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 Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:17 pm
Alright, that does it. A crimson-red lionness paced the floor of her den furiously. He had better fess up this time. If I have to, I'll make him talk, she vowed, flexing her ebony claws. It was as if her brother, Mahewa, had been avoiding her. He rarely came back to their den anymore, so Bele, the pride crafter, had started renovating it into her own little shop, so to speak. Part of her was worried, part of her was just angry that he rarely explained anything to her anymore. It was just "Oh, hello, Bebe, how are the orders coming?" or "Here, I brought you some dinner - it's your favorite!" or stuff that didn't really matter. His vague-ness with her was very aggravating.
Word can spread quickly through a pride. And she knew what people were saying about him. Oh yes, people talk. Sometimes customers would just babble randomly while she was fitting them with armor, and she, if anyone, knew the latest gossip. Word had it that he was growing close to a certain younger lionness that he'd tried to introduce to the pride - a dancer. Dancers seemed to be attracted to him, based on experience from his travels. It was true, his gift of song was powerfully moving, but Bele had always treasured him as her own. Bele knew she was foremost in Hewa's heart - wasn't she? Lately, things seemed to be changing.
So she finally managed to snare one of the pride's slaves to fetch him so they could talk face to face. Now, all there was to do was wait.
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:22 pm
Hewa had been in no uncertain terms surprised when the slave had turned up, summoning him to his sister's side. What could be so important that she'd send someone for him, and not just wait until she saw him? Of course, his recent business had distracted him from how long it had been since he had in fact seen, let alone talked with Bele.
Filled with concern that something was seriously wrong, he'd slipped away from the den he'd begun to share with Nasian and made his way down the worn trail towards his original home. He couldn't help but smile as he went. The way was so familiar, he could have walked it blindfolded, or blinded, perhaps. He nodded to those he came to and passed, and ignored any slaves. Originally they had distressed him, but growing up with such things around, he'd begun to ignore them, and more, simply not see them. There was nothing he could do anyway. Not yet.
"Bele!" He called, reaching the den. It smelled powerfully of his red sister, and faintly of himself still. That made him smile. "What's wrong, is something the matter?" Still, he was concerned, and he slipped into the cavern immediately, looking around for any blood or other marker of a major event.
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:38 pm
Bele spun round immediately at the sound of her brother's voice, a raging jade fire in her eyes. "You are the matter, brother," she spat, putting more emphasis than really necessary on the last word. "Why don't I ever see you anymore?" she cried, several emotions displaying themselves at once. "This pride isn't that big. You never come home anymore." And I haven't heard your song in so long, she thought pleadingly, but didn't voice it. "I've heard things - lots of things! - about what? A dancer?" Bele's voice went up an octave with stress. "You never talk to me. Is this, this other female, more important than me?" she began to accuse him as desperation set in. "I'm your sister, your Bebe!" She wanted to purr against his cheek and lick his forehead like she always did when they were young. But somehow, that wouldn't seem fitting for the moment, so she just scratched small furrows in the earth with her claws instead, making the ground receive her wrath.
She felt a powerful rage, but there was more; she was definetly concerned, almost like a mother when her cub has gone missing. But there was a hint of something else - jealousy?
Then she smelled it. He was practically drenched in the scent of another lionness. It was the same lionness who had come to her as a customer recently, the one Bele had already suspected had ties to Hewa. Great Mkodi, she swore. He isn't living with her? Is he?
Hewa is mine. Kasedya was one thing. Bele could tell the young lionness was obsessed with him, but Bele was satisfied knowing Hewa didn't return her affection. Now that Hewa's heart was drifting, Bele felt torn - and vengeful.
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Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:55 am
Hewa winced at Bele's tone, his smile becoming more nervous. She was...really angry! He hadn't seen her this upset since, well, he really hadn't seen her this mad! "Uhm...I've been busy I guess..." Was Bele jealous of Nasian maybe? He was starting to get that feeling, and he realized then that he'd never really thought about how his sister might take to his being around other folks more than her. She had trailed him during all of his travels, hadn't she?
He also hadn't considered hos his smell had changed, but the pain on his sister's face was enough to remind him. Damn...she really is upset, isn't she? What could he say? His thoughts raced, but came up empty. "No one's more important than you, Bebe, it's just..." How could he tell her? Explain what he'd been feeling lately, the things he'd done...
Maybe he'd made the wrong decision. His sister hadn't done anything like he had, maybe...maybe there was something wrong with him for wanting to be with a female! They weren't mates or anything, and he'd...
He drooped a bit, no more able to move to Bele's side to comfort her than she was he. "I'm sorry...Lately I've just been...Distracted. I'm doing it for the pride and...and myself, I suppose." He could at least be honest now that it came down to it, right? Bele would forgive him, right?...Right...
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Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 6:43 am
"Doing it for the pride," he'd said. That much Bele could understand. In the time she'd spent here, she'd grown very loyal to the pride. It was her home, her place of work. It was her future. She, too, would have done much for this place - she loved it. Perhaps more than Hewa, she thought darkly, though he had been the one to introduce her to the Aikanaro'hini in the first place.... But he was also doing it "for himself." That hurt. It proved he had grown attached to the new female; part of his heart had been moved in her direction, and away from Bele.
But Bele had never loved. She didn't understand how a heart would grow with love when another player enters the game. That was for her future - and who knows? - it may or may not be closer than she could ever have imagined. There was certainly potential, but Bele didn't love. Her heart belonged to Hewa in a way that only a best friend and sibling could know, but there was a distance.
Therefore, it was unlikely Bele could forgive him until she herself knew that love, and that wasn't likely to happen any time soon. She couldn't imagine how Hewa could just leave her like that. While it was true Hewa wasn't officially mates with the female (she would have heard the gossip if that were true), she knew that something was happening.
Logically, it made sense. The pride leaders' offspring were overflowing in the pride, and if some new cubs weren't born from outside influences, the pride would have to resort to inbreeding, and that could be catastrophic. They needed cubs, and badly. I hate cubs, she thought to herself, her mind filled with loathing. That's never gonna happen to me.
Her voice was stiff and low, some of her anger passing quickly into jealousy and heartbreak; yes, she was jealous. She had met Nasain, and though her passion for Bele's beautiful crafts was pleasing, there was something about her that seemed foul and sneaky. She had heard his defense, though it was weak, and there had been a long awkward pause of her pacing while Hewa looked on helplessly. "You're doing it..... for the pride," she said. It wasn't much of a response, and it was hard to tell if it was a question or a statement, even to her. She wouldn't let herself answer to his excuses; it hurt too much. "Hewa," she had to tell him before she lost the bit of his heart she kept so dear. "Just know that I love you." Bele sighed, turning to face him again, her jade eyes burning into his. "And don't you forget it."
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Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 4:13 pm
He at first didn't understand why Bele was saying these things. It sounded like she was leaving..or he was leaving. He felt like something had gone wrong right in front of him but he just couldn't see what. Never the brightest when it came to emotions and females, let alone the emotions OF females, he was at a loss.
Was she mad at him? He thought so, but she said she loved him. So she wasn't mad? But she was mad...
"Bele, I love you too...you know I do! If this is because I haven't been visiting..." He took a tentative step forward. "I will Bele...I just thought you wanted your own space. You seemed happy with it, with all your things..." He looked around briefly at the crafted items strewn around the den. "I thought I might get in the way."
"Just because I'm not here doesn't mean I'm not thinking about you Bebe. You're my sister, you know? After this long together you think I could forget you?"
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Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 7:33 pm
The lioness smiled, satisfied that at least he wasn't avoiding her because of his own feelings. But still, she had grown lonely without her lifelong companion and brother. "Thank you for your consideration, Hewa," she said. "Space in my den is nice for all these things -" she flicked her tail absently at a pile skulls with red-painted tribal markings "- but space in my heart does nothing but hurt." The majority of Bele's anger had faded now; there was now just a twinge of longing and bitter disappointment. "The thought of another female occupying your time as you leave me be just makes me..." She trailed off, her eyes wandering. She would never admit to being jealous; not even to Hewa - especially not to Hewa, in this situation.
"But I'm not afraid of you forgetting me, dear brother," she said almost mischievously after a long pause. "I just know that you would rather be elsewhere, that's all." Or at least, that's what it looks like, she added silently to herself.
But this topic was starting to bother her. She had heard his defense and wanted no more of this conversation; she would have to sort out the rest of the twists in her heart on her own. It was time to move on. "So how about those teeth you wanted to bring me, Hewa?" she said briskly, letting her business-tone empower her once more. "Found a way to get your own set of our little secret." She couldn't help but put a little too much emphasis on the "our." Their earlier conversation was still ringing in her ears.
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Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 12:08 pm
When Bele changed the topic Hewa let it go. If she felt reassured, then he was glad. He really did love her, more than anyone else. She was his family, his only family, and very dear to him.
"Ah of course! I have been working on it. Just a moment, actually." Hewa ducked out of the den and loped off a ways to a large rock. A moment of fussing at it, shifting it over some, and he was headed back, his mouth full of teeth (aside from those attached to his mouth, that is.) "Here...I hope it's enough." He dropped the small bones at Bele's feet and smiled up at her. "Did you want to do them now or later?" He had time to spend...They could catch up, talk about what they'd each been up to since last they met.
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Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 10:53 am
Bele's eyes glittered at the shining white bones, pleased that her brother had finally come through. There were exactly eight, just the right number. He didn't have the other two needed for his dewclaws, but that was no problem. Bele herself never used the dewclaws for anything other than crafting, and Hewa would only be using his for fighting and hunting. "Yes, now is a fine time," she said, almost distractedly; her mind was already going through the process of crafting the weapons. "If you have time to be fitted now, of course?" She glanced up hopefully. She couldn't begin the project until she had his measurements.
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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 8:01 am
Hewa almost sighed with relief. He'd been worried the teeth wouldn't be of high enough quality. It had been difficult prying them out of those skulls...
"Of course I have time, Bele. I always have time for you!" He shoved his sister playfully before sitting back and flexing his claws. "Which foot do you want first?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:20 am
Bele growled playfully at him, glad to at least still have the old Hewa she could romp with. "Let's just take the left one," she said, crouching down close to examine his paw. "I know your right paw is dominant, so I wouldn't want to run the risk of damaging it while I'm testing your claws."
She took her time examining each individual claw, using her own to test its flexibility and maximum length, as well as how far back into its sheath it went. She tested to see how the claws moved, asking him to raise and lower his paw; to put all of his weight on that single leg; to walk around for a bit; and to pounce on a soft bush then a hard rock, all with his claws extended. The new claws had to become part of him, and she had to know exactly how they would fit in with his own body. Humans might have used rulers or measuring tape, but Bele's own eyes and memory were perfectly capable of judging the necessary lengths - part of her gift from Sanaa.
After his careful process, she took time to figure out exactly which tooth would go with exactly which claw. If a certain tooth were not long enough or hard enough for a particular claw, it would not last the carving process or the wear and tear of rugged fighting. For instance, a tooth fitted to the innermost claw would have to be stronger than a tooth fitted to the outermost claw. This is because the innermost claws work like forefingers - they are the most used.
"Alright," she finally said with a smile. "One down, one to go. Are you ready for the next test?" she asked, setting the teeth for the left foot carefully aside.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:50 am
Hewa nodded and held out the paw for her. He went through her tests, pouncing this and attacking that with an almost childish sense of fun. It was almost like a game for him, though he knew it was work for Bele. Like tag or the smelling-things game, it tested a part of your skills.
He got a little nervous when Bele started looking through the teeth he'd brought. He thought they'd been okay in size, but he knew she was a perfectionist when it came to her craft. What seemed just fine in his eyes might have been poor quality in hers. Still, she seemed to find things in order, and a moment later he nodded to her.
"Oh you better bet I am Bebe. I just hope you're not givving me mismatched claws on purpose, so the next time I pounce something I just fall over. You wouldn't do that to me now, would you?" He grinned, teasing, and readied himself.
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Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:49 pm
"The next test," she said slowly, filling the moment with suspense. "Is for you to go be with your love. Love her. But keep me always in your mind. Return to me for your claws, and always remember my love for you." She pressed her cheek against his, licking his forehead as he always did when they were younger. They held the moment, almost like a goodbye, a conclusion of this phase of their lives. He would be with this other female, and she would have to accept that. He was her brother, not her mate, and he would have to find his own love. "I will always be your Bebe."
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