It was a brilliant afternoon. The lioness splashed through the shallow stream with a smile. It was so refreshing to have found a source of water besides the occasional water hole. Not that she disliked them either, but something about the feel of moving water was refreshing. It was so much better to have a tiny rush over her paws rather than the still over her entire body. “If only the smell of the ocean was here as well.” Sighing softly the lioness shook her head before continuing on.
The stream brought more than a cool touch. It was a landmark for her. The ones who knew of the pride that she sought told her that a stream turned into a river close to the borders. “I’m hoping that I’m at the right end of the stream.” Her gaze flickered with soft worry before she pushed the thought back. Surely she was. If she wasn’t then shouldn’t she have run across the pride already?
That was right. Comforted by the realization the lioness continued to slip over the smooth rocks and further down the stream.
Waa’sesere followed along behind the elder male, looking rather disinterested in the whole process of walking. Her eyes scanned the landscape, eagerly looking for a new plant, or a trinket, something she could use to craft with but it was depressingly barren of pretty things. “This place is terrible, Mon,” Waa announced to the male, blinking her eyes at the brown male with annoyance. “Why are we even here?”
She could smell the water nearby though, so she didn’t insist that they change their course. She was thirsty anyway. Maybe she’d even find some stones in the water…they usually had some prettiness involved.
Mon’kut glanced back at his travel companion with a faintly amused look. She was petulant at times, like a cub, but her crafts were amazing. “We’re wandering, Waa, we’re have no purpose to be anywhere,” he pointed out rather dryly, but shot her a smile to let her know he wasn’t annoyed. He’d stopped getting annoyed at the female a while ago. It just wasted time.
He breathed deep, the scent of water coming closer and he fastened his pace, perking up at the sight of the stream. There was…someone in the water though, a lioness. Mon pasted a smile on his face, calling out a greeting, “hello stranger!” because he knew Waa’sesere wouldn’t bother with a greeting.
Carefully balancing on a rock the lioness perked up as she heard a stranger’s greeting. “Hello there!” Smiling she looked at the two strangers. Without hesitation the lioness approached them. She had no real idea of danger and the idea of treating every stranger with caution was foreign to her. Had her sister seen her the lioness would have been troubled with her younger sister’s careless approach. “I hope I’m not in anyone’s territory.” She started lightly, “I’m just traveling through so I really have no idea about these lands. My name’s Zarya by the way.”
Looking between the two she paused before smiling again, “May I ask who you are and where you’re headed?” Maybe if she was lucky they would be headed to that pride as well. Though the chances were unlikely Zarya liked to hope for such things. It would be nice to at least have someone to talk to for a little bit. Traveling companions seemed to be a fun idea after all.
He smiled warmly at the pretty female, not thinking her easy acceptance of their greeting as anything but nice. He knew there were dangers, but she must have known the difference between dangerous people and friendly people, he mused. “I don’t think you’re in anyone’s lands,” Mon admitted, glancing around them, “We haven’t seen anyone around in quite a while, so if these are a pride’s or a person’s lands, then they are quite good at hiding!” He chuckled.
He went on to introduce them, knowing, again, that Waa probably wouldn’t want to bother with it. “My name is Mon’kut, and this is Waa’sesere. We’re not heading anywhere in particular, merely wandering and looking for things for Waa’s crafts.” He smiled. “A pleasure to meet you though, Zarya.”
Waa wanted to roll her eyes. Mon was always so eager to chat to females, but Waa was less enthusiastic about talking to anyone. She wasn’t mean, she just didn’t really feel the need to socialise much.
“Where are you going?” Waa asked, because Mon would get grumpy if she ignored the other female completely, and the female hadn’t said, she just said she was passing through. Was she a wanderer like them? Hopefully Mon wouldn’t invite her to travel with them, their ‘group’ was already too big with just the two of them.
“Well that’s good to know.” Zarya laughed at his comment. “I suppose that’s true. I haven’t heard of a pride of invisible lions after all.” Reaching a paw out she swiped at empty air before nodding. Definitely clear there at least. Her gaze lightened up happily as the male introduced himself and his companion, “A pleasure to meet you two as well.”
She blinked, however, as the word craft sunk in. “Crafts?” She looked over at the female, “What do you use in your crafts?” Pausing she took a moment to word her answer, “I’m heading towards a pride dedicated to the gods. I hear that they keep shrines there for them. I’m hoping to go and honor the water gods.” She smiled, “Actually I was looking through the stream for some pretty stones to take with me to the shrine. But if you use them in crafts then perhaps you would like some stones as well?”
Mon quirked a brow at her, unable to hold back a grin. “But would you really hear of a pride of invisible lions?” He asked, somewhat playfully, and then chuckled, amused when she swiped at the air, as if testing for anything being there.
He grinned at the female’s attempt at sharing with Waa and hoped the female would be nice…
Waa peered at the female before her, more social now that she had proved herself more worthy, seeing as she was interested in crafts. “I couldn’t take your rocks,” she said calmly, she would feel guilty, since she never kept her jewellery or crafts for herself, she gave them away. Taking someone’s materials and then giving them away? That seemed rude, even to Waa. “I use everything for my crafts, as long as it is sturdy and pretty.” She hesitated, considering the idea of a shrine.
She reached into the small animal skin pouch that rested against her hip, pulling out a strand of glossy blue rocks, attached by a thin vine. She had gotten assistance from a monkey to tie the stones onto the rope. She held it out to the female, “for your shrine. I have no use for it, and it is suitable ‘water-god’ like, I suppose.”
Zarya titled her head at his question, “Why who said that they weren’t noisy invisible lions?” She questioned with a grin. Blinking at Waa the lioness shook her head, “Oh that’s okay! We could look together then to help find some for you. If you want.” She smiled, “I suppose you could say that I might be looking for a way to pass time, but if not then that’s fine as well.” The lioness nodded in interest, “That’s good then. I’ve met some crafters who are talented indeed, but only have interest in working with certain materials.”
Surprised the female hesitated before reaching out for the piece. Her gaze warmed at the present. It was truly beautiful and the way the sun reflected from the rocks made her think of the deep blue of the ocean. “It’s truly lovely.” Zarya blinked to clear her watery gaze before smiling in appreciation at the lioness, “You have a very good talent to make such pieces. But…are you sure you want to give me this?”
Mon chuckled, obviously delighted by her comment. “Good point!” He smiled. “I hadn’t thought of that….” He tilted his head, amused at the idea of noisy invisible lions, before refocusing on the girls as they spoke about crafts. He stayed silent when they spoke about whether they should hunt for stones, but spoke up at the female’s last question.
“Ah, she never keeps her crafts for herself, “ Mon explained with a shake of his head. “She says she has no use for them, so she always gives them away. Without payment required even!” It was something that amused Mon about Waa, who had always been a bit of a grumpy female, that she would give people gifts so often…
Waa tilted her head, contemplating the offer. “I suppose that we could, for a little while,” Waa agreed. “I’d hate to distract you from your journey though.” Waa just didn’t want to have to force polite conversation so much, but she wouldn’t mind looking for more stones…She did love using stones, they were so much more bold than pelts at times. Waa hid a smile at the comment of being good with many crafts. “I like all of them, I couldn’t chose one,” she murmured quietly.
At Mon’s words, she rolled her eyes. “I don’t need trinket,” she explained, with a bored shrug. She liked making them, but she didn’t need them.
The lioness beamed at the male as he found amusement in her comment. Heh. Blinking she looked back over at him before looking back down at the stones, “So you always give them away?” She smiled warmly at the other lioness, “Well then bless you! I’m glad that I can be the owner of one of your pieces now.” Even though she might have seemed to be a bit quiet Zarya decided that she was just as kind as her male companion then.
“Great!” Zarya took a step towards the water, “Oh don’t worry about it. I’ve been looking for an excuse to play around in the water some more.” The lioness reached a paw towards the water and sighed with pleasure at the cool touch. “It feels amazing.” She looked back over at Waa with a smile, “I understand that. I could never pick a favorite source of water myself. Though it’s not crafting, it still something.” She nodded at the lioness. So she made them, but didn’t keep them? Huh. She must really just love the craft then. Grinning back at Mon Zarya had to ask, “What about you? Do you want to search?”
Hopefully he would join and this would be a good way to spend the day. Company was always welcome in Zarya’s opinion after all.
Waa nodded her head, looking slightly startled at the blessing, her ears twitching in embarrassment and she cleared her throat. “Ah, no problem,” she mumbled, uncertain as to how she was supposed to react towards that. She followed the female into the water, enjoying the water’s touch on her paws. “It is quite lovely,” Waa admitted, smiling a little at last, enjoying the cool. “I suppose that is similar,” she agreed, though crafts and water were completely different things, really.
Mon was so proud of Waa! She was making friends. That was huge for the female! Mon was only hanging around her because Waa was so terrible at taking care of herself, it was the least he could do, he chuckled. At Zarya’s question, he grinned.
“Playing in the water with two females? Of course I’m in,” he said, with a playful wink, but he stepped into the water cautiously, hoping he would slip while they were hunting for stones.
He was pleased how this had ended up though, enjoying the water, hunting for pretty things and having good company? A wonderful afternoon, truly, he chuckled, and followed the girl’s lead.
