[PRP] Surprisingly Peaceful [Mng'aro x Itiri]

[Vashtya]

It was a cool afternoon, and Mng'aro had wandered out toward the N'ezi border, having decided that a little time away from the hustle and bustle of pridal life was needed. It was...pleasant, after wandering on his own for as long as the undersized lion had, but it also took some getting used to.

On the flip side, while it was not the sometimes-smothering attention of his youth, the way some of the pride looked at him, as if they half expected him to be the source of a new plague, could be a little disconcerting.

Hopefully, as they got used to his presence, some of that would fade - while he'd come a long way from cubhood, when he'd scarcely been able to walk any distance before his breath rasped painfully in his lungs, he still got winded quickly, and if he pushed his limits too far, ran the risk of his lungs seizing up, leaving him gasping like a fish out of water. He'd known his parents had doubted his ability to survive on his own when they'd sent him away to seek his adult name, and took no small amount of pride in having done so successfully for as long as he had, although he would never be able to share that with them, something that still pained him, like an old injury that had never healed.

Shaking his head at the rather maudlin turn of his thoughts, he sighed, taking a moment to rest before continuing down his current path.
 

[Epine de Rose]

The news had come as a surprise to him at first and it had been something that had given him cause for concern. Nche had let this lion in, his heart and intentions were good, and yet there had been murmurings that he had also been unwell. If there was ever something that shouldn't have come and might very well have condemned them to a repeat of the last generations... It was him.

...Yet Nche had let him in for a reason, whether the lion had been well until then was something that Itiri couldn't say, but it was in his best interests to find out.

Thus, the young king had already set out to locate the individual in question, taking care to question the denizens of the pride as he tracked one of the newer blood to his chosen destination. Curiously, the young king had noted that while some of them regarded him with suspicion, there were others that looked favourably upon the newer member. This led him to believe that while he might be unwell there were some who weren't overly concerned with the symptoms he displayed.

Nevertheless it was Itiri who would ultimately make the decision for himself and the only way he could do this was to meet the individual in question. It was only by exposing himself to the lion that he would be able to determine his intentions and confirm his wellbeing... Itiri was not one to be led by hearsay.

Unsurprisingly it wasn't long before Itiri had bridged the distance between himself and Mng'aro. One able bodied lion against one slightly asthmatic lion was at a definite advantage. This was through not fault of Mng'aro, it was simply a fact of life. Though one did have to wonder what the newer blood wanted to achieve by moving back towards the border.

Was he leaving?

Itiri cleared his voice as he continued to walk towards the paler lion who seemed to have taken time to pause...

Vashtya

 

[Vashtya]

Mng'aro turned to face the Onyeisi, his eyes widening slightly in curiosity as he inclined his head. It was his first time seeing Itiri up close, and given where he was...he couldn't help but wonder if his presence was coincidence, or deliberate.

His breathing was only slightly labored, a testament to his long-fought battle to know his limits. "Good afternoon, Onyeisi," he paired the words with a small smile, curiosity holding his tongue for a moment. "I hope I'm not intruding on anything important - I have just spent...quite some time on my own, and thought a small break from the hustle and bustle was in order." His words were soft, and his tone wry - he wasn't blind to the irony of having joined a pride, and then finding it to be a little more of an adjustment (most of it entirely positive) than expected.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

His laboured breath, though mild, was noticable to the dark male. It wasn't as if he'd been walking that quickly and Itiri could concede that one who was short on breath after that jaunt didn't necessarily add up. Well, it wouldn't unless the individual in question had been exercising for a considerable amount of time. Nevertheless it wasn't Itiri's business to know exatly what each individual got up to on a day to day basis unless it was going to cause harm...short of paranoia, there was little proof that the lion before him was up to anything.

"You are not going to be the first or last to need some space," Itiri replied calmly. "In fact, you are not the first," he added after a moment. He'd found several new lions in isolation as they adjusted to their new lives. Some had been struggling to adjust to the sometimes suspicious and hostile Nezi. The wounds in some families ran so deep that it was difficult for them to trust... while others were simply struggling to come to terms with the fact they had to stay in one place now and would no longer be nomadic.

"It is a lot to take in," he paused briefly. "For both new and old."

Returning his gaze to the lion he continued to make his way towards him, taking care to look for any tell tale signs he might be unwell. As it stood, he had nothing to indicate that there was anything to be concerned about. Sure, the lion was small, but he wasn't gaunt and he wasn't hacking up his lungs. For all intents and purposes Mng'aro seemed okay.

...Although that breathing.

"I seem to have interrupted something though," he conceded. "An exercise regime or morning jog perhaps," he mused. He wouldn't mentioned he'd been here for quite some time and at no point had he seen Mng'aro jog, it was simply a polite way of broaching the subject. "In which case you have my apologies."

Vashtya

 

[Vashtya]

Mng'aro inclined his head at Itiri's understanding, glad that the young king appeared to have taken his statement in the vein it was intended, instead of possibly taking offense. "It's a good change, at least for me - but I would imagine for the pride, it is a much bigger one." He hadn't been here that long, but it was blatantly obvious that the pride had been very closed off from the outside, for a long time.

Mng'aro didn't even blink when Itiri inevitably (and truthfully, very politely) broached the subject of his breathiness. Shaking his head, Mng'aro gave Itiri a wry, self-depreciating smile - he would have been more surprised, truth be told, if it hadn't come up at some point. "If I had been jogging, I'd sound a lot worse," he said it easily - he wasn't ill, per se, but given the N'ezi's history with disease....

"I was, perhaps obviously, born the runt of my litter," he made a vague motion at himself with one pale paw, having sat back on his haunches. "And from my earliest memories, I would get out of breath at little to no provocation. It got ess severe as I grew into adulthood, but for whatever reason, even now I am still prone to a certain...shortness of breath." He shrugged, his expression pragmatic.

"I grew up in a pride, and no one else I spent time with ever showed a similar...affliction, so it appears to simply be a personal weakness." Truthfully, he wouldn't blame the Onyeisi if he decided that a pale, small lion who lacked endurance was a poor addition to his pride.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

Mng'aro was more open than Itiri had assumed he would be; the young leader had anticipated a bit more resistance or even a more vague description or excuse... And instead he had been given a full explanation. The pale lion had elected to give him the truth and in doing so, had clarified several of the concerns Itiri had.

Whatever ailed this lion wasn't something that could be 'picked up' by the general populace. He wasn't contagious and while he wasn't as strong as others, he posed no risk to anyone. Add this to the fact that he had survived for this long and despite this frailty it was clear that he had the capacity to survive and be useful. Mng'aro might never hunt extensively on the pride's behalf, but he might be able to do something else.

"Something to watch out for in your children, perhaps." Itiri cautioned after a moment or two of consideration. "Though as you say, this may be unique to you and your young may not have quite the same experiences," he mused. It would be something to keep an eye on should it ever happen, though Itiri could at the very least remind those in the pride that even the breathlessness in the new born was not something to be overtly concerned by.

...Although that could open up another can of worms.

"Thank you," he said finally and gave a small nod. "I will be sure to remind those who express concern of this, though I will be mindful of your privacy," he murmured reassuringly.

"That being said you have survived this long, so I imagine you are of no risk to us and more importantly, not a liability," he tilted his head to the side and pressed his lips together. "Though I will concede there will be some who will still query your abilities... Which I am sure you are aware of, or have experienced before," he admitted. Suffice to say that there had been some in the pride who had not been receptive and he was finding them more difficult to persuade than others.

"I would ask you have patience and if necessary, take as many breathers as you need... Convincing them that the outside world is not full of doom and destruction is proving to be a bit of an uphill battle."

He paused.

"It seems time doesn't heal all wounds as well as it should," he admitted.

Vashtya

 

[Vashtya]

Taking pride in how he had survived, in spite of his challenges, had long since given the slight lion a quiet confidence that left him with no desire to pretend that he didn't have difficulties with things that came easily for others. He was pleasantly surprised, though, by the Onyeisi's lack of judgement.

"True. If I ever have cubs, that would be a possible concern - I would hope, though, that that is not the case." He wrinkled his nose slightly. Just because he had grown to accept his limitations didn't mean he would wish it on one of his children, after all. Not that he thought it likely that he'd ever find a mate, but who knew, really, what the future might hold?

As Itiri continued, Mng'aro's smile softened slightly; he was...touched at the Onyeisi's kindness, and his genuine-seeming concern for the pale lion's feelings at the potential unkindness he might come across. Waving a paw, he shook his head, his expression sobering. "Thank you...I will do my best to ensure I am at least not a burden to the pride," he began, tilting his head slightly. "And since I was born, there have always been doubts as to how much I might be able to contribute" or even survive he thought to himself, before continuing. "Sometimes it comes out as overprotectiveness, others...more critical." He shrugged, then. "Everyone here, for the most part, has been more...wary than outright unkind - at least to my face."

And then he smiled again (truthfully, his default expression tended toward a slight smile, so this wasn't unusual). "Big changes take time to take root." He said it gently. "All the more so, I imagine, with history adding to the usual discomfort and fear of going through it."

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

"I am not sure just how much you know of our history," Itiri admitted. "But it is clear you some of it, enough to know the context around some of the behaviour my kind exhibit," he added. He would eventually like for each new member to receive a history lesson, one that wasn't sparse on details or embellished. They were entitled to the information, at the very least ensuring that they didn't take things quite so personally.

In the end, Itiri remained optimistic, with the introduction of new blood and the continued health of the pride, he was confident that in time they would all come to realise that all outsiders weren't a threat provided precautions were taken. That being said, it would take several introductions of new blood for any to even begin to see this trend and to expect them all to open their eyes after one of these was unreasonable.

"That being said," he shrugged. "Be honest with us, if we are too overbearing then it would advantageous for you to educate us towards what you can and cannot do," he pursed his lips. "And if you can do something, what the limits are on it," he added after a moment of consideration. Afterall, the lion had managed to stay alive for this long which indicated he could hunt to a degree, but Itiri wasn't sure how much endurance he would have in the grand scheme of things. For example, would Mng be better suited to smaller prey with less running and more cunning, or larger prey and a chase?

...Itiri suspected the former.

Alternatively, Mng might already have had something in mind that he wanted to do once he'd taken a breather from certain aspects of the pride.

Vashtya

 

[Vashtya]

Mng'aro cocked his head to the side, looking thoughtful. "While no one has taken the time to give a formal history of the pride, I've heard enough from conversation, and the occasional overheard remarks, to indicate that there was...illness, that came from someone outside of the pride, and that it was...catastrophic."

As the Onyeisi continued, Mng'aro couldn't help but blink, oddly...touched? by the leader's consideration. It wasn't so much that he hadn't had acceptance, or kindness from others, but he appreciated the lack of...pity, for lack of a better term. "I'll definitely do so, so that I can contribute more...skilfully." He smiled again, then, looking more relaxed. "Most of my limitations are in the physical, especially when prolonged, intense effort is needed."

Truthfully, even had he been asked, he'd been on his own for so long that he likely wouldn't know exactly what he'd like to do, or to be...at least, not yet.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

"So one would need to be strategic about implementing your skill set into an activity," Itiri nodded. All in all, Mng might prefer a quieter duty, but even if he was needed for hunting there was nothing to say that one of the more skilled hunters couldn't arrange for him and several others to cut their charges off at the pass. Cutting something off didn't require extreme exertion and often required more team work - regardless of what duties Mng selected, Itiri was confident enough that he would contribute in time.

In the meantime, Itiri would remain hopeful that their new member would spend time with the more receptive lions. In time Mng would be able to educate others who were more open to these lessons and then slowly but surely, Itiri hoped that those who had opened themselves to this new information would pass it on.

...The young leader didn't expect to have these things happen within a generation and wouldn't have been surprised if he was well into his old age before suspicion was truly gone.

But it was a start, right?

"I suppose the cheesiest way to say it is... Help us to help you?" Itiri cringed at that one. "Otherwise we're going to be rather dire and ask for completely the wrong thing. Only you know your limitations after all but you do have my support," Itiri shrugged.

"But I shall keep in mind if you're out here taking a breather it has more to do with regrouping than feeling truly ostracized. I would prefer if you came too me if things became unpleasant rather than isolating yourself...if that would be all right with you?" After all, he couldn't help if he wasn't aware of what actually happened within the pride...

Vashtya

 

[Vashtya]

Mng'aro smiled, the movement small, but genuine. "I'm adaptable, but yes, that sort of approach would be more comfortable for me - not to mention, I'm more likely to be a bigger help." His tone was slightly rueful. There was an unfamiliar, but not unpleasant feeling of acceptance that came with the amount of thought Itiri seemed to be willing to put into his...somewhat unique situation, and while he didn't flatter himself that it was anything more than good leadership, something deep inside him relaxed, slightly, reaffirming his decision to have joined the pride a few short months ago.

At the cheesy words, paired with the sincere tone, Mng laughed, although not unkindly, the sound tapering only slightly into a wheeze. "Understood, and I'll try to speak up in that regard." Truthfully, he probably wouldn't, unless it was something he was dramatically unsuited for...but he could at least make the effort to offer himself up for tasks he was better suited for.

"I appreciate that consideration - I'm sure as I settle in more, I'll find I have less of a need for it." When Itiri reiterated coming to him directly if things escalated, Mng'aro simply inclined his head. "If it crosses a line to where it becomes a concern, I will." He agreed, hoping it todidn't come to that. He was tolerant of a lot, so it would take something dramatic for him to feel comfortable escalating it to that degree.

"I hope that I don't bring that degree of...drama to pass, however - that's a lot for one lion to bring about," he half-joked, trying to bring a little levity to the conversation.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

"You'd be surprised," Itiri chuckled. Afterall, it had only taken a single Amusu to all but destroy the pride, isolating them to the brink of extinction. Well, that was all very melodramatic, if it had been left for any longer it might well have gone down that path but they had caught it in time. Now their course simply needed to be reset so that the potential risks were averted and more fun could be had instead.

...That being said, Itiri had to concede that he wasn't sure Mng'aro would have quite the same amount of influence when it came to causing that much of an impact. Alternatively if he did eventually exhibit that level of influence then Itiri could only hope that he used it as a force for good!

Nevertheless, Itiri was all too aware of the elephant in this current 'room' and he soon cleared his throat. Mng'aro had left the inner pride for a bit of peace, quiet and alone time. The least that Itiri could do on this occasion was to give it to him so that he might feel refreshed upon his return. Now that the Onyeisi was sure the lion was perfectly all right it seemed a touch crass to overstay the welcome.

Itiri cleared his throat.

"With all that in mind, I suspect it would be in my best interests to allow you the moment of respite you were attempting to pursue before I unceremoniously interrupted," he admitted with a wry smile. "But I am at least satisfied you will know where to find me if needed," he added.

Another pause and he made to move back the way he had come.

"Ah, but if you wander much further that way, take care not to stray too close to the more jagged ridges as none are permitted there... And obviously, don't go in to any catacombs." He advised gently as he began to take his leave.

Vashtya

 

[Vashtya]

"Perhaps I would be." Mng'aro replied, his smile remaining firmly in place, although his thoughts arrived at the same realization that a lion in a more...impactful position could, indeed cause quite a stir. Such was not his lot, though...fortunately.

At Itiri's next words, he inclined his head, grateful for the Onyeisi's understanding. "I'm glad you made yourself known to me, and am grateful that you took the time to speak to me - it takes some of the...pressure off of me in what tasks I take on to pull my weight."

Turning his head to glance at the rocks in question, he shook his head - there was little chance he'd willingly go that way, and he had no desire to go wandering in the catacombs. "I doubt I'll wander any further than this; few seem to come even this far," he said gently, wanting to reassure Itiri (even as the Onyeisi was taking his leave) that he had no desire to push those particular boundaries.

Epine de Rose

Annnnd, fin! (really, your post was also a good stopping point, but I wanted to make sure I wrapped it up too x'D EVEN IF I AM SUPER BELATED