They were adjusting well, they felt as if they belonged in the pride they now called home. Rashida rolled in the grass, itching her back with her legs
kicking into the air. She smiled, playing almost like a cub might. She was safe in these lands, something that hadnt been the case being a rogue. Anyone
could try to hurt her when she was so vulnerable. She found herself thankful she had Azrael and her new home. Her only other desire was to have cubs. Of course
she knew it would be awhile before they did try, but it was fun to sit and dwell on most times. She found herself looking at her pelt, and her mates pelt, and trying
to piece together what the cubs would look like. She was a younger female, a one time princess that had been shunned when she hadnt accepted the new takeover. She had
no hate in her bones about it though, as being a princess was fat too much stress for such a young mind to handle.
She looked up, dark eyes gazing at the golden male that chewed happily on a bone beside her.
Crunch, Crack, Crunch. The noises filled her ears, and she found herself smiling.
"Are you enjoying that bone?" She asked, her eyes showing the smile within them. Always a happy girl, Rashida had very little t hat bothered her usually. In fact, lately
it had been Azrael being the one that was unamused by most of the situations they had found themselves in.
He looked up from his bone, nodding with a little smile, before resuming chewing.
"Indeed. Its nice to sit here and just..do nothing for the time being." He confided.
So far, Gowe's day had been pretty awesome. She was the first one to wake up, which meant she got the most time with momma and daddy and the biggest piece of whatever it was that she ate. She was so happy that she just couldn't contain it. With a giggle, she raced from the den out into her clan and breathed int he air. She wanted to run and play and be a cub, but for some reasin, as the brown lioness moved, she didn't see any other cubs that wanted to play with her! They must all be at the festivle or something. She didn't know, really. She just knew her happiness was taking a plunch.
Moving deeper into her clan, she heard some crunching and cracking and her ears perked. She raced towards the noise and came upont two older lions! They looked like mates. And they looked new to the pride because they had about as many tattoos as she did. Only they couldn't get anymore because they were new. She always felt sad about that. She'd be fully tattooed when she was their age and they never would be. But their children would! Oh, may be they had some.
She walked right up to them and plopped down. "Hi! I'm Gowe. I don't recognize you from the clan. ....Are you from this clan? 'cause if not, that's OK, I guess. Daddy said sometimes others form different clans wander around. Do you have cubs? What do your tattoos mean?" Yep. Hyper.
He was content to chew on his bone, and the arrival of the little female did nothing to disuade the enjoyment. He continued gnawing at the bone, though
his eyes ticked upwards to look at her. He had hardly noticed she had approached them before she began asking a managerie of questions. He sighed, and took
a deep breath. He supposed he was happy that Rashida could take those questions with ease. He himself, likely would have been annoyed and maybe even have
ignored the cub. But he kept his composure and ticked his eyes upwards towards Rashida, willing her to speak for him to answer the questions. He hadnt caught
half of them anyway.
Rashida, however, was overjoyed with the presence of a cub. Especially since her mind had been on cubs for the last few weeks. She hadnt seen many, she supposed that her clan wasnt really booming in cubs at the moment. She hoped that changed soon, she truly wanted to snuggle and play, even if they werent her own!
She lowered herself to her belly, covering her paw with her other paw as she cocked her head to look at Gowe. She offered the kindest smile she could muster, and
in her own soft voice she spoke.
"Easy little one." She giggled. "Start with one question and work your way up. Id be happy to answer any, but first I need to remember them all!"
She smiled, her tail flicking side to side, hitting the grasses and making a "whoosh" sound with each sway.
"We are from the Sky clan, We had taken down an antelope here, and so we were just going to finish our meal and be on our way. Or that was the plan." She said, looking back towards Azrael who was continuing to chew on the bone.
"Ooooh. Sky clan! I've never met anyone from Sky clan!" She laughed and looked to the male, who seemed to not like her. That made her really sad. Either way, she looked back to the female and grinned happily. "OK. My next question is, what are your names?" Names were important to Gowe. They signified recognition because she had to have a face and a name with this. What Gowe really wanted to ask was why her mate didn't seem to like her already. She didn't do anything! Just came over to them and asked questions. Oooh, maybe he didn't like others prying into his life. Looking back at the male, her ears flattened a bit and she hung her head.
"I told you my name, but incase you forgot, or didn't get it, I'm Gowe Galvquodi. But people tend to call me Go Go."
If he had known he was upsetting the cub, he probably would have changed his tune. Azrael hated offending others, and only did it if he felt
their lives were in danger. Somehow this cub was not a threat in his mind, and so he just had no feeling whatsoever in regards to her. Though he dropped his bone finally, listening
to the cubs questions.
He decided that it would be nice if he answered her question in regards to names. That was something he could answer quickly, and easily, and still be seen as polite. So he cleared his throat, motioning with his paw.
"Im Azrael," He said, his paw touching his chest. He then motioned in Rashida's direction and pointed with a claw.
"She's Rashida, my mate." He responded, as if that last bit was important. Of course, it was important, but he wasnt so sure it would be to a cub. He wasnt sure really what WAS important to a cub. He had been raised to be a warrior, to be a bloodthirsty killer like his father.. One that he had looked up to more than anything. Though he had never amounted to anything to father, and the more he thought about it, the more he decided that maybe it was for the best he didnt turn out like father.
Rashida bowed her head and smiled at the cub.
"Go go huh? Well if I call you Go Go, then its only fair if Im called Rashi. Its a pleasure." She said, a soft smile tugging on the edge of her lips.
"If I may ask, what clan are we currently within?" She asked, looking around them. She supposed she should know the answer to that, but she was new, and still having a hard time learning the boundaries that each clan made.
Gowe's eyes widened in delightful surprise when the male answered her question. Grinning and nodding, she committed the names to memory. "Azrel and Rashida." It was obvious that she was pleased that he had answered and acknoleged her. Her tail flicked as she shifted from paw to paw, tilting her head and watchign the two. They didn't know what clan they were in? Oh, they must be really new! She loved helping new people out! Like the new people to the Wolf Clan.
"You are in the Wolf Clan! Momma and Daddy said it is the best of the clans, even though they're all wonderfully amazing. They said it was because me and my brothers and sisters are here!" She puffed her chest out proudly. To a cub, that was the honest truth and no one could say otherwise. "Rashi. Rashi's easy to remember!"
An idea struck her hard and fast and caused a giggle to bubble forth. "Wanna see all my tattoos?" Without waiting for confirmation or a polite no, the cub got up and showed off the one on her paw first. "These are there because I was the first in my litter to catch something! I caught a baby hare and gave it to my momma. But since it was a baby, she let it go. I didn't hurt it any." Then she shook her head to get her bangs out of her face. "These show off my eyes. Momma said they're my greatest feature." She had beautiful, sky blue eyes that shone with nothing but happiness and pride right now. Then she shifted to show off her lower back and thigh tattoos.
"There is a story with these tattoos. I have this... connection to the water. Everytime I get in it I feel.. whole. Well, I always feel whole, but I just.. I can't describe it. So, like the currents and the waves of the water, my tattos symbolize the water. See how they connect like small rivers to a big one? The flowers symbolize my love for the flowers found around the rivers and watering holes."
Rashida herself had yet to be tattooed within the clan. She couldnt say she wasnt excited about the endeavor. It was what she looked forward to.
Once she got a tattoo, she would really belong. She looked at her tattooless features and then at the younger females tattoos. Her eyes trailed up the
tattoos on her leg, then flowed onto the ones along her back until she came to look at the ones around her eyes. They were all in the prettiest shade of color..
Like the ocean on a nice day.
"They tell a story alright. That sounds wonderous. One day, I will have a story behind the few that I get." SHe chuckled jubilously. She looked at Azrael as he stood,
stretching his claws and walking over to Rashida where he took a seat at her side.
He too, looked over the young ones tattoos, interested in the story. He liked that each one meant something. It was like, having your life and memories tattooed upon
your pelt, never to be forgotten.
Rashida, pleased with her mate for approaching and being social if even in the slightest, smiled at the femme. She was in the wolf clan. Rashida was trying to get herself
familiar with the names of the clans. They were simple, but they still took some remembering.
"Thats wonderful! Im sure your mother is right, if it has you it must be the best of the clans." She said, agreeing with the mother.
It thrilled her that he came up and was willing to look at her tattoos. She loved showing them off and telling their story. She hoped more amazing events happend in her life that she could get tattooed upon her pelt. Like maybe, meeting a boy, getting married, having babies. Something. Or an adventure! "The Sky clan is so pretty. I've heard stories about it. But then... Each clan is pretty. Each clan is really something special." She looked to them both and then looked around, tilting her head to the side before darting them around to figure out something else to do. But it seemed lik they were done with their meal. That meant that they'd be going back.
"You can come see me any time you want! I don't mind. Maybe next time, we can go swimming and play in the water! You'll see how I swim like a fish!" Her brother had told her that, and she'd wrinkled her nose. Fish were ugly. But she wasn't, so she got over being mad at her brother for that not so nice compliment.
Azrael yawned, looking to Rashida and nuzzling her. He was letting her know in silence that the sun would soon be setting, and theyd need to be back in their clans, safe in their den. He smiled at the little female and bowed his head.
"Pleasure to meet you Gowe. Perhaps we will take you up on that offer."
He responded. He really wasnt one for swimming, but he might try it should he be back in the area. He wasnt really
against it, it was just something he didnt do often. He gave a look to Rashida, and turned, heading back towards the direction
of the sky clan. He paused, turning to look at Rashi once more. He didnt want to leave here there in the darkness..
Rashida nuzzled Azrael back, and then looked to the cub once more. She was happy that she had met the femme. She was sweet, and
it was pleasant to see Azrael open up, if even only for a few sentences. Usually his brooding made talking to others rather
difficult.
"Id love that Gowe. It was a pleasure to meet you." She said, and turned, following her mate back to their homeland.
She nodded and giggled. "Bye! I hope you two love this pride like I do!" Her blue eyes watched them go and then looked up at the sky and saw how late it was. Her story must have taken longer than she thought it did! Biting down on her lip, she turned and raced towards her den, head held high. The smell of sweet grasses and family was calling to her.
