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 Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:51 pm
 Xinavane was on the boarder of the pride today. Even though she considered her duty to her pride to be one of the most important things in her life -second only to her children- every now and then she did need to catch her breath. Get a little time to herself, away from the battle she had been doing her best to fight since she had been a teenager. It was hard for her to imagine that her children... they had been so small once, and now they were so big. She had them when she was still a child really. When she hadn't really known what she was doing... but they had turned out strong.
Still, for now she needed a break. She sat on the edge of the demon hunters and let out a long sigh, letting her shoulders relax as she rolled them slightly. She wondered what her parents or siblings would think of her if they saw her now... she had lost them so long ago in the earthquake. She really had been a child then, not even a teenager when she had to strike out on her own. Still, she liked to think that they were alright, wherever they were.
"I'm sure they'd be proud..." She mumbled under her breath. But really, it was hard to know what they would have thought of her. She realized now that she was older... she hadn't known her parents at all. So she had always done her best to make sure that her son and her daughters knew her very well. That they knew what they were fighting for.
She never wanted them... or anyone else really, to feel alone.
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Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:02 pm
 Hadaya was having a weird day. He had gone so long without having any visions and now he was being bombarded by them. Three so far that day, and he was worried they would keep coming. He was getting familiar, by now, with what triggered them. They seemed to happen when he was excited in some way, like through fear or thrill or happiness. And usually when he was in motion, which usually meant he was blinded by a vision just in time to crash into something.
He had already hit a tree and stumbled over a rock.
His decision to counter the sparking of these visions was to take a long, wandering walk out in the rogue lands, away from his sea-side pride lands. If he just walked without getting his heart rate up he would avoid sparking one. Seemed like a good plan at the time. Except now he was a little bit lost.
Not something he was unused to.
Sighing, the lanky, fluffy lion looked up just in time to see a lioness nearby. Very nearby. Almost bumping-into range nearby. He stopped short.
"Whoops, sorry," he said, though he hadn't touched her and he wasn't entirely certain she had noticed him yet. To clarify, he added, "almost bumped into you."
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Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:02 pm
Xinavane very nearly went into shock when the male nearly bumped ino her. She hadn't been paying much attention, that much was true, but she really hadn't expected anyone to sneak up on her... but there he was, and he had clearly snuck up on her. Though he didn't seem to have meant to. He didn't look very farmilar... not a demon hunter. And far too polite to be a demon. Then she might be dead... she would have to remember to keep on her toes.
"Oh no, my fault, sorry... I wasn't paying enough attention." Well, she supposed it wasn't really her fault. She had been sitting completely still. How the lion had just... nearly walked into her was a little beyond her though. How could he have not noticed her? She didn't really blend into the scenery... but oh well, her daughter had the same habit of going off like that when she was having visions, poor thing.
Xinavane tilted her head, "Are you alright though? Are you lost? Do you need me to walk you home...?" Though he shouldn't have been around there... It was a dangerous area. Which made her want to get him out of there even more. But who knew? Maybe he was there to help the demon-hunters... and he certainly didn't strike her as the demon type.
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 10:48 pm
Hadaya smiled, looking like he was about to say something, but never actually opening his mouth. He kept this expression for a while, always on the verge of apologizing again, but... not.
Finally he shook his head, dropping his face just in time to actually respond to her.
"It was probably my fault. I was... I don't know. In another... world. Uh. I do that a lot, sorry. It won't happen again?" He didn't sound too confident. There was no telling what the universe found funny, and if it wanted to joke with him it would probably lead him to bumping into her again. Literally.
"I'm not... lost," he said, bristling. His mane was naturally fluffy, but puffed out in defensive pride just made him look like he had a fight with a gust of wind and lost, "I'm just not familiar with these lands, so much. I mean, as I am with... other places..."
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:26 pm
Xinavane tilted her head curiously, watching him. Nope, not a demon, that was for damn sure. But he was... well, she couldn't help but laugh a little under her breath. It came out as more of a snort actually. He was... funny? No. She hadn't seen funny in a long time. Not since her children had been younger and tripping all over each other.
"It's really alright. No harm done." She told him, smiling kindly. Yep, was this guy ever in the wrong place. "Don't worry... if you don't know where you are, you can say so. Plenty of people wander into this place without meaning to."
She told him, standing up and walking over to him, closing the gap, "It isn't exactly the safest place around here... want me to point you in the safest direction? I wouldn't want you accidently wandering into a lake." Xinavane explained, seeming genuinly concerned that he might acually get himself killed. Except by walking into a demon, instead of her.
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Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:34 am
Hadaya nodded, not feeling too relieved though she told him she didn't mind him nearly bumping into her. He didn't like interrupting people from their walks or their thoughts, just in case they were in a bad mood and he would rise their ire. He was sure there were other, less selfish and paranoid reasons for not wanting to bump into people, but they were pretty much a secondary concern.
Hadaya sighed.
"I guess I just got a bit off track. I like to wander, and it usually uh... ends up... poorly..." he frowned at the floor, fluffy mane hiding his ears still, "but I can usually make my way back, after a while. I haven't been lost forever yet, anyway."
He laughed, but it was nervous, as if he were scared that by having said that he had just tempted the Gods to make it happen. He swallowed hard when she explained the area to him.
"I think I'd notice a lake," he said, flustered, "I do have some sense. I'll pay more attention. But... uh... why is this place not safe? It seems nice enough. You're nice."
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Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 4:59 pm
Xinavane watched him, tilting her head a little. What a curious creature this lion was. She didn't really know how to descibe him. He was simply a little... odd. Not what she was used to. Most of the pride members were extremely bold. He was more like her youngest daughter... a little more on the awkward side.
"Ah, yes... forgive me, I was exaggertating." She mentioned, though she hadn't been that much. If he hadn't noticed her, a lake would be hard to miss. And probably far less dangerous in the scheme of things. A lake didn't hunt down and kill demons for a living.
Xinavane sighed, "Yes... you would think that the area would be nicer, all things considered. Unfortunatly, demons roam not far from here, and they will very willingly attack anyone who makes the mistake of wandering onto their boarders. Also there is a female pride around here who may try to enslave any males who come too close... I am a member of the demon-hunters who live near here. We protect those who may wander accidently onto demon territory... and do our best to keep the demons out."
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Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:33 pm
If Hadaya had a nickel for every time he was compared, silently or out loud, to a female he would have enough shiny coins of no purpose to build a den with. He sighed, shaking his head and looking a bit uncomfortable. He didn't like the idea of being in a dangerous area.
He didn't trust himself enough to be able to fight off any kind of attack. So far he had avoided most physical confrontations, and he would very much be content if he continued that trend for the rest of his life.
"Demons? Well that doesn't sound very fun at all," he said thoughtfully. He offered a thin, worried smile, "but not around... like... this specific area, right? I could just turn around and not... have to worried about being eaten or mauled?" He laughed, woefully.
Demon-hunters sounded like a good idea, considering what she said about the demons. He was glad, then, that something like it existed. He could just assume they were doing a great job and he was in no real danger.
"That sounds like a very honorable job," he said sincerely, "not something I could do, but I think anyone who does should be respected for it. So, uh, thank you? For uh. Keeping the demons in check?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:59 pm
"No... I wouldn't say that they're fun." Xinavane admitted, because she had met them up close and personal, and they were anything but friendly or fun. But at least he grasped the concept that they were evil and they he should do his best to stay away from them.
She laughed a little, "Yeah, for the most part they stick to this area, and we tend to keep them back... but every now and then we get one or two who get past us. We try our best to hunt them down and stop it from happening, but you never know." She shrugged, "I guess if we didn't have to worry about fighting them, we'd be out of a job."
Xinavane couldn't help but smile at him though. He was a sweet guy... just in the completely wrong place really. "You're welcome... come with me, I'll take you the safest route so you won't run into any unsavory characters. I'm Xinavane, by the way."
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Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:49 am
Hadaya nodded.
This was not a lion who often worried about pride. He had no qualms about being led or protected by a female lion, though he knew other males that would definitely have an issue with it. The way he saw it, he was not the strongest or most adept of fighters out there, and if these nice female had experience fighting demons he wasn't about to tell her to leave him alone.
That would just lead to him getting attacked by a demon.
He smiled and walked with her, "I'm Hadaya," he said, not remembering if he had introduced himself or not, "I live by the ocean, and we don't get many demons there. It's pretty nice. I'm not sure I could live in a place where... bad guys liked to gather." He frowned, not wanting to insult her home, "though I bet it's better because of what you guys do and all."
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Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:47 am
Xinavane was actually a little flattered. She hadn't been flattered since... well, Zuru. Too concentrated on her children to care about that kind of thing she supposed, and there weren't too many male lions around to compliment her really. It was a nice change, she supposed... even if the lion was just some guy passing through who just didn't want to die. But at least he seemed to mean well.
Weird how she always seemed to come across males right when they needed help...
"Hadaya... Nice name." She told him, feeling friendly now. At least he hadn't put up a fight like some more macho males would have. A good change from what she was used to... well, except for Zuru obviously. "I used to live like that... with my family. We were on the run though, so we didn't always get to stay in one place. But we saw the ocean sometimes." She shrugged, continuing to walk a safer path for him, "That's why I fight against bad guys now. To make sure lions like my family, and peaceful ones, like you, don't have to run."
She looked at him over her shoulder, smiling, "No one should have to fight if they don't want to."
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Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:01 pm
"That's good, because I'm definitely not a fighter so I'm happiest when other people are taking care of that kind of stuff for me," he laughed, trying to make a joke but not doing it very well. His laugh tapered off in a couple of 'ha's' and he lowered his head awkwardly.
Dragging his feet, he stared at the cloud of dust that came up from the earth and wondered vaguely how he might not be so thoroughly loserish for just a moment. He couldn't think of anything impressive to share about himself. He never fought anyone, so had no wins to share. The last time he ran into a 'bad guy' he had run for a very, very long time just to get away.
"That's a good motto," he said, nodding, when she echoed his own feelings about fighting. He never liked to, so why should he have to? He would rather just not run in to anyone, if they were just going to be confrontational. He couldn't just avoid everyone, though, because then he wouldn't meet people like Xinavane or any of the other nice creatures that had helped him through his life.
"I could... probably find my way from here. I wouldn't want to make you go too far out of your way. You've been really nice, walking with me and making sure I didn't get my butt attacked. I know where I am now, though, I think."
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Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 11:24 am
"You sure?" Xinavane asked, glancing up at the sky, "It's getting a little dark out... and it's even more dangerous out here at night than it is during the day. You're my responsibility... I wouldn't let anything happen to you." She smiled at him, totally honest in this regard. He was a genuinly nice guy, something she hadn't seen in ages. If anything happened to him... well, that wouldn't be fair.
Normal people just wandering around didn't deserve the kinds of things that could happen near the demon lands. And even if he knew where he was going... getting lost in the dark seemed to be a real possibility for the poor guy.
"And I don't mind at all. Helping is what I'm here for." She told him sweetly. Xinavane could be harsh and mean when she had to be, but this wasn't the kind of guy who brought it out of her. She somehow doubted that Hadaya had an ill-intened bone in his body.
If he wandered off and got himself killed... she really never would forgive herself. "You can stay with me until morning if you like? Demons are more... night creatures."
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Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 10:14 pm
Hadaya coughed.
"I'm a big lion..." he said, though he didn't sound too sure. The way she was talking really made him feel uncomfortable. He didn't want to get himself attacked, that was for sure. His paranoia was mounting, and he felt anxious. Padding at the ground, he cleared his throat and looked around.
Just in case.
"They... well. If they like night better I'm not sure... uh... I'd want to be out," he frowned. The last thing he wanted to do was burden her with his big, lanky self, like a ridiculously over sized baby she didn't have any blood bond to. He smiled at her, his fear getting the better of his common courtesy, "but if you wouldn't mind me bumming around... maybe it'd be for the best?"
He smiled, baring his teeth a little, looking uncomfortable and goofy.
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Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 10:39 pm
Xinavane smiled, shaking her head a little, "Yes, it would be safer. Follow me, I'll take you back out first thing tomorrow, I promise." She grinned, stretching out and heading back towards the home base, "No one will mind if you hang around until it's light out. Promise." She said, nodding over her shoulder back towards her new charge.
After all, better safe than sorry... and she really would be angry if something had happened to him that night with demons prowling around. Yes, much safter to keep him with her.
For the moment anyway. Besides... he was so cute and goofy. Thinking about him lost out there in the middle of the night with so many dangerous creatures around... that wouldn't do any good for anyone.
"I'll take good care of you, promise." And a promise was a promise after all.
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