He did it, ah-ha! Despite the claims of that older cub, Akairo had managed to sneak past his mother while she was busy and reach the pride’s borders. He’d been walking for quite a bit of time now and he was starting to lose hope that no one would notice his absence – the border was not really as close as he’d assumed. The cub wasn’t too worried though. After all, he knew he was getting closer to the mysterious Rogue Lands that some of the adults talked about, that - presumably - dangerous place where strangers roamed and that Akairo had been dared to visit. His tiny paws stung and his legs demanded a break but the cub was on a mission. He had to reach the pride’s borders quickly and try to bring something back to prove he’d been here.
He could tell the pride’s scents were getting fainter and he hurried his pace. So far he couldn’t tell anything was different. Same sky, same clouds, same grass, same trees, same birds... he had to admit he was a little disappointed. He trotted forward, an eager grin slowly forming upon his maw. Quick, quick! I need to get back soon.
She was getting closer to pridal lands. Chipo caught the scent of other lions, a definite threshold as opposed to the scattered spots of the Rogue lands. She stopped, continued, stopped, and continued once more. Just as the scent was getting strong enough to set her on edge and make her turn away to head in the other direction when she caught a glimpse of movement. Immediately the lioness crouched down in the grass, taking in great big breaths of air through her nose as she tried to scent out if this other was friend or foe.
They were of the pride she'd been approaching but as far as she could tell they were alone. Cautiously she sat up for a better look and realized that it was nothing more than a young cub. Chipo sighed, shaking her head as she remained slightly lowered, not exactly trying to hide herself but not advertising that she was there either. This was the second little lad she'd found roaming out along the boarders of their pride.
With a bit of thought she finally sat up. Egil has made her a little cautious of wandering on the edges of pride lands... threats of border patrol ghosted through her memory... but she was pretty sure she could turn around and bolt if they decided that she was officially on pride lands. Besides, it wasn't like she intended to do any harm to him, just ask him why he was so far away from home. That was if he got closer.
So far, so good, the little cub thought to himself. It seemed he had missed the guards on patrol and was now reaching the famous Rogue Lands. Unfortunately, this area looked exactly like the one behind him and it seemed he wouldn’t be able to find a way to prove he’d been here. The cub wasn’t anywhere near cautious, hopping around the bushes and climbing up rocks to get a better look at the area – that is, until he caught some movement surprisingly close to him.
Akairo turned slowly, demonstrating to anyone who was paying attention that he had in fact, spotted something, not really bothering – or perhaps not considering – hiding that fact. He didn’t really like what he saw. There was a lioness there – one of the Strangers! – and she was staring right at him, disturbingly still. The cub took one hesitant step back as the lioness rose to a sitting position and tried to read her body language as best as he could.
"Hello?" he called bravely, though his voice wavered just a tiny bit.
A little smile broke out across her features and the lioness lowered herself down a little into a more reclined position. "Hello." She called out in return. "Could you tell me what pride lands these are?" She hoped asking him a question would help to ease him a little bit.
He was much different from Egil, who had challenged her out-right without the bat of an eye. She'd been a stranger and he wasn't about to let her get passed him. This little one was much more hesitant.
Ah, so she really was a stranger. Wait, he wasn’t supposed to talk to strangers. What to do, what to do?!
“This is the Pride Lands’ borders.” He said with renewed confidence – completely trusting the lioness’ smile. Wasn’t it obvious? How many prides were out there, really? The cub’s world was still very small and the mere idea of great number of prides was too daunting to even consider. “You have to tell me your name ‘cause I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”
Well, he wasn’t supposed to get close to them either but he was slowly but surely moving towards the lioness. She seemed friendly enough, just like any other lioness in the pride so Akairo had some trouble thinking of Chipo as one of those fearsome rogues that had to be feared and avoided as much as possible – well, for a cub like himself, of course. He was definitely more relaxed now and unless he could see any signs of aggression, he would probably stay that way.
With a short laugh she gave a little bow of her head in formal greeting. "My name is Chipo. And now I am no a stranger." She couldn't deny the tiny niggle of happiness that shot through her heart as the little cub inched himself closer. There was something of the little one that made her want to simultaneously protect and play with him.
"And what's your name? So you're not a stranger to me?" She rested her chin on her paws, her eyes crinkling with a smile.
Oh, you were supposed to give your name when you asked for someone else’s. Right, he’d remember that next time.
“My name’s Akairo.” He said as he reached the lioness and began to circle her slowly. Good, now they weren't strangers. “You are not supposed to be here, you know... the guards won’t like it. Have you seen them? Do you want to join the pride? Do you know anyone here? Why are you here? Are you lost? Your spots are pretty...” To be honest, he wasn’t even sure if they were indeed inside the lands of his pride but the little didn’t feel the least bit threatened anymore – which explained the sudden explosion of questions coming from his smiling mouth.
He had thought of something and that idea was festering inside his mind, refusing to be forgotten. It had come to the little cub that this lioness was a rogue and, as a rogue, she smelled very much not like anything inside the pridelands. So if he could just... rub himself on her legs or something, he could prove to everyone that he’d been really far from the heart of the pride. Mom probably wouldn’t be too happy about that but all the other kids would think he was awesome, right? Right! So now he just needed to see if she was friendly enough to try something like that.
Chipo couldn't hep the laugh that escaped her. She kept as still as she could, not wanting to seem threatening, though she did extend her head, letting the little cub rub beneath her chin as he passed by her in one of his paceings, turning her head to give his neck and the scruffy little hint of a mane a lick. She chuckled again as it stood up in the wrong direction.
"Well, let's see," she hummed good-naturedly. "No. I don't think so. No. I woke up this morning and wondered what was in this direction. Again, no. And..." She smiled as the cub walked back and forth in front of her, looking as though he was interested in getting closer. "Thank you. Now, why are YOU out this far from your pride, hm?"
“Hey! Careful with the mane!” the little cub said indignantly, shaking his head as the lioness chuckled. She seemed nice though and after the initial physical contact, Akairo felt more than enough courage to rub himself on her front legs. Then he wedged his way between them and sat under Chipo’s head, silently willing her scent to soak his tiny body. Success! This was certainly good enough proof for the other cubs to realize Akairo’s greatness.
“Is it fun? Aren’t you lonely sometimes?” the cub started quietly picturing a very long journey filled with adventures and dangers. “I’m not supposed to be here...” well, that much must’ve been obvious. “I can’t stay for too long, my mom will worry and I still have to walk a lot. But they dared me to come here so I did.” Akairo looked up with a smug smile that showed just how proud he was his accomplishment.
Her heart... melted. At first she wasn't sure what the little cub was doing as he stepped up to her, wriggling and turning and then finally plopping down beneath chin and sat between her two front paws. She looked down at the little one, a surge of something unfamiliar welling up inside of her heart. She gave a little startle as she realized she was being spoken to, shaking her head to snap out of it."Lonely?" Se hadn't ever really thought much on if she'd been lonely or not. She HADN'T been lonely... not until lately. Lately she found herself actively seeking others out, after all. "I... guess. Yeah." She sighed and then perked up a bit so the cub wouldn't be able to see it. "It is fun, though. I've seen a lot of the lands and I wander to wherever I feel like going when I wake up."
A little smile curved the corner of her mouth upward. What a little devil, this one. Out on a dare? "A dare, eh? Well here, then..." She turned her head and rubbed her cheek all down along the top of Akairo's head and down along his back, rubbing her foreign scent all over him. "Have some proof. Now don't you go making your mother worry herself to pieces." She stood up, giving the cub room to trot out from between her legs.
Wow, Chipo was sooo smart! How did she see through his plan so quickly?
“Yeah, well... thank you.” He said somewhat shyly, subdued by the sudden awe he felt towards the adventurous lioness. “I’ll go then.”
He moved out of his comfy little spot – not without a good amount of resigned disappointment – and took a few steps towards his home before he turned to look back, a little unsure of how to say goodbye.
“Have fun, Chipo!” he said suddenly with a wide grin, dropping to a playful bow for an instant before setting off. Eh, he was going to be so popular today!
