"So tell me, Dnaycinat, what you know of that mountain. Who lives there, and who and how and why they are. The best way to travel there, and in what season. Where is good hunting between here and there, if there are any other prides between where our paws now stand and the roots of the peak. And if there are any known graveyards along the way," The wine-colored lioness had drawn the local male into the spot where the distant mountain was visible through a gap in the tree branches. The peak glimmered beautifully, calling to her...calling to draw her home.
The guard-lion glanced up at the peak in question, then back at the terribly strange lioness beside him. Did she ever run out of questions? He supposed he should be glad that in the end she wan't sick or crazed. Strange, and smelly, but not dangerous. Little miracles. Then he glanced back up at the mountain again, hmmming as he tried to recall anything relevant from his long-ago travels. It didn't take long.
"My parents live near it." He hadn't seen them in seasons, maybe years. He should visit, part of his mind chimed in. Probably he'd just find a bird willing to take a message to them. Check in. See that they were happy.
"Really?" That was surprising, but it made her smile. She'd found just the lion to ask about it, then. Luck was on her side for sure. The will of those gone before, it was seemed more and more likely. It reassured her that she'd made the right choice, was making the right choice. It made her even more curious too, and eager. Still, better not to go running right out into the unknown...There were rules to be followed, traditions to be upheld. It wouldn't do to trip her way to bad karma or bad luck just before finding her way home. "They have a pride?"
He nodded, half-shrugged. "I think so. They'd planned to join one before I left them. I hadn't seen all that I wanted to see, and it was...peaceful." Not that he was against peace, of course. But at the time, he was young, hot-blooded, eager to roam and see all there was, taste more of life before rooting back into one place. It'd come from a youth spent growing up on the move, after they'd left the mountains that had birthed him. "I don't remember the name of it. The lion my parents met, he was tattooed, though." That had been a strange concept as well.
It caught Zim'torga's attention certainly, and she glanced up at the larger male appraisingly. What would his parents be like? Somehow or other, she'd probably meet them if she ended up among the same people they had joined. "Why do they do something like that?" She wondered aloud. The concept was a bit odd, but she could respect it. There would be time to learn. That bright glittering mountain...yes, she'd be happy doing almost anything if it meant she got to live in its shadow. "Tell me, is the way difficult?"
"I didn't ask," He shrugged again. "They all did it though. My parents probably have too, if they stayed there. I think they did. I think they would have come to see me if they'd left." It was nice to think they were always there, not too close, but not so far either. And his mom always had felt happiest near hills, so it'd suit her. Dad would be happy as long as mom was. "I don't remember it being too bad, the way from here to there. There were prides, but I don't remember much about them now." Then again, he was a fairly large lion, and his shaggy fur made him seem even bigger. A small female might draw more unwanted attention.
"I see." She'd take some care to skirt the borders that she felt were dangerous, then. If a pride wasn't terribly aggressive, they shouldn't mind her crossing through on her way, especially once they knew she didn't plan to stay, to compete for anything or cause trouble. She did not share the male's urge to see more of the world than she had to, but if it was between herself and where she felt drawn to, well, she'd see it, like it or not. He didn't seem excessively forthcoming, but then again, she didn't really want to linger here, now that she knew she had a goal to head towards, a place that wasn't just an empty grassland to reach out to (not that she fully knew why her ancestors were pointing her in that direction).
The more he lingered near the female, the more eager he was to see the tail end of her. Not out of any desire to chaise said tail; she was, frankly, a bit odd, and he'd just be glad to see her on her way. He had a guard route to get back to, after all, and now he knew there wasn't any reason to rouse the pride or any kind of threat...well. The sooner he was done, the sooner he could get back to the pride. Thinking about his parents had reminded him...well. He'd have to send them a bird soon. He had news to share, and it'd been too long.
As if sensing the shift in his thoughts, the female gave him a sharp nod, then jogged forward a few steps. "I'll thank you for the advice given. If you look at all like your parents, I will thank them for you," She called back to him before starting out again, impatient now and unwilling to wait longer than needed. The bones rattled behind her as she loped away, singing and crying for her to hurry, hurry, hurry, to rush to meet the fate they'd all led to in her. She didn't bother to look back.
Her comment suddenly reminded him that, duh, he could have her take a message! Of course, only if she did find that same pride and meet his parents but...! She was already running off through the trees, and he was left speechless behind her. He watched until she was out of sight, out of the pride's borders, then snorted and grumbled and went to get back to his job. If nothing else, he'd have a story to tell Areli while she picked the sand out of his fur later.