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 Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:18 pm
It had been a busy day!
After spending her morning out in the dunes, she'd arrived home in time for lunch and gone to help Ea in the ward for a bit. Who knew behaving would get her such freedom? Now that it was mid-afternoon and seemingly all of her mom's chores had been attended to, she was free for some adventuring! Free to really sink her claws into something. It was back to the desert!
But first, a stop to get some supplies.
Of all the times of the day, An loved the mid-afternoon the best. The sun was still bright in the sky, but it had sunk low enough to cast long shadows. The cool of the desert night was starting to flood into the ridges which made up the firekin's denning areas. It was the time of day she could really seem to disappear into the sand. Grinning from ear to ear, she skittered across the sand, kicking up small plumes of sand as she rounded one of the small rock outcroppings. Another hop- and she was at the small pool of water which the water-seekers had dug up just days earlier.
It wasn't large- just a small dip in the rock. But it would take some pressure off of the main watering hole, and An had already been well advised to use it until it dried up. Not wasting much time, she dipped her head down and took a long drink. It was warm and sandy, but it would do.
She took a few more eager gulps before pulling herself back and wiping her muzzle. Looking at her swirling reflection in the water, she shot it a little wicked grin and thrummed to herself. "And now, its time to get to work!"
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:38 pm
Akamu had been napping all morning, forgetting to show up to one of his siblings 'play fights'- he sided on sitting this one out, knowing there would be many more times to get practice in, why worry himself over what his stupid brothers and sisters thought anyway? They were all jerks. Huge jerks.
Or at least they were to him. Akamu wasn't really the talking type, you see. He would rather spend his time alone than play with anyone.
But, his nap soon ended and he found himself with nothing to do. This, this was whole thing was annoying. He needed to get out. So, with soft paws, as if to tip-toe away from his families den he quickly padded off to the sands and dunes.
Maybe he could find peace out here -by himself. Maybe.
He padded along until something in the distance made him stop. He couldn't really make it out, but... it looked like another cub? He frowned. The colors were strange to him, to say the least. He had never seen a cub like that before. He stood still... maybe... maybe he wouldn't be seen?
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:55 pm
She rubbed a paw across her whiskers, pulling off the small water droplets and smoothing it across her tangled fur. She was humming to herself, gleaming with excitement. The sands were calling! Almost in response, a small kick of wind flooded past. It rained a small cloud of sand and dust upon the scene, fluttering across her and out into the desert.
But along with it, the scent of another cub not far behind her.
At once An's ears perked, and she turned around. Her bright eyes flashed for a moment, considering the fellow. Not one of her siblings! Well, that was a change! She smiled, her tail curling across her back as she looked over at the other cub. "Hey over there!" She called. "Still water here if you're lookin' for some."
As if in show, she splashed some of the water with her paws. Careful not to let any fall out, but, enough to demonstrate. Fellow seemed to be frowning, which was never a good sign. Privately, she gave a chuckle to herself. My, he wasn't eyeing her colors, was he?
"I don't bite, you know." Her face stretched into an almost wicked grin. "Well, that's a lie but... I'm pretty sure you aren't giving me a reason. Besides, I'm off in a second to the dunes!"
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:04 pm
He felt pretty weird still but spoke out to her, his tone light-not harsh or rude.
"What is your name?"
He asked as he slowly padded over to her, glancing at the water as she splashed some at him. He gave her a rather odd look, as if he didn't understand she was being playful with him.
"You are from here too?"
He didn't get out much, this could be seen. His green eyes narrowed as he stood in front of her, eyeing her up and down once. He had never seen a pelt like that, he rather liked it, she was... strange, but- in a good way. He nodded to himself before sitting down.
"My name is Akamu, the second."
He was very polite. He had no reason not to be.
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:17 pm
An dusted her paw off her chest, as though used to the usual path of questions the young red cub followed. One of the first things her mother had taught her about her strange life in the firekin: patience. Always patience. "My name is An," She smiled. "Yours? I don't recognize you, so you must not be one of my million relatives! And trust me, that's not an easy task."
As if the very thought of it seemed to lighten her mood, she hopped down from the rock to where he stood. "Akamu? The second? Wow!" She gleamed. "That's a really cool name! I don't think I'm named after anyone." Woow. The second. That meant whoever the first had to have been something special to warrant another. She could totally respect that. Maybe one day she'd have a second! "That must be nice. Being named after someone, I mean."
"And, yeah. I'm from here." She shifted her weight to one side of her shoulder. "You don't see too many...strange... wild cubs around here, do you? My mom and dad are Kaanga and Mpaji. We den not too far from here, on one of the old rocks. Mom says its one of the old dens." For what it was worth. But she was fond of her home, with the strange rocks and loving stories. Not too far from Aunt No and Uncle Kidondo's den, which An and her horde of ten siblings crashed without warning.
"We uh...." She nodded. "Well, I'm a firekin anyways. If that's what you're wonderin'."
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:27 pm
"I guess."
He looked down at his paws for a second and smirked. Maybe it was a big deal- him being a second, named after someone.
"I don't know who it is that I am named after, but, from what I've been told, he was a very strong lion."
He was so very unsure with his tone, maybe his name was some kind of joke. His mothers would so do that just to mess with him.
"I have two moms. Sozin and Ana."
He nodded, speaking out again. He knew it wasn't normal to have two mothers, but it didn't bother him. Ana was pretty much a father in his eyes, anyway. They were strong ladies.
"We live pretty close to here..."
All while he was speaking to her he thought about her name. It was short, right to the point and very nice. He wondered how she felt, being the first with that name.
"You know, just because you aren't a second doesn't mean your aren't important. Think of it this way, you aren't named after anyone... so that makes you the first. So, someday maybe you will have someone named after you, and then everyone will know your name and who you are."
He nodded, trying to think a little bit deeper on the subject. His dark markings and her light colors, he kept thinking of that. How she wasn't anything like him in looks, but was just like him in pride and blood. This was so new to him.
"Firekin. Yeah. That."
He nodded at her words.
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:45 pm
"He must have been!" An grinned. "To get a second. It must be cool to be connected to someone like that. Like... sort of like they're apart of you. Maybe, I don't know. I've never been named after someone. But, it sounds like the right thing to do though." She didn't think it might have been a joke- but then, Kaanga had taken her cubs name's so seriously, she probably had never even imagined such a thing could happen.
"Two moms?" She peeped. Well, that was odd. But, in a way, sort of cool too. She loved her dad, but, she could see how that might work. Particularly knowing her mom! "Wow, I don't know if I could handle that. My mom is like, super tricky. Really tricky. Sometimes we get in trouble for things before we've even done anything. I don't know what I'd do if there were two of her!" But, she couldn't help but giggle. "Hopefully she won't get any ideas."
She sighed. Just the thought of it was exhaustiiiing. But, she grinned at the thought of having another An someday. "Ah! Yes, I was thinking that too, actually. I'd love to meet a little An." She chuckled to herself. "But then again, I guess it's a lot of responsibility too. You know, to be the first of something. I wouldn't want to be the wrong sort of person."
She stood up, and took a step forward. "Its a lot of responsibility! But, maybe. I guess you can't really plan for people to be named after you, anyways." She did plan to be in stories though. She wouldn't settle for anything else.
"But, hey. The sun will be setting in a few hours, and I'm on serious probation with my mom so I can't miss curfew. Want to head out to the dunes?" Again, a mischievous smile. "Lots of stuff out and about this time of day, and I'd hate to be missin' it."
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 11:08 pm
He nodded. She had stuff to do, he understood, but... he wasn't ready to go just yet, at least not to his own home.
"Think I could tag along?"
He asked with lowered ears, his tail tucked behind his back paws. He wanted her to say yes, more than anything. He just didn't want to go home, not yet.
"I could help you."
He added, as if to sweeten the deal.
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Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 6:16 am
"Of course you can!" The blond cub grinned as she skittered down the slope, stopping once her paws met sand. "Adventures are pretty boring when you're alone. No one to back up your stories either." And she definitely wouldn't stand for that. She had a good feeling about today. Not that An had never been unable to find herself squarely in some sort of adventure or another- but today just seemed like too nice a day. Nice days were bound to have trouble in them!
"It's dangerous out in the desert though, so be careful. Lots o' things with big eyes, and sharp claws, and pointy teeth!" She remarked as she started to lead the way. As she explained the various dangers, she was sure to make the appropriate silly faces. "My mom would be so mad if I got someone else in trouble." Mad would have been an understatement.
"But there's always room for help." She nodded. "Adventurers have to look out for each other. Otherwise....well!"
"We'll go out to the east here, just past these ridges. There were some big vultures flying around earlier, but I couldn't go because of chores. Now I want to see what has them so riled up." An grinned, her tail curling. Hopefully it wasn't the body of one rather unfortunate cheetah. She had assumed he'd make good on his word of vanishing once they'd turned around... but even she wasn't exactly sure if the wounded thing had been capable of such a feat!
"They were really big black ones," She explained further. "Not like the usual kind at all."
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Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:47 pm
In truth Akamu was a bit fearful of leaving his safety zone, but when she spoke.. she spoke with such passion he couldn't help but want to see what it was she was talking about. He wanted to explore too. He really did. Nodding his head as she spoke he wrinkled his brows and spoke out, his tone a bit light, more open than before.
"Vultures..." He muttered softly.
He knew what they were and that they could get pretty big. He felt his chest fill with a slight worry as he glanced at her and nodded.
"Okay, lead the way."
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Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 4:52 pm
And she was passionate. She had no direction, no compulsion, but she had passion enough to fill the Motoujamii. Hearing his approval of the mission, even softly, caused her to puff out her chest and perk her ears. Brilliant! She sensed some hesitation, but she wasn't worried. She was sure she could get him into this by the end of the day.
"Yep!" She said, swinging her tail around her as she started in the direction. She kept her head angled to the side, so she could watch him out of the corner of her eyes. "Nothing too special about vultures but...you never know what they might have found! Until we see it, it might as well be anything."
And that notion. That mystery. It could be anything. That was what kept her moving. She loved the thrill and excitement, even if this was but a small trip. She skipped a bit as she moved, picking up the pace once she was sure he was following. Once the neared where the borders were, she swung to a stop, slidding on the sand.
"This is the line here!" She pointed to the sand. It was still- and far from lined. As if she suddenly realized this, An made a mark with her claw in the sand. "From here on out there's nothin' but sand. We're really in the desert. So be on guard! We're firekin, so nothin'll probably mess with us."
She turned and started up one of the dunes, a smile crossed about her face. "At least, not usually!"
And with that, she disappeared over the top, rolling down a bit as she skittered down the slope.
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