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 Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 6:44 pm
Those three cubs were now almost grown up, and had set off on their own adventures, which left Mwujuzi all by herself. The golden lioness couldn't help but feel saddened by the fact that she was now alone. Although she had been alone when she'd venture away from her home pride, her feelings then were different, she was excited. Now, she was sad, and unsure of where to go next.
So she had been wandering. Where she was headed she did not know. But by moving forward she kept her mind away from the depressing thoughts of her cubs leaving her, and feeling alone.
She had spent the last couple of days hanging out by a small watering hole, watching the different types of life come and go as it provided them with the nourishment they dearly needed. Right now she was lazing in one of the few trees that were located in the area. It was cooler up there.
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:02 pm
So this was it. This is what life on your own consisted of. No more pride life, no more lands plaguing your mind of your dead family members. He was /free/. His life was empty though. As much as the feeling of being able to do what you wanted, Arun still was missing something. Perhaps he wasn’t meant to live life as a rogue, but he didn’t want to return to the Mzawa’kondo lands either. Too many memories, too many bad memories were there. He needed to get away…but to where? He’d find a place soon.
…Hopefully…
He had only been out of the pride for a few days, and already the loneliness life of the rogue was creeping into his mind. He needed to find a traveling buddy, or something! A distraction really. With the light smell of water wafted in the air (or more or so was the actual smell of the dirt that clotted, given an odd scent to the wind), he headed in that direction. A nice lap of semi-cool water and a rest under one of those trees in the area would do well.
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:23 pm
Mwujuzi heard the lapping at the water and her ears perked up, was there another visiting the watering hole? Not that she minded, after all, it was not hers, and she had no right to decide who could or could not drink from it, but she was curious as to who it was that had ventured this way. Perhaps they were a rogue like herself? It had been a while since she'd had any company with her own kind, she hoped it was another lion.
It was, her turquoise eyes soon recognized. It was a surprise to her that when she saw him she longed to go and talk. It was then she realized just how long she had been without seeing another lion. She had passed other predators, but they had kept to themselves, and most of the herbivores steered clear of her since she was a lion after all.
She knew there was the chance that this stranger could be dangerous, but she didn't care, her want for companionship was much greater than her want for safety.
She lept down from the branches and approached him, "Hello there," she said softly, a nervous smile on her face. Whilst she wanted to talk with the new lion, she couldn't hide the fact that she was worried it could go wrong.
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:33 pm
The rustling of the branches caused the lapping of water to cease. His mixed-matched eyes stared into the murky reflection of the water, not seeing anything that would be useful of whom this newcomer was. But at the voice, a female voice, Arun was relieved. At least it wasn’t some angry lion saying how he ‘intruded on his turf’.
He turned his head slowly, gazing at the golden lioness who had approached him. “Hello there,” he returned the greeting, bowing his head ever so slightly. She looked as if she had come from his pride too, those natural colors and markings she bore something that was a common trait in his former pride. Though, the Mzawa was small, he was sure he would have seen this female around before if she had hailed from there.
“I’d say it’s a nice day, but it’s too hot for this lion’s liking,” he joked to her, flashing a small smile. The weather in the savanna was funny. It was well over a scorcher in the day time, but at night, temperatures dropped well into freezing. Either way you really couldn’t win.
“I’m Arun.”
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:43 pm
Mwujuzi on the other hand, hadn't really seen a lion of his coloring before, at least not in her pride. Most of the lions there were various shades of brown. In fact, she was rather unique in her golden coloring in that sense. Even her brother had been born a brownish color. She supposed it came from her father, though she hadn't met him before.
"Mwujuzi," she nodded back, giving him her name. He didn't seem so bad, and her smile was genuine this time around.
"That's why I was in the tree," she flicked her head back. "It's much cooler up there. But the water does do you good if you're wanting relief from the heat also." She'd already had her share of water for the day, and felt it necessary to find some other means of cooling before she burst.
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Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 1:55 pm
“I didn’t know lions were supposed to climb trees,” Arun joked. Sure, when he was a cub he’d swing around in one for fun; however, the difference between then and now was the weight. If he had even thought about lying on one of those branches, it’d probably break, and there would lie an injured lion. This lioness was on the smaller side, so she didn’t have too much to worry about for breaking a branch.
“Are you a rogue…too?” he hesitated adding the final word. If he classified himself as the loner, then how long would he actually have no home? Rogues may consider any land they touched as home, but Arun liked the secureness of a pride.
He was happy though, to actually have come across this female. It seemed like ages since he had last had any sort of contact with another lion. The last time he had met a dark colored female who were looking to mate, just to bring life back to their pride. Arun couldn’t agree to such, so he had made his way off from the lioness, and now here he was, weeks later.
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Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:57 am
"I don't know how I came about it..." she said, trailing off, trying to remember where she had seen it. It can't have been back at the Kuisini, decided. I must have picked it up from a passing rogue. There are always ones who are out of the ordinary. "But it does keep me cooler than if I were on the ground, though it is further to go for some water."
His next question surprisingly hit a nerve. It was something she had not considered, for she had her own children, and a family back in the lands, but out here she was alone, with no one about her. Wasn't that what a rogue was? The thought saddened her, and made her feel even more alone than before. "I suppose I am..." she answered, her voice soft.
"You are too?" It was more of a half question than a full one, she already supposed he was from the initial question, but reassurance was always good.
Though she had met other rogues in passing, they all seemed proud of who they were. The way this lion asked the question, made it seemed like perhaps he was not. Perhaps I am not, either. she thought to herself.
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Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:58 pm
“I…” Arun paused, memories flooding through his mind: those of his sister, his parents, the pride leaders, and then those eyes. The bright blue eyes haunted his sleep for years after his return to his homeland. Sometimes at night, he’d see the shining orbs, glaring right at him. They would slowly turn red in his dreams, signaling the bloodlust of their owners. Arun would wake with a start, and stay up for hours later until he could lull himself back to sleep. Being in the rogue lands had almost put a halt on those nightmares. Almost.
“Suppose? You were once a part of something too I see.”
“I…guess so.” He sounded defeated. What pride born lion that has customs on keeping adult males in the pride, would ever think about leaving their home. Apparently, Arun was one of them.
“But, I hope not to be for long. I’ve met others who point out a great pride. One fill with lions of loving natures, ones that accept your for who you are.” A small smile was brought to Arun’s lips. “Though I don’t know the name, all I’ve heard of it a large rock formation. Everyone who talked about it” (everyone being really one other), “said you couldn’t miss it. You…wouldn’t happen to know what lands they were talking about, would you?”
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Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:31 pm
"I was..." She trailed off. Perhaps if they were better acquainted she would reveal more. But for now they were not much more than strangers, so Mwujuzi didn't feel comfortable telling her life story to the male at this point in time.
"It's okay... I think," she said, trying to reassure him, and perhaps, to reassure herself. She never thought being a alone after all this time would be difficult, but it was, and she wasn't sure how to make it better. Though having this male for company at the moment was helping.
She didn't answer straight away, rather, she tried to think if she had heard of the name of the pride. She tried to recall different things she had discussed on her journey, but could recall nothing about a pride with a large rock formation.
"I'm sorry," she said, "I don't know of the pride you speak."
A pride, perhaps that was something that could make her feel better? The company of many others. Perhaps that was what she needed once more.
"...do you know much about this pride?" She asked softly.
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:15 am
Arun shook his head. “I do not. All I have heard was to follow the sun when it first wakes.” He told the female, mimicking the words that he had once heard. “Other than what was claimed to have understanding, and friendly lions, I don’t know much. Everything, unfortunately is hearsay.” How terrible would it have been if Arun had traveled the whole distance to find that there was no such pride, or worse --- the pride was filled with murderous creatures. He almost began to have second thoughts about traveling.
He shifted on his paws slightly. Should he ask if she wanted to travel with him? He couldn’t tell if she was interested again in pride life, or not. By her voice, it was almost as if she was. Arun paused for a moment, debating his options.
“You are welcome to travel with me if you want,” Arun offered. “Though, I honestly cannot say what I will or will not find.”
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:23 am
"Ahhh..." was all she replied with. It was hard to judge whether or not one would like a pride, if there wasn't much known about it. Still, the male seemed somewhat sure of his decision.
Sure enough to at least convince Mwujuzi that perhaps she should give this pride a go.
"I think that I would like to see this pride." At least she could check it out, she wouldn't have to join straight away. Or would she? She didn't know how this pride would deal with visiting rogues.
"If you would not mind me as company along the way." They were no more than strangers, but Mwujuzi could feel that they came from similar places in their past that she would be alright travelling with him.
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:33 am
“Of course not! It can get pretty lonely traveling by ones’ self.” Regardless of the fact that they were strangers, Arun could trust the female. Or, at least in his old ‘warrior’ mindset, he could protect her from any harm that may come up in the rogue lands. Until they both parted way….if they parted ways.
“We should head out then, if you’re ready.” He started, gazing towards the direction of where the morning sun would rise. “It may be a long trip ahead.” Paws crossed that they would find something. Every journey was full of surprises, good or bad, and an end, good or bad. He had already had a few good surprises; (hearing about the potential pride, meeting a new traveling partner) he only hoped that it would continue. Of course, if bad luck fell their way, Arun really only hoped things would turn out better in the end: a new place to call home.
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:38 am
"It does get lonely," she agreed, having experienced it first hand. She missed the sound of her cubs arguing, the comfort they gave her just knowing they were around. But there weren't any longer, they were out seeing the world for themselves.
This was it. Mwujuzi took in a breath. She was nervous. What would the find? She hoped it would be good, that the pride would be welcoming, and everything the male hoped it would be.
"Okay," she said, nodding and waiting for Arun to lead her, them, to the Pridelands.
-END
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