Kilala stretched and shook herself, then headed back out. New day, time for more patrolling. She yawned. The lioness rather hoped someone exciting came by. A pride member, or a rogue! Maybe...maybe a dhaifu! It would be amazing if it was a dhaifu! She giggled and gained a spring to her step. She imagined what a rogue dhaifu would be like. Maybe wild and fearless? Unknowing of the superiority of lions? Maybe meek and timid, seeking the protection only a lion could offer them?
Oh the possibilities! Kilala loved imagining them!
That morning, though ... Joscelin had not left yet - actually wondering if the younger female might come by again. He'd thought of another thing to ask her, if such was allowed. If she said no, then he had no problem leaving but... he wanted to at least ask.
The adolescent blinked when the wind blew her way. That...that was a familiar scent. And it was fresh. She frowned and started towards it. What was he still doing in the area?! She'd told him it would be best to leave in the morning. When she drew close, she saw the blonde-maned lion still there. Not in the same spot EXACTLY she'd left him...but he definitely hadn't gone anywhere.
"What're you still doing here, Joscelin?"
"I was ... hoping to see you again before I left," he replied, smiling a bit cautiously. He did remember her saying that... hoped she wasn't mad or anything that he had stayed.
Kilala blinked and raised a brow. "You...were?" That...that was definitely unexpected. "Er...why?" She tilted her head, curious. She looked nothing like a guard or warrior doing that...simply a curious youngster.
"I wanted to ask you something else... I would have asked before, but I only thought of it after you left ... sorry." He glanced down at that, looking just a bit embarrased.
"Well...if it's something I can answer, I don't mind." She looked a bit thoughtful. "But...you gotta promise you'll leave before too long." She drooped a bit. "Would rather you not get in trouble, y'know? 'Cause you're nice."
"I know... probably today, unless the results of my question make me too tired," he replied, teasing just a bit. Besides, he'd been planning to leave without a fight if anyone but Kilala had showed up today. "I was just wondering, actually, if you would teach me a little about climbing. I've never really had the chance to learn before....?"
She blinked, then nodded slowly. "I...don't think that'd hurt." Yeah. It couldn't hurt. If only to make sure he got down the mountain safe, and all that. "Sure!" She perked up again. "I've never taught someone before, though. So...sorry if I don't turn out to be a good teacher."
"That's all right. I usually learn fairly quickly. So if you just want to show me how -you- do it, I can probably pick up something." He smiled at her. "Though I'll never be as good as someone who grew up doing that."
Kilala bounced a bit. "Sure!" She looked around, seeking a good spot to climb on. "Hmmm....there!" She bounded over to a spot with plenty of cracks and pawholds and rocks to step on. "This looks like a good spot! And the top is only a couple lion-lengths taller than me on my toes, so if you fall you won't get hurt too bad. Probably just some bumps or bruises."
Joscelin followed her over, and then nodded - eyeing that cliff. To his eyes, it didn't seem possible to get up there without being able to jump ... really high. "Ah ... well, hopefully I won't fall." Or make a total fool of himself.
Kilala grinned. "Don't worry...if you do, I won't laugh." And she started up, careful to go slower than usual so he could see what she did. Claws here, a hop there, and a rather undignified squeak when some rock turned out to be loose. She caught herself though. "Err...ya might wanna avoid that spot." She continued up until she was looking down at him from over the top. "Ta-da!"
Joscelin watched, wide-eyed, as the smaller female seemed to climb up the cliff like some kind of ... lizard or something. Oh my. Perhaps this wasn't as easy as it looked. But he had better at least try it. Moving closer, he tilted his head, trying to see where she had dug claws into the cracks to get up there. After a moment, he reared up and hooked his front claws into the rock. Then he gave a little hop - trying to use one of the same ledges she had. But he was larger and heavier... and that particular ledge was just too narrow for his paws. Whooops.
Kilala 'eeped', ears going back. "Are you okay?!" She hoped so! He hadn't gotten too far off the ground so...oh geez. "You...might wanna try that a little further to your left. It's bigger and sturdier there!"
Joscelin shook his head a bit and then reached up with front claws again and tried the other ledge. Oh ... yes, this was better. And now that he was so -close- to the cliff, he could see more cracks and ledges. Obviously ... following her path exactly wasn't going to work. He'd have to make his own way.
Kilala sighed in relief when he proved to be okay. Then smiled brightly and cheered him on. He really did catch on quick! She couldn't help but be a bit amazed. She'd never been such a quick study herself...Heck! It'd taken her a long time to just decide she'd wanted to be an Ushujaa!
Once he had the hang of it... it didn't really take Joscelin too long to get to the top. Though he was still slower than Kilala had been. "Well! That's something I never thought I would do ..."
Kilala couldn't help but giggle and reach a paw out to pat his side. "You didn't grow up someplace with stuff to climb?" It was hard for her to imagine not having rocks to climb. Or trees, like in the heart of the pride's lands.
"No ... it was mostly flat. The few trees that were there were not ... something anyone wanted to climb," he replied with a smile. Most of them had had thin trunks and limbs - mostly not even enough to support a cub's weight for long.
Kilala blinked and tilted her head, then drooped. "That's no fun." She stretched a bit. "You're pretty good at climbing, though. For a beginner." She turned a grin to him. "I bet you'll wow the lions back home, if you find something sturdy to climb!"
Joscelin laughed softly at that. "Well, that's good. It just means I'll have to find somewhere to practice..." He didn't mention that he couldn't really -go- home. No need to bring up a depressing topic.
Kilala nodded. "You could always try the parts of the mountain away from the pride. Further down." She pointed in the general direction. "Can't get mad at you for bein' there, after all!" She giggled.
Joscelin thought about that for a moment, and then nodded. "That might work. I'll just be careful to stay away from this area. I don't want you to get in trouble because you didnt' scare me away!"
Kilala's grin turned to a thankful smile. "Thanks. That means a lot." She sighed. "Took me longer than the other cubs to even figure out what I wanted to do for the pride. I uh...kinda daydream a lot." Her smile turned sad. And growing up...she was starting to feel some of them slip away...half-formed dreams and imaginings that didn't get a chance to see light.
"Everyone has dreams," Joscelin replied softly. He'd had them too, at one point. But ... without his pride, most of those had fallen by the wayside. "Sometimes we get the chance to chase them... and sometimes we don't."
Kilala nodded. "I don't mind not chasing mine, since most are pretty outrageous." She giggled. "Well...I hope whatever dream you hold dearest comes into being!" She shook herself and looked back towards her pride. "I should probably get goin'. Duty, and all that."
"Of course. I'll just... head that way now," Joscelin replied with a smile - nodding his head in the direction she'd indicated earlier. "Good luck!"
Kilala started back, calling back out over her shoulder. "You too! And safe journeys!" She knew she'd have plenty of fodder for her dreams and daydreams now.
