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 Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 1:16 pm
She'd remembered Thoth's words and after splitting with Dharba she was heading in the direction he had told her, in search of this pride that the purple-furred lion had told her about.
She wasn't sure what she expected from this pride. She'd been in one pride already - her birth pride - and failed to join any other since then. She'd lived as a scavenging rogue ever since and now that she was alone again she was beginning to realise that she had always hated rogue life. The only reason she'd put up with it was because of Dharba.
And Dharba was...
She shook her head. What was this? Tears? Why was she crying? Could it be that she actually missed the grey lion? Well, of course she did. He had been a dear friend, he had forgiven her and taken her back despite the fact she was nothing but a wretched floosy.
She had known the moment she had left him that she would probably never have a mate again. She wasn't pure and she certainly wasn't sane. She'd come to this conclusion when she'd started talking to herself and laughing hysterically...pausing to listen to herself she realised then that she wasn't like others.
But she had always known that.
She was Ivie'lingwa...
...the freak.
She paused, rubbed a paw across her eyes and continued, raising her nose to sniff the air. Scents of new lions were on the wind, maybe she was getting close?
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Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 2:54 pm
 Unyezi had spent another day with his daughter, trying to teach her something new in a fun way- as was his usual method while she was so young. Today they were having a race. They were touring the lands a bit, and to make the return home fun, the king had decided they would each take different ways. Alcmene would pick the direction she thought was quickest- and she would have to pick well, her father was longer and faster than her. The heiress went whatever way she thought was quickest, and then Unyezi had to pick a direction he thought was quickest. He wasn't truthful in his decision, of course, trying to make it a bit more fair. He knew the way she picked was not the actual quickest way, especially for a cub, but he still picked a way that gave her a fair shot.
He didn't expect to run into anybody, though. Not anybody unfamiliar, anyway. There were green lions in the pride, though they were cubs and certainly not that dull. He paused and silently watched her for a moment.
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Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 3:05 pm
She didn't see him at first. Probably because she was looking in the complete wrong direction - distracted by a distant sound that could have been the call of some odd bird.
When she did notice him, her heart froze.
She had a feeling she may have reached the lands Thoth had told her about but could not be sure. However, this lion certainly did look surprised to see her here - which suggested this was a pride's lands.
There was something else odd about this lion - the odd trinket around his neck. Was that supposed to mean something or was the lion just partial to adding things to enhance his appearance.
Actually come to think of it...he was quite handsome.
No, no, no! Don't even think about that! She cursed herself mentally and came to a hesitant halt before him. There was still a good few strides between them but if they spoke loudly they would hear one another with ease.
"Um...I'm Ivie'lingwa." She replied. "Is this a pride's lands by any chance? You don't seem overly happy to see me standing here." She bit back her words. Ugh, way to make a first impression.
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Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 3:12 pm
It was not Unyezi's intention to look so stunned or antisocial while observing Ivie, it was purely by accident. He knew stopping to chat would give Alcmene a better head start on the way home, but that was acceptable where she was young- and this kind of interruption would be something she'd have to get used to. He smiled when she approached, especially when she pointed out he didn't look too happy.
"My apologies, I was only surprised," he said apologetically, "This is the land of the Mwezi'Johari, I'm Unyezi, the king here."
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Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 3:40 pm
Relief swept through her. He seemed kindly enough and it seemed as if she had indeed found the right place! Quite a miracle considering that she'd never been much good at tracking down places.
She'd had Thoth to guide her in the right direction though, so she probably had him to thank for ending up here without much trouble.
"Sorry for just...blundering in like this...Sir." She wasn't sure what one called a King. The Pridelands had had a King but she'd never met him. She'd been too busy hiding away as a child and the thought of meeting a ruler had terrified her.
"I'm glad, though. This is the place I've been searching for. See...I met one of the lions from here. Thoth. He...he said I might like it here because I didn't have a home to go to...or anything." She looked down at her paws, sheepish.
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Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 4:11 pm
He smiled and held back a laugh when she apologized for blundering in. Rogues were expected to be respectful of their territory, certainly, but she had no wandered into the middle of their land or caused any trouble. Unyezi nodded to show her that it was OK, so far he had no reason to be as intimidating as she seemed to perceive. He was surprised to hear that she had been searching for them, immediately wondering if he should know who she was or where she was from- until she mentioned Thoth, and he immediately brightened up.
"So, you've met Thoth," he repeated, taking a seat and making himself more comfortable. He was certain the guard would have learned a bit about the lioness before sending her their way, he felt that they could converse more comfortably. "What did he tell you about us here?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:31 am
"Uh huh." She nodded, glad to see his eyes lighten. Apparently Thoth was held in high-esteem. Maybe that'd get her some credit after all!
If she ever saw the odd-furred lion again she'd have to thank him somehow...
"Not much. He really just said that I might find a home here. I didn't have anywhere to go, you see. My family have all dispersed and the last pride I was in...well...it's complicated. I couldn't stay because someone lived there whom I loved....but couldn't have."
Unrequited love...how it had destroyed her life.
"So I was wandering when I met him. I was in quite a state, but he cheered me up and told me to come and speak to you. He said he was going to find old members because the pride has...moved?" She paused, hoping she'd got this right.
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:57 pm
He listened patiently as Ivie explained what Thoth had told her and why she was in the situation she was in. He smiled sadly at her, knowing how difficult love could make things. It was easily pushed from his mind now that he'd been apart from Nerit so long, and he did love Aureole- and they had their family.
"Ah yes, Thoth's job is to be out and looking for the members who got lost along the way, an herb important to our traditions disappeared from the lands and we had to find more," he explained with a small smile, considering how to approach the whole pride explanation now, "Our pride is guarded by the Great Lion, his eye is known by most as the moon. When he is most watchful, his eye is wide and bright in the sky and this is when we are luckiest and safest. It is when the highest class members are born and when the highest classed rogues awake, for the Great Lion watches over them most especially. When he is not watching, the sky is dark and we are more careful. This is when the lowest class is born and the lowest rogues awake. With no favor from the Great Lion, they are submissive to the rest of the pride, slaves- though they have no specific master."
He took a breath, watching her reaction to this news carefully.
"Between the two extremes are three other classes," he added.
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:13 pm
She listened to him, the tales of the herbs and the moon that was not just a shining orb in the sky but the eye of a lion. Some might have found this weird, but not Ivie. She was a Pridelander, or had been, and she knew the importance of the night sky and of the stars. The stars were kings of the past so why should the moon not be a god? The moon was, after all, bigger and more beautiful.
Slave held great meaning to Ivie. She'd been a slave to her powers all her life, letting them frighten her and force her into a life that had made her ridiculously unhappy.
But she was determined to change that now.
"So the moon gives the lions their class. But what of rogues like me? Rogues who don't know what the moon was like when they were born?" Her heart convulsed with fear.
She'd been cursed all her life. She'd already been a slave to herself. Would she be a slave in this pride too? Well, if that was her fate she would follow it as best she could.
With a smile on her face.
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:21 pm
Unyezi nodded inwardly when she responded, noting that so far she was dealing with this information very well. She understood and so far did not argue, if she was willing to accept their ways was another question entirely but it would not be questioned until she had as many details as would satisfy her curiosity.
"That is where the herb comes in," he explained, "On the night of the full moon, the nearest one after a rogue joins us, this herb is given to the new member. They are given a meal with it to sustain them, and to make it easier to eat a plant. This plant puts them to sleep, and for a typical lion it lasts no more than about fourteen nights. The phase of the moon under which you awake is how we know your favor with the Great Lion, and that is how we determine your class."
He nodded, "The Shaman of our pride is educated in the proper use of the herb, and it's she who decides if a new member is old enough and healthy enough. A priestess stays with the lions while they sleep, making sure they are not alone when they awake and that food is available after longer sleeps."
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:33 pm
"That's a long sleep." She replied in a child-like manner. "It sounds safe enough, I suppose. So long as I wasn't left alone when I was sleeping then that'd be fine." She curled her tail around her hind leg and took a little step forwards.
"And when I wake up I can stay? I'd be a member of a pride at last?" Her eyes glittered. This seemed too good to be true. And slave or not, she had a feeling she'd be happy here.
Thoth and Unyezi were both so nice and friendly. It was a good sign. Maybe she'd even make some proper friends here. Friends she could talk with about anything and everything.
Then something worried her. Should she mention about her powers? Or was it best to keep that secret for now, in case he changed his mind?
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:45 pm
"Khathelela's job is to stay with the sleeping rogues until they wake up, she's very dedicated to her job," he said confidently, "And she's very friendly." Unyezi was very fond of his sister, she was his favorite sibling, paws down. Not that Njiru was much competition, of course. But all three of them were dedicated to their jobs, even Unyezi had to admit that about Njiru as well.
He was surprised by how easily she accepted everything and how eager she was to join. Nevertheless, he smiled and nodded positively.
"If you are willing to accept our beliefs and traditions and whatever place you may wake up with, then you will be most welcome to stay with us."
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:51 pm
She swallowed nervously. This was it. If she went ahead with this now there was no going back. She wasn't afraid of joining the pride, it was something she wanted.
But she'd waited for it for so long that she was almost frightened to take that last step.
She was an adult with a litter old enough to take care of themselves but she was by no means an 'adult' at heart. She'd always been child-like, even in her search for male company she never really understood what she'd been doing. All her actions had been focused on getting the love of her life and when it had failed she had searched for love in everyone, not realising that she'd not get it - not from flings that meant nothing to rogues.
But she was still that wounded little cub that she had always been and she took another step closer.
"And...even if I become a slave, the pride will still take care of me?" She whispered. "I don't want to be alone out here anymore."
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:06 pm
"Yes, even if you become a slave," Unyezi assured her, getting back up to his feet as the crucial part of the conversation was drawing to a close, "Slaves are not kept by one master, they are a class within the pride at the bottom of the hierarchy. Some can be more cruel than others about it, but they are generally not treated too harshly. If a higher classed lion needs something, a slave is expected to do it. Right now, the slaves focus most on hunting now since we're short on hunters."
He turned around to lead the way to the central pride lands.
"Come with me, I'll introduce you to the priests," he said, "The full moon is not too many nights away now, and there is another young lion going through the same thing this moon."
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Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:17 am
A wave of relief swept through her and in an instant a smile was stretching across her face. She'd be cared for, kept safe and she'd be part of a family again!
She was also extremely relieved to hear that she wasn't the only one going through the same thing. There was another. That means she'd certainly not be alone. There'd be someone sleeping right alongside her.
"Thank you, Sir. I think I'm going to be happy here. Truly." And she waited to be led further into the Pridelands where her future awaited.
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