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For a few moments, Mert-Khepri had been sure there was a pond there on the ground not far off from where she was perched in the dead remains of a low-boughed tree. It wasn't really a climb so much as a leap, so she didn't feel much like the leopards she had pretended to be as a cub. This branch would have been too high to get to without climbing, then. Now she could step onto it. It gave her a good view, all the same, as the tree grew on a bit of a rise.

Her blue eyes widened in the dark, watching as the reflection of the sky seemed to move. Lifting her pale head from her folded paws, she dug her claws into the bark to keep herself steady as she lifted and tried to see just what was going on. Ponds didn't move. She may have never left her homelands, but she knew that water didn't act any differently everywhere else than it did here.

At least, no one had ever mentioned it before.

Ears pressed forward, Khepri turned her head from one side to another, making sure that no one else was around to see this. Her lips pursed in thought, skeptical that this wasn't some sort of joke, before she dropped quietly down from the tree. She wasn't silent, she saw no need to be cautious, but her senses were straining to figure out just what was amiss.

Khepri paused, there was a voice on the wind - and it didn't sound confident enough to be pulling a prank. It sounded tremulous, as if it wasn't quite sure what to make of whatever was slinking out in the darkness. The bright pelted lioness paused, lifting her head again to look about. A rogue, then? She'd never met a rogue before, not until they had already joined the pride. They could have joined already, anyway, and just be lost. Or it could be an old member of the pride she'd just never met before.

Try as she might, Khepri had not met everyone yet, though she strove to. Attempting to meet as many lions as possible had it's repercussions though - like that she had no close friends because she rarely met the same lions twice. In passing, certainly, but not long drawn out meetings. She hadn't the time, but she needed to be settling down now. Friendships would do her some good in adulthood.

Her tail flicked over her backside lazily as her ears pivoted from side to side, trying to make a decision. At last, she exhaled heavily and then parted her lips to speak, "Hello? Who's there?"

As she had waited for a response to her call, she had begun to doubt herself. She shouldn't be out here, alone. She may not scent any danger, but what if... what if. She turned her eyes skyward for a moment before looking back out over the savannah and swallowing back her fear. It was too late now, but she moved beneath the cover of a tree just in case. At least her back would be covered, if necessary, but that was the best of what she'd know about surviving any sort of attack. A cub was born with that knowledge: seek cover.

So with these thoughts running through her mind, she tensed when she saw the shadows mold into the shape of a lioness and suddenly that reflecting pond seemed to move towards her. Ah, so it was her coat that she had seen. Her own eyes widened a bit as her brow arched with interest, then her pale blue eyes met the other's violet and she smiled despite herself. A new lion!

"Hello!" The smile was only slightly tinged with the previous worry, her eyes looking over the other's shoulder quickly just to be certain there wasn't an entire pride waiting to take her down, "Are you part of the Tuait'tekem?"

Pleased that she was right and this was a new lioness, Mert-Khepri raised her head a bit in pride and seemed to expand slightly with new found confidence. So she hadn't met everyone yet, but here was a new one to introduce herself to... her thought process halted at the lioness' explanation and Mert-Khepri swallowed, suddenly. In all the time that she had been greeting, she'd not yet helped a lion join. She'd heard of it, met them after, but...

She was suddenly nervous. Her own tail flicked against the back of her hind legs, looking around for some sort of help that wasn't there as her brow furrowed gently. Realizing she might be alarming the new lion, she gave a slight start and rushed into an explanation, "Oh, well, as far as I know you'd have to talk to the Pharaoh about that, I think."

Faltering, again, she offered a hesitant smile and slight shrug, "I've never actually helped someone join, but I don't think it's that difficult." She caught her lower lip on a fang, for a moment, considering, then added, "I could take you into the pride? Maybe someone will know there."

Mert-Khepri looked as casually as she could over her shoulder. She had no idea where her father might be at this time of night, and she supposed he wouldn't be so fond of her wandering near the borders so late. Pressing her lips together grimly at the thought, she turned back to the stranger and firmly curved her mouth into a smile despite her worrisome thoughts. All would be well. After all, no harm was done and she'd met a stranger to bring into the pride.

A kind stranger, and Mert-Khepri envisioned herself a good judge of character so surely this Mwanamke Wa'mwezi would be a good addition to the pride. She thought so anyway. Her smile grew more genuine when the stranger offered a name, and she replied, "I'm Mert-Khepri. My father is the pharaoh." She knew the importance of that statement, but her tone was far from heavy. She merely smiled more broadly and turned towards the center of the pride lands.

"Let's go. We'll find a place to spend the rest of the night nearer to the pride, then get you in in the morning." Hesitantly, she explained herself like a scolded cub, "I don't want to get in trouble for being so far out in the dark."