Search Posts
Shaka marks each of the heroes with his scent, rubbing affectionately against them (except Lord Perpireen, who would be crushed by such an attempt). Be careful, friends! I dare not follow you into those dark bowels of the Earth... but I shall return to Anfa and do what I may to help those resisting the cruelties of the conquerors!
Shaka rubs his furry snout and head on Mwikali in affection, and makes a deep grumbling purr... Would that all humans were so noble as you, My Lady. Alas, the Navigator Prince has disappointed our hopes and dreams for Anfa... The lure of gold has made him... somewhat contradictory with his "Christian mercy"...
At around two in the morning, an old familiar face emerges from two glowing eyes reflecting firelight... The awakened guardian tiger from the old Sheiks harem gardens creeps up to your camp and presents himself, begging for a meal he doesn't have to catch and kill himself... gggrrrroooowwwwrrr... The Portuguese "missionaries" are little different from the Arab slave traders at what they are starting to call the port of Casablanca... White houses...
Shaka the awakened tiger confirms the Kunari warrior's assertion. Kunari to Mwikali: I fear that overthrowing the Arab Slave Trade will merely make way for a Portuguese Slave Trade, Lady Mwikali. They speak of making forays to the hinterlands to seek "viable trade stock", as they say...
Saturday, 20th January, 11:11 AM, on the west border of the Bornu Empire: The awakened tiger Shaka has journeyed for six days and nights from the liberated port of Safi to bring glad tidings to the Mwikali's people, the Kanuri of the Bornu Empire. Barely avoiding death on the spear heads of the mighty Kanuri hunters, Shaka convinces them that he comes in peace to spread the news of a new free haven on the coast of Morocco--the newly liberated port of Safi! In Kanuri: Hail, mighty hunters of the Kanuri, warriors of Bornu! Do not be afraid, for I am not here to hunt and kill, but to bring glad tidings of a newly liberated port of Safi on the coast of Morocco! All people of goodwill are welcome there, and your sister, the changeling witch Mwikali, bids her people welcome there! We need good folk to swell our ranks and brave warriors to defend our hard-won freedom there! Will not some of you come and help us build a Free Kingdom of Africa!?
I volunteer to be the ambassador to Kunai people of our Lady Mwikali! I used to hunt near their land, so I know the way!
Shaka pounces upon a monk thrall with a rumbling growl, choking the monk unconscious by squeezing his throat in his jaws! GGGGRRRRRRRRAAAARRRR!!!
A low growl rumbles in Shaka's throat... GGGRRRRRRRRR!! The tiger snorts indignantly... *SNORT!* In a booming baritone Arabic: What in Allah's Holy Name is this nonsense!? I WILL NOT be chained, or caged, like some stupid, savage brute! I'll have you fools know that I'm an AWAKENED tiger, AWAKENED by the Great Mullah of the Desert himself, a much-respected Bedouin holy man of the wilderness! Chained or caged MY FURRY ARSE!!
I suppose that’d be alright... I don’t think I can eat all this meat by myself, as hungry as I am... Uh, give ‘em the scalps and the backs... the hair gets caught in my throat and I have to cough up these nasty hair balls... you don’t want to see or smell that, believe me!
Can I eat the crow? Pretty please? He looks so yummy, and I’m famished!
"I think we need to get back to the ship before our favorite Captain manages to reclaim the ship we took from him. Plus it would allow the women to get their bearings as what they want to do, while we can figure out a plan as how to take out the Emir. I want to know how they knew we were coming, and where to set up." Do you mean Captain Barak of the Alanqilis? I have a keen sense of smell, and I smelt the captain and his Tengu first mate leave here on camels about half an hour ago...
*SNIFF!* Smells good in here... Like live food! I’m full from that guy I just ate, though...
The tiger looks at the adventurers and chomps down hard on the bleeding guard's neck. His eyes go dead and a torrent of blood pours from his open mouth and neck wounds... HMMF?? Spare him?? Oops! Too late... Sorry! He won't go to waste... NOM!! NOM!! NOMMM!! The circle of life unfolds before everyone's eyes, and Shaka has his first good meal in months! OHH!! SO GOOD!! NOM!! NOM!! NOMM!! It's gotta be the spices they cook with... Makes 'em nice and spicy!! NOM!! NOM!! NOMMM!!
FINALLY!! LIVE MEAT!! GRRAAAARRRRRRRR!!! Shaka pounces upon one of the two guards, who shrieks as the tiger savages him with fangs and claws!
Pouncing again to lesser effect... OW!! A little help here guys!?
The tiger Shaka leads the adventurers to a gate opening into a courtyard with another gate that opens into the Kasbah to the west... Pouncing at the gate , causing the door to bow outward briefly...
Ah! You are the good witch that little thrush was chirping about earlier... Mwikali... You have come to free those in bondage to the Sultanate of Morocco... I am pleased to meet you! If you promise me a chance to hunt and eat tonight, I will be glad to assist your cause... And my name is Shaka.
English!? I know a little... You want leave? Me hungry! Huuunnngrrrreeey!! You comprendé, amigo!?
The tiger looks askance at Altin and makes a chuffing sound... Is this one of the emir’s sick games to test my loyalty? How loyal does that flea-bearded camel-jockey think I’m going to be for one lousy chunk of dead meat every other day!? He’s starving me to death, man! Look at my ribs! You should not be able to, but you can! The tiger poses dramatically, showing his ribs through his striped hide...
Gosh! Now ya make me feel like I’m some kinda monster for wanting a bite to eat to keep me alive... The tiger looks indignant...
Who said anything about attacking you!? Jeez! Can’t a tiger roar to announce his presence without everyone going there!? I mean...it is my job to attack you if you’re a thief, or trying to escape, or pretty much if you’re a human stupid enough to be in a garden guarded by a tiger... but you’re the one who said attack, sir, not me!... That being said, the a*#*%&# emir feeds me very little to keep me ravenous, so if I could eat just one of the harem girls—just one!—that would be grrrrrrand!
The tiger, obviously one that has been awakened like the albatross, chuckles... In Arabic: Hahahaha! Now that is funny! Hahahahaha!! I haven’t laughed like this in so long! HAHAHAHA!! So... What’s going on herrrre, my frrriends? An escape?
A pair of green eyes glow in the shadows... ROAAAAAARRRR!!!
As if saying the word “lionesses” caught its attention, the watch-tiger the emir keeps in his garden to discourage thieves or escapes such as the one now occurring makes its presence known with a deep growl from the shadows of the fragrant garden... GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!! |
