Dala stretched and rolled over onto his back. He hadn't been home long, but he already missed the world outside his home. Well...not the world, per say. More the beautiful creature he'd found in it. He smiled wistfully, tail hanging in the water of the river at his back paws. She'd been so lovely. Perhaps she was dusty and ragged from the harsh things life had piled on her but...her determination to keep going gave her a beauty that transcended fur and flesh.
He sighed. Perhaps it would be wise for him to go out and seek her again. He could bring her and her cubs here, where it was safe. Certainly his mother wouldn't mind. And...oh he did miss Ohenewaa. He rolled back onto his belly, a bit down. Why was love such a complicated thing? Elua had certainly left his children a puzzle of an emotion.
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Dysi walked firmly and quickly. He had to wonder why he was even doing this. Nyoka was at home waiting for him, as well as his cubs. Thankfully, his eldest daughter was with her own mother, while his other girls were with Nyoka in the pride. He knew they were all safe, perhaps that's why he was content to leave. They would be fine wihtout him, so he had to allow himself a little freedom, a quick walk. He would have to be back by that night, he mused, glancing at the sky which was still at the brightest time.
His paws hit the ground with heavy thuds, he wasn't trying to hide his approach to anyone. He didn't want to startle someone, get into fights, not today. This was about freedom, not strength. He shook his head, wondering when his opinions had changed.
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A sound and scent caught Dala's attention, rousing him from his thoughts. Hmm? Someone approaching? He stood, curiosity winning out. The bottom fourth of his tail was wet, dripping water as he made his way towards the newcomer. When the other came into sight, he realized that whoever it was, wasn't a native to the area. Or at least not one of the social ones.
"Good day, monsieur! I don't believe I've seen you before." Best to be friendly. ALWAYS best to start out friendly, unless one's life, or the life of someone else, was at stake.
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Dysi wasn't paying much attention to the scent or sounds around him, too caught up in his own thoughts to really notice anything else. However, the sound of a voice was something that was hard to ignore. His head jerked up, eyes raising from the floor which they had been previously staring at. He hadn't even noticed the landscape he'd walked into, nor the rather obvious addition to the landscape.
“Good day,” he responded immediately, out of politeness and habit. He eyed the other male, curious. He looked like a lion, but there was something different about him. “No...I am not a habitant of here...I was just walking and some how ended up here.” He eyed him. “Have I stepped into your territory?” He didn't want to start a fight over territory.
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Dala chuckled. "You needn't worry. We don't mind visitors here." Now closer, he could see the leopard was definitely male, but a rather pretty one. He made a sweeping bow, bringing one paw and leg up across his chest and dipping his head. "My name is Dalasini'ua no Delaunay. But most call me Dala."
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Dysi eyed the other male suspicious when he gave a sort of bow, wondering if he was mocking him for his feminine appearance and wanted to snap something, but decided against it. He was porbably just being polite. “Of that I'm glad to hear, I have no desire to fight today,” he admitted. He tipped his head, no where near as dramatic as the other males. “A pleasure to meet you Dala. I am Dysini'mbus, but I am called Dysi.”
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"A pleasure to meet you, Dysi." It was always nice to hear of others who did not seek fights. "You needn't worry about a fight in this area. Even our warriors know better than to start a fight willy-nilly. If you go farther in, the most you'd get was an invitation to spar that could be turned down." Dala motioned to the river nearby. "If you need a drink, the river is good, clean water. No mud like you'll find at a watering hole. And the herds in this area are plenty if you're hungry."
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Dysi was surprised at the hospitality shown by this other male. Usually he was shunned, or attacked, when he entered anothers territory. It seemed this territory was different though. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “You are...very kind.” He tried to think of the last time he had eaten, but couldn't place the memory, so he knew it would be before he'd left that morning. He eyed the other male, a tad suspicious of the niceness.
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Dala shook his head. "Don't worry about it. It's the sort of thing I wouldn't mind someone else doing for me, were I in a strange place." And it was the sort of hospitality that had brought the founders of the coalition to stay, so long ago. Mind...the coalition was scattered now, for the most part, and only remnants existed. His mother was one of those, and she'd been raising her lot in the way the dead coalition would have 'dictated'...though dictate was a poor choice of words. "So what brings you wandering this way?"
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Dysi had to admit, it was a nice change from the usual agressiveness. He inclined his head and said lightly, “then I will be sure to return the favour some time, should you wander into my territory some day.” He knew it was unlikely, especially since his territory was far from here, but it was a nice thought at least.
He glanced back the way he came at his question. “Freedom,” he told the male simply. “I just wanted to walk and I somehow found my way here.” He glanced at the sky, eyeing the sun's position in the sky. “And soon I will walk back, it seems, if I want to be back before nightfall.” Sometimes, he missed the days he didn't have cubs, when he could walk all day and night, until he was so tired he fell apart and slept for days.
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Dala nodded, knowing it was unlikely he would ever wander into the other's territory. Unless Dysi's area was between he and where he'd departed from Ohenewaa. "The thought is much appreciated." He nodded his maned head towards the river. "The grass over there is more comfortable for talking."
He started towards the river, making sure the other was following him first. "Ah...I had a case of wandering paws for a bit myself. But...it was more like I was searching for something. I've never felt anything but free here." He took a deep breath. "Love as thou wilt. It was a charge left to the coalition that once stood here by one of our founders long ago. It applies to almost every aspect of life here."
-
Dysi followed the other male towards the comfortable spot by the river, allowing himself to flop onto the grass first, a sign of good will and trust. He had put himself into a vulnerable position, by being lower than the other male, but he didn't think the other male would attack him. He listened to him speak with interest. “It's a good idea to live by, you are lucky in your coalitions way of life” he admitted, with a nod.
“I have always loved to walk, since I was young, and now, I find it hard to stand still.” He paused, befor eadmitting, “my mate does not appreciate my wandering soul, and so I make it a point to be back every night, and spend them with her, even if I am absent in the day.” He chuckled, imagining Nyoka, heavily pregnant with their cubs, trying to keep track of Vailea and Tsura, his two little girls, as well as Nyoka's own son. Thankfully, she had a nanny to help her. “Our children, I fear, have taken after me and are very active, though they are not old enough to follow me yet.”
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Dala followed suit with Dysi, making himself comfortable in the grass once more. "I learned how lucky I am while I was wandering. I'm...actually thinking of going out once more, to find someone I met my first time out there. And maybe convince her to come here...where it will be safe for her and her little ones."
Cubs...ah, how he wouldn't mind his own one day. But he knew very well that the chances of him ever having little ones was very low. His mother had told him the curse of being a hybrid child. "Well...at the least, she certainly will be getting some exercise. And...it is good you care about her so much. To give up something so ingrained in you, even if it's only giving it up partly."
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Dysi smiled to himself as he heard the word 'she'. “I hope you find her then,” he told the male, and was being honest. A single mother with cubs needed to be protected, he knew, and this male would do a good job of it. “Her and her cubs would be very happy here, I'm sure, how could they now?” He chuckled, imagining his own little ones enjoying this landscape. Their own was rocky and perhaps a little rough, but they had fun with it anyway.
He tilted his head, staring up at the sky. “Oh yes, I'm sure she will be. She has a son, who I swear is a ball of pure energy.” He smiled to himself, affection written in his eyes as he thought of his mate. “I would give it up completely...for her, but she would not ask me to. I think she understands, alittle, of why I must walk. She has obligations in our pride, and can not leave to come with me.” He shook his head, with a laugh. “I'm sorry, I talk about them too much, I fear. They seem to posess my thoughts wherever I am.”
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Dala felt the skin beneath his fur flush a bit. "I hope they'd be happy here. One can never tell." He did want to be able to have the lady who'd caught his heart be able to call the place he lived 'home'. She and her cubs.
"Well, when one loves another, it is hard to get them off of your mind." He chuckled. "You've found yourself a very special lady, moniseur. And by the sound of it, you treasure her rightly. It's good, to find another who would do anything for the lady he loves." Dala knew that once he found THE ONE (and he was growing more certain it was the leopard he'd left in the rogue lands), that he would treasure her even more than he treasured his mother.
-
He smiled lightly at the other's words. He obviously cared very much for the woman and for her cubs, which was a wonderful thing to see. “I'm sure that they will be,” he told him, honestly, and he did hope they would be, for Dala's sake.
He nodded, agreeing with Dala. Nyoka was always on his mind and he liked to think he was on her mind often as well, even though she had others who captured her attention often. “Thank you, Dala,” he said, to his compliment of his mate. He chuckled, eying the other male. “I'm sure you will do the same, when you find someone who captures your thoughts always.” He glanced at the other male, and had a feeling that the female he wanted to bring to this land was the one who captured his thoughts, but knew better than to suggest it.
-
Ah...this was the reason he liked talking with rogues when they came into the area. Good conversation, from a viewpoint not shaped by the place he lived in. "I certainly will. Females are to be treasured. After all, they endure the one thing we males will never be able to experience...childbirth." He shivered a bit. "Though in truth, it's not something I'd want to experience. I'm a bit of a coward when it comes to pain generally." Nearly the opposite of his beloved mother.
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Dysi chuckled outright at the male's comments and couldn't help but agree. “Aye, yes, I am the same. I'm afraid I love children, but I could never handle childbirth. I am the same, a bit of a wimp when it comes to pain.” He shook his head, in amusement. He glanced at Dala, looking curious. “Do you have family?” He asked, sounding curious. He talked like he was faimiliar with the idea of childbirth, so perhaps he had siblings or other relatives.
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"Ah...I've one, yes. Though it's just my mother and some of my siblings." He rolled onto his back again. "I've two sisters that still live in the area." Though, like he, it was highly unlikely they were fertile. He hoped that wouldn't make them sad, though. His poor mother...she'd sounded so guilty when she told him the disadvantages to being what he was. "I hope to have a larger family, with a mate and cubs one day though."
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He nodded, having expected as much. He smiled, and remarked, “you are lucky to have family in the area still.” He came from a large family, all girls, and he only knew the where-abouts of one sister, and that was only vaguely. “Ah, a large family always brings great joy, I see, I hope to do the same. I'm already on my way there, with my mate and our new cubs, and she is expecting as well.” Of course, not all the cubs they had where his mates, and her son was not his blood son, so their family was more than a little messy but it was worth it, he mused, to have those he called family.
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Dala nodded. "Family is a great blessing upon us. I am glad some of my siblings are still around. I do miss those that are gone...but I hope they found good lives for themselves." He smiled, then yawned. And blinked. "Ah...it would seem I went and exhausted myself more than I'd thought earlier." He gave the leopard an apologetic look. "Would you think me a bad host if I retired after showing you where you might catch something to eat?"
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Dysi shook his head instantly. “No, of course not. Please, do not feel obligated to show me where to find food if you are too tired. I should be heading back to my family.” He got to his feet, reluctant to leave the cool grass but a quick glance at tehs ky told him that if he left now, he would just get back before dark, which was just perfect for him. “Thank you for being such a gracious host, it was a wonderful change from the usual.” He inclined his head, his eyes warm as he thanked Dala. “I wish you all the best with your family, and with finding your girl.”
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The leopon rolled back onto his belly and stood. "Ah. It would have been no trouble. And I am glad I could bring a welcome change." He bowed his head a bit to the other, then smiled. "Thank you for the well-wishes. I wish you and your growing family the best of fortunes." Before he could yawn again, he let his paws start towards his den. That had been a good conversation. A very good one indeed.
-
Dysi smiled at the retreating back of the other male, before he turned and set off back the way he'd come. Usually, he had dreaded to walk the same path twice but now it was a pleasant idea, having someone to wait for him at the end of his adventures. Perhaps he'd tell Nyoka of this place and one day, when they were older and the children had settled, he would bring her back. She would appreciate the beauty, but perhaps not the other inhabitants. He chuckled to himself as he fastened his pace, eager to see his girls again.
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