He had been told that another had arrived. An outsider come to seek some sort of solace in the desert. He had grown to enjoy meeting new faces, to see what new talent had turned up on their doorstep. And so he was eager to meet this new one - a female, apparently, with colours so perfectly matching the Firekin it seemed unthinkable that somewhere along the line she had not had heritage here.
He left his den to move out towards the borders, his stride swift and purposeful. Those who saw him so focussed knew not to bother him.
Kidondo was on a mission.
---
Scary.
That had been her first thought upon arriving to the pide. There were duels taking place, even with night falling, and the girl had felt absolutely horrified. So much so that she had taken solance behind the large lion that had brought him here. She feared, however, that the god's slap had... broken something inside Sinbad's mind. He sure as hell wasn't acting the same way he'd done so when she'd first met him.
Regardless of his oddities however, he seemed to work just fine as a barrier between her and the rest of the pride - a sort of shield and she'd allowed him to take her to his den to rest.
Now, however, he'd had to leave to perform his duties (What duties? She could have sworn he looked like a total bum when she'd met him) and Maji was alone within the mouth of the den, looking horribly awkward and out of place.
"Oh, god, what have I gotten myself into? Stupid wildebeest... I'm never eatting wildebeest again."
---
Kidondo heard a small voice and though he couldn't hear the words that were spoken, its tone was not familiar. Nor was the scent to which it belonged. So this was the newcomer, then? He straightened and slowed his step now, moving with a more casual air as he circled the den she waited in.
Once close enough he gave a gruff call and slowed even further until he was only a few paces away.
"Are you the newcomer? Maji'moto?"
---
To say she startled was an understatement. Her fur bristled as she jumped to her feet, obviously skittish and nervous - then again, she'd seen a god slap a large male around as if he had been a ragdoll. It had left a scarring impression on her that would likely last a few days still, if not much longer.
Her head snapped around to look at the approaching lion, her flock of red hair flopping over one of her eyes with a swish - so unlike the females she'd seen around the pride whom rarely seemed to have long hair upon their heads.
Oh, god, he was rather huge too. Maji concidered sinking back into the shadows of the den, but swiftly decided that was a horribly stupid idea. She wasn't scared, for she'd been a loner for a long time. She knew how to act in the face of adversities and danger - fear never helped. However, it was clear she was nervous and did not trust him as she drew out of the den, "Yes," she said simply, "I... will just be seeking solance for a while here, if that is quite alright. I am truly sorry for trespassing - the Desert is treacherous and I got a bit.... lost while I was giving hunt to a wildebeest," a pause followed, "Sinbad brought me here," another pause, "I'm... sorry about the state I returned him in - we... I ... had a run-in with ... someone and he kind of... slapped Sinbad around. Is that why you're here? I promise it was not my idea - the idiot rushed forth on his own! I told him that challenging a god was a horrid idea!"
And she was rambling, she realised. Just as soon as the notion sank in, Maji snapped her maw shut and lowered her ears.
---
She seemed nervous. In fact, Kidondo could understand why. She certainly didn't have the build of a fighter. She was smaller than he was used to seeing in females and was in a strange place full of lions who were by all means huge in comparison to rogues. But, she certainly did have good, strong Firekin colours, her markings bright and distinct.
"No need to apologise, Maji'moto. The Firekin do not like trespassers, but the days of killing without first asking questions has come and gone. You are safe here unless you do something to threaten us."
He did well not to smile as he said that, knowing all too well that you couldn't underestimate a lion due to their size.
However, as she continued, his jaw closed and he listened intently. Sinbad had found her and then...attached a God? A God?! Near the Firekin lands? This was not good news. Kidondo would not deny that the deities existed, but he would never bend to their whims.
"A God, you say? And what happened to this God?" He paused and shook his head, deciding to also dispell her worries. "It is fine. I will not harm you and nor will anyone else whilst you have our blessing to shelter here. I am Kidondo, Regent of the Firekin. But please, tell me more about this God. Such a creature close to these borders cannot be taken lightly."
---
She had relaxed a tad after he spoke (amusingly enough, the girl had not even realised she was talking to the regent himself). Slowly, she allowed her muscle to release the tension they'd been holding, almost as if she'd been preparing herself for a counter-attack of some sort.
However, no sooner had she spoken of the God, that the very air around the male seemed to vibrate with hidden energy. Maji tensed up again, her eyes widening, wondering exactly what she had said to cause such a reaction, "Yes, sir. He had wings - I am but a rogue, but I do know a thing or two about the Great Ones. Most have wings, and their are usually rather large. Granted, I'd only ever seen on before today, and certainly not as up-close and personal."
His voice and words had a calming effect on her again and she allowed herself to breathed steady in an attempt to release her tension once more. Her breathing did hitch when he mentioned his title though, which caused her to lose herself within a small coughing fit.
Recovering quickly, she tried to pose herself in a much more... regal way (She truly hadn't noticed she was talking to someone important - sure, Sinbad had said he was a lord, but she hadn't really believed that).
"He was just... sitting there. I do not think he saw us till the idiot rushed forth to meet him with a challenging roar," by idiot it was clear that Maji meant Sinbad - still, despite the insult, it was clear she didn't mean it in a bitting manner. The male HAD saved her (even if it had been in a really... weird way), "He was blue and green, with two rather large pairs of wings and beautiful feathers that adorned the top of his head. He... didn't really DO anything. When Sinbad rushed forward, he simply sat there. He spoke," she continued, then frowned and shook her head, "I was too far away - I could not hear. But whatever he said really must have pissed off Sinbad, because he jumped and tried to tackle the God," another pause, this time the girl shrunk into herself a tad, then looked up; it was obvious she had the image of the moment firmly imprinted in her mind and did not enjoy it.
"Then... then the god just lifted a paw, like this," she lifted her own and then swatted the air before her, "He slapped Sinbad away as if he were nothing at all and jumped into the sky, vanishing," lowering her paw, she looked horribly worn out again, "I thought he was dead. I thought he'd been killed while I was watching and I-" she composed herself, coughed a bit, cleared her throat and squirmed awkwardly, "Then... he clanged - Sinbad I mean. He asked if I was alright - it was rather offputting. He did NOT greet me like that, sir. I think the slap might have broken something upstairs. That's all I can think of."
---
Gods.
There was not much that Kidondo hated in this world. But Gods were one of them. Manipulative tricksters finding amusement in using mortals as playthings. Finar-Si's very name put a fiery anger in him and he knew if she ever came back to her 'home' she'd find him there standing in his way.
Ironic then, that she was also his mother - though he did not know it.
"There is nothing 'great' about Gods." He replied coolly. However, he stilled his tongue to listen to the rest of her story, wondering who this God was and why he had simply flown away without anything more. Would they see him again or was he just passing by, asserting his authority so that he might cause a stir?
He shook his head. "Thank you, Maji'moto. I appreciate you telling me all of this. I should probably check on Sinbad, too, and make sure he is well. Perhaps he can tell me something more...maybe what the God said. If there was any hint that he might return, we'll have to be on our guard."
He sat, then, ending formality with the motion. "You have travelled far, I take it?" He continued. "Do you mean to rest here a few days and continue on or were you thinking of challenging one of us to become a member?" He liked this female but he was not sure she'd be up to a duel.
---
Her wince was evident as soon as he spoke - it was a reprimand in a way, and she wisely chose to stay silent when she was corrected about 'the great ones'. She wasn't particularly religious, and after today, well, she was sure to slink into shadows if she EVER saw a god again. In a way, she thought the image of how that god had swatted Sinbad away would stay with her all her life. She'd never seen something quite as... shocking.
Her wincing was brief though and she took a step forth, "I uhhhh... don't think you'll get much of him. He's..." she seemed to hesitate, as if trying to dive within her mind for the right words, "Strange," she settled with, though the word paled in comparison to just HOW strange Sinbad was acting - she'd only known him for a little while before the events and even SHE knew that much, "I think it rattled something up there. If it helps any, I do not think the God meant any actual... harm. He didn't give off any sort of malicious vibe and he WAS only defending himself. He could have killed Sinbad, but he left, just like that - he only looked at me once. His eyes were not cold, and they were not amused. He looked.... he looked," a pause again as she tried to put words to the image, "I don't know..."
As he sat down, she did too, almost as if his movement were some sort of permission for her to drop formalities, "I have - rogues must move a lot. Pride pop up here and there, the land is not mine. I must move from place to place as the situation demands. I've seen the sea - beautiful, so diferent from the desert, and yet so similar. Expansures of sand and water," as Kidondo spoke again, her ears perked, and then lowered, almost as if she were pondering something, but then shook her head sadly up at him, "I just mean to rest, sir. I really am truly for all the comotion I brought into your land. I do not think I can stay - I have never...." her eyes straighted towards two firekin that were still practicing in the distance, "I do not think I posseses what it takes, sir, though I must admit the idea is quite tempting indeed. A home where one would not need to leave - a shelter and companionship. I'm afraid I'm more a follower of the mind, and not the claws, sir," in a way, she was sadly amused by the idea, "I could probably tell you the best way to enter a territory guarded by a pride, and their weakpoints in their defense just by watching them - I could tell you how to overpower someone by studying them, for everyone has a foot the favour, a weakness. But I would not be able to use the knowledge myself."
---
Strange? Was he cursed? Had the God used some sort of power upon him? Or had the blow to his head simply addled his brains? He wasn't sure, in any of those scenarios, that he could do much about it. He'd just have to have the male watched over in case anything happened to him.
"I suppose there is no point in worrying about what we have no control over." He replied softly. "But I shall keep an eye to the skies just in case." He would not let the pride be attacked by one of those winged lions who thought themselves above those without such powers. He believed in the strength of the Firekin, of mortal power.
He listened to her then, and found himself both interested and saddened by her words. He liked this one. She talked honestly and without beating around the bush. He liked to think himself a good judge of character and he saw nothing in this female except the want to help and the wariness of perhaps too much travelling.
"I am Regent, but I do not rule alone. I have my female counterpart - No - and my Council who are also the decision makers here." He paused. "But, I will look into your case and see what I can do. You have a strategic mind by the sounds of it, and strategy is as strong and useful as brawn."
He paused. "I'll leave you in peace for now, but I'll return when I have further news for you. Until then, rest easy in the knowledge that you are welcome to rest here. If anyone seems not to like it then send them to me, or if they are unwilling, come to see me personally."
He stood and dipped his head. "Is there anything else you need before I go?"
---
Her eyes went towards the sky as he spoke, almost as if she expected to SEE something in the dark. Almost as if she expected someone to drop in on their conversation - the feeling was stupid and the female shook herself out of it and returned her attention towards the Regent. It was obvious that despite her 'defending' the deity, she was still horribly rattled and would likely not trust a winged figure in her life again.
Such power should never be challenged anyhow.
"I can keep an eye him if you wish, sir. This IS his den I'll be staying in, though lord only knows why," the later words were spoken under her breath, almost as if she could actually not believe she was staying there at all - it was bound to look horribly wrong in other people's eyes. But in her defense, he was a familliar figure. That, and he was, in fact, large enough that she could jump behind him if need be, which she was not scared to admit she'd already done several times in the past few hours.
Then, her mind seemed to snap two proverbial fingers at her in the darkness and she looked up at the regent, "He cared," she blurted out, "That's what was different - he cared," and it made absolutely no sense, but she shifted her weight and tried to sort out her thoughts in an attempt to explain, "When I came upon him, it was instantly clear to me that sinbad was a threat - scheaming, sadistic b*****d. I knew he was taking me right towards trouble - I'd asked him to take me to the borders so I may leave. He lied, he was taking me here. He was arrogant, he was full of himself and he really didn't give a damn."
A pause followed as she eyed the regent almost as if expecting him to frown at her for her description, but she pushed forward regadless, "When he woke up after the slap, the first thing he asked me was if I was hurt... if the god had scared me and when I answered, he was honestly, truthfully relieved and glad. He cared - his personality had done some sort of complete twist. It was like an entirely diferent creature."
She was pulled out of her thoughts when he spoke again and she tilted her head to one side - it was a childish move, naive in a way, almost resembling a cub for just a mere moment before her eyes widened. The posibilities he offered were mind-blowing, in all honesty and all she could do was gape at him momentairly, "No, sir," a pause as she seemed to ponder for a moment, torn between actions. She soon enough came to a decision and she allowed herself to relax fully - no sooner had she done this that she stood and bowed head to the male before him, closing her eyes in respect, not submission, "Thank you," it was said honestly, truthfully, "I will likewise be here. Do not hesitate to call if I may be of service, even if I do not stay long," she offered him a sad smile as she lifted her head - she knew the posibility she might be turned down by this council of his was rather huge, "While I rest within your lands, I will gladly offer any help you might need."
---
Interesting.
Kidondo did not really know Sinbad, but the male had a reputation and he knew enough to know that they'd never be friends. However, if what the female had said was truth, perhaps this little incident had actually brought some good. If the cuff was enough to knock some kindness into the male, then he supposed no harm had come of it. Just so long as no Gods came hurtlign out of the sky to rain death upon them!!
"I would certainly appreciate it if you could keep an eye on him. But be careful, also. He may return to his normal self and he could attack, even without being provoked. If you notice any change in his behaviour, let me or one of the guards or soldiers know - you'll get to know them in no time at all."
He smiled. "If you can be of any service, we shall let you know. My mate, No, is an all-black female. If I am not around she can assist you in anything you may need." He backed up, preparing to take his leave.
"Rest well, Maji'moto."
Now...time to call the Council. There was business to discuss.
---
She watched him leave, silently, and settled herself down into a sitting position at the mouth of the cave. No longer did she look awkwardly out of place, but almost as if she belonged in that small spot in front of the den. As if that spot was hers, and hers alone. As if no one, not even someone that were to drop from the sky... could that that small thought away from her at that particular moment
/fin.
