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It had been more than three years now that Facio had spent searching for his prey. And in all that time, not a single trace was to be found! He had to reluctantly admire her skill in covering her tracks, but this was getting ridiculous.

He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she would not return to the land of their birth. There was nothing to return to. But that was the only place he could say with true authority that she was not.

However, he was running out of places and prides to check in. He'd already eliminated the more warlike ones, the ones that wouldn't even permit a lion to join without first defeating one of its members. Those had been some severe disappointments, for the pink male knew his prey would have been right at home there. He'd also eliminated many of the other possibilities by either venturing to them himself, or speaking to those travelers who had knowledge of those places.

Now he found himself in an unenviable position just inside of the lands claimed by one of the oldest, largest, and most well-known prides around. It didn't really have a name, it and its territory known simply as "the Pridelands". Facio's lip curled as he reviewed what he knew of this place and its lions. They were easygoing, weak people who didn't turn away anyone, not even those whose blood was tainted with lesser creatures. Fools.

But perhaps his prey was fool enough to live amongst them. There was, after all, only one way to find out.

The pink lion forced his expression into something amiable and friendly as he pushed deeper and deeper into the Pridelands, seeking someone who could "help" him.

It wasn't too much longer before a black lioness, older than he, approached him. Facio waited patiently for her to speak, an amiable expression on his face. The pink lion was so accustomed to wearing this mask that it almost felt real.

Almost. But there was no point in letting his disdain for this pride to show. It would never bring him what he needed to know.

"Perhaps," he answered with an open smile. "I'm new to these lands and while I've heard so much about the Pridelands, I don't actually know a thing." It was even the truth. He was quite familiar with how rumor could twist and distort reality until it bore no resemblance at all to truth. "Is that something you can help with at all?" the male asked, offering the lioness a friendly grin, the kind that said "let's be friends!" and not "I'd happily peel the skin from your bones". Not that he wanted to do the latter...at least, not to her.

Facio nodded his interest as the lioness began speaking. It was actually quite interesting that despite the massive size of the pride they didn't seem to have much argument within their ranks. Truly shocking. Didn't they want to better themselves?

Ah well, no use questioning their lack of ambition while he had someone in front of him. It was interesting that she brought up children and seemed to dislike the idea. The pink lion hadn't given much thought to children before now, but he tagged that thought as one to give more focus to later, when he had time to sit and think.

"So, you're not from here originally?" he asked, picking out the most interesting piece of information the black female had divulged thus far. True, she was older, but he had no idea how long ago she'd come to the Pridelands. Perhaps recently enough that her knowledge of other lands could be of use to him.

Hmmm...both promising and not at the same time. There were prides that failed all the time, at least from Facio's perspective. Sometimes they were...assisted. Other times they simply disbanded for no apparent reason. Regardless, prides that didn't exist were meaningless to his search.

But it was worth noting that this lioness was not the only one with such a past in this pride. Perhaps...perhaps it might be worth his while to actually spend several days here, instead of merely questioning a single individual and moving on.

"You don't say..." he murmured to himself. Then the pink male roused himself and smiled again, returning his attention to the lioness.

"I'm always curious about different people and places, I never would have thought that this would be a good place to learn about other prides."

Really, the way she phrased that question, he had no choice. Besides, the pink lion was rather intrigued by how much information he might be able to amass simply by staying a few days in this single pride. The benefits far outweighed the detriment of not being out actively searching. No...not detriment. Disappointment that he might not physically turn over a rock to find his quarry.

"It seems I shall have to," Facio agreed aloud, offering the lioness a charming smile. "Perhaps you could...show me around, introduce me to those who also hail from other lands?" he suggested, taking a slight risk.

"My name, by the way, is Facio." It was, after all, polite to introduce oneself. People remembered you more if you avoided such a courtesy. And that was what he didn't want at all.