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 Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:43 pm
The last several months of Tasnim's life had been a long ride of ups and downs, to say the very least. First, she'd met a stranger at the edge of the Kunanda'Nakhun, a male she should have chased away, but instead, she'd been intrigued, gotten to know him...and, well, the rest was history. She'd already begun to consider leaving before the plague hit, and once it did, her starry beau had insisted that it was time to go. They were far from the only ones to leave - most of the survivors chose to split in many different directions, her family included.
Tas had been surprised, but not unhappy, when her and Nak became her and Nak and Tua. Once, she'd have turned her a nose a little at her older brother, but her view of males had gradually been changing; she felt sorry for Tua, for their father, for the rest of their birth pride's males. So, while it was hardly a romantic journey thanks to her sibling tag-along, she couldn't honestly say it bothered her.
As they approached the border of the Pridelands, Su-nakshatra fell back a little, allowing his mate to take the lead - he knew she'd prefer it that way. Though she was beginning to see males as equals, she would always default to being in-charge, a protector, and he knew better than to try to change that. It was an adjustment, for sure, but it was one of the many things he admired about her.
Their destination, though, that had been his idea. He'd always heard that the Pridelands were a pleasant, safe, normal place, and asking along the way, apparently plague-free. As for the recent conflict...they hadn't heard about that yet.
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Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 6:11 pm
When the plague had hit the pride, Tua didn’t know what to expect. Born to a pride where it was female rule, and males keeping really to themselves until a female wished to call upon them, he was just really clueless. Should he stay in the lands, risking his health and life by hoping that something that once was great, would come back to him. Perhaps if he had been raised on the opposite side of life, his thoughts would have been different.
But the fact is he had left. And at a good moment too. There, he saw his lovely little sister leaving with…some strange male? Tua’s nose twitched, not quite understanding the concept of love really. He shifted on his paws, slowly following his sister. He was bad at sneaking, as it didn’t take long for the pair to realize that Tua’ni Sasa had actually been following. Could you blame the guy though? He wanted to cling to whatever part of the pride he had left, and if that meant going along with his sister, then that is what he did. The purple brute was just glad she hadn’t turned around, snapped at him, and told him to get lost.
He followed the pair just slightly behind them, his dark eyes focusing on the stranger male every now and then. His ear would flicker, and eyes quickly averted themselves when he thought the male would gaze back at him.
Just as a little kid would say on a long journey, Tua’s voice piped up in the back of the traveling trio. “Are we there yet?” his voice was quiet. The purple male was always a quiet character. But where there was he didn’t know; a new home perhaps? He sounded hopeful. Never had his feet trudged so many miles before.
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:14 pm
Lemaa'sheshe didn't often venture this far out from the center of the lands, but she'd wanted to go for a walk - albeit a rather slow one. The older lioness had a pronounced limp thanks to a malformed hind leg, but she got around well enough. Just not quite as fast as everyone else. One of her grandchildren had fussed at her that she ought not to go out by herself, not after the ordeal with the hyenas, but even the immensely social Sheshe needed some alone time on occasion.
...she was just pretending not to notice that Mia was stalking along at a distance, hidden and watching, just in case. What she didn't pretend not to notice, however, was the trio of brightly-colored lions heading this way. How pretty! Having been born into a very naturally-colored pride, she had a never-ending fascination with more 'exotic' colors and patterns. These were unfamiliar, and though this was a huge pride, she'd at least seen almost everyone.
Unworried - they were lions, after all - Sheshe called out, "Hello there!"
In a way, she was glad to have Tua along; with everything else changing, it was like having a little piece of home, even if it was in the form of a brother. Her ears flicked back when she spoke, and she turned her head to answer, "Just about. That's the rock way over there, isn't it?"
Just as Nak confirmed this with a wordless sound, a gray lioness came into view and called a greeting, so Tas halted and called back, "Hello! May we pass? We're strangers here, but peaceful ones."
Su-nakshatra had to hold back an amused snort. It was funny to hear Tas describe herself as peaceful, given her background, although she certainly wasn't what he'd call violent. Just...prepared. He was also sure that this Pridelander approaching was no scout for the pride, as she had a very definite limp. No, she had to just be out for a stroll. "It is as she says. We are no threat."
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 2:38 pm
That rock? That small one…(well, it looked small from where they were. Tua would be so surprised to see the actual size of it when he was standing right at the base. He might just even topple over, just from sheer size!). How big exactly was this pride?
Upon nearing the borders of the lands, Tua’s gaze fell to the pride before him. Already he could see a few lions just beyond, establishing the Pridelands name. He’d watch the figures in the distant frolicking around. Was this how the pride acted? It was totally different then his own lands, or whatever was left of them now. Males and females were so close together. How peculiar.
And then a gray lion had come to greet them. Tua, still not exactly use to being in a female’s presence (except when it was his sister), shyly nodded a greeting to the pride member, agreeing to what the other two said.
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 3:05 pm
Sheshe appraised the three curiously, trying to sort out the nosy little details like what relationship these three were to each other, to be traveling together. The female was clearly in charge, and possibly related to the shy one? Their colors were quite different from each other, but there was a slight similarity of marking, as well as eye color. It was impossible to say for certain, but if she had to guess, she'd assume related. The starry one, though, didn't look the least bit like the others. Hmm.
"I won't be stopping you," she answered, chuckling. "Whether you're passing through or staying, everyone is welcome here, if you're peaceful as you say." There was a slight hesitation here as she thought to the fresh conflict, but she wouldn't drop that on these newcomers so soon. "My name is Lemaa'sheshe, and you three?"
Not long ago, Tas might have looked down on, or at least felt sorry for, this lioness - so small, such dull colors, and that leg! - but she was learning to dismiss those ingrained initial reactions. "I'm glad to hear it. We've been walking a long time."
"I'm Tasnim, this is Nak, and this is Tua," she said, indicating the males in turn. Nak especially had a long name, so she just cut their names short. That was what they were called, anyway!
"Pleased to meet you," Nak added, otherwise content to let Tas do just as she preferred and take the lead. He wasn't much of a talker outside of known company unless he had to be, so it suited him just fine! He hung back a little closer to Tua'ni Sasa, watching the females' interactions.
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 4:28 pm
“This is where we where we wanted to stay, isn’t Tas?” The brother asked, keeping his voice just above a whisper. His eyes couldn’t help but dart beyond the lioness, to the large rock he had considered small just moments ago. Although they were quite a distance from it, he could vaguely make out the shadows that climb on top of it. Tua could only assume those lions. He flicked his gaze in between the two females, shifting on his feet.
“Lemaa’sheshe…you have a nice name,” Tua observed quietly, though he let his sister the talking. He gave the female a bright smile when his sister had introduced himself last. His head tilted towards Nak as he drifted back towards him. It was probably best to let the females do most the talking, unless otherwise addressed.
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 9:53 am
"Thank you, Tua. I am rather fond of it myself." Lemaa'sheshe smiled graciously. "Oh, you are staying? That's excellent! Would you like to walk with me awhile? I can show you around a little."
"Yes, Tua," Tasnim answered her brother, her tone only a little impatient - she was trying to be less short and more conscious of what she said and how to males, but it was a work in progress. She had to remind herself that, for starters, they couldn't help being male, and secondly...well, they couldn't help being male. And she had to become more accepting of that unavoidable state.
"That would be lovely." The white-maned male dipped his head politely. "If it's not too much of an intrusion on your time? We wouldn't want to keep you from anything." Apparently he did need to speak now and then, at least for an infusion of courtesy. Ah, but he did love his mate.
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 6:16 pm
The purple lion smiled to the pride member. He would get better at being more social with other females. It would just take him some time. When she asked if they would like to walk, Tua’s eyes turned instantly towards Tasnim, as if she was the one to say yes or no. It rather surprised him when her mate had answered for her. It was as if the concept was foreign to him.
“It’s really big…and…open” he said softly, more so to himself than anyone else. Tua wasn’t use to seeing such a wide spread of land, without the cover of many trees. There were some trees here and there to give just enough shade for the members, and that was it.
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 6:56 am
Sheshe noted curiously the way the purple lion seemed to look toward the female to take the lead, but of course didn't comment on it. She was curious, but she wasn't rude. "Isn't it wonderful? It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen."
Nevermind that she'd lived her since she was a young cub, and barely remembered anywhere else. Turning, she bade them, "Follow me~"
"It is something else," Tas agreed without quite agreeing. Like Tua, she found the open landscapes they'd crossed to be...different. She missed the trees of home. But that was done now, they needed to move on, and so she fell into step beside their guide.
Nak, on the other hand, didn't find it strange at all - this was the sort of terrain he was used to, not the thick foliage of Tasnim's former home. All those trees and leaves made it hard to see far, which he found unsettling. Pausing before following the females so that Tua could walk next to him, he returned to just listening to their conversation.
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 7:22 am
Beautiful wasn’t quite the term that the purple lion would use, but to each their own. Maybe, just maybe one day the lion could think the same away about the lands. It would be a definite change from the previous lands, but others did say that change was sometimes for the better.
As soon as Tasnim started to walk, Tua took right after her, with Nak following next to him. Here was looking to a new and even more promising future. In his mind, the something was gnawing at mind. It wasn’t terrible sensation, more so a happy thought. It just kept saying ‘Welcome Home’.
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