Velveteen Angel: Obadias was attempting to hunt; once again. He was trying to surprise Mihika and Parvana with something larger than a tiny gazelle or two. He was not the best at hunting, but he liked to surprise his ladies occasionally. To be honest, Mihika would be very surprised if he actually appeared with any food at all…and so would he, at this point. He huffed as he scoured the landscape, unable to spot any prey beasts at all. “Maybe they knew I was coming,” he mused to himself with a chuckle. He flopped onto a particularly full patch of grass, lying on his back and staring at the sky. Maybe he could take a nap instead, and just say he was hunting…
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Painted Moose: Ban'ma was spending her time these days waddling from one shady patch to the next in an attempt to escape her companions. Ever since she had learned of her pregnancy life had shifted from one drama to the next. If it wasn't Aziz trying to adjust to the oncoming duties of fatherhood it was Nia and her....Nia-ness. At first she had been as patient as she could be, but the longer this pregnancy had continued the smaller her threshold had become.
Her entire body ached. Her legs were swollen, her back was only happy for a few moments of the day and Ban'ma's chest was in stitches. The area where she had been impaled was particularly sore today, and her pronounced limp made moving slow. Soon enough someone would catch up to her, but oh, she was determined. A girl needed her space!
Now where was the shade? Turning her head this way and that, Ban'ma found none and gave a very loud, very aggravated groan. "Alright, this tears it! I'll just burn; at least the cubs will get some sun." Huffing, she looked around for a suitable space to flop, completely missing the prone lion.
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Velveteen Angel: Obadias glanced up at the sound of another voice, blinking as he spotted the obviously heavily pregnant female. Why, she seemed familiar. HE had grown up his entire life in the Ukuucha and had raised two litters there, so it would have been impossible for him to not recognise her. He smiled, and rose to his paws, revealing himself from the grass. “Why, this is a surprise!” He greeted her cheerfully. “Ban’ma, yes? You are an ex-Ukuucha like myself, if I do believe!” He smiled. “I’m not sure if you would remember me, I am one of Tariq’s sons- Obadias.”
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Painted Moose: She was just about to sit down in a lovely little patch of grass when a voice had her turning to meet it. Ban'ma's eyes widened. There would have been no way she could have forgotten those tell-tale markings, or that coloring, even if she had tried. Smiling, she waddled closer to him, leaning heavily on her right side and putting as little weight on her left foreleg as possible. It was hard work, but she did it with as much dignity as she could muster. "I'm sad to say I didn't remember you're name, but I DO remember you. I remember your mother, Ukoo." She smiled, "It's wonderful to see you doing so well, Obadias. Is your family still with you?" The fall had split many a family, hers included, but she could hope.
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Velveteen Angel: He nodded, unsurprised that she had forgotten his name. After all, the pride had been massive, he would have been rather stunned that she remembered him. He remembered her, because he was raised to remember everyone. “Unfortunately, much of my family and I were split by the fall. I was able to keep my two mates with me, and some of our offspring. I have been trying to reconnect with as many of them as I can, but it hasn’t been easy.” He smiled. “What about you? I see you are expecting family of your own. Congratulations on your coming litter.” Oh god, he hoped she was actually pregnant…
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Painted Moose: Unable to stand any longer, she didn't even bother sitting and went straight into a flop in the soft grass. "Gods, be lucky you're male." Ban'ma huffed, placing a paw over her distended stomach. She was definitely 'large and in charge'. "I'm glad to hear that you've kept your mates and your offspring as well...family is important. You don't realize that until it's gone." Her smile was a little somber. The loss of her family had begun at Tsubame's death and hadn't stopped until she met back up with Aziz. "My Achal is...well, he's lost to me, my children have fled, but not these. They can't run from me yet." She chuckled, giving her stomach a good rub. Her cheeks flushed when she spoke, "I'm with one of the Sultan's sons now, you may know of him, Aziz'Din. He's a bit of an a**, but I do care for him. Obviously." Motioning to her state, she had to give in to a laugh.
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Velveteen Angel: Obadias remembered the death of Tsubame too late to stop his question from coming out, and he flushed, his own face going sombre. He had been close with Tsubame, they had had many conversations over the years as he grew. He had been heartbroken to hear of her death. “I’m sorry that you lost so much in the fall,” he said softly. “But I am glad you have found more family.” He smiled gently, though it faded at the mention of Aziz. They had… a turbulent relationship. “Really? I…to be honest, I didn’t think anyone would willingly choose to be with Aziz,” he said, cautiously. “Has he…settled down in his age?”
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Painted Moose: "Don't be sorry, Obadias. We've all had our fair share of loss." She reached out to place her paw on top of his. It was such an unconscious gesture that she never thought it might seem odd or out of place. For a time she had known what it was like to be in a pride that loved everyone, and that had been a blessing, no matter how short lived.
Noticing the turn in his smile, Ban'ma had to laugh. "I know, right? He's such a jerk." She snorted and shook her head. "Settled? Pfft, as if. I think he's gotten cantankerous with the fall, but that's just me. Rank doesn't mean anything when you don't have a pride, so it's been a hard adjustment for him." The way she spoke of him, however, spoke of how much she had grown attached to the jerk. He was rude, yes, and domineering, but also endearing. He cared for her, made her feel special and he treated her well despite her disabilities.
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Velveteen Angel: Obadias didn’t startle at her paw touch, though he knew in the old pride it would have been forbidden. But that pride no longer existed, and he offered her a smile. “I am just sorrowful that we had to suffer so much at all,” he said softly.
He smiled a little at her laugh, and her comments, his face slightly uncomfortable. Why was she with him if he was still so much of a jerk? He wondered, but love worked in mysterious ways. “Well, I suppose he is lucky to have you then!” He said cheerfully, or well, he tried to appear cheerful but it was obvious that it wasn’t the most true happiness in the world. He was trying though.
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Painted Moose: She gave his paw a few good paws before pulling it away. "One of these days you'll understand." Ban'ma seemed to think better on that and shook her head, "No, no I hope you don't. When one mate dies, two leave, your kids are gone, you've been impaled and disabled, your pride falls, etc." She waved her paw in the air to encompass it all. "You learn to forgive the bad traits in others. He has his moments, but I have mine. I like to think we balance each other out, as I'm sure you and your mates do. If we were still a part of the Ukuucha I don't think we would have worked out....but if we were, we never would have connected."
And she was finding with each passing day that not having Aziz around would have been a great loss.
"Now, that's enough of that, hmm? I'm sure his ears are burning with as much as we've talked about the buzzard behind his back." Ban'ma grinned. "I'm actually glad that I've run into you...when the pride was being attacked, I saw my grandson taking off with your daughter. One of the hybrid girls. His name is Rahim, technically he's one of Tsubame's grandsons, but he was very keen on protecting her. Maybe you should try finding them? He's a strong boy; he might be able to help you out protecting your family."
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Velveteen Angel: Obadias smiled, listening to her words. She sounded so wise. He really hoped one day that he would be wise also. “Well, I suppose that is true,” he mused. “Though my females are flawless,” he said with a wink. He actually adored both of them, but, yes, they had flaws but it was his love them that allowed him to overlook them. Maybe Ban’ma did love Aziz, and maybe she saw past his flaws, but man that must be a lot of love to look past those flaws. He was such a d**k.
He laughed. “I bet it would drive him crazy to know we were talking about him,” he mused, with a certain level of satisfaction. He listened to her comments with interest though. “Oh, you must mean Khurshed,” he said with a blink. He had known Rahim had been interested in his daughter, but had never had a chance to talk to the lad before the pride fell and things got crazy. “Thank you for letting me know. I will definitely try and seek them out.” He smiled at her.
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Painted Moose: She nodded her head. "That's the one. He'll have treated her well, so you won't have to worry. Although, I'm sure she's eager to see you again." Looking about her, Ban'ma gave Obadias a sheepish look. "Would it be...would I be imposing if I rested here for a while? I'm too sore to keep walking and if I lay in the open he'll find me. Honestly, I'm hoping for a bit of a break."
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Velveteen Angel: Obadias chuckled. "Of course you may lay here. I'll stay and watch over you while you sleep. He won't come near me if he does happen to pass by, so he won't see you." He smiled. "It's ok, everyone needs a break sometime. Just rest, and I'll watch over you."
Painted Moose