Kimaria33: Ona'raha reclined onto the ground and shook his growing mane, turning his eyes to his new companions. It was the first time he had felt anything clsoe to true happiness for a long time despite the fact that the Ela'wadiyian he had met wasn't the most friendly. He didn't mind however, he had learned how to talk to all sorts as a cub and he'd never met anyone other than outsiders who had ever meant to do physical harm.

Kaure however seemed just as nice and since she traveld with Utlwa he was very sure that she was just as friendly and calm. She seemed the nice sort atleast.

With a contented smile he stretched out his body and let his eyes travel up to the darkening sky. "Do you..." His voice was hushed, "do you think they're really up there?" He blinked and turned his gaze to his friends, "our families I mean."

It was nice to think that he'd never truly be without his mother or father if they really could see him.

RhubarbDumpling: The blanket of night tucking tightly around them, the companion lionesses, too, turned their eyes skyward. One sharp emerald gaze, one melting blue, both took in the glistening diamond-speckled darkness above them.
The male's voice may have interrupted their reverie, it may have created it, in any case, it was a fair few moments before the sure voice of the younger, tattoo-laced femme answered.
"My father is," she spoke with surety.
"The spirits do not die."

The delicate porcelain doll of a lioness to stand in place of a parent for Utlwa nodded her agreement, before uttering softly;
"I think they must be somewhere."

Kimaria33: The young Ela male was more comforted by this than the others might have known and as he glanced skyward, mouth slightly parted and eyes soft he knew somehow that his family was up there. They were keeping him safe even though their physical forms had become useless.

"There is no such thing as death." He finally repeated, fnding this new revelation a greater comfort than any other he had been given. "There is only the beginning of a new life." He smiled, "my mother and father, my grandfather and grandmother. Generations of my family are up there now."

He resettled himself, paws crossing over in a casual posture. "We will see them again."

And he was sure of it.

RhubarbDumpling: No words but those to affirm the young male's statements passed the lips of the pair, Kaure pondering these assertions, whilst in Utlwa's mind passed a much dearer series of thoughts.

She had never seen the father she worshipped so, but the description she had demanded from her mother a thousand times formed itself inside her fancy, his handsome face affixed in a smile, full mane falling across his shoulders. And his eyes, green as her own, focused on herself. Yes, they would meet, and though her mother had been unworthy of her worship, her father was not, would not be. A hero he had died, a hero he would live in the next life.
Childhood fantasies, Utlwa was perhaps a walking cliche of these.

"I should wish I was a Nvwati, to speak with them," she spoke at last.

Kimaria33: Never before had Ona wished for such a gift but at the dark-pelted female's words he came to wish that he too could keep a connection with the ancestors of old. It would be a wonderful and comforting gift to have even if it did come with responsibilities.

"I think..." He began slowly, "that perhaps it is a blessing we are better off without." He was obviously torn about such an idea, "the spirits will wait for us and greet us when we make the journey to them. With that blessing in our future all we can do now is live our lives to the fullest whilst we dwell here on this land, make them proud of us."

With the fading of light he felt the temperature drop a little and with it came a breeze that insisted on pushing the bangs of his mane into his eyes.

RhubarbDumpling: Doubt glittered in those emerald eyes, but as it was not her way to take the opinions of ones not bearing her own name as fact, these words did not long trouble her.
"No, I think I should like it," she repeated, stubborn streak showing itself once more.
Utlwa was right. Always right, excepting when those bearing her father's blood might disagree.

Her companion smiled lightly, these thoughts and the exchange amusing her sensibilities.
"A noble thought to be sure, Ona," she uttered gently, perhaps to soften the blow of her companion's disinclination to allow another's thoughts or wishes to be correct.

Kimaria33: He chuckled quietly at her persistance and gave his head a flick to try and rid his face of that irritating mane. He had preffered it as a useless tuft of fur between his ears rather than this big poofy thing! Atleast it had stayed out of his way before!

He was grateful for Kaure's words and nodded, glassy eyes shining. Above them stars studded the sky with their brilliance, twinkling gently in the dark blue sky. The day was coming to an end but it had been a good one that was for sure.

"I guess I just don't like the idea of all the responsibility that Nvwati's hold in their paws." He flicked an ear, "I've always led a simple life, one that was neither important nor special...but I'm fine with that. I want to be amongst the crowd rather than in spotlight, unless of course it involves story telling." His tail twitched and for a moment he was reminded of his cubhood. It felt like someone else had lived that life now for it was distant and almost sureal. Those were the memories he would cling to for they were the most joyful ones.

RhubarbDumpling: Interest piqued, in that rare fashion that involved neither glaring nor a wish to prove another wrong, Utlwa allowed her eyes to catch upon the fac of the male. Storytelling?
"Tell us a story," she demanded, voice not bereft of it's challenging tone, for to request one who still held the position of pseudo-stranger in her mind had not yet won the right to polite requests.
The adult, however, once more softened her companion's words, with a simple "please" uttered to add to Utlwa's demand.

"We should enjoy it," Kaure continued, attempting to ignore for the best part the icy look she encountered from the juvenile for adding these words.

Kimaria33 Surprise glittered in his glassy orbs and for a moment he was unsure what to say. The little girl sure was demanding but he didn't mind too much. He laughed again, the sound pleasant and genuinely happy as he looked upon the unusual pair. They were so different but they balanced out one another so perfectly. His tail-tuft twitched and after a brief moment he cleared his throat and let his eyes scan slowly over both of their faces.

"Okay, but I might be a bit rusty."

He let his eyes fall closed and for a moment it almost seemed as if he was asleep, that was until his mouth open and from it flowed the introduction of one of his most favourite stories. This one had been told to him by his mother and he had often repeated it to his friends.

"Our story takes place in the african forest, and though my eyes have never seen it's beauty I am told it is a place more mysterious and wonderful than any you might see. The trees grow tall, the plants grow wild and the animals there are some of the most fierce and colourful creatures you could ever meet." He smiled, "this is the story of the snake and the frog."

"Baby snake was bored, impatient and eager to explore and despite his mother's warnings he decided that he would prove himself that he was careful, sneaky and wise serpent. Yet because his mother loved him she could not let him go without giving him a warning and to his departing figure she hissed:

"Watch out young son,
For things with claws,
For things with a beak,
For things with strong jaws."

The baby snake took this information and stored it in his mind as best he could.

By coincidence baby frog also set off on his own little adventure this day and he too recieved warnings from his mother.

"Watch out for the hiss,
Watch out for the coil,
Watch out for the squeeze,
They will cause turmoil."

The baby frog took heed of this and a good job too for not long after this baby frog met up with baby snake. The played the day away with games and soon became fast friends.

That night when baby frog returned to his mother he told her all about the games they had played, leap frog and hide and hug. His mother was shocked to hear this and was quick to warn him, telling him not to play with the snake again.

Baby snake too, told his mother all about his adventures and upon hearing this his mother replied, 'no snake baby, those are not games for a snake. Listen to me, here is what you must do.' She told him of how to hunt and how to eat and keeping this in mind the baby snake set off the next day to catch his meal.

And this is why snake and frog never play games together. It is against their nature."

RhubarbDumpling: A brow quirked on each of the faces watching the male as his story progressed.

In the breasts of his audience passed very different thoughts. Kaure, gentle by nature, wondered at the treachery of the snake, eating it's friend. Utlwa, neither trusting nor accepting of those who would give no thought to those they met, merely marvelled at the stupidity of the frog, trusting a stranger not to harm it in any way.

"Fool," she whispered under her breath, before allowing her voice to raise, posing a question for the storyteller.

"Why did the frog do something so stupid? He must have been an idiot."
These words caused no small amount of amusement in her guardian, and almost bubbling over with mirth, Kaure checked her laughter to attempt to soothe this qualm.

"Moralist tales, my dear Wally, must always have a fool to impart their wisdom." Checking herself, she cast a smile upon the storyteller. "And a wise teller."

Utlwa, mask-marked face darkening, merely harumphed, her mind fixed on the idea she would not fall for such foolish ways. No snake would eat her!

Kimaria33: He smiled fondly, glad that the story had gone well and that it had provoked such questions within the younger female. "Kaure is right." Ona nodded, "many tales follow a pattern. A fool who does not listen, an evil-doer who provokes others." His eyes half lidded, "I suppose they are told to teach others lessons, not to trust strangers. Always listen to your parents. That sort of thing."

"What about you two? Have you heard any stories on your travels? It would be good to hear something new for a change. I only know the stories my mother and father told me as a cub and I've heard them so many times I know them all by heart." He beamed.

RhubarbDumpling: A darkling gleam still circled Utlwa's face, her mind having seized on the frog's idiocy, and sticking.
"I only know the tales of my pride, none of foolish, stupid frogs."
These words were spoken in a voice tinged with those tones of a child crossed in their wishes, temper sticking on each note.

Perhaps half amused, half worried, Kaure's response fell short, though the former was more likely, as her own voice was tinged with mirth, a gurgle of laughter lurking in her throat, never quite allowing itself freedom.
"I know none I could do justice, I fear. Those I have heard require a more ready wit than mine, I fear it is not my fate to tell tales. Perhaps Wally, on another day, may have more imagination than I."

This veiled comment into her young friend's ways almost betrayed Kaure into laughter, but at last she choked it down.

Kimaria33: If Ona was dissapointed he did not show it and instead he gave a long yawn and moved to resettle himself upon the cool grass. The evening was one of the more pleasant times of day and he felt comfortable in the presence of these two lionesses.

He was unaware that up in the tree not far away Kucha - the orange avian - spied on him. Her eyes glittered with joy as she listened to Ona's story and heard him speaking so confidently. It seemde when amongst his own kind he could be himself again.

A lions he wasn't but she had a kindness that went further than just her own kind. She had guided him here and though she wanted to travel further she had not yet the heart to leave him.

It seemed everything would be okay now he had found others but she wanted to make sure.

The male's eyes drooped a little but he would not allow himself to fall asleep yet. "I am sure tales of your Pride are much better than tales of frogs." He agreed, "after all, frogs do not have the intelligence that us lions are blessed with."

"Everyone has an imagination, it's just a matter of discovering the key to unlock it. Once that is done there is no stopping it." He laughed, "I love stories for the joy they bring to the listeners. I want to bring happiness with them."

RhubarbDumpling: "Well, certainly better than tales of stupid frogs," Utlwa spat yet more venom at the unfortunate frog to have taken over her thoughts. It seemed her stubborn streak ran not only to her own concerns, but also fancies she took up.
"Who would play with a snake? A snake? A fool, that's who."

Even Kaure, gentle to a tee, could not uphold her reserve under this torture, and giving way, she spilled forth with laughter, meeting a very confused gaze from the dark juvenile, who, it seemed, had not realised it to be unreasonable to have fixated her interest thus.
Nettled, Utlwa glared at the white lioness.
"What?"

Kimaria33: The sound of laughter warmed and healed Ona's heart and his eyes drew closed as he laughed aloud, the sound pleasant. And if anyoen was close by they would surely here the joyful sound of the three felines.

Already Ona was close to the pair and he found himself glad he had met them. They were so different but they were also friends. They gave him hope that one day he too would be able to make friends with lots of others no matter how different they were.

"I'm glad I met you both." He spoke when his laughter had died away. "If I hadn't have met you I would probably still be in turmoil." And though his coat was matted, his mane tangled and his ribs visible there was something healthy about him in the sparkle of his eyes.

RhubarbDumpling: Once recovered from the mirth that had taken over her mind and body, Kaure echoed the male's sentiments, heartily glad of having met both her darling Wally, and this new friend. Utlwa, too proud to repeat the assertion, merely nodded, still nettled at having her words laughed at.

"I still don't understand what's so funny," she said at last, eliciting another peal of laughter from her pale companion.