[SRP] Traveler (Ryu & Sliabh)

[Tanakako]

His paws ached, every bone in his body ached actually. Muscle and sinew throbbed with discomfort. Even his skin ached, as if each day he had traveled had etched itself into his flesh. The wind pressing through his fur sent pricks of tiny pains like ant bites through him. Each stone that struck his sore pads made him curse inwardly. He was tired of it all but he could not rest. Something drove him.

Pausing he lifted his weary head, ears swivelling. He scented a lion near by. Weirdly, it held a secondary scent, not another lion, but a mix of different furs and… plants? As if a whole pride of lions had rolled around in a pile of leaves and then rubbed all over this one.

Weird.  

[Tanakako]

Sliabh was doing his regular route along the boarder of the pride’s land. Paws struck hard packed dirt to a regular tempo, his pace easy and rhythmic. The massively large lion had been walking the same paths across this landscape for the better part of a decade and it shows. Heavy with muscles and more than a few scars the male moved with a confident stride. Out here, right on the boundary of his homeland, he rarely saw any other creatures. Few of the pride ever came this far out, and rogues rarely ventured so far into what appeared to be a deserted landscape. The odd old skull was usually his only company unless his eldest daughter was with him.

Now there was a lioness he knew would one day take over his role in the pride. He smiled, thinking of his second litter of grandcubs she had birthed. Two boys, wild as they came but now full grown and productive members of the pride. He did sometimes despair of Siobhan. The scout didn’t seem too interested in settling down, but then, maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. Sighing softly he wondered if all his children would find mates. In a pride like theirs, nothing was certain.

Suddenly a scent reached him, cat, but not lion. Leopard.

Turning off his patrol path he started in the direction the stranger’s scent indicated.  

[Tanakako]

As he watched a huge blue and white lion approached from over a slight rise. The scent of herbs gradually grew stronger, alien to his sensitive nose. Arching one brow he wondered just what kind of pride this male must belong to. At least he didn’t smell of blood like another male he had come across not so long ago. The brown male had been almost as big as this brute before him now, but had proved to be far more polite and sane than Ryu had first suspected. Plus the blood smell had mostly been old, with only small hints of fresh wounds, as if he fought daily but not to death or serious injury. And from what he had said about that pride, that was exactly what they did. The Misky Sintay.. or something to that effect.

Pushing that other lion from his mind he focused on the massive creature coming towards him. Unsure of his reception but not getting a particularly hostile vibe from the stranger, he stood his ground.  

[Tanakako]

As he got close he slowed his steps, dipping his head in a polite manner to the leopard before him. The orange and white male was long and lean, a good size for a leopard, but Sliabh wasn’t accessing him, simply observing as he greeted the newcomer.

“Greetings. Welcome to the Kitwana’Antara.” Tilting his head he took in the leopard’s dusty coat and weary posture. He must have been travailing for a very long time. He wondered what had brought the stranger all the way to the KA boarders.

“How may I be of service? You seem worn. Have you come far?”  

[Tanakako]

After a moment he dipped his head, returning the lion’s greeting. “I’m Ryu. Well met, Sliabh of the Kitwana’Antara. And yes, I’ve come some distance.” He agreed slowly, wondering what the male was thinking. Pausing to glance around he almost shrugged but caught it. “I am a wanderer… there is nothing I want, per say.” Tail curling he returned the lion’s regard, violet eyes unwavering. He was not one for idle talk, and what he had just said was the most he had uttered in weeks.  

[Tanakako]

Nodding slightly Sliabh looked the male over again. Wanderer or not, all creatures needed to eat, and this male was a pure leopard, he would be safe from their Goddess’ blessings. After a moment he nudged his chin in the direction of his home, back over his shoulder.

“You are welcome if you desire to rest and regain your strength. We have dens and food. No one will hurt you.” Pausing he debated with himself but finally continued. “Our pride is isolated, but only for lions. As a leopard you are perfectly safe here.”

Regarding the male before him he wondered what had brought the leopard to this land. So far from good hunting grounds. But he supposed that was a tale for the stranger to tell if he wished, so Sliabh pushed it from his mind.  

[Tanakako]

Ryu considered the offer for a long while but finally nodded. And when the lion turned and started off in what Ryu assumed was the direction of the pride, he followed.

Striding alongside the big male, Ryu realised the lion was walking slowly. For him. Such a thought amused him and he smiled silently to himself. It was the first time anyone had had to slow down for him, it was normally the other way around. He didn’t say anything however, merely accepted the kindness for what it was and letting himself amble at a leisurely pace. A luxury he had not possessed for some time.

As they drew closer to the pride, something he knew as the smells got progressively stronger, he started to realise what the herb scent had to be for… this pride was sick. Suddenly he understood what the big lion had been talking about. Still, he trusted that this Sliabh was speaking the truth about Ryu himself being safe from whatever it was.  

[Tanakako]

As they walked the landscape altered, not drastically, but in small ways. Lion tracks became more numerous, scraps of fur clung to the desecrated corpses of trees and bushes. The smell of herbs got stronger, almost overpowering everything else as they passed the outlaying gardens. The few gardeners who were out tending their plants stopped and watched the unusual pair pass by, one or two called out a greeting to Sliabh and the new leopard.

Finally they arrived at Sliabh’s own den, a vast aray of covered and open areas large enough for a small pride to live in. And indeed, his family was so big he needed the space, as there were very few times he was left alone, someone and their family was always round.

Turning his head he smiled back at his leopard visitor. "Welcome to my home. Please, feel free to make yourself comfortable. I don't know who is visiting but everyone here is family."  

[Tanakako]

Ryu took his time, head lifting as they ,oved into what ahd to be the pride proper, studying the strange patterns of plants growing in the arid soil and the lions who seemed to be tending them. Gardens? He had heard of the idea, of keeping certain plants growing in an area near one's den, but only when it came to healers who needed lots of plants clsoe by for potions. Was this a pride of healers? The scent of sickness was growing thicker the further they went, so it seemed reasonable that a pride with a lot of ill lions would have a proportianlly large amount of healers.

Curious but not enough to obscure his tiredness, Ryu let the big male lead him further, finally arriving at a place that carried his lion guide's scent heavily. Obviously the male's home then. A fact that was confirmed a moment later by the lion himself. Looking up Ryu nodded. "Thank you. I'm fine, just tired." He replied, not wanting to put his host to any trouble. Hunting had bene decent enough until he had gotten clsoe to this place and he wouldn't need to eat for another day or so. His large muscular frame was supreemly lean, a testiment to the nomadic lifestyle Ryu lived. Excess had never been part of his experience.

At Sliabh's prompting Ryu stepped into the den, such as it was, nodding a greeting to the curious faces that turned his way. Obviously all related to the big blue lion, for most carried his colours and the rest had one or two distinctive markings that Ryu could recognise as coming from the big male. After hellos were exchanged and Sliabh explained his pressence, Ryu gratefully let one of the strangers, a pretty slender white female with a black mask who looked tired yet was radiant with a warm smile and a gentle manner, lead him into a back portion where he would be able to rest and sleep.  

[Tanakako]

Sliabh watched as the tiger-stripped male was led away by his daughter Saoirse. He worried over her constantly, so thin and fragile and sick, yet she had the kindest heart he had ever known. Smiling softly as their low voices faded into the depths of his home Sliabh waited patiently, chatting with the other members of his large family who had come over to visit. His son Siobhán lay near where Saoirse's bowls and potions sat. The seer male was visiting inbetween his scout duties and the two had spent all morning catching up on gossip. Smiling Sliabh regarded his family with a feeling of warm contentment. This was how one should live always.