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 Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 9:26 am
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For the first time since he had joined the pride - no, for the first time since the muses had turned their back upon him - Rive felt as if he had his sights set on something that might provide him the closure he so desperately sought. The talk with Iki'renkli had opened up his thoughts to the possibility of what The Great Lion was, though she could not possibly have known such at the time. Though a great huntress and a kind soul, he suspected she did not have the foresight to really and truly see the machinations of their pride's muse. That was what The Great Lion had to be, he had no doubts, and he still seemed to be lingering close to them. It meant that the muses had not abandoned the whole world, they still remained in contact with those that were worthy. His one and only clue to finding this one or finding more about him seemed to be Iki'renkli's sister - a lioness she claimed was crazy but one Rive himself thought was much more than that.
A visionary.
Nyeusi.
With more hope than he had felt in a long time, Rive set out the day after his talk with Iki'renkli, adamant that he would find Nyeusi among the pride's members. It was hard, being that he was so new, but the others that he encountered seemed kind enough (if a little bit confused about what he wanted with the lioness in the first place). Her reputation preceded her, it seemed, even if most took her closeness to their muse for granted.
"Nyeusi?" he called, at last, as he neared the area of her den. No one could be certain that she would be there but she did have cubs in tow, so it seemed likely given the time of night. "Are you here?" |
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 9:34 am
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Nyeusi was sleeping, as befit a mother who was finally able to send her adolescent children off to train under other lions without her oversight. She loved her children, as the Great Lion clearly intended her to, but they were exhausting much of the time. At least they were no longer cubs and slept through the night, but still. It was pleasant to be able to take a nice, long, refreshing nap in the middle of the day.
Lavender-blue ears twitched as she heard her name called and blue eyes opened blearily. Her name, called so softly, so gently...could it be?
Then she realized some pridemember was merely trying to get her attention. With a sigh for what might have been, the lioenss pushed herself to her feet and went to the den entrance.
She had no idea who this lion was. He wasn't born to the pride, of that she was certain with those colors and markings. Which meant she had no idea why he would be here, seeking her out.
"I am Nyeusi, by grace of the Great Lion. And you...?" she asked, eyes narrowed in a warning. The Huntress was not always at her best when awakened out of a sound sleep. |
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 9:46 am
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The signs of her irritation were hard to miss - he had not become a regent by being blind, deaf and dumb after all. Still, he was here and he had found her, which brought a weak smile to his pale mug despite how grouchy she was at his doing so.
"I'm sorry to have woken you," he dipped his head as he spoke, respectful and genuinely pleased to be in her presence, "my name is Rive."
With the introduction posed, he took a few more steps forward, slow and hesitant as he suddenly realized he did not know how best to broach this subject. Had she been of his own kin, he would have simply been blunt and forward. Here they did not regard The Great Lion in the same fashion and the last thing he wanted to do was offend her. Belatedly, he realized he probably should have figured this out before he showed up.
"I met your sister yesterday, she is my hunt leader, and somewhat of what she said about you.. well, mostly I just wanted to speak to you." His tail flicked behind him in a nervous habit but his eyes were steady and his demeanor calm. "If that is alright, anyway."
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 9:50 am
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 10:03 am
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 10:10 am
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 10:20 am
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"Wait," he chimed quickly, panicked as he failed to convince her. She was the only clue he had to a lioness that still spoke with what he held so dearly and here she was, distrusting of his words because of how his pride viewed her. Unsure of what he could say, he stepped into her path and drew himself up tall with the hope that she would not strike him down for it.
"I am not mocking you, Nyeusi. I don't have friends here, I don't know anyone other than who I was introduced to after I awoke. I don't know how else to convince you.."
He shook his head again and let his breath trail off in a sigh. What would make her believe him? Could she not see he was telling her the truth?
"I was a king once and those I led spoke with something greater than themselves, we valued it and counted ourselves graced, but the voice has.. abandoned us. That is my secret. I am here, humbled, seeking what I have lost."
Would it be enough?
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 10:40 am
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Nyeusi couldn't help listening as she stalked off. She didn't understand why Rive was so desperate to convince her that he truly wanted to hear her in a way that no other pridemember ever had. And now he told her he had been a king? It certainly wasn't an impossibility, but he could be just as delusional as the pride thought her to be. Some people just needed a few lions to follow their commands and they saw themselves as divinely appointed rulers.
There was an old lion somewhere around here named Kobe'gumu who had once been the King of an enemy pride, one that the Mwezi'Johari had warred with. Not that most people remembered that today. And there was Unyezi, who had once been King in this pride. If Rive had meant his former rank to impress Nyeusi, it was a complete failure.
"You think I should be impressed by a former Priest-King?" she asked aloud, deigning to stop and turn, that her dismissive words might be more easily heard. "You're far from the first former ruler to live in this place, and at this rate, you won't be the last either. And I don't care how you dress up whatever you used to justify the orders you gave your subjects, those decrees came from your mouth alone. Comparing your personal desires to the Great Lion's care for His People is utter blasphemy."
With a "hmph," Nyeusi turned and continued stalking away, tail lashing angrily with every step.
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 11:27 am
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 11:29 am
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