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 Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 6:13 pm
Nyota had hit the road, leaving behind her home and now she was out in the middle of the roguelands with no idea of where she ought to go. Her plan wasn't fully formed but she knew she would figure it out, she just needed to find someone who had seen him go by.
"Mizi, it's not too late to go back, you know," she said, walking along slowly, looking around for signs of others- mainly birds, who seemed the best candidates to get help looking around from. She knew her companion was frightened of leaving their home but she hadn't stopped her from coming along. Mizi was not a brave hare, she would have been happy to stay home and hide away with her parents forever.. but she didn't want Nyota to go, especially without her. And it was meant to be a gesture to make it easier on her mother, though Angavu wasn't really the overprotective type.
"Have you changed your mind?" she asked nervously, rather hoping the answer was yes. "No, we've barely looked yet, no point losing hope yet."
How far could one lion get in a couple hours anyway?
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 6:35 pm
 The sun was shining, the winds were favorable, Antallian was sleeping - it was a perfect day for a hunt. It was ironic, she thought, that he mate's coloration should be much closer to ideal for hunting - at least during the daytime - and he should be such a dismal failure at it. Not that she loved him any less, but gods all help them when they did have cubs. Maybe she should look into an ally of some kind, who could help out with little things like that. The black lioness was nearly ready to pounce on her prey - an unwary young gazelle buck - when sudden voices startled him into flight. Cursing, she turned towards the source. A stranger lioness, it seemed. Talking to air? No, air didn't talk back. Inatarni moved swiftly and quietly to cut them off, positioned herself just so, so that when the strangers came around the next large hummock, she'd be there, waiting.
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 6:43 pm
"Ok," Mizi murmured, crestfallen. Nyota was stubborn, there wasn't much chance of them turning back the same day they left. The hare was reluctant to accept that, though. At least her whining couldn't be expected to end the same day they left, either.
Day one was never much fun on an adventure, she decided.
Nyota sighed but decided not to respond to Mizi just now. She was grateful for the company, and the longer this took, the more grateful she would be, of course.. but she didn't like having to worry about Mizi's feelings or safety.
So they walked quietly-- until suddenly there was a lion standing before them. And she'd obviously heard them. Nyota stopped and stared, looking rather stunned.
Mizi knew why Nyota had ended the conversation there and was looking up at her when they rounded the bend and came face to face with a stranger-- only Mizi had to look up from Nyota's feet.
"Oh!" she squeaked, startled.
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 6:50 pm
The black lioness was somewhat surprised at how close the other and her familiar had come before noticing her presence. Were they so unaware of their surroundings? It set off warning bells in Inatarni's mind as she studied the younger lioness. No one could afford to be that ignorant living in the rogue lands, which meant that these two came from a pride.
And so she probably shouldn't attack. Prides tended to take action when someone injured one of their own. Not that it was really her style anyway, but a person had to consider all the options available.
"Good afternoon," Inatarni greeted the pair politely, when it became clear they were too...surprised...to speak. No harm in being polite. It might get them on their way quickly so that they stopped scaring off the game.
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 6:55 pm
"Hello," Nyota managed after giving Inatarni a curious (and almost rude) look. How had they stumbled upon a whole lion without noticing here? It was hardly very busy, dark or easy to hide out here. Not when you were just standing about anyway. Maybe she'd been paying too much attention to the wrong things. Birds were no use if you were ambushed on the ground.
Not that this really seemed to be an ambush.
"Didn't see you there," she commented, though it was just to keep from drawing out the silence.
Mizi was already nervous, being caught by surprise by another lion pushed her over the edge. She moved in closer to Nyota's feet, all but clinging to them. The lions in the Pridelands knew better than to hunt around home but out here she wasn't necessarily safe.
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 7:01 pm
"I noticed," was the dry response Nyota's comment elicited. She was distantly curious as to what pride the stranger was from, but it didn't really matter. A pride was a pride. The much more relevant question was why, why this lioness who would probably get lost before nightfall was wandering the rogue lands. It was notoriously unsafe out here, and Inatarni had little faith that this stranger could defend herself or even conceal herself.
Yes, her coat was more suited to the latter than Inatarni's own, but one had to know how to utilize that advantage.
It didn't escape her notice how the hare was likely to trip the younger lioness in its fear. Lucky for the little creature, Inatarni knew better than to snag it for dinner.
"You're far from home," she observed with a hooded flick of her eyes. It might be better for her if the sand-colored lioness had stayed there, wherever there was.
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 7:38 pm
Nyota continued to stare, not all that worried about offending the stranger, though she recognized that she ought to be careful. It was hard to decide what to make of her.
"Not all that far," she responded. They had gotten outside the Pridelands but it was an easy walk back if they decided.. but that wasn't the point, she was commenting on the fact they were obviously not rogues. Making a quick decision, she changed the focus.
"Have you seen a lion wandering this way?" she asked, "Black fur, a pale mane- two colors in it. Probably suspicious looking."
Mizi was equally unsure of how to take Inatarni's attitude, but she was also unsure of herself and so could do nothing but stare and worry. She wasn't sure how anybody could be a rogue, this was terrifying. She wasn't a lion but there were hares that dared to live out here, too.
Terrifying.
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 7:42 pm
Well, it was good that the girl had some pluck. Not that Inatarni would show any sign that she was pleased with the stranger's decision to not be intimidated, oh no. There were plenty of dangerous lions out here, and it wouldn't do the pride lioness any good to think she could rely on others. Not if she wanted to return to her home in one piece.
But she was looking for someone. Very interesting. And the coloration sounded nothing at all like hers, which meant it was unlikely he was related. "Suspicious" though, was an interesting choice of words. Inatarni herself could be described that way. Hm. Could it be that the male in question wasn't originally from a pride? She'd probably never know the answer to that question.
"Your mate?" the black lioness asked shortly, sidestepping the question she was supposed to answer for the moment.
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 7:52 pm
It would have been a good excuse to be looking for a lion but then there would have been little reason to call him suspicious. The truth wasn't much better, he was hanging around the area somewhere, until he was convinced her father was not there.
"No," she said, "Only a stranger who was making threats against family. I am trying to keep an eye on him, he seemed unstable."
The truth, though a vague version of it.
Hearing Nyota describe the situation they were in did not make Mizi feel much better about what was going on. She wasn't sure there would be a good way for this to end for them. Leaning against Nyota's leg, she looked up at the black lioness, still trying to decide what she thought of her and wondering if she would be helpful.
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 7:56 pm
A blink was the only indication of Inatarni's surprise. So...the suspicious black lion was a possible danger. Very interesting. That didn't quite explain what this naive lioness was doing hunting him, but was intriguing nonetheless.
She supposed this was the point where she was supposed to introduce herself and offer to help. But Inatarni was only that altruistic for Antallian and perhaps bloodkin. Otherwise, she knew when to keep her mouth shut and her business her own.
"I see," the black lioness replied neutrally. "Haven't ever seen one like that." She didn't have to add in that one word, but she might keep an eye out now, having heard that this stranger male as suspicious. Threats against one might be transferred to any other who got in his way. Caution was important, in the rogue lands. It kept you alive.
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:01 pm
"OK, thanks anyway," she said genuinely, though this hadn't been the purpose of their interaction. Nyota's hope was that the strangers curiosity was satisfied and she might let them go off now, she wasn't making it very easy for them to be social, after all.
So she took a step back and a small step sideways, indicating her intention to go.
Mizi jumped when suddenly Nyota was moving again and was quick to follow along with her. She wasn't sure what exactly Nyota was thinking but clearly she was going to try to avoid continuing any conversation with this lioness.. and the hare couldn't blame her. She had decided, finally, that she didn't like this quiet, careful stranger.
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:07 pm
Inatarni's lip curled slightly in amusement. Clearly the young pride lioness wanted away from her as soon as she could get it. Well, she hadn't been too friendly, but who was in these lands? Only cubs, really, or the occassional god could afford to be. And a sane lion really didn't want to meet one of the latter.
The black lioness smiled widely, showing her teeth. "You're welcome," she told the younger lioness as she stepped back, allowing the two to continue on their way without having to go around.
She wondered how their hunt would go, and if they would find their suspicious black male. Not that it was likely she'd ever find out. There were hundreds of lions scattered in these lands and it wasn't like there were only a couple with black pelts.
Inatarni nodded to herself slightly before melting away into the high grasses to finish her interrupted hunt for dinner.
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:14 pm
Nyota walked boldly by Ina, forcing herself not to keep her eyes on the stranger as she did- she was very interesting, even where Nyota was from such a large pride. But then, it was easy to never meet one of the antisocial lions, especially if you yourself were social.
She waited until they were some distance away before addressing Mizi, who had stayed by her feet.
"I could feel you shaking," she commented, then continued after giving Mizi a light kick out from beneath her, "Now stay out here or you might trip me."
Mizi wasted no time trying to control herself and did keep her pale eyes on Inatarni as they walked by- and looked back over her shoulder at least once as they left. She saw the stranger disappear and relaxed but she was far from walking comfortably out in the open-- until Nyota kicked her.
"Sorry," she murmured, shuffling a couple awkward steps before settling in a place she deemed close enough but not too close.
Nyota sighed, feeling bad for the little hare. She didn't want to spend time worrying about Mizi but she was going to, no matter what. Her little friend only wanted to keep her company, to make sure she was not alone.
"Don't worry, Mizi," she said, "I'll keep you safe, no matter where we end up."
Fin.
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