Sudi:Sudi sat down in front of a flower on the edge of the oasis, tilting it back and forth with his paw. He bent down and sniffed at the flower. It had a pretty scent, something that would be perfect for his sister or mother. But he hadn't learned how to take the smell of flowers and make the oils that the older artisans make for the other pride members. He kinda knew about dyes from playing with water and certain crushed up things, but he really wanted to progress.
And that was something he kept to himself. He liked making things to make his mother and sister pretty, but he definitely didn't want to look like a nancy boy. He was just as tough and strong as his brothers. He just liked making things. Things that made pretty girls happy.
Oseye:The little black and red female bounced around the sand, h er paws sinking as she did so. She always enjoyed playing in the sand, even if it tended to get stuck in her pelt and was really hard to get out. But then again..thats what the oasis was for. Seh could easily wash herself there. She bounced around a few large rocks, before spotting the waters and grinning. She could go for a swim! She always did like the water.. She loved to swim and play, and something about her was always very childlike.
"Eeeee!" She squealed, running for the water, and leaping in once she was close enough. It wasnt a LARGE oasis, but it would do regardless. She began to thrash in the water, bouncing the same way that she had been in the sand..Water was so much easier to maneuver.
Sudi:
A sudden girlish squeal, a splash, and both Sudi and the flower he had been admiring were soaking wet. The young male sputtered a bit, the small growth of mane on his head falling dripping into his eyes. Using a paw, he pushed it enough from his face to blink dark green eyes at the girl-cub splashing about in the water. A small scowl made its way onto his face as he dropped his paw again.
"Hey!" he snapped at her, his short temper flaring at his currently soaked status. And she ruined his flower. "What's the big idea?"
Oseye:
She stopped, looking around for the voice. Once she fuond the source, she paused and smiled. Big Idea? Did.. Did she have a big idea? She wasnt sure she did and she padded over to the male cub with a goffy grin on her face. She came a few feet in front of him, blissfully unaware that she had ruined his flower. Though she did look him over and she giggled.
"No big idea silly! But look! Now you can come swim too!"
Sudi:
Sudi's nose scrunched up as he frowned even more at her. Come swim too? Yeah, that would happen, when his brother sprouted wings and took flight like a bird. He did not like swimming, not one bit. He would take a bath, get in get out, and that was it. He and water just didn't get along.
With a rough shake, he attempted to rid his fur of the water, sending droplets flying.
"I don't swim," he replied gruffly, though the young pitch of his voice rather ruined the affect. He glanced around, looking for anyone else, but she seemed to be the only one nearby. Was she on her own? Weird, he'd never let his sister go off without someone watching her and neither would Jumoke, his eldest brother. If she HAD brothers, they were pretty fail ones.
Oseye:
She cocked her head when he said he didnt swim and looked at him as if he was somewhat odd.
Who didnt swim?! Of course she had answered her own question..apparently lions like this guy.
She smiled anyway. Oh well, shed not hold that against him. Maybe he was afraid of the monsters that could live in water in some places. She had heard of big angry reptiles that snapped their jaws shut and drew you in.
That made her shiver and she sighed, shaking her head to remove the thought.
"Whats your name?" She asked, licking her paw to groom it before placing it back against the sandy earth.
She liked meeting others, though usually it was adults who smiled and nudged her on her way. She supposed they were all busy..
Bummer..
Sudi:
Sudi frowned at her even more. She sure did turn around really fast. One minute she wanted him to come swim with her, the next she was almost calmly asking him what his name was. He blinked for a moment, his mind taking that time to actually process the question. He was usually pretty light on his feet in a manner of speaking, he'd never taken this long to answer a simple question such as that, but her personality was very distracting.
"Uh, Sudi. My name's Sudi," he finally replied and tilted his head a bit as well, adding a bit of a turn so that his chin was almost pointing to his shoulder, instead of at her.
"What's yours?"
Oseye:
She was completely oblivious that she might be bothering him.
She just was a very loving, trusting creature. One that tended to just want to be friends with just about everything. A fairytale princess in her own way. If she could, she'd befriend animal friends of all species and just sort of glide around as she made her rounds over the pridelands.
He seemed a bit grumpy, this one, and she didnt understand grumpy, though she didnt hold it against anyone.
She knew life wasnt as good for everyone as it had been for her so far.
"Im Oseye,but momma calls me 'Si-baby'," she said chuckling.
"Not a very flattering nickname, but its a nickname nonetheless." She nodded.
"Its a pleasure to meet you Sudi! If you dont swim..what do you do?"
Sudi:
Sudi couldn't help himself.
When she introduced herself, he thought Oseye was a pretty name, but then she continued, giving him the nickname that her mother called her and his "grumpy" face broke into an incredulous smile.
Not that he didn't believe her, it was more that he couldn't believe she'd just shared that.
"I think I'll just stick with Oseye..." he replied. Her last question brought his mind back to the flower and he looked down at it. It was drooping because of the weight of the water, but didn't look terribly damaged. Plants were hearty things, after all. He liked making make-up, that's what he liked to do.
But he wasn't about to tell HER that.
"Stuff." He shrugged.
Oseye:
When he smiled, she followed with a grin. She had gotten him to smile.
She had done it! She felt better and realized, maybe he wasnt as grumpy as she had made him out to be. Perhaps he needed a good laugh.
She had no inhibitions really.. Nothing could embarrass her really. She was good at taking things in stride..
"Most people do." She said, with another chuckle. She figured there was a reason only mother called her that,
but it didnt mean she wouldnt allow others to if they preferred it.
She followed his eyes, looking down at the little flower that he was eyeing.
She cocked her head and continued looking at it. It was bent in an odd angle, she supposed because of the water droplet that was falling off of it.
"Stuff? I like stuff..What kinda stuff?" She asked.
Sudi:
Of course she would ask what kind of stuff.
Sudi sighed and his shoulders slumped a bit. Oh, don't get him wrong, he really did like what he did. Making make-up, and someday perfumes, for his fellow pride members (Let's be honest, he does it for the ladies) was something he really did like to do, and he was proud of his work.
He just didn't like looking like he was a push-over or anything. Just because he liked making girly things, didn't mean he wasn't as masculine as any other lion in the pride.
Heck, he was more masculine/agressive/whatever than his older brother Zap, who thought he wanted to be a guardian someday.
But he was also honest when he was direct about things and her question had been pretty direct.
"Like making stuff.... For my mom and sister..." he replied, looking down at the flower and pawing at it so that the water fell off.
Oseye:
She realized that she had maybe embarrassed him and she looked at him earnestly.
She smiled with a soft look in her eyes.
"I think thats wonderful." She said nodding. If he liked making things for his sister and mother, then he loved his family as much as she loved hers. She respected that, no matter what it was he made.
"My father likes to make things for momma too." She nodded. He had never made makeup, but he was as feminine as you get without liking males. She chuckled, and walked over to him, nudging him with her head into his shoulder.
"Chin up, I think its wonderful." She said, trying to be supportive to the male. She wanted him to be comfortable!
She couldnt do that if he was bashful about what he did around her.
Sudi:
Sudi puffed up a bit with pride, mostly because she didn't laugh at him.
"I wanna make perfumes someday, but I don't know how yet," he admitted, more confidant now that she voiced her thoughts on it being a wonderful idea.
"I'm just afraid if I tell others that's what I wanna do, they'll think I'm a wimp or something, and I'm not!" The last part came out rather forcefully, his tail lashing a bit. He'd beat up anyone who dared to call him a wimp.
That reminded him...
"What are you doing wandering about by yourself, anyways? If you were my sister, I'd be keeping an eye on you." He didn't really know why he was so protective of his baby sister... or maybe that was it. He only had one little sister and she was the last born in their litter of four. She was like a rare flower or something, needed to be protected.
Oseye:
She smiled, and nudged him with her shoulder with a little giggle. "Its oka Sudi! I cant make perfume either. So I think it will work out."
SHe was always one to be an optimist. Its why momma liked talking to her so much. She really didnt see the bad in much. She just wanted to enjoy herself, and she believed that deep down thats what everyone else wanted too.. To be accepted and to be happy. And she accepted him.
She didnt think perfume making was stupid! She thought it was beautiful.
"Well you will have to let me smell it sometime when you can make it though." She grinned, her little tail flicking but in a playful manner.
She was trying to not have to see him sad, after all.
She looked around for Kafele, and then back to her new friend. "Shhh, dont say anything too loud. Hes got ears like a hawks!" She nodded. She wasnt sure if Hawks actually had ears, because she had never seen them. But if they did, then it made sense!
"He keeps an eye on me, but lately hes been playing with Nephew Ajax." She said with a nod, her little mane fluff bouncing.
Sudi:
"Oh, you can have the perfumes I make if you want, not just smell them. I mean, I wanna make them for my mama and sister, but I can make them for you too, and anyone else in the pride that would want them," Sudi replied with a small nod. Then she started looking around as if she was trying to hide from someone and he stiffened a little. Was she in trouble? Was there someone after her? She shouldn't worry, he'd protect her if someone tried, when she was with him.
In all actuality, he should have aspired to be a guardian instead of an artisan. It was as if he and his older brother Zaph were switched in personalities or future aspirations. Zaph was always letting Miu wander about on her own and was kind of a push-over and he wanted to be a guardian while Sudi was overprotective and tough and wanted to be an artisan.
He relaxed when she explained, in part, who she might be talking about.
"Older brother?" he asked, tilting his head a bit to one side.
Oseye:
"I can! You would do that for me?" She asked, perking up excitedly. She had never been given anything before! Well.. Besides food but momma HAD to give her that.
She smiled and her little butt wriggled. Oh she just knew she was going to like this friend. So far he was the best friend she had met. So that made him her best
friend right? Yes. Yes she was pretty sure it did.
"Thats so nice of you. I would love some! I bet the entire pride would be jealous and everyone would ask where I got it. And I could tell them! Oh you will be famous,
Sudi." She grinned, using her paw as if she was bouncing her hair in a dramatic fashion.
She smiled when he stiffened, and put her paw on his shoulder. She wasnt really being chased, and she hadnt meant to make it sound such a way. Shaking her head she giggled.
"Well, hes not exactly older by long! But.. yes. Its okay though. I think we're good." She nodded with a grin.
Sudi:
Sudi relaxed with a smile. She was so excited about getting gifts from him, he'd have to give her some make-up too. Make-up was a lot easier to make than perfume. Even now he kinda knew a little bit about it.
"Miu says the same thing all the time, that I'm only just older than she is and that I shouldn't be bothering her so. But I just worry about her. She's my only sister and if we don't take care of her, she could get hurt or something," he explained, wondering if that was why her brother followed her around, too. Probably. He liked her brother already.
Of course, he didn't even consider the thought that if his sister was talking to some strange male, even one that was her age, he'd be rather put-off. Oseye was a little distracting from those kind of thoughts.
Oseye:
She shook her head and giggled. He was cute, the way he was so protective of his sister. It was kinda like her "big" brother and herself. They really were friends, regardless of whether or not he had a close grip on the things she did for awhile. She knew it came from the heart. This kid cared about his sister as well. That was a good sign! She smiled and responded.
"You boys. Oh well. Im thankful for my brother, so I know shes thankful for you. Though my brother has it rough! In our litter, he had three sisters, and he was the only boy. I think that maybe we should be taking care of him!" She teased and giggled.
She pawed at the earth a little, using her claws. She was far too excited, and needed to vent her energy a bit. Once she was done with her little spurt of digging, she smiled up at him.
"Do you think we are friends, now?" She asked. As a cub, she was pretty straightforward. She simply didnt understand boundaries sometimes, and sometimes she had the ability to make things awkward. But that was only if he took it awkwardly.. Sometimes people didnt mind her.
"Cause I do."
Sudi:
Sudi laughed a little bit, too. Wow, he couldn't imagine being the only boy with three sisters. He'd go crazy trying to look after all of them. He suddenly gained a healthy respect of her brother.
He didn't really think that his sisters should be taking care of their brother, but that was just him. It wasn't that he didn't think they couldn't, physically, it was just that he'd noted that females tended to be more emotional.
He didn't have to think for very long about her question.
"Of course, I think we're friends! I like you, even if you splashed me."
Oseye:
"You can splash me if you want, and then we are really friends for life!" She said with a smile. Yes, then he wouldnt ever have to think that she had gotten away with anything. That just seemed the logical solution. She smiled, and walked over to the water.
"C'mon! Lets go."
Sudi:
Sudi smiled some more and shook his head, but he followed her. If it made her feel better, he'd give her a little splash, but just a little one!
