Nuit lay at the border, curled up on a rock his friend Saburo had said was perfect for sunbathing. He would need to go hunting later, but for now...the dark lion was content to lay on the rock, listening to the world go by. It was soothing. He smiled, then shook himself a little, and opened his golden eyes. Hmm...he would need to prod Saburo into coming here with him later. Sunning was more enjoyable with a friend to acompany oneself.
Pwani found herself at yet another pride border. This time though...she had a nice juicy hare in her jaws to offer. She padded along the border, careful to not actually cross it...and blinked when she saw a dark form on a rock ahead of her. Ah! Another creature! She quickened her pace and stopped just outside of reach for either of them and put the hare down.
"Hello! I was wondering if this might be one of those prides that doesn't mind visitors that don't want trouble?"
Nuit looked to the rather cheerful voice that graced his ears. And blinked at the younger female. "Ah...this part of the pride, we don't mind visitors." He smiled. "So long as they don't mean trouble. We of the Sanc are a peaceful lot." He uncurled himself and slipped off the rock. "I am Nuit le'Croix. And you are, m'lady?"
Pwani blinked and wrinkled her nose. "Uhm...pardon me, but I'm no lady. I'm a girl, but not a lady." Despite the fact she knew her manners very well. "But...my name's Pwani'wingu. It is nice to meet you, Nuit le'Croix." She bowed slightly. "I'm from a pride called the Simbafutaji. And I seek knowledge of all sorts."
The dark lion chuckled. "Ah, I beg to differ, Miss Pwani'wingu. You seem very much the lady to me." He tilted his head to one side, curious. "Knowledge? Well, that's certainly an interesting thing for a pride to do. Is that why you seek prides who accept visitors, to gain more knowledge?" What a curious way to do things.
The lioness felt the skin of her face heat up a bit, tinging her fur across the top of her muzzle pink. "I'm a Figher-to-be. No way am I a lady. A-and...Pwani is just fine." She was obviously unused to such treatment. "That's right." She coughed, regaining herself. "Prides are the best place to gain knowledge! Bloodlines, customs, herd movements, weather patterns...It's highly useful stuff, since my pride has lions from all sorts of backgrounds, and we travel all over."
Nuit couldn't help his smile growing. She was rather cute. "Then I insist you call me Nuit." A fighter? That...was such an odd thing for a female to be. At least she intended no trouble. His smile lessened a bit. "In that case...I have one piece of information to share with you about this place. We are peaceful creatures. Within the borders of the Sanc, there is no fighting. And we will not allow fighting."
Pwani's smile returned. "Nuit, than." She nodded, and perked up at the thought of information. And then blinked in confusion. "No fighting? Well...how do you stop the fighting?" She wrinkled her nose. "What about play-fights? And..." She looked at him confused. "Fights are something that'll always happen."
Nuit shook his head. "Wrestling among the cubs isn't minded, so long as it does not get out of hand. But fights...we will separate those involved who decide to fight on our lands. Usually we will try to resolve the problem with words. Or they will be removed from our lands." He frowned. "The people here live without fighting. Why can't others?"
Pwani opened her mouth to say something...then stopped. If that was true...why couldn't others? She frowned in thought. "I...don't know the answer to that. But I know why I fight." She nodded, frown turning into a determined smile. "I fight to protect those I care about. Because there are creatures out there who hurt others just because they can. Mother met one of them once, and she still has the scars from it."
Nuit was quiet a moment. "I...suppose that is a good reason to fight, yes." He sighed. "Fighting isn't necessary though. Violence does nothing more than beget more violence." It was an ugly, vicious cycle his father's mother and father had come to the pride to escape.
"Well when you're lookin' at a lion nearly twice your size that's cornered you and wants to eat you for lunch, fighting's pretty necessary to stay alive." Pwani snorted. "Not everyone is willing to talk. And some creatures only listen to the language of claw and fang. When you're in your pride's lands, that 'no fighting' stuff probably works pretty well. But when you're in the rogue lands, without numbers to keep others from attacking you...it doesn't work so well. Eventually, you get cornered if you don't learn to tough up."
Nuit sat, listening and finding himself growing annoyed. "Perhaps you could run, instead of fight? Stay in the lands of your pride. There are many things you can do besides fight!" The last part was almost yelled. He took a step back, forcing himself to calm down. "Fighting is not necessary." He turned and started into the pridal lands, tail lashing in anger and annoyance behind him. She'd managed to get under his skin and start to rip apart his calm. He needed away.
Pwani was taken aback by his raised voice, and smiled slightly as he turned away. That...THAT was the sort of person he was! She grinned. He was interesting. She picked up the hare to head back to Mizimu. She'd need to come back. She wanted to see him again, because he'd caught her interest with that spar of passion.
