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 Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 11:59 pm
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 Kania had finally taken her familiar's advice and saw to get to know the lions of the pride before making a final decision on who should father her cubs.
Of course, she had no intention of letting any of them know what was flitting through her mind, lest she become embarrassed and decide against this odd feminine whim she'd recently come to favor.
She would approach them in her own time, she mused quietly to herself, bringing herself to a little water hole not far from where the lionesses liked to gossip amongst themselves, though she rarely took part in it. She just wasn't the type to speak ill of others in secret.
If Kania was going to speak out against something, it would be OUT, not tiddled away behind a false smile. It was sneaky and just unlike her character to be unforthcoming.
She wasn't sure where Tapiwa had gone, surely to bring back more larger prey to take a pelt from them. For a tiny bird, she somehow managed to chase, CHASE a full-grown gazelle into the pridal border. If Kania hadn't been so shocked by the visual, she might've actually caught the thing instead of letting another female get to it first. And Tapiwa had made sure she wouldn't be forgiven for such an act for a very, very long time.
Sighing, she bent low and lapped up her fill of water, noticing all too late that a fish was too curious and had made its way right up against her lapping tongue. She let out a squeak, splashing herself in the process and fell back, landing hard on her butt and dripping water into her eyes. She shook herself as best she could, praying she hadn't been spotted but knowing, with this group, there was little to no chance of that. Witnesses were everywhere, and everything was gossip-worthy. |
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 12:12 am
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 ((Obvious backlog to pre-boot!))
Bazazi was enjoying an afternoon to himself, as he often did around here. He had no idea his days were numbered, though he knew it was technically possible. He seemed to be blending nicely into the shade under a lone tree when a distracted lioness appeared nearby and unknowingly joined him at the water's edge. If it was one thing he liked about the Ithambo'hlabathi, aside from the free food, it was all the ladies. Few had shown special interest in him, apparently his mane was something of a social problem, but he was content with what he got. Even those who scoffed at his appearance had to admit he fought his way in and, so far, did an adequate job of keeping his place.
Things took a strange turn when something spooked the lioness and she wound up splashing her way into an unplanned seated position. Ever the gentleman, Bazazi managed to pause before snickering. |
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 12:22 am
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She'd heard the snickering and in an instant had stood up, her temper rearing its ugly head and she held herself highly despite being planted to the ground, "It could've been anything, venomous or sharp of tooth, my fear is completely normal!"
However, the minute her eyes locked onto the cause of her duress, they widened. In an act of childish self-preservation, she quickly rambled, "You... you didn't hear that." as if that would quickly erase it.
And mentally, she was taking a paw and slapping herself in the face. Great, the one thing she was supposed to do today was getting to know the lions discreetly, and here she was flashing her red-blooded nature at one.
Tapiwa would never let her hear the end of it, if she found out. Guess this would be one of those moments she'd put in the 'Do Not Share' pile of memories and hope her darker counterpart wasn't one to share his day.
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 12:34 am
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 12:51 am
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 1:16 am
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Not polite.. Manners were never really his strong suit, they weren't necessary in some kind of merchants and while expected of a prisoner there had never been any hope for him to start then. He did laugh at her, so he was clearly not one to judge. Ah well. He locked eyes with her when her gaze stopped on his mismatched eyes, grinning.
"I haven't," he agreed, "Seems I showed up at an interesting time, though. After I got rid of the pale one, seems none of the males have been here that long."
The Abaholi naturally got most of the attention, that they were new likely made the effect stronger. And still, he didn't care that much.. but it seemed an opportunity was unfolding before him, too. She wasn't stubbornly fighting about his laugh and when she looked him over she stopped at his eyes, not his mane. Stretching out his long legs, he sat himself up so he was at eye level with the lady.
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 1:33 am
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True, she admitted to herself silently, thinking on the others that also graced the pride with their presence. She shrugged indifferently. "I can never keep up with the constant change."
Not that she'd tried very hard. She heard about the challenges that won, of course, or how many one Inselelo had defeated before being chased off, but it never struck her as a very enticing sport. In the end, so long as her livelihood wasn't threatened, she was perfectly willing to accept whomever had won with little to no strife on her part.
"Pale one? Ah, that would be... Kuhasa, I assume." She smirked, "Even leaving, he left his mark before he went. I've seen quite a few of his last descendants running amok." She dare not mention the strife she'd heard from those females,
heavily pregnant, to find he'd been chased off. Some things just weren't meant for the delicate box some of the lions believed they lived in.
She raised a brow in his direction, "Try not to start a trend? I'd hate to have to endure more gossip about someone new parading about."
The longer she sat there, the more at ease she felt, and she had to admit that maybe getting to know every lion wouldn't be necessary. Surely Tapiwa wouldn't guilt her for deciding quickly that much.
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 1:42 am
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 1:56 am
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Kania couldn't help but smile genuinely at his confidence. "You might make more than an impression if you stick around long enough." She flirted fearlessly, giving him a very distinct look before a shadow passing overhead caught her attention, and she flicked her gaze skyward to watch a very familiar speck of blue make its way to where Kania had recently taken as her own personal roost.
She rolled her eyes at no one, glad that at least this time the bird had returned empty-handed. Gods knew she certainly couldn't have another ordeal like the last one.
She tossed a look at Bazazi, teasing glint in her eye, "Maybe you can make yourself acquainted with the fangirls and learn my name. It'd be a good start, no?"
Just picturing the darker male trying to figure out which of the twins he'd been speaking to was reason enough to tease him now, even if she herself probably wouldn't get to witness it.
She was torn, not wanting to leave but seeing no better moment to do it, on a cliffhanger such as that. And she certainly couldn't leave Tapiwa to her own devices for a long period of time, or she'd never get a word in. Plus, she had to admit that walking off with a swing in her hips was a cheap thrill that lionesses of all ages should try at least once.
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 2:18 am
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The flirting put him at full attention, and her wandering gaze didn't go unnoticed but he kept his eyes on her instead of checking where she was looking. Better to focus on the ground than to worry about the sky, he decided.
"Of course," he agreed, realizing they had completely skipped introductions after the unusual start to their conversation, "Allow me to introduce myself properly. My name is Bazazi, may I ask yours?"
It felt like he was leaving something of himself out, saying nothing more than his name in a formal introduction. But blood had not mattered in the end in the Tokakinji, and the Mtisihiri had freed him before he finally cut himself loose and went his own way.. for better or worse it was still a part of him. Considering how things worked here, though, it was unlikely she'd find a former merchant or miner particularly impressive.
Most interesting was that it turned out he did have manners, and this was what it took to bring them out.
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 2:36 am
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She offered a sincere smile, "Kania. Though I should warn you, I have a twin sister, Dania, you may cross paths with while you're here." She gave him a look that spoke volumes of her devotion to her twin, "She's... much quieter."
Deciding Tapiwa's wrath would be of little interest, as she'd be destroying her own handiwork in her rage, Kania chose to continue her conversation with the darker male, thought it sounded strained even as it emerged from her lips, "How about you? Family, friends?" past lovers? She dare not ask aloud, though she would assume it was implied. If he chose to answer it, however...
Jealousy was not something Kania would be familiar with, but the idea of sharing had never been quite... open as an option to her, either. It would explain why her maternal needs came so late compared to her sister, but she couldn't alter that reality any more than her own.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 4:14 am
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Kania and Dania, twin sisters.. he suspected they were identical if she was warning him, which was a shame because that could make things complicated if they happened to cross paths again. Or it could be an excuse to chat with another lioness, but if she was quiet.. perhaps that wasn't best.
"Not much to speak of in my past," he said, "I was born in a pride much more complicated than this one, it's much better here."
If she was an Umzingeli, if she had never shown an interest in learning about the origins of the Busisa.. it would be too much to try to explain it to her. All prides compared to this one were complicated. The Firekin, at least, had an easy couple themes to stick to.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 9:19 pm
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She nodded, offering a half-smile, "All the more reason to stick around, yeah?" She opened her mouth to add a comment, when a shrill call had her ducking her head and she swivelled her ears back, knowing exactly what that outrageous sound was... someone was touching Tapiwas' things. And that bird did not take kindly to that, and it was on Kania to see it was righted.
"I've gotta run." She let out in a rapid breath, turning to bolt before she stopped last minute, "Maybe we can talk again? I wouldn't mind hearing more about... well, you."
Without waiting for a reply she bolted, knowing that a second longer and she might be trying to pry talons out of someone's fur, and she sorely hoped that this time it wasn't someone who might consider eating her. That road was not one she wanted to be on again...
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 5:05 pm
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Kania had finally taken her familiar's advice and saw to get to know the lions of the pride before making a final decision on who should father her cubs.
