Epine de Rose
He had been wandering the borders for quite some time - an attempt to find or discern any form of weakness in the defences. His guards had always been good at their job and had been particularly vigilant since the Kizi had attempted to kidnap the cubs. Alas, as fate would have it, no matter how good they might be, they were still bested a number of days ago. It had come out of the blue and had been so very abrupt, but no sooner had they turned their backs then one of the lionesses had been stolen away by an as of yet unnamed culprit.
He still wasn't entirely sure if she'd been kidnapped or if she had run away, she was a bit of a hellion, alas he could do nothing more than search for clues.
Thus, the lion elected to inspect the region closest to where she had last been sighted. An attempt to find paw prints, broken twigs, or faint whispers of witnesses that might have seen a tussle or anything of significance. As of yet he'd had no success, evidently she was a ninja and had vanished in to thin air... At this rate he was going to have to hire a scout!
Zohwee
Baatar moved along the grounds swiftly. He was always travelling, trying to find something to do. Some would suggest it was boredom, but he simply had a calling to those in need. He had met up with Tim in an attempt to find the theif Hanja, yet had been unsuccessful. He had assisted in saving some lions that had inhabited the swamp from the remaining embers of a fire. He had even tried to take down the greenwood monster, which had turned out to be a bull elephant! Baatar didn't necessarily have a fantastic success rate, but was willing to keep trying. Helping others gave him a good feeling and a purpose. Sometimes he wished he could serve a purpose somewhere, with a family or even a pride.
He would often come across pridal borders and groups, and luckily had managed to avoid conflict. He wasn't the best fighter. The grey lion thought back to his encounter with the pale lion on the border of a pride. He was very big indeed and there was no doubt that Baatar would have lost that fight. It would have been wrong for him to try and best the male, anyway.
The male carried on walking at a swift pace until he thought he saw something up ahead. The terrain had been forever changing in the last couple of stretches, and now he was padding on soft sand, but could see something different still ahead.
Epine de Rose
Movement? The lion paused momentarily in his investigation and turned his head towards the flickering in the corner of his eye. A tilt of his head, a purse of his lips and an idle twitch of his ears saw him finally turn to investigate whatever it was he had seen. What he saw didn't surprise him, lions tended to wander passed on occasions in these parts, often in search of preybeasts... but as Ram had need of witnesses and rumour at this point in time, he wasn't about to let the lion wander off without being questioned first.
Well maybe not question, a casual conversation maybe? Ram hadn't done 'casual' in a while so he made no promises to avoid awkward encounters!
"Greetings," he spoke up at last as he eyes the lion, glancing passed the male's shoulder towards where he had come from. "I don't suppose you have a moment to answer a question or two, do you?" he mused, a shred of hope lingering in his tone.
Well maybe not question, a casual conversation maybe? Ram hadn't done 'casual' in a while so he made no promises to avoid awkward encounters!
"Greetings," he spoke up at last as he eyes the lion, glancing passed the male's shoulder towards where he had come from. "I don't suppose you have a moment to answer a question or two, do you?" he mused, a shred of hope lingering in his tone.
Zohwee
A pale blue lion seemed to come out of nowhere, even though Baatar had his red eyes fixed on the view ahead as he approached. He was a little startled by the males seemingly blunt yet polite greeting. There was always that chance that the stranger could be volatile. There were a lot who weren't, but then there were many who were fearsome and malicious. It was best to tread a little lightly. This male, however, had made himself out to be pleasant and thus Baatar felt a little ease in his stomach.
A question?! Baatar would try his best to think of an answer. He smiled widely at the male. "Greetings to you, I am Baatar." The male nodded his head. "A few questions, of course." He said polietly, hoping that they weren't trick questions!
A question?! Baatar would try his best to think of an answer. He smiled widely at the male. "Greetings to you, I am Baatar." The male nodded his head. "A few questions, of course." He said polietly, hoping that they weren't trick questions!
Epine de Rose
Ah, perhaps he had been a little too blunt?
"Ram," he said in reply to the male's introduction and gave a nod. The introduction aside, he proceeded with caution and applied a smile to his lips. "And I can promise that the questions are in themselves harmless," he reassured him. Clearing his throat, he elected to clarify, better that they were both on the same page than cause conflict, that was all he needed right now! "If anything it is merely to seek further information in regards to something..."
"A missing lioness," he offered at last and tilted his head to the side. "She went missing recently and we believe she may have gone this way either willingly or by force," he looked strained at the description, indicating that well...he wasn't entirely aware of the facts himself. "She is rather strong willed, I don't suppose you have seen anything peculiar as of late in your travels?"
"Ram," he said in reply to the male's introduction and gave a nod. The introduction aside, he proceeded with caution and applied a smile to his lips. "And I can promise that the questions are in themselves harmless," he reassured him. Clearing his throat, he elected to clarify, better that they were both on the same page than cause conflict, that was all he needed right now! "If anything it is merely to seek further information in regards to something..."
"A missing lioness," he offered at last and tilted his head to the side. "She went missing recently and we believe she may have gone this way either willingly or by force," he looked strained at the description, indicating that well...he wasn't entirely aware of the facts himself. "She is rather strong willed, I don't suppose you have seen anything peculiar as of late in your travels?"
Zohwee
Baatars eyes widened and he stood a little taller. A missing lioness? Oh dear what had happened? He winced inwardly at the word "force", he found it harrowing how others could just take whatever they wanted with no regards to others feelings, or in some cases, lives. Baatar had heard about a pride that did just that... Vi- something, he couldn't remember the name. A serious look fell on his face and he nodded at Ram. "I have not, but I would certainly like to lend a hand to this, If I may?"
"It could be a case of a mis-led adventure, but it could be something more sinister I'm afraid." He looked at Ram plainly. V-... What were they called? He tested a few words on his tongue quitely. Vikings! That was it. He had only heard of them through cautionary tales, but had heard that they were ruthless, and had a reputation for kidnapping lionesses to be their slaves, or something. Perhaps it was too far out for them - he did not have a single idea where they were located, and he hoped never to run into them, though the thought of liberating some slaves was tempting.
"Tell me Ram, what do you know about vikings?"
"It could be a case of a mis-led adventure, but it could be something more sinister I'm afraid." He looked at Ram plainly. V-... What were they called? He tested a few words on his tongue quitely. Vikings! That was it. He had only heard of them through cautionary tales, but had heard that they were ruthless, and had a reputation for kidnapping lionesses to be their slaves, or something. Perhaps it was too far out for them - he did not have a single idea where they were located, and he hoped never to run into them, though the thought of liberating some slaves was tempting.
"Tell me Ram, what do you know about vikings?"
Epine de Rose
Vikings... Ram had heard of them and knew more than enough tales, but he hadn't assumed that they would wander this far out of the way. Oh he knew that on occasions they did wander in bands, plunder, pillage and so on, but in the grand scheme of things, the Bahari wasa little bit of a trek and the tsunami struck pride still didn't have a significant amount of resources (including bodies) to be of use. Granted they might be the type to take whatever they felt like but... It seemed peculiar that they would only take one?
Unless she had caught their eye? It was entirely possible, anything was possible.
"I know enough about them," he said cautiously and eyed the lion for a few moments. "In fact I've heard more than enough tales about them so it may very well be possible," he furrowed his brow and tilted his head to the side. "They would have left through this way as well, they do not strike me as desert dwellers," he confessed softly. "Perhaps it might be beneficial to send a party in that direction he hazarded."
A momentary pause and he returned his attention to the lion, raising his brow at the offer of assistance - the generosity of some astounded him. "So long as you place yoruself in no danger, your help would be appreciated in this," he replied.
Unless she had caught their eye? It was entirely possible, anything was possible.
"I know enough about them," he said cautiously and eyed the lion for a few moments. "In fact I've heard more than enough tales about them so it may very well be possible," he furrowed his brow and tilted his head to the side. "They would have left through this way as well, they do not strike me as desert dwellers," he confessed softly. "Perhaps it might be beneficial to send a party in that direction he hazarded."
A momentary pause and he returned his attention to the lion, raising his brow at the offer of assistance - the generosity of some astounded him. "So long as you place yoruself in no danger, your help would be appreciated in this," he replied.
Zohwee
So it appeared the stories of the Vikings did travel far and wide. Perhaps they were making quite a name for themselves, although it did not appear to be a positive one. Baatar frowned and nodded. "I would imagine a band of Vikings wouldn't be quite so cautious. They are bound to leave some kind of trail or destruction." He mused out loud. He did not imagine them to be careful creatures, in fact, all the stories he had heard had created quite a visual image in his head. "I would not imagine them as desert dwellers either."
His offer of assistance seemed to go down quite well in this case. Danger.. He'd been in plenty of danger before, and though he was not a fearless lion, he was capable of being brave when the situation needed, but he could understand that Ram would not want the guilt of injury or worse on his hands. If they were dealing with Vikings, they had to be very careful indeed. He nodded. "I can do whatever is needed. My time as a rogue is devoted to trying to save those less fortunate than myself" He admitted. He had always been a rather helpful cub, come to think of it.
His offer of assistance seemed to go down quite well in this case. Danger.. He'd been in plenty of danger before, and though he was not a fearless lion, he was capable of being brave when the situation needed, but he could understand that Ram would not want the guilt of injury or worse on his hands. If they were dealing with Vikings, they had to be very careful indeed. He nodded. "I can do whatever is needed. My time as a rogue is devoted to trying to save those less fortunate than myself" He admitted. He had always been a rather helpful cub, come to think of it.
Epine de Rose
Aha, so Bataar was one of those lions - not so much a saint as one who had generosity in leaps and bounds. Ram had always been of the opinion that such things would get you killed in time but in the end he had come to realise that this wasn't necessarily the case. His time as a pride leader had taught him that - sacrificing a part of yourself for a greater cause was actually quite fulfilling (if a little tiring, and filled with headaches).
"If you have the ability to scout and gather information then this would be something that I would not say no to," he replied after a moment of consideration. "However I would not be the sort to place you in harms way, if you were to find any information regarding her whereabouts then I would prefer you returned and gathered some help before attempting to rescue her," he pointed out before lifting a brow.
"If she wants to be rescued that is," he amended and shook his head - let no one say that he wasn't a believer in free will!
"If you have the ability to scout and gather information then this would be something that I would not say no to," he replied after a moment of consideration. "However I would not be the sort to place you in harms way, if you were to find any information regarding her whereabouts then I would prefer you returned and gathered some help before attempting to rescue her," he pointed out before lifting a brow.
"If she wants to be rescued that is," he amended and shook his head - let no one say that he wasn't a believer in free will!
Zohwee
Baatar may be eager to help and selfless, but he was not a fool. His time had taught him that there were some strong forces out there, and some strong creatures. These were the kind of things that lions could not face on their own! Trying to take down the Greenwood monster was teamwork, as was finding the cubs in the remains of the fire. He knew that he was stronger when there was more than one of him, so he was not deluded and would not rush into anything without thinking it through, for that could endanger others as well as himself.
He cleared his throat and looking Ram in the eye. "It would be foolish to run into something dangerous headfirst, especially alone." He nodded deeply and looked past Ram, chuckling vaguely at his last comment, before a question entered his mind. "What lands are these, if you don't mind me asking, they look unfamiliar to me."
He cleared his throat and looking Ram in the eye. "It would be foolish to run into something dangerous headfirst, especially alone." He nodded deeply and looked past Ram, chuckling vaguely at his last comment, before a question entered his mind. "What lands are these, if you don't mind me asking, they look unfamiliar to me."
Epine de Rose
"These?" he glanced over his shoulder back towards the territory beyond and smiled fondly, even from here he could see the faint outline of the ocean. "This is the Bahari'mtoto, we are the lions of the sea," he explained and returned his gaze to Bataar. It was then that he tilted his head to the side, his smile becoming somewhat more wry. "We're a rather peaceful society so I suspect some of our younger ones might be seeking an adrenaline rush that they can't get from jumping off cliffs," he confessed.
"Alas, one can never be too sure in these cases, it is most unlike one of us to simply vanish without a word - I would sooner comfirm she is safe and willingly absent, rather than under the thumb of a less than pleasant individual," he explained. Another of his pauses and then he grinned somewhat, an expression that brightened up his features considerably.
"Then we can knock heads together if need be."
"Alas, one can never be too sure in these cases, it is most unlike one of us to simply vanish without a word - I would sooner comfirm she is safe and willingly absent, rather than under the thumb of a less than pleasant individual," he explained. Another of his pauses and then he grinned somewhat, an expression that brightened up his features considerably.
"Then we can knock heads together if need be."
Zohwee
Baatar nodded. Liones of the sea! How fascinating... He had never seen the sea. He had heard about it... and followed Ram's line of vision to see it's faint outline. Perhaps if they allowed him, he would take a stroll to go and see it. He smiled widely. "I understand. Thank you for your hospitality, Ram." He bowed gently, as this lion seemed to be in charge or at least a higher-up of the lands, or so Baatar assumed. "Let us continue." Baatar hoped the lioness had taken an unexpected stroll. He made to check another section of the land with a long stride, perhaps they would find something soon.