[PRP] A sucker born every minute (Cor & N'seka)

[Annchen]

With such a large extended family, being alone was highly unusual unless he went exploring on his own like this. And walking around in the central areas of the pride could hardly be called being alone either. Still, to a small cub it had been an adventure, especially since he'd met someone new and interesting today. He wondered if she knew any of his brothers or sisters already, and secretly wished that she didn't. It would be much cooler if she were his friend first and later got to know the others. Just because he was used to sharing didn't mean he didn't want private things and friends of his own.

"Five years," N'Seka said with awe, "That's like really old. Can you get the old?"

He got to his feet and started walking, slowly since Cor wanted to walk slowly. A small limp was the only sign of his earlier troubles, but N'Seka didn't realise he was limping and was too busy thinking about other things to pay attention to the minor discomfort. He soon forgot the "walk slowly"-part and the closer they got to his home the faster he moved.  

[Princess_Feylin]

"Mmm. I think so, yes. I mean, you have to be able to," Cor replied. "But I wouldn't go around asking people how old they are. I think it's supposed to be rude."

She wasn't sure if it was rude or not, but it seemed like something that might be rude, and while Cor was usually a pretty self-centered lioness who had little interest in much beyond satisfying her own curiosity and desires, she didn't actually enjoy stepping on toes, and did her best to avoid it when she could. She figured one day it would serve her well to have everyone like her, or at least not dislike her. It would be bad enough that they'd be jealous of her for being immune (as she was convinced she was).

She did notice N'Seka's limp, but since he seemed to be either ignoring it or unaware of it she didn't mind that they sped up. It wasn't actually all that easy to keep her pace slow enough for a sick young cub to keep up with her. Her legs were longer, for one thing. The closer they got to his home, the more familiar the area looked. Yes. She had been here before, but not for a while. Probably no one here would remember her, if there was anyone here at all. So far she hadn't seen any cubs in the surrounding grasses, which was usually a sign of an occupied den.

"This is it, huh?" she asked, making sure.  

[Annchen]

N'Seka nodded and committed this fact to memory. You're not supposed to ask about how old people are. For some reason. He didn't understand why it would be rude, but since Cor said it was it must be true. And he knew he didn't want to go around being rude to others.

"I'm not sure how old I am," he confessed, wondering briefly if it was important to know. But time was a foreign concept still, almost as tricky as keeping count of siblings. Given the circumstances he'd be lucky to see his first birthday, but N'Seka knew little about that. One year... It was a very long time. Five years. Wow... Close to an eternity.

"Yes, yes," he cried, bubbling with excitement as he saw the den and felt the scent of his family, "This is where we live. I think everyone is inside! Mooooooooooooom! I brought a friend! Her name is Cor and she's bigger than me!"

He ran the last stretch and bounded into the den, narrowly avoiding to trip on one of his brothers and very eager to introduce Cor to Mom and to each and every sibling that happened to be around.  

[Princess_Feylin]

"Probably not very old," Cor replied with an unconcerned shrug. Age didn't seem like it was a very important thing. It was more important, rather than keeping track of how long one had lived, to actually live. Or so Cor reasoned.

The subject was abandoned, however, when Cor observed N'Seka's exuberance in having reached his home. There was no need to continue that depressing topic of conversation when there were new people to meet and good impressions to be made. Good impressions weren't made with depressing conversation.

She grinned and followed N'Seka into the den, not bounding as he was doing, but still obviously pleased to be where she was. She didn't mind being surrounded by others in the least. It meant there were lots of people to be an audience to her, should she decide that she required one, and usually she did. This was going to be a good day.