Compiling error - trying to build fbsplash

Question

hey all. Trying to compile fbsplash, and keep getting this error;
make --silent all-recursive
Making all in libs
Making all in src
CREATE fbsplash.h
Making all in .
daemon_cmd.c: In function 'cmd_log':
daemon_cmd.c:346: warning: incompatible implicit declaration of built-in function 'strndup'
daemon_cmd.c:348: warning: incompatible implicit declaration of built-in function 'strndup'
/usr/bin/ld: cannot find -lfreetype
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
make[4]: *** [fbsplashctl] Error 1
make[3]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
make[2]: *** [all] Error 2
make[1]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
make: *** [all] Error 2
==> ERROR: Build Failed.
Aborting...
I have the libfreetype, as shown here:
ls -l /usr/lib/libfree*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 259150 2008-07-06 16:34 /usr/lib/libfreebl3.so
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 30 2008-07-07 23:52 /usr/lib/libfreetype.so -> /usr/lib/libfreetype.so.6.3.18
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 30 2008-07-07 23:52 /usr/lib/libfreetype.so.6 -> /usr/lib/libfreetype.so.6.3.18
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 595471 2008-07-07 23:53 /usr/lib/libfreetype.so.6.3.18
any help appreciated. I know its out of date and everything, but this seems to be a compiler error, not a package thing? or i'm just wrong. Don't just suggest splashy either, thats not what i want - i'm trying to get a background on my terminal. Sorry for the grumpy tone, but i've been battling with this and trawling the web for about 5 hours now, and its 1am...

Answer 1

it compiled, but i get the same kernel panic when i use this on the end of my boot line:
splash=verbose,theme:darch console=tty1
And the error is:
kinit: nuking initramfs contents, directory not empty
Kernel Panic - not syncing: attempted to kill init
Also, just trying to run "/etc/rc.d/fbsplash start" gives me "line 6: splash_check not found"
again, any help appreciated.