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 Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 5:44 pm
Wandering, ever wandering. Admittedly, it wasn't quite as tiresome as before, not with the long months she had been away from home. Not with the companionship of that irritating cheetah and his troublesome deer thing. Klip something. She could never remember what it was called. It mattered not--she knew his name, if not his species, and that was what was important...when she bothered to grace the inferior creature with it.
At present, however, the lioness was alone. The endless grasslands were a lonely sort of places when ones friends had raced off to play. Playing. Tch. She felt like a mother sometimes around the pair, though both of them were adults as well. A Firekin, a cheetah, and a klipspringer wandering the savannah bordering the Pridelands. Or were they in the Pridelands at this point? She could never keep the borders straight once clear of the desert. The desert was so easy...
At least she could walk on grass now. She could hunt properly, she could endure the overwhelming green that enveloped her wherever she set foot. She did miss the desert... The desert was home, the desert was safe. But she was no longer welcome there. The Pridelands, while she may be accepted... Well, her friends could easily fall victim to a hungry lion. She would have to be on her guard.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 6:31 pm
Jini was off on his own again, doing his best to get used to the idea of being more independent. Ever since Mosi left the den he had begun to realize that he couldn't cling to his family forever, no matter how much he wanted to. He needed to be able to take care of himself and deal with being alone once and a while. It was actually rather hard for the young male, for he was sensative and affectionate and didn't like being by himself, no matter how shy he was.
He was loping along near the border, finally used to his new height and long strides. His mane still tended to flop in his face, but he seemed more capable of being of on his own then before. He tilted his head slightly, perking white ears forward as he slowed to glance at the landscape. Not far away he could see another figure. The ache for company returned to him and he struggled to decide whether or not he'd go and greet whoever it might be.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 6:45 pm
The sound of footsteps following after her did not go unnoticed, though the lioness' first thought was that her cheetah friend was returning. However, when the wind rushed by, bringing with it the scent of her follower, the smell was unfamiliar enough that she paused in step, risking a glance back and taking a moment to digest the scent and step. No familiar short sprint to catch her off guard, no muffled hoofbeats following behind. No, this was not the cheetah.
The lioness turned slowly, languidly, giving the impression that she had unwavering faith in her own abilities and low expectations of whatever was following her. Which, really, was quite true, especially once her eyes fell on the stranger. A lion, yes, but still young... An easy match for one such as herself. There was no threat here, especially if she kept up her act of intimidation. Calmly, cooly, Kwana started towards the stranger, finally addressing him as she neared. "'Tis a dull life when a lad such as yourself is reduced to following innocent wanderers for his amusement."
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 6:51 pm
Jini jumped, flushly strongly under his fur as his ears flickered back. He ducked his head in embaressment, taking a step back. He hadn't expected her to turn around like that...and he supposed she would think he was following her, even if that wasn't the case! He tried to find some words, but seemed to struggle to do so. Shyly casting his eyes on his paws he murmured hurried, "Ah...No I wasn't...I...I'm sorry!...I didn't mean to..." He trailed off lamely. Meekly he raised his eyes, looking sheepish like a cub caught sneaking out of the den at night.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 7:02 pm
The lioness paused a short distance away, icy eyes dancing with amusement at the spectacle, though her expression betrayed nothing. Ahh, gem of the blessed Pridelands, this one. Brave and bold and ready to fight to the death for his lands! Ha! The boy was simply lucky that he was not a Firekin, and she no longer the heir to the throne. Had any Firekin shown such meek behavior in her presence, they would have not long remained with her pride.
However, he amused her. And so she would humor him. "I don't doubt it. Guarding your lands, little cub? I assure you I've no desire to steal them. Imagine, someone such as myself daring to challenge you... It would be positively unfair."
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 7:23 pm
Jini frowned, feeling even more ashamed by her teasing. But then...he was easy to pick on, so he wasn't exactly surprised. It just hurt his sensative heart. He offered an awkward smile, still looking rather meek more then anything else. "Ah...no ma'am. I"m not fit to defend anything." At least he was honest. He wasn't stupid enough to believe he was brave or strong. No, he was quite a disgrace. "Such things are better left to those such as my mother or sister." He knew nothing of firekins, so he didn't guess her heritage or why she might mock him so openly. But it brought no ill wishes to her on his end.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 7:33 pm
His reply truely baffled the lioness. What self respecting anything would reply in such a way? It was beyond Kwana's comprehension. Indeed, she paused momentarily, losing her cool expression in order to send him a curious look. The lioness sunk down on her haunches, eyeing him quizzically while debating how best to address the issue. "...That is not something most lions would dishonor themselves with admitting, young sir. Try again. I won't bite."
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 7:38 pm
Jini frowned and looked rather confused. His innocence and niavity shone on his face, being unable to hide it. "I'm simply being truthful, Ma'am," he told her shyly, though he didn't look quite as startled or sheepish as before. He had confidence in his honesty, if nothing else. "I'm not strong...and I don't like fighting. I'd be a poor defender," He murmured. He didn't like conflict...he liked it when others were happy, so the thought of hurting someone was strange to him. But it was likely, though he didn't realize, he would defend someone with vigor if the situation arose. But only defend.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 7:52 pm
She shook her head, lip curling in a sneer. "Regardless, you should never, never let a possible opponent believe they have the upper hand. If I truely had a malicious intent in mind, do you realize how easily I could have chased you away, if not killed you?" Kwana paused briefly, tail giving a lazy flick as she eyed the meek young lion. "You mentioned a mother. A sister. How would they feel were they to find you dead because you didn't have the nerve to stand up to an intruder? Intimidation is key."
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:00 pm
Jini looked at her doubtfully. He felt his stomach churn with hurt feelings, but otherwise he didn't feel anything. He wasn't afraid of her, though by the way she talked he probably should be but...Jini was the kind of person to believe in others, even if he coudlnt believe in himself. "Ah, but you wouldn't do that..." He said with a shy, dorky smile, closing his eyes slightly to go along with it. If she had wanted to hurt him she would have done it already, right? That what he'd think anyway.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:12 pm
"Of course I wouldn't!" she exclaimed, patience wearing thin. "But you have no way of knowing that the moment I approach you? What if I had attacked you? That, cub, is my point." Sighing, she rose to her feet, lazily pacing around the younger lion and inspecting him thoughtfully all the while. "Shameful... You don't have much of a brain, do you, lad?"
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:30 pm
Jini frowned, shaking his head. He thought himself many things, but stupid wasn't one of them. "No, I d-do! It's just..." He tilted his head slightly, his mane getting in the way of his soft green eyes, "No one attacks anyone here. It's a peaceful place. Besides....isn't it awfully judgement to assume someone would attack you...?" He was utterly confused. What she was telling him really didn't make any sense, at least not to him or what he grew up knowing was true. While his mother hadn't been the best parental figure, she had taught him that people were naturally good. If someone wasn't there was a reason and it was best to believe in people.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:52 pm
She simply stared for a long while, watching him silently, completely at a loss for how to drill into his head a single thing she was saying. Finally, however, she paused in step, leaning forward to glare into his eyes. "There is always the possibility." A moment later the lioness turned, continuing with her walk with a swish of her tail, giving no sign either to beckon him follow or send him away. It was his decision. Irritating child.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:58 pm
Jini stood where he was for a moment, a sad smile on his maw. He wasn't cowering or hiding his face in shame. But that didn't mean he didn't feel the sharp stab from her disappointement. He didn't know her, so perhaps her opinion shouldn't matter but...all opinions mattered to him. And he was sure she wasn't the first to feel this way about him. "I'm sorry...I'm not a person you or anyone could be proud of," his voice was gentle, and while he sounded as if he regreted a character there was still the mournful smile on his face, as if he was resigned to being the failure he was.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 9:08 pm
The lioness paused, bristling as if she had been struck. The words hit a nerve from her own adolescent days, days long before her wanderings and solitude. She slowly turned, approaching the younger lion once more to stand tall before him, eyes like shards of ice against her red pelt as she glared down at the male. "...You are what you believe yourself to be. Keep believing you are a coward, boy. See how much longer you live."
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