|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 8:41 am
"Son. I'm telling you. This girl is..." Well, she wasn't what anybody usually expected when they thought of a female - even a Firekin female - and true, she could seem slightly moody at first meeting, but there was something beyond that initial distance that Azarax had come to admire as he had gotten to know Zynab better. "You'll like her. Really."
Since his first meeting with the red lioness, the tan General had run across her on several other occasions, and the initial barriers that both had had seemed to have lowered. He had thought, even at their first meeting, that perhaps she would make an interesting partner for Atesh, and their further meetings had only convinced him more of the fact.
"Trust me, Atesh, you'll have fun." Azarax added. He had realized that he had been talking almost nonstop to his son about this lioness for several days now - a chattiness that was rather uncharacteristic of him - but he was quite excited about the prospects of their upcoming meeting.
Of course, he hadn't told Zynab that he would be bringing Atesh along. Now, that would have been too obvious. And too awkward.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Yea, I know, Da..." Atesh intoned, not for the first time as he shot his father a sideways glance with his abnormally bright, slate blue eyes. That he was beginning to tire of his father's unprecedented rambling was not lost on either of them, but that didn't seem to stop Azarax.
And anyway, Atesh had his doubts. Nobody was perfect, just like nobody could live up to the expectations that Azarax had tried so hard to infuse into his son, which was why Atesh had stopped himself from having any solid preconceptions about the lioness to begin with. After all, he was doing this for the sake of his father, and really, that was about it. Why Azarax was so very eager to fill the role of matchmaker, though, was not something Atesh could quite figure out.
They neared Azarax's favorite dune - the largest one within the Simo territory, on which one could look out over the entire pride lands. A fitting place for a meeting, Atesh supposed.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 8:54 am
 Over their encounters, Zynab had gotten to know the General like a friend would. They jested every now and then, and always met on the largest dune. That's where she was now, after her hunt, blood still lingering on her person despite the bath. The smell of blood wasn't easy to get rid of, and she was fine with smelling like it, but still. She was laying on that dune now, absorbing the sun like usual. The wind was cold despite the heat, and with her fur still damp, warming up and drying off like this was perfect.
Green eyes focused on the distance, waiting for the flash of red mane that she'd come to know. And there it was! Getting up, she shook herself off before spotting a black and white figure following him. A soldier, no doubt. This wouldn't be the first time she would meet one of Azarax's soldiers. So she didn't suspect anything from it.
"General!" She called out, letting him know she was there. She would try not to be too moody with whoever it was she was going to meet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:13 am
That he had grown fond of Zynab was obvious. She had become become both a friend and, as was inevitable thanks to their considerable age gap, rather like an unofficial daughter of sorts. He could look on the red lioness as he might look on Vesta or Korofi, and the same sort of pride seemed to shine on his face whenever he did, and all of it justified, he thought.
Even as they approached the dune. Azarax could make out Zynab's now-familiar red figure. "That's her," he said, almost cheerfully as he began the ascent up to the top.
"Zynab!" The tan lion greeted her with a broad smile as he padded to the top of the dune. "I hope you're doing well." He paused a moment to allow Atesh to catch up, before adding, "This is Atesh. He's accompanying me today to patrol the grounds. Atesh, this is Zynab." He gave his son a meaningful nudge that he hoped Zynab hadn't quite caught. Though subtlety when it came to matchmaking was not Azarax's forte, so he wouldn't have been surprised if she saw through his act in a moment.
Silently, he thought back over the numerous conversations they had had, wondering if he had ever mentioned his son by name to Zynab. No doubt, he had talked about the dark lion, discussed some of his strengths and flaws, even, but a name? He couldn't quite remember.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Atesh offered, stepping up to parallel his father. It was difficult to talk when he was hidden behind the impressive tan General, and his father had put so much effort in arranging the meeting and convincing him to attend in the first place... Atesh thought he at least owed it to Azarax to make an effort.
He had to admit that the fiery red of her coat, perfectly in keeping with their pride's traditions, certainly brought out the brilliant green of her eyes, and... He gave his head a brief, sharp shake. No. Focus on the conversation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:20 am
Atesh. Ah, his son. Azarax had mentioned him a couple of times during their talks, a lot more frequently. The stripes caught her attention and her eyes trailed down his body and then to his salt and pepper mane. Even though he was clearly young, Zynab couldn't help but think him slightly older. Slightly older males were really.... hot in her opinion. And the way he held himself up next to his father, not quite an equal, but clearly a man of power and means. Mmn. Her interest was high now.
"Pleasure's mine. I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage if he's been talking about me." She pointedly looked to Azarax and arched a brow. Now that, she'd discuss with him later. "Don't try to deny it. I saw the nudge you gave him. You're not the best at trying to be subtle, Azarax." The few times he tried to be subtle with her had utterly failed and she had a good laugh at his expense. Flicking her tail , she sat down and got comfortable before shaking her head.
Just what was Azarax thinking?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:58 am
A look that might have been sheepishness on any other lion crossed Azarax's face, and he pointedly averted his gaze to glance imperiously over the lands spread out below his dune.
He quite respected and love that boldness in Zynab, that spark that said she was completely unafraid to call him out on something when she caught him red-handed, and if Azarax had had to point to one thing in particular that made her seem more than just a friend, he would have picked that brashness without hesitation. In so many ways, because of that, she often felt more like a headstrong daughter than a lioness to whom he had no real connections.
Still, he had to fight the urge to glance back and share a look with his son that would try to communicate something along the lines of "You see the way she was checking you out???" Like Zynab herself had pointed out, subtlety in the matters of love were not his strong suit, and he had decided that he had better not embarrass himself any more in one day.
"I, he..." Atesh began, mind spinning as he sought a clever way to cover for his father, who, it seemed, had inadvertently become his wingman. "Well, he has mentioned you once or twice," he concluded when he found no way to bail Azarax out of the situation. Although that, too, was an understatement. "All good things, I promise you. It seems my old man has taken quite a shine to you."
And he could see why. He knew his father had always appreciated a strong mind, one that was not overly contentious, but was still not content to simply follow along with the flow of the world as if it had no control whatsoever and the only thing to do was to sit back and take it. Zynab seemed to embody everything his father admired in other creatures - and perhaps the fact that she was a hunter had something to do with it. Most soldiers wouldn't have had the nerve to stand up to their General like Zynab did, and she had managed to do it all in good fun and humor, taking what was now obviously a set up well in stride.
"Well, I have been mentioning you too, son," Azarax interjected with a self-satisfied smile. And here it came. The results of his hard work, the fruist of his labor. The sparks. Ahh, the sparks....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 10:09 am
Sparks indeed. Those green eyes were flashing with interest and excitement and nervousness and five hundred other emotions, though she kept her face in an amused expression. "He's mentioned you once or twice, not by name though. Just "My son this" and "My son that". Right, Azarax?" She nudged Azarax's leg with her paw and nudged him.
Honestly, the General was starting to feel like a big brother or an uncle, not a father. Her father would always be her father, no matter what he was going through. Who knew she'd want to be girly when around a male she seemed interested in?
Being girly was not her thing. "He did mention you were a soldier though. Trying to work up the ranks for when he gets to old and you take over his spot?" She gave them both a smirk, ears twitching. 'Finally nice to put a face with the vague description. Wasn't expecting you though. He said he was going to bring someone, I think."
Then she pointedly focused on Atesh and narrowed her eyes. "Seriously, are you trying to rise to power, or are you happy with staying a follower? Why are you not a captain yet?" Drilling for information about how much power he wanted. If she was going to attempt to be with him, she wanted some form of power, even if it wasn't her own. Power was power, she could rise to a good standing with a name.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 10:32 am
"What can I say, I'm proud of both of you. But I didn't want to spoil the surprise," Azarax said sagely, as if he had intended it all along. "I was extremely selective with my words."
This was a rather more light-hearted, whimsical side of the tan lion that few were privileged enough to witness, and even fewer were honored with the capacity to bring it out in him. By nature, he was a serious creature, and by experience, even more so. There were few that could lay claim to lives harsher than the one Azarax had lived and suffered through, and though he was all the better a soul for it, there were parts of him that had long been irrevocably changed by his past.
And yet, he stood now, with his son and with Zynab, feeling a comfort that he felt with few creatures aside from his mate.
Atesh held back his laughter. Extremely selective indeed. What he had heard about Zynab had long ago turned into what had seemed more like a stream of consciousness than anything, and Atesh doubted his father could even remember half the things he had rattled off for Atesh in his excitement to divulge information about this wonderful lioness that Atesh must certainly had to meet someday.
Although here he was, meeting that very lioness and feeling good about it, so he supposed his father's words did have some merit.
"Well, that's the hope, I suppose," he said after a moment's hesitation. It was a good question, though. Why wasn't he captain yet? Atesh imagined that if he had had the skills and dedication necessary, he should have made the promoted right around now. He knew the dedication wasn't lacking, but for a while now, he had silently been questioning his skills as a leader and a soldier. But they were worries that he had yet to divulge to anyone, and ones that he certainly did not want to voice before the lion whose vast power stretched across the entire army. "I don't want to be just another face in several dozen, but apart from seriously dedicating myself to it all, it's out of my hands, I guess." He certainly wans't pleased with the idea. But perhaps there would be other ways to distinguish himself from the crowd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 1:03 pm
Ah. So he wanted power and recognition. Something not all thought about. It brought a coiling smile to her lips and a chuckle to her throat. Shoulders hunching for a minute, Zynab popped her back and winced at that. Ah, her back these days was bugging her. She supposed it was from sleeping on a rock or something. Like she was going to complain about minor back issues out loud. "That's very cunning of you, to want power and to be recognized for something other than following your charming father's paw steps."
She grinned and gave Azarax a wink before focusing all on Atesh. He was quite interesting to her. Things were looking up for this parental guided match. Maybe Atesh's father knew him better than most father's knew their sons. Better than her parents knew her. Simply put, she couldn't get over how handsome he was, first off, and second off, the way he was climbing the ladder....? It would be interesting to watch him, befriend him, even if nothing blossomed between them.
"Should we wander by ourselves?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 7:13 am
That Azarax knew his son well was not something that anyone could properly dispute. Though he knew it was favoritism in some small way, he had assuaged his anxieties by reasoning that he had kept a careful eye on the striped lion for good reason. For even in his youth, Atesh had displayed hints of the violent, uncontrollable rage that had been characteristic of many of the Firekin bloodlines of old, a trait that had been transmitted through the generations from long before Atesh had been born and long before Azarax had come into existence.
There had been a fiery spirit lurking behind the dark lion's unusually bright slate-blue eyes that Azarax had recognized as the potential both for good and for bad, a malleable force that, if shaped one way or another, could one day come to be a force to be reckoned with. And it was good news, of course, but because of the explosive nature of the young lion, Azarax had feared, above all, the idea of his beloved little Atesh being corrupted by evil.
Back in the day, when strife between the Simo and the disbanded Safi was still a widely feared and prominent occurence, there had seemed plenty of chances for young Atesh to have been turned against everything his parents had fought and stood for.
"Charming, eh?" Azarax chuckled, shaking his head. "You certainly have a knack for flattery, Zynab." Watching the looks that transpired between the two younger lions, he felt a sudden sense of pride, both in his own apparent success and in the potential that lay between the two. He had always known he had a good eye for lionesses.
"Wander off, then," he added, voicing his consent for them to take off if they so pleased. He had rounds to make, in any case, and much to consider on his way.
Atesh grinned with a short laugh that sounded rather like his father's. "I hadn't thought of it as cunning," he admitted, though it was a flattering thought. "More like my avoiding making a concrete decision, but there are always two sides to every story." He said, as Azarax had tried so hard to teach him in his youth.
He felt quite drawn to the fiery lioness' moxie, her apparent (or perhaps just relative) disregard for the conventions that he followed so closely. She was almost everything a typical soldier was not, and a more than welcome change.
The dark lion lifted his brow, amused, and nodded. "I suppose Da has outstayed his welcome." He joked, glancing over at his father, who was shaking his head in an equally amused fashion and had already begun to turn away from Atesh and Zynab. Like father, like son. It seemed to apply particularly well to these two.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:29 am
She didn't want to be a typical soldier, oh no. One day, Zynab wanted to make her claim to power. It would be a slow process, but she would, indeed, make it. Her green eyes focused on those stripes of the son as the father turned away and started walking. It was all for the best. If she was going to get to know Atesh, the lioness would need alone time. Family was a bit annoying, usually, for Zynab, but she did like Atesh's father. Hopefully Atesh, himself, wouldn't be too much of a dud. Otherwise she would leave without a word.
"Not making a concrete decision, eh? I figured you'd be the type to make snap decisions based on a gut feeling." Like she did. But she wouldn't say that out loud. He'd figure it out one way or another. Flicking her tail the totally not flustered lioness headed in a random direction.
OK, so it wasn't really that random. There was an oasis nearby that she wanted to show him. That way, they'd be cool as they talked and she could get water. The heat was intense right now. Maybe because she was definitely attracted to Atesh, and probably because she was nervous to boot. She didn't think she'd be interested in a male for a while yet, and here she was.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 8:47 am
"This is just... a little more difficult for me," Atesh said, after a moment's hesitation. He was beginning to wander into a territory that was both familiar and strange at the same time, where he both silently questioned himself and did his best to refuse to acknowledge the idea that something might not be quite right with the path he had chosen. How could it possibly be wrong? His father was the General, after all, and if Atesh had not the capacity to follow in the footsteps already laid down by his father, then what did he have? Honor and loyalty meant nothing if he had nothing by which to stand.
"It's a strange feeling, questioning the ideals I've had since I can remember..." He began, then stopped himself, unwilling to burden her with his own problems. He hardly knew her well enough, and in any case, a troubled lion was often a weak lion, and that was the last thing he wanted to seem to the bright lioness.
"He has said nothing but good things about you, you know," Atesh said, changing the subject. His father was not a lion to mince his words - having power and responsibilities had taught the tan lion to disregard personal feelings and to give only honest judgments, and there was an inevitable arrogance in the way Azarax spoke at times, a pride that came years of understanding that he had absolute authority and that few had the right to dispute him. That Zynab had managed to work around that to invoke only praise from generally rather stern lion was an impressive feat indeed. "He has criticism for almost everyone. How did you do it?" He added with a slight smile and a sidelong glance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:57 am
She almost wanted to cuff him when he started talking about his troubles. Yes, it was a form of weakness, but she wouldn't let that ruin the obviously good time they were having together. Something told Zynab that later, she wouldn't mind hearing about what troubles he was having and giving him advice, but that was for after they were together, not before. Not during the first meeting. And the fact he even started showed he was trusting too easily. It made her a little wary.
However, he quickly changed the subject to something completely different. Zynab couldn't help but smirk at that and chuckle. How indeed. "I have a way with words. And we just connected as if we're old friends." It was the truth, pretty much. At first she had weaseled her way into Atesh's father's sights to see about how much power he would give her, but then he presented his own son and the rest was history, as it were.
However, during her time with Azarax, she noticed the two of them were friends. They got along well enough, agreed on many subjects. "I do not question him about his rank. I didn't even know his rank until he introduced himself." It wasn't the total truth. She'd gone into the first conversation with a little knowledge, but not much.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 10:30 am
Atesh smiled, shaking his head. "You and my mother both," he said. Well... Yin's relationship with Azarax had begun in quite a different way, and they really were old friends, no as if about it. But in a way, Zynab's story had evoked the image of his mother, as if these two lionesses were the only creatures he knew that had made it past Azarax's defenses. And there were plenty of those, to be sure.
Even Atesh himself rarely escaped the criticism that came from his father, who seemed to have eyes and ears everywhere and seemed to be but half a step behind his progress all the time. It was both a blessing and a curse, the striped lion supposed.
"I imagine that was a breath of fresh air for him," he added, regarding her with interest. The idea of living without knowing who Azarax was seemed so foreign to Atesh, though he could hardly be blamed for that. The tan lion was his father, after all, and he had never known was world where he hadn't know who the General was.
And maybe that had been why Azarax had taken so well to Zynab. It didn't seem much of a stretch to think it. But now was not the time to delve deeper into his father's friendships. He had been a peerless catalyst in Atesh's meeting with Zynab, but there he should remain... at least until their walk ended.
"Well, then," he said, once again intending to change the subject. "If not soldiering, which seems to be a favorite pastime here, what is it that drives you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 11:33 am
So she was like his mother? Zynab didn't know if she should be offended or not, but she went with not because isn't it a saying that females with after males that reminded them of their fathers? As creepy a thought as that was, she couldn't say if it was true. So far, this male didn't remind her of her own father. She would be terrified if he did! So, thinking back on it, she didn't mind the mother comment as much.
"Fresh air, indeed! I didn't know he raved about me so much, however. But he can keep going if he wants." She smirked at that and looked over to Atesh. Gods, just looking at him was something she could grow to love. His stripes were so hypnotizing to her. Clearing her throat, she shrugged to his last question.
What drove her? Why did she carry on living? Something in the back of her head told her not to answer, but he had asked. It deserved a question. "....Power. I push myself to move higher up in the ranks. I want a position of some importance before my death, whenever it maybe. That's not to say I'm completely power hungry. I just want to be respected and remembered by more than just family."
Was it petty of her? Probably, but it was the honest truth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 8:49 am
A brief smile flitted across Atesh's face as he caught Zynab's eye. It was becoming increasingly more obvious why Azarax had taken such a shine to the red lioness. It wasn't her obvious Firekin heritage or her potential as a soldier - neither of which mattered to Atesh's father when it came to judging another lion as lion. No, it was that she was character, and that above all must have been new to Azarax. As General, the sandy-pelted lion was well accustomed to unquestioning obedience and everything presented to him in perfect order. That Zynab seemed to struggle to do neither was a certified rarity.
"I think he just..." the striped lion shrugged with a small, lopsided smile. "Knew that he should give that extra push somehow." His father's praise for Zynab hadn't been without an agenda, and Atesh was sure that they were both well aware of it. But he could only thank Azarax for his meddling - not for the first time, the tan lion had proven that Daddy did know best.
"Power, huh," he added with a nod. "That's understandable. Who doesn't want to make a name for himself?" Or, in Zynab's case, herself. Atesh himself was doing his best to find his niche, that one place where he would excel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
