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 Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 10:57 am
Her pace was steady and her appearance stalwart, but Nasiha's mind was anything but. She'd been wondering for days now, wondering and praying that the worries in her head were nothing more than just paranoid suspicions.
She was through with wondering though, because wondering never got anyone anywhere. If she wanted the truth, she was going to have to find out for herself, though she was concerned over how she would handle the answer she'd been given.
Her striped paws carried her to the whereabouts where she'd seen him last. Could he really be the one behind it? She knew... she knew he was capable of it, anyone was really, but...was he really the one responsible?
No, she thought to herself, it COULDN'T be...
She'd trusted Mtenga. She'd been the one to convince Kimacho to trust Mtenga. There was no way she could be wrong about this..... right?
"MTENGA!" she hollered out, beckoning the red male out from wherever he was. She knew he'd be around here, but had no patience today to search him out. "Mtenga, we need to talk!"
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 11:58 am
 Idle eyes soon blinked open in surprise, and the rested form of Mtenga awakened to the abrupt sounding of Nasiha, his one and only companion. The red form slowly moved into action as the buzzing sounds began to reverberate through his head once more. This had better be good, but, having trusted the female for as long as he did, she wouldn't call upon him for anything less, right?
So the brusque male sat upright, looking dazedly for where Nasiha was coming from, and recoiled a bit when he realized the urgency and harshness emitting from the feminine voice.
It didn't take long for the white and black lioness to discover Mtenga's whereabouts - she always knew where to find him in his solitude, after all. Over the weeks, especially, she had become particularly skilled in this hide-and-seek sleuthing manner, and the male simply resigned himself to accepting her intrusion on his time.
"Nasiha?" he inquired weakly, furrowing his brow. "What happened? What is it?"
As if he didn't comprehend or know from intuition the female's intentions, Mtenga already offered up his concern over Nasiha's welfare.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 10:56 pm
It didn't take long before she found his form, relaxed and sprawled out from a nap she'd just disturbed. She hated the fact that she'd awakened him, hell, she hated the fact she'd even suspect him of doing such a deed.
It was possible, though, and as there was a possibility, Nasiha knew she could not rest until her questions were answered.
Not one to beat around the bush, the striped lioness took a deep breath before staring down Mtenga.
"I want to talk to you about Epesi." She started off, keeping her focus on his face for any sign of change. "I... we both know of your past, Mtenga, and while that was seasons ago, habits and lifestyles are hard to change..."
She knew she was rambling by this point, and her focus was lost from him. No, what was she doing? This was Mtenga she was talking about. Poor misunderstood Mtenga, who only needed a friend, not another lion against him...
But Epesi had been her friend as well, and look where he'd ended up.
Her red eyes returning to stare into his orange ones, her eyebrows narrowed.
"Mtenga, tell me...did you kill Epesi?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 1:05 am
He tried to put on a smile, small as it was, for the approaching Nasiha. It was awkward for him to communicate in that manner, for throughout his past, he generally had nothing that would elicit such action. But Nasiha taught him over the past few weeks the feelings that usually associated with smiles, and with that, the red brute was slowly warming up to the idea of... actually being content. Happy.
Though he was still a young student in that regard, the look the smaller female was giving him didn't seem like it was very happy at all. In fact, her glare bordered on frightening Mtenga, so much that he lost any trace of peace that calmed his body whenever Nasiha showed up. Well, this was unusual.
When the first words came out of her, Mtenga looked to the side and wheezed to the ground, blocking any of Nasiha's intentions to observe his facial reaction. His mind's buzz raised in volume, thinking back to the recently deceased, not wanting to shift through his memories - for that usually accompanied something painful. Why would she want to talk about Epesi, anyways? Sure she got along with him great on the trip - but she got along with everyone else. There was nothing markedly special about the dead lion, or rather, nothing Mtenga cared to think about, anyways. He was rather irate whenever he was around, but it was good, then, that he knew to keep Mtenga's loneliness sacred--Epesi knew what was good for him.
He was about to inquire why Nasiha wanted to talk about the fallen traveler until she continued her words, and Mtenga was left mildly shocked, turning his head back to his female companion, mouth slightly agape. His mood worsened when the inevitable question came, that it took a long time in his mind to restrain himself from lashing out at the interrogator.
"What are you trying to imply? I killed Epesi?" he said with a little venom, more of a combined statement than question.
Mtenga's own fiery eyes narrowed on Nasiha's criminalizing ones and began filling with anger - but he knew he had to hold it back. It was Nasiha. If it was her off day, there had better be a good reason for it, and it had better be over with soon, or else he couldn't be held accountable for anything he was provoked to do.
Mumbling, he answered, "I told you my past so I could warn you. I let you continue knowing it because I thought you could handle it. Handle it well."
He breathed out roughly, hesitating as he said the next part, "Thought you could handle it better than I can handle myself. And now, you're cornering me to account for that mate of that dark red capricious one. This is a joke."
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Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:33 am
She felt her face burning with embarrassment as he responded, knowing full well that she deserved his wrath for making such an insinuation. Her ears fell back as he continued, her thoughts racing wildly as her mind attempted to digest his response.
Mtenga was too good of a lion to return to the lifestyle he had before... no, she'd seen him, she'd been with him, he was her friend; there was no way he'd intentionally kill something. But... as it had been his life before, there was nothing to say his anger couldn't resurface once more, right?
"It's okay, Mtenga," she attempted to reassure him, taking one step forward cautiously. If it was true that his rage had returned, she could very well be in danger's path this very moment for enraging him further.
No, she thought, taking another step forward, Mtenga would never hurt me.
"Things... things happen," Her red eyes pleaded with him, looking for reassurance in return from him, "I know your past haunts you. I know you could still be dealing with it...that's why, I mean, if you did do something like that, you know you could tell me. I just want to help you, please don't be mad at me. I understand anger, things... things can happen that we don't mean to happen, after all."
Taking one more step in his direction, she moved to nuzzle the side of his head with her own, attempting to show him that she wasn't afraid, that she was there for him.
"You can tell me, Mtenga, I just... I just want to know."
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Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:16 am
His guard had already raised from the first questions that came out of Nasiha's mouth, so Mtenga could not find it in himself to calm despite the female's more compassionate attempt at divulging information. To her statement of reassurance, he muttered under his breath. She was patronizing him. This only served to anger him further.
Mtenga eyed Nasiha in half skepticism, half apprehension as she took the two steps that brought her closer to him. Well, if she was going to do anything else to rile him up more, it would be far too late for her if she had to run away without getting a scratch.
"Things happen?" he repeated in disbelief.
"...No. I thought I could tell you. No, I have no reason to trust you if you think that of me... You know well that I am trying to escape that life. You will never understand my anger."
When Nasiha went in for an embrace, he was conflicted. While he had learned to enjoy these moments with her, it felt false this time. With his anxiety stemming from that, her next words made him quick to withdraw in a snarl from her touch.
"What?" he hissed, head wrinkling as the pain it contained escalated, "What do you want to know? That I did it because no one dares to talk to me? That because I'm not someone like your cousin, with a perfectly commendable history, that I killed some scrawny lion not worth my time in blood? Tell me, Nasiha, that this is a joke."
A claw irritably unsheathed and scratched the floor before him, and Mtenga threatened, "And you'll leave me alone if you know what is good for you. I am straining to contain myself."
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Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:39 am
Her hopeful expression turned crestfallen with every word he uttered. Why didn't he understand that she just wanted closure? A bird never forgets how to fly, an antelope never forgets how to leap, and a lion never forgets how to kill. Judging by his past, could he not see how liable Epesi's death would make him appear?
"Trying," she echoed, her voice firm. Her eyes betrayed her worry, though, as she looked up into his. "You said you are trying to escape that life. We all slip up, Mtenga. I just wanted to know, that's all! Don't you see how this would make you look, if others found out... found out about what you've done?"
She could feel the hairs on her back rise when Mtenga spoke of Kimacho, when he continued on to insist she give in and reveal some sort of joke.
"Do you not realize how Kimacho would see you, if he knew about all those that you've killed?" Her voice was soft, but unwavering. She loved her cousin dearly and she knew he loved her as well, but even despite their sibling-like relationship, there would be no help for Mtenga if Kimacho were to believe the red lion killed Epesi. "But if I were to tell him, if we could explain to him about your problem, you'd surely be spared! How could they judge you for that which you cannot control? I'm not going to just leave you, Mtenga, I'm going to help you!"
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Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 4:20 pm
Oblivious to Nasiha's gradual loss of spirit, Mtenga also found it easy to filter out any signs of goodwill in her reasoning. He had a low threshold for the negativity and offense Nasiha seemed to be willingly offering, so he drew harshness from her words rather than the kindness she meant.
He couldn't even look at her anymore. So, when Nasiha looked up at him, he turned away, frustrated by the sight. What more could he say to her that she wouldn't misunderstand? Obviously, she was not following him. She was dedicated to one accusation, and it was not pleasant to hear her speak against him. She had been the only one not to until this point.
He was wrong to trust her.
"Spared," was the only word he could repeat from Nasiha's speech. "Spared for something I am thought to have committed. There is no proof. I will not tell you what you want to hear and admit that I am what everyone thinks because I am 'troubled'. You're just like the rest, aren't you."
Mtenga had to close his eyes to suppress his ever increasing rage, wishing that he had never confided in Nasiha. He was back to being alone again - perhaps that was the way life meant for him to be. Especially losing the only one he could turn to in the past... He was alone.
"I'm only to say this once. To my knowledge, I have not done anything. Yet," he added, opening his eyes enough to squint at the fur of white and black.
"You can help me by shutting up," Mtenga spat at her, now forgoing all positive emotions Nasiha used to make him feel--all the enjoyable times he had with her, "One more warning."
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Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 3:14 pm
She was losing him, she could see it in his eyes.
"No, Mtenga..." she begun, her face becoming more distressed, more frantic at the idea that he was turning away from her. This wasn't what she wanted at all! She wanted Epesi's death to be resolved, true, but finding out an answer at the cost of a friendship? Had she found out the true answer, or was Mtenga leading her astray intentionally with his offended words?
No, she trusted Mtenga, he would never lie to her. If she gave up on trusting him now, why would he have any reason to trust her?
"I just want you to be safe. I don't want to see anything happen to you!"
His words were venomous and she could sense the threats that laced them. Would he truly hurt her? No... no, Mtenga was just talk. He'd never been aggressive towards her, he wouldn't. Mtenga was a good lion.
"I won't leave you, Mtenga." She said at last, her chin held high. "I won't give up on you. I want to help you, I'm not like the others! Just tell me, tell me and I can make sure you're kept safe!"
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Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 4:19 pm
"LIES!" Mtenga roared suddenly and directly, slamming a clawed paw to the ground.
He knew she was too good to be true. Every word that started to come out of Nasiha now seemed fancy and misleading. He gave her his answer, yet she was pushing his patience. What more did the stupid lioness want?
He only wanted peace, quiet, and acceptance; not being cornered as a common murderer. He was much more than that.
Epesi wasn't even worth anything to him. Of all others, Nasiha shouldn't have been the one questioning him; yet here she was, the first to hassle him to confess such a crime. Mtenga was torn and brokenhearted. He would be the last to admit it, but before today, he realized that he grew very fond of Nasiha, knowing that he could find solace with her beautiful soul and constant companionship. Obviously, he was wrong. It was a huge mistake in trusting the lioness, but he would not make it again.
"GO AWAY!" Mtenga yelled mightily, extracting his paws and claws from the sanded ground in an offensive movement towards Nasiha.
He growled and made a leap to subtract the short distance that separated the two in a frenzy, mouth open in a snarl; he wanted to push her away, until she was gone. She needed to get out of his sight, or else.
"NOW," Mtenga emphasized, making a move to snap at Nasiha with his fangs.
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:00 am
She could feel the tears welling in her eyes as she watched his reaction to her words. No... it wasn't supposed to be like this! He was supposed to realize, supposed to know how much he was at risk, not get angry at her for trying to help!
His roar was startling, a strange opposite of what Nasiha was used to. The Mtenga she cared for was calm, quiet, and just a bit grumpy. Not this... this monster that was revealing himself!
Although she considered herself to be a formidable opponent, she could not fight Mtenga, not her friend. So as he advanced at her, she stepped backwards, wary of the rageful expression he had on his face. Maybe he did have intentions to hurt her, after all? Were the demons so strong within him that he would even strike the lioness who wanted nothing more than to help him, when no one else would?
"I'm... I'm SORRY!" She choked out before turning around. Frightened by this new Mtenga, Nasiha bounded away from the red lion as fast as she could, refusing to glance back at him, less he see the tears begin to fall down her cheeks.
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 3:15 pm
Nasiha asked for it. Mtenga was able to keep a respectable composure with her before; throughout all those times, she claimed that she understood him. She claimed that she trusted him so that he could learn to trust her too, in time. It had taken a while, but he gave in, and listened to her, thinking that for once in his life, there could have been someone else who would listen and see him for what he was worth, past the scarred exterior. For once in his life, maybe there was someone who could make a good judgment even though they had not been a part of his past.
Enraged eyes locked warily onto the white and black striped form, whose image was blurring, getting dimmer as the fired up blood ran through Mtenga's body. He could barely hear her parting words as he spat once more in Nasiha's direction, completely unaware of the lioness's emotions. His head throbbed in agony, that there was very little he could stand to do without collapsing from the adrenaline of the encounter. So he simply closed his eyes, knowing that Nasiha was not in front of him anymore, nor was she someone to be trusted. He settled on the dusty ground again, fading into the pains that he knew well.
And Mtenga was alone once more.
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