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 Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 2:21 pm
Roth (Buffy_The_Bloody) Acheri (Mogami) A young black cub was leaning against a rock twice his size, red eyes watching the movements of the dark lions around him with very little emotion. In truth, what the cub showed and what he truly felt were two very different things. This place frightened him greatly and while Acheri was the type to puff his chest out at things that scared him, the undeniable truth was that he hated having been brought to this pride and the dark lion who he called father made him more anxious than the frightening strangers he saw all around him. He knew that Roth had high expectations for him and most of his siblings but he felt he had to break something inside himself and become numb and cold if he was ever to fulfill those expectations. However, on the back of his mind in a dark corner that was slowly growing darker, Acheri carried with him the memory of warmth, of having once been truly loved by someone, of a gentle voice and an even gentler touch. It was something precious to him and the cub held on to that piece of innocence, raising protecting barriers around those memories as if he expected the harsh reality to taint and destroy them.
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Roth did not care if his cubs remembered their mother. Truth was, he hardly liked thinking of Optheli, Clerm, or Tuc. He had passed on his seed, and that was his duty. The mothers were what had made his children weak. He had been growing a huge cache of distaste for those lionesses. He hadn't been aware they were as weak as they were. It took raising their offspring to see the potential, and then watch as the potential slowly failed his expectations.
It had never passed through Roth's mind, that maybe he just had too high expectations. And even if it had, he wouldn't have cared. He didn't really give a damn if he was unrealistic. He still wasn't about to change his mind.
He saw the black cub, sitting next to large rocks. Straightening himself out, he decided that he had to be the father figure they needed, in order to get a prime offspring. He had to put in the time... Damnit..
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Acheri was not startled by the sudden appearance of his father but he probably wouldn’t show it even if he had. As with most of everything about this new pride, the cub was terribly confused when it came to interacting with Roth. How he should address him, for instance. Calling his father by name would probably anger him and anything as familiar as “dad” or “daddy” was certainly out of the question, he believed. There weren’t many choices to pick from…
“Good night, father.” He said without smiling, hoping politeness wasn’t frowned upon and that it didn’t make him seem weak in the eyes of the adult. He leaned forward just a little as he considered the absurdity of the greeting. Good night… those had once been the words he’d used just before going to sleep and they now a greeting that meant his day - no, night - was about to start. It was so very strange.
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The cub's cool demeanor was relaxing to Roth. He had sired many cubs. Most of them being a bit too exhuberant for his tastes. He had hated feeling the need to converse and interact socially with them. And always they were wanting to play games, and always, he would deny them. He hated the monotiny. This was a more relaxed cub. He could tell..
"What have you been doing to keep yourself busy, Acheri?" He asked, actually having taken the time to learn these cubs names early on. Before, his cubs had been called names that were not as endearing as their own.
"Hopefully keeping other cubs on their toes. Outmatching them with your wit, that I'm sure you've inherited."
He grinned, though he really had no idea how genes worked, or if this cub really had his wit at all.
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The cub’s eyes widened a little at the question. He had a feeling there was a right answer and that it was certainly not the truth, that he had simply been quietly adjusting to the customs of the new pride as he tried to stay out of everyone’s way. So naturally, he lied.
“I’ve been watching the adults here. They’re interesting.” He said, having no idea of how he could ever outwit anyone. “I haven’t been around other cubs much. All they want to do is play and it’s boring.” Actually, most of the dark cubs here seemed to be interested in fighting more than playing and Acheri had no idea how he should react to their challenges or how good he’d be if he actually tried. The dark cub was desperate to change the subject and thankfully, there was something he’d been meaning to ask his father once they had a moment alone.
“Ashtaroth'sha… outside, he was our equal. Now, he’s not.” Yes, changing the subject to his only pale brother could work especially if he tried to speak like an adult. Acheri found it ironic that his white brother, the one Roth would presumably like the least, was the one who had his father’s name hidden in his own. “How should I treat him?”
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 7:16 am
Roth didn't get the idea that the cub was lying. If he had, h e wasn't sure it would make much difference. Especially since lying got you pretty far in life sometimes.. So he might have even been slightly proud. "Then you are smarter than the rest of the siblings that have come before you." He chuckled, which was a very rare sound. He didn't laugh, unless it had something to do with him dealing out a death sentence, or beating a creature within inches of it's life. This was the first time that a cub of his, had made him feel the desire to laugh. "Ashtaroth is a slave of my own. You are to treat him as your brother, but do not forget his status. He is a slave, and he is mine." He said, emphasis on his being his. He didn't really want a slave, he had the little cheeton that he had taken as an adolescent. But he knew that claiming the cub would keep him safe.
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:16 am
Acheri was so relieved by his father’s answers that he actually smiled… well, smirked. His expression might look like one of mischief but it was simply the result of bright cub trying to conceal his happiness. It seemed his brother was safe for he doubted few would dare to touch Roth’s possessions and he wouldn’t have to stop associating himself with his pale brother. As soon as it appeared, the smirk was gone and Acheri had reclaimed his closed expression.
“Your slave.” He repeated with a firm nod, as if he had accepted the inevitability of his father’s decision. “I’ll help make him strong. And I’ll find something else to amuse me.”
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:01 am
Roth didn't mind the smile. If anything, he liked it. It meant he was doing the right thing. Putting effort intp his parenting, and whatnot. That was a step in the right direction..Right? He didn't know, so he was going to assume it was until someone told him otherwise. "I'm sure you will find lots to amuse yourself." He grinned. "Yes, teach him to be strong. He will have to be. You are lucky you are my boys." He said, claiming them, but also showing that he cared about them, at least a little.
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 2:43 pm
Acheri felt some kind of warmth when he looked up at his father again, the desire to not disappoint the adult slowly growing within him. He still wasn’t sure he wanted to be like the strange lions of this pride or do the terrible things they seemed to like doing. But at this moment, he also didn’t want to reflect poorly on Roth.
“Will you teach me to fight one day?” he asked, wondering if his father would provide him with lessons or if he’d have to look for a tutor. The way he saw it, it was probably best to start as quickly as possible. If he proved to be a strong fighter, maybe that would be enough to keep his father happy with him.
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Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 10:24 am
The question had been one that none of his children had ever asked him before. His eyes widened a bit, and he smiled that dark grin. Nodding, his one good eye gleaming in pride. "I will teach you to fight, any time your dark heart desires." He said, and placed his paw on his sons head and ruffled his mane tuft a bit. He was sure this cub would be his prodigy. His legacy could be left behind in this one. Or so he hoped.
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Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:38 am
Acheri wasn’t too sure about the darkness of his heart but he knew for certain that his father could be a very scary lion some times. Which was probably why Acheri was so relieved that the big dark lion seemed to be pleased – even proud! – of something he’d said. If he turned out to be a good fight or better yet, if Acheri trained hard enough for others to see him as a good fighter, maybe that would be enough to keep him out of trouble in this strange pride. To make others both envy and fear him, that would be his goal from this moment on.
His brother seemed to be safe and Roth wasn’t as bad as he’d previously assumed. Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad after all. He lifted his head from under his father massive paw with a grin that could only be described as challenging. It said that he might take his father’s offer a lot sooner than expected. He was ready. It was his only real hope of fitting in and he intended to take full advantage of it.
“Tomorrow.” He said, caught up in moment.
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