Mbari was at a loose end. He was the eldest of his mothers litters, the only child. He had seen so much in his life, and he still didn't have anything to show for his, other than his motherly and over the top familiar, who was in truth, aging herself. Kamba was foraging for grubs and insects, as she did so often these days. He didn't have much use for her counselling anymore, truth be told. All of his paranoia had diminished greatly since his fathers death. He was still as anxious as his mother could be at times, but he had become so much bolder, especially since he met Tsukiko. He sighed as he thought of her. She was such a lovely lioness, but they had parted ways. Maybe his grief was too much. She had had another litter before they met too, and he always felt a little behind in the times, in development. He was reaching his middle age, and his brothers and sisters had fathered and bore many cubs, Maawio and Amari's line had stretched right across the lands. He had visited his mother this morning, in fact, and despite her age she was still in good spirits.
Alili was jogging through the grass absent mindedly. She'd had a funny kind of week. She'd met the deaf lion who used a bird to communicate, and was thoroughly fascinated by that encounter for many hours after it had ended. Then she had had...well, a bit of a situation whilst she was hunting. She ran a little too fast and ended up rolling head over paws into the nearest tree trunk. It was a little painful but nothing that she couldn't shake off. The tuft of hair stood up on her head at a weird angle and she was a bit bigger than other lionesses. Being such a dark colour made her stick out in the dry grass like a sore thumb. Not to mention her accent. She had picked it up off her dad before she was raised in the Pridelands by her aunt. She missed her family sometimes.
He could see something black moving along the grass, it looked dark and mysterious from where he was sat but he was able to recognise it as another lion – a lioness, in fact. He was used to seeing other lions in such a big pride, and in all different shapes or colours too. This one though, seemed rather fascinating in her black pelt. It seemed from a distance to have some red running through it. Perhaps it was just the sun? He twisted his head and noticed that she was coming straight towards him, perhaps to say hello, or perhaps she simply didn't notice his gold pelt.
Mbari was correct in that Alili simply wasn't really looking where she was going. She nearly walked straight on top of Mbari when she jumped out of her skin. “Gaahh! Ah didn't see ya there!” She exclaimed loudly. In her defense, he was very well camoflauged for the Pridelands. Her large blue eyes blinked at the male as she hoped her would accept her apology. She was a friendly soul, and her boisterous nature had often got the better of her and got in the way of others at times.
Mbari's amber eyes met hers and he gave her a wide smile, standing up. He felt a little wave of anxiety as he stood to talk to her, but she seemed a friendly sort and so he calmed a little. “I-it's not a problem at all.” He let out a chuckle. “It happens quite often, given the colour of my coat, and everything. It used to happen to my mother quite a bit, and some of my brothers.” He found the conversation sliding out of him with ease, and puffed up a little with pride. If only Kamba was here to see him now. Chatting away like anything, with a stranger, and a female at that!
Alili looked over the male with vague confusion. He seemed familiar. Like a face that had been around for a long time. He seemed a little older than her, but his eyes were young-looking. He had red markings all over his body, somewhat tribal looking. A red speck on his forehead, something that looked almost like an eye on his shoulder. She was certain she'd seen him before. “'Oose ya mother?” She asked with interest. Maybe that's how she knew him.
“Maawio.” It was very rare for him to say the name and for a lion, especially in the Pridelands, not to know who she was. She often spent her days wondering and socialising. Mbari couldn't help but think that sometimes she was patiently passing time until she could be with Amari again and take her place in the circle of life.
Alili's eyes widened. Yes, Maawio, of course. She was a lioness that was hard to miss. It seemed like she had been around since the dawn of time. She knew so much about Mufasa, and the old days, and how the Pridelands had once been so tiny. Alili had walked past a conversation near Pride Rock before, and she had stopped for a moment to listen. She had never spoke to her herself, as gentle and approachable as the lioness seemed, but she wanted to, one day. Alili loved her home, and to hear another talk about it with such knowledge and passion was delightful. “Ah of course, tha's where ya get tha' beautiful gold colour from!” She stopped for a moment to admire it, before making to turn a little and walk past the male. “Anyway, I bes' be gettin' off, hunin' time! Sorry fer nearly squishing ya!”
Mbari felt a pang in his stomach, he wanted to talk a little longer and be a little braver. She knew his mother and she seemed a friendly lady indeed. There was something quite enchanting about the way she spoke. “Well, if you don't mind me asking... We have some fresh leftovers and I-i could use a little conversation. I hunt for my mother, now she's a little too old.” He chuckled It was his boldest move yet, and he didn't have the same intentions as perhaps another male would, but they were friendly and honourable.
Alili was a little taken aback by his kind offer, but graciously accepted. It seemed the male was in high spirits, like he'd just completed a milestone in his life. She knew better than to press someone she had just met so she went along with it. The Pridelands were hardly a place for danger, and him and his family were well known, after all. Perhaps she would be able to meet Maawio? “Yeh, alrigh'.” She said with a shrug. What did she have to lose?
WC: 1140
