[ORP] Pain and Conflict - Kiuma and Tanaka arrive

[Thalion]

He wrinkled his brow apologetically at the news of Suli's behavior, "It's quite alright, the young ones around here havn't quite learned how to behave themselves." He cleared his throat, glancing back in the cavesto where he knew Kisu was evesdropping on the situation. Glancing back he rolled his shoulders back and dipped his head once more to th female as she made her introduction.

"Yes, I am not suprised that you've been here long. Many have turned to this pride from the outside lands. Things must be dangerous... or perhaps too many cubs have lost their families." He glanced back to the others, smiling softly, "What brings you to these lands? A potential home, just passing through, or perhaps you're looking for someone?"  

[Whimsical Blue]

Kiuma nodded along with Tanaka's words, her tail swishing idly. "From the stories I've heard of this place, its normally far greener than it is right now. And the cub mentioned a drought...? Seems odd to me." The lanky adolescent settled back on her haunches, red eyes half-lidded, but watchful.  

[Thalion]

Maji remained quite calm as the other male sized him up, standing with his head held at a comfortable level, not lifted up as one might expect from him but not at all lowered, his eyes had no hesitation looking into the eyes of the other two. At the inquiry of the pride's current state he slumped a bit, taking a short glance to the sky, "Ah yes.. welll... it was quite lush when I was a cub, but over time the rains never came. I fear the storm king is cross with us though for what for I cannot say." He tilted his head to the side a bit, "Many lions have returned here, others were just rogues but we've welcomed them to the land... however I'm afraid if things continue the way they do we might have to refuse any that come and ration out what we have."  

[Whimsical Blue]

Kiuma purred as she smiled to Tanaka, more a showing of fangs than any expression of happiness. She remembered what he had told her, the reasons for his scars. And that little stripped goddess they had met hadn't improved her opinion any. Tanaka's story had touched her deeply, and she wasn't one to forgive when someone she cared for had been hurt.

Still... it wasn't right that this 'storm king' should be withholding rain from these lands. Making his followers suffer like this... he must be a truly foolish god. "Why do you stay, Maji?" She said as her crimson eyes turned back to the grey lion. "This god hardly seems worthy of having you here. Why don't you just leave, find somewhere better to live?" Her tail kept up its restlessly sweeping as she sat, soft round ears perked.  

[Thalion]

The question caught him off guard. Leave? How could he? "...this place... is all I've ever known." He said at length, tilting his head to the side slightly, "I don't remember anything before it... no family, no pride. When I woke for the first time, this place was there to greet me. It kept me alive, provided for me, and in a subtile way taught me its wisdom... to abandon it now would seem wrong. Outside of the jungle the world is a blank to me... I dare not venture out." Probibly not the best idea but he'd never really had reason to leave the safety of the jungle. Beyond his lands lived unruley rouges, the firekin, and dry lands.  

[Thalion]

"The past is responsable for many of our scars but much of our wisdom... to ignore the past is to turn your back to all that you've learned through your life." Maji frowned over to the fallen god, "This land will become fruitful again one day, I've no doubt in it. The lions here have done no wrong and we've come to live a peaceful life. To leave would to condem them as well... many of them now have families, young cubs that would never survive a journey away from the safety of this place." He shook his head, "We remain. There is no question to it... if need be I will travel to find a new source of water for us, but this is our home."  

[Whimsical Blue]

The red lioness shook her head at the gray lion's stubornness. Sure, it was their home, like the Pridelands where her home. But if it became unlivable, she wouldn't heisitate to leave and find a better place. Those cubs he spoke of... wouldn't it be better to brave the journey and find a place where they could grow unimpeeded, or to stay and slowly die of hunger and thirst? Sure, this wonderful, dying land might one day return to its former glory. But would the lions here be able to survive in the time it took?

Foolish of them, to cling to a familiar past from fear of a new future. They should be thinking about what's best for the pride, instead of what they'd be leaving behind. The adolescent snorted softly, shrugging her shoulders. There was nothing she or Tanaka could to to change his mind, it seemed, so she changed the subject.

"You speak of others, Maji. Why havn't we seen them in all of our time here? Like we said before, you are the only adult we've encountered."  

[Thalion]

"The gods don't care?" He quirked a brow, "My very existance voids that opinion in and of itself. If they did not care why did they give this price a chance at redemption? If they did not care why do I recal the past of this pride, the language, the prayers, the writings? I doubt even you, a wingless god..." he glanced to the lone wing, seeming unimpressed by the show, "Can read or write. YOU do not care, gods like YOU do not care. I am not a fool, and I remember the tales of lions who have lost their faith and loyalty to their gods. They are punished, cursed, barbaric beasts living in scorced lands, under cruel tyrants, and forced to bend to the whim of basic instincts. We are not those lions." He wrinkled his nose up, standing himself up and tossing his shoulders and head back to make himself appear larger, "We are a blessed people and though the land is suffering now it may be a test of faith. My pride may abandon me, the waters may dry up and I may die a fool but I can stand before the judge of souls and proudly claim that I was loyal to the end."

He took a deep breath, glancing to the lioness with a softened expression, "I'm sorry for my temper...these are hard times for us all it seems."  

[Whimsical Blue]

Then tension in the air was high, enough to make fur stand on end, and into this tension broke a sound most unusual. Kiuma laughed, brightly and uninhibited. Her blood red eyes sparkled with it, her whole face lit up. "Boys, boys! Debate gets us no where but into an arguement. We shall have to agree to disagree it seems. We can not persuade Maji from his views, and we don't have to share them, since we aren't planning on staying."

The red adolescent rose to pace towards her companion, dipping her head as she passed infront of him. Brushing her shoulder against his chest, she let out a low purr. "Come, Tanaka. You can't tell me that you really care enough to keep argueing with him when his mind is set." Her voice was low, ment for his black ears alone.  

[Thalion]

Maji did his best to hide the discomfort he felt in the god's laughter though the wince, bristle of his fur, and the flattening of his ears were clear signs that it had indeed shaken him. Perhaps he was a fool... perhaps he was nothing more than the god's plaything. At times he had wondered the same thing... how they'd drawn so many to him, drawn her to him, bound his heart to a lioness who, once content with her share, would leave him and take with her the only family Maji had the chance to have...his children... he would never know them nor them him though they'd have the small fortune of hearing something, even if it was bitterness, from their mother. He didn't even know how many he had.

"A fool perhaps....", he answered quietly, no more malice in his tone than he had when welcoming him though there was the bitter choke of pain in his tone now, "But if this false hope is all that a fool has in the world to give him reason to live then allow the fool that small pleasure."

He straightened himself up, clearing his throat, "I've had my say here... and you yours. I hope you find what you came for...." The silver lion rose to all fours, turning himself away from the pair, "As before... you are welcome... but respect our resources...they are few and there are cubs about who are in greater need of them than us. Good day to you both."

With that he began down the side of the rocks, his ears pressed sharply back into his mane as he made his way down. The lion's words bit at him more than he'd give them the pleasure of seeing.