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 Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:24 pm
Nav'hian had woken them both early that morning, so they could start early. Furaha'ini had still not forgiven him, but to be honest, he hadn't really expected her to. Not yet. Wait until she saw the pride lands. She would forgive him then. Who could resist the beautiful pridal lands of the Ukuucha'Wafalme?
Nav'hian was in a daze as he walked, his heart throbbing painfully as his breath came out in heavy pants in his tiredness, but he didn't want to stop. He was so close. So close! He was almost home, after so many years, he was almost home. So many things would have changed, he knew, he hadn't been home since he was barely an adolescent.
He was vaguely aware that Furaha'ini was still following him, as he occasionally glanced back to make sure she was still there. Of course, if she had tried to make a run for it, he would have followed her without hesitation and dragged her back by the fur if he had to. He wasn't coming this close to let her get away now! In the distance, he spotted a familiar looking landscape.
"We're here," he said, with a gasp. His eyes lit up and he looked younger, and more cub-like then he had before. He wanted to sprint that last few steps, but he knew that she would not be able to keep up. Walking on her injured paw, would not help it heal, or feel better. He looked back, and grinned at her.
He was almost home!
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Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:42 pm
This did not mean she was quite her perky self either, however. She had remaind silent since that first day, saying nothing to the male that had captured her. What she did do was watch him. She spent the past few days learning his movements, memorizing the line of his nose, the curve of his ears. She watched his eyes most intently, though he seemed mostly unaware of her scruity. She wasn't overt about it, so that wasn't a surprise. She had concluded by the evening of that first long, long day that if she could not escape this new reality, she must learn to live with it. So she spent her time studying him.
She had learned how he fretted, how he chafed to be home. It was in the way he restlessly moved, the stiffness in his spine, the urgent tones he woke her with. She had learned that she indeed was only as important as her presence, nothing more. His eyes were always on the horizon, roving forwards, side to side, searching with almost frantic fervor. As long as she was there, that was all he cared about. It was a heavy burden to bear for her young heart, to merely be baggage hauled along in his wake. Still, what else had she been to her mother? Ah, but that was something best left to lie dormant for now. Thoughts better left for a more private and safe environment. If she ever found one, that is.
But now, with his words, she raised her head and paused, injured paw lifted just above ground level. The forced march had not helped it heal whatsoever. In fact, it hurt more now than ever it had. She was beginning to fear that if they did not stop and truly rest, she'd end up permenantly twisting it, leaving her forever at the mercy of any lion that chose to confront her. She resolutely pressed those worries away and gazed impassively at what he clearly longed to surge towards. It was pretty enough, she supposed, but land did not a home make. All the beauty in the world might cheer a heart in desolation, but it did not happiness make.
She cast a measuring glance at the male... she couldn't bring herself quite yet to think of him by his actual name. He was all aquiver, showing more life and spunk than he had the entire trip. he looked almost likable, in fact. Perhaps once upon a time he had been, she mused. It made her wonder what had happened to make him such a cruel master. Surely as a cub he had not been one of those that bullied others? This harshness didn't seem to sit on him properly. It was something that scraped and bunched at him, like an ill-fitting hide. It gave her pause for thought, that was certain.
For the time being though, she held her tongue still, giving nothing of her thoughts away. If this was to be her home, she had better get to know it, and fast. Who knew what this male was going to expect of her once they arrived? For just one moment, the few ideas that shot through her mind made her shiver and shudder her hide. Best to wait to think about all that later too.
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Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 12:05 pm
Sprawled over a large boulder and soaking in some sunshine, his mind swirled with thoughts of his pride, his harem, and his cubs. He had neglected his females of late, and he knew he would need to rectify his negligence, but he was often so deep in thought over the growing males of the pride. It seemed only yesterday they were tumbling laughing balls of fluff, and now he could see the wisps of manes coming in on some of his nephews. The time to send them out into the world was almost at hand.
Yet so few had returned from when he had been a young male himself, he had been lucky to return lucky not to encounter a dangerous rogue or find himself in desperation of food or water. He sighed softly and rolled onto his stomach trying to dispel dark thoughts from his mind. He lifted his head a bit and peered curiously out to the border. Two shapes approached at a steady pace, one male, one female. He stood and leapt down heading towards them, had another male come to find a home here? His blue eyes arrowed again and as the shapes became clearer he felt a small tug of recognition. The pale yellow and sand tones of fur were familiar on the male.
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Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:35 pm
Nav'hian had never missed anything quite as much as he had missed his home, his pride lands, and now that he was within a few minutes of being home, finally, he didn't know what to think now. Fura was here with him, which meant he would finally be a Pad, and take his place within the pride. He wanted to run, to disregard Fura who was stumbling along with him, and make it to within the pridal lands, but he couldn't leave her behind. Not because of some attachment to her, he didn't even know her yet, but because if he ran, and she ran away, he wouldn't be allowed back within the pride and he just couldn't risk that.
When a flash of movement caught his eye up ahead, he froze in his step, trying to catch sight of the other creature to discover who it was. Whoever it was, they were coming towards them and he tensed, even if the other male, and he could tell it was male due to the flash of a mane, had come from within his home pride.
Black...Tan...Purple? That colour combination looked familiar, and as Nav'hian continued his pace towards the approaching male, his eyes widened. No...it couldn't be. He remembered those markings from when they had been younger, though he had lost track of the other male when they had left on their adolescent quests. He knew Aali, they had know each other as cubs.
"Stay quiet until we address you," Nav'hian hissed at Fura, not sure how Aali would react to a mouthy female and Fura was mouthy at times, he didn't want her attacked again, or it would reflect poorly on him. "Pad Aali," he called out, in greeting to the approaching Male, unaware of his Sultan status. "It has been too long." He wondered if the male would remember him.
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Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:20 am
One moment a bouncy cub, the next a caustic master. She shot him an indignant glare. What exactly did he think she was like, anyway? How could he know what she would or wouldn't say? She turned eyes to the male approaching and made a snap decision. She'd show him! She straightened her shoulders, raised her chin, and tried to look less worn down and pained. She waited until the other lion was closer, then spoke up, against the wishes of her "mate".
"Greetings, Pad'aali," she called the best version of his name as she could manage, tucking her injured paw under her chest and lowering her front half in a slightly awkward but clear bow. Let him believe her an utter rebel if he chose, but she'd show him differently. When given rocks, begin a den was her attitude. It made no sense to keep railing against her situation when it was clear she couldn't get out of it. So it was time to change the situation herself. She did her best to keep up with him, but stayed a step or two back, demure other than her open greeting of the lion he so obviously knew. Best to start off on the right paw, rather than the injured one, right?
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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:41 pm
Blue eyes widened and a broad smile quickly broke on his muzzle as he chuckled and rushed forward. It was somekind of sign of good fortune that one who they had believed lost to them for good was coming home! At last, at last, quite a delay, but better late then never after all.
"Nav'hian!" He greeted with enthusiasm and moved to give the male a playful swipe with a massive paw. He turned surprised to hear the female speak his name with such open familiarity though she had added the customary title before it. One look and he knew she was...spirited, no wonder it had taken his old cubhood friend so long to get back.
"It's good to see you return Nav'hian, it's been too long, so much has changed, and yet so many things are still the same. I'm Sultan now...with a harem of my own, and the young Pesar are close to leaving again, my nephews and some others." His explanation was hasty not eager to dwell on the hard memories of his parents passing and how their numbers had dwindled dangerously low. For now he ignored the female leaving her more proper introduction to her Pad, for Nav'hian was now a Pad proper.
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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:14 pm
Nav'hian was grateful for his friend not reacting badly to the familiarity his female had shown him, as some might have. She had at least put the honorary title in front of his name, but she had still spoken out of turn, and Nav'hian cast her a warning glance before returning his gaze to Aali, and returning the broad smile. It had brightened him noticeably that the other male had recognized him, and now he seemed to be filled with glee. He was home, and not everything had changed!
The good mood faded at Aali's news, and his face morphed into a saddened look at the news of the prior Sultan's passing, but he shook his head, not willing to dwell on it. He grinned at Aali, leaving the mourning for later, as he knew it would have been a long time since they had passed on, and instead he threw his head back and laughed, not out of disrespect or with a mocking tone, but a laugh of joy. "Sultan Aali? I like the sound of that, my friend," he said, focusing in on the other male, "but I can still remember wrestling with you and the other males in the mud when we were young, so forgive me if it takes a while for the new title to set in." It was said as a tease, but with respect in his eyes as he gazed at the male the cub he had once known had now grown into. The pride would do well under his rule, and peering over the other male's shoulder towards the lands of his birth, he knew it had already grown stronger with his guidance.
This meeting showed a new side to Nav'hian that he had left behind in his travel to the great wide rogue lands, and was quick returning, showing the bright and cheerful cub he had once been within the pride walls. "And what is this of young Pesar? Already to be sent out, so soon?"
He glanced at Fura, and knew she would be getting annoyed at them both ignoring her presence, but it was nessecary to show the polite respects.
"Forgive me, Sultan Aali, it must have slip my mind," he said calmly, before motioning to the waiting female. "Allow me to introduce my Beybanu, Furaha'ini." The female would likely not realise the importance of the title 'Beybanu' but Nav'hian knew that Aali would. He was giving Fura a great deal of responsibility, not only to himself and the pride, but to his future harem by introducing her as such to the Sultan. He only hoped she would be respectful, and not ruin his return to the pride.
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 4:26 pm
She listened quietly as news was exchanged, with names and what she supposed were titles, now that she had a bit more information, all of which were unfamiliar and strange to her. Still, she endeavored to learn them and grasp some nuance of their meaning. Pad must be a title, rather than part of the other lion's name. Additionally, there seemed to be some shift in ranking that had happened that Nev was previously unaware of.
Despite his glance at her that held perhaps a little scorn, she was sitting serenely, head bowed as seemed somehow appropriate. There was that word again, 'beybanu", which she surmised was also a title. It appeared titles had great significance in this pride. It made her regret not having asked more about the pride and its ways on the way here. Of course, she couldn't be sure he'd have told her anything even if she had asked. He was strange that way.
This time round she held her tongue, though, keeping her gaze demurely at the dirt in front of her paws. That seemed after all to be what he would rather. A mute, biddable, dull lioness that did not raise a paw or a gaze to participate in her own life. She set fangs against tongue at the thought. No, she must not drift towards bitterness once more. It would do no good, and might even earn her more than just a sprained paw. She snuck a glance at the over-bearing male. Whatever he said, she clearly was nothing but property now.
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Posted: Fri May 21, 2010 9:01 am
"We still wrestle in the mud when it suits us!" Aali laughed and gave his old friend a playful swat with his paw. He was incredibly pleased by his return, and he knew now that he would have to gather the younger males and send them off. His fears were still there, but he couldn't hold them back forever. He tried to assure himself that they would all return, some just might take a little longer then others.
"You must find a den now and situate yourself." He glanced over again at Fura and smiled tipping his head. "Welcome Furaha'ini, I'm certain you will come to love this pride as much as your Pad. If you need any assistance in the hunt or in making yourself at home don't hesitate to ask it of my own Sultana and Banu." He knew when a harem contained only one female things often became difficult for her. To care for everything properly, manage the hunt, help with cubs, spend time with her pad, see to the dens, it overwhelmed some of them. He was ever grateful his own harem had flourished enough that none of his dear banu suffered from overworking themselves.
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Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 6:41 pm
Nav'hian was pleased when the female did not speak again, out of turn although she may have been permitted to speak at that moment, but it was safer if she didn't. He did not want her to embarrass him again. He laughed along with Aali, not bothering to dodge the playful swat and instead shaking his head. Heavens, he had missed the pride, the brothership that it inspired amongst the males.
Nav'hian hid a wince at Aali's poor choice of words. Fura hated him, he was sure, after all he had done to her, but he did have hopes that she would like the pride eventually. Even if she would not love him like a beybanu should, he did not want her to be miserable the rest of her life.
"Is my father's den still....?" He asked Aali, out of sentimental values. He didn't know if it was still there, or if it had been inhabited by another family. His father had died before he had even left on his quest, and he knew not what happened to his mother and his father's other Banu. The den had been a somewhat happy place when he was younger, but he had grown to resent it as he grew. Maybe he could make happier memories there, now he was older.
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 9:37 am
Aali noted that the female kept silent, poor Nav would have to work with this one and take care she didn't turn into a kajira. Still he had faith in his old friend, no doubt all the hard time spent away from the pride would make him eager to prove a good pad now that he was back. He turned his attentions back to Nav already dismissing Fura's presence from his mind.
"Of course, your free to reclaim your fathers den as your own. It will need some cleaning up no doubt, but it's your right to have it now that you are a Pad." He smiled and stood, "come I'll walk you there and make sure everything is settled, then I must continue the patrol."
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 6:56 pm
To be honest, Nav'hian was a little concerned when the female remained silent. He was used to it now, but this was not the bitter silence he had experienced on the way to the pride, so he was a little worried about what this silence meant for him now.
He re-focused on his old friend and felt a sense of relief fill his body as he heard that he could reclaim the family den. It would be made better than he remembered in his childhood, he decided, more friendly and opening, not harsh and oppressive. That was, if Fura ever forgave him enough for them to start a true Harem.
"Thank you, Sultan Aali," he said respectfully to his friend, his shoulders slumped lightly with relief. He was home, he was welcome and he would have a den of his own. He was a Pad. Finally. He waited for Aali to move before he followed him, allowing him to lead them to their new den. He simply assumed that Fura would follow as well.
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 7:08 pm
She had been taking careful pains to not indicate her sprained paw, though careful imspection would have shown how it must hurt her. It was swollen, after all, slightly mis-shaping it. But it was hidden for the most part as long as she was still. She wasn't sure why she hid it, except that it was for her new mate's benefit. An odd welter of emotions made her wish he remained in the best possible light. Who knows, maybe she might even get the blame if she revealed the injury.
That, however, was no longer possible. The two males set off at normal pace, which was much beyond her in her current state. She gritted her teeth as anger flared up again at her supposed love's disregarding of what he'd done to her. It was his fault, but she bore the brunt. It was no wonder the lioness felt much put upon.
With a huff of breath that was half exasperation and half anticipation of the pain, she rose on three paws and took the first step forward. It was no good. She wasn't going to be able to do it. Too many days and too much rushing had made it unable to bear her weight. This was absolutely ridiculous. She was boiling inside with resentment at Nev once more, even though she didn't really want to be. What was wrong with this male?!
"Don't worry about me, I'll get there eventually, I'm sure," she bit out between clenched teeth. She began to hobble along on three legs, keeping the injured paw tucked up close to her chest. Not only was this awkward, slow, and painful, but it also swiftly would become exhausting. Briefly she wondered what Nev would do if she simply could not make it to their den. She also wondered if he'd taken into consideration that she'd be unable to clean out the den, that he would have to do the female's work.
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 8:11 pm
Aali wouldn't have just walked on casually chatting and laughing and pointing things out to Nav if he had noticed the injured female behind them. It was a beautiful day after all with banu roaming about and taking care of cubs, little games and hunting lessons going on. The lake shimmered cool and crystal clear with the rays of the sun shimmering on it's surface. Yes he was distracted and figured Nav would handle the female, then his ears perked as he heard a sudden huff and angry sounding words.
He turned curiously and frowned when he saw the way the female limped, her paw tucked up. His eyes narrowed noticing the swelling, had she come all that way with that injury? "Nav?" He looked at the pad worried. Did the other male know how badly his beybanu was hurt?
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 8:27 pm
Nav'hian had forgotten about Fura's injured paw, and his eyes went wide at the sight it had become. Had it been that bad on the way here as well? He wondered, but couldn't remember in the slightest if it had. He knew she had been lagging but it had not crossed his mind that it had gotten worse.
At his friend's words, he felt a flush heat his cheeks beneath his fur. Not from embarrassment, but shame for what his friend would see of him. He was still a failure as a pad, he heard his father's voice sneer in his mind. He had only gained a female by injuring her, breaking her down until she could could not run. He was weak and his harem would fail because of his weakness. He shook his head firmly and and walked back to Fura.
No. He wouldn't fail. "There were...some problems along the way, Aali," Nav admitted but did not say that he was the cause of it. He had hurt so many females in the process of claiming his beybanu and he did not wish his friend to see his shame.
He turned back to Fura, now that he had reached her side. "Lean on me instead of your paw," he told her quietly, but did not look at her. He would be able to support her and she would not struggle quite as much to stay off the paw. He felt guilt for what he had done to her, but a small fraction of his mind wished he could yell at her, telling her how stupid she was to show his weakness in front of his old friend and the now sultan of the pride. He was tense, as he waited for her to lean on him so they could move towards their new den quicker.
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