Gods above, why was being on your own so hard?
Having been whisked away from the Stormborn at a very young age, Vidar didn’t particularly know his family. He didn’t even know the Stormborn, which he liked to imagine as his home, to which he could never return. Some family drama he and his littermates had escaped - albeit, barely from what he heard. It was dangerous for him to return. And so, he ambled about the roguelands, aimlessly looking for anybody to talk to.
At the moment, he was stretched out, long and lean, on a large rock far enough outside the Firekin lands that he felt safe enough. For now. He wasn’t quite paying attention when a voice broke through his reverie.
“You don’t look like you belong here,” Amalahle teased in way of a greeting.
Vidar opened his eyes to see a large, muscular lioness standing before him. How had he not heard her approaching? Well, that didn’t matter now. What mattered was the fact that she was here.
Stretching lazily, he rose to his paws and leapt down from the flat rock so that he could stand before her. Appraising her coat — my, was it striking — all black and orange and firey, he responded in kind: “And you look like you’ve wandered outside your pridelands.” A smile played upon his lift as he quirked a brow, curious as to what her retort would be. Already, her tone had indicated a certain niceness that he hadn’t encountered in a Firekin before. Curious.
Amalahle rolled her eyes and flopped her rear end down heavily into the dusty ground. She sighed, bright red eyes scanning the horizon to be sure no one else was about. “I’m not a Firekin. Not yet, anyway.” Her tail flicked absent-mindedly, and her eyes returned to the gentleman before her. Gods, was he handsome. That bright green was so brilliant - as much as she wanted to (and intended to) join the Firekin and find a mate that suited her, something about her was drawn to him. “Amalahle. And you are?”
“Vidar,” he spoke, responding just a smidge too quick, too eagerly. He was young and hungry and this lioness looked like an absolute treat. “Why ‘not yet?’ What’s holding you back?” Again, his eyebrow quirked and head cocked, awaiting an answer.
Amalahle’s eyes met Vidar’s for a second before they broke away, once again scanning the land behind him. “It’s a long story. My parents...anyway, I’ve been bulking up.” She flexed the muscles in her front legs and shoulders, proud of the ripple that echoed out from her slight movements. “I’ve gotta get strong if I’m expecting to fight my way into the pride. My ego really doesn’t need the drama of losing a challenge.” Her shoulders made a motion akin to shrugging. “What about you? With that mane, you look… well, I don’t know. Stormborn, maybe. Those braids… seem so familiar.”
Nearly wincing at the recognition, Vidar wasn’t sure whether or not he wanted to share. This was an absolute stranger - regardless of how nice she seemed, he couldn’t trust her - and he needed to be careful. So he decided to give a small snippet of the tale: “My mother had to flee, and took myself and my siblings with her. It’s, ah… not a good place for those of my bloodline. I’m safer out here,” he gestured with his tail to the open land around him. “Maybe not right near the Firekin, but safe enough.”
Amalahle nodded, curling her tail around herself. “You look strong. I’m sure those claws are good for something.” She smiled, sensing that he didn’t want to discuss the Stormborn - or his family - further. Instead, she decided to move on. “The Firekin aren’t so bad. They’re a good group of lions, I promise.”
Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Vidar lost and rolled them anyway, to which Amalahle laughed a beautiful, tinkling laugh. It made him smile involuntarily. “I’m sure they are, but with my coat I don’t think I should step foot anywhere too close.”
She did have to hand it to him - the pride did have a certain reputation. But he was storm born - you’d think he’d be less afraid of a little cat fight. Although he was cute - absolutely, was he cute - she preferred her men with a little more confidence. Then again, he was hanging out in a moderately dangerous area, so maybe he had some after all.
“So. What’s your deal? Kids, a mate, or are you just all on your lonesome?”
Direct, he thought. Nice.
“Nothing to speak of, sadly. Why do you ask?” Something danced behind Vidar’s bright yellow eyes.
“Same here.” A sly smile. “I was just curious, because I have… nowhere to spend the night. And was wondering if you could use some… company.”
He noticed the purposeful, thought out way of using pauses in her sentences to emphasize the end. It put a smile on his face. “Well, I can’t pass up the chance to get to know you more. Especially if you plan on leaving me for a pride, soon.” His tail flicked absentmindedly, amused and content with how his day was turning out.
Amalahle was pleased to hear him accepting her advance. Now, if only he accepted a few more…
She was bold, she knew, but it often worked out in her favor. She was practiced in this art, being playful and coy, and it was a wonder no one had knocked her up until now. But gods, she wouldn’t mind a litter with his genes. “Good,” Amalahle said before crouching down and bounding gracefully onto the large, flat rock he had been occupying when she found him. She was still smiling as she curled up into a small(ish) ball, her face near his as it hung over the rock’s ledge. This was going to be a good night.
I guess I’ll be taking the ground, Vidar thought, still amused. This could be interesting.
Having been whisked away from the Stormborn at a very young age, Vidar didn’t particularly know his family. He didn’t even know the Stormborn, which he liked to imagine as his home, to which he could never return. Some family drama he and his littermates had escaped - albeit, barely from what he heard. It was dangerous for him to return. And so, he ambled about the roguelands, aimlessly looking for anybody to talk to.
At the moment, he was stretched out, long and lean, on a large rock far enough outside the Firekin lands that he felt safe enough. For now. He wasn’t quite paying attention when a voice broke through his reverie.
“You don’t look like you belong here,” Amalahle teased in way of a greeting.
Vidar opened his eyes to see a large, muscular lioness standing before him. How had he not heard her approaching? Well, that didn’t matter now. What mattered was the fact that she was here.
Stretching lazily, he rose to his paws and leapt down from the flat rock so that he could stand before her. Appraising her coat — my, was it striking — all black and orange and firey, he responded in kind: “And you look like you’ve wandered outside your pridelands.” A smile played upon his lift as he quirked a brow, curious as to what her retort would be. Already, her tone had indicated a certain niceness that he hadn’t encountered in a Firekin before. Curious.
Amalahle rolled her eyes and flopped her rear end down heavily into the dusty ground. She sighed, bright red eyes scanning the horizon to be sure no one else was about. “I’m not a Firekin. Not yet, anyway.” Her tail flicked absent-mindedly, and her eyes returned to the gentleman before her. Gods, was he handsome. That bright green was so brilliant - as much as she wanted to (and intended to) join the Firekin and find a mate that suited her, something about her was drawn to him. “Amalahle. And you are?”
“Vidar,” he spoke, responding just a smidge too quick, too eagerly. He was young and hungry and this lioness looked like an absolute treat. “Why ‘not yet?’ What’s holding you back?” Again, his eyebrow quirked and head cocked, awaiting an answer.
Amalahle’s eyes met Vidar’s for a second before they broke away, once again scanning the land behind him. “It’s a long story. My parents...anyway, I’ve been bulking up.” She flexed the muscles in her front legs and shoulders, proud of the ripple that echoed out from her slight movements. “I’ve gotta get strong if I’m expecting to fight my way into the pride. My ego really doesn’t need the drama of losing a challenge.” Her shoulders made a motion akin to shrugging. “What about you? With that mane, you look… well, I don’t know. Stormborn, maybe. Those braids… seem so familiar.”
Nearly wincing at the recognition, Vidar wasn’t sure whether or not he wanted to share. This was an absolute stranger - regardless of how nice she seemed, he couldn’t trust her - and he needed to be careful. So he decided to give a small snippet of the tale: “My mother had to flee, and took myself and my siblings with her. It’s, ah… not a good place for those of my bloodline. I’m safer out here,” he gestured with his tail to the open land around him. “Maybe not right near the Firekin, but safe enough.”
Amalahle nodded, curling her tail around herself. “You look strong. I’m sure those claws are good for something.” She smiled, sensing that he didn’t want to discuss the Stormborn - or his family - further. Instead, she decided to move on. “The Firekin aren’t so bad. They’re a good group of lions, I promise.”
Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Vidar lost and rolled them anyway, to which Amalahle laughed a beautiful, tinkling laugh. It made him smile involuntarily. “I’m sure they are, but with my coat I don’t think I should step foot anywhere too close.”
She did have to hand it to him - the pride did have a certain reputation. But he was storm born - you’d think he’d be less afraid of a little cat fight. Although he was cute - absolutely, was he cute - she preferred her men with a little more confidence. Then again, he was hanging out in a moderately dangerous area, so maybe he had some after all.
“So. What’s your deal? Kids, a mate, or are you just all on your lonesome?”
Direct, he thought. Nice.
“Nothing to speak of, sadly. Why do you ask?” Something danced behind Vidar’s bright yellow eyes.
“Same here.” A sly smile. “I was just curious, because I have… nowhere to spend the night. And was wondering if you could use some… company.”
He noticed the purposeful, thought out way of using pauses in her sentences to emphasize the end. It put a smile on his face. “Well, I can’t pass up the chance to get to know you more. Especially if you plan on leaving me for a pride, soon.” His tail flicked absentmindedly, amused and content with how his day was turning out.
Amalahle was pleased to hear him accepting her advance. Now, if only he accepted a few more…
She was bold, she knew, but it often worked out in her favor. She was practiced in this art, being playful and coy, and it was a wonder no one had knocked her up until now. But gods, she wouldn’t mind a litter with his genes. “Good,” Amalahle said before crouching down and bounding gracefully onto the large, flat rock he had been occupying when she found him. She was still smiling as she curled up into a small(ish) ball, her face near his as it hung over the rock’s ledge. This was going to be a good night.
I guess I’ll be taking the ground, Vidar thought, still amused. This could be interesting.