Sabra: Anai found himself enjoyign the frozen pride. Everything here was cold definitely, but to the lion there was a sense of beauty in the land. Every shard of ice gleamed like a crystal and the way the sun hit the landscape...it was glorious. Perhaps his old life as a scribe had encouraged him to always see things in an unique light, but Anai truly did not hate the ice.
Or perhaps it was because the lion now had someone to connect to the silvery swirls of the wind and the gentle falling snow on top of the mountains. Truly, the lion was shocked at exactly how mystified he was about this princess. There was just something about Mystral in the way she had appeared out of thin air that day which touched his heart. It was that which had caught him and gotten his wandering paws to linger far longer than usual.
And now it was that attraction which brought him back to the shelter of rocks from the previous day. Now to see if she really is here. A small knot in his stomach formed at the thought of not seeing her, but Anai just shoved it away. Truly, he was being really unlike himself lately....but just perhaps it was worth it. Anai smiled, at least he truly hoped so.
nessiaing: Mystral had spent the morning learning to fish with Velsi. She was glad that the older lioness had befriended her and was even willing to teach her some skills. She had a feeling that her mother would have a heart attack if she knew that Mystral was out on the ice trying to catch a fish.
Now however she had curled herself up in the little alcove that she had promised to meet Anai in. She hadn't been here long before she spotted him coming her way. She felt the butterflies start in her stomach. It was a new strange feeling for her. It wasn't the same nervous feeling she got around other pride members, but it was still nervse of some sort, she just wasn't sure why.
As Anai approached she was studying him. Suddenly she recongnized him for more than just the male she met in the snow blizzard one day. She may not be able to name her own feelings for the male but she was pretty sure that the female she had spent the morning with was related to this lion. Velsi had said she had a large family saying she had five older brothers from a litter ahead of her.
Sabra: Walking slowly forward Anai peered towards the rocks, "Mystral?" The lion called out her name softly, almost like a melody towards the winter winds. His heart nearly dropped until he spotted those familiar eyes staring out towards him, "Ah-ha." Smiling Anai scooted forward towards the lioness.
"Were you waiting here long?" He asked gently as he looked over her, "Or did you rather enjoy watching me scramble around like a blind fool?" It was a light tease that reflected the light in his eyes. Comforted to see her he found that his nervousness was beginning to fade. It really was a relief that she had come here again as promised.
"So what adventures await us today, Mystral?"
nessiaing: Mystral stood up when Anai called out a greeting to her. She moved towards him and offered him a good nuzzle.
"No I haven't been waiting long. In fact I just got here." She told him as she sat back on her haunches. She studied Anai's face trying to see if the family resembalance was there between he and Velsi or if it was something she was making up because the two of them were the first to ever show her kindness.
"Well I thought today I could learn a little more about you. You already know a lot about me, being a princess and all my life is pretty public to the pride and I have never lived outside the pride so I am kind of boring." she told him a grin n her face. She didn't mind being boring.
"Other than living in the desert I don't know much about your past. Did you have a big family? Where have you lived other than the desert?" she asked him anxious to know more about the male she had unexplainable feelings growing for.
Sabra: Anai sighed wistfully, "Alright then. I suppose the thought of you waiting out here amongst the snow and ice painted a beautiful picture for me." He smiled teasingly, "But I suppose being able to see you now is an even prettier image." If all else failed he would definitely make certain that she could see her worth. All of those rumors of cursed coats were meaningless in his eyes. He never wanted to see her trying to cover up her true self...it was a waste.
The lion blinked in surprise about her suggestion, "About myself? That's a million tales to tell..." He smiled sheepishly, "There's a whole other world outside of these lands and I have been through a lot of it. And in every landscape there has always been some beauty...sand, ocean, mountains, forests, jungles...."
Flushing lightly Anai looked over towards Mystral, "My family? You could say it was huge with siblings and many aunts and uncles...being rogues split us up and I haven't seen much of my siblings save for those who went to being vikings. Now the vikings are a tough bunch let me tell you~ Always fighting and taking what they want." He trailed off and looked back towards her, "There really are a million tales. I've been through many prides and lands since leaving the desert and never thought I could stay still for too long...until recently I thought of having a change of heart."
Anai smiled warmly before pausing, "Are you sure you want to hear? I'm afraid to put you to sleep by talking you to death."
nessiaing: Mystral's heart did a little flutter when he said that recently he had a change of heart around the idea of not travelling or staying one place for very long. Mystral hoped he would stay here in her frozen kingdom for the rest of the forseeable future. She had a tough time admitting her feelings for the purple maned lion. In truth she never though that she'd be able to fall in love or have a true friendship from cubhood she had always thought she would be alone.
"Oh yes I am sure I want to know everything about you possible." she told him. "Lets walk and talk." she said. Usually she was hesident to walk about the pride but she was wanted to spend time with Anai and you stayed warmer if you were walking about.
"I'd love to hear more about your family. Your siblings tell me more about them." she asked. She wanted to know if it was possible her two only friends might actually be sibllings, but she didn't want to say something and be wrong.
Sabra: Anai let out a dramatic sigh, "Alright, but you are asking for it." As she suggested walking the lion paused. She wanted to wander the pride? Here he was thinking that she never would leave the mountaintop, but now she was wanting to wander? It seemed like a way to stay warm however so he was alright with that.
The lion did raise an eyebrow at the mention of siblings, "Do you not have any siblings that you are so interested in mine?" Anai grinned teasingly, "My family is divided to the winds because the home we had in the great desert disbanded. It was awful watching how the sands rose to swallow everything whole...and ever since then my life has been that of a wanderer rather than a scribe." His gaze darkened at the loss before he shook his head quickly, "But my parents had two litters...one I barely know unfortunately since they were born after we left the pride. I wasn't around much afterwards since I took off on my own. But yes there were many of us. All sorts of us too...though a lot became fighters surprisingly."
He chuckled, "I have four brothers in my litter with me and I think I was the tame one...our younger siblings often got caught up in wrestling matches. That much I remember from when I was able to catch back up with my family. My closest brother Vittorio went to the Stormborn and became a fighter there. Our purple tells that we're related, but most of my siblings tend to have a white coat with purple or blue manes while I happen to be the sharp one in blue."
The lion paused before looking towards his companion, "That appease you, Mystral?"
nessiaing: Mystral fell instep with Anai as he spoke. She was hesitant walking around the pride and chose a path that would keep them close to the mountains. Anytime they came across other members of the pride she would cast her eyes downward. She listened as the male spoke becoming mor eand more confident that her only two friends were indeed brother and sister.
"It does." she said sweetly. "I think I may have a surprise here in the pride. I have made friends with another and I think she may be your younger sister. Her name is Vesli, she has been a great friend to me." she told him in a whisper. She was afraid to be wrong but she hoped dearly to be right it would make her feel really good if she could bring the sibling pair together.
"Like you said she has a white coat but has a mane blue like your coat. Which I love by the way." she said blushing a bit as she paid the male a compliment.
Sabra: As they walked Anai kept an eye on Mystral. While she would cast her eyes down the lion would instead look up without shame and flash a brilliant smile towards the pride members. Perhaps it was from his trauma in the desert or his many years in the roguelands, but the male refused to back down. Curse or not he refused to let anyone see less than his warm expresson. He chuckled quietly at the thought, perhaps it just took a few more warm smiles to melt away this ice.
"Oh?" Anai leaned towards her with a small smile, "I do like surprises, tell me?" As Mystral spoke the lion's gaze widened in true surprise, "Well would you look at that! I knew that my brother said she had ventured somewhere in this direction so to think I actually did manage to run into her new home." He laughed softly, "I'm glad though that you found a friend in my sister. Here I was worrying you would just fade off into the mists without someone to hold you down here."
At the compliment Anai smiled happily, "Oh? You sure? I thought it was a cursed color~" He couldn't help teasing, "Still I think it pales in comparision when compared with the beauty of a certain snow princess."
nessiaing: Mystal blushed at the various compliments the male gave her. She was surprised how her feelings seemed to be growing for this male. When she had found him in the blizard she had onlythought she was doing what was best to keep him safe.
"Well there is more than just your sister holding me down." she said quietly. She was worried that he might not feel the same way she did. Suddenly a pit grew in her stomach if he didn't return her feelings she didn't know how she would handle that. Anai was the first male she had talked who wasn't a member of her family and she found it almost impossible to think she could talk to someone else the way she was now talking with him.
"Well I suppose the colour looks better on you than I think it looks on me." she said surprised by his comment regarding their colours being so similar. On him she didn't see any hint of a curse just a wonderfully beautiful male. "It doesn't look so cursed on you." she said with a grin.
Sabra: Her blushes definitely were adorable. Anai smiled at the thought as he walked along. It was strange how the natural flirt was actually using his charm to try to make the princess feel better about herself. Being in this pride just for the few days had taught him a lot about their ideas and the lion shuddered to imagine what life must have been for the lovely female beside of him. He truly was fortunate for his loving and open family.
His father had a rough cubhood, but with his mother and his uncle's help had found a happy ever after. So why couldn't this tale have a happy ending? It was surprising just how determined Anai felt about this lioness. There was just something about her sweet personality he wanted to protect and it would be a shame to leave her without letting her see how she really shined. As Mystral made her quiet comment the lion frowned, "Like what? Is it someone I can go have a stern talking to?" He teased lightly, but his expression despite the humor was surprisingly sincere.
Anai smirked at her compliment, "You think so?" The lion shook his head slowly, "Just think if I had been the one born here and you someplace else then perhaps I would be the one to say that~ In another place you would be fought over for being so pretty rather than cursed." It was a true idea. If he had been here then what would have convinced him that he wasn't cursed as well? Truly, truly a shame.
"Perhaps it would take showing you another world exists outside of this one." He commented lightly as they walked along, "Even if I can't steal you outside of the pride for a bit, I can at least entertain you with all of the tales I have acquired."
nessiaing:Mystral smiled, the male was kind to her and she appreciated. For once she wasn't the cursed princess, she was the smitten girl. She was falling in love, she could feel the sensation all though she wasn't really able to put them to words yet.
"Ah but you see the curse is only on this pride because of my mother. So had I been born else where the curse would have followed me. It is the family not the place." She told him with a whisper. She didn't want to talk about the curse anymore it was sad and Anai only made her want to be happy.
"I will never leave the borders of my home." She told him when he suggested she see the rest of the world. "It would crush my parents. This is where I belong, for good or bad." she said with a nod. The young female had a stern sense of duty and even if the pride wasn't always casting favourable looks in her direction she knew that her place was here in the pride.
"Mmmm that sounds nice." she told him when he talked of telling her all his stories. "I do hope it takes us a long time to tell them all.... perhaps even a lifetime." she said her voice soft, but hopeful.
"Perhaps we could meet back at our spot tomorrow and you can start telling me all you have to say." she said. She knew she would have to leave the males company soon and she wanted a time that she knew she would be able to see him again.
Sabra: Anai raised an eyebrow at the girl's confession, "Oh? Then I suppose it's a shame that you aren't able to be born in two places at once. What would happen if one had been sunny instead?" He teased lightly, "But if you keep smiling with so much warmth like that I'm sure the winter winds won't stand a chance."
So she wouldn't leave? For some reason the thought made his stomach knot. It would be a shame to leave knowing that he left her behind here. Anai blinked in confusion. Why was it that his often wandering paws found pause at the thought? He smiled faintly, "But I suppose it's a good thing. Family is very important after all." As much as he loved adventures evne sometimes his own heart yearned for his kindred.
The lion chuckled softly at her comment, "Would you want to listen to me for a lifetime?" He flashed a charming grin her way, "Surely you would grow weary of me after a while."
His gaze flickered at her suggestion, "Mystral..." The lion sighed softly before nodding, "I suppose then one more day I can tell you tales. Just wait for me and I will find you at our spot~" One more day and then he would leave, right? Feeling torn at the thought the lion smiled towards Mystral, "I'll see you tomorrow~" In farewell he gently nudged her on the shoulder before passing to walk down towards the rest of the pride.
Perhaps he would look for his sister now in this place and then tomorrow...well tomorrow was another day and he could decide then.