Zubin:
(5:21:40 PM): It had been weeks since he'd lost sight of his mother... the small pair had lived in solitude along the boarders of the river valley for the his entire life. There'd been sandstorms, but nothing like the terror that had torn through the desert just along the boarders, devistating the trees and shrubs that had once served as their shelter.
(5:22:29 PM): Zubin was exhausted from searching. His mouth was dry, his snout filled with sand. Perhaps she survived... he could only hope. Spitting and sputtering, the small male made his way through the thick, damp brush of the valley towards the fresh-flowing water.
(5:23:11 PM): He could smell pride markers everywhere...there were newcomers. It was risky moving into their territory but he wasn't about to let himself die of thirst. Sadly, the water didn't calm down and the bank didn't fall away safely until well intot he territory.
Ikkena: 5:36 pm
(5:36:45 PM): Ikkena lapped the cool water slowly, taking time to enjoy the drink. If you didn't enjoy what you had while you had it, you were a fool. Or so he said to a lot of the
Asher:6:28 pm
(6:28:25 PM): He couldn't remember the last time he'd smelled water. Or the pride. Well, beyond his brothers and sister, and eventually Miryam. Asher sniffed a tree, then smiled. They'd found it, they'd found the pride! The young lion let out a pleased sigh, beginning to turn to get the others. Two things caught his eye, though. First, an old lion drinking from the river. An old lion he hadn't seen in a good, long time...
(6:28:33 PM): The other was a new face, a lion that seemed new... And lost. Two things ran through Asher's mind. Either go after the new lion, and make sure Ikkena didn't hurt him too bad... Or leave the other to his own fate and get the others. Paws moving, Asher made his choice. When he caught up to the other lion, he smiled, simply keeping pace with him. "Hi there!"
Zubin: 6:48 pm
(6:48:25 PM): Zubin nearly jumped out of his skin as a voice broke the silence. He hadn't expected a pleasant greeting- that would be apparent enough in the yelp and the instant guarding of his face behind one of his forepaws. "P-Please don't! I was just thirsty! I just-" Wait...hello?
Ikkena: 6:56 pm
(6:56:07 PM): Ikkena only looked up at the interaction that took place, but said nor did anything more. Wasn't going to break years of tradition for anything. Youngins can wait. "humph..." The other lion was taking care of the other in any case.
Ikkena: 7:14 pm
(7:14:01 PM): Ikkena only looked up at the interaction that took place, but said nor did anything more. Wasn't going to break years of tradition for anything. Youngins can wait. "humph..." The other lion was taking care of the other in any case.
Asher:7:31 pm
(7:33:13 PM): Asher gave the other lion a curious look, ears twitching to the side. He frowned a little, puzzling over the reaction. What a shy lion... "Please don't what...? Aw, I wouldn't hurt you, if that's what you were thinkin'!" He sat down, scratching at an itch on his side. "That'd be Alon who'd pounce first, THEN ask questions..." It made Asher stop and blink. "Actually, I think he's my only brother who WOULD..." Ari and Kingu were such... Softies. To a degree, he himself was, too. The tough act was just that - An act.
Zubin: 7:35 pm
(7:35:17 PM): Alon... he didn't know anyone by that name and by the sounds of things, he didn't want to. Zubin bit his lip and slowly lowered his paw back to the ground. It was fairly obvious that he wasn't any danger, not with this lion anyway. "Ah, I see... so..... I...I ...is....this your f-family's pride? I was just...in the area..."
Asher:7:43 pm
(7:43:44 PM): "Yup! Well, sort of. My family is PART of the pride..." These lands were new to the pride, though. "I can't say we've been here for generations... We kind of... Had to leave our original pridal lands..." It made him, and the other pride members sad. They'd been there, in their old lands, for generations, literally hundreds of years. "So, what about your family?" If he was poking into other prides' lands, then he had none of his own. An ear flicked
Ikkena: 7:48 pm
(7:48:11 PM): Finally the old lion finished his drink and joined Asher quietly. This one didn't look to be a weirdo. He had a nice pelt, natural colors for a lion... but was shy. No male lion should be studdering. Boy needs to be bold! Ikenna frowned as he continued to study the new comer.
Zubin: 8:04 pm
(8:04:44 PM): Zubin took a slow step back as the elder approached. He'd not introduced himself yet so for all he knew, this could be the grouchy brother mentioned just a few moments prior. He tucked his tail and darted his eyes, nerviously, from one lion to the other. "Oh...I...uh....h-hello to you too...bigger....lion."
(8:05:06 PM): He swallowed and slowly looked over to the first male. "M-my family? Oh...my mom and I were...seperated...her name is Jumoke."
Ikkena: 8:06 pm
(8:06:28 PM): "BOI! Stop that cowern'! Make ya look like a sisy gizel. Nose up, look like yer proud to be a lion." Ikkena huffed. "Stop that studderen' too. Lions shouldn't be studderen'."
Asher:8:08 pm
(8:08:35 PM): Seperated... That made Asher sad. "Aw, poor kid..." He looked at the older lion, frowning. "Aw, Ikkena, go easy on him..." His gaze returned to the shy, stuttering lion. "I'm Asher." He tilted his head back just a bit, watching the new face. "It's a bummer getting seperated from family... I got lost away from my older brothers for a while, then found them again. We might be able to find your mother yet! And..." He leaned closer, trying to whisper so the old lion didn't hear. "Don't mind Ikkena, he's all hot air."
Zubin: 8:41 pm
(8:41:46 PM): Zubin cringed back once more, yelping as the older lion bellowed out his orders. After a moment he forced himself to stand upright, throw his chest out, and toss his tail in the air. For all the good it did him- he was trembling still, and by the look on his face he was moments from passing clean out. "I...ye....yes... It's... a bummer." He looked over to the younger male and gave a short nod of his head. "Y....yes...hot air...okay..."
Ikkena: 9:03 pm
(9:03:40 PM): "Hot air? Boy's shaken' like a bug. Ya don't go coddlin' a bug." He snapped at Asher. "At least hot air is more lion than a bug, can kill a man just by breathen!"
Asher:9:09 pm
(9:09:18 PM): "But a bug can kill with one bite, too." If he remembered anything Kingu had blabbered on about, it was the things humans talked about. "A single mosquito or tick can cripple a man OR lion. A swarm of bees or ants can kill, for as tiny as they are." Asher offered the new lion a smile. "What's your name, anyway...? I don't think calling you 'bug' would be very flattering..."
Ikkena: 9:10 pm
(9:10:13 PM): "...but not a ladybug..." He mumbled.
Zubin: 9:11 pm
(9:11:18 PM): "L-lady bug?" He blinked and slowly glanced over to the other male. Of course, the talk of lethal bugs wasn't helping. He could almost feel their little legs crawling over him, nipping at him and getting into his ears.
(9:11:38 PM): A soft moan escaped him as he shook himself out. He'd never see bugs the same way twice... "Oh...uh...Z-Zubin?"
Ikkena: 9:16 pm
(9:16:30 PM): "Ya gone and made him wet himself. Back in my day bugs was too scared to do anything ta a lion. Knew we'd come back from the grave and kick their a**... death god step outta the way and let us do our thing." Ikkena held his head proudly. "Now stop studdren... No one here's gonna hurt you but your own pride."
Asher:9:17 pm
(9:17:48 PM): Asher blinked. "Actually, Alon's around here somewhere... HE'LL cause pain, just by saying hello..." It was true, Alon had greeted everybody at least once by pouncing on them. Very literally pouncing. Asher still had a bruise from three days ago.
Zubin: 9:25 pm
(9:25:37 PM): Zubin straightened his posture once mroe and tried, unsucessfully, to keep his back legs from shaking. "S...sir...okay... I......I..." He slapped a paw over his mouth and slowly began looking through the brush. Whomever this Alon fellow was, he wanted to keep a good distance away.
Ikkena: 9:50 pm
(9:50:47 PM): "mmm..." Ikkena had to give the scared guy some credit to the scaredy lion. He was trying. BUT credit didn't get them past the great pride fight! "just tackle him back. Boi needa learn... toughen you up."
Asher:9:52 pm
(9:52:00 PM): The brown lion could only roll his eyes. "Sometimes words go farther than actions..." He looked to Zubin, standing up. "So... You were thirsty, weren't you...?
Zubin: 9:54 pm
(9:54:05 PM): Zubin bobbed his head. He nearly forgot the dryness in his throat and mouth. Of course, killer bugs and being tackled out of no where were two notions that dominated any personal discomfort. "Y-yes...p-please... I...need somewhere to stay...too...uh....if...I'm not imposing? I...I'm not a bad h-hunter... I can sing too...but...that's it. I'm n-n-not a fighter...">
Ikkena: 10:07 pm
(10:07:13 PM): "nacy boi, go get a drink. Get the shakes outta ya..." He turned about and continued to huff. "Actions always speak louder than words... Can't talk about biting an antelope and hope it falls over for yer food.... Though there was this one time..." And he continued to ramble.
Asher:10:14 pm
(10:14:23 PM): Asher simply shook his head, before following Zubin. He himself was thirsty, needing to quench his parched throat. When he lifted his head from the water, chin soaked, he looked back at Ikkena. How long could he talk, anyway? "Maybe... If he doesn't try to talk tough into you... Ikkena can take you ack to the main pride." Asher stood up, looking to the horizon. "I have to get my brothers and sister so they know we made it..."
Zubin: 10:18 pm
(10:18:42 PM): Zubin trailed after the two others down to the side of the river and warily began lapping at the surface of the river. His parched throat and mouth quietly rejoiced to have the sand washed away once more. He nerly missed the conversation around him.
(10:19:09 PM): "Wh...what?!" He tossed his head up and ran a paw along his muzzle, clearing the water from his whiskers. "L-leave me with...." He glanced sidelong tot he elder. "....him?"
Ikkena: 10:32 pm
(10:32:57 PM): Ikkena glanced at Zubin. "What's with the terrified look son! Not gonna jump ya boy... Not how it goes here... rather eat a terrified gizel than a lion... don't eat lions. Makes ya crazy... not right at all."
Asher:10:34 pm
(10:34:03 PM): "See? He won't bite! He'll just talk you to death." Which, admittedly, didn't sound like a very pleasant death... It brought up many memories of having to listen to him as a cub.
Zubin: 10:42 pm
(10:42:54 PM): Zubin swallowed another mouthful of water and slowly set himself down. "Oh...yeah.... I see." He reached up and rubbed at his temples. This wasn't going to be easy but...maybe he should settle down? Without Jumoke he was completely on his own.
(10:43:06 PM): "I...okay...I'd....like to meet the others...p-please?"
Ikkena: 11:09 pm
(11:09:45 PM): "I wanted ta kill a I'd tear out your throat... than talk ta ya as ya bleed ta death.... s'how its done. I know a lione once.." And once again he continued to ramble on about a lion that talked a hog to death and never once lay a claw on it. "lion was nuts, but boy did he have them! He had every right ta grassland crazy. Brave a** lion... got eaten by a crocdile though. S'how he wanted to go..."
Asher:11:17 pm
(11:17:54 PM): Asher simply shuddered. "Right... I'm gonna go get my brothers and sisters.. And don't worry, everyone else in the pride's a lot... Nicer in words..." He smiled at Zubin, then managed a smile at Ikkena. "I'll... Be back." The lion hurried off, heart swelling with the joy that they were at the new pride lands. Even if it meant they'd ahve to hear Ikkena's stories for a while...