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 Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:33 pm
Trotting back towards the inner sanctuary of her pride, Caely's steps were light and springy, causing the grass to almost jingle with her cheerful stride. The rabbit that had been tormented by her little charges, now successfully trapped and put out of its misery as she carried its limp body by the neck. Eager to perhaps bring the treat to the sandy blonde lion who she admired so greatly before the meat spoiled. Admittedly, her thoughts lingered, a little too distractedly, on the strange encounter upon the border with a leopard cub who had turned up his nose at her offered meal. Politely, of course, but still.. what child turned down free meat? He had been a strange little thing, but then what did Caely know of leopards? It was entirely possible that his behavior had been completely normal by standards of the solitary felines.
As a nanny she couldn't help buy worry over a cub left to fend for itself, but he'd been insistent on returning to his father of his own accord. Still.. I hope he'll be okay.
Caely should have been paying attention to where she was going instead of where her new acquaintance was headed as her gait hitched on something unexpectedly... a rock? a branch? a body? and caused the female to tumble across the ground, tucking and rolling in a chestnut ball of white and black splashed fur.
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:34 pm
Svgata had been lurking about in the area between the clans. It was a wide area, large and comparatively empty next to the bustle of the main clan areas. He'd planned to find Tadi today, if he could, and maybe see if she'd like to go along for some hunting. He was growing increasingly fond of her, and though he had no formal plans to approach her yet, the idea was starting to form in the deep recesses of his mind. It hadn't fully occurred to him yet to take action, but it would soon.
Distracted by his thoughts about one thing or another, he'd slowed his gait, sat, and then lie down. He looked ahead, but in a detached sort of way that spoke clearly of his distraction. A sharp pinch at the base of his tail made his start and whirl about just in time to see a blur of brown and white and tangled limbs go stumbling by, and then crash to the ground with a suitable amount of noise. At first he presumed this might be Tadi, but no. The markings were different, as was the size and scent of the stranger. She wasn't from his clan, for certain.
"Are you alright?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:36 pm
Eep! With a dizzy little chirp, Caely wobbled to her feet unsteadily and gave her head a quick shake causing her blonde bangs to shade jade green eyes. She was still reeling a bit even as she found herself on all fours, teetering and blinking bewilderedly. Not yet having realized there was company about a soft murmur fell from her maw, What was that?!
Laughing at her own state of complete hopelessness, an embarrassed sort of half-drawn breath silenced Caely upon realizing rather suddenly that she wasn't alone. A sheepish smile addressing the Ela, by the look of him--covered in tattoos--he had most likely been born into the pride. Lucky fella that he was. O-oh! H...hi. I.. uhmm.. I'm sorry. W-was it you I tripped over? I.. I didn't mean to. Are you.. a-are you okay?
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:38 pm
Aha. He could tell right away that this was one of the pride's newer members. He smiled at hr, trying to calm her. She seemed a bit nervous--wouldn't he be, tripping over someone in a new place? Maybe she'd been here a while though, who knew?
"Yes, it was me, but it's alright. I wasn't paying attention either. Oh dear..." He stepped a bit closer, eying the rabbit. "I hope that didn't get too dirty when you stumbled. Grit in a meal makes it a little less enjoyable." He looked back up at her, glancing briefly at her fewer tattoos. Yes, a newer member, from outside. "I'm Svgata. From Wolf Clan. I don't think we've met?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:41 pm
N-no. It was my fault. I should have been paying attention to where I was going, but I.. I'm glad y-y-your okay. Being a rather timid female, Caely's eyes lowered to the tips of her toes, ears flicking back against her head as her entire stance took on a submissive shape mild-manneredly. The last thing she wanted was to get into an altercation with one of her new pride members. She enjoyed the Ela'wadiyi far too much to be kicked out for accidentally causing trouble so her actions tended to be even more cautious than usual. A puzzled expression lifting hesitantly towards the thick maned male, D-dirty? Oh! Oh no!
Twisting two and fro on her forepaws in search of the hare, a mournful little glance befell the dusty bundle of fur. ...do you think it'll be okay?
Should she have even considered bringing it to Wai? Heaven help her, she wasn't quite sure what he would think if she offered him a meal that had looked as if two hyenas had used it for a rag-doll. An imploring gaze seeming to request the male, Svgata, he had said his name was as to what she should do. Giving the body a nosing nudge, murmuring in a mildly distracted way. N-no.. I.. only just.. just joined. My name.. my name is Caelyndei. I'm in care of the Sh.. Shadow clan.
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:42 pm
He felt a surge of concern for the poor lioness. Yes, a very new member, shy, and nervous as he'd ever seen. He wondered vaguely if his parents had been this jumpy when they'd joined...he couldn't imagine it. Mother was always at ease, and Father was as stoic as they came. He'd inherited some of that coolness, and he gently nosed her for reassurance, then looked past her to the rabbit in the dirt.
"Well, food is food, and anyone would be glad to have it, I'm sure. Dirt isn't the tastiest thing, but if you'd like, perhaps I can show you to a stream? There's one nearby. You could wash it a bit, if you're that worried."
Maybe she was a new mother to picky cubs? They would surely eat a hare with some grit though. She probably just wanted to impress her new family and friends. He could understand that.
"It's a good kill, you know. Nice and plump."
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:44 pm
Blushing faintly beneath encouraging nudge, Cae rewarded the unfamiliar pride member with a shy smile. Coming from another lion, it made the painted huntress feel a little more at ease. Carefully lifting the rabbit to give it a little shake and set it back down gently. I.. I hope so. I thought I'd bring it home for... for Waikiki.
It was evident in the little lady's tone that held a particular fondness for the surfer boy that had greeted her so flamboyantly on her first day of being part of the pride. Gazing at Svgata with wondering eyes, Do you think.. I should? W-wash it I mean. I want.. I really really want him to like it.
And as he complimented the rather well fed hare at her feet, she couldn't help but beam and gloat proudly. A bunch of my cubs.. w-well.. I mean.. not.. not my cubs, but.. cubs that I watch over. They sniffed it out in the tall grass all by themselves! They even had a good hold on it for a bit, but it had just a little too much fight in it.. and it managed to slip away from them.
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:45 pm
Oh, he understood now. There was a special someone. Well, that made sense. He probably would feel bad giving Tadi a dirty hare, but from the outside looking in it didn't seem too bad a situation.
"Well it would get the dirt out. It'll lose some blood though, and might taste different. It's up to you, I think, but I know if I were your Waikiki, I would just be glad for the attentions of such a kind and caring lioness. That alone would make me happy, and I'm sure your hare, in any state, will make him happy."
"Oh, really?" He chuckled thinking of a bunch of cubs on a hare. "Poor thing. You probably did it a mercy, putting it out of its misery. The cubs are proud as well, I'm sure. All off telling their parents and friends about how they hunted a rabbit? That would have been me as a cub."
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:48 pm
You.. you would? Really? Giving Svgata a bubbly look of absolute delight, those jewel tone eyes sparkled as she met his eyes, for the first time, with earnest. Obviously more than mildly pleased by the compliment. Small shoulders wiggling as she sat up a little straighter. Not that that made much difference. For being a rogue lands girl she was on par with most Ela lionesses in size. Positively dainty. Maybe a condition that had fueled the fire for her meek personality, but it was hard to say for certain either way without further investigation. I'm glad you think so...
Feeling her cheeks warm with bliss at the idea of how pleased Wai might have been for the gift, simply because it came from her, Caely broke eye contact to stare down at the hare at her paws. Savoring the fluttering feeling in her belly for a moment. Trying to gather her giddy thoughts before she nodded gingerly and smiled up at the Wolf gratefully. Yea.. I thought so. I didn't want it to suffer too long, but cubs have to start somewhere.. right? I hope they are.. I think that would mean that I'm a good at my job... and.. I.. I try to be. Do.. do you have any cubs?
Caely couldn't remember seeing him around where she returned her little charges to their rightful homes, but she knew there were several nannies in the pride and it was possible that he might have sent them off with one closer to his own den? It seemed an innocent enough question. He was certainly handsome enough to have a mate and seemed mature enough to have a litter of his own.
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:49 pm
He chuckled and shook his head. "No, none of my own. I'm afraid I've been rather poor at wooing...well. She's beautiful, and has the eye of plenty of males, and I suppose I should try harder. Like you seem to be. I have time though. To be honest my mane only finally filled in all the way last season. It makes me look older, yes?"
He smiled and shook his thick mane. Indeed it was lush and well grown, but careful inspection would show it was thin in some areas, still filling out. Thinking of Tadi made him smile more. Once he'd finished here perhaps he'd take his own advice and go hunt her up something nice.
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:51 pm
Poor? Repeating the word with surprise in her tone, Caelyndei flipped her ears backwards and craned her neck in a fashion so that she could give her companion her most amusingly incredulous expression. Grey nose crinkling rather cutely. That's impossible! Though.. the lionesses here are something special.
Admitting in an almost defeated way, Cae smiled at the thought of the females she had met thus far, swirling under unique and meaningful designs. She didn't doubt that Svgata's lady was a vision of loveliness. Since she's not with any of those other males I'm sure she's just waiting for you to make your move!
With a confident nod, small paws lifted to playfully brush at that wild mane. Green as the lush plains in the middle of spring. It does! I thought.. well I.. I mean..
Drawing back, she giggled bashfully and averted her eyes. ..I didn't even realize you were younger than me.
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Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 4:52 pm
He chuckled at her reaction and nodded. "Indeed. Courtship is a serious business, and the female I find myself taken with is from another clan from my own. That makes things a little more complicated. I must leave my family, if she chooses me, and move in with hers. It is not her opinion alone that matters, in that way, though I think I'm making mainly good impressions..."
"Oh? Really? Hmm. Well, a female would know another female better than a male could, I suppose." Another laugh. "I look older? I will take that as a compliment. You yourself seem young, so perhaps that's why?" He pawed her back, lightly on the shoulder, shoving her playfully.
"Courtship aside, how are you liking the Ela'Wadiyi? If you don't mind my asking, what made you want to join?" HE was curious partly because his own parents had come from the rogue lands. Maybe they would have had something in common with her.
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Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 4:56 pm
Ooh.. I guess.. I guess you're right. Caely blinked owlishly at Svgata. She and Waikiki were both rogues without family in the Ela so their little love affair didn't particularly seem to affect any of the others in either of their clans. Still, it was something her future cubs might have to some day deal with, an idea that intrigued her--though the thought of cubs in and of themselves caused her to blush and quickly shake the idea from her mind. I don't have any family here, so I guess I never.. really thought about how marriage here affects others, but you seem like a good hearted lion. I'm sure they will happily accept you into their family and parents always want what's best for their children. I'm sure they'll be happy to let you go. After all it's not like you'll be so far away that they can't ever visit you!
Huffing after her long winded and single-breathed offer of reassurance, Calyndei giggled and playfully lurked to her paws to try and avoid being pawed at. Teetering off balance as she was brushed by a sturdy paw, tittering sheepishly. Well I'm not old! But.. I am probably a season or two older than you.
Settling back into the grass again, she gave her rabbit a thoughtful glance while considering her answer. Cae was happy enough with the present that she would have preferred not to think about her past anymore.. if she didn't have to. Sighing in a way that suggested she was still seeking peace with her memories from before joining the Ela'wadiyi. I really like it here. S-Skan was very nice to me.. he made me feel welcome. I hadn't felt that in a long time.. and I just.. I just want to make sure that everyone here is as glad to have me as I am to be here.
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Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 4:57 pm
He nodded understandingly. "Everyone wants to belong. As it stands, both my parents came from the rogue lands a few years ago as well. My father moved into my mother's clan to be with her, so I know they will understand. I'm more worried about what her parents will think! I'm pretty sure they were both born here, and I don't think anyone is against lions joining from out of the pride, you never know."
"I think the Ela should be glad to have you. More hunters and nannies and scouts...everyone is important, and the pride couldn't function without anyone. If you weren't here, the cubs you mind would either have no one to watch them, or be given to other nannies, who already have their paws full. You are important."
He flicked his tail from side to side, thinking. "Just be sure...if you and your Waikiki intend to have cubs, you formally marry first. I'm sure you've been told the rules, but sometimes it seems they skip those more intimate ones. Cubs out of wedlock are...well, unlucky, I think. Though I'm sure you'd do it right, and they'd be fine in the end."
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Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 5:00 pm
His story certainly sounded a lot like her and Wai. Two rogues moving in, separated by clans but finding each other in the Ela and beginning a new life in the peaceful pride. He seemed like he had grown up well, they must have been a happy couple and the idea that such a thing was possible despite unfavorable beginnings and uncertain odds reassured Caely. They were on their way to a happily ever after. Oh.. n-no.. I don't think that anyone.. doesn't.. want me here. I just..
Tucking her chin to her chest, she smiled at the ground meekly, Thank you. That.. it really means a lot to me. I'm happy I've finally found my place in the world.
It was a mildly awkward moment and for a second Caely felt like Svgata really was the older of them as he offered smooth words. Their conviction was easy against her ears. Blushing as she laughed to mask her embarrassment. C-cubs? I.. I don't know if that's going to happen, but th-thank you. I want my cubs to have the best start in life. I'll be sure my mate and I are properly wed before we bring little ones into the picture.
As if she she would have allowed for anything less!
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