Green eyes flickered through the similarly green, lush lands. These were not the lands she was accustomed to - surely not the sweeping fields of prosperous grass. Sure, the lands had recently suffered from a war; things were still fertile, however, and that was something that might never get past the stalking lioness's head. She had been from a harsh land, sure, but this... This was ridiculous."Still teeming with life and cubs even during a war," she said, nose held up high though she suspected no one was watching.
Someone would, soon, at least. Someone always would be there to see her.
How these lands suffered such good fortune was a little unsettling. Even the huge sweep of a plague did not touch it; there was not a single life from this area that could have been anywhere near being contaminated by the thing that vanquished her pride, her home.
It was a pity... that she had to come here as a refugee from the Outlands. It was not her place, not her style. Yet, she had to... Where else would she go? It was the land of her ancestors, and became her birthright. It was her right to come here, after all these years, and perhaps even reclaim something from the past.
The young and growing lion, orange and red and vibrant with pride for his home, romped around the ground, feeling the independence and freedom. It had been quite a while since he was allowed to freely roam, and he even made a couple friends along the way, including the great Usufii. This kind of liberated the young fellow, making him feel more at home beyond his mother's sight, free to act for himself. He used to enjoy being in mother's company all the time, but now he felt like he could at least always keep her in his heart, and she would also always be back home, so it did not matter so much anymore. As well, he was starting to get used to hunting for the good of the pride.Along his way, he spotted a rather dull brown and interesting lioness walking... or stalking, or whatever she was doing along his path. She seemed lost, and he didn't see anyone in the pride with her markings... Was she new?
"Hi there!" he greeted curiously, routing his path to walk towards her instead of his previous direction.
Before she knew it, a little runt boy was running her way with a pelt that looked way too gold and healthy in hue for her liking. And his hair! It was a fiery red - unacceptable!
She scowled a little as he came closer, making sure that he would see her expression. He better not think that he could get away with making her feel comfortable around him or pretending to greet her on her way back to her new den. Did all the lions from this pride really do this? This was one of the things that irked her - the frivolous and blissfully happy way members carried about themselves through these lands.
"Yes, boy?" she said coldly, lashing her tail out and cocking a brow at his behavior.
Oh yes, she did not want him to feel like she was going to be friendly anytime soon at all with him.
"Hi," he said again as he approached her, not fully aware of how hostile her nature was for the moment.
"I'm Bamidele. And you?" he inquired, "Are you new to these lands?"
He was pretty sure she was, since he had not seen her before, and she did seem lost, so...
It was almost the same expression as Usufii had when he came upon the other lion. It was a sense that another was wandering through the lands and did not know what else to do - that aimless sense that made Bamidele want to see what was up and if he could go on an adventure with the other.
"Because you seem lost," he decided to add to his questions.
"Adisa," she replied flatly, not even bothering a glance at the young boy.
Did he really have too much free time to go around these lands trying to bother refugees like her? She wanted to ask in a way, but didn't want to make it seem like he phased her.
"Perhaps," was her other answer.
She continued on, wanting to simply throw him off of her tail. Why did he not move away?
At his additional statement, she threw her head back to him, almost hissing in automatic response. Seriously, this was bugging her. It was not a good introduction to the lands, but she supposed the nice simpletons of the Pridelands could not help but nose into the business of others.
"I am not lost, boy. Now, if you'll kindly move..."
It was the best and nicest response she could have ever come up for a situation like this. She had to be on her nicest manners, anyways, coming into the pride like this. At least, she would have to keep this composure for the first few days or so.
Bamidele halted, sort of taking the hint from this... new female that she did not want to talk. But why wouldn't she? Wouldn't newcomers want to know more about the land and its people? Unless she wasn't new...
As he paused and created a silence, he felt that she actually wanted it, so kept it for a little bit longer. But he had to say more - she looked like she had an interesting tale to tell, so at the very least he could ask her where she came from, and other things.
"Well, Adisa, if you want me to take you somewhere, I'll show you," he offered, looking back and wondering if he shouldn't have from her hissing.
"I mean, you sort of look like you could have been born here - your colors might even look like my aunt's," he admitted, "But not quite. Me and my siblings are mostly golds and yellows."
"I said I needed no help, boy," she responded, frowning now from the obvious annoyance this boy was causing her.
"Bamidele. What a stupid name. I bet it has a stupid meaning, too," she insulted him, not caring what he thought now - a little kid couldn't have had much impact on her reputation in these lands.
And she continued to walk, even if he did start to follow her. If he persisted in doing this, maybe she would snap at his legs, maybe... accidentally break one of his legs. Ah, no, she couldn't do that... yet.
"You needn't continue insisting your pride's apparent excess of growth and luck, boy - er, Bamidele," she tried saying his name in a nicer, yet more mocking tone now.
"It is already obvious that this place would continue to see birth and growth even if a thousand lion army came to ravage the lands."
...What did this lioness mean? She surely was confusing Bamidele. Her insult to him made him stop, and now decide to just turn back and go off on his way.
"Well, I guess you've just made yourself at home," he replied.
"I guess you came to take advantage of how nice our home is, huh?"
"Indeed, I have done just that," Adisa said, "Don't cross my path again, I might trip on you."
And with that, she continued on her walk. She needed to find a place to settle and rest, away from all the irritating young and naive voices of this pride.
"Hmph," Bamidele sounded, continuing his walk.
Maybe he would find Usufii. He could tell Usufii that there were now proud lionesses from another land coming to this place, and that this "Adisa" was one he should not make friends with, or else be associated with a rude new member.
