Authors Notes: I take NO credit whatsoever for characters that I did not create. They are (c) they're creators. I created Cheza, Ramei, Nagra, Tojo, and Cheza and Raimei's mother.
Cheza was created February or March '99. She is, as of right now, my favorite RolePlaying character. Most of the contents of this story happened in the RP Chat Room on AOL, The Pridelands. Some was made up, just because of lack of memory. ^^;; This story goes from Cheza's entrance to the Pridelands and Outlands (although the very first paragraph is around Cheza's teen years) up until..big spoiler, click here. Or click here to skip the spoiler.
It ends at Cheza's death and the reunion of her mother in heaven.
If you want to use any of my characters in a SL or story, please ask permission first. All questions, comments, complaints, etc. are welcome. :) I love to hear from you guys. Notes from me are put in parenthesis with Author-sama: -what I'm putting- inside. i.e. (Author-sama: Blahblahblah.) would be an author's note. These will probably just be little funny remarks I make here an there.
If you offended by swearing (I'll try not to put anything TOO bad in..) or reading about extensive abuse and fighting, please stop reading now. There are also a few graphic births that happen..so if that grosses you out..sowwy. ^_^;;
E-Mail: SailorMoOMoO@aol.com
Okay. You're probably eager to get to Act II by now. So I'll stop yammering.
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ACT II
Turmoil
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Gwazi and Cheza grew close, and not long after his arrival, another lioness followed after him. Here name was Kiara. (Author-sama's note: Not Kiara from TLK2. Looks like her, but she's different. e.e; The TLK2 Kiara doesn't play any role in Winged Legacy) Kiara was like Chloe, couldn't stand Cheza in the slightest and was all over Gwazi. Fortunately for Cheza, Gwazi took much more interest in Cheza than he did in Kiara.
"Cheza..can I talk to you?"
"Sure Gwazi. What's up?"
"You know that Kiara likes me and all..and that I don't return her feelings." Gwazi seemed choked up with emotions on top of nervousness. Cheza's heart fluttered, afraid to hope for what she knew Gwazi was going to say.
"Yeah.."
"Well, the reason I don't return her feelings is because..well..because I love you. You got me out of the shadows. You offered me a home." Cheza's eyes welled up with tears of joy. "Cheza..I love you..I truly do. I want to share my life with you. Will you be my mate?"
"Yes.."
~~~
Vitani and Link were overjoyed to learn their adopted daughter finally found someone she loved and loved her back. "We're so proud of you, Cheza," Vitani said, eyes welling up with tears. Tears of joy for her daughter.
"Thanks Mom."
"Welcome to the family," Link said with a grin to Gwazi.
"Proud to be here," Gwazi grinned.
"Hooray for Cheza!" the three cubs chorused, old enough to be able to pronounce her name correctly.
"Cheza Cheza Cheza!" Kanu said, bouncing in front of the new couple. "Are you gunna have cubs? We want some new playmates!"
Gwazi and Cheza blushed deeply. "Oh..maybe someday," Cheza said, giving Gwazi a little wink that made him laugh.
~~~
A few weeks later, at night, after everyone else was asleep, Cheza lay on her back to look up out at the sky through the holes in the termite mound. She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes.
"Cheza?" a gentle voice called into the darkness. It belonged to none other than her mother.
"Mother?" Cheza questioned, opening her eyes.
"Did I wake you?"
"No, I was already awake."
"Want to take a walk?"
Cheza was not quite sure why her mother wanted to go for a walk in the middle of the night, but she had a feeling it had to do with her and Gwazi.
"Cheza, I'm happy for you," Vitani said as they settled near the river that seperated the Pridelands from the Outlands.
"I'm glad," Cheza responded, smiling into the midnight sky.
"Now Cheza," Vitani sounded the slightest bit embarrassed. "As your mother it's my job to tell you all about guys. And cubs," she added.
Cheza blushed faintly in the darkness. "I figured I have to learn somehow." Her humor was forced.
"It's natural to want to do things..but you really should wait until after a while."
"Alright. So I won't tell you."
"Tell me what?"
Cheza took a deep breath. "Mom.." she paused, searching for the right words. "Gwazi and I are having cubs.."
"You are!?!" Vitani exclaimed. "Cheza that's wonderful! I'm going to be a grandmommy..you're going to be a mommy..!"
"I'm going to be a mommy.." Cheza's happiness had an edge of concern on it. "But Mom, I don't know the first thing about kids."
"Oh come now. You always took care of Kanu, Mala, and Squeakers. Don't give me that. They adore you. Even now, and they're teens. And you oughtta know that most teens can't stand their siblings."
"Excuse me?" Cheza asked, perking a brow. "I liked them when I was their age."
"True. Then, females tend to like little children," Vitani said with a link.
Cheza chuckled. "Yeah."
There was a long silence before Vitani said, "Cheza, it's a lot harder than babysitting Kanu, Mala, and Squeakers. It's almost nonstop, especially the first few months when they're completely dependant on you."
"Yeah," Cheza said. "I did pay some attention to you, ya know." Her voice had a smile in it.
Vitani laughed. "Just don't worry about it. You'll do great. I'll always be here for you." There was another length of silence. Then, "I've decided when I die, Kanuri will get the throne. He's the oldest, after all."
Cheza nodded in agreement. "He'll make a fine King."
~~~
Not long later, while sunbathing in the Pridelands, Cheza began experiencing intense pain. Gwazi was frightened for her at first, but Vitani and Melainia calmly stated she was having her cubs. Both of them had had cubs, so they knew what to expect. Gwazi on the other hand, didn't.
"Cheza, it'll be alright," her mother coaxed. "Soon your water will break and then you'll have to push. It'll hurt, but it has to be done."
Soon after, four little cubs were brought into the world. All four carried distinct traits from their mother and father: all four had wings and stripes. Two were girls and two were boys.
The first born was Rukia, a dark red girl with reddish-grey underside, etc. The second born was a male they named Kucha. He had Cheza's colouring with stripes and wings. The third was Pembe, dark brown like Gwazi, with stripes and wings. The last cub to be born, also the runt, was named Danganya. She was the only one with true tiger colours.
Late that night, after bringing the cubs back to the Outlands, Gwazi and Cheza were given some time to be alone with the newborns. "Gwazi, they're beautiful," Cheza whispered, resting her head on his soft mane.
Gwazi nodded in agreement.
"Gwazi?"
"Hm?"
"I love you."
"I love you too."
The two fall asleep against each other, cubs curled up in their paws.
~~~
Not long after the birth of the cubs, Gwazi disappeared. Cheza was devastated, but she did everything she could to keep her children happy.
Vitani, also, had died. Link had long since vanished. Kanuri took the thrown and Malaika died shortly after Vitani's death. It was a sad world in which Cheza lived in. Nothing much was really happening in her life. Her cubs were making friends and learning to fly.
When her children were old enough to live on their own, Cheza disappeared, wandering various lands for a long time. She occasionally popped into the Pridelands to see how things were going. Vitani had been rezzed, and she learned that Kanu had died and been rezzed during her absence.
By the time Cheza returned for a permanent stay, she was scrawny, vicious, and hateful, unlike she had always been back before. Cheza remained quiet and unnoticed, for no one wished to be randomly attacked, thus, Cheza was generally ignored for a very long time. That was, until the appearance of a lion..a lion who looked very much like our winged lioness heroine..
"I am here to take my daughter back," the lion spat in Vitani's face. "I do not mind at all taking her by force."
"I don't know who you think you are," Vitani snapped. "But Cheza is my daughter and she does not have to leave."
"Your daughter?" the lion laughed. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Tojo. Cheza's real father. Her flesh and blood. Not a skimpy whore who picked her up off the streets."
"Excuse me?" Cheza gasped as she walked up, staring into Tojo's eyes. "I do not have a father. My earliest memories were being alone. I came here and she took me in." Cheza gestured to Vitani. "I don't know who you think you are, saying you'll just take me back. I love it here. I am not leaving."
"Well, my dear," Tojo drawled. "You'll be the Princess of my lands. And perhaps, one day, a Queen. Of course, you don't have to come with me and be a meager pride member, even though you could be much more."
"In that case," Cheza said. "I'd be more than happy to.." Tojo grinned wildly, sneering at Vitani. "..stay here." Tojo was taken aback, and it Vitani's turn to smirk. "I see you don't understand. I grew up here, fell in love here, had children here. I will not be taken away by some ogor who thinks he can waltz in and take me back, since he obviously didn't want me in the first place."
"You have a point," Tojo said in a defeated voice. Then, in a vindictive voice he said. "Too bad you'll have to die." With that, Tojo lunged at the winged lioness, slashing bloody tracks across her face. Cheza roared and beat furiously at his head with her wings, slashing across his chest. She delivered a powerful kick to his gut, knocking the large lion off of him.
"Get the hell out of here," Cheza hissed, standing over the fallen lion. Tojo whimpered and retreated from the lands.
After a very long silence, Cheza nuzzled her mother, tears trickling down her face. "The past will never leave me alone.."
"Don't worry, Cheza," Vitani said gently. "I won't let him take you."
Cheza could only pray the nightmares would come no more...
~~~
The little winged cub screamed as she was beat. Her fur was drenched with blood, giving it a grayish-red colour. Her dark blue eyes were wide with fear. She screamed again as Tojo ripped at the skin on her shoulders. "PLEASE!" she cried out. "STOP!"
"You bitch," Tojo sneered. "How are you attempt to order me around." He grabbed her by the tail and swung her with all the force he possessed into the stone wall. Satisfied, he slunk away.
The little cub crumpled to the ground, bleeding profusely. She knew Mchawi would bandage her wounds and heal anything life threatening. Oh no. Mchawi wouldn't dare let the King's favorite playtoy, his daughter, die.
The crafty lion slunk into the dim cave, chuckling cruelly. "Why hello there little Raimei," he offered with cruel cheerfulness. "How are you are on this beautiful day? You should be out playing with the other cubs instead of keeping yourself locked up in this ole cave." He sneered and inspected her wounds. "Oh, Daddy did a doozy on you today." Mchawi proceeded to bandage her up, roughly, as Raimei was never to be treated nicely.
The little cub cried. "Why don't you just let me die?" she begged.
"And now it begs for death."
"You've kept me a cub all my life so Tojo can abuse me." Tears mixed with the blood on her face. "But why? What gain would it be?"
Mchawi sneered down at her. "As always, little Raimei, I'll tell you. It is his revenge..."
~~~
Cheza woke in a cold sweat, chest heaving. She panted heavily. The dream was so vivid..so alive..what was happening to her?
~~~
After much time passed, one of Melainia's daughters ran off with some male stranger named Quanzi who had threatened the Pridelands. Melainia, Scar, Cheza's Aunt Wastani, and Cheza went after the future Queen and brought her back, but not after killing Quanzi.
"I'll fly ahead and find her."
"Lucky bitch," Wastani grumbled irritably. "Able to fly ahead."
"Don't complain Wastani," Scar said. "If we find Katiza, you can kill that Quanzi of hers."
"Yes, Father," Wastani replied in a monotone voice.
Cheza flew ahead, having heard her aunt's comment, but she didn't care. All she wanted to do was kill. Once she was out of sight, Cheza felt strange, in pain even. She was choked up, unable to breathe. Her eyes bulged as she convulsed, a spasm in her throat as she plummeted to the ground. She landed in the tall grass and didn't move for several moments. When she got up, Cheza's eyes glinted dangerously and raised jet black wings over her back.
She beat the air with her wings and flew in search of Katiza and Quanzi. "There.." she muttered to herself and tracked where she had been. She beat her wings into the air and zipped back to where the others waited. None seemed to notice the change in her wing colour.
"I know where they are," Cheza reported. "Follow me." She flew a few yards into the sky and the others followed on foot. She led them to Quanzi and Katiza where they found a demon killing the lion. A lion who announced himself as Quanzi's brother announced himself also as the future King of the Pridelands. Wastani attacked him, chasing him to a ravine. Cheza flew after him while the others cheered her on.
"Time to die little boy.." Cheza cooed menacingly, holding his head under the water until the lion faded into darkness. She flew back over to the and led them home.
Katiza was under a watchful eye and lectured upon returning to the Pridelands. Cheza decided not to stick around, as the thought of a lecture about running off with a strange male caused intense boredness. She curled up in her old den in the Outlands and began to dream...
~~~
"Help me..."
Cheza jerked up. "Who's there?"
"Cheza..Cheza.."
"Who are you?"
"You're the only one who can help.." The voice cracked, choking on blood. "Please..save me..sister.."
Cheza stared into the darkness. "Sister!?! My sisters aren't related to me! They're all gone or..or.." Cheza screamed as she spun into the darkness.
~~~
"Those dreams again..." Cheza said in a trembling voice. "Who is calling me?" She buried her head into her paws and cried, as her wings faded back to their normal snowy-white shade.
She walked out onto the savanna, gazing over the barren, empty lands. They sure had changed a lot from the once bountiful, beautiful lands to this barren place. A yellowish-orange lion made his way across the border between the Pridelands and Outlands. As he drew nearer, Cheza stopped and squinted, then ehr eyes widened.
"Cheza..?"
"Kanu...?"
"'EZA!"
"KANU!"
The two lions raced to meet each other, Kanu playfully tackling his older sister, nuzzling her in a family-love-ish-way. "Cheza!" he exclaimed. "Is it really you?"
Cheza laughed. "It's me all right. How have you been?"
"It's been forever since I've seen you," Kanu said, letting Cheza up. "I've been pretty good, how have you been?"
"I've been better," she answered truthfully. "But it's not that bad. So, have you a lady yet?" she asked with a wink.
Kanu fell over with a little laugh. "You know I'm married to Tania." (Author's note: Kanu-mun informed me that they were married, not just mates. -noddles-)
Cheza laughed a little. "Yeah. Where is she?"
Kanu looked down to the ground, face stricken with grief. Cheza made no more of it.
"I haven't had a guy since Gwazi disappeared," she offered.
"That's too bad," Kanu said.
"Yeah."
Another lioness lurked into the lands. Kanu squinted. "Mother?" his eyes widened, as did the lionesses.
"Kanu!"
Mother and Son raced to meet each other. Cheza raced after Kanu, smiling at the reunion.
"Mother!" Kanu exclaimed, sitting down in front of Vitani. "It's been so long..I've missed this place. It's so..different."
"It's the same really," Vitani said with a twisted smirk.
"Yeah," Cheza agreed. "Melainia's still Queen." The three laughed.
"Cheza," Vitani said, an edge of concern in her voice. "Are you still having those nightmares?"
"What nightmares?" Kanu inquired, raising a brow at Cheza, then Vitani.
Cheza folded her ears back. "They're different now," she admitted. "That same voice..Raimei I think her name is. She's asking me to help her. She says she's my little sister. I don't understand though..But I know it's not a dream. And Tojo is somehow connected."
"Tojo?" Kanu questioned, still confused.
"My father," Cheza explained shortly. "My real one."
"Ah."
"Cheza..." Vitani started.
"Mother, I have to go. I'll come back someday..I promise.."
A tear trickled down Vitani's cheek, but she made no effort to stop her daughter. She leaned forward and nuzzled her. "I'll hold you to your promise."
Cheza nuzzled her mother back. "Don't let me forget it.."
Cheza turned to her confused brother and gave him a quick nuzzle. "Don't worry about me. I'll come back."
With that, the winged lioness walked out into the African savanna. She disappeared into the darkness, alone.
----
End Act II
