Post by Kamau on Mar 26, 2008 15:06:26 GMT -5
We never finished this, but thought I'd post it anyway.
Characters:
Kamau, Lord of Tyne
Sundali, Huntress of Tyne
Setting: Tetesi Grasslands
It's closing in on evening in the great land of Tyne, and a certain young Lord has been off guarding things and exploring other things. But in his busy schedule, he's taken a break to lounge on a boulder slightly to the side of the grasslands. His paws are hanging over the edge, claws extended as he hangs on at a slightly odd angle, and his tail hangs off one side. He's getting bigger and fluffier every day, and his dark 'mane' is even getting to a point where it waves around a bit in the breeze. And for now, those clear weirdly-blue eyes of his are staring up at the formation that is Tyne Rock off in the distance. With all his gruffy arrogance and attempts to be Mr. Strong bad lion of 'don't mess with me', he's actually having a rather peaceful moment atop his boulder. Because yes, he's decided it is HIS boulder.
Sundali has left another huntress training session, having been told yet again to practice, practice, practice. And so, the young white lioness is practicing, practicing, practicing. Through the grasses she stalks, doing her best to keep her movements slow, but steady, so as not to rustle the foliage too much and give herself away to.. well, whatever prey she is stalking in her mind. The boulder that the young Lord is lounging upon just happens to be in Sunny's path, but from her lower vantage point, she is unaware that there is anyone /on/ the rock. Thus, as she approaches, she imagines a buffalo standing there, taunting her, thinking himself safe from the hunting lioness. Sundali grins to herself; that pretend buffalo doesn't know he's underestimating this huntress. She isn't the world's best pouncer for nothing! Slowing to a halt, Sunny takes a long moment to stare up at her fake foe. Leg muscles bunch in preparation for her attack and then... "AHA!" Slightly longer than average hind legs - always the key to Sunny's pouncing success - launch her up to the top of the boulder, forepaws outstretched to pounce upon the buffalo...
And all the while Kamau has his chin resting on his paws, looking like he's busy /thinking/ about something. So he misses that there's a huntress out thinking he's some smelly buffalo, up until there's a leap and he's met with the all-too-familiar sight of Sunny about to pounce on him. "AHHYE!" he hollars, going wide-eyed as he gets tackled from behind. "AHH!" he keeps shouting as he digs his claws harder against the boulder, trying to keep himself on it even as the force of Sunny is dragging him away a little. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING I WAS RESTING HERE WHAT IS GOING OOON?!"
And, quite suddenly, her buffalo is /real/?! "AHHH!" Sundali's cry of attack quickly turns into a startled yell, pale golden eyes wide. How in the world can she make buffalo appear from out of nowhere?! But as her body slams into that of the would-be buffalo, the scent that hits her nose is decidedly non.. buffalo-y. In fact, it rather smells like... "KAMAU?!" Catching herself so that her momentum doesn't send her - or the both of them - toppling off the bolder (which.. pretty much involves her back claws scraping against rock, while her forelegs lock around the young male lion), it takes a moment for Sundali to regain her composure. To scoot back to give them both room atop the rock and blink in bewilderment at her friend. But amusement at the situation quickly takes hold and, giggling, she can only issue a half-hearted apology. "Ehehe.. sorry, Kamau! I was.. uh.. stalking.. buffalo." On a rock. Yes.
"SUNNY?!" Kamau yells back, even though she's /right there/. On top of him, even. Hugging his neck?! He quickly scrambles to the side himself, scraping the rock with his own claws as he resituates himself. It's not the largest rock, so it's a little cramped up here, but it is HIS ROCK and he isn't abandoning it quite so easily. So he remains hugging the rock, flicking his tail with the sudden adrenaline rush and staring up at Sunny in surprise until he finally breaks into a small grin. "Ehhe, that's al-- wait. Buffalo? Are you saying I look like a BUFFALO?!" He sounds indignant, but the way he shoves his nose into the air is decidedly un-Kamau-like so he must be faking. "Why I never, calling /me/ a buffalo. I smell better than one, too. Not to mention smarter than one, stronger than one, better than one..."
The lioness' ears cup slightly forward, and her giggles continue for a moment longer as she listens to Kamau's little speech. Choking back continued laughter, Sundali gives the Tyne Lord a critical glance, a teasing sparkle in her pale eyes. "Smell better than a buffalo? Yeah, I'll give you that one. Stronger than one? /Maybe/. Smarter than one?" Right forepaw is lifted to tap thoughtfully at her chin, a grin threatening to stretch across her muzzle as she pretends to study Kamau seriously. "That's a bit doubtful." Unable to keep up a more serious appearence any lnoger, Sunny laughs and swings her paw lightly, playfully at her friend's head. "Well! If you're not up here being a stalkable buffalo, just what /are/ you up to, eh?"
Kamau tilts his head to the side and watches Sunny with a level look, though he smirks when she insults his intelligence and reaches over to swat at her paw with his own, ducking his head. "I'm smarter than a whole herd of buffalo!" he defends himself, pretending to pout, but he eventually lowers his chin back to his paws. "I dunno. I was just thinking. USUALLY it is more quiet here than back at the cavern, and I TEND not to get pounced as much by the likes of you mistaking me for a smelly old buffalo. Hmpf. Onaedo I could /almost/ believe you'd mistake for a buffalo, but /me/? Of all the twisted... something or others and the... confused girls and..." he doesn't know what he's talking about, so he trails off with some incoherent mumbling.
"Saying you're smarter than a whole herd of buffalo ain't exactly saying much, Kamau," The white adolescent chuckles, grinning toothily at her friend. Sundali's head tilts faintly as he continues, her smile growing just a touch as he trails off. "I'm sorry," She says finally, her apology now more sincere. "I'm supposed to be practicing my hunting, and got carried away with my own imagination. I didn't mean to interrupt your thinking." A pause, as she briefly considers whether she should take another playful shot at Kamau's intelligence there and then decides to let it pass. For now, at least. Sunny's gaze slips momentarily from her friend to the lands beyond him, thinking herself, before glancing back to Kamau. "Did you want to be alone? I can leave..."
"Pah," Kamau huffs, though he lets the subject of his intelligence slip away as well, even if he keeps pretending to brood about it. "Aww that's alright, I don't really mind interuptions when they're coming from you. Had you been /Kione/, however, I may have ordered you to vacate the premesis of my rock. Perhaps after bowing and while telling me how I am the best King of This Rock ever to lay a paw on it. Or something." He starts grinning again. "I'm okay not being alone too. I'm glad there is still SOMEbody in this whole Pride who isn't thinking everything would be better if I was dead. Well, somebody outside of Elimnyama at least. And perhaps my mother, but I'm just guessing on that one." He stops grinning and moves his eyes back to Tyne Rock again.
Sundali grins, and settles back onto her haunches, inwardly pleased that he doesn't mind her interruption (unintended as it may have been). Initially, the adolescent female laughs at the mention that others in the pride might want Kamau dead, believing that he's joking with her. But when next Sunny actually looks at her friend, he's no longer smiling, and her gaze follows his to study the distant form of Tyne Rock. "What?" She asks, her own grin faltering. "No one wants you dead." That's a stupid notion. "Why would they?" The girl attempts another small smile, her expression mingled with amusement and wariness.. as if she's unsure if Kamau is setting her up for a joke or not.
"Oh, /my nephews/ would beg to differ," Kamau replies, rolling his eyes as he says it. "Some have made special appearances in Tyne just to tell me so. It was very kind of him. I'm tempted to return the favor." He extends his claws a little more, but all they do is push against the rock even more. "All because Elimnyama wants to train me as his heir, which you'd /think/ was a good thing because I always thought Onaedo and I would be good at ruling Tyne, only instead of Ona' I'm supposed to do it with /Kale'/ and not a single lion seems happy to have heard the news from what I can tell." His mouth is set in a straight line and he's quite stubbornly saying it all with an air as if none of it matters. But it's /Ona/, so of course it matters to Kamau, and it is all bothering him a lot more than he expected it to. Caring, he's beginning to learn, takes quite a lot of /effort/.
No? No joke? Frowning, Sundali leans slightly forward, nodding now and again as Kamau speaks. His nephews are upset at him? The only one Sundali is really familiar with is Kale'Kizuka.. she's never seen Elimnyama's sons around all that much. And she knows that Runt has been a bit upset that Kamau and Onaedo tease him so much. But.. no, this doesn't sound like Runt. Must mean one of Elimnyama's sons, then. But what Kamau then says next catches in Sunny's ear, and she hears nothing that he says after it. Elimnyama.. wants Kamau as his heir? /Kamau/ is the other future King, the one Kale' wouldn't tell her and Onaedo about? Sundali stares at her friend, aware that he is speaking but unaware of what is being said, while somewhere inside of her she is aware of a sinking feeling. Blinking, she suddenly realizes that it's been a long moment or two since Kamau finished speaking and that she should probably, y'know, respond. Her mouth works wordlessly a moment, before she's finally able to say anything at all. "/You're/... Elimnyama wants you for his heir?"
PLEASE, Runt really needs to get over the whole teasing thing. Who whines about something for that long? They were cubs! No, don't answer that, obviously Runt whines about everything for that long. Glancing up at his friend, he frowns a little. "You sound so pleased," he drawls out dryly. "I'm glad I finally found that vote of confidence I've been looking for." Retaining a sigh, he turns his frown back at Tyne Rock. "But that's alright, I was surprised too. I was very ready to run off with you and Onaedo and just go on adventures. To be honest, that is beginning to sound like a lot more fun than this Heir thing anyway. What's the point of being King if I can't do it with my brother, and if everyone's going to hate me for it? I'm sure they'll all loooove Runt, right through when he gets conquered by meerkats who enslave everyone."
A surprise indeed. Sundali is just.. stunned. Not because she thinks Kamau will be a lousy King or won't have what it takes, but she had seen their future much like Kamau had: her, Kamau and Onaedo ditching Tyne to go out and explore the big wide world and have adventures and settle who knows where. Among.. possibly other things. And, she had always figured that Elimnyama would want to pick one of his own sons to be his heir (which, now brings sense to the fact that those same sons are now upset at Kamau. Puzzle piece in place!). Her friend's dry remark snaps Sunny back to the here and now and she quickly forces a grin across her muzzle, which she hopes looks sincere. "No! Kamau, that's /great/, really! You'll be a wonderful King!" She gushes, silently thanking the Great Kings that Onaedo isn't around at the moment. No doubt he'd berate her for appearing less enthusiastic about Kamau being King than she had been when Kale' told them /he/ would be King. "You're around more than Elimnyama's own sons anyway, and Kale' can't do it on his own! No.. it's fantastic.. I'm happy for you!" She steps forward to offer the young Lord a warm nuzzle - again, thankful that Onaedo isn't around, since she'd greeted Kale'Kizuka's news with a lot more enthusiasm - and when she steps back again, her smile is less forced. "And of course not everyone's going to hate you. They'll get over it once they take a minute to think about just what their other options really are." Elimnyama's sons.. and Kale'.
Kamau perks up in surprise when he suddenly finds himself being nuzzled by Sunny. NUZZLING. GIRL. AHHHH! But he's all wide-eyed innocence for the moment, then slowly turns his head to tilt it at Sunny. "Well of /course/ I'd be a wonderful king, that isn't even coming to question here! But everyone would be happier if he'd picked one of his own sons. And I've never done anything without Onaedo before. Maybe I /should/ just run away. ...You /would/ come with me if I ran away, wouldn't you?" He finally pushes himself up into a sitting position, trying to resituate himself on the small boulder so that he can look at Sunny levelly without being right in her face. It takes a moment of awkward movements and one time where one of his back legs slips off the rock before he's able to awkwardly perch himself somewhere.
Then it's probably a /good/ thing Sunny didn't congratulate Kamau the same way she congratulated Kale'Kizuka, lest she give her friend a heart attack in surprise. Plopping her hnidquarters back upon the rock, the adolescent female frowns thoughtfully. "I dunno about /everyone/ being happier if he'd chosen one of his sons. You'd think /Waset/ would be really upset, but she hasn't been acting the least bit so lately when we've been doing our lessons." Unless the barbary is a really great actress? "'sides.. it's not like Elimnyama is kicking Onaedo /out/ of the pride, so he'll still /be/ here." So it's not like Kamau will be /totally/ without his brother. Er... "Right?" She asks, slanting a quick glance at Kamau. Sitting up a bit straighter, though, Sundali bobs her head once in a nod. "'Course I'd come. I'd figured that's what we'd all end up doing once we're all finished training anyway.. you, Ona' and me."
It probably is a very good thing. Kamau may have fallen off the rock from flailing so much. But this way he's saved from having to flail. "Waset, Waset's kids, I don't know if Onaedo knows yet but I don't think he'll be happy since /I'm/ certainly not happy he doesn't get to be king with me. Runt's probably mad. Kione is always a jerk. Who else is there to be happy about this?" Other than... well, him, but it's a pretty big killjoy to have your life /threatened/ by your barbary nephew. "But no, Onaedo won't be kicked out. But what if you and him want to go explore on your own?" He keeps on frowning, his entire face drooping a little. "Maybe we still can go exploring once training is over. It's not like Elim' is going to /die/ or anything anytime soon."
Sundali's nose wrinkles in thought. "I don't think Runt's mad. He didn't seem like it when I saw him last. He told Ona' and I that he was going to be a King, and that he knew who the other one was. But I guess that was before /you/ knew you were going to be the other King, and so Runt wouldn't tell us." Her tail curls lazily behind her as she watches her friend, feeling more than a little guilty that she privately wishes Elimnyama /had/ chosen one of his own sons, if only for entirely selfish reasons of her own. "Ona' and I won't go without you," She assures the other teen. "Why would we? Won't be fun unless you're there, too."
"Really?" Kamau asks, raising an eyebrow at Sunny. "That's weird. Normally it's the sort of thing he'd burst in to tears about and start yelling that life's not fair, why him." Or perhaps Kamau is exaggerating things the tiniest bit. But just a little. Oh well, he'll believe it when he sees it. And at the announcement that she wouldn't go without him, he can't help but start smiling again. "Really, you wouldn't? Not even for a little while? Or if Ona' really wanted to?" Turning his head, he looks out towards the forgotten lands instead. "Even if I do become king," if, there's still some question to it in his mind, "we can still go on adventures. Don't kings get to travel places and stuff? We'll get to see and do a lot! And of course I'll need to bring with me the best pouncer in all the lands and my head guard."
"He's not /that/ bad," Sundali points out softly. She really does like Kale'Kizuka.. and thinks of him sort of like a little brother. She had siblings, once upon a time, but she's never gotten to see any of them again. And Runt looks more like her than any of her real family ever did. But, she's not going to push that issue at the moment. She /tried/ talking to Onaedo about letting up on Runt a bit, and Ona' didn't really seem to listen to her. Sigh. "Of course I wouldn't," Sunny replies firmly. Well.. not /again/, anyway, since she left without her two friends once before. "Not even if Ona' really really wanted to." A grin spreads across her face at the thought of adventuring. "Of course! And /we/ wouldn't let the best King go off by himself. Too dangerous!"
Kamau goes on grinning like the excited teenage boy he is as Sunny continues making him feel better about everything, at least for the moment. As for Kale', well. He'll lighten up when the kid gives him reason to. Like Kione. When they stop acting like annoying gnats, Kamau will stop treating them as such. At the mention of 'the best King', Kamau sits up a little straighter and lifts his chin, trying out a regal pose. "I might mess up my royal mane. Couldn't have that," he jokes, making it about halfway through before he has to start snickering himself. As if he could EVER be that kind of king! "Or at least, I'm really going to need you two if I /do/ do this. If you both think it's a good idea, well then. Who cares what everyone else thinks?"
Characters:
Kamau, Lord of Tyne
Sundali, Huntress of Tyne
Setting: Tetesi Grasslands
It's closing in on evening in the great land of Tyne, and a certain young Lord has been off guarding things and exploring other things. But in his busy schedule, he's taken a break to lounge on a boulder slightly to the side of the grasslands. His paws are hanging over the edge, claws extended as he hangs on at a slightly odd angle, and his tail hangs off one side. He's getting bigger and fluffier every day, and his dark 'mane' is even getting to a point where it waves around a bit in the breeze. And for now, those clear weirdly-blue eyes of his are staring up at the formation that is Tyne Rock off in the distance. With all his gruffy arrogance and attempts to be Mr. Strong bad lion of 'don't mess with me', he's actually having a rather peaceful moment atop his boulder. Because yes, he's decided it is HIS boulder.
Sundali has left another huntress training session, having been told yet again to practice, practice, practice. And so, the young white lioness is practicing, practicing, practicing. Through the grasses she stalks, doing her best to keep her movements slow, but steady, so as not to rustle the foliage too much and give herself away to.. well, whatever prey she is stalking in her mind. The boulder that the young Lord is lounging upon just happens to be in Sunny's path, but from her lower vantage point, she is unaware that there is anyone /on/ the rock. Thus, as she approaches, she imagines a buffalo standing there, taunting her, thinking himself safe from the hunting lioness. Sundali grins to herself; that pretend buffalo doesn't know he's underestimating this huntress. She isn't the world's best pouncer for nothing! Slowing to a halt, Sunny takes a long moment to stare up at her fake foe. Leg muscles bunch in preparation for her attack and then... "AHA!" Slightly longer than average hind legs - always the key to Sunny's pouncing success - launch her up to the top of the boulder, forepaws outstretched to pounce upon the buffalo...
And all the while Kamau has his chin resting on his paws, looking like he's busy /thinking/ about something. So he misses that there's a huntress out thinking he's some smelly buffalo, up until there's a leap and he's met with the all-too-familiar sight of Sunny about to pounce on him. "AHHYE!" he hollars, going wide-eyed as he gets tackled from behind. "AHH!" he keeps shouting as he digs his claws harder against the boulder, trying to keep himself on it even as the force of Sunny is dragging him away a little. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING I WAS RESTING HERE WHAT IS GOING OOON?!"
And, quite suddenly, her buffalo is /real/?! "AHHH!" Sundali's cry of attack quickly turns into a startled yell, pale golden eyes wide. How in the world can she make buffalo appear from out of nowhere?! But as her body slams into that of the would-be buffalo, the scent that hits her nose is decidedly non.. buffalo-y. In fact, it rather smells like... "KAMAU?!" Catching herself so that her momentum doesn't send her - or the both of them - toppling off the bolder (which.. pretty much involves her back claws scraping against rock, while her forelegs lock around the young male lion), it takes a moment for Sundali to regain her composure. To scoot back to give them both room atop the rock and blink in bewilderment at her friend. But amusement at the situation quickly takes hold and, giggling, she can only issue a half-hearted apology. "Ehehe.. sorry, Kamau! I was.. uh.. stalking.. buffalo." On a rock. Yes.
"SUNNY?!" Kamau yells back, even though she's /right there/. On top of him, even. Hugging his neck?! He quickly scrambles to the side himself, scraping the rock with his own claws as he resituates himself. It's not the largest rock, so it's a little cramped up here, but it is HIS ROCK and he isn't abandoning it quite so easily. So he remains hugging the rock, flicking his tail with the sudden adrenaline rush and staring up at Sunny in surprise until he finally breaks into a small grin. "Ehhe, that's al-- wait. Buffalo? Are you saying I look like a BUFFALO?!" He sounds indignant, but the way he shoves his nose into the air is decidedly un-Kamau-like so he must be faking. "Why I never, calling /me/ a buffalo. I smell better than one, too. Not to mention smarter than one, stronger than one, better than one..."
The lioness' ears cup slightly forward, and her giggles continue for a moment longer as she listens to Kamau's little speech. Choking back continued laughter, Sundali gives the Tyne Lord a critical glance, a teasing sparkle in her pale eyes. "Smell better than a buffalo? Yeah, I'll give you that one. Stronger than one? /Maybe/. Smarter than one?" Right forepaw is lifted to tap thoughtfully at her chin, a grin threatening to stretch across her muzzle as she pretends to study Kamau seriously. "That's a bit doubtful." Unable to keep up a more serious appearence any lnoger, Sunny laughs and swings her paw lightly, playfully at her friend's head. "Well! If you're not up here being a stalkable buffalo, just what /are/ you up to, eh?"
Kamau tilts his head to the side and watches Sunny with a level look, though he smirks when she insults his intelligence and reaches over to swat at her paw with his own, ducking his head. "I'm smarter than a whole herd of buffalo!" he defends himself, pretending to pout, but he eventually lowers his chin back to his paws. "I dunno. I was just thinking. USUALLY it is more quiet here than back at the cavern, and I TEND not to get pounced as much by the likes of you mistaking me for a smelly old buffalo. Hmpf. Onaedo I could /almost/ believe you'd mistake for a buffalo, but /me/? Of all the twisted... something or others and the... confused girls and..." he doesn't know what he's talking about, so he trails off with some incoherent mumbling.
"Saying you're smarter than a whole herd of buffalo ain't exactly saying much, Kamau," The white adolescent chuckles, grinning toothily at her friend. Sundali's head tilts faintly as he continues, her smile growing just a touch as he trails off. "I'm sorry," She says finally, her apology now more sincere. "I'm supposed to be practicing my hunting, and got carried away with my own imagination. I didn't mean to interrupt your thinking." A pause, as she briefly considers whether she should take another playful shot at Kamau's intelligence there and then decides to let it pass. For now, at least. Sunny's gaze slips momentarily from her friend to the lands beyond him, thinking herself, before glancing back to Kamau. "Did you want to be alone? I can leave..."
"Pah," Kamau huffs, though he lets the subject of his intelligence slip away as well, even if he keeps pretending to brood about it. "Aww that's alright, I don't really mind interuptions when they're coming from you. Had you been /Kione/, however, I may have ordered you to vacate the premesis of my rock. Perhaps after bowing and while telling me how I am the best King of This Rock ever to lay a paw on it. Or something." He starts grinning again. "I'm okay not being alone too. I'm glad there is still SOMEbody in this whole Pride who isn't thinking everything would be better if I was dead. Well, somebody outside of Elimnyama at least. And perhaps my mother, but I'm just guessing on that one." He stops grinning and moves his eyes back to Tyne Rock again.
Sundali grins, and settles back onto her haunches, inwardly pleased that he doesn't mind her interruption (unintended as it may have been). Initially, the adolescent female laughs at the mention that others in the pride might want Kamau dead, believing that he's joking with her. But when next Sunny actually looks at her friend, he's no longer smiling, and her gaze follows his to study the distant form of Tyne Rock. "What?" She asks, her own grin faltering. "No one wants you dead." That's a stupid notion. "Why would they?" The girl attempts another small smile, her expression mingled with amusement and wariness.. as if she's unsure if Kamau is setting her up for a joke or not.
"Oh, /my nephews/ would beg to differ," Kamau replies, rolling his eyes as he says it. "Some have made special appearances in Tyne just to tell me so. It was very kind of him. I'm tempted to return the favor." He extends his claws a little more, but all they do is push against the rock even more. "All because Elimnyama wants to train me as his heir, which you'd /think/ was a good thing because I always thought Onaedo and I would be good at ruling Tyne, only instead of Ona' I'm supposed to do it with /Kale'/ and not a single lion seems happy to have heard the news from what I can tell." His mouth is set in a straight line and he's quite stubbornly saying it all with an air as if none of it matters. But it's /Ona/, so of course it matters to Kamau, and it is all bothering him a lot more than he expected it to. Caring, he's beginning to learn, takes quite a lot of /effort/.
No? No joke? Frowning, Sundali leans slightly forward, nodding now and again as Kamau speaks. His nephews are upset at him? The only one Sundali is really familiar with is Kale'Kizuka.. she's never seen Elimnyama's sons around all that much. And she knows that Runt has been a bit upset that Kamau and Onaedo tease him so much. But.. no, this doesn't sound like Runt. Must mean one of Elimnyama's sons, then. But what Kamau then says next catches in Sunny's ear, and she hears nothing that he says after it. Elimnyama.. wants Kamau as his heir? /Kamau/ is the other future King, the one Kale' wouldn't tell her and Onaedo about? Sundali stares at her friend, aware that he is speaking but unaware of what is being said, while somewhere inside of her she is aware of a sinking feeling. Blinking, she suddenly realizes that it's been a long moment or two since Kamau finished speaking and that she should probably, y'know, respond. Her mouth works wordlessly a moment, before she's finally able to say anything at all. "/You're/... Elimnyama wants you for his heir?"
PLEASE, Runt really needs to get over the whole teasing thing. Who whines about something for that long? They were cubs! No, don't answer that, obviously Runt whines about everything for that long. Glancing up at his friend, he frowns a little. "You sound so pleased," he drawls out dryly. "I'm glad I finally found that vote of confidence I've been looking for." Retaining a sigh, he turns his frown back at Tyne Rock. "But that's alright, I was surprised too. I was very ready to run off with you and Onaedo and just go on adventures. To be honest, that is beginning to sound like a lot more fun than this Heir thing anyway. What's the point of being King if I can't do it with my brother, and if everyone's going to hate me for it? I'm sure they'll all loooove Runt, right through when he gets conquered by meerkats who enslave everyone."
A surprise indeed. Sundali is just.. stunned. Not because she thinks Kamau will be a lousy King or won't have what it takes, but she had seen their future much like Kamau had: her, Kamau and Onaedo ditching Tyne to go out and explore the big wide world and have adventures and settle who knows where. Among.. possibly other things. And, she had always figured that Elimnyama would want to pick one of his own sons to be his heir (which, now brings sense to the fact that those same sons are now upset at Kamau. Puzzle piece in place!). Her friend's dry remark snaps Sunny back to the here and now and she quickly forces a grin across her muzzle, which she hopes looks sincere. "No! Kamau, that's /great/, really! You'll be a wonderful King!" She gushes, silently thanking the Great Kings that Onaedo isn't around at the moment. No doubt he'd berate her for appearing less enthusiastic about Kamau being King than she had been when Kale' told them /he/ would be King. "You're around more than Elimnyama's own sons anyway, and Kale' can't do it on his own! No.. it's fantastic.. I'm happy for you!" She steps forward to offer the young Lord a warm nuzzle - again, thankful that Onaedo isn't around, since she'd greeted Kale'Kizuka's news with a lot more enthusiasm - and when she steps back again, her smile is less forced. "And of course not everyone's going to hate you. They'll get over it once they take a minute to think about just what their other options really are." Elimnyama's sons.. and Kale'.
Kamau perks up in surprise when he suddenly finds himself being nuzzled by Sunny. NUZZLING. GIRL. AHHHH! But he's all wide-eyed innocence for the moment, then slowly turns his head to tilt it at Sunny. "Well of /course/ I'd be a wonderful king, that isn't even coming to question here! But everyone would be happier if he'd picked one of his own sons. And I've never done anything without Onaedo before. Maybe I /should/ just run away. ...You /would/ come with me if I ran away, wouldn't you?" He finally pushes himself up into a sitting position, trying to resituate himself on the small boulder so that he can look at Sunny levelly without being right in her face. It takes a moment of awkward movements and one time where one of his back legs slips off the rock before he's able to awkwardly perch himself somewhere.
Then it's probably a /good/ thing Sunny didn't congratulate Kamau the same way she congratulated Kale'Kizuka, lest she give her friend a heart attack in surprise. Plopping her hnidquarters back upon the rock, the adolescent female frowns thoughtfully. "I dunno about /everyone/ being happier if he'd chosen one of his sons. You'd think /Waset/ would be really upset, but she hasn't been acting the least bit so lately when we've been doing our lessons." Unless the barbary is a really great actress? "'sides.. it's not like Elimnyama is kicking Onaedo /out/ of the pride, so he'll still /be/ here." So it's not like Kamau will be /totally/ without his brother. Er... "Right?" She asks, slanting a quick glance at Kamau. Sitting up a bit straighter, though, Sundali bobs her head once in a nod. "'Course I'd come. I'd figured that's what we'd all end up doing once we're all finished training anyway.. you, Ona' and me."
It probably is a very good thing. Kamau may have fallen off the rock from flailing so much. But this way he's saved from having to flail. "Waset, Waset's kids, I don't know if Onaedo knows yet but I don't think he'll be happy since /I'm/ certainly not happy he doesn't get to be king with me. Runt's probably mad. Kione is always a jerk. Who else is there to be happy about this?" Other than... well, him, but it's a pretty big killjoy to have your life /threatened/ by your barbary nephew. "But no, Onaedo won't be kicked out. But what if you and him want to go explore on your own?" He keeps on frowning, his entire face drooping a little. "Maybe we still can go exploring once training is over. It's not like Elim' is going to /die/ or anything anytime soon."
Sundali's nose wrinkles in thought. "I don't think Runt's mad. He didn't seem like it when I saw him last. He told Ona' and I that he was going to be a King, and that he knew who the other one was. But I guess that was before /you/ knew you were going to be the other King, and so Runt wouldn't tell us." Her tail curls lazily behind her as she watches her friend, feeling more than a little guilty that she privately wishes Elimnyama /had/ chosen one of his own sons, if only for entirely selfish reasons of her own. "Ona' and I won't go without you," She assures the other teen. "Why would we? Won't be fun unless you're there, too."
"Really?" Kamau asks, raising an eyebrow at Sunny. "That's weird. Normally it's the sort of thing he'd burst in to tears about and start yelling that life's not fair, why him." Or perhaps Kamau is exaggerating things the tiniest bit. But just a little. Oh well, he'll believe it when he sees it. And at the announcement that she wouldn't go without him, he can't help but start smiling again. "Really, you wouldn't? Not even for a little while? Or if Ona' really wanted to?" Turning his head, he looks out towards the forgotten lands instead. "Even if I do become king," if, there's still some question to it in his mind, "we can still go on adventures. Don't kings get to travel places and stuff? We'll get to see and do a lot! And of course I'll need to bring with me the best pouncer in all the lands and my head guard."
"He's not /that/ bad," Sundali points out softly. She really does like Kale'Kizuka.. and thinks of him sort of like a little brother. She had siblings, once upon a time, but she's never gotten to see any of them again. And Runt looks more like her than any of her real family ever did. But, she's not going to push that issue at the moment. She /tried/ talking to Onaedo about letting up on Runt a bit, and Ona' didn't really seem to listen to her. Sigh. "Of course I wouldn't," Sunny replies firmly. Well.. not /again/, anyway, since she left without her two friends once before. "Not even if Ona' really really wanted to." A grin spreads across her face at the thought of adventuring. "Of course! And /we/ wouldn't let the best King go off by himself. Too dangerous!"
Kamau goes on grinning like the excited teenage boy he is as Sunny continues making him feel better about everything, at least for the moment. As for Kale', well. He'll lighten up when the kid gives him reason to. Like Kione. When they stop acting like annoying gnats, Kamau will stop treating them as such. At the mention of 'the best King', Kamau sits up a little straighter and lifts his chin, trying out a regal pose. "I might mess up my royal mane. Couldn't have that," he jokes, making it about halfway through before he has to start snickering himself. As if he could EVER be that kind of king! "Or at least, I'm really going to need you two if I /do/ do this. If you both think it's a good idea, well then. Who cares what everyone else thinks?"