[PRP - Backlog] Dry times..[Shauku x Nantale]

[Ctrl F Greenie]

[This RP is a back-log occurring prior to the Flood.]

The black pelted lioness was seeking her companion, one whom she had known for quite some time and often spent many days with. It had been several long days since this drought had begun leaving many, very thirsty individuals who had begun to turn eyes to their higher rankings. Unfortunately there was no solutions to quench the current issues, at least not one that Shauku had seen. Simply, what they needed, was a trickle of rain.

This was not the reason she had been seeking her companions company, well sort of. Shauku could have predicted the kind of state this whole situation could put any lioness in who had to lead a group of lions through it. The lionesses heart went out to the Malenga and it had become something of a daily routine to seek her company and simply be, whether she needed silence in a friend or light chatter.

 

[SilverLutz]

To say Nantale was stressed would be an understatement. She hadn't been Malenga for very long before this drought came along, and now it seemed there was nothing she could do to help her pride. She had sent out scouts to try to locate a water source that hadn't dried up, tried to get the baboons and anyone that was willing to dig in the dirt to find water, even organized a rain dance to try to coax the skies into giving them much needed water. Still, nothing came. No small oasis was found. Digging turned up nothing but more dirt.

The brown lioness needed some alone time from all the questions she was getting. She was thankful her parents were still there to fend off the questions, giving her some time to think. There had been droughts before, of course, and they had made it through, but to her it seemed this one was never-ending.

It was with a relieved smile that she spotted her old friend Shauku padding in her direction. She was the only one in the pride aside from her parents that she could really open up to about her problems, so much so that she had created a special rank just for her. She wouldn't be able to do this whole 'lead the pride' thing alone, and her parents wouldn't always be around to help her. She felt badly that the title of Malenga had fallen on her shoulders. It was a title she never was sure she could bear, even through her cubhood. It was the dark lioness before her that had been her rock through it all so far, and the fact remained the same now.

"Shauku...it's good to see you. You have a wonderful habit of turning up just when I need you most."  

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Stress. This was something that ate away at the Malenga, it was most apparent when she spoke to her pride and specifically individuals. All the adviser could do was to stand aside and perhaps fill in gaps here and there. She had no say in final decisions, but she sure tried to at least aid in some of the heavier conversations when the crowd or individuals got a little rough and tough. Not that the pride sheltered many dark spirited folks, but you never knew how dried up members could react.

It was unfortunate that today, like most others, when Shauku looked into her friends eyes that she saw hopelessness. This was not becoming on the young leader and the black lioness knew the other was stronger than that. It seemed a series of unfortunate events was certainly taking it's toll.

"It's good to see you as well, Nantale." Shauku gave a kind smile and continued speaking. "It seems I have adapted well to knowing when I'm needed most, one could say we had a special bond. How are you holding up?" The question was snuck in quickly. Of course Shauku had a feeling of the answer, but there had been many occasions where Nantale had surprised her.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Shauku's question made the smile fall from Nantale's face, her expression growing weary. She was young, yes, but she looked like a lioness that had seen pawfuls of summers pass. She let out a slow breath, her ears drooping with her head.

"All right," she answered truthfully. "It's hard to see everyone struggling so, but it's not as if it's something I can fix with a flick of my tail. My parents have told me time and time again that the gods will make it rain when they see fit, and not a moment before. All I can do is organize another rain dance. But...I wish there were something with more...impact I could do."

She lifted her head finally, gazing at her friend. She was glad she had Shauku to open up to. Her parents dealt with so much as the former rulers of the pride that she didn't want to burden them with her thoughts.

"I'm not sure what else to do," she added quietly, glancing to the rogue lands. "The scouts I sent out said the drought goes on and on..."

Greenie EA

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

When her Malengas smile fell it was heart breaking - she truly had done all she could to try and produce even a small quantity of the life giving liquid the pride was crying out for. It simply seemed water was out of the question for this chapter in the prides life, which made this portion of it unfortunately uncomfortable. Continuing to listen Shauku dropped her bottom to the ground and swished her tail among the dust, the position, she figured, would be more comfortable, but to no avail.

"Time will give us the answer we need. It's an unfortunate truth that brings the dust we see today and the lack of water we will likely continue to see for some time." The black lioness was a realist and these moments did not change that, of course she would not put blame on her friend as this was not something a single lioness could control. Perhaps even the Gods could not help them?

That thought was gone as quick as it had come, to present such an idea would be preposterous, they simply had to wait it out. "The scenes themselves are the bearer of bad news, there is nothing more that can be done and we will have to remind the pride of that. It's certainly not as though you sat back and simply watched." The truth, there it was, laid out on the table to be glanced at, but never to give it the full attention. The truth had some support - allowing Nantale to see it from Shaukus perspective.

"Have anymore scouts been sent out recently? Perhaps something has changed since they last looked about." The thought had occurred to her to seek out other prides, she hadn't seen many in her time, but perhaps there would be someone willing to help.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

It was nice to know there was always one lioness that wouldn't glare at her as she walked by or whisper about her when they thought she couldn't hear. Nantale smiled weakly, her heart still heavy but slowly growing stronger with her dear friend's words. She was right, after all. There wasn't much she could do that she hadn't done already. What else was there except continue to send out scouts, dig, and dance? Nothing short of moving the entire pride. Drought came and went, though, and they had to hope the rains would return for them soon.

"Yes, just four moons ago," she said, sitting as well to take the weight off her paws. "They didn't find anything. I'm hesitant to ask them to go further from the pride. At least we have some water here still. Out there it's bone-dry. A few days mission is one thing, but longer? That's almost a death wish. Who knows how far they'd have to go before they found a place to drink?"

Nantale flicked her ear in mild annoyance. The rain dances had worked in the past...perhaps it was just the gods way of confirming she wasn't fit to rule the pride. Her parents would tell her otherwise, but deep in her heart there was that seed of doubt that not even Shauku could dispel.

"Well. We'll continue with what we've been doing," she said after a bit of silence. "And hope the gods take pity on us and bring us rain."

Greenie EA

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Shauku gave a 'ah' mouth movement, acknowledging the time the scouts had been out. Four moons ago was not long enough to sprout any water, if there was water out where the scouts had gone than there would have been water here. Or at least that was her logic. "You're thinking is absolutely correct - it would be difficult to even suggest it to the bravest scouts. It's that simply cannot be morally done." Her voice was strong and sure, this scenario seemed to need patience.

There was a look in the eye of her Malenga, one that she could never fend off long when these conversations came up. It always seemed to fade, just slightly, when Nantale would speak again, but it was never fully gone. The worry always worried Shauku, it even kept her up at night on occasion, but she figured it was nothing compared to what feelings that look in her eye meant.

"It's all we can do and all we can hope for."

The dark lioness danced about her thoughts then, seeking a new conversation, perhaps something a little more cheery. "The sun is awfully bright today.." Wrong topic, but she tried anyway." ..no matter the state it's always so beautiful." Shauku allowed a silence to fall between. Even she was at a loss for words. Times like these were simply nice to enjoy company.

Silverlutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Nantale nodded, glad that her friend thought the same way as she did. They were so similar it was a bit scary since they were not siblings. The only difference Nantale could pick out was that Shauku always seemed infinitely more confident and calm in situations like this than she was. There was always the sensation of being wrong when she made a decision, that there were lions whispering about her behind her back. Of course none of this ever made itself present, but the doubt was strong enough to make Nantale worry over every little thing she did.

The change in subject made her smile a bit, and she moved forward to nuzzle her friend's neck affectionately. She knew what she was trying to do and appreciated it greatly.

"It is very beautiful, yes," she agreed as she stepped back. "There is always that to be thankful for." The rains would come again as they always did, it was just a matter of staying strong and finding beauty in despair to help bring you through it. "And there are always good friends to be thankful for," she said, giving Shauku a meaningful look. "I'm not sure what I'd do without them."

Greenie EA

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

It seemed the topic change, no matter what it was, did the trick. Had lions not known the royal family they would likely have thought the pair were siblings, not by looks perhaps, but by the senses and eerily similar personalities. This was something Shauku was proud to share with her absolutely treasured friends. When the lioness pressed against her she sighed happily, this was what the Malenga had needed.

Shauku broke into a seemingly shy grin when Nantale spoke, had her pelt been of a lighter color the pink that roamed across her cheeks would have been visible.

"That goes both ways." The dark lioness said as the shy grin broke into a wonderful smile. "It's times like these that we ought to grow to appreciate the things we do have, rather than the things we don't." A pause for thought as Shauku began to come into an idea that perhaps would fix the Malengas issue with her people. "Perhaps for our next Rain Dance celebration we ought to emphasize about what we just spoke about." She shifted slightly in her seated position to get a better look at Nantale, gauging a response, during her wait for the other to speak Shauku spoke again.

"Let's remind them of what they have, what they truly should be thankful for at a time like this. Give them something to latch onto and enjoy."

SilverLutz

I'm so sorry! I don't know how I missed this tag. ]:

 

[SilverLutz]

Nantale smiled back at Shauku, glad to have her by her side. The suggestion made her nod slightly, her smile fading as her expression was replaced with a thoughtful one. Another Rain Dance was coming up, she could certainly tailor it a bit to suit their needs. Generally the Rain Dance was done before the rainy season, so it was more of a welcoming than a plea. This time perhaps they could change the intensity of it, the rhythm, the lyrics, make it a cry of help to the gods rather than an offering.

"That sounds like a good idea," she murmured, her mind moving swiftly. Along with that, they could send out their hunters to find food and have a bit of a feast afterwards. There were animals around them still, those that survived on less water than they, and there were fruits that did well in the desert heat that they were experiencing. A feast of thankfulness, for family and friends, for the beat and the song, for the sky and the ground, for the little water they did have. Perhaps that would lighten the mood.

"We should begin preparations straight away," she finally said, lifting her head a bit. "I'll hail the baboons to create a few new drums for us. Could you round up the drummers and perhaps put the idea to them of creating a different beat, one that's more intense?"

Greenie EA

That's okay! Sometimes they slip by me too

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

"It would be my pleasure, Malenga."

Shauku spoke softly, kindly and with pride. The hope that had sparked with these plans began to burn into a soft flame. Should the pair of them, with the help of the pride, could allow more than hope into the hearts of those suffering than it would be a win. Something the pride and its leader could certainly use.

"I hope this works Nantale. I hope that hope spreads like wild fire amongst our pride and that they see what it is they truly should be thankful for. Besides, the Gods will turn this around, this is likely a test of some kind, perhaps loyalty?"

Once she finished speaking the dark lioness gave a brief nod 'goodbye' before taking her leave and advancing on her tasks. There was much to do before they were ready!

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Nantale leaned in to give her friend a thankful nudge with her nose. She didn't know what she'd do without Shauku around. The lioness was her rock and she felt as though if she wasn't here she'd be swept away in all this political...stuff that always made its presence known. How was she supposed to make it rain, for the god's sake?

"Thank you," she said softly again as her friend turned to go, pondering what she said to herself as she went off to find the baboons. Perhaps it was some sort of test from the gods...one that they would surely pass. She would see to it that they did.

Greenie EA

Last post from me! Woo! Now we can move on to the one where Nantale passes the title of Malenga to Shauku!