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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 5:00 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 5:14 pm
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She was pretty sure she was late - not that they had a set time, but Ili'ella liked to get there early so she could prepare herself. While she wasn't a vain creature, she liked looking pretty when she saw Raiquen. After all, the male had met her mother and her mother was stunning, so she had a lot to live up to.
But she was late...and it was once again because of her mother, though this time indirectly.
"Damn it, Oua," she muttered angrily as she navigated the darkness. She was confident in the dark, though she was terrible at hiding things, considering she was a fairly bright lioness. It was a bit like trying to hide the sun in the darkness - not exactly efficient.
She approached the spot where they usually met and was pleased to find the male peacefully waiting.
"Raiquen!" she called out, her smile bright but her eyes were worried still.
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 5:37 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 6:03 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 6:26 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 6:36 pm
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Oh Raiquen, she thought fondly as he reacted just so, so worried about her, and her brother that he didn't even know. Would he react the same way if he knew that Oua had struck her? She doubted it, but she didn't want him to know about that, not if she could help it. That would only end in more anger and there was enough of that in the family.
"You have met Mother," she said quietly, trying to think of how to explain it. "I coped with Mother's...unusual style of parenting...but Oua...well he never quite recovered. He looks so much like our Father, and his name...well, he was even named for Father. Everything wore on him much more than it wore on me and now...now I fear he's dragged my youngest half sister into this mess." She heaved a sigh. "Raiquen, he is....just so angry and I'm afraid that he is going to do something terrible..and Poor Hiana doesn't seem to realise that he is going to drag her into something that she can't handle. She is a sweet girl, but she is lost and I just...I just don't know what to do."
Ili'ella gazed at Raiquen, worried, lost and just wanting someone to tell her it was going to be ok.
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 6:50 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 7:02 pm
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She shuddered when she thought of what her brother was planning. She didn't know for sure, but she knew what he wanted to do. "He's planing to confront Mother," she admitted, the worry in her voice evident. "But with his anger in the state that it's in, and mother's reactions to confrontations, I fear it's only going to end in blood shed, and it won't be Oua's that is shed..." She rested her cheek against his, soaking in his warmth more than his words - she knew he couldn't assure her of that, but he was sweet for trying.
"Thank you, Raiquen," she whispered softly, honestly grateful for him right now. "Hiana is...not angry with mother, but her mental state is vulnerable and I fear she's taking on his anger because she thinks it's the only way to cope..." She heaved a heavy sigh and stared up at the stars. "I tried to talk her out of it, but Oua...reacted badly...to my attempts." The cut pulsed in pain a little, even though it was healing well. A slight reminder of her sister that she had tried to save.
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 7:18 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 7:27 pm
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Ili'ella shook her head sadly. "I sent a raven to mother but I haven't heard anything back. She always thinks I worry too much but I know Oua is on his way to the Kizingo where mother is, and if he has Hiana to guide him there, he will find the pride and," she trailed off, her heart pounding in her chest. "I need to warn her, but I don't think I can get there faster than Oua, and if she's not reacting to my raven then she probably hasn't even taken precautions for when he arrives." She shook a little, the realisation that there was nothing that she could do was slowly eating away at her. "I want help," she said quietly, and it took a lot of strength from her to do so, " but I don't think you can help..I don't even think I can help now..." She blinked her eyes rapidly. "How did this get so far out of hand, Raiquen?"
She nodded. "When I spoke to Oua, Hiana was with him and I tried to show her that it wasn't the only path she could walk but she is so afraid of everything, and Oua represents safety to her - she won't believe me when I say he is dangerous." She startled when he growled, and knew he suspected what had happened. "It wasn't serious," she explained, pressing her cheek against his, eyes closed. "He thinks he is stronger than he is, and his claws missed my eyes, so."
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 7:53 pm
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Raiquen sighed. The more he listened the worse the situation sounded. Her mother lived in a pride though? “Surely she should be protected there?” He paused and looked at Ili’ella, “Doesn’t she have anyone to care for her there that can keep her safe from your brother?” His claws dug into the ground thoughtfully. If there was no way to beat her brother there then he couldn’t do anything to help her mother. All they could rely on was Ili’ella’s own mother’s decisions it seemed. “It seems you have to rely on your mother to stay safe..” He trailed off as he remembered what the other lioness had been like during their meeting. Staying safe didn’t seem to be her thing. He kept that comment to himself though as he didn’t wish to worry Ili’ella any more than she was. If that’s even possible at this point.
He sighed at her question though, “In this life many things can go crazy in an instant.” He paused as he studied the stars, “I’ve guided lost souls so many times through the shrine lands that I’ve heard stories of all sorts. Lovers hurting each other, families divided, lost from each other, separated by fighting and hatred…then rejoined at the end. Or for some reason forever separated, but found happiness in the separated lives they took.” He trailed off, “It’s not always the best beginning or middle, but some do have good endings. That was a reason for some of the visitors so that they could offer thanks to the god which they believed saved them the most.” Raiquen smiled faintly, “What I meant by all that rambling is that sometimes the most dire situations can have a happier ending than the beginning which started them. Maybe things will work out…and your mother will be safe in the end.”
“Perhaps then Hiana will be safe with your brother despite this.” He frowned, “If he has a quarrel with just your mother surely he wouldn’t take Hiana along just to hurt her as well. Even more so he should guard her…” The lion shook his head. This really was a mess. Still his growl deepened as she commented about her eyes, “Still he hit you?” Raiquen’s voice was soft, but dangerous and hard. Perhaps it was a good thing that her brother was out of his reach. “Ili’ella…how bad is it?” He questioned wishing that it wasn’t so dark out now, “I can take you to Faliha in the morning…or even now if you need. She follows the god of healing and is a good healer herself.”
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 8:08 pm
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"Mother doesn't always stay within the pridal walls, and she lives with her partner - a very old, almost blind male - so I fear she won't always have the safety of pride or companions to protect her." She shook her head in annoyance, her mother had such a disregard for her own personal safety, and it could end up with her death.
She listened to him speak, eager to hear what he had to say and easily getting lost in his story. She found his pride fascinating, and it was always interesting for her to hear about it, or see it when he took her on tours. She had never been a 'pride' person, but she was thinking that she may have found an exception. "I hope so, Raiquen," she said, at the end of his talk, comforted a little by the story. "She may not have always been the best mother, but she tried her hardest, especially after Father died." She shook her head, "I hope this has a happy ending."
"I don't think he would ever purposely hurt Hiana," she admitted, "but if he attacks mother inside the pride, and the pride reacts, Hiana would not be seen as an innocent bystander." Hopefully he was not stupid enough to attack in full view of the pride, she would not stand for him harming Hiana as well.
She placed a paw over his, trying to soothe him. "I am alright, Raiquen. This happened a few days ago, it's healing well, and there is little that can be done for it at this stage. He did not mean to harm me badly, merely warn me of what would happened if I interfered further." She shook her head. "I swear he is a good lion, somewhere inside him, but he has left his anger to fester for so long, I fear it's consuming him now."
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 8:33 pm
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