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 Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:17 pm
And now it was getting dark.
And she had no family in this strange land, not even with those she'd come with. At best she might be able to find a place in Kenna's den. Momma had claimed to be friends, after a fashion, with the once-queen. As it was, all of her blood relatives had parted from her at the disbanding of the Safi. So had Makaa's family.
It was at that point the little lion, white fur turned pink under the setting sun's rays, realized she did not know where Kenna would be staying. Looking around and seeing red and black and white lions everywhere, it was hard to tell who was from the Safi and who from the Simo, save the sour looks. Of course, both sides were swapping those too, so even that didn't help. Ironic, that the two prides had joined into one so seamlessly, just when she needed a way to tell who was who.
With no other plan, Zapa picked a den at random to poke her nose into. "Hello?" She called softly, hoping that whomever lived there would show her some kindness. "Is anyone in here?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:40 pm
 Among them there was, at least, one willing to brave the Safi to make first contact. Ursa, not unlike Zapaliti, with optimism and trust, was resting in the den into which Zapa came calling. Rising quickly to her paws and making for the entrance she stayed one with the shadows at first, able to make the other out better, likely, than Zapa could her. To start anyway. That wasn't Ursa's doing so much as her natural dark coloration. One thing was for sure, it wasn't Adara that had come calling.
"I'm here... Who asks?"
She emerged then into the lighter shadows, red eyes blinking. This one had coloring similar to Uddhava's streak. Were they possibly related?
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:58 pm
Zapa shuffled back a quick step at the sound of someone rising. Hopeful she might have been, but stupid she was not. When whomever it was stopped short of the better lit entrance, she took some heart though. She hadn't been attacked right out. Still, the fact that she could barely make out the form of the lion within (the fact that she could at all marked up to long hours talking with her own sister in their dark den. Kala was black like their father's mane.) made her a little nervous.
"I'm Zapaliti...I was looking for Kenna's den." How could she explain that, in her foolishness, she hadn't realized she'd have no one to stay with in the Simo. She'd been too busy thinking about her dear brother. That reminded her. "I'm looking for my brother too!"
Ah, the other lion was about her age. She sighed with relief when she slipped into the light, and couldn't help but admire her interesting colors. All black, but in the light streaks seemed to fade from lighter to darker with the ease of water. The juvenile wasn't frowning, at least. "I'm looking for my brother...I don't know if he's here, but I came to find him. He'd be a bout my size, maybe a bit smaller..." She wondered if he'd grown any since they'd last been together. He must have. "Are you...a Simo?" Well they both were now, technically.
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:17 pm
Ursa had been warned, all of her litter mates had been, by their father that the Safi were going to be merging, that they should all be cautious, but Ursa couldn't find it in her to distrusting of those her own age. The adults, maybe, but not the juveniles and cubs.
... Some of the cubs.
"I'm Firekin." Was her answer to the last question first, and she offered a small smile, as if to say that was all that mattered. "I'm afraid I don't know where Kenna is... but... if you're looking for your brother, you must mean Uddhava... He's the only one that's come over from the Safi. Is he gold, with a white mane and--" She reached up to poke at the tuft of fur that wasn't there, but Uddhava did have. "--a red streak right here?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:28 pm
Zapa's smile at the response showed her gratitude to the other juvenile's acceptance. They all were strangers to Zap, so simply thinking of them all as 'firekin' was the best. She didn't thank Ursa though. Somehow she didn't know the words to use for that. Hopefully she'd understand though.
Her ears drooped a bit at her denial of knowledge of Kenna, but they jolted right back up a moment later. Uddhava? She didn't know that name...but the description couldn't have been any better. "Yes, that's him!! You said Uddhava, right?" She tried the name out, unable to keep herself from beaming...somewhere along the way it seemed her dear Sun-brother had gotten a name! "Uddhava, Uddhava..." She looked back up at the black cub, eyes wide and tail lashing excitedly. "You know him? He's here? Where's he staying, is he okay? Is he...happy?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:13 pm
Ursa couldn't help but smile as she watched Zapa's spirits rise. She thought kindly and fondly of Uddhava, perhaps because she still recalled her own brother who had been so brilliant blue, and the fact that he'd have to leave with mother she felt a particular soft spot for the male-cub upon seeing him the first time.
"Slow down a little!" She giggled a bit, moving to sit on her haunches at the entrance in the fading light of the sun. "Yes, Uddhava, that's the name he told me when I met him. "We're friends. He's staying with your other brother, Azarax, and his mate, Yin-li. The general and one of the storytellers. When he's not with one of them though I think he's usually with the cub sitter, Moja. I could show you tomorrow, but I think he's probably already getting ready to sleep right now. I think he's really missed you guys... but he's doing better than when he first came."
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:32 pm
All thoughts of loneliness and struggle were far behind Zap now. Her brother was here! Her quest hadn't been in vain after all! Wiggling so wildly her tail was likely to fall off, she ran in a little circle around Ursa before plopping down opposite her. "You're Uddhava's friend!" She repeated, delighted to hear her rather shy brother hadn't been alone.
The news of a second brother startled her. "Azarax? I don't know any Azarax..." Her mother had never told her about any other older brothers than the one she'd seen rarely in the Safi. What if someone had told Uddhava he was their brother just to make him think that! It was alarming at first, but hen she decided it was a good idea. Uddhava wouldn't have been alone, thinking he'd found a brother.
It was good to hear he was doing well, and the white juve ached to go now, to find him before he had to go another day not knowing she was so close...But Ursa was probably right. Zap was tired too, after all the walking. That reminded her..."Do you maybe know a place I can stay then? I'm sorta...my family didn't come to find him." Her ears drooped. "Just me."
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:15 pm
Ursa giggled again, watching Zapalita run circles around her. It was nice to see someone so energetic around here aside from Azar with his boasting issues, or even the regent's twin girls, who were known trouble makers. She was glad anyway when Zapa sat down.
"Well, if you want, maybe you could stay here with us. The others aren't back yet but I can explain it to my parents when they do come home."
She certainly didn't want the other feeling without, and she couldn't help but wonder what kind of family left their kids behind, parentless? Not just her, but her brother!
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Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 8:17 pm
"That would be very nice of you...you're sure your family wouldn't mind?" Some of the Simo she'd crossed today hadn't been exactly kind to her. She'd tried to be nice, but they had simply not wanted to talk, or had been cruel. She would hate to have that happen again, but moreover, she would hate to get her new friend in trouble on her behalf.
"If your parents don't mind, I'd like to very much! Tomorrow I can meet Uddhava," and she still wanted to spin with delight. Her brother had a name! "And...Azarax? And him, and then I won't be any more trouble, I promise!"
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Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 8:24 pm
"They won't. My parents would never be that mean to cubs." She left out the why's that she knew of, standing up again to buffet her head against Zapa's with a frienly, sisterly greeting-- officially --and rough purr. "I'm Ursa, by the way. It'll be a little while till they're back, so if you want I'll bring you to meet Azarax and Yin-li, so they know who you are tomorrow?"
Her ears perked atop her head while waiting to hear the other's answer as she smiled, tail swaying calmly behind her.
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Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 8:34 pm
Zapa pressed her head to the others when she was officially greeted. White and black, yin and yang...Funny, to anyone passing by they probably looked like long time friends by now. Of course she leapt at the offer to meet those who'd been caring for her brother. "Ursa! Of course I would! You don't think they'll mind?" She hoped they'd like her. What if they didn't though?! What if they made her stay away from Uddhava? She wouldn't let them...She shook herself out of such foul thoughts. They'd have to like her!
"Can we go now?"
Fin...?
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Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:55 pm
Ursa smiled back brightly at the eager cub, giving a firm nod and turning them in the direction of the general's den.
"Mm! Let's go!"
~ Fin.
((I just wanted to make it definitely final. >w<))
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