[SRP] A Cub No More (Rozmačkaný)

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Rozmačkaný looked at the starts of his mane with pride. He was nearing time for his quest to bring back a banu. It was such an exciting concept going out to get his first female! She would have to be special, a female that could appreciate his sense of humor. Of course he also wanted her to be willing to come back with him. He refused to bring back an unwilling female. They had enough Kajira in the pride already as far as he was concerned.

Roz stretched and looked back at his reflection in the water. He looked so much like his father, yet he was going to have a black mane and had patterns from his mother on his paws. Some times he wished he looked just like his father, he and his father certainly shared a sense of humor which was the most important thing. It was not that he disliked his mother in the least, he just idolized his father.

His father was friends with the sultan, was the nicest pad Roz knew, and treated his mother and sisters so well. Roz might be a little biased. Okay, he was a lot biased, but he was his father's son. It was nearly a requirement for him to be biased toward his father. The young male chuckled at himself and moved back to another train of thought. There were other things to think of now.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Roz shook out his little tufts of mane and wondered how long it would be before it filled out completely. Would it be full when he returned to the pride? It very well could be. He was due to leave with his brothers any day now and he was certainly going to be out there a while if he wanted to find the perfect banu to bring home. He was not naive enough to think he could return without at least a Kajira.

He had heard the way the other pads talked about the quest for a banu. If one did not return home with a female, one would come home shamed. That could cost them their place... maybe even their life. Roz would rather not be the lion to find out what the consequences were for returning without a female. He would stay away as long as it took to find the right banu to bring home.

The idea of just what that banu would be like was a little fuzzy to the young lion. His sense of humor being appreciated was one thing, but other than that, he just was not sure. He thought he would like a female that would be herself no matter what... one that while she would not disobey pride rules, would still have a personality that showed through. So many of the females, at least to his thoughts, seemed to hide who they were from everyone to please their pads.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Roz sighed to himself and padded off to find somewhere to lay down for a bit. He wanted to be away from others right now. His own thoughts were more than enough company right now. They troubled him enough that other company would just be too much. There was so much to worry over with growing up and even though he would not show it to others he DID worry over it.

Roz stopped at a rock outcropping that he used to be able to fit under and chuckles. He was getting too big for some of his favorite old hiding places, but that was a good sign in some ways. The thought of how much he had grown out of his favorite ambush locations at least gave some amusement to lighten his mood. It made him wonder if his father was going to miss the pranks, though.

As much as his pranks and jokes annoyed certain people, Roz hoped his own cubs would be the same way as he had been. Laughter was something he could never regret. There were a few pranks, he could say now that he should not have pulled, but that was part of growing up, part of life. As much a part of growing up as the impending adol quest for a female.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

What was wrong with him? He was not even ON his adol quest and he was already thinking how he would like his cubs to be like? Roz usually did not worry this much or really think this far ahead. It was not a bad thing to be thinking ahead, he would admit, but he should not be so worked up over things that were going to come so far ahead. It was not something he could do anything about yet.

Besides what was immediately in front of him needed his attention. He needed to prepare for the quest itself and try not to stress over THAT, before he prepared for what would come afterwards. What would happen, he had to wonder, if he brought back cubs from a rogue that he did not bring home? He knew it was allowed, but to do so on his quest for his first banu? Hmm, that might be an interesting thing to do.

Roz figured it would at least be a bit nontraditional. He did not think it likely to actually happen to him, but it was something that would be fun if it did happen. He mulled this thought over and grinned widely. He would really have to find a understanding female for THAT situation, he figured. Ah well, it was a fun thought even if it would not happen.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Roz hopped up on top of the rock he had been staring at and settled himself down to bask in the sun. The amusing thoughts were starting to come more than the worrisome ones, so that had to be a good sign. This adol quest thing could not be so bad and he just needed to stop worrying so much was all. He would make it!

He would bring back the best banu for himself that he could find, and if it took him extra time to find that banu, he would call it worthwhile and cherish her all the more for it. What was there to worry over? He had to do this whether he was worked up or not so it was probably for the best that he just pushed the worries aside and steeled himself for the task.

He certainly should be able to find some humor along the way. There would be lots of others to meet, and while he would not wish to have a prank for a first meeting with THEM, he was certain he could find at least one that would appreciate his sense of humor along the way. Hopefully the female he brought home would be in that category. With that thought he laid his head down and tried to empty his head for enjoying the sun.