((For the sake of our heads, the spaces the pieces are moved to will be lettered/numbered like in a normal chess game, and left/right will be from Matata's perspective.))
It was, Matata decided, one of his more interesting acquisitions. It had taken him a while to procure all the pieces, minus the slab they'd rested on, but he'd done it, and the humans he'd taken it from had been none the wiser. They'd simply thought they'd lost pieces. They hadn't realized they'd caught the attention of a rather observant magpie.
The safari group had been interesting to watch, and Matata had originally been there to make sure there would be plenty of warning for the pride if they decided to head the way of the Aikanaro'hini. What had been most interesting to watch, the magpie had discovered, was an odd game they played. They took a rather large wooden slab, marked with squares of pale wood and red wood, and placed carefully carved and polished pieces on it, made of the same pale wood and red wood. And then they proceeded to engage in a game that, Matata deduced, was quite strategic. After watching several such games, Matata HAD to have those pieces, so he could play such a game himself.
Which is what he was now doing. He didn't have a slab yet, but he planned on having Hakuna ever-so-politely ask for one to be made. So for the moment...he had to make due with carefully marked earth. On one side, with the red pieces, was his daughter Ithil. Red was Morifaer, and Ithil's Mistress was a Morifaer lioness through and through. Matata settled opposite her, with the pale pieces. The pale would be Sparda, and his own partner was a Sparda lioness.
He explained the rules to Ithil as he'd observed them. And named each of the pieces for her. The ones with the odd crosses on the top were the Aran'shale. The fluted crowned piece next to that, the Tari'shoter. On either side of the two were the long slender Ele'aina pieces. On the other sides of the Ele'aina were the fierce-looking yet prey-headed Arma'ath. And on the ends of the back row was the Tirma'ath. Then, arrayed in the row in front of those special pieces, were the Tsafar, eight in all. And then the game began as Matata moved his lefthand Arma'ath to C3. Ithil countered by moving her fourth Tsafar from his left to D5. Matata nodded. A good starting move. He moved his third Tsafar from the right to F4, followed by his daughter moving her lefthand Arma'ath to C6. Matata's fourth Tsafar from the right went forward only one space, instead of the opening two, to E3. Ithil was quiet a moment, observing the playing field. Then moved her other Arma'ath to F6.
Good. She didn't see it, apparently. Matata moved his fourth Tsafar from the left up two spaces, to D4. He kept himself from cursing as Ithil avoided the trap and moved her lefthand Ele'aina to F5. Perhaps she'd seen the trap. Hmm. He regarded the playing field a moment, contemplating. A sacrifice may have been in order. He moved his Arma'ath in play from C3 to D5, taking the Tsafar there. Ithil quickly moved her Tari'shoter to that same space, taking his Arma'ath. He hoped he could make her regret bringing that piece into play. He moved his righthand Ele'aina to B5, and Ithil didn't hesitate in moving her Tari'shoter to the same spot, taking his Ele'aina from play. He moved his remaining Arma'ath to E2. Ithil paused, her red eyes thoughtful before she moved her second Tsafar from the right to G6.
Matata's Arma'ath went from E2 to C3, Ithil moving her Tari'shoter forward a single space to B4. Matata moved a Tsafar to B3, and Ithil's Tari'shoter went to C3, taking his Arma'ath and putting his Aran'shale into checkmate. Matata chittered in annoyance and moved his Aran'shale to F1. Though his most important piece was spared, Ithil's Tari'shoter moved to A1 and took one of his Tirma'ath. Matata tried not to let his indignance show. This wouldn't do! He moved a Tsafar up to D5...and it was quickly taken by Ithil's Arma'ath. Damn it! He moved his Tari'shoter up and took the annoying Arma'ath. Ithil brought one of her Ele'aina out to C2, taking one of his Tsafar. The magpie stared for a moment...then let out a shout and used one of his wings to simply swipe at the pieces, annoyed and infuriated.
"How dare you! I was the one who watched the humans play this for days!" Ithil simply looked at him calmly, then chittered a giggle.
"The child surpasses the parent, father-dearest. It's not entirely surprising I've caught on to such a game better than you...your Mistress is the first to admit she is no schemer. MY Mistress, however, has the sharpest mind in the Aikanaro'hini." The near-albino bird looked all too pleased with herself. Matata snorted.
"Yes. But that sharp mind couldn't put her on the throne, now could it?" By the rise of Ithil's feathers and the hard gleam in her red eyes, Matata knew he'd hit the sore spot. Ithil was far too loyal at times. He pitied her a bit. "Yes. All her schemes failed her in the end. And instead, one of Hakuna's boys is on the throne. Sparda's blood on Morifaer's throne! Isn't it grand?" Ithil surged across the playing field and whacked him upside the head with a wing, before hopping back out of his reach.
"Sil'in Drathir is a traitor to everything the pride is. He is worse than my Mistress' father was." With that, she flew off, leaving Matata to feel rather pleased with himself. He could still raise her ire. How much fun~ The magpie stood and shook himself off, then proceeded to drag his lovely wood pieces to their special hiding place. Yes...he needed to talk to Hakuna about obtaining a slab to play on. Perhaps Aran'shale Verge'lian would appreciate such a game. It seemed the type of thing he might enjoy. And Matata no longer wanted it. Not after that...frustrating game against his own daughter.
