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Trotting along the borders of the swamp lands Tukwana looked back at the large lioness that followed him so diligently. She warned him every so often if he was going the wrong way. He was much enjoying living temporarily in the swamps but the lands were not his home. It was a good place to learn though and occasionally they came to the borders for a good hunt. Frogs and snakes and lizards were all well and good but he fancied a nice big zebra, or something of that calibre, so he had encouraged Lawanda to come with him.

The dark khaki lioness smelled lightly at Tukwana, she felt he was getting used to the swamps but had the feeling he wouldn't stay all that much longer. His paws were not steeped in the mud as hers were. She didn't mind, it had been fun teaching him but their time together was drawing to a close and that was fine by her. Maybe he would return to visit. Right now though they were just out for a hunt, which was nice. She sometimes missed the larger game and it would be nice to hunt out on dry land for a change.

Mkhai paid close attention to the changes in the landscape as he loped along, being careful not to venture too close into the more wild terrain. He had never been there before, but he had heard rumors that outsiders were violently unwelcome. While his dark pelt may have given him some protection under the cover of night he felt no such safety now. There was something peculiar about this place, even on the outside, and he felt himself unconciously speeding up.

The big deep blue male growled under his breath as he spotted the even darker than himself lion. He was not truly a part of the pride but while he was under Lawandas wing he considered himself her protector, even though it was fairly clear the dark khaki lioness needed no such protection from anyone let alone him.

"Calm yourself Tukwana. He seems lost, not unlike yourself." She smiles and with a quick limping hop she moves herself in front of the big dark blue male and smiles. "You seem lost, do you need help?" She smiles her blood red eyes casting a glance over the other much darker male. She didn't recognise him, of course, but he seemed okay,s he could usually judge a character straight away. she was after all, no spring chicken and with age had come a whole lot of wisdom with which she could judge almost anyones character if she put her mind to it.

The hefty lion paused in his step, bristling a bit as he turned to look at them. No bared teeth, no apparent anger, he wasn't trespassing yet. He relaxed, offering a goofy grin, "Not lost I don't think, was lost for a while but I've been working my way toward home." Home seemed a farcry from here, though he hadn't been back in some time and he couldn't rightly say how it would look or feel now. "Do you happen to know which way it north?"

Lawanda smiles and nods lightly. "Yes, north is that way my friend." She points in the opposite direction to the swamps. "You're lucky you will not have to travel through the swamps, it's a dangerous place for lone rogues." She smiles lightly. "Tell me, where is your home, I can perhaps give you better directions, I have travelled a lot." She smiles.

Tukwana grumbles and sets his butt on the ground grumpily. Why was Lawanda so forgiving? So tolerant of everyone? She confused and irritated him sometimes but she knew just how to solve a situation without any violence, at least unless he needed it. Or so it always seemed to him.

"It's been quiet for some time," he admitted, "I'm not sure I'll find many if any of my old kin there." He laughed at her comment on safety, his belly quaking as he gave a nervous look to the male who seemed uncomfortable with his presence. "I think if I needed to I would just as well go around it, I've heard nothing good," he paused, realizing the implications of his words, "Not to say you lot are nothing good, but in general." He was edgy now as he sat down slowly, keeping an eye on Tukwana.

Lawanda laughed lightly. "Oh we are a tolerant lot really, we simply do not like trouble makers." She smiles gently, her deep bloody red eyes smiling at the big dark male. "I'm sure you will find home soon enough." She chuckles a little at his stuttering words, he was sweet, young for sure, but sweet and simply seemed to wish to be away on his journey to home. A light chuckle rolls over her lips. "Don't believe all of the rumours you hear, we are peaceful honest." She smiles.

Tukwana rolls his eyes "Mind your tongue in front of the lady friend!" He grumbles, he had found nothing but kindness in this pride and spreading such rumors angered him. Lawanda had changed something in him, something he had never had before, he wanted to protect her and her reputation and in the long run, the pride whom he now stayed withs reputation too.

Mkhai shied back from the male's grumble, realizing that outside of his homeland he wouldn't have much success in fighting. He truly was alone out here, even his size didn't mean much. "I meant no offense, simply that I had heard much about the tight knit strength of the kin that make this place their home." It wasn't a bad thing, simply not an ideal resting place for an apparent rogue, especially one who appeared fat and complacent. "I hope I will, it's long past time to settle down, my father, rest him, would be irritated," he laughed, "He always thought that the slowdown of our home was no reason for me to venture off." He wondered for a moment if this female, she did seemed older, had spent much time wandering. "I wanted to see what was out there."

The dark khaki lioness shakes her head. "Calm down Tukwana. He is right, we are indeed a strong community. We protect one another very well." She chuckles gently and rolls her eyes, the big male was just a little over protective. "Don't mind him young man, he's just too over protective. I can take care of myself, he just needs to learn it." She chuckles a little and shakes her head. "There is much in this world to see,it's a very wonderful place I have travelled wide all the way to the sea and to the far west jungles."

Tukwanas ears flickered and he huffed, didn't se see the size of this male? He could have been dangerous. Well he was from a pride of fighters he would protect the older female if he had to. Still, he was a little surprised to hear how far she had wandered from the swamps. She had told him her name meant wanderer, but he couldn't imagine travelling so far from home, He thought it must have taken her years.

He softened a bit at her recounting the distance she had traveled, so she understood the feeling. Then she would understand that he hadn't come picking a fight. He shifted to a more comfortable position, noticing that the male still seemed aggrivated by his presence. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to hang around still, even if the female seemed comfortable he couldn't be sure how the male might turn. "I don't think I've gone that far, for the most part I've wandered in circles," he admitted, he didn't have the best sense of navigation. At some point he had thought of staying out in the roguelands and finding a female to settle down with, but it had been fleeting, it wasn't how his father had raised him. "I hope to find things are better than I left them."

Lawanda nods gently. "Yes I understand, it is nice to know you have a home to return to and even nicer if that home is better than you remember." She chuckles a little. "Which it often is after a long time away from it." She shakes her head and touches Tukwana on the cheek with her nose. "Sometimes the return journeys are just as fun as the outward bound ones. If you have learned something on your travels then you have done well."

Tukwana rolls his eyes and grumbles quietly, he stayed quiet, this was not a conversation he needed to have. He had travelled for many moons too, but he always returned to his family, he knew that at some point soon he would go back home and rejoin his family. "It's good to know there is a home to return to, a family that you can go home to at the end of your adventures." He chipped in turning his gaze away from the big male.

Mkhai's shoulders drooped a bit, he hadn't really thought that way. "I don't know how much family I'll find," he admitted, "My father passed away before I left and I never made much of a connection with the pride's females before." He was sad to say that he didn't have any real idea what he would find for himself there, but he had a thought that it would be more than he had found during his travels. That of course, was essentially nothing, but the feeling remained all the same. "I'll find someone when I get there, probably."

Lawanda smiled gently. "I am sure you will find some welcoming face." She gets to her paws and stretches out her limbs. "I do apologise but we must be on our way. We are out on a hunt and I really wish to be back in the swamps before night fall." She smiles a sweet smile at the young dark male. "I hope you find your way home." She turns to Tukwana and nudges his cheek. "Come, we have a zebra to catch." She laughs turning back down the path they had been headed down.

"Finally." He huffs grumbling quietly he casts a last glare at the darker male and follows after Lawanda a lighter step taking a hold of him quickly at the thought of a stripy dinner after a successful hunt.

The oversized lion lurched to his feet as they did, tilting his head curiously at the other male's attitude. Strange, he wasn't outright aggressive but there was something distinctly upset there. It would have been simpler if he had just swatted and gotten it over with. Maybe things worked differently out here. He shrugged, turning the direction that the female had pointed out. If she was right, he should be home in a few days.