|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 2:38 pm
A dark lioness strolled gingerly through the lush grass that was spilled out onto the earth by some unseen force, carefully setting each paw down in the sea of greenness. The tuft of fur upon the female's head swayed in the breeze, dancing in and out of her vision. Nelumbo'Tuu, that was the female's name, noted with glee that the fur of her coat has begun to recover its shine again. She was also gaining weight, little by little, thanks to the sisterly care of Aadil, the dark brown lioness who had insisted on caring for her. Though the land, its vast grass fields, and its open blue skys was no less helpful.
It was hard to believe that a few days of rest was all Nelu needed to recover, mostly, from her long and trying journey to the Pridelands. What was once a scrawny, sickly, and fearful lioness a few sun rises ago was now... still scrawny and sickly, but just a little less fearful. Ah well, Nelu had always been sickly and small in stature, even in the days when she lived with her godfather. A meek little thing she was, it was a wonder she even made it to her destination in one piece.
Gazing off into the distance, Nelu wondered how her life would proceed without the protection of her godfather now. She would have liked to stay as Aadil's guest forever, for the female lioness had a lovely personality, and the superior hunting skills that she herself lacked. But Nelu was never one to take advantage of another's hospitality, and knew that she must find her own place in the world; the dark lioness only hoped it be within the sanctity of this healing land she had come so far for.
Aadil had said for her to go out and meet some creatures today, and Nelu had set out with out protest, feeling the vitality of life flowing through her for the first time in many moons. The lioness glanced around, wondering if any other was near.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 7:23 am
((I don't think I've ever had him eating in a rp. XD So here we go! ))
-The gigantic golden beast, lounged lazily above his his small kill, the young piglet barely the size of a snack, but at the moment that was all the king was after. Ebbing away the hungryness that groaned from his stomach. He'd eat more later.. when a more sufficent hunt with enough to feed his mate was had, but for now he almost seemed to eat out of boredom and duty, eyes watching the horizon... not in fear that someone would take his food. Just for the fact of watching, as his royal eyes often did.
Biting into the young flesh, he ripped a piece free, eating it, before he meticiously cleaned his maw.. and once again went in for another bite, tail swaying gently back and forth.-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:11 am
Imagine Nelu's delight and apparent surprise when she first spotted another lion feasting off in the distance. It was infact the king, though the lioness did not realize this at the time; all she saw was the haze of golden fur ebbing away at what appeared to be a small prey. The peacefulness of the area had put the lioness at ease; her mind no long plotted out, automatically, an exit route every time she approached an apparent stranger. Instead, it was filled with renewed curiosity, for the world around her, and for the strangers she met. So the lioness approached... not in an interest for the food, but for the addictive thrill that fill her every time from striking up a conversation with a random stranger. Ahh, the first meeting of the day...
Nelu approached, at a two o'clock angle of course, for she did not want to be perceived as a threat nor to take the other by surprise, the stranger, prodding through the distance that separated the two.
"Good day there!" she called out cheerfully, surprising even herself with her newfound boldness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:18 am
-A golden face, framed in auburn mane turned gently at the words, old ears perking to catch them as his eyes inspected the unfamilar pelt. His tongue slipped gently, ridding the last remnants of blood from his maw before a wide smile touched his golden maw, dualy pleased with her cheerful greeting.- "Good day to you too miss."
-She was younger yes, but not quite so young for him to slip into his bad habit of calling next to everyone 'child'. Settling his paws before him, so that he faced her, instead of the partially devoured piglet, she grin a little more.- "What are you up to on this fine day?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:18 am
Covering the rest of the distance to the stranger, Nelu settled herself down near him. She lowered her head slightly as a sign of respect, for in the time it took for the lioness carry herself to him, she had carefully noted that he was her elder, for quite a bit actually.
A twitch in the lioness' tail betrayed her jovial mood; she was still quite unsure of who the stranger was, but had already decided that she liked his leisurely company. "I was just enjoying the land," Nelu answered, and after a second added dreamily, "the land is beautiful, isn't it?" She wasn't sure the other would understand what she meant, but to a survivor like herself, the Pridelands had become a sanctuary for her in the past days, away from the menacing hyenas and other perils of the outside world.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 10:21 am
-Oh he was old. Old enough to be her grandfather.. even her great grandfather possibly. But it was very rare that the king let his age get the better of him, and today was no different. And as she spoke kind words of his home, a rumbling purr rippled through him, and he answer with the same sort of whistful pride that she had.- "Ah yes.. By far the most beautiful I've seen. Not just because of the land, but the creatures in it as well."
-Letting the thought linger a little longer in his mind, he offered another warm smile, and a bit of a chuckle at his next words.- "Forgive me for noticing.. but you've got quite the striking hue of pink kissing your pelt. I don't believe I've seen that coloring here before. Are you new to the lands perhaps?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:01 am
Nelu smiled as the rumbling purr floated out from within the old lion, and nodded to his comment regarding the creatures of the land. He was right about them, of course; all the creatures the lioness had met so far, especially Aadil, had shown her exceptional kindness, kindness she had thought not possible coming from complete strangers.
Nelu blushed slightly at his next comment about the colorful tuft of fur on her head, coloring rising to her cheeks barely noticeable under her dark coat. "Ah yes," the lioness nodded, and continued with a vague gesture of her paw "I come from the south of here, arrived just a few sun rises ago; so I'm just a guest here, but oh wouldn't it be nice to be more than that..." She stared off into the distance, immersed in other thoughts that she kept to herself, lest she bore the other. "I shall have to seek out the royal king and queen for their permission to stay soon, but Aadil, that's my friend, said I won't have to worry about that until I've completely recovered for my trip."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:12 am
-The soft blush amused the old king, but he said nothing more on the subject. Far to old and contented in the pale lioness that awaited him back at the rock to let the thoughts filter upon him that many of the other males might have.-
"Only a few days? It's amazing how quickly one can get attached to a place, isn't it? But I suppose when the heart and mind both know what they want, it only takes moments."
-The name drug up a memory, and he pondered back to his meeting not long before.. with Danzi and the chocolatey brown female. Her name had been Aadil, hadn't it?- "I do believe I've met Aadil." -It was simply a thought outloud, before he shook it away, running a tongue lightly across one of his large golden paws.- "They're very leniant and welcoming here in the Pridelands. I'm sure if you decide to stay that you will be accepted when you ask."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:36 am
"Yes..." the lioness murmured, concuring with the other's sentiments. The land had an almost mesmerizing touch to it, and she was sure that all who came must be equally amazed as she is.
Upon hearing that the old lion had met Aadil, Nelu smiled as her own thoughts on the sisterly lioness flowed within her head. "She's awfully nice," the dark lioness said, not so much as a reply but more as her own thought outloud. Nelu was very happy to hear about the royal couple's leniancy on welcoming new members into the pride; it was, in fact, what Aadil had told her about the king and the queen, but hearing it confirmed was always a pleasant tune to Nelu's ear. She tilted her head, for the first time since the start of their conversation wondering who the other was. He was old, yes, she had already established that, and seemed quite knowledgeable about the happenings around; the lioness, in fact, began to suspect him to be quite an important figure... an elder or advisor perhaps, if they did have them here in the pride?
So with her curiosity peak, the dark lioness at once had an urge to know the other's name. And it being impolite to ask directly, especially of someone her elder, she decided to introduce herself first... quite bluntly actually. "I am Nelu," she smiled, amused at the fact that she could have carried on a conversation with someone without even knowing their name... it was the land, she was sure. "... and may I ask for your name?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:42 am
"She seemed to be to me too. Though I didn't meet her for very long before she and Danzi ran off again." -Casting a glance back to the neglected piglet he wondered in passing if he still wanted it. Or if he should just hand it off to another when he finally headed back home to the rocks.
He wondered softly if she would recognize his name, or if as of yet people had neglected to tell her his name, and he'd neglected to tell her of his rank. But he offered it with a soft greeting nod.- "Or course. I'm Mufasa. Very nice to meet you Nelu."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:02 pm
The lioness blinked. Mufasa? But that couldn't be. That was the royal king's name. And she was sure of it too, for many tales her deceased godfather had told to her in the olden days was of a Mufasa who ruled justly the Pridelands with his kingly paws. So... she had been talking to the royal king all this time? The dark lioness peered into the other's face, searching for the wink of an eye, or the upturn of his maw, or anything else to suggest a playful old lion taking a young one for a spin. But she found none.
Well, he was certainly old enough to be the royal king, and now that she looked at it, Nelu could see that the demeanor of the old lion was very much kingly. And that's when she realized that she was neglecting their conversation and sitting there with probably the most absurd look on her face... and in front of the king too. So after blinking a few more times and straighten her own thoughts, the lioness attempted at a reply. "I'm please to make your acquaintance too... your majesty...?" The raise of her voice spilled out her uncertainty, and, eyeing the piglet off to his side, Nelu wondered vaguely whether if she was interupting the king's mid-morning snack.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:20 pm
-This time the chuckle that left the king was a little stronger, shying his eyes away finally like a child who'd been caught in a bad lie. But soon his eyes returned to her, nodding softly at the assurtation, shifting himself softly in his seat.- "You're correct, but Mufasa is perfectly fine."
-Chiding a little goodnaturedly at her reaction, he explained himself lightly.- "I often find that others react different when ranks are involved. They don't talk as freely. So unless the business I'm needed for is of the kingly sort, I prefer simply to act and be treated just like anyone else."
"That being said.." -He trailed, streching his paws out before him, readying his old bone and muscles to lift him upwards before long.- "What I said before still applies. If you'd like to join the pride I'll very much welcome you into it Nelu."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:53 pm
Nelu nodded, still dumbfounded at the recent revelations. Though she understood what the king was saying and could see how creatures would behave differently in the presence of royalty than they normally would. Just look: the lioness herself had unconsciously straightened up since the recent turn of events, sitting rather obediently in front of the old lion. No need to slouch in front of the king, it was a bad habit anyways, one Nelu would have liked to rid but hadn't bothered to correct until now.
Still, even Mufasa's royal presence couldn't help the young lioness sit still when he offered his invitation to Nelu. She shifted around excitedly, and felt her heart pitter patter withing herself. "Oh I would so very much like to join the pride!" A wide smile appeared upon Nelu's face, much wider that the gentle curvature that was usually upon her maw; the lioness would like nothing more in the world than to stay in the Pridelands, with the company of wonderful creatures such as Aadil and the king himself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:06 pm
"Very well." -He nodded matter of factly, smiling a little more at her obvious joy, finally lifting himself from the ground.- "Welcome to the pride. All I ask in return is that you follow the few rules of the pride."
-Giving his large frame a strong shake, he began to list the rules for her inspection.- "We do not harm our fellow pride members, no matter the species. Everyone is to be treated the same, by they royalty or rogue. And we do not waste, but instead share among the pride."
-Circling his piglet lightly, he waited for her answer before he'd make his decision on where to take the food. After all, this lioness still seemed a little on the lean side.-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:40 pm
Nelu listened carefully to each rule that was recited, and carefully nodded after each one. They were all very reasonable, the lioness thought. First there was not harming fellow pride members; in her heart the lioness knew that she would never knowly cause another harm, first and foremost out of compassion, and also because she had always been on the docile and timid side. Then there was sharing among the pride. That, she was sure, would becomes second nature soon enough also.
So, without further hesitation, the lioness nodded to the king. "Yes, I'll be sure to abide by the rules."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
