[PRP] Afternoon stroll [Mteremo & Morska'Zelena]

[wooga Paes]

It was a normal afternoon for Mteremo. Or a normal old afternoon, because lately had hadn't even been spending that much time alone. Though of course he had to take things slow with Maeve, since she was getting more comfortable with their relationship, he had an excellent excuse to spend more time with her lately!

But not today. Every now again he'd give her some 'me' time, and more of his day would be spent on his lonesome. He didn't try to be overbearing or needy and usually dealt with this pretty well, though admittedly he found days much better when she was more actively in them. He didn't need Maeve around all the time, but he really wanted her to be!

So Mteremo occupied his time with a stroll through the swamp, currently wading through somewhat deeper waters that went up to his chest. He disliked the water this deep, because who knew what could lurk beneath – not to mention, it was very annoying when his paws snagged on things he could not see!  

[Dame NightFury]

Morska'Zelena loved the swamp. She loved being about to swim in the higher waters. She loved the mud. She loved the fact that she was in familiar ground, that she had friends, that she wasn't missing a particular lion that was stormborn. She was living in the moment, and in a rare state of non-hunting.

So today, she decided she would go looking for an old friend. Maybe in the process find several, but Morska'Zelena wanted to find a small bright blue colored lizard. Mr. Azure. Since her return, she'd only seen the lizard once. Well, what she assumed was the lizard, since it had been on her way back into the swamp and returning to the pride, but that was a long time ago and she wasn't sure if Mr. Azure could b expected to remain alive while she was out seeking her name.

That was the mini mission of the day. But it was meant to enjoy herself. To be one with her inner child again. Go exploring all but herself and come up with another adventure with or without Mr. Azure or running into any other lions.

And that was when she saw the big fluffy male all but swimming not too far away from her tree branch.

Morska'Zelena smiled. in her youth she would have swam away, running away from the fluffiness of him and the bigness. She had had a fear of males, but ... well not any more.

"Good Afternoon, Hunter. What brings you out here today?" Morska'Zelena asked politely from her low perch right above the swamp water. After all, he might need help or something.  

[wooga Paes]

The voice came as a bit of a surprise to him, as he was a bit distracted keeping an eye on the water for any signs of danger. To his credit, Mteremo was not startled, and looked up without looking scared or anything, if a bit curious.

She looked very comfortable in that tree, and he briefly wondered when was the last time he climbed up one. As a cub he had done it infrequently, even more-so as an older lion. He swished his tail through the murky water and nodded with a bit of a smile. "Good afternoon! Just going for a stroll." Mteremo shrugged slightly. "How about you? Relaxing?"  

[Dame NightFury]

Morska'Zelena smiled. "Well, de-stressing, yes. Relaxing? No. I decided to indulge in a little child's play today. There was no hunting to complete and nothing else pulling at my attention so ..." She shrugged good naturedly and laughed. "Maybe find a small adventure, maybe friends, maybe nothing more than acting a fool."

Whatever as long as she kept her mind off of Erlendr and the Vikings and on the present and on why she returned to the swamp. That was what was important. To remember and FEEl the pull of home within the swamp.  

[wooga Paes]

He quirked a brow slightly. Not because he thought she was being foolish, but he wasn't able to gather how she was indulging in child's play. "Oh? Anything I can help with?" Mteremo was a good friendly guy and he was happy, in his good-friendly-guy-ness to help anyone d-stress if they needed it.

Besides, he could use the distraction! "And you don't look foolish to me, if that counts for anything."  

[Dame NightFury]

"Thank you, hunter. The only help I need though is information. Have you perhaps seen a small lizard, bright blue colored. In fact you could call the blue azure? I haven't seen him, and I was kind of tracking him into the swamps. Like one of those games played when we were children."

Her tail swished lazily over the water, the tip sending delicate ripples out as she looked around hoping to catch a bit of blue in all the green and brown. Just a flash and then she would hare off like she used to. "If not, maybe you would have some idea on how to destress?"  

[wooga Paes]

Oh, that was an unexpected and unusual request. Mteremo didn't usually keep his eyes out looking for specific lizards. He did occasionally see blue lizards, but sometimes even in multiples, and he wouldn't be capable of distinguishing one individual from another.

So, helplessly, he could only shake his head and shrug slightly. "I'm afraid not. I guess a couple days ago I saw a pair of blue lizards outside my den, but I imagine they're long gone by now." They were probably looking for an ideal place to get sunlight. Her repeatedly referring to him as 'hunter' made Mteremo feel awkward because of the formality of it all. Especially since the subject of this conversation was de-stressing!

"My name is Mteremo, by the way. When I want to de-stress, I guess I..." Well, nowadays he'd spend time with Maeve, on the off chance that he got stressed. A rarity nowadays, his life was good. But further back he had been a much more stressed out kid! "I'd roll mossy or muddy rocks." They were almost soft, and certainly not scratchy. Practically felt like a massage.  

[Dame NightFury]

"Nice to meet you, Mteremo. My name is Morska'Zelena." She nodded her head slightly. Two blue lizards. Yeah, she wasn't going to find Mr. Azure. Not unless he wanted to be found. And probably then, it was a cousin or descendent of he's rather than him. That was a rather sad thought, but at the same time comforting. Circle of life and all.

Rolling muddy or mossy rocks. "I've never done that before, even as a child. What do I rool the rocks at?"  

[wooga Paes]

Oh gosh! How silly of him. "I'm sorry, I must have misspoke! I mean rolling on muddy or mossy rocks." He grinned sheepishly, both for the mistake and the silliness of his suggestion. He looked around briefly, but the water was simply to deep in this part of the swamp. He couldn't see anywhere with rocks sticking out right now.

"I used to do it when I was younger because it felt good. I imagine it still does." He shrugged slightly. Perhaps even better, since now he was heavier. But it was always wise to make sure the rocks really weren't scratchy and pointy! It didn't hurt too much, thanks to a lion's rough, short coat and tough skin. But he had never liked it. "It was relaxing."  

[Dame NightFury]

"Oh! Like a self-massage. Hmmm. That would be nice." Especially since she hadn't had one since ... not going there. She followed Mteremo's glances around and came to the same realization. No rocks that they could see. "Well, I'll just have to put that on my to-do list when I get back to the pride. As for now - "

Morska'Zelena stood balanced on the tree branch, bounced on it a few times, before jumping off, curling into a ball and hitting the swampy waters with a splash. That felt good. She hadn't only done that once, by herself when she could only keep her head above the water in this area. Stupid and reckless then, stupid and reckless now. But fun.  

[wooga Paes]

At first he might have been alarmed by the jump. the water wasn't that deep, and all. Only up to his chest! But as she hit the water Mteremo realize, to his relief, this wasn't a rocky part, and beneath was mostly just mud. She'd be fine.

This lioness was a little strange to him, in the way she acted and talked. But that was fine, she was pretty nice. Mteremo managed to laugh a bit at her antics, once sure she hadn't hit her head or anything. Maybe he'd try that sometime – but probably not. "I think you're de-stressing rather well." He smiled.

"I think I'll continue on my walk now. If you want, you're welcome to come along!"  

[Dame NightFury]

Morska'Zelena knew she was being reckless and silly, but it was what the doctor order ... well maybe not the doctor, but still. She needed to move beyond what and who was holding her happiness back. She had made a choice and she needed to get back why she'd made that choice. And once her bout of silliness was finished, she'd go back to being the normal Morska'Zelena, huntress, good daughter, uncomplicated female that was more wary than not.

But for now. Now she didn't want to be wary. She didn't want to worry. She wanted to be. And so she was going to force herself to be by being silly and reckless and childish.

"I wouldn't mind a walk before I have to head back in to see my mother. Thank you, Mteremo, for putting up with my silliness. More than likely the next time we meet, I'll be better. There won't be as much holding me down that needs to be lifted."  

[wooga Paes]

He didn't quite understand this lioness' story, and where she was coming from with all this. Despite her somewhat formal language, she was goofing around in the murky waters! It was a bit confusing, but Mteremo didn't mind.

"I'd be happy to put up with your silliness anytime." He said with a smile. He was a very tolerant guy! And silly was really not bad at all. He was glad she would walk with him, because the distraction would make it a lot less dull. And maybe it would help her de-stress, too.

So, without much further ado, he nodded and kept on walking (or wading) with her, happy for the company.