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 Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 5:30 pm
Halili was padding back to her parents' den after a long day of hunting practice. Thanks to Orion's help she was no longer the worst in the group. That, of course, didn't mean she was particularly good. It was a shame that most of the low class spent most of their "on duty" time helping with hunting because the adolescent would really rather do just about anything else. Running messages, babysitting, even digging up noxious plants at the Shaman's behest appealed to her more. Still, she was determined not to let any of that get her down. She would hold her head high, proud of her class and her pride!
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 5:52 pm
Orion was in a fairly good mood, having just been to visit with his parents at the slave dens. His mother was pregnant again and he was trying to help out by bringing some extra food. It was easier to get overlooked as slaves, not that he thought anybody would forget to make sure an expecting lioness ate enough but.. he felt better helping out himself.
The only downside to his visit was that he hadn't spotted Halili around while he was at the slave dens. Now that he had some spare time, he decided to walk around where he thought she might be.. but hopefully not too obviously. It was getting dark by the time he figured out which way to go to pass near her parents' den.. but he still didn't see her.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 5:57 pm
The sounds of movement nearby startled the lioness and she looked around quickly. After hours straining her ears for the slightest sounds, she was having a little trouble readjusting to the noise of the pride. And with the coming dark, it was getting hard to see.
The noises came again and the brown lion turned to see a shadow, moving. Then a cloud moved, allowing the fading light to touch the tall socks of the lion before her. The adolescent sighed with relief, recognizing the figure at last.
"Orion, you scared me!" she called out. "I almost didn't see you in the dark!"
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:03 pm
He heard his name just a second before he spotted Halili and he couldn't help but chuckle even before he registered what she said. He might have felt bad if it was anybody else but he considered Halili a friend. It was OK to be more relaxed around her.. a little bit.
"Sorry," he said, smiling and heading her way, "It's the black fur, I can see you pretty well now that I've found you."
Her fur wasn't exactly bright but it was pale so she stood out more in the dim light. If Orion was careful with his legs, he could easily stay hidden in more overcast nights.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:07 pm
Well, it wasn't surprising that he could see her so much better. But that didn't exactly help her at the moment. The younger lion shook her head at him. "Yes, but that doesn't help me seeing you at night! Maybe I should get some mud and some white feathers and stick them to you," she mused aloud, mischief glinting in her lilac eyes.
Truth be told, Orion was one of the few lions that Halili actually felt comfortable enough teasing. Yes she was happy and upbeat with everyone, but that didn't mean she was really that comfortable. In fact, she babbled about as much when she was nervous as she did when she was relaxed. Wasn't that strange?
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:18 pm
Orion frowned at her suggestion- a little too deeply to be serious. He shook his head, trying to imagine what strange arrangement of white feathers it would take to make him unmistakeable in the dark.. and what poor bird would provide enough while feathers.
"Don't do that to me," he said, shaking the image of the plucked bird out of his head, "Or some poor bird."
And then he smiled.
"I was just around the slave dens, I thought I might see you there," he said, adding after a short pause, "Obviously not because you were here."
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:21 pm
At first she thought she may have said something wrong. Then he shook his head and Halili realized he was playing the game, teasing her back as she'd done to him. The lioness grinned in return. "You're right, it's too cruel to the bird."
She blinked as he mentioned that he'd been looking for her down by the slave dens. It was a logical enough place to look, as she spent a lot of time there, but she still lived with her parents in the high class. Which was getting stranger each day but...well, maybe she just wasn't ready to move out yet. There was something unsettling about the idea of living by herself.
"You...were looking for me?" she asked quietly.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:29 pm
He made a face when she focused on what it would mean for a bird to cover him in feathers, but he knew it was all a joke- a rare situation for the insecure lion... but then she got quiet and questioned him and suddenly he was very nervous.
"Well, I mean, I was already there so I just thought.."
OK, stammering was not a good way to go.
"Yeah, I was."
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:32 pm
The adolescent's face lit up as Orion confirmed what she'd half-hoped and half-feared. He'd been looking for her. It was the most wonderful thing anyone had ever said to her.
She took a few steps closer to the older lion, aware that this was the closest they'd ever stood outside of him tutoring her in hunting skills. Daringly, she reached up - why was he so tall? - and nuzzled the underside of his chin.
"That's so sweet of you," Halili told him.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:43 pm
Orion was completely stunned at the response his confession got. It seemed such a simple action, he had tried making excuses before even admitting it .. but it seemed to mean a lot to her, and judging by how flustered he suddenly felt, he thought so too.
"I- well- I mean I .."
Words words words. Which ones?? He looked utterly lost but still, somehow, had a touch of a smile.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:50 pm
Halili giggled. She couldn't see Orion's face from where she stood, but she could imagine the dumbfounded expression that would go with those stuttering words.
"Yes, you," she confirmed, whirling out from under his head to face him. "But I should get some sleep now. See you around Orion!" the lioness called out with a wink of one pale purple eye before she turned and headed for her parents' den.
It was nice that she could play with him like this. And that he played back. She thought that the black and grey lion might be her best friend in the whole pride.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:01 pm
He watched her go, still too stunned to react appropriately to her sudden decision to depart. Had he said or done something wrong? She was smiling and it seemed genuine so maybe not.. he brain couldn't seem to go fast enough. That meant it was probably a good thing she wasn't sticking around.
"OK," he muttered, definitely not nearly loud enough for her to hear, though. Another pause and he realized he was still staring off into the night after her, which made him turn abruptly to head off to his own den.
Fin!
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