Hakuna lay in the grasses not too far from the dens, seemingly sleeping. It was the middle of the night, and despite her appearance, she was as awake as any other pride member. She was listening...waiting...A rustle of grass caught her attention, and her paw flashed out and pinned the source down. Good...she wasn't out of practice. She opened an eye and smirked at her old 'friend'.
"I win Matata. Now, I believe you owe me another set of those pretty red stones you keep finding." The magpie grumbled and wriggled out from under his "mistress'" paw.
"Yeah yeah. I'll even out the score one day, ya old cat." Hakuna snorted as the bird flew off. OLD? She was not OLD! Not-so-young, certainly...but she wasn't OLD! She stood and shook herself. Somtimes, the bird deserved a good whack. She would administer it when he got back.
Nkosazana stretched and rolled her shoulders back with a huff, the night air felt good on her sore muscles. Being a demon was much harder then her life as a rogue, but the soft voice in the back of her mind pushed her daily. She was finally becoming something better, something she wanted to be. Besides the handsome twins and their father she hadn't met any other demons, something that was comfortable but obviously couldn't last.
Even as she wandered quietly in the darkness she inhaled and halted her paws softly lowering her into a crouch as her ruby eyes scanned the area. Another was close, and knowing her luck it would be a demon lion, what else?
The scent of another caught Hakuna's attention. Raising a brow, curious, she started forward. A new scent...perhaps a new demon? Oh...and there were hints of two of her own and Verge on this one. Most definitely a new demon then. She grinned at the thought. New blood was good. And needed. Sorely needed.
When she spotted the younger lioness, she blinked. Well, well..."Good evening, young one. What brings you here?" It was strange, seeing one so obviously a demon with white on them.
Zana was taken aback only for a moment, this had to be some relation to the lions she had already met. Still she rose trying to be courteous after all her inner demon wasn't savage, just...cold. She tipped her head and tried not to frown at the word 'young'. Was her youth still so obvious? True she wasn't yet full grown but Zana hoped everyday that she would reach that magical peak of perfection, of course once one reached the top it was often a struggle to remain there and so she was thankful for her youth.
It still rankled though, after all her time spent pushing herself to grow up she hated being treated like less then an adult. "I just wanted to have a look around the prides lands, I've only recently joined and wanted to better acquaint myself." Her voice she was pleased to note sounded smooth and confident despite her inner curiosity about this female. She had to struggle not to start firing questions at the older clearly more knowledgeable female.
Ah...good. Hakuna gave her a slight bow. "Well then...welcome to the Aikanaro'hini. It's always good to see a new face. We've had so few of them lately that it saddens me." She didn't want to see the pride she'd helped to nurture fall prey to that killer of prides...Inbreeding. "I am Hakuna'jina, a Sinta'hare of the pride...a female teacher." She chuckled. "Specializing in fighting and guards. Most of the current little ones you see have come to one of my lessons at some point or another."
"I've been learning the ways of the pride, but it's slow going..." Zana tried not to bite her tongue, she hated to ask for help, but the truth was this was a whole new world for her and if she wanted to do it right she would need one older and wiser to teach her. She had no idea of slaves, or color bias, or the rituals of the pride and if she wanted to fit in she needed to learn fast.
"I...I suppose I could use a little help learning things..." She tried not to scowl, why couldn't her inner demon just fill her in on these things? Of course her inner demon didn't seem very aware of much else besides the fact that this land was home and that the lions who surrounded her shared something with her. Could her inner demon recognize the demons in others? Such a strange new way of looking at the world, how many like her were out there seeking this place she was so lucky to find.
The large lioness nodded. "You'll get it in time. Nothing is remembered overnight. It takes repetition." She was curious about this newcomer. What sort of demon was she? And what brought her to her sons' attentions. Now that the girl was closer, she could identify Amin and Usare's scents. Her odd twins.
"If you need help, I can give you what advice I can. You wouldn't be the first newcomer I've given advice to. Our first priestess...she was once just as lost as you, when I brought her into the pride." Unknowing of the rites and rituals, but knowing she'd come home. Was it really so long ago that she'd first met Abeni? Perhaps she WAS getting old...
"I'm a fast learner" Zana shot back before trying to cool her temper, the other lioness hadn't meant anything by her words. She was going to have to get off her defensive highhorse if she ever wanted to make new friends or fit in. She slowly lowered herself to sit trying to look more relaxed.
"But advice would be appreciated...I wandered close to these lands when I was much younger and learned about the demons here. It was fate or fortune thats brought me back, I finally feel like I belong. Yet I know so little about the pride it's hard to fully relax...I keep worrying I'll offend someone." She tried to make her voice warmer, more polite, the way she spoke to her mother.
Hakuna simply raised a brow at the younger's retort. A year ago, she might have snapped back. But now...well, she knew better, she supposed. "For a time, you'll be excused. We know that not every demon to come to us knows the rules instinctually. It's a process, no matter how fast you learn." She sat down, then laid her great bulk down. "So...what DO you know of the pride, hm?"
Hmm now she regretted her original tone, her mother would be so ashamed of how easy Zana found it to be rude, even if she was surrounded by demons, they could be perfectly polite after all. She swallowed her pride and cleared her throat lightly before answering.
"Well, I know that the lions within the pride each host a demon within...but I'm afraid I know little else. Usare took me to be accepted in by Verge and things were explained, but I'm afraid I'm still rather unaware of the more finite points. Etiquette and Ritual, values and the things the pride frowns upon." She tried to think of more to say, anything sounded better then having to admit she didn't know her up from down when it came to the pride, but if their priestess had learned from scratch she could too.
Hakuna nodded patiently, listening...then answered. "First...be aware the pale colors are looked down on here, save for highlights and manes of gold and silver. Those who are pale that DO prove themselves as demons have to prove themselves time and time again...And you may find ridicule from many for your white fur." That she'd been brought in by Tarenai...that would not help her. "Second thing you should know right off the bat is that blood is power. When you make a kill, the first thing you do is drink the blood of the kill, to take its strength into you. To do otherwise is not only foolish, but an offense to your prey's spirit."
Her white fur was looked down on? She tried hard not to sneer at that, she was just as good as any other fur or no fur. Her ruby eyes only narrowed slightly and she gave a firm nod. "I'll prove myself..." She responded with determination dripping from her voice.
She relaxed a bit as Hakuna explained about blood and it's power. Already that was something she had felt inside of her, perhaps her inner demon did help a little, guiding her on her way. "I won't forget..." She slowly smiled and decided she should make a bit more of an effort to be polite since the female was taking the time to explain things to her. "Thank You, I'm Sorry if I came off as a bit rude earlier...this is all so new...but it feels so right. I'm Nkosazana, you can call be Zana though everyone does."
Hakuna grinned at Zana's answer. "Good. I'm one of the few who don't look down on the paler colors. I'm more of the belief that demons don't always choose dark vessels." Haramu and Xi were perfect examples of that. "But it's not a belief shared by many other pride members." This was a quick girl. Hakuna liked her already. "I am Hakuna'jina...but Hakuna is perfectly fine." Just as long as the girl didn't call her Jina. Hakuna HATED when others called her that. "It's good to meet you, Zana. What else would you like to know? Anywhere you haven't gotten the hang of getting to yet?"
"I'm not one to sit on my laurels, never have been, I'd like to start training for a job, but I'm not yet certain about what duties are available. I don't care if I have to work twice as hard to prove myself, but I will prove myself." She could remember the tight ache in her stomach when she had been proving things to herself, that she could hunt alone, that she could take care of herself. This would be familiar territory and when she had shown them all she would feel the familiar sense of satisfaction.
"Hakuna, it's nice to know you won't let my color...color your view of me." She smirked. "It's a pity, but I am what I am. I have a few other questions as well?
Hakuna chuckled. "Color is color, and worth is worth. Rare is it that the two meet." She sat down. "Well...what sort of thing do you excel at? Protecting, being watchful, hunting, handling little ones? Perhaps other things?" Would this child end up falling under a rank that would be ruled by both gods, or just one? Hakuna was curious. "Ask, and I may have an answer. I've been around since the beginning of this incarnation of the pride."
"Watching and Protecting is what I'd be best at, I can hunt but...I don't exactly excel." She grimaced before wrinkling her nose. "I guess I could watch cubs if it's needed..." She was trying hard to escape her own cubhood how would she fare watching little ones all day?
"I'm curious about the prides ritual and rites of passage? There are beautiful hot springs and caverns but...I haven't explored them. They look special?"
"Ah...the springs are special. But only one of them is reserved for rituals and rites...the top-most one that is warmed directly by the volcano. But the others, especially the bottom-most, are for pride members to use. They're wonderful if you're particularly sore from training or your duties." She'd made use of them herself before, when her scars were acting up a great deal. "The right of passage we have is...a test of sorts. You're sent inside the labyrinth to ponder your demon and its name. And eventually...you'll have to face the leaders. Only they, yourself, and the gods will ever know your demon's name, unless you choose to share it with someone in the future. But be CAREFUL if you do that. One's Name is a powerful weapon against one."
Hmmm there was much to ponder in Hakuna's words. Names and their power, and her own inner demon. The voice spoke to her often but it had not fully revealed itself, still she was young and perhaps not yet ready. She would be though, she promised herself to be ready.
"The springs sound most comforting, thank you for sharing so much with me Hakuna. I think I have a better grasp of things now, may I seek you out if I am in need of further advice?"
Hakuna nodded. "You can. My den is always open for those who need me." Being a Tirma'eth had been a good start for her. But now...she'd found her niche as a guard of a different sort...a guardian of knowledge and the next generation of the pride.
