Welcome to Gaia! ::

The world was a strange, open place to the Dwarf. The sun beat down with no holes to hide in, the air was dusty, the stone remained below instead of embracing him in it's welcoming embrace...

Truly it was a strange world and the dwarf moved carefully, looking about. 'Fear' was not in his vocabulary, but the male did not see any Alfr since the flames, and knew there had been no war parties, no efforts to colonize, no nothing. It was strange and unsettling being out seeking new members to bring into the pride-- a feat traditionally done rarely and in small amounts as thanks for assistance, not...

Not....

He grimaced. They still found survivors, they had to be. Though, it was unsettling all the same to seek the willing, the Battle-Readied. He particularly hoped to find some Hobbits for Machibusa, or he feared his small friend would be lonely quite a bit. A sad Hobbit was not a good Hobbit. And their numbers suffered most, the leopards. Carefully, he stopped by an oasis, weighed down by heavy thoughts.

Asali was worried about her sister. She didn't mention it - she knew Aanga would continue to... well, be Aanga, no matter what she said or did. Her sister was tired again - they had been wandering for too long, and while Asali wasn't the most observant of lionesses, she had practiced as a healer for long enough to know that Aanga was neglecting herself. So Asali had made up her mind some time ago, and picked up her own mission: find a new home and someone who would take care of Aanga for once!

While she and her sister rested in the oasis that Aanga had found, Asali put her mind to work at how she could make her plan become reality. Perhaps they would find a new pride, one with a stable home and far from the sea. Or a male or two who were decent creatures, who could keep her and Aanga company and take some of the load off of her poor sister... But perhaps she was just dreaming.

"Aanga?" She asked, as her sister rose and began to walk. "Aanga, is something wro-" the scent hit her nose and she smiled, getting to her paws. "Oh! Company!"

Aanga resisted the urge to groan at her sister. Dammit. Company showed up, and Asali was always there. It was just how Asali was. "Stay behind me, Asali." The thinner female eyed the male again, drawing herself up to look as un-delicate as possible, refusing to give him a reason to decide they were easy targets. Just in case.

"Hello. Who are you?" Short, simple, and to the point. Aanga preferred to know quickly, to determine the threat to her sister.

One was curt, one was polite. Interesting. However it was expected, and he bowed his head a bit, nodding.

"Thorin, King Under The Mountain."

Not that anyone knew who the dwarves were. Still, good manners were good manners.

"Under the mountain?" Asali echoed her sister, creeping around the blue, white and green form of her overprotective sibling so that she could get a better look at the lion in front of them. She looked him over briefly, but there didn't seem to be anything unusual about him - he wasn't made of rocks or dirt or anything, so... hm. What could he possibly mean?

"You live under a mountain? How do you get down there? Mountains are heavy and so big! Is it dark? Light can't reach under a mountain can it? What about food? Do you eat down there, or do you have to come out to eat? Why did you leave? Can you breathe under a mountain? Aanga and I have rested in caves before, they could be awfully dank and stuffy sometimes - is a mountain stuffy and dank? Or cozy, like a big hug from rocks?"

She was probably talking too much again, but it had been so long since they'd had company!

And of course Asali asked so much more. Well there went attempting to feel things out. Ah well. Aanga sighed. "Caves...makes sense." And then Thorin continued.

And Aanga actually felt her heart tug a little.

She remembered the sea rushing towards them, the rains beating down. She remembered the cries of other lions as she and Asali fled the destruction of their first true 'home'. "I see. I wish you much luck than."

Thorin smiled slightly.

"I appreciate it."

He blinked at Asali's questions, mulling them over in his mind before speaking, remaining polite.

"I think it so, but not all members are peaceful. We do enjoy a fight, but not all. Many of us enjoy n**, parties... There is much to see. Visitors are welcome.. But not into our central 'city' as we call it, unless we are rendered service.

Still....

"You are, I see, cheerful, young one. You remind me of my brother, Oin."

Sensing that her sister's frustration was increasing, Asali fell silent - but she was dying to ask about that 'n**', and any number of other things! Why couldn't Aanga just have a conversation now and then without assuming the worst? She needed to relax once in a while.

At this rate all of her fur was going to fall out!