Dahabu normally didn't venture far from his mother or siblings...but today, he'd found something rather interesting to follow. A small furry thing with big bright eyes. He'd stalked it to the edges of the living area, and was debating if he wanted to go further into the darkness....Red eyes closed for a moment...then he nodded and trotted forward. Into the deep darkness it was!
'Tani was just coming -back- toward the more populated areas after one of his exploring forays out into the jungle. His own eyes were bright and tail was twitching behind him as he padded along. Then he saw something else moving toward him, and stopped. Well, well. A little one!
That is, a cub even littler than him, probably one of the newest ones born. "Hey! Where're you going?" he asked, stalking around in front of the other.
Dahabu's eyes widened and he blinked at the bigger cub in front of him. He wasn't as big as the Heir...but he was still bigger than him. "I was followin' somethin'." He looked around, and his dark ears drooped. "But i's gone now." He chuckled and smiled. "Guess tha's what I get for closin' my eyes firs', huh?"
'Tani blinked, then laughed suddenly. "Yea, I guess so. You gotta actually -watch- what you're following, kid," he pointed out with a grin.
Dahabu nodded. "I was tryin' to figure out if I wanted to go deeper..." He sniffed at the bigger cub a little. Nope, this one hadn't passed by him before. He had a pretty good memory when it came to smells. So...since the other was a cub, and didn't look related to Giza...he did the most sensible thing. "I'm Dahabu-ausi!"
'Tani blinked just a bit, then kind of half-smirked at the other and sat down with a little thump, sticking his nose in the air to look important. "An' I'm Morwa'Shetani, so what?" he asked, looking down at the other. "It's dangerous out there, y'know. Shouldn't you be with your mommy?"
Dahabu looked a bit in awe. That sounded like a big, important name! "I guess...but Mother can't always be there, right?" He puffed himself up a bit, trying to look grown-up. "So I gotta learn what's around, so I don't get underpaw!" Dangerous...his Mother had used that word before...."Why's it dangerous?"
" 'Cause!" 'Tani replied, as if that one word should answer all questions. He realized he should probably elaborate, though, and tilted head. " 'Cause there's things bigger'n we are right now and they could eat us, uhm. And there's other lions too, sometimes, that aren't real friendly!"
Things that could eat him?! Dahabu squeaked at that thought, ears lying back on his head. "Oh. I don't think Mother would be happy if I got eated." He shuffled that tidbit away for later, to tell his brother and sister. That wasn't a thought he could laugh about. "Other lions?" All Dahabu had know was his mother, siblings, and the vampires. His knowledge didn't extend very far.
"Yea!" 'Tani said, warming to the idea. "You didn't serious think we were th'only ones out there, didja?" Really. Was this kid dumb, or what?
Dahabu shrugged. "I dunno...I've only seen Mother and my brother 'n' sister and vampires. So...I guess I never really thought about it..." He smiled. "Have you met other lions? Not-mean ones?"
"A couple," 'Tani answered vaguely - but more in a manner that said the younger cub would have to drag the story out of him... bit by painful bit. It was a game, and he was going to have fun playing it, if Dahabu would cooperate.
The dark cub grinned brightly, obviously intrigued. "What were they like? Were they big? Little? Grown-ups?" Dahabu was as curious as any other cub, perhaps even more. "Were they colored like the pride?"
"Hm.... well, one was little," he admitted, smirking just a bit. "She was from another pride, though... but her colors were kinda the same," he went on, puffing up a bit upon thinking of Ri. She was a -demon-, though he hadn't said that yet.
"Nifty! What was she like?" The only girls he'd gotten to know were his sister and his mother...but not all girls could be like them right? Like all boys weren't like him and his brother.
"Well... different. 'Cause see, she's not a vampire, but she -is- ..." And here, a dramatic pause. "A demon!" he said then, leaning forward with a scary sort of face, then leaning back again.
Dahabu squeaked and backed up a little at Tani's face, his eyes wide. "A...demon? That sounds kinda scary and awesome." He paused a few seconds before continuing. "Uhm...What is a demon?" Were they like vampires at all? Or were they more like his Mother?
"Well, they're uh..." 'Tani floundered a bit here, as he hadn't really asked Ri such things when he was talking to her. "They're ... kind of like us, I think. But they can go in the sun, so I think they're stronger!"
In...the sun? That was the thing vampires couldn't touch right? The cub grinned. "Wow...that is awesome." He wanted to meet a demon now! But he'd wait until he was bigger. Didn't want to make Mother worry by getting gobbled up. "You know lots, don't ya?"
"A'course I do!" 'Tani replied at that, puffing his chest up again and smirking. It was -always- good to have admirers. Always.
Dahabu felt just a little bigger in the older vampire's presence. Nothing like the small feeling he'd had around the Heir. No...Tani was someone to look up to! "I wanna learn stuff too! If ya dun mind?"
"Hmm...." 'Tani pretended to consider that for a minute or two, but he was already thinking it might be fun to have someone following him around hanging on his every word. So he nodded quickly enough and grinned. "Sure, kid."
Dahabu bounced a little, excited. "You're the greatest, 'Tani!" He blinked. "Uh...is it okay if I call you 'Tani?" He didn't want to get things wrong with his new mentor! That would be very, very bad for learning.
'Tani blinked at that, then nodded. "Eh, why not," he replied. It was easier than his full name, just about everyone called him that anyway. And he was a little impressed the kid had thought of it on his own.
Dahabu grinned. "Awesome!" His joy was cut a little short. A voice had called out, and the cub knew it VERY well. "I gotta go, 'Tani. Mother's calling me." He grinned sheepishly. "And I don't wanna make Mother worry too much..."
'Tani nodded at that. "Yea, go on. You're still little so it makes sense. I'll see ya later, though. For sure!" he promised with a toothy grin. Then he turned and padded off to see if he could catch some lunch
