Fairymount
Small puffs of dust rose from the ground in time to Mrengo'angaa's twitching tail. She was nervous, though intellectually she knew there was no reason to be. All she was doing was meeting with those who'd grown up serving her grandfather. Meeting and talking with each would be good for morale, Kere had said. They're just as unsure of you as you are of them, he'd said.
Well, Kere was rarely wrong when it came to things like this. His cheerful good sense and easy-going manner had already endeared him to some of the younger set within the pride. Her children seemed to be adapting just as well. So why was she so nervous? It made no sense.
Her ears twitched slightly, catching the sounds of someone coming through the lush growth of the pride's jungle home. Mrengo froze, looking for a moment more like a cub who was afraid of being caught sneaking where she had no business to be. Clearly, she had a ways to go to cultivate a proper Queenly demeanor.
Safaia
Ryger's ears twitched as he heard a sudden....well, it wasn't silence, but it seemed like something was missing. The birds still chirped up above him, and so he easily dismissed it. If there was true danger, the jungle would be truly silent, and so he continued on, his chest and shoulders breaking the way through the jungle's thick lush greenery.
He hadn't been looking actively in front of him, but he caught something out of the corner of his eye. Ah. Recognizing her for her position, he offered Mrengo a small bow. "It is a pleasure," he said, unsure as to how such a random encounter with her should be conducted, beyond the respect factor.
He hadn't been looking actively in front of him, but he caught something out of the corner of his eye. Ah. Recognizing her for her position, he offered Mrengo a small bow. "It is a pleasure," he said, unsure as to how such a random encounter with her should be conducted, beyond the respect factor.
Fairymount
Oh bother! How was a Queen supposed to act in a situation like this? Offering a return nod seemed to stiff and formal. But she didn't know the white and indigo lion well enough to be familiar. Bother, bother, bother. After a moment's hesitation, she decided that a blend of the two would work.
"The pleasure's mine," she began in as warm and friendly a voice as she could manage under the circumstances. "Please, I haven't gotten everyone memorized yet, what's your name?"
Queen act be damned. She couldn't do whatever it was they expected of her if she didn't even know who the hell they were.
Safaia
Hmm. He felt a little more pleased at her upfront attitude, and loosened up a little. Not that he was really tense, but showing servitude and respect to one that has the power isn't quite the same as willingly giving it.
He cracked a small smile. "I'm Ryger," he said with another nod, though it was a little less formal and a little more friendly. "Perhaps crossing paths wasn't such a random occurrence as I had first thought." Otherwise, it might have been quite a while, if ever, for him to exchange words with the Queen on something that wasn't all business.
He cracked a small smile. "I'm Ryger," he said with another nod, though it was a little less formal and a little more friendly. "Perhaps crossing paths wasn't such a random occurrence as I had first thought." Otherwise, it might have been quite a while, if ever, for him to exchange words with the Queen on something that wasn't all business.
Fairymount
Mrengo nodded and stored the name away in her memory. Feeling her muscles relax minutely, she tilted her head and grinned.
"Well, you already know my full name, but I much prefer being called 'Ren. I'm afraid that I'm not very good at formality, much to the dismay of the one who raised me. You're a guard, yes? Do you ever have trouble on your patrols?"
She didn't bother to hide her eager curiosity. She wanted to know more about how this pride worked. She knew that for the most part everyone got along and did their job well. But she also knew that there had been a time recently where that had not been the case. She wanted to make sure that there weren't any hotbeds of resentment lingering.
"Well, you already know my full name, but I much prefer being called 'Ren. I'm afraid that I'm not very good at formality, much to the dismay of the one who raised me. You're a guard, yes? Do you ever have trouble on your patrols?"
She didn't bother to hide her eager curiosity. She wanted to know more about how this pride worked. She knew that for the most part everyone got along and did their job well. But she also knew that there had been a time recently where that had not been the case. She wanted to make sure that there weren't any hotbeds of resentment lingering.
Safaia
That scored some points with him. He wouldn't have minded being completely formal, yet the fact that she shed that and asked for a little more normalcy pleased him greatly. "Yes, then, 'Ren," he said, his features still a little serious but beginning to lax.
His ears perked up at her question, however. Though she should certainly be aware, it had been a while since he really had to 'report in'. "It has been quiet," he replied. "And while quiet is good, that does leave some minds a little more at ease, and that's when we're most vulnerable." He was a little too serious at his job. "So the patrols will continue on, though I don't mind them," he gruffed. It did keep him pretty fit, as patrolling used a different set of muscles than hunting.
His ears perked up at her question, however. Though she should certainly be aware, it had been a while since he really had to 'report in'. "It has been quiet," he replied. "And while quiet is good, that does leave some minds a little more at ease, and that's when we're most vulnerable." He was a little too serious at his job. "So the patrols will continue on, though I don't mind them," he gruffed. It did keep him pretty fit, as patrolling used a different set of muscles than hunting.
Fairymount
With a nod of approval, she studied the other lion. He certainly looked sturdy enough. He probably thrived on doing patrols. But it was a necessary job and frankly, she saw no reason to try and stop Ryger from doing what he was good at.
"Thank you for telling me and for being so diligent in your duties, Ryger," the sincerity in her voice was evident. "To be honest, I'm grateful for the quiet. Learning all this Queenly stuff is difficult enough without adding raids or invasions or the like into the mix. If anything changes or you ever even feel that something is wrong, I would like you to tell me. That way, we can all plan for whatever contingencies are needed."
She paused a moment and scuffed a claw through the dirt. To ask or not to ask... Curiosity won.
"Please, did you know my grandfather very well? I can't remember him or my parents for that matter."
Safaia
He nodded, "Most certainly. No one here wants a war of any kind, especially with such few warriors on our side at the moment." His tail flicked, hoping that he wasn't adding any more stress to her, as it was completely unintentional.
Sadly, though, it seemed that he wouldn't be adding to her joy. He shook his head before replying. "No, m'lady," he said, slipping into a more formal apology. "I did not know him well. I gave him my respect, and I believe I recieved faith in return for my duties, but I was merely training then, I didn't have any interaction with him."
Sadly, though, it seemed that he wouldn't be adding to her joy. He shook his head before replying. "No, m'lady," he said, slipping into a more formal apology. "I did not know him well. I gave him my respect, and I believe I recieved faith in return for my duties, but I was merely training then, I didn't have any interaction with him."
Fairymount
Well, it was an honest answer and one she should have expected. Still, it didn't stop the soft, sad little sigh that escaped her. She'd hoped that someone could have told her more about the nebulous family that she hadn't known and couldn't remember. Oh well. Time to change the subject before she showed too much disappointment.
"My brother, Choko, er.. the wild dog who came with us. I think he wants to become one of the border guards. Are you the one I should send him to to learn?" Mrengo began to laugh softly, thinking of Choko's excitement. "He's practically leaping at the chance of working with so many different beasts."
"My brother, Choko, er.. the wild dog who came with us. I think he wants to become one of the border guards. Are you the one I should send him to to learn?" Mrengo began to laugh softly, thinking of Choko's excitement. "He's practically leaping at the chance of working with so many different beasts."
Safaia
He nodded, though also noted how she had changed the subject. At least it was better than hearing 'nothing', hm? He wasn't the type to lie, not for anything.
"I would be happy to train one willing to learn," he said, though it was apparent that 'Ren thought he was well excited and ready for the job. "Whenever you feel he is ready, I will be happy to." He cracked another small smile, pleased with her request. "As long as he won't be leaping over me and into trouble, but I'm sure he'll learn quickly enough." After a trip or two, this Choko would probably buck up and become a fit guard. Ryger knew how much trouble he was when he was just a trainee, hoi.
"I would be happy to train one willing to learn," he said, though it was apparent that 'Ren thought he was well excited and ready for the job. "Whenever you feel he is ready, I will be happy to." He cracked another small smile, pleased with her request. "As long as he won't be leaping over me and into trouble, but I'm sure he'll learn quickly enough." After a trip or two, this Choko would probably buck up and become a fit guard. Ryger knew how much trouble he was when he was just a trainee, hoi.
Fairymount
"A thousand blessings upon you," she murmured fervently and in such a way that it would be easy for Ryger to deduce that young Choko had been wearing her down with near boundless energy. "I'll send him tomorrow if that's not too soon. He will listen to orders, I promise you that. The journey here made sure of that."
Come to think of it, it wouldn't hurt her, Kere or the children to do a patrol either. But now wasn't the time to spring such things of Ryger. Instead, she smiled and moved so they could walk side by side.
"Would you be able to introduce me to some of the other guards? It doesn't seem right to not make an effort to meet them when they're out here keeping everyone safe."
Safaia
Ryger laughed. Normally he didn't, but he couldn't help himself. Ah, to be that youthful and excited for life! "That is most certainly not too early. I'll wear him out right quick, and he'll settle in nicely." And a little bit more of the border would be guarded, and a little less stretched thin. He was pleased.
Ryger took her lead and followed her, continuing on his conversation with her. "I would be happy too," he nodded, gibbering on about little things, mostly about how well the guard worked, and how greatful he was to show her just what it was that they did.
Ryger took her lead and followed her, continuing on his conversation with her. "I would be happy too," he nodded, gibbering on about little things, mostly about how well the guard worked, and how greatful he was to show her just what it was that they did.
