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 Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:26 pm
It had been long enough that the cubs were just about weaned, meaning they were old enough to meet their new owners, those of them that had the at least. So far Azula had found suitable masters for some, but not all. Hua, for instance, would go to a boy named Moto'spaki, apparently someone that Meilin and Uuo were associated with.
She came that morning to get her, and was leading her away from the slave's den to find the recipient.
"Keep up, girl." She instructed sharply. To any that might be listening in, this scene would appear perfectly normal.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:01 pm
 For the small cub, life had been simple until that morning. She knew nothing of firekin or what it meant to be a slave, all she had known was the gentle voice of her mother, the warmth of siblings. The world existed in shades of blue and silver, of black and a touch of orange, and so far as she had know, that was how it was meant to be.
But there was something else there, something that didn't seem to belong. It seemed to slip into the voices of her parents when they didn't think she was listening. Red, it was bright and yet cold, a color she would soon quickly learn to fear, a color that would change her life forever.
It had come that morning, a cold voice that pulled her from her dreams, from the warmth she had always known. Hua'yin did not understand, why was she being taken from her family, from her mother? Why did she have to follow the red lioness into the harsh cold? No, she didn't want to, she wanted to stay.
She whined softly, small ears flat against her head, tail low. It was not an easy walk for one so small, paws stumbling in the unfamiliar sand, cold air biting through her silver fur. She wanted to stop, to turn back, to return to the warm at her mother's side. But she dared not, instead following the red lioness, the one she feared.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:04 pm
The recipient was probably rather unawares.
He was simply lying on his side under a rock, breathing rather quickly.e'd just been getting a bit of practice today, though more-so working out. He'd ran all the way to that one body of water in the territory and back a few times, only stopping for quick 'battles' with whatever snake he might run into. Those were good for keeping your reflexes sharp. So it was to be expected he was.. pretty tired. But this wasn't bad, now was it? He was training to be better for the pride, he knew they'd need it.
Besides, when you couldn't find anyone to spar with, best thing to do was improvise! which he had to do sometimes. But at least he was coming out pretty well, even though he should get some more 'proper' training. However, and ear flicked at the sound of a voice, and.. vaguely familiar.
Lazily, the juvenile lifted his head slightly, rolling ever-so little to rest his chin against the ground and look in the direction of what he'd heard. A lioness.. definitely familiar. Spaki felt his heart jump slightly. The lioness from when he'd met Tahara! He flicked his tail, forcing himself to look calm, and half closing his eyes before sitting up, perking his ears.
Was that a cub..?
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Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 2:51 pm
Azula, for now, ignored the whining of the child as she spotted her intended target up ahead. Coming to a stop, Azula directed piercing red eyes to the cub beside her, then ahead again to the other.
"You there. Moto'spaki, come here! I need to have a word with you..."
Thankfully, though Azula might be commanding, she did know not to speak to other Firekin, let alone children, as if speaking to a slave, but it was habit, as she was a creature of discipline most of the time.
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 12:27 am
Stumbling in the sand, she shrank into the sand at the lioness' side, seeming even smaller than she was, ears dropping lower, tail curled against he hind end. She wanted to go home, back to her mother and her siblings, where it was warm, away from what she feared. She didn't understand.
And yet, even a frightened cub is still a cub. Darking to look up, she watched the older cub in silence, ears barely perked in curiosity. He was a fair bit older than her, and a lot bigger, but he was still a cub. Was he curious as she was? Was he cruel like the red lioness? And what did Azula want with him?
But maybe he wasn't the one Azula had called to, and there was someone else she just hadn't seen, someone bigger. It was a frightening thought, one that caused her to sink back into the sand, as if wishing she could just vanish into the desert, maybe then she'd at least be warm.
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:45 am
"Huh? " He blinked. A word..? Oh crap. Had this lioness found out he was friendly with Meilin, a slave? Wait, Meilin... Fortunately, Spaki's doubts didn't show on his body language, and he remained looking fairly relaxed. At least he was a good actor.
But this cup.. silver-ish.. with spots? She looked... She looked like Meilin! Spaki's mind flashed to the last time they'd seen each other, Meilin had had cubs.. and this. .was kind-of familiar. He hadn't stayed long, to give the lioness and that.. lion guy some time, but he remembered something else. Meilin had wanted him to have one. Before she'd given birth, she'd said that. And maybe this lioness.. was just making the delivery.
"Yes? "
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 12:52 pm
"You see this child? This child--" Azula pointedly reached out, none too concerned as she planted a paw against the baby's back and pushed her forward, only cautious enough not to to topple her over onto her face. "--is Hua'jin. She's your slave now, do with her what you will, but I expect her to stay with her mother when she's not in your service."
Right down to business as usual. Azula regarded the other cub with no-nonsense eyes before lifting them to glance about, ears alert.
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 12:48 am
The little one yelped, quickly scurrying a pace forward, away from the lioness' paw. If only she could have run further, run back home, away from this, but even if she had tried, she was no match for the lioness.
Her posture low, she dared another look at the cub. So he was the one Azula had spoken to, that was at least less frightening than the idea of a larger adult. She was his slave? What did that mean? She had heard the words before, but she did not understand the meaning, how could she?
Again the cubbish curiosity stirred. She wondered what he was like, maybe he'd be nicer than the red lioness, maybe he'd even be her friend. it was a daring hope, one that may have been forbidden, one she secretly kept to herself.
"hi.."
Her voice was a muffled whisper, faltering, as if thinking she were expected to speak, and yet not wanting to be heard.
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Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 5:07 pm
He curled his tail tip slightly, swishing his eyes over the girl at her greeting, but deciding not to seem friendly while Azula was still around, just Hua might have managed to catch a small flash of kindness in his olive eyes. Looking back at Azula, the juvenile nodded. "Alright. " He said, allowing himself to feel a bit relieved.
I expect her to stay with her mother when she's not in your service.
That was good! He didn't have to stay with her all the time, and worry about being caught-- he'd just keep her most of the day or so, to -look- normal, and then she could be with her family, perfect! "I'll drop her off at Meilin's den when I'm done, then. " He nodded, and in the back of his mind wondered if it was odd that he knew where Meilin's den was-- then shoved that away. Of course he'd know where a slave's den was!
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:44 am
Huddled against the cold desert morning, dwarfed by the much larger firekin, the small cub looked from lioness to cub, frightened, uncertain. For a moment she might have thought of running, the further from the dark lioness the better. Yet even if she had entertained such a thought, it was her curiosity that kept young eyes turned to the white male.
Her gaze shifted between lioness and lion again, was she expected to do something? Would the lioness leave now? The lioness had said he was her master, was she to be left here with him? Cubbish daring moved her paws, a wary step toward the lion, away from the lioness she feared. She did not know what would happen, perhaps he was cruel as well, more terrifying that even the lioness that had brought her here. But for now away from Azula seemed the better place to be.
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 1:27 pm
This had been all Alula had came for, probably. "I-- we'll be going now. " He said, nodding towards Hua'yin and turning to the right, wanting to get away from Alula as soon as possible-- he couldn't let Hua'yin know the plan while she was still around! Flicking his tail against her shoulder, to indicate for her to follow, he walked around.
He didn't look back, and just kept walking across the sands, he'd tell her to relax as soon as the were out of sight-- and earshot.
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Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:12 pm
She hesitated, a forepaw sinking into the sand beneath. Eyes looked again to the lioness, to the lion, then back again. Her maw opened then closed, an inaudible whine, the only remnant of whatever she had thought of saying, lost before it ever passed her maw.
Away from the lioness, it seemed the lesser, even if the lion was cruel, he was at least smaller. Yet that lioness knew the way home to her mother, the mother she wished to return to. Did leaving the lioness mean losing her way home? It was a frightening thought that held her where she stood.
But what had the lioness said, she had mentioned her mother. Though she had not understand all that had been said, she would see her mother again right? Then, she should go with him? He was leading her away from the lioness, and though frightened, she could not help that curiosity that kept whispering in her ear.
"'kay..."
Again that muffled voice, uncertain if she should answer, not wanting to be heard. Quietly, ears back, steps unsure, she at last moved forward, following after her 'master'.
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Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:53 am
Once finally out of sight and earshot, Spaki sighed in relief, looking back in the direction Azula had been, now blocked by the desert dunes. That was one good thing about the dunes, they could hide you. He didn't look at Hua'yin just yet, and first walked around a bit, ears perked and eyes searching for any other firekin. But they were alone, at least.
"Ok then.. " He sighed, walking over to the girl and sitting infront of her, curling his tail around his paws. "Whats your name again? I'm Moto'Spaki. " He smiled, twitching his tailtip. "Don't worry-- I won't hurt you. I know your mother, Meilin. " He nodded, then looked back again as if expecting to see a firekin-- it'd be quite the karma, wouldn't it? But he couldn't help but be cautious.
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Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:36 am
"I...my name is Hua'yin."
She looked at him curiously, settling to sit in the sand as he had. He wasn't like the lioness at all, far from the cruel master she had feared, he seemed nice. Was he a cub like her? Would he actually be her friend?
"You know my mother? How? Are you...friends?"
Ears had perked, her tail twitching in uncontained cubbish excitement. She dared to hope, despite the small voice in the back of her mind that told her to be cautious, it was okay to hope but survival might hinge on hiding it. But that didn't seem to matter right now, Moto'Spaki knew her mother, that meant she hadn't lost her family.
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Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 4:26 pm
"Thats a nice name. " He smiled, lying on his belly so that he had to tilt his head upwards a bit to look at Hua eye-to-eye. "Yes, I know her. And I know Uuo too, " He twitched his tail tip, looking away at the mention of 'friends' with her.
"Yes.. but I don't think the pride would enjoy me being.. 'friends' with a slave. " He sighed. Spaki felt terrible for this betrayal to his pride, slaves weren't exactly supposed to be friends! "You have to be quiet about it, though. Else they might kick me out of the pride, or beat me.. or worse. " He didn't quite think even his mother would exactly do the latter and the lesser, but someone might. He'd probably get some sort of punishment, though.
"Meilin had already asked me to take care of you-- but you have to promise me something, ok? " He remembered Meilin's request to take care of one of her cubs, as its master. It was obvious Hua had been the 'chosen one'.
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