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 Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 6:08 am
More unsettling still was that she'd grown to like, even love, the family. Which had brought her here, to this point. She was waiting, here to seek the permission to join the Ela officially from Tawa'di Kanati. It was hard to believe, she couldn't help but notice with a wry, self-directed grin. She'd never thought of herself as the sort who would accept, let alone actively seek a pridal lifestyle.
Perhaps she'd finally grown up, forced to come to terms with the fact that, while she could make it on her own, she'd never been happier than she'd grown to be, surrounded by a rambunctious, initially needy group of cubs, who she'd watched grow into a group of adults that would make anyone proud.
She'd put this off, perhaps hoping that her attachment would fade, and that she'd go on the way she always had before. Finally, she'd been unable to avoid it any longer--and once she'd made up her mind, she'd set off to find Tawa'di without another moment's hesitation. Getting to her feet, she began to pace, impatient to at least find out, one way or the other--patience had never been her strong suit, after all.
Shuuja, who was laying in the tall grass not more than a few feet from Binti, watched her calmly. Just because the lioness had settled down quite a bit since they'd stopped over here didn't mean she didn't still have a temper. Additionally, given her penchant for aggression rather than admitting to fear, or unease, he was content to remain as he was, and let her work things out to her satisfaction without feedback from him, unless she asked for it directly.
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:21 am
His ears caught the sounds of someone approaching. A soft grunt escaped his chest as he pulled himself up to see just whom the visitor was. Their foot falls were not quite known to him, but when his green eyes caught sight of the visitor, he lightly knew who it was. Binti, one who had raised Us'kali's children after she had passed on. Such a sadness that was, but a blessing all the same to have the brown lioness aid in their upbringing.
"Ahh," he said, feeling a rush of cool air swell his lungs. "How can I help you?"
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:33 pm
Binti jumped, looking somewhat guiltily at the elder lion. Collecting herself quickly, she bowed her head respectfully, not wanting to offend.
"Greetings," she managed to get out-what was with that, anyway? She rarely was at a loss, but this certainly came close. "I hope I'm not disturbing you..." she offered, not quite sure how to bring things up. If this were a confrontation, or a fight, she'd have no problem knowing how to behave--but when it came to asking a favor, or making a request? It remained unchartered territory for her, for the most part.
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:49 pm
Tawa'di shook his head. "You'd never be bothering me, Binti," he said with a soft smile. "Is there something that you need? I know I'm not always around in the same place, but since you've found me now, let me know if I can be of help." He knew that his clan had no plans on moving on soon, but there was never a certainty of that.
He stole a moment to stretch, letting the muscles that had warmed from the sun to settle back into place. He wouldn't be any help if he couldn't even move correctly. With a small, but content, sigh, he turned his attention back to the lioness.
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:12 pm
Binti took a moment, opening her mouth as if to speak before closing it again, before beginning again, nodding to herself. It wasn't like her to fret about things this much, no matter how much potential for disappointment there might be.
"I was curious as to how one might go about joining the pride...you know, officially." She met his gaze squarely, expression carefully impassive. Forcing herself to sit back on her haunches so she wouldn't be prone to shifting her weight from foot to foot nervously, she waited for his response, nervous energy apparent in the lines of her body.
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Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:49 pm
Tawa'di's green eyes lingered over her's for a moment. His body had grown very still, almost as if he misheard. As a sigh escaped from his chest, as his eyes blinked slowly. He shook his head softly, but there was a hint of a smile in the corner of his mouth.
"Ah, is it that time?" he said with a chuckle. "Well, I'm certain that you wouldn't need permission from Sky's Alu'nadi. You're almost like her mother at this point." The tip of his tail twitched, the thin hair that remained tickling the ground.
"Well, you merely need to ask," he said with a grin. "Though I'm sure that you can guess at what my answer would be. You're already like kin to us."
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 4:47 pm
Binti blinked, expression nearly disbelieving, as though she'd half expected to be told that her presence was no longer necessary, now that the cubs were grown, and able to care for themselves.
You're already like kin to us. The words sank in slowly, leaving her feeling somewhat bereft. She wasn't used to this, and it left her unsure as to how she should respond.
Bowing her head, she struggled to not stumble over the words. "This is me asking, then, nvwati." The tone was somewhat brusque, harshened by the emotions she wasn't quite sure she understood, but that threatened to rob her of her composure. Acceptance. It was unfamiliar, and made her feel vulerable in ways that she wasn't sure she was ready to feel vulnerable in. She couldn't bring herself to look at him, either, staring instead at a spot just next to the elder's shoulder.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 4:55 pm
Tawa'di watched her quietly, her movements not quite betraying her feelings, but he had an educated guess. He felt a small smile peek through the side of his mouth. Letting it slip was hard, but he worried that being overly joyful might have the opposite affect on Binti. Pressure was not kind to one that was expecting an opposite reaction.
He offered a nod, closing his eyes for a moment as he held still. With a small brush of his paw against the ear, he looked back up at her with a blank expression. "Then this nvwati, the acting leader of the Ela'wadiyi, would welcome you into the arms of this land we call home." He succumbed to temptation, and a large smile emerged on his fast. "Respect our land, and the land will respect you. And as thus, you will become the same as us all within the lands eyes."
His tail twitched in humor. "Of course, I could just say yes, but sometimes it's more exciting being formal, isn't it?" he chuckled.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 5:11 pm
Binti sighed, tension slowly releasing her from its tight grip, even as the barest of smiles flitted across her face at the other's words.
"Indeed." She coughed, eyes flashing with a brief glimpse of humor before shifting back to a more somber expression.
"I'll try to ensure you don't regret the kindness..." She shifted uncomfortably, hoping she'd found the right words. Us'kali had tried to teach her as much as she'd been able, about the values and traditions of the pride--for reasons Binti hadn't fully understood until the other lioness' death--but there was still a great deal that she found difficult to understand, or to express.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 5:29 pm
So it seemed to come across a bit. He was greatful for that. It was one thing being wound tight, but it was another being that wound up. He had faith that with time, and probably Wo'hali's assistance, Binti would relax into her new position in life, and her new home. The Sky clan wasn't a large one, but in this situation, that was for the best at this point. Bit by bit it may grow, but Binti would be a secure part of it.
Oh, Us'kali. Tawa'di's eyes flickered as he thought about the old lioness. Thank you.
The old lion smiled kindly. "I am sure I won't regret it."
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:23 pm
Inclining her head, Binti forcibly stopped herself before she rambled on any further. Silence fell between the pair, and she wondered what she should do--it didn't feel right, to turn tail and flee now that she'd asked what she'd come to ask, but she had no idea how to maintain the flow of conversation.
Clearing her throat awkwardly, Binti flicked her tail back and forth pensively. "Is there anything you can tell me of the pride's history? Us'kali told me something about the beliefs, and a few of the traditions, but she never mentioned anything about the history of the pride itself..."
"Or, if you have something else that needs doing, I can ask Ama." she said a moment later, the words conciliatory even while her voice had slipped back into the confident, self-assured tones that were her norm. With the stress of approaching the elder lion out of the way, while she remained respectful, extended gratitude made her feel awkward...both when she gave it and when she received it.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:46 pm
Tawa'di's ear twitched for a moment. "I can give you a brief history, if you'd so like. It's not a very pleseant one, but it's vastly important, especially if you desire to know it."
He cleared his throat before beginning, retelling the story in his point of view. As he had been the past leader's right hand lion, he had seen and heard most of it firsthand. The memories were hard to get through, but the old lion had learned to seperate his emotions from the telling of the tale. The more he told it, the more he knew that there were very few of them left. He was probably the old adult left that had lived through it; many of the adults now were only children when it occured.
After pulling himself out of the lull that storytelling offered, he shook his head slightly. "Ah, sorry if it was a little too long, Binti."
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 4:10 pm
Utterly focused on the telling, Binti blinked, the almost-dazed expression clearing swiftly as Tawa'di broke off. "Not at all--it's...important, I think, to know how things started, and how the pride came to be where it is now." Binti spoke slowly, obviously mulling over all she'd just heard.
"Have you never considered attempting to go back, and retake the old pridal lands?" The question was more curious than aggressive--after all, while she might be finding the pride to be worming into her heart, she had no emotional attachment, herself, to the old lands, and it wasn't as though their current territory was unable to support the pride comfortably.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 6:42 pm
The old lion shook his head. "No, dear child. I have no desire to return to those lands. Too much blood was shed, and I fear that the land would be too awashed in renewed pain if we returned. Perhaps one day, but for as long as the Dark Fire pride resides there, we will avoid those lands. Too strong and swift were they for our pride. As you may have noticed, we are naturally smaller than the average folk. We may put up a good fight, but their illness they brought weakened many of our strongest. The ony way of survival was to leave."
He offered a shrug, and one last word on the subject. "Perhaps one day the Ela'wadiyi will return, but it will be far past my time."
He shook his head slightly. "But let us not dwell on sad subject. You should return home to celebrate. I am sure the clan will rejoice in your decision," he said slowly, overing a slight, weary smile.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 6:55 pm
Nodding thoughtfully, Binti found she understood his reasoning, although she wasn't sure she would have felt the same if she'd been one of the ones originally ousted.
Eyeing Tawa'di carefully, she inclined her head. He looked tired, and she hoped she hadn't worn him out unduly with her questions. "Indeed, I'll take my leave now...thank you again..." She accompanied this with a slight smile of her own, before turning and rising to her feet, padding off in the direction from which she'd come.
[/end]
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