Some Peace (Aberforth and Haja)

[Cajanic]

Ah, the peace.

It was sure nice when his day wasn’t brimming with too much excitement. Recently, he had set about trying to better himself- exploring the world beyond the pride. However, he was quickly learning that he didn’t really like exploring all that much. While meeting new lions, even other kinds of animals, was all well and good, it was all a little bit scary. Over whelming, really, for a guy who liked to spend his time in his cave, making up stories. Learning some, too.

He wasn’t the adventure sort, as it turned out.

Still, he couldn’t say he was going to stop going out and having some fun. It seemed like there was plenty out there for him to do, and he didn’t want to ruin it just because he was scared out of his mane.

Today, however, he was happy to pretend he wasn’t going to keep on venturing out into the unknown. He was happy to sit there just outside his very low den, watching the others as they moved around the clearing, making up stories about what they were doing or where they were going.

There were many members of the pride he had yet to meet, especially since a band of them had come into the pride not that long ago. Even before that, though, he had been somewhat isolated from the others. He had no one to blame but himself. The worry of being rejected kept him from interacting too much with them.  

[Hviezda]

Nearby, a strange sound could be heard, growing stronger as its source drew closer. A low, murmuring sound, as if one was having a non-stop conversation with his or herself. The source soon revealed itself in the form of a bright yellow lioness. She was not, as it had first appeared, speaking to herself, but rather to the fish eagle perched nimbly on her slowly shifting back. One couldn't call it a conversation, however, as Haja was the only one speaking. And at a rather exhausting pace.

"You should have heard him Mabs, you really should have. Oh wait, you did; you were there. But can you believe that? I would never have the nerve to say that, not aloud anyway. But I was surprised she didn't storm off immediately. I swear she would have... Oh, hi Aberforth!!"

Haja's low chatter broke when she saw the familiar face. She liked Aberforth, he was amusing, as was his bonded, Uchungu.

"How are you today?"

Maboya nodded a greeting to the lion as well, grateful for the break in Haja's non-stop chatter.  

[Cajanic]

Basil Brett

Aberforth’s ears perked forward when he heard someone heading his way, a smile mounting even before he saw the yellow fur appear before him. He knew that sound of never-ending rambling from a mile away. “Haja,” he hummed, offering her a nod in greeting, “it’s nice to see you again! And Maboya as well, of course!” He could tell the bird looked exhausted from the conversation, even if Maboya hadn’t said a whole lot. Getting spoken to, having to listen, could be just as tiring as doing all the speaking.

Not that Haja seemed tired out at all, mind you.

“I’m doing good! Just thought I would have a little look around. Not that I don’t know my way around the pride, of course. But it’s not like I know every place here, either… uh… yeah. I guess I was just lion-watching. Not in a creepy way!” He was going to have to add conversation to his list of ways to improve himself, that much was for sure. Even Uchungu had told him time and again that he was still too awkward when he spoke to others. It wasn’t his fault he didn’t know what to say!

At least she wasn’t around- she had gone off to spend some time on her own, though he knew she had really left to give him another opportunity to try and be more out going without her encouragement. She always had his best interests in mind. Like a very small mother.

“What about you? How are you today? Was there any good gossip?”
 

[Basil Brett]

Haja beamed, not put off at all by Aberforth's somewhat awkward reply. She had gotten used to it and he was much more fun to talk to than many others in the pride. Besides, she could hardly blame him for lion watching. That was her main form of recreation.

But not in a creepy way.

"Oh, pretty much the same! And good, as always! Hmm... let's see," she answered each question in turn. You had to hand it to her, for what it was worth, Haja had a great memory.

"Nothing too spectacular going on. But it is exciting to see so many new faces around! I've been trying to meet them as soon as I can."

She looked around.

"Speaking of faces, I don't see Uchungu's. She off somewhere?

Maboya cleared his throat lightly. His eyes were half-lidded and he was lazily looking around, but it was clear he still monitored his bonded's behavior. Haja quickly realized his point.

"I'm sorry! That's probably none of my business. Well it is none of my business, but she is usually around you..."
 

[Cajanic]

Aberforth looked a little thoughtful, thinking about all the new lions who had come in the pride recently. There were a lot more faces around than he was used to, which he supposed was a very good thing. even if it made him nervous to see so many strangers, they were in the pride because they wanted to be there, and he was not going to be scared of them- they were just like him, and he needed to be nice to them right?

"I'm happy there's a lot of new lions around," he admitted, "it's frightening, but it's in that exciting kind of way, you know? I don't think I could complain about something like that!" He smiled.

When she brought up Uchungu, he only continued to smile.

"Oh, well! Actually, that's okay- it's nice that you noticed something like that! I was trying to, you know.... be less afraid of everything, so I asked her if I could spend some time alone. Well... and she told me I needed to be alone more... I actually think she's found a nice boy vulture that she's been hanging out with. I'm pretty sure she had eggs somewhere!"

He hadn't found them yet, but he could tell. She was being much more of a mom to him than usual.

"Is everything going good with your bonded?"