It was far warmer here than her home, and the heat made the world seem to shimmer and dance. The going was slow, the ground soft but dry, like some strange form of mud. Weyard had been amazed the first time she's walked on it and felt her paws sink in, but now it was more of a nuisance. Still, she made good time. Or she would have, if she'd been hurrying to anyplace. As far as she knew, this was all on a whim.
She'd heard about a pride of lions living this way, but were they in the desert? It seemed rather harsh, and her only consolation was that it was at least well lit. She'd take heat and brilliant gleaming earth over cool dark jungles any day.
Perhaps a tune to perk herself up...She began to hum at first, and then sing: an almost tuneless song that told of distant forests, mountains, and unknown wonders beyond. It had been a song she'd learned from her mother in her youth, and it lightened her steps considerably. Soon she was almost jogging along in the sands, kicking up clouds of dust behind her.
Chea was chasing a rogue hair through the sands. His paws pounced the sand very lightly as he turned with the rabbit, almost catching it's hind quarters before he slipped up and rolled through the sand. He stood and shook the sand from his sandy colored coat as he watched the hair dart down its burrow. He smiled lightly, "Next time, your mine." he said with a slight growl. His ears perked when he heard a strange voice. His green eyes looked around to try to find the source of the unknown voice. Growing up in the pride, Chea knew almost everyone. The young boy stood up and trotted in the direction of the voice, his curiosity getting the best of him.
Weyard continued jogging along, the faint scent of lion causing her tune to die. Hmm. Maybe there was a pride out here. Funny, she'd imagine she'd have been able to see them with all this nothing around. She glanced around. No, nothing...wait! There was a bit of not-quite-so-bright gold moving over there! She swerved in her course and slowed to a stop to get a better look.
It didn't look like a cub, but it certainly was small. What was a child doing here? She looked harder. There should be an adult nearby too then..."Hello," She called out. "Are you from the pride of these lands?"
Chea's tail twitched as he saw a strange pinkish colored lion walking his way. She definitely didn't look familiar. Chea quickened his pace and bounced a little as he made his way closer to her. "Yeah." he said before be came close enough to make out her features. "Yeah, I'm from these lands." He squeaked lightly, darn his voice changing.... "I haven't seen you around before." He said as he looked her up and down, sitting back on his haunches.
Weyard relaxed a bit. It didn't seem like there wa anyone else around. Part of her was upset. Who let their child roam free like this? What if she'd been a bad sort of lion? Hmph! "Then there is a pride here after all? I'd heard about it, and decided to see for myself." She too took a moment to give him a one over. He had a plain sandy colored pelt, like many lions she'd seen in this region. It was fitting though, and he looked healthy and fed. What he ate escaped her though, she hadn't seen anything live all day and more.
"I'm just a visitor, so that's why you've not seen me. I'm Weyard." She tilted her head a bit at the boy. She too sat down, purpled tail tuft flicking around to dust her paws off before settling on them. "Am I near to the pride then? I won't be refused entry for coming unannounced, will I?"
He nodded. "Yeah, just over that sand dune." He looked over his shoulder and pointed a paw behind him. "I don't so." He said as he looked to the prides lands. "Everyone's pretty laid back. You should be okay." He said as he looked back to her and gave a wide grin. "I'm Chea." He smiled as his tail swayed back and forth.
Wey let out a little breath of relief. She'd been afraid a pride so far from anyone else would hold seclusion in great regard. To know they were relaxed with visitors was good. "It's nice to meet you Chea. Do you think perhaps you would escort me to the pride? I'm afraid every dune looks the same as all the rest to me."
Chea blinked before another big grin came across his face. "Sure!" He said with excitement as he stood up, tail swaying behind happily. "I mean, yeah sure... if you want me to." he toned down his excitement. It wasn't every day he was able to escort a pretty lady to the pride.
Weyard bit back a chuckle. Young cubs were so energetic! She was momentarily reminded of some of the children from her home pride at the sight of such antics. She'd have to remember to bring them back many lovely things and stories. They might be grown by when she got back...that thought sobered and sorrowed her in a way. "That would be very nice, little sir."
She stood and dusted herself, coat gleaming a sleek pink and gold despite the dry and dusty area. "So...perhaps you'll tell me anything I should or shouldn't do while I'm visiting? I wouldn't want to make myself look silly by saying the wrong things or stepping on someone's toes."
He smiled and turned as he waited for her to finish getting ready before he started walking to the pride. He shrugged lightly. "Uh, there's nothing really special." He said as he tried to think of things he wasn't allowed to do. "I don't think you can go into the temple, uh.. don't make any of the guards or the Pharaoh..." He looked to the sky as he twisted his mind for anything else. "I think that's about it." He looked over to her, smiling lightly.
Weyard followed along, slowing her pace to keep even with teh juvenile, though he seemed plenty energetic when it came to staying ahead. "Don't go to the temple, alright...and who is the Pharaoh? Is he like your king?" She'd never seen a king, but she'd heard about them on her travels. The absolute law of their land, she'd wondered if they were more often kind or cruel.
"It sounds quite relaxed. Is your pride very large?" She was unafraid of asking questions, and a cub would more likely tell the truth than an adult if it was on a sensitive topic. "Do you like living here in the desert? You don't prefer the plains with the grass instead of this sand?"
He smiled, "Yeah, but I've never seem him. Mom said he's really nice though." He laughed lightly as he trotted along. "I think its big, but momma said that it was a lot bigger before the war, but she hasn't said much about it." He laughed lightly. "Um... I guess I like living here." He said as he thought for a moment. "I've never lived any where else. I was born here so I don''t know what the grass feels like." he said as he looked back over to her "Where are you from?"
