[PRP] The Rivers Sing [Zan x Swift]

[Avid_RPer18]

There were reasons that the black and cream lion was in the rogue lands, her first time back out into the world since settling into her forever home. The trip wasn’t to be a long one, but it was the first of a few ventures out that she had planned. Her mission wasn’t driven by time or desperation. In fact, at present, Zan had found a perch upon a medium sized hill that was only just jutting out from the grassland she had come to. The lioness sat with her head held high, her chest out, and, of all things, a look of almost joyful fondness on her face. Her eyes practically glittered when they weren’t shut in brief moments of introspection. What was she doing, or what brought on such an expression of blissful remembering? The answer for both was simple. She was listening.

Conrad The Mighty

Here you are~ A tag for you

[Conrad The Mighty]

Swift didn't usually take solo missions away from the little band of gypsy thieves her mother had put together. It created a nice little security net that was nice after her mother had been so cold towards her own litter. But in truth, if the mission didn't include more males than females, she wouldn't go. Even though she was the daughter of the leader of the Thunderbirds, she never felt safe with them. It was more than being born into a mostly female litter, never knowing her father, and her only brother being slightly effeminate that inspired such feelings. It was honest to goodness, just in her nature. She also did not approve of the K'Z's pride on same sex couples. These were a couple of her grievances among the long list of reasons she just didn't feel comfortable there.

The times she felt the most at peace, where when she was in the rogue lands, not because she wanted to be a rogue, but because it was not her pride and away from her mother. And after hours of wandering, the female realized, she was lost. How embarrassing, she needed to ask for directions. Thankfully, she spotted a cream and black lioness in the distance.

"Pardon me!" She called from a safe distance, "Could I bother you for a little assistance?"

Avid_RPer18

Sorry it took so long!

 

[Avid_RPer18]

A voice broke her from mental meandering and brought her back to her place on the hill. With ears pricking forward, Zan shifted her gaze from the billowing expanse of grass to try and pinpoint the speaker. The voice was feminine in nature and as such the lioness didn't set herself on edge. The originator was a small ways off. Rising to her feet, Zan turned and dipped her head in the darker lioness' direction. It'd have been rude to keep her back turned on her, after all. Besides, she was asking for help. What kind of woman would she be if she didn't at least acknowledge her?

Moving to the bottom of the hill, but maintaining a respectful distance, Brezanae inclined her head slightly. "Well, that could depend on the assistance you're needing, but I'm certainly willing to try." She smiled an easy sort of smile, the scars running down her cheeks causing them to almost dimple with the expression. "What can I do for you?" Keeping the distance polite, she could afford to speak with minor projection. It made more sense than staying up on the hill and shouting at each other from a ways off, at least in her mind.

Conrad The Mighty

Oh, you're fine! It's alright. I don't mind waiting. I apologize for the bit of wait I gave you. Ice cream and tea brewing were happening and I couldn't resist. |3 The scarring is referring to her uncert. I never got around to getting her a cert with her little edits. =w=a

 

[Conrad The Mighty]

The distance the other lioness kept was reassuring, so Swift's guard lowered slightly but was far from comfortable. She couldn't blame the other for not giving up the high ground advantage. From a tactical standpoint, it made a lot of sense in the event of this interaction taking a violent turn. Not that Swift had any malicious intentions! It was just how Chilapa's mind worked. The unfamiliar lioness had very interesting scars, they almost complimented her face. To say the least, the winged female was intreagued.

She mimicked the head nod out of a (slightly delayed) respect and continued in her natural deeper than normal voice, a change from the pleasant feminine tone which she has gathered make her sound more approachable.

"Forgive me if I have disturbed you, but I seem to know not where I have wandered." Mentally Chilapa whacked herself, when she got nervous the twisting words of her mother came sliding right out of her mouth. Her mother enjoyed to twist her own words so that others may contemplate their own answer. The lesson Swift gathered from it, was to always mind the meaning of your message.

Avid_RPer18

Totally alright, that combo sounds to delightful

 

[Avid_RPer18]

The storyteller listened as the other lioness spoke. Hm. The change in the sound of her voice was a surprise, but it wasn't an unpleasant change. Vocal range could be useful, be it for her particular craft or for use in disguise and trickery. What the darker female said brought Zan to pause for a moment as she pieced together what was said. Twisting words and phrasing weren't unknown to her. Creative use of language could build tension or make the audience think on what they were hearing.

After a few moments, it clicked for her. "Oh, you're a little lost." The cream and black female chuckled with a flick of her tail tip, giving a little shake of her head. "You aren't pulling me away from anything important. I was just listening to the winds rush through the grass. The sounds they made reminded me of a few sounds of home." Namely, the sister rivers that ran through the heart of her home. "Where is it that you're heading towards?"

Conrad The Mighty

It was delightful. Peanut butter, banana, and roasted pecan concrete followed by passion fruit tea. Mmm~ Good stuff.

 

[Conrad The Mighty]

Chilapa's ears leaned back slightly, and politely as she smiled and nodded her head. Thank goodness the other lioness picked up what she was putting down. So far this conversation was both actually and metaphorically correct.

"Yes ma'am. I don't really want to go back home, but I suppose I must. I don't really know where else to go. I'm not quite cut out to be a rouge." She chuckled and shrugged her shoulders at the last part. At least she knew that much about herself.. The ways of the rouge were not unfamiliar to her since her job included spending much time out in the unclaimed lands, but they were not desired. She also worried calling the unknown lady, Ma'am as she has been corrected so many times before. In her lifetime, it went from a sign of respect to an insult. But a traditionalist at heart, Swift will always leans towards protocol until she is instructed otherwise.

Avid_RPer18

How funny! I just had a peanut butter, honey and banana sandwich with passion fruit tea! No joke!

 

[Avid_RPer18]

As the wing marked female elaborated on her lost state, Brezanae sat once more, in order to fully listen and consider. She also didn't want the other lioness to think that she was considering advancing aggressively or trying to get around behind her or any possible threatening action.

Hm. The storyteller, in truth, didn't mind being called ma'am. Besides entertaining with tales, she also taught lessons and the pride's history. Pupils tended to address their teachers as such. "If you'd like, you can call me by my name. My name is Brezanae, or Zan for short, if you'd prefer that. Or ma'am is alright too." She was aware that there were more formal people and likely prides with more strict structure or culture. The lioness took a moment to consider what the other said. "Hm. If I may ask, why are you not really wanting to go back home?" She understood wanting to belong. It was a driving force for her throughout her adolescence and young adulthood.

Conrad The Mighty

Get outta town! That's too funny! X3 Synchronized wavelengths, I guess. Flipside, can't really go wrong with good stuff like that.

[Conrad The Mighty]

Chilapa smiled more honestly than politely at this point, at her name, but it faded at her question. How would she answer such a thing?

"I'm Chilapa, but you may call me Swift." How had she gotten such a gypsy name? No matter, there was a question on the floor to answer..

"Well, I feel differently than the rest of the females in my pride. I can't stand the men there, they all walk around like they're hot -poo-. I'm expected to mate to one, or at least bring in cubs. I'm not exactly thrilled to become my mother, but I like structure. I'm afraid I don't quite know much about how other prides work. Are you from one?" She asked, with a twinge of hope in her eyes. In some ways, she was still a cub with much to learn.

Avid_RPer18

Yeah, that must be it! lol

 

[Avid_RPer18]

Now armed with a name to go with the face, Brezanae smiled, bobbing her head as she committed the name to memory. Chilapa, or Swift. What an interesting nickname. Perhaps there was a story to go along with it. That was an inquiry for another time however. She listened to Swift elaborate on her situation, occasionally making a soft hum of thought. The look of hope accompanying the other lioness' question brought a light titter from her throat.

"You could definitely say so, Swift, and you aren't alone in your thinking. Tell me, have you ever heard of a pride called the Antianeira? I think they'd be of interest to you. No males are allowed within her borders and patrols are ever keeping watch for any potential incursions. Even sons born of the pride are sent away in adolescence. It is a place of bounty and peace, ruled by the Queen and her consort. No one is expected to take a mate, or is demanded to, and those in the Antianeira, when they do choose to seek a mate, they find a lady love to spend their lives with. When cubs are wanted, the female, either alone or with her mate, strike out into the rogue lands to find a male to sire their cubs and then return home to raise their family together. The male has no further part in the bringing up of the cubs that may result. Some do choose to send their sons to their fathers when it comes time for them to leave, but not everyone does so. The bonds of the females of the pride are as strong and resolute as the females themselves."

Zan paused and shook her head, clearing her throat with an almost embarrassed grin. "My apologies, Swift. I can go on and on about them. I was brought up on tales of their history and heroines, of their views and morals. My life began as a rogue, but now and for the rest of my life..." She trailed off and gently, proudly smiled before continuing. "I am an Amazon."

Conrad The Mighty

Not that Zan has a bias or anything. x3

 

[Conrad The Mighty]

As the female spoke, Swift's mind was completely blown, and she could do nothing but start out with a smirk. At the end of her little speech she was at a full grin and a racing, excited, heart. Not surprisingly, she had never heard of such a pride. She would have ran there until her feet bled.

"No no, please. I love listening to stories, especially about something as wonderful as this Antianeria.." She swooned at the mention of the mere name of the pride, even from her own lips. But it was true, the stories were the only thing she absolutely loved about her cubhood up until her adulthood was stories.

"Could.. Could you take me there?" Swift admired the way Zan puffed up as she called herself an Amazon. "I would love to have an important job to prove my worth." She puffed out her own chest, less than the Amazon did, but puffed none the less to assert herself.

Avid_RPer18

No no, not at all! It's called a pride for a reason, right?

 

[Avid_RPer18]

Swift's enthusiastic response to her telling of her home brought forth an easy, warm laugh. "Oh, it's always so nice to have an appreciative audience! I'm glad to have struck such a cord in you." She wasn't afraid of losing her touch or her ability to wrap people up with her words. It always made her feel good to see her listeners becoming immersed in what they were hearing.

Rising to her feet, Zan smiled to the other lioness. "Ah, now that I the kind of fire we like to see. I can indeed take you there and I can tell you of our ways in more detail along the way. However, once we get there, it isn't up to me whether or not you may join our number. That is up for the Queen to decide, though, I see no reason for you to expect trouble in joining. Your ideals align with ours and you already seem to have a passion and a willingness to do whatever you can for the pride." The Amazon walked nearer to Swift and nodding her head off in a direction. "Shall we? Do you have any specific questions about life in our pride or should I start from whatever comes to mind? It can be about anything at all for we have a ways to go, so there will be time to discuss many things if you so choose."

Conrad The Mighty

I suppose so!

[Conrad The Mighty]

When the female came towards her, Swift was not afraid and all aggressive options were as far from her mind as they could ever be.

"Thank you, I'm very eager to learn." Hopefully, Chilapa just made a new friend in this Zan. There was no doubt in her mind she was going to make many more in this new pride she was traveling to. Her tail flicked back and forth excitedly as she tried to be the best student she had ever been. This final exam would be unlike any other.

Avid_RPer18

El fin!