Haldir:
Haldir stood silent as the stones around him, his slate gray body unmoving and his mane laying about his broad shoulders like the veil of mist hung about the foot of their homeland. His bright green eyes stared outwards, anchored on the boarders that lay veiled in mist. The ender magi of the pride had gone into seclusion and moarning. He had good reason with a den full of young cubs and a heart filled with grief but he alone knew the lands. The other Mistweavers had long abandoned their homeland so there was no one who could tell them what could and could not be expected, how the land had changed, or if they knew of any threat that sat in wait.
On a routine perimeter check, he had heard voices beyond the mist towards where the great lake sat. Deep, powerful voices like boulders grinding together with an accent that was strange to him. Either there were passing rogues or restless ghosts stirring out there.
He set his jaw and narrowed his eyes. With their numbers as they were, there was very little they could do about the situation. The mists remained their shield. To investigate would mean risking exposure. Regarldess... it didn't sit well with him.
He turned his head as a soft breath stirred the silence behind him. To his suprise a young female, strange to him, started forward. Her ears were rolled back in submission and her eyes wary. Tensing, he lifted his chin. "Stranger? Friend or foe?"
Loha:
Loha had also been hearing the thunderous voices. It put him on edge. He didn't like that this pride was touching another and that the lions got so close to them. The Viking pride had seemed to have gotten themselves into a bit of trouble recently. He'd seen lions leaving, heading for the forest. While he was curious as to what that was about, the brown male was not goingn to risk death for the sake of curiosity.
Besides that, he had a female to show around. Glancing over his shoulder at her, his golden eyes studied the female. He hoped she kept up with him. However, jumping over one of the bolders and turning a corner proved that she had gotten lost. Letting his ears flick as he listened to her, Loha back tracked a bit. Why was it females always had a bad sense of direction? They were always lost no matter what. He might have to tie some sort of bell around her throat to find her if she stayed. It would defeat the whole purpose but at least the pride woudln't have to worry about it.
It wasn't until he came upon Haldir that he heard the girl. "Haldir, down," He teased, shaking his head. "She is Kapera. I'm showing her around," he said quietly, looking through the mists. "Come, show yourself so he can relax." Loha had warned her about the others on post.
Haldir:
Down? Down!? Like he was some sort of wild dog? The lion made no effort to show his indignity at the remark and set the brown male with a very stern, very insulted stare.
"Showing her around, Loha? Is she to stay? And how can you be certain? A cunning enemy would not approach behind a terrible red mask you know."
Kapera:
Kapera sighed in relief as a familar figure pushed through the mist and joined her side. The tension, however, returned as the male now identified as Haldir bristled.
"I'm not an enemy, I'm perhaps worse than harmless." She laughed a little. "I got lost just outside of the border. Loha found me there."
Loha:
Of course he watched Haldir bristle. It was fairly entertaining. Chuckling a little, Loha sighed and nodded a little. "It is as she says. She gets lost very easily," he arched a brow at her. "She got lost just following me, it would seem. So I really doubt, even if she did not stay, that she would be able to lead anyone back here." The male shook out his dark mane and then just settled into a sitting position.
Seriously, it's not like any danger would come to the pride because of this female. She was simple, it seemed, but not in an annoying way like some of the other females he'd met in his more 'wild' days. "Sorry for insulting you, Haldir, but it was the first thing that came to mind." His expression was serious now and he didn't really want to make an enemy in the pride. It was small enough as it is.
Haldir:
"You'll do well to remember that according to the elder here, it was females, not males, that brought the downfall of the original pride here. Don't let your eyes get you into trouble." He rose up to his paws and glanced over to the small female. She was smiling though there was a tinge of fear there. Good. At least she knew how to mind.
"Best let the captain know so he doesn't startle. Kisulisuli makes my suspicions look like a welcoming feast."
Kapera:
Kapera's ears sank and she glanced over to her more familar companion. Females had done this pride in before? It seemed like a silly notion to her. While they were the hunters and the ones who made the bulk of most prides, one male could best two or even three females if he was young and fit enough. Perhaps their numbers were of concern.
"Are your folk in trouble here?"
Haldir:
"Not yet." Haldir said quietly. "Hopefully not ever."
Loha:
"I know. I heard the stories of what happened," he said in a murmured voice. He didn't like to think of the history of the pride, because it was a long, and mostly sad one that made him furious to begin with. The last thing he wanted to do was be angry with no target about him to take it out on. "I was on my way to let Kisulisuli meet her and see for himself she's no threat." It was true. Part of the tour was going to see him. Sighing at her question, he shook his head.
"We are right next to another pride, however. They seem to be having trouble within themselves, power struggle, probably." He looked up to the other male. "We might need to add more to our watches. Some have started leaving."
Kapera:
"Ah... I see the need for suspicion then." She glanced to Haldir who nodded his confirmation. Prides who shared borders were either hostile defenders of that border or allies. It was very rare that they would co-exist without the others knowing about eachother, though with the mists here it could have been that this pride was keeping its head down. It would be wise if their numbers were low.
Haldir:
"I still don't know where the information regarding what lays beyond the mist comes form. We cannot risk exposture, Loha. We need to keep what's in in and what's out out. Small exceptions can be made but secrecy is our greatest ally right now."
Word Count
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