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Post by NEVERMORE on Apr 28, 2011 21:19:25 GMT -5
SYMPHONY
- The endless cries of the land sounded to ears all throughout the seemingly-endless area. The sounds of the rushing water and chirping insects calling out in their own native languages, winds rustling the umbrella-configured trees and swaying the long grasses like a single figure. A previous thunderstorm had struck a large tree down, leaving it as a fine basking post for any creature that came across it.
- There a female lioness lay, bathed in bright, lighter tans and whites, ears perked and flicking forward despite her seemingly-lazed posture. Her forelegs lay sprawled over the edge of the scarred bark, the rest of her lithe form riding along the trim of the fallen tree in a perfect trace. Those breathtaking eyes remained open without so much as a wince towards blinking, inner symphonies of the vibrant ultramarine shining prominently. Their odd and rare colors stuck out from the dry world of the savannahs, holding out like rare jewels or beacons for any creature that captured sight of their gleaming rays.
Their stone-cold stare remained like that of a cold machine's, pupils dilating and growing into those of a still, resentful predator.
- She could see and feel the world through her mind, sea breezes rushing up against her whiskers and face as she retreated into her complex, subconscious mind. The distant yips and barks of Hyenas in the far horizons became screeches of birds, intertwining with the feel of vast amounts of water lashing against stone shores. The humid lands of the savannas faded into a slightly-chilled zephyr, rushing a gentle tide of cool winds across her lighter pelt.
Symphony had always found a greater enjoyment of being alone, although that did not mean she were not used to the pride life. Silence allowed her mind to wander in every which way her imagination would allow. Her eyes especially were considered by her and others that had seen them to be some sort of rare charms or have meaning behind them. But unlike the pride leaders and others that had been trusted around them, her name "Symphony" had no real "physical meaning" behind it. Perhaps a hidden one remained, but that much would go unsaid by the odd female.
But sight or feeling of whether she felt left out of alone remained nonexistent.
- Through her strong imagination, a slice of razors split her focus, her pupils growing into their natural size as she drew back to reality. Before her lay a slithering opponent, slitted eyes coldly glaring at the lithe feline. Symphony merely stared at the ominous serpent with a cold look of her own to match - eyes wide with a look of a feral hunter, sending signals of fearlessness as her body tensed up perfectly still. The serpent's tongue flicked deviously in and out, threatening the large feline with a drop-dead unpredictability. Whereas many would bolt to safety, the odd-eyed lioness merely stared at the hissing serpent, sending silent signals between their stares. Symphony's eyes narrowed as her complex mind began working, creating a philosophy for both of them to dwell on.
".. Who is entertaining whom, I vaguely wonder.."
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Post by RICOCHET on Apr 29, 2011 4:21:27 GMT -5
[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] | [atrb=background,http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af101/Siberia_North/jajamid.png]The sight of the behemoth lion was probably enough to strike anyone with awe - or perhaps fear - especially with the blood caked onto his muzzle, forcing his jaws back into a massive yawn which revealed large, thick and sharp incisors that could probably pierce the hide of any herbivore - aside from the obvious elephants and rhino's - and a normally salmon pink tongue that was now red with blood. He rolled his shoulders back and his amber pools gleamed in the dying light of the savannah. The sky was streaked with oranges and purples and reds, and all in all, it was a beautiful sight. Jabari's eyelids fluttered shut and a deep purr of contentment began to rumble in his chest. His muscles felt rather stiff and his head still a little heavy, as he'd spent most of the morning sleeping, and felt bad for not doing a patrol of the territory earlier. So now he was making up for spending more than half the day sleeping and 'repenting his sins' - well, sloth is a sin, after all - now, and had set off to reinforce the scent marks he and Caspian both left at regular intervals of the border.
He'd left his white-pelted second in command back at the kjope, along with Taabu. The pair could keep each other company, and besides, he wouldn't be gone long. Jabari's strides remained steady and constant as he pondered. Recently, a lioness by the name of Symphony had come across the territory and had shown interest in joining the pride. Jabari complied, of course, as she seemed like a pleasant feline, if not a little... stony. It was odd, as he didn't know her very well at all but he was... drawn to her. She didn't seem particularly warm, and neither did her personality have that 'spark', but that was probably why the lion wished to be better acquainted with her. After all, the large male was a warm and jolly fellow himself, and if he couldn't bring her out of her 'shell', then he didn't know who could. He was also eager for her to meet Caspian, Taabu and Foxtrot, because he wasn't quite sure if she had yet, and none of them mentioned knowing of a fifth pride member, so not only was his little 'excursion' to ensure the borders of the Mabruke territory were secure and that all was well, but he was also hoping that he would happen across the lioness. Those ultramarine eyes wouldn't be that hard to spot, after all, amongst all the golds and yellows of the savannah.
So when the mildly recognisable - he had only met her once, after all - scent of his newest pride mate drifted towards him on the mild Spring breeze, a small smile tugged at his lips. He passed the stump of a large Acacia tree and rubbed himself against it, covering it in his scent, before turning away and heading away from the border and towards the heart of the territory, not to rejoin Caspian, Foxtrot and Taabu, but to find Symphony. The late afternoon heat warmed his back, and the gentle breeze ruffled his large, thick mane that ranged from a light tan which framed his face, to the dark brown - almost black - hair that covered his neck, part of his chest, and cutting off just at his shoulders. Really, he was a sight to behold, and unlike the younger males that had just surpassed adolescence, he was the epitomy of a fully grown adult lion. He would say that this made him an opponent hard to beat, and his pride would always be safe if they had him to guard and protect them, but isn't it the cocky and overconfident that fall the quickest and hardest? Jabari didn't want to be one of those males, so he stuck with being quietly confident and sure of himself.
The scent of Symphony got stronger, and his gait quickened a little, as he was eager to socialise with someone that wasn't Taabu, Foxtrot or Caspian. No offense to any of them, but Jabari liked a little variety in his life and it had just been the four of them for a while now, so he was glad to see that new lions had come across the Mabruke territory and showed interest in joining the family. As he peered at the horizon, he saw the shape of a slender lioness draped across a branch. "Ah, that must be her." He padded towards the tree in question, but as he neared, he quickly realized that Symphony wasn't alone. She was staring into the face of a snake, and the serpent was staring right back. It looked like a stalemate. He silently approached, gaze fixed no longer on the lioness but on the reptile. ".. Who is entertaining whom, I vaguely wonder.." Worry for Symphony made his throat tighten a little, but he kept his cool, as he always did. "Good afternoon, Symphony. Are you quite alright up there?" He called up to the tan pelted feline, trying not to be so loud that it startled the reptile into striking out at the lioness, but not so hushed that she wouldn't even hear him.
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Post by NEVERMORE on Apr 30, 2011 10:48:51 GMT -5
SYMPHONY
- The stalemate between the two of serpent and feline remained, distant stare to distant stare, breath to breath and silence matched to silence. Symphony watched every flicker and twitch the snake would make although not of fear, but rather inquiry. The serpent itself seemed to be better observing the large, threatening cat before it, head slowly bobbing to better tell if the creature before it was moving or not. Their silence continued to envelope them until hushed words fell from the smooth-black lips of the lioness. ".. I often wonder that, myself. But dogs are rarely bound to this area.. And we are quite familiar with mongoose here." Her words were laced beautifully, although slow with thought that didn't at all seem to effect the snake by other than forcing a hiss out of its long throat.
- The vaguely familiar scent rushed up to her nostrils, one of feline. Although she hardly had any contact with the members of the pride, she had a solid memory that alerted her to the King, Jabari. He remained in good distance for a spell, allowing her to resume her "talk" with the serpent until nature began to sound his arrival. The grasses willingly parted for the behemoth as he trudged through, coming upon the scene of the locked stalemate between the lioness and python. His words then accompanied his rather quiet pause - perhaps he feared the snake? "Good afternoon, Symphony. Are you quite alright up there?"
Symphony merely kept her eyes intently on the snake, tail twitching and writhing to note the King that she was aware of his arrival. "A decent afternoon it may be, Jabari," Her unfinished reply was strung slightly loud, meant to compensate for her down-turned head that might have made it hard to decipher just what she had said.
- ".. I must however say, that everything being "alright" is far from truth.." She paused with a lightly lower tone, signifying her conundrum as her eyes narrowed thoughtfully to the snake. She then swiveled her head majestically to the male without visible fear of the python striking her neck. Those ultramarine-sapphire eyes bore into the ambers of the King with a wild beauty, staring into silence before she completed her answer, ".. Rather, myself and my "companion" appear to be in some sort of stalemate. A third party would be most welcome." She gave an accepting nod to the attractive and massive male, motioning him to join in on the situation. "What genre do you suppose a Hyena is?" Her question may have been surprising, very much unlike the typical call for help from the silent serpent. Her attention then once again turned to the serpent, staring down into its slitted eyes as her voice lowered thoughtfully. "A careful census answers that many believe they are dogs. But I have seen dogs, and their anatomies are not alike. And there are millions of things that set them between us cats.." She paused and turned to the male once more with her piercing, distant gaze. ".. It is most likely that they are mongoose."
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Post by RICOCHET on Apr 30, 2011 11:57:57 GMT -5
| [atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] | [atrb=background,http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af101/Siberia_North/jajamid.png]".. I often wonder that, myself. But dogs are rarely bound to this area.. And we are quite familiar with mongoose here." The King furrowed his brow and had to strain himself to hear what she was saying. Her words were hushed, and her expression was distant, as it always seemed to be, yet intense at the same time. She had an uncanny way of doing that, and it set Jabari on edge. Oddly... not in a bad way. It made him feel... strange. He couldn't quite put a paw on it. "Mongoose, my dear? Why, what are you talking about up there?" A deep hearty chuckle escaped from the behemoth brute, his tail flicked out behind him. Part of him wanted to join her up the tree, as there was quite a bit of distance between them right now and when Jabari spoke to someone, he preferred to be with them, not having to crane his neck to be able to even see their face. But two things stopped him. Firstly, it looked like there wasn't enough room on the branch for two fully grown lions and a bloody boa of all snakes. And secondly, he wasn't a fan of snakes, especially large ones.
So, if it came to it, he would simply have to entice her down.
"A decent afternoon it may be, Jabari... I must however say, that everything being "alright" is far from truth.." The second cryptic comment to come from the entrancing female perplexed Jabari a little, and he gave her an inquiring look. "Oh? What seems to be troubling you, my dear Symphony?" He planted his rump on the ground now, certain that he wasn't going anywhere, least of all up that tree. However, he wasn't leaving either, as he found Symphony's company incredibly pleasant, and refreshing as well. ".. Rather, myself and my "companion" appear to be in some sort of stalemate. A third party would be most welcome." "A stalemate, hm? Well, I'm not familiar with the concept of playing mindgames with serpents, so I wouldn't quite know what advice to give you to break this... deadlock of sorts. And I'm glad you are so welcoming, but if it's all the same for you, I will remain with four paws on the ground. After all, the branch doesn't seem like it would fit... all three of us." Perhaps Symphony would understand that as much as he would like to join her up the tree, the large serpent was preventing him from doing so. He sucked in a breath when her deep, astonishingly blue pools locked with his rather average coloured gaze. Well, she sure knew how to outshine somebody, but boy did she look... the only way he could describe it was entrancing. He was reluctant to break the gaze, but it was her that did so, as she looked back at the snake, who was watching her silently.
"What genre do you suppose a Hyena is?" "A... hyena? Why do you ask?" "A careful census answers that many believe they are dogs. But I have seen dogs, and their anatomies are not alike. And there are millions of things that set them between us cats." |
[/i] As she paused and switched her gleaming ultramarine gaze back to his facade, he sucked in another breath and let a small, rather goofy smile spread sloppily across his muzzle. "It is most likely that they are mongoose." Jabari was almost shocked into silence. A hyena... and a mongoose? Related? Not that Jabari doubted Symphony's intellect - as the lioness seemed to be widely taught - but he'd just never really thought about it. "Well... I always assumed they were canines, but I don't really associate with hyena's, or dwell on them much either, so I never really though about it. But a mongoose? They look so... different, really. But what you say... it seems to be very thought through. It sounds as if you've studied and compared them for a while." He paused thoughtfully, before continuing. "I can see that the conversation between you and your reptilian companion is enthralling and it may be hard to tear yourself from it, but perhaps you would be inclined to join me on the ground? It's rather hard to speak to you when you are at such a height, and my neck is aching from having to crane it to see your pretty face." He flashed her a smile. [/size][/blockquote][/center][/td][/tr][tr][td] [/td][/tr][/table][/center] |
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Post by NEVERMORE on Apr 30, 2011 13:06:32 GMT -5
SYMPHONY
- The King had most of her attention despite her switching gaze between he and the serpent, the inquiry at hand plaguing her mind until it would be resolved. It was an odd thing about her - that she could not move on into the present until a question or philosophy had been resolved or thought out. Now here she remained, less of emotion than she would normally be as the question haunted her complex mind. The serpent had proved not much a settler, and the only one that could possibly grant her the ability to move on was the King that now watched her from the ground. Despite their distance apart, she found herself hanging onto his words and replies, considerably sorting them through to better analyze just what kind of being he was. She found him rather refreshing, slow to reply, keeping his current train of thought on her words rather than the typical thoughts of an adult male, and his replies themselves were laced with a good amount of grace.
- How many had she known to use the term "dear" naturally despite their unfamiliarity? Her simple picking apart of his choice of words allowed her a much better understanding - although unfortunately leaving her to a silence that followed her quite typically. "A stalemate, hm? Well, I'm not familiar with the concept of playing mindgames with serpents, so I wouldn't quite know what advice to give you to break this... deadlock of sorts. And I'm glad you are so welcoming, but if it's all the same for you, I will remain with four paws on the ground. After all, the branch doesn't seem like it would fit... all three of us." Symphony only nodded to his words, a twinge of amusement entering her eyes. She had come to analyze his reply as something of a rush - perhaps he would not join her because their meeting was by chance. That would make sense, as perhaps he were busy before he had encountered her. Her suspicions went no further than her mind, letting her own reply indicate nothing towards her ideas. "That is very understandable, I suppose.. I too do not believe the bearing of the three of us to hold."
- "Well... I always assumed they were canines, but I don't really associate with hyena's, or dwell on them much either, so I never really though about it. But a mongoose? They look so... different, really. But what you say... it seems to be very thought through. It sounds as if you've studied and compared them for a while." His pause was noted, jotted down in her careful analyzing of his outer being as she froze up in silence, gentle tension sweeping over her patient being. "I can see that the conversation between you and your reptilian companion is enthralling and it may be hard to tear yourself from it, but perhaps you would be inclined to join me on the ground? It's rather hard to speak to you when you are at such a height, and my neck is aching from having to crane it to see your pretty face."
- His rather surprising ending to his reply caused her to wheel into his direction, amber eyes meeting her ultramarine-sapphire glow. They remained wide with a sort of gentle surprise towards his compliment and invitation to join him. So perhaps he were not in a hurry as she had suspected, but the main cause for her pause was her surprise was his compliment directed to her appearance. The split second that held her surprise soon faded with a fluid nod and a rise to her large paws. "Very well. I do believe the two of us have nothing more to discuss.." She slowly contemplated with a beckon to the serpent before making her climb down from her perch. Her claws dug into the rough bark as her grip tightened during her descend, only releasing once her weight would be placed upon the ground. Symphony retreated from the tree before wheeling around in Jabari's direction and approaching him a slow, careful gait of elegance. Her eyes grew subtly curious as she came up to him, sight of his rather remarkable size and figure growing into detail before her eyes as she drew closer. "Does this suit you, then, Jabari? I must as well say that it is a lot better than speaking to you from a distance." She returned the compliment with a subtle, gentle smile before placing her hide to the ground, allowing her eyes to search him.
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Post by RICOCHET on Apr 30, 2011 15:40:36 GMT -5
| [atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] | [atrb=background,http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af101/Siberia_North/jajamid.png]"That is very understandable, I suppose.. I too do not believe the bearing of the three of us to hold."
Jay merely chuckled and nodded slowly, as he knew he wasn't a spritely creature, and although Symphony herself was lithe, Jabari would surely break the branch, perhaps even if the snake hadn't been there. He was large, even by lion standards, so it wouldn't surprise him. Ah, but that didn't matter now, because he wasn't going to leave the ground and it looked as if she was inclined to join him. "Well, I certainly wouldn't want to take the risk, I don't fancy breaking any bones, and a fall from that height seems nasty." He chuckled again, the noise was very baritone and rumbled through the nearby area. The longer he watched Symphony and her reactions to what he was saying, the more intrigued he was by her. It was as if the urge to know her was getting strong by the minute. It was all rather odd, really, he'd never found himself so drawn to another cat within such a short space of time. I mean, he only met her a few days ago. But this was irrelevant because she was part of his family now, in a sense, wasn't she? After all, she'd joined the pride knowing what she was getting herself into, so it's not as if she was antisocial, and although she wasn't brimming with overenthusiasm that he was there with her, Symphony seemed glad to have company that wasn't scaled and highly dangerous. Well, Jabari could be dangerous if he wanted to be, but he was by no means a threat to her.
He broke from his reverie when the sound of claws scraping against bark and weight being shifted caught his attention. He looked up at Symphony to see that she was no longer lying down o the branch, but she had risen. Yes, it looked like she was coming down. "Very well. I do believe the two of us have nothing more to discuss.." She looked to the snake, but the reptile didn't seem bothered that she was going, if anything, the creature was probably pleased because now it had the branch to itself. The lioness tensed up and slowly, she clambered down the tree using literally nothing but her talons, which hooked into the bark. Oddly, she even made scrabbling down the trunk of an umbrella tree look elegant, in her own way. Jabari's gaze remained locked on her, and when she landed with all four paws on the ground and straightened up, he smiled at her, his eyes brimming with warmth. He knew she'd be quite hard to figure out, as she seemed to know so much about the things he nor anybody else he knew really thought about. She seemed to be a deep thinker, perhaps she was a philosopher of sorts? The male lion pondered no longer on it as she broke the silence with her soft, melodic voice.
"Does this suit you, then, Jabari? I must as well say that it is a lot better than speaking to you from a distance." Oh? Was that, in some way, a compliment to respond to the own he gave her just moments before? Jabari wasn't sure if she meant 'better' as in they could hear each other more clearly when they were in a close proximity to each other, or if she meant that she could see his handsome mug better. You never know, it could be the latter, a guy could hope. "Ah yes, it suits me well. Your gaze, I must say, is far more intense when we are face to face, and I didn't think that was possible. Your eyes... I've never seen that colour before. It's..." He trailed off, not knowing whether to call them beautiful because it may make her feel awkward. He didn't want to seem too, well, forceful, as flattery may get you so far with some females, but he didn't want to seem like he was trying anything on. Yes, she was beautiful, but he had only just met Symphony, and he wasn't that kind of guy. In fact, those males that forced themselves upon every lioness in their pride just because they thought they could, because 'they belonged to him' disgusted him. He was glad he wasn't like them, because he would probably never be able to live with himself if he was.
He shook his head clear from thoughts as he went from his seating position to lying down, stretching out all four limbs and he was incredibly tempted just to sprawl. Although, with company, especially a fine young lady, he didn't want to do that as he'd look rather stupid. Jabari wasn't usually one to care about other's opinions, but he wanted to make a good impression, who could blame him? "Symphony, have you met the others yet? I know you've only been in the pride for a few days, so you may not have got the chance to." Resting his chin on his front paws, Jabari exhaled deeply and relaxed, his amber gaze searching the lionesses face, waiting to see what her reply would be. He half-guessed the answer was no, as they hadn't mentioned anything about seeing a new lioness on the territory, but that didn't matter, it was early days and soon they would all be acquainted with her, and she with them.
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Post by NEVERMORE on Apr 30, 2011 21:14:17 GMT -5
SYMPHONY
- Each quirk and laugh that came from large male sent a shudder of relaxation down the light-colored female's spine. She had begun their little conversation "on guard", as he was possibly the largest male she had ever seen before and could very easily "push her around", so to speak. His easygoing and rather patient being lowered that outer wall of her own, which had partially been the reason of her descent. Placing herself on a branch that would not hold another - with a snake to boot - would easily be enough to deter any unwelcomed guests, should they try and force something on her. Her suspicions would have remained until proved otherwise, and her being new to the pride fueled her cautions more so. But this one male, Jabari didn't seem to exhibit any sort of threat to her, and so his rather subtle and simple coaxing her down took to her immediately, enticing the lithe lioness down her perch.
- Once she had taken her place before him and rested her hide to the soft ground, she could scale just the amount of difference in size he was from usual males - and herself. His full-blown mane rode brilliantly, silhouetting his large body that now grew with its own amount of relaxation. From her view, Symphony could note sights of scars and past wounds making their way against the vision of his large frame. "Ah yes, it suits me well. Your gaze, I must say, is far more intense when we are face to face, and I didn't think that was possible. Your eyes... I've never seen that colour before. It's..." His pause caused her head to lightly tilt expectantly, waiting for tehe rest of his reply that would not come. Finally she deduced his words another way, eyes narrowing in attempt to make them less "intense". "Oh? Do they bother you then, Jabari? Perhaps I should look the other way? Or not stare at you for too long a period?" Her concern was genuine, not at all desiring to put off the male or keep him from wishing to meet her face to face. Being the only one she had met in the pride, Sym intended not to "spoil it".
- Symphony quickly rose up lightly backed with a flighty and swift movement away as the male shifted to lie down in an attempt to give him space. He seemed fairly relaxed now as to rest on his underside, proving to Symphony that he obviously were confident in his rule. "Symphony, have you met the others yet? I know you've only been in the pride for a few days, so you may not have got the chance to." The mysterious lioness shook her head with a fluid movement once or twice, eyes managing to stay locked on the upturned face of the male. "Memory serves me that you are the first and only one I have met of the pride. Do I want to meet the others?" She rather cleverly put together in a way that asked if the other pride members were as "decent" as he.
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Post by RICOCHET on May 1, 2011 5:49:28 GMT -5
| [atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] | [atrb=background,http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af101/Siberia_North/jajamid.png]Now, the mighty King was not quite sure how Symphony would take the silence that followed from his comment on her startling eyes. But her response caused him to panic. "Oh? Do they bother you then, Jabari? Perhaps I should look the other way? Or not stare at you for too long a period?" Oh no, he didn't mean it in a bad way. Her eyes were a thing of beauty, and they didn't put him off at all, in fact they lured him to her. He shook his head repeatedly and a look of slight panic spread across his handsome facade. Jabari didn't want Symphony to think that her eyes repulsed him in any way, and he quickly voiced that. "Oh goodness no, you mistake my faltering reply, Symphony. I was going to say that I find your eyes...." He paused, wondering what she would make of what he said, but it was better to say it than let his reply die away again and let her continue to think the worse. "Beautiful."
Jay blushed, although she wouldn't be able to tell that he was as his fur hid his cheeks. Clearing his throat to break the silence - which, from where he was, was rather awkward - he looked around, attempting to be casual, before slowly looking back at the lioness. Every time his gaze locked with those eyes, his heart skipped a beat. They really were incredible. And in that moment, the male noted that Symphony was no longer sitting down, but standing up. Perhaps it was to give him a bit more space, but she really didn't need to. He smiled softly, as if to show that she could sit back down again. After all, how could he just lie back and get comfortable when she felt oblidged to remain standing. Hopefully once she settled in properly and met the rest of the pride, she would feel a lot more relaxed around him. "Memory serves me that you are the first and only one I have met of the pride. Do I want to meet the others?" Jabari rolled onto his front, his white belly fur now pressed against the ground. He pondered on how he would phrase his answer, but only for a split second, before he replied, hoping that his answer would reassure her.
"Well, aside from you and me, there is my mother Taabu, and my two... 'brothers', Foxtrot and Caspian. I call them my brothers because although they aren't biologically related to my mother and I, she raised Foxtrot and ever since I met Caspian, she's treated him like a son as well. Taabu... well I think she's used to being the only lioness in the pride, so it'll take a while for her to get used to you, and you to get used to her. She's good natured and kind, but stern, so she may throw her weight around a bit. Don't mind her, though, she'll soon see you as a daughter, and I'm sure she'll appreciate the help with hunting. Caspian is a real joker, and my wingman of sorts, and is rarely serious but he's a good lion, I'm sure you'll get along with him. The only one I feel the need to warn you about is Foxtrot. He's...." He paused, wondering how to word this delicately, as Symphony seemed like a sophisticated female and he didn't want to sound too vulgar. "...a dickhead, to be quite frank." Ah well, nobody can keep their tongue in check ALL the time, can they?
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Post by NEVERMORE on May 1, 2011 12:33:47 GMT -5
SYMPHONY
- Those with fluid emotions had always perplexed the mysterious lioness. She would puzzled by their meanings or even their efficiency, and how one could easily "throw their hearts out" to anyone who would listen had also confused her. But this one here, Jabari, seemed even more in-tune to his emotions. His every move and reply was teeming with them, and his laughs or showings of pleasure would occasionally have the female tilt her head with a rather childish innocence and unknowing. "Oh goodness no, you mistake my faltering reply, Symphony. I was going to say that I find your eyes...." His paused was responded to by an expectant tilt of her head, eyes wide with a blank curiosity. "Beautiful." His single description of her stare clearly took her aback, staring at him with a dainty surprise. Beautiful? Symphony was not sure on how to take that. "Beautiful.." She recited, hanging onto the word as though it were a breath of a blessing. ".. You find my gaze beautiful, Jabari? It pleases me greatly that you find my odd genetic mutation to please your own senses." Although her choice of words seemed as though she were not as pleased to gain the compliment, her dainty, gentle smile forced away all of that essence, eyes lowering with a subtle warmth.
- Her gaze slightly reverted as he began to describe what the others were like - to her pleasure. This would be enough to decide if she wanted to meet with the others or if she were content with only knowing him truly. "Well, aside from you and me, there is my mother Taabu, and my two... 'brothers', Foxtrot and Caspian. I call them my brothers because although they aren't biologically related to my mother and I, she raised Foxtrot and ever since I met Caspian, she's treated him like a son as well. Taabu... well I think she's used to being the only lioness in the pride, so it'll take a while for her to get used to you, and you to get used to her. She's good natured and kind, but stern, so she may throw her weight around a bit. Don't mind her, though, she'll soon see you as a daughter, and I'm sure she'll appreciate the help with hunting. Caspian is a real joker, and my wingman of sorts, and is rarely serious but he's a good lion, I'm sure you'll get along with him. The only one I feel the need to warn you about is Foxtrot. He's...." Up until his pause, Symphony's train of thought had been at work. The one called "Taabu" she figured would be a bit tough to exhibit any emotion around for a spell, and she as well could tell that the one known as "Caspian" would wind up keeping her to silence. It appeared as though she would be dealing with two separate sides of the spectrum - overly outgoing and inefficiently enclosed. It appeared to her now that this one, Jabari was the perfect mix of the two - right down the middle. But his pause on the description of "Foxtrot" slightly unnerved her. Was there something to be told?
- "...a dickhead, to be quite frank." The rough description put her to silence. "... A dickhead?" Her words seemed as though to be subtly scolding him, weaved with a slight expectancy as though to be questioning his sanity. "Is that any way to speak on behalf of your "brother"?" Her tone was slightly "tutoring", subtle smile telling that she were just teasing him. Her emotions then faded once more, curiosity taking over the lioness. "How do you mean by that? What is he truly like?"
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Post by RICOCHET on May 2, 2011 10:04:14 GMT -5
| [atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] | [atrb=background,http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af101/Siberia_North/jajamid.png]"Beautiful.."
Jabari said nothing, instead he nodded slowly, a small smile tugging at his lips. He wasn't quite sure how she would take what he said, but the way she mirrored him led him to believe that she was rather surprised at his comment. Had she not been complimented before? The King found that rather hard to believe, as he had never met a lioness with an exotic beauty about her such as Symphony. ".. You find my gaze beautiful, Jabari? It pleases me greatly that you find my odd genetic mutation to please your own senses." Uh oh. The way she countered to his dialogue put him on edge a little. The way she spoke of her 'odd genetic mutation' made Jabari wonder if he should have ever mentioned her eyes at all. "I-I... uhm..." But he ceased his attempt to 'redeem himself' when he took note of the small smile that tugged at Symphony's lips, and the warmth in her gaze, a warmth he'd never seen in her expression before. Ah, phew. So she wasn't offended by his words then, and she seemed to have taken them as a genuine compliment. "Oh. Well... yes! Yes, I do. I've never seen such blue a gaze before, and it really is lovely. Has nobody ever told you that before?"
He lifted his head up and stretched out his hindquarters, his fur-tipped tail lashing around behind him to deter any winged insects that wished to pester him. A warm breeze swept over him, causing his large, thick mane to ruffle slightly. It looked as if Symphony was pondering on what he had told her about the rest of the pride. He too wondered how she would settle in. Caspian and Taabu were friendly, although the way they showed it was completely opposite to each other. Caspian was overly accepting, whereas the matriarch of the pride was a little more aloof, but warmed up to others eventually. Jabari noted that his mother got on better with lions, rather than lionesses, but if she were to be happy in the pride she would have to adapt to being surrounded by those of her gender. Taabu was a female that accepted change, perhaps not easily, so her son was sure that she would grow used to Symphony, and perhaps come to value the contributions she would make to the pride. After all, it was one more lioness added to the hunting party, was it not? He cracked a smile. Yes, things were starting to look up for the Mabruke, he could sense it.
"... A dickhead?" Jabari snickered at this, yet he quickly regained his composure under the mock-scolding glare of his newest companion. "Is that any way to speak on behalf of your "brother"?" "I guess not, but Symphony, you don't know what he's like. When he was younger, he was fine. He would listen to me, and he wouldn't go around causing trouble. But now he's a trouble maker, and soon enough he'll be old enough to go and forge his own pride. That's when I'm making it clear that I want him gone. Two males are enough for the Mabruke, and although Caspian and Foxtrot are similar in the sense that they're both the 'mischevious' type, that like to mess around and cause trouble - especially for my mother - Caspian at least listens to me, and respects me. He's my best friend, and I'm a damn lot closer to him than I am Foxtrot. He just... Hmph." He paused, and slouched down onto the ground again, an exasperated expression on his face.
"How do you mean by that? What is he truly like?" Jabari's ears twitched to catch the words of the lioness, before he sighed, followed by a response. "I feel bad for calling him a dickhead, but... I see something in his eyes. Like he's planning something. He may be all playful and jokey, but I sense something sinister afoot. It's like he's plotting something. And if he is, I swear... I don't care how much mother dotes on him and wants him to stay. He's going."
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Post by NEVERMORE on May 2, 2011 13:27:50 GMT -5
SYMPHONY
- "Oh. Well... yes! Yes, I do. I've never seen such blue a gaze before, and it really is lovely. Has nobody ever told you that before?"
- Symphony only lowered her head lightly before allowing the wafting motion of back and forth express her answer. Her gaze remained on him, distant with a deep thought as she ran through memory. As far as she could remember, the such words were never uttered to her. Although they could certainly relax or even create curiosity to dim-witted prey who found a liking to the odd glints from afar, never had she been complimented personally on their shade. ".. I cannot say that I have ever been gifted with such a compliment as yours, before. But it does please me to know that there is someone out there who finds it worth the praise." Her voice grew slightly lighter as her attention forced away from him. It was an odd feeling for her and its meaning eluded her. She had never felt shyness before.
- Symphony watched the male's movements closer, although the feeling of being on edge was almost completely gone. Now it was a curiosity that plagued her, and she watched his stretches tear through his built muscles as her own thoughts of how well she would fit into the pride ran through her mind. By now, she had already analyzed the background of those Jabari spoke of. Taabu - the rich mother who always held herself with a great dignity, responsibility, and good longing to spread her ideal behavior around those who wished to associate with her. A good role model, but she was a rough mother figure who demanded of the similar grace and elegance around her. Games and jokes were lost on her, perhaps. She was perhaps very straightforward, and the last thing one would wish to do is scare her or pull a prank on her - lest they'd enjoy worse than a bloody nose.
And then there was Caspian. Overly-friendly, perhaps a little loud and overbearing to those like her who had just joined without much to expect. He was free-spirited, and would possibly get himself in a lot of trouble for his possible tendency to get over his head. Perhaps when one got to know him, he would be the "big cuddly softy" that could be trusted when it came to protecting those such people. Symphony had surmised up "Foxtrot's" being by the simple tag Jabari had given, and it didn't at all take her so much as a second to analyze him up.
But Jabari oddly appeared hidden to her eye.
- Her mind moved fast, just now being broken from her distant thought as the large male replied to her previous question. "I guess not, but Symphony, you don't know what he's like. When he was younger, he was fine. He would listen to me, and he wouldn't go around causing trouble. But now he's a trouble maker, and soon enough he'll be old enough to go and forge his own pride. That's when I'm making it clear that I want him gone. Two males are enough for the Mabruke, and although Caspian and Foxtrot are similar in the sense that they're both the 'mischevious' type, that like to mess around and cause trouble - especially for my mother - Caspian at least listens to me, and respects me. He's my best friend, and I'm a damn lot closer to him than I am Foxtrot. He just... Hmph." Although his pause on speech about Foxtrot concerned her as much as he appeared to be himself, she could not help but let her mind wander in the fact that she had perhaps analyzed Caspian correctly in her thoughts.
Always a fine feeling.
"I feel bad for calling him a dickhead, but... I see something in his eyes. Like he's planning something. He may be all playful and jokey, but I sense something sinister afoot. It's like he's plotting something. And if he is, I swear... I don't care how much mother dotes on him and wants him to stay. He's going." The way his words formed sent a dark aura around the two - something Symphony sensed all too well. She would often call the "climaxes of acquainting or conversation" "auras". They were things she could pick up, and allow her further analyses.
Now, even for the mysterious lioness, the feeling was not welcome. She lightly stood up with the intent to kill two birds with one stone. Her eyes grew narrowed with a sudden pleasure, an intentful smile upon her face.
"I grow tired of speaking on those who are not even present. Why don't you tell me more about yourself, Jabari..?"
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Post by RICOCHET on May 3, 2011 14:14:30 GMT -5
| [atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] | [atrb=background,http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af101/Siberia_North/jajamid.png]For a moment, silence weighed down on the pair. It wasn't an unpleasant or frosty silence, nor was it the kind of hush that made things awkward. It was peaceful, and Jabari believed that the two of them were simply contemplating on what had already been said. It was Symphony who uttered her thoughts first, her words a sweet melody to him. ".. I cannot say that I have ever been gifted with such a compliment as yours, before. But it does please me to know that there is someone out there who finds it worth the praise." Her reply surprised him, and she wondered who's company she had been in before he'd met her. After all, what kind of pride - and what kind of 'King' - fail to compliment such beauty in their lionesses? He sighed a little, a tinge of disappointment for the female, before he perked up and replied, a smile on his face as always. "Well, that surprises me, I find it hard to believe I am the first to admire such striking eyes. But ah well, I suppose since you're residing with me now, you'll be having many a compliment paid to you." He chuckled lightheartedly.
The expression on the lionesses face led Jabari to believe that she had the intent on asking him a question. She faltered, wondering perhaps how to word it, or what exactly to say, and in that second he sat up and his gaze honed in on her as he curiously awaited her words. "I grow tired of speaking on those who are not even present. Why don't you tell me more about yourself, Jabari..?" Well, he saw it coming. She must be curious about his heritage, as he was her 'King' after all, the one she would be placing her trust in, to keep her safe and give her company and shelter. How could he have expected her not to wonder? It's not like his life was particularly interesting, he had a decent upbringing, no 'sob story' for him. The lion exhaled and squeezed his eyes shut, before he swung his head around to look at Symphony. "I'm awfully boring, Symphony, you'll regret you asked. But okay, I shan't deny your curiousity." He paused, flexing his shoulder muscles, pondering where to start first. After a second, he decided on the obvious, and to go from the very beginning. "I was born in an average pride. My mother, my father, his friend, some aunts and unrelated lionesses all lived pretty happily. When my siblings - two sisters and a brother - and I were born, the pride were pleased, as they were with the arrival of all litters. We were all healthy, with no deformities, and therefore seen as a blessing. My father was a kind lion, and he loved all of us equally, but he knew that when my brother and I reached three, he'd have to see us off, no matter how much he trusted that we would respect him. Well, I would have, my brother was something of a rebel, I see Foxtrot in him, which worries me..."
In that moment, Jabari shook his head vigorously and rolled his eyes to himself. Quit bringing the subject back to Foxtrot, she knows you're anxious about him but she asked you about your history, suck it up. His subconscious was somewhat forceful, but was right, so he forced on a small smile and continued. "Ah, forgive me, where was I? Oh yes, well, the four of us lived happily, we played, learnt to hunt, and soon the day came when Akida and I were asked to leave the pride. On that day, however, something else happened. Something pretty big, if I say so myself. The pride was invaded upon by a pair of large males, that easily overcame my aging father and his second in command. My brother ran off at the first sight of a scuffle, the coward. Irony, as Akani means 'Chief' and 'Officer', but I like to think I lived up to my namesake and fought the rogues. They won, alas, and chased me off, but I was surprised that one of the lionesses followed me, and that... was my mother, Taabu. And I love her dearly for sticking by me. I miss my sisters, and I hope they have kinder leaders now, but I haven't seen them since that day.... But it's always been me and my mother, really. About a year after the incident I met my best friend, Caspian. Taabu took to him quickly and 'adopted him' in a sense, even though by that time both Caspian and I were by far old enough to take care of ourselves. Around that time she found Foxtrot, who was young and unruly, and he joined us. Only recently have I claimed this territory and well... here I am."
As his tangent came to a close, he took a deep breath and chuckled. "Now, I could ask the same of you, Symphony. Tell me about your past." He faltered a little, wondering if she thought he was prying, and that her past was something she wanted to keep to herself, for personal reasons. "Uhm, I mean... if it's something you wish to share. I won't hold it against you if you don't want to." It was strange, around females - especially ones so pretty - he suddenly wasn't so sure of himself. | |
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Post by NEVERMORE on May 3, 2011 17:12:21 GMT -5
SYMPHONY
- "Well, that surprises me, I find it hard to believe I am the first to admire such striking eyes. But ah well, I suppose since you're residing with me now, you'll be having many a compliment paid to you."
- Symphony found her mind searching those words that were followed by a sweet chuckle extensively. They seemed without any underlining meaning, genuine and true to their nature of compliment. Symphony began to surmise that she were merely thinking too much - perhaps this one would simply mean everything he said. Honesty was often such a rarity amongst the masses.
The lioness cracked forward a content smile, eyes sheathing away partly with a subtle pleasure. "Oh, do you honestly mean such a thing? I personally find it unlikely that one being would constantly compliment something that has already been. The "theme of the compliment" of it then becomes stale and loses all interest eventually, does it not?" She caught her philosophy a second too late, realizing that she had replied in a way that she hadn't meant to at all. Her logic and longing to understand the simplest of things was a wound to her - it would oftentimes "ruin the mood" for others. She had only hoped it would not for Jabari.
- The dainty lioness had quickly recovered from her mistake - and quite glad the focus of their conversation was not on Jabari himself. "I'm awfully boring, Symphony, you'll regret you asked. But okay, I shan't deny your curiousity." Symphony leaned slightly closer to him, head tilting slightly with a silent inquiry. Her voice then grew shushed, clever and intelligently-coy. "Oh no, I do not suppose for one minute that I will regret my request.." She merely let her words settle, sending out whatever vibe that the male would pick up.
"I was born in an average pride. My mother, my father, his friend, some aunts and unrelated lionesses all lived pretty happily. When my siblings - two sisters and a brother - and I were born, the pride were pleased, as they were with the arrival of all litters. We were all healthy, with no deformities, and therefore seen as a blessing. My father was a kind lion, and he loved all of us equally, but he knew that when my brother and I reached three, he'd have to see us off, no matter how much he trusted that we would respect him. Well, I would have, my brother was something of a rebel, I see Foxtrot in him, which worries me..." There came that one again. Curiosity was not one of the female's stronger points when it came to being previously warded off or given a vibe that something or someone was "trouble". It was her intelligence that kept her unswayed - and perhaps more of the word could use that so that horrible phrase "curiosity killed the cat" could disappear forever.
Such wishing.
"Ah, forgive me, where was I? Oh yes, well, the four of us lived happily, we played, learnt to hunt, and soon the day came when Akida and I were asked to leave the pride. On that day, however, something else happened. Something pretty big, if I say so myself. The pride was invaded upon by a pair of large males, that easily overcame my aging father and his second in command. My brother ran off at the first sight of a scuffle, the coward. Irony, as Akani means 'Chief' and 'Officer', but I like to think I lived up to my namesake and fought the rogues. They won, alas, and chased me off, but I was surprised that one of the lionesses followed me, and that... was my mother, Taabu. And I love her dearly for sticking by me. I miss my sisters, and I hope they have kinder leaders now, but I haven't seen them since that day.... But it's always been me and my mother, really. About a year after the incident I met my best friend, Caspian. Taabu took to him quickly and 'adopted him' in a sense, even though by that time both Caspian and I were by far old enough to take care of ourselves. Around that time she found Foxtrot, who was young and unruly, and he joined us. Only recently have I claimed this territory and well... here I am." The story in itself greatly interested the dainty lady, keeping her head tilted with a distant inquiry as she merely stared at him. Before she had come to a decision to reply, his own words rang out once more, "Now, I could ask the same of you, Symphony. Tell me about your past." The demand immediately put her off, most of it being hidden away behind her hard shell with nothing but a slight widen of the eyes to show her surprise.
Did he want to know about her?
"Uhm, I mean... if it's something you wish to share. I won't hold it against you if you don't want to." A feeling of freedom put her in a better position, but Symphony would wind up explaining all the same.
- She slightly paced away from him, slowly making her way back and forth with an infinite grace. ".. My family were drifters. The females, anyway. We are "fleshed out" by the colors of our eyes. Should the genetic trait not be carried on to one, then that one's way of life is to be found alone or in another's pride life. It is how we were run." Her voice was dry and unbiased, her own personal reflection on how things were remaining unreadable. "We ran by a sort of.. Tribal instinct, and it was only that our blood be mixed with those who as well, were "proper and fit" for the union. The main family of women stuck together however despite anything. The main family was the most "at peace with the land", speaking in native tongues and carrying out hunting strategies that would be practiced merely through a sort of "telepathy" that came with being so close in relationship. Or perhaps it were the genetic oddities we own." Symphony paused her pacing briefly and stared at the male directly as she slowly strode up to him, obliviously leaving nothing but slight inches between them. "So then, perhaps the question asked next is as to why I am here? I was simply separated from the others when our females were scattered by a violent raid. Perhaps finding the amount of "free females" that there were was a temptation far too difficult to resist." She put plainly, an emotionless tone remaining in her voice. "I managed to remain unharmed, but yet I could never find my way back to them. I find it odd that I could not sense their whereabouts.. Perhaps there were simply no family left to sense." Symphony then reared back and sat on her hide, flicking her tail patiently as she watched the male who would likely go through a myriad of expressions at her tale.
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Post by RICOCHET on May 5, 2011 13:59:07 GMT -5
| [atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] | [atrb=background,http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af101/Siberia_North/jajamid.png]"Oh, do you honestly mean such a thing? I personally find it unlikely that one being would constantly compliment something that has already been. The "theme of the compliment" of it then becomes stale and loses all interest eventually, does it not?" The lion noted that she had a point, but he retaliated quickly with something that would make her smile. "True, but I believe that those that have hardly been complimented before deserve to be overwhelmed with flattery, even if it is only centered on one aspect of a pretty lioness." Smooth, my friend, smooth. Jabari was surprisingly good at this, despite being a nomad most of his life right up until he claimed Mabruke Kjope a few months ago. The lioness he'd spent most of his time around had been his mother, so he'd never really had the chance to be around young and unrelated lionesses... well, until now. He came across more and more lions as time went on and because of his, Jabari was confident for the future of the pride.
".. My family were drifters. The females, anyway. We are "fleshed out" by the colors of our eyes. Should the genetic trait not be carried on to one, then that one's way of life is to be found alone or in another's pride life. It is how we were run." Jabari noted that her tone was rather dry, and the underlying emotion under it... well, he couldn't really tell. She did however seem rather emotional about it. She was talking about her family, who she probably hadn't seen in a while. Jabari's chest ached every time he thought of his deceased father, and his sisters, who's fates would forever remain unknown to him, most probably. "We ran by a sort of.. Tribal instinct, and it was only that our blood be mixed with those who as well, were "proper and fit" for the union. The main family of women stuck together however despite anything. The main family was the most "at peace with the land", speaking in native tongues and carrying out hunting strategies that would be practiced merely through a sort of "telepathy" that came with being so close in relationship. Or perhaps it were the genetic oddities we own." The light tan feline ceased in her rather troubled-seeming pacing, only to turn and advance towards him - not in a menacing way, of course - until their faces were merely inches apart. He simply exhaled, the warm air dancing between them.
"So then, perhaps the question asked next is as to why I am here? I was simply separated from the others when our females were scattered by a violent raid. Perhaps finding the amount of "free females" that there were was a temptation far too difficult to resist. I managed to remain unharmed, but yet I could never find my way back to them. I find it odd that I could not sense their whereabouts.. Perhaps there were simply no family left to sense." When she fell silent, he felt a rush of sympathy for the lioness. He remembered how bitterly sick he felt when he realized that his father was dead, and how forlorn when he was chased away from the rest of his family, his sisters and aunts.... "The bond that you and your family shared... It sounds incredible, and stronger than most families. Perhaps it was the telepathic bond between you all, or your genetic similarities, or perhaps it was both. But I'm incredibly sorry to hear of the raid on your 'pride', as I know how it feels. It's like rogues have no respect for a family unit, it sickens me." His fur bristled on the back of his neck in anger at the rogues that had torn apart not only Jabari's family life, but Symphony's too. But... at the same time, this brought them to where they were today, together. Jabari had his own pride, and maybe Symphony could come to view them as her family, as she did with her old 'tribe'.
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Post by NEVERMORE on May 6, 2011 13:53:13 GMT -5
SYMPHONY
- Symphony found this male both perplexing and yet refreshing. He managed to keep her interested and curious as to what he would say next. "True, but I believe that those that have hardly been complimented before deserve to be overwhelmed with flattery, even if it is only centered on one aspect of a pretty lioness."
This had stunned her to an extent, staring back at him with a subtle surprise. Flattery was not something she had been often subject to - clearly - and this male's behavior was.. Odd.
But she could feel herself drawn to him in a certain way - into a casual relationship between the two that were nearly completely different. "I.. Thank you." It was all she could muster up to say - perhaps the stoic feline were beginning to blush under that tan fur. She managed a subtle smile, eyes narrowing with a slight suggestiveness. "And here I am drinking in your every compliment without returning the favor.. You are are certainly not behind yourself, Jabari." She laid her words lightly, trying not to create a thick insecurity between them.
- Upon telling him the story of how she had "came to be", her voice remained as stilled and emotionless as possible. Perhaps the male could relate, and saw right through her ruse. Perhaps she were the last of her "kind". That much had put her spirits down. She had intended to remain this way for quite some time, until the large male's words shattered the silence she had left.
"The bond that you and your family shared... It sounds incredible, and stronger than most families. Perhaps it was the telepathic bond between you all, or your genetic similarities, or perhaps it was both. But I'm incredibly sorry to hear of the raid on your 'pride', as I know how it feels. It's like rogues have no respect for a family unit, it sickens me." The dainty lioness lightly drew away from near his own face, raising up and staring down at him slightly as she contemplated his words with a subtle surprise in those vibrant eyes. He seemed to understand so well, and had the ability to soothe her - even if he could not tell of it.
The dainty lioness' voice rang out then, low and hushed with a gentle familiarity. ".. You understand. How is it that you appear to understand so much, Jabari? What is it about you that makes you so familiar?" Her words were not meant to be spoken out loud, drenched with an inner thought and self-inquiry.
Perhaps she had not even noticed she spoke out loud.
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