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 Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:03 pm
Unyezi was off duty for the afternoon, though it wasn't really much for leisure time. He was a busy lion now that he had been assigned the task of helping (and keeping an eye on) another member of the pride, especially now that there were cubs involved. As a slave, he could not refuse a task, especially one that came directly from the queen. He missed Alcmene but he continued to give her space, never expecting they would truly reconcile.
On one of the rare occasions where he had the opportunity to do something fun, he had found the first little one of his own he could and they had gone off for a walk. They walked, heading away from the central lands a bit in hopes of not running into too many others.
"What do you want to do today?" he asked his son.
"Uhhhhhh," he hummed thoughtfully, taking great leaping-steps in an attempt to keep up with his father's large strides, "How far away can we go? Can you show me where all the guards go? I could be a guard when I'm bigger, right? That's a good reason to look around." Uli truthfully had no idea what he wanted to do when he grew up but he liked learning about everything.
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:04 pm
It had been his idea, all his, to stop by the river for a few days. “Water and food is plentiful here,” he had said. “We can rest before continuing. Come on, you know we need it!” And Vikesh, like he was so wont to eventually do, had submitted to his words. At first everything had gone even more smoothly than Otieno's optimism could hope for. The water that flowed past was clean, cool, and fresh, and the meat from the hapless animals that stopped by the river for a drink filled their bellies to the brim. Then on the last day of their respite, the rains had begun, heavy and drenching. And again, it had been Otieno's idea to hold off on continuing for “one more day, Vikesh, please! Until the rains stop.” But that one day had turned out to be far too much time spent still. The flood came, swift and violently, in the middle of the night, and the two were separated by the raging waters. Though Otieno had managed to find refuge atop a hill, it seemed that Vikesh had not been so lucky. For days the young lion searched through the muck, desperately calling for his friend, but the solemn truth was finally admitted and he had continued onward alone.
Even now he was journeying, only resting and eating when it was necessary. He had certainly learned his lesson about needless stops. Squinting into the afternoon sun as it slowly made its way downwards to the horizon, Otieno sighed and shook his dark mane, displacing a few twigs and leaves from it. He had been so proud of it, his mane, when it had first started to grow, but now he didn't even care for the thing. Unyezi would be ashamed. He had annoyed the older lion about how “good lookin' I'm gonna be when I get my mane” enough in his youth that he should have kept it in an impeccable state. Whatever. It's not like he would ever see Unyezi again, or Aureole, or any of the others. No, his hope had died along with Vikesh.
But still, there were two forms on the horizon a little farther ahead, now that he noticed them. He supposed it wouldn't hurt if he asked them if they knew anything about the Mwezi'Johari and its location. And, though he would never notice it, his pace picked up slightly at the thought. The thought of home.
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:19 pm
"You could be a guard when you grow up," Unyezi agreed with a smile sent toward his son, then he looked around them thoughtfully. He should not wander too far, a slave was not supposed to wander so freely or carelessly. He was with a member of the higher class, but it was his son. His young son. It would barely be acceptable, "Alright, we can go and take a look around but you better hope Baba'nyota is not the one who finds us. And if anybody does, it was all your idea."
He winked at Uli and picked up the pace a bit, challenging the smaller lion to match his speed and keep up. He had always enjoyed playing games with his children, Alcmene especially. Learning was more fun when you made it into a competition or a game. Unyezi was doing well not to let his relationship with his eldest child change his feelings about his younger children. He felt bad for what he had done to Alcmene but looking at his family, at Ulivuma that very moment, he never once regretted the decision he had made.
"Do you remember what the guards do?"
Uli looked very excited when his dad agreed with him and consented to taking him near where the guards often went. He grinned toothily up at his father and spoke along with him, "It was all my idea, I know!" He was used to hearing this particular excuse, though he had never run into anybody who got angry at his father for wandering around or playing with them. It was more of a joke to the small lion than anything, and he didn't mind.
"Guards watch the borders and keep us safe from anything that might come in, like mean old monsters!" he responded enthusiastically, leaping forward with a laugh as he alternated between trying to keep up and playing, "That's why we never see any monsters and we're bein' silly if we think there are any hiding in the shadows around home."
It was obviously a story he had been told before. He was falling behind again, his eyes on his father's tail as he considered pouncing on it. He looked up to see if his father was looking at him or not when something else caught his eye. There was something out there.
"Dad! Dad! I see one!" he cried, scrambling forward to catch up with his father, "It's a monster! Look!"
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:51 pm
Hmm, they seemed to be running. Did they see him too? Otieno began running as well, hoping he was running towards friendly greeters rather than angry, territorial defenders. That would not be good. Leave it to him to find the wrong pride and get killed in the process. Vikesh would surely laug- The thought of his old mentor caused a pang of sadness to jump into Otieno's heart, and he slowed his run back down into a walk. Nope, he wouldn't get overly eager. It would just be more bad news.
As he neared the duo, Otieno's heart felt another, now almost foreign, emotion. Hope soared into his soul as the white furred, tan maned lion neared him. No, no, it was too good to be true. Plenty of lions had white fur and tan manes and blue legs and white toes and moon markings. Right? His gaze rolled to the smaller of the two, a black cubthing that had the bigger lion's eyes and moon marking. What. Lots of cubs had- oh, who was he kiddin'.
He tossed his mane again, ruffling the black fur out of his eyes. A lopsided grin appeared on his face, one the older lion would recognize, and he winked at the cub before looking back to the adult. "You've gotten fat, Unyezi."
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:33 pm
"A monster?" Unyezi repeated, looking from his son to the advancing creature and immediately coming to a halt. He put out a paw to keep Ulivuma from getting ahead of him. He squinted and watched as the creature slowed down. He didn't recognize the lion before him. Last he had seen of Otieno, he was about the size of Ulivuma and had been entrusted into the care of Vikesh, the old grump of a priest. The mane got in the way, the view of familiar markings was blocked as Otieno came head on towards them. He didn't realize until Otieno grinned.
"Otieno!" he cried, jumping forward and wasting no time being formal, practically headbutting the other lion in his excitement, "You've grown so much, you've sprouted a mane! We thought you were- we thought- what happened to you?"
He ignored Otieno's comment and focused on the explanation. He didn't even remember that he and Aureole were no longer together, that he had a lot to explain. He was no longer a higher rank than Otieno, he should be more respectful but they had been friends, were going to be family. It simply never crossed his mind.
Ulivuma was trying to get ahead of his father to point out the ferocious beast heading their way when he ran face first into a leg, one the clearly was meant to keep him back. He made a face as he stumbled backward, looking up to glare at his father before looking back out to the monster. He realized quickly it wasn't a monster at all, and when it winked at him, he tilted his head-- and then turned sharply when Unyezi was called fat. He expected only one thing, since the lion was clearly not a stranger, and that was for his father to respond in some respectful or submissive manner. He was surprised to see his father move forward and greet the lion.
"Whaaa--?" he murmured but he stayed back. He had nothing to add and so he only looked on in confusion.
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