{JRP}Paws in Paws{Sylwanin x Pallas}

[magnadearel]

Kathryn Dragonna

She was finally here. It had taken longer than the pale young lioness had planned. Life had its unexpected twists and turns. Pallas had been working on her grasp of the pride's beliefs that morning, and just woken up from an early afternoon nap. She propped herself up to look around with her tail tuff twitching. Not wanting to feel rushed into a position, Pallas took several nights to think them over and decide. Her final conclusion had been the rank of Warrior.

Now she needed to decide something to do for the afternoon. Her first thought was to possibly go hunting. Her second was to help around camp with chores or something. A final option would be to go hunt up her brother and tease him.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Sylwanin was not sure what she should do with herself. She had thrown herself into her duties to keep her mind off what had happened with her brothers. One brother almost killed, he was still in rough shape, but healing, and the other brother, the transgressor, now exiled. How was a lioness supposed to cope with such things? She had not been back to the pride very long and now everything was falling apart on her. She felt betrayed on a level she had never thought possible and somehow guilty for her exiled brother's actions.

Sylwanin knew she should not feel guilt, but she could not help it. She had been trying to hide in any task she could get the head priestess to assign her. Heck she had even tried going to the new queen, who was her neice, and the goddess herself for tasks. Unfortunately, after a while she got chased off to 'take a break' and 'relax' by the others. She wondered if her former sister-in-law was taking things as badly as she, but she had not taken the time to find out while asking for tasks from the head priestess. That was probably a bit selfish and the black lioness would have to fix that.

Sylwanin's troubled thoughts had such a firm grip on her mind that she did not see the rather bright lioness in front of her until she bumped into her. The priestess bowed her head toward the smaller lioness, likely outside blood by the size. "I See you Sister, and I apologize for not watching where my paws were carrying me. Are you harmed?" Her head came back up and her brown eyes searched the other lioness for any sign of injury, even bruising. The light color of the other female's coat made it a little easier to spot anything wrong with her.

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

Kathryn Dragonna

Pallas found herself on the ground in the middle of her contemplation looking up at a dark lioness. She stared up as it took her brain a moment to comprehend the strange formal greeting. After a moment, she shook her head. "I see you, and I don't think I am harmed." Pallas rose carefully to her paws. "I fear I was careless in where I placed my paws to do my pondering. I'll accept your apology if you'll accept mine." The light colored lioness bowed her head gracefully.

"You see I haven't been here long and I still feel a bit out of step." She looked over the much darker lioness carefully. Wondering what she did within the pride. The young female gave her shoulder a quick lick. "If you are not busy at the moment, would you care to go hunting with me?"  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Sylwanin smiled at the other lioness and gave her a good sweeping glance over to be sure she was not limping or anything. "It seems to be the day for pondering. I certainly accept such an apology. It takes time to fall into step with new surroundings or even old ones if one has been away for a while." The darker lioness gave a wistful sigh. "I have not been back in the pride overly long myself, and while I may have been born here, I was gone for a long while. I know exactly how you feel with being out of step." It was nice to have someone else to speak to, that was not one of her family. Her family had been here their whole lives.

Sylwanin had to go to some of her nieces and nephew's mates to get common ground on certain things. "I have not been hunting in some time... being a Priestess usually does not give me the time to join the hunters, but in this forest, one does not hunt alone for it is not wise." There had been an interesting story to be heard when Sylwanin got back to the pride. It seemed her nephew Sata's mate had found out the hard way not to hunt alone. Something involving a rather large python. "I certainly would be glad to join you if you wish the company of an old priestess."

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

Kathryn Dragonna

A small fall like that wasn't going to do more than scruff her fur. Pallas rose to her feet and shook the dust from her coat. The pale female warmed to the dark lioness. "I shall take that to heart and not try to force it. If you don't mind my asking, why did you leave?" Oh, now she felt embarrassed for asking. She hadn't met anyone else who she could go hunting with yet. Out on the plains, it didn't matter if you hunted alone or not most of the time. Sure it was easier with more, but you could hunt on your own.

Pallas perked up and smiled. "Yes I would very much like you to accompany me. Thank you very much. Do you have a preference where to?" She did a quick glance at the sun. They had plenty of time.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Sylwanin got a bit of a grim look to her muzzle. Not because the question upset her, but because she was not sure how to answer it at first. There was a lot ot the story, and this was one of the outsiders that did not know the history. She would have to try her best to explain what happened without being hard on the female for not knowing somethings ni the first place. "My leaving was not necessarily my choice, though I did make the mistake that lead to leaving. I am responsible for my own misery, even if I did not know it at the time."

"I hear from my nephew's mate that there is good hunting this way." Sylwanin started leading the other female off toward the place that Clerm seemed to favor. That huntress was good at finding things that others did not, so it seemed a good idea to follow where she recommended. "I chose to fight in the war some years ago instead of staying behind as the other priestesses did... I lost my way somewhere in the chaos and ended up very far from home." And when she found her way back she had been too ashamed to face everyone.

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

Kathryn Dragonna

Pallas laid her ears back at the look on the lioness' face. She had gone and upset her new friend. "I see. I'm sorry I asked something that upset you. We all make mistakes and learn from them." The pale female only hoped that Sylwanin would still be friends. It was so hard coming to a pride and not knowing anything that everyone else took for granted.

It was always helpful to learn where the good hunting was. Pallas eagerly followed after the dark lioness and noted where they were going. She listened quietly, surprised, as Sylwanin elaborated on her story. "You were far from home yes, but you learned so much. Didn't you?" There was no way she could comprehend how much she was learning here; far from her own home and family.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Sylwanin shook her head. She did not want the lioness to think that she was offended. "No no, not at all. You did not know, and I should speak of it. My people have forgiven me, as has my goddess. I just need to forgive myself." She shrugs. "I learned much, but most importantly that pride is a horrible thing to have too much of. Unfortunately it seems one of my brothers still needs to learn this, and I fear what he might do to learn that lesson. My time outside the pride did much good for me."

Sylwanin kept them walking as she spoke to the lighter lioness. If they wanted to get some hunting in, they should not waste time, even if they wished to speak some now. Clerm had advised Sylwanin that the best hunting was a bit farther than most wanted to travel, so that was where she would take this female. "How do you like being part of our pride? I missed it when I was away, but I was raised here. Much changed while I was away, but I think for the better. There are many fresh faces from outside now, and it makes me happy to see them settle into the People."

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

Kathryn Dragonna

The light colored lioness stepped up and lightly bumped the lioness on the shoulder. "It is time to forgive yourself. It's long in the past. Learn from it, but don't dwell on it or you'll miss what is right in front of you. I have to forgive myself for leaving my mom and family when she didn't want me to." Pallas hoped by sharing her own that they both could find peace.

The female smiled. "It is different than my family. I think I am settling in fairly well. I've been enjoying meeting new lions." She was pleased to see that they were going to go a distance from the pride. Pallas settled in for a long walk and good chat with her new friend.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Sylwanin nodded her head and smiled at the other lioness, giving Pallas a friendly headbutt back. "You speak truth and in time I am sure we will both come to that. You left your family to come to us, and gained more family in doing so. I did the same in a way as I came back to my brother having cubs of his own that are now grown and having cubs!" The dark lioness chuckled and jumped onto the high path to take the tree branches out to good hunting grounds.

Sylwanin lead the way up and around and across some paths that were a bit longer but easier to follow. Ones that the other lioness should have no problem following even if she had not mastered the High Path. She looked back to make sure that Pallas was still following easily and a thought occurred to her. "I am sure I saw another like you... a male with white and teal, but different patterning and a grey mane." She wondered if this was a relative that came with this lioness and if not if the two might make a good pair. Their color certainly looked like the same shades.

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

Kathryn Dragonna

She grinned at the return headbutt. They were going to be good friends if the start was any indication. "We'll work on it together." Doing something together was always easier. Plus they could always complain to each other when things got hard and know the other would completely understand.

"Wow cubs already? You don't look that old." Pallas teased and stuck her tongue out. "Should I be calling you Granny?" She eagerly followed her friend up onto the high path. It was so much easier to see up here! Out on the plains it was difficult to get this high up, much less travel like this for long distances.

She perked her ears and smiled. "Yes that sounds like my brother. He joined shortly before I did." Pallas laughed a little to herself.. "Would you like me to introduce you to him?"  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Sylwanin blinked at the other lioness for a moment. "They are not my grandcubs... oh, you are calling me old." She laughed and shook her head. "I certainly feel it at times, but I thank you for the compliment. I am glad I do not appear as old as I am." It was nice someone thought she was young. Perhaps it meant she would have a chance at finding a lifemate one of these days. If she could find one that did not mind her being the sister of the old king and aunt of the current royal couple. It was an odd thought, but the way things were.

"Your brother. Ah, I thought perhaps he might be a relative. It is good you have family in the pride..." Sylwanin smiled to herself as she lead the way onward. "There is no need to introduce me. I am sure I shall meet him soon enough." One of the advantages to being a priestess was that she ended up meeting nearly everyone at one point or another because they would come for advice and guidance. "I hope you both find lifemates and are happy here." The best way for things to be was mated and having cubs.

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

Kathryn Dragonna

Pallas chuckled softly. "Don't worry Sylwanin. I'm around now to keep you young." She paced quietly along behind the older female for awhile. She nodded though she knew the other lioness wouldn't be able to easily see it.

"He actually found the pride first and prepared them for me, then came to get me. It's great having him here too. I didn't expect him to come along really. Oh I'm sure you will. He's a pretty cheerful guy." She gave a bit of a sigh. "Well I had joined with a male who was going to be my lifemate.... we met in the rogue lands you see..... but I really haven't seen much of him since we got here. I'm kind of worried actually."  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Sylwanin chuckled to herself. "Someone ought to keep me young, Sister. Your brother sounds like a good lion. We need more like your brother and yourself among the People." She did believe that too. She had seen many in the roguelands that she wished would come be part of the People and strengthen them in so many ways. Most of them either had prides of their own or were not interested in a pride, though. It was a shame to Sylwanin's thinking, but to each their own.

"That does happen sometimes, but if you can make time to see each other, eventually things will work out. If they do not, well, it might not have been meant to be, and I'm sure there will be a handsome lion for you here regardless. You are the most desirable of colors, my dear. The purest color, White, and our pride's favored color, blue." Sylwanin might have been black and silver, but even she was was not considered ugly. This lioness, though... she was beyond acceptable and normal, she was BEAUTIFUL. Sylwanin was sure she would find a mate quickly if things did not work out with the other new male.  

[magnadearel]

Kathryn Dragonna

Fin!

She preened under the older lioness' praise. It was good to have a friend in the pride. Pallas considered the wise words offered to her. True, she hadn't been making much effort to see him. Well she would!

"Thank you Sister for your wise advice. I will take it to heart and do my best." The white lioness blushed. She'd never really considered if she was pretty or not. To hear this lioness say that was, gave her a boost. If the male she'd chosen couldn't hold up his end, then she would find another.