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 Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 2:51 pm
With that lesson well in paw, he had set off to explore the world. Well, as much of it as he could manage to experience. He hadn't spent much time in the desert, as he found it much too hot and dry for his tastes. The coast had been thrilling, seeing the ever-moving ocean stretching far and wide. He'd prowled jungles, explored scrubland, and traveled beside rivers long and winding. Now he had turned his eyes to the mountains, so high and lofty and looking entirely impregnable.
His wandering paws had found a way, however. Sometimes he followed a stream, sometimes having to backtrack to find a way up. But as he traveled, he learned the ways of the forest, of rocky crags, and eventually, snow! Oh, snow was amazing stuff! The higher he went, the more of it there was. His travels had taken him through the stuff on the ground. He'd found it odd on the paws, fun to bite at and toss, and once he'd grown a little more fur on his paws, not too bad to travel in.
Today, though, was another story entirely. He'd awoken from his snug hideyhole to find something falling from the sky. It floated, rather than pattering down like rain. It blew with the breeze, glittered and sparkled with the sun's morning light, and was simply astonishing. It took him a while to realize that this was what had gathered on the ground, that this is what it looked like when it came from the clouds and gathered on the ground. He hadn't really understood previously that this was like rain, in its own way, until now. Laughing and capering like a cub, he kept on traveling up, up up!
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Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 1:28 am
Elsa could not help herself. As much trouble a snow seemed to get her into, as bad a reputation with it and because of it that she had, she still loved it. It was so beautiful when it was falling from the sky, when there was a fresh patch of untrodden snow just waiting for the first paw prints to cause their impressions. It was always light and beautiful.
Elsa could spend as long as she was allowed out in the snow and never have enough of it. She never considered that it might be something in her blood, something tying her to the snow and ice in a way she could not really understand.
She was surprised when she heard a voice coming up the same path she was traveling down, ears perking up, though she became a little nervous. Other lions were scared of her, sometimes, and she always had to be careful of herself and what she presented to those around her. She did not want to further perpetuate this idea of being cursed, after all.
She saw the lion as he bounced up, looking nervous, but composed.
"Hello," she said softly, once he was close enough to hear her, though her voice echoed in the snowy ravine.
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 6:31 pm
Roshan gave a start, stopping dead in his tracks. He blinked up the pathway to see a lioness who seemed to have materialized out of the snow itself. For a moment he just stared before he seemed to remember his manners. "Oh, pardon me! I didn't realize... quite... that you were real!" He padded his way through the soft fluffy stuff to get nearer, peering at her intently. "You are... real... aren't you?" He honestly didn't mean to be rude, staring so, but she had a lovely ethereal quality that just made her glow in the morning snow.
However it was settled for him when a breeze brought her scent to him. No spirit of the snow would smell like a normal lioness! He settled himself with a mental shake, then offered her a smile. "Surely you must belong up here. I can't imagine you anywhere else. My name is Roshan Delshad." He gave her a little dip of a bow, though his grin was playful. "And who might I have the honor of addressing?" Oh yes, his father taught him right!
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 6:48 pm
Elsa blinked and looked a little embarrassed, but was clearly trying to hide the expression and look serene. She knew she had to maintain a level attitude around others, as most chose to fear her or hate her, and others would get a wrong impression if she let her emotions roll too far. She did not want to scare more lions or other creatures, and make them think she really was the monster that rumors painted her to be.
"I'm real," she said bashfully, her voice softer now, as if she wanted the breeze that ran through the canyon to drown her out. She felt very sheepish, but cleared her throat and held her head up a bit higher.
He was new to these parts, he must have been. He was not immediately suspicious of her because of her blue and snowy coat. Or maybe he was just a nice lion, but she was not quick to assume that. She did offer him a very slight smile, nodding her head in return to his bow.
"My name is Elsa. It's nice to meet you, Roshan. You're very polite. Are you exploring here, or looking for a place to stay?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 7:43 pm
He beamed at her as she introduced herself, admiring her soft voice and gentle manner. She sure seemed like a nice lioness, even if she had that eerie, mystical quality to her. Rather than being creeped out by it, he was intrigued. Her question called him from his ruminations though. "Oh, I'm mostly wandering," he began to answer before the latter half of her question registered. He paused, ears perking up and eyes widening. "Wait, there is somewhere to stay up here? With all this snow? A pride?!" The idea of living up here quickened his imagination, making his tail lash excitedly behind him. He hadn't even considered the idea of living here, but now that he considered it, it certainly seemed adventurous and appealing to him.
He moved closer to her, ignoring the odd clumps of snow that were still stuck to his fur from his capering. "Tell me about this place?" he asked eagerly. "Is it always like this?" He gestured with one paw to the snowy ravine about them, his eyes all starry and bright.
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:23 pm
"There is a small island, yes," she said, though it was a little more than small. She smiled at him gently, "it's where I live with a few of my people, though we've been struck by some unfortunate luck lately. We're trying to rebuild, and exist in this snowy place."
She knew it was best to be honest. The pride suffered from the weather, and she would not pretend it was otherwise.
Watching him carefully as he got closer, a little nervous about him lashing out at her, or trying to attack her, she nodded her head slowly at his questions. A place to stay, in all this snow. That was the reaction she was always ready to expect, as even she would not have thought it, if she had not been born there.
"We live on an island inside a large lake, at the basin of a valley. It's surrounded by these mountains. We have to hunt and gather our supplies from the rogue lands, but it's nice to get away from the snow, sometimes. The ice of the lake is frozen over, and we can travel across it to leave and return." She smiled gently, looking fond of her home, regardless of what others might think. "The weather is new to us, it turned and the season has not ended yet. In summer it should be nicer, though I don't think the snow will ever fully go away, and it always returns. It's beautiful and quiet."
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:38 pm
He listened raptly as she described her home. An island! In the middle of a frozen lake! He'd never experienced a lake freezing before, and he nearly bounced in place at the idea. He did sober some as she went on, though. He was privately trying to puzzle out if she was intentionally restraining herself, or if she simply was this demure and mild by nature. "It must be amazing to live in this beauty all the time," he offered a little tentatively. "Even if you have to travel to hunt, it must be a wonderful place to return home to."
Meanwhile, his mind was also working furiously about something she'd said. About rebuilding to continue living up here. That sure sounded like they could use some help. He knew the roguelands pretty well... well enough at any rate. And hunting came easily to him. Here was something he could devote himself to, make a difference. He hadn't yet run into any sort of situation where he, himself, on his own, could make any sort of impact on anything at all. He'd lived a footloose life thus far, but hearing her speak so of her home gave him pause. Was it time to stop wandering, to find a purpose and stick with it? "Does....," he began slowly, his tail swishing a slow, thoughtful arc behind him, "your pride welcome strangers?" He inched his eyes up to hers uncertainly. Sometimes such reclusive prides tended to frown on newcomers, but his desire to see this frozen lake, to play more in the snow, and to perhaps, just maybe, find himself a home, was growing stronger by the heartbeat. It didn't hurt that that would mean he'd get to see Elsa again too.
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 9:24 pm
"It really is a wonderful home. I love it here, and I want others to love it as much as I do. I'll do what I can to bring happiness and light back to this place, even if the snow continues."
She looked at him in surprise, then smiled warmly at his question. Despite how cold her fur looked, her eyes shimmered with all the warmth and kindness she held inside her. She was reserved, yes, but she had a great capacity for kindness inside her that she did not always have the best opportunities to show. Most would like to think of her as they would the ice itself.
"We do welcome strangers," she said, ears perked forward hopefully. "I am the Queen of this place, so you have found a good person to ask... though it is not an easy place to live in. We have a lot to do, but it is a lovely place, and I know it can be a nice place to live again. If you wanted to help with that... I would owe you so much gratitude."
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Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 9:28 am
She was the Queen?! His eyes got huge at this news, and he immediately fell to the ground, prostrating himself before her. "Oh, your majesty!" he gasped, "I should have known! I'm so sorry for not recognizing your royal beauty for what it is!" Mortified at his growing attraction to someone so high above his station, he flattened his ears and lowered his eyes. "Forgive a stranger for his ignorance?" What a fool he was! Smitten by a queen. Bah, just his luck! And likely there was a king already too! Even so, what they had been talking about was still valid. His thoughts swirled like falling snow in the wind. Did he want to live up here, in the snow and cold, far from the savanna?
He peeked back up at her sheepishly. "I do think your home sounds lovely, though," he ventured hesitantly. "If I haven't insulted you beyond forgiveness... could you show me around it?" Was it proper to ask the queen to escort him around her pride? He wasn't sure, not having any real experience with royalty. His ears pivoted in confusion and uncertainty, and his whiskers trembled, but he still managed a faint, weak smile.
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Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 12:20 pm
Elsa looked immediately embarrassed, lifting her paw and motioning for him to not bow. It was silly, since they were having a nice conversation before he knew who she was and she did not want him to think he had to do things like that just because she mentioned her title. She had not done that to make him feel obligated to show her respect, just to invite him to her pride.
Plus, she felt like he was an honest lion, and she much preferred when he was relaxed to him panicking.
"You're not ignorant, please. You couldn't of known who I was, and I don't want you to feel like you need to bow. We were having a very nice conversation, and I appreciate your honesty and how earnest you seem. No insult, honestly."
She smiled at him warmly, nodding her head encouragingly.
"I would like to show you around. It's just this way." She moved to turn back toward her pride land, glancing over her shoulder to make sure he was coming. She was trying to be as calm and reassuring as she could be.
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Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 3:35 pm
Well this was a pleasant surprise! He got to his paws slowly, eyes on hers. She certainly seemed to mean what she said, and he had to admit, they had indeed been having a lovely conversation before... well, before he embarrassed himself. His face heated under his fur. What a fool she must think him! He'd just have to be careful not to appear such a dolt again. At least she'd agreed to show him around! Once again on his best behavior, though also careful to stay relaxed and casual, he moved after her. He smiled back at her, padding along. "You love your home," he stated simply. "It makes me want to stay and make it my home too." Which was entirely the truth. Sure, it helped that he'd get to stay around to maybe make a good impression on her, but that was just an extra benefit. His fur prickled with excitement as he turned his eyes towards... home. His new home. It sure would be nice to have a pride again!
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Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 11:52 am
Elsa did not mind speaking with others as if they were on equal levels. It was just a little strange, as most creatures did not like speaking with her in the same way.
On the one paw, she was the Queen, and that often demanded a respect that made others uncomfortable. On the other paw, she was viewed as curse, which made others less than cordial to her if they did not know her right away. Finding those that would not recognize her as queen and not hate her for her pelt color was rare, and nice.
She walked leisurely, with a regal and controlled air about her. She was very dainty on her paws, holding herself up and looking at him with a soft and gentle expression. She was glad he had relaxed a bit, and smiled at him shyly.
"I do hope you like it here. It's an honor to have you."
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