Welcome to Gaia! ::

He moved through the hot sands outside of the pride without hurry. In the many moons he had stayed here, not once had he come across someone who wanted to do him harm. He hadn't had to defend himself once, and his parents were so happy that he was with them. Yes, he helped raise his younger siblings, but it got him thinking. He needed to find himself a mate, settle down and have his own cubs. Neither of his parents had said this too him, but he'd seen the looks that he needed too. Well, no one in the pride struck his interest! He didn't know why, but they were just.... not right for him. They all knew more than he did, experienced more of the world and seemed too mature. Yes, Mato was an adult, but he was a child at heart! He needed someone to play with and have a giddy kind of romance with. It didn't make sense when he said it out loud, but he knew what he wanted. Those bright blue eyes gazed out longingly to the hot horizon.

She was quite happy lately, having grown enough to finally venture away from her father and sisters. Of course, she knew he knew she was safe. She loved him so, and would never have just left him to his own devices and thoughts of whether or not she was okay. She grinned widely, though she missed him, she knew he was happy and healthy.. and he knew the same of her.

Her paws touched the sand, and it was warm under her. She had never been used to the sand.. Her mother, coming from the Pride lands, and her father, preferring the grasses as well. But she seemed to like the way her paws sunk into the sand, her claws adn toes stretching as if testing it.

She giggled, and looked up with ruby red eyes. She was a child at heart all right.. She was indeed a happy little thing, and growing had done nothing to change the innocence within her.

She smiled, looking at the palm trees, and old ruins around her. Even pyramids dotted the lands, and she had never ever seen one of those before! She gasped at their beauty, and smiled once again. She liked this place!

When she padded closer to him, Mato gave a huge smile, it was boyish and cute on him, much like the rest of him. He liked her spots; it wasn't something he often saw in his pride. Which was why he wanted to talk to her! She already seemed like a fun girl, young enough for him to play with, but mature enough to hold a conversation. Or so he assumed already. His tail flicked and he cleared his throat. "I'm Matokeo'kwa. Mato for short. Welcome to the Tuait'Tekem! It might be hot here, but I love it."

So she was in pride territory. She should be more careful, though she realized he was welcoming her to the lands..So there was the sign he wasnt a bad guy. She let another smile grow on her maw and beamed up at him. He was a much larger lion than herself, having been a rather small female on her own.

"Im Makena'Lisedi. Though I go by Makena, and if thats still too long, I go by 'Kena. Just depends on what suits your fancy." She grinned.

"Pleasure to meet you Mato! It is hot out here, but I love the dirt that lets your paws sink into the ground."
She motioned with her paws to the sand underneath her, and placed the paw back down, watching it sink into the sand.

He chuckled deep and nodded to her, moving up to stand beside the smaller lioness and moved his head for her to follow him. Mato started off at a slow, lazy pace towards the water, happy to have met someone playful like himself. "Yes, I wandered here through the desert, too. It's not to far this way. So, where do you come from? You look like a former pride lion! Well cared for. Your coat is hardly dirty." He couldn't help but comment. It was rare he'd seen a non-dusty coat.


She smiled. She was from no pride, though she had been born into one. Father was a rogue, and yet all her sisters had gone with him. She heard she had a brother that lived with mother, but she didnt know him too much.

"Im well cared for cause daddy was a good daddy." She grinned.

"But I was born into the Pride lands. Though I havent been wandering long. I only recently decided to take my leave from daddy..It seems hes getting lots of girlfriends, and I just wanted to see the world."
She nodded, following him to the waters.

When she looked up, Mato took that chance to lightly push her in the water and then jumped in after her, laughing all the while. Being in the water was much better than just drinking it! When he surfaced, he looked at her, hoping she wasn't mad that he pushed her in. "I thought you could use the soak! It only gets hotter as the day goes on, so we all cool off like this every once in a while."

She squealed when he pushed her in, and her ruby eyes glittered and went wide in surprise. She landed squarely in the water, her head submerged and all. She stood, and began sputtering as she walked closer to the shore. She sneezed, but looked back at the male with a grin.

"Gotta say, it feels great." She said, and jumped around the water much like a cub would. She took her paw, which was getting bigger each day, and kicked water at the male and smiled.

"You looked hot too."

She dunked him! With a laugh, Mato went under when her paws landed on his head and he flailed about under water for a bit before coming back up and sputtering. He sputtered a bit and then cleared his throat. Water went down the wrong way. He made a face as he continued to cough and then seemed to get over it all at once. "You're not so bad looking yourself, 'Kena. So... Do you want to stay here for the night?" He wouldn't ask her to stay forever, that was up to her, anyways. "I could show you to a temporary den and bring you some dinner tonight when I go hunting."

Her ears went back with the weight of the water, and she smiled, using her paw to brush the fluff of mane she had out of her eyes. She thought hard and then wondered if maybe it would be good to stay. She'd met no one like him after all, and she had alot of fun with him in the time that she knew him.

She could stay at least tonight, and then, depending on how it all went, she could decide. She was thinking she'd stay forever, but as childlish as she was, she was still aware to be smart about things.

"Sure Mato. I'll stay the night. I could use a good dinner, and then a good nights sleep in a nice den. Ive been sleeping in the shade of trees!" She giggled.

Mato nodded and watched her for a bit more before padding towards the dens for the visitors. It was true, they weren't very far at all, but he could already feel the heat from the sun making him tired and groggy. He wouldn't be good company for much longer. "If you don't leave, that's amazing! I'd have a friend that I could actually play with!"

She nodded, looking towards the dens with a smile. She was sleepy, and a nap sounded amazing. Looking at the male she smiled.
"Thanks for leading me here. Bout time I get some rest though." She replied, padding into one of the dens, and curling up in the back. Maybe tomorrow she would come out and enjoy the day.. but for now, sleep called. She yawned, her eyes closing and pink tongue curling out from her maw.

She could be peaceful tonight. And within a few moments, she was asleep.