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 Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 6:24 pm
 Huozin had ranged out a bit further than normal in his hunt. It seemed to him that the prey nearer the pride needed some time to recover, so he would have to go farther afield in order to avoid depleting the populations of small edible creatures. He'd rather not have to walk so far just to begin his stalk, but that was life and the red lion was rather phlegmatic about most things. He was stalking now, body slunk low to the ground, all senses attuned, seeking his prey by sight, scent and sound. There was no such thing as impatience, not when one was hunting. He would simply wait, carefully and quietly, until something came near. The wind brought him a scent and, almost before his conscious mind had a chance to sift through the information, Huozin turned towards its origin and raised his head just high enough to see a black and red figure. He began his approach... ...and realized it was a lioness, not something edible. The lion flailed his forelegs, trying to stop his pounce in midair, and landed heavily on his face in front of the stranger. "Ow," the word issued from the area where his head lay half-buried in the sand.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 6:44 pm
 Tuc had been in that pride too long. She was glad she was out of it now, though she hoped she didn't run into her pale son. Pale lions still irked her, something that would probably always stick with her from the demon pride. She spent so much time hating them that it became a second nature and she honestly wasn't about to go changing her life any more than she had to. Life without a pride was hard. She had to hunt completely by herself, find her own den, find her way to somewhere she felt completely safe. Or as safe as she possibly could. Though she hated her pride, she did feel comfortable there, if nothing else. She didn't have to hunt by herself. She always had a den. Even if it was full of stupid cubs at points as her children had children. At least she didn't have to see his stupid face. Sighing to herself, she was crouched low, examining some prints she'd found, trying to figure out what it was, if it was edible or not when she saw a shadow cast over her. Looking up, a red male was nearly on top of her and he landed odd. She backed up a bit, fur bristling as a growl came through her throat. Her first instinct was to attack him right back, so she managed to lash out as his head with a paw, claws out. "Watch where you're going, moron!"
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 7:07 pm
Huozin had the poor timing to be trying to get up as the lioness lashed out at him, striking true on the back of his head. The shock sent him back into the sand.
The second time, he was a bit more careful when getting up, until at last he stood solidly on all four legs once more, looking at the lioness before him. Her coloration was good, he noted absently, a dark matte black that made her red feet look all the brighter. No one in their right mind could call her fireless! And she'd been quick to take advantage of him, with good aim as well. Another plus.
As for the insults, well, he didn't think she was trying that hard. It wasn't a minus though.
"I do apologize," the red lion replied. "I was so intent on the hunt that I reacted to you as if you were prey. I hope I haven't harmed you." He didn't believe he'd connected physically, but perhaps she was insulted by the fact of the mistaken identity.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:02 pm
No, Tuc really hadn't been trying hard. He was still a moron in her book, until he proved otherwise. Her black eyes narrowed at him and he just stayed rigid and then let out another growl at the mistaken identity. Right. She bristled a little and just snorted.
"Right, because I really look like something you would eat." She spat out at him, digging her claws into the sand before just sighing. Whatever. It was too warm to get too angry with someone she didn't know. He'd apologized, either way.
Oddly enough, she ignored him as he seemed to be looking her over for something or other. The lioness didn't know what he was looking for, but he could keep on looking. She had no interest in males at the moment. Her tail flicked behind her in a clearly agitated fashion.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:06 pm
"That's just it, I was so set to react to anything I smelled that I didn't even realize you were a lioness until I saw you," Huozin agreed, ignoring the thick sarcasm. Oh, he knew what it was, but the red lion simply refused to allow such a foolish thing to phase him.
She still looked upset, so he supposed he should try to make conversation and put her at ease.
"I don't recognize you, so you're not from the pride. And we don't have too many rogues around, save for those who want to join. You must be new to the area," the lion observed aloud.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:09 pm
'Go die'. That is what her look read right now before she rolled her eyes and shrugged.
"No, I'm not from this pride. I just escaped hell and I'm getting my barrings," is all she replied to him. After all, he hadn't really asked her anything else. Just observed she wasn't from her, and she said he was correct, so what else could be said? She wasn't the inquiring type.
With the way he was talking, he would be giving her information on the pride, or wanting an introduction or something. Stupid talkative lions.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:13 pm
Hmm...this wasn't going as smoothly as it could. Huozin supposed that, since she was a rogue and no pride member, he should just leave her be. But it went against his inclinations to leave a lioness so ruffled. Not to mention that so far she seemed to fulfill all the basic criteria for the pride...
"I'm sorry to hear that. I suppose that means you didn't venture into the desert to join the Motoujami-Simo? You could, you know," he offered, trying to see if that would peak her interest at all.
Just because she was here and had the coloration for it didn't mean she'd actually take him up on it, but it would be rude not to point it out.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:20 pm
"What makes you think I'd want to join a pride again?" She asked, giving him a little hint that she had come from a pride. It wasn't the best pride in the world, her 'home' but, whatever. It wasn't home anymore. She didn't even know the pride he was talking of. Tuc had managed to not hear any news from the outside world because she was into her own head.
She was wanting to kill her kids and trying to really stay sane enough to you know.. not do that. Killing your kids, as long as they weren't pale, was frowned upon.
She would have literally killed them, too.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:27 pm
Huozin considered the question. He hadn't really considered that she might be a rogue precisely because she disliked prides. It was, he supposed, a poor assumption on his part, but he was simply working off what he knew of those rogues who tended to frequent this area.
"Why would you choose to be in a desert, if you didn't want to join the Motoujamii-Simo?" he countered. "We're a pride of fighters, and only accept those with the right pelt colors who can defeat a member in a duel. Like I said, you could join."
Her attitude would fit in perfectly as well, from what he could tell. Not that he was pressuring her to join. He simply wanted to make it clear that she did have that option. And that there really wasn't much else out here in the desert for her.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:30 pm
"Because I'm really just passing through trying to find somewhere I want to be. The dessert just happened to be in my path." She said this with a completely straight face and a little sigh on her lips. Why was he questioning her? One shouldn't answer questions with questions, though she knew she did it, too. Still... Her ears flicked this way and that before shrugging. Joining another pride of fighter seemed to be... redundant.
Though a p***k of interest appeared in her eyes. "..... My old pride was color restricted."
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:35 pm
A fair answer. The shortest path between two places was a straight line, though most tended to avoid cutting through the desert due to the scarcity of water and prey, as well as the reputation of the pride that lived deep within.
"Most choose to circle 'round the desert, keeping to places with plentiful water and hunting," Huozin observed. He also noted that she seemed to latch onto his mention of pelt colors. Well, if that was the problem, he could set her fears at ease.
"We are also known as the Firekin, and value pelts that consist only of white, black and, of course, red," he explained. "All others are huria, and therefore banned. Even those born into the pride with poor colors - yellows and other strange shades - must leave as adolescents." Huozin knew it sounded harsh - which it was - but that was how it had always been.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:55 pm
"You're more lenient than my pride. If someone was born with light, pale colors, they were kicked out at birth, or slaves from birth." She wasn't sure how a lenient pride sounded right now, but at least it let mothers keep their cubs a it longer than hers. Sighing a little more, she shrugged and settled into the sand like she'd done it a million times before. It was hot sand, but not completely uncomfortable.
"I hail from the pride of demons," was all she spoke on that matter besides the given information. Whatever. Stretching her paws out in front of her, she watched the other one. "Who are you? Some recruiter?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:02 pm
The red lion frowned as the lioness described the fate of those with ill-fated colors born into her former pride. It seemed cruel to enslave children for such a misfortune, or to abandon them entirely. But, he wasn't sure it was his place to judge another pride.
"I have never heard of that pride," he replied honestly. "But I would point out to them that unfortunate coloration does not negate blood ties. At least our huria are able to care for themselves when they must leave our lands." He'd never had cause to think the huria lucky, but if this was how other prides treated their outcasts, they were quite fortunate here.
"No recruiter, simply a hunter neglecting his duties in the face of a handsome stranger," Huozin answered with a quirk of his lips. Perhaps he'd come on too strong. Ah well, live and learn.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:06 pm
Hm.
That's all she could think. Hm.
Whatever. She was used to the judging of her pride. They weren't the friendliest at all. Letting her tail flick this way and that as she thought a bit more. At least, until he called her handsome. That was a term for boys, not females. Letting her brows knit a little, she just chose to ignore it. Sighing a little more, she stretched out a little more.
"...Right. Get back to the hunt, then and I'll do the same."
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:12 pm
The red lion rolled his shoulders in a shrug. Too strong. Ah well. As he'd said, he was no recruiter. He'd simply observed that this lioness seemed to have all the qualifications necessary to join the Motoujamii-Simo and informed her of this status.
"As you command," Hozin replied, bowing his head with a smile before turning and going on his way. There should be something to hunt in this direction, eventually.
As for the lioness, if he saw her again, well, they'd see then. If not, so be it.
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