So the pair walked, contrasting colours underneath the hot sun. Mia stole curious glances as Kihalau's pink and yellow pelt as if she were an intrigued cub, but she liked it. It made him different. She had heard tales of prides that didn't much like those with brightly or differently coloured pelts, but Mia had always found it interesting. The Pridelands had always been accepting of those who were different so she supposed she had a high tolerance of others. There were even creatures in the pride who were not wholly lion... though she didn't have much knowledge of those in honesty. Absent mindedly, she wondered what the rest of Kihalau's family looked like... his parents... maybe even his cubs, if he had any.
Slowly since meeting earlier in the day, the pair had fallen into a comfortable silence, Kihalau vaguely unaware of where he was headed, but putting his trust in the lioness who had lived here all of her life. Shaking his bright mane he looked at her chocolate pelt. It was a warm colour, nicer than the colour of mud, it was comforting. He looked away as she turned her head to look at him in a similar fashion and cleared her throat awkwardly. Under the lionesses breath he could hear a strange muttering and frowned gently.
“One, two, three, four...”
Mia appeared to be counting. The male looked at her gently with a confused smile. “What's that?” He asked, as if he may have misheard her.
“Oh.” She'd started doing it already, obviously. “E-erm.” The lioness appeared cub-like for the second time in a few minutes. “I count sometimes.” By sometimes, she meant most of the time. “I like finding patterns with numbers, and things... sometimes I add them together and...” She trailed off. Her father had said it was a quirk, but there was a high possibility that her new found friend would find her simply bizarre. She was lucky in that she hadn't exactly been bullied for it as a cub, her large and accepting family had been kind to her. Mia had loved being one of many of Mahiri and Bakhti's children. It was like her safety net. Though she was closer to some members than others, she always had someone to rely on, and thus she had never wanted to leave the Pridelands. After Mheetu's disappearance she had come close, but thought of her children. Though none of them were to have a family of their own yet, if they were, she would not want to miss it for the world. The urge to keep counting their steps rose again but she quashed it this time, looking wide eyed at Kihalau.
Kihalau laughed- but it was kind. “That's kinda sweet. It's nice to be different, isn't it?” He motioned to his pelt with a raise of his eyebrows. The male had always had a creative streak that was as bright as his colouration, but hadn't really had the opportunity to express it. Perhaps if the Pridelands were full of different characters and talents, it would be the best chance he'd get to really figure out who he was now. It was funny how different creatures had different whims, flaws and quirks. He certainly found Mia all the more interesting for it... Now if she had revealed that she liked to other lions and wear their pelts... that would be unnerving.
Mia smiled gratefully. That was one potential obstacle of friendship moved swiftly out the way then. She began to relax a little more, and began to talk of days gone by, and her children.
“Your children are still here?” Kihalau asked, interested. He had a child, once, but he was certain of their whereabouts. Many fragmants of his past life had been left behind now.
“Yes, but they are adults...” Mia felt old for a second, but there were lions in the Pridelands who were far, far older than she was, so she entertained that thought for a moment of strange comfort. “They're all pretty friendly and doing well.” She had been blessed that aside for a disappearing mate, there was no sickness nor tragedy in her family as of yet. Having a healthy family meant everything to her, and having a large one was second to that, though it hadn't exactly happened as planned.
“Do you have any children?” She asked gently.
“One- but I know little of their life now..” Kihalau trailed off, looking from her to the ground. “I suppose as we go through life, sometimes we lose things.” His fresh perspective on life had been propelled forward by his new home, and for once he could feel the warmth of joy returning to him.
“Ah.” Mia fell silent. “Well.. that is true... but it is good to move on...” She said this for her benefit as well as the males. “I figured today I would show you a little more of the lands.” She hadn't intended for this to be a meeting where she would get to know the male better, or he would get to know her better, but she could feel that that was what may happen, and was ready to embrace the chance to open up. They had already comforted one another during their first meeting, and so they were not strangers to one another's pain or story. Perhaps today, they could focus on the positives.
Approaching one of the quieter watering holes in the pride, the sun gleamed off it's slightly murky surface. Many different creatures came to drink from here, but Mia doubted there would be too many other pride members here, perhaps some solitude and some space to talk would be nice. She figured they could stay here, drink and talk awhile before they made their way around the rest of the pride and possibly it's borders. Since it was a little further out, it made sense to get a quick drink and to start their day here.
WC: 1003
