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 Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 10:35 pm
It wasn't often Kauta woke up in the middle of the night, much less arose to go for a midnight jaunt. As it was, she wasn't sure what had awoken her, as nothing felt wrong, or out of place -- she awoke curled next to Mteule, so it wasn't that he'd suddenly left what had become his normal place beside her at night. She checked on the other pride members -- those who slept near here, anywhay -- before she went for her walk, just to make sure everyone was all right. Matifu slept like a log next to Theluji; Kifijo, Tanashita, Ororo'Lisani, Kiamba'Roho, Zumaridi -- all accounted for.
Whatever it was that awoke her, it had done so suddenly and completely, as she felt wide awake and not at all in the mood to roll over and go back to sleep. So Kauta left, hoping her sudden absense wouldn't awaken Mteule too. She'd be back soon.
Once she was out of earshot, she stretched and yawned, her bared teeth glistening in what moonlight made it through the branches of the trees. Placing her forepaws against the trunk of one of the sturdier trees, she leaned into it, her claws digging into the soft bark as the tree creaked slightly under her weight.
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:44 pm
How had he ended up in this wretched jungle, anyway? He should have simply taken his chances in the grasslands, but there was no prey to be found.
Zuko was not in a good mood as he stalked the dark depths of the foilage, surprisingly silent in his approach. As he detected the scent of a female ahead he then changed course, following his nose towards her. She was probably a part of a pride, as he could also make out others on her pelt, though it was harder with all of the humidity hanging about.
"It's dangerous to be out so late, away from the safety of your pack, little girl..."
Little girl. Who was he trying to kid? He didn't look like he was old enough to be an adult, even though he was well into his young-adult months. That stupid so-called goddess had put a hex on him, forbidding his body from growing any further. That suited him just fine, though, it meant he'd always be at the prime of his youth, until the day he took his last breath.
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 7:02 pm
Kauta looked up from her stretching. She didn't need to talk to this one to sense he was less than friendly.
As to her safety? She wasn't too worried. There was the occasional leopard, the occasional rogue lion who wandered through. Other than that, the only predators here were the pride. And if something hostile did manage to wander though, she was close enough to the rest of the pride to rally her would-be warriors, if she couldn't take care of the problem herself.
The Ushirkino Watembezahi may be pacifists and benelovent, but they aren't stupid, nor are they unguarded.
She eyed him a moment, her henna-colored eyes flicking over his young form. "There's a waterfall around here, shall I lead you to it so you can take a look at your reflection?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 7:27 pm
((Oh. My. God. BEST comeback EVER. rofl ))
"You shouldn't be decieved by my apperance." He warned calmly, stepping into view with a flicker of gold, an impressive medly of tattoos adorning his backside.
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 7:58 pm
((XD <3))
"Just as you shouldn't be deceived because I am alone and it happens to be dark," she replied, just as calmly. Not an ounce of anger or irritation showed in her voice, mainly because it simply wasn't there. She'd sometimes wondered if she was incapable of getting angry, but the truth was she'd never had reason to be. This rather interesting newcomer wasn't reason enough either.
He stepped fully into view, and she couldn't help taking another look at him. She wondered briefly what pride he'd come from -- for he must have come from a pride at some point, what with the admittedly gorgeous markings highlighting his dark pelt along his back, starting to creep down along his shoulders and at the base of his tail.
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:15 pm
"True enough..." He admitted, narrowing his eyes, again, calmly. This female was no threat to him. He'd recently heard rumors of a pride living in secret behind an illusion of jungles, supposedly protected by some pathetic goddess or another. He thought it was nonsense, but perhaps it was possible that there was some truth to the story. This female bore the markings that he'd heard of, after all. Earth aligned....
It seemed to suit her, though he'd give no such compliment. It was beneath him to show any kind of affection so openly, let alone to someone he just met.
"The pride in these lands. What is it called?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:32 pm
Somewhat taken aback by his abruptness, she hesited only a moment before answering. "We are the Unity Walkers. Why?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:56 pm
Zuko lifted a paw, but paused to speak before setting it down again. "Just curious..." He answered as innocently as one could gather from such a voice and presence, smirking a bit, feeling a bit of enjoyment in catching the female off guard.
"I'm looking for refuge for the night. Would you turn me away, or allow me refuge until the sun rises?" He asked, almost as if he were testing her. It was his way of avoiding direct rejection, which he'd become a little too chummy with in the passing weeks due to his sour disposition.
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:31 pm
Kauta hardly believed his blowing off the question as "just curious", but she said nothing further. She wouldn't turn him down, either; if it came to who was stronger in a fight, the young rogue would hardly have a chance against an entire pride.
But to be truthful, Kauta was naive. A fight couldn't have been further from her mind.
"You are free to stay the night, or a few, if you wish," she replied, with a hint of curiosity in her voice. Where had this stranger come from, and where did he plan to go? It was nothing special about him in particular however, she felt the same slight curiosity about every rogue she happened upon in the jungle.
"May I know your name?"
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Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:56 pm
".... It's Zuko Amuliwa." He answered after a moment's thoughtful silence. This stranger was showing him a great kindness. He felt... gratitude, but sadly not gratitude enough not to still think it was foolish of her, or any pride for that matter to take in rogues so blindly. He could be a cubnapper, a rapist, or a murderer for all she knew, yet he had been invited into their lands like a returning member.
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Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:35 pm
"Nice to meet you, Zuko," Kauta replied, a small smile growing on her face. "I'm Kauta."
She left at that, no introduction of her rank, leaving Zuko's name sounding very foreign on her ears with his two names. She turned her back to him and took a few steps back the way she'd come before looking back, intending for him to follow. "You can sleep with the rest of the pride if you wish, until you decide to be on your way. They're all sleeping, though, so if you would..?"
It was an obvious but polite request to be silent; she was wanting to go curl back up with Mteule and get a few more hours of sleep, not wake up the entire pride.
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Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:58 pm
"Very well... You have my thanks." Zuko replied, golden orbs neutral as they followed the queen. She got a bit ahead of him before Zuko finally got moving to stalk harmlessly after the lioness at a comfortable pace.
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Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 12:01 am
She nodded and continued, and it didn't take long for her to lead them through an opening in a rock wall that revealed most of the sleeping pride.
Relieved at finding Mteule where she'd left him, she padded over to him and laid down, watching Zuko -- not in a threatening or paranoid manner, simply to see where he'd settle down, and what he'd do.
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Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 12:15 am
They moved through the jungle, deeper and further from the border between it and the open lands. When they reached a narrow canyon like path, Zuko suddenly understood the "illusion" rumor he'd heard. The rock wall wasn't visible from the jungle, let alone outside of the jungle. One could spend quite some time trying to find this entrance unless they were accustomed to humid climates like this.
He followed the lioness, not dawdling in the slightest as they made their progress. Once on the other side they came to a valley, where he could make out spacious open grounds and a lake in the distance on the other side of the land, glistening in the moonlight. There was a waterfall there, and more rock wall.
Actually, the rock encircled the entire valley, now that he could see from the inside. Hm. Interesting, somewhat.
The male did tense, however, as the body that the female was lying down beside stirred, and lifted his slate-maned head to peer over at Zuko with sapphire eyes. Zuko didn't miss the wariness there, but it was masked by something else.
The priest simply nodded to the outsider, not wanting to wake the others, and watched Zuko as the dark, "younger" lion turned and stalked away to sleep a distance from the rest of the pride.
Mteule quirked an eyebrow then and turned to Kauta curiously, asking in a whisper: "An outsider, at this time of night...?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 12:30 am
Kauta jerked slightly in surprise at finding Mteule awake, then shrugged. "Something woke me up, and he was out there," she whispered back, pointing with her nose to indicate beyond the cover of the rock wall. "I granted him permission to stay the night." Something in her voice was hesitant; was there some reason Mteule thought perhaps she shouldn't have invited him to stay..?
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