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 Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:28 pm
Bright sunlight filtered weakly through the dense jungle canopy. Below, sitting by a small creek, Kereng'ende carefully watched the clear waters. It had been ages since he'd had fresh fish and even longer than that since he'd been in a place this green and pretty.
It's so quiet here, he thought, keeping one eye open for danger and the other focused on the water. Definately not like home was. Home. The word caused the black lion's throat to close up slightly. He couldn't remember where home was anymore. Only that it had been dry and open to the skies. But that had been long ago when he'd stil been a tiny cub. Back when he'd still had parents.
"Gah!" he exclaimed, shaking his maned head and surely frightening away anythign that could have pssed as dinner. "Stop dwelling on what you can't change idiot."
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:03 pm
Zuri had been wandering the lands for quite some time. She was unsure where to go, and so a new place was welcome in her heart. The jungle was very different from everything she had spent time in, and so she quietly took in everything that she saw. The immense amount of trees, the damp air, strong presence of other animals....it was very welcome.
She swished her tail as she slowly made her way towards a pool of water, though what appeared to be a pool was actually a slow river, winding it's way through the jungle. Not giving it a second thought, she bent down to take a drink, letting her parched throat enjoy the clean, cool sensation it gave her. It was welcoming, and helped to comfort her uneasyness. She had been uneasy for a while, and knew it could be a while longer before she figured what to do with her life, but she decided to try and let it come as needed. No sense in worrying about it.
But, when she glanced over the surface of the water, she saw the reflection of a black form. Another lion! She jumped back a bit, startled that she didn't notice at first. Only then did she hear his speak, though it was more of a mumble by the time she flicked her ears forward to listen.
"Erm...hello?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:37 pm
Jumping slightly and instinctively adopting a defensive pose, Kere stared blankly at the lioness who'd addressed him. When she made no move to attack, he relaxed and smiled sheepishly across at her.
"Umm.. h'lo. Sorry, didn't notice you there or i would have been more of a gentlemen," he began, reluctantly beginning to edge away from the river. "If this is your territory, I'll leave. Don't want ot cause any trouble, miss..."
He knew he could likely win if it came to a fight with the lioness, but why fight? He couldn't affor an injury and he really didn't want to chase anyone from their home. No matter how inviting that home might be...
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:48 pm
Zuri's ears flicked in humor, though she was too tired to play with the male. So she would offer a light conversation instead. She settled herself down in a comfortable sitting position, her tail wrapping around her side, the tip resting between her forepaws. She felt a little relaxed, carefully studying the body language given off by the black male. He seemed harmless, so why worry? She could always run off the way she came if needed.
"No, one such as I doesn't live in one place, but wanders." She gave him a little nod, as if encouraging him to relax more, also. "Just passing through, and wetting my parched throat. May I assume that you are doing the same, also?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:56 pm
Sitting carefully and still casting longing glances at the water, Kere ventured a smile.
"I suppose you could say that. I guess you could also say that I wander too."
He winced slightly at the admission, but gave himself a shake and smiled again. This lioness seemed nice enough and it was a pleasant change of pace to have someone to talk to again. Scooting closer to the river's edge, Kere glanced down and spied a slim silver flash in the water. Eyes lighting up, he grinned.
"Excuse me for just a moment, please," he murmured politely before diving headfirst into the water and chasing after the fish with snapping jaws. After a few moments, he raised his dripping head and pulled himself from the water, fish clutched tightly between his teeth.
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:08 pm
Zuri was about to reply to him when he asked her to wait a moment. Alright, but what...what?!
Her golden eyes blinked, not qutie sure what she had just seen. All she saw now was the futile flops of a dying fish in the black lions mouth, his head and mane soaked. So he....dunked his head underneath to catch a fish. Wait...what? Where were this lion's manners?
She hid her mild disgust and amazement well, and merely acted as if she saw sudden, odd things every day. "Oh..." was all she stated, hoping that water wouldn't get shaken off onto her own coat. Her tail wriggled a few inches from her paws, Zuri just wondering what she was supposed to say after such a sudden interruption.
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:16 pm
Dropping the fish on the ground and placing a heavy paw upon it to keep it from flopping back into the water, Kere grinned happily.
"Sorry about that, miss. I haven't eaten yet today and I adore fresh fish. ermm... would you like some? I think there's enough to share..."
His ears drooped slightly as he resisted the urge to shake the water from his fur. Shrinking in on himself slightly, the black lion sat still and stared at the ground. He wasn't entirely sure, but he thought he'd quite possibly annoyed this lioness. There went the chance of hvign omeone around to talk to for a little while longer.
"Never gonna learn to think before your stomach makes you act, are you, Kere?" he muttered to himself under his breath.
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:43 pm
Zuri's eyes watched the lion, still in a bit of shock, but slowly climbing herself out of that pit. "Ah, it is fine. Just something that one doesn't see every day, that is all." Her tail zipped back between her paws, letting things go 'back to normal' before the fishy interruption.
She noticed that he seemed upset, and assuming to to be that he was still wet, the lioness got herself up enough to slip over a bit, hopefully giving him enough room to shake. Instead of looking at him for a thanks, she instead lifted a paw and began to groom herself, as if she wouldn't pay attention to him drying off. She paused for a moment, mentioning lightly that she didn't need the fish, but thanks anyway, and went to finish her quick grooming.
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:54 pm
Well. She hadn't run off, so maybe she'd stick around a little longer. That would be nice, he thought. I don't want to spend another day with only myself to talk with.
Taking advantage of the grooming space she'd provided, he shook the water from his mane quickly, careful to keep from splashing her. Once finished, he groomed his mane back into some semblance of order and smiled sweetly at the lioness.
"If you're sure about the fish, miss? I truly don't mind sharing. It's nice having someone around to talk to." he paused a moment, realziing he'd commited a serious breach of manners. "Please forgive me, I haven't introduced myself at all. My name is Kereng'ende, miss."
He executed a courtly sort of bow, remembering how his father had bowed to his mother so long ago and how she would laugh and shake her head.
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Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:19 pm
Zuri was a little interested in how this lion carried himself. He seemed to forget his manners easily, only picking them up when he seemed to make a fool of himself. Well, obviously he had been raised...someone well. Perhaps more lax then she had.
"No, it's quite fine. I'm more used to the redder meats of herdbeasts then fish, I must say." Her nose twitched as she thought about it. She had actually never had fish, but their very tender looking flesh just never seemed very appetizing to her.
She blinked a bit at the bow, something she had certainly not been expecting from this male that seemed to forget his manners to a lady. She was a little dumb-struck for a bit, before giving her own little soft nod with her name. "Zuri'ramla, pleased, Kereng'ende."
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Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:03 pm
Pulling himself up, Kere smiled a trifle shyly. It had been a long while since he'd spoken to anyone and it showed in his rusty manners.
"It's a pleasure to meet you miss, Zuri'ramla. If you don't mind my asking, where are you from? You're the first lioness I've seen in months. Well, first anythign I've seen in months, unless you count my prey."
He paused, looking sheepish. Now that he thought about it, that las t probably wasn't the sort of remark anyone would enjoy hearing. Much less a lady.
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Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 2:27 pm
Zuri laughed politely at what Kere had said. Well, that was certainly interesting. "Do you keep to yourself much, then?" She teased him a bit, since it was irrisistable, and open for a good poke. "I am from lands much more north from here. Seems like few know of where I am from, but that is alright. Perhaps it is better that way."
She flicked her tail, letting it wriggle from her forepaws to lay behind her. She tilted her head to the side a bit, hoping that instead of having to ask him again, he would give his own reply to his own question for her.
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Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 10:02 am
"The north? That's one place my travels never took me. Maybe, I'll head that way someday."
Kere paused, staring down at his forepaws for inspiration as to how to answer her other question. After a fews moments of silence, he looked up, pink eyes overbright.
"I've been by myself since I was a young one, miss. Other wandering lions killed my parents one night. WOuldn't have escaped if my father hadn't swatted me out of the way. I guess my fr did the rest of the trick of hiding me from them. I... don't socialize much. It's been safer that way."
Shaking his maned head roughly to clear his mind, Kere looked rather expectantly at Zuri, wondering what she would make of his words. He was fairly sure he hadn't said anythign offensive and well, truth be told, he was longing for news and gossip. Even to the point where he was almost willing to listen to whatever his prey could tell him.
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Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:31 am
Zuri never had a terrible childhood, nothing like that. Only when she grew did her responsibilities take a dark turn, for being a piece of a royal family with very strict traditions could do that to you. She flicked her tail, and offered the other a small bow. "I am sorry to hear that," she started, genuine with her offer. "A bad start in life is no reason to keep yourself hidden though, Kereng'ende. You are a cub no longer."
She was stating a fact, though it seemed to her that this lion was a late bloomer. Slowly growing into his adult body, which was something never to be ashamed of, but not an excuse to keep yourself hidden. Not when you had the bulk, anyway. The lioness smiled softly to herself, thinking it something cute. Ugh, her mind sure was wandering now-a-days, though.
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:47 pm
Hanging his head and looking decidedly sheepish, Kere mulled for a few moments over Zuri's words. It was true enough that he didn't necessarily have to hide anymore. Still. Old habits had a, well, habit of being hard to kill.
"True enough, miss. I suppose I'm still not used to being so big," Kere chuckled softly as he smiled innocently. "Sounds silly, I'm sure."
The black lion smiled again, this time a bit ruefully. There were friends he wanted to try and find again. Now, how was it that this lioness had managed to make him remember all those childhood pacts he'd made?
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