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Post by Kai on Jun 28, 2007 21:00:50 GMT -5
Continued From: "Wandering Ghost"Kivuli walked in, his steps barely audible, taking in the scent of the other members of the pride that lived here. His sharp eyes scanned the area. The lands were green and lush, very appealing. It was almost too good to be true. In fact, he thought, was he sure he wasn't dreaming? Lions welcoming him, and into such a nice place? No, he wasn't dreaming. But this could turn into a nightmare very fast if his past caught up with him.
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Post by Narifia on Jun 28, 2007 21:15:38 GMT -5
Narifia took in a deep breath of cool, clean air.
"Welcome to the Outlands, Kivuli," she said.
Morobi nodded and stepped away from them a few feet, then plopped down in his favorite spot by a large rock under an acacia tree. He closed his eyes and prepared himself easilly for an afternoon nap, as if there were no thought in his mind of a threat from an outsider in his midst. Though he wasn't completely unaware even when asleep.
"Wooo... where'd this ghost come from?" came a playful, feminine voice from behind them. It was a white lioness with red fur down each of her forelegs and on the toes of her hind paws. The same red fur flamed up each cheek, and on her tail tift. Her eyes were a rich mint green.
"Anasi, be nice," Narifia said as she turned to greet her pridemate.
"When aren't I nice, my queen?" Anasi said with a laugh, then nodded to Kivuli. "Nice to meet you. I'm Anasi."
Another lioness with reddish brown fur, creamy ear rims and underbelly fur, and blue eyes padded up beside Anasi. She didn't smile, nor give any indication she even cared, but said, "And I am Ardilana. Who might you be?" She asked, her voice quiet and wavering with suspicion and a slight hint of superiorty.
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Post by Kai on Jun 28, 2007 21:22:21 GMT -5
Kivuli nodded politely to both of the lionesses.
"Hello, Anasi, Ardilana. My name is Kivuli."
He seemed not at all put off by Ardilanas' superior attitude. He was a rather passive lion. He did however sense her suspicion very well. He was all too used to that, and he didn't blame her either.
"I am a wanderer, your generous Queen came and found me, and she invited me to stay with all of you."
Despite the suspicion and his fear of being rejected he did not shrink away. He remained stoic and stood proudly, with a calm, humble confidence.
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Post by Narifia on Jun 28, 2007 21:29:47 GMT -5
"Oh, she did?" Ardilana looked disapprovingly at Narifia. She still didn't respect her position as queen, despite her being Zira's daughter or not.
"Well, if my dear friend thinks enough of you to invite you in, then I'll gladly welcome you as well, "Anasi said wholeheartedly.
It was strange, of course, to have so many males in one pride. But Anasi was fond of change, and times were indeed changing. Narifia was THE final authority, after all, and Morobi a tad less so. Having a female as the higher power wasn't new to her, after all she had followed Zira with no hesitation. However Narifia's style of ruling was much different from her male-hating mother's, and in fact Narifia was a lot more accepting than many lions and lionesses she knew. For the love of Aiheu, she even had an alliance with a herd of zebras!!!
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Post by Kai on Jun 28, 2007 21:40:54 GMT -5
Kivuli could see that Ardilana was not going to be an easy one to get on friendly terms with. But he did not take her standoffishness offensively. Some were friendly, some were not. At least most of the pride was.
"Yes, she did. She is an extremely welcoming Queen, and I appreciate it."
A smile grew on Kivuli's face at Anasis' warm welcome, and he nodded politely. His dull blue eyes seemed to gleam a little more. He seemed much happier having been welcomed by others. Even if it was only 1/4 of the pride members he knew.
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Post by Narifia on Jun 28, 2007 21:53:34 GMT -5
"Like a streak of lightning, the KILLER strikes!!"
These thoughts ran through Kurunzi's mind as he stalked random creatures. That was his favorite past time, stalking. It gave him a rush to strike fear into the heart of any creature, great or small, with his lightning quick pounce and thunderous roar.
He looked towards the main gathering place of the pride and spotted what seemed to be an illusion. "Hello. What's this?" He took a sniff of the air and knew him to be a living lion. A mischevious grin grew on his face. "Fair game."
He slunk and skulked towards Kivuli, unseen and mostly unheard. With a roar, he leapt and tackled the ghostly male to the ground.
"GOTCHA!!" He said with a heartly laugh at the look on Kivuli's face.
"KURUNZI!!!" Came the unified yell of the pride members. Apparently, he did this often. Way too often.
"Will you PLEASE stop tackling everything you see??" Anasi ordered, in such a way that she was reminiscent of a lioness disciplining her cubs.
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Post by Kai on Jun 28, 2007 22:11:19 GMT -5
Kivuli laughed a little and the pride's united scolding. Another friendly pride member was another friendly pride member, troublemaker or not.
"I gather from the yell that your name is Kurunzi?"
Kivuli smiled.
"And that this is a bad habit of yours."
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Post by Narifia on Jun 28, 2007 22:15:52 GMT -5
Kurunzi just grinned. An affirmative yes, of course. He got off, letting Kivuli up.
"And, your name, stranger?" He asked in a sly-sounding but friendly tone. He always sounded sly and plotting, even when he wasn't plotting anything.
"You probably pounced it out of him." Anasi said with a scoff. It would have been funny if he'd beaned you for that," she added, but couldn't help but smile.
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Post by Kai on Jun 28, 2007 22:18:47 GMT -5
"Kivuli." He said, standing up and shaking off a little.
He chuckled at Anasis' comment.
"Ah he's a lucky one. I rather dislike fighting. Although, I'd watch it."
Kivuli looked at Kurunzi now.
"Mayhap someday you'll pounce on something you'll wish you hadn't."
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Post by Narifia on Jun 28, 2007 22:33:13 GMT -5
Kuruzi laughed and put his paw to his chest dramatically, replying, "I have never once regretted a good day's pouncing. It is but my one true love, nay, my one purpose in life!"
"Oh, cut it out Kurunzi," Ardilana said, with the first sign of a smile seen on her face the entire time.
Anasi sat beside Kivuli. "First impressions, hmm? Always the most important impression. I hope you're not rethinking staying here after my friend's antics."
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Post by Kai on Jun 29, 2007 8:45:39 GMT -5
"Of course not. This is the most wonderful place I've ever had the pleasure to stumble upon. And I've come a long way." he sat down, his tail swaying lightly as he looked back the way he came for a moment. "With any luck my brother will find this place too. We were travelling together and we got separated."
He looked at the other pride members again.
"I promise he wouldn't be any trouble if you'd allow him to join as well. Although, that may be asking for too much and I don't want to seem ungrateful."
Kivuli said thoughtfully. The only saving grace for Koagi, he thought, was that Koagi looked prettymuch like a normal young lion. It'd probably be easier for him to find a pride if he didn't find this one.
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Post by decimus on Jul 2, 2007 19:26:23 GMT -5
The dark lion returned from Kube, dissapointed and overheated. He'd hoped that Zurina would be there, had sacrificed an afternoon's hunting just to watch and wait without so much as a motion. But it appeared that she had got wise to his movements. He'd just have to try something else.. As he strode back into his beloved home an expression of his Mother's struck him; "The fastest zebra is the hardest to hunt, but the best to eat." he murmered with a small smirk that disappeared instantly when he saw the group gathered ahead. Under the acacia tree. Stranger.
Stranger. Wariness filled him instinctively and an involuntary growl escaped Decimus' throat as he stopped dead, his eyes scanning the scene in speedy assesment. No threat apparently, almost everyone present. A rogue? An ally? Certainly not a Pridelander at any rate, he'd never seen a lion like this. Even so, change caught him off guard. He didn't like it. And he didn't like his Queen being subjected to it.
"Narifia?" He spoke, half questioning, half affirming his presence.
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Post by Narifia on Jul 2, 2007 19:34:52 GMT -5
Narifia turned her head at Decimus' voice and smiled. She was glad to see him, even though she knew that there would be a conflict over Kivuli being here.
"Decimus! Where've you been all day?" Narifia asked. She didn't think about the possibility of him on the hunt for Zurina all day, for some reason. Though it should have been the first explaination to come to mind.
Kurunzi grinned a toothy, fangful grin. Decimus was here, now the fun would start.
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Post by Kai on Jul 2, 2007 21:03:54 GMT -5
Kivuli's eyes moved to the newly arrived male. Inwardly he shuddered a little, this dark one reminded him very much of Kujivu. In both appearance and the feelings he gave off. He sensed distrust and suspicion from him. This, evidently, was the lion named Decimus that Morobi had mentioned. The one named Kurunzi seemed to be anticipating something at the arrival of this other pride member. Kivuli, having been on his own for so long, wasn't quite sure how to introduce himself. He had quite forgotten how to act around others sometimes nowadays. He simply waited until Decimus noticed him, or perhaps until Narifia decided to introduce him.
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Post by decimus on Jul 3, 2007 19:24:17 GMT -5
Decimus began to approach so to more clearly asses this unwelcome guest, it was his habit to size up every living creature, to view them only in terms of competition. This lion was bulkier than most and looked poised and prepared. However what was really unusual was the colouring, the strange aura of melancholia that was almost visible.. Still, spectral or not, nothing he and his friends couldn’t handle. Finally he was close enough to settle next to Kurunzi and answer her question.
“Just watching the border,” He replied, his eyes continuing to search Kivuli. “Looks like I missed a spot. Does It need an escort out?”
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