Epyon pawed the water daintily before jumping in, paddling about with a smile. She'd crept away from her aristocratic care-givers for the time, and was enjoying the shores of L1, paws stretching as she recalled the river stretching through the Matembezxi lands. Her home. Epyon paddled to and fro, the lioness enjoying the taste of home as she ducked under, over, enjoying the feel of water on her fur, and smiled gayily. It was such a wonderful day, the female decided. It was a waste being diplomatic.
Hana watched the magents, gold, and black female curiously, ears pricked forwards. The female's magenta kept her from a proper Firekin's pelt, but the lioness was strong and tall, muscles honed through training and by whispers, blood incarnation.
She acted like a cub. Mind it wasn't her place to question her employer's beleifs, but if this was a dreaded monster-diety or spirit, it failed. Badly. Slowly, the former Firekin crept closer, studying the female when Epyon suddenly charged.
Epyon was enjoying the water, running and dancing about, smiling as she snapped at fish, rolled in water and in some areas, mud, and generally had a good time until one run was cut short as she hit the brakes before a great red lioness, Epyon looking up. Hana looked down at the female in surprise, the two silent, green eyes looking into Hana's own with the sort of innocent curiousity of a cub.
The female blinked.
No. Not a cub. A sheltered soul.
Silence.
The large red lioness' own emerald gaze spoke of battles won, battles lost, of pride, of strength. Courage.
A fire Epyon had never seen before. If anyone deserved the attentions of the Aristocracy, it was this lioness. Not her. They asked much of Epyon.... Strength. Leadership. A fire she lacked within to advance the fate of the Aristocracy.
But one thing she never understood was why the Aristocracy and colonies couldn't live in peace.
Hana studied Epyon as well, blinking when she saw a pleading look form in the younger lioness' eyes. Begging for something. An answer.
Hana studied her silently, frowning. She couldn't give her one. She was a mercenary, now. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Epyon broke the gaze a moment silently, looking away. Were there no answers? Was there nothing to do for the pride? To bring hope? Relations she knew were strained... But....
Hana watched the other silently. She wanted answers so badly. She wanted to ask an unspoken question, but she couldn't. Not here. And even so, Hana didn't have answers.
It was her first time seeing a member of the pride beg for hope, for answers. A pride member thought to be an enemy, and she wondered.
Was there any enemies at all? What would happen when all was done? Was there a chance the pride would hold together?
Hana looked t5o the lioness, unable to not think of her own pride, the stories of the civil war that destroyed the old ways her family held dear at times. Ways lost for her pride's survival. Not that she agreed.
Silence still reigned as she closed her eyes/, the younger magenta lioness shifting, and Hana looked to her again.
No, the young in the pride here didn't want to fall apart. Each part was part of a whole. And all needed one another, and there was hope if given a chance.
Epyon watched the stranger's eyes, her body language shifting, and settled as the other seemed to think. The renewed look in her eyes-- it was of some comfort, and her gaze was one that offered a chance, however small.
The red lioness smelled of sand, dryness, plants thirting for water, and Epyon blinked. A desert-dweller. One formerly Firekin.
She heard stories as a cub. The lioness blinked as the older shifted. A firekin that left their desert, came to the Colony.
The scents on her fur spoke of a long journey, not unlike Epyon's being guided to the Ardhi by Treize... Or Shinigami's, led by her visions.
A journey not quite finishrd. The older lioness was searching as well-- for what? Hope? A home? There was nothing to give her goal away. Epyon frowned slightly, the other shifting, studying her silently.
Hana circled the lioness, by now, obviously the Epyon she heard of, and was silent, frowning.
If Epyon was so dangerous, swhe would have attacked.
Hana would be dead, or wounded.
This lioness, this Epyon... She wasn't wanting any of her expected role. Hana almost felt pity for her. Who knew what the Aristocrats would do if they knew? And they called her the rebirth of a Spirit, a god.
Hardly. She was a mortal, forced onto the undesired role of a killer.
Hardly a role fit for one with such innocent eyes. She would be amazed if she was less clingy than her half-sister Mpeko, and the female shook her head.,
Epyon weas no danger. She was just like every Colonist Hana saw. Lost. Looking for peace.
Looking for hope.
Epyon watched a moment longer, before finally realizing the lioness had no more an answer than herself, the female looking down before moving to bow apologetically for startling her, turning to swim away.
Hana was silent before the former Firekin moved, pushing the younger with her head, Epyon looking to her as the older looked out, past the pride boundries. Epyon blinked again, before she was nudghed again, nearly tumbling at the wordless instruction, the encouragement. Epyon slowly stepped in the indicated direction, and Hana moved, carefully, wordlessly encouraging her towartds the mainland. Beyond.
Epyon blinked, looking to the giant before looking out towards the boundries herself, understanding.
Thert may be no answers in her pride but outside... Maybe. Maybe hope. Something she could bring all sides to light the darkness.
Epyon smiled faqintly, the larger lioness pleased she understood.
Voices from Epyon's 'handlers' startled both, before the red female pushed the younger away, into the deeper parts of the water, and Epyon took to the order gladly, paddling out. Hana watched the female flee, flee for her journey to begin, and for hope, before scents of others reached her nose, and shne turned, disappearing into brush and foilage to hide, and escape herself.
Epyon looked back, blinking anxiously.
Behind her lay chaos, the handlers frantic, wondering where she'd gone, and the red lioness... She had vanished. Epyon turned, looking ahead as she swam. Ahead to something brighter, and she began to press on, beginning a journey.
Hope, she felt, would be over the horizon.
-Fin-
