[AIM - Log] Ayita'Guban [Hifadhi/Ngao] (Finished)

[demonstration_evil]

Hafadhi practiced his art. The technique of the Ayita'Guban had been handed down for generations, and though he was not of the original bloodline, he carried it's inner-workings with pride. Ngao was equally as excellent as Hifadhi had been in his youth, and watching her move with him always made him happy. Though he knew he could no longer keep up... which he would never admit.

Speed was key. Ayita'Guban relied heavily on the theory that 'if you can't catch me, you can't hurt me'. Agility, dodging, jumping, that was important... and he couldn't do much of it anymore. Despite his age, he was still faster than the average lion... but he was losing it. Faster and faster with every passing month... But no. He must not let Ngao know that.

Pepo watched from the side-lines, tilting his head as he witnessed the two masters work on their technique. They still had a lot of recovery to do now that the earthquake was over... but it seemed that the old Captain and the new Captain were managing welll enough. Or at least, the bird hoped so.  

[demonstration_evil]

The earthquake had completely shaken the stability of the pride. It was bad luck, perhaps, that the event took place not long after Ngao took her place as Captain. She was left to deal with a splintered pride in which she couldn't protect all of its members...something that was more devistating than words could explain. What was the point, if she couldn't be there when she was needed? She was left to pick up the pieces, far more than most understood. But she still had much to protect. No matter how dire things seemed, she had to keep watch of the members she had with her.

In her line of work doing her job also meant continual practice. One never becomes the mater...one can never learn too much or make one's skills too sharp. So that meant, even in this time of crisis and stress and worry, she would practice with her mentor.

Ngao stood poised, facing her former Captain warily. Just because it was simple sparing did not mean she didn't wish to put forth her best. It was the only way she could ever be strong enough for her pride. She had much to do. She waited, her body quiet but her posture like a coiled snake, seeminly harmless but ready to move within moments.  

[demonstration_evil]

Hifadhi began to move around her, a slow circle, beginning further out and moving slowly inwards towards her. He had to measure carefully... not since the incident with the elephant had he been careless with his body - except perhaps when he pulled Elea from the rubble after the earthquake. But if he pushed himself too far... he had limits. Limits which he must not let the others see.

"Remember... even when I am behind you, you must have an escape plan." He coached as he moved. One was never too old to learn, this he knew well, and though his body was not all it had been, his mind was still sharp. At the very least, if he could not share with Ngao his fighting skills any longer, he could share his mind.

He moved forward, lunging towards her from her left side, aiming slightly behind his old apprentice. One could never be too careful... if she moved backwards, she would meet him, instead of freedom. Normally, he would suggest that so that they would be able to counter to the side... but he did like to mix things up.

"Always with their little jabs..." Pepo rolled his eyes, preening himself absently. "Lions. Can't do nothing with them."  

[demonstration_evil]

Ngao was ready. And though she'd never admit it to him, she knew she was more suited to this tyle than he. Being female, slimmer and more agile fit the style far better than the bulk of a male. But she never took him lightly. At least, not out of arrogance.

Her reflexes snapped forward as she jumped, her body twisting slightly to miss his swipe. But her jump wasn't angled away; she slipped towards him, closing the gap. Upon landing both paws lifted swiftly in a quick upper-cut, her shoulder rotating back to make room. Her body was far more ready for a miss than a hit.

"A good defense can simply be a strong offense! You taught me that too!"  

[demonstration_evil]

Hifadhi chuckled as he stepped backwards. It looked nimble... he was sure that he fooled her, even by adding in a small smirk... but the effort to dodge her attacks was taking its toll on him. She was fantastic, there was no doubt in his mind about that. He was even -with some prompting from Pepo- beginning to admit that she was better than he could have ever hoped to have been.

"Well done... and it is a true fact." He said, stepping back and crouching, prepared to spring. He was willing to bet that the only reason he had stayed out of her reach was because he had aimed behind her instead of towards her, "But don't neglect your defenses... be self aware, always. Know your surroundings. They can be your downfall, if you'll recall from my own idiocy." Reference to the elephant... blasted thing.

"It's good to learn from your own experiences, but don't forget mine!" Hifadhi reminded her, beginning to circle again.  

[demonstration_evil]

Forget his? How could she ever forget? The image was burned into her mind to this day. The terrible amount of blood...blood she had never thought to see. Not belonging to Hifadhi. But now...after that it was hard not to notice. She had been blind by idealization for the longest time...it seemed now every mistake or every extra breath he took was impossible to miss. It had been there for a while...she just hadn't seen it. She hadn't let herself see. Because if she had, she knew she would worry. How could she not? Hifadhi might as well have called himself her father.

"It is also good to remember that this is a fight...not a conversation!" She called, jerking her body forward into a sprint. When she came within a few feet she swerved, sliding her body quickly in the opposite direction and lashing quickly at him with spread claws.  

[demonstration_evil]

Hifadhi nodded and dropped to the ground as she came at him, falling flat on his chest and letting her attack go straight over him. Close. Still so close... too close. An attack he would have been able to dodge effortlessly in his youth. But he had to remember that was gone now. For all his annoying habbits, his bonded Pepo had been a big help in constantly reminding Hifadhi that he was NOT a young lion anymore. And after his accident, he knew that Ngao must be catching on as well. But she couldn't know. He couldn't let her worry, not when she had so many other things to do as the new Captain.

That didn't stop the abrupt fall from knocking the wind out of him. He let out a small gasp, and began to cough a little, taking a long gasping breath, "Damn..." He cursed absently, when he managed to pull himself together again. But that was all he said. No jokes. No nothing. Just frustration.  

[demonstration_evil]

Ngao landed just a bit behind him. Instictively she whirled, ready to attack again. But it was then that her pulse jerked upwards and she stopped. After taking a breath she took a few calm steps backwards. Or at least, they might have appeared calm.

She watched him carefully, her expression guarded to hide the worry. She knew, perhaps more than anyone, that as a guard she had to keep a solid bit of confidence. Showing any amount of fear or worry she felt, no matter how great, was foolish. In fact, it was dangerous. But with Hifadhi it was very hard to hide.

"Let's stop for now," she murmured firmly, though there was a hint of softness in her tone of voice.  

[demonstration_evil]

"I'll be alright Ngao... just let me catch my breath." The older lion said, standing shakily, while Pepo flew in beside him, looking annoyed as the bird often did.

"What are you trying to do old man? Kill yourself? Listen to the girl and sit down." He said sternly, pointing with his wing, "Now!"

Hifadhi was almost glad for Pepo's intervention. He most certainly would have kept on fighting if he hadn't... which would have been stupid, but as he and Ngao both knew, a guard must not show weakness. Especially not a former Captain of the Guard, like Hifadhi was, "Pepo, if I need your opinion on a bird's dinner menu, then I will ask you. What do you know about fighting?"

"Well, I know when to take a break." The bird said bluntly, then he rounded on Ngao, "And look at you... macho lady. Clearly you need to take a break. You're sweaty... and starting to smell."

"...you're very lucky no one has eaten you yet." Hifadhi muttered, rolling his eyes as he stood up and found a shady spot to lie down in, "We need to continue our training. Now more than ever with the Pride so vulnerable. Your chatter isn't helping bird."  

[demonstration_evil]

Ever serious, Ngao paid little mind to the bird's comments. Or perhaps her mind was simply far too clouded to bother with such bander. Her silence was heavy, as weighty as the thoughts that were pressing down upon her heart right now. Hifadhi...no matter how tough he acted, she saw it all now. And it hurt to admit that her mentor's body was failing. That he just wasn't up to working with her anymore. She should have seen it coming...why else would he have passed on Captainship to her? It was like an omen, telling her that his days were passing.

She moved over and slowly took a seat at his side, her eyes gazing idly out across the landscape. She could see Hofu wheeling in the skies above, keeping watch...just like she had asked. She lowered her head a little. She was avoiding moving forward, she knew. But she knew what needed to be said.

"Hifadhi..." she murmured, choosing her words carefully and slowly, "Perhaps it'd be best...perhaps it's time...that you let yourself rest....for good this time." She waited, as if the word was hard to say. It was. It wasn't something she could honestly imagine, but if she didn't say it...he'd never even consider it on his own. If something happened to him before than, she'd never forgive herself.

"Maybe...you should retire."  

[demonstration_evil]

Hifadhi blinked and stood upright quickly, his eyes angry for a brief flash, "Excuse me? Retire? Rest? Right now, when the pride is in such danger, how could I possibly back down? We need every able hand we've got, and I've already proven that I can." He said, his voice cold, and very much like whiplash.

"When Elea was injured, it was I who rescued her, not you or anyone else. How could you ask me to do something like that, at the worst possible moment?" His anger was escalating, but he forced it down. Yelling at Ngao would do no one any good. And it certainly didn't make him feel any better.

He took another deep breath to calm himself and shook his head, "No. No I cannot, Ngao. Not now... perhaps once this whole incident has been resolved. But right now... no. We need everyone we can get right now. I can be useful, and I will not have you worrying over nothing at all. Just becasue I'm old doesn't mean I can't help."  

[demonstration_evil]

Ngao's expression flinched to stone as her ears snapped back. He might has well have struck her-it would have hurt less. She was not used to Hifadhi's disapproval, let alone anger. It happened, but it was never something she would get used to. Especially when she was certain this time it was not her mistake. She had not fumbled with her footing or dropped her guard in a sparing match. This was serious and he was too stubborn to see it.

"You aren't nothing to worry about, not now when you aren't pacing yourself properly," she replied just as coldly to hide her hurt. They might not be blood related, but she did take after her father-figure in some respects. "I have to keep what I have of the pride here together and running smoothly and safe...do you think I need the extra worry of you over-doing it? Unless you tone it down a little, what am I supposed to think?"

She took a breath, trying her best to relax her stiff, defensive posture as she looked away. She mumbled almost sulkily, letting a bit of her emotion for Hifadhi slip through, "How is that fair to any of us? If we lost you...?"  

[demonstration_evil]

Now it was Hifadhi's turn to look hurt as Ngao drove home the last point. "You're right Ngao..." He said quietly, his anger dissapearing, though his voice was still very stern, "And I have no intention of leaving you at any time in the near future. But if I retire, I will be one more useless mouth to feed. I will not have that."

He looked at her and sighed, his face open, but still not revealing much about his inner feelings, "I will try to... as you say, tone it down and not over-do it. I will support you where I can, but don't expect me to sit back and do nothing when there is some way I can help you. You and everyone else... not when so much is going wrong." He smiled a little... though it was forced. He wanted to be angry, to be furious... but Ngao was so much like a daughter to him...

"Do not let me be one more worry for you. I'll watch myself more carefully now." He nodded towards Pepo, "And if I don't, he most certainly will. But if you expect me to fade away, I will not." He put his foot down on that one. He would not retire. He would not fade away. He couldn't... he couldn't be no one. He couldn't be useless. He would rather be dead. "So please, there are many other things to worry about. I will not add to things."  

[demonstration_evil]

Ngao sighed, her expression softening ever so slightly as she gave him a sideways glance. "You could never...fade away, Hifadhi," she whispered. She wasn't the poetic sort, nor was she cuddly or sappy in any way but...Hifadhi could never be gone. He had made such an impact on too many people...no, he could never "fade". She didn't know how to tell him that, how to tell him that no matter what, if to no one else but her, he could never ever simply disappear.

"...never." She shook her head, wishing for one of the few times in her life that she could in fact express herself a bit better. She was of a perfect mind to be a guard, or even the Captain that she was today, but...she wasn't sure she had ever been good at being a daughter.

"I'm not asking you to stop, but please...take it easy when you can," she murmured. She wanted to ask him to have a little more faith in her...that she could do the job he had given her. But somehow she knew she was wrong to doubt his confidence in her.  

[demonstration_evil]

Hifadhi sighed, "I will... take it easy. But do not expect me to do nothing for you or anyone else. Not when we need all the able-bodied paws we have... and I may be old, but I'm certainly capable." He informed her, continuing to stand her ground... but... she had seemed sad... and making Ngao unhappy was never something he had wanted.

But for the sake of the pride, he had to keep fighting. It wasn't that he didn't trust Ngao, that wasn't it in the least... but they did need everyone, and though not like he used to, Hifadhi could still hunt. He could still help... and he wished that Ngao's words could have comforted him more, but they didn't. He had already lost nearly everyone in his life, to age or the early death that often came with protecting a pride. Eventually, like it or not, he would fade. It was the least he could do to burn brightly, while he still could.

"Besides, someone has to watch your back. Someone you can count on. You have never let me down Ngao, I owe you my life." Hifadhi promised her, "So now let me try... if I can, to continue to help the Captain of the Guard. It's the least I can do for you."