|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:43 am
Amavasya sat on the edge of the Pridelands, looking out at the lands beyond the border as twilight fell, and wondered for the thousandth time what was out there. She had heard plenty of stories, of course, and knew firsthand that the outside world wasn't always a pleasant place, would never forget when the hyenas had come...and yet, she still wondered. What else was out there? Surely there had to be at least as many good things as bad, and she could only hope that her twin sister had found all of the former and none of the latter. Though Amavasi had been gone for quite some time now, the hole in Vasya's heart remained, and she felt an emptiness beside her always. She could have gone, too. Maybe she should have, but it was too late now. She had stayed here, stayed home, too afraid to leave what she knew and loved, and in the process lost the one person she had loved the most. She had also lost her sense of self, and still struggled to define who she was and would be. She spent much of her time alone now, uncertain of her interactions with others. How should she act? How would Vasi have acted? Being only half of a whole had been so much easier; simply being whole in and of herself was harder than she had ever imagined.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:07 pm
  This brother and sister were not twins. In fact there was very little that they shared, being so different inwardly and outwardly. But all the same, for all their differences, they had stuck close; their qualities complimenting one another perfectly.
First there was headstrong Mawasii, brave and bold and confident, willing to dive in to rescue an endangered soul at a second's notice. She had a good size to her, partnered with a strong frame that spoke of her training to become a warrior - just as her late father had once been. She had never met Hakan'mawasii but she had his name - or a part of it at least - and she felt that drive to become everything he would want her to be.
And more.
Then there was Kafele. He was a bumbling and shy lion who was stuck in a large and awkward body that made him appear to be stronger and more threatening than he was. He lacked the drive and ambition that his sister had, but he was gentle and sweet and tended to be the pacifier, trying to defuse those heated situations where Mawasii might leap into the fray with a battle cry. He was also a seer, but that was a secret kept close to his chest, for though he could control his gift he was wary of using it and preferred to keep it at a distance.
"Slow down, sis." Kafele complained.
"You want to find shelter before nightfall, don't you? It's already getting dark."
"I do but...I'm tired."
Mawasii slowed a little and cast a look back at him. "We've strayed too far to the west. We're too close to pridal territory." As of yet she had not realised just how close that was.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:06 pm
For a moment, drifting in her thoughts as she stared at the gradually darkening landscape, Vasya thought she saw her sister - but no, even as her heart soared, she recognized that that colors and the bearing just weren't right. Now that she focused and paid attention, she could tell with ease that it wasn't Vasi. It was only half in daydream that she could think that at all. And yet...they were not entirely dissimilar.
Curiosity warred with uncertainty as she watched the lioness and her lighter-coated companion draw nearer, but curiosity finally won out. And besides, it was technically her job to investigate strangers, even if it could be pretty awkward business.
She took a deep breath and stood, calling out, "Hello?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:53 am
This... is the last chapter... and it took me forever to write, sorry, if anyone really cares, that is... so yeah, here's the epilogue. This story is finito.
Epilogue
"Alright, alright, I'm going. Edward already persuaded me to earlier." Alice squealed when I told her that. "Honestly Alice, it's just some boring human party, how come you're so obsessed with getting me all dressed up for it? It's not like this is a--ow! Quit throwing things at me!"
She had already had me try on several outfits, all of which were sequin-y or sparkly. Whatever happened to plain things? I liked plain things. Why had I agreed on letting Alice get me ready for the stupid party? May if I ran out while she was getting another outfit...
"That wouldn't work, and you know that, Bella. I'm faster than you are." Stupid future seeing vampire. "Here, try this one on!" Alice said as she threw me a striped black and blue tank top, white cargo pants, and a black shrug.
I sighed and took the outfit into her monstrous (no pun intended) bathroom. I clumsily slid out of the previous outfit and put on the new one.
I walked out of the bathroom and into Alice's bedroom and I was almost surprised at what I saw. All the clothes that had been strewn on the floor were gone, but, then again, Alice was a vampire, so why should such a thing like that surprise me?
I looked around cautiously, was Alice giving me a chance to escape? She wasn't in the room, so maybe she was getting shoes or something?
"You look ravishing." I jerked my head to look at the door, causing my already sore and bruised neck to ache in farther pain, but it was worth it.
There stood Edward and, as always, he looked perfect. He wore a pair of black dress pants with a white dress shirt--plain, but still gorgeous on him. In his hand he held a pair of black flats, which I pretty much guessed were for me--seeing as Edward was already wearing shoes--plus the flats looked far too small and feminine to adorn Edward's feet.
The image of Edward wearing the shoes popped into my mind, making me giggle in spite of my aching throat.
Before I could even blink, Edward was by my side and handing me the shoes. "What are you thinking?" He whispered into my hair almost seductively.
I slipped on the shoes and stood on my toes to kiss his vampiric lips and then pushed away. "Wouldn't you like to know?" I replied, failing at using the same tone he had used on me. A hurt expression played its way across his face.
"Well, yes, clearly that would be why I asked." He whispered into my hair making me sigh.
"It's nothing/" I said through rushed breaths as my heart sped up. Edward looked down at me with his perfect topaz eyes and I knew he'd press on, but telling him about my thoughts wasn't something I wanted to do.
"Come on, we gotta go or we'll be late." I said, most uncharacteristically.
"Are you THAT determined to keep your thoughts secret?" I grinned and replied.
"Yep."
"I hate parties." I complained as we pulled into the overcrowded parking lot. Why did Mike have to throw such a huge party? It was unnecessary--uncalled for, they could just see me at school, couldn't they?
"Have I told you how much you entice me?" Edward's voice scattered my thoughts, almost making me forget how to breathe.
"Forget it Edward, I’m not telling what I'm thinking!" I joked, shoving his arm and unbuckled. "Race you in!" I was being sarcastic, and Edward knew it as we both exited the car. After all, I WAS queen of the two left feet.
Just as I reached for the handle on the door, Edward hissed. I looked at him with fearful eyes. Was there another vampire about? One like Nate, or possibly even Nate himself? What had happened to that vampire anyways? Edward wasn't telling me something and I really had the right to know...
"The dog--I mean, Jacob's here." I frowned. I still hadn't forgiven him for ratting me out with the bikes, but maybe my disappearance had been punishment enough for all of us.
"What does he want?" I asked quietly, taking my hand off of the door. Edward looked down at me with sympathetic eyes.
"Only to talk, my love." He said as he planted a kiss on my forehead. He opened the door and gestured for me to enter. Music blared all around us, making me feel as if I was at a concert instead of a party. It was okay music, but it was too loud and I was already starting to feel nauseous.
"Bella!"
"Bella's here!"
"She's here!"
"We missed you!"
"Are you okay?"
The voices bombarded me, drowning out the music. Edward held tight to my waist, knowing that if he let go I wouldn't be able to find him in this sea of people. The music subsided, but my nausea did not, and neither did the bombs of questions.
"Please, only one question at a time." Edward's voice came from behind me and suddenly I felt like I was the celebrity and he was my handler. And as I looked around the room, that's exactly what we were.
There were camera's all around the room and several people I recognized from the many different news stations of Washington and Oregon.
A short stubby man pushed his way forward and started with the questioning first. "Miss. Swan, do you know the motives of why you were abducted?" I stared at him blankly for a minute. Yeah, I knew. The vampire wanted to kill Edward and decided to use me as a pawn.
I shook my head. "I don't know." I said monotonously.
A woman with far too blonde hair and way too much makeup stepped forward with a notebook and pen at hand. "Isabella Swan, would you care to tell us what went through your head when you were abducted?"
"I was scared." I admitted, almost in a questioning voice. Why did they have to ask me these things? Couldn't they just leave me alone?
"Well, of course you were scared." The blonde woman stated. "But what thoughts were running through your mind--oh, better yet, how did your abductor get you out of your room without leaving evidence?" I shook my head in frustration. I could feel the vomit rising in my throat, I had to get out of here, I couldn't barf on camera.
I looked back at Edward for help, and help he gave. "Please, no more questions from reporters, I was told this was a friends and family party only, now, if you'd excuse us." It was almost as if no one had even noticed Edward was at the party until he spoke, and then suddenly the blonde reporter had no interest in me whatsoever.
"Uh, yes, I'm sorry sir." Edward glared at her as she apologized and we made our way to the back of the room where I had spotted Angela, Charlie, Renee, and Phil.
The moment we were out of the crowd, Renee pulled me into an embrace. "Oh, Bella, I missed you so much. I was so terrified! Every night I stayed up wondering where you were, if you were okay. I'll never take your safety for granted again." I could tell something was wrong from the tone in her voice; there was something that she wasn't telling me.
"Mom, what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, sweetie, I'll tell you everything you'll need to know after this party is over." I pulled away from her embrace and looked at Edward--his face was a stone.
He shook Phil's and Charlie's hands, telling them his account of the story where he had been out looking for me in an almost desperate matter and how he had reacted when Esme said she found me.
"I, uh, apologize for blaming you, Edward. I just... well, I was afraid." Charlie muttered. "I best be off, it's almost time for my shift at the station." And Charlie weaved his way through the crowd and out of the building.
Angela soon found her way out of the awkward position of talking to me in front of my mother and step-father. Now only Edward, Renee, Phil, and I remained.
"Spill it mom, you're not good at hiding things, what's wrong?" I was afraid that it would be something terrible and I wouldn't want to know, but I didn't want Renee to be keeping secrets from me, either.
"Not now, Bella, after the party, I promise." I went to argue, but Edward held me back. Edward! Edward knew what was going on, he'd tell me!
"Fine. I'll just go talk to my other friends." I said, rather convincingly if I do say so myself, and I do. I walked off with Edward holding tight to my waste.
"Bella?" We were in the middle of the store when the voice said my name. I turned around to see who it was and Edward snarled. Jacob.
"To answer your question, she's fine. No, she didn't get bitten, and yes, well, I think," Edward turned to me. "You're still happy with me has your boyfriend, yes?" My eyes widened, but I nodded. Jacob glared down at Edward, it looked as if he was still growing!
"I don't want to talk to you, leach." I cringed at the tone in his voice and wondered how I had ever even been friends with him. "I'm here to talk to Bella. There are things we need to know in order to catch the other le--her abductor." Good, he fixed his mistake.
"You mean Nate." The vampire may have been terrible, but, still, he had once been human.
"Oh, so it can remember its name?" Again, the tone in his voice made me feel stupid that I had ever spent more than five seconds around this guy.
"If you're asking me where he is, I don't know." I stated, getting as close to Edward as I could, and where I stood, I could feel my skin getting cold, but that didn't matter.
Edward shook his head and glared at Jacob. "It's all been taken care of, now, if you wouldn't mind--well, scratch that. I don't care if you mind. Bella and I are off." My head suddenly turned to lead and I felt as if I would fall over any second and hurl.
When we were away from Jacob, I whispered to Edward. "I need to sit down--somewhere quiet." Edward looked at me in alarm.
"Are you okay? I didn't upset you back there with the d--Jacob, did I?" I shook my head.
"It's just too loud in here, let's leave." Edward nodded and we weaved our way outside. Relief washed upon me, but my head still throbbed. I hadn't realized how much I had needed air, but I gasped for it as soon as we stepped foot out of the store. I knew that Edward was going to say something, and soon, but I wanted the first word.
"Edward, I have a question, promise to answer it honestly?" Edward answered without a second’s hesitation.
"Of course."
"What's Renee being so secretive about?"
"Bella, please let your mother talk to you on this one, it would be better." My jaw dropped, this had to be bad. What could she be planning? A party? No, she knows I hate them, and, plus, we were just at one.
"Please tell me Edward, you promised." I tried giving him the classic puppy-pout, but when a smile tugged at his lips, I could tell it wasn't working.
"Your parents really want to be the ones to tell you." I frowned. FINE, he's not going to give in. Maybe he'll give me some clues then...
"It's not very bad, is it?"
"And what would you consider being very bad?"
"Oh, I don't know, a party, being hospitalized--pretty much everything that's happened since I was kidnapped."
"Then this will be great," Okay... clues don't work with Edward, but he's still gorgeous. "Get in the car, Renee's already left, so we can probably meet them over at your house." What? When did she leave? Weird... I totally thought she would stay for the whole party.
I unbuckled and reached for the car door as we parked in front of the house, but the door was already open. I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Stupid vampire speed." I whispered to myself.
"Well, if you would like it better I could move as slow as a snail." Again, I rolled my eyes. I stood up and started walking towards the door. I was walking up the steps when I realized Edward wasn't with me.
I turned around to see him walking slow as a snail. I raised my eyebrows at him and a laugh boomed out from his chest. "Get up here." And he was by my side the moment I finished the sentence.
"Alright, let's go see what they have to tell me..." This is hardly far, how come Edward gets to know and I don't? I feel very left out.
"Bella?" Came the voices of Charlie and Renee from the living room. I sighed and reached for Edward's hand and we walked into the living room.
Charlie sat on the couch and I could tell he had only just turned off some baseball game. Renee sat 'Indian style' on the floor in front of the recliner that Phil napped in.
Edward sat down on the floor across from Renee. I went down with him.
"Okay, so, what's with the secret keeping?" I asked bluntly.
"Bella... Charlie and I have only your safety in mind." Uh oh, this wasn't starting well. "You're our only daughter, and we wouldn't want you to get hurt." Renee paused for a moment and then added. "Not that if we had any other children we wouldn't care if you got hurt or not... I mean... Charlie, you should speak up."
What? Renee never asked for people to continue on for her... what was going on? I could feel my throat begin to close and my limbs grow cold and numb--and not because of Edward. My heart raced--what was going on?
"Bells, like your mother said, we want you to be safe." Charlie cleared his throat. "We have no clue on who abducted you, why they abducted you, and where they are, or how many there are. But we do know one thing, they might come back for you, and we don't want your hurt. It's very hard for both of us to do this but... we have to." Renee then cut him off.
"Bella, when Phil and I go back to Florida, you're coming with us."
Haven't started on the sequel yet, but I will when I have the time to.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 2:59 pm
"Hurt you?" The scout was surprised by the male's question, and her expression suggested that she'd never so much as considered the possibility of hurting anyone...well, except for hyenas, but these two were clearly not hyenas. "No, of course not."
While the other female surveyed their surroundings, Vasya studied her a little more closely. Their markings really were quite similar, but was it coincidence or something more? Or maybe she was simply seeing a resemblance because she wanted to. Uncertain, she opted to stay quiet for the moment. "It's okay, you're not...really intruding. We're not very strict about that kind of thing, as long as no one causes trouble."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:37 am
Kafele gave the stranger a brief, relieved smile at that and beside him his sister gave a short laugh. "Don't mind him. He's scared of his own shadow." She drew a little closer and tossed her head in an attempt to flick the straggle of fur out of her eyes. "My name is Mawasii and that big oaf there is my brother, Kafele."
"Pleased to meet you." He added.
"What pride is this, if you don't mind me asking? I was taught to be wary of them all my life and haven't heard of one to be so relaxed around strangers."
"Well, we haven't actually been close to any prides except that one time, 'Sii."
The dark female huffed, realising that her brother was right.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 1:45 pm
"I'm Amavasya," she offered after the other female made introductions, "But just Vasya will do." Growing up, she and Vasi had sometimes 'switched' names to deliberately confuse everyone, but those days of identity swaps were long gone.
"The Pridelands." Vasya sat delicately, curving her tail around herself. This was evidently going to turn into a conversation, so she might as well get comfortable. "We're very, mm...open, and we get a lot of visitors. Family, mostly. Some of them have really spread out." The scout allowed her curiosity to show a little more openly when she mentioned that last part.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:07 pm
They both nodded simultaneously when she gave her name and then Mawasii spoke up again. "Oh, I've heard of the Pridelands." She just sure where. Maybe a passing rogue? Perhaps her mother or her uncle? She gave a small shrug and sat herself down in a rather less delicate matter. "It sounds like a friendly enough place."
Kafele blinked. "It does." Perhaps, deep in his heart, he wanted a pride, too. The life of a rogue was tiring and it drained his energy far quicker than it did with his sister's. But he couldn't leave her. Without him he didn't doubt she'd go leaping into trouble and then he might never see her again. It was his duty to his family that he remain until she decided, perhaps, that she ought not to be so brash.
"I suppose it makes sense that some members of a family might decide to break away for a while. It must be nice, though, to have somewhere you can come back to."
Kafele gave a quiet nod, his eyes flitting between the two females again. "Um...talking of family...do you think it's a coincidence that you both look...kind of exactly the same?"
Mawasii blinked, surprised. "What? We...do?" She glanced back at Amavasya and then down at her front. "Oh...you're right..." Mawasii looked up. "You think...?"
"Were you...born here?" Kafele asked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:17 pm
Her look of curiosity gave way to one of relief when Kafele pointed out the lionesses' resemblance to each other. She'd been wondering if it was just her who thought that, whether it was a simple coincidence or something more, and hadn't wanted to bring it up and look like an idiot if she turned out to be imagining things.
"I...was kind of thinking that," she admitted. Maybe it had been easier for Vasya to see because she'd looked at a perfect twin of herself for most of her life, and not just reflections in the water.
"I was. My parents were, too. But my grandmother...my grandmother wasn't." She tilted her head, scrutinizing Mawasii for hints and trying to puzzle out any possible connection. "She's brown, but she has spots, too. And blue eyes..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 10:58 am
For a moment the pair of siblings looked rather stumped and it was the female who broke the silence first: "I wish I knew more about my family." Mawasii concluded with a sigh. "I am told I look almost identical to my father, except that he didn't have the gold on his paws. Unfortunately he died before we were born so we never met him and what little we learned of our family was through our uncle."
"Our father had a brother." Kafele added helpfully. "His name was Kamal and from what I recall, he was brown of pelt and had many children of his own. Perhaps that is where the tie between us lies?"
"The similarities seem to good to be a mere coincidence. Many of us have blue eyes and spots and if the families within the Pridelands travel to and fro, it's very likely we have joined blood somewhere along the line."Mawasii cast her brother a careful look before returning her gaze to Vasya. "Does anyone you know have...the gift to...see things before they have happened or...things that have already happened?"
Kafele almost choked at that. He preferred to keep his seer powers carefully concealed and Mawasii had never felt the need to spread his 'gift' about as freely as this. Besides, their mother was a seer! Any ability he had would have been passed down from her. Not their father's side!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 11:21 am
"Kamal?" Amavasya raked her memory for the name, but it didn't ring a bell. "I don't think I've ever heard that name, but it is possible. I'd have to ask my grandmother, Kimya'Ukilia. I'm sure she would know."
"To see things...I have met some who see that way, but no one in my family, at least not that I know of.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 11:35 am
Both siblings' ears went up at that name. They recognised that one, perhaps from one of Rap's stories. Or maybe from one of their mother's, recalling conversations she had had with their father. That was that, then. Amavasya was family.
"Kimya'ukilia is our father's sister; our aunt!" Mawasii exclaimed, utterly enthused with this revelation of the link that connected them. She had always thought her family a very small thing, consisting of her siblings and her mother and her adopted uncle, Rap. Now, it seemed, she had family spread all across the lands. It was...strange and hard to comprehend.
Kafele seemed glad of the news; happy not to have to speak much more on his strange seer qualities. If Amavasya knew no one in her family then it most certainly came from his mother's side. "Is there much of the family here in Pridelands?" He asked. "You say your grandmother is here as well?" Though it appeared Kamal was not. Perhaps he had settled in a different pride. Perhaps he had a huge family, too, wherever he was and they could be a part of something so much bigger.
It was...strangely exciting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 11:48 am
This revelation clearly excited them - her cousins! - and Amavasya couldn't help but share the feeling. It was a thrill of discovery, of putting the pieces together, but it was also the feeling of being connected to something.
"She is!" She grinned, her tail lashing with excitement. "There's a lot of us - well, not as many as some families, but still. There's my mother and her siblings, and my two brothers. I...have a sister, too, but she left home."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 23, 2012 11:22 am
"This is...amazing. To think we had so much family and we never knew of it. I wonder why my father never settled down like his family did. I wonder if Kimya even knows he is gone..." Probably not, in fact, since who would have known she was here to tell her?
Mawasii didn't feel like she wanted to be the bearer of that news, though. Maybe it was best if his sister knew nothing of what had happened and believed him to still be wandering the rogue lands. For a moment she was touched with a pang of grief - that which she had never felt before. To realise that she had family elsewhere, that her connection with her dad was not completely lost...
She gave a small sniff.
Beside her, Kafele looked equally moved. "It feels almost as if we've come home."
Mawasii turned to look at her brother, wondering if he would stay if offered the chance. Perhaps one day she might look at settling somewhere but now didn't feel right. Not yet.
"Then...perhaps we need not hurry off this day." She replied.
This was a home away from home. A home...the knowledge of that warmed her. This was a good thing. A good thing indeed.
/fin
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
