Post by Chioh on Dec 31, 2006 3:53:56 GMT -5
Setting= The Meerkat Colony
Meerkats There = Kitwane = The angry son of Yaro
Morowa = The lovestruck daughter of Yaro
Max = The Min'Men successor
Masiri = The Legendary Sentry in the making
Morowa smiles and looks at her little brother. "I was just down in the colony, taking care of the kits in the nursery. They like to get themselves in no end of trouble." she says and chuckles. "What about you? Digging going well for you?"
Kitwane freezes up a tiny bit, but the smile is always on his face. "Ohh, yes, yes, indeed," he says happily, rubbing his paws together. "Nothing like grabbing the dirt up, and moving it around, and grabbing it, and moving it again... it's the life!" he says, looking like a bigger fibber than a kit caught with his paw in the storage bin with a grin on his face and grub muck in his teeth.
Standing on a branch in the sole tree of the colony, Masiri looks out over the home that he protects along with the other sentries. The voices of his two cousins grab his attention as he turns around on the lowest branch of the tree and he glances down at the two meerkats and he gives a wave to them. A bit too far away to talk comfortably.
Morowa hasn't notices Masiri yet. "Come on! It's an important job! And I thought you said you liked it!" she says. "I mean, it's a low pressure job. Can you imagine what dad has to do every day? Or even Max?" she asks. When she says 'Max' it is clear that her relationship with the future Dominant Male has developed.
Kitwane ppths and waves off both topics much easier than Morowa brought them up. "Ahh, you know mom makes all the decisions nowadays," he says simply. "All Max has to do is strut around and shadow them and he'll do fine." Low pressure his footpaw! Has she *been* with some of the squad leaders?
Masiri rolls his eyes as he isn't noticed. "Great, I hate it when I'm ignored." He climbs down off of the lowest branch and starts to head over to his two cousins. A small yawn escaping from his muzzle as it's been a slightly boring day. Not much to do as a sentry right now.
Morowa's anger boils. "Max is a *good* meerkat! He does a great job! I love him!" she says, defending her future mate. Grr! "What do you know?"
Kitwane holds up his paws as his normally calm sister suddenly snaps at him. "Hey! That *is* what I know! What's with you, anyway?" he asks worriedly. He looks up as Masiri comes down, thankful for a distraction. "Hey, look! It's cousin Masi!" he says loudly, pointing at the other adolescent. "Let's go see if *he* has anything to say about this."
Masiri stops in his tracks as he sets the end of his staff down and then leans on it as he looks over at his cousins. His voice soft for a meerkat that looks like he can snap you in two, "Have anything to say about what? I doubt I could have anything."
Morowa points at Masiri. "He's just angry that Max got to be dad's successor and not him. I'm just happy to be a babysitter. And Max is the biggest sweetheart in the colony! I bet you there was nobody in this colony that has ever been more loved!" she challenges, pretty sure in her stance about Max being some sort of loving and loved meerkat of all history.
Kitwane mockingly repeats what Morowa says behind her back, sticking his tongue and making 'blah blah blah' motions with his paws. When she turns back he drops the act. "Well what about you, Mora?" he says with a shake of his head. "*Everybody* loves you. Even *I* love you! Max is your sweetheart, sure, but does he *have* a sweet heart? He's got headfur like a drill instructor and the voice to match! Right Masi?!" He whirls on the older meerkat and fixes him with a "You'd better agree" type look on his face.
Masiri chuckles slightly as he says, "Max may be a sweetheart to some people. But to other, he isn't the meerkat you know and love." He glances over at Kitwane and then says, "Max does have the headfur of a drill instructor, and the voice to match. But he doesn't have the muscle to back it up."
Morowa turns at Masiri. "But cousin Masiri! He's only doing what daddy tells him to!" she says hastily. "He is the most loving meerkat ever! No meerkat ever has loved as much as he." Then she calms down and takes a deep breath. "Yeah, okay, the hair is kind of silly."
Kitwane ah has! loudly and points at Morowa's nose. "There! See?! Only doing what daddy tells him to, you said it yourself! How does *that* make a great leader? All this obsession with orders and organization and do this or I'll fire you attitude. Sure, we need order, we're meerkats, and we dig in synch, even if the song is stupid, but come on! When has the guy ever done something without someone telling him to?" And don't mention the kiss... Kitwane's blood still boils thinking about that. Stupid Max. His sister was too good for him.
Masiri chuckles slightly as he says, "Well, if it makes you better. I've beaten Max in a spar once or twice, Kitwane. He may be the heir to the colony, but he isn't one for besting me in a fight." He looks over at Morowa and says, "Though I doubt that your love for Max can't beat the love that my father has for my mother. Even your parents can't compare to that."
Max makes his entrance upon the scene quietly, without fanfare or anger. Though the tension seems to crackle thickly within those gathered, the rather solemn faced adolescent does not seem perturbed. Evenly his gaze moves between all of those gathered. "Good evening, Masiri, Kitwane..." a pause and his voice notibly warms "And Morowa, you look lovely this evening." Whether or not Max has overheard the discussion is unclear at first - until he speaks again. "I'd think, if you had such problems with me you might speak to myself, so that i may address them." His voice is quiet, but the strength of spirit his gaze belays is not missed.
Morowa sighs. What? Now he's saying his parents don't love each other like *his* parents do? And never mind this mystery 'Mavidi' meerkat she hears about every now and then. She's beginning to think Mavidi was some myth. No meerkat could be *that* loving and trusting of everybody! She's mostly just tired of people harping on her boyfriend. She turns and sees Max approach and smiles. Max would always stand by her. She walks over and gives Max a kiss and a hug.
Kitwane hmphs and crosses his arms he sees Morowa kissing Max. Ohh, you look lovely this evening darling! Why thank you dear boyfriend, I think I'll slobber you now! Don't mind if you do! Feh. The sight of his sister doing that... especially with Max... riles him and everyone knows it. How was he supposed to protect her if she was going around kissing everyone she met? He looks away when Max mentions bringing whatever issues he has forward. He doesn't *have* to talk to him about anything. Neener neener.
The only meerkat that would know the full effect of Mavidi would be Masiri. He glances over at Max and says, "Evening, Max. I have no problems with you. I'm just stating a few things really." He gives a small shrug as he then looks away when Morowa kisses Max and he gives a small gag at that. He hates that lovey dovey stuff. He mutters to himself as he then looks at his staff and sighs slightly, remembering Mavidi when he looked at Morowa. Kitwane having a sister reminds Masiri of Mavidi and the symbols on his staff are an everlasting reminder. Though this is a different staff that he has now. He glances back at Kitwane and leans closer to him and whispers something into his ear before he leans back and looks back out at the other sentries.
You whisper, "I envy you. You have a sister to protect, mine was taken. " to Kitwane.
Morowa huggles Max. "You don't believe that 'Mavidi' story, do you?" everyone seems to think she was real." she says.
"Firstly, to address the opinion that i am but a lacky - I would object. Yes my loyalty to Yaro is complete. However, that does not mean I do not disagree with him if my opinion differs, which from time to time it does, and rather strongly." He pauses as Morowa approaches him and greets her with equal warmth, putting an arm around her shoulder in solidarity. "However - at the end of the day no matter how strongly i may disagree with our leaders decisions, i bow to his greater wisdom and rank. He is the head of this colony, and has years more knowledge and experience in matters than I." Calmly he takes a breath "As for all this talk of 'muscle to back it up' and my worth as a meerkat being evaluated because as Masiri so accurately pointed out, he has bested me in sparring...I would question your evaluation of a leader being based solely upon brute strength or the propensity for violence to solve problems. " His voice is still quiet "Absolutely if physical strength in sparring was the most important quality to lead this colony, i would fail miserably. I am not the strongest, nor am I the best digger, or the best sentry or the best healer. What Yaro has taught me is that bringing out these strengths in others, while being honest about ones own faults is what makes someone capable to lead. As for me being a tyrant, and threatning to fire meerkats left right and centre? That is but gossip twisted and blown up. I have never ONCE been so blind as to levy discipline for any fault." He shakes his head "There is no fault in all these rumours, gossip and in some like you Kitwane - the general distaste for my personality. It is completely natural and understandable, and i am sure if i were in your position i would be inclined to feel similarily." Wow, Max is certainly quite the eloquent orator! "I am not Yaro's offspring. I am romantically involved with your sister and cousin. I was far to eager and curious as a kit, of course i'm perceived to be inadequate to be the chosen successor. All i ask of both of you is to look past the gossip and the tendency to judge superficially and actually examine and judge me for ME. I think you will find that I am not all the things you believe me to be. Yaro has raised and taught me well. You are both intelligent, kind, caring meerkats - I know that you are both capable - if you chose, to actually get to know who i really am, and how much i love this colony, and how the reason Yaro chose me was not because i was exemplerary in any one way but because he saw in me the ability to care, the ability to bring out the strength in others whose skill far surpassed mine, and mostly, the ability to acknowledge my own faults." Finally, he shuts up!
Masiri glances over at Max and chuckles softly as he says, "If the colony was run on strength alone, we wouldn't be like we are now. But, I do see your point Max." He smirks once more as he says, "Though I have beaten you in sparring. In a match of the minds, you would beat my paws down. I can't win against your smarts." When Morowa says that Mavidi wasn't real, Masiri looks over at her like she has committed some unspeakable horror onto the colony. "Mavidi was my sister, Morowa. Your cousin." His voice deadly calm, though the grip on his staff is tight and his hand is shaking. "She was the most caring meerkat in this colony. She loved everyone and everything and vice versa. She touched the hearts of every meerkat that she met, and she was the light of Zagaa's life. When Zagaa was still living, he thought about Mavidi almost everyday." He takes in a deep breath and lets it out raggedly. "When Mavidi died. No one. I repeat, no one could feel as badly as I could. I sat there. Frightened. Scared. As my sister was killed right in front of my eyes." He glares at Morowa, "Even my mother and father felt my pain. It was no where near to any pain any of you have felt. You say that Mavidi never existed because you weren't alive when she was with us. To you," he swings his staff to point over at Mavidi's grave, "That is just some rock that people cry over. But to the ones that remember Mavidi, the ones that remember her care and love. That is the place where the light and warmth of the Min'Men lays." He growls slightly at the shekat and says, "Don't you /ever/ say that Mavidi is just a myth again."
Kitwane sighs and does his best to look bored and indifferent, even if he knows inside that Max is right. He really *is* the one to be the colony's successor... but that's only because he was groomed to be since he was a child. Kitwane was just another meerkat to his parents... for that reason alone he will never accept that Max really does have 'the right stuff.' If he'd just tried harder... been brought up to believe there was a *chance* for him to be the same... Kit could have done it, he's sure. But he's too old now, passed over and never given the opportunity in the first place until he was too old to turn back and try it for himself. "By the time you finished that speech, half of us could be dead from an attack," he shoots back. "I don't go for words, Max, I go for action, thank you very much. You're ever gonna get my trust after supplanting me before I was *born*, you better not mess up when I'm around." He's interrupted by Masiri and watches him carefully. He turns back to Morowa and gives her a "I told you so" look.
"
Morowa is hushed into silence. So Mavidi was real. Morowa was wrong. And yet, she was right about Kitwane being jealous about Max. "You thought you held some kind of *birthright,* Kitwane? Mom and dad *love* us with all their heart. That's enough for me!"
"I believe 'beat' is a generous term Masiri" Max actually grins "I think kicked my tail to the point of abject and complete humiliation would be more true!" He lightly squeezes his girlfriends shoulder as he speaks "As for me trumping you in a match of the minds? Hardly! The strength of our colony lies not in besting each other but in bringing forward each of our strenghts together. It's not about winning or losing or who is better and worse, every single meerkat in this colony is as important as the next. " The absolute passion with which he speaks this is almost startling, clearly Max believes what he says down to the very core of his being. Then he looks to Kitwane, almost sadly. "You are a better meerkat then you choose to portary yourself through your speech Kitwane. I *know* you do not believe that, not truly, your heart is to good. Perhaps it is easier to hide behind how you believe i have faulted you then to be the meerkat you are. Easier to blame me completely, to find fault in everything in your life through something that all is rooted in me. Your anger needs an outlet and i am that target." he goes quiet "You know, when Yaro first told me of his choice for me, how FRIGHTENED i was? I didn't want it! I was terrified! that sort of responsibility, that sort of....fate. The mark of leadership is the mark of burden. Yaro is well loved and adored here, but by chosing me, i who do not have that natural adoration within our colony - i became the fault of every ill. It was the hardest thing i've ever had to endure - but now, i am glad for it, because it has made me strong enough to seperate my feelings from who i am and what i do. Nothing can be said about me that has not been said, but i've learned that what is said is not who i am. I no longer cower as i did as a juvenile weeping for I truly believe that eventually most will see me for me, and not as the meerkat who others bond by malicious talk of me." So serious, this one. "It's slow, but since my appointment i have shown many through my actions who i am. Many still talk, but many don't any more. I hope one day, you will be one of those that don't." Having finished his monologue like speech towards Kitwane, before turnign back to Masiri and Morowa. "My darling 'kat" he says to Morowa "Masiri speaks true. We dishonour the dead by such speech. I know you meant it only in jest, but truly.....Mavidi was like sunrise incarnate. She brought light, and life everywhere she went. She inspired greatness simply through being herself, never before have i ever encountered anyone 'kat or not who was .....so good. If she had any fault, it was only how blankly and completely she loved and trusted. Which is not a fault at all, solely something none of us can ever imagine posessing. it is an injustice to her memory , and of those to knew her, to question her existence. Or the pain Masiri lived through." he finishes quietly.
Masiri looks back at Max and chuckles weakly as he says, "I didn't beat you that hard, did I?" He shrugs slightly as he then looks down at the staff and looks back at Morowa. "Morowa, the day Mavidi died. I took it upon myself to protect this colony, in the name of her. On this staff," He turns the staff in his hand to show the symbols to the shekat, "is Mavidi's name. In a memory to help me protect this colony with her light and love." Don't forget Kato's training along with like the entire colonies. He glances back at Max and chuckles a bit more, "Thanks Max. Literally took the words right out of my mouth with that one. But you have a way with words that I can't comprehend." He looks back at Kitwane and says, "You really do need to calm down. She's not doing some great misdoing by being with Max. Besides, you need to be with the digging crew. They haven't listened to anyone else before you came along."
Kitwane ppths quietly. "Sure they love us. They love us like we love our food." He stares at Max. "A parent's not supposed to consider someone over their own children before they've even got a chance to prove themselves," he says, almost in a whisper. "And what do *you* have to complain about, Mora?" he says accusingly. He shoulda just been left alone today... arguing with dad just got his dander up like a lion in heat who just got into a bout with a hippo what just got a hemorrhage after sitting on a crocodile with a toothache. "Suddenly set up to be the girlfriend of the colony's heir, oh yes, real easy for you to say, 'go and dig, little brother, everything will be fine!'" He looks around at all the others. "It's real easy to talk about being medicore when you all have done so much and have so much left to do. Well fine, Masi, I'll go dig. Leave you all to your grand, happy futures and glory laden pasts. See ya 'round. Don't forget to thank me for building *your* future homes!" he says petulantly, then turns about and marches off in a huff.
Morowa sighs. "Why does he make this so hard? Maybe I should just end it, Max, to make Kitwane happy." she says.
"Morowa" Max turns towards his girlfriend with a slight frown "If what you TRULY want is not to be with me, i would never for a second stand in the way of that. But is doing what you think kitwane wants going to solve anything? Should i in turn, relinquish my position and insist yaro agree with it? Should Masiri in turn disagree with me, and hate me for Kitwane? Should your father change a decision he made eons ago solely to prove to his son that he loves him under the circumstances kitwane demands? No. Kitwane sees me as an enemy, he believes i usurped his birthright. He believes your parents who love you all equally beyond any others, who would DIE for you, wronged him and made him the equivalent of..of food solely because yaro named me in his stead. Morowa, you cannot live your life and make your choices out of the misguided anger of someone you love. If you want to end it because you do, then do it, but if its solely to abate your brothers anger? That is foolish, and will only feed his misplaced anger rather then help solve it." He glances at Masiri "What do you think?"
Masiri glances back at Max after gazing back at Mavidi's grave for a short while and he looks back at Kitwane as he leaves. He hms slightly and then sighs as he looks back at Morowa and says, "Go to your brother. What he needs now is a sister to talk to him. To be there for him since he's confused about basically life. I've only had that for a short while, but I've had the colony behind me, comforting me for my loss. Kitwane doesn't have that. He needs his sister to talk to him." He glances back at Max and grins slightly as he then looks back at Kitwane and sighs. "He reminds me of myself when Mavidi died. He really does need you, Morowa." At the last sentence, he looks back at Morowa and grins slightly once more.
Morowa nods, turns around, and heads for the tunnels.
Max watches the love of his young life follow her brother, and a strange smile is on his face. Now, those pensive optics of the young heir turn towards Masiri, with deep interest. "It seems we've both learned a lot about each other tonight." He pauses "You were trained by Kato? From the reports i've heard you have moved up quickly within the ranks of the sentry. I have heard you are both smart, stubborn to the point of insubordiation if the occasion rises and ....well, many other things."
Masiri grins slightly as he leans against his staff that he plants into the ground and he looks over at Max. "Indeed that we learned much about each other." He grins slightly as he says, "I've been trained by more then just Kato. Zagaa, my father, Khul, and even a few lions have had a hand in my training. Though the main meerkat that has had an impact would have to be Kato. He's taught me the bulk of my skills." At the last part, he laughs a bit as he says, "I've actually ordered Dani when I was a kit. So, I guess you can say that I am stubborn, but I'm not that stubborn. I do tell them my point on the matter." He grins slightly as he then says, "What other things describe me?"
"When it comes down to it, descriptions are just adjectives which are just words. And as Kitwane pointed out so diplomatically, words apparently mean nothing" The young heir has relaxed slightly, even if it is to such an imperceptable degree that only the most observant of meerkats would note it. "You're completely different then anyone i've ever met" He blurts out, a moment later his face reflects complete surprise at that verbal admission.
Masiri gives a small grin as he says, "And you aren't like the assumptions that everyone says of you. Half of the colony thinks you are an angel. A perfect match for dominant angel. The other half things almost the complete opposite. Me, I don't really care what life brings the colony. If you become the dominant male, I will be behind you all the way. If you aren't meant to be. I'll still be your friend and help you when I can." He grins a bit as he then looks behind him and spots two Sentries messing around and he looks around. Spotting a discarded staff, a rather dull one at that, he smirks. He sets down his own staff and picks up the discarded one. He glances back at the sentries and hurls the staff with expert precision, with it konking one of the sentries on the head. "Get back to your posts, ya idiots!" He mutters to himself as he picks his staff back up and looks back at Max. "Sentries...can't keep 'em in line."
"You disobey orders." Max says thoughtfully. Then his grin widens "I like that, actually. I also like that you weren't so blinded by others opinions after you actually talked to me. A meerkat who actually LISTENS, amazing!" he chuckles "Yup, at first everyone despised me on principle. A reclusive, slightly annoying, kiss-ass kit appointed as successor? Yeah." he shrugs "Then, slowly, as time passed, some of the more influential meerkats observed me in action and changed their minds - though i think, irritation at kitwanes constant diatribes about his right to the thrown probably helped -. Once a few change their mind, others do to. Amazing isn't it? How the majority of opinion is formed through association rather than fact. Now The current split would be amusing if it weren't so sad. Some 'kats decided to sing my glory solely because another 'kat they dislike DIDN'T like me. " he pauses "Truth be told, i'd rather be hated or loved by choice rather then fad or fashion. I'd like to be judged by myself, right now i'm mostly a pawn in every disagreement you could think of. In some ways i almost preferred it when yaro's appointment of me was universally loathed."
Masiri glances back at the two sentries and smirks slightly when the one he hit gets up and heads back to his post, a bit shaky though. He looks back at Max and laughs a bit as he says, "Yeah, a meerkat who isn't sucked in by the mass opinion of the colony. How about that." He rolls his right shoulder and he says, "To be honest. Though I thought you were a bit annoying as a kit. I didn't right out dislike you. I actually liked you when I was a kit." He grins a bit as he then says, "Disobeying orders if something that I can do in my sleep. I mean, I disobeyed Yaro many a time. One of them was disobeying him by going to try and save my own father."
Max grins broadly "That's right! You were the one who went to the pridelands to search for Lindani! I remember being so jealous! All these tales of adventure. Lindani and Masanii (sp?) fighting off an eagle to save the Queen of the pridelands daughter! They met both king and queen! My goodness, to be a meerkat and gain such prestige as to be announced as honoured guests to a whole pride! I'd have loved to be there. To grin up to every lioness and be thinking "You can't eat me! nah nah nah boo boo!" This sudden display of mischief again catches Max by surprise as his earlier candor did. Masiri seems to have an unsettling effect on the solemn young meerkat, as in unprovoked displays of his actual personality. Twice in one night so far!
Meerkats There = Kitwane = The angry son of Yaro
Morowa = The lovestruck daughter of Yaro
Max = The Min'Men successor
Masiri = The Legendary Sentry in the making
Morowa smiles and looks at her little brother. "I was just down in the colony, taking care of the kits in the nursery. They like to get themselves in no end of trouble." she says and chuckles. "What about you? Digging going well for you?"
Kitwane freezes up a tiny bit, but the smile is always on his face. "Ohh, yes, yes, indeed," he says happily, rubbing his paws together. "Nothing like grabbing the dirt up, and moving it around, and grabbing it, and moving it again... it's the life!" he says, looking like a bigger fibber than a kit caught with his paw in the storage bin with a grin on his face and grub muck in his teeth.
Standing on a branch in the sole tree of the colony, Masiri looks out over the home that he protects along with the other sentries. The voices of his two cousins grab his attention as he turns around on the lowest branch of the tree and he glances down at the two meerkats and he gives a wave to them. A bit too far away to talk comfortably.
Morowa hasn't notices Masiri yet. "Come on! It's an important job! And I thought you said you liked it!" she says. "I mean, it's a low pressure job. Can you imagine what dad has to do every day? Or even Max?" she asks. When she says 'Max' it is clear that her relationship with the future Dominant Male has developed.
Kitwane ppths and waves off both topics much easier than Morowa brought them up. "Ahh, you know mom makes all the decisions nowadays," he says simply. "All Max has to do is strut around and shadow them and he'll do fine." Low pressure his footpaw! Has she *been* with some of the squad leaders?
Masiri rolls his eyes as he isn't noticed. "Great, I hate it when I'm ignored." He climbs down off of the lowest branch and starts to head over to his two cousins. A small yawn escaping from his muzzle as it's been a slightly boring day. Not much to do as a sentry right now.
Morowa's anger boils. "Max is a *good* meerkat! He does a great job! I love him!" she says, defending her future mate. Grr! "What do you know?"
Kitwane holds up his paws as his normally calm sister suddenly snaps at him. "Hey! That *is* what I know! What's with you, anyway?" he asks worriedly. He looks up as Masiri comes down, thankful for a distraction. "Hey, look! It's cousin Masi!" he says loudly, pointing at the other adolescent. "Let's go see if *he* has anything to say about this."
Masiri stops in his tracks as he sets the end of his staff down and then leans on it as he looks over at his cousins. His voice soft for a meerkat that looks like he can snap you in two, "Have anything to say about what? I doubt I could have anything."
Morowa points at Masiri. "He's just angry that Max got to be dad's successor and not him. I'm just happy to be a babysitter. And Max is the biggest sweetheart in the colony! I bet you there was nobody in this colony that has ever been more loved!" she challenges, pretty sure in her stance about Max being some sort of loving and loved meerkat of all history.
Kitwane mockingly repeats what Morowa says behind her back, sticking his tongue and making 'blah blah blah' motions with his paws. When she turns back he drops the act. "Well what about you, Mora?" he says with a shake of his head. "*Everybody* loves you. Even *I* love you! Max is your sweetheart, sure, but does he *have* a sweet heart? He's got headfur like a drill instructor and the voice to match! Right Masi?!" He whirls on the older meerkat and fixes him with a "You'd better agree" type look on his face.
Masiri chuckles slightly as he says, "Max may be a sweetheart to some people. But to other, he isn't the meerkat you know and love." He glances over at Kitwane and then says, "Max does have the headfur of a drill instructor, and the voice to match. But he doesn't have the muscle to back it up."
Morowa turns at Masiri. "But cousin Masiri! He's only doing what daddy tells him to!" she says hastily. "He is the most loving meerkat ever! No meerkat ever has loved as much as he." Then she calms down and takes a deep breath. "Yeah, okay, the hair is kind of silly."
Kitwane ah has! loudly and points at Morowa's nose. "There! See?! Only doing what daddy tells him to, you said it yourself! How does *that* make a great leader? All this obsession with orders and organization and do this or I'll fire you attitude. Sure, we need order, we're meerkats, and we dig in synch, even if the song is stupid, but come on! When has the guy ever done something without someone telling him to?" And don't mention the kiss... Kitwane's blood still boils thinking about that. Stupid Max. His sister was too good for him.
Masiri chuckles slightly as he says, "Well, if it makes you better. I've beaten Max in a spar once or twice, Kitwane. He may be the heir to the colony, but he isn't one for besting me in a fight." He looks over at Morowa and says, "Though I doubt that your love for Max can't beat the love that my father has for my mother. Even your parents can't compare to that."
Max makes his entrance upon the scene quietly, without fanfare or anger. Though the tension seems to crackle thickly within those gathered, the rather solemn faced adolescent does not seem perturbed. Evenly his gaze moves between all of those gathered. "Good evening, Masiri, Kitwane..." a pause and his voice notibly warms "And Morowa, you look lovely this evening." Whether or not Max has overheard the discussion is unclear at first - until he speaks again. "I'd think, if you had such problems with me you might speak to myself, so that i may address them." His voice is quiet, but the strength of spirit his gaze belays is not missed.
Morowa sighs. What? Now he's saying his parents don't love each other like *his* parents do? And never mind this mystery 'Mavidi' meerkat she hears about every now and then. She's beginning to think Mavidi was some myth. No meerkat could be *that* loving and trusting of everybody! She's mostly just tired of people harping on her boyfriend. She turns and sees Max approach and smiles. Max would always stand by her. She walks over and gives Max a kiss and a hug.
Kitwane hmphs and crosses his arms he sees Morowa kissing Max. Ohh, you look lovely this evening darling! Why thank you dear boyfriend, I think I'll slobber you now! Don't mind if you do! Feh. The sight of his sister doing that... especially with Max... riles him and everyone knows it. How was he supposed to protect her if she was going around kissing everyone she met? He looks away when Max mentions bringing whatever issues he has forward. He doesn't *have* to talk to him about anything. Neener neener.
The only meerkat that would know the full effect of Mavidi would be Masiri. He glances over at Max and says, "Evening, Max. I have no problems with you. I'm just stating a few things really." He gives a small shrug as he then looks away when Morowa kisses Max and he gives a small gag at that. He hates that lovey dovey stuff. He mutters to himself as he then looks at his staff and sighs slightly, remembering Mavidi when he looked at Morowa. Kitwane having a sister reminds Masiri of Mavidi and the symbols on his staff are an everlasting reminder. Though this is a different staff that he has now. He glances back at Kitwane and leans closer to him and whispers something into his ear before he leans back and looks back out at the other sentries.
You whisper, "I envy you. You have a sister to protect, mine was taken. " to Kitwane.
Morowa huggles Max. "You don't believe that 'Mavidi' story, do you?" everyone seems to think she was real." she says.
"Firstly, to address the opinion that i am but a lacky - I would object. Yes my loyalty to Yaro is complete. However, that does not mean I do not disagree with him if my opinion differs, which from time to time it does, and rather strongly." He pauses as Morowa approaches him and greets her with equal warmth, putting an arm around her shoulder in solidarity. "However - at the end of the day no matter how strongly i may disagree with our leaders decisions, i bow to his greater wisdom and rank. He is the head of this colony, and has years more knowledge and experience in matters than I." Calmly he takes a breath "As for all this talk of 'muscle to back it up' and my worth as a meerkat being evaluated because as Masiri so accurately pointed out, he has bested me in sparring...I would question your evaluation of a leader being based solely upon brute strength or the propensity for violence to solve problems. " His voice is still quiet "Absolutely if physical strength in sparring was the most important quality to lead this colony, i would fail miserably. I am not the strongest, nor am I the best digger, or the best sentry or the best healer. What Yaro has taught me is that bringing out these strengths in others, while being honest about ones own faults is what makes someone capable to lead. As for me being a tyrant, and threatning to fire meerkats left right and centre? That is but gossip twisted and blown up. I have never ONCE been so blind as to levy discipline for any fault." He shakes his head "There is no fault in all these rumours, gossip and in some like you Kitwane - the general distaste for my personality. It is completely natural and understandable, and i am sure if i were in your position i would be inclined to feel similarily." Wow, Max is certainly quite the eloquent orator! "I am not Yaro's offspring. I am romantically involved with your sister and cousin. I was far to eager and curious as a kit, of course i'm perceived to be inadequate to be the chosen successor. All i ask of both of you is to look past the gossip and the tendency to judge superficially and actually examine and judge me for ME. I think you will find that I am not all the things you believe me to be. Yaro has raised and taught me well. You are both intelligent, kind, caring meerkats - I know that you are both capable - if you chose, to actually get to know who i really am, and how much i love this colony, and how the reason Yaro chose me was not because i was exemplerary in any one way but because he saw in me the ability to care, the ability to bring out the strength in others whose skill far surpassed mine, and mostly, the ability to acknowledge my own faults." Finally, he shuts up!
Masiri glances over at Max and chuckles softly as he says, "If the colony was run on strength alone, we wouldn't be like we are now. But, I do see your point Max." He smirks once more as he says, "Though I have beaten you in sparring. In a match of the minds, you would beat my paws down. I can't win against your smarts." When Morowa says that Mavidi wasn't real, Masiri looks over at her like she has committed some unspeakable horror onto the colony. "Mavidi was my sister, Morowa. Your cousin." His voice deadly calm, though the grip on his staff is tight and his hand is shaking. "She was the most caring meerkat in this colony. She loved everyone and everything and vice versa. She touched the hearts of every meerkat that she met, and she was the light of Zagaa's life. When Zagaa was still living, he thought about Mavidi almost everyday." He takes in a deep breath and lets it out raggedly. "When Mavidi died. No one. I repeat, no one could feel as badly as I could. I sat there. Frightened. Scared. As my sister was killed right in front of my eyes." He glares at Morowa, "Even my mother and father felt my pain. It was no where near to any pain any of you have felt. You say that Mavidi never existed because you weren't alive when she was with us. To you," he swings his staff to point over at Mavidi's grave, "That is just some rock that people cry over. But to the ones that remember Mavidi, the ones that remember her care and love. That is the place where the light and warmth of the Min'Men lays." He growls slightly at the shekat and says, "Don't you /ever/ say that Mavidi is just a myth again."
Kitwane sighs and does his best to look bored and indifferent, even if he knows inside that Max is right. He really *is* the one to be the colony's successor... but that's only because he was groomed to be since he was a child. Kitwane was just another meerkat to his parents... for that reason alone he will never accept that Max really does have 'the right stuff.' If he'd just tried harder... been brought up to believe there was a *chance* for him to be the same... Kit could have done it, he's sure. But he's too old now, passed over and never given the opportunity in the first place until he was too old to turn back and try it for himself. "By the time you finished that speech, half of us could be dead from an attack," he shoots back. "I don't go for words, Max, I go for action, thank you very much. You're ever gonna get my trust after supplanting me before I was *born*, you better not mess up when I'm around." He's interrupted by Masiri and watches him carefully. He turns back to Morowa and gives her a "I told you so" look.
"
Morowa is hushed into silence. So Mavidi was real. Morowa was wrong. And yet, she was right about Kitwane being jealous about Max. "You thought you held some kind of *birthright,* Kitwane? Mom and dad *love* us with all their heart. That's enough for me!"
"I believe 'beat' is a generous term Masiri" Max actually grins "I think kicked my tail to the point of abject and complete humiliation would be more true!" He lightly squeezes his girlfriends shoulder as he speaks "As for me trumping you in a match of the minds? Hardly! The strength of our colony lies not in besting each other but in bringing forward each of our strenghts together. It's not about winning or losing or who is better and worse, every single meerkat in this colony is as important as the next. " The absolute passion with which he speaks this is almost startling, clearly Max believes what he says down to the very core of his being. Then he looks to Kitwane, almost sadly. "You are a better meerkat then you choose to portary yourself through your speech Kitwane. I *know* you do not believe that, not truly, your heart is to good. Perhaps it is easier to hide behind how you believe i have faulted you then to be the meerkat you are. Easier to blame me completely, to find fault in everything in your life through something that all is rooted in me. Your anger needs an outlet and i am that target." he goes quiet "You know, when Yaro first told me of his choice for me, how FRIGHTENED i was? I didn't want it! I was terrified! that sort of responsibility, that sort of....fate. The mark of leadership is the mark of burden. Yaro is well loved and adored here, but by chosing me, i who do not have that natural adoration within our colony - i became the fault of every ill. It was the hardest thing i've ever had to endure - but now, i am glad for it, because it has made me strong enough to seperate my feelings from who i am and what i do. Nothing can be said about me that has not been said, but i've learned that what is said is not who i am. I no longer cower as i did as a juvenile weeping for I truly believe that eventually most will see me for me, and not as the meerkat who others bond by malicious talk of me." So serious, this one. "It's slow, but since my appointment i have shown many through my actions who i am. Many still talk, but many don't any more. I hope one day, you will be one of those that don't." Having finished his monologue like speech towards Kitwane, before turnign back to Masiri and Morowa. "My darling 'kat" he says to Morowa "Masiri speaks true. We dishonour the dead by such speech. I know you meant it only in jest, but truly.....Mavidi was like sunrise incarnate. She brought light, and life everywhere she went. She inspired greatness simply through being herself, never before have i ever encountered anyone 'kat or not who was .....so good. If she had any fault, it was only how blankly and completely she loved and trusted. Which is not a fault at all, solely something none of us can ever imagine posessing. it is an injustice to her memory , and of those to knew her, to question her existence. Or the pain Masiri lived through." he finishes quietly.
Masiri looks back at Max and chuckles weakly as he says, "I didn't beat you that hard, did I?" He shrugs slightly as he then looks down at the staff and looks back at Morowa. "Morowa, the day Mavidi died. I took it upon myself to protect this colony, in the name of her. On this staff," He turns the staff in his hand to show the symbols to the shekat, "is Mavidi's name. In a memory to help me protect this colony with her light and love." Don't forget Kato's training along with like the entire colonies. He glances back at Max and chuckles a bit more, "Thanks Max. Literally took the words right out of my mouth with that one. But you have a way with words that I can't comprehend." He looks back at Kitwane and says, "You really do need to calm down. She's not doing some great misdoing by being with Max. Besides, you need to be with the digging crew. They haven't listened to anyone else before you came along."
Kitwane ppths quietly. "Sure they love us. They love us like we love our food." He stares at Max. "A parent's not supposed to consider someone over their own children before they've even got a chance to prove themselves," he says, almost in a whisper. "And what do *you* have to complain about, Mora?" he says accusingly. He shoulda just been left alone today... arguing with dad just got his dander up like a lion in heat who just got into a bout with a hippo what just got a hemorrhage after sitting on a crocodile with a toothache. "Suddenly set up to be the girlfriend of the colony's heir, oh yes, real easy for you to say, 'go and dig, little brother, everything will be fine!'" He looks around at all the others. "It's real easy to talk about being medicore when you all have done so much and have so much left to do. Well fine, Masi, I'll go dig. Leave you all to your grand, happy futures and glory laden pasts. See ya 'round. Don't forget to thank me for building *your* future homes!" he says petulantly, then turns about and marches off in a huff.
Morowa sighs. "Why does he make this so hard? Maybe I should just end it, Max, to make Kitwane happy." she says.
"Morowa" Max turns towards his girlfriend with a slight frown "If what you TRULY want is not to be with me, i would never for a second stand in the way of that. But is doing what you think kitwane wants going to solve anything? Should i in turn, relinquish my position and insist yaro agree with it? Should Masiri in turn disagree with me, and hate me for Kitwane? Should your father change a decision he made eons ago solely to prove to his son that he loves him under the circumstances kitwane demands? No. Kitwane sees me as an enemy, he believes i usurped his birthright. He believes your parents who love you all equally beyond any others, who would DIE for you, wronged him and made him the equivalent of..of food solely because yaro named me in his stead. Morowa, you cannot live your life and make your choices out of the misguided anger of someone you love. If you want to end it because you do, then do it, but if its solely to abate your brothers anger? That is foolish, and will only feed his misplaced anger rather then help solve it." He glances at Masiri "What do you think?"
Masiri glances back at Max after gazing back at Mavidi's grave for a short while and he looks back at Kitwane as he leaves. He hms slightly and then sighs as he looks back at Morowa and says, "Go to your brother. What he needs now is a sister to talk to him. To be there for him since he's confused about basically life. I've only had that for a short while, but I've had the colony behind me, comforting me for my loss. Kitwane doesn't have that. He needs his sister to talk to him." He glances back at Max and grins slightly as he then looks back at Kitwane and sighs. "He reminds me of myself when Mavidi died. He really does need you, Morowa." At the last sentence, he looks back at Morowa and grins slightly once more.
Morowa nods, turns around, and heads for the tunnels.
Max watches the love of his young life follow her brother, and a strange smile is on his face. Now, those pensive optics of the young heir turn towards Masiri, with deep interest. "It seems we've both learned a lot about each other tonight." He pauses "You were trained by Kato? From the reports i've heard you have moved up quickly within the ranks of the sentry. I have heard you are both smart, stubborn to the point of insubordiation if the occasion rises and ....well, many other things."
Masiri grins slightly as he leans against his staff that he plants into the ground and he looks over at Max. "Indeed that we learned much about each other." He grins slightly as he says, "I've been trained by more then just Kato. Zagaa, my father, Khul, and even a few lions have had a hand in my training. Though the main meerkat that has had an impact would have to be Kato. He's taught me the bulk of my skills." At the last part, he laughs a bit as he says, "I've actually ordered Dani when I was a kit. So, I guess you can say that I am stubborn, but I'm not that stubborn. I do tell them my point on the matter." He grins slightly as he then says, "What other things describe me?"
"When it comes down to it, descriptions are just adjectives which are just words. And as Kitwane pointed out so diplomatically, words apparently mean nothing" The young heir has relaxed slightly, even if it is to such an imperceptable degree that only the most observant of meerkats would note it. "You're completely different then anyone i've ever met" He blurts out, a moment later his face reflects complete surprise at that verbal admission.
Masiri gives a small grin as he says, "And you aren't like the assumptions that everyone says of you. Half of the colony thinks you are an angel. A perfect match for dominant angel. The other half things almost the complete opposite. Me, I don't really care what life brings the colony. If you become the dominant male, I will be behind you all the way. If you aren't meant to be. I'll still be your friend and help you when I can." He grins a bit as he then looks behind him and spots two Sentries messing around and he looks around. Spotting a discarded staff, a rather dull one at that, he smirks. He sets down his own staff and picks up the discarded one. He glances back at the sentries and hurls the staff with expert precision, with it konking one of the sentries on the head. "Get back to your posts, ya idiots!" He mutters to himself as he picks his staff back up and looks back at Max. "Sentries...can't keep 'em in line."
"You disobey orders." Max says thoughtfully. Then his grin widens "I like that, actually. I also like that you weren't so blinded by others opinions after you actually talked to me. A meerkat who actually LISTENS, amazing!" he chuckles "Yup, at first everyone despised me on principle. A reclusive, slightly annoying, kiss-ass kit appointed as successor? Yeah." he shrugs "Then, slowly, as time passed, some of the more influential meerkats observed me in action and changed their minds - though i think, irritation at kitwanes constant diatribes about his right to the thrown probably helped -. Once a few change their mind, others do to. Amazing isn't it? How the majority of opinion is formed through association rather than fact. Now The current split would be amusing if it weren't so sad. Some 'kats decided to sing my glory solely because another 'kat they dislike DIDN'T like me. " he pauses "Truth be told, i'd rather be hated or loved by choice rather then fad or fashion. I'd like to be judged by myself, right now i'm mostly a pawn in every disagreement you could think of. In some ways i almost preferred it when yaro's appointment of me was universally loathed."
Masiri glances back at the two sentries and smirks slightly when the one he hit gets up and heads back to his post, a bit shaky though. He looks back at Max and laughs a bit as he says, "Yeah, a meerkat who isn't sucked in by the mass opinion of the colony. How about that." He rolls his right shoulder and he says, "To be honest. Though I thought you were a bit annoying as a kit. I didn't right out dislike you. I actually liked you when I was a kit." He grins a bit as he then says, "Disobeying orders if something that I can do in my sleep. I mean, I disobeyed Yaro many a time. One of them was disobeying him by going to try and save my own father."
Max grins broadly "That's right! You were the one who went to the pridelands to search for Lindani! I remember being so jealous! All these tales of adventure. Lindani and Masanii (sp?) fighting off an eagle to save the Queen of the pridelands daughter! They met both king and queen! My goodness, to be a meerkat and gain such prestige as to be announced as honoured guests to a whole pride! I'd have loved to be there. To grin up to every lioness and be thinking "You can't eat me! nah nah nah boo boo!" This sudden display of mischief again catches Max by surprise as his earlier candor did. Masiri seems to have an unsettling effect on the solemn young meerkat, as in unprovoked displays of his actual personality. Twice in one night so far!
And omg, that Max.