[FIN] Arrival (Angalia & Mpapuro)

[mouselet]

Mpapuro stretched each limb to its furthest extent as she walked, trying to ease the strain she'd exerted on already tired muscles. Hunting wasn't exactly her passion, but it was a necessary job. Not that there was any duty more interesting for her to train for. After all, talking to people wasn't exactly a job.

Well, even if being an adolescent brought more work as she trained to join the rank of Hunters and Huntresses, it also allowed the yellow lioness far more freedom than she'd enjoyed before. She was now old enough and big enough that she could go out to the borders if she wished, even sneak beyond them a bit if it interested her and there was nothing dangerous nearby.

A fair trade, overall.  

[Bronze Coffee]

Despite living here for quite some time now, Angalia hadn't really spent much time getting aquainted with anyone here. She'd met someone special to her, for a single night, and had a beautiful litter of hybrids and lions. It was not her first litter running about the Pridelands, either. There was actually a few pink and yellow lions running around because of her. Either way, the lioness with the purple eyes emerged from her den after making sure her children were asleep.

She was just on the outside of the border, since she wasn't very comfortable inside yet. Still, the guards knew her well enough, usually, to know that she was a member of the pride. She hunted, ate, and watched cubs every now and then for other mothers.

However someone new seemed to be approaching. So, Angalia stopped where she was and sat down, waiting for the other to approach and ask about her.  

[mouselet]

The older lioness was right about the fact that the creature in question was heading straight for her. Mpapuro had never in her life missed an opportunity to talk to someone. Especially not when they had no one else to speak with at the moment. And the brown and white lioness seemed to be waiting for her!

The yellow adolescent trotted over cheerfully. "Hello!" she called as soon as she was close enough to be heard without raising her voice too much. Of course she didn't stop there, coming right up and settling herself down next to the other lion.

"I haven't seen you around before, my name's Mpapuro," she introduced herself, stills miling.  

[Bronze Coffee]

Personal bubble? What was that? Having cubs stripped you of that. You got used to a lot, including things coming up in her face and talking to her. A brow was arched, but Angalia nodded a bit. "Hello," she responded in a deep voice. She had one of those raspy, husky voices. She was sick as a cub, which left her voice sounding almost broken at times.

"I've been here a while, Mpapuro," the name was repeated so she could commit it to memory. Sighing, she brought her tail around to her front paws, letting the tail tip flick this way and that. "I am Angalia. You've maybe seen my son about. He's pink and his name is Husani?." With a little noise, she shrugged and just got even more comfortable.

"You look rather chipper this fine day. What has you in such a good mood?"  

[mouselet]

A while? And a son? Huh. The young lioness never would have guessed it. But that was no reason to be rude and stop a conversation before it had begun! It did make her feel better, however, to know that Angalia wasn't just some rogue wandering nearby.

"Nope, don't know any pink lions very well," she replied, still cheerful. She'd like to meet him though, if only because she hadn't already! However she had been asked a direct question. What did have her in such a good mood?

"Well, I guess meeting you!" Mpapuro replied. "Oh, and being out here, and the sun shining, and the grass being green..." she turned and grinned widely at the older lioness. "Isn't that worth being happy about?"  

[Bronze Coffee]

"So you are basically happy with being alive, then." Angalia had to compact that down to simple sentences for her own sake. "That is very good cause for being happy. Not everyone is actually happy about that." Her tail flicked a little more as she spoke. "I remember, a time not too long ago, I would rather have stopped living. It was a very rough time, mind you. I was also about your age, maybe a might bit younger."

A laugh came from the elder lioness as she spoke. Her ears flicked this way and that before looking at the younger girl. "I take it you grew up here? My son has been in the pride his whole life.. I came here when I was just about to give birth. I wanted my cubs in a safe and sound surrounding."  

[mouselet]

Mpapuro nodded agreement as Angalia rephrased her statements in different, more philosophical terms. But the words essentially boiled down to the same things, even if they did imply more thought than the yellow lioness was inclined to give matters. Whatever made the older lioness happy!

However, the words switched to a grimmer tone, suited to the brown and white female's raspy voice as she admitted to a desire to end her life. Things seemed more promising as she spoke of entering the Pridelands seeking a safe place to birth her cubs.

"This is a wonderful place to live," Mpapuro replied, smiling. "I'm certain you made the right choice by clinging to life and finding a good land for you and your children to live in."  

[Bronze Coffee]

"I've taken to thinking just that. I've a second litter of cubs just in my den. They're not quite old enough to venture out. When they are, I'm thinking about moving to a den further in the pride. I hadn't expected to have them, so when I found out I was pregnant, it was too late to really move dens. Now, living so close to the border, it's very dangerous for cubs!" She nodded, though sounded as if she were talking to herself now.

Ah well. She did that from time to time.  

[mouselet]

"That's what my mother said when I was a cub," Mpapuro replied idly, remembering how firmly Shani had disciplined her when she'd discovered her daughter's frequent and unauthorized trips to the border at that age. But that was probably not something another mother would want to hear.

"But there are many Guards and even more Hunters around to protect them," she added with another grin. "The Pridelands are very safe!"  

[Bronze Coffee]

"There is no doubts about that. I just doubt my own ability to keep an eye on this many children, is all. There's quite a few." She gave a small sigh and shrugged. "I should be off hunting right now. I have to stay healthy so the cubs can eat."

This was her polite way of saying, let us talk another time. She did need to hunt. The cubs couldn't eat if she was hungry, after all! "Until next time!"

With that, the brown and white female headed out to hunt herself a good, delicious meal.  

[mouselet]

"Safe hunt!" the younger female replied cheerily as her conversational partner got up and departed. She wasn't offended by the abrupt termination of their dialogue - it seemed to happen rather often to Mpapuro and was thus just a part of life.

Humming to herself, the yellow lioness got to her own feet and went off in a different direction. Perhaps she'd find someone else to talk to!