[PRP] New Blood (Jotuhn, Itiri, Usagi)

[Epine de Rose]

Spring would be on the approach more quickly than they would realise and while there was a very slight bite in the air at the caldera's peaks, that didn't mean that it would remain there for long. It was with this in mind that he continued to peer out across the horizon and into the lands that lay beyond. With spring came new faces, renewed curiosity and more importantly, blood.

Now that they were known to the world again, whispers of who and what they were reached further away than he had imagined possible. With those whispers came those looking for solace, a new home and on rarer occasions, they seemed to be answering a calling.

He had to wonder what this season would bring - more curious faces, or those who heard unexplained whispers that drove them to be here?

His lips pursed and sooner his patience was rewarded as something was moving its way slowly up the slope towards him. A lurking figure, large in proportions and seemingly male, but it didn't seem to be alone either.

Curious.  

[Kaefaux]

Usagi's steps were light, merry, despite the unknown lands in which she wandered. She'd a traveling companion for a period of time, after all, and that was reason enough to celebrate. The young lioness had wandered for a time on her own, a rouge without question or allegiance. It had been chance that had caused her to hear whispers of the N'ezi-ozu. A pride that did not fear death--the opposite, in fact. It had drawn her in, curious, and she'd delighted in finding the company of another who seemed to be at least of a similar curiosity to her own.

As they began to approach a figure ahead and above them, her ears perked, and the small lioness cooled her almost playful steps into something more respectful. Just because she tended to be more childish didn't mean she wanted to offend anyone, or be turned away just because of her behaviour.

"Oh, are we here already then?" Her red eyes flicked up towards the larger male beside her, unsure if he had a better frame of reference than she on their location and potential encounter here. Unless this was yet another curious mind~?  

[Epine de Rose]

"It would seem so," Johtun hadn't taken long to work out what the directions he'd been given meant. The caldera hadn't necessarily been on his radar, but the closer they'd gotten to it, the easier it became to receive more concise directions that hadn't left him completely oblivious. In the end it hadn't been long at all until he had tracked down the pathway up the slope that one particular leopard had mentioned and well...here they were.

Itiri lay in wait, unmoving and observant, the pink lion wasn't entirely certain of what to make of that as a greeting...but then again, how did one introduce themselves to a pride that dedicated itself to the very thing so many of them were scared of?

"Strangers in these parts, that much I can tell," Itiri spoke up at last and provided a warm smile. "Intentional or lost?" he asked.

"Intentional," Johtun replied and motioned towards his companion. "And I believe she may be here for much the same."

"A first," Itiri acknowledged and peered towards Usagi curiously. "What brings you both here today?"

Kaefaux

 

[Kaefaux]

All the more reason she'd been happy to have company--she wasn't fabulous with directions. At least not travel directions--give her directions on things she could do, and she was fine! Well. Provided you were still somewhere around for her to double-check things in case she forgot something.

After a time or two, she never forgot a thing! She just... had to get through that 'time or two' first.

Which was a problem when trying to travel by directions. Unless she had someone else around to confirm things with, or who just remembered things better.

The immediate silent greeting didn't unnerve her--it felt fitting, if what she'd heard was true about this pride's beliefs. But the other, darker lion spoke up first, and his smile was warm, which lit Usagi right on up. She nodded her head in agreement to Johtun's assessment.

Her tail twitched, and curiosity got the better of her as her mouth opened and words spilled before she could consider if they were rude or not--"Does your pride really worship death?" She blinked once as she heard her own voice, and grimaced. "I mean. It's not feared here, I've heard. It's honored, but so is a long happy life?" Something that had confused her--both did not seem to fit together. But they were not assassins or the like.

 

[Epine de Rose]

"A rarity, most stumble upon us nowadays," Itiri remarked with a raise of his brow, nevertheless at Usagi's question he offered a gentle laugh. His nod was slow and deliberate, but it was a confirmation to her question at the very least. Whomever she had received her information from, they had at least had the decency to tell the whole story instead of painting them as peculiar and outlandish cultists.

"You would be correct," he replied after a moment. "You can't move on to the next step in the journey if you haven't had all the experiences you need to do so. Life's lessons are something we look towards in the pursuit of the next life that awaits us," he added and hazarded a wry smile towards Johtun as well.

"Perhaps a little less dramatic than some might hope for, but in the end, we do believe in making sure that each and every one of us meets Him, and when they do they are well prepared."

"Intriguing, so not quite so sacrificial as other rumoured entities then."

"We're considerably more boring," Itiri agreed. "But much more communal, you would be less at risk of losing your heart at an inopportune time."

"Noted, but still isolationist?"

"Cautious," Itiri replied calmly. "But not without a willingness to accept those who are genuinely interested in our ways," he added. "We simply choose the most auspicious moments to welcome new family rather than leaving the gate open every day," he clucked his tongue. "Although time is on your side for this one if you so choose, those gates are due to open any day now and you would be most welcome."

"What's the catch?" He lacked subtlety.

"There isn't one really - how are you with awkward stares? That's about the only critical element to the entire thing."

Kaefaux

 

[Kaefaux]

The other male's laugh made her relax a good bit. She hadn't said anything offensive, at least. His brief explanation made some sense to her. A full life meant more experiences, something that only further aided them for... the next? The idea appealed to her, at least in so far as to learn more about it.

Johtun spoke up before she could again, and she snorted outright--at least she'd not brought up those goofy sacrificial rumors. Though she was sure, somewhere out there, there were some like that.

The males' conversation was light, though, and the stranger brought up a point that had her ears perking. "So soon? Really?" She couldn't stop the grin that broke across her face. Perhaps there was something to their timing on this.

"Awkward stares are easy to ignore, if you've got a purpose to focus on," she chirped instead. She had a bit of experience in that.
 

[Epine de Rose]

"Twice a year like clockwork," he replied with the same easy mile and shook his head. "Unfortunately the awkward stare is a fairly integral part of the process though," he added. Should she be genuinely interested in exploring this world then she wouldn't mind if Nche stared into the depths of her soul, but in the end, even he could admit that the peering was a little unnerving at times.

...Even those of good intention tended to falter but it did have a way of working out in the end. Suffice to say that so far they had yet to find anyone that triggered Nche's visions and as such, all were welcome in the embrace of the Nezi.

"And it is almost upon us again for the first," he shrugged. "If this is the place you sought and you aren't merely passing through you are more than welcome to join the others that have gathered. There aren't many of you of course, but they are here with the intention of remaining," he clucked his tongue softly.

"You are of course welcome to observe first if you would prefer, and should you choose your mind you can simply turn round and walk away, there is no obligation to make a commitment if you find a reason to choose otherwise," he pointed out.

Jo had been silent up until this point, providing Itiri with ample time to answer the young lioness's queries, but he seemed to have quietly come to his own conclusion. He knew little of this particular pride but given his own inclinations and the pull he had experienced to bring him here, he saw no reason not to at least watch the proceedings.

"If you did not mind an observer, at least to begin with, I would appreciate the opportunity to witness what is expected of me before I make a firm decision," he murmured at last.

Kaefaux