Nissa had been alone for so long that when she came face to face with another lioness, she was at a momentary loss of what to do. She had sensed, for a while, that there were others close by and had adjusted her path so that she might skirt by unseen. Apparently this other rogue had been looking to meet with her, however, if the spark of greeting in her eyes was anything to go by.
Like Nissa, this female was dark of pelt and bright of eye, a good size and strong of limb. She had probably lived a rogue life though her body showed signs of added exertions. Warrior training, perhaps? If so then Nissa would have to watch herself. The last thing she wanted to do was start a fight after her long day's trek.
It was her distrust, however, that kept her from drawing closer, baring her teeth in a silent warning and to mask her initial shock.
The other, however, was not so anti-social. She drew up to a halt immediately and threw a warm smile across the distance between them. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I hadn't realised the wind was on my side until it was too late." She paused only briefly. "I saw you a distance away and thought I'd stop by to say hello."
Nissa blinked silently, not sure how to respond to that.
"I'm Mawasii."
Again with the silence.
The dark cat seemed to be thrown by the lack of words and, took a small step back and seated herself. "I hope you don't mind me saying so, but you seem like you know how to fight. I was...well...I've been in training for a long time. I've got warrior's blood you see - through my father's side and...I was hoping to find an opponent who wasn't a sibling or my uncle."
Nissa remained very still, her whiskers flared.
"Uh...sorry. I've clearly got the wrong end of the stick on this one." She stood again and began to back away.
Only then did Nissa find her voice. "Wait!" The sound of it startled her and she wondered how long it had been since she had last heard it. She was not so mad that she had started speaking to herself, but her reclusive habit meant that she spent a great deal of time with silence. That one word seemed to echo over and over in her head.
The younger female paused, looking hopeful.
"I...apologise. It has...been a long time since I have spoken with anyone."
"Not many pass this way?"
"I...go out of my way to avoid others."
The younger female seemed to want to ask why, though she bit back the words. Nissa, however, felt a sudden urge to justify this, even if it wasn't necessary. "I've met a lot of rogues who've meant nothing but to cause harm. Perhaps I've just been unlucky but...it seems to me a safer option to steer clear of..."
"Everyone?" Mawasii added softly.
Nissa nodded.
"I...it must be a sad thing. Do you...have no family?"
The question sent a flare of raw, hot pain driving into Nissa's chest. She choked, leaning heavily on her forepaws as if to brace herself against it. She had not thought of family for a long time. Her dear siblings and...her lying, whore of a mother. And...her father? Her real father? She closed her eyes against the sudden rush of images and glanced away.
She was so alone.
The young cat drew herself up and bravely took a step closer to the older one, pausing a few moments before leaning forwards and touching her muzzle to her shoulder. The touch was very brief and so light that it could quite easily have been missed. But Nissa's instant reaction was to pull away, to draw up a paw and slap the intruder back. Her claws dug into the soft earth to keep herself from acting on those needs and, instead, she turned her head to look over at this strange warrioress who had appeared from nowhere.
"Do you often linger here?" Mawasii asked, when it was clear that Nissa would not answer her question.
"I...yes. Often. It is quiet and I like it that way."
The young female seemed pleased at this, swinging her tail from side to side in thought. "So how do you train?"
"I'm no warrior." Nissa replied. "I've simply survived. I hunt alone, I defend my den alone. I have no time to laze around or dawdle. What you see is a lioness who has simply lived a life of solitude." Complete and utter solitude. "It's not easy but it is safe."
"Safe but sad. Not everyone is bad. I'm not and though I've not met too many strange faces in these lands, I have to say my experiences have only been good."
A rustle in the bushes interrupted their conversation and Nissa, immediately on alert, leapt to her paws, spinning to intercept whoever might be lurking out there. Mawasii moved to her side, confident in her abilities to see off any stranger. But no one appeared and they were left alone. The pair cast one another cautious glances but, after a long moment, relaxed and returned to their conversation.
"I'm looking to become a great warrior like my father once was. I want to defend and protect and battle with honour." She'd heard the stories of mighty warriors and their heroics and she lived for them.
"Was?" Nissa questioned, tilting an ear.
"He...was killed in battle shortly before I was born." There was sadness with that admission but pride, too. Clearly Mawasii admired him and perhaps even wanted her own end to be like that someday. What better way to go than by defending another's life? By throwing yourself into battle knowing that the odds were piled against you and yet battling all the same. Feeling a lethal strike and falling, eyes watching as those you fought to protect managed to escape and live on for another day. That was what her father had done. He had died to protect another and that lion still lived to this day; training her and watching over her and all of her siblings. And he was now her uncle. "My mother says that I look very much like him. I have his eyes and his pelt."
"You...have a parent you can admire. That is...a blessed thing."
"Two parents." Mawasii corrected.
Again Nissa flinched, withdrawing on herself. Her father had seemed a good lion. Grey of pelt and kindly. But she had deserted him long ago, when he had attempted to cure her mother of the sickness that had proved incurable. A disease of the sole, a personality disorder. A madness that seemed to destroy everything around her.
For all Nissa knew, she could be dead. And sadder still was the fact that she really didn't care.
Drawing her from her thoughts, Mawasii shifted to face her - eye to eye - and settled herself into a defensive posture, a teasing glint in her blue eyes. "Let's stop talking of sad things, hm? What do you say to a duel? Warrior or not, you look like you can handle yourself and I'd love to see if I can learn something from you."
Reluctantly, Nissa rose to her paws. She shook her body to loosen the muscles and took a moment to remove her headdress, setting it gently aside. The feathers were scruffy now, but she had not the heart to change them. Her dear friend had helped her construct it when they had been young and how she missed him. Had he found himself a nice little place in the world? A mate? A family? Probably. And that would be good, too. He deserved it.
"Very well, but sheath your claws. I've got enough scars without an enthusiastic youngster adding to them."
"Don't worry. I'm used to sparring. It's all I've ever done, after all." Mawasii drew closer and Nissa felt life stir in her veins once more. Perhaps finally, after all this time, she had caught up with the elusive thing called 'good luck'. Maybe, after today, things could start to change and she'd no longer have to live the hermit's life.
She would put up a good fight.
She would win.
But, unbeknownst to either female, a pair of bright green eyes watched them from the undergrowth. Watching and waiting for the outcome. Preparing to make itself known.
/fin.
