Ewan had been following the trail of the young swamp lion Shu only roughly and had generally had been winging it. The physical trail had been long cold so he’d been asking those who were friendly enough if they’d seen a lion matching his description. Quite a few had, but then ‘grey adolescent male’ was very general and none’d got a glimpse of his distinctive third eye marking. And besides, this world was so interesting and this was his last big ‘trip’ regardless of his half hearted attempt to find the boy. Ewan had never been good at searching and well…

Today for instance he hadn’t even found and opportunity to ask after Shu – he was relying on the opportunity hopefully arising by itself. He’d been happily pottering along the edge of a pride border, just in case any pride lions popped up (none had so far) and had been intending to go out into the grasslands again (just in case any rogues popped up too – and ditto). Maybe his luck was changing however…

*

The lion snorted, crushing a skull beneath his paws after weakening it. It was typical of him, to wear out a bone untill it was near breaking point, and then simply crush it. It was perhaps funny, but he rather liked how the thing breaking beneath him felt. He wasn't your typicall villain, that felt "oh so powerfull" by crushing some "dirty pest" beneath his paws. He simply liked how it felt, plain and simple. It wasn't because he felt superior.
The lion lifted his paw from what had once been a skull, wiggling small shards out from between his toes, idly examining his claws for a moment. The skull had a double purpouse, and he often used them to simply sharpen them. Or chuck thaem at someone, sometimes. It wasn't really bad.
With a short yawn, Ahali moved along. He'd been fed and all, there wasn't much left to do. He'd retun to the highlands again soon, and though he spent more and more time there, he still left sometimes, if only to recruit, perhaps. Not that he was particularly obvious about it; it was simply if he found some desperado wishing for a home, simple as that.

*

Maybe his luck had changed....maybe. It seems the pair have a simular need in one respect - talk to others. Ahali for his recruiting purposes, Ewan for his searching. It took Ewan a few minutes to decide he'd ask the large male, when he came into sight. He'd not seen another all morning though Ahali's size was a bit intimidating. Ewan being a bit on the small size and all.

"Excuse me, might I ask you a quick question, please?" He called from a distance, keeping his stance neutral and relaxed.

*

Ahali's ear flicked to the side idly, the lion raising his head to look in Ewan's direction, stopping cooly in his walk. A.. question? His striped tail swished, considering whether he was in the mood to really. .talk to this stranger.
However, he didn't have much else to do, now did he? The lion nodded slightly, sitting down. Ahali wasn't extremel social, and wasn't about to get all friendly on this guy just because he'd been.. "greeted".

*

Ewan didn't care for friendship. Just for answers, straight if he could get 'em. The other male looked to be a traveller too and he'd stopped, which was enough.

"Have you seen a grey male, near full grown, with red and white paws. Has a third eye marking but that's hard to see.." He gave the (rubbish) description, tail flicking, aware it wasn't a very good one. And as always he knew came up with an innocent reason for him to be seeking the lad. Not that he had an ill intentions. But trying to meet an ex boyfriends son was an explination that begged questions from the noisier sort of lion.

"Answers to the name of Shu. He's my nephew and I'm supposed to give him a message."

*

Ooh, a gray male. Now THAT was very rare, honestly. He'd probably never seen one in his entire lifetime, of course. Well, perhaps this third eye marking was uncommon enough, though.. "No, I haven't, " He flicked his tail,.

"Plenty gray males, none with red paws. " He shrugged. He didn't see grey and red mix often, really. He was black and red; there was a difference!

*

“ Hmm. Maybe he went to the south…” Ewan wondered aloud. He’d last heard word of him from a noisy bird (who’d then tried to describe every creature that’d passed her nest in the last fornight, annoyingly) who’d fancied this was the right direction. Mayhaps she’d got her grey lions crossed. There were a lot of them after all.

“Thankyou for the information.”

*

"Rogues usually go to the pridelands, for some reason. " They ended up there sometimes, too. "There are plenty lions there. If your "shu" passed by, someones bound to have seen him. " With a pride so huge, there was no doubt about it, even if not by close.

"Is that all? "

*

“That’s where my mate met him last, in the Pridelands. But thankyou for the tip – is true many rogues end up there.” Ewan said, politely and with a small smile. It was an old joke. Something Muroki’s laughed about with him. How everyone, nearly everyone ended up in the Pridelands at some point. It was like it was magnistised.

“No…that’s fine thanks. Unless there’s anything you need to know that might be covered by the general travelers talk –“ Such as information on the movements of other animals predator and prey alike, weather, news of distant prides…that kind of thing. “- I’m afraid I have no way to repay you, since I should get off. I’m in a hurry to find the boy you see.”

*

Traveler, then. He listened carefully, seeming to not exactly hate killing some time. It was better than walking around all day. "The herds move west, I believe. " He wasn't exactly following them, but he was quite sure thats where they'd been going.

"If he's a smart traveller, he's followed them. They're probably crossing a river soon, so you best see if you can catch any scent. If he followed them across, you won't be able to smell him out afterwards. " Water confused scent too much, especially with hundreds of wildebeest mingled in.

*
“Thanks.” More good advice – about the herds Ewan’d already aware of but he might as well try the idea. Shu might be following them at that.

“Ah, you’re one who knows what’s going on then. Only newest news I have and you’ve probably heard already – but its about the trio of hyenas to the east that’re worrying lone rogues. Apparently they’ve gained another gang member. But then you could probably take them on.” It was supposed to be a compliment.

*

"Hyenas are cowards, " He said, shrugging. "Most, anyway. They wouldn't risk a full-blown atatck. " even if they won, they'd come out pretty bad, and with no one to help them.
"I suppose. " He nodded, standing up again and nodding to the male. "Goodbye, " He wasn't the type to say 'your welcome', either.