Moonlight splashed across everything, though not much was lit. The Great Lion was closing his eye, taking his time of sleep. A lioness, decorated with spots, stars, and delicate wing markings, stretched out as she walked. letting out a wide yawn. The moon was approaching the western sky, signaling the time she herself would sleep. As she was padding her way through the trees, she spotted something that was, to her... Unusual. A flash of gold coat amid the dark greenery. The owner of the coat moved, revealing a flash of violet. Gems on whatever they were wearing... Shifting into hunt mode, Kizimwi curiously began to follow.
It had taken some time, but Hagryphus had adjusted to the night life. She had to admit, it was nicer. But she had become exceedingly BORED. The gold lioness paused in a clearing, looking up at the moon. For a moment, she contemplated the idea of simply leaving... But her visions had led her here. This was where she belonged. It was just a matter of figuring out what she was supposed to do here. She let out a huff of a sigh, then flicked an ear. Her nose twitched, taking in the smells of the land, such a drastic difference from the desert. She also always had that feeling she was being... Watched...
When the gold lioness stepped out into the clearing, Kizimwi suddenly had some inkling of who this was. She was one of the new lions, that had shown up before the midwives and shaman had gone missing. She considered if stalking was too creepy, then stepped out of the trees. "Good evening!" She glanced at the moon. "Or I guess I should say morning... Lovely night, isn't it?" As always, she was chipper and happy, pleased to meet somebody she didn't know. The gold lioness had to be in a different class, or else Kizimwi would know her already. "By the way, I'm Kizimwi!" And by the way, she realized, she was so much smaller than this other lioness. Just where had she come from?
Red eyes grew wide, before Haggy turned. "Oh! Hello!" She shifted. "I'm Hagryphus... But you can call me Haggy." Gyps did, so did her father... Actually, everybody she knew did. Except some of the lions she'd run into around the Mwezi lands... Her tail curled. This was a new lioness she DIDN'T know yet... "Why have I never met you before...? I thought I met everybody... Unless you're a different class, and I heard someone mention classes... And... Um..." She blinked. "So what's new?"
Ah, so they WEREN'T the same class! "Well, I'm in the lower-middle class, like my parents before me... Made them really proud, because that meant I could become a huntress like them!" Kizimwi puffed up with pride, then seemed to just as suddenly deflate. "I'm now wishing I was upper-middle now, though... The previous head hunter was demoted, on top of the midwife stepped down, and the shaman and apprentice are MISSING..." It worried her very clearly. "I wish I could do more for the pride, but I can't..." She rounded her shoulders. "So I'll do my best at what I CAN do."
Missing lions, demoted lions... Lions stepping down... It was surprising. Suddenly her ears twitched and looked up at the moon. Here she was questioning what she was supposed to do, and things had opened up... It was almost perfect. She glanced at Kizimwi, one ear cocked. "A midwife is needed...?" She contemplated it. "I could ask... I mean, I'm new blood and all, but I'm in the high class, and I DO want to do more here..." She sat down, trying to imagine it. After a bit, she nodded to herself. "Yeah, I think I will..."
Ears pricking and jaw going slightly slack, Kizimwi stared at the lioness for a moment. A high-class lion... She then shook her head, clearing her head. Of course she was socializing with someone of a lower class - She was new blood, they didn't hold the same prejudices. At least, she wondered if there were any. Kizimwi was always too happy to hunt for anybody and everybody to worry about what others thought of her. She nodded, smiling at the gold lioness. "I think you'd be a good midwife!" She had no idea of her actual SKILL, but she looked like she came from a place full of life. "I bet you come from somewhere TEAMING with cubs!" She paused. "Where DO you come from?"
The gold lioness smiled, looking to the lighter lioness. "I come from the desert." When she received a confused look, she clarified, "There's a desert west of here, populated by a pride, the Motoujamii. They've lived there... For generations. MANY generations. I think there's two lions left alive who remember it far back when THEY were cubs... And it was still there long before their great-grandparents were born. And yes, there were many cubs... ALWAYS cubs." She sighed. "If you're wondering, I left because... They're picky about coats. Mine didn't make the cut... So I had to leave when I could fend for myself. That's how I met Gyps... Out in the big wide Roguelands..."
Sitting down herself, Kizimwi listened intently. "Oh wow..." She inclined her head, watching the moon. After a moment, something occurred to her. "Oh! It's almost moonset! We should get to bed!" She jumped up, hurrying in the direction of her den. She paused, smiling at Haggy. "It was great meeting you, Haggy! This was a wonderful chat! Good luck with making Midwife!" She then hurried off into the trees and brush, sleep nagging the back of her mind.
Haggy watched Kizimwi go, smiling at her parting words. It WAS good to meet someone new like that... She stood up, stretching and popping her back before letting out a wide yawn. She hadn't realized she was quite so TIRED... She'd have to worry about asking about the position another time. For now... She wanted sleep. Turning on her paws, she went to find Gyps and drag him off to bed. Sleep wsa good... Sleep was needed for them both.
