Samwel Igwe
PRIDELANDERS
Human Prince of the Pridelands
Posts: 536
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Post by Samwel Igwe on Sept 13, 2022 18:06:25 GMT
Sam was still trying to wrap his mind around… A lot.
So they’d found “The Pridelands”, or well, he had at least. But now he was stranded there, with no way of getting a hold of the adults. Then there was the talking animals, which despite his misgivings were not a result of dehydration or of a poisoned watering hole. It was just… A lot to take in.
On one hand, he was thankful his mentor saved his life. On the other hand, he’d stranded him a worse situation than the streets.
Grumbling to himself from the shade of the lower side of Pride Rock, Sam carefully examined himself. While they’d managed to heal some of him, the rest would take time. He’d banged up his left leg, as he’d assumed, with some bruising and scratches. And his clothes? Don’t get him started on that mess. But that part could wait.
For now, he just had to make sure he lived long enough to find the others. With some difficulty, and stubbornness, he pulled himself to his feet and considered his options. He could try to trek it on foot despite his injuries, but for the moment - everyone told him he was in a safe place.
Hell, he still didn’t know if anyone survived the crash.
Running his hands through his hair, he stared up at the sky. “C’mon Sam, this is nothing new,” he assured himself with as much confidence as he could muster. “You never needed adults… You were literally getting your mom food when you were five!”
As he attempted to put pressure on his injured leg, however, his sharp yowl put him back on his butt and back to reality. “I’m not making it five feet, am I?” He grumbled. Falling onto his back with a deep sigh.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2022 20:56:59 GMT
Dogo may have been allowed in the Pridelands, but the closer he got to Pride Rock the more eyes were on him, and the harder he had to put on a fake smile. Usually that was enough to keep his distance, but today he had to get a look at the kid. Not just for his own curiosity but he was asked to; At the least, that's his story.
"Hey you." he spoke once he was close, smile staying but being a bit more of a concerned expression. "You that child right? You're talking so you must be okay." he plopped his rear down, eyes looking over the boy, looking for something but not seeming to know what. The jackal would have a certain air about him, even if one was suspicious it wasn't clear what to be suspicious of..
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Samwel Igwe
PRIDELANDERS
Human Prince of the Pridelands
Posts: 536
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Post by Samwel Igwe on Sept 13, 2022 21:01:34 GMT
Child?
Sam turned around and was about to object when the jackal showed up. Holy crap! There are jackals out here too? This place has a lot, he figured. Maybe even the whole ecosystem of Africa at this rate. After a moment of comprehending this however he shook his own thoughts away.
“Well, uh, not really a child,” he explained as he leaned against a rock wall. “I mean I’m not an adult or whatever but… I’m not a little kid.”
Side-eyeing the animal slightly he decided what to say next. “I’m uh… Sam by the way. Sorry, I’m just taking it in. Where I come from animals don’t uh, talk,” he replied. “I’m still wondering if some part of my mind finally snapped.”
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2022 17:16:19 GMT
Dogo tilted his head at the child's response, or so he insisted on seeing the boy to be. "If you're not a man you're a boy, so which one do you want? Child, or boy?" he shrugged some, but moved on. "Once you get that figured out, tell me where you're from? What's it like having animals that uh, don't talk to you? Must be real quiet... Oh! My name's Dogo!" he said finally.
The jackal seemed friendly enough, though somehow not exactly nice, just friendly and talkative.
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Samwel Igwe
PRIDELANDERS
Human Prince of the Pridelands
Posts: 536
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Post by Samwel Igwe on Sept 16, 2022 5:21:59 GMT
A boy? A boy!?
Sam would argue to the infinite abyss that he’d lived his life hard enough that he definitely was not a boy or a child. But he guessed he wasn’t a man either. Ugh he hated when people used logic on him. “I just feel like with the life I’ve lived I haven’t exactly had time for “boy” or “child” things,” Sam admitted. “I can’t even remember the last time I acted like a real kid.”
It was true, it was probably the last time he was in school. And that was ages ago at this point.
Where he was from? That at least presented a good question. “Oh where I’m from? New York. Mostly Brooklyn, sometimes Queens,” of course he would have no idea what he was talking about but at least it passed the time. “And there were plenty of animals to keep you company. But I didn’t know many until I started working with my mentor.”
He then added. “That’s when I started going into the jungle and seeing animals like you guys,” he explained. “Even if they still didn’t talk. And I never really got close enough to say much anyway…” after all, most of the times they were still wild animals. “Hence why I’m not freaking out on you all. I’m pretty used to animal company.”
If he had any company at all anyway.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2022 1:08:55 GMT
Dogo tilted his head, "It's been that rough for you huh?" he tilted his head, and seemed sympathetic enough. The still-a-boy wasn't acting all that messed-up though, leading to doubts. The jackal was naturally confused, tilting his head and making looks at the names. "Never heard of any of those places." he noted simply.
"I just figured you were a meat-eater, so does that mean you aren't?" he questioned. "You're just brave like that honey badger, Bunga?"
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Samwel Igwe
PRIDELANDERS
Human Prince of the Pridelands
Posts: 536
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Post by Samwel Igwe on Sept 23, 2022 4:26:23 GMT
Rough - may have been a bit of an understatement.
Though he wasn't about to divulge every single detail of what he'd gone through, no one really knew that. He could think of a host of things: working in a factory to support his drunk mother, getting kicked out on the streets, having to survive on them... He tried to push back the thought with a wince. "I try not to think about it much," He admitted honestly. "But yeah, you could call it rough. Some people who knew about it called it "hell". But it's a long story."
And by the look in his eyes he didn't want to tell it.
A meat eater? Oh right, that made sense. Shaking his head, Sam corrected him. "Humans are actually omnivores, we can eat meat or we can eat plants, fruits, and vegetables," He explained. Not knowing if an animal would actually know what an "omnivore' was if he was going to be honest. "Who's Bunga?"
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2022 17:33:00 GMT
"Hell, huh?" Dogo asked, ears flicking in thought, his paw going to his snout also, he stayed quiet for quite a while after saying this. "Story for another day then..." he observed, ears stopping and tail starting to move instead.
The jackal nodded at the omnivore explanation, there were those around at least enough for him to pick up on it, though in the Pridelands omnivores largely became herbivores as much they could. "I get that, yeah." He smiled, "Bunga? He's one of the Lion Guard, he's really brave. According to Kion he's the bravest around. Kion's the king's son, he moved away, I hear." he smiled. "I um..." his paw went behind his head, "Have a long story of my own about me and them." He gave a friendly smile, with a touch of nervousness.
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Samwel Igwe
PRIDELANDERS
Human Prince of the Pridelands
Posts: 536
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Post by Samwel Igwe on Oct 5, 2022 3:18:18 GMT
Hell indeed. Again, Sam cringed as memories flashed in his mind. Trying his best to push them as far out of his mind as he could. “Probably. The world I come from just isn’t as uh… Peaceful or nice like this place seems to be,” of course he hadn’t heard of the conflicts yet so he’d think that. “I didn’t even have it the worst. Humans are pretty terrible to each other when they want to be.”
The Lion Guard? Sam again scratched his head. There really were a lot of groups out there wasn’t he? But he guessed he’d learn all he had to eventually, right? “Oh so the king has other kids then,” he simply settled for replying. “I guess that makes sense he moved. There can only be one king or queen and all that, right?”
He figured though the lions seemed unusual they did seem to at least follow some of the same rules that he was used to with them.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2022 18:29:50 GMT
Dogo looked at the boy intently; Although he didn't speak about what he was seeing, he did take note of his discomfort. Enough clues to see what the mystery was shaping up to be.
"Our um, 'world' isn't some kind of paradise either." he scoffed, "It just looks like that, there's always something threatening it, or someone." His paw went to his snout, "They probably haven't told you much, if anything!" he noted. "Just Kiara and Kion" he answered, "I'm sure he wanted to stay, but I hear he found a new calling... he didn't really have to go." he smiled.
"I'm sure you'll meet him, though..." he frowned, "Probably will be because something bad is going down." the jackal said with a shudder.
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Samwel Igwe
PRIDELANDERS
Human Prince of the Pridelands
Posts: 536
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Post by Samwel Igwe on Oct 11, 2022 18:34:35 GMT
Ha. Sam was sure that was the case.
There was evil everywhere in the world, and he’d heard all kinds of stories about evil in the wild. But he probably wouldn’t get into that right now for fear of making anyone think he didn’t like animals for some reason. “Oh so he’s no longer around that makes sense,” he explained honestly. “But don’t worry I’m pretty sure nowhere in the world is a total paradise after all. If it were things would be way easier.”
Oh? He wouldn’t mind meeting everyone he could honestly. “Maybe, I’m sure it depends on how long I’m stranded here,” he explained. “Definitely if it’s permanent.”
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2022 20:44:02 GMT
Dogo gave a nod, "More or less, yep. Just like a hero, I imagine!" he smiled, seeing the brighter side of things. "If anywhere was paradise, I'm sure we'd get really bored of it. Or ruin it... Depends who you let in." he stuck his tongue out. "I hope you aren't stranded here forever." Dogo shook his head, "Not to say you wouldn't be welcome... or say that you would be." he said rather playfully. "They'll figure out something, or you will! To get you home or make this a home... or find you a new home?" he almost trailed off, stopped by only a lack of somewhere to trail off to. He instead looked around, a bit uncomfortable to be loitering like this, perhaps...
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Samwel Igwe
PRIDELANDERS
Human Prince of the Pridelands
Posts: 536
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Post by Samwel Igwe on Oct 12, 2022 3:25:20 GMT
Make this a home. Find a new home.
Ha, why did it sound like he was back at his old home now? How many times had he heard that same thing? How many times had he been pushed into another damn orphanage, or work house he had to run away from? Taking a deep breath, he looked over at him. "I hope not either, but I don't think I'd ever stop moving anyway," Sam admitted honestly. "I'm not usually in one place for very long. Back home everyone wanted me to be someone else's responsibility."
Leaning back, he added: "I guess you could say that's why I tell people I raised myself."
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2022 21:21:18 GMT
Dogo tilted his head, "Hum..." he then shook his head. "Some people wander, but that's no way to live. You've got to have a home to go to." he said with an assuring tone. "Wherever you are from, things are very different." he said with a snort.
"You aren't alone around here, you don't raise yourself; You raise each other if you have to." he brought his paw up to scratch at his ear. "You kind of get run off, is what I hear. You find friends or a family even, eventually."
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Samwel Igwe
PRIDELANDERS
Human Prince of the Pridelands
Posts: 536
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Post by Samwel Igwe on Oct 13, 2022 3:18:00 GMT
That definitely sounded nice - but Sam also had been told similar things when he’d been thrown into an orphanage before. And he wasn’t about to get any hopes up for himself to find anything like that.
Taking a deep breath, he tilted his head. “I guess moving around is just what I got used to. It’s not so bad after a while,” he lied about that last part but who cares? Sometimes those lies helped him too. “I mean I had a home for a little I guess. Back where I came from. David had a little apartment we shared. If I do get back I’m sure he left me that much. So maybe I’d move less.”
He said this thoughtfully as his eyes wandered.
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