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 Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 1:22 pm
Sata was travelling the Iknimaya lands through the tree branches. It was a relatively easy task considering the density of the jungle’s foliage but as the blue lion moved away from the heart of his pride, it soon became impossible to continue on his chosen path and Sata had to eventually give in and drop down to the ground. He did not mind it much. The young lion had been so full of glee in the last few days that nothing seemed to be able to get him down. Clerm had accepted to become his mate and soon the whole pride would know and they’d have a little celebration. One of his brothers already had his first litter of cubs and if that wasn’t enough Sata’s parents had told him he should be expecting new siblings popping up soon. The pride was flourishing with cubs and newcomers.
There were so many happy news hanging over Sata and his family that the blue lion seemed to be in a perpetual state of joy.
“What are you smiling about?” A small voice sounded above the lion’s head before Sipho came fluttering down and landed on the lion’s head, his favorite perch. “You look like an idiot. Are you thinking about Clerm?” He gave the lion a friendly peck on the ear as Sata chuckled and then slowly made himself more comfortable in the fluffy mane.
Sipho found it harder to follow his feline companion when Sata took to the trees but when he was with his four paws firmly set on the ground, the two were inseparable.
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Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2012 11:17 am
Takoda was wandering the forest floor - still not quite accoustomed to climbing and walking the 'high path' - exploring his new jungle home. After he and his brother Coel had been assisted by the blue lioness and his brother had been made well again - and what fiasco that had been, they had been told about the Iknimaya by the lioness. Both of them had listened to her speak at length, and both had decided to remain in the jungle. He had always liked the forests to start with, and although there had been some misfortune for his brother when they had come into the Iknimaya lands - the first thing Takoda had asked to learn was how to tell which fruits had gone bad - he had loved the forest jungle. So now after having been accepted into the pride, he spent his time wandering the foliage and vines and trees on ground level, sniffing out his new home, learning the sights and sounds and smells and seeing where the prey lived. That was when he wasn't with the majority of the pride memembers in the home tree, learning their ways. Nothing he'd found out so far had lead him to think he made a bad decision, or one he would regret. Sniffing a plant, his head lifted when he heard the sound of a conversation nearby. Not wanting to seem rude, and sure that the feline he heard must be a fellow member of his pride, he ventured out into the open to make himself known, his white and black spotted pelt easily visible. " Hello brother.... and a friend?" His eyes lifted to the bird on the lion's head and he smiled in amusement. He'd never seen a prey animal as a friend, but he didn't see anything wrong with it, either. Every day he discovered something new here.
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 10:16 am
Sata turned quickly, considering how this was the second time someone had snuck up on him in the jungle. Honestly, he needed to pay more attention.
“I see you, brother.” Sata replied with a friendly smile taking a few steps towards the spotted lion. “We hadn’t met yet. I’m Saagar’Tarang and this is my companion Sipho. You can call me Sata. And you are one of the new arrivals, is that correct?”
He would not deny that a strange tale had reached his ears regarding one of the new members – the state in which he had arrived, more specifically – but he didn’t know if this lion had been the one who’d eaten the ripe fruits and he didn’t plan on embarrassing him even if he was.
-----
“Spots!” Sipho squeaked, looking surprised. “Not like your uncle, Sata. Spots ALL OVER.” The little blue bird dropped to the ground “Can we call him Spotty? Spots? No…?” His beaked pulled up in a wicked smile as he looked up at the blue lion. “Brother Spots?” As Sata tried to suppress a chuckle and shook his head, Sipho hopped closer to the monochrome lion.
“I like you mane.” He stated in a very definite tone, head tilting to the side. “Was it already like that when you were born?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 5:43 pm
Takoda moved forward, more fully into the - if dim - light of the jungle floor. He wasn't trying to hide himself, after all.
"And I see you." He dipped his head with a small smile in return. "Yes that's right, I don't think we have met yet. My name is Takoda. I arrived with my brother Coel not too long ago. Coel was ill after eating fermented fruit... " He snorted at the memory. Man, that had been annoying... He'd been worried about his brother at the time, and wouldn't hold it against him of course, but it had been very inconvient. Though it had led to the lioness finding and helping them, and if not for that, they might not have joined the Na'vi, so in the end, it hadn't been so bad, he guessed.
Takoda raises his eyebrow at the bird when it sqwaked about his pelt. ....Were spots that uncommon? The tone was a little irksome... but he held his irritation in, hoping it didn't show too plainly on his face. "Yes... I have lots of spots..."
He frowned slightly. "No you cannot call me Spotty or Brother spots...." He wanted to call the bird stupid, but knew that wouldn't be appreciated, and would be rude as well, so didn't.
The topic switch was rather nice though. "Thank you. And yes, I was born with it this way. It's never been any other." An odd question to ask, he thought.... "Do lions here dye their manes or pelts?" There was still alot he had to learn, so he didn't know.
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 3:46 pm
“No, you can’t! Behave, Sipho.” Sata told his winged companion briskly and even though he really, really wanted to laugh he simply looked up at the other lion apologetically, hoping he hadn’t taken offense. “Sorry, he’s still kind of new here… and young.” Even if the little bird was still pretty rude sometimes and downright obnoxious during the worst occasions, Sata actually liked to see how others reacted to his companion’s behavior. He found that he could tell more about a stranger or even a friend from the way they dealt with his companion than from any long polite conversation they’d ever had before.
Right now, he could tell that Takoda wasn’t thrilled about the things he was being called but the spotted lion seemed to be pretty straightforward and patient as he answered the little bird and Sata quickly realized he liked this lion.
“We do actually. Most of the pride members paint themselves and not just for special occasions. Dyes were also used during times of war but thankfully, I have never seen a war paint before unless you count the artisans’ performances.” He answered the question in a friendly way but there was something akin to amusement clearly trying to take over his expression. Finally, the blue lion grinned again when he couldn’t hold it in any longer. “I'd heard some strange rumors regarding your arrival at the pride, I admit… I hope your brother is feeling better.”
-------
Sipho did not like to be dismissed or told to behave and he gave his feline friend The Look. It didn’t really seem to affect Sata but it certainly made him feel better and anyway it was hard to take offense when the stranger answered his questions without getting angry or ignoring him – like so many others did. So he returned to the blue lion’s head, his favorite perch and listening to the two lions’ exchange.
“Sata is going to paint himself soon enough, aren’t you Sata?” the bird asked wickedly as he remembered that the blue lion’s bonding ceremony was quickly approaching. He laughed when his companion showed a mix of pride and embarrassment.
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Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 12:36 pm
"Ah... I understand then..." he grinned, suddenly a little less irritated with the bird. "I'm new myself, and still learning the ways of our tribe... I can undertstand who it'd be harder for some, especially if they're used to a different way." He didn't say it, but it was implicite in his words that he from time to time might have been having from troubles himself.
"Ah, I've never yet to see lions that painted themselves..." he smiled in both amusement and interest. That would be an interesting thing to see... and he decided to say as much. "I imagine it must be fun, to be able to change your pelt and mane colors... I've seen lions wearing ornaments and also useful things, such as yourself..." he nodded to the leather and rope wrapped around the other lion's tail to indicate what he meant "but not yet seen any that paint themselves. I look forward to that. It would be interesting to see. Maybe I'll let them paint me."
His eye twitched at the mention of his brother... Honestly he was still a bit embaressed by his behavior from that time... silly Coel. "Erm, yes, he's feeling much better, and back to being himself, no need to worry."
Takoda tipped his head to the side in curiousity, wondering why the bird said the lion was going to be painting himself. "What are you to be painting yourself for?" he smiled, honeslty curious at the answer.
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 11:35 am
Sata was relieved when it seemed Takoda wasn’t too bothered by his cheeky bird and he took a few steps to circle the spotted lion with a pensive expression.
“Your spots are very interesting. I think they’d make for fun designs once the crafters get their paws on you…” The possibilities were endless but the spots could be used to make interesting creations. “Maybe they’ll add a few stripes between your spots. Probably blue ones.”
He chuckled when Takoda talked about his brother but then it was Sata’s turn to feel embarrassed.
“Ah, well… I’m… getting married. You know, mated. The ceremony should be soon.” Despite his abashed tone, his smile spoke loud and clear of how happy he was.
--------------
Sipho was growing bored now that he wasn’t the center of attention and he wasn’t very nice when that happened. Usually Pikelis was there to temper his silliness but Sata was much more forgiving and as such, not really as good at keeping the blue bird on his best behavior.
“Maybe they’ll paint pretty pink petals around each spot.” It seemed like a task that would both take a very long time to accomplish and would end bothering the spotted lion a great deal. “So so pretty…”
He took to the air and landed on a branch above the lions, watching them with a glint of playfulness in his eyes.
“Yeah, his mate is really pretty. Sata can’t talk about her without smiling like an idiot…” Oh these two were such good targets.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:04 pm
His eyes tracked the blue striped lion as he trotted slowly around him. Until he spoke, he wondered what he was doing, but then he quickly understood. "Hm, do you think so? .... I think that could look nice, I'm fond of blue. And green as well."
Takoda grinned at the news of marriage. That was always something to celebrate. "That's wonderful! Congratulations! I hope you have many happy cubs and lots of happiness in your future." It was the most the black and white lion had smiled yet, and it was clear it was genuine. While he could be grumpy about alot of things... Takoda had infinte patience when it came to love or cubs, and both were always a reason for happiness, in his opinion.
He raised an eyebrow at the bird's silly suggestion, wondering if he was serious - and sort of doubting it - but doing him the courtesy of paying attention all the same. "Erm... I think that would look odd... I like flowers.... but not pink ones." Takoda snorted at the thought.
"I hope I find a mate one day that will be so pretty I can't help but smile when I talk about her." He grinned, not at Sata, but at the obnoxious bird. He meant his words, but he also wanted to rebute the birds attempt at being insulting. "There's no reason to be ashamed of happiness or showing happiness."
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 11:38 am
Sata mirrored the spotted lion’s grin and shook his head a little, muffled chuckles rumbling within his chest.
“Ah, cubs… One of my brothers just had his first litter and my parents seem to be expecting as well.” His family seemed to be responsible for the majority of cubs present in the pride at that moment. “We’ll be drowning in cubs soon enough.” Not that the young lion was in any kind of rush to add his contribution though the prospect did excite. His mate already had grown children of her own and eagerly anticipated going through the same experience.
The Whisperer threw his bird a discreet chastising look meant to discourage any further teasing but now he had some difficulty looking at Takoda without picturing him covered in pink flowers.
“I’m sure you’ll find someone who completes you here.” Sata said optimistically and he had good reason to think it. “There are many single lionesses in the pride actually.” Some were even related to him, the blue lion considered as he chuckled again.
--------
Sipho ignored The Look, his bright green eyes casually watching a leaf that danced in the wind as if the lions below no longer held his attention. Not entirely true as he was still listening to their every word and while he wished to keep up the calm façade for a little while longer, he just couldn’t help himself.
“You should introduce him to your sisters, Sata. You know, the real ones.” There was an unmistakable naughtiness to his tone and the blue bird chuckled lightly as he ignore Sata’s sharp gaze.
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Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 1:45 pm
"....Hm, there are? I hadn't really noticed... Honestly I've spent alot of time in the forest since I came.... I'm just not sure where I fit yet, I feel I don't know enough yet to get on well with everyone..." he smiled with a bit of embaressment.
While he had felt an immediate connection to this place and these lions, he still felt he didn't know enough, and wasn't sure how to ask most of the time.
Takoda's eyes wandered upwards towards the bird when he spoke again, suggesting that his lion friend play couple's counseler for the spotted lion. Er, that.... would be awkward. "I wouldn't mind meeting more people but it wouldn't be right for me to ask Sata to play any type of match-maker for me...." he chuckled. "Besides, I really need to learn the ways of the people better before I even think to settle with anyone....."
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 4:36 am
Sata eyed the bird and sighed. It seemed all the words that came out of that beak of his were contaminated by the bright red color that the People greatly disliked. He decided to ignore the comment regarding his sisters though he did wonder briefly if perhaps Takoda was fated to marry one of them. Life was funny like that, after all.
“That won’t do, brother.” He said a grin. “You should stay close to the Home Tree and speak to as many as possible. There’s no better way to learn our ways. As for settling down with someone…” he paused, apparently considering something in his head.
“Well, those things just happen naturally. No sense in rushing or trying to prevent them from occurring.” Sata chuckled as he walked past the lion, nodding invitingly. “Come then. I will introduce you to my family. It should provide you with a rather decent start, I think.” He looked up at his bird but no words were needed in his case.
------
Sipho dropped from the branch and landed softly on Sata’s head where he settled himself in the fluffy mane.
“He already knows your father, Sata. And your mother, most likely.” The blue bird said more seriously, wondering if his feline companion could be distracted enough to forget something so obvious. “Since they lead the pride… Better not get him too close to your uncle, though.” The blue bird chuckled at first but fell silent rather quickly this time. He wouldn’t admit it anytime soon but if there was one lion that actually frightened the usually loud bird, it was Sata’s intimidating uncle.
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