zephira738
It was fairly pleasant today. Aiko yawned, stretching luxuriously as she rose to her feet. It was cool for morning, but the sky was such a blue color...it was probably going to wind up warm again. But for now the temperature was nice, and the air was stirred by a quiet little breeze that barely ruffled her soft black fur.
There were a significant number of matters she ought to deal with, but nothing she really felt like doing at the moment. Dysi fawning over her stupid prissy brother was the most pressing. She'd have to find a way to draw his attention to herself, usually a feat the cheetah had absolutly no trouble with. But Dysi liked Nana. Somehow. And her eldest brother was always on her about not pissing off Nyoka... but Nyoka had cubs already. If she was so attached to the sweet, beautiful leopard, why ever would she have gone and gotten herself cubs?
Aiko certainly wouldn't have. Probably not. She might be a consort, and a good one at that, but she knew how to be loyal. With a sigh, she sat down again, violet eyes lifted to watch the barest whisp of a cloud in the sky. She'd need to do something about all this... but not right now.
Princess_Feylin
Mananakbo was walking well at this point and with minimal discomfort. It was amazing what rest could do when coupled with the gradual dissipation of the feeling of being hunted. Soon, Mana hoped, he would be able to hunt properly. And run. He gloried in running like nothing else, even after spending weeks using his ability to flee from his Mizimu pursuers, and he wanted to get back that favored activity as soon as possible.His ears turned and swiveled to pick up every sound and evaluate it for whether it could herald a threat. So far he'd encountered no threats in his time with Nyoka, but wariness was not something that could be simply set aside. It would probably take him months to get over it completely, and by that time he may have found that it was still to his benefit to have his senses on high alert when others' were not. For instance, it was due to his being on edge that his ears detected the sound of someone sighing.
Curiosity demanded that he investigate, as he doubted a sigh was likely to be an indicator of an impending attack. It didn't take long for him to see a female cheetah, dark-coated with rosettes that the sun made more visible. She reminded him of Nanashi, whom he recalled had a sister. Aiko? Probably something like that. In the future, he'd have to make more of an effort to learn names and faces.
"Good morning," he greeted her, keeping some distance between them. Depending on how she received him, he would continue walking.
zephira738
The white and blue of the small cloud outlined by sky was almost perfect. It just needed a tiny smidge of purple now... then it would be Dysi's colors. He was so beautiful. She knew he was a male, and a lovely boy at that. But he was definitely beautiful. And she wanted him, she loved him so much. He was such a wonderful creature...how could Nana be so cruel?
Aiko blinked, her ears twitching at the voice as she looked away from the sky and into the blue eyes of a rather handsome cheetah. His fur made her think of fire, and he had the slender build of their species. He wasn't Dysi though. But she might still be interested. After all, Dysi hadn't yet discovered that he wanted her...
"Good morning," she purred back, "Lovely day, don't you think?" Not as lovely as she was, but then, what could be? Maybe Dysi...maybe. But this boy...oh he was handsome too... "I don't believe I've your name?" she asked, smiling sweetly as she rose fluidly to her feet. "Mine is Aiko."
Princess_Feylin
It was the oddest thing about the rulers of this pride and their family. They seemed obsessed with the idea of seducing others from their first meetings and wrapping them firmly around their tails. It was something Mana had yet to become accustomed to. He could be charming and clever, but it was not his first instinct to win over every acquaintance with his good looks and wit. That had not been his upbringing, and if people found him amusing and charming it was entirely accidental on his part. The fact that many seemed to find him so served only to feed his ego and his conviction that he was a fine example of a male cheetah.
"It is lovely," he agreed. "I've been enjoying walking."
It seemed she was interested in holding a conversation, which was fine by him. His paw could use a bit of rest before he continued on his walk. Now that he wasn't constantly on the run, he could allow himself to rest his paw when it began to tire or throb painfully, and that was a thing almost as glorious as being able to run at full speed again eventually.
"I have known your name for some time, Aiko. You are easy to recognize," he said. "But it does not surprise me that mine is unfamiliar to you. I'm Mananakbo. Mana, if the full name is too much of a mouthful."
He grinned. His self-deprecation was not heartfelt. He was a proud creature, and humility was something he could only feign, though he could feign it convincingly after growing up in a pride where non-lions were lesser beings. For him, that tone, that laughing at himself, was something he did unconsciously to invite others to disagree and stroke his ego.
"I've not disturbed you?"
"It is lovely," he agreed. "I've been enjoying walking."
It seemed she was interested in holding a conversation, which was fine by him. His paw could use a bit of rest before he continued on his walk. Now that he wasn't constantly on the run, he could allow himself to rest his paw when it began to tire or throb painfully, and that was a thing almost as glorious as being able to run at full speed again eventually.
"I have known your name for some time, Aiko. You are easy to recognize," he said. "But it does not surprise me that mine is unfamiliar to you. I'm Mananakbo. Mana, if the full name is too much of a mouthful."
He grinned. His self-deprecation was not heartfelt. He was a proud creature, and humility was something he could only feign, though he could feign it convincingly after growing up in a pride where non-lions were lesser beings. For him, that tone, that laughing at himself, was something he did unconsciously to invite others to disagree and stroke his ego.
"I've not disturbed you?"
zephira738
Aiko beamed at him when he said he she was easy to recognize. So she really was making a name for herself… Granted, it was probably not for the reasons most would find to be so very flattering. But she was a consort. She was good at it too. And for all of Nana’s constant ‘slips’ with her name, she was proud of what she could do. Lots of people wanted to make others happy. She was just…especially…gifted. In some manners of speaking anyway.
Had Aiko known that he recognized her via being Nana’s sister, she would have been less pleased. Certainly, her priorities were a little bit odd. But she was who she was, and she was quite proud of what she did. Nyoka, she knew, was mistrustful of her. But she aspired to reach the rank of Geisha, and if she won over enough of the pride then there was very little reason for the cheetah to give as an excuse to keep Aiko in the lower ranks. Already she was currency. Soon. Soon she would be far more recognizable.
“Mana it is then,” Aiko smiled. She could learn his full name, but she would so hate to mispronounce it by mistake. Her name was nice and simple, easy to remember as well. She could thank her mother for that one at least. And also for giving her eldest brother such a perfect nickname… Nana. He really was like some crotchety old cub-sitter. Stupid stick in the mud. “I’ve not yet had the pleasure of getting to know all of the wonderful people in this pride…Forgive me, I’ve been…distracted.”
Yes. So very very distracted. Dysi…she had to do something about this problem… Why was Nana always, always, always getting in her way?!
“Disturbed me? Oh no, of course not,” Aiko giggled, “I could always use a little company…”
Princess_Feylin
Mana grinned so that just a hint of the tips of his canines showed. It wasn't meant to be a threatening expression and probably wouldn't come off as one. He used the grin to hide the fact that he was wracking his brains for everything he knew or had heard about Nanashi's sister. For several moments he had drawn a blank until he recalled that she actually eschewed the status she could have held because of her relationship with Nanashi and instead preferred to work as an entertainer.
From the way people tended to share that tidbit, he doubted that she plied her trade in stories and song. It seemed likely that she preferred to deal in sexual favors. He wondered idly if she was any good. It had been a long time for him and he could see himself being attracted to her in the right situation. Not that he was looking for anything long-term. But just some pleasant entertainment would hurt no one. His tail twitched at the thought.
"There's nothing to forgive," Mana assured Aiko. "You know it's still a young pride and its members are bringing in new recruits regularly. Keeping track at this point is a task better left to those in charge."
The hesitation he heard before she said she'd been distracted caught his attention quickly and made him wonder immediately what she had been doing. Once more his mind made the jump to her chosen profession, but he doubted that kind of distraction would keep her from noticing the goings on in the still-forming pride. He came to the conclusion that, yes, he needed to get himself laid, but now wasn't really the time to think about it. Even when Aiko chose words that seemed to deliberately imply at least a passing interest in the same matter, if looked at through innuendo.
"What's had you so distracted? Something interesting, or boring attention-absorbing?" He tactfully refrained from saying 'someone,' even though he thought it.
From the way people tended to share that tidbit, he doubted that she plied her trade in stories and song. It seemed likely that she preferred to deal in sexual favors. He wondered idly if she was any good. It had been a long time for him and he could see himself being attracted to her in the right situation. Not that he was looking for anything long-term. But just some pleasant entertainment would hurt no one. His tail twitched at the thought.
"There's nothing to forgive," Mana assured Aiko. "You know it's still a young pride and its members are bringing in new recruits regularly. Keeping track at this point is a task better left to those in charge."
The hesitation he heard before she said she'd been distracted caught his attention quickly and made him wonder immediately what she had been doing. Once more his mind made the jump to her chosen profession, but he doubted that kind of distraction would keep her from noticing the goings on in the still-forming pride. He came to the conclusion that, yes, he needed to get himself laid, but now wasn't really the time to think about it. Even when Aiko chose words that seemed to deliberately imply at least a passing interest in the same matter, if looked at through innuendo.
"What's had you so distracted? Something interesting, or boring attention-absorbing?" He tactfully refrained from saying 'someone,' even though he thought it.
zephira738
Aiko smiled brightly when he assured her there was nothing to forgive. She would have hated to have such a handsome boy annoyed at her, though she felt it might seem a little odd to say as much. Still, she liked to think she was good at making aquaintances, allies if not friends. She'd love to have a vast group of friends, it would be so nice to always have someone to talk to.
Well.
She was an entertainer. There always would be someone who wanted her company. That was one of the perks, as far as she was concerned. The other jobs seemed to have so much duty to go along with them, so much to uphold with honor or nobility or whatever. Boooring. It would be just like Nana to try and turn her into a stick-in-the-mud too.
"What's distracting me?" she repeated, looking thoughtful. How much did she want to share? Most of it was better kept secret, after all, it was a relationship that was completely not allowed. And it was something she was failing at as well. For now.
"Well...it is interesting, yes. And also attention-absorbing. And rather frustrating as well..." she sighed, her claws digging deeply into the ground. "Mostly it has to do with family, so I don't suppose I can really talk about it, you know? Nana...shi..." she added, correcting the nickname that he hated so, "Is usually the one to talk to," Aiko finished cheerfully. Yes. Go bother her brother. He would hate it. "I'm just...you know..." she ducked her head meekly. "The little sister."
Princess_Feylin
Mana was not a patient creature by nature, but he had learned the value of patience in his life and being considered a lesser being in the Mizimu had taught him to at least evince patience while awaiting acknowledgment. He fell back on that conditioning as he waited for Aiko to decide how much she would tell him. He wasn't an idiot, in spite of the number of idiotic things he'd done in his young life, and he could tell when a person was trying to decide what to tell him.
It did cross his mind briefly, however, to swat her for her first attempts at description, which were maddeningly vague. Just enough so that if he hadn't been truly curious before he certainly was at this point. A number of the women in his acquaintance seemed to play these games of only dropping tantalizing hints. He would have to learn to quell his curiosity, or else they would probably drive him mad.
"Far be it from me to get involved in family troubles," Mana said, his tone heartfelt. He knew he would end up embroiled in them anyway because he had bound himself to Nyoka, but that didn't mean he truly wanted to become part of the confusion and emotional blackmail that families seemed to represent so often. Then he recalled that the price of Nyoka's welcome for him was that he serve as her ears.
"But sometimes it can be helpful to have someone to talk to who's removed from the whole affair. An objective listener, as it were. I could play that part for you." He twitched his tail to turn the statement into an invitation. Mana wasn't a great one for talking. Not in the true, conversational sense. He boasted well enough and he could listen if he had to, but the back-and-forth of conversation sometimes bored him, particularly idle conversation.
Mana ducked his head with hers so that he could look her in the eye. "Hey. There are worse things to be than a little sister, you know. Older brothers, for instance, huge pains in the petard most of the time."
He wasn't a cheetah who had been close to his family. He barely knew them, in fact, and now they would undoubtedly be his enemies if they ever met again. That didn't mean he couldn't imply otherwise for the sake of maybe learning something interesting to tell Nyoka.
It did cross his mind briefly, however, to swat her for her first attempts at description, which were maddeningly vague. Just enough so that if he hadn't been truly curious before he certainly was at this point. A number of the women in his acquaintance seemed to play these games of only dropping tantalizing hints. He would have to learn to quell his curiosity, or else they would probably drive him mad.
"Far be it from me to get involved in family troubles," Mana said, his tone heartfelt. He knew he would end up embroiled in them anyway because he had bound himself to Nyoka, but that didn't mean he truly wanted to become part of the confusion and emotional blackmail that families seemed to represent so often. Then he recalled that the price of Nyoka's welcome for him was that he serve as her ears.
"But sometimes it can be helpful to have someone to talk to who's removed from the whole affair. An objective listener, as it were. I could play that part for you." He twitched his tail to turn the statement into an invitation. Mana wasn't a great one for talking. Not in the true, conversational sense. He boasted well enough and he could listen if he had to, but the back-and-forth of conversation sometimes bored him, particularly idle conversation.
Mana ducked his head with hers so that he could look her in the eye. "Hey. There are worse things to be than a little sister, you know. Older brothers, for instance, huge pains in the petard most of the time."
He wasn't a cheetah who had been close to his family. He barely knew them, in fact, and now they would undoubtedly be his enemies if they ever met again. That didn't mean he couldn't imply otherwise for the sake of maybe learning something interesting to tell Nyoka.
zephira738
Aiko just smiled quietly. She was pleased with the attention, more than pleased really since attention was pretty much everything she craved. It was just growing difficult, with her craving the attentions of one very specific person…
“Oh…well…” She hesitated. Sure Mana was a handsome creature, inviting her to talk to him and poised to be such an eager ear for her to spill her troubles to. But she had her secrets. Dysi was one of them by necessity. She only spoke to her brothers about it, and only then because they’d not joined the pride at the time. Now there were all sorts of rules to complicate matters. For one, Royals were not permitted to mate with an entertainer like herself, something she’d not known at the moment when she’d chosen the profession. It didn’t seem fair to her, and while she probably could have used Nana’s status to change her mind, it hardly seemed to matter.
Because even still Nyoka would be in her way. It felt, sometimes, as though the cheetah knew of Aiko’s feelings. Knew and took every chance to step in her way. It was so…so frustrating! But Aiko was determined, or possibly obsessed from an outsider’s perspective, and she would have her way. And not only would she have her way, but she would have it her way as well. If she wanted to be a consort, and possibly someday a geisha, then she would do as she pleased!
But here sat Mana, waiting with an attentive ear to hear her pour out her troubles. She certainly had to tell him something now… Dysi wasn’t the only thing she could possibly discuss. It wasn’t the only thing that might be bothering her…and while she was fairly accepting of it now…
“…it’s my brother,” she sighed, her ears laying back in an irritated manner. “He’s always getting in my way, it feels like he does it on purpose!” The last was said with a vehement hiss, far too honest to have ever been faked. Nana was in her way. Especially with Dysi, who she wanted more than anyone else, ever! “He does not approve of my…my…my lifestyle choice,” she decided. It was a little awkward to be fumbling for words, but saying that ‘Nana doesn’t like me being a prostitute’ felt a little…er…uncouth. “He’s always been such a stick in the mud…” she grumbled, looking down at her claws while they shredded a leaf that had drifted too close. “I probably shouldn’t care…but it’s…it’s annoying.”
All the time. All the time he had some comment about it. She always laughed it off, proud of what she was in spite of him. But sometimes, just a tiny little bit, it hurt. Just a tiny bit. And it was no feat to take that tiny little fragment of unhappiness and blow it out of proportion. She was ever so good at that sort of thing. Amplifying an emotion, making a mountain out of a molehill. What most people didn’t know was that she could also do the opposite. It was a lot less noticeable though, which was probably why it was seldom seen.
"It's my life..." she added heatedly.
Princess_Feylin
If Mana had manipulated Aiko into telling him something, he was unaware of it. True, he had wanted her to talk to him, perhaps give him a bit of news he could take back to Nyoka, but it had not been his conscious intention to phrase things so that she would have to tell him something. His offer to serve as an objective outside ear had simply seemed like the right thing to say at the time. Scheming was not an activity at which he was very experienced and so it would have come as a surprise to him to learn that he'd managed to arrange things to suit him without being straightforward and perhaps a little threatening.
Her brother? He'd only met Nanashi once, but he'd not come away with a bad impression. Seeing him around didn't count. He supposed it didn't much matter what he thought of Nanashi anyway. He was Nyoka's chosen mate, though he was willing to bet anything that Nyoka's cubs weren't his. Mana wondered how Nanashi felt about that. It wasn't as though he was a cuckold, exactly, but it still couldn't be a great feeling to know that your mate had borne someone else's cubs.
Aiko's vehemence as she described how Nanashi made her life more difficult took Mana aback, just a little, and made him wonder how much of her earlier pleasantness was for show and how much it was indicative of her actual personality. Unfair, he supposed. Everyone had some subjects that brought their temper to the fore. He did, certainly. Well, not so much topics as just things which made him angry, but it amounted to much the same thing.
"Ah," Mana said simply when she stated her issue. Or rather, Nanashi's issues with her chosen profession. He wasn't sure how he'd feel about it if he was close to his sister and she decided to take up the work Aiko had. Probably he'd feel much the same way Nanashi did. It wasn't exactly a thing to be proud of, as a leader, having a sister who slept with anyone who could make it worth her while.
At the same time, he understood about making one's own choices. And dealing with the consequences. Gods and spirits, he knew all about that. He'd been living with the consequences of his choices, most of which had been unpleasant, for months. Meeting Nyoka had been a stroke of providence for him. He'd been practically delirious between pain and a hint of infection in his wounded paw.
"You're right. It is your life, and it's really the only thing you can control. So, I mean, you can't control how he's going to react to your choices. You just have to decide how you're going to deal with his reaction." He looked off to the side, positive he wasn't expressing himself very well.
"At least he hasn't arranged for anything unfortunate to happen to you to convince you to change your mind." Things like that had happened around Mana in the past. Scheming family members could be highly unpleasant.
Her brother? He'd only met Nanashi once, but he'd not come away with a bad impression. Seeing him around didn't count. He supposed it didn't much matter what he thought of Nanashi anyway. He was Nyoka's chosen mate, though he was willing to bet anything that Nyoka's cubs weren't his. Mana wondered how Nanashi felt about that. It wasn't as though he was a cuckold, exactly, but it still couldn't be a great feeling to know that your mate had borne someone else's cubs.
Aiko's vehemence as she described how Nanashi made her life more difficult took Mana aback, just a little, and made him wonder how much of her earlier pleasantness was for show and how much it was indicative of her actual personality. Unfair, he supposed. Everyone had some subjects that brought their temper to the fore. He did, certainly. Well, not so much topics as just things which made him angry, but it amounted to much the same thing.
"Ah," Mana said simply when she stated her issue. Or rather, Nanashi's issues with her chosen profession. He wasn't sure how he'd feel about it if he was close to his sister and she decided to take up the work Aiko had. Probably he'd feel much the same way Nanashi did. It wasn't exactly a thing to be proud of, as a leader, having a sister who slept with anyone who could make it worth her while.
At the same time, he understood about making one's own choices. And dealing with the consequences. Gods and spirits, he knew all about that. He'd been living with the consequences of his choices, most of which had been unpleasant, for months. Meeting Nyoka had been a stroke of providence for him. He'd been practically delirious between pain and a hint of infection in his wounded paw.
"You're right. It is your life, and it's really the only thing you can control. So, I mean, you can't control how he's going to react to your choices. You just have to decide how you're going to deal with his reaction." He looked off to the side, positive he wasn't expressing himself very well.
"At least he hasn't arranged for anything unfortunate to happen to you to convince you to change your mind." Things like that had happened around Mana in the past. Scheming family members could be highly unpleasant.
zephira738
It wasn't so much that he manipulated her into being forced to tell him. Well, partly perhaps. But part of it was just...well. She'd been glum. He'd offered to listen. How could she not say anything? Besides, he was so sweet to offer. And he was so very handsome...she'd have been flirting outrageously had she not been moping about over Dysi when he arrived.
Oh...Dysi... Why did he have to like her stupid stuck-up brother instead of her?? Nana was always in the way! Always!
Actually, Aiko was a tiny bit surprised at how the fiery cheetah responded. His advice, had the problem she presented him with been what was actually bothering her, was rather...soothing. He wasn't as eloquent as some of the members of their pride could be, but his words rang true all the same.
"I...yes. You're right of course..." she murmered, frowning at her paws for a moment. "And...and no...no I...I don't think he would do that..." Aiko shuddered at the last comment, but kept her mouth shut. She knew full well that even if he did, she was probably going to get out of it anyway. She was by far much tougher than she looked. And scary when she chose to be.
"Thank you, Mana," she added after a moment, still looking thoughtful. Sure he'd been helping with a different issue...but...but his advice was still workable for what was really wrong. It was her life. Consequences be darned. Dysi was what she wanted, and if Nana or anyone else hjad a problem with it they could just...just...do something insulting or something. She was too wrapped up to think of a suitable disgrace. "That...really helps..."
Princess_Feylin
Mana was a little surprised to hear Aiko say tha the was right. It had seemed like good advice to him, but he'd not phrased it well and he wasn't sure he'd managed to convey his point as he'd intended. It pleased him that she seemed to have understood him. Or, if she hadn't understood, she'd at least found something helpful in her mistaken interpretation of his words. Or something. He shrugged a very little bit.
"I'm glad he wouldn't go to those lengths. I don't know your brother well, but I have known brothers who would rather see their family hurt than disgraced."
For instance, Nanashi could have arranged for someone violent to have a tryst with his sister. The instructions would simply have to be that he was to be rough with her, frighten her without damaging her permanently or killing her. Mana had no doub there were people in this pride of Nyoka's who would have been willing to obey that order and take violent pleasure with Aiko. If Nyoka asked it of him, Mana would have done it, though he would have found the act distasteful.
He didn't say any of this aloud, in case it hadn't occurred to Aiko. Such threats could be left up to her brother and anyone else who actively objected to her choices. Personally, Mana didn't much care if Aiko wanted to be a geisha or entertainer. She wasn't his sister, thank goodness, and her choice of profession meant that there was a chance he would someday end up having sex with her, which he wouldn't object to under the right circumstances. Those would not be the ones he'd imagined being used against her, by the way.
"I'm glad I could be helpful. I seem to do little enough around the pride lately. I can't wait until this stupid paw's completely healed and I can contribute more." He scowled down at his paw, which was a little tired from being stood on for so long while he spoke. Tired was better than painful though. Loads better.
"I'm glad he wouldn't go to those lengths. I don't know your brother well, but I have known brothers who would rather see their family hurt than disgraced."
For instance, Nanashi could have arranged for someone violent to have a tryst with his sister. The instructions would simply have to be that he was to be rough with her, frighten her without damaging her permanently or killing her. Mana had no doub there were people in this pride of Nyoka's who would have been willing to obey that order and take violent pleasure with Aiko. If Nyoka asked it of him, Mana would have done it, though he would have found the act distasteful.
He didn't say any of this aloud, in case it hadn't occurred to Aiko. Such threats could be left up to her brother and anyone else who actively objected to her choices. Personally, Mana didn't much care if Aiko wanted to be a geisha or entertainer. She wasn't his sister, thank goodness, and her choice of profession meant that there was a chance he would someday end up having sex with her, which he wouldn't object to under the right circumstances. Those would not be the ones he'd imagined being used against her, by the way.
"I'm glad I could be helpful. I seem to do little enough around the pride lately. I can't wait until this stupid paw's completely healed and I can contribute more." He scowled down at his paw, which was a little tired from being stood on for so long while he spoke. Tired was better than painful though. Loads better.
zephira738
That Nana would ever hurt her or cause her to come to grief just did not occur to Aiko. He was her brother, and while he was a righteous pain in the tail, they were still family. They might fight, and they rarely saw eye to eye. But, as far as Aiko had ever learned, her elder sibling was just not the sort to physically harm her. Emotionally, perhaps. He was stealing Dysi from her after all! But he probably didn’t think there was any sort of harm in that. Stupid brother.
“Your paw?” Aiko asked suddenly, her eyes drawn to his feet as he spoke. Actually…that one did look a little uncomfortable. It was mostly in the way he seemed to be holding it but, still. “May I ask how that happened?” she said softly, her irritation apparently quite gone now. Like flipping a switch, her emotions just seemed to turn on and off. Really, they were all still there. She was merely selecting the one she deemed most appropriate for the situation.
Besides, he’d helped her. He might not have known exactly what he was helping her with, though she felt no guilt whatsoever for her secret, but he had all the same. If she wanted to return the favor, well, nothing wrong with that now was there? Not that she was a healer. But she thought she might at least be able to make him feel a bit better. Maybe keep him company while he was hurting or something. Help him hunt if he needed it…she was a capable huntress after all. Just because she chose to be a consort didn’t mean she lacked other skills, far from it! No, it was just a preference. And, as Mana had so recently advised, it was her life after all.
Princess_Feylin
"Yes," Mana confirmed.
He shook the offending appendage as though trying to remove something nasty from it. Unfortunately, he couldn't shake off the injury, and just had to be patient while waiting for it to heal. It sometimes seemed to him that it was taking its sweet time healing, and that he'd had other wounds, worse wounds, which had healed more quickly. It was times like that when he was forced to remind himself that he had abused this paw badly after injuring it by running on it daily for weeks until Nyoka offered him safety and a place to belong.
"I was born and raised in a very different pride which valued strong spirits and strong bodies. There were some which were able to know the will of the spirits which are born again and again into new bodies. Well. Lions' bodies. Cheetahs, leopards, and the like have no spirits, but if they serve well in this life they may hope to come back as a lion in the next."
He paused, certain she was wondering what this had to do with his paw. He was getting to that. For whatever reason he had decided to tell her the truth of the matter as well as give her some information about where he had come from. He honestly wasn't sure what had prompted him to answer her thus, instead of giving one of his usual vague answers or making up some lie on the spot, but he'd already begun this telling. And perhaps it would do no harm for it to be known that he had come from a tribe of warrior folk aided and guided by spirits.
"I was a runner, useful because my lack of a spirit could make me invisible to lions' spirits. There was a difference in opinion over how the pride ought to be led, and by whom. I was convinced to side with those in favor of a new authority. I chose to back the wrong group and during the struggle, which was necessarily violent, I was injured. It was near the end of the battle and I could see how things were going, so I took my leave of the pride rather than suffer mutilation or death at the hands of the victors.
"This was several weeks ago, and until I met Nyoka I was on the run, truly running. It was not good for my paw, and has slowed the healing process considerably. But it is healing." He shrugged and gave her a quick grin. "It's nothing to worry about."
He shook the offending appendage as though trying to remove something nasty from it. Unfortunately, he couldn't shake off the injury, and just had to be patient while waiting for it to heal. It sometimes seemed to him that it was taking its sweet time healing, and that he'd had other wounds, worse wounds, which had healed more quickly. It was times like that when he was forced to remind himself that he had abused this paw badly after injuring it by running on it daily for weeks until Nyoka offered him safety and a place to belong.
"I was born and raised in a very different pride which valued strong spirits and strong bodies. There were some which were able to know the will of the spirits which are born again and again into new bodies. Well. Lions' bodies. Cheetahs, leopards, and the like have no spirits, but if they serve well in this life they may hope to come back as a lion in the next."
He paused, certain she was wondering what this had to do with his paw. He was getting to that. For whatever reason he had decided to tell her the truth of the matter as well as give her some information about where he had come from. He honestly wasn't sure what had prompted him to answer her thus, instead of giving one of his usual vague answers or making up some lie on the spot, but he'd already begun this telling. And perhaps it would do no harm for it to be known that he had come from a tribe of warrior folk aided and guided by spirits.
"I was a runner, useful because my lack of a spirit could make me invisible to lions' spirits. There was a difference in opinion over how the pride ought to be led, and by whom. I was convinced to side with those in favor of a new authority. I chose to back the wrong group and during the struggle, which was necessarily violent, I was injured. It was near the end of the battle and I could see how things were going, so I took my leave of the pride rather than suffer mutilation or death at the hands of the victors.
"This was several weeks ago, and until I met Nyoka I was on the run, truly running. It was not good for my paw, and has slowed the healing process considerably. But it is healing." He shrugged and gave her a quick grin. "It's nothing to worry about."
zephira738
Aiko listened, honestly surprised by his answer. His pride sounded interesting, she knew of some who believed in spirits and while she held no great belief herself she didn’t see anything wrong with it. What she couldn’t help but disagree with was the bit where leopards and cheetahs didn’t get to have a ‘soul’. Of course they had souls! What was with those stupid lions?
The black spotted tail lashed angrily when he reached that point of his story, though she didn’t say anything. It was what some people believed, she supposed. Obviously this meant some people were stupid.
Granted, she wasn’t sure what this had to do with his paw…perhaps someone had decided to mutilate a ‘souless’ cheetah? As if anyone had the right to do that. Selfish she might be, vain she might be, cruel she liked to think she wasn’t. Sure their pride kept lions as slaves, she’d no qualms about that really. They were bigger and dangerous…but she’d met lions and didn’t think them soulless. Just because, in this pride, the cheetahs and leopards held more power didn’t mean the lions suddenly had no souls! What gave them the right to say such a thing??
She listened, fuming quietly to herself about people who thought the only ‘people’ were the sort that were just exactly as vapid and rotted as they were, as he explained. Her expression softened when he spoke of a change in authority, what had they hoped to do? He’d backed them, surely there was a reason? The cheetahess burned to ask what the rebellion had been for but…perhaps, another time. She didn’t want to upset the poor dear.
“I am glad you are doing better,” she said softly, “But that does seem…horribly…unfair.” Aiko bristled, her claws digging at the dirt for a moment to vent her vexation before she added, "If you ever need to talk to someone about it, I've two good ears." Both of them perked attentivly as she said this, then relaxed as she smiled at him. Sure she was frustrated about Dysi. Yes, she was more than vexed at this stupid pigheaded pride that he'd fled from. But none of this was directed at Mana. He didn't deserve any of it. Actually, she rather thought she liked him.
Princess_Feylin
Mana didn't miss the irritated lashing of Aiko's tail and he could guess at what had caused it. For himself, he had relatively few regrets about his past. Only the fact that he had fled his rightful punishment continued to eat at him. It had been a cowardly act and it had also been disloyal to his pride. He had a new pride now, of course, and that was what he reminded himself, but he thought he would always be ashamed of fleeing that first time, no matter how much better his life might get as a result.
"I know," he said with a rueful grin. "Cowardly. I strive every day to overcome that particular shame. I'm really not as faithless as the story makes me sound. I truly am loyal to Nyoka and this pride."
He glanced once more at his paw and then back at Aiko in surprise. He had not been expecting her to say that. As his own words should have shown, he had been expecting to see disgust in her expression and hear some sort of remark about his failings as a person. Had she made an attack on his character, depending on what she chose to attack, he probably would not have even argued with her assessment.
"I'm glad, too," he said, trying to shift gears. "But, really, it could have been much worse but for Nyoka. And as for the fairness of all this...I leave such things up to the greater spirits."
Mana shifted to sit and take most of his weight off his paw, hoping that Aiko wouldn't mind that he had done so. It wasn't as though it was considered disrespectful here to sit down without an invitation, and they were not in Aiko's private residence any way. In his limited experience with other prides and peoples, he had learned a few of these strange customs and been glad they did not apply to his life for longer than his stay in lands.
"Funny. I offered Nyoka my ears when I first met her. They were about the only part of me she might have wanted at the time. I appreciate the offer, but there's not much to talk about. It's the past." He shrugged and flicked his tail, dismissing the topic.
"If you don't mind me asking, why did you choose to take up the profession you did?"
"I know," he said with a rueful grin. "Cowardly. I strive every day to overcome that particular shame. I'm really not as faithless as the story makes me sound. I truly am loyal to Nyoka and this pride."
He glanced once more at his paw and then back at Aiko in surprise. He had not been expecting her to say that. As his own words should have shown, he had been expecting to see disgust in her expression and hear some sort of remark about his failings as a person. Had she made an attack on his character, depending on what she chose to attack, he probably would not have even argued with her assessment.
"I'm glad, too," he said, trying to shift gears. "But, really, it could have been much worse but for Nyoka. And as for the fairness of all this...I leave such things up to the greater spirits."
Mana shifted to sit and take most of his weight off his paw, hoping that Aiko wouldn't mind that he had done so. It wasn't as though it was considered disrespectful here to sit down without an invitation, and they were not in Aiko's private residence any way. In his limited experience with other prides and peoples, he had learned a few of these strange customs and been glad they did not apply to his life for longer than his stay in lands.
"Funny. I offered Nyoka my ears when I first met her. They were about the only part of me she might have wanted at the time. I appreciate the offer, but there's not much to talk about. It's the past." He shrugged and flicked his tail, dismissing the topic.
"If you don't mind me asking, why did you choose to take up the profession you did?"
zephira738
...coward?
"Oh, heavens, no, that's not...I'm just surprised you didn't leave sooner," she hastened to correct him. Such a cruel heartless sort of place it seemed to her. Horrifically unfair. She'd love to prove she had a soul, claw it into them until they could never, ever forget again! Ever! Stupid bigoted creatures! They were the soulless ones! Not the poor people they preyed upon...
She smiled at his comment about his ears, though internally she was instantly on guard. Well...thank goodness she hadn't told about Dysi! Not that she could hate him for doing his job, but things with Nyoka were shaping up to be pretty shaky already. No need to fan the flame, no matter what Nana believed of her. She wasn't stupid, duh.
Which meant, while she liked Mana, and he was quite easy to like it seemed, she would have to tread carefully lest something slip back to Nyoka and get her family into trouble. Or maybe just her. It wouldn't be fair to her brothers...
"Why do I do it?" she asked, blinking, taken aback. Well... no one ever asked her that before. It didn't take long for her to smile sweetly, the answer already come so easily to her tongue.
"People should choose work that they're good at," she purred, flicking her tail teasingly at his unhurt paw as she started away. Talking to one of Nyoka's ears...not so wise. Nor was the idea of playing with one of Nyoka's ears...though that would be tempting now wouldn't it?
"Don't you like what you do?" Aiko asked, looking over one black spotted shoulder to wink at him before turning and padding off back into the shadows of the caverns.
Princess_Feylin
She...didn't think he was a coward. That was...idiotic. People were so strange. There was no denying that he was a coward. He'd fled a deserved death, which if he had faced it might have allowed him to be born as a lion. But he wouldn't be here if he'd done that, he reminded himself, and he really wasn't ready to die. He was still young, and even the comparatively brief period of being injured had shown him that he was poorly suited to life as a cripple.
He knew he'd made a mistake, however, in telling her that he had offered to be Nyoka's ears. He should have known better, but he had allowed himself to relax too much. Not that he guessed he would have been a difficult mark, but he thought that this proved she was well-suited to the work she'd chosen, whether or not she was interested in the sexual aspect. Nyoka had explained a little to him about the other purposes to which an entertainer might be put. He couldn't believe he'd been so foolish.
And she was evil. It a wholly entrancing sort of way. He'd been suffused with heat beneath his fur when Aiko said a person ought to choose work they're good at. For a moment, in spite of his chagrin at revealing his purpose in the pride, Mana wished he could test her theory. But it would hardly be appropriate at this point in the conversation. Still...he wouldn't mind getting to know her better in the future, in many senses of the word.
"Wicked," he muttered with an appreciative grin as he watched her retreat. "Positively wicked."