluff swung from the goddess maw as she pointed frantically, her movements so rapid that it was a wonder anyone could see them. The small genet looked almost hyperactive, "Dili, Dili! Put me down! I want to touch it!" the squeals were screeched as the genet twisted her body to and fro till the goddess let her down, however, as soon as Kim was about to bolt towards Nyota, the goddess stepped on her familiar tail. The result was a genet that... seemed to be running in place, but never quite moved from the spot. In fact, it took Kimmy a full two minutes before she noticed that she wasn't moving anywhere, and she was... still in the same place. After a moment's silence, she paused and frowned up at the goddess, glaring, crossing her arms over her chest in a pout.
A smile was offered at the small animal before the goddess stepped over her and towards the lion before her; the genet moved as soon as Dili did, but kept herself hidden between the larger female's paws, weaving herself restlessly in and out of them, peeking her head around them to watch Nyota. It wasn't till she was a good meter or so away from the male that Audilifu stopped walking. Her head tilted to one side, a brow arched almost in silent question, "You look troubled," it was a statement, breathed pleasantly at him, without an introduction, but at the same time, it was obvious she wasn't expecting one from him either. Under the moon's shine, her wet hair clung to her head, her jewels shimmering softly, "I wonder why? It's not usual for me to find someone all alone and so pensive looking."
Kisoni
The infection was spreading. Nyota stood, still as a rock, as the purple lioness descended from the moon to splash into the sea that that nutter loved so well.
For awhile she was gone, then she resurfaced with something fuzzy and wet with her. He watched as they drug themselves up on the shore. Watched as the fuzzy thing (the Genet) attempted to ... attack? him while the lioness held it back. Watched as the pair then approached him, until they finally stopped and she spoke some more nonsense that he was beginning to take as the norm here. Yet, this nonsense had something of sense about it, as strange as the very idea of that was. Nyota sighed, much too controlled of himself to take his frustrations out on a female, even if it were a potential figment of his thought-to-be nonexistent imagination.
"Perhaps it is the beings from the stars that perplex me; most have a tendency to walk up on the ground."
For awhile she was gone, then she resurfaced with something fuzzy and wet with her. He watched as they drug themselves up on the shore. Watched as the fuzzy thing (the Genet) attempted to ... attack? him while the lioness held it back. Watched as the pair then approached him, until they finally stopped and she spoke some more nonsense that he was beginning to take as the norm here. Yet, this nonsense had something of sense about it, as strange as the very idea of that was. Nyota sighed, much too controlled of himself to take his frustrations out on a female, even if it were a potential figment of his thought-to-be nonexistent imagination.
"Perhaps it is the beings from the stars that perplex me; most have a tendency to walk up on the ground."
Dark Fire Angel
The gennet blinked and peeked out from behind the female's paws, frowning at Nyota, "He's speaking utter nonsense, Dili! Rubbish! Gibberish! What the hell's his problem anyhow? Doesn't he recognise a goddess when he sees one? What a mo-" a cough from Audilifu masked the small critter's frantic, high pitched ramblings, and then, slowly, ignoring the mortal, the goddess lowered her head till she fished the genet out of her hiding place and nudged her softly away from her form.
"Kimmy... I need you to do me a favour, will you?" lowering her head again, the horned goddess dipped her maw to whisper something into the genet's ear, then lifted her head again, smiling down at it. Swiftly, the genet in question blinked, squeaked happily and ran off, shouting something back at the goddess that somehow resembled a proud screech, telling her that she'd be RIGHT BACK in a GIFFY with what she wanted. Staring after the small critter as she rushed off and skidded into the jungle, the goddess chuckle, "I had the feeling I wouldn't be able to get two words across unless I got rid of her for a while..." her thoughts were voiced out loud, almost as if she couldn't care less if the male overheard her. when she finally turned to face Nyota, Audilifu arched a brow, "I'm not a being from the stars, but that aside, you are one of mine; What's a child of Truth doing walking these lands? Isn't this the land Irrationality claimed as her own? I thought her children lived here..."
The innocence was gone for a bare moment as the goddess smirked at Nyota, "You really look troubled, and confused, why is this? A penny for your thoughts, love. You almost look like you've seen a ghost. This is the first time anyone's ever looked at me like that. Why?" she neared him then, with no respect for physical boundaries, brushing against his side, almost as if to probe her existence, "Riddles aside, you seek the truth; otherwise, I wouldn't be here, so tell me, what troubles you?"
"Kimmy... I need you to do me a favour, will you?" lowering her head again, the horned goddess dipped her maw to whisper something into the genet's ear, then lifted her head again, smiling down at it. Swiftly, the genet in question blinked, squeaked happily and ran off, shouting something back at the goddess that somehow resembled a proud screech, telling her that she'd be RIGHT BACK in a GIFFY with what she wanted. Staring after the small critter as she rushed off and skidded into the jungle, the goddess chuckle, "I had the feeling I wouldn't be able to get two words across unless I got rid of her for a while..." her thoughts were voiced out loud, almost as if she couldn't care less if the male overheard her. when she finally turned to face Nyota, Audilifu arched a brow, "I'm not a being from the stars, but that aside, you are one of mine; What's a child of Truth doing walking these lands? Isn't this the land Irrationality claimed as her own? I thought her children lived here..."
The innocence was gone for a bare moment as the goddess smirked at Nyota, "You really look troubled, and confused, why is this? A penny for your thoughts, love. You almost look like you've seen a ghost. This is the first time anyone's ever looked at me like that. Why?" she neared him then, with no respect for physical boundaries, brushing against his side, almost as if to probe her existence, "Riddles aside, you seek the truth; otherwise, I wouldn't be here, so tell me, what troubles you?"
Kisoni
"A Goddess," The Genet had said. A Goddess? Nyota resisted the urge to snort his disbelief. Such things had never been more than myth to him, for the thought of another being having such powers as usually prescribed to deities was something he was uncomfortable with. There were many who would say that these deities ran the lives and fortunes of all beings about them; he was of the mind that he controlled his own life, and he liked it that way. However, he couldn't deny the evidence that there was something more than a little strange about a horned and winged lioness. Her jewelry, too, was beyond anything he'd ever seen--even baboon made. Intrigued, he decided to humor that train of thought, watching as the Genet was sent away.
A smirk drew upon Nyota's lips for her trick. It was a kind one and simple, but no less cunning for that. Her next words slipped the mirth from his expression, however. "Irrationality? ... That I would believe."
He hadn't meant for the bitterness to ring in his voice, but it did. This way of thinking that his daughter was now being taught was not something that Nyota could ever approve of, and thus her taking to it was beginning to toll on him. "There is one that is highly irrational present, though he claims to be two.
"Perhaps I'm confused by the appearance of a flying lioness, Miss, as it isn't something one sees most days. Lions, after all, do not fly; even the most beautiful of our kind. Your... friend... calls you a Goddess."
A smirk drew upon Nyota's lips for her trick. It was a kind one and simple, but no less cunning for that. Her next words slipped the mirth from his expression, however. "Irrationality? ... That I would believe."
He hadn't meant for the bitterness to ring in his voice, but it did. This way of thinking that his daughter was now being taught was not something that Nyota could ever approve of, and thus her taking to it was beginning to toll on him. "There is one that is highly irrational present, though he claims to be two.
"Perhaps I'm confused by the appearance of a flying lioness, Miss, as it isn't something one sees most days. Lions, after all, do not fly; even the most beautiful of our kind. Your... friend... calls you a Goddess."
Dark Fire Angel
"A goddess, an entity a deity... call me as you may; most mortals call us Gods though, for we are eternal," the female waved a paw almost dismissively, as if her title right now were of no worth to the conversation, "Forgive Kimmy; she's over excitable. The flight's set her already... excitable personality on fire. She'll have calmed down by the time she comes back," even as the goddess spoke, her eyes seemed to be studying him intently, watching his movement, not out of fear, but out of curiosity and interest, "Yes; Irrationality... she claimed these lands long ago as her own. Had you not noticed this?" these last words were almost mocking, a gentle tease, for after all, despite being Muhali's friend, Audilifu had her own realm, which did not allow her to linger within these lands for long, "I was actually here trying to find her... thought she'd be here. Instead I find one of mine though."
It was clear to her that this lion was a follower of hers, even if he did not know this yet, "You follow my path, not Irrationality's so with it, love, that you're here, in these lands, looking oh-so-troubled?" urning her head, the horned goddess looked towards the jungle, tilting her head this way and that, but of course, she was no mind reader, and could not know the whole story. She was, however, extremely good at that what she did; observe, and thus she was faintly able to tell a few things just by the tone of his voice and the scents about him, "Now, feel free to shoot me down any time, but I get the feeling you're worried about a female, is this not correct? This other irrational being you talk of, he must be a male, and years of experience tell me that you're worried for this female. The rest I am in the shadows about; I'm not a mind reader after all..." she paused and bowed her head ever so slightly at him, a cunning smile upon her maw, "There is no magic in simple deduction," she spoke, "As there is no magic within my realm; I am Truth," the smile tugged further at her maw as she lifted her head to watch him again.
At his last words, she chuckled, softly, amused, "Ah, but that's because I'm not a lion; not really, not fully. I am my realm; I represent Truth, and due to this, I am eternal," a pause, "Let's play a game, shall we then?" sitting herself down, she curled her tail around her back legs, "I'll answer a question, any question you ask, with the Truth, if you answer a question, any question I ask, with the Truth; be forewarned... you will be unable to lie to me, just like I will be unable to lie. You may ask me as many questions as you deem worthy of answering," she tilted her head, looking strangely innocent for a moment, and had her eyes not become suddenly hooded, gleaming with cunning, the mask would have stayed on. Her wings arched on her back, remaining half open, allowing the wind to filter through her feathers as she dried them off, "Come now; I'll even let you ask the first question, or would you rather I ask you first?"
It was clear to her that this lion was a follower of hers, even if he did not know this yet, "You follow my path, not Irrationality's so with it, love, that you're here, in these lands, looking oh-so-troubled?" urning her head, the horned goddess looked towards the jungle, tilting her head this way and that, but of course, she was no mind reader, and could not know the whole story. She was, however, extremely good at that what she did; observe, and thus she was faintly able to tell a few things just by the tone of his voice and the scents about him, "Now, feel free to shoot me down any time, but I get the feeling you're worried about a female, is this not correct? This other irrational being you talk of, he must be a male, and years of experience tell me that you're worried for this female. The rest I am in the shadows about; I'm not a mind reader after all..." she paused and bowed her head ever so slightly at him, a cunning smile upon her maw, "There is no magic in simple deduction," she spoke, "As there is no magic within my realm; I am Truth," the smile tugged further at her maw as she lifted her head to watch him again.
At his last words, she chuckled, softly, amused, "Ah, but that's because I'm not a lion; not really, not fully. I am my realm; I represent Truth, and due to this, I am eternal," a pause, "Let's play a game, shall we then?" sitting herself down, she curled her tail around her back legs, "I'll answer a question, any question you ask, with the Truth, if you answer a question, any question I ask, with the Truth; be forewarned... you will be unable to lie to me, just like I will be unable to lie. You may ask me as many questions as you deem worthy of answering," she tilted her head, looking strangely innocent for a moment, and had her eyes not become suddenly hooded, gleaming with cunning, the mask would have stayed on. Her wings arched on her back, remaining half open, allowing the wind to filter through her feathers as she dried them off, "Come now; I'll even let you ask the first question, or would you rather I ask you first?"
Kisoni
Nyota digested this slowly. As she sat down he came to two conclusions. One, he had gone insane from hanging about these lands too long, which was in itself an irrational response as he knew the crazy rarely considered themselves so. As that was reasoned out, the only other logical conclusion was that the female sitting before him, strange as she was, truly was a Goddess and Truth and offering him nothing but the Truth. It was odd how that logic worked out, and a small portion of his mind hummed that if something as strange as this were entirely in the realm of the Possible, then was it likely that Hadithi was actually not insane?
That thought didn't sit well with him at all, but rather than respond to this with further unease, Nyota, too, found a seat and watched the Goddess before him. "Ah," he responded with a chuckle, "But the Lady has already asked me a question, and thus I shall open your game by answering it."
Normally it wasn't in his nature to give people the entire truth about himself. He did not normally lie, not quite, but full omissions and simple side-stepping of questions wasn't truly lieing. However, as he opened his mouth he found, much to his surprise, it was as she had said: impossible for his tongue to perform its usual dance. "Your powers of deduction are quick, My Lady, I'll give you that. It is indeed a female I am worried over, a female that has been taken in by the Insanity that holds this place. I do not trust it, and rightly so in my mind, and therefor I am concerned as to how to extract her from so unique a position."
Nyota didn't question how she'd known it was a female, for it was likely the lioness could smell his daughter on his coat. Not that it would be obvious, either, that the girl was his daughter and not an intended lover of some fashion; Misae was, after all, the age for such a thing. A frown wrinkled his brow as surely as the wind tugged his mane this way and that, in laughter he could not and would not hear. "Do the elements and rocks and other such 'Muses' these lands go by truly speak?"
That thought didn't sit well with him at all, but rather than respond to this with further unease, Nyota, too, found a seat and watched the Goddess before him. "Ah," he responded with a chuckle, "But the Lady has already asked me a question, and thus I shall open your game by answering it."
Normally it wasn't in his nature to give people the entire truth about himself. He did not normally lie, not quite, but full omissions and simple side-stepping of questions wasn't truly lieing. However, as he opened his mouth he found, much to his surprise, it was as she had said: impossible for his tongue to perform its usual dance. "Your powers of deduction are quick, My Lady, I'll give you that. It is indeed a female I am worried over, a female that has been taken in by the Insanity that holds this place. I do not trust it, and rightly so in my mind, and therefor I am concerned as to how to extract her from so unique a position."
Nyota didn't question how she'd known it was a female, for it was likely the lioness could smell his daughter on his coat. Not that it would be obvious, either, that the girl was his daughter and not an intended lover of some fashion; Misae was, after all, the age for such a thing. A frown wrinkled his brow as surely as the wind tugged his mane this way and that, in laughter he could not and would not hear. "Do the elements and rocks and other such 'Muses' these lands go by truly speak?"
Dark Fire Angel
A blink, followed by a smile as the goddess closd her eyes, "Aye!" the word was chirped innocently, almost reminding of a child that had been allowed access to the cookie jar after much patience, "Inded I did!" and this said, she reopened her eyes and watched him intently as he answer; the smile that tugged at her maw twitched, something coming over her eyes that seemed to claim she knew he'd tried to lie, only to find it imposible to do so. It was always amusing for her to watch the confusion that spread over others' features at such times, "Deduction is all what I have; I lack the magic others have. I do not need it though, after all," she ran a paw through her long, pale pink hair, which had dried against the wind by then, "We can't have it all; power, intelligence and beauty; I have two of those, and part of the third... it'd not be fair on others, would it now?"
It was a gentle tease, not at him, but rather, aimed to set him at ease, in her own way. It was true she believed what she had said; she had always believed herself to be well above others, but this did not mean she thought others to be unworthy. She paused as he spoke and pondered this, "Maybe you should ask yourself if she wants to be extracted from such... unique position; I know little of the children of irrationality. I do not linger here often; I clash with their beliefs... however, they are not dangerous, and are, in fact, quite charming. In fact," she waved a paw, motioning off towards the distance, "When I met irrationality herself, I thought much the same as you do about this place; I found however, Truth and Irrationality can mingle ad be friends."
This said, she returned her gaze towards him and waited for his question, smirking slightly at it as it rolled from him maw, "Ah," she said softly, "That is tricky to answer; Muses, they call them, then?" she seemed to consider, then narrowed her eyes, "I lack the knowledge of Muhali's children's beliefs, but I will tell you this; there is spirit in everything. Rocks, trees, sand... ocean, wind, and just like all spirits, they do talk, however... only to those that listen," she lifted her head, allowing the wind to play with her bangs, "Not many are willing to listen; and some, even though they claim to listen, lie. It is hard to tell who has the gift, and whom hasn't. But to answer your question, yes they do," during her explanation she'd adopted a serious tone, however, as soon as she was done, she seemed to perk up, child-like enthusiasm coming over her features, "Now then! I sense some sort of longing from you, so I ask you this. Who is it you love?" her eyes narrowed at him, the smile that had vanished during her explanation returning, "Be careful of opening your maw, if you do not know the answer..." it was a warning, but it held mirth, for she was amused.
It was a gentle tease, not at him, but rather, aimed to set him at ease, in her own way. It was true she believed what she had said; she had always believed herself to be well above others, but this did not mean she thought others to be unworthy. She paused as he spoke and pondered this, "Maybe you should ask yourself if she wants to be extracted from such... unique position; I know little of the children of irrationality. I do not linger here often; I clash with their beliefs... however, they are not dangerous, and are, in fact, quite charming. In fact," she waved a paw, motioning off towards the distance, "When I met irrationality herself, I thought much the same as you do about this place; I found however, Truth and Irrationality can mingle ad be friends."
This said, she returned her gaze towards him and waited for his question, smirking slightly at it as it rolled from him maw, "Ah," she said softly, "That is tricky to answer; Muses, they call them, then?" she seemed to consider, then narrowed her eyes, "I lack the knowledge of Muhali's children's beliefs, but I will tell you this; there is spirit in everything. Rocks, trees, sand... ocean, wind, and just like all spirits, they do talk, however... only to those that listen," she lifted her head, allowing the wind to play with her bangs, "Not many are willing to listen; and some, even though they claim to listen, lie. It is hard to tell who has the gift, and whom hasn't. But to answer your question, yes they do," during her explanation she'd adopted a serious tone, however, as soon as she was done, she seemed to perk up, child-like enthusiasm coming over her features, "Now then! I sense some sort of longing from you, so I ask you this. Who is it you love?" her eyes narrowed at him, the smile that had vanished during her explanation returning, "Be careful of opening your maw, if you do not know the answer..." it was a warning, but it held mirth, for she was amused.
