It was a beautiful day, and beautiful days were pretty hard to come by in Africa. The weather was usually either oppressively hot or torrential rains. It was rare when a day like today graced the lions that lived there. The white, puffy clouds offered shade from time to time and a breeze kept the worst of the heat at bay. Having lush grass and cool water to stand in did help matters quite a bit as well, Aslan decided as he lapped at the cool stream he had just had a refreshing swim in. He liked his new home. The Pridelands were the oasis he'd been hoping it would be. Not only was it the land of his ancestors...one of the lands, at least. He'd heard some less-than-enticing things about the Firekin...but it offered steady food and water without wondering if you'd go hungry. The company was fantastic as well. Everyone was so cheerful here! The only downside was the fact that the males couldn't take as many females for mates as they wished.

That was the least of his worries right now, though. Aslan flopped down on a warm rock after his little swim and glanced into the rouge lands, where the grass slowly petered off into dry, cracked earth in the distance. He shivered at the memory of walking out there for most of his life, and clawed lightly at the rock to reassure him that he was, in fact, in paradise. Closing his eyes for a quick cat nap, Aslan's tail was the only indication that he was somewhat alert: it would twitch from time to time, to shoo off flies, or just because he was in a great mood.

A'asifa R'adiya, or Rad, as he was commonly called, was pretty much in a sleepy haze. He wasn't quite awake yet, but not quite asleep. He hadn't eaten in a couple of days, so he was feeling the pangs of hunger in his stomach. Still, the lazy boy he was, Rad just kind of layed there and yawned. He stayed like this for a good while before his stomach sent a quick, sharp pain through him, causing fur to bristle and a growl to escape.

"Alright, alright," he muttered to himself, his voice having a nice, husky tone to it. He streched himself, front legs first, then the back legs, before looking up at that unusual sight of clouds in the sky. His green eyes narrowed, squinting, not quite trusting or beliving this was happening.

With one last quick stretch, Rad took off to find himself something to eat. Even a genet would do at this point. As long as it got his stomach to stop killing him.

A light breeze made Aslan's whiskers twitch, and a scent made him open his eyes. It was a lion, but he wasn't alarmed at all. Everyone here was friendly and kind, so he roused himself from his nap slowly just to see who it was. By the time he located the male, he was fairly close to his rock. A tilt of a head and a grin crossed his lips as he focused on the male. Something was incredibly familiar about him...he just couldn't quite put his paw on what it was. Ever the curious cat, he decided to investigate.

Sliding off his rock, Aslan padded after the other male. The wind was blowing in his favor and, so as not to startle the male, he called out once he was close enough. "Good afternoon," he said, his voice warm and cheerful. "It's a beautiful day, isn't it? Forgive my ignorance, but have you been here long? I feel as though I've seen you somewhere before, when I was very young." It was hard to forget a coat as handsome as that, that was for certain. Aslan was fairly simple as far as some lions went, but this male had decorative markings that looked almost like the tattoos of a far-off pride he'd heard about once. It was striking, and had made an impression on him when he was little.

A voice caught his attention and Rad literally tripped over his own paws, causing him to tumble to the earth below him with a loud yelp. No on ever said he was graceful. The delicately marked male looked up, green eyes wide, burning with fear for a brief moment before he sat up. He maybe covered in dust now, but, he'd shake it off later. Swallowing a little, Rad's darker blue ears flicked this way and that as his tail lashed out in uncertainty.

"Uh... I don't... know?" He asked. Rad never paid much attention to those around him until he absolutely had to. As a cub he was often off on his own 'adventures' with his brothers. He was one of those rare litters of six with no females in his old pride. "...Where were you from when you were young? It's... possible, I guess? That we knew ....well seen each other..?"

Aslan had to chuckle softly as the male tripped over his paws. Whoops...perhaps he should have cleared his throat a bit sooner. He let the male sort himself out before approaching a bit again, sitting down to let him know he wasn't a threat. Tail flicking still, he let an amused expression take over his face. "A pride that's no longer around, unfortunately," he said with a bit of nostalgia in his voice. "The Ukuucha’Wafalme. I was but a cub when everyone went their separate ways. And I recall seeing a young lion there that looked a bit like you...without a mane, of course."

Aslan had a mind for faces. Once he saw someone he generally didn't forget. Of course, this skill had honed itself over the years, and his memories from 'way back then' were a bit fuzzy. He was a new adult, after all. He'd hardly been on the earth for a full season change and already he was losing those memories. Ah...well, he had a whole lifetime to make new ones in his new home.

"You'll have to forgive me for startling you," he added, bobbing his head. "I didn't want a possibly familiar face to slip away."

Rad watched the other after clearing his throat again before he blinked at the pride name. "The Ukuucha'Wafalme? I...Yeah, that was my pride! It broke up before I could get back with a Banu, unfortunately," he murmured, frowning deeply. He missed his pride. His ears flicked this way and that beforehe chuckled. Oh well, his time in the rogue lands had been interesting and taught him a lot more than if he'd have stayed inthe pride, anyway.

"Uh.. Yeah, I'm from one of those rare... boys only litters. There was like, six of us total, I think? Maybe less? It's hard to remember, honestly.."

Aslan tilted his head as he watched recollection flash over the face of the other lion. He grinned just a bit and nodded, remembering the family of all boys. "Yes, yes...I do remember hearing about that litter. I was young, of course, but one gender for such a large litter is always something impressive."

He moved a bit closer, offering a charming smile. "I'm Aslan, by the way. It's wonderful to meet someone from home. You've been in the rouge lands this whole time, then?" He had been on a mission, but of course he had been so young he hadn't been able to properly start it until he could leave his family.

He blinked a little and then grinned more, a little flush staining his cheeks. It was always nice when someone recognized his family. Rad's tail flicked hit sway and that, nodding a little. "Aslan. Just call me Rad. My name's way, way too long to remember. Mom didn't really believe in short names, it'd seem." He rolled his shoulders and let his toes wiggle in the grass with a low noise.

"As for where I've been? Yeah, rogue lands. I found a Banu and was bringing her back, when the pride wasn't there anymore. One of the ones that hung around told me everyone just kind of split up.."

"Oh really?" Aslan said, raising his brows in amusement. "Well...that's rather unfortunate. I'm to this day unsure of why we split...my parents never explained it to me and I never asked. I was hoping you might know but...ah. Some things will always remain a mystery, I suppose."

He glanced around, as if expecting to see Rad's mate not far behind. "Your Banu didn't leave, did she?" he asked, frowning just a bit in sympathy. It wasn't unheard of that females, promised an easy life so long as they listened to their mates, would leave if things weren't up to snuff. Of course, it was the male's duty to get them but it was possible, since the pride was no more, that Rad decided she hadn't been worth the effort.

"She... left. It was more convience for me, taking advantage of a girl with a weak spot for good looking males in tough situations. I explained I couldn't go home without a girl, and she agreed. I... don't know why the pride split up.. I heard whisperings that the rulers just vanished one day.. If that happens, well, the whole system collapses in on itself, doesn't it?" He murmured, sighing a little more.

"I never... really found love. But that's alright, I'm still young compared to some of the ones I've seen walking about that have cubs. Bound to be a girl out there for me, you know?"

Aslan gave a soft 'ah' of understanding and nodded at the speculation. A pride without rulers wouldn't run very well, and as far as he knew, it took a special breed to run a whole group. He certainly didn't have the right stuff.

"I'm still looking as well," he agreed. "Although this pride seems to have a rather large number of beautiful females, at the very least. I've only met a few, but for the most part their disposition is nice, if independent. Still...I don't think I'll have trouble taking a mate here. Two if I can manage it," he said with a sly grin. "I'm not sure they're too open to that idea, but old habits die hard."

"Independent females aren't.... exactly what we're used to." He laughed at that and rubbed a face with his paw. Rad stretched himself out, tail flicking again as he flexed his paws, claws digging into the dirt under the grass. "This place is more ...cushy than the last. My family's originally from here, the Pridelands... Mom's mom, my grandma, came from here with grandpa. They went to our pride, and we were there until it broke up. Now I don't know where anyone is anymore."

"No, it's not," Aslan agreed. "But it's not a bad thing, I've come to find. Just a bit more of a challenge." His ears perked up a bit as Rad continued and nodded in agreement.

"My mother is originally from here. Her father was from a pride called the Firekin, I believe, but he had his first litter here with his mate. I've heard his family is quite large, so...what better place to come than to the land of my ancestors?" he asked with a light laugh. "Perhaps we are distantly related," he added, grinning even more. "It's a small, small world we live in, isn't it?"

"Aaah. Very small indeed!" Maybe Rad had found himself a buddy in this strange pride. It wasn't what he grew up with, but it was his new home and he intended to make the best of it. Rad laughed again before moved a paw to Aslan's shoulder, pushing at him playfully.

"Well, don't want to keep you from whatever it was you were doing, hm? I'm just going to lounge and soak up the rest of the sun while I can."

The little push made Aslan chuckle quietly, his tail flicking in amusement. He and Rad had similar stories, and even if they weren't related by blood, their history begged of them to be friends.

"That's precisely what I was doing," he said with a little huff of laughter. "But please, don't let me stop you from doing the same. It's lovely to meet you, Rad," he added with a wink as he got to his feet one more. "Perhaps we can carry on our traditions here."

"We'll see about traditions!" Rad let out a booming laugh at that and then nodded. He stretched his back legs out before grunting a little more. "I'll find myself a comfortable rock, I think. Lots of them around."

"Indeed," Aslan said, shaking out his mane as he turned to return to his own rock. "Plenty for everyone." He gave a little wave of a paw before making his easy way back to his rock, a small smile on his maw. This pride kept getting better and better.

FIN