It was a strangely shaped rock formation that caught his attention at first. From the angle that he'd seen it, it was no wonder the adolescent had made his way down, landing gracefully a good distance away from any mortal that he'd seen. It was the last thing he needed, really, to be seen. Not that it'd be a huge problem considering he could easily fly off, but being who he was he'd much rather avoid a barrage of questions from an overly curious passerby as opposed to expending more energy getting away.
Tarik still raised a brow at the magnificent view of the large rock. It must have been a once proud mountain, standing tall and overlooking the beautiful plains; watching the sun rise and fall as Mother Earth sculpted it into what it is today. Considerably smaller, he thought, but no less proud than it had been all those years ago. Tarik smiled a small smile, icey blue eyes never leaving the sight before him. The sunset made it all the more breathtaking, in fact, and the god let out a soft sigh as he lowered himself onto his stomach.
"A good place to get some rest," he murmured to himself, tail swishing about quietly behind him before finally settling down at his side. "The view must be just as nice at sunrise.."
Tarik still raised a brow at the magnificent view of the large rock. It must have been a once proud mountain, standing tall and overlooking the beautiful plains; watching the sun rise and fall as Mother Earth sculpted it into what it is today. Considerably smaller, he thought, but no less proud than it had been all those years ago. Tarik smiled a small smile, icey blue eyes never leaving the sight before him. The sunset made it all the more breathtaking, in fact, and the god let out a soft sigh as he lowered himself onto his stomach.
"A good place to get some rest," he murmured to himself, tail swishing about quietly behind him before finally settling down at his side. "The view must be just as nice at sunrise.."
Jasira had been on a short break from her training exercises. The 'short break' had, however, evolved into a day of rest and relaxation. It started at around noon and lasted until sunset. With a grumble the adolescent's thoughts moved to her mother's endless lecture that would come as soon as she got back home. She wasn't used to taking most of the day off, actually, but she had to admit that it was nice. At least some of the time.
Today's particular activity that had kept her from her training was a rousing several hours of watching the pridal borders. Rogues wandered into and out of the pride at random, and the ones that she'd run into had been pleasant enough. She even managed to strike up a nice conversation with a few of them before they went about their business. It was interesting, to say the very least. They all had stories - stories from far away. Danger, excitement, and even love. The latter subject was what intrigued her most, as she'd always seen love as a non-existant emotion. She'd never seen it nor felt it her entire life, so as far as she was concerned there was no such thing.
She was on her way back home when she caught sight of yet another unfamiliar face. The lioness raised a brow, as the figure was simply sitting there staring at Pride Rock as though it were the most amazing thing on the planet. She grew up around it so she hardly ever noticed its brilliance now, but when she was much younger she used to stare in awe just as this stranger was now. Sira approached carefully, clearing her throat when she felt she was close enough.
"Not really," she replied to his statement, smirking slightly. "It's always better at sunset, or at least I've always thought so."
Today's particular activity that had kept her from her training was a rousing several hours of watching the pridal borders. Rogues wandered into and out of the pride at random, and the ones that she'd run into had been pleasant enough. She even managed to strike up a nice conversation with a few of them before they went about their business. It was interesting, to say the very least. They all had stories - stories from far away. Danger, excitement, and even love. The latter subject was what intrigued her most, as she'd always seen love as a non-existant emotion. She'd never seen it nor felt it her entire life, so as far as she was concerned there was no such thing.
She was on her way back home when she caught sight of yet another unfamiliar face. The lioness raised a brow, as the figure was simply sitting there staring at Pride Rock as though it were the most amazing thing on the planet. She grew up around it so she hardly ever noticed its brilliance now, but when she was much younger she used to stare in awe just as this stranger was now. Sira approached carefully, clearing her throat when she felt she was close enough.
"Not really," she replied to his statement, smirking slightly. "It's always better at sunset, or at least I've always thought so."
He turned his head to face the stranger, no longer smiling. The male had on a rather stoic expression, looking curiously at the female that had so calmly approached him. From what she said he deduced that she was a local, perhaps a member of the pride that had settled in and around the giant rock. With a nod he turned his eyes back to the view. "Is that so?" he asked, almost shrugging. "I'd like to see it for myself if you don't mind."
Several minutes passed, and when he finally decided to take notice of the female again he turned his head only to find that she'd settled down a few feet away from him - also taking in the view. Tarik shook his head slightly, a small smirk on his maw. "Can I help you?" he asked, wondering what it was that kept her from leaving.
Several minutes passed, and when he finally decided to take notice of the female again he turned his head only to find that she'd settled down a few feet away from him - also taking in the view. Tarik shook his head slightly, a small smirk on his maw. "Can I help you?" he asked, wondering what it was that kept her from leaving.
Sira brushed his rather gruff statement aside, inviting herself to rest nearby. There was plenty of room, no doubt about that, and since he hadn't contested (mostly because he was too busy sightseeing) she figured it was alright. She watched him curiously out the corners of her eyes. His size was what caught her attention first, actually. He was bigger than most lions their age. She noticed the wings second when she got close enough, but she knew better than to ask questions. She'd heard stories of deities with bad tempers. This particular one didn't seem too pleasant, so pushing his buttons probably wouldn't be a good idea. The femme would've kept staring had the other not turned his head to face her..
"Ah, no not really," she replied rather boredly. An awkward sort of silence passed, then she cleared her throat. "You're in the Pridelands, by the way. And that's Pride Rock, in case you didn't already know. It's basically where the royal family lives. And in case you wanted to know, my name's Jasira."
"Ah, no not really," she replied rather boredly. An awkward sort of silence passed, then she cleared her throat. "You're in the Pridelands, by the way. And that's Pride Rock, in case you didn't already know. It's basically where the royal family lives. And in case you wanted to know, my name's Jasira."
Tarik quirked a brow at the forward-ness of the female. He had to admit that it did surprise him, but it wasn't upsetting. If anything he was glad for it - it meant that he wouldn't have to be the one to introduce himself in case she stuck around for too long. He nodded, quietly thanking her for the information, though he didn't reply just yet. The male's eyes went back to Pride Rock, trying to fit the name to the scenery and only nodding when it finally did. "It's properly named to say the least," he said at last, turning to face Jasira.
She reminded him of another lioness he'd met a few times before in the darkness of night. They had spoken of the most random of things, but she was an interesting one and he enjoyed her company. The deity silently hoped that this female would be the same. "I am Tarik," he said with an expressionless face. "Just a passerby, as you can probably tell. The male spread his wings rather casually, waiting for the questions to come. When he landed he'd been too lazy to put on a disguise of some sort, not realizing that he was still within the lands' borders. He thought that there'd be no one wandering this far out, but apparently he thought wrong. Still, he couldn't say that he wasn't pleased with running into this female.
She reminded him of another lioness he'd met a few times before in the darkness of night. They had spoken of the most random of things, but she was an interesting one and he enjoyed her company. The deity silently hoped that this female would be the same. "I am Tarik," he said with an expressionless face. "Just a passerby, as you can probably tell. The male spread his wings rather casually, waiting for the questions to come. When he landed he'd been too lazy to put on a disguise of some sort, not realizing that he was still within the lands' borders. He thought that there'd be no one wandering this far out, but apparently he thought wrong. Still, he couldn't say that he wasn't pleased with running into this female.
Sira almost smirked when he mixed his formal and casual form of speaking. Usually it was one or the other, but somehow he couldn't tell the difference and just fused the two together in a rather curious manner. Curious to her, anyway. She'd never been one to speak formally, but she wasn't impolite with her speech either. "Yeah, I can see that Tarik," the femme said with a small grin. "Everyone just calls me Sira, by the way. My full name seems too long for everyone to say, so I shortened it to oblige."
She looked away from him and back at Pride Rock, heaving a sigh as several of her past memories came back to her. Particularly with her brother Vu, who always seemed like such a troublemaker in their younger years. The two had since lost touch, which saddened her since she considered him her closest sibling. They were almost fully grown now, and Sira felt that her place in the distant future wouldn't be here in the Pridelands as her parents' were. That meant parting from her family, and while they were never very close to each other they were still, and always would be, her family. Still, the roguelands seemed to call her, which would explain her fascination with stories from passing travelers, and she wouldn't pass up the opportunity to wander out into vast lands beyond the pridal borders.
Which brought a question to mind, and while she hesitated to question him about his wings and what sort of being he was, she didn't think twice before asking him about what life was like as a traveler. "So what's it like traveling around all the time? Or if not all the time, then most of the time. You don't seem like you have an actual place you'd call home.." and she caught herself mid-rant. "Ah, sorry. It's just that a small part of me wants to go traveling someday and I'm just curious. I don't normally talk this much, believe it or not." Sira grinned a bit sheepishly.
She looked away from him and back at Pride Rock, heaving a sigh as several of her past memories came back to her. Particularly with her brother Vu, who always seemed like such a troublemaker in their younger years. The two had since lost touch, which saddened her since she considered him her closest sibling. They were almost fully grown now, and Sira felt that her place in the distant future wouldn't be here in the Pridelands as her parents' were. That meant parting from her family, and while they were never very close to each other they were still, and always would be, her family. Still, the roguelands seemed to call her, which would explain her fascination with stories from passing travelers, and she wouldn't pass up the opportunity to wander out into vast lands beyond the pridal borders.
Which brought a question to mind, and while she hesitated to question him about his wings and what sort of being he was, she didn't think twice before asking him about what life was like as a traveler. "So what's it like traveling around all the time? Or if not all the time, then most of the time. You don't seem like you have an actual place you'd call home.." and she caught herself mid-rant. "Ah, sorry. It's just that a small part of me wants to go traveling someday and I'm just curious. I don't normally talk this much, believe it or not." Sira grinned a bit sheepishly.
When the personal questions didn't come, it surprised him yet again. Here he was in full god form and she didn't ask a single question about any of it. Instead, she seemed to go in a bit of a reclusive state for several minutes. The male welcomed the silence and lowered his head to his paws, ready to turn in before she finally spoke. He raised his head once more, thinking on her question for a bit as she continued her short rant. Only when her words came to a halt did he finally give his answer.
"As with anything else," he started. "It has it's ups and downs. More literally for me than most other travelers, as you can probably see." With a small grin he spread a single wing out for her to see, shaking his head as he gave a chuckle. "Anyway. It's obvious that you learn a lot about the world, what other individuals are like and their way of life. You learn about other prides and other beliefs contrary to your own. You slowly form your own opinions about them, and I imagine eventually you find a more fitting home than the one you started with in this lifetime. There are more wanderers out there than I'd care to meet, and they all, of course, have their own reasons."
He paused, thinking on his own words and smiling. "I, for instance, wander out of boredom. I don't have a 'place to call home', as you said, and personally I'd like to keep it that way. At least for now."
"As with anything else," he started. "It has it's ups and downs. More literally for me than most other travelers, as you can probably see." With a small grin he spread a single wing out for her to see, shaking his head as he gave a chuckle. "Anyway. It's obvious that you learn a lot about the world, what other individuals are like and their way of life. You learn about other prides and other beliefs contrary to your own. You slowly form your own opinions about them, and I imagine eventually you find a more fitting home than the one you started with in this lifetime. There are more wanderers out there than I'd care to meet, and they all, of course, have their own reasons."
He paused, thinking on his own words and smiling. "I, for instance, wander out of boredom. I don't have a 'place to call home', as you said, and personally I'd like to keep it that way. At least for now."
She held his gaze, a curious look on her face as he tried to enlighten her about the life of a vagabond. It wasn't what she expected from him, to be completely honest, but it was enough. It was good, and the femme smiled gratefully. "I see, she replied once he'd finished. "When the time comes I think I might be leaving the Pridelands. Maybe I'll run into you again when I get around to becoming a rogue myself."
She let an awkward silence fall between them, her eyes moving to Pride Rock again. Sira tried to picture herself in a distant land, with the monument nowhere in sight. It was harder to picture than she expected. The icon had always been a sort of safe haven for her, whether or not she spent the time to appreciate it anymore. Still, it calmed her mind whenever she looked toward the heart of her current home to see that it was still there. Lying there with its head held high, as though it were watching over all those that sought refuge within its sight.
"I'm not sure I'm ready to leave just yet.." the femme said slowly, breaking the silence and turning once more to face the deity. "There's no hurt in waiting a bit longer before leaving, right?"
She let an awkward silence fall between them, her eyes moving to Pride Rock again. Sira tried to picture herself in a distant land, with the monument nowhere in sight. It was harder to picture than she expected. The icon had always been a sort of safe haven for her, whether or not she spent the time to appreciate it anymore. Still, it calmed her mind whenever she looked toward the heart of her current home to see that it was still there. Lying there with its head held high, as though it were watching over all those that sought refuge within its sight.
"I'm not sure I'm ready to leave just yet.." the femme said slowly, breaking the silence and turning once more to face the deity. "There's no hurt in waiting a bit longer before leaving, right?"
Tarik had lowered his head when she stopped talking, closing his eyes and bidding sleep to come to him. He felt that he could somehow sleep peacefully there, whether Sira was present or not. Something about the land, perhaps, or maybe it was the presence of this so-called Pride Rock. Weird that something like a formerly glorius mountain would offer a wanderer such a feeling, but it was probably for this reason that many a wanderer happen upon the pride and never leave. It wouldn't happen to him, of course. He'd be off on his own again by morning, but for now sleep was more inviting and a tiresome flight back to the haven.
He was just about ready to slip into a deep sleep when the female spoke again. This time though, he didn't open his eyes. Instead, he perked his ears up to listen to her, nodding almost groggily when she asked her question. "No hurt in waiting, that's right," he murmured. "It's not a life you want to rush into.." And at that the adolescent finally slipped into a calm sleep.
He was just about ready to slip into a deep sleep when the female spoke again. This time though, he didn't open his eyes. Instead, he perked his ears up to listen to her, nodding almost groggily when she asked her question. "No hurt in waiting, that's right," he murmured. "It's not a life you want to rush into.." And at that the adolescent finally slipped into a calm sleep.
It took the other a bit longer to reply than normal, which wasn't exactly a surprise to Sira. She still looked over though, and she gave a soft chuckle when she saw that Tarik had gotten ready to go to sleep when she'd interrupted him. His effort to stay awake long enough to answer her, while not impressive, was considerate enough for her to offer him a grateful smile - he wouldn't see it though.
At his last words before finally falling asleep the femme stood up, taking a moment to stretch and ready herself for a walk home under the stars. With a final glance at the god Sira started off, whispering a soft 'thank you' as she passed his slumbering body.
At his last words before finally falling asleep the femme stood up, taking a moment to stretch and ready herself for a walk home under the stars. With a final glance at the god Sira started off, whispering a soft 'thank you' as she passed his slumbering body.
