Post by Isoba on Oct 20, 2006 15:36:40 GMT -5
Palandasya - Inside the Majestic Kopje
Olumide, bumped-off king of Palandasya
Uzuri, Palandasya lioness cub
Sarafina, Palandasya lioness cub
Sabiri, lioness, mother of Uzuri and Sarafina
*****************
Sabiri had spent the greater part of the prior day and the night looking for Chioh at Adhama's behest without finding a trace of him. Finally she'd laid down for a couple hours' rest and awoke with the sun. Returning into the cavern to check on her daughters, Sabiri blinks as she sees Chioh sitting there and she rolls her eyes with a sigh in an 'it figures' manner, huffing to herself. How typical. A tailflick later and she's in the cavern, seeking out her cubs.
Uzuri is sleeping, her head is beginning to show signs of an OMG!black mane, although it is very *very* short. She's sleeping soundly, huddled up to Tunu and the only non-cursed of Sabiri's children, Sarafina. She looks nice and comfortable.
Ah, there they are. Sabiri averts her path toward the three cubs, not at all surprised that they're still here, obeying her wishes as obviously Tunu had relayed to them. It's not until she gets closer that she notices obvious black fur around Uzuri's neck and she blinks, pausing mid-step. Her brows lower as curiosity grows and she gets close enough to lower her muzzle and drag her combing tongue along the cub's fur. She's probably just dirt... it doesn't come off. "... Uzu," she says quietly to avoid waking the others, moving a paw forward to nudge the cub awake. "Uzu wake up.."
Uzuri bats sleepily at her mother's paw, not really thinking or waking up or anything. She groans and yawns, and continues to sleep. Yeah, this feels nice. She's dreaming that none of these curses happened.
Sabiri's brows lower a little more but she can't help a grin that tugs at the corners of her lips. "Uuuuzuuuu..." she says softly before nudging her muzzle up underneath the cub's chin to lift her head and nuzzle her at the same time. "Time to wake uuuuuup.." Not really, but Sabi has some questions, dammit.
Uzuri mmmrppphws and wakes up. Awww. She was having such a pleasant dream. "Mooom? Why do I gotta wake up? I'm still shleepy!" she says, and looks at her sisters. Poor Tunu. Is she gonna forget how to speak? How can she help her?
Sarafina urgghs and turns over in the midst of her slumber. What an unusual dream she had had last night! She had dreamed that Chioh had turned into a big, black demon, and that ghost had come back, but ghosts didn’t exist… and that ghost had cursed Uzu, too, though Saffy hadn’t been awake for that…’twas only a dream…a nice, dreamy dream…Saffy sits up, rubbing her eyes, and promptly shrieks loud enough to awaken the entire den. It WASN’T a dream after all.
"Because I want to know what you got into yesterday," Sabiri says while she lays down on her belly in front of the miniature lioness. When Sabiri wants information, she doesn't care who has to wake up to give it to her. Besides, what with Tunu's predicament, she's growing rather concerned for her daughters. "Why is your fur black in spots around your neck?" She looks over the sparse dark fur that'd started growing in, making it look like Uzu got peppered. Her ears flatten back and she winces at the sound of a girlscream - you know those high-pitched ones - and quickly moves her forepaw to clap her pads over Sarafina's muzzle. "Sara! Shh!"
Uzuri blinks and thinks a moment. What was her momma talking abou-- OH NOES! Uzuri freaks out for a solid two minutes. "Oh man! I musta been hit by that creepy stupid ghost!" she says in a panic. Now her mother will hate her, Chioh will exile her, the meerkat colony will drop dead, and the sun will never rise again!
Horrified, Sarafina can do nothing but gibber but a few long moments, pressing up tightly against her mom for much-needed comfort, shying as far away from the demonic apparition as lion-ly possible. She points a finger at her sister and splutters incomprehensibly. "B-b-b-but mom! Uzu looks like a little d-demonchild! Just like
UNCLE!"
Sabiri rolls her eyes upward as she resettles her paw back on the cavern floor in front of her, twitching her tailtuft. "Saffy, your sister is /not/ a demon, and neither is your uncle," she says after comprehending Uzuri's explaination, her voice illustrating her mild frustration. At least it was easier than trying to get a story out of Tunu yesterday. Fortunatley Sabiri's already certified the story so Uzu doesn't have to go through the 'stop lying to me' portion like Tunu did. "And as for you," she looks back to her daughter in front of her forepaws, "what'd you do to anger the dead king?"
Uzuri eeps. Well... "He insulted daddy!" she says firmly. "He was being all mean and nasty and he was insulting Uncle Chioh, and I was mad about what happened to Tunu and I said daddy was better than that ghost and he blew on me and..." she stops and starts to cry. "I'm sorry, momma, I'm so sorry!"
Sarafina is still shaking quite badly, and she doesn't bother to try and conceal it. Now that her initial bout of fright had passed (after all, hadn't Tunu been cursed, too?), her natural penchant towards childish and (especially) sisterly empathy comes creeping back into her chest. The little lioness goes padding towards her eldest sister, a heartwrenchingly apologetic look deep in her face, which only multiplies exponentially at the sight of Uzuri crying. Uzu /never/ cried! Never around Saffy, at any rate. Nuzzle. "U-Uzu? I'm s-so sorry...just lost my head..."
This makes daughter number two that dead lion has nailed and Sabiri's protective fuse starts to burn, though certainly not aimed at her children. "It's alright, sweety, it's not your fault," she offers consolingly, moving her head forward to offer a soft nuzzle to Uzuri before Sarafina walks up. She thinks for a moment. There's parts of her past that she's never going to be able to escape and one of those is vengeance. What can she do to get back at a dead lion without getting herself in the same predicament as her cubs? That's something she'll have to think about. For now, though, while Sarafina shows affection to her sister, Sabiri has to be mom. "From now on, regardless what that dead fleabag says to or about anyone, I want all of you to ignore it. Stay away from it. Don't even go /near/ it. If you see it, just walk away. That goes especially for you, Sara." It's good to see the sisters getting along. At least they're comprehending her lessons on family. On that thought, her priority shifts from vengeance to what she knows is more important. "Now we need to figure out how to get you and Tunu better."
Uzuri nods wisely. "I wanna help Tunu get better, momma!" she says.
A blithe look appears on Sarafina’s face, and she turns her tear-streaked face up towards her mom. Oh, mom! Please, please- don’t let anything happen to you, /please/…but now, there was an unfamiliar feel about their beloved mother- something strange and bestial and very out of place- the glimmerings of which Saffy had experienced only a single time before, and which had scared her quite badly. It still did, even now. “I understand, mommy…I won’t, never, promise…” She looks hopefully up at her momma again. “Maybe if the reason that Uzu and Tunu and Uncle got cursed in the first place was because the ghost got mad…maybe we could somehow get him UN-mad?”
And here Sabiri was thinking of some way she could painfully destroy a ghost? Leave it to her daughter to place thoughts of sense into her mind. She looks down at Sarafina and 'hmmm's at the idea. A peaceful resolution would be better, wouldn't it? After all, peace /is/ why you moved here, Sabi. Duh. "You might have a good idea there," she commends and looks back over Uzuri's fur. Why black, of all things? Naturally she's got no idea that's a MANE growing in. She just thinks she's receiving the same fate as Chioh. "Do you guys have any ideas how to make a ghost un-mad?"
Uzuri pipes in. "Apologize?" she offers.
If Sarafina had given her mother any hopeful hint in her glance before, it was now totally offset by a vacant, crestfallen feeling that showed in her entire visage. But hey, at least momma wasn’t super-mom and vengeful-like any more! That was a plus. She tries to inject a bit of life into her stance as she forces herself to perk up. “Yeah, mom, Uzu has a point…but I don’t think just sayin’ sorry will quite cut it…after all, that ghost /was/ insulted pretty bad…”
Sabiri raises a forepaw to rub at the front of her muzzle as a thoughtful habit she's had since she was a cub, turning to look toward the kopje entrance. What /does/ one do to appease the dead? Offering of food won't help, the dead don't eat. Sacrifice? That thing better curse Sabi to death if it thinks it's getting another one of /her/ cubs. If she had a chance to talk to this.. ghost.. maybe she could better understand this whole thing. With a soft sigh she looks back down at her three DARLING CHILDREN ;o; and twitches her ear. "Did it ever say why it's here?" She asks.
Sarafina remains silent, her large, round-tipped ears collapsing inward like canvas tents. /She/ didn’t know…
There is someone there, though, that does know. Very well, in fact. And that someone is currently hovering about five feet over the heads of the lioness and her young below. A familiarly unsettling aura of cold begins to permeate the cavern...
Uzuri shivers coldly and snugs up to Sarafina. Not again! "M-momma! I think it's here!" she says.
Sabiri doesn't know what the heck it feels like to have a ghost around so the cold really doesn't register to her until Uzuri details the ghost's probable presence. Her brows lower and her jaw tightens, half of her wanting to hatefully scold the dead guy for what he did to her children, but she tries to remember that getting it angry will probably land her in the same boat o' misfortune her daughters are in. "Where?" She asks while pushing herself up to a seated posture by shuffling her forepaws.
A thought barely registers on Olumide's airy mind, and a bemused expression appears on his impalpable face at Sabiri's flicker of vengeful rigidity. Yes, my dear...become angry, so that I may have another cohort of the foolish King to fulfill my purpose upon...there, now... Drifting downwards, he solidifies his contours as best he can so that the lionesses below will be able to see him- but only the area around his scalp and shoulders, so that for all appearances there is a disembodied head and mane floating in mid-air. The mouth of this ghoulish head opens wide, and a ghastly red tongue, unnaturally long, lolls out to curl about a set of stained and broken canines. "You were saying, m'dear?"
Sabiri's eyes travel upward as the head descends once the echoing voice is heard and her eyes pop open wide upon first sight of it, ears flattening and pinning back tightly. Ew gross! But then after everything Sabiri's seen and done, the startle of first impressions fades and fear is not immediately present. If there ever was anything Sabiri was, however, it's an actress. That's part of what made her assassinations so simple. Thank god this dude wasn't someone she killed. That'd be .. mm.. bad. She quickly devises the first non-threatening way to greet the thing, unsure whether or not she's even speaking to a king. She'll find out soon enough, though. "Great spirit," she addresses just like she watched that crazed raven from her old pride do all the time, lifting herself to her paws to humbly bow before the long-tongued .. thing. "Forgive my impudence. My name is Sabiri. By what name may I address you?"
[OOC] Sabiri is thinking, "I hope that guy didn't die a virgin, 'cause I don't want to be the one to help him cross over.."
[OOC] Sarafina NO. Hint: Olu was the Caligula of TLK. There should be your hint. xDD
[OOC] Uzuri says, "That means nothing to me."
[OOC] Sabiri says, "What the hell's a Caligula? XD"
[OOC] You say, "As in Emperor Caligula. Y'know, the one obsessed with orgies and stuff. xD"
[OOC] Uzuri gets ready to be emotionally scared for life.
[OOC] Sabiri eyeballs. XDDD I'm the only female online!
[OOC] Sarafina is a female, too! =o
[OOC] Sabiri says, "Okay female ADULT then *LOL*"
[OOC] Olumide isn't a child rapist. Have n'fear. xD
[OOC] Uzuri says, "No, but she's be scarred to see it happen to her momma."
[OOC] Sabiri pages Sauti to come over and help her with an orgy.
[OOC] Sabiri says, "HAHA wouldn't be the first character I had raped c.c *eyes Kutamani*"
[OOC] You say, "How would a ghost...um, do it? They're not very...solid. If you get my gist. xD"
[OOC] Sabiri says, "So you're saying I have to fake it? XDD"
[OOC] Uzuri invites Musoke over.
[OOC] Sabiri says, "Waaaait... he wants to /watch/? o.Oa"
[OOC] Uzuri says, "Huh?"
[OOC] Sabiri is lost. XD
[OOC] Sarafina is, too. : o
[OOC] Uzuri is three.
[OOC] Sabiri says, "Okay back to RP *LOL*"
The head dips in response, and the edges of it slowly fade until it disappears altogether. But, Olumide is not gone! Oh, no! A few seconds later, the grey outline of a HUGE lion appears before the mother lioness. He must have been fearsome indeed in life, but now, in death, his mien bears only a fraction of that former might…his throat vacillates madly, and his streaming mane progresses through a rapid progression of cerulean blue and pinkish-gold, like a string of ghastly Christmas lights. A long, cool breath hisses out from between a pair of bluish lips. “You have nothing to be forgiven for. I am well pleased with you- thus far. You have shown none of the audacity that your daughters- excepting one-“ His gaze falls on the form of the sleeping Sarafina- “and your bedmate have shown.”
Sabiri can't help but feel that she's beginning a mental tug-of-war and there's a scoreboard hanging over her somewhere. She settles back down onto her haunches and curls her tail around her thigh to let her tuft tap the cavern floor as casually as it can. She harbors anger at what the thing did to her daughters, but simultaniously - while watching him with an aire of awe - has grown a strange mental companionship with death. She likes it a bit more than she should. "I do what a mother can to teach her cubs the proper respect to be shown to others," she explains, casting a sidelong glance down to Uzuri. "But they're young and still learning." Eyes refocus on the form of the approaching ghost, waiting to hear his response.
The form of the ghost-lion flickers unsteadily for a moment, as though it is a struggle for him to stay fully materialized. If only Sabiri could know it, but that was exactly what was going on- as Olumide was the shortest dead of the five Starseekers, his body had not yet totally decomposed. And as such, the strength that came from an assimilated corpse was not fully there. It was always a great struggle for him to reveal himself in visible form. He had strength enough, though…for this. One of his eyebrows raise straight into thin air, belying his own discomfort. "Oh? Indeed?" He chuckles hollowly. "Familial loyalty is never an evil thing, but your daughters...they went too far...and as for your bedmate? I hope you're not going to defend the likes of /him/..." He waits expectantly, as though daring her to do so.
"Hardly so," Sabiri responds with a dry, though sincere, chuckle when the thought of defending her bedmate comes into the conversation. "He's responsible for his own actions." She does allow a light, friendly smile to grace her muzzle, hoping her daughters are paying attention to this little exchange. That there seems to be a viable rapport growing between her and the passed lion, Sabiri tempts a bit of fate. "My daughters mean well, sir. Their social skills are still developing, however," she moves her forepaw to pet affectionately over Uzuri's ears once, looking down at her, "and I respect your decision to punish them for their actions as you see fit. However, that they are still learning cubs," she places her forepaw back in front of her and readjusts her friendly features up at the larger, ghostly leonine, "I'm left to wonder if there's some arrangement we can negotiate that would free them of your wrath and leave them to mine, from which they will learn the stronger lesson?"
Another hollow chuckle is released into the air. Olumide finds himself actually liking this motherly lioness- and not merely for sensual reasons, either. It wasn’t every day that a ghost could have a casual conversation with a mortal who wasn’t terrified out of his or her wits, or trying to fan him away or something equally absurd. He nods at her. “No. Do not fear- the punishment will not be permanent- for the cubs, at least. You are correct in this, that they are young, and can hardly be expected to know better. They must be taught some semblance of respect, though, towards a king (especially a departed one!), and they shall not be released from the curse until they do.” He pauses, and waits for her to comment.
The answer that she was looking for. It appears to appease the lioness for she bows her head once slowly, flattening her ears. Apparently she can't disagree with the dead dude's methods. When she lifts her head, she looks down at her daughter and raises her brows. "Uzuri? Do you have something to say to his majesty?" She asks suggestively. She's not trying to dissolve Olumide's bestowed punishment?! Why of course not! Sabiri finds it rather fitting! Why she doesn't fear the ghost hasn't come into question yet, and though she doesn't think about it, she hopes it doesn't.
With one flourish of a smoky hand, Olumide dismisses the eldest cub without even a byword, quietly amused. His eyebrows settle back into their proper niche on his face from where they had been levitating about two inches above his head. His deep baritone of a voice, though still airily empty and echoing, takes on a warmer vibration to it. The look he gives Sabiri is, strangely, one filled with empathy. “You yourself don’t have to worry, Madame. I have taken quite a liking to you, and unless you do something particularly rash, I have no reason to do anything more to either you or your cubs. Ahh, if only my mate could have been more like you, in life! Things might have turned out differently…” Sighing, the heavy presence is released, and slowly, slowly withdraws from the room. “I may be back another day, Sabiri. But for now, I must…rest.”
Before Uzuri can respond, Sabiri's attention is returned upon the dead king, swirling her round ears forward. "Thank you, your majesty," she says after he decides to release her children from their curses, a smile resettling on her muzzle. When he begins to fade, though, that smile does the same and she lifts herself to her paws. He's leaving so soon? But the conversation was just starting to get interesting! She's never met someone AFTER they were dead before, and he seems like such a nice guy! Not like.. the rest. "Wait!" She says, hopping to her paws to advance the cavern entrance toward where he's leaving. "I don't even know your-" but when she reaches the entrance, he's gone, and she wistfully says in a quiet voice, ".. name.." ...
Olumide, bumped-off king of Palandasya
Uzuri, Palandasya lioness cub
Sarafina, Palandasya lioness cub
Sabiri, lioness, mother of Uzuri and Sarafina
*****************
Sabiri had spent the greater part of the prior day and the night looking for Chioh at Adhama's behest without finding a trace of him. Finally she'd laid down for a couple hours' rest and awoke with the sun. Returning into the cavern to check on her daughters, Sabiri blinks as she sees Chioh sitting there and she rolls her eyes with a sigh in an 'it figures' manner, huffing to herself. How typical. A tailflick later and she's in the cavern, seeking out her cubs.
Uzuri is sleeping, her head is beginning to show signs of an OMG!black mane, although it is very *very* short. She's sleeping soundly, huddled up to Tunu and the only non-cursed of Sabiri's children, Sarafina. She looks nice and comfortable.
Ah, there they are. Sabiri averts her path toward the three cubs, not at all surprised that they're still here, obeying her wishes as obviously Tunu had relayed to them. It's not until she gets closer that she notices obvious black fur around Uzuri's neck and she blinks, pausing mid-step. Her brows lower as curiosity grows and she gets close enough to lower her muzzle and drag her combing tongue along the cub's fur. She's probably just dirt... it doesn't come off. "... Uzu," she says quietly to avoid waking the others, moving a paw forward to nudge the cub awake. "Uzu wake up.."
Uzuri bats sleepily at her mother's paw, not really thinking or waking up or anything. She groans and yawns, and continues to sleep. Yeah, this feels nice. She's dreaming that none of these curses happened.
Sabiri's brows lower a little more but she can't help a grin that tugs at the corners of her lips. "Uuuuzuuuu..." she says softly before nudging her muzzle up underneath the cub's chin to lift her head and nuzzle her at the same time. "Time to wake uuuuuup.." Not really, but Sabi has some questions, dammit.
Uzuri mmmrppphws and wakes up. Awww. She was having such a pleasant dream. "Mooom? Why do I gotta wake up? I'm still shleepy!" she says, and looks at her sisters. Poor Tunu. Is she gonna forget how to speak? How can she help her?
Sarafina urgghs and turns over in the midst of her slumber. What an unusual dream she had had last night! She had dreamed that Chioh had turned into a big, black demon, and that ghost had come back, but ghosts didn’t exist… and that ghost had cursed Uzu, too, though Saffy hadn’t been awake for that…’twas only a dream…a nice, dreamy dream…Saffy sits up, rubbing her eyes, and promptly shrieks loud enough to awaken the entire den. It WASN’T a dream after all.
"Because I want to know what you got into yesterday," Sabiri says while she lays down on her belly in front of the miniature lioness. When Sabiri wants information, she doesn't care who has to wake up to give it to her. Besides, what with Tunu's predicament, she's growing rather concerned for her daughters. "Why is your fur black in spots around your neck?" She looks over the sparse dark fur that'd started growing in, making it look like Uzu got peppered. Her ears flatten back and she winces at the sound of a girlscream - you know those high-pitched ones - and quickly moves her forepaw to clap her pads over Sarafina's muzzle. "Sara! Shh!"
Uzuri blinks and thinks a moment. What was her momma talking abou-- OH NOES! Uzuri freaks out for a solid two minutes. "Oh man! I musta been hit by that creepy stupid ghost!" she says in a panic. Now her mother will hate her, Chioh will exile her, the meerkat colony will drop dead, and the sun will never rise again!
Horrified, Sarafina can do nothing but gibber but a few long moments, pressing up tightly against her mom for much-needed comfort, shying as far away from the demonic apparition as lion-ly possible. She points a finger at her sister and splutters incomprehensibly. "B-b-b-but mom! Uzu looks like a little d-demonchild! Just like
UNCLE!"
Sabiri rolls her eyes upward as she resettles her paw back on the cavern floor in front of her, twitching her tailtuft. "Saffy, your sister is /not/ a demon, and neither is your uncle," she says after comprehending Uzuri's explaination, her voice illustrating her mild frustration. At least it was easier than trying to get a story out of Tunu yesterday. Fortunatley Sabiri's already certified the story so Uzu doesn't have to go through the 'stop lying to me' portion like Tunu did. "And as for you," she looks back to her daughter in front of her forepaws, "what'd you do to anger the dead king?"
Uzuri eeps. Well... "He insulted daddy!" she says firmly. "He was being all mean and nasty and he was insulting Uncle Chioh, and I was mad about what happened to Tunu and I said daddy was better than that ghost and he blew on me and..." she stops and starts to cry. "I'm sorry, momma, I'm so sorry!"
Sarafina is still shaking quite badly, and she doesn't bother to try and conceal it. Now that her initial bout of fright had passed (after all, hadn't Tunu been cursed, too?), her natural penchant towards childish and (especially) sisterly empathy comes creeping back into her chest. The little lioness goes padding towards her eldest sister, a heartwrenchingly apologetic look deep in her face, which only multiplies exponentially at the sight of Uzuri crying. Uzu /never/ cried! Never around Saffy, at any rate. Nuzzle. "U-Uzu? I'm s-so sorry...just lost my head..."
This makes daughter number two that dead lion has nailed and Sabiri's protective fuse starts to burn, though certainly not aimed at her children. "It's alright, sweety, it's not your fault," she offers consolingly, moving her head forward to offer a soft nuzzle to Uzuri before Sarafina walks up. She thinks for a moment. There's parts of her past that she's never going to be able to escape and one of those is vengeance. What can she do to get back at a dead lion without getting herself in the same predicament as her cubs? That's something she'll have to think about. For now, though, while Sarafina shows affection to her sister, Sabiri has to be mom. "From now on, regardless what that dead fleabag says to or about anyone, I want all of you to ignore it. Stay away from it. Don't even go /near/ it. If you see it, just walk away. That goes especially for you, Sara." It's good to see the sisters getting along. At least they're comprehending her lessons on family. On that thought, her priority shifts from vengeance to what she knows is more important. "Now we need to figure out how to get you and Tunu better."
Uzuri nods wisely. "I wanna help Tunu get better, momma!" she says.
A blithe look appears on Sarafina’s face, and she turns her tear-streaked face up towards her mom. Oh, mom! Please, please- don’t let anything happen to you, /please/…but now, there was an unfamiliar feel about their beloved mother- something strange and bestial and very out of place- the glimmerings of which Saffy had experienced only a single time before, and which had scared her quite badly. It still did, even now. “I understand, mommy…I won’t, never, promise…” She looks hopefully up at her momma again. “Maybe if the reason that Uzu and Tunu and Uncle got cursed in the first place was because the ghost got mad…maybe we could somehow get him UN-mad?”
And here Sabiri was thinking of some way she could painfully destroy a ghost? Leave it to her daughter to place thoughts of sense into her mind. She looks down at Sarafina and 'hmmm's at the idea. A peaceful resolution would be better, wouldn't it? After all, peace /is/ why you moved here, Sabi. Duh. "You might have a good idea there," she commends and looks back over Uzuri's fur. Why black, of all things? Naturally she's got no idea that's a MANE growing in. She just thinks she's receiving the same fate as Chioh. "Do you guys have any ideas how to make a ghost un-mad?"
Uzuri pipes in. "Apologize?" she offers.
If Sarafina had given her mother any hopeful hint in her glance before, it was now totally offset by a vacant, crestfallen feeling that showed in her entire visage. But hey, at least momma wasn’t super-mom and vengeful-like any more! That was a plus. She tries to inject a bit of life into her stance as she forces herself to perk up. “Yeah, mom, Uzu has a point…but I don’t think just sayin’ sorry will quite cut it…after all, that ghost /was/ insulted pretty bad…”
Sabiri raises a forepaw to rub at the front of her muzzle as a thoughtful habit she's had since she was a cub, turning to look toward the kopje entrance. What /does/ one do to appease the dead? Offering of food won't help, the dead don't eat. Sacrifice? That thing better curse Sabi to death if it thinks it's getting another one of /her/ cubs. If she had a chance to talk to this.. ghost.. maybe she could better understand this whole thing. With a soft sigh she looks back down at her three DARLING CHILDREN ;o; and twitches her ear. "Did it ever say why it's here?" She asks.
Sarafina remains silent, her large, round-tipped ears collapsing inward like canvas tents. /She/ didn’t know…
There is someone there, though, that does know. Very well, in fact. And that someone is currently hovering about five feet over the heads of the lioness and her young below. A familiarly unsettling aura of cold begins to permeate the cavern...
Uzuri shivers coldly and snugs up to Sarafina. Not again! "M-momma! I think it's here!" she says.
Sabiri doesn't know what the heck it feels like to have a ghost around so the cold really doesn't register to her until Uzuri details the ghost's probable presence. Her brows lower and her jaw tightens, half of her wanting to hatefully scold the dead guy for what he did to her children, but she tries to remember that getting it angry will probably land her in the same boat o' misfortune her daughters are in. "Where?" She asks while pushing herself up to a seated posture by shuffling her forepaws.
A thought barely registers on Olumide's airy mind, and a bemused expression appears on his impalpable face at Sabiri's flicker of vengeful rigidity. Yes, my dear...become angry, so that I may have another cohort of the foolish King to fulfill my purpose upon...there, now... Drifting downwards, he solidifies his contours as best he can so that the lionesses below will be able to see him- but only the area around his scalp and shoulders, so that for all appearances there is a disembodied head and mane floating in mid-air. The mouth of this ghoulish head opens wide, and a ghastly red tongue, unnaturally long, lolls out to curl about a set of stained and broken canines. "You were saying, m'dear?"
Sabiri's eyes travel upward as the head descends once the echoing voice is heard and her eyes pop open wide upon first sight of it, ears flattening and pinning back tightly. Ew gross! But then after everything Sabiri's seen and done, the startle of first impressions fades and fear is not immediately present. If there ever was anything Sabiri was, however, it's an actress. That's part of what made her assassinations so simple. Thank god this dude wasn't someone she killed. That'd be .. mm.. bad. She quickly devises the first non-threatening way to greet the thing, unsure whether or not she's even speaking to a king. She'll find out soon enough, though. "Great spirit," she addresses just like she watched that crazed raven from her old pride do all the time, lifting herself to her paws to humbly bow before the long-tongued .. thing. "Forgive my impudence. My name is Sabiri. By what name may I address you?"
[OOC] Sabiri is thinking, "I hope that guy didn't die a virgin, 'cause I don't want to be the one to help him cross over.."
[OOC] Sarafina NO. Hint: Olu was the Caligula of TLK. There should be your hint. xDD
[OOC] Uzuri says, "That means nothing to me."
[OOC] Sabiri says, "What the hell's a Caligula? XD"
[OOC] You say, "As in Emperor Caligula. Y'know, the one obsessed with orgies and stuff. xD"
[OOC] Uzuri gets ready to be emotionally scared for life.
[OOC] Sabiri eyeballs. XDDD I'm the only female online!
[OOC] Sarafina is a female, too! =o
[OOC] Sabiri says, "Okay female ADULT then *LOL*"
[OOC] Olumide isn't a child rapist. Have n'fear. xD
[OOC] Uzuri says, "No, but she's be scarred to see it happen to her momma."
[OOC] Sabiri pages Sauti to come over and help her with an orgy.
[OOC] Sabiri says, "HAHA wouldn't be the first character I had raped c.c *eyes Kutamani*"
[OOC] You say, "How would a ghost...um, do it? They're not very...solid. If you get my gist. xD"
[OOC] Sabiri says, "So you're saying I have to fake it? XDD"
[OOC] Uzuri invites Musoke over.
[OOC] Sabiri says, "Waaaait... he wants to /watch/? o.Oa"
[OOC] Uzuri says, "Huh?"
[OOC] Sabiri is lost. XD
[OOC] Sarafina is, too. : o
[OOC] Uzuri is three.
[OOC] Sabiri says, "Okay back to RP *LOL*"
The head dips in response, and the edges of it slowly fade until it disappears altogether. But, Olumide is not gone! Oh, no! A few seconds later, the grey outline of a HUGE lion appears before the mother lioness. He must have been fearsome indeed in life, but now, in death, his mien bears only a fraction of that former might…his throat vacillates madly, and his streaming mane progresses through a rapid progression of cerulean blue and pinkish-gold, like a string of ghastly Christmas lights. A long, cool breath hisses out from between a pair of bluish lips. “You have nothing to be forgiven for. I am well pleased with you- thus far. You have shown none of the audacity that your daughters- excepting one-“ His gaze falls on the form of the sleeping Sarafina- “and your bedmate have shown.”
Sabiri can't help but feel that she's beginning a mental tug-of-war and there's a scoreboard hanging over her somewhere. She settles back down onto her haunches and curls her tail around her thigh to let her tuft tap the cavern floor as casually as it can. She harbors anger at what the thing did to her daughters, but simultaniously - while watching him with an aire of awe - has grown a strange mental companionship with death. She likes it a bit more than she should. "I do what a mother can to teach her cubs the proper respect to be shown to others," she explains, casting a sidelong glance down to Uzuri. "But they're young and still learning." Eyes refocus on the form of the approaching ghost, waiting to hear his response.
The form of the ghost-lion flickers unsteadily for a moment, as though it is a struggle for him to stay fully materialized. If only Sabiri could know it, but that was exactly what was going on- as Olumide was the shortest dead of the five Starseekers, his body had not yet totally decomposed. And as such, the strength that came from an assimilated corpse was not fully there. It was always a great struggle for him to reveal himself in visible form. He had strength enough, though…for this. One of his eyebrows raise straight into thin air, belying his own discomfort. "Oh? Indeed?" He chuckles hollowly. "Familial loyalty is never an evil thing, but your daughters...they went too far...and as for your bedmate? I hope you're not going to defend the likes of /him/..." He waits expectantly, as though daring her to do so.
"Hardly so," Sabiri responds with a dry, though sincere, chuckle when the thought of defending her bedmate comes into the conversation. "He's responsible for his own actions." She does allow a light, friendly smile to grace her muzzle, hoping her daughters are paying attention to this little exchange. That there seems to be a viable rapport growing between her and the passed lion, Sabiri tempts a bit of fate. "My daughters mean well, sir. Their social skills are still developing, however," she moves her forepaw to pet affectionately over Uzuri's ears once, looking down at her, "and I respect your decision to punish them for their actions as you see fit. However, that they are still learning cubs," she places her forepaw back in front of her and readjusts her friendly features up at the larger, ghostly leonine, "I'm left to wonder if there's some arrangement we can negotiate that would free them of your wrath and leave them to mine, from which they will learn the stronger lesson?"
Another hollow chuckle is released into the air. Olumide finds himself actually liking this motherly lioness- and not merely for sensual reasons, either. It wasn’t every day that a ghost could have a casual conversation with a mortal who wasn’t terrified out of his or her wits, or trying to fan him away or something equally absurd. He nods at her. “No. Do not fear- the punishment will not be permanent- for the cubs, at least. You are correct in this, that they are young, and can hardly be expected to know better. They must be taught some semblance of respect, though, towards a king (especially a departed one!), and they shall not be released from the curse until they do.” He pauses, and waits for her to comment.
The answer that she was looking for. It appears to appease the lioness for she bows her head once slowly, flattening her ears. Apparently she can't disagree with the dead dude's methods. When she lifts her head, she looks down at her daughter and raises her brows. "Uzuri? Do you have something to say to his majesty?" She asks suggestively. She's not trying to dissolve Olumide's bestowed punishment?! Why of course not! Sabiri finds it rather fitting! Why she doesn't fear the ghost hasn't come into question yet, and though she doesn't think about it, she hopes it doesn't.
With one flourish of a smoky hand, Olumide dismisses the eldest cub without even a byword, quietly amused. His eyebrows settle back into their proper niche on his face from where they had been levitating about two inches above his head. His deep baritone of a voice, though still airily empty and echoing, takes on a warmer vibration to it. The look he gives Sabiri is, strangely, one filled with empathy. “You yourself don’t have to worry, Madame. I have taken quite a liking to you, and unless you do something particularly rash, I have no reason to do anything more to either you or your cubs. Ahh, if only my mate could have been more like you, in life! Things might have turned out differently…” Sighing, the heavy presence is released, and slowly, slowly withdraws from the room. “I may be back another day, Sabiri. But for now, I must…rest.”
Before Uzuri can respond, Sabiri's attention is returned upon the dead king, swirling her round ears forward. "Thank you, your majesty," she says after he decides to release her children from their curses, a smile resettling on her muzzle. When he begins to fade, though, that smile does the same and she lifts herself to her paws. He's leaving so soon? But the conversation was just starting to get interesting! She's never met someone AFTER they were dead before, and he seems like such a nice guy! Not like.. the rest. "Wait!" She says, hopping to her paws to advance the cavern entrance toward where he's leaving. "I don't even know your-" but when she reaches the entrance, he's gone, and she wistfully says in a quiet voice, ".. name.." ...