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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 12:13 pm
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The desert was nothing new. It had been long since the lion had grown accustomed to he feeling of a parched mouth. Of the hot sand beneath his paws and the merciless sun on his back. The desert was an unforgiving land. It made him hard and, like the beating of sand on stone, it made him weathered.
Ras Alhague was not a huge lion, but he certainly held himself as if he were. He walked boldly and unabashed, his grey sandy pelt only just standing out against the sands that had made his home. This sudden emergence of green, however, made him stand out even more.
These particular lands were unknown to him. Former vizier of a now lost clan of thieves, Ras was more used to the deep desert of tall dunes. The ground was no longer moist, but the result of the rains were still clear. The lands around him remained charred from burning as he moved through, trying to find any sign of anything worth salvaging.
He'd seen the fire from afar, enjoyed the rains that had followed, and had come to the site of the fire to investigate. As he approached, Ras had noticed the figures of lions around the area. Wary, he had waited until the numbers had all but dwindled to make his approach. Not one to pass up a possible opportunity, he also wasn't one to go charging in somewhere that might be less than friendly.
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 12:43 pm
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If questioned, the rogue lion wouldn't have a solid answer as to whether he had come to these lands with the purpose of finding food (or company. The desert was a lonely place, after all), or for sheer curiosity. In all honesty it was probably a bit of both. The lands where he had previously lived and wandered were all sand and rock. Nothing out there to set aflame. The sight of this charred land and the new green that had sprouted nearby, how could one not be intrigued?
Perhaps he had been too far in his own head, thinking about this place and the possibilities it held. Regardless of the reason, Ras had let his guard down long enough to where he hadn't noticed the lioness until they were practically on top of each other.
He was startled, to say the least. It had been a long while since he'd been in this proximity of another living soul, and the last time had been with someone who was rather... unfriendly. Reflexively, his muscles tensed and his icy blue eyes narrowed into a stare, scarred face distorting as he gave a frown. The lion backed away a few paces, staring the lioness down as he took in her features.
"Who are you?" he said finally and defensively. "What is this place?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 1:02 pm
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The sudden apperance of a stranger, and a male at that, startled the huntress and she mentally cursed herself. She was supposed to be experienced and knew better than to let her guard down!
Damnit Madi, get your head back in the game...
Watching him carefully as he backed up and stared at her with what she presumed was an annoyed expression, his words made her flick her ears back, her own posture as defensive as his.
"This is the Ithambo'hlabathi pride lands." She drew herself up to her full height as she spoke. Not agressive, just assertive. While she was the typical size for a lioness she was lean and fit, if thin from the near starvation the pride had experienced recently. But she was an experienced female and having spent some time as a rogue before arriving at the bonelands, she was accustomed to leaner times. "Who are you?" She asked, tone polite but wary. She didn't yet offer her own name, after all he tecnically was tresspassing and shouldn't be here. While she would rather be polite while sending him on his way, she would fight if he absolutly insisted on it. After all, this was her home.
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 1:47 pm
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A pride, The Ihambo'hlabathi. The name was foreign, but the meaning of her words were clear. These weren't any random lands. These were owned. Protected. Being somewhat in a position of leadership in his own former home, Ras was politically competent. He knew what it meant to be trespassing on another pride's turf.
Still, this lioness didn't seem as though she were going to fight on the spot. Besides, it would be foolish to start a one-on-one fight to protect borders outright. Surely there were more diplomatic ways. There was the possibility of backup, he though, and though he relaxed slightly he remained vigilant for that reason.
The lioness hadn't answered his first question, but considering that he was the one doing the trespassing that was only fair. "My name is Ras Alhague." He didn't talk of his association with his former pride. Even when it existed it was secretive, and more likely to make enemies than friends. "I didn't realize I was trespassing, and for that I apologize." Blue eyes looked the lands over. "I came to investigate the fire. I haven't heard the name of your pride, before. Suppose I'd be fine being on my way. But tell me, what is your pride like?" He was curious. Again, the political mind he had made for an interest in collecting information on these foreign lands.
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 2:11 pm
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 2:49 pm
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The lion remained silent as he listened to her explain the workings of the pride. It was interesting. Only four males, a number of females, and a large swath of land? The benefits were high, it seemed, though not without risk. Males joined by challenging and winning and... presumably those they bested lost their position.
"Interesting," he mused, looking thoughtful. He'd heard of a number of different prides, but not one like this. "I'm from a pride in the desert as well," he started. It was only fair to exchange information for information. "A clan..." of thieves, he finished in his head. A piece of information he figured best to leave out. "A clan from the desert far from here, though. Seclusion, and long since disbanded." Again, Ras looked the lands over. At least now, after the rains, the lands were rich. Surely there would be prey here. It was a shame that he had to leave, a feeling that he betrayed in his expression.
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 2:56 pm
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 3:14 pm
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 3:21 pm
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