the Rift


sound the drums

Adaeze Posts: 32
Outcast
Mare :: Unicorn :: 16.2 :: 6
ali
#1
Adaeze</style>
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Even though Adaeze had left Dorobo behind it was still there in the back of her mind clawing and chewing and nagging constantly. She felt as though she should still be there investigating and trying to expose everything that the council was doing to hurt and incite a war. She wanted to help bring them down and make them pay for everything they had done. She wanted to watch them fall and burn, especially that goat looking motherfucker who tried to pass the blame off on her when she had brought up the abandoned villages and camps. The only thing that kept her from going back was Tembovu's threat to actually kick her ass for real this time if she did. It was a threat that she figured he'd make good and he already knew how fast she was. He'd already trapped her once and cornered her for an ass kicking on the council's behalf. She still bore the scar on her shoulder from that one and she wasn't actually keen on adding more to it.

Kiuaji was decent company for the most part, but she couldn't really say the same for herself because she was still so angry when Tembovu made her leave. She didn't want to run away from a fight, she wanted to run into it. She wanted to fight and she wanted to take her own revenge on the ones that took everything away from her. Why did Tembovu get to stay and fight the sick, twisted, manipulative bastards when she had to run away and hide? He wasn't the only one that had lost everything because of their politics. Hell, he wouldn't have even seen the truth if she hadn't opened his eyes while he was trying to kill her.

The bastard.

She'd traveled with Kiuaji for several days when she finally made up her mind that she needed to ditch him. The mare just didn't feel like being around him anymore and it was actually really easy to get away. Whether or not her speed came as a surprise to him mattered very little to the cheetah marked woman. The only thing that mattered was that she finally had time to herself, away from Kiuaji and all the ways that he reminded her of Dorobo and the council that she wanted to smash to pieces.

How could she stay away? How?

The days that she spent alone dragged on into weeks then into months before she finally made it to Helovia. of course the woman was unaware of Tembovu, Kiuaji, and Tsavo calling the place home. As far as she was concerned it was little more than a temporary stop before she headed back toward Dorobo. As much as she hated the council it was her home and her heritage there was thick. If Tembovu got mad that she went back he could just kiss her perky, spotted ass. She would do whatever the hell she wanted whether he liked it or not.

Ada snorted as she made her decision, her caramel eyes hard and her jaw set sternly as she stared at the forest she'd walked into. A few weeks here would allow her time to gather her strength and then she'd be ready to head back home. She'd be ready for whatever fight was waiting for her...



"Talk."




@Tembovu, @Tsavo, @Kiuaji

Tembovu the Elephant Posts: 805
World's Edge Captain atk: 7 | def: 9.0 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 18hh :: 10 HP: 77 | Buff: SWIFT
Mbwene :: African Elephant :: Ashen smitty
#2
tembovu
Heavy, ivory hooves crunch through the fine dust of snow. Mindless, sleepless, restless, there was so much ‘-less’ in his life. The only redeeming ’more’ was the shuffling elephant that trailed in his wake. Mbwene wasn’t sure about this powdery white ‘snow’— it was cold, and often froze over the tips of her long trunk. Which meant burrowing it into Tembovu’s chest or neck to thaw it. And that was annoying. Regardless, she tottered behind the Elephant King, tasseled tail swaying and ears flapping as her bright blue eyes gleamed like jewels to take in all that they passed. There was so much to see in their wanderings.

Dark blue eyes, which had alway been some degree of shadowed, were now lined and haunted— so much darker than they ever had been before. They didn’t see where he walked, he didn’t know where he walked. It was just away— away from the healers, away from the Edge, away from Mauja. Away from judging or prying eyes, away from apologies or scarred reminders.

So it was a great surprise to the Elephant that he had to abruptly halt his ceaseless walking to avoid running smack into a large, spotted, hindend that suddenly appeared between the trunks.

This was something familiar about the substantial expanse of black-spotted, golden buttocks that loomed before his broad muzzle.

“Ada?” The low rumble was incredulous. No. How was his cat here? How did the cheetah find Helovia? Aji had not revealed where he had led her to sanctuary, but he had not been gone long enough for them to have reached Helovia. “How, in all of Dorobo’s plains, did you end up here?” The low rumble of his voice had lost the sadness for a moment, and shock lightened his eyes, erasing the haunted lines for the time being. He was torn between hugging the cat and firmly pinning her to the ground for all the headache she had caused him in Dorobo. He settled with reaching his muzzle out to firmly nip her on her spotted, well-padded haunches.
@Adaeze

Please tag Tembovu.

Adaeze Posts: 32
Outcast
Mare :: Unicorn :: 16.2 :: 6
ali
#3
Adaeze</style>
</style>



Life had a way of taking the most unexpected twists and turns and no matter how prepared you thought you were for them you never truly were. There was always something that found a way to take you by surprise and for Adaeze it was hearing Tembovu's voice right behind her. Her body tensed and she fought the instinct to throw her hind hooves in the brute's direction in self defense especially when he nipped her rump. He had, after all, used her as a punching bag on more than one occasion and even though it had been a necessary evil it was hard for her to ignore her sense of self preservation.

The cheetah spun around to face the king, her marked face shadowed as she took in his sudden appearance. "Temby." She purred his name as the corners of her mouth curled up into a grin. Of course she wondered how, out of all of the places she could have ended up, she'd end up in the same land as Tembovu. She wondered if that meant that Kiuaji was here. And Echo ... she missed her friend more than anyone else from Dorobo and hoped that he had made it to safety.

"Miss me?" The cat purred softly as her golden eyes slid over Tembovu's muscled frame. "What am I saying, of course you missed me. I couldn't possibly imagine how you've managed to keep yourself entertained without having my ass to stare at and chase after." She winked then allowed her golden eyes to slide to the little elephant that had tagged along. "Oh, what's this?"



"."




@Tembovu, ]

Echo Posts: 2
Up For Adoption
Stallion :: Equine :: 15.3 :: 14
Adoptable
#4
 


echo


we have two ears and one mouth


so we should listen more than we say


The old buffalo rolled through the woods at his slow, steady pace. He was not far behind now, he knew, and would catch up soon enough if he just kept moving forward. Echo had been following Adaeze for months now, ever since she had left Dorobo. Their native land had not been improving when he left it had been a wrench to his heart to leave it behind knowing it would be subject to the senseless violence of the council. A healer and a traveler, Echo had been an unassuming carrier of messages for those with a mind to resist the rule of the corrupt government, and he had not been keen to leave that work unfinished. But his little Ada was too important, and he could not bare to stay behind when she went off alone and so he had followed, leaving others in his place.

It had been months now, and he got a little closer each day. The old shaman was skilled at tracking and spent long hours on foot to compensate for his slow pace. It was often that he would roll his eyes, Gods, how the child does run!, but he was a patient man and knew he would catch her eventually and that kept him going.

When he found her, he intended to scold her for several things, mainly her choice in locale. The mad had been trudging through snow of all things and did not like it one bit. But then he heard her voice, and his little petty annoyances drifted away (he could never stay mad at her). It drifted through the trees and put a smile on his old face. He did not run, or shout, but rolled into view as if they had been parted days and not months. “Ada child, why you march so fast? Echo not have time to find new gourd when his break and now he all out of potions!” The words might have been from a scolding parent, but there was laughter in his eyes and voice when he spoke.

Only when he had greeted his girl did the green eyes drift to the stallion she had been speaking too. He seemed familiar, and definitely had the look of Dorobo but the old healer had met so many there that perhaps his mind was playing tricks. He stared for a few long seconds, leaning slowly closer and closer until he would have been almost eye to eye with the taller man. “Hujambo.” he muttered the common greeting without inflection to test his theory, any who had come from Dorobo would recognize it and Echo watched him carefully for signs of recognition.

image credits

Tembovu the Elephant Posts: 805
World's Edge Captain atk: 7 | def: 9.0 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 18hh :: 10 HP: 77 | Buff: SWIFT
Mbwene :: African Elephant :: Ashen smitty
#5
tembovu
Ears (and other, stallion-y parts of him) twitched at the purr of her voice from her curled lips. Though very apparent annoyance flashed across his face at her nickname for him— he had always disliked it in Dorobo and now… Now it was incredibly similar to what Rexanna had called him, here in Helovia. Though, before he his low voice could roll into the suddenly charged air between them, her velvet voice was purring again as golden eyes slid across his scarred hide.

He felt his muscles harden slightly, growing beneath her insepection— what was he doing? Or, more aptly, what was she doing? Black-rimmed ears tilt backwards as annoyance coursed more strongly through him. Both at her playful and sassy words (because they were true, he had missed his cat in some strange, twisted way) and at the sudden response his male anatomy was having to seeing the gleaming, spotted cheetah again.

“Having it to look at certainly made my job easier,” what began as a humorous response as he pointedly stared at the voluptuous haunches of Ada faded as a shadow flashed across his face— his job had been finding her and beating her enough to subdue suspicion before letting her escape again…

Mbwene, quickly becoming well-adapted to handling the waves of guilt and sadness from the Elephant, instead grabbed onto the playful humor that had such saturated their bond from Tembovu. She trumpeted loudly, trunk proudly raised, as the feline mare turned her golden eyes on her. Perhaps it was her bond with Tembovu’s memories, but this mare was interesting to her. This mare captivated the brazen calf’s attention.

Amused at Mbwene, he shook away those memories and began to take sweeping, purposeful steps towards his cat, “But I have missed it, and your—” whatever taunting, truthful, charged words were about to leave his low voice were cut short by a different rumbling voice through the trees.

Mbwene was obviously shocked by the man’s headress, as told by her shrill trumpet spouted from an extended, pointing trunk. “Mbwene, enough,” his quiet murmur had an immediate, if begrudging, affect on the small pachyderm. The Elephant King’s attention shifted to the newly appeared buffalo. Brows raise slightly as recognition washes over him at the familiar greeting. “Sijambo, Echo,” his low voice rumbled in greeting. Though his face had lost its happiness, instead closing to the impassive mask of a monarch.

Echo was well known to Dorobo, as mystic medic whom could heal anything just as Kiuaji could poison anything. His eyes dart between the two Dorobians before him, so unlikely a pair and even less likely to be in Helovia, “You two travel together?” Why was there an undercurrent of jealousy in his low rumble?
@Adaeze @Echo

Please tag Tembovu.

Adaeze Posts: 32
Outcast
Mare :: Unicorn :: 16.2 :: 6
ali
#6
Adaeze</style>
</style>




He claimed that having her ass to stare at made his job easier and Ada couldn't help but laugh a touch bitterly. Of course it made his job of beating her up easier. But it was such a typical male response that it was somewhat disappointing coming from Tembovu. "Oh, but I'm sure you found more than enough tail to chase here." She said with a nonchalant shrug of her spotted shoulders. 

"But I have missed it, and your-"

"My what, Temby, darling?" She purred softly, curiously because he had successfully captured her attention and made her wonder. But whatever he might have wanted to say was forgotten altogether when she heard the rumble of a very familiar voice. 'Ada child,' it called her and her heart did a happy little pitter-patter in her chest. There was only one man who called her Ada child and she had been thinking about him only a few moments before. For a second she thought that maybe her subconscious longing for him had made her imagine his voice, but then he was there and Tembovu was looking at him, too.

"Papa Echo!" The spotted mare exclaimed a little too loudly, clearly elated by his presence. She abandoned Tembovu and rushed the shorter stallion, her muzzle seeking to bump against his as she pushed herself closer to him. "Where have you been, old man? What are you doing here? Are you staying?" Because if he stayed she would stay, as well.

Her head turned back to Tembovu when he and Echo exchanged their greeting, obviously proving to one another where they both came from. "Not exactly." She said in response to Tembovu's question. "I didn't know Papa Echo followed me, but I'm glad that he did." She grinned at him and bumped her muzzle against his shoulder. "He's healed my wounds on more than one occasion." Wounds that you inflicted upon me.


"."




@Tembovu,
@Echo

Echo Posts: 2
Up For Adoption
Stallion :: Equine :: 15.3 :: 14
Adoptable
#7
 


echo


we have two ears and one mouth


so we should listen more than we say


Echo's laugh was a quiet clap of happy thunder when the spotted mare turned to greet him. He accepted the bump of her muzzle against his with continuing chuckles. Ada's exhuberance, as it often did, brought a broad smile to his face; it streched wide, nearly hiding his eyes as the pair exchanged their greeting. He raised his head, reaching to place his usual affectionate kiss upon the girl's forehead.

His welcome of Tembovu went none so familiarly. The old buffalo blinked slowly, considering the stallion of the plains carefully. The elephant had returned the greeting in the proper fashion and even seemed to recognize the mystic himself so his origin was assured, though it seemed strange that he should be found this far from Dorobo. Then again, old man, you are just as far from there yourself. He nodded, leaving the introductions with the other stallion somewhat prematurely (until he could remember just why he knew him) and turned his attention upon the little elephant, who, by the smile the spread, seemed to be far more appealing company to Echo than Tembovu could ever be.

She was a strange little thing, but then the old man had seen many a strange thing in his travels and he had a soft spot for young of any sort. He bent down a bit, to put himself closer to her level "Echo is honored to meet you, Little Mother. May you always see sky." His blessing translated roughly into the foreign language, but the mystic did not mind, he repeated the proper words in his mind and gave a little nod to the pachyderm before turning back to Ada. "Of course Echo follow you. Where Ada go there is more trouble than jackal in lion den, so Echo must follow." He shrugged his thick shoulders but sent a wink at the girl all the same. "But come," he said, eyeing Tembovu again, "...you are of Dorobo are you not? Tell Echo why he knows your face." It was not like Echo to forget a face--for he had always remembered those he had healed-- and so he was eager for a reminder. Was it chance that had brought his Ada here or had she been looking for this stallion? Echo did not like to think it was the latter, though the girl was not his blood he felt immensely paternal; he hadn't liked the flirty purr he had heard in her voice one solitary bit.

“.”

image credits

Tembovu the Elephant Posts: 805
World's Edge Captain atk: 7 | def: 9.0 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 18hh :: 10 HP: 77 | Buff: SWIFT
Mbwene :: African Elephant :: Ashen smitty
#8
tembovu
Black-rimmed ears laid flat against his skull as his cat rushed Echo, her muzzle outstretched and seeking the buffalo’s. Irritation flashed through his navy eyes, lips slightly pressed together as he watched their reunion. But there was no reason for this, no reason for the annoyance that suddenly pulsed through him. So, with monumental effort, he relaxed his muzzle and swiveled his ears forward, catching Ada’s answer to his question— though he cannot help the small lines that gather at the corner of his eyes as she bumps and fawns over the old buffalo. Were she the cat her hide was spotted after, she would be rubbing between his legs. The Elephant wanted her rubbing him

He snorted softly, shoving away those thoughts and directing his attention to Mbwene as Echo did the same. The small elephant abated her alarm at the smile that spread on his face. Hesitantly, she shuffled up to the grey man as he bent down, ears shyly flapping in hello as her trunk carefully lifted to inspect both his nose and his headdress, bleating a soft greeting.

Tembovu watched the exchange, feeling his annoyance soften at the blessing given by Echo to Mbwene. The edges of his muzzle tilted up, navy eyes warming as he felt the curiosity and happiness flow from his bonded. He met the deep green gaze of the mystic as he questioned him. “I am Tembovu, once a General on the Great Plains,” he paused, wondering if the shaman would recognize his name— how much had Ada told him? “But now I am King of the World’s Edge, a herdlands here in Helovia. I would be honored for you to accompany me home.” His attention shifted to the spotted cat, “And I would be glad to see you reside in my herd, Ada,” a new heat flashed in his eyes as he addressed the spotted, restraining himself from taking a step towards her.

@Adaeze I left their history open! I can edit it if you want, Laine :)

Please tag Tembovu.

Adaeze Posts: 32
Outcast
Mare :: Unicorn :: 16.2 :: 6
ali
#9
Adaeze</style>
</style>



It was no entirely untrue that wherever Ada went there was trouble. It was in her nature to stir the pot, so to speak. She was always on the lookout for things that weren't as they should be and her personality and morals didn't allow her to stay quiet when she noticed it. "You've never complained before, Papa, why start now. Besides, I haven't started any trouble here..." Her voice trailed and she looked to Tembovu and winked playfully. "...not yet, anyway." But she was sure to turn Tembovu's life upside down and make it impossible for him just as he claimed in Dorobo.

She only hoped that in this land she wouldn't be constantly running for her life and getting beaten by him.

It was when the introductions began after Echo asked that Ada knew trouble would be coming sooner, rather than later. When the old buffalo had found her beaten and bloody he'd wanted to know what had happened to her. She'd restrained at first, but as she began to develop a friendship with the old man she began to reveal more and more to him. He would know Tembovu from when she'd told him in Dorobo, she was sure. How he would react or what he would say to the Elephant was something that she was entirely unsure of.

"King?" Ada purred and she took a step away from Echo, hoping that both stallions would be distracted from their introductions. "How did you manage to become King, Temby?." She was genuinely curious and was already wondering how he ruled his herd. Force? Fear? Patience? Respect? She wondered if he were able to separate himself from Dorobo and its teachings and rule his herd in a manner different from their homeland.

"I'm sure you ask every girl to go home with you, Temby, sweetheart." She said, rather than accept his invitation right away. She continued to move toward the king, aiming to rub her spotted shoulder against his. "If I go will you make it worth my while?"




"Talk."



Tembovu the Elephant Posts: 805
World's Edge Captain atk: 7 | def: 9.0 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 18hh :: 10 HP: 77 | Buff: SWIFT
Mbwene :: African Elephant :: Ashen smitty
#10
tembovu
Her playful wink at him caused a snort to rush past his nostrils and something warily raised its head his the back of mind— just what trouble would the cat cause, here? She had been the beginning of his vengeance, a source of ire between him and Aji… He already had enough troubles brimming in his life, would his cat be another?

Or would she be balm to his headaches? A solution to his dilemmas?

Navy eyes sweep her body, perhaps lingering a moment too long on her haunches, and he slightly shakes his great skull to himself. Adaeze had trouble written all over her. She always had. He sighs softly, waves of darkness and guilt returning as she questions his kingship. “A friend—” was Mauja his friend? his thought interrupted his words before he continues, “The previous King stepped aside and offered leadership to me.” Though his explanation was simple, the shadow in his eyes and suddenly withdrawn and quiet tone to his voice spoke the volumes that his words did not.

His now-sad gaze leaves Ada, turning to Mbwene whose bright blue eyes had swept to his when she heard the sad timbre of his voice. She squeaks softly, trundling over to stand loyally alongside his front limbs, trunk twining gently around his knee. His face, now creasing once again with the lines that seeing Ada had wiped from it, rose from the small elephant and looked to the cheetah, “Please join me, Ada,” his quiet rumble ignored her playful jib. His mind and soul, still raw from his dark deeds in the forest, were not quite ready for their usual verbal banter.

But, as she rubs her silken, spotted shoulder against his (scarred hide twitched as he leaned into her brush), he cannot help the small grin that plays at the corners of her mouth then she teases him. “I’ll make it worth yours if you make it worth mine,” his quiet rumble is warmer, now, and he reaches with his teeth to tug a strand of her black mane.

Slowly, almost reluctantly, he begins to move away from her soft warmth, motion with his massive horn west, towards the World’s Edge.

@Adaeze

Please tag Tembovu.


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