(Dragons is in black, I'm in blue)
His heart seemed to have a distate for the transition, from luscious grass to golden sand, his paws didn't seem quite ready, though he was conditioning himself best he could. Kopa felt as if he was the prince of his home in his heart, he had the golden pelt of his ancestors though held no true royal rank. He sought something different rather than stay within pride borders and not feel complete. He needed something more, adventure, stories, enlightenment, something new. He had traveled upon hearing stories f a distant land where ruins lay honored and praised, of other dieties and gods that were esteemed. His eyes had lit up hearing the words, and at once with his goodbyes he left without a look back. He could always look to the memories in his heart.
Kopa was a prince of kings, he had deemed himself, though hear, as he heard things between conversation, he knew not of his true path. He had always been good at hunting, and his trinket making failed at catching interest back home. Perhaps here, if accepted, he could bring these traits to a better form, deem himself more worthy and find his rights here, with respect, oyalty, and new beginning upon a golden sand foundation. He sought acceptance, though who to seek he was unsure, just a word, would make his eart feel more complete, unmoveabe, and then he would protect this land with his heart.
Every warrior have patrol duty at some point or another during the day, and Vian was no exception. Having grown up in a harsh desert similar to this one, he found it to be a simple exercise. It was necessary for the safty of the pride, and though the odds of attack were low, he valued it as important. Much of his family resided here, even if the sister he had thought he had lost so many years ago. He wouldn't take that forgranted. So he loped along the borders, keeping an eye on the sun. When noon drew near he'd return; being out at the hottest part of the day was usually a waste of energy.
After a while, he let his lope slow as a figure rippled in and out of sight across the sand in the heat. A visiter, eh? Not many came out this direction. If you didn't know there was an oasis here, it would usually do one little good to come out this far. After assessing the stranger the best he could visually he picked up his pace and came within shouting distance. He called out, his senses sharp for any possible threat, though it was unlikely.
"Hello there!"
Kopa's ers flicked forward and he stopped moving, gazed ahead and smiled. His eyes roamed over the golden dunes before him, it was strange, his pelt suited him here, he felt at home. He bleneded in well and did not stick out like a sore paw from green underfoot. Yes, this was his place, if he was welcome. Normally it was his way of roaring a hello, but he knew not of the others here the customs, and he feared he would tred on some belief It would be better to wait. "Hello! Have I come the right way?" the questionwas vague, jsut in case. Kopa knew to be wary, and to be protective of his spirit, for he need not lose his strength now.
The other had stripes and a color so vibrant it intrigued his eyes, a cooling snesation as he licked his lips and walked forward calmly, stopping several meters from the other male. He offered a smile, was about to bow his head lightly but again, the customs, he knew not of what a visitor, a seeker was meant to do. "I've heard stories, of an area beyond the great grasses of the pridelands and upon the golden sand, where ruins lay, have I journeyed well?" his speech was awkward, and he knew it, would the other be able to tell? He had not had many conversation when growing up, speaking was hard to find theright words to seem friendly, not fatherly. He needed to meet more lions.
Vian let his posture relax, although the tension he had held had been subtle. He sensed some awkwardness in this male, perhaps, but nothing threatening. The thought that this stranger had come to do harm was easily dismissed. Then he was either a lost traveler or one with a purpose. The conversation the other male offered suggested which of the two it was.
Vian quirked an eyebrow, a little bit surprised. Few had heard about their homelands, as it was out of the way and only newly reclaimed from vultures. It was nice, though. One of the things he missed about wandering was seeing new faces.
"Well, that certainly sounds like us!" He laughed, "Unless there are other lions somewhere in this desert living in some other ruins...though I suppose I can't rule that out as a possibility, can I?" He motioned a bit behind him, not finding it risky to reveal this information to him, "The heart of the pride is that way. It's still a bit off, but you're very close, stranger."
Kopa watched him, and felt a wave of relief fall over his being. He wanes to run over the dunes towards every structure he saw, memorize it, trace his paws over what was alright to touch, stand outside the barriers of anything sacred and never peer in knowing something grand might be beyond a stone, but he could not grace his eyes on it yet. It excited him,a nd his paws dug into teh sand slightly from tension, the small writhing motion of moving within the sand. He smiled, and wanted to roar in joy his journey had come to an end, that aimless wandering, it had seemed, was not for the worse. "You've no idea what your words mean to me friend."
Where to begin? What should he do, what could he not do? "I wish to make this my home, if allowed, though I know not where I should go and not venture to. I've heard stories, mind you just stories, so the truth behind them I know not, but I wish to see more, understand, and have this be my home. The pride I would hunt for and protect when needed, and feel my most loyal part of my heart attach itself to. Forgive my words stranger, conversations, word choice, has been hard for me, and this excitement through my being, helps not," he tried to laugh it off, but would he seem strange and unfit to those here? "What should I do to prove my worth?"
It was refreshing to see such excitement from a stranger. Such eagerness to learn was gift, such passion a blessing. Many found it for something knew, it was rarer still to find it for something one had yet to lay eyes on. He was impressed, in a way, and it made him smile.
"I'm sure you will be more than welcome to join us," He replied easily, "I will, of course, leave it up to our king and queen, but they our good hearted people. I believe they will appreciate the love you show for us, without even knowing us yet." He chuckled, swishing his tail a bit. He only hoped this energy the male showed was not something that would pass once he discovered the reality of the place. Sometimes dreams were better than reality in that strange way, no matter how wonderful something was.
"You may call me Vian," he added.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Vian, and do trust my words, I will prove my worth to you, the King and Queen, and any other who request it from me. I am a lion of my word, as awkward as they can be, but I am a spirit seeking a new start, and a new home," he smiled, felt warm and took a breath. "I am Kopa, from the Pridelands, I can wait not until I know more of the pride, the beliefs here. I remember stories I heard others whisper in my home pride of the stars and my past ancestors, here I know, will be different, but I open my heart freely."
It meant no difference to opa what he would have to learn, it was a new start, a new beginning, though he would keep his name. For always in the back of his heart he would be Kopa, true prince of the prideands, but he would never claim the throne there, and he doubted here. But his was not for conquest or royalty, this was about home. He was already welcome, from what Vian seemed to portray, and it was wonderful. "Is there anywhere I should go first? T know the basics before I start on more?" his hunger for knowledge and knowing of this place itched at the sides of his head.
"Really? The pridelands? That certainly is a change of scenery! You should talk to my sister at some point...she lived there for a good while, even left children there. I suppose the desert life is not for everyone," he spoke very conversationally as he made connections. It doubted Ada would have met this male before, as the pridelands was an extremely large pride, but perhaps it would ease the male's nerves to talk to someone who knew here he was coming from. But it seemed more like Kopa needed his excitement eased than anything else.
Vian chuckled, "Slow down there! No need to rush. If you wish to join, you will learn at the pace you need. I believe it would simply be best for you to see the king and queen, to get things arranged for you. All else comes after. And I wouldnt' worry; they will not be demanding too much of you. We require no grand feats to join or anything. We all work honestly together, for it is how we survive here, but if you are capable of that, all will be well."
It made him feel like this was a home away from home when Vian spoke of his sister. Had he met her ever, had he met any of her family? It seemed possible, but then again, Kopa had secluded himself a lot growing up. He had not even conversed with a female besides his own mother, his siblings. Did they count? He felt wary of others, distant, but here, here he felt like there was a pull that was unexplainable. He just wanted to become almost opposite of what he used to be, he waned to be open, wellcoming, a friend to others. He no longer wished to be teh cub that sat along and tried to make trinkets and necklaces that failed at holding together.
"Then I will make my way to them, and I would love to meet your sister on anther time, and, if you would not mind, have you show me more. To be honest Vian, you have given me the longest conversation of my life with someone outside my family," he had always been nervous. But this was a change, and he was going to embrace it, he liked the feeling of speaking with another. "You've no idea how much this day means to me."
"Is that so?" Vian's brows raised again. It was hard to believe that someone with such enthusiasm had never spoken at great lengths to someone before. He might seem a bit nerouvs, but he certainly had a lot to say. But he supposed introverts weren't denied a bounty of thoughts and feelings, of course. It was expressing them that was the problem. And if he felt so at ease here to do so, then perhaps this really was the home he was looking for.
"Sounds like you really have come to the right place then," he commented warmly. "We are all capable of change...but sometimes we need a little help. If this place makes you feel that way, than I'm glad. And of course it will be my pleasure to show you around when the time comes, though who knows? You might amass a great deal of other friends who can do just the same."
"Such wonder lies in wait for me here it seems, I just know it," there were so many qestions he wanted to pose to tohers here, so many places he wanted his paws to touch, so many thigns he wanted his eyes to see. He wanted to spend time, soak it all ina dn retain every moment of his new start, and he couldn't wait. He felt like when he was a cub and he wanted another story from his father or mother, or wanted to hear more of his siblings adventures, those adventures he never had because he never wanted to go too far. He had never even gone to one side of the Pridelands before because it was far from teh family den.
Now it was different, now he would be able to start again and have the home and life he always dreamed of having while he slept those nights. He smiled, and looked around himself, at Vain, and he smiled. "Then I will search for you alter, I would love to have you show me other areas, other faces, these words and thoughts are so much, and I want to know so much. Thank you Vian, for being the first here to say something to me, to say words. It means to much." He gave a nod and headed towards the other area of the pride. The heart of it where his heart would feel at home. He wanted to be a full member, not just a visitor. He was here to stay, and as the sun touched his back, he felt a fire in him blazing, the suns welcoming him with open arms. Kopa was finally home.
Vian had been about to offer to show him the way, but he stopped. Somehow he felt what Kopa was doing was best...somehow letting him find it himself seemed better. The male was so excited to see the pride and had such an energy that spoke of him finding himself. It was best to let him do that on his own...to find the king and queen on his own and to find himself in this land on his own.
He smiled and shook his head a little, perhaps a bit in awe. He then lifted his paws again, taking off against the host sand. He still had a few more rounds to do before he needed to return to escape the sun. He hoped that Kopa had safe passage and that he'd be seeing him soon with the same fire in his heart.
