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 Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 5:31 pm
The sun had dropped, but the heat was stuck hardfast to the dirt. It seemed to one with their ear to the earth that it groaned and cracked as it cooled, and the air all around the plain's grasses remained hot, dry, sticky on the tongue.
Matifu's brows were furrowed in slight concern. It was not common of his females to be absent for long, let alone only one of them. They had sent Nahmba out alone before - to be rid of her constant chattering - but she was usually back before sunrise with an internal clock that never missed its mark.
The best solution, in these instances, was to ask the other females where they were. Matifu did not expect the other males to keep ties on every single female all the time, but the girls often an innate sense of where they other were.
Spying one he recognized to be group-mates with the aforementioned individual. His mind, greying from years of use (or lack thereof) sought a name for quite a while before he reached her. One of the new ones. Interestingly marked. It seemed to him that her muzzle was always dirty.
"Shumbi," he spoke, but did not call out as his deep voice did not require it, when he was close enough for her to be able to hear him. "I would like your ear for a moment, if I could."
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Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 7:34 pm
There was no hunt currently going on, so they were lounging in small groups, most lionesses talking amongst one another. Shumbi, however, was alone where she rested, closest to Matifu. She looked at him quietly, untucking her paws to stand. She'd come to this land following after Kamikiel, but upon realizing she couldn't quite catch his eye she decided she may as well make home. She couldn't imagine returning all the way back to the Kusini alone without aide or escort. And, well, now, she'd made a friend or two, she liked the ranking system, the order of things...
"Alright..."
So she certainly wouldn't object spending time in one of the abholi's presence. She enjoyed the attention when they requested her presence, which wasn't very much yet really. As she drew closer Shumbi looked at him curiously.
"Is there something on your mind, Matifu?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 7:49 pm
It felt good to see the females walk to him, not so much willingly, but completely unhindered. They seemed proud to be under his presence in the same way that he was proud to keep them safe and with cubs for many years to come.
"Yes," he admitted. His tongue was pulled slow against the roof of his mouth and he looked over his shoulder, the frown deepening. These women also seemed to be able to see emotions with particular talent. He assumed it was a heightened sense from their skills around cubs.
"Have you seen Nahmba yet?" The breath in his chest was let out through his nostrils. "The sun will be down soon, and I worry that her mind may be leaving her." Not that Nahmba did not seem to have a natural sense of direction, but the more things they crammed into her mind, the harder a time she had.
A lionness that was miraculously good at handling simple things - so much in fact, that her mindset was crucial to certain aspects of the pride - but who could not be bother to keep track of anyone and everyone or even create a hunting pattern to follow. "She seems fine, but it is hard to say when these things change and the thought deteriorates."
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Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 8:49 pm
"I can't say that I have yet, should we form a group to search for her...?"
Shumbi frowned a bit herself. She didn't expect to take to others so well but she sort of liked Nahmba for her quirkiness, even though she hadn't really spoken to anyone much yet besides Kamikiel, Kouga, Asali, and a few others in their group. If someone had attacked one of their own, well, she was the sort of lioness that once her home was selected she would defend it and it's members with hot ferocity.
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Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 7:41 pm
It was a valid question. Another glance was put over Matifu's shoulder. He would hate to bother the females over something that would be nothing.
"Yes, if you would get some others together, I would be appreciative." He admired their willingness to stick together. Had any of the other Umholi vanished, Matifu did not think he would leap on the chance to help them out in their peril. To him, they felt more like business associates and he had yet to grow any strong male bond with them.
Whatever the next words that would be spoken were, they were instantly cut off by the sight and smell of a light stir of dust wafting its way across the reddened, sun bleached plains.
It was clear, even from this distance, that it was Nahmba, her footfalls slow but steady and her head uncharacteristically low and bobbing.
Matifu grew silent, only moving an ear two and fro as he watched her form grow closer. And each step she took, it became more evident that she had something gripped tight in between her muzzle.
It could have been prey, but Matifu knew better. His jaw tighened and he stood, waiting for her to make it the rest of the way to them.
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Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:43 pm
Shumbi was prepared to find Asali and let her know, feeling comfortable speaking with the older lioness and trusting her to arrange a group before she herself could, given that she didn't know the others yet quite as well as their group leader did, but it was all for naught anyway. The lioness in question was walking right towards them with what looked to be a child in her jaws. Shumbi straightened up a bit more, head lifting for a better look, eyes slightly widening, then narrowing a bit.
Though one of the newer members of the large pride, she knew that the pride was choosey enough as it was with offspring, offspring from other males, particularly male cubs, were not allowed, though if it was female, perhaps there was more of a reasoning behind it.
"It seems that won't be necessary then." The dusty colored female clipped, deciding right away that she'd stay to see what this development was.
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Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:06 pm
"No," Matifu agreed, the words puffing out of the side o his mouth. His eyes did not waver from their target.
The bobbing continued, the pale lioness in question teetering in their direction. Tired, dusty, ears flopping from side to side and tail in a near idle position, the lioness only paused and lifted her head when she heard her named called out.
"Nahmba." Matifu's voice was firm, strong, but not the same caliber of a yell.
As if debating whether or not she was going to change her direction, Nahmba's ears swiveled and she looked to her left and right, body swaying in indecision. Eventually, she gave up the escape and dropped her head low, making her way at a low jog towards the pair of them.
Still asleep from exhaustion, the cub only stirred a slight bit when she set it down by her feet and glanced warily between Shumbi and Matifu.
"He was stuck in a hole," she explained quickly, her eyes immediately going to Shumbi and lingering there, expecting some sort of support on the matter.
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Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:19 pm
She watched on with curious fascination, particularly when it seemed unclear what course the older female would take. Surely she wouldn't come all this way just to run off again. She seemed as though she'd had a long travel, and Matifu's concern for her absence only supported this fact.
It was oddly reminiscent of her mother in one of her moods when he called out (Because she looked to her mother as the disciplinary figure in their family, more than anyone else.), and for a moment Shumbi almost rocked her ears back (It was like watching a sibling about to get scolded and boxed on the ears, but lacking the satisfaction of avoiding the scolding herself, and the mirth of getting to watch.). When Nahmba directed her gaze to Shumbi the lioness just stiffened a bit at first, visibly.
She'd certainly never been the soft sort, purposely going out of her way to avoid encounters with any children or cubs, but it wasn't simply that she was just that callous. Deep down she knew that she'd actually feel sorry for an upset or abandoned child, and the thought of being so emotional had been a disgusting thought in the past. Since meeting Kamikiel that had begun to change, but the price was that she was so horribly awkward and uncomfortable around cubs now, even though she was old enough to have had at least three litters of her own by now.
"What?" She asked initially in surprise, but then-- "... Well... he probably has parents that will be missing him." She grumbled softly, staring at the small male as if he were more of a deadly snake about to strike, instead of a cub with no poison whatsoever to speak of (Unless cuteness was a poison of course.). "Would there be any harm in just feeding him and letting him rest until they come? I'm sure they'll follow his scent and be along to pick him up soon."
And it wasn't as if they were lacking in numbers to drive them off if they got any funny ideas.
Frowning softly, she looked at Matifu, wondering what the Umholi would have to say, or if she was out of line entirely, damn it, she was still adjusting to all this after all. An uncertain flicker of a glance was sent back to Nahmba at that as she waited for an answer.
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Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:35 pm
The 'what' caused Nahmba to reel. She nudged her nose into the sleeping figure and it stirred, blinking and squinting up as if trying to figure out where it was.
"Parents will have to travel a long ways," Nahmba admitted in a hurry. Immediately, her eyes went towards Matifu, her body slightly more lowered before she took in a deep breath, huffed, and relaxed. She seemed to be putting her foot down on the matter. "I rescued him from a crazy."
She swallowed as Matifu shifted his weight and let out a large sigh.
"That depends," he answered. His brows were furrowed and he turned his attention to Shumbi to receive his answer. "How is the hunting? We won't let our cubs starve for a male outlander, but if there is enough, I cannot say no." He wrinkled his nose as the beast, desiring nothing more than to tell Nahmba to run off with it. But, she was not much of a listener, and would get the other females to take care of it with her by smuggling it in after dark.
"Uhhhh," she black cub began as he stretched, looking between everyone with ears flat to his skull. "Anyone mind telling me where I am?" His seer powers hadn't told him about this, and Ala was feeling more out of place than he would have liked.
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Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:44 pm
They'd best hurry, Shumbi couldn't help but think, she didn't know how the other Abholi would feel about a male outlander staying in their midst, how long he'd be tolerated, but there was also the chance they wouldn't bother looking for just one cub.
"Our group has had good success with our hunts so far. I don't think one cub more would do any harm." She answered with more certainty than she had the previous silent plea for help. Her attention shifted to the cub in question when he spoke up, trying her best not to fidget. At least it wasn't her own child, she could deal a little better knowing she wouldn't be responsible for it for an elongated period of time. "The bonelands. Nahmba was good enough to rescue you from your predicament. I hope you'll be sure to thank her."
... If she was a bit stiff, well, hopefully it was understandable, but she hadn't spoken of her past much after coming here, so perhaps not. Either way, being understood wasn't the first thing on her mind at that moment.
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Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:57 pm
"Really?" The rate that Nahmba seemed to regain energy was phenominal and, in one sense of the word, explosive.
"Shumbi, you'll help me take care of him, right?" The request was almost unoptional when she picked up the cub and scooted him a little closer to the other lioness. The male in question seemed a little perterbed like this and gave Shumbi an uncertain look.
"He can stay here two nights only. If he has not been claimed, he gets left when we move." It was clear from his tone of voice and the way he looked at the two of them that this was not up for debate. With one last affirmation that all was well, Matifu turned to head back to the other males to explain the situation. Nahmba always managed to find trouble, and letting her be allowed to have this one was likely a mistake.
"Ugh," the black cub mumbled, attempting to stretch and get his bearings. He wobbled, his feet shaky as he sidestepped accidentally between the two lionesses he was left with.
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 10:14 am
Shumbi felt her eyes widen, but she had no intention of reacting with Matifu right there. She stared at Nahmba and as Matifu finally ambled off she looked down at the cub placed closer to her paws.
Um.... What just happened?
"M-Me?? I don't know the first thing about cubs!" She nervously pointed out to Nahmba, shocked, taking a step away from him as if he'd throw up all over her paws or something, but then a paw shot out to steady him on instinct when he stumbled.
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 11:08 am
Nahmba clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth and gave a slight churr in the back of her throat.
"Then it is a good time for you to learn!" It was the perfect situation, and Nahmba considered herself quite the good teacher when it came down to necessity.
"Take him by the scruff and we will go get him something to eat!" With her newfound energy, Nahmba nudged Shumbi in the shoulder with her head and proceeded to patter off towards the other females in the distance. She was more than excited to show off her new "cub" for the next day or so.
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 11:28 am
Her ears rocked back, ashamed, or guilty, more likely just embarrassed. She felt sheepish as Nahmba nudged her shoulder and started off, and for a moment she stood staring after her, then slowly down at the cub.
"..."
With a weary sigh she leaned down and managed to find the loose folds of skin on the back of his neck, a bit unsure, and carefully picked him up, following after the other lioness all the while hoping that her faith wasn't being horribly misplaced.
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