The air was cooling on D'oro-Moyo's fur as she walked along the border between the Pridelands , her home and the rogue lands, a place of great mystery to the young adult lioness. Light green eyes stared out longingly at the unclaimed ground beyond her path. While she had permission to leave the Pridelands' territory and explore if she liked, there was no way she could leave her family. Not yet at least. Perhaps in the future, but no in her foreseeable future. With a heavy sigh, the golden lioness sat herself down with the setting African sun's glow all around her. For now, merely looking and dreaming would sate the young lioness' wanderlust.
Durin on the otherhand was not bound by the laws of any pride other than his own. The large male was the lead in his own pride which allowed him great freedom, even with eight new children and three lionesses that looked to him for guidance. Today was just was of those days that he had decided to go further out on his patrol. While his pride truly had no claim to any real land and would likely migrate soon to follow the game, he had always been close to the border of the Pridelands. Large paws carried him through the golden grass as his matching eyes looked over the horizon. Many times had wandering Pridelanders wandered through his pride on their way in or out of the pride. Perhaps learning more about these lions would be a good thing as they were a mysterious group to him.
What in the...
D'oro-Moyo's eyes narrowed as she strained to make out a approaching figure. Well, it wasn't exactly approaching, but it was coming closer to the border of the Pridelands. Was it another looking to join their ranks? While the Pridelands was open to almost any lion, or any species really, to join, their game was likely to start getting thinner the more that joined. Hundreds of lions already made up the body of the Pridelands. Would another truly hurt them? Perhaps... The balance of life was a fickle thing and it only takes one to mess it up. With that thought in mind, D'oro-Moyo rose to her dark-tipped paws before calling out to the approaching male.
"Hello there!"
Durin's ears were the first of his senses to pick up on the nearby female. Soon after though his eyes finally caught sight of her. A golden pelts lioness standing on the border of what he could only assume to be the Pridelands based on how fertile the land behind her looked. He had truly expected to meet a male along the border; a scout or one that was leaving to start or join another pride. He had definitely not been expecting a lioness to be the one who greeted him. Well, no sense letting the opportunity go to waste. There was always a chance he could get her to join his pride so he could learn more about his neighbors from the safety of his trees.
"Hello to you as well, ma'am." The larger feline replied as he grew ever closer to the Pridelander. Of course he was going to be polite to her, a perfect gentleman.
"You're not from around here are you?" D'oro-Moyo asked almost immediately after he acknowledged her, almost as quickly regretted her question. Way to state the obvious, genius! Now she was just worried that he'd see her as some young, stupid lioness who couldn't do anything. This was her chance to learn more about the outside world from someone who still lived it in! Sure there were plenty of now Pridelanders who used to be rogues, but this was different. He wasn't a Pridelander! Oh but what if he was looking to join the pride. There would go her chance.
"You looking to join the Pridelands?" She just had to know right then and there if her small-time dream was dashed or if there was still a chance.
Him? Join the Pridelands? A hearty laugh erupted from Durin's mouth just at the mere suggestion of something so ridiculous. "No, no. I'm not here to join your pride. I have my own pride to care for." Though he would not deny that the thought that had entered his mind back when he a youthful boy without a care in the world and nothing holding him down. "What about you? You're sitting here at the border of the Pridelands? Are you thinking of leaving?" Durin asked with a small grin and a raised brow.
Oh what a relief, he wasn't looking to join. At last she had her opportunity to learn of the rogue lands from someone who still made the stranger land their home. D'oro-Moyo blinked, obviously taken back by the sudden question of her loyalty to staying within the Pridelands. "I've..." She started, her green eyes averting him in favor of looking at the ground. "I've been thinking about leaving, but I want to know what I'd be getting myself into if I left. Everyone here joined for one reason or another, but they still all left the rogue lands. I want to know what it's like to live there from someone who still lives there but you said you have a pride so I'm not sure if you'd count anymore."
"Tales of the rogue lands is what you're after? Sure, I can provide that to you. My pride has no claimed land and rarely does it let anyone within their ranks. In a sense, it is more of a collection of lions and other species living together to survive the harsh life of living without a pride." Durin replied, his grin changing to a softer smile. If she was thinking of leaving, perhaps he could persuade her to join his pride. It might not be what she was looking for outside of a pride, but it would be a step down into a solo life. Just straight up leaving after depending on others for so long would be tough for anyone.
"Tell you what," Durin started again, sitting down, settling into the softer grass beneath him. "You get me something to snack on and I'll tell you whatever you want to know about the rogue lands until the sun comes up. Deal?"
So he wasn't really in a pride! How exciting! Maybe he really could help her with her thirst for rogue knowledge and also maybe it would help with her itch to leave and explore. D'oro-Moyo's excited smile only grew larger as Durin continued to speak, offering his knowledge in exchange for a bit of food. "Of course!" She agreed quickly, turning to head go and catch a hare for the male. "You stay right there!" The lioness called back before darting off to hunt.
"I'll stay right here," Durin echoed as he slid down onto his belly. Oh how he enjoyed this greener grass against his fur. This was paradise compared to the hard, golden stuff he was used to laying on! It wasn't long after his head set upon his paws that the large male drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face. All that waiting had made him tired.
[Word Count: 1,236]
