When Navale returned from hunting, she was surprised to spy another lion with Kimiko. At first, she thought he was a danger, maybe there to steal their food, but when the monochromatic lioness made no indications... The younger lioness got curious. It was as if she already knew him. She frowned, waiting under a tree as Kimiko approached. When the older lioness got close, Navale frowned, "Is he safe...? I mean, can that lion be trusted...? I've never seen him before, and why are you smiling like that?" Now she was simply confounded! Who was he and why did he have Kimiko smiling?!
When the younger lioness finally stopped asking questions, Kimiko erupted into light laughter. Wiping a tear from her eye, her face lit up with a grin. "Oh, Navale, it's alright!" She motioned with her paw. "That is Danzi. He's an old friend, you could say. And..." She shifted. "He presented me with a proposition. He's heading back to the Pridelands, the pride of his father, and he wanted me to come with him... As his mate." She felt a mild bit of amusement at the surprise on Navale's face. Did the younger lioness expect her to never try settling down?
As she process the information, Navale suddenly wondered about her own future. Would she find a mate? Or would she even find her brother she was looking for? She let out a sigh, one ear twitching, and then smiled. "Well, I hope you find happiness in your new home, Kimiko." She couldn't bring herself to try to obstruct the older lioness. She was just unsure of which path she would, herself, follow. Suddenly she motioned with her head to the kill she'd brought back. "I guess it's a good thing he showed up when he did, though. I don't think just the two of us could eat this whole thing on our own."
She could she the slightly pained and worried look in the other lioness' eyes. "If you wanted, maybe you could come with us... At least for a while. I'm sure the Pridelands would be happy to have more hunters! You're a very able huntress on your own!" She motioned to the kill. "I'm not sure even THREE of us could finish that, Navale." Maybe FOUR... If the fourth was a cub. "Unless you wanted to go somewhere else?" She could understand, of course, if the younger Navale didn't want to hang around a couple of old fogies like Danzi and Kimiko. It was natural for a young lion to want to be around other young lions.
An ear flicked as Navale snapped out of whatever thoughts her mind had wrapped around. "Go with you two...?" She thought on it for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. It was one more lion she'd have to deal with, but it was also a male that could protect them. Like in a pride. It was somebody else she'd be hunting for, but at the same time, it meant she could leave Kimiko alone while they traveled, because the older lioness wouldn't actually BE alone - There'd be somebody else there making sure she was moving around. Of course, there was the whole pride thing... Finally, she nodded. "Okay, but when we reach the Pridelands, I'll have to go another way... I don't think my path is leading fully that way." She chewed on her lower lip. "I hope you understand..."
She gave a bow of her head. "Of course I understand, Navale! I couldn't ask you to do something you're not completely comfortable with!" When she looked back up, a smile was on her maw. "You've become like a daughter to me in these past couple months, really... And all parents need to let their cubs go at some point." As much as she didn't want to, she knew she had to. If Navale said she wasn't meant for the Pridelands, then she wasn't meant for the Pridelands. She gave a tilt of her head. "Now, is there anything else on your mind?"
The younger lioness hesitated, ears going back as she looked sideways. Finally, she asked, "Do you think I'd find a mate...?" She had to admit, she'd spied here and there a traveling male that struck her fancy. But none seemed to be The One, as it were. None she could decide on, at least. Plus she kept passing boys that already had girls. Though there'd been those two males... They were just too CLOSE for her comfort. It was weird to watch. It likely had to do with her rearing, with no real exposure to social interaction beyond, well... Her mother, brothers, and sister.
Kimiko's ears lifted, as did her eyebrows, in surprise, before she began to giggle. It was a very cubbish giggle, at that, something she couldn't recall having done in quite a while. "Of course you will, Navale! Eventually, you will." She nudged the younger lioness with her paw. "In the mean time, why not enjoy the moment? Don't try to go rushing anything, or falling for the first boy you meet." She'd certainly had little opportunity herself, going by past experience. She then gave Navale's shoulder a nudge with her own shoulder. "Now come on, turn that frown upside down!"
Navale couldn't help but giggle, nudging Kimiko back. "I've passed many males in my travels to find my brother, I don't think I'll be falling for just ANY male yet!" First she had to figure out what she wanted in a male. Did she want somebody strong, or somebody with a good mind? Someone who could protect her and any cubs they had... Well, it had to be somebody very special, that was for sure!
Kimiko smiled back, then started back towards Danzi. "Come on, you two should be introduced! If we're going to travel as a group, we may as well, you know... Make sure you two get along." It'd do them no good to have fighting going on, after all.
The younger lioness chuckled, nodding, before picking up the kill and carrying it after. Oh, this would be a fun trip, wouldn't it?
