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 Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 5:31 pm
.:I WANT SOME BLUE EYES!:.
Name: Hlengiwe
Meaning: Nursed
Personality: Hlengiwe is a klutz. As a newborn, she somehow would manage to get herself hurt and would need to be nursed back to health. As a cub, her shadow is enough to trip her or make her fall over. It is a miracle if a whole day goes by that Hlengiwe doesn't get a scrape or a bruise. She is also a bit of a loudmouth. If she sees anything interesting, she'll just say it out loud so that anyone around her could hear. Despite her natural ability to be loud and talkative at the same time, she is a great listener. If someone has something to say, she'll be quiet and give them her full attention without interrupting. She is also intensely loyal to her family and will defend them no matter what. Even her father, who she barely remembers, has her loyalty. She'll tell anyone that talks bad about him to shut it.
Prompt Number: 2
Prompt Response: Hlengiwe was lounging in the shade watching her siblings wrestling around while their mother watched. Her attention was quickly snatched by a passing cloud that looked just like a spider. Of course, she had to share it with her family and said rather loudly, "Look at that cloud! It looks like a spider!" She looked around at them and proceeded to point with her paw. Njalo ended up becoming distracted by it and seemed rather excited to share it with someone else. So mother ran off to go tell someone. Who exactly? Hlengiwe did not know.
The cloud eventually passed and they were all still under the tree where their mother had left them. She figured it was about time to go look for mother. Sometimes Njalo would somehow end up not by her cubs. Hlengiwe got up and started to head in the general direction that her mother had gone. It didn't take long for her to trip over a small pebble. She fell forward, limbs flailing, and landed on her chin with her rear sticking up in the air. Before she could push herself up, Hlengiwe heard laughing off to the side of her. It was a couple of older lionesses. They laughed at her and one said to the other, "Look at that cub, isn't she sister to the Lusizi? She can't even stand up on her own four paws."
Hlengiwe frowned. She didn't know what Lusizi meant but it sure didn't sound good to her. She got back up and dusted away as much dirt as she could. Her chin felt sore but she didn't feel any bleeding, which was a good thing. She turned to look at them with her head held high before running back to her siblings.
Later that day, Njalo had once again gotten distracted by something and was not around them. Still, they stuck together. Hlengiwe was sitting down just watching with a smile as her siblings played a game of tag. Her smile slowly turned upside down when she saw those two lionesses that had called her that bad word. What did they want?
Apparently they were just passing by but one had to make a comment to the other one. "Look, there are the Lusizi." Hlengiwe hadn't taken it too hard when they had only said it in front of her. Saying it to her siblings, however, was an entirely different matter.
She stood up on her paws, her tail swishing back and forth in agitation. Just as she was about to open her mouth to say something, she saw Gakere out of the corner of her eye. Hlengiwe gave them a smug smile. "We're not Lusizi and I'm gonna tell my big brother what you said." This time she didn't yell at them but her voice was definitely loud enough that Gakere would hear what she said quite clearly.
The one who spoke seemed to scoff. "Oh and who is your big brother. That cub crying next to you?" Together they laughed.
Hlengiwe clenched her jaw tight. How dare they pick on Machozi. She stuck her chin in the air and replied, "No, that's my older brother." She pointed with her paw at Gakere as he came closer. The expression on their faces were priceless and almost better than a fresh kill.
Hlengiwe ran up to Gakere and hid behind his legs. She looked up at him with pleading eyes and said in her usually loud way, "They called us Lusizi." Surely he would know what that meant and it had to be a bad thing.
Gakere looked down at the cub that had pushed her way through his legs to hide underneath him. He then looked at the two lionesses and replied in a calm voice, "Did they now?" Hlengiwe nodded her head enthusiastically with a serious expression. She'd like to see them try to tease her family now.
((I got permission to rp Gakere in my response from Indubitably. ))
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Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:06 pm
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:57 pm
.:GIMMIE THAT BANANA BOY!:.
Name: Tshehla
Meaning: Yellow male animal or Sun (Northen Sotho)
Personality: As a cub, Tshehla is shy towards strangers. As he gets older, he breaks out of his shell more, becoming a ‘gentleman’ around the ladies, and just ‘one of the guys’ when around other males. He seems quiet and reserved, but is very observant and sweet.
Prompt Number: 3
Prompt Response:
It wasn’t unusual for Tshehla to slip away when his mother ‘wasn’t’ looking. Today was just like any other day he had wandered off, although he knew watchful eyes were on him. He didn’t care, he was going to go roll around in the dust. Then, when it would be time to go ‘inside’ he would complain just like any other male cub would do about having to take a bath. The routine would happen at least once a week.
White paws shuffled across the ground, already lightly staining them a brown color. Tshehla was kicking up the dirt so much that a cloud of dust surrounded him. Coughing, the young cub sat, waving the dirt film away from the air. When it settled, dark eyes widened at the site before him.
He knew that his pride was nicknamed “The Bonelands”, but never had he known why. Now he did.
Lying there, partially fur covered, the other part gnawed on by other animals, bones already showing, was the form of a lion. Tshehla had definitely seen this one before, but it was a long time ago it seemed. He could never forget that deep brown pelt: the fur of his father. Circling the deceased, he spoke quietly.
“…Matifu?” he had heard his mother speak that name before.
“…Dad?” there was a more familiarity there. Even if his father was never the ‘loving’ sort to him or his brother, the fact still remained that it was the one who had sired him. The male went to prod at the partially covered tail, but the small bones had nothing left there to keep it together. It fell apart as soon as he grasped two of the smaller tail bones. His nose twitched, dropping the two bones with a small ‘thump’ on the ground. He knew not much of the dead, but he did remember the when the huntresses would bring in a hunt, and how they too acted the same way as what his father was doing right before him.
He turned his head, back to where he knew the remainder of his family was. The huntresses of the pride would find this body soon enough, and Tshehla did not want to be around when they did. Grabbing the two bones he had dropped earlier, he held them tightly, running back towards the pride with a slightly limp due to the clutched items in his paw.
Even though this lion was more caring towards his sisters, there was still a small bond the male held within his heart for his father.
The two ‘souvenirs’ were just a reminder to his young self to live each day as your last.
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 9:27 pm
Updated to heeeeeeeeeerrrrrrreeeeee! -wiggles-
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 1:52 pm
This ends today in about 6 hours!
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 3:50 pm
Last minute entry? =3
.:I WANT SOME BLUE EYES!:.
Name: Thulisile aka Thuli
Meaning: She who made things quiet (Zulu) >> because she was so loud as a newborn that all the other babies went quiet XD
Personality: Thuli is a little spitfire. She can’t stand still for long periods of time and always seems to have a little too much energy to burn. She has this “oh, mom!” attitude towards Njalo but is fiercely protective of her mother when around anyone from outside her family. Because she feels she looks a lot like Njalo, she will often try to act the exact opposite way as her mother. She is always playing and it’s difficult to get this confident little girl down.
Prompt Number: 3 with a hint of 2?
Prompt Response: Thuli had been in a truly foul mood the entire morning. She’d been called something and, while not knowing what the word actually meant, the young cub could certainly recognize the tone in which it had been spoken. So she had tracked down her mother in order to find the meaning of the word – Lusizi – and Njalo proved to be rather reliable in this situation, offering the little girl plenty of information before she had realized something was upsetting Thuli.
It wasn’t fair! Her father had been the Umholi when she was born and now they suddenly changed the way they thought about her and her rank? It made no sense! Especially since her big brother Gakere was the new Umholi so she had the right bloodline anyway… or at least, half of it! Everyone who called her a Lusizi was just stupid, Thuli decided as she left her mother’s comforting presence and looked for something that would make her forget the whole thing. She certainly found it. She had been watching the clouds as she walked – one looked just like a giraffe! – when she almost stumbled in something large and smelly. Thuli’s first impression of the large furry shape was that someone has left a half-eaten kill in the middle of her path. Watching it carefully from various angles, the blue-eyed cub found herself oddly fascinated and even a little fearful for some reason.
It seemed the vultures had already spent some time on it so Thuli had to wonder why they hadn’t finished the job. Perhaps they had been interrupted. A great deal of cautious poking ensued and Thuli played with the tufted tail for a very long time until she started realizing that under the cover of rotting flesh there was something familiar about the deformed carcass. She realized the paws looked a little like a lion’s… and it seemed to have long mane-like hairs on the other end though it was facing down and she couldn’t see its features. Wide-eyed, Thuli watched the carcass in a completely new light, wonder and fear very obviously in them. This lion had been big and alive and talking probably not too long ago and now… it wasn’t. It was a difficult concept to grasp. The young cub had the sudden urge to know what it tasted like and knowing if a dead lion was just like a gazelle or a zebra was becoming very important in her mind though she couldn’t really put those thoughts into words. Slowly, she leaned closer to dark shape. Just a little lick. If it tasted as foul as if smelled, she would probably spit it right out. But she was so curious.
She didn’t understand why her mother, who seemed to have suddenly appeared behind her – even though she had been calling for Thuli for a while now – seemed so upset. It didn’t make sense that she was dragging the cub away from that place saying weird things about her father. Thuli remembered her father as a large and intimidating dark shape that barred the entrance to the den as the early morning light framed his massive body. That was the only image she had of her father, her only memory of him and so she knew perfectly well that he was not a lump of flesh wasting away. She sighed, giving Njalo The Look as she so often did though Thuli followed after her without arguing. Her mother could be so strange sometimes…
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:12 pm
.:GIMMIE THAT BANANA BOY!:.
Name: Themba (zulu)
Meaning: Hope
Personality: Themba takes his mother's words to heart, perhaps a little too much. Because of her affection, he would never doubt her, no matter what she said. With all of Njalo's stories about the pride's past beliefs and their father, Themba will be a little stuck on how he has a light - even white mane and lighter coloring. He'll try and figure out ways to remedy this - by dirtying this coat colors, or pondering how he could change himself to be a stronger male. As a result of these silly hopes, Njalo named him for his whimsical fantasies.
Prompt Number: 2
Prompt Response:
"You Lusizi," came the words from one of the older lionesses as he walked by her spot.
Themba had just walked a few feet away from his mother - far enough for her to not have heard the lioness, but close enough to run back to in a moment's time. He had gone off to look for where Machozi had run off to, having just finished listening to one of his Njalo's stories.
It wasn't the first time he heard that word; at first, it confused him. Mother had never taught him anything about the word in relation to the pride - perhaps it was someone mistaking his name? But after so many times, and the tone they said it in... it had to be something he shouldn't like.
His ears drooped and eyes lowered shamefully, and his pace quickened to escape the older lioness's vision. Themba already felt bad about his existence as a lighter-colored boy, but this... This just furthered his fears and insecurities.
"Machozi?" he called out, searching for the grey form of his favorite brother - Machozi was at least the only one he could say he related to and could talk to about some things. Even though his other sisters were generally nice, even overfriendly to him, they were still... girls!
"Machozi!" he called out louder, now more frantic from his shamed feeling.
His heart pace steadied as he soon found the grey form of his brother stooping over some pebbles and ants. Themba quickly bounded over to Machozi, immediately bringing up the issue.
"Machozi, has anyone called you a... a 'Lusizi' before?" he asked.
As Machozi looked up, there was a brief pause, and then tears started to well up in those green eyes. Themba stood there gaping, surprised yet sorry that he elicited such an action. Then, he almost wanted to join Machozi, all his anxieties of feeling inept and inferior welling up from him.
"It's... so... CONFUSING!" Machozi cried out through his tears, "That they call me that. I want to ask mom what it is!"
Themba began to nod - their mother was always a good source of comfort and bade their troubles away... but then, he stopped to actually think. Was this going to make him stronger? What if complaining about the other lionesses calling them names was a sign of weakness? He couldn't have that.
"Wait, no, Machozi," Themba said, "I don't think we can let them know that their name calling made us go to mom. We... We need to be proud. Like Matifu. Like Father."
Themba was resolute - though he had not gotten much interaction or knowledge of his father, the mystery actually served to heighten his thoughts of Matifu. And letting the insults of others in the pride go by him unfazed would, he realized, make him a stronger, better male.
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 7:39 pm
.:I WANT SOME BLUE EYES!:.
Name: Mnandi'Uboya
Meaning: “Sweet Fur” In Zulu
Personality: Mnandi'Uboya earned her name on the journey home after her birth. She's a fastidious girl, always tidy and priding herself on her looks, and all that dust from their travel meant that she was constantly grooming at every stop. One of her mother's friends made a joke that that cub's fur must taste sweet, because she was always licking it.
Mnandi is a good-natured and gentle cub. It could be said that she is not terribly quick-witted, like her mother, but she is kind and well-meaning, and generally harmless. Mnandi just wants to make friends, and would love it if everyone in her pride got along, even if she doesn't fully understand why they don't. Mnandi is not the type to quarrel with others, and even though there are many traditionalists in her pride she simply doesn't seem to have any opinion about what color is better or what traditions should remain intact. She's cheerful almost always, and definitely a little vain, and many of her acquaintances have a right to wonder if there's much going on in her head sometimes. Still, she will grow into a decent Umzingali and may be just useful enough to be considered an asset to the survivalist pride she calls home, despite being a Lusizi.
Prompt Number: 2
Prompt Response: There it was again... that face!
Mnandi was not so very old yet, and yet she could recognize that the face that lioness made was not a good one. Every now and then, when mother was not around, one or two of the members of Mnandi's pride would look at her and make the same sort of expression at her, narrowing their eyes and gazing at her in sort of the way she though somebody might look at dirt.
At first, the young cub didn't get it. Mnandi thought maybe they WERE looking at dirt, and she mistook the expression for something that had been directed at her. But it happened at lot, usually when mother was not around. And recently Mnandi had begun to feel a little sore about it. So, she did the only thing that she thought was right, and this lat time she glanced over and saw someone looking at her funny, she padded right up to the lioness and asked why. It did no good. The lioness, now looking more disgusted than ever, simply ignored her, as if she was unfit to even speak to. This, besides making Mnandi more sore, also made her quite confused.
An idea connected in her head as she was trudging away, considering what had happened just now. For whatever reason, the lioness did not like her. And she was beginning to think the reason was not something she could control at all. After all, she was a good little cub. She'd done nothing to annoy anyone...
That must be it. It was not something she would understand, and so Mnandi chose to forget it. The lioness did not like her, and some of the others also did not. But why worry about the things you can't change? Mnandi didn't spend time upset over why the weather was bad one day and nice the next. Maybe her neighbors, like the weather, would change one day of their own accord. Yes, that was probably what would happen.
And so with this in mind, that was the last time Mnandi gave the matter any thought.
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 8:41 pm
Closed!
Thank you to everybody who entered! You guys are going to make this super hard to judge!
Kael and I are going to go over the entries and try to post the winners as soon as possible!
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 11:05 pm
ALRIGHTY!
After over an hour of deliberating (seriously I closed this at almost 12am EST and it's now almost 2am EST) we have out winners! I'd like to thank everybody again for entering, you made it pretty damn hard for us to pick who the cubs would end up with!
But without further ado:
Male Cub goes to Boudaihobbit!
Female Cub goes to Mogami!
We really loved the personality of both your cubs and thought they came through well in your rp prompts! We're really glad to have you joining the family!
However, we're not finished just yet!
Lilbabe808 we're really pleased (and super impressed) by your dedication in trying to get a spot in this family. Not only did you enter for a custom, but you also entered for both cubs after that! Kael and I really enjoyed your male and female cub entries and so as a reward for your effort Kael has generously offered to color you a random cubbin' to be added to this family. Njalo will pick this cub up in her travels and it will be raised beside her own cubs as part of their family and will essentially be considered one of Njalo's cubs!
Please post in this thread as to whether you would like a male or female cub. :3
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 11:39 pm
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Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:20 am
Congratulations, winners! I'd love to RP with any of you!
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Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:20 am
Thank you so much!!!
And congrats to Boudaihobbit and Lilbabe as well!
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Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:20 am
Oh sh#!zz new cub!! Thank you!!!!!!!!! heart
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Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:30 am
Congrats everyone!
And are you serious! emotion_jawdrop
Thank you so much Nee and Kael! <3 I would love a female cub.
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