Malaika turned so she was facing into the wind and drew in a long, deep breath. The seasonal rains were coming and it was about time! The grasses where fragile and yellow and the earth beneath had long since grown hard and cracked. The watering hole she frequented most was now barely a puddle and all manner of creatures were feeling the stress as they were forced into a smaller and smaller space just to get a small drink of muddy water.Soon though. Soon the rain would come down and the world would be born all over again.
Ravyn didn't really like the rain. It made her cold and wet, and she hated that. She could feel the change in the air and hurried, keeping low to the ground as she looked for a good place to hide out from the oncoming rain. Mal opened her eyes just in time to see the stranger running for cover. She casualy cocked her head to one side then turned to look in the direction from which the lioness had run. What was it she was so scared of? An elephant? Another lion? Something else?
Breifly an image flashed through her head of one of her neices who'd picked up an irrational fear of the rain. Well... at least she could be fairly certain that it wasn't /that/.
Ravyn ran under the cover of the trees. Once she was certain she wouldn't get too wet, she crouched low, peering out over the plains. Seeing the other lioness now, she felt a little silly. She probably thought she was being ridiculous, hiding from the rain. Her tail flicked and curled around her and she kept low, hoping the other lioness had lost track of her.
Perhaps Ravyn was having a streak of bad luck that day but Mal had certainly not lost track of her. When she didn't see any obvious reason for flight she became concerned and started making her way toward where the stranger had gone to hide.
Mal was certianly not about to sit back and do nothing if that young girl needed her help.
Seeing her make her way over, Ravyn shuffled back further into the bushes, ears pinning back. Oh no, no no. She really didn't want the other lioness to come over here.
"Go away.." she murmured, closing her eyes.
"Little one, are you alright?" she had a very calm and motherly expression and tone. Even her stance suggested that she was there to help.
"I noticed you running and I became worried for you..." this girl was about the same age as her own children. What sort of trouble could she possibly be in? "You havn't gotten yourself into any trouble now, have you?"
Crap. Well, that hadn't worked. Ravyn opened her grey eyes slowly, peering up at the elder lioness sheepishly.
"Um.. No." She lifted up slowly, feeling the heat rise to her face as she flushed. "No trouble. I just wanted to find a good spot for shelter from the rain." It sounded even more stupid as she said it.
From the rain? Mal's eyes flicked up to the clouds gathering in the sky. The girl didn't seem unbalanced. Perhaps she just didn't want to get wet? Either way... She smiled and looked back at the other.
"I don't think the clouds will break until the morning. A neice of mine detested the rain... I could show you her old hideing hole. It's better shelter then thsi ruddy old tree."
"Really..?" She relaxed a little and sat up. "That would be great... I really don't want to get wet." She gave the elder lioness a small smile. She seemed nice. Maybe it was okay.
Malaika nodded, still smiling.
"This tree looks like it would be a good shelter but I've climbed it and noticed lately that some of the braches seemed dry. I wouldn't be surprised if a heavy rain could bring them down and..." she gestured to the sky and sighed heavily. "We're long due."
Ravyn followed her gaze and looked up. It was very true. They were very over due. There had already been a few small fires on the plains. That was much scarier than a little rain. "We are," she agreed. "It will be nice to have the watering holes full again."
"And to have the game fat again," Mal laughed. "They're too tough and lean this late in the dry season. Give it a moon though. They'll be so heavy they won't be able to lift themselves off the ground to run."
She looked down at the grey lioness, "You arn't planning on hiding away until the rain stops, are you?"
She had been, but she had the feeling that the other lioness would find that bizarre. "Er.. No. I guess not." She frowned a little bit, shifting her weight uncomfortably. She wasn't a very good liar.
Mal didn't seem to notice and continued on, "That's good, dear. It's nice to stay dry a while but there's no telling how long this storm will be. They do tend to take their time."
She stopped near what looked to be a old and disused boar's hole. It had been widened out at some point by something even larger.
"Now some water /will/ get in, there's no helping that. but as I understand some
critter or another has dug out some drainage tunnels in the back so you ought to be dry enough."
Ravyn nodded, peering into the hole. It did appear to be fairly suitable, and definitely was more than a step up from the tree. She smiled and turned to thank the other.
"This is much better. I really appreciate you showing me this."
"No need to thank me," she smiled. "It's been a while since it's been used. I happen to quite enjoy the rain myself. It's not often you can look skywards, open your mouth, and just wait for a drink of water!"
It was difficult to tell if the older lioness was kidding or not.
She didn't know how to respond to that, so she just smiled at the other and ducked into the hole. "Thanks again, really. This is perfect." She turned around a few times and plopped down. The hole was just the right size for her.
Mal smiled and turned away.
"Catch yourself some dinner before the clouds break and you'll be able to hide out a while longer. If you need me... I'll be out waiting for my drink."
She didn't know how to respond to that, so she just smiled at the other and ducked into the hole. "Thanks again, really. This is perfect." She turned around a few times and plopped down. The hole was just the right size for her.
Mal smiled and turned away.
"Catch yourself some dinner before the clouds break and you'll be able to hide out a while longer. If you need me... I'll be out waiting for my drink."
Ravyn gave her an odd lock, but she said nothing as she watched the other lioness walk away. Dinner did sound good. What would she get?
