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 Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 1:51 pm
After a long time wandering in the dark of the jungle, light now began to peak in shafts and rays through the canopy, highly visible in the early morning mists. Lefika smiled brightly at the bars of light as she cut through them. She thought they were beautiful. Late in the night it had rained, but briefly, but it had been enough to soak Lefika to the bone. Her fur dripped and the fluff atop her head hung in her eyes. She had very shortly grown muddy and filthy, and it was starting to crust. She tried not to let it bother her.
It wasn't long though before she came upon a river, and she was greatly pleased when she saw it. Without once hesitating in her stride she walked straight into its waters and ducked under, letting the running water rinse her clean. She swam about in it a bit and found it therapudic, relaxing her. She then came to the opposite bank, clambored up onto it and shook herself off, hard. It left her a bit dizzy and she decided to lay down there and rest on the mossy riverbank under a fairly sizeable patch of sun. The sun warmed and dried her, and she soon found herself quite near to sleep.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 2:00 pm
Mteuli, on the other hand, was waking from a nap instead of falling into one. This jungle he was visiting reminded him of home, though in his mind it still didn't compare to his pride's lands. But the trees and streams were welcome to him after wandering through endless miles of grasses and plains. He had taken a perch in a huge, elderly tree near the river and slept in the shadow of its canopy.
As he awoke, however, he heard a small splash in the river. Lifting his head he slide his emerald orbs open. Looking down he caught sight of a lioness choosing a spot to rest at. She was in the sun, so she was a fair way away from where he sat. Smiling a little he lifted his voice gently, "Greetings down there, Miss."
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 2:14 pm
Lefika thought she must be losing her touch, for she hadn't sensed that another lion was near. Usually she was much better at figuring out the elements of her surroundings. Perhaps her drowsiness was affecting her. Or perhaps it was the jungle itself that was throwing her off. Unlike Mteuli, Lefika was not fond of the jungle at all. It made her feel a bit claustrophobic, and if it weren't for that kid and her desire to do something nice for him, she wouldn't have gone in at all. She herself much preferred the open grasslands and deserts where she could see all around herself for miles and run for long stretches without having to change direction.
At any rate, it startled her a bit when he spoke to her, as she hadn't been expecting anyone. She picked her head up, fast, and her steely eyes snapped open. She looked around for the source of the voice, until finally it occurred to her to look up and she spied Mteuli up in the tree. Sighing a little, she relaxed. He didn't look agressive, and as long as he wasn't going to be agressive towards her, she couldn't care less about him. "Hello," she responded with a nod, trying to be polite, but once the politeness was done she laid her head back down and tried to return to sleep.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 2:28 pm
Mteuli watched her curiously, finding her control, despite her surprise, unusual. Most he met were either openly friendly or shy, but not like this. She didn't want to talk to him, that was obvious. But the male couldn't resist doing so anyway-he was a social creature and any form of company was good for him, whether it difficult or easy to converse with them.
"It is quite a beautiful day," He commented with silky control on his vocals. "A shame to waste it on someone like a nap...I suppose I should have gotten up earlier and not wasted the day away." His words were carefully strung but had an expert's flow.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 2:40 pm
As Lefika strained to drift back off to sleep, she was interrupted as the lion perched above her continued conversation. Oh well. She'd humor him, she figured, if he so insisted on socializing her. "Every day is beautiful," she mused, rhetorically, with her eyes still stubbornly closed. However, she did have an honest belief in this statement; ever since she had departed her birth-pride, every day was beautiful to her.
She pursed her lips a bit as he went on, and she listened to him, and responded quietly, "I nap now only because I haven't slept all night, and my body aches, and I'm trying to dry off in what little sun I have found." There was no irritation in her voice, for truly she wasn't really irritated. Everything was stated plainly, as fact. She never did speak with any fanciness or even very much intonation.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 2:47 pm
"Ah...that is very true, my dear," Mteuli said in agreement to her first statement. "Every day gives new hope, new life. It is quite a beautiful thing." Despite the practicle way she spoke, he continued to let his words trickle like water in a stream. Flourishes in speech were just part of his nature. Speaking plainly wasn't something he was very good at.
"I am sorry," he said appologetically. "I didn't mean to disterb your rest. It does sound like you need it, if your body aches so." His appology seemed genuine. He was sorry for messing up her nap, though he couldn't help but enjoy the conversation.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:11 pm
"Hmph," Lefika grunted, though she smirked a little. She recognized the truth in Mteuli's fanciful, poetic speech, though she had no more to add. She had stated what she believed to be true, and that, she thought, was enough. Lefika was never a fan of elaborations and fanciful speech, she thought they were a waste of breath. When others got fancy with their speech, however, it didn't bother her. She felt people were free to do whatever they wished, even waste their breath.
She threw up a paw and waved it indifferently, brushing off Mteuli's appology. "Don't appologize, you needn't be sorry," she said. She yawned wide, bearing her fangs, then stretched and sat up all in one motion. While her speech may be short and curt, her movement was indeed very graceful, even when she was tired. "I suppose I should get moving, at any rate. I don't care much for the jungle, and if I get moving the adrenaline will keep me going anyway." The way she sat, hunching slightly, said that she probably wouldn't be moving anytime soon, though.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:31 pm
"Truly?" Mteuli murmured, a slight hint of dismay in his voice. He couldn't really understand how anyone could dislike the jungle...but then there were lions of loved the hot desert sands or lived in the graveyard. To each his own, he supposed. He loved his jungle and his homeland and wouldn't give it up for anything, "I am sorry to hear that. I, on the other hand, am very fond of the jungle. My home resides in one, though not in this area." He watched her from his perch in the tree. While he looked relaxed he was ready to get down if she did wish to take off. He didn't want to cut a conversation short simply because he was too lazy to get out of a tree!
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:57 pm
With a shrug, Lefika glanced around at her surroundings. She took in the trees and low brush and vines. "Oh, it's a fine jungle," she assured the lion in the tree. "It's a very fine jungle as far as jungles go. If I had to live in a jungle, I'm sure I'd choose this one... it's just that I'd prefer not to live in a jungle." She regarded Mteuli now with a curious, somewhat perplexed look. She could not understand what drove some lions to live in the jungle. "Don't you ever feel... trapped, here?" she asked. She looked around once again and found that the trees and vines felt like bars to her, and the foliage overhead shielded her from the beautiful sky. She couldn't wait until she got out and back to open spaces.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:04 pm
Mteuli shook his head. "Never, my dear," he murmured in all seriousness. He glanced at the trees and vines and flowers with affection. "The jungle is always...cozy for me, I suppose. I feel safe in such places...and I always love the feeling of being surrounded by life. There is always a creature near by or a flower blossoming or some such thing-I find it beautiful. Not that the open grasslands are bad but they just seem so...empty to me, even with the game that race through the long stalks of green and gold. No...I'm afraid my heart has been stolen by the areas such as this." His voice was smooth and warm and he could almost picture his home in his mind.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:48 pm
Lefika stared up at Mteuli, nose wrinkled, eyebrows cocked, as though Mteuli had suddenly sprouted flowers from his face. This was madness. "What is it that makes so many think that the jungle is 'safe'?" she inquired, shaking her head slowly. "There are so many places for enemies and poisonous creatures to hide here! There is no place that is truly safe. This I know." She nodded sagely. It was something she knew well, and she tried to keep her wits about her in knowing this.
She stood now and prowled up to the base of the tree. She got up on her hind legs and propped herself up against the tree trunk and grinned up at the male lion. "Perhaps I'll have to teach you the beauty of the grasslands someday, hon. I grew up in a grassland far from here. I call all places home, though." Her expresion softened a little as she thought of her travels. "What is it they say? 'Home is where the heart is'? Well my heart is everywhere..." She might not care much for elaboration, but if she ever did get poetic it was when she spoke of traveling the land.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:57 pm
"Those who know the jungle are able to read it's dangers without a second thought," Mteuli murmured simply. "I know the jungles as well as I know the back of my paw. I am used to the surroundings and can tell when others are near by. Besides, my jungles of home are peaceful. My pride has lived there in peace for generations." He shrugged slightly, rolling his shoulders. How could he explain it to her, when she saw the jungle like a cage? How could he tell her that he'd rather have plants surrounding him then the emptiness of the plains?
"I would love to take you up on that offer," He told her with a sincere smile. "It would be lovely to see it through the eyes of someone who clearly loves it so much."
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 5:17 pm
Lefika shrugged indifferently and dropped back onto her paws. She prowled away from the tree now and bent down to the river to drink. As she drank she pondered a bit, wondering what to do with this forced-upon company. Not that she minded, terribly... but she hadn't exactly chosen the company either. She didn't think she'd be rid of him anytime soon, and couldn't think of a way to shake him off easily... so she might as well make the best of the company she had. For her curiosity and amusment, she turned to Mteuli and smiled and said, "So why don't you show me what you think is so wonderful about the jungle in the meantime, hon?" She stood beneath the tree expectantly, because she just knew he would take her up on it.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 5:48 pm
Mteuli looked down at her thoughtfully. He still wasn't sure he could make her understand. He could show her the things he loved about the jungle but...he had a feeling she'd find nothing spectacular about them nor would she see it his way. "I cannot make you see it the way I do," he told her silky as he shifted gracefully to stand on his paws along the huge branch on which he perched. "I suppose I can show you some of the things I admire about the place, though," He chuckled with a shrug as he jumped down smoothly from the tree to land almost silently on the ground but a foot or two from her.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:12 pm
Lefika chuckled at what she believed to be a misunderstanding. "Oh, I don't expect you to make me see it your way," she replied as she shifted back and allowed him plenty of room to land. As soon as he'd hit the ground she joined him at his side and continued. "It simply interests me to know what your manner of thinking is. I love to get into other people's heads." Here she poked his forehead and then laughed, shortly, before resuming her usual cool, straight face. She backed down a little. "Well, I'm ready for the tour. Let's see it, hon."
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