[PRP] Lesser Known Areas (Thuraya x Ur)

[nessiaing]

Thuraya trotted along behind the dark blue male. She had gone along with his tour learning little ins and outs of the pride as they went along. She still couldn't believe her luck having run into such a kind male on the beach. They shared their life stories and now he was touring her around.

As the came up the side of the cliff Thuraya was blown away. "There are trees Ur, such beautiful trees." she squealed just a little. "Where I grew up it was a beautiful forest with our main hub being a cleared areas somewhere in the centre. When I moved here I thought I never see trees like this again."she said. Her voice was full of awe as she looked up and the jungle before her. "I am pleased that I didn't have to trade trees for ocean." she said in a small voice. Thuraya suddenly knew that she would spend a great deal of time up on these cliffs where she could hear the crashing ocean and be near her beloved trees.  

[Talencia]

He'd had two options... to go one direction would have taken them to the river and the admittedly lush foliage around it. It had its own appeals, most certainly ones he'd want to share with her. But he'd opted to head the other direction first, up onto cliffs that towered over the beach. Looking one way, there was the wide expanse of ocean. Looking the other, a deep jungle forest. He faced the ocean, letting the fresh wind off the ocean blow his mane back out of his face. He took a deep breath of the salt air, at this point unable to remember any other kind of way to breathe.

"This is a favorite spot of mine," he told her in a soft voice, nearly drowned out by the sound of the surf below. Some parts below them were sandy beach, some rocky beach, with several chunks of mountain thrown out into the surf like pebbles from a giant's paw. The combined crash, thunder, hiss, and burble was a symphony to the blue male's ears. "When I need to find calm, I come here and let the ocean wipe my troubles away."

He leaned over the edge and pointed with one paw. "See that rock?" he asked her, indicating a large hunk jutting from the ocean like a little island. "I go there when I'm really upset. Helps me drown my worries when there's nothing around me but ever-moving water. Helps me feel less like my troubles are world-ending, if you know what I mean." He tossed her a wry smile, somewhat self-deprecating.  

[nessiaing]

Thuraya turned away from the forest to train her eyes back on the ocean. When he leaned towards the edge of the cliffs they stood on she felt her heart race. She wasn't exactly fond of heights. She edged towards him but stayed about half a bodies length behind him. I don't think I could get there, I'm not the best swimmer. She told him. She realized that it was a bold choice to move to a pride that was butted up against and ocean but when she had arrived here it had just felt right.

"I can understand coming up here though. There is just a sense of peace up here." she said she lowered herself down and looked out towards the ocean. She could hear the gentle slaps of the waves hitting the rocks bellow.

"Is it really hard to swim out there.... where the water is deep?" she asked Ur. Thuraya had been doing a lot of personal growth since he had joined the pride, she had never been on her own like this, making friends, not having to report to anyone. She was free to make any decisions she wanted, do anything she wanted and she was pretty sure she wanted Ur to be around a lot while she made these choices.  

[Talencia]

Ur shook his head and turned towards her, letting the ocean breeze blow his mane into his face a bit. "Surprisingly, it's the shallower part that's more dangerous. Undercurrents can pull you out without you realizing, or the incoming waves can overwhelm you." He waved a paw towards the ocean. "See beyond where the waves first start rising? That's the deeper water, and it's much easier to swim in than the area closer to shore."

Swimming was not really one of his more favorite activities, truth be told. He was capable, and they'd all had to learn how before they could become a member, after all... but that didn't mean everyone savored it. He knew quite a few of those lions born into the pride were practically air-breathing fish. He was not one of those.

He had also noted that she didn't venture too near the edge of the cliff. Perhaps this hadn't been the best location to bring her to, in that case. Good enough, there was plenty more to see. "Ready to head into the jungle?" He turned fully around and began pacing slowly towards the rustling, swaying trees. It didn't take long for the cliff to block the noise of the sea from them, muting it swiftly so that the sounds of the foliage became more prominent. "Do you climb trees?" he asked curiously, angling a look at her sideways that held more warmth than the question merited.  

[nessiaing]

Talencia

As Ur spoke Thuraya kept her eyes trained out on the water. She had learned to swim since coming to this new home of hers. Although her pelt looked like she belonged in the ocean it still made her endlessly nervous. She figured as her time here went on she would get more comfortable with the water that surrounded her new home.

"The jungle yes." Thuraya said with a smile. She was peering into the trees. It was similar to how her hold home had been however the vegetation seemed denser and greener.

"Oh I haven't climbed a tree since I was a cub." she told him with a small giggle. Se had been a beybanu in her old home a position that called for some respect, she couldn't be seen climbing trees like a child. Not to mention one of her sole jobs in the pride was to bear cubs for her pad and if she was busy climbing trees she could have a fall and then who knows what would happen.

"Do you climb trees?" she asked the dark blue male. Her eyes had a twinkle in them now. She was clearly enjoying her time with Ur, he brought out a youthful side to her.  

[Talencia]

He caught the twinkle in her eyes and beamed a little more under their influence. "Actually, yes! It can be easier to move through the jungle if you climb, jump, and travel above the ground." Recalling her reluctance to get near the cliff's edge, he hastened to reassure her. "Not very high, mind you, but the branches and roots in there can be pretty twisted and knotted, making ground travel challenging." He moved forward, leading her down a seldom used trail. "You'll see!"

Sure enough, the path seemed to end, but in truth, it merely veered away from the earth. Tossing a grin over his shoulder at her, he padded right up onto a huge root that rose from the ground there. It got rather steep, so that he had to use his claws to keep traction as he hitched himself up the last little rise before it leveled out and came to meet the trunk of a massive tree. He paused there and looked back to check if she was okay with this or if he needed to find a way to thread their way on the ground.  

[nessiaing]

Thuraya only paused for a moment before she moved to follow the male up along the root. She was a fairly petite lioness so it wasn't hard for her to quickly traverse up the root, only having to use her claws ones to have somewhere to push off before she made it up the last vertical part.

Standing next to Ur where the root levelled out she let out a laugh. "Well it has been a long time since i have used those muscles." she said giving her body a shake. It felt good to be active but at the same time she knew she would feel this use tomorrow. Hopefully what ever cubs she was mining wouldn't mind a quiet day.

"Lead the way my friend." she said excited to get further into the jungle and see all the things it had to offer.  

[Talencia]

He had been a little worried how she'd manage. She hadn't struck him as being terribly physical, but he hadn't been certain how much of a delicate flower she was. It was to his relief and pleasure to see her willingly follow him up the incline. It really was incredible how much he was realizing he wanted her to enjoy the things he enjoyed. He wanted to show her the joys and beauty he treasured most, and hoped to see delight mirrored in her eyes.

"There are sights to see, scents to smell, and beauty to find the further up you go," he told her, casting his eyes upward to the leafy canopy above them. "Some creatures only live way up there, where the sunlight first touches the leaves." He brought his gaze back down to her, his expression light. "Don't worry, we aren't going up there today! Even I don't do that very often. It's sure a sight, though!"

He turned and paced along the raised ridge along the trunk that led to another root extending out away from the tree. Not far along that one, there was a narrow branch that passed close by. With another glance back at her that held a touch of mischief, he stepped off the root and onto the branch. It held rock solid under him, despite being narrow. He had to go up it putting one paw in front of the other, since there was only that much room. The incline was slow and steady, though, so there was little danger of slipping backwards. It wound through the foliage, straight through a curtain of flowering vines. He paused there, looked back once more, then disappeared into their veil.  

[nessiaing]

The blue lioness followed Ur through the jungle, never worried that he would lead her somewhere dangerous. She found herself trusting the male more and more. It was a strange feeling one she hadn't had since her pride had collapsed. She smiled when he spoke, laughed at his jokes. If she were a younger lioness she would almost say that she was falling for the male.

Before she knew it the jungle was growing dark around them. Her stomach let out a growl. Laughing at herself she turned away from the beautiful scenery Ur had lead her through and instead looked at the lion. "I guess that means we should head back, it's getting dark and I am hungry." she said her voice quiet and feminine. In truth she didn't want her day with the male to end, she wanted to stay in this moment forever, but she was also a little worried about making her way through the jungle in the dark.

"Lead me home?" she asked her head cocked to the side.  

[Talencia]

The blue male's heart was full as he stopped to listen to the lady beside him speak so softly, and to express such trusting reliance on him. This... this was so different than anything else he'd ever experienced. Was this... could this be what love felt like? He gazed at her in awe as the world around them darkened. "It would be my honor," he replied in a tender voice, then daring to lean forward and stroke her cheek with his own. "I'm glad we were able to spend the day together."

His paws were light as he chose the easiest, clearest path home. He kept glancing back over his shoulder and ensuring she was safe and handling the pathways well. Her well-being had grown to a great tidal wave of importance to him. Maybe it was unreasonable to think she might feel the same towards him, but he was content to just enjoy the moments they spent together now, and let the future work itself out. If it was meant to be for them to be mates, it would come along in time. All good things did, after all.