[PRP] Plans Gone Awry (Fu, Werey & Ume)

[Basil Brett]

M'Paloo sighed, his dark eyes troubled. As much as he'd like not to admit it, he was worried about this plan. When did he become such a stick in the mud? He used to go along with Ari's plans with no hesitation. The two would go gallivanting off to scare some of the local girls or convince an elder they were ghosts. Perhaps adults learn too much as they grow. They can't have as much fun, for they know there might be consequences.

The vibrant colored lion shook his head, forcing the nagging thoughts away. He was just being a worry wort. Things would be fine. They'd play their prank and be on their way. It would be fun! He had to admit, the thought of the Kusini's expressions' when they saw the two 'river monsters' did seem really funny. Yes, things would be fine.

Maybe.

"Ari," he uttered his first word for the past half hour.
"Are you sure you know where we're going? I feel like we should have seen a river by now."  

[fuKurohane]

Ari had been marching ahead of his friend, filled with excitement about this new plan of his. At first. Now he was secretly feeling the same anxiety as M'Pa, if only subconciously. Not one to be a downer, he continued on with a smile, his eyes fervently searching for a river of some kind, any kind.

"Of course I know where I'm going!" he said with a bright, if somewhat awkward smile. Sure, they'd been out there for a while, but that didn't mean that there weren't any rivers. "We're just in a dry spot. I thought I saw an old dried-up riverbed back there." This, of course, was a lie. But he tried very hard to remain optimistic despite the situation. Nothing's going to ruin my master prank, he tried to convince himself.  

[Basil Brett]

M'Pa rolled his eyes, sighed and continued onward. That sinking feeling that nothing was going well continued to grow in his stomach. He worried that they'd run into some of the Kusini's pride members and end up causing more trouble for themselves. They really were getting too old for this. M'Pa had to marvel that he agreed to this in the first place. He guessed that the chance to spend time with his dear old friend was likely the reason for the slip of judgement.

"Well then, friend, I shall await for the appearance of this river you have promised."

He didn't mean to sound snippy. He was tired and stressed.  

[fuKurohane]

Ari didn't miss how M'Pa's voice caught in his throat with stress. The big lion knew that it'd be impossible to keep up his act for too long; there were, in fact, no rivers around. His friend's disbelief that the plan would succeed was wearing him out because Ari knew he was right.

Subconciously, of course.

So he trekked on, but slowed to walk by M'Pa's side. "There has to be a river here, because isn't the Kusini known for their great rivers?" The thing that the poor fool didn't know, however, was that the Kusini lands had only one river. It was indeed huge and well-known, but there was just the one. Sadly for the white male and his friend, they were going in the wrong direction. "I mean, if all else fails, we'll find a creek somewhere," he said with a grin, although there was a hint of defeat in his voice.

They kept moving, Ari's ears pricked for the sound of water. His nose desperately drank the air for scent of it, and his bright crimson eyes scanned the horizon for a shimmering line. The only shimmering, however was that of the mirages caused by the hot day. A river would be really nice right now, he thought sarcastically as the heat of the sun only emphasized the lack of flowing water nearby.

Sighing, he stopped and faced M'Pa. "You know what?" he asked. "Why don't we just take a break and hunt for a little while? I'm sure the Kusini won't mind if we snag just one little antelope." He smiled his winning, ever-present smile as his stomach growled in agreement.  

[Basil Brett]

M'Pa scanned his surrounding, his stress level rising more and more. There was no river. None nearby, at any rate. What if they didn't find one? He really didn't want to be found just wandering around by members of the Kusini. That just did not bode well.

He snapped back to attention at his friend's words, forcing himself to at least have the presence of someone being calm. That idea fell apart at his friend's words.

"Hunt?! Here?!?"

His stomach sure agreed with Ari, but his mind did not. He kicked himself mentally several times for not having thought this one out. Of course they were going to have to eat. But that led to concerns. Concerns he laid out immediately for his friend.

"Ari, I know we need to eat, but if we're discovered hunting on the Kusini's land, I don't think they're going to take it too kindly! A quick prank is one thing, though I have to say, I'm really starting to have second thoughts on this, but to hunt on their lands?!"

He was speaking faster and faster and finally forced himself to take a deep, almost comical breath.

"Ari, my old friend. I hate to be the spoil sport... but I honestly don't think we're going to trip over a river. Perhaps we'd just better cut our losses on this one."  

[fuKurohane]

The sudden change in atmosphere between the two dramatically affected the white lion. Ari's face fell, and his tail went between his legs just like as if he was a little misbehaving cub being scolded by his mother. His wide jaw dropped into a frown and he almost flinched at his friend's words.

M'Pa was right, of course, but they never yelled at each other. They were best friends, and usually agreed on everything. But childish Ari never really seemed to have grown into the mature understanding that his friend had that they were, in fact, trespassing on pridal lands. "All I said was that I was hungry," he mumbled quietly as he looked down at his paws, trying silence his stomach.

Ari glanced back at his overexcited friend almost shyly, crestfallen that his plan was a disaster. "You're probably right, M'Pa," he sighed in defeat. "I don't know if we'll find any rivers either." But he wasn't going to think about that, and ignored his friend's suggestion. "We need to get food somehow though, right? What else do you say we do?" There was a slight hint of the familiar youthful rebellion in his voice, though it was still tainted with remorse.  

[Basil Brett]

M'Pa eyed his friend and sighed. He couldn't stay upset with Ari, nor could he blame him. It had been his idea, but M'Paloo had agreed to it pretty readily, hadn't he? And since they were both in it together, they would just have to figure something out.

"Alright. Here's what we'll do. We'll go foraging, see what we can find. Maybe if we found some hares or something small. Or, if we find one of those elusive bodies of water, we can fish. Nothing big, though. If we can help it. It's just too disrespectful. And let's pray we don't run into any pride members. Alright?"

He waited for his friend's reply, surprised at how he had suddenly taken charge. It was unlike him.  

[fuKurohane]

Ari relaxed a little and nodded in agreement. He felt guilty now that he had sparked the change in M'Pa, and stupid that he had suggested that they hunt. But at least they'd do something; the great lion's belly was still begging for food.

"After all, a hare's better than nothing, right?" he asked, some of his usual cheer returning to his voice.

Deep inside, Ari was rather surprised. His little friend actually had a good idea. That wasn't to say that M'Pa was usually stupid, but he never really took command of an issue. It was always an "I'll follow you wherever you want to go" thing with him. Ari had to admit he was a bit proud.  

[Basil Brett]

The brightly colored lion chuckled.
"Yes, I could definitely go for some hare right now."

M'Pa grinned, glad that they had settled things. They had always been such a team, with Ari leading and M'Pa acting as back up and being there to straighten things out when they got in trouble. It felt really strange having their roles reversed, and he knew that it had hurt Ari's pride. As such, he turned things back over to Ari.

"Well, now that that's settled, how about you lead the way, my friend? Where shall we search for our lunch?"

He only prayed that Ari was better at finding meals than he was at finding rivers.