(Safaia x wooga Paes)
"Maybe that was the wrong turn..."
Mwenzangu's paws stumbled over the unfamiliar terrain as he made his way though the thick jungle. As a lion that was more accustomed to a colder habitat, he was not fairing very well within the jungle. It was just so...different. And because of that, he hadn't been able to catch anything bigger than a hare. Hunger kept his mind sharp, though, as his red eyes danced around the green foliage around him.
Taking the mistake of trusting a leopard, the lion sighed heavily, his large frame shaking with the movement. He actually looked like he should, not the normal, tubby lion he was used to. Someday he'd find his way to somewhere he was more used to, and then he'd have a feast~!
Someday. For now, he had to find his way out of the thickest parts of this jungle. And he certainly wasn't quiet about it, tripping over odd roots and slipping on small stakcs of leaves.
She, on the other hand, was doing quite fine. Zumaridi hadn't been in the jungle in a while, yes. But she'd grown up here, she remembered everything. She knew just how to hunt, just how to cool off, find the nice places to sleep and rest.
She was only stopping by for a bit. She didn't want to run into anyone from her old pride,though, to spre awkward silences. And she couldn't stay around for too long, 'her new pride probably would frown on that. But she had to quench the nostalgia.
So here she was, happily dashing through the forest, swiftly leaping over trees and ducking under branches. .. which she probably shouldn't do, because out of nowhere appeared a wall of white and black, and she found herself tumbling to the floor in a mess, after colliding with what she assumed was another lion.
".. I'm to old for this. " she grumbled, dizzy, before sitting up. Right, where was she.. ah, she'd crashed into someone. "Oh! are you alright? " ... wow, that was stupid, she felt like an adolescent.
The sudden impact had thrown the lion off of his own feet, but he had not fallen far. No, it more or less looked like he had fallen straight onto his side. Shaken, but all right, the lion stumbled to gain his footing. The blasted leaves were nothing like rock, and he felt his paws slide a bit more before he was able to stand again. Locking his legs, he looked to see just what had hit him. Frankly, he was used to everything running away from him, not the other way around!
Oh, a lioness. He hadn't expected that, but then he didn't really know what he had expected. He lowered his head a little, his ears sagging down to disappear within the fluff of his black mane. "I'm sorry," he said, accustomed to apologizing. He was a little large, even for an adult lion past his prime. Gingerly he raised a paw, the rest of his legs stiff as he flexed it. "I'm not broken anywhere, so I'm all right." Hopefully this wasn't like, another way for her driving him back. That cheetah had been traumatizing enough in the past!
"How about you? You were going pretty fast there..." Fast enough to not notice him; that must have been some speed!
"No, no, its my fault! " Zuma frowned slightly, walking around the other lion as if to make sure he was fine. Good, then, if he was fine. "I didn't mean to crash into you, I uh.. usually spot people faster. " She smiled slightly.
She hadn't really bothered to check if she was fine, but she thought so. She'd have a headache later, tops! "I'm alright. And yeah. I was just.. getting rid of some nostalgia. " She shrugged. "My name is Zumaridi, by the way. "
Zangu's ear twitched at the comment of nostalgia. What an odd concept; was this what cheetahs liked to do too? It was obvious when one of them went running after nothing. Were they running away from something, or towards it? If he ever had the change to ask one (not that he expected it), he certainly would. Make note. Even if he'd probably forget it, as his mind didn't hold onto things as long as they should.
"Mwenzangu," he said casually, and with a hearty laugh. "Zangu is easy enough, though. May I ask one question?" He paused for just a split moment, in case she wanted to end their conversation there. Alright, good. "Have you seen anyone else recently? I was guided this way verbally by a leopard, but I've barely seen another soul, and I wonder if I've reached the end of the earth, or just within the tricks of that leopard."
"Nice to meet you! .. Sort of, I guess crashes aren't that nice. " She smiled, then pricked her ears to listen to his question. "Not really, no. There's a pride in the jungle, but not in this area. " She nodded slightly.
"But I haven't been here in a while, so I may not be that much better informed. "
"Oh..." his voice dropped off. The idea that there was a pride in the jungle was surprising news. Had they been stalking him this whole time? Or was he just in the wrong area? His eyes glanced out at the jungle around them. The normal sounds, mostly birds and insects, filled the air again, after the beings had realized that nothing would come out of the crunch of the lions colliding. Well, that was one good sign...wasn't it? He put his hope into it in the mean time.
"So you're just passing through as I am?" Feeling a bit giddy, he hoped that perhaps Zumaridi would help guide him on the correct path out. Unlike most males, he was open with his problems. One being directions.
"Do you think you would be able to guide me out of the thickest parts of this jungle? I've been lost for days, and I'm certainly not getting any fatter as I wander around here," he said with a snort, but a smile was attached to his face.
He was pretty open to his problems, which Zuma caught onto, and found herself amused with. Nice guy, she decided. "On most part, yes. " She smiled, sitting down. She shouldn't hang around here much longer, but then again..
"No prblem! its the least i can do. " She nodded. "But would you like something to eat first? " Going on days without a good meal probably.. wasn't that nice, she figured. Zumaridi was a good huntress, and hardly ever went hungry.
Zangu's ears peeked out from his black fluff of mane, a sheepish smile growing across his face. With a laugh, he replied, "I'm afraid I don't know how to hunt in the jungle. Mountain tops, I'm the guy to call, but not here within all this..." he looked around, trying to think of a way to not offend Zumaridi if she loved jungles "lucious foliage." Hah, there.
"I'd be happy to help at all, if needed. Else, lead the way, I'll gladly follow." She seemed comfortable enough in herself, and in turn it helped him to relax. "Don't strain yourself though, I'm starting to learn that gorging on food isn't the healthiest of things," he said with a chuckle. Maybe he'd give up a bit of his gluttonous ways.
"Mountains, really? Thats nice. I live in the highlands now. " She nodded. They weren't exactly the same, but they weren't so different, either... so maybe she wasn't one to speak, she'd never really gone to the mountains.
Getting back on all fours, she nodded. "Lets start walking first, I'm quite sure there's nothing nearby. " She had kind of been charging through the forest, and she had not-so-quietly crashed into an innocent bystander. "Do you have any place in particular you want to get to, or just 'out'? "
"Mountains," he repeated, nodding his head. "My old home was quite high up, to where we had snow for quite a few moons within the year." He grew quiet for a moment. As he wasn't one to hide things, though, he pipped up again. "Anyway, there is no home there anymore, so I merely am making my way through the lands with no direction. It's not so bad, I'm just not used to....this. Green and everything." He was used to just going down to the grasslands to hunt, and not solid jungle.
"Out!" he laughed. "No offence, but I'm tired of only seeing small patches of sky when the trees above me permit just that much!" It was all a little maddening, but he'd manage until he would be able to be out of this!
"Snow, huh? Heard of it, never seen it. " Africa in general was pretty hot. The highlands were col-ish, but she'd yet to see them get that cold. She frowned slightly, quietly wondering what happened to his home, but deciding not to pry.
She chuckled at his reply. "I'm not offended! Jungle ain't for everyone. You're not alone in that, I've yet to see any cheetah living happily over here. " She smiled, then, after a quick look around, decided the quickest way out of the jungle was south.
"Okay then, come on. " She nodded slightly, then began her path.
Zangu only nodded his head quietly, deciding not to respond. All this thanks would be offered to her once she guided him out. He had a little more faith in the lioness to guide him than a leopard. That leopard was probably still laughing, and that had been days ago. Shrugging his shoulders to himself, he fellin line after Zumaridi.
His eyes wandered around to the jungle around him in a new light. As he didn't feel as hopelessly lost, he wasn't holding a grudge against the same trees for holding him captive. He noticed the complex life of the jungle within this walk. Very small animals, ones that obviously felt safe within their trees. The bugs that made their homes within here were something he'd never noticed. So multi-coloured and multi-sized. He was used to a few here and there, the ones stubborn enough to live where he had. There was a whole world out here that he hadn't even noticed. Hopefully he'd have enough time to explore as much as he could.
Wrapped up in his thoughts, he hadn't been paying enough attention to Zumaridi. Whoops! He picked up his pace, sticking close to the lioness. If he lost her, it would certain prove the point that he didn't know his right from his left.
After a while of walking, Zuma stopped, ears pricked. "Hang on, " she raised her nose, and smirked. "Wait here. " Then she was off. Moments later, there was a loud squeal. It took a bit longer for her to return, but when she did, at least she was ragging along a warthog. "Ha! " She dropped it, she hadn't caught a warthog in a while. They were annoying; pretty quick and agile, and stubborn like hell.
... they also tasted fairly good. But she wasn't hungry. "Here, food. "
Zangu blinked, not really knowing just what she was up to. As he had already decided that she was trustworthy, though, he simply nodded as she slipped off into the thick jungle. As he waited for her return, curious on what had driven her off, he peered around anxiously. At least he had a direction he was going in, and not mindless wandering through the same trees he had already been in.
Surprised by the squeal, his nerves ate at him. It didn't sound like her, but something was out there. As he waited, he could hear the rustling of the bushes in front of him. His ears perked up, attentive, the lion looked quite pleased upon the lioness' return.
"He- woah." He was impressed. He wasn't completely sure what it was, but it was obviously some sort of pig, and he was hungry. And he was greatful for the food. "Thank you, Zumaridi." He offered a small bow to her before digging into the side of the small beast that lay before him. He was pretty hungry, and he would make short work of the gift.
"No problem. " She nodded, then contantly stretched out in a little patch of sun that the trees let slip through. She could tell it was afternoon by now, hm. The jungle was large, and she decided it was silly to think they'd get out by nightfall. But night was rarely an issue for lions.
She yawned, waiting for Zangu to say he was done so they could keep going. In the meantime, she thought about something to talk about, afte rall, it might be a little awkward to ust go in silence for the rest of the trip.
About half way done at this point, the lion peered up for a moment, checking on Zumaridi. She didn't seem bored, but it was apparent that she wasn't sharing in his hunger. Well, that was all right. He trusted that if she was, or if she wanted anything, she would ask. He had been up front, so there was no reason for her not to be.
"Sure you don't want anything?" He couldn't help but ask once. It wouldn't hurt. Besides, the sudden rush of food to his stomache was hitting it like a rock, and he wasn't sure on how much more he could eat. He'd certainly make himself try, as he didn't know what his next meal would be like.
She blinked, her attention back on the black and white male afte rshe'd been eying a mouse that was scurrying across the floor. "No, I'm fine. I already ate today. " She nodded.
"So, what sort of prey runs in the mountains? Goats, like in the highlands?"
Digging back in, though a little slower this time, the male would take time to lick most of the meat off of his mouth before speaking, if only for clarity. He wanted to finish this meal. In the back of his mind, he felt that he was holding her back from something. Zangu's intuition was terrible, though, and she could merely be fine where she was, not bothered by him. Silly boy worrying too much.
Nodding his head, he quickly swallowed what he had been chewing. "Like that. There are rams, but tricky to go after so we avoided them unless we couldn't afford to. There were plenty of rabbits, actually. We would hunt below the snow and tree lines, and usually bring back gazelle and wildebeest and the like."
Eyeing his meal, there really wasn't much left. He didn't feel like snapping the bones for a fraction of marrow, though, and quickly finished what was left, which was the trickier parts of the skeleton. Odd creatures, but they sure were tastey.
She blinked, quietly picturing dragging a dead wildebeest up a mountain. Hardly something she was suited for. "In the highlands we usually catch goats, or babboons. Sometimes birds, if we get to them before they take off. " There hadn't been many litters just yet, she figured. the pride was growing.
His ear flicked at the comment. Similar, hm? Pity it wasn't snow, but the memories were worth the avoidance of snow. Not much had happened, but he had been a little comfortable there before it became deserted.
Finishing up his meal, he quickly washed himself down, only getting the worst of it. Once he had a little time to relax, he'd worry about really getting his fur white again. For now, he looked decent. Just a little scrubby.
"Ah. The birds were difficult to reach once they figured out we were going after their young." No matter how good they tasted, they weren't worth the steep cliffs that they had turned into their homes after that. Plus they were kinda small.
"Smart of them. " she smiled. "The pride hasn't been in the highlands for long, I guess the animals there are just getting used to having a large predator around. " They had brought all kinds of danger; the pride didn't just include lions. It had at least one leopard she knew about, and it wasn't unlikely there were more species.
"So, ready to keep going? "
Interesting point. Perhaps that was why he hadn't seen anyone else in quite some time, besides the monkeys that resided within the treetops, or the birds taht skirted the trees. Enough to remember, he filed it away to try and recall later. If he got lost, he could always try to find them to guide him back to where he had originally been. Ah well.
"Yes!" he said, a small skip in his step now. He felt more energized, and also a little happier about life. It was the first time in a bit that someone had befriended him, and it meant more than he would bother saying. Besides, normally women didn't believe it when you spouted things like that. "Lead the way, and I'll continue babbling my thanks."
End.
