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 Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:44 am
It seemed that things were starting to look up for her homelands, and that made her very glad. It was sad though, that there were so few family members about. Which meant there were many more than in a lot of prides she'd heard of... in fact, the kusini basically just had related lions in it. Nice, sometimes but also... boring. She never got to hear new stories, and rogues barely ever made it through the forest that bordered the lands. Except for that one weird fellow with all of the scars... Mng thought he was funny, though he seemed to like pushing buttons.
Her tail swung a bit as she lounged on a large slab of rock, eyes half shut. Her companion was no where to be found, but it wasn't strange. Sesere often slinked off on his own, grumpily announcing that he'd had enough of her antics. She giggled as she thought of the face usually accompanying that statement.
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:58 am
 Vigo was in a mellow mood. He'd eaten well yesterday, and slept off the resulting lassitude in a fragrant cave piled deep with leaves. He'd woken this morning with birds singing, the sun shining brightly amongst fluffy white clouds, and all was well with the world. He strolled along at a relaxed pace, tail swinging slowly behind him with an occasional additional twitch. His dark mane soaked in the sun's warmth, adding to his general feeling of well-being. Tree shadows dappled the ground, and chunks of rock large enough to dwarf him were scattered about. It made the landscape very interesting to gaze and and meander through.
However, much more interesting to his ears was the sound of a female giggle. His head came up and his tail stilled, ears swiveling to target the direction it had come from. Eyes bright with interest, he padded cautiously towards the sound. He had to be cautious, as sometimes a giggle in the middle of nowhere ended up being someone else having a pleasant dalliance, in which he was most certainly not welcome. It hadn't happened often, but his female-radar had once in a while led him into a situation he'd had to flee from, ears pinned and tail tucked close. However, this time it seemed luck was with him. A softly brown lioness came into view, sprawled comfortably atop one of those big bits of rock that jutted from the ground. A delighted smile curved his lips, and a warm chuckle rose from his chest. "Greetings, lovely one!" It was his habit to say such things upon first stumbling upon pretty lionesses, and he always meant it whole-heartedly.
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:04 pm
As another voice entered her immediate area her eyes opened fully and her ears perked, her whole body becoming alert. Her experience with rogues was limited, and luckily very friendly. So when her brown eyes fell upon the male she smiled softly and easily. Her eyes moved about the pretty swirling patterns of golden yellow before they focused on his face. She had a similar marking, but not nearly as elaborate.
"Hi!" She called out, giggling more at the fact that he'd called her lovely. Mng was always surprised when others offered her compliments freely, though she'd never thought of herself as particularly ugly.
She was bounding off the rock without the smallest hesitation, though she knew if Ses was here he would have protested. "I'm Mng'Kari, are you a rogue from around here? My pride is close by, sometimes it's boring. Your markings are very pretty!"
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:16 pm
He warmed to her as her immediate reaction was highly friendly. It was always nice to be greeted thusly. Often he had to work to entice the females to trust him and relax around him. Having her already to comfortable with him was a distinct pleasure. "Wonderful to meet you, Mng'kari. I'm Vigo." He never gave his full name, mostly because in his experience, most were more at ease with shortened names. Sub-consciously it also meant they had less hold on him when he chose to leave, but this wasn't something he had learned about himself yet.
Her exuberance made him grin. "I am a rogue yes, but not from... well, anywhere, really." He'd traveled for so long, he really wasn't certain where he'd begun from. He generally didn't think much about his history, where he'd come from, what his cubhood was like. It simply wasn't relevant to the present, to his mind. "Thank you. Your markings a very fetching as well." His smile turned a little more intimate, a visual caress. It wasn't a purposeful manipulation, but just something that came to him instinctually. He mandered closer to examine her swirls, finding them quite appealling. Her softer colors were also nice, a mellowed version from his own deeper colors. "What is your pride?" he asked, lowering himself to the ground with a soft grunt of comfort. "What are they like?" He tipped his head inquisitively, gazing up at her with equal trust she had shown him.
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:25 pm
"Vigo!" She repeated happily, nodding. "You can call me Mng, or Kari. Or the full name, if you like. It's so rare for a rogue to pass this way... or maybe it's rare for me and mine to be past the boarders when rogues pass by." She laughed at this, realizing how true it was. Some members, like Azima, were still fearful of the forest. Which was just silly! Most of the time... even if some of the sounds in that place were very, very spooky.
A rogue from nowhere? She guessed it was not all that uncommon of a reply, many rogues claimed they had no home. Or so the only few she'd ever met had said. In her imagination all rogues had great adventures and no land claimed itself as their home, it was all very exciting and fantastic. She lowered her gaze bashfully as he said that her markings were fetching, giggling. "Thank you, it's from my mother." Her mother had been a stunning lioness! She frowned though suddenly, looking quite upset. "She hasn't been around in a long time." She admitted softly. In fact, many of the Kusini members had drifted away and had gone missing. She cleared her throat, shaking her head to rid the tight feeling that had suddenly came to her eyes.
Oh, was he asking about her pride? The seemingly sad mood was gone in an instant as she beamed at him, it was rare for strangers to ask about her pride. "The Kusini'Mwezi! Oh, it's a wonderfully lovely place! We have two rivers... and every one is so friendly and the prey is plentiful." She had no thoughts that some lions might try and extract this information for less than pleasant reasons. "Though I guess it sounds a little boring... it is a little boring. I'm sure your adventures are more exciting! You have adventures right? I bet it's wonderful to be a rogue!" She spoke quickly, excited and interested.
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:43 pm
He grinned as she became bashful from his compliments, but the grin faded swiftly as her expression changed dramatically. His ears swiveled anxiously as she spoke of her mother being gone. He leaned forward to say something comforting and solicitous, but just as swiftly, her expression brightened again. He blinked at the mercurial mood shift, but easily rolled with it.
"Rivers and prey are very good things to have close to home," he commented agreeably. In fact, to his mind, that was pretty much the perfect senario. No drought, no worrying about watering holes drying up, and the rivers guarenteed the game would be drawn there continuously. "Boring is all in your perspective," he added, his tone faintly thoughtful. He supposed his travels could be considered boring... just padding along day in and day out, except for when he found someone beautiful to keep him company for a while... but just as his thoughts drifted that way, she asked with bright, child-like excitment about his adventures.
If he could have blushed, he would have. Caught thinking about other girls and his time spent with them, right when this youthful lioness was asking about his adventures! Adventures indeed, but not the kind he cared to go on about with another female! His pupils widened, rather like a gazelle caught in the line of a lion's charge. "Ah... well, some, yes," he temporized, trying to think of how to dodge this pitfall he'd made for himself. "Most of it is spent going from one waterhole to another, though," he gave her a faint, sheepish smile. "I avoid too much adventure if I can. Usually 'adventure' is just another word for 'dangerous'." He nodded sagely, thinking how little he cared to have scars marring his coat. He wasn't horribly vain, but a grisly line across his shoulder would definitely lessen the attractiveness of his markings.
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:51 pm
Her head tilted as she thought about it. She guessed he was right, maybe others might find her pride to be charming or maybe their idea of exciting was simply different from hers. "Besides the rivers we have a few large watering holes too!" She added, though her tail flicked uneasily. One of those had started to go dry. It wasn't like drought simply didn't touch them, she suspected it just took longer and didn't hit as hard. "I guess I just think the land is a little lonely now." She said softly, looking down to her paws. It was true too, she'd grown up with the bursting life of many other cubs, all whom were cousins or aunts or uncles or the like. But there hadn't been a new litter of little ones to play with in a long time, it was heartbreaking.
Her gaze moved back to meet his, frowning in confusion when he did not jump in right away with some story about fighting off a baddy or saving a lioness from the clutches of a vicious pack of hyenas! She pursed her lips together, pouting ever so slightly. "Oh." She said, unable to hide the slight disappointment in her tone. "I always figured that rogue adventures meant fighting off bad guys and exploring really new lands and having all sorts of fun!" Danger included... wasn't that what made it thrilling?
But as she took a moment to think about her words her eyes widened and she clapped a paw over her mouth. "Oh! I'm sorry!" She gasped out, looking slightly panicked. "I don't mean that avoiding danger is bad or anything... I mean, I didn't mean to sound like I thought your kind of adventuring was boring or..." Oh dear, she was making a mess of her words! She cleared her throat, avoiding his gaze because she felt embarrassed. "I mean..." But she didn't know what to say without blundering again.
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 1:13 pm
Her assessment of rogue adventures wasn't surprising, if she was a pride lioness and hadn't left her lands much farther than this. His attitude was very tolerant about her perspective. Fights and valiant rescues were exciting when one never had to experience them, and she struck him as quite young and starry eyed. In fact, her attitude made him smile and discard his self-centered thoughts. He opened his mouth to admit some of it was indeed fun, and to possibly explain that not many situations were that clear-cut, but her mood changed yet again.
Her alarm touched him, both with tenderness and hilarity. He tried to fight the laugh, but eventually it made it out. Laughter bellowed deep and hearty, his head thrown back and eyes shut with great amusement. When he'd gotten that out of his system, he rose and rubbed cheeks with her in a reassuring gesture of affection. "Little sister, you worry too much." It was said with laughter in his tone and eyes, not neccessarily as brotherly as his words would indicate. He found her highly entertaining, in an endearingly fickle way. "You've never been much beyond your borders, have you?" His smile gentle, and he was already working out a possible plan.
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 1:19 pm
Her eyes widened as a laugh bellowed from his mouth, shocked at his reaction to her words. But after a moment an unsure smile touched her maw, it seemed he hadn't taken offense and that was good. She laughed a little too as he said she worried too much, feeling slightly silly. "It's funny, I never thought myself the worrying type..." She admitted. Usually that was Sesere's job... but where he cared little for what others thought of him she put high stock in how those she met saw her. She just wanted to be well liked, as she usually liked almost anyone she met. That and she didn't wish to offend anyone, though often she said anything that came to mind.
She shook her head, still smiling. "No, not really. I always think that if I wander too far away I may not find my way back." And that scared her somewhat, because she loved her homelands and wanted to be sure she knew the way back. "Though I always have liked the idea of adventuring into the lands, even if it's just to see some of these prides my family talks about for myself or to meet strangers with stories to tell." It was easily clear that she thirsted for new experiences, to try out new things and to learn all she could of the world. Which also made it clear of how very little she actually knew.
"Most of my pride... stays in the pride." Except... if you counted the disappearance of most of the members. But she didn't want to think of that, it was sad! "It's silly, isn't it? I'm a lioness grown... yet here I am, afraid to wander far from my family." She laughed at that, having no problem making light of her situation in life.
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 1:26 pm
That clinched it. She was just too cute, and her thirst for knowing the world was enticing. He wasn't used to spending more than a few days with girls he met, but he thought it would be good for her to go out and find out what the world was really like... but in a safe way. Heavens knew he would not let anything bad happen to her, scars or no. She was a grown lioness as well, not some flighty adolescent that would need permission from her parents to go adventuring.
"Well, I could take you," he offered with an inviting grin. "I could always bring you back, no matter how far we went." Well, that was most of the truth. He generally didn't pay enough attention to where he was going or where he'd been to be able to retrace his steps. However, he knew his way around generally, having wandered as much as he had, and if he paid attention, he was certain he could be sure to be able to bring her back home. "We could go find those prides you have family in, you could meet strangers and see what the roguelands are really like. And I'd stay with you to keep you safe and guide you." He leaned closer to chuff softly to her. "I'd never let anything happen to that pretty hide of yours." This time his comment was most definitely not the brotherly sort.
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 1:34 pm
When he stated that he could talk her, be a guide of sorts, her eyes went wide and the dreamy look on her face was enough to show that she was already going to agree. If she had a guide to bring her around the rogue lands... especially such a handsome, kind male... well that seemed wonderful! "Y-you could do that... for me?" She said, slightly unsure. Perhaps he was pulling her leg? But what fun this could be! She could make her own stories to tell! She licked her lips as she grinned, bounding to all four paws as she nodded happily. "Oh I would love to! It would be fantastic, think of all the things I would get to see! Are you sure you wouldn't mind?"
As he leaned close to her she froze, her eyes meeting his. As he spoke she found herself feeling slightly embarrassed, her stomach had given a little flop and her heart seemed to flutter. Mng was not the best when it came to flirting, she usually wasn't able to pick up when a male was flirting with her. But somehow she'd been able to instantly get the feeling that his words of her safety was not simply a kind statement, but something more. She did not feel threatened or uneasy by the comment, simply nervous. "W-well!" She exclaimed, not knowing how else to respond. She started to giggle though, feeling shy. "That is good, I doubt my father would feel very happy about scars on my pelt." She finally managed, her tone light and playful.
She looked around after a moment, frowning slightly. Where was Sesere? He would certainly balk at the news. He might even try and refuse to let her go, but it wasn't really his decision. Maybe she should urge him to leave right away, so that Ses would have to come find her? "When would we go?" She asked, caught up in the moment. Her voice was breathy and thrilled, her head likely filled with imaginative adventures.
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 1:46 pm
He thrummed inwardly at her positive responses to him, both his spoken words and his unspoken messages. It was always wonderful when he clicked with a pretty lioness like her, when things just went the way he wanted them to. There was more to it than that, but he wasn't willing to examine his reaction that close, brushing away what might have been significant. No, this was just him enticing a pretty face to stay with him longer, that's all. Any deeper than that was dangerous territory, something he didn't want to think about, no matter how it might be true. He wasn't ready to consider the implications, no siree. His eyes brightened the more eager she seemed, till he was positively glowing with a grin.
"Anywhere you like, my lady Kari!" he replied effusively. "If you want to think about it, we can just wander for now, seeing what there is to see, going wherever our paws takes us!" Though he promised himself he'd pay more attention to where that was, with her to look after. He had promised he could bring her back, and he was determined to keep that promise. "We could follow the setting sun, or trace the paths of the stars, or take our direction from the first bird to fly by!" He really did love to wander, and it showed in his expansive expression of where they could go. "Whatever your heart desires," he turned back to her, eyes once more soft and intimate, "will be my command."
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 2:03 pm
She had never realized that even just the simple act of getting up and going could be so much fun! There were so many ways to determine your path, she never knew! It sounded fantastic, definitely like the sort of thing one did on an adventure!
"Oh! That sounds very fun, following the birds!" Of course it was the one choice she would likely pick. Again she felt bashful at his last words, but she found she liked the feeling more and more. "Or maybe we could head to the pridelands first? I am pretty sure I have a lot of family there..." Maybe on the way she could come up with a more thoughtful plan! "Thank you Vigo!" She purred out, pleased as anything!
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Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2012 9:56 am
It warmed him and gave him an odd little thrill to see how happy his offer had made her. He fluffed his mane a bit in masculine pride under her effusive attention. Funny how she made him feel so alive and vital, all without even any real flirting going on! He found it astonishing. "Of course we can. We can leave whenever you are ready." He leaned closer to her, inhaling her scent of sun-warmed rock and clean dust. This adventure was going to be amazing, he could feel it in his bones. It was going to be a strange sensation to travel with someone, a female no less, but he he was actually looking forward to it. Onward and forward with the great explore!
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