[x] Rei
Akairo
It had been a long time since Akairo has sneaked into the Pridelands borders. He had promised never to do it after one of his latest escapades but then again he’d also promised to be Twigg’s friend and her sudden disappearance was scaring him more than a little. It had rained during the night which made following the maned wolf’s tracks incredibly easy but judging by dark clouds moving dangerously close to his location, he might not have enough time before they were lost. The young lion kept running, nose on the ground as she followed the familiar marks in the dirt.
She’d told him someone had to keep Akairo out of trouble. Twigg had said she’d stay with him. He truly believed she wouldn’t just leave much less completely disappear without even saying something.
Rei:
Rei was relaxing, contemplating his surroundings in a much enjoyable silence, sitting quite still as he listening to the sounds around him. In other words, he was bored out of his mind and impatiently waiting for Mzuza. She would probably visit him later on but Rei was very close to going to look for her himself. He barely noticed a small splotch of red moving closer to his location and moved to intercept it, jumping into a young lion’s path without really thinking. Quickly realizing how intimidating his rash action must’ve seemed to the red youngster, Rei took a couple of steps back and spoke softly, doing his best not to look imposing.
“Oi, where are you going, kid? Pride’s the other way.”
Akairo
A cloud of dust rose in the air as the young lion pulled the brakes when a huge creature (well, it seemed huge from juvenile’s point of view) jumped in his way. Akairo bristled violently and snarled, stepping back into a defensive stance that only relaxed a good while after the orange lion’s words sunk in. It seemed he wasn’t in any immediate danger and Rei had the markings of many adults he’d seen before so he just mistook the lion for a pride member.
“Who are you? Are you guarding the borders?” He asked bitterly, still annoyed at being startled but afraid that the adult might try to drag him to a safe location. “I’m looking for something, just leave me alone.”
The red lion watched the adult carefully, trying to decipher Rei’s intentions as he tried to maneuver around the older lion.
Rei
“Guarding? Oh no… no. I’m not part of the pride.” Rei stood up and took one step to the side, effectively cutting off the younger lion again. “Looking for what? You can’t just leave like this, it’s not safe here. ”
He was kind of cute, Rei thought to himself. All puffed up and defensive ‘cause he’d been caught running off into the rogue lands. Probably thinking this was one big adventure but one that could cost him his life or his freedom should he encounter some less-than-friendly company.
“So go on. Go play closer to the dens.” Rei said kindly but not without a hint of condescendence to his tone.
Akairo
“Rogues aren’t supposed to be here.” He snapped angrily, trying to move around the big lump of… orange again. Normally he wouldn’t have been so irritated by the adult’s reaction but he had a purpose today. This wasn’t just a dare or a game to be played. Twigg was missing and she was always there, always close to him. She promised she wouldn’t leave him so something must’ve happened. Something bad!
“I’m not playing, stupid. I told you I was looking for something.” He tried to force his way through, purposefully bumping into the orange lion’s legs as he tried to go back to his tracking. He didn’t have time to spare on pointless chit-chat with a lion that wasn’t even part of his pride.
Rei
Well, that was not so cute. Little brat.
“I’m visiting. I have a den nearby.” Rei said quietly, his tone growing colder as he forcefully pushed the red youngster back with one light swing of his paw... it was almost too easy. “I’m sorry but it’s really dangerous out here and I can’t let you just go.”
Rei ended it on a sharp, commanding note trying his best to put on a serious look on his face which wasn’t exactly his expertise. He didn’t really know how to handle the discipline part of dealing with cubs… well, this one wasn’t exactly a cub anymore but still. Rei was the “friendly stranger” or the “nice uncle”. He was not fit to lay down the rules and make young things like the red youth do something against their will.
Akairo
After the third failed attempt to move past the adult, Akairo was really angry now. Each second they spent talking was a second wasted when he should be looking for Twigg. Being shoved back by someone he didn’t even know was particularly demeaning and the young lion hissed angrily, unsheathing his claws.
“If you touch me again, I’m going to start screaming so loud, all the guards will show up.” He said in one breath and suddenly that sounded like a brilliant plan to him. “And then I’ll tell me you’re trying to take me away and they will hurt you really bad. I’ll cry if I have to! So leave me alone!“
He snarled, completely unaware at how silly he looked, just a little annoyed red puffball shouting and hissing at a full-grown lion who towered over him.
Rei
“Steal you? I’m not a cubnapper!” Rei snapped at the youth, getting a bit riled up despite his best efforts. Blackmail, seriously? Was this tiny little thing seriously blackmailing him? Who would want an annoying little kid like this? (he didn’t really mention that to the youth but it was probably not out of fear of hurting his feelings)
“Well, I’m sorry. But I can’t just let you go alone, kid.” He said with an exasperated sigh, carefully considering the consequences. Rei already knew a few of the guards but if this sample of a lion started shouting and whining, who would they believe? A complete stranger who had been gracefully allowed to stay near the borders… or a youth of the pride, born and raise here most likely, crying like an idiot as if he was being stolen from his momma? And what would Mzuza say if something like that reached her ears?!
“And you can cry all you want, there’s not one guard out here that will just let you do as you please. Even if do get me trouble, you’ll be dragged back home.” That was actually a pretty good argument, right? Right! Now the squirt couldn’t really make a fuss because he would be certainly taken home which seemed to be the last thing we wanted right now. “… as you should.”
Akairo
Akairo triumphant expression slowly turned into one of horrified defeat as he realized the adult was right. If he made a fuss he couldn’t certainly get the orange lion into trouble but the any lion guarding the borders would surely escort him back to the heart of the pride. He couldn’t risk leaving the tracks now… he’d never be able to find them again especially if it rained (and those dark clouds were looking mighty threatening).
“If you can’t let me go alone, then YOU come with me.” He shouted defiantly even if his expression betraying pretty much every emotion he was trying to hide.
Rei
Uh-oh. Rei knew that look. Rei hated that look. It calmed him down a bit and he couldn’t help but to feel bad about getting the kid to this point – he had to accept some fault in the outcome of this meeting, after all. He shouldn’t have startled him or been so pushy. And he shouldn’t have acted like a brat so maybe they were even.
“Fine, fine, I’ll help you find whatever you’re looking for. Let’s just hurry before someone comes looking for you.” He said gruffly, avoiding the kid’s gaze. If the roles were reversed, Rei wouldn’t want to have some idiotic stranger staring at him when he was feeling miserable. “What is it you’re looking for then?”
Akairo
The red cub’s eyes lit up as the adult agreed to accompany him. It was pretty decent of him and definitely more than Akairo had expected of him.
“It’s my maned wolf, Twigg! She’s missing, something must’ve happened to her.” He ran a little ahead, nose glued to the ground. “I’ve been following her paw prints but it might rain so we need to hurry.”
Rei
If Akairo didn’t look quite so distraught, Rei would’ve snorted quite loudly. As it were, the orange lion had a sudden cough attack that he seemed to be having trouble keeping down. A maned wolf? Weren’t those things dangerous to young lions? Did his parents even know about this? He was tempted to ask but the young’s lions serious expression caught him unprepared and, reluctantly, he gave in.
“Alright, alright…” The orange lion said softly, lowering his head to follow the fresh paw prints. “Let’s go find that wolf of yours.”
- FIN -
