Koehro realized soon after leaving Hesper that he hadn't even taken a replenishing drink from the water. There was a nagging at the back of his mind, like he'd forgotten something else, too, but he was more concerned over collapsing from overheating. He'd made a slight deviation from his path, the wide border of rogue lands stretching for several long miles between himself and home.
The big male was once again on the move, however, his course back and almost firmly set. Chances are he would have to return to the small pool of water on the way back; there had been at least one type of herb there, that he was semi familiar with, and he didn't pick any up at that point. So long as he knew where they were, why bother toting it around when he didn't have anything to carry it about with?
Dark green eyes were mostly fastened upon the steadily approaching jungle, but still, he wasn't lax in clearing the area, either.
Prometheus was on the move, still unaware that back home the storms that had him rushing to find help had destroyed his pride, leaving him but a rogue. It was a hot day, almost too hot and he had traveled many miles searching for more prides. What would become of his family if he failed his mission? Prometheus didn't dare think nor say.
Snorting a few loose strands of mane from his face, the bulls-eye colored lion continued walking. He was heading to a lands that were said to be shroud in mystery and blue beings. Lions of course, but... he was still curious. Not much was known about these guys. Just tales that seemed almost too far-fetched to be real.
Scanning the area, light limeade colored eyes took in the sight of a couple water-buck drinking. Reminding him that he himself needed to quench his thirst or collapse. Deciding to drift over, Prometheus made out in a trot, it was always fun scarring those that were smaller than you, even if he didn't mean to hurt them.
Something red caught his eye. A dangerous colour--one he disliked, especially out in the rogue lands. Clerm's children were an exception for him, but out here? Red never did bode well. The big male leaped, and twisted, turning to align his body with the angle that his head had been at to watch the red-pattern shift and move at a decent clip towards the water he'd just left. Duty warred with the additional responsibility of finding herbs to aid the other rogue he'd encountered--Hesper. Her name was Hesper.
Koehro groaned softly to himself.
'It seems issues come in groups. It's never so simple to have them come comfortably spaced, is it?'
He crouched, drifting back the way he had come, softly rumbling about each step, delaying his aid and his continued patrol. He soon quieted, though, emerald eyes keen and watching as he moved his body low, hoping to be less noticeable this way, even with his bulk.
Prometheus continued to barrel down the lands, a big playful grin plastered to his face. It was when he was but a few feet from the watering hole that both water-buck started to freak and bolt. However, now with nothing to stop him except his own body, the large lion skidded, and slammed face first into the waters that both herbivores had been enjoying.
And he couldn't help himself. Laughter rumbled all throughout his body, causing it to quake as water filled his mouth and nose. Pulling his head up abruptly, he continued laughing. This was certainly one of the more senseless of things he had done. But he had to keep himself entertained now and again. Even if it meant making an a** of himself.
Rolling around on his back, the lion seeker licked his face, enjoying the wet, cool feeling on his tongue. How ever awesome, he thought, rolling back over to his stomach.
"Ahhhhh, I am sorry water bucks. I wasn't going to kill you, just happened to be bored." Chuckling as he watched two little dots grow smaller, he took to cleaning his now wet paws.
Koehro wasn't close enough to see the grin stretched over the maw of the other lion, but he moved as swiftly as he could, should he need to intercept or otherwise deter the lion he had in his sight. The large male let a slow, low growl build in his chest and escape his muzzle as he began to run, himself, coming up hard on the pool as the other splashed face first into the water, the two small water-buck having fled several moments earlier.
It was about the time that the poor, unsuspecting male surfaced and spoke was the time that Koehro took a flying leap with another escaping growl.
'Wait, what?!' He mentally cried, just catching the tail end of the words, a surprised expression overcoming his features--too late--he landed with a huge splash on the other lion. 'Boredom?!'
With an uncharacteristic snarl, frustrated with himself above all else, the dark male floundered against the other, in the water. He didn't want to drown the other - hadn't in the first place - but now he tried to push at him, so he was no longer beneath his bulk and they could both surface. Maybe. He was banking on the hope the other lion wouldn't be incredibly pissed--this was going to be awkward, either way.
Prometheus had absolutely no idea what the hell was going on, just that it was suddenly hard to breathe and that he had a lot of weight on his back. Wriggling to try and remove himself from the weight, Prometheus let out his own kind of snarl. Something of complete frustration and confusion.
Then his heavy weight made a snarl of it's own. It was a damned lion?! How had he caught him so off guard and even managed to sneak up on him? No one ever did that. Even when he was goofing off.
Rolling away in attempt to get the crazy goon off Prometheus, he soon found himself being pushed at, and kept deeper in the water. This was not going to be fun at all. He could already feel himself get dizzy from the lack of oxygen.
Koehro managed to get his head above water for a quick breath...and as he shook his head, managed to get a blurry look around.
And he very quickly came to the very sinking revelation that he was the only one above water.
"Eywa give me strength."
It was all he had manged to get out--rushed and all, before he dove back under water to help the other lion by swimming as deep as he could - using the ripples of water pressure to gauge where the other large lion was - to come up beneath him and bump him upwards, mental apologies swimming at breakneck pace through his mind. It soon became a steady mantra, something along the lines of 'I'm sorry don't kill me, I'm sorry don't hate me, I'm sorry--but I'm trying to help now. I'm sorry, no, no, no, UP.'
Either way, he wasn't happy with the awkward mess he got himself into.
Feeling the sudden pull of the other lion, Prometheus mentally thanked whatever deity was looking out for him at the moment, but also prepared himself to launch an assault of questions at the strange. Why was he so excited to be in the water in the first place? Why would he just... jump head first and not realize there was another lion there?
What if I was his target in the first place...
That thought was most certainly unsettling and as soon as he felt himself gaining enough stability to remove himself from the other, he did so. Pushing his body up quickly, the blonde maned lion gasped for air, then spun around. Making direct eye contact with his attacker.
"What the bloody s**t was that for?!? Too eager to take a dip to notice someone enjoying themselves?" Snarling, limeade colored eyes sparkled. He meant business. Either he would get his questions answered, or he would break him if he was hostile.
But he couldn't help wondering why the lion would help him out if he was planning to kill him. Pondering this, Prometheus looked sideways at the land and decided to move toward it, getting a better footing and sight of his company.
"...Okay. So maybe you don't want to kill me. Or... maybe you are the fighting type. You need to explain yourself to me either way. I don't enjoy being pounced on by a large male lion. A lady... maybe."
When Koehro surfaced shortly after, he shook his head. Hard. He hoped to dislodge most of the water from his mane, but didn't quite make it. He only had time for that before he was hit with a barrage of questions from the other male, and immediately his expression shifted to one of shameful display, green eyes staring from between the wet fringe of his bangs, ears plastered back.
He sank a little: a testament to how badly he'd mucked up, and knew it.
"I'm sorry." 'Don't attack, don't attack.' He winced, tensing, and not looking very lion-y, more of a half-drowned cub. "I thought--that is--I'm sorry."
To stave off repetitions of apologies, he promptly shut his muzzle, preventing more rumbled, tumbling words from spilling out.
What first was anger, slowly evolved into amusement. This big old lion was shutting down so easily. All he was doing was defending himself in case the other was horribly hostile. However... it seemed he just mucked up whatever he was doing.
Chuckling at first, Prometheus soon began to laugh full and hardy. This was all but a strange and amusing turn of events. "You look like a drowned meerkat begging for your life right now stranger. Stop that."
Eyeing the other now in a new light, Prometheus shook his own fur out. He wasn't going to let this get to him. He was still curious as to what this was all about though.
"So, what caused you to launch all of yourself on top of me? Really that horny?"
The chuckling had an ear flicking forwards, remaining that way even as he spoke. When he finished his first few sentences, Koehro let out a huuuuuge sigh, his chin touching the surface of the water, both ears regaining a relaxed position.
"Well, I was worried there, after having you near about ready to sink your teeth into me." Koehro thought aloud, not knowing or even realizing how that sounded, which would only make Prometheus' final questions REALLY awkward. "Especially after I saw you weren't..."
He trailed off, allowing the other large male's questions, and blinked several times. And then several more. And then half-sputtered, half-coughed, and started to paddle away from the other male.
"--no!" A wince. "I just...no. No. I am out on a border patrol for my Pride, and..."
And on a personal mission to help someone in need . Didn't he feel like a dunce.
"And I have to go pick herbs up for another rogue I met. I normally have to drive them away by force...meeting two pleasant lions in one day, let alone within a short time of one another, is highly unusual for me. I'm sorry."
He got out, managing to not look at the other lion as he shook himself off.
Promo did all that he could to hold in another fit of laughter but soon found he had absolutely no resolve for such things. The combination of awkward replies, facial features and shock done him in. What would have been a fairly boring day, now was amazing. Being a seeker really had its share of perks along with its downfalls.
Taking a few more moments to laugh and get all (most of) the amusement out of his system, Promo sobered up and gave the stranger a almost disappointed look. Might as well make the joke that much more awkward.
"And here I thought I would at least get some pleasure out of this near death experience! I saw the light flash through my eyes! You owe me one, sir."
Moving a bit closer to make the other look at him, the bulls-eye tabby colored lion's eyes glinted, teeth flashing. "I can always help you out though, buddy. Maybe... teach you the ways of a kindly rogue."
Laughing again, Promo moved away from the stranger, towards the direction of the pride he had been looking for.
"But, for now... I must find the lions of blue. Alliances need to be made to save a pride in need. Remember me, big guy. I am Prometheus."
Laughing one last time, the lion trotted off into the distance. Not stopping once to think that maaaybe, just maybe, that dunce of a lion might know where to find the pride he was looking for.
Koehro felt like a half-drowned cub. It was an odd feeling. Mind you, he was used to feeling awkward, like he didn't quite belong in a large group for company, like there was a difference or several there. Something wrong with him that prevented him from getting out and making relationships other than with his sister, his family. Then again, who knew? Maybe it was simply self-esteem issues and anxiety that held him back; he counted Clerm as a friend, after all.
Had started to consider her something more. But, now? Now she had her own mate, and he wished them nothing but the best.
The great lion shook his head, a muffled sound of surprise and embarrassment escaping his muzzle as he looked back up, head tilted and a brow arched.
"...it sounds like you'd rather make me see the light." He shook himself again, a fine spray of droplets flung every which way before he picked his gaze up. The lion - Prometheus - was already moving away.
A Pride of Blue? His People? The Na'vi. He'd not heard of any other blue prides around these parts. He didn't want to say anything, but the portion of a Pride in need caused him to open his mouth. "...wait!"
Too late.
Koehro heaved a sigh, and briefly considered going after him. Then again, Hesper was in dire need, he'd seen that, personally. With a frown of concern and anxiety, he turned tail and flew across the rest of the distance to the jungle. Home.
And the big male raced against time itself.
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