Kimagure Stagner

A beating heart of stone...

Eina's face fell downward, and Kimagure flexed her claws into the rock, trying to anchor herself. She had not felt the grief so deeply in a long time, the intermingled anger and sorrow heavy on the white woman. Eina seemed to struggle to process what she had learned from Kimagure. The lioness simply wasn't touched by the knowledge. It was the things were and had always been.

When the girl finally looked back up at her, there were tears in her eyes. Kimagure sighed softly, her expression softening. "Yes, we did. It was necessary." she repeated, trying to sift through the layer upon layer of emotions she felt. There was the grief of her loss, the real fear that she was exposing herself by telling the child the truth of her own nature. Then there was the exhaustion that the child was hung up on something that Kimagure had long ago accepted. It was not that she did not care about her emotions, it was that Kimagure had the perspective to understand that the knowledge she had just imparted was the least of their worries.

"You learn to live with it because you can't change it. Can you be something besides a lion? Can you eat something besides meat? No, you can't. If you lived only off what you found dead, you would always be hungry. You've already learned that, I'm sure. Your life isn't any more or less valuable than any other creature's... and every other living thing would kill you to protect itself or its family. All living things are the same when they're cornered," she replied, leaning back on her haunches again, her pink gaze moving away from Eina and back to the night sky.

@Eina

She watches. | "She speaks." | 'She broods.'

Art by Luyene

Eina

Necessary. That's what Kimagure said it was. Taking in a breath, the dark cub surveyed the face of Kimagure, which had softened. It was oddly comforting from such a creature who looked so naturally intimidating. She listened as the ivory feline continued to explain, touching on how she had learned to live with it. Every word made sense. Eina couldn't change the necessity. Couldn't change that she was a lion who needed to consume prey creatures so she could live on. Her life was just as valuable as anyone else's, and it was just the way of the world that they must compete for that continued survival.

She fell silent for several moments, thinking and processing. This was set in stone. She couldn't change a thing about it. She would hurt others along the way, but it was inevitable if she were to continue to live. "I think I understand." Finally she had decided aloud. She didn't like it, but Kimagure had told her that she didn't have to. It made her sad to think about, it hurt her heart to know that there was no avoiding putting such hurt on others, be it prey, lions, or whatever. She would cause others to grieve, just as she was.

She focused on Kimagure, almost daring to ask the whereabouts of her aforementioned fox son. She stopped, though. There was probably a reason Kimagure had never brought him up prior, just like how Eina avoided speaking much of her own parents. One had completely cut her off as soon as possible, and the other was dead. Both hurt, one more than the other, but each pain aching enough to be better off avoided in conversation. Instead, she found a quick back-up question. "What do you gain from having me around?" It had been a strong curiosity prodding her for the whole conversation. Kimagure had said it herself--everyone wanted something from you, or at best assume that is so

⟺⟺⟺⟺⟺ Eina fidgets. "Eina questions?" 'Eina wonders'

Original Photo by Brynn Tweeddale on Flickr

Kimagure Stagner

A beating heart of stone...

Kimagure's eyes rested on the waxing sliver of the moon until Eina spoke again and when she did, Kimagure brought her eyes back to her. The lioness studied her face then, trying to determine if the girl was being honest or if she was saying it to make Kimagure believe she was accepting of what the white lioness had told her. The elder female was not ignorant to how most others would take what she had said; if they even believed her regarding the intelligence of their prey. Kimagure had known plenty of her own species who either never bothered to investigate the intelligence of their prey or they simply were in denial about it.

There were plenty of self-righteous lions who marketed themselves as pacifists. They pretended as if they had never harmed anyone or anything and that simply wasn't true. Then Eina brought her out of her thoughts, asking the elder woman why she had bothered with her. Kimagure's gaze refocused on Eina as she tilted her great head to the side with a sigh.

She remained silent for a moment, her mind obstinately denying the truth as she thought about it. Kimagure tried to justify it that she felt sorry for the child, that she saw some use in Eina, but neither was true really true. She had justified Colbert by saying she needed someone to be another set of eyes, but she had Tamotsu. She had said that he could be a spy, but how true had that been?

Perhaps Eina could be a better one, but she was even younger than Colbert had been when they met. She passed her tongue over her lips as she looked for reason after reason besides the truth. Each one sounded more ridiculous in her head than the last, each one more far-fetched.

"Because I wanted a companion," and you are no threat to me... she said, finishing the second half of the truth in her mind. The first portion was a bitter pill, but the second would be detrimental to what Kimagure was trying to do here. It was better if Eina perceived no threat from the lioness, even though there very well would be if the cub became a threat to Kimagure or Tamotsu.

She watches. | "She speaks." | 'She broods.'

Art by Luyene

Eina

The momentary silence from Kimagure was unsettling, the anticipation for what would be said causing a tingling itch in her paws. Soon, the answer would come, though. I wanted a companion the lioness had answered. Eina's dark head tilted slightly, brows creasing empathetically. The lioness was lonely, then? Tamotsu was quite older than Eina, so she assumed Tamotsu may not be as reliant on the lioness as Eina was. Did the dark help fill an empty gap in Kimagure's social needs? "Oh." She whispered simply as she adjusted her posture for further comfort.

She took a moment to look upon the dark sky, though nothing stood out. Her attention returned back to Kimagure, and should the lioness fall quiet just like Eina, the two may share a moment of thoughtful silence, or so, that's what Eina would call it.

⟺⟺⟺⟺⟺ Eina fidgets. "Eina questions?" 'Eina wonders'

Original Photo by Brynn Tweeddale on Flickr

Kimagure Stagner

A beating heart of stone...

The girl gave a simple response and fell silent. Kimagure allowed the silence to hang in the air before she decided to circle back to the lesson had meant to teach before she had become side-tracked. The lioness looked back down at Eina, her face becoming more serious again.

“But there’s something else. When something happens, no matter how terrible, you must put your emotions aside. When there’s a crisis, your emotions are a danger to you and everyone around you. You can’t become paralyzed. You’re useless if you’re unable to act, and emotions can be processed later... you can’t do the event over.

Always keep your eyes open, what I noticed when the boy fell was this: The mother, I believe she might be called Ambrosine, called the one who fainted “Diuris”. The two of them both smell as if they live in the same pride. I took in their appearances, everything they said, and I will remember that the golden female claims to be a healer. I don’t know if she actually is or if she’s any good. Don’t trust what someone tells you just because they seem confident.

I know from previous events I’ve witnessed that Diuris probably belongs to the Lagoon, another pride. When someone was injured, he called on a male he called Elijah. He then instructed him to take the injured lioness, Mononoke, to the Lagoon, which is how I learned that. We can also easily gather the boy’s name was Xerxes. Just by listen, looking, and scenting I can learn or guess a lot. You should go to every event you can. It’s important to keep up with what’s going on everywhere, and it can help you when you’re in a bind.” She explained, voice serious. It was one of the many important things to learn, knowledge was everything.

+10 Pass along information that might be important 2/2 (Information regarding Ambrosine's (Xerxes mother) ties to other lions.

She watches. | "She speaks." | 'She broods.'

Art by Luyene

Eina

Silence. Peaceful, yet somewhat intimidating when offered by Kimagure. She dared attempt to meet the lioness' pink eyes, suddenly realizing that they bore onto Eina's dark figure. She listened, the batch of information unexpected, though when it was really thought about, it made sense. She had rarely seen Kimagure express much emotion, and whatever had been expressed had done in privacy, away from public eye. Sighing softly, she nodded apologetically at Kimagure, assuming Eina's useless paralysis had been obvious and memorized from the event that took place earlier. How could she have helped such a thing, though? She wasn't too sure. How could she avoid the crippling weight of emotional reaction? Perhaps it would be something she had to learn. She made a mental note to find such opportunities.

Listening as Kimagure offered more of her wisdom, she watched the gigantic lioness passively, though every so often her attentiveness would be shown by small nods. She lay her head onto her paws, though her eyes didn't move from Kimagure as she soaked in the information that rolled off the woman's tongue. The cub felt rather impressed at her guardian's ability to pick up and retain such information. Kimagure was so smart, smarter than Eina had ever felt. "I understand. Look, listen, and smell for any information possible." She summarized factually as her head lifted for better visual focus on the lioness. "I'll remember all of that, too, about the other lions." Eina had added just a moment after. She waited, determined not to lose the chance for further education tonight.

⟺⟺⟺⟺⟺ Eina fidgets. "Eina questions?" 'Eina wonders'

Original Photo by Brynn Tweeddale on Flickr

Kimagure Stagner

A beating heart of stone...

The girl appeared to be paying close attention when the lioness spoke, as she usually did. Kimagure appreciated that. The ivory listened as she spoke before letting her eyes drift up as she considered what else she might need to tell the girl now, what else might need to know. There was only one other thing that seemed applicable now, then they would go and settle for the night.

"And when I say go to events, I mean any and all you can. Whether it's a claim, a challenge, or a spar in the pit. If there are many people there, you should be too. So far I've learned there is a pride in the desert called Andal Oasis, to the northwest called Wolfbron Bluffs, there is Caladan Cove to the southeast. There's also the Lagoon, of course. There's Obsidian Hollow... and those are the only ones I'm aware of so far. The cove is lead by Jewel, a black lioness. I'm not entirely certain about the Lagoon; the Oasis is led by a massive pink man... A very large tan colored male with red eyes leads Wolfron Bluffs. He goes by several names, Remiel, Ripper, Judge, Angel, and Faust... and he claimed even more than that." she signed, tilting her head to the side as she continued to think back, trying to recall what would be useful.

"A black male with scars on his face is now in charge of Obsidian Hollow, it used to be ruled by another male who claimed females against their will. I don't know exactly what happened to him. I also never met him face to face. Beyond that, the rest remains to be seen... but it's best if we go and find a place to bed down for the night. We have had enough excitement and tomorrow is another day," the lioness continued, sighing and closing her eyes as she finished. The entire thing had exhausted Kimagure, and while she still felt many mixed emotions she knew that rest was important... never more so than now. Kimagure shook out her coat and began to proceed down the mountain via the smoothest route she could see, flicking her tail for Eina to follow.

-exit-

She watches. | "She speaks." | 'She broods.'

Art by Luyene

Eina

The dark cub listened as Kimagure reinforced her tip to attend events. Claim, challenge, spar in the pit, attend it all. Crowds mean interest and importance of an event. The idea of having to be drawn to crowds made the young lioness cringe inwardly, but she worked to keep her composure for Kimagure. Instead of letting her distaste for the advice be open, she simply nodded, uttering a soft "Yes, ma'am." instead.

Then Kimagure had dropped so much information on her. Her silver eyes were wide, focused, and her ears were erect, intent on soaking in all possible facts. Pride in the desert called Andal Osasis. Wolfbron Bluffs to the northwest. Caladan Cove to the southeast. The Lagoon, Obsidian Hollow... Her maw fell as she drew in a breath, listening for more. Jewel, a black lioness owned the Cove. A massive pink lion for the Oasis. Very large, tan male with red eyes had hold on Wolfbron Bluffs, apparently going by several names. The massive amounts of information ached. Eina felt worry grip her chest. Would she remember it all? Would Kimagure express disappointment if Eina were to forget something?

It just kept going, and going. A black, scarred male gripped Obsidian Hollow, apparently formerly being ruled by another male who claimed females, whether they complied or not. Her lips tightened, features creasing with anxiety. Though, creases had vanished, and she felt a welcome hold of relief when Kimagure had decided it was time to find a place to bed. Once more, a "Yes, ma'am." was offered as the large white figure shook off. Eina moved to keep up with her guardian, the large amounts of information that had been dumped on her swirling around in her mind as she yearned to remember whatever she could.

-Exit with Kimagure- ⟺⟺⟺⟺⟺ Eina fidgets. "Eina questions?" 'Eina wonders'

Original Photo by Brynn Tweeddale on Flickr