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Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 6:34 am
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The raised brow didn't go unnoticed, but Ndoto took it in stride. It wasn't a paw against his face or an angry snarl after all. Then again, it also wasn't a laugh or a smile. Fairly neutral ground, if he did say so himself. He'd have to watch himself to make sure it didn't happen again. He didn't want to give her the wrong idea, after all.
"Yes, ready to go," he said with a grin. "Did you have anything in mind you'd like to do?" If not, he had an arsenal of fun things that they could enjoy. She knew the lands better than he, though, and if she had any leadership duties to attend to he wouldn't mind tagging along and waiting off to the side.
"I figured since you don't enjoy small talk we could do things rather than just sit and chat." Actions spoke louder than words at times and Ndoto was fully prepared to take full advantage of that to get to know his new friend. "Of course, you've got a say in what we do and what we don't. So if you ever get bored or need to do something just speak up."
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 7:50 pm
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The only ideas Nantale had were work, work, work. She could see how the baboons were doing, then make sure none of the drums were in need of repair. Their was checking if the dens were being kept tidy, conversing with the non-lions to make sure they were not being mistreated, meeting with her mother and Mawi to discuss the possibility of expanding their territory... Many other things. And if there was ever a time all that was done, she could find something else.
These things were not fun for anyone, not even her. Nantale wasn't sure she was capable of feeling bored.
She smiled That would make him feel more at ease, right? If only she knew she looked more uncertain than happy. But A for effort.
"Whatever you would like to do, Ndoto," she replied. And she tried hard to focus on him and not her checklist that she was neglecting for this. "I can finish my duties later. By all means, lead the way. I will follow."
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:08 am
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Nantale wanted so badly to be seen as an affable and gracious leader. That's why she never made it to the end of what she started to say: "That's really -- fine. That sounds fine. I would be glad to show you." And she would, truly, except the baboons and the drums and things were Jukka's job.
Was it hypocritical of her to find Ndoto's involvement over the line when she made everyone's work her business? Could be. The way Nantale saw it, she was different and immune to any judgement for her prying.
In her mother's time, the Malenga's job was to dance and sing and keep the pride in a state of peace.
Nantale knew the world, both the lions in it and the forces of nature, cared not for good intentions. She could no longer accept that her rank was expected to host parties and nothing else.
In brief, she felt herself entitled to wander into the other Nchi's "space", so to speak. She was not so sure if that gave her permission to bring someone with her. Jukka wouldn't be offended if she was spotted snooping around with company, would he?
"I know just the one to ask to show you." Nantale lived just to spite whomever first made the assertion you couldn't please everyone. She dragged her eyes over him, from his shoulders to his tail, thinking. "How well do you climb?"
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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:23 pm
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Ndoto waited for an answer and, when he got one, smiled and tried to contain his excitement. He had only heard the baboons in passing and had certainly not seen them make anything. Drums were fantastic instruments and he wished to learn how they were made, but perhaps that would be better to do in his own time than with Nantale. They had lots of things they could do today, after all!
The question caught him off guard and, for a moment, a look of uncertainty crossed the lion's face. "Climb...what? Trees? Hills? Rocks? I've never really tried to climb anything terribly tall or vertical...the pride I'm from had very little trees or high places. But I'm more than willing to try."
It couldn't be that hard, right? Just dig in your claws and pull! He could jump pretty well, too, so leaping from rock to rock wouldn't be a problem. Trees...trees he had never thought about climbing. That was for leopards, not lions. Right? If she wanted him to climb a tree, though, he'd certainly be game.
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Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:16 am
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Nantale didn't hesitate or request anything else. Offering to try was all she could ask of him and if push came to shove she could find another baboon. This specific one would not do her the honor of hobbling down from his unusual choice of home, Malenga or not. She had told him once, overcome by the arrogance of youth, that she was to run this pride one day and he should do as she said. That had earned her a rock to the face and no sympathy from her mother.
By no coincidence, it was with the awkward grace and enthusiasm of a cub that she scaled the walls around the dens with Ndoto. The climb was not steep or difficult at all until they reached her own sleeping quarters at the very top.
From the darkness of it came a loud, loud snore.
Nantale pretended not to hear it and didn't comment on it. She and her parents occupying the same space was a strange arrangement. Fortunately, it was also a temporary one. Her mother and father were coping with losing her brothers and she wouldn't deny them that. If they wanted to house themselves as a family unit a little longer, so be it.
"It's a harder climb from here," Nantale whispered, mindful of her sleeping father despite not outright acknowledging him. "And, you can't tell anyone about it... I have a feeling my mother still doesn't want me doing this."
There were other reasons to keep it on the down low, but Ndoto would have to learn those first hand.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 9:31 pm
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Ndoto followed Nantale to the dens, curious to see where they ended up. The hike to the top was fun, but he had to remind himself to stay quiet: they were pouncing around sleeping felines, after all. Thankfully he was light on his feet and only made a few loose rocks tumble a few feet time to time. He kept close to his guide, a grin on his face by the time he pulled even with her. This was fun, if exhausting.
The snore that came from the den at the top nearly made him jump. It sounded like an angry crocodile with a mouthful of rocks. He stared into the darkness for a few moments before shaking it off and following Nantale the rest of the way.
"Still doesn't...wait, are we going to get in trouble?" he whispered back before realizing who he was talking to. She was the ruler, the queen bee, the one that determined whether or not they got in trouble. Sure, she was new...but...she could veto anyone else, right? Rather than being nervous, Ndoto felt an excited smile creep over his face. He felt like a cub again, sneaking around trying to do fun things without getting caught.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 9:53 pm
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Ndoto laughed softly as he started to lose ground, Nantale leaving him behind. He tried to follow her route, but it was difficult, just as she had promised. "Ah...perhaps this would have been better to do when everyone was awake," he murmured to himself as a large rock tumbled down to the ground. He winced as it broke in half upon landing, but he kept on climbing. Lions could sleep like the dead when they wanted to, after all.
He finally reached the top, panting softly. His fur was a bit ruffled from the effort and he was out of breath, but otherwise in good shape. "Wow...you're a real pro at that," he said, pushing Nantale's shoulder lightly with his paw, his voice holding an impressed tone to it. "Come up to see the baboons often, eh?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:18 pm
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If Ndoto took too long to blink, he'd have missed the smirk on Nantale's face and the way she held her head up smugly. There was no avoiding the playful intention of her voice, though. "Baboon," she corrected. "Only one. He should be... around this way somewhere..."
The tortuous path had surprised her when she'd first climbed this far. She hadn't expected there to be so much room up here. "Watch your step," she said several times, and occasionally provided stories to serve as cautionary tales.
Once, she had fallen all the way down and had to tell her mother her cousin was to blame.
Once, she had tried to climb in the rain and the fall had been worse.
"This is where --"
Thump!
Thumpthumpthump!
Two small rocks came flying down from above them, hitting the pair directly on the head.
Nantale didn't so much as wince. This, too, she was used to. When the coast was clear, she looked up. "Ah, there he is."
Perched in gargantuan tree with limbs looming above them was an elderly baboon with another stone his grasp, just waiting to be launched. He sat hunched over on a ledge, leering.
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 9:40 pm
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Thankfully Ndoto caught the smirk, and it lifted his spirits. She did have a smile, then...good. He'd work a bit harder to get it to come out naturally. As he had accidentally mentioned before, she was a very pretty lioness and he bet his voice on the fact that if she smiled, she'd be the most gorgeous feline in Africa.
"Just one?" he echoed in surprise. "Huh...that's pretty interesting. I thought it would have taken a whole troupe of them to make a drum." But here he was, the newbie, and she the expert. He still had a lot to learn about his new home.
The lion followed the lioness carefully, picking his way through the rocky ground. He listened to Nantale's stories with wide eyes and open ears, even if his gaze was trained on his paws. He couldn't believe she had fallen down this very slope time and time again and was still alive to tell the tale. Certainly it had been painful. He could almost feel the rocks biting into his legs and back and he-ow!
Ndoto hissed in pain and lifted a paw to rub his head where the rock had struck. He glanced up, dark eyes honing in on the baboon in the tree. He didn't look happy to see them. "Does he always throw rocks when you come up to visit?"
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