[PRP] What is this place?

[Zingling]

Rana had been wandering without her sister for a long while, unable to really come to terms that she had indeed lost her. The twins were always together! How could she ever forgive herself if something happened to Ruse? Sisters were meant to protect each other, especially twin sisters. Eyes welling up with tears, Rana stopped suddenly and started to cry. What was with this overwhelming weight on her shoulders?

“How did we end up in this mess, Ruse?” Forgetting where she was for a moment, she felt the breeze of mountain air pass by her. The massive shadow of the goliath know by the former swampies as "The Great Mountain" laying before her.  

[Lithiasaur]

Zingling

Insha was ready to relax and try to wrap his head around the agreement he had made with that strange female, Jomi. She was just so odd, and thinking back on it he felt like he was insane. But in the moment, and when he was near her, she had an odd way of making his brain stop working.

He thought he definitely liked her. A lot. Yes, she thought she was a crocodile and wanted to raise their cubs as crocodiles, but... well, as long as she was not doing any harm to them, and they could make their own choices... maybe things could work out. And he had always wanted to be a father...

This was just not the way he thought it would come about. Still, it was kind of a great story, once it was all settled and if things did work out well. And that snake of hers did not eat him.

"Who's there?" He heard someone calling nearby and padded toward it, ears perking forward at the strange... lioness? No, she had a strange tale and a look to her that was not lion, but it was not like anything he had seen before, either. "Oh. Uh... hello there. Are you okay?"  

[Zingling]

Lithiasaur

Rana visibly jumped at the voice behind her, not really thinking she had been that close to others, let alone a lion. Damning herself for her stupidity she shrank back a bit, away from the stranger before her.

“I will be alright…” Looking straight into the lions eyes, she kept herself firmly poised, awaiting any sort of action that would merit a flight or fight response from her. After losing her sister, Rana had learned the hard way how to fend for herself in the rogue lands. Life was far from easy, especially now. No tricks of the eye could be used nor adorableness from childhood pranks.

Taking in now the mountain in the distance, Rana stood in awe. Where exactly was she? “I seen it further away… but up close the mountain is huge! W-where am I?”  

[Lithiasaur]

Zingling

Insha looked over his shoulder back at the mountainous terrain around them. He smiled fondly at the lay out, liking it much better than the swamps, though he never said anything about it one way or the other, as it was better just to keep his thoughts to himself. And until recently, he had spent a lot of time just on his own anyway.

He only just started coming out, making friends, and strange arrangements.

Offering her a friendly smile, and not advancing on her because he could see she was scared so he would keep a casual distance to let her see he was not a threat, he nodded his head.

"This is the Jini-msemi pride. We live on the mountain, and around it. It is pretty big, isn't it? But it's a nice place to live, and you get used to the climbing. I'm sorry, this might be a dumb question but... what sort of a lion are you? I don't think I've ever seen a lioness look quite like you before. Are you from far away?"  

[Zingling]

Lithiasaur

Feeling her heart beat faster at the explanation of what the lands were she seemed almost excited, that was until he questioned what exactly she was. Always the questions on her appearance. It was starting to become disheartening dealing with the questions of others. Not even attempting to hide her annoyance, Rana looked him square in the eye.

“I am a leopon!” Puffing out her chest with pride she continued to explain. “I have both lion and leopard blood running through my veins.” Flicking her tail to and fro she looked to the mountain again and ascertained that there was a high chance that only lions lived on that mountainside. Ruse would definitely not be there.

“You only live with lions, huh?”  

[Lithiasaur]

Zingling

"A leopon?"

That was not a phrase he had heard before, and he looked baffled by it. So she was some sort of a different type of cat that he had never met before. And not only that, had never even heard of. He knew what leopards were, but unless she had forgotten how to pronounce her own species, he did not think that was what she meant.

How interesting!

"Well, you certainly got the best of both worlds, then, if you're both a leopard and a lion! That clears it up too. I didn't mean anything offensive by asking, of course, and you look very pretty! Just... just different to what I'm used to. I do live with lions, yeah. That's pretty obvious, eh? So what brings you out this way, then?"  

[Zingling]

Lithiasaur

She still felt fairly annoyed with the general conversation, but it was more at the thought that so many had asked her a similar question. Flicking her tail back and forth she finally calmed herself down. “No, I understand. I have been asked that question so many times that is drives me a little bonkers though.”

Waiting a few moments she smirked, “It was obvious. A lot of lions and cheetahs and even leopards that have asked have normally only lived with their own kind or just never seen or heard of leopon.” She was proud of her uniqueness. Just… annoyed she had to explain it almost every time.  

[Lithiasaur]

Zingling

He frowned and tilted his head, since she had not answered his question about why she was here, he could only assume it was because she did not feel like sharing.

"Well, you should be safe around these parts, I think. I mean, I haven't met anyone that's violent or anything in this pride, but I do tend to keep to myself. If you're just passing through, I'm sure you'll be just fine."

He smiled at her and swung his tail behind him, feeling his inexperience with talking to others catching up to him. What did he say when he ran out of things to talk about, and she seemed annoyed by him? He was not sure, and he shuffled his paws against the floor thoughtfully.

"And if you need any help, feel free to find me. My name is Insha."  

[Zingling]

Lithiasaur

Furrowing her brows at the reaction of her new companion, she thought for a moment as to why, but couldn’t figure it out. Whatever it was she was sure it would hit her later, or was nothing to be worried about at all.

Nodding at what was being said, Rana smiled wide, “Alright fantastic, thank you so much!” Frowning suddenly as the lion started to clam up, she wandered over and nudged him.

“Hey, don’t be sad.” Watching him, she took his name and ran with it. “I am Rana, Insha. It is a pleasure to meet you!”
 

[Lithiasaur]

Zingling

"It's good to meet you, too, Rana!"

Insha smiled at her and nodded his head, chuckling a bit as he tried to relax. He worried too much about upsetting others, or not doing things 'right' as far as talking to them or knowing how to be a functioning member of a pride. He would get the hang of all of this sooner or later.

Hopefully sooner.

"Have a good rest of your day, then! I'm not going to be too far, so you can just come back here if anything bad happens or if you need any help. I'll hang around for a little while just in case."

He moved to go and find a nice spot to lay down and take a nap, as had been his plan from the get go. Except now he felt he had a purpose, even if he was just being silly and maybe a bit over cautious. Still, he would wait around, as promised, until he was sure she was not coming back and hopefully safe on her way somewhere else.