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 Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 1:18 am
A'Lora had never been here before, of that she was absolutely sure, but this place...this strange and new land smelled familiar, like she should know it. It was welcoming to her, like an embrace, the ground beneath her feet seeming softer somehow. Then again, it could all be the result of recent events, of the new love she'd found, of her new mate, who had promised to walk alongside her through both the good times...as well as the trouble and hardship.
Now, it was simply time to find them a home. A permanent place to stay, to love, to live, and to raise a family in. For a long time now she'd searched for safety and reassurance. Now, she had it in some measure, thanks to Nashorme, and it was time to stop their wandering.
But there was no sign yet, no welcome...and Farlest had said that she must continue this way until her peace was found. It was that unwavering faith that kept her going, for already this journey had brought her to Nash. Speaking of that dashing male. Smiling broadly, the tiny lioness tilted her head up to look at him, "Are you ready to rest for a while, melda?" The strange, musical word for beloved flowed off her tongue in her lilting, song-like voice...a physical manifestation of her bardic heritage.
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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 1:26 am
Nash padded along beside his mate, close enough to bump shoulders in a companionable manner sometimes. He really did love her... as the two had found out a relatively short time ago.
But already, they were devoted to one another, and Nash couldn't imagine himself being with anyone else in the world. Still, though, he had sensed there was something missing for A'Lora. She hadn't yet found the complete peace that Far had promised... and he was determined to do whatever he could to help her until she did find it.
He found that he also liked this place, looking about with a faint smile on his face. It reminded him somehow... of his own homeland - lost so long ago.
Turning to her when she spoke, he replied, "Sounds good to me. I like the feel of this place... "
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 2:22 pm
As he was doing such, his ears caught the muffled sound of voices. It was just distinct enough to know that they were voices, but not enough to understand what was being said. SLowlying opening his eyes, the old lines craned his neck around to take a look at the horizon around him. As much of the lands were surrounded by mountains, there were some areas where the eye could only see so far. Here is where he saw the two shapes against the horizon.
"Hmmm." More? This was interesting. With a grunt, the old lion got himself back up again, shaking off some of the dirt that had gathered on his limbs. He lumbered over in their direction, his massive mane swaying with his movements.
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:22 pm
The feel of a place...well that about summed it up...this place indeed felt right. Peaceful. Perhaps that was her sign, but somehow, she still doubted. Surely such a place could not go unclaimed by others, "Not for too long, I suppose..." She murmured, "We're close though, I think...I'm not Gifted with Sight, but it just...I could relax here."
As if to echo some of her previous thoughts, her ears perked, swiveling as bright blue eyes chanced to notice the lion coming towards them. Well, he didn't look hostile, like some border guard come to chase them off, and that, at least, was comforting. There was age in the way the other walked as well...an elder? Nudging her mate with a shoulder, she gestured with her head towards the newcomer. "Look, Nash, we've company."
"Hello!~" A soft, inquisitive call as Tawa'di drew near, tentative, but not afraid, not with Nash by her side. There was a comfort in the closeness, and she knew that if trouble should come she'd be protected.
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 9:38 pm
Nash also looked up, spotting the lion coming toward them quickly. He looked different from any other that the reddish-brown male had seen before in these lands, somehow more dignified. And indeed, older.
Which, to Nash, meant that this place was likely secure, and peaceful. How else would a creature live to such an old age without having been killed off by younger and more violent individuals - which was often the case in some places.
He bowed slightly in Tawa'di's direction, definitely getting the feeling of 'elder' about the other, and echoed his mate's greeting. "Yes... hello. Do these lands belong to some pride or group, Aged One?" That last, a term of respect from his own homeland.
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:56 am
Scraped of the conversation reached his ears, but most was muffled from the distance as well as the mane that attempted to hide the ears, tipped slightly with grey.
As he grew closer, his pace slowed as his head raised to examine the strangers. Green eyes viewed nothing out of ordinary, only the coats that read like blank slates to him. He chuckled under his breathe, lightly shaking his head.
"Belong is a term we don't quite use," he said carefully. "It is more like these lands let us live on Her, for we take care to let the land flourish with us." He offered a bow, his neck strained slightly as he rose up again.
"You've found yourselves on the land of the Ela'wadiyi, the land of the clans that wander apart, but live as one." His tail swished as his eyes went from the male to the female, and back again. "Is there any way that this old lion can help you?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:42 am
Her ears swiveled, attentive, as this strange, elderly lion came near. He seemed a friendly enough soul, certainly not a threat to the two, and that was a relief and calmed her skittish nerves. Taking a deep breath, she leaned in subtly towards her mate, blue eyes blinking slowly.
"Ah. A goddess, then?" Her voice chimed, pleased in the way he referred to the lands that he had obviously spent his life upon. Watched over by divine eyes...their stewardship of the lands was a privilege, rewarded by a peace that allowed a lion such as Tawa'di to live to old age. She had heard of the Ela'wadiyi from Phye'li...the tale of a self-imposed exile from this place, but...
Oh, he had asked a question, an important one. Dipping her head in a bow much like the other had given, though perhaps lower, respectful, the tiny lioness acknowledging his seniority as she had been taught to do as a wee cub. "Well...Nashorme and I, we were looking for a place to stay...to be safe, and perhaps to raise a family. Would you, mayhap, tell us more of your pride, good sir?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 10:45 pm
Nash purred softly at his smaller mate and tilted head a bit to nuzzle her should when she leaned on him. He nodded at the older male's description of the lands - having heard of a few prides who didn't claim the land, but instead cared for it in some way.
"The land is always a good thing to care for," he commented with a little smile.
Then he nodded when 'Lor asked that question, and seconded it. "Yes... it's as my mate says. I would like to learn more of this place as well."
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Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:04 pm
When goddess was mentioned, it was hard to not crack too large of a smile. Regardless, a grin peeked around the corners of his mouth. Mana was all he could compare a goddess to, as the only one he had ever met. "I wouldn't quite call Her a goddess. Perhaps a step above that. We treat her well, and she treats us well. It is a very respectful relationship." One that was...well, almost similar to what he had with Mana, but not quite. She had always been a bit more experienced than he, which was a wake up call at times to himself. Wings or not, she never looked very old.
"I certainly would like to," he said with a nod. A family was always welcome within their lands.
"I'll start with the one thing that seems to set us apart from many other prides, and needs clarification." He chuckled before continuing. "While we break apart as families, or clans, we are united within our hearts and beliefs. We join together when the moon is full to visit together, learn of new happenings and how the lands are where others visited. There is much joy within this, and when we part ways we always look forward to the time when the moon shines brightest again."
His tail swished behind him as he nodded to the two. "It is something along the lines of time apart makes time together all the more cherished."
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:14 am
A'Lora thought she understood what he was saying, his words causing the wheels in her head to turn with little whirrs and clicks. Inclining her ear respectfully to the elder lion, her blue eyes were dreadfully bright with curiosity, liking what she heard of this place, this pride.
"So you dwell in clans, but are still one pride..." She mused, "It seems fitting somehow..." Like a family coming back together, there was always much joy indeed in reunion, and the contentment that she could hear in Tawa'di's voice caused a desirous throb in her chest. To raise cubs in such an environment, with Nashorme at her side. Surely this was the sort of place that Farlest had seen in her visions...surely this was fulfillment.
"It is quite true...that with a distance, and time away, reunions are just that much sweeter." Her memories instantly hearkened back to her time with Farlest...to find the lioness after all those years, the joy that she'd felt then. It made sense to seek that happiness in such a way. Blue eyes turned trustingly to her mate. Could they stay...? Remain in this place?
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 11:34 pm
Nash also nodded slightly at the older lion's words, his own tail flicking about a bit. With everything that Tawa'di told them, he was liking this pride more and more. It sounded peaceful, safe... a wonderful place, really.
And he smiled faintly when he saw that question in A'lora's gaze.
Turning back toward Tawa'di, he inclined his head almost formally. "It seems... that I'm being silently begged to ask for permission to stay in these lands - to join your pride, if you would have us," he said with an almost amused little rumble.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 7:21 pm
Tawa'di chuckled, pleased. They seemed very genuine of heart, something he admired. He had Mana, but it was more of a friendship than anything. This...this was something he had slight envy for, but more admiration and respect for than anything.
"I'm certain you would be most welcome here," he said softly. "As long as you respect these lands, they will keep you safe and offer all they have to you. I am certain that the two of you could do that and more; you are a prime example of the strength of souls."
His tail twitched here, his heart swelling. Hopefully the younger members of the pride would take note of this.
"I would be happy to show you which direction to turn, should you need it. But you are welcome here, now and forever."
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:10 pm
A'Lora's ears perked as she listened attentively, gaze fluttering in sweet anxiety between Nashorme and Tawa'di. Her mate's words caused her to flush beneath her fur as her not-so-subtle request had now been voiced, but she sighed in relief as the returning answer came to them.
Gently leaving her pawprint in the dust, a delicate smile crossed her maw. "Your words flatter us, sir...we simply wish a safe place to dwell, to raise a family within, and to contribute to in turn. We are honored to be here." Really he was a gracious old lion, it was no wonder these lands dwelt in peace, the serenity of them felt in the very air about them.
Considering for but a short moment, she then nodded, shifting her weight a bit from one hind-paw to the other. "I think mayhap it would be good if you could at least point us in some direction, for I know I haven't the faintest idea where to go in these lands from here." She felt her newness quite keenly, and no matter that this place made her comfortable, it would still be mortifying to get lost.
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:13 pm
Nash purred softly in a pleased sort of fashion and bumped his mate's shoulder gently. He had known somehow... that the answer would be favorable. Which is why he had asked the question in the first place. After all, this seemed like a wonderful sort of place to live.
"Yes," he agreed then, "We wouldn't want to do something wrong our first day or anything."
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Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 7:45 am
He listened intently when they spoke, attempting to catch for unspoken words between the two. Everything seemed in order here, and their numbers would grow stronger yet again. The future of the lands and their survival seemed all the stronger.
The old lion chuckled. "Well, to guarantee that nothing goes wrong, why don't the two of you follow me for a while? If you decide to move on within the lands, that is all right. I'm certain that my children would want to meet you; it seems they can never get enough stories."
He nodded his head, once a little lower in an offering of a bow. They seemed so in tune with one another, the old lion felt blessed to witness it. He slowly turned around, guiding the two to his home.
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