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 Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:47 pm
 It had been an interesting few weeks. The moon had waned and was now waxing again, with the next full moon soon to come by the time Avahk made it to the final landmarks Tseva had cited for him. The climate had become humid and the air somewhat unpleasant with a lingering dampness that never seemed to fade. The journey itself had been relatively uneventful for the grey lion, though he'd seen many sights that were strange and different on his way. This was no bad thing, as far as Avahk was concerned, and certainly made it worthwhile to leave the pride for a time. However, there was an acrid odor in the air. Not overwhelming, but unpleasant. Avahk wrinkled his nose and tried not to cough.
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:55 pm
She had long overcome her feelings of distress at seeing her old home this way and even had started to get used to the smell, though she was always glad to get away from it.
This time, her trip back to the swamp was motivated by a nagging feeling this was where she ought to be today. She had settled in to wait and see what happened-- and it wasn't far into the day that she heard someone coming. She was cautious, lurking some distance away as she tried to decide if this was someone she recognized or not. Eventually, she started working her way closer.
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:02 pm
Avahk moved cautiously through the undergrowth as he began to notice signs of damage to the plants that had been described to him. Blackened scars damaged trees, there were empty spaces that looked damaged, not to mention the lingering stink that the grey lion couldn't quite place.
The male frowned as he kept looking. He hadn't seen anyone yet. Not a Guard, not a...what had she called them?...Ghosts! No one had tried to find out his business, steer him away, or scare him off, and those were the various ways Tseva had said her pride dealt with strangers. Maybe he should be more obvious. It couldn't hurt, right?
"Helloooooo? Anyone theeeeeere? I'm looking for the Jini-msemi..." he called out.
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:10 pm
She froze when he called out, ears tilting forward to try to hear him better. That didn't sound like someone who knew the pride was supposed to be here, he sounded almost confused.. though, to be fair, that was a possible reaction of a returning pilgrim, too.
Hm.
Putting on a smile, she moved more quickly to come out from the trees and into his path where she could properly converse with the stranger.
"Hello!"
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:16 pm
Avahk took a surprised step backwards as a black lioness appeared out of nowhere. He was so out of his depth in this place, as thick as it was with plants and other things that blocked his line of sight so effortlessly. He hadn't really been homesick yet, but he missed the distances he'd been able to see so clearly in the Mwezi'Johari.
"Uh...hi there," he replied at last. Then he realized that this lioness must be one of the lions he was looking for, a member of the Jini-msemi!
"I'm glad to finally find you!" Avahk continued. "I'm looking for Tseva Reygehl. She's also got black fur, but her markings are in white?" he offered, hoping that this female knew who he was looking for.
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:23 pm
Tazama did not stop smiling but she didn't answer him immediately either, she considered his story instead. He knew a Jini-msemi lioness by the sounds of it, probably a friend from a name quest if he was visiting but wasn't quite sure about where he was. Unfortunately, Tazama didn't know anybody by the name Tseva Reygehl off the top of her head.
"You look familiar," she said finally, then she started- she didn't mean to lead with that! She smiled sheepishly before going on.
"There was a fire, the pride has moved on," she explained, "I come here sometimes to help any lost pilgrims find their way home but I don't think that's the case here, is it?"
She batted her eyes, clearly waiting for the rest of his story.
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:33 pm
Wait...he looked familiar? Why on earth would this lioness say something like that? Unless..Avahk knew he looked a lot like his father. Had this female somehow met Yareha? Given what the grey lion knew of his father's reputation...it seemed likely.
"Uh...you know my dad?" he asked curiously. Then his attention was riveted by what she said next.
"A fire? How? When? Did anyone die? Please tell me Tseva wasn't one of them!" the lion begged the stranger. The rest of her words, and her unspoken demand, didn't quite penetrate Avahk's worry.
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:44 pm
She wrinkled her nose thoughtfully at the mention of his father, deciding that no, that was not why he looked familiar. But the subject was quickly focused on the fire- she was rather taken aback by how shocked and alarmed he was by the news. It took a great deal of restraint not to look around them and eyeball all the evidence of the disaster. Of course, it was a fair question to ask after any deaths but she expected her demeanor would not be so cheerful if that were the case.. but she couldn't fault him for that one. She decided Tseva was someone special to him, he seemed too distressed for it to be an acquaintance or minor traveling companion.
"Nobody died," she said, "It was some time ago, long enough that we found a new home and have settled comfortably there. I don't know if I could put a specific time frame on it, umm.."
She looked at her own toes thoughtfully and back up.
"I was an adolescent at the time, though just," Tazama said, wondering if it would help, "My name quest was delayed until we were able to find a new home, and still I have been out here a while."
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:49 pm
Avahk breathed more easily as soon as the lioness reassured him that nobody had died. He'd hate to have come all this way just to learn that Tseva had died and nobody had thought to tell him! But that didn't matter because she was alive...just not here in the swamp. Which was something of a relief, since that meant he wouldn't be here much longer, thank the Great Lion!
"Where is this new home?" Avahk asked eagerly. "Can you tell me how to get there?"
He didn't respond to what else the lioness said, not really caring how old she was, and already understanding the importance of the name quest to the pridemembers.
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:53 pm
"I suppose I could," she said, pausing and tilting her head, "Though I don't suppose it'd be good to direct a stranger who only knows the name and former location of the pride and seems to care a great deal about one member I wouldn't be able to identify."
She smiled.
"Why do you want to find her?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:57 pm
Avahk's expression fell as the lioness refused to tell him. Why was she being so cruel? His frown soon changed to a glare however and the grey lion bristled with indignition.
"Why? Because I promised I'd come visit! Obviously!" the male retorted. Did this lioness think she had to protect her pride from a lone lion? He wasn't here to hurt anyone, hadn't he made that clear?
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:03 pm
Tazama gave him an exasperated look and shook her head. He wasn't very smart, she decided. Aside from his absent sense of humor he didn't seem to realize that she had information he wanted and ought to treat her with some respect if he wanted to get it out of her. She was only playing, she had already guessed the reason and was sure she was right. The fact that he was from before the fire perhaps gave him reason to be embarrassed since, in her opinion, he was a poor friend and lover to take such an absence. But that wasn't for her to judge.
She could, however, judge if he was worthy of the information he wanted. Nobody told her she was supposed to tell everybody where the Jini-msemi went, she was merely supposed to guide any stray pilgrims she ran into.
"You have quite the temper on you," she commented dryly, "You're more likely to get what you want if you're more pleasant."
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:07 pm
Avahk gaped at the lioness, still annoyed with her attitude. But he realized that she was right, and he shrank down within himself, sighing. Just because he was worried about Tseva, having discovered the lingering after effects of the fire, wasn't an excuse to become enraged with the lioness who seemed to only want to help. And the stress of the journey, and of Shangyue's coup, those weren't good excuses either.
"You're right," the grey lion admitted. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to project my own problems on you. But I did promise to visit..."
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:12 pm
It took her a moment to decide if his apology was genuine but she wasn't looking for him to beg for her forgiveness and it lacked all obvious signs of sarcasm.. and she really did believe he had good intentions.
"Alright," she said, smiling again though not as cheerful, "They have moved into the mountains, if you turn yourself around and head out of the trees you'll eventually see the right ones. There are other prides throughout the mountains but I believe most of them are friendly enough, perhaps if you get off track they could put you back on the right path."
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:16 pm
The grey lion nodded as he listened closely and compared what he knew of the lands he'd passed through on his way to the swamp. The mountains, huh? He could get there easily enough, though it would take him at least another half moon...
...wait a minute...
"The mountains?" he echoed, surprise and despair mixing on his face. "But that's near home!" Ohhhh...this was just typical of his luck! Here he went all this way at last, just to discover that he'd wasted nearly an entire moon going the wrong direction!
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