No demon. She had no demon at all. Not a whisper, not a clamor, not a clue...NOTHING. Ellie flopped on one of the large rocks at the border, knowing there would be no Tirma'eth or Tirma'ath by for another hour or so. Not during the day. Sure, the sun was hot in her black fur...but she didn't care. It was a cleaner heat than that of the volcano. That thought made her more depressed. She couldn't go in there when the time came. She'd be found out. She wouldn't be able to fake a demon, not with so many seers in the pride...ARGH!
She closed her eyes, not paying attention to the savanna around her for now. One last try...One last try to hear her demon...if she had one.
The brightly colored male had done it. Bless the gods he had left the pride. He wasnt sure he liked the idea of being banished from returning, but he was going to be free now.
He would run his life, not some female he hardly knew..
He hated the females of that pride, and he couldnt stand how often he had been reprimanded for simple comments.
He felt free for the first time, and he couldnt believe the relief it was.
He saw her though, not really brightly colored as he was, but dark enough to stand out in her own way. She was lovely, with her light colored spots.
But he watched her, and cocked his head.
"What are you doing?" He asked innocently enough
Ellie's orange-amber eyes snapped open and she stared at the stranger with wide eyes. She'd gotten snuck up on! CRAP! Though....what the heck? He wasn't a Na'artu. He was obviously not a demon...but she'd never seen him before. And Ellie knew ALL the Na'artu and Na'artue. She regained her composure and tried to make herself look a little less shocked.
"Trying...trying to find my demon." If she had one. She was rather certain now that she didn't. She'd heard nothing before he showed up. "Don't think I have one though...And it's not safe for you to be here. You're...too pale."
What had she said? A demon? In that cute little self of hers? Yeah right. He couldnt believe something like that.....Could he?
"Wait, youre looking for your what? Do those even exist?"
He asked, arching a brow disbelievingly. And when she said he should leave because he was pale, he looked at himself,and back up at her confused.
In the Kunanda lands his color had always been considered beautiful.
"Nice to meet you too.." He replied, sitting on his rump and flicking his tail back and forth.
Ellie sighed. "Sorry. And yes, demons exist." She pointed to the pride behind her with her yellow-tufted tail. "Those lands are filled with demons. I was born there. But..." She sighed. "I'm no demon, apparently." She smiled slightly at him. "Nice to meet you too. I'm Lith'elen. And in this place...those who are of your coloring are enslaved. You're lucky there's no guards due this way for a good chunk of time." He was safe to talk to. He wasn't from the pride. And since he was pale...there was no chance he had a demon.
He smiled, nodding his head in greeting.
"My name is Betta."
He replied with a flick of his own tail. His bright orange eyes looking behind her at the lands she claimed to be born into.
"Well if there are demons in there, Im quite happy Im meeting you out here."
He replied, looking back at her. Though he didnt stur from his spot. He didnt care about anyone finding him. He'd get away, he always did.
"My name is Betta. And I have already been enslaved most of my life. Im freeing myself right now."
He chuckled, looking at her and smiling once more.
Ellie blinked and tilted her head. "You have been? Is there another pride that enslaves those like you?" How...odd. Ellie hadn't heard of anything like that from the Na'artu and Na'artue who came from Outside. She hopped off her rock, showing that despite her lithe build, she was quite a bit larger than your average rogue (something she'd inherited from her very large mother). "How'd you free yourself?" Curious, curious...Ellie had always been curious about how the Outside worked.
He nodded a bit. But then caught himself and made thoughtful look.
"Ehh, you could consider it that. Boys.. Were not good for anything but being obediant and fathering their cubs."
He scowled.
"Slavery enough if you ask me."
He spat at the thought but looked back up at her with a soft smile, not really wanting to scare her off, but he narrowed his eyes and grinned mischeviously.
"Well.. I had to fight to let my dad let me leave.. He thinks im a horrid bloodline member Im sure."
He mused.
Ellie blinked. "That's....stupid." She wrinkled her nose. "Boys are as good a girls, and vice versa!" She grinned. "The current demon-kings are both male. But there's a few female Heirs." She stretched. "I'm not one of 'em though...Mommy found a rogue male to sire my brothers and I. Suited me just fine too, since there's already so many Heirs." Which meant...she was unimportant. Perhaps...Ooooo. She had a seed of an idea. If this pale male could escape his certain doom (because the life he described was a sort of DOOM)...why not her? And she could save her mother the embarrassment of a stain on the bloodline.
"If you cannot find your demon, though... Are you planning on trying to stay in your current state? Youre a slave to your pride as well.. Kept hidden from the world just for someones selfish wish to have a band of brothers."
He said, flicking his tail back and forth, but cocking his head to her.
He wondered if he was the only one who had been unhappy..Was he an abnormal adolescent? So ready to leave?
Ellie seemed to deflate at that. "I would become a slave in truth, if I stayed. And that would be the good outcome. I would never be able to fake a demon...I would be found out." Her head bowed as she closed her eyes. "And I do not wish to cause my mother the pain of having birthed someone unfit. The pride is her life, as much as her cubs are. She helped to revive it and...though she will not admit it, she loves one of the kings more than anything else. So...I am thinking of leaving. But I have an idea, so it is not obvious my...fault." She smiled. "There are demon hunters south of here. You may have passed their pride lands? It would be easy to head their way one evening, pretending to be looking for a fight...and never return."
His eyes widened, then seemed to grow dark at the thought of the female being made a slave..Or letting her family down. If she wasnt happy, who cared if her family was?
"You are not unfit. Just because you are not evil, does not mean that you are unfit. Maybe in this pride you arent what youre supposed to be.. Like I was with mine."
He looked at her, his eyes honest as he spoke. He was always very free minded, thats one of the things his family had hated the most about him..He was too liberal.
"You deserve to be happy, just as I do."
Evil...? Ellie almost laughed, despite the seriousness. "Not all demons are 'evil'. The side of the pride Mommy is on is full of noble demons." She nodded. "Sparda demons are good and noble. Some are even kind and compassionate." She shook her head. "But...you're right. I do not fit in. So I must leave." She'd have to do it before she lost the guts to. Or the heart to. "It may hurt...but wounds heal." Though...she'd have to grab something before she left. Her mother's old mask and bracelets. For luck, and remembrance.
He stood, to walk next to her and stand beside her. Yeah they were still strangers, but he had never felt such a strong relation with anyone before. SHe understood him, and he understood her.
"Ill..be there if you want me to. I can be your friend. Someone you can trust out in the big world. "
He looked at her, and almost blushed.
"Im sorry, Im being pushy."
The lioness blinked...but smiled widely. "A friend out there would be nice." She nudged him with her shoulder. "You're not being pushy. We're both new at this whole 'big wide world' thing, I'm sure. So...why not be new together? We can share the ******** so they don't hurt so much!" Yeah...she could get used to this. So what if he was pale? Outside, things were different. Things went by different rules. "I gotta get some things first. Old stuff of Mommy's, so not matter how far I go, I don't miss her." Demon or no, evil or good...she loved her mother dearly. Loved her more than Hakuna'jina would ever know, and probably be capable of understanding.
He smiled, nudging her back with his nose and grinned a bit, standing and feeling himself grow excited. He had a companion. Someone to be his friend.
"I like that..Someone to make the hurt, not hurt so much."
He repeated, and nodded once more.
"Bring whatever you need. Ill come back for you.. When the night falls in three sunsets, I will come back for you." He promised. His eyes honest.
Ellie nodded, her expression one of thanks and relief now. She could enact her plan. And though her mother and brothers would hurt a bit...it would free them more than they'd ever know. "I look forward to your return. We'll meet here. I'll do something to make sure there won't be a guard here." She chuckled. "Mommy holds some sway, since she was the first guard of the pride." Before her scars had started aching too much and two pregnancies in so short a time had caught up with her.
He smiled, nodding, and pressing his nose against hers once before pulling away to speak.
"Okay, then its set. Ill be back for you. I promise."
He said, and turned tail and run, as he heard the mutter of other lions coming from the lands she had warned him of.
