He Kept A Promise

Posts : 12 Pride Points : 446816 Join date : 2012-02-25

Ismahel had escorted his son from the Coldlands and all the way to the Lowlands. It had taken them a few days, but Ismahel had kept a constant watch on the growing cub. He felt he was old enough to handle the trip. Sakitu was growing fast, and was even starting to show more signs of growing a mane. He was going to grow up to become a grand king someday. Ismahel was making sure of it. The white king's one regret was that he was growing up only under the care of his father. The lionesses were few and far between, and he had not found one fit to raise his son and teach him to be gentle and compassionate, though Ismahel had tried the best he could to do so.

The white lion had stayed at a distance, but watched his son cross the borders right into the Lowlands. The white and peach colored cub was a little wary, entering into these lands. Did his mother even want to see him again? Was he now considered a trespasser? Sakitu swallowed back his fear and held his head high with dignity. He tried to keep a calm mind, since that was what his father taught. A king must always have a clear mind, so he can have a clear conscious. If they asked him to leave, then he would not give them any trouble and would just join his father. For now, his mismatched eyes scanned back and forth as he slowly moved through, looking for his mother, and maybe even seeing his sister.

Posts : 25 Pride Points : 447127 Join date : 2012-02-22

Nyima had become increasingly depressed since Sakitu had been taken from her - and though she enjoyed Upendo's company greatly, she missed her snowy brother. He had been the light of her life, along with her mothers, and now he had vanished with no trace. She'd not yet had the time to ask where he'd been taken too, but she was curious as to where and it broke her heart every morning to wake up and see him not there beside her. Nyima sniffled as she trotted through the forest in her sadness, grieving over the loss of her brother. Where had he gone? Nyima wondered if she might find Upendo out here and confide in him her sadness and confusion over her brother's disappearance. After all, she held a small crush on Upendo and the fact that he enjoyed her company made her very happy.

That, and she needed a confidant. Not all too confident with talking to Sakina and Malaika, that left only Upendo and her mother's. Speaking of her mothers, Nyima was also sad over how much patrolling her mummy did. She loved her mama dearly - the one she looked most like - but she also loved her mummy and she sometimes longed for her mummy's company over her mama's. Nyima shook her head and forced herself into a run, before she saw a glimmer of white. Curious, she crept forwards through the trees until she saw the form of Sakitu! "Saki!" She cried in joy and bounded towards him. Once she was close enough, she leapt through the air and pounced on her brother.

Posts : 127 Pride Points : 451573 Join date : 2012-01-09

Where the young princess tread, the queen was often not far behind. Nyima's status as an only child (and only heir) meant that her mother had to worry constantly for her cub's well-being, though she tried her best to give her daughter her own sense of autonomy. The litter she had birthed had been so young when they were separated; Nyota had expected her daughter to have only faint memories of her brother, after all, but the young princess seemed increasingly despondent over his absence. No member of the Lowlands' royal family had forgotten the white cub, and Nyota worried helplessly over his fate from afar.

But it seemed today would be a great day, and the sight of the young Coldlander prince brought an immediate smile to the queen's muzzle. She trotted over to join Nyima as she pounced her brother playfully, possibly unaware that she had been followed. A vague sense of disappointment occurred to the lioness as she glanced about the tree line, half expecting the elder white lion to appear, but it seemed Ismahel would keep his distance. In spite of all that had transpired between the two rulers, Nyota had no reason to feel bitterness towards Ismahel. His situation was vastly differently from Shani and Shinikizo's, the former which the queen still did not allow in her kingdom. His scent had been carried on the breeze only days before, signaling that he had returned for a visit. The pride had been extra vigilant since.

"Kitu," she purred the nickname she had called the infant cub, as Shani's cub Sakina was often called Saki. "It is more than I deserve to see you again in the jungle, love. Please inform your father that he is welcome to join you on subsequent visits, if he wishes." It was too much to hope for, that such a wonderful surprise would be repeated, but Nyota's happiness upon seeing her son again was difficult to contain, even for a lioness normally so stoic. Rough tongue washing over the cub's fluff of a mane, she took in how his appearance had changed. A surge of guilt washed over her as she thought of Ismahel, likely lurking near the borders, with no clue how his little girl was growing up. Perhaps the favor could be returned, and Nyota could bring Nyima to the Coldlands someday, but for now, she was simply beside herself with joy. "How are you enjoying life in your kingdom, Sakitu? How are Jabari and Ziko?"

Posts : 12 Pride Points : 446816 Join date : 2012-02-25

Saki!

The voice reached his ears and Sakitu barely had time to look before the weight of his sister was suddenly thrown upon him as she pounced. He fell to the ground with an "Oof!" He then smiled and looked to his sister, his tail curling up but beginning to flick playfully at her, "Nyima!" He said, "Dad let me come back to visit!" He said, not knowing she did not know it was their father that had taken him to the Coldlands to be the prince and heir. It was then the rustling of leaves and bushes was heard and Sakitu looked to see his mother standing there. Her voice was like something out of a dream to him and he could not withhold the smile of her, "Mama!" He said to her, happy to see her. Assuming Nyima got off of him by now, Sakitu would stand up, "Dad is waiting for me at the borders. He didn't want to come in without your permission, but I'll go tell him!" He said as he quickly bounded off to get the elder white lion. He almost did not want to leave his mother and sister, but he would be gone for just a few moments. He would like them to be a family if but for a little while. Sakitu had already been told that their family would never fully be together, but he could still come and visit them when Ismahel took him or when he would ask. His father was a kind lion and would never forbid Sakitu from seeing his mother and sister.

Posts : 25 Pride Points : 447127 Join date : 2012-02-22

Nyima was over-joyed to see her brother and she nuzzled against him happily. A playful nip was snapped at him, before she grabbed his ear and tugged lightly. She jumped off him and began to dance around him, purring happily. "Dad?" She frowned, but remembered her mother mentioning when she asked, that Sakitu had gone away with her father. She didn't really understand the concept of a father, but she had pieced together that somehow he was a part of her birth and how she had come into life. "Where is he?" She asked curiously, looking around. Nyima was about to bombard her brother with questions when their mother emerged from the bushes. She always seemed to be close behind Nyima.

Nyima beamed as her brother and mother spoke, and she watched as he bounded off to get their father. Once he was gone, Nyima trotted over to her mother and looked up at her. "Is that were Jabari and Ziko went? The Coldlands? I always wondered where they went, but I didn't want to ask because it wasn't my place," Nyima said softly. This new piece of information made sense, and she now wanted to ask Sakitu about the two cubs - and the one who had a coat much like Sakitu himself. Nyima waited with impatience for her brother to return with this father of hers.

Posts : 12 Pride Points : 446816 Join date : 2012-02-25

Sakitu had nuzzled against his before he had mentioned that his father was there. She had since jumped off and he rolled over on to his paws and ran off to get the elder lion. Once he had returned, he plodded back up to Nyima, "Yeah, that's where Jabari and Ziko went." Ismahel explained with a smile on his maw, "You should see it though! It's so much fun there!" He said excitedly to his sister. Sakitu wished he could show Nyima the snow and the caves that they call the dens, and all of his favorite spots on the mountain to look out over all of the lands. The white cub lowered himself down on his forepaws playfully and sprang at his sister in an attempt to play with her. Just like Nyima, Sakitu had missed his sister, but his training to be a king had certainly kept him from being able to think much about her or his mother. It was not that he missed them. He missed his mother and sister very much, but he was often busy with his grooming to be a king to dwell on it much.