TBN (Safi’vijicho x Malaya)

[Satsurashi]

The sky was gray today. Safi loved it when the sun came out, but she doubted that would happen, not today. It was just clouds as far as anyone could see. Maybe Auntie bird could see something else, but Safi couldn’t go that high.

It hadn’t rained yet, but the day promised that it was coming. Safi had been wandering, as she often did, looking for things to entertain her. In a pride full of sick lions, a healthy leopard cub was more energetic than half the other cubs she knew. She wasn’t far from the main pride, as Auntie had warned her not to, but she didn’t need to go far. She was looking for shiny-shelled beetles today, for no other reason than she thought they were pretty. But since the sun wasn’t out, she hadn’t found many. Easier to see them when the sun shone on them…  

[magnadearel]

Malaya could smell the moisture in the air. It was a tantilizing smell up there. The adol was large for her age. Like the rest of her siblings, she'd inherited it from her father. She moved around, trying not to disturb any lions not feeling well today. Feeling restless, she went out to walk around. It wasn't long before she saw another member of the pride. Except she wasn't a lion. Malaya realized she hadn't met many non-lions.

"Hello." She wandered over to see what the other was doing.  

[Satsurashi]

Safi looked up at the sound of a voice. The darkly-colored adolescent was not someone she knew personally, but she’d seen her around the pride lands before. Safi wasn’t typically shy, but she had been told that strangers could be dangerous, and so if this had been one she might have run away or hid. She smiled at Malaya as she wandered over, realizing that she was glad for the company.

“I’m hunting pretty bugs!” Safi told her excitedly, swishing her tail as though she could barely contain her enthusiasm, “But, I haven’t found any today. The sun makes them shine but they’re harder to spot when it cloudy. I’m Safi, by the way! Who are you?”

Safi thought the adolescent lioness looked pretty. As she saw the butterfly markings on her back, she suddenly asked, “Do you like bugs too?! I mean…” Realizing she might have thought that was rude, she pawed at the ground shyly.  

[magnadearel]

Malaya sat down as the cub came over. She twitched her tail in surprise at the other's answer. Bugs? What could she want bugs for? "I'm Malaya. Nice to meet you Safi. Pardon, but what do you want bugs for?"

The black adol twisted her head back to glance at the wing markings on her back. She gave a laugh. "Well I guess I don't have an adversion to bugs. My mother had wings like these." Malaya looked at Safi a moment. "I'm not doing anything right now. How about I help?"  

[Satsurashi]

Safi wasn’t sure how to answer the young lioness for a moment. Why wouldn’t she want bugs? They were neat! But Safi supposed that not everyone had to like the same things. “Well, I don’t want to keep them or anything,” Safi told Malaya, glancing around her to see if she could find a beetle, and show by example. She didn’t see any right now, though. “But they’re pretty to look at, and I was bored. I like hunting things!”

When Malaya turned to look at her back, Safi craned her neck to get a better look at those wings, too. “So pretty!” She admired them, wishing she had something like that on her fur. “I bet Auntie Bird would think those are pretty too. I wish I looked like I had wings! Do you ever dream about flying?” Safi stopped for a moment then, realizing the lioness had asked her a question. “OH! And sure, of course you can help me! It’s more fun to do with someone! Just look for shiny-shelled beetles… or they don’t have to be shiny, really. Just not the wriggly ones, because they’re creepy.”  

[magnadearel]

Malaya couldn't help but be relieved when Safi said she wouldn't keep them. There was enough death on these lands without keeping bug parts. She suppressed the shudder down her spine, and smiled. The cub gave her a quick idea. "We could play a hunting game then, too if you'd like. Where we take turns challenging each other to find different things."

She was proud that her mother's wings had passed onto her. "Do you think so? Who's Auntie Bird?" Malaya asked feeling silly. Obliging the cub, the lioness scanned around for shiny moving bits. This might be good practice for her too.