|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:45 am
After her meeting with Indu, Umeko had decided to find out more about the Mwezi'Johari. Something about the Great Lion the other lioness spoke of just... Felt right to her. And so, she'd wandered a bit further into the lands of the pride. Right now, she was crouched down near a rather large river, lapping up the cool water appreciatively. And once she was done getting her drink, she flopped down and absently dipped one paw into the waters.
The lioness couldn't help but absently wonder if there were any fish in the river... Maybe one of them would even come to nibble on her toes!
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:58 am
Alcmene was alone, she was quiet, she was.. calm. Despite everything that had happened recently, her rise to power and her father's fall, his abandoning her as he had.. even with her mother there to help her.. she wondered, she worried a lot about what the rest of the pride thought. She had support, certainly, but did anybody really think she was ready? She had spent a lot of the first couple days not doing a great deal, staying around the den, but now she was trying to occupy her time. So she went out for a walk.
She saw several lions as she walked, most she recognized, some she wasn't so sure about but thought she did.. she was getting a bit paranoid that she might forget something important. When she spotted the flowery lioness by the river, though, she was sure it was a stranger. They were still in the pride's land, it was worth looking into. It was her first time doing this, doing this alone..
Taking a deep breath, she jogged forward.
"Hello there?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:23 am
Umeko turned to look at Alcmene, lavender eyes tranquil and calm. With a small smile and a languid stretch, the lioness rose from her spot and turned to sit before the younger lioness. Such a beautiful coat! It reminded her of the night sky!
"Hello. I'm Umeko," she said politely, nodding her head in greeting. "I hope you don't mind my presence. I was hoping to learn more about this pride."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:50 am
Ally could not imagine she looked so important or threatening that she merited such a quick and to-the-point response, but she couldn't pretend she wasn't pleased by it. Not to mention, this made her job easier. She knew about the pride, she knew she was trespassing and she was curious about it.
"Umeko," she repeated with a smile, trying to remember how her father had instructed her on this. She had never gone with him to investigate strangers and he had offered to come with her the first time she was informed of a wandering stranger, but this was not planned or expected, "My name is Alcmene, I am the queen of the Mwezi'Johari. I suppose I'm a good one to ask if you want to learn more, what do you already know?"
It was a bit awkward, and she felt very anxious about it- especially when she, for the first time, introduced herself as the queen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:52 pm
"You certainly are young to be a queen! You should be more confident, Queen Alcmene. Others will pick up on it," Umeko said, offering the young queen a kind smile before her gaze wandered up to the stars. "I have heard from a huntress that you pay heed to a Great Lion whose eye is the moon. To me, it feels... Right. I would like to know everything about the Mwezi'Johari. Perhaps I might even want to join your pride."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:50 pm
Alcmene flinched at Umeko's words, though she knew she deserved it. She was still in practice, having never before taken advantage of her high rank or her full power and suddenly she must be master of it all. She smiled sheepishly, though, for the rogue's smile was still kind. She would get used to such commentary, but so far Umeko was the only one so bold as to comment to her face.
"I suppose you're right," she agreed, "I am still getting used to it, you'll have to forgive my awkwardness!" She did not say more, though there was much to say about the position she was in. So far she was handling the situation with much more calm than she might otherwise have. She listened to what Umeko knew, smiling at her commentary and wondering which lioness had let her in on the secret.
"The Great Lion is our protector, he watches over us from the dark sky so many of us stay up late into the night," she explained, much less practiced at what to say, her words were more poetic than her father's speeches, "His watchful eye favors certain lions over others, those lions who make up the higher classes. The brighter his eye on the night of your birth, the more respect you deserve and receive."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:00 pm
"I'm sure you'll grow into it. I can already tell you will be a great queen," Umeko said, smiling and listening to the young queen's next words intently. The idea was truly something that felt right to her. After a long moment of thought, the flowery lioness gave a decisive nod. "It feels right, Queen Alcmene... How would I go about joining the Mwezi'Johari?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:07 pm
She smiled again, glad of Umeko's confidence in her despite just having met. She hoped very much it meant that she had made a good impression on the lioness, that was a lot of her hope when she approached. It was also a good sign when Umeko was enthusiastic enough to agree immediately, if she could put so much faith into the ways of the pride like that, she was certainly qualified!
"I think you will fit in just fine," she said, "Because we cannot know for certain under what moon you were born, on the next full moon you'll be taken to one of the priests and you'll go through an initiation. You're put to sleep with a special plant and when you wake up will tell us how watchful the Great Lion is over you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:13 pm
"Until the next full moon, then. I'm guessing I'll be living in the pride until then?" Umeko questioned softly, smiling at the young queen almost eagerly. She couldn't wait until she was a full fledged member of the pride... She wanted to learn everything there was to know about this place. About the Mwezi'Johari...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:18 pm
"Yes," she said with a smile, "I'll take you into the central lands and introduce you into the shaman and the priests." Her tail swayed behind her excitedly, this was going rather well! She only hoped it would always be this simple, it would certainly boost her confidence and make her job much easier. At least this part of it!
"I can answer any other questions along the way," Ally added.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:24 pm
"I can't wait to meet everyone," Umeko said happily, getting to her feet and eagerly going to Alcmene's side. She would ask as many questions as she could along the way. Within reason, of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:27 pm
Ally smiled, nodded and turned around to lead the way back to the central pride lands. She had an idea of where she would find Shira, who would certainly help her follow through with the rest of this joining process. If not Shira, then her aunt Lela- Umeko would need to meet her, she would be the one taking care of her on the full moon.
"This way," she said, and off they went.
(( Fin.
Umeko has rolled into the Middle Class. She may be either a huntress or a guard! ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
