|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 5:28 pm
 The sun was high, the day was beautiful and 'Zuni was pacing. Irritation was plain on her face, and anxiety expressed itself in each and every hair on her spiked pelt. Her paws thudded the ground heavily with each step, almost a stomp as she tried to release some of the tension built up by her indecisive pondering; the temptation of returning to her homeland had been harassing her for days; there was no way to measure her desire to return, but still she hesitated. Dare she face the past?
Lost in thought, 'Zuni continued to pad back and forth; a slight but noticeable track had been worn away by her constant passage. As always her thoughts were interrupted by every new sound, smell and movement. She was always alert, always ready.. She would never be caught off guard..
A new scent reached her nostrils and she stopped short. Her claws curled out and dug into the earth as she opened her mouth to draw air over her tongue. The smell was faint - very faint - but unmistakable. There was another lion nearby, and a male at that. Her first reaction was fear. Every muscle tensed, ready to flee or fight if she had to. It didn't take long for her to calm down. The scent was lion, and male, but it was not the scent.
Still... that didn't mean this newcomer could be trusted. With a quick glance, 'Zuni determined that there were no sufficient hiding places within distance. The stranger would reach her before she could reach them. Apprehensively, she braced herself and waited.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 9:41 pm
Quinlan was walking at a brisk pace, considering his next trick. So far, he had occupied himself with small illusions. Making something small, like a flower or a rock, become something else, like a butterfly, or making small animals disappear in front of someone’s eyes. But there had to be more that he could do than that- maybe he just needed to think on a larger scale- use the surroundings around him. He was sure he could make grander tricks with a little bit of effort. Maybe he could even make himself seem to vanish. Coming to a stop, he noted a female not far in front of him, her tense demeanor suggesting right away that company was not something she had been eager for. Still, he wasn’t the type to turn tail and run, so he offered the female a friendly smile and a bow of his head in greeting. “Please relax, my dear,” he offered softly, “I’m not here to hurt you. Look! I even have an offering. He held out a paw, empty, before giving his wrist a light roll. A small, pink flower appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, on his paw, sitting there contently like it had been there the whole time. Smiling, he held it out for her, though he didn’t think she would take it given how tense she seemed to be. He frowned slightly, tilting his head slightly to one side. “My name is Quinlan- I mean you no harm.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:50 pm
'Zuni tried to force herself to relax and return the stranger's charm; it was much harder than she thought. She didn't like others to see her caution - if they were hiding something, it would only make them try harder to hide it - but she couldn't help herself. Besides it was her extreme fear that she had to thank for still being alive.
Her attempt at mirroring the dark lion's smile turned out as a quick, half-hearted smirk. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion as he said he wasn't dangerous. Like he's going to tell me that he's here to kill me, she scoffed inwardly. Still, if this lion really didn't intend to hurt her, she didn't want to change his mind by being rude.
With some effort, she softened her facial features into a mask of curiosity at his mention of an 'offering' - an expression which changed so swiftly to shock that she doubted the stranger had even noticed the difference. A small flower had appeared in his outstretched paw. A paw which, only moments earlier, had been empty. She stared blankly at it for a few moments before deciding that it must have been there the whole time. Although she still wondered how she hadn't noticed it before.
After regaining her wits - and closing her jaws - 'Zuni returned her gaze to the stranger's face. This lion - Quinlan, he said his name was - seemed genuinely concerned that she was frightened of him. Perhaps he doesn't know who I am. Or, more importantly, who sired me...
"Th-thank you. I am... my name is Kisiri." 'Zuni dipped her head in a very belated response to his greeting. As always. she felt uneasy when she gave out her false name - what if they actually knew who she was and caught her in her lie? - and hesitated a moment to gauge Quinlan's reaction before continuing. "The flower really is beautiful. Although, I have to admit, I prefer teal."
At her last teasing joke, she flashed a playful smile. It quickly vanished as her inner voice reminded her not to let her walls down and was replaced with her usual guarded friendliness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 3:02 pm
Quinlan smiled. This lioness was very worried about something, he could see that. Perhaps more than a normal lioness might be when meeting a stranger? It didn't seem like it was just because he had happened about her out of no where. He wasn't sure what he was going to do about things. If he couldn't make her happy, or calm, then he couldn't really call himself an entertainer. Then again, if there was something going on in her mind that he wasn't aware of, there wasn't going to be a method he could take that would work correctly anyway. He would be missing one of the key pieces of information for making the whole thing work. All he could do was help her feel better in what ways he could and be satisfied with whatever results he got. Might not be perfect, but he was happy to try. Looking at her, he chuckled. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Kisiri." Had she hesitated a moment there? Was it possible she had given him a fake name? No, he wouldn't think such things. Even if he liked to think he was a smart lion, he wasn't going to jump to conclusions. "Teal, huh?' he looked at the flower, giving it a twist before seemingly making the color change from pink to teal. It was a good thing there had been a lot of flowers in the surrounding area- he might have had a tougher time with his magic trick if he didn't have the color she had wanted hidden away in his mane. "Are you alright?" he asked lightly, "you look so worried..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 9:24 am
Okay, now that she had not imagined. The flower had definitely changed colors. 'Zuni's fear momentarily receded as her interest piqued. She gently reached out and hooked the flower from his paw, holding it in her claws as she sniffed and studied it. Lifting her gaze back to Quinlan's, she raised an eyebrow. I wonder how he did that. I suppose he probably wouldn't tell me if I asked, though.
'Zuni was still debating with herself when Quinlan spoke again. In a heartbeat, her fear came surging back. To give herself time to think about an answer, 'Zuni turned and took her time twining the flower into her tail tuft. When she had decided what to say, she turned back and forced out a sweetly shy smile that was only half insincere.
"Well, I've recently started to live on my own. I was with my mother, father and sister only last moon. It's a little nerve-wracking." 'Zuni dipped her head with an embarrassed chuckle. That ought to throw him off the track - if he was on the track in the first place.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2013 12:46 pm
Quinlan was smiling quite contently as she observed the flower. The surprised look on the faces of others always made him feel better. They didn't look unhappy or scared- it was more wonder than anything else. And that was what he wanted to see. Others putting their concerns aside, even for a second, to enjoy a simple illusion. One day, he knew he would be able to spread his magic all over the rogue lands. Maybe he would even be able to show off in prides every now and again, too! How he would enjoy that! "I see," he said lightly, "well, I hope you don't feel too over whelmed. It can be very frightening to be on your own at first." he wondered if he believed her. Maybe it was the truth, though it seemed too easy to get from someone who was clearly hiding a lot of secrets. But he wasn't there to force information out of her- he didn't even know who she really was. Still, perhaps he would be able to help her in some other way, whether she thought she was being sneaky about it or otherwise. "Is there anything I can help you with?" He asked, "we are not all so scary out here where there are no prides. I am just a humble magician."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 12:58 pm
'Zuni's ears twitched when Quinlan mentioned prides. While growing up with her brothers, they had learned of prides - large groups of lions that lived together peacefully as family, even though many of them had no blood relation. The idea had always intrigued her; but it also frightened her. Her only experience of a "pride" had been her own family, and even though they were directly related, things... hadn't gone well. How could strangers get along any better?
Even still, she was on a journey. Crazy as it seemed, she was heading back to her homeland, with only the name of the pride who inhabited the area and a general sense of direction. She searched the lion's face for several heartbeats. They locked gazes, and something she saw in his eyes revealed a glimpse of the kind soul behind them. It usually took her a long time to trust another creature, but this just felt right.
"I'm looking for the Kizingo'Zaa - a pride of gypsy lions that live near the sea. Well, not them exactly, but something in their lands. Would you happen to know how to get there?" 'Zuni's heart thumped - so loud she was certain Quinlan could hear it - as she waited for this new acquaintance's reply. This was the moment when she would find out whether trusting him had been her biggest mistake.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 1:12 pm
"Kizingo'Zaa," the male hummed, testing the name out loud as though it would spark the memory he was looking for, "yes, I do believe I've heard of it. Lots of strange rumors about that place, as I recall." There had been a time when rogues had feared the place- that it was some kind of home for insanity. Now, though, he didn't hear those rumors as much. Perhaps something had changed. "I do know where they say it is- if it's still in the same place, I could at least point you in the right direction," he told her, no trickery involved. He didn't need illusions when he was actually helping someone. Just being able to give advice was enough.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:40 pm
On a whim, Zuni decided she rather liked this slightly odd male. She smiled at him softly, allowing - almost forcing - her body to relax. As much as she tried not to think about it, it was actually rather lonely in the Rogue Lands since she had stopped traveling with her brothers. Zuni quickly forced the thought away before it could make her sad.
"That would be wonderful. But, you know, I'm not in any real hurry. If you wouldn't mind the company, we could always discuss the directions over a hare?"
Not at all the type of lioness to 'put herself out there, Zuni waited for Quinlan's response, all the while trying not to appear as shy as she felt.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2013 10:13 pm
It seemed like she was starting to look a little less tense, and that pleased the bemusing male. He appreciated that she was trusting him, even a little. There didn't seem to be a lot of trust left in the world, and if he could slowly restore some, lion by lion, through the use of his magic or otherwise, than he was one happy lion. When she suggested food, his smile brightened. "You know, that sounds like a very good idea- I think I'm quite ready for something to eat. As long as you let me do the catching," He added with a wink. She could relax a little more watching him act like a complete spaz trying to hunt. Magic was something he was good at. Hunting was... not as much. Rennekae Sorry about the delay! The hiatus took over.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 6:58 am
Zuni was completely unaccustomed to everything that was happening in this interaction; she couldn't stop her hackles from raising in instinctive fear, even though she tried to keep them flat.
Just because he's male doesn't mean he has to be bad. Think of Alfarrin and Marzel - in fact, he kind of reminds me of Alfarrin. A little more goofy, perhaps.
With the thought of her brother sternly in her mind, Zuni was able to relax to a less obvious anxiety. Quinlan's offer to do the hunting awarded him a soft smile and a long, slow blink."I'd like that." she responded quietly; even though she'd never admit it, the black-and-white lioness was exhausted. It would be nice to have someone take care of her. Cajanic Sorry I took so long! I've got a lot going on.. even today. But I'm hoping to be more active now that I've sorted through some of the junk. <3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
