AIM RP Log
It was still raining. Still. That was the only sure thing on this name quest, Matone wasn't exactly sure where he was, where he was going and he definitely wasn't any clearer on what his name ought to be. Maybe it was because the rain had slowed down his traveling that he hadn't run into any new ideas, he was seriously considering moving along. He didn't mind being wet, it was hard to hate it when you grew up in a swamp but waiting out a rain storm was getting ridiculous. He had found a little group of trees to rest under, it wasn't dry but it wasn't quite as bad as without them. Laying on the ground, slightly muddy and frizzy, he stared off into the distance, willing the rain to stop. He wasn't paying enough attention, though, because when the rain let up a bit, he just continued to stare.
His white mane had found it’s way sagging over most of his face slightly over his maw. When was the last time it had rained this hard on the Savanna? He grumbled harshly to himself, then he took a paw and tried to push his bangs out of his eyes so at least he could see in the distance. But it was no luck the moment he moved them more rain seamed to splatter onto them making them droop down worse then before. Well at least the prey will come back if it’s wet around, he’d longed for a good meal; and with the heat that had befallen the lands most of the animals had moved on. But that was the farthest from his mind right now as he just seriously wanted to get out of the rain. So once again he pushed his bangs away from him to look for any dry spot. Once spotting a group of trees he moved forward with a ‘splish splish splish’ sound as his paws dragged in the mud.
Everything was moving when it was raining and the sight and sounds of someone coming closer didn't immediately register for Matone. He watched the rain fall, thinking grumpily about where he might go next. When the stranger was closer, he suddenly snapped out of it, his dark eyes turning to see who it was. He squinted, his vision blurry and out of focus from staring off and forgetting to blink. He pushed himself up to his feet, skeptical about the kindness of all strangers and definitely not hoping to run into any trouble. That certainly wasn't anything he would want to name himself after.
"Hello," he called.
Ah so he wasn’t going crazy there was something in front of him. He still couldn’t be sure what because the heavy rain was blinding anything much past his nose. But it seamed polite, and so he would be too.
“Hello. My name is Satiku…I mean you no harm stranger.” And that was where he stopped walking. If the other was unfriendly at least the rain and mud would serve to his advantage.
Matone blinked a couple times and then took a step closer once he could see a little better. Under the trees was a lot better but the rainclouds blocking the sun was another thing that impaired vision. He was relieved to hear a friendly voice and figuring it would be hard to fake, he relaxed- but stayed on his feet.
"I'm Matone," he introduced himself in return, then glanced out around them before looking back to Satiku, "Some weather, huh?"
”I’ve seen better.” He spoke out with a kind of laugh in his tone. He was rather glad the other didn’t have any intent on eating him, or fighting him. He was a big lion but highly unmotivated. He’d prefer to run then to get into any kind of quarrel. It still didn’t stop him from taking a few questioning steps forward. He really would have liked to see who he was talking too- and maybe get under those trees that he had seen from a distance.
“Room in there for one more?”
"Oh! Of course," he sounded genuinely surprised that Satiku had to ask before he came in, Matone certainly wouldn't have worried about it if he were trying to get out of the rain. Not after a while in the rain. And from what he could tell, Satiku certainly looked like he'd been out in the rain for a little while. The young lion turned around and walked back the couple steps to the muddy spot he had been laying, taking a seat.
"There's not many places to hide from the rain out here, I guess," he commented, looking out across the land around them. He had been lucky to find this spot.
The big lion puttered his way under the branches and out of the mud. He turned and looked to the other lion now being able to see him. He was a muddy mess; then Satiku thought about himself. What might he had looked like since he seamed like he’d been out there longer. His paws now completely brown again pushed threw his bangs; but with some unplanned luck the mud clumped them together and he was finally able to see out of his yellow eyes.
“No there really aren’t. And it’s no fun-“ He added then went on. “To be in the middle of ones nap when the skies open up like so.” His eyes fell to the ground as he for a moment considered sleeping once again. But then decided against it quickly not wishing to turn any further brown then he was.
He was surprised by how big Satiku turned out to be, but then.. he really wasn't. He seemed older than Matone, and Matone was used to that. He'd been away for some time now but he didn't have any reference for how much bigger he'd gotten- except for his mane. That was pretty obvious. He chuckled at the idea of being unfortunate enough to be napping when this started. It put a more positive spin on his being out for a walk, so to speak, when it started on him.
"So, does that mean you live around here?" he asked, glancing over, "I didn't think I was near any prides or anything."
He shook his head at his question, then stopped as if he didn’t want the mud to un-cake off his hair. “I don’t live anywhere honestly.” The more he thought about it. The last lions he had been with was Val and Feleji’s family and Val didn’t want any part of him for some reason. He was a nice guy and loved cubs so he couldn’t figure it out one bit. Though his naps WERE abit eccentric; and once or twice…or maybe a few more times then that the cubs had slipped away when he was snoozing. But really did Val expect him to NEVER sleep? She didn’t even have the curtsy to bring back food for him. What a jip!
“That’s a shame there are no prides here. I’ve been hunting for one that might you know take…me?” He paused knowing his skills were very limited apart from napping and being lazy. “I assume then you’re a rogue like me if your this far from any pride lands.”
"Oh," Matone murmured, realizing his mistake when the other agreed that there weren't many prides around here. So Satiku was a rogue. Matone had a vague concept of what that meant but he was a pride lion, it just seemed more natural and right. He shook his head vigorously when he finally realized he had been indirectly asked a question, some of the water flying from his wet mane.
"I'm not a rogue, I'm a Jini-msemi lion," he said, "Everybody leaves when they get old enough, have to find a name before you can come back- otherwise I'd be at home already."
He blinked a small amount as some of the water flew into his eyes. “I’ve never met a pride lion before- you’re my first, well one that actually talked to me anyway.” As he mentioned before nobody really did have a soft spot for fat aging lions. “It’s kind of a nice thing to have a conversation with another- even if it’s not in the most pleasant of situations.” The same chuckle from before rolled out of his lips again as he was slightly amused that it was still raining out.
“A name?” His head cocked to one side. “Tell me more about your pride. I’m curious. That is if you don’t mind me asking.” The big fluffy male didn’t want to seam rude after all. The other had been nice in letting him under the trees.
"I've never met a rogue before," he responded when Satiku said he hadn't met a pride lion before, but he let him continue without further immediate interruption. He nodded when the name thing was questioned, he supposed not everybody would have different names. He knew of at least one other pride and knew they didn't get new names when they were adolescents. He shrugged, not entirely sure where to start but certainly not worried about sharing information.
"We live in the swamps, they're back that way somewhere- I'm not really sure where I am, honestly," he started, nodding back in the direction he had been coming from, "Everybody gets a name from their parents when they're little but it's just a baby name, you aren't really an adult until you find your true name. Nobody says much about how you do it, though, so I haven't had much luck myself. I suppose I ought to talk to more people instead of just wandering around in the rain like this."
He shrugged at the mention of location. “I could lead you home or at least close to where I think it is. I mean I know this area of the rogue land pretty well by sight; you know if this bloody rain ever cleared itself up.” But he was far more interested in the details of the Jini-msemi and this name quest they seamed to go on. “Is this something everyone in the pride dose? Or just the one’s born there?” He thought once or twice about changing his name for better or for worse. Maybe something that females would enjoy. But he whipped that out of his mind quickly, as he sure breeding wasn’t the purpose behind the name change. Though the company of a female or two would be nice. He’d been alone for so long he would take just about anyone’s company partner-wise.
"I ought to know how to find my way back- so long as I didn't go too far in this miserable weather," he glanced around, suddenly almost worried that he had been foolish to travel so far in the rain when he couldn't see major landmarks that would be useful in the return. Perhaps that could be the last part of his name quest, trying to find his way home after getting himself. That wouldn't lead to a very good name, though. Something about being an idiot or lost or.. something. He blinked back into the conversation, looking over at Satiku.
"Everybody gets a new name, m'pretty sure," he said, "Before joining counts as your name quest, I think. Something like that, I suppose I didn't pay enough attention to that part because it never really applied to me."
”I don’t think you’ve went too far. I know there are swamplands around here- but I’ve never ventured into them. I didn’t think anyone actually lived there so I never tried. Again I could give you much better directions if it wasn’t so wet out here.” He smiled warmly as he could knowing how horrible it was to feel lost inside. “At least as a positive this rain should make it easy to hunt prey. As soon as the mud dries up somewhat I mean.” His stomach rumbled in return as he mentioned food. That was another think aside from sleeping he was good at; eating. Although on the flipside he was a terrible hunter so in return he sadly found himself on the level of hyena’s and other scavengers.
“I’d be curious to learn more about this pride myself.” But then stopped in mid-thought and something perked up in his brain that he thought it was important to ask. “What are the prides thought on strangers?”
"I've been traveling for a long time, though," Matone commented, but made a face, "But then, I could have been going in one great big circle. Which would be .. annoying." It could have been funny but it was most decidedly annoying if it were true. He was trying not to go home before he was done, doing it accidentally would be funny later- maybe- but it wasn't what he wanted to do. He couldn't accidentally go home without a name. He sighed.
"The swamps are where the spirits live, where the goddess is, we have to be there," Matone shrugged when the idea of nobody living in the swamps came up, "We get strangers coming by and joining a lot, I think. I haven't been there since I was a cub, really, and I didn't pay much attention. I know a couple lions who weren't born in the swamps, though, and there wouldn't be rules about naming for lions born outside the swamp if they didn't happen.."
”Well I hope for your sake these are different swamps then.” He couldn’t see the other lions face but he could hear it in his voice that he had the same thoughts. Although if this was his pride he’d have a better chance of finding it if those swamps were Jini-msemi. But he really didn’t wish the extra distance on Matone. He liked him and for a lion in the rain he was still pretty cheerful. Satiku on the other hand was getting less and less pleasant with the mud that seamed to be puddling around his paws. And though he was trying to hold his frustration back; You could tell it was bothering him. That and the mud that was holding his mane back had finally let loose and was dangling in front of him again blocking his yellow eyes from seeing anything.
“I envy your age…” He spoke gruffly about Matone’s shorter mane.
"If you're thinking of going to check out the pride," Matone started, glancing over again, "I'd still check there first." Annoying but possible. He'd figure something out, he could turn around if the skies cleared and he found he was somewhere he recognized. Go back somewhere else, keep searching for a name. Just like he had set out to do, like he was eager to be finished doing. Stupid rain.
"What?" Matone asked, surprised by the seemingly random comment.
He quickly shrugged it off. “Don’t worry about it much.” He smiled then pushed his long locks again. “I’m just frustrated by all this rain.” – ‘and the fact I can’t see much out of my eyes. Ah sometimes a young short mane wouldn’t be such a bad thing at all.’ “Us old lions like to complain a lot- but never mind it.” He was half tempted to take a claw and cut off the white bangs himself- even if they made him look pretty in dry weather. He then changed the topic back to the pride lands. “If you go back, would you mind me tagging along with you? I’m very curious about the spirits that live there. I’ve always found myself more religious anyway. This might be a perfect opportunity to find some use with what’s left of my life.”
"You don't look that old," Matone said quickly, though he was honest- at least, for what he could see, the other lion didn't look so old. He certain looked older than Matone, but he also figured most adult lions would until he really started thinking of himself as an adult. That wouldn't happen until he had his name. He sighed, thinking about the rain again now that he was reminded. It had been raining for quite some time, almost like he was following it around- or it was following him. He was surprised by the next question Satiku had for him, though.
"I might not be going back for a while, I don't feel any closer to having a new name than I did when I left," he grumbled through the admission, not liking the feeling that this name quest was going nowhere, "I wouldn't worry about going by yourself, though." He hesitated, looking away and off into the distance. He might have invited along the other lion for the remainder of his name quest but he had just met him and, well, it was personal. Or something. Someone else might have done it, Matone just didn't want to.
"If you know where to find uh- the big pointed rock out in the middle of the Savannah-" Why couldn't he remember what it was called? "A pride lives there, it's in the swamp near there." If Satiku knew where Pride Rock was, had seen it in the distance before, Matone realized he might just be about to find out how close he was to home. Pride Rock was just too good of a landmark.
”I’ve never seen Pride Rock for myself.” He perked up knowing the name, “But I know it’s very close to here. The family I babysat for before- they were heading off to Pride Rock with cubs. SO I suspect unless they were crazy- which the female might have been-“ He coughed out his feelings about Val openly. He by far didn’t like her at all. “It had to be close. I know I wouldn’t go anywhere with cubs that would be a distance for them.” He felt better knowing that the swamplands he had considered before didn’t belong to anyone. Maybe his new friend wasn’t lost after all.
“When you do finally make it to the swamplands make sure you seek me out and let me know what your name is.” Satiku felt confident that he would be accepted. Then nodded at the privacy of the quest. He wasn’t sure if he would have wanted anyone coming with him on a religious quest. Though some extra company might have been nice. He had been alone his entire life.
Matone didn't say anything right away, nodding- though it might not have been visible- when Satiku confirmed that they had to be near Pride Rock. It was disappointing but there was still hope. They could be near there without being right at the swamp, he could be wrong. They could be on the other side entirely, far off near something else. Maybe. Matone would let himself stay in denial until he could see it for himself. It was just happier that way, if you could call it that. He sighed, hopefully quietly.
"Of course," he agreed, looking back to his new friend with a small smile. He would definitely want to know if Satiku made it- and what he decided to call himself when he joined. If he joined. Which is sounded like he was wanting to do anyway.
”Well then that settles it. I guess it’s time for these big paws of mine to go trudging threw the mud in hopes of finding it.” It was still raining pretty hard but it was becoming far more manageable then when he had first set out. At least he could see further then his nose when he looked out into the heavier part of the rain. And his hair was even staying back behind his ears where he had placed it- ah what a miracle; though he didn’t expect it to last. His mane was pretty unmanageable in rain. How many hours would he have to spend cleaning himself once the Savannah dried up? Oh the misery of the whole thing. The old grump sighed at the wasted moments that he could have been sleeping.
“I defiantly look forward to our reunion. The sooner the better.” He winked his yellow eye for good luck. It seamed like the other needed it.
"Ok then," Matone said, nodding and watching as Satiku got himself ready to go, and even encouraged him. He smiled, it was good to hear happy things again. He'd been removed from social interactions a little too long, he realized. He was a pride lion, he wasn't supposed to wander like this. That was what rogues did. He was ready to be done, but he wasn't sure that that would make it any easier.
"I hope you like it," he said, "And that a good name finds you."
With a sigh, he flopped back down onto the muddy ground with a slight splash. He would stay right where he was for now, though he was feeling anxious to get moving. He probably wouldn't go anywhere until the rain stopped- unless it was more stubborn than he was.
Fin.
