Home, home, home! Lea thought that once she started the journey back home, the ache in her heart would be cured. As it turned out, it was only made worse, knowing that she'd be home soon - but not yet. So close, yet so far! The lioness felt a bit better now that she had travelling companions, but she still yearned for the mountains.
The sun had just barely begun to peek over the horizon and the pale lioness was wide awake, unlike her two dozing companions. She sat some distance away from them, staring at the horizon. Soon...
---
Mito, in all his fluffy glory, was casually strolling the lands, something that had become it be normal for him as of late, keeping his eyes on the clouds. They were making pictures for him- little rabbits and small, slightly misshapen birds. How cute they seemed to be! Free up there away from the turmoils of the real world. At least they would never have to come close to death thanks to stupid snake bite. 'No, no need to dwell,' Mito thought to himself, 'you didn't die. That's the important thing.'
Sighing, he lowered his eyes, drawing them in front of him just in time to see a light lioness sitting not too far from. He would have walked right by her if he hadn't thought to part from the clouds. Stopping, he offered a warm smile.
"Hello there!" he said, without thinking that he might be interrupting her thoughts.
---
Lea snapped her attention to the fluffy lion, her blue eyes narrowed slightly. Within moments she determined that he was not a threat, and her posture loosened significantly. "Hello," she said. "I don't mean to intrude, if this is your territory." Her tone suggested that she was being truthful, but also wasn't really intending to move.
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"I was going to offer the same sentiment," replied the pillow-like animal with a good-hearted chuckle, "I'm not really sure where I am right now, so I'd hate it if I ended up treading into your territory! But I guess that isn't the case, huh?" He stayed seated, completely relaxed. Mito wasn't normally one to assume everyone an enemy and keep tense about it.
Probably not the best thought in a world with so many evils, but he seemed content enough; no scars decorated his body to display past mistakes just yet.
"So where are you from, if I may ask, since this is not your territory? Are you a rogue like me?"
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She laughed. "My territory is rather far away, so I wouldn't worry about that." Normally she would've been a bit more on guard, but it was obvious that he had no ill intentions, so she saw no need to worry.
"Not a rogue, no." She flicked her tail toward the mountains, distant on the horizon. "My tribe is back that way. I'm heading home now, but it'll take a while."
---
"Well that's good," Mito replied, "in one respect, anyway. I guess it might be hard to be away from one's pride." He didn't want to dig too much into that kind of topic. Not knowing anything of prides himself, the lone ranger type, he didn't think he could really feel justified in talking about them. Anything he said wouldn't really be from him, just things he had heard around from others he had met.
He like the rogue life. Though, he had to admit sometimes the thoughts of a nice pride to settle it weren't altogether horrible to him.
"Heading home? Sounds nice. I won't pry, I promise. Oh! And my name is Mito. I always forget to introduce myself." He bowed his head towards her, showing a bit of respect, "what might I call you, dear?"
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"Very," she agreed. "I'm not exactly young and this is the first time I've ever been away from my tribe. It's difficult, and I can't wait to go back."
Lea smiled. "No worries. My name is Lea. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mito. What brings you out this way?"
---
"I can't remember!" admitted the somewhat plump lion with a slightly embarrassed laugh, "I was walking for some reason... then I saw the clouds and started to, well, find animals in them... and now I don't rightly remember what I was doing." He grinned at that. There really wasn't a whole lot that could make him feel shame. This was cutting it pretty close, though.
"Ah well, I suppose it all worked out in the end. I ended up meeting you! So it's not a bad day," he hummed thoughtfully, "it's a pleasure to meet you, Lea. I hope you get to see your pride soon. What's it like, if you don't mind me asking?"
---
The lioness tilted her head. What an odd lion, almost cublike in his demeanor! She was used to the serious attitude held by her tribemates. It was little differences like this that made her eager to get home - the differences weren't necessarily bad or unpleasant, just strange. She longed for the comfort of familiarity.
"It's structured, secluded in the mountains. We have a very specific way of life - working together, for the good of the tribe as a whole. It's unsettling for me to be out here on my own, relying on only myself." She shook her head. "A good learning experience, I guess, but I'm ready to get home."
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"So was being on your own something from the pride?" he asked watching her carefully. He didn't want to shove his nose too much into her personal affairs, but there was no stopping it when the curiosity struck his mind. Nothing interested him more than prides, despite his lack of being in one. He wished to learn about them when he could, perhaps so he might find a nice one to situate himself in later. He had already learned a bit about other prides from other lions he had stumbled across in his day, but he was always open to new knowledge.
He would be a poor lion if he stopped listening.
"I can understand that," he replied to the last comment she made, "though I'm not a member of a pride, I do understand the want to return to where you feel comfortable. My den, I suppose, is my own little pride. Being away from it too long makes me homesick, despite the nice adventures I have while I'm out." Or maybe he was just a lazy oaf. Either one.
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"It was," she said. "I was sent out here to recruit new lions for the tribe. I've found two lions, and one of my tribemates found another, so it's time for me to go back. I've done all that I can - not that I would stay longer if I thought I could do more, truthfully. I'm ready to go home."
She nodded. "Familiar is comfortable. Unfamiliar is tolerable in small doses, but much more than that... it's more difficult."
---
"I see! That sounds like an important job. I'm impressed," he replied sincerely. Even the smallest task, when for a group of others, was impressive to him. He couldn't imagine what it was like to think about more than just himself. Okay, so that wasn't completely true. He did have his adopted daughter now. That had changed him already. Still, it was nothing like working with a whole horde of like-mind critters.
It almost seemed daunting; frightening.
"Well I'm glad, at least, you won't be going back empty-pawed," he offered, "and you did get the experience of being out here. I hope it wasn't too difficult for you. Maybe you can tell the others about the dorky male you met who had gotten himself lost." He was only joking, of course.
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"An important job, but not one that was particularly difficult, although actually finding interested lions surely was." She felt a bit odd, as if taking credit for something greater than she actually deserved.
"True enough," she said before laughing at his next comment. "Maybe I could, if you tell your friends about the tiny, furry lioness you met. But, speaking of going back..." She looked over her shoulder at the hill her companions were sleeping under. "...I should probably get going. It was nice to meet you, Mito."
---
Mito nodded, smiling still. Though it wasn't quite the nerdy beam it had been when he first met her. Now it was more subdued. Something an adult lion should be seen wearing. "I'll get out of your fur," he said to the hint, nodding his head and getting to his paws. Digging his claws in the earth, he stretched his front legs, turning a little though his eyes remained on the female.
"It was nice to meet you too, Lea. I suppose I won't be seeing you again now that you're heading back to your pride. So good luck on your journey, and I hope your welcome home is a warm one." With one more bow he turned from her, starting his slow journey back to his own home.
... assuming he was going in the right direction.
