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 Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:05 pm
 It was an early morning that brought Raylan's eyes to the dense, overgrown land of the jungle. With tangles of vine and briar shielding large portions of the earth at a time, it was an ideal haven for a run-away princess. Stretched below a massive, drooping tangle of boughs and leaves, glimpses of salmon and white flashed against what little of the sun could pour down through the great fingers of greenery capping the jungle overhead. Even in such a place, even so far away, she really didn't feel safe yet.
It was a dreary thing, roaming from land to land without more than a night's pause, fleeing from the very lion that should have meant sanctuary and comfort. Fathers were never meant to cause such fear in their daughters; thinking about him even now, after being gone so long, still made her heart freeze in its beating and threaten to drop like lead to the pit of her churning stomach. It wasn't that she was frightened easily, but being taught that you are worthless creates a certain set of mind in a lioness.
With a gentle sigh, she pushed herself up with those great white paws, stretching her tortured body and working away cramps that were not helped by a night on the uneven jungle floor. Her eyes flashed towards what little of the sky peeked from beneath the tree tops, showing her a sun that mocked them with their own hue. It was early, and she would have to begin her travels soon - she doubted that she could ever find a place secluded enough from her father to let her rest for more than a few hours.
"Begin early and end late," she murmured as she pulled her hardened bodice from the pallet of leaves and brush that she had used to soften her slumber - not that it helped her much. She glanced down again, looking at the impression of her large form against the brush; how long had she been running?
Like all things, she was no longer the youth that had sought sanctuary; she was grown, and even now, she was no less scared of Nyekundu.
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:36 pm
Also known as attacking the 'king of Ivy's servants'. Which constituted to, in a blatant sense, that he'd been asked to go out and fight the jungle. Yep, one little brown lion vs. the freaking EARTH was going to go over rather well. If he hadn't agreed to it, however, Uzuulu would have chewed his ear off in annoyance.
Freaking... he wasn't even sure that girl was a lion like she claimed to be anymore!
Walking through the canopy of the jungle, which he rather appreciated in context of it minding it's own business and not trying to each the planet as he'd heard spewed to him far too many times for his own sanity, Nitesh found himself half-swatting at plants every now and then, if only to use them as an excuse for having 'done something useful' while he was gone, before the movement of something just out of his clear-sight caused him to duck in amongst the rest of the trees.
Should he have been thankful for a dark brown pelt that matched most of the scenery right then? He had to investigate.
Sneaking around the trees to take a peek, and ready to skedaddle if necessary (due to a peaceful nature that prevented him from wanting to get into a scuffle and get hurt..), Nitesh almost seemed surprised to see only a lone lioness waking, looking about to see if there was some territorial male lurking about to go "MINE. NO TOUCH, NO LOOK, I KEELZ YOU!" and pounce him dead right then and there.
Fortunately, none came at that time, so he continued to look. What was she saying about early and late..? He shifted his paws a bit to go and skirt around her when he stepped on something, most likely a stick, causing it to snap and him to jerk his paw away with an instinctive 'ouch!' that was loud enough to probably wake up even the deepest of sleepers.
Yep, he was smooth alright.
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:55 pm
With her mind already on edge about her father and the way she left the 'inescapable' pride, that snap sounded instantly like an end to the precious freedom that she had taken upon herself to steal. Her heart fluttered instantly to an enormous rate, making her feel like it was trying to beat its way out of her charcoal frame. Her breath caught, curling in her throat like a barrier to life, causing her to bulge her eyes a little. In the space of that instant, she was caught between running away again, or turning to face the cause of that noise - whom she was sure would turn out to be her father.
With a growl that pushed past the lump lodged in her windpipe, her fur bristled up and her body tensed in a manner that she was sure she had never seen before. Instinctive, true, but still a little awkward in her position. With a whirl of her lithe little frame, she spun her body around in fluid motion, ready to face her father whatever the outcome. Her brilliant, sun-colored eyes looked instantly for that white pelt, but found instead a more gentle, calming brown hue.
Immediately, she lurched back and flattened her ears to her skull. Her white paws shuffled, but her eyes never turned away. She didn't think, necessarily, that it was a good idea to antagonize the inhabitants of what was undoubtedly a pride's land. She had only meant to stay for the night and cause no harm, which is why she instantly backed off from her offensive stance. She would not, however, show fear - after all, this wasn't her father and she was therefore mostly unafraid of him. Common sense, of course, told her not to be a thorn in the paw; she didn't want to be skinned alive either.
"I'm sorry," she muttered in a voice that would have been beautiful, but was rough and battered by months of no conversation, "I thought that.." She trailed off, bringing herself back into a prideful stance, but one not threatening by any means, suddenly aware she was about to tell him 'I thought you were my father.' Wouldn't that bring a few odd looks her way?
"I didn't mean to intrude here.. wherever here is." She kept it at that, silently pleased with herself for standing the little ground she had.
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:08 pm
Nitesh didn't know much better when it came to the sudden leap that came from the female at his sudden barrage of noise, especially since he probably should have left her presence at 'Oh, is a stranger, let's go over there now', but she simply had seemed like such a distraction to procrastinate going back to the 'Commander of the war', he'd been staring.
"That was quite a leap of surprise." he stated, seeming to be unobservant to her physical signs of her desire to have attacked him, but him having been the wrong target. It was almost....oh.. he didn't know how to describe her fluid movement into attack-mode. Again, it must have just been shock on his sudden appearence....
Oh, and -now- she was apologizing! Way to make him feel guilty!
When she started to explain her actions, he quickly lifted a paw to casually brush the suggestion off, shaking his head. "No need to apologize! Sudden unannounced noise? Of -course- you'd be a bit jump!" he said in her defense for her, which settled perfectly well in his mind as her excuse.
Nitesh was far too casual for his own good sometimes.
But then she continued to apologize, causing him to, again, shake his head. "We welcome strangers to take some refuge here, stranger. You're in the jungle of the Urkshino Watembazaji." That was a long word. "Better known was the Unity Walkers." he added so she didn't have to try and put the other name to memory.
He continued to stand, looking at the pads of his paw to see if anything had actually been hurt, determining it hadn't been, before looking to Raylan. "I presume you're fine, or would you like any assistance with anything...?" he inquired. Now that he took a good look at her, she seemed a bit shaken about -something-. He'd have to find out just what someday.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:32 pm
She watched him silently for a moment, her tail curling and unfurling as thoughts raced across her mind. Being around her father meant that he was the only male she had ever met or come into close contact with and she had somehow imagined all males to be slightly mean and demeaning towards females. That was why she had skirted most populated areas to her best ability. Now, however, she was face-to-face with a very seemingly kind male and that was, well, confusing.
Still, even with that thought fresh in her mind, she wasn't sure if she felt entirely comfortable trusting a stranger with her problem. She wasn't sure she could stand putting anyone else in danger; if anyone knew where she was headed, then they would obviously be in danger if her father ever found out. She knew his evil; the kidnappings, the rapes, the murders. But if he could help her, even a little, maybe her dad would never know? After all, this jungle was fairly secluded..
"I know," she paused as she realized that she was about to apologize yet again and changed what she had been going to say, "I'm just not used to other lions finding me." She frowned slightly, realizing how odd that really must sound in this situation.
Sitting down, she glanced up at him, studying him as he talked about his land. "I've never heard of this place," she murmured, frowning slightly at her own ignorance. She knew she wasn't stupid, but she sometimes felt that way after realizing how very little she knew of the world. Her father sheltered his daughters well; it made them obedient, she supposed.
"Help?" she said quite suddenly, with a little yelp, fairly unaccustomed to the offer. Sighing, because of the want of aid and the knowledge of the danger, she glanced at him. "I do, in a way, but it's a large burden to ask of anyone, and I don't want to be trouble." Maybe if she didn't tell him why she needed to hide, she wouldn't exactly be putting him in danger. "I don't think it's very kind of me to ask a complete stranger for help like this.."
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Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 11:16 am
She seemed rather edgy on his own observation, his brows furrowing together in concern for her. He could only see so many reasons for one to be so concerned with the presence of others as well as so jumpy. He wouldn't pry, but he couldn't help but be overly curious. He'd just shove that notion into a box for a little bit.
It was the sudden outburst of unsurely requesting for him to 'help' her that caught both of his eyebrows, lifting them up in a sort of surprised curiousity in the request being made. He -had- offered, but the sound of desperation in her voice is what caught him. It was a new one for Nitesh to have actually had -anybody- asked him for help in such a way that made him actually fear for why they -needed- help. (Afterall, the Urkshino Watembezaji was fairly peaceful, so the most 'help' he'd ever been was that he was a 'warrior against the King of Ivy'.
"It's not a burden if I offered." he replied, moving from his position to come closer. Maybe not the brightest move to approach a lioness with a fear of men, but it wasn't as if Nitesh himself knew such things either.
"And I -want- to help. Please let me if I can....."
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Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:48 pm
She shifted momentarily, trying to decide the fate of a lion in a single, split moment. It was confusing to want help and know that you shouldn't involve anyone else, but she was very tired of running away and being alone. Maybe this jungle was just the right place for hiding for a little while? All she really wanted was a little rest from her journey and a place to relax. That couldn't hurt anyone, could it?
Lost in her momentary thought, as he approached a little, she couldn't help the instant reaction of backing away. It was how she had reacted to her father every time he approached with the talk of teaching her her place. He didn't like that he only had daughters in a pride he wanted predominantly ruled by males. Her failure to be a son was a mistake she would spend the rest of her life making up for, and he meant to show her with as many blows as she could take.
Dragging her mind away from this and realizing that he was not her father, and was actually quite opposite in color and demeanor, she stepped back closer to him. This was it; it was time to stop running for a little while. He was protected by this jungle, wasn't he? Nyek couldn't possibly find him here.
It was settled.
"I need.. to hide from someone very dangerous. My name is Raylan." What an odd introduction.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 9:33 am
Someone dangerous? Nitesh took a deep breath to think if there was anybody he could label 'dangerous' in the pride. The only 'dangerous' he cold think of was the danger his elder brother had escaped from. But there was nothing like it there within the borders of the pride.
He could only imagine that 'someone' was a male from how she had backed away from him. It was as if she had to hypnotize herself. 'Brown-boy is not the enemy, brown-boy is not the enemy'. Over and over and over.
"Raylan? That's a name I've never heard before. It's beautiful." he complimented, trying to soothe her poor fried nerves with it, before he went on to introduce himself. "I'm called Nitesh." he counter-introduced. Now he had to think of a good place for her to hide in. Would she prefer to stay outside of the pride here in this jungle, or would she like to go be surrounded by the others of the pride?
Guess it didn't hurt for him to ask.
"If you wish to hide, do you have a preference for how much you are surrounded?" he inquired, pausing a moment to consider how he'd worded that, before going on. "I mean, would you prefer to be alone or would you like others to be around you? Because you can remain out here in the jungle, or I can take you back to the den-area to hide you in the place I sleep. Perhaps introduce you to my family if it'd help you any..."
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 9:58 am
If Nitesh had known that her father was the very reason for his elder brother's enslavement, Raylan probably would have been met with a different attitude. Raylan, however, did not know a thing about that entire situation, and thus, she couldn't have felt badly about it. It's not like she even loved the brute that had caused his brother's torture, and her own.
"It's unique, I know, I think my mom made it up," she said with a smile, thinking fondly to the flamingo lioness that was her only sanctuary during all of that insanity. Though, his next question certainly pulled her away from the comforting thought of her mother's embrace.
"I.." She paused, unsure of what she really wanted. She had never been around many lions or lionesses before, considering how long she had been on the run, but the thought of friends was comforting. "I wouldn't mind being around others, but I've never really been around anyone at all much." She wrinkled her nose up, "what if they don't like me?" Her father being who he was meant that she was very used to rejection and not very used to acceptance.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:14 am
He sat, waiting for her to sort out her uncertainty patiently. He wasn't about to rush someone who was trying to think of the best way for her to hide. "Don't like you? I've yet to have seen our pride not 'like' someone." Nitesh said, rising up to his paws and turning to start back off towards the pride he'd come from.
"So I doubt you have anything to worry about." he continued, waiting for Raylan to follow, before he continued on, sneaking through the undergrowth of the trees, swatting some pieces of the foliage down if only to clear the path out for whatever purpose he had.
Now and then he'd stop and look back to Raylan, waiting for her to catch up, or to see if he'd accidentally lost her amongst all the trees.
Once the trees started to clear out into the pathway between the jungle and the cliff-sides that kept most intruders of the pride out of it, he waited again for her. "This pride is set up to keep out most invaders we would have. I can't recall us having an unled stranger make their way into our pridal lands." he tried to think of anything else that was anything else to say to her about the pride, before coming to a good warning;
"Also, we have an insane Hyena in the pride. She think she's a lion and has a tendancy to attack plants. "
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:27 am
She smiled as she trotted along beside him, sometimes falling in behind him if a particularly thick part of foliage made the path harder to follow. Though she had never experienced this sort of nature before, as long as she kept her eyes on him, she found it easy to wind her way through the branches and vines and keep to the path he was setting for them.
"Well, that's good then, I wouldn't want to get all the way there and then have to turn around and leave. I wouldn't know where to really go, either," she mumbled, brows furrowing slightly at the momentary thought of having to eventually leave and find a new place to hide; she knew she couldn't stay here forever, just for a little while.
"I don't think I could have found this place by myself, that's for sure," she said as she glanced up towards the thinning trees, tangerine eyes roaming over the spindly branches. "I wouldn't want to come this far into the jungle anyway, I was already scared I wouldn't find my way out of the little bit I was already into."
She laughed softly at his words, quirking an eyebrow. Hyena that thinks she's a lion? "Well, I'm not leafy and green, so I shouldn't worry, right?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:40 am
"Most wouldn't." he replied, grinning a bit, before looking away from Raylan to chuckle a bit at her comment about her coloration, nodding in agreement. "No, you're definately not green and leafy. But neither am I, and she's convinced I'm a warrior against the 'King of Ivy'." he added.
Which, of course, was the only reason he'd been out in the jungle at all, in order to get away from the insanity that -was- the 'commander of the anti-plant army'. If she wanted to be anti-plant, Nitesh had though, Uzuulu should have been born an herbivore.
Ah well.
He continued to walk along, every now and then glancing to the lioness, before looking away again, not wanting to make her uncomfortable with his gaze. Once the path opened up more, Nitesh paused, looking about to see who was already out and about, before turning his head to look at her.
"Looks like nobody is up yet. That might work better for you if you're hiding." Nitesh stated, stepping off of the path and out into the open, continuing on in his straight-path towards the opposite side of the lands. He nodded off towards the cliffs-again. "We make our dens in there. Keeps our backs-safe and we can see what's going on outside of them if needed."
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:47 am
She quirked an eyebrow, generally curious about this pride and their beliefs. How in the world could you be anti-plant? "Who is this 'King of Ivy'?" She asked, hoping that the question didn't make her look to stupid. After all, she'd never even seen a jungle until sometime last night when she needed a place to sleep.
She glanced around, smiling to herself at the way the pride was set up. It was smart, to position themselves that way, and it made for a very cozy little home. If she had felt safe settling down anywhere any time soon, this would surely be a good place to do it.
"That's probably is a good thing, then I guess no one will see me but those you wish to," she frowned after a moment, realizing that she had put a great deal of trust into a stranger. He was nice though, and she really thought that he would help her, even without knowing exactly what kind of danger it was that she was running from.
She brought the smile back to her face as she glanced to him, catching up to walk more at his side than before.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:58 am
Nitesh couldn't suppress a bit of a laugh at the inquiry. "Really, I have no idea. She just rambles about it to no end." he explained, continuing along. In his own mind, he couldn't really say anything about the pride's set-up, it being the only thing he'd ever known.
On that thought, he glanced at one of the den's in particular, smiling a bit to himself. He'd been born and raised in it, but moved out as soon as he and his siblings started to not fit inside of it comfortably, finding his own to curl up in.
Every now and then he'd wake up to have a Hyena drooling on his ear, but he paid little attention to that.
"Or those -you- wish to see yourself." he tacked on to her observation. It wasn't as if Nitesh's desire to hide her made her turn invisible or anything. Though it would've been -neat- if that was the case. Then he'd be able to hide from Uzuulu with a bit more ease.
The brown lion looked to Raylan as she picked up her pace to walk by her side, smiling a bit, before ducking into one of the openings in the cliff-wall without a word and almost suddenly.
"It's not a huge-place, but I think it'll be a just right size for the pair of us to hide-out in, as long as no unexpected visitors pop-up to hang in here with us."
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:06 am
She gave a small laugh at his answer, shaking her head slowly in wonder. "Well, if you don't know what it is, how on earth are yo supposed to be fighting it?" She quirked an eyebrow, wondering silently just how crazy this Hyena really was. She certainly sounded like she was a real nutcase.
She glanced in the direction that he looked momentarily, wondering to herself. He either had family or a mate in that direction - no, the mate would live with him, wouldn't she? She wished she knew more about these things, she didn't want to make some lioness mad. Putting it out of her mind, she turned back to him.
"Well, I suppose, but I don't really know anyone, so I guess I really just have to trust your judgment, don't I?" she asked, her eyes turned up toward his before glancing to the den they had just wandered into.
"I think this will work perfectly," she said happily, tail swishing and showing off her salmon stripes momentarily.
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