[PRP] Parental Discretion (Kitambi x Mtembei x Ndoto)

[Hopefolly]

SilverLutz

Just went ahead and started this one. XD

To see the former Malenga and her mate apart was a rare sight indeed. It didn't take an astute observer to notice Kitambi and Mtembei were almost always shoulder-to-shoulder. They spoke mostly in hushed voices. Words that could be assumed romantic if not for the scowl Kitambi typically had. She was proud of her daughter, truly, but she worried.

Mtembei called it nitpicking.

"Nantale's doing fine," he assured her, then he plopped his hefty paw on one of the drums near the left end of the circle.

The evening air was just right. One of the nights nothing could bring him down.

Except a pestering mate.

"Perhaps she wasn't ready," Kitambi said.

Mtembei was of no mind to argue. Not because he agreed, but because to do so was a waste of breath. He wasn't in the best of shape since they'd gotten back and needed all the oxygen he could get.

Something to the right had caught Kitambi's eye. Mtembei turned to see it was not a something, but a someone.

"Ndoto!" Mtembei beckoned the male over with a friendly call and a wave. "Come on over here a moment."
 

[SilverLutz]

Ndoto could only agree that it was a lovely night. The air was cool, the sun was just starting to set, and there was a bit of a breeze. The perfect night to sing and dance and drum with his pride. Well...he wouldn't sing or drum, since he had about as much rhythm as a rock, but he could sing with the best of them, and some would even argue better than the best of them. But in all honesty, if he could spend the night on top of the little mountain with Nantale...well. That would make him a very happy lion.

She'd been all he could think about the past few days, ever since their trek up to see her old hide-out as a cub. Getting the rather closed-up lioness to smile had made him want to sing out to the world from the top of that mountain, but he'd managed to keep it in him.

He was so distracted by his thoughts that he almost didn't hear the summons from Nantale's parents. He had met them just a few times, but he never hesitated to do anything they asked of him. Ndoto turned his head and trotted over to the two, bobbing his head in respect. "Mtembei," he said with a warm smile. "Kitambi. What can I do for you?"

Hopefolly

Yay =D

 

[Hopefolly]

SilverLutz

"What can you --" Mtembei didn't finish the thought aloud. The words broke off, concluding with a snort. His disposition was mirthful and complaisant when again he struck the drum.

Thump!

"Nothing at all, friend," he said cheerfully. "Come sit with us. The pride will start thinking we've become some sort of crazed recluse types if we don't keep company aside from each other. Get a pride run by females and gossip tends to happen, you understand."

Mtembei's playful ribbing was not appreciated by his mate if the berating glance his way was any indication. She didn't need to say a word: Her presence alone spoke volumes, let alone the glowering.

Kitambi sat far enough to Mtembei's right that Ndoto could comfortably sit between them if he so chose. However, the space on either side of them was also unoccupied.  

[SilverLutz]

Ndoto tried very hard not to laugh with the other male at the little joke, but he didn't want the former leader of this fair pride to look at him as she was looking at her mate. Instead he managed to bite his tongue but smile broadly, showing his appreciation all the same.

The offer made him nod, and he moved to sit between the two older lions as was offered, not minding the somewhat tight quarters at all. He was a very social lion and loved being around others, so this was shaping up to be a good chat.

"I'm sure the pride won't think that of you," he said reassuringly to Mtembei as he patted Kitambi's paw with his own. "There's nothing wrong with two lions sticking together."

Hopefolly

 

[Hopefolly]

SilverLutz

Mtembei had known Kitambi for years -- most of her life, in fact -- and there were still times he wasn't sure what to expect. The moment following Ndoto's brazen contact with her paw was such a circumstance.

Kitambi drew her leg in and turned away just enough to relay an unspoken message the touch had not been well-received. She said nothing and settled her eyes on the drum in front of her. Checking for imperfections, Mtembei assumed.

He was perfectly happy to carry on as if the bout of awkwardness had never occurred. "Well said, well said. I'd say your mother taught you well. Mine had the same outlook. Come from a musical family? I'll tell you, I sure didn't."  

[SilverLutz]

Whoops. Got off on the wrong paw, so to speak. Ndoto ducked his head very slightly as he spotted his mistake, and pulled his paw away. He'd keep his distance from the brown lioness. Now he knew where Nantale got it from, he supposed. She was coming out of her shell just a bit as of late, though.

Turning his attention to Kitambi, he lifted his ears, eyes brightening just a bit. "Not terribly musical, but I was told my grandfather had the voice of a god," he said with a little grin. "I have memories of him singing me to sleep. My parents weren't any more musical than the average lion, though they did support it. Though, I didn't inherit his sense of rhythm. If I did I'd be quite the triple threat!"

He tapped his paws on the ground horribly, grimacing at himself. "You see? Don't let me near those drums, I'd make a mockery of the talented lions and lionesses here."

Hopefolly

 

[Hopefolly]

SilverLutz

Mtembei's laughter was low-pitched and genial. "I was the same way at your age," he said. Memory of his blunders didn't conjure up any sour feelings, instead leaving him with a grin across his face and a knowing look sent past Ndoto to Kitambi. "Couldn't dance and may as well of just been bashing my head against these drums."

The slightest of smiles set across the lioness' face despite her determination to look nothing if not stern.

"I learned, though," Mtembei continued, "and so will you."

The way he went on to approach the subject looming over them all was none too subtle, but as always, he was cordial enough. "I'm sure Nantale would be willing to teach you. Seems you two are spending time together lately."  

[SilverLutz]

That made Ndoto feel a bit better. Here he was, the mate to the old Malenga, and he hadn't known how to dance or drum. Just showed that it took all types, and that you could learn. "And even if I'm not the best with dancing or drumming, my voice can chip in at least a bit," he said with a friendly wink at the darker lion.

The slight subject change wasn't lost on Ndoto, but rather than feel embarrassed at having it brought up, he nodded with a wide grin. "That would be much appreciated, of course. And we've spent a bit of time together, yes. She's lots of fun once she starts to smile. Not that she's not fun when she's not," he added quickly. "She's just very serious about her role in the pride."

Folding his paws over each other, his whole face was bright with the new subject. "I'm glad she's come out of her shell a bit with me. It's made spending time with her more enjoyable for the both of us, I think."

Hopefolly

 

[Hopefolly]

SilverLutz

Mtembei managed to smile through the feeling of dread. He wished desperately there was some kind of tell he could give Ndoto to tip off the poor guy that he wasn't approaching this matter with the delicacy it required. Alas, all his signals were overlooked and Ndoto kept on with his chatter.

He thought the current Malenga was serious? Compared to her mother, Nantale was downright playful.

Kitambi waited until he was finished, then started with a pointed remark. "Nantale handles her duties with utmost importance because she should."

Before Ndoto could respond, Mtembei sighed. "Kitambi..."

"My intentions aren't to be rude to you." To her credit, Kitambi made the effort to ease both her posture and tone into something more agreeable. Kind of. "She is our only daughter and she has no heirs. After the flood, the pride was left without official leadership for far too long. The pride doesn't have time for her nonsense."  

[SilverLutz]

The reply Ndoto got made him smile just a bit, and he bit his tongue to keep it from spreading too far. He shook his head just a bit, letting her know that no offense had been taken from her blunt words.

"I have no bad feelings towards how she carries herself. She's the leader of the pride and she does have to take her job seriously," he agreed. Even he, the fun loving, easy going lion knew how to get down to it when push came to shove. He could be very serious if the need called for it, but as it was, he was usually singing and smiling and laughing.

"But at the same time, when she's with friends...it's a bit bold to call myself her friend, but I'll go out on a limb here...she doesn't need to be the Malenga. She can just be Nantale and relax a little bit. And she is a young lioness, she's got a lot of potential for that...sort of thing," he said, stumbling over his words. Ah, this could be considered awkward, he supposed. Sitting between Nantale's parents talking about her and some 'unknown' lion making little adorable cubs would be awkward enough without his horrible crush. Oh well..time to press on!

"But. Yes. She's doing a great job," he said weakly, ducking his head.

Hopefolly

 

[Hopefolly]

SilverLutz

With the females in their family, silence was damning. Mtembei had enough first hand experience about that to be worried when his mate fell short in the words department.

Kitambi excused herself. Not impolitely, not even abruptly, but none the less, it was foreboding to him.

"I see," Kitambi said first. She nodded to the both of them. "You'll pardon me, Ndoto."

As she got up to leave, Mtembei lagged behind only slightly. He struck the drum a final time and then it was back to all four paws. "You take care, Ndoto. Stay out of trouble."  

[SilverLutz]

The silence that followed made Ndoto a bit uneasy. He tried to offer a smile, but it didn't seem to have much affect on the brown lioness. He nodded as she stood and excused herself, a slightly curious look on his face. Had he said something wrong? Probably. He did put his foot in his mouth at times when the words came out faster than they formed in his head.

"I shall," he said as he stood once Kitambi and Mtembei started to depart. He watched them go with a little sigh before heading off on his own as well. "Wonderful impression on them," he muttered to himself. Oh well...when push came to shove he really only had to impress Nantale. Getting her parents - especially her mother - to approve of him would be tough, but perhaps with a bit more encouragement it would be possible.

Hopefolly

Last post!