(( Adhabu = Manda
Mysmyr = SkieBorne ))
Adhabu yawned slightly, stretching and looking about from his spot in front of his den. It didn't seem like much was going on this morning, and most of the rest of the pride's hunters weren't out and about yet.
Sitting down for a moment, the brown male considered for a moment or two what to do with himself today. A walk might be nice... but he didn't really want to walk off alone. Things were much better with company, after all.
Nodding slightly to himself, the large lion got up and began looking around for a partner for his walk.
Mysmyr hadn't really settled into any sort pattern upon arriving at the swamps. He roamed and explored and observed as he willed, most often on a whim. Much of that time was spent considering the traditions he was expected to adopt and the opportunities they afforded for the future. It made him curious about honestly joining the pride - of being more then a titled outsider.
Lost in thought, his gaze slid over a brown male he had yet to speak with, pausing for but a moment before moving on as he walked past, heading for a trail he'd wanted to try.
Adhabu spotted the white lion just a moment later, as he headed for that trail, stopping to tilt head a bit. He didn't remember seeing that one before... Making a quick decision, he picked up his pace to follow the other. "Hello," he called out. "Would you mind if I walk with you?"
Mysmyr paused and turned slightly, blinking slowly as he gauged the other, "Walk with me? Are you going the same direction?" He didn't seem against, simply surprised that someone might pick the same path as he.... he liked his solitude at times but if this lion wished to share the morning with him...
Adhabu blinked at the other... considering for a moment, and then nodded. "I suppose I am now. I just didn't ... want to go walking alone, and I won't be hunting until later...." He trailed off, suddenly unsure. "If you'd rather not, it's all right."
"Hmn? Oh! No, no it's alright. I enjoy the company." He nodded, smiling, "I find a long walk helps clear the mind. I also need to learn the pridelands better, I've only recently arrived. Are you another of the provisionaries? You weren't with the group I came here with. I'm Mysmyr, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Adhabu answered that smile with one of his own, relief plain on his features. "That's true... and I could show you around a little bit." Then he shook head. "I've been here a little while longer, but I'm still new myself. I came in along with some family of mine a while back ..."
"Oh? A tour? That would be appreciated, actually. You know these swamps better then I, at the very least. You'll know some of the more... secluded areas." Beginning to move again, Mysmyr yawned hugely, "Family? That must be nice. I lost mine long ago, I can barely remember them now. How many did you come with?"
Adhabu laughed softly at that, replying lightly, "Oh there were several of us, we all traveled in a big group." He rather hoped the other wasn't asking for specifics for some reason. "Ah! I am Adhabu-shinda, by the way. If you see another lion that looks almost just like me, that would be my twin brother, Mwenyewe-liwaa."
"Ah, like the group I arrived with then. Quite the interesting bunch, they are." He laughed softly, obvious recalling their travels, "You have a twin?" Mysmyr perked at that, curiosity alight in his eyes, "That must have been a source of support growing up. And twins are rare are they not? Good fortune for your family."
Adhabu smiled at that and nodded. "Indeed... it makes a lot of things very interesting," he replied softly. He really did love his brother, and was glad they'd had each other growing up. "I know that you said you lost your family ... did you have siblings?"
"I had a few, but we weren't very close. They were loud and energetic where I was the quiet one. Mama's favourite, I think." He held a low-hanging branch aside as they wandered into the swamps proper, "What's the pride like? Are the others as accepting of outsiders as you are?"
"For the most part... so far as I've seen, anyway," Adhabu replied easily. "I have already gone on my name quest, as well as the rest of the group." He could well understand wanting to be quiet when everyone around you was loud... here in the pride it was different. But while they had been traveling, he'd snuck off on his own a time or two just to get -away-.
"Ah yes, the name quest." He nodded, "The initiation ceremony. I wonder what my new name will be... I'm rather fond of my current one. Names are so important here and I'm not very familiar with the traditions surrounding that unfortunately. Care to enlighten me?" Mysmyr grinned, making an effort to appear sheepish. He really should learn more about such things, observing could only tell you so much.
"Ah well, the name quest is one meant to find ... well, sort of your true name. Most names given to us as cubs are simpler, or have some meaning that our parents choose. Some chosen in hopes that the cub will grow into a certain thing, like names that mean 'good hunter' or the like. And others just describe looks..." He trailed off, realizing he was rambling a bit. "But true names say something about us as adults. We must search for and find them ourselves... and most times, we discover something about ourselves as well..."
"I see. If that's so..." he trailed off, pondering, "What did you find out about yourself? What was your epiphany?" More leading then following now, he headed off onto a game trail and ducked under a curtain of hanging moss, kept to the shallows of the scumy pond that awaited beyond. "Where did you go for your quest?"
"Well I ... " Adhabu started, and then paused - wondering if he really wanted to tell the other this. It was sort of personal... but he supposed that he could tell some of it. "I learned that I could ... overcome pain," he said finally. A very very short version, and not at all explaining why he hadn't know that before. "I mostly wandered about a bit outside of the pride lands, it wasn't really any one specific place."
Mysmyr paused, sensing he'd asked an overly personal question and sighed, "I'm sorry, did I ask something to sensitive? If nothing else, learning that is a good thing, right? You're made a stronger lion by that." When the other continued talking, he kept going, circling about as he explored, "So those on the name quest are allowed to leave for a time? Is there a limit to that time frame?"
Adhabu nodded at that, relieved that he wouldn't be pressed for more information on that particular subject. "Yes, you can leave and go pretty much wherever you want. I think for as long as you want... I was gone for a while. I know that some don't ... come back, but most do."
He nodded at that, tucking that information away for later. "And to start the naming quest, is there a specific ceremony? Or does one just leave? If you're expected to find yourself, I would not be surprised if it were the latter. And the quest is alone, yes?"
"One of the Nobles actually usually comes and lets us know when it's time to leave. But ... from that point on, we're alone," Adhabu replied - not at all minding answering the other's questions. Looking up, he recognized where they were and nodded toward a particular tree. "Just past there, is a good spot to fish ... "
Again, he nodded, losing interest now that he'd gotten enough information and headed towards the tree Adhabu indicated, "Over here? Do you fish often? Ever caught a turtle? Those are tasty."
"I've caught a couple of turtles... but they're hard to get hold of sometime," he replied with a nod, following the other over toward the tree. "See, if you go around here... there's a small pool that they swim into and then can't get out of easily."
"A natural trap." He chuckled, "Clever. Maybe there's a few caught today." Rounding the tree, he came across the pond and had to side step to keep from stepping on a crocodile that had decided to take a nap in the shallows. A pool carved into the very rock, only one side had a gentle gradient into the water while the rest of the oval-esque shape had a good foot from water to ground level.
He eyed the dozing crocodile, "Not today, apparently. Perhaps another time." Mysmyr was no fool and knew when to fight and when to stay... a crocodile was not a creature he wanted to tussle with, thanks.
"Whoops... didn't realize he was there, sorry," Adhabu said quickly, also stepping around the crocodile. Wouldn't do for the other to think he was trying to kill him or something! But the creature had been downwind, so he hadn't scented it. "There's other places like this here and there," he went on, in a quieter voice so that they wouldn't wake up the croc.
Their efforts to be quiet didn't help, however, and the croc shifted slightly, rumbling as he opened his mouth and hissed at the pair of lions. Rumbling back, Mysmyr backed away and then turned to pursue another pool. "Let's go find them, then, shall we? I would like turtle for breakfast."
"Sounds good," Adhabu replied, and backed up as well - making sure they were well out of range before turning his back on the croc. "There's another one not too far away," he said then, padding off toward the spot. Thankfully, -this- pool had no other residents but fish, and he quickly settled down to peer into the water, seeing if there might be turtles there.
Mysmyr followed the other and perched on the edge as well, looking for turtles or even tasty looking fish. As it was, there were no shelled meals in this pond either and he sighed, splashed a small fish from the water and gnawed on it as they moved from pond to pond.
Eventually, they found one with a good sized turle in it and Mysmyr grunted in satisfaction. "Found one finally." It wasn't long before he'd caught the slippery critter, the cost having only been a dip in the thigh deep water and some floundering as he chased it about. "Breakfast is served!" He announced at last as he gave the creature a swift death.
Adhabu contented himself with catching a few fish for his meal, smiling as he watched Mysmyr splash around trying to catch the turtle. He didn't want to spend more time looking for another... as there was just one here. "Good hunt!" he said, sitting down to gnaw on a fish he'd caught. Glancing up then, he saw the position of the sun and tilted head. "Ah ... speaking of hunting, I should get going soon to join the party going out today. It was nice walking with you, though."
Mysmyr frowned as the other suddenly decided to head back but nodded, "Agreed. It was nice hunting with you. Good fortune and farewell." He returned to his meal soon thereafter, pondering their encounter as he gnawed on the turtle.
Adhabu nodded at that and got to his feet to head off. "Thank you for the walk and hunt. Perhaps we'll meet again sometime!"
