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 Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:50 pm
Ubele felt a lot of guilt, a lot of frustration, sadness, relief, despair . . . the feelings washed over her in such a strange mix and rush that she felt as though she were drowning, even when she was standing still. Her ever faithful companion Huria followed her still, the only constant in her tumultuous life. The bird was worried, Ubele could tell, but that worry was only for her.
Her home was gone, her old life gone, everything was just gone. The Aka'Mleli had disbanded. She'd been unable to summon the strength that was needed to hold them together. Hence the guilt. But there was relief there too. For once, there were no pressures on Ubele. No plan set out for her, no decisions made that were out of control. For once she could just live. And yet, she was at a loss.
She often thought about her few friends as she wandered the rogue lands, skirting away from any of the established prides. For now, there was nothing for her there. She wondered where they had gone. What choices they had made after they had left and hoped that they were doing better than she was.
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Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 11:06 am
Peke had been separated from the others during the time of the Earthquake and had spent his days, with Nguvu by his side as always, trying to find his way back to the others. It had been difficult, the aching for his home something that settled bone deep.
He'd lost track of where his brother was or where his friends were. Some had likely died, just like last time and he thought he might spiral into depression had his bonded not been by his side to force him to keep going.
"You'll see," the raven said, beak nipping at the lion's ear. "We'll find them again."
Peke was not so optimistic.
He had stepped into the role of responsibility, eager to be a protector against those that wished to harm them and yet, he'd failed in even that. It was hard to see past the vision of failure that pushed itself at him over and over again. "I don't even know how to get back," he snapped.sherpuff please quote me so i don't lose it ;;
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Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2017 2:33 pm
Ubele was completely unaware that her seemingly random wanderings really just led her in a giant circle, back and forth around the location of her old home. Huria was aware, of course, her avian senses and perspective making it easier for her to identify. But she refused to mention it to her feline companion. There would be no way to easily explain that the lands were all but abandoned at this point.
After another earthquake, the survivors had most likely decided to leave. The pride was certainly dismantled, though Huria felt certain that she could find some of the others if she tried her very hardest. She'd been subtly guiding Ubele in a particular direction, though the bird had no idea what her friend's reaction would be to a reunion with this particular figure.
Ubele glanced up at Huria with detached concern. Her avian friend had been behaving strangely as of late, but her cloud of depression and guilt made her apathetic and she didn't bother questioning it. However, the sight of a familiar figure up ahead made her stop in her tracks and made the bird's intentions crystal clear.
Ubele would recognize this particular lion anywhere. That striking form matched with his pale raven was written into her very heart and soul. But how could she face him! She'd failed him just as she'd failed all of the others. She should have been able to keep the pride together after the earthquake, no matter how devastating. Desire to speak and fear of doing so warred so strongly with her that she stood frozen in her tracks, paws glued to the ground as she stared at her closest friend, Peke.
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Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:51 am
"You don't need to be so snippy," his bonded responded, settling between the lion's shoulders as he stalked about. Flying was never the same and he needed too much rest for it to be practical except when necessary and as suck, Peke became a convenient ride for the bird.
Peke didn't respond to the raven, huffing irritably and focusing on the path ahead of him with narrowed eyes and a general scowl on his scruffy features.
When he spotted someone in the distance he slowed, eventually stopping as he tried to make out the markings and --
"Nguvu...is that?"
There was a chuckling caw where the bird affectionately nipped at the lion's ear. "Only one way to find out, go."
It took a minute but he was continuing forward. "Ubele?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 5:12 pm
That voice. That familiar voice never failed to set her heart pounding and fluttering. And yet it seemed so impossible that he would find her here, of all places. And yet there could be no one else. Her head whipped up and around until she spotted the familiar form. Everything about the sight of him was written on her heart, memorized. She hadn't thought she would ever seem him again.
"Peke?"
Behind the flood of joy that the sight of him caused came a fresh wash of guilt and self-hatred. What if he hated her too? What if he blamed her for the collapse of their pride, their very way of life? It had been her responsibility and she had failed them all.
Her ears and tail drooped and she cringed, expecting for him to revile her and to hate her. After all, that was what she felt about herself.
Huria had a different reaction altogether. It was clear that this had been the avian's goal all along. If anyone could help Ubele, it was Peke, and Huria knew that. Now that her destination had been reached, she banked sharply and landed on a rock equally between her bonded and her bonded's truest love. She attempted to catch Peke and Nguvu's eyes as if she could convey her concern for Ubele through expression alone.
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Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2018 7:53 am
For one terrible moment he thought that what he was seeing was an illusion, or worse, some sort of vision he didn't understand that would only leave him as helpless and as confused as when he was young. But he'd never been a strong seer when it came to visions, no his gift was being a living lie detector, and when she said his name he felt his heart lift.
How long had it been since he'd been separated from the others?
And for all of them to find him, it was Ubele.
Besides perhaps his brother, the only lion who could have brought him as much joy as seeing Ubele would have been Ethiopia. Maw twitching with an uncertain smile, his brow furrowed as he inched closer.
"Hey, hey," he said quietly, concern making up most of his expression. "What's wrong?"
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