Achal lay in the shade under a tree by Siti and companies den watching the goings on of the large family. They were an interesting lot and Achal found them very amusing, friendly and fun. Today was no different, although his paw was healed, it seemed Siti was in no rush to make him leave, although Achal knew he should head off pretty soon, and he was simply enjoying the company of other's too much to really dwell on the thought.He laughed as Lila seemed to be teasing somebody, probably Tendaji from a tree a little bit off. Turning blue eyes he looked for the other's. He could see Siti chatting with another drop in Gao, who was there in hopes Tendaji, the little ball off cubby wisdom might offer up some enlightment in his name quest. He didn't see Jasiri, Udo, or Korrin, but he could see the other cubs doing their own thing.
Nyeupe was thinking about her father. The fluffy, large male they had encountered. The diamond was more than enough proof for her, really. He was a king! Smiling faintly, she looked around at the others. They were... doing whatever. It didn't matter to her. She just wanted to be alone to her thoughts.
Head turning, she looked at the lion that had come to join them. He was even less known to her than Jasiri and Mito put together. Was he friendly? Was he royal? She really didn't know.
And that made her a little nervous.
Shifting uncomfortably, she tried not to stare at the lion. Of course, she was failing horribly. All she could DO was look at him.
Achal turned to look at one of the cubs, who apparently seemed to also be looking at him. Achal racked his brain to think of her name, he knew Siti had told him. 'Naja, er no, Nala, no that wasn't it either,' he thought to himself looking at the cub. Achal frowned slightly then it came to him, 'Nye, yes that was it Nyeupe.'He smiled at her and motioned for him to come over, thinking her curious. Afterall she was starring, but other's often did that his coat wasn't exactly normal.
Nyeupe frowned. Spotted, it seemed. Looking around, just making sure he wasn't actually looking at someone else, the little female inched slowly from her spot, making her way towards the large animal. Mother was close by- surely she wouldn't let anything happen to her little princess, would she?
This male. He wouldn't be there if her mother thought ill of him.
"H-hello," she whimpered in a failed attempt to sound as mature as possible. There was no fighting one's nerves when they were so potent in the mind and stomach. Would he be mad if she threw up on him?
"Hello," said Achal his voice slightly softer than usual hearing the cubs nervous sounding greeting. "Your Nyeupe right?"
Achal really hoped that this little one would like him as much a Tendaji did. He really loved cubs and was amused that even just knowing him for a very short time didn't seemed to matter to the little male cub who called him uncle. He even gave Tendaji a lesson in how to pin an opponent in a play fight, feeling slightly bad for Ten, considering his sister Lila always got the better of him.
"Yes," Nyeupe said shortly, "but you're supposed to call me princess Nyeupe. That's how you address people like me." She smiled faintly, though it was gone in a flash.
"How come you're playing with us?" she asked after a moment, "I mean... how come mommy is letting you come with us? I don't know who you are. You're not my daddy, I couldn't possibly have three, so who are you? Are you a friend of my mommy?" She tilted her head to one side, expectant of an answer.
Achal was taken aback slightly by Nye's comment and frowned slightly thinking it hadnt been very polite, but she sighed and smiled again, she was just a cub afterall. "Alright Princess Nyeupe it is, but Princess, how do you know that I am not a king or prince myself." He gave the cub a slight wink and grinned.
Three he wondered, why three? "Well, um I hurt my paw and you sister Lila and your papa Ja'ka fixed it for me. After they though it would be good for me to stay a night to rest, though Siti insisted I stay longer. I think your mama likes have company and others to care for, but that is good. She is very nice. Also I promised to give Ten a few lessons before I left and my paw had to be all the way healed for that."
Achal smiled and showed Nye his completely healed paw, "I doubt I will be staying to much longer. I have important matters that need attending too."
"Because you don't have a diamond on you!" Nyeupe replied, as though it were the simplest answer in the world, "you can't be royal unless you have one!" She grinned at that, happy to explain such things to the common folk. "Unless you're a king from another land... are you?"
She observed the paw, frowning. "But if you're going to go, you might hurt your paw again! You should stay with us and mommy so she can look after you. Mommy is great at making sure we don't get into trouble!"
Achal grinned at Nyeupe and her young beliefs. He'd been much the same before his mother died. She told him all the time that he was a prince and his sister a prince.
"My mother use to tell me I was a prince. Though if you think about it, we are all princes and princesses to our parents. I could not tell you whether or not I was actually royalty. I really have no idea."
He grinned when she said he should stay. It was amusing because it was also the sentiment he recieved from Ten and Lila too. "It would be nice to stay here, but I think eventually I would miss my daughter and sisters."
"Well, I don't think you were," huffed the young lioness, "I'm the only princess around here! Not my other sisters! And my brother's aren't princes, either!" She seemed happy stating those facts. Yes, she was a princess. She didn't need anyone telling her that she is or isn't. Of course, that didn't mean she couldn't tell other animals that they weren't royalty.
The mind of a child.
"... I guess..." she muttered. He would miss them, just like she would miss her family if they weren't around for a long time. "But if something happens you're going to be all alone! So don't get mad about it if that happens!"
Achal almost frowned at little Nye's words. She seemed proud to be a princess, but believed her siblings were not royalty. She wondered if this belief would continue into her adulthood and found he hoped it wouldn't.
"You know, if you are a princess you have to have the most perfect manners and you must strive to do yor best for others," he reminded her of the real duties of real princess.
He looked out over the savannah and laughed lightly. "I do not mind being alone. I have been traveling alone for some time. I won't be mad about being alone. Everyone needs some alone time."
"Of course!" She said, "I'm a great princess! I know that I have to do my best for the others!" She would, too. She would make sure that everyone around her was happy. They just... weren't royalty.
"Well... I guess that's okay," Nyeupe replied faintly, "if you like being alone... I don't like being alone. I like having my family around me all the time! I think that they're fun and I don't mind when they get extra loud!" Like some of the boys were prone to doing. Not just her siblngs, either. All the members of the pride were her friends and family.
And they could all be so loud.
Achal smiled and laughed lightly, "Thats very good of you. I hope that you will be able to be the best princess around and that anyone who needs your help will be able to recieve it."
Achal smiled wondering what the future would hold for the little one before him.
"I enjoy having my family and my friends around me the most, but I will survive for a time with out them. Not to mention I will be able to make new friends in my travels. I am never alone for too long."
Achal yawned slightly feeling a bit tired.
Nyeupe yawned when the lion did, having it triggered by the other lion. She pulled her ears back against her head, shaking her fluffy mane about once the yawn had ended. It seemed to remind her that she was actually tired. It had been a long conversation, after all. A princess needed her rest.
"I think it's nap time," she said, looking up at the lion, her head tilting to one side. "Do you want to nap as well? We can both sleep! That way the princess isn't the only one who is resting. Right? See? I can be thoughtful of the commoners too!"
Achal looked down at the yawing cub and smiled. When she offered a nap he nodded sleepily. "I think a nap would be great and yes that was very thoughful of you. I am grateful to have such a wonderful princess around."
He yawned and smiled, "Shall we then. I bet the other's are settling for a nap."
