[JRP] Welcome to the Snowy Realm (Gunju x Chuntao)

[I Lady Kiya I]

Gunju was doing his rounds on the boarder of the pride. Keeping them safe was his job, well more like finding those who need sanctuary before they froze to death. The goddess of winter kept them safe from those that might want to do them harm. The pride was a lion pride, but they helped anyone who needed a safe passage as long as the pride was to be safe. Since the avalanche, they hadn't seen much visitors or new pride comers, but that wasn't too bad. The winter had been a very cold one.

His fur made him look even fatter than he really was, but he didn't mind. It kept him extra warm. He sighed as he looked to the sky to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the light snow fall that was happening. Winter was ending, he could feel it, the pride could feel it. Though, it hadn't been announced yet as it was still snowing.

He found his job boring during the winter months, and kinda longed to see the spring and summer come around. He wanted to see new faces, lead them back to the pride and to the caves to get warm next to the hot springs. He liked feeling useful at times, even if some may think this job was nothing. It wasn't nothing to those who he had found lost in the snow! He huffed at the thought and continued on. His eyes scanning the icy lands.  

[I Lady Kiya I]

Lost and lonely. Just want Chuntao didn't need. She sighed as she shivered moving though this icy lands. It shouldn't have been here, why was it so cold? In truth, she didn't mind it, but it was very unexpected. Snow was lightly falling and hitting her fur, melting almost instantly. Her pale green eyes scanned the land looking for anyone, anything out here. Was she going to die? No, she could easily turn back. It hadn't been long since she saw barely any snow.

It was getting deeper, but she still carried on. Something in her heart told her to go forward. This was where she was suppose to be, or something to that sort. She always went where her heart told her, and this was why she always found herself lost. Not that she minded too much, except she was done with being alone. She wanted something to call home, to see faces here and there.

In the distance, something blue caught her eye. Of course, at first she didn't think anything of it, but as she got closer she started to notice that it was more and more something else. A lion! Saved! She moved faster now, her paws numb from the cold, her body was shivering, and she was just so happy to see someone else! She didn't even think that he could be harmful.  

[I Lady Kiya I]

Gunju noticed the other much longer than she had noticed him. He moved towards her with ease. He was always friendly when he saw new faces because he knew they wouldn't hurt him. Only safe passage was allowed into the lands from what he was told. He trotted at a slow pace, not too slow, he didn't want her to freeze. As he got closer he smiled gently at her. "Are you lost?" He asked her.

He was bigger than she was in almost every way. She seemed to be a rather small lioness, he noticed. Not that it mattered really, he was just wondering how she could live in such a place. Or rather, still be alive. "You look cold. Here, follow me." He said with a smile. "My name is Gunju, and I protect this land." He offered a paw out as any assistance he could give the lioness.

He wanted to be kind as possible, he didn't want to frighten the young lady after all! It would do no good to have her fear him. "This is the Sanctuary of Schnee la Neige'milima" He said trying to offer her more ease to show her that he wasn't going to hurt her at all.  

[I Lady Kiya I]

Fearing him wasn't something that was on her mind as he approached her and she approached him. He had offered to help her and get out of the cold, that was exactly what she was hoping he'd do. Oh, she didn't know how to thank him. Her teeth were chattering together, and she was shivering all over. Yes, she was quite cold, and she didn't want to go much farther. A pride, he spoke of a pride! She hoped it was close.

A word he had said stuck out in her mind more than anything else. Sanctuary, really? Had she really been that lucky that she found a safe place to be? Oh man, this was more than she had expected. Tears started to roll down her cheeks, yet they were frozen by the time the fell to the ground. Cold icy tear lines upon her cheeks as she looked at him with joy. "Oh, yes, yes!" She said with chattery teeth.

"I'm Chuntao" She spoke. "Please, anywhere is good. It's cold." She said with a laugh. He was so nice, and she didn't think she'd ever had ran into someone nicer. "A sanctuary, you say?" She asked with a curious thought. The more they talked while he showed her the way, the better it would be. She could forget how cold she was, and how long it'd take to get to where he was offering her  

[I Lady Kiya I]

Gunju nodded at her and pointed to the direction that he was to show her. "The center of the pride is this way, and there's a cave with several hot springs to keep warm next to." He told her with a smile. He was excited to see a new face, and he couldn't wait to show her around. Of course, he was always a little too happy to show anyone around the place.

"It's a great place. We protect the hares and they protect us in this place." He continued as he told her about the pride little by little. Perhaps she would stay after she got use to it, or maybe she was just passing through. He hoped it was her staying. He really did like to see new faces around that he could slowly get to know and become friends with. "There are dangers, however" He continued adding things here and there as he told her everything.

It didn't take long before they reached the beginning of the center of the pride. Lions were out doing their jobs, or socializing. Everything was pretty laid back at the moment. No warnings from seers of coming disasters, no hints of any more avalanches that were to damage their lands. They had just uncovered the area that had been covered by the biggest avalanche they had. They almost lost a few lions, but everyone was found that they knew of. They even saved some other creatures that happened to be in the area. It was peaceful for now.

"You're always welcome here." He told her finally after going through everything. He wanted to make sure she knew stuff before entering the pride area. Of course, the queen and king would also go over things with her if she happened to decide to stay, but he wanted to help make it easier to under stand for her.  

[I Lady Kiya I]

Chuntao listened to everything he had to say, trying to think up questions, but he was so good at covering everything. He must have done this a lot, he figured. He made everything sound so perfect. Despite the cold, everything seemed to be just what she needed. It was strange to say since she hadn't seen the place yet, but that was all just technicalities. Soon she'd see it, and she was sure it'd be something she'd love being in.

She noticed the lions about, and felt more at ease. He wasn't lying, not that it had ever crossed her mind until know. It was a good feeling to know she could kinda trust him. Well, now trust him more than she had when she first met him even if she didn't know she didn't trust him. Subconscious habits, she supposed. Everyone looked busy and happy, and that was a good thing to her. It wasn't a big pride, she noticed as well. Or maybe there was a huge hunting party she hadn't seen yet.

Either way, they didn't stop to pay her or Gunju any mind. "It's quite lovely here." she noticed she also stopped shivering. Not that she wasn't cold anymore, her mind was on other things now that she was being well distracted.  

[I Lady Kiya I]

Gunju paid no mind to the other pride members, he was busy escorting this lovely damsel in distress. He wanted to help, and help he was. "Oh, yes." he said in agreeing to her. "This way, the caves aren't much farther." He said as he looked at her than looked back to the front of him. He didn't want to run into anything. He had fallen plenty of times on ice hidden under some snow. He didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of a new guest. Any other time, he wouldn't care at all.

He continued to tell her about the land, how they lived side by side with hares, now they helped each other out. What festivals they had, and all that other stuff. He even told her a few of the stories that were going around to the pride. It was good to have stories. It made it nice for others to come and visit and see if they were true.

As they reached the caves, he pointed out where each one went and where to go. "This one here is the main opening. It will take you right to the main hot springs that everyone hangs out in bad storms." He said with a nod. "It's like the main grouping area, kinda like the center of the pride, just inside." He said. Then he entered the main area told her where the dens were, and how there were hundreds of places to find themselves in, though to be careful cause cave in's could happen.

It felt nice being able to explain everything to someone who didn't know anything about the area. It made things less awkward. He had something to say, and could easily say it. When he was a cub, he always liked explaining pictures at the temples he lived at. Then it was a totally different scenery. Where he lived before here was sandy, hot during the day, and cold during the night. Here it was always cold. Which he was good with. He missed it, to be honest, but he loved this place just as much.  

[I Lady Kiya I]

It was a lot for the young lioness to take in, but it kept her mind busy. As she moved from the cold outside into the caves that seemed to warm up a bit more as they went farther and farther into them. It was lovely, but darker than she thought. It took a few moments before her eyes adjusted to the dark where she could see everything. There were a few lions here and there but, not many. She saw the warmth of the springs and the different caves that interconnected to the main room.

It was lovely, and seemed fantastic. She didn't know if she could have found a better place. Of course, at the moment it was only because she was frozen and was now beginning to get warm. He had kept her mind busy away from the cold that she had thought about. "Thank you so much." She said as she smiled at him, she owed him more than she could possibly ever imagine.

Something told her he wouldn't accept anything from her. She smiled and sat next to the warm water, wanting to jump right in,but knew she'd regret it the moment the water would hit her. Perhaps he could show her more later, but for now she needed to rest. "You're hospitality has been more than I would have ever imagined." She said with a sign. She was very much happy about that.  

[I Lady Kiya I]

His job was done here, but not done for the actual duties he was to do. He had done well today, but he did have to get back. She looked as if she needed time to adjust and warm up a bit before they would meet again. He bowed to her and smiled. "Chuntao, I do fear I must get back to work." He said with a smile upon his face. "If you need anything, you're welcome to ask anyone here. We'll all help you."

He didn't want to leave here by herself, but he must. He had done what he was to do and now that all he could tell her was out, he couldn't linger much longer. It was his guard hours, and he needed to return to the boarder of the pride. You never know if more would straggle about for him to find. There were still very little guards in the small pride, and they needed all the help they could get.

"I do apologize, that I must leave." He said with a smile and turned to go to do his duties. He'd check up on her a bit later, but he was sure she would find herself in the hands of many that could help her if the situation needed it. Things were going to start looking up for that lioness, and he knew that. Or at least, he hoped. Even if she didn't decide to stay here, she'd at least know she always had somewhere safe to come.  

[I Lady Kiya I]

Chuntao understood and nodded her head. She wasn't shy, and would definitely ask for help if she needed it. For now, she was going to sit and thaw out a bit before she did anything else. She was dazing off into the water without really understanding anything the male was saying. "It's okay, I'll be fine." She said without really understanding it. She was tired, and didn't know how tired she was until she sat down in front of the warmth that she was shown.

She looked at him and watched him leave, but didn't really know when he started to head away, she only caught a glimpse of him leaving the caves. She yawned and curled comfortably. She was going to just take a nap, everything would be fine now. She felt it, an ease that was through out the pride, though she was sure it was just because that was what she needed the most at the moment.


[Finished]