[PRP] Meetings

[Kisoni]

Kizuka was on a search. It'd started shortly after the coronation, and had lasted a few days after; for once there was someone in this place harder to find than the Queen herself. She'd seen him at the coronation, but had missed wherever he'd run off to afterward. She wondered if the dark male had even bothered to meet with the queen--and why the thought that he might not have bothered her. She ignored any of the implications, however, in favor of spending mroe attention on her search. "Makadara?" She asked, approaching the last ground level cave she hadn't yet checked.  

[Vashtya]

Makadara raised his head, his bright markings standing out starkly in the dim light. He'd spent the last few days wandering the Mistweaver lands, reacquainting himself with the terrain that had once been so familiar.

"...Kizuka?" he replied, tone questioning. He'd only spoken to her once, after all. Hauling himself to his feet, he padded to the cave's entrance, blinking at the sudden onslaught of bright, midday sun.

"Is there something wrong?" Scanning his surroundings, he picked out the familiar pelt against the barren landscape.  

[Kisoni]

"No," Kizuka replied immediately. She chuckled softly and shook her head as she finally come across him. It had been slow going for her here lately and just walking all about the place had left her a little weaker than she wanted to admit. The lioness effected a lazy sprawl across the ground when Makadara had joined her. "I hadn't seen you until the coronation, and not since then. I've been getting a little worried, honestly, thought there might be something wrong."  

[Vashtya]

Shaking his head, Makadara plonked down beside Kizuka, batting playfully at her with one massive paw. "No, there's nothing wrong." He looked somewhat surprised that she'd been so concerned, but wasn't sure he knew how to explain why he'd remained on the outskirts of the pride, even after the coronation. It was more difficult than he'd thought it would be, to reacclimate himself to being in such close contact with so many other lions, especially when one hadn't had to use social graces for a very, very long time.

Eyeing the lioness critically, he noted the way she was sprawled, and wondered just how long she'd spent looking for him. His own sleek coat, testament to better hunting outside the mistweaver borders, was beginning to show a hint of ribs beneath it, especially when he stretched out his lean torso.

"When was the last time you ate?" He finally asked, his voice rough, but with an unmistakable undercurrent of concern.  

[Kisoni]

"hmm? Oh, just a few hours ago." She chuckled. Actually, the lioness had gained weight from the last time he'd seen her. She was still skinny, the area wasn't well enough yet to plump any of them up, but her mate was a more than proficient hunter..and one of the only two in the pride that had access to lands further away in which to hunt. Because of him, she'd bounced back more than a little in the last few months. "Have you met the others yet? You keep to yourself so much... of course, we're all more than a little busy these days."  

[Vashtya]

Nodding, he eased somewhat, accepting that response. At her next line of questioning, he froze, and if he could have blushed, he would have.

Silence fell for a few seconds. "No, I haven't met anyone else, yet." Truthfully, with how scattered the pride was, coupled with his own longtime solitude, he wasn't even sure quite how to go about it.  

[Kisoni]

"Mmm that isn't too difficult," She replied with a lazy stretch upon the ground. It felt good, somehow better than normal, and she found herself relaxing even more against the ground. Suddenly she was just so tired! Resting her chin upon her paws, the honey-eyed lioness looked up at the male setting near her. Makadara seemed so shy, bashful.. it was kind of endearing. "What with how scattered we've been. I think things will change soon, though.. with the rains being back, and the proper queen upon the throne."  

[Vashtya]

Makadara nodded, lifting his head to look out at the land. It still remained barren, that was true--but the rains, brought about upon their queen's rise to power, had brought not just hope--the land felt as though it were slowly awakening, as if from a long slumber...or maybe he was just getting senile, way before his time.

"I hope so--one day I'd like to see the pride return to what it once was...and perhaps even to surpass it." he said, turning back to look down at Kizuka, moment of awkwardness forgotten. Jaded though he was, he was willing to put faith in the new queen--she was still young, and new to her responsibilities, but there was a core of strength that positively radiated from her--it gave him reason to believe that, even had she not possessed the birthright, she had the temper of a ruler who would do what was needed for the best of all, instead of taking the easiest road.  

[Kisoni]

"I believe it will," Kizuka gave a nod of her own. When the rains had slackened off, it had left fresh emerald, sparkling green everywhere that plants hadn't been completely killed. That had died quickly enough, but it was obvious that the plants attached to them were still alive. Now, with the rain back and more near the horizon... they would have a chance to refresh themselves and begin retaking the land. It would just take some time. Kizuka thought she'd seen a herd of Okapi near the cliff, though, the day before. It was small and scrawny, but every member had eyed to forest with what had looked like hope. She'd let them be, and hoped the other pride members had as well. There would need to be a certain attraction to this place to get it re-stocked once more. "You should meet her, if you haven't yet."

Kizuka flicked an ear at her... 'friend.' In truth he was more of an acquaintance, but he'd presented himself well and behaved nicely and she preferred to give him the benefit of doubt in their relationship to one another. They were a pride, after all, and so many of them had already lost too many familiar faces. "There wasn't much time after the coronation, everybody still has to get fed, of course.. but if you'd like I could introduce you around?"  

[Vashtya]

Sighing, Makadara remained silent for a moment, before nodding. "That's true enough..." While he hadn't seen any faces, aside from the young queen's, that he recognized outright from his own youth, he couldn't help but wonder if any of the other cubs who'd been close to his own age yet survived--and if so, if memories of them would slowly trickle back to him.

"And I would appreciate that, if you're sure it's no trouble." Lowering his head, he gnawed on a piece of debris caught between his toes, pleased to note that it was dislodged easily enough. "About how many of us are there, overall?"  

[Kisoni]

"That's a difficult question." The female got to her feet. She stretched herself out, back popping and tongue licking over her jowls as she gave a yawn. Soon she began to walk back towards the main pridal area, expecting Makadara to follow, of course, "There's my mate and i, my daughter Kimaji, Masika, Sehkmet, her father and uncle. There is maji and... one i believe to be his son, somehow, but I'm not certain of the relation. I've seen a brother and sister pair about, but never too closely.. there may be more, but it is very hard to tell. A larger one, half maned like my mate, left after the coronation. So... an estimated nine... ten if you count our friend Mo'Onasai, who is not officially of the pride but has the queen's leave to be here.. and her children."  

[Vashtya]

Following obediently, Makadara kept pace with Kizuka, nodding as she listed off a number of pridemembers--he doubted he'd remember all of their names, but at least it gave him some idea. "It seems...very small, to recover from." he observed, expression somber.

"Not insurmountable, true--but it doesn't leave much room for loss." he was quick to amend, not wanting to be seen as overly pessimistic.