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 Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:26 am
Anameleth lay on top of an old log, watching the fireflies that danced around. To her, they gave an eerie land another level of eerie. But...that was because she knew the truth about fireflies. Her mother had taught it to her and Moricorm. Fireflies were souls. Now...Ri hadn't been quite as interested as Meleth. But Meleth....she grinned and swiped out at a group of the glittering bugs.
Meleth liked the fact the such fragile creatures held mortal souls. And she rather liked the idea that she was causing them misery. And perhaps those left would be reborn with a demon from below. She wanted more playmates that weren't her sibs. But until more demons came....She was stuck. After a moment, the game grew boring and she settled on the log again, watching the dancing yellow lights. Which ones would be joined by demon-souls?
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Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:15 pm
Kasdeya awoke with a start to the emptiness around her. The night was dark and her family's den was silent. Looking around she could see that she was alone. This wasn't a surprise as many members went out during the night to be one with their demons. She assumed her father came by to teach them their lessons. It seemed to Kasdeya that Iartuupe was only concerned with teaching them the ways of the pride. He was there father, but was nothing different to Kasdeya then any other adult male of the pride. She lifted herself and shook off the thought. She didn't care about him anyways!
Padding out from the den, the young cub searched for anything to catch her interest. Although she could feel the presence of the pride members around her they were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps an ability of more experienced demons, she thought, the ability to hide themselves. Continuing forward, Kasdeya felt a smirk spread across her maw at the site of another brown colored cub not far off. Anameleth lay on top of a decaying log, swatting at fireflies above her head. Kasdeya was glad to find another one of her siblings had been left out of the lesson - she didn't feel so alone then.
Breaking the silence, Kasdeya spoke first, "Good evening."
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Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:27 pm
Meleth blinked and looked over to the source of the voice with ruby eyes. Ah! One of her sisters. She nodded at her, and hopped off her log. "Evening, Kasdeya." Now what was her sister doing around here? Last she knew, all her siblings liked going to their father's lessons. (She would be there...but something hadn't felt right.) "What brings you here? Drawn by the eerie light of unborn souls?" It was what had drawn her in when she'd first found this particular spot.
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Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:52 pm
Kasdeya glanced around at all the glittering fireflies when Meleth spoke. Her mother hadn't given her that lesson as she had to her other sisters. Even without that information, the intelligent cub could piece together that her sister was referring to the little, shimmering insects. Kasdeya wanted to ask her more about what Maluuni had said, but thought it would show weakness to reveal that her sister might know more than her on the matter. In addition, Malunni was regarded as a slave to the entire pride and whatever it was she taught could very well be false. She did not care very much for Iartuupe, but he was a King of the pride and what he said was law.
With a distasteful look, Kasdeya returned her gaze to Meleth and replied, "No. I came out to get closer to my demon... she's been restless lately. I think she is eager for our first hunt." It was common knowledge amongst the pride members that cubs learned quickly how to hunt and the importance of blood and power. Kasdeya was still far too young to go out with the hunters, but had watched them on occasion and reveled in what would soon be hers.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 9:45 am
Hmmm...lucky Kasdeya. Meleth's demon had made only whispers to her occasionally. She hopped down from her perch, stretching out. "We'll get to hunt soon enough." It was just a fact. One she did look forward to. She wasn't usually much for physical confrontation...but this would be a rite of passage. Something that would mark their growing up. Perhaps by then she wouldn't be only a little bigger than Ri.
"I wonder though...when the time comes, which of us will fail that rite..." The smile she wore said, clear as words, 'certainly not us'. Meleth knew she and her sisters would pass, sure as night would come. Their brothers....now they were another story.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 9:55 am
Kasdeya's ears flattened when her sister reminded her that they would still have to wait, even if only a bit longer, for their first hunt. She had watched the adults take down prey animals together and cover their faces with the thick, sacred substance called blood. It was believed that consuming the blood of the prey gave the hunter all the previous power of the animal that they had taken down. Perhaps it was for that reason that many demons chose the strongest prey animals opposed to the weakest. They were much more difficult to hunt and there would be more chance for loss, but once the animal was caught it would provide a much more powerful meal.
When Meleth asked Kasdeya which of their family would fail the hunt, Kasdeya's expression turned to one of anger. Every litter was competitive with one another because of the competition for heir amongst the young pride members, but Kasdeya fully believed her family above all others. "I believe we will all hunt sucessfully." When she noticed Meleth did not mean the two of them, Kasdeya's expression softened, but only slightly, "Even if some of us do better than others, we hunt together and cannot let the weakest of our family fail. If they fail, we all fail."
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 10:17 am
"True." Their blood was already weakened by their mother's dirty blood (even if her mother had taught her some interesting things). They didn't need more of a stain by one of their siblings failing their first hunt. Sometimes...she felt as if they had to work twice as hard to rise above, because of who their mother was. What was worse...the foolish lioness didn't even know what she was. And their oh-so-high-and-mighty king of a father hadn't told her.
"Perhaps we should do something to ensure they do not fail." She wouldn't mind practicing if it meant not becoming a laughing stock. Demon younglings were far from kind to anyone who was deemed a failure.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 10:43 am
Kasdeya would never have suggested helping her siblings prepare for the hunt, but when Meleth mentioned it, her eyes lit up mischieviously. "I think that would be wise to do. We can train them and ourselves so that we not only succeed, but do well enough to impress the leaders!" Kasdeya let a slight smirk appear on her face at the thought. She hadn't heard Nyota, a competing male cub she knew, mention anything like that. In fact, she believed his family so competitive that he wouldn't dream of assisting his family.
"I am sure Ri would know some great tips as well," Kasdeya added, though paused afterwards and furrowed her brow. Ri was one of her closest family members and she knew the small lioness deserved the compliment, but she feared it put Ri above herself. Standing tall and puffing out her chest as though to compensate, the young lioness let out a growl before she pounced on an unsuspecting firefly.
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