The walk turned into more of a wander than a direct path to a watering hole. The trio had agreed they wanted to go and get a drink, and swim, and perhaps bathe a bit: all the fun and good things that could be done at a watering hole, but instead they were just walking about the pridal lands, exploring areas they had never been to before. Insha, of course, had very little experience in any part of the lands, as he tended to just stay near his den and not risk too much exposure. He was glad he had these new friends, which he could call them that because they had been together now for a few hours, to help him go out and explore a bit more. He forgot about a lot of his worries and problems, and he was actually able to just relax and have fun. He wondered if this was what it was always like to live with others, and he imagined he had been doing things wrong for too long.
Karata and Tariki seemed like really nice lions. The female, Karata, was out going and only got more so the more comfortable she got with him. Tariki, too, was opening up, and the two shared a lot of similar traits, despite their initial differences. He had to wonder if there were than just friends, but he did not think they had known each other long enough for him to ask something like that, and he imagined it could potentially be taken the wrong way. The last thing he wanted to do was insult his new companions and imply he was interested in taking the attention of the only female of their group away from a male she might have already chosen. They clearly knew each other well and for a long time, and he was an outsider. Anyway, he had other things to think about, and had no room in his brain for more females.
“So have you guys been out in the rogue lands very much? I mean, I know everyone goes out at some point and the whole move thing that most had to do was part of it but… I don’t know. I don’t feel like I know anything about the lands out there, and have not been to any other prides but this one. That’s all I’ve ever known.” Insha looked at them, walking slightly ahead of the two of them and slowing his pace to let them catch up. They ended up on either side of him, and he had to turn his head from one to the other to see who wanted to speak up. Neither seemed inclined to answer him right away, and he wondered if he had still managed to put his paw in his mouth despite his best effort not to.
“I have been out in the rogue lands,” Tariki said, “of course, and so has Karata, but I think our place is here, where we have ended up, and that is what is best for us both.”
It was a diplomatic enough answer, and he did not push things any further than that, nodding his head and feeling like he might have gone ahead and insulted them or upset them. Karata picked up her head, though, and caught his eye as he was glancing at her, seeing his nervous expression and giving him the biggest, most reassuring grin she could muster. It did not seem forced, either, her natural personality more inclined toward happiness than being down in the dumps. Whatever shadow had passed over her just now as gone and forgotten, and she nudged her shoulder against Insha’s before running forward.
“Come on, I want to go for a swim!”
“That was the plan,” Tariki said with a sigh, though he was looking forward to it, as well. He liked to cool off and play just like his companion, though he was not as exuberant about that. He laughed despite himself, watching her as she bounded off, though both males took a long moment to realize that she was not going to slow down or wait for them. They blinked at her ever diminishing form in the distance, then looked at one another.
“Guess we gotta go catch her,” Insha said, and he laughed, the first of the two of them to start running after Karata. Tariki was close behind, though he was faster and managed to get by Insha despite the head start the other male had taken. It only made Insha run harder, and the two ended up in a head to head race that took them flying past Karata and she let out a yelp of surprise and glee as they did so. She yelled at their backs but they did not slow, so she had to pick up her own pace just to keep them in sight, though they were definitely not going to slow for anyone now. They saw the water ahead and clearly that was their end goal. They ran as fast as their paws could carry them by the end of it, though both were running out of steam.
Tariki ended up reaching the water first, and Insha just behind. He skidded to a stop as best he could but slammed into Tariki, who had managed to stop just at the water’s edge, which spilled them both into the water anyway. They were sputtering and gasping as they both crashed to the surface, and they both looked at each other in surprise and confusion before they got their paws under them. The water was not exactly deep, so they could touch the bottom with all four paws and not put their head under the water.
Karata was standing at the edge of the water for them, laughing as they appeared and paddled toward her. Both looked like drowned rats as they came out of the water, and that only made the female laugh harder at them. They were so silly! What kind of males were they, getting all caught up in a meaningless race and then getting in such an embarrassing situation. Karata shook her head and moved to the water’s edge, wanting to take a swim as well.
“You could have at least waited for me, you know,” she said, pretending to huff in anger over the whole thing. She was far from angry, of course. In fact, she was having a lot of fun with the two, and she was glad she had managed to meet Insha and they had acquired another member of their little team. Hopefully they would be able to hang out with him again some time, and this was not just a one time thing. Making friends was always the best thing, and she had so much fun with Insha.
Soon, she was standing in the water, looking back at the two males.
“What, you guys are all bogged down with water and done with swimming, or what? Listen to you huff and puff! Tariki, I haven’t seen you run that fast in ages! Looks like you guys are trying to be impressive, huh?”
“Did it work?” Taraka asked with a grin, though it quickly faded and he cleared his throat.
“A little,” Karata said with a laugh, though she was not sure she was being too honest with that. They looked so exhausted and half drowned, it was really hard to think about how fast they had been running or how cool they might have been before their embarrassing lion pile and accidental swim. She was being as cautious as she could with her words, though, smiling gently and affectionately at her long time friend, and her new one. They were probably going to be closer with each other than her, she realized, because Tariki was a competitive sort despite his quiet nature, and needed someone who could really push him. Karata did her best, but maybe another male, on the quieter side himself, would be a better match for Tariki. Or maybe she was over thinking the usefulness quotient she expected out of her friends.
Whatever happened, she was happy and it looked like they were too. Insha was, and he was starting to really think that this was more how life was supposed to be lived, and not in isolation or hidden away in a corner. He wanted to think that he had not missed too much, and had plenty of time still to start making friends and living like a real lion in a pride. Or a crocodile, as the case might soon be.
The two males did eventually get back in the water, and their day quieted as they swam around and relaxed, eventually getting out of the water to lounge in the grass nearby. The warm sun was out and it warmed their fur. Karata rested on her back and absorbed as much of the warmth from it as she could, humming contentedly as she relaxed. Near her was Tariki who was on his side, and Insha was resting halfway between his back and his side, propped against a rock. They were all very comfortable, and the day melted away around them in peace.
Word Count: 1,540 in Google Docs
