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 Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 8:03 pm
Anwar ducked his head slightly to hide his smug grin at Zarha’s exclamation of surprise. He loved knowing things, he really did. His knowledge that a tree branch could float just guaranteed that he could easily out-swim a much stronger lion. So many things were like this in life…it was amazing how many things people never stopped to figure out.
Bees might give a nasty sting, but follow one and he’d find flowers. Butterflies did the same, but it was often much more roundabout. His mother liked them, as did his sisters, and, he was fairly certain, most other Banu would enjoy them as well. Bringing presents usually made others happy, made them like him more. Flowers made good presents for the girls he knew. And he had yet to be unable to find some. Granted, it wasn’t like flowers were hard to find right now, but if they ever became scarce…he would be able to find them even if others couldn’t. What a good Pad he’d seem, finding presents for his Banu even when it seemed difficult. There were other things, of course, this was just a singular example.
Zarha, somehow, didn’t strike him as the type to fall for a mere flower though. She was far too clever, far too smart. She wasn’t a normal Banu, that was for certain. He didn’t think she’d dislike being given a flower, but he doubted the expression of delight on his sister’s face would be mirrored on hers at the simple little gift.
No, to impress Zarha, one needed to possess more knowledge than where to find a pretty little plant. Such as knowing how to make them both float as effortlessly as leaves on the water…
Anwar froze as he heard Zarha tell him to stop, looking curiously over at her. Unlike some of the Pads he’d seen, or most really, he thought very little of the fact that a ‘mere Banu’ was telling him what to do. Mainly he just felt a bit foolish for not having paused to consider that himself. All he thought of Zarha was that she was pretty sharp to catch it so quickly.
“Right. Together then, on three?” he suggested, wriggling slightly to line up better with the island. On second thought, he glanced behind himself, lining up with a rock on the shore as well. It was a big lake, they might get turned around. If they could get back to the shore where they started, then they could readjust their course. “You can count it,” he added, ready to go whenever she was.
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 2:22 pm
Zarha felt her cheeks warm a little. After she spoke up she half-expected Anwar to be irritated that she had spoken so matter-of-factly and it meant a lot that he put so much faith in her. She knew better than to expect that from all pads. She adjusted her grip on the log to make sure she was holding on tight.
"Okay. Ready? One, two, three - kick!" Zarha kicked her little back legs. "Left, right! Left, right! Left, right!" she chanted, keeping them in step.
The island loomed closer and closer. Within a few minutes the bottom of the lake rose up to meet them. Soon the two cubs were walking through the mud on the bottom of the lake, pushing the log through the shallows to the shore. Using the last of their strength, they pushed the log onto dry land where the current would not wash it away. Zarha flopped down on the warm sand with her tongue hanging out, mouth open in a giant grin. She felt like she was standing on the moon.
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Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 8:42 am
Anwar nodded, waiting for Zarha to give off the count to keep them in line. He knew his...relationship he supposed, with her was odd for a Pad and a Banu. But still. She was so smart...it would be stupid not to take advantage of her clever mind. He couldn't help but wonder, occasionally, what might be lost by keeping Banu beneath them. If he and Zarha worked together, as though they were equals, what was there that they would fail to achieve, given time?
The possibilities were endless. Endless.
When they reached shore the branch, which seemed less than weightless while it was keeping them afloat, suddenly took all his strength just to shove onto the bank. He worked at it for a few moments after Zarha had gone to flop on the soft sand, anxious to be certain that it wouldn't possibly float away. He had no idea how they'd get back without it... Satisfied that their intital work was sound, he moved to lay on his belly beside the pretty dark Banu.
"I bet we're the first ones here..." Anwar said softly, his features spreading into a smug grin. He had had his doubts, to be honest, when Zarha first spotted the island. But, together, they'd done it. "I couldn't have done it without you," he added after a moment of contemplation, keeping the note of slyness from his tone as he complemented her. "We make a good team."
And he wanted to continue it. Somehow he would persuade her father to give her to him. Surely, she wouldn't mind. And together...oh the things they could do...
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Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 5:48 pm
Zarha breathed in the island - their island - full of birds and reptiles. Indeed, the only lion she could smell was Anwar. The sand on the beach looked pristine, as if no creature had ever laid a paw here - until now. Her heart soared as she surveyed her new surroundings. There were a few trees on the island, enough to provide them with shade, some rocks and, if her nose was right, bird nests.
She smiled at Anwar. Her cheeks felt as warm as stones baked in the afternoon sun, yet there was no one around to see them. Her heart beat like the wings of a bird as she leaned forward to nudge Anwar's cheek with her nose.
How bold of her! If any of the adults saw her behaving this way around a young pesar, they would have scolded her for sure.
Thrilled, Zarha bounced up with a giggle and bounded around the shore. She simply needed to release her excitement or else she would burst. She hadn't gone far when she turned around and looked back at Anwar, smiling brighter than ever, her ears perked with the desire for adventure. "Do you want to take a look around?"
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Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 9:44 am
He wasn't expecting that.
Not at all, from anyone. Certainly not from Zarha. Anwar blinked, too surprised to really think much more beyond the fact that Zarha had nudged him, or nuzzled him or...something affectionate. Somewhat. It was strange, this feeling. What was it? Satisfaction? Pride? Or just...confusion? It wasn't a bad feeling, that was for sure. It was just odd.
But her excitement was catching, and his smug smile turned to a bright grin as she bounced to her paws and bounded away, rising himself to follow her.
"Of course I do!" Anwar replied, looking around himself with interest as he moved to follow her. There must be things on this little island of theirs that no one else had seen. What opportunities might he have to learn about something new? It was all terribly exciting. Birds, maybe some scaly reptiles, but he doubted there'd be other lions. He didn't smell anyone, and the only tracks in the sand belonged to Zarha and himself. Lifting his eyes back to her, his expression, which had momentarily grown almost calculating, relaxed back into a friendly smile.
"Which way do you want to go first?" he asked, knowing that, as the Pesar, he ought to be bossing her about. Certainly some of his brothers had that role down. But who one earth would Zarha tell on him? Besides, rather than pushing his banu around, when he had them, he was quite certain there was so much more to be gained by exploring their potential. In public, of course, he be sure to keep them in line, but in private...oh, he was sure there were things he could use if he allowed them the freedom to think! They were plenty smart, Zarha living proof of that. Besides, as his little brother had shown, if they felt he was especially attentive and kind to them, and freedom was certainly a treasure to be had, then out of their adoration for him they would do anything. Fear was not such a powerful motivator as love after all. Nothing seemed to be.
"Lead on," the cub grinned, trotting up beside her and then waiting for her to make her choice. He lost nothing to do it, and really, he didn't much care where they started so long as they did. Besides, Zarha seemed so happy... he didn't want to spoil it for her either.
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