[PRP] Looking for More (Tala x Etoile)

[nessiaing]

Tala was sitting a little ways up the hills. She liked looking out of the pride from the mountain side, it was a great vantage point. The dark lioness didn't miss the swamplands. They may have been her first real home but they held too many negative memories. The murders had effected her more than most and she was happy to put that aside.

Everything positive had come with her from the swamps, he cubs and her grandcubs. Life was good here in the mountains and yet Tala couldn't help but feel lonely. Everyone she had given life to had grown up and now she was on her own, with the exception of the occasional visit.

hibi-tea

 

[hibi-tea]

Etoile hadn't felt settled since he came back to his birth lands from his name quest. It had taken him quite some time to finally find himself out in the wild of the world, so long that many believed he would never return. He admittedly felt kind of hurt by the shocked expressions of his siblings when he came waltzing back home finally, a new name and a new eagerness about him. That eagerness had worn off now and anxiousness resided.

"Things will never be as they once were," He murmured to himself as he kicked rocks along his path.

It wasn't long after his return that they had to leave the swamplands. It was the only real home he had known, and as soon as he returned he needed to leave. Something caused a hole there he never could fill regardless of the answers and blamed that was rumored and shifted throughout the pride. He thought coming home would mean things made sense now, but he felt as lost as he did out in the Rogue Lands when he went to find himself.

"Dad, what am I doing with myself?" He whispered into the breeze, unaware that there was someone nearby who could hear his mad ramblings.  

[nessiaing]

Tala heard the rocks tumbling down the path before she heard the ramblings of the approaching lion. She glanced up and noticed the blue and grey lion making his way down the path towards her. If she wasn't mistaken she also heard him talking to his father... who was no where in sight.

Swallowing hard Tala tried to decide what she should do. She wasn't sure what was going on with the male, but she was confident that talking to ones self wasn't a good thing. She stood shuffling her feet contemplating walking further down the path, but maybe if something was bothering the male she should offer some sort of assistance.  

[hibi-tea]

nessiaing

Etoile was so lost in his thought that he almost didn't notice the dark pelted lioness down the way from him. In fact, he didn't even notice her when he stopped, a mere several feet from where she stood, to shake out his mane and make what one could only describe as a very pathetic noise of frustration.

"Tell me what to do," He muttered in exasperation before he looked to his side and came eye to eye to the dark pelted lioness.

Etoile felt embarrassment spread over his face like raging fire. The tips of his ears and nose where his fur was scarcest burned brightly pink as his eyes went wide at the sudden realization that someone had overheard his pathetic ramblings to his deity father who was not exactly in the vicinity but could surely hear him.

"I,...That is to say...I'M NOT MAD, I SWEAR," He blurted out, semi-horror struck at this chance encounter.  

[nessiaing]

Tala felt the laugh escape her lips before she could stop it. It was a nervous laugh becuase she was unsure what she should say to this lion. She had just been wondering if he was mad, and now he was assuring her he wasn't. He obviously knew that talking to yourself wasn't a good thing.

"I didn't mean to listen in, I was just here when you came my way... talking to you father." she said the last part with a whisper because she didn't exactly know what to think of it.

Deciding to change the topic she put a smile on her face, "My name is Shankuntala. You can call me Tala though. " She told the male. Her sweet side coming out. In truth Tala had been lonely for a long time and she was excited to have a little company.  

[hibi-tea]

nessiaing

Etoile felt more embarrassment fluster across his face as the dark lioness whispered the bit about him talking to his father. He hadn't minded her laugh, because who wouldn't laugh at a man making a fool of himself as expertly as he was doing now, but the whisper cut at him since many weren't fully aware of his parentage.

"T-tala? Y-yes, I've heard of you. It's nice to meet you," He said, his ears folded back as he tried with difficulty to brush away the lingering embarrassed feeling he had. "I'm Etoile. I would have probably met you earlier, but I've been out on name quest for a rather long time, heh."

There were still others he was bumping into as he wandered the new lands who were surprised to see his face, and more still. He still had not bumped into one of his childhood friends, though. He assumed she decided to leave as some have. He never speculated anything worse than that. It wasn't in him to.  

[nessiaing]

Tala shuffled her feet a little and took a seated position, she wanted to be more comfortable. "Etolie" she said testing how the name sounded on her tongue. She smiled deciding she liked it the male seemed endearing however she was still a touch uncomfortable she had a hard time trusting people after he first mishap with the father of her cubs.

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure. I am glad I cam across you today." she was may not be overly trusting but she wanted a friend so she was trying to suck it up a little.

"Don't worry about being gone for your naming quest for long, I still have trouble with my new name and its been years since I changed it." Tala liked her new name well enough but she had been Semira for her whole life and it was only since joining the pride that she had found her true self, Tala.

hibi-tea

 

[hibi-tea]

nessiaing

"I suppose suddenly changing the name you've had for forever can be hard to keep straight," Etoile smiled. "To be honest, a lot of people were surprised when I came back. They thought I had decided to leave or something."

He grinned a bit before settling down on the ground himself, feeling a little awkward being the only one who was standing at the moment. He'd heard various bits and pieces about Tala from his family and the rest of the pride when they were catching him up on the happenings. Most were fair descriptions about her, while he could tell others dripped with bitterness and blame.

"I'm still trying to keep my siblings name's straight," He admitted, scratching the back of his mane with an ash colored paw.

It was only afetr he had finished scratching the back of his head that he realized he may have been interrupting her quiet time. After all, he came this way on his own to mutter to his Dad and be alone, so it wouldn't be a far stretch to assume that perhaps she was here by herself by choice as well, right?

"I....I wasn't interrupting you or anything, was I?" Etoile asked, feeling the blush creep back into his ears and nose. "If I was, I apologize. I can go if you want."  

[nessiaing]

"Nah" Tala answered shaking her head, "You aren't interrupting a thing. Honestly I cam up here to enjoy the view. I am happy about our move." She didn't offer more of an explanation, it was after all just the first time that they had met, he didn't need to know her whole sad story all at once, perhaps the second or third time they met she would tell him more.

"I suppose I should be getting back down the mountain though. I don't like to walk down the paths in the dark." she told him with a kind smile. "I do hope our paths cross again soon Etolie." she told him, a very kind smile on her face. She obviously didn't know the male very well but she got a good vibe from him, and wanted to get to know him more.

hibi-tea

 

[hibi-tea]

nessiaing

"It is much nicer than the wet of the swamp," He stated in agreement. Not that he minded the mud and the wet of the swamp, but here he had less sticks and leaves to pick from his mane and he didn't have to worry about any mane rot or other moisture based sicknesses. And the air was absolutely fantastic to boot.

As Tala explained she would be departing as she did not like nighttime strolls, Etoile's ears perked up at the sudden noticing of the time. It was starting to get much darker than he thought it was. He could understand why no one would want to traverse in it, although he did not mind it. After all, he saw the stars then.

"I understand," He smiled, dipping his head to Tala. His starlit eyes sparkled slightly like his namesake at the prospect of crossing paths with her again. She was kind to him and didn't mind he odd ramblings.

"I'll be around. Probably staring off into space or something," He joked. Although it was more truth than joke these days, "I wish you safety as you travel back down....I think I will stay here for a while longer yet."

He dipped his head to Tala once again as a good bye, and wandered off some ways to settle himself on a rock and stare out into the void of space where a few of the brightest stars were already making their presence known.

- FIN