[PRP] Underground (Eris & Mura)

[Fairy Snails]

Mura was watching the newest addition to the female den's curiously. She had seen the king of the pride come and talk to her constantly. She couldn't help but wonder if the rainbow lioness stole the heart of the king. It was truly romantic. Almost a forbidden love in some ways. The previous king had mated with a female, something that didn't happen to terribly often.

Mura had to admit that the new king, like the previous king was handsome and she felt her heart speed up when she saw him. If she was the jealous type she would probably be angry at the rainbow lioness, but she was too accepting for that. Instead she found the lioness to be mysterious. She had asked around and none of the other females seem to know much about her. It was all very odd.

Finally she decided to do something. She would talk to the rainbow lioness and see if she really did steal the heart of the new king. Casually she walked up toward the lioness and grinned, very foolishly. "Hello there," she greeted with her most cheerful voice. "My name is Mura. I am one of the brotherhood mothers. It is an honor to have you here in the pride with us."  

[Painted Moose]

Eris didn't pariticularly care to talk to the other female's, so she kept to herself most of the time. That is, when she wasn't speaking with the King. He was such a pure soul, with his own sets of worries and passions, much like anyone else, but something about him kept her near.

If she'd been the type to fall in love easily she might have said that she felt something for him. She might have fancied herself his secret lover, with all the special trips he made just to see her. Eris laughed mentally. If she'd been that type, but she wasn't. He wasn't particularly close to her, and yet, he'd been the first that she'd ever spoken to at length about.....well, anything.

That being said, when one of the females decided to approach her she wasn't sure what to think. Should she dismiss her, or talk? Decisions, decisions...."Fire in the dark, how bold you run, fire in the dark, how loud you burn." Eris purred, her eyes travelling over the females pelt. "Demons fly on whither winds, in the cold, wet snow~"  

[Fairy Snails]

Mura stared at the lioness and blink a couple times. She sat quietly and pondered on the others words, thinking to herself. "Fire?" she had heard stories about a vicious monster called fire that burnt everything in its path. She wasn't fire though was she? Some males treated her like a monster, but her father told her that she was nothing but a blessing given to him from the gods. "I- I'm not fire am I? I don't hurt things like fire." She said out loud, but more to herself, still wondering about the words. '

She thought about the other words. Snow. She had never heard of that before. "What is this snow you speak of? I don't think I know what that is?" She asked curiously. Was it some sort of rock? Or maybe another monster like fire was. It was cold and wet like the lake sometimes was in the right season. "I guess we don't get snow down here what ever it is. Guess we're lucky. I wouldn't want it to be anymore cold or wet down here."

She continued to stare at the lioness with interest. She was from a whole different world from the one she was used to. Mura had only been outside the maze once and that was when she was very young. Her father had taken her and gave her the choice to stay in the Mazu or become a rogue. The choice in the end was easy enough, though she somedays wished she would have chosen the outside world. "What is the outside world like? I've been there once, when I was really little."  

[Painted Moose]

"Fire could also mean rebirth. A fresh change to the mundane." Which is what this female was, with the fire that spread through the darkness of her pelt. It amused Eris greatly to create little scenes in the spirals; plays and battles for imaginary creatures that were all ultimately attacked by the great bat.

Her eyes took in the posture of the other female, before she heard her words and laughed, a light hearted smile playing on her face, concealing the inner imp within. "You've just answered your own question, firefly." Even as she spoke, Eris was rising to stand at her full height. It wasn't impressive, just average, but as she rarely stood except to flee it was something new to her.

"The outside world? A maze within a maze, I suppose." Eris said lyrically, pawing at the crowd pensively before wandering off through the den at an easy pace. It wasn't that she was escaping the other; she just felt the sudden urge to move, and gave in. "A bright eternal light warms you as you walk amidst tall grasses, leaving foot prints in mud and stone. The only limit to how far you go is your own imagination," she grinned.  

[Fairy Snails]

She smiled, perhaps she wasn't a monster than. She was just reborn. "Thank you very much." she said with a relief. She really had nothing to thank her for, but she felt a need to say it. The other lioness made her feel less like a monster and more like a 'gift from the gods', like her father described her as.

Being called a firefly made her laugh. Such a kind thing to be called. The thing that brought the darkness in the tunnels to light. The fireflies had such an important role down here, yet they were often forgotten. Mura never forgot them though and she would even thank them for giving them light to find their way.

She imagined the outside world with awe. The way she described it, a maze within a maze. How huge was the world out there? Someday she would see it again, she promised herself. If she had to she would ask the king himself to let her leave, just for a little while, just so she could experience it herself. "The sun," she muttered imagining the sun beams coming down. That was the one thing she remembered more than anything during her short trip outside the maze.

"I've seen the sun, only once though. It's beautify is like nothing else I've ever seen." She said remembering it clearly, how she had to shield her eyes at first at the sight of it. "What was your favorite part of the outside world? Please tell me." she spoke excitedly. It wasn't often that she got to speak with an outsider. She wasn't going to give this chance up for anything.  

[Painted Moose]

Even as she spoke, Eris remembered her wandering nights out among the Savannah. Through the jungles, amid thick brush to the deserts of old. Nothing had been beyond her touch, and all bent to the whims that ruled them all. It was as glorious as it was frightening.

"Only once?" She questioned, padding closer to the other female. To see the sun only once...what kind of life must this firefly live? "My favorite part?" Eris tilted her head, taking longer than necessary to ponder over the aspects of nature that she whole heartedly prized. "If I had to narrow my options to one I would choose the volcanoes. They're giant mountains, large mounds of stone that reach into the skies, that show themselves only rarely. When they do, great rolling fire comes form the top of the mountain and spills down the sides. It's a beautifully terrifying experience to behold."  

[Fairy Snails]

Mura's eyes went big. "Really?" She could just image fire coming out of the mountain, dancing down the mountain side, lighting up the darkness surrounding it. "That must be beautiful, I don't know if I could ever see one though. I might get scared and run the other way. Though I would love to see one someday, if I do leave her."

She stopped herself. She didn't mean that. This was her one home and nothing, not fire dancing on a mountain could change that. Here was where she belonged, helping making the pride a whole.

Though she couldn't imagine why anyone would choose to come down here after being above ground so long. The caves and tunnels must be dreadful for one who has lived the outside life. "Why did you ever come down here?" She asked curiously. "Isn't it dull compared to the outside world?"  

[Painted Moose]

Club Snails

Eris nodded. "It is! So much life and anger pouring from the ground like water." She lifted her paws up to the ceiling, then pretended as if she were floating on a river. "I've never been as terrified as I was when I saw it. To feel like your heart is on the floor and the world is ending...it's a wonderful experience."

When it was all over and done with, Eris sat back down beside of Mura on the ground. "I wouldn't say it's been dull," she mused, thinking of her visits with Nahasi. "However, I don't plan to stay forever. Once my fun has been had, I'll leave and return to the sun." Turning towards the other female, she paused, thought carefully, then asked, "Would you come with me? If I were to leave?"

Of course, she wasn't expecting a positive answer; she just wanted to see the other squirm.  

[Fairy Snails]

She enjoyed listening to the other female. The outside world seemed such an amazingly, if not dangerous place. When she asked if Mura would like to go with her to the outside world, she felt her heart beat slow down. That was a question she wasn't sure how to answer. Of course she would want to go, but was the offer forever or could she return. What if she was missed while she was away.

All the thoughts of her home came flooding to her. She would miss her travels to the underground lake and the shimmer of the fireflies as they shine against the rocks. All her friends she would be leaving behind.

Than her thoughts went to the sun and the outside world. How she longed to live out there. It would be wonderful to feel the warmth of the sun against her dark fur. She would get the chance to meet others and make new friends and go on adventures with this female. It would be excitingly fun.

"I would very much like to go with you," she started as she thought about it. "Bu- but this is my home and I cannot leave it yet. Would you give me some time to think about it? I think if I took some time I could think properly about if I would like to go or not."  

[Painted Moose]

Eris just smiled, seemingly oblivious to the other female's inner struggle. "Of course. It's a mystery when I'll leave myself, so I would suppose you have until the day I leave to make your decision. That is, if you can find me."

She planned on waiting for no one, as goodbyes were unnecessary, as were plans. If at all possible, she would even leave without saying anything to Nahasi. Whether it was to make it easier for her, or some other reason, Eris herself didn't know.

"Is it really your home, though? If you need to question whether or not you should leave it, for whatever length of time?" She couldn't help proding the poor thing; she really was too sweet for her own good. "A trip may be the one thing that helps you to see if this place really is your home or not."

Eris stood up once more, but this time to stretch and look down upon her fellow compatriot. "Come on. I'm bored, and I'm determined to get enough of you together so we can play a REAL game."  

[Fairy Snails]

Mura nodded her head. She would have to think long and hard about what she should do. She couldn't imagine life outside the maze, but she wanted to. Her thoughts were on the other females words. Was this her home? How would she know without experiencing the outside world. She smiled softly at the lioness. "I am up for that," and she followed the lioness, putting all thoughts on leaving behind her.