[PRP] Wait... I recognize you (Asphamet/Kobe)

[Kieko]

More than a week had passed since Kobe first ventured back into Bahari'mtoto lands. Over five years, both he and his brother Maji had travelled together, exploring various prides. At first their exploration was something of a search, looking for any member of the now disbanded Simbafutaji. To Kobe in particular, it was his mother that he was desperate to find again. When the waves crashed upon the Simba's shore and lions began to panic and split, Kamaria - his mother - was among them.

Now that Maji had taken off on his own, Kobe was left to his new role among the Bahari lions. To his relief, every encounter thus far had left him with positive interactions among new friends. He wasn't especially close with any one lion just yet, but it would be a process and he hoped that he'd find close companions in time.

On this particular day, the lanky male strolled out along the edge of the pride's territory. When he was especially lonely, he was known to check for any sight of his brother. At times he'd still encounter Maji as he shifted between the Kiza and Bahari. Unfortunately it'd seem there was no sight of Maji that day... no. But there was something else.

...Was that a leopon?

Lightning Shadow X

 

[Lightning Shadow X]

Thick paws and thicker fur dredged through sand that once used to have many more pawprints, he hadn't seen his family in moons - maybe years. Atleast it'd felt that long to him. His siblings. His mother. Even other members of the Simba had seemed to be washed away by the tides and he had lived mostly on the borders, venturing in now and then to fish or look for remains of his family...to little success.

It seemed barely anything lived here...visitors however seemed frequent. Like today.

Raising his head from a half-eaten fish he'd managed to scrap for himself, he stared at the approaching...lion? He wanted to say it was a lion from the amount of mane it had, but he was no stranger to manes. Shaking his own out he held his head high and stared at the other to gauge their intentions before finally deciding to call out.

"Hello...?"

Kieko

 

[Kieko]

The pale colored lion tilted his head lightly as though to get a better look at the vaguely familiar face. The more he took note of key features like the tail, the more he felt with certainty that the animal before him was a leopon. How long had it been since he'd last seen one of the uncommon hybrids in the roguelands? Given their infertile and often stigmatized nature, Kobe was not surprised they generally kept to themselves.

But that fur pattern...? Those all-too-familiar colors?

A wide grin spread across Kobe's face like wildfire. Was this really? Maybe he couldn't quite say with certainty, but the rush of adrenaline he felt in seeing a long lost face was enough to drive the larger male toward the hybrid in a dash of excitement.

"It's ME! Kobe! Kamaria's son!" Kobe called out when he finally made contact. If he'd been fast enough and able, he'd pounce on the poor, unsuspecting near-stranger and wrap two enormous paws around his neck in something of a hug.

Lightning Shadow X

 

[Lightning Shadow X]

Was he coming closer? Oh he was. The immediate dash made the hybrid's limbs stiffen as he kept his place and watched this stranger, continuing to eye over him in silent judgement as he approached whilst also preparing for the worst case scenario. Worst case being; this lion was going to absolutely wreck him. He was strong, no doubt, he was a fighter for his old pride, but full grown lions were uh...still tricky.

He'd have almost been ready to start snarling if he hadn't heard the other yelling something about himself. Kamaria? Wait, wasn't that one of his mother's friends? That'd almost stumped him enough before he realized how quick the other was coming in at him, even if it was with friendly intentions and his eyes widened a tad.

"Hey...HEY WAIT WHOA WHOA STOP!!!!" He sat up and raised his paws in the air, flailing them drastically in an attempt to slow down the excitable male.

Kieko

 

[Kieko]

Despite good intentions, the lanky grey lion was anything but graceful. He made efforts to try and stop, but instead the two individuals crashed into one another awkwardly in a mess of flailing limbs.

The shouting had deterred further bombardment of the hybrid, but Kobe couldn't shake the rush of excitement which had prompted the initial tackle. "It's-It's-" he tried to speak. Up close the male's coat had been lightly curled from his proximity to the sea. He gave off the aroma of saltwater and marine life. While they were near the Bahari'mtoto, it was difficult not to reminisce about their former pride the Simbafutaji.

Retreating a step to give the stranger space and calm his nerves, Kobe took a deep breath. "Sorry, sorry!" His ears lay flat against his skull with guilt at his outburst. His paws continued to shift beneath him to betray his overwhelming excitement. "It's just so great to see you! To see anyone from the Simba! I just..." He began to take a wide circle around the hybrid to examine every feature and confirm with absolute certainty that this was someone he knew. "I've been looking for years. Literal years!"

Lightning Shadow X

 

[Lightning Shadow X]

Paws flew in the air. So did sand and his tail as his world was flipped upside down by this excitable oaf that toppled him, with a blink of his purple eyes the leopon scrambled briefly before relenting and peering over the lion. Definitely one who lived close to the ocean. The curls and the smell gave it away, he wasn't without his own curls and sand laden fur either, but his pelt was more harassed with scars and the recent damp of his fishing. Where had this one been this entire time? The only neighbours he knew the pride had were the Bahari, but he hadn't thought to inquire. But that wasn't what interested him at the moment.

Once he was allowed back up on his paws and he shook out the sand he'd been partly pile-driven into, he eyed over Kobe with an arched brow. He really was an excitable one, he reminded Asphamet of his brother Sewelo, well, when he was a cub atleast. He'd no idea the state of his brother's whereabouts or what he'd been up to...he hoped they were alright.

"You're Kamaria's cub?" Cub was a loose term to say the least as he watched this spotted, bounding energetic male. He furrowed his brow, not relinquishing his gaze. "Do you know where my family is?" It was a long shot, most definitely and he didn't like the chances of the answer being anything positive with the other's earlier words. Years? Years since he'd seen anyone of the Simba?
Where was his family?

Kieko

 

[Kieko]

Despite speaking it only a moment earlier, there was something about hearing his mother's name out loud which jarred the slender lion back to reality. Kamaria's Son? He could only bob his head for a moment while he recalled his last memory of his mother. After a silent pause, he went on to actually answer the hybrid's question. "I.. am, yes. I am."

The follow-up question was met with equal apprehension as the excitement slowly faded from the leopard-spotted lion. With ears still flattened, though this time with some concern, he answered more softly than before. "I'm afraid... I haven't. When everyone scattered-" The memory wasn't one he remembered fondly. "-I could only find my brother, Maji. Everyone else... There was just too much going on at once. We went to the Bahari immediately afterwards, hoping to meet with everyone else, but after some time, it seemed they weren't coming."

For years Kobe had carried with him an enormous guilt in not finding the others. In their first year travelling together they'd spent day after day on the move, holding back hunts to buy them more time to look for their friends and family. On numerous occasions, they'd pick up a familiar scent only to have it buried by the sand when the wind blew.

Finally, after a slow breath, Kobe added gently, "I wish I had better news."

Lightning Shadow X

 

[Lightning Shadow X]

Not the answer he wanted. In the slightest. He sat there watching the lion as a frown crossed his features and his eyes settled on the sand thoughtfully, no sight no word from them...and that huge wave that nearly swept out the beach...he had all but pushed the memories to the back of his head.
When the other apologized he raised his head and gave it a shake, it wasn't his fault, he was no God that could control the tides....and if he was, he was too terribly excited for a God anyway.

"It's...it's fine," It wasn't, but he felt it better to change the subject as he sat there and kept the other in his sight. It'd been a long time, he didn't fully remember this one, but then again Asp had been the introverted cub if ever there was one. Suffering old man syndrome even before his mane came in and being far too level headed and serious for his own good. "What about everyone else? Or atleast...those you found?"

Kieko

 

[Kieko]

"Those I found..." Kobe repeated in a soft voice. The warm excitement that had come with their initial greeting seemed to have worn off and been replaced with a quiet sadness. "Only my brother," He explained. "Maji. He is not far from here. If you were to stay a day or two, I am certain that we would cross paths again. Last he said to me, he was considering a long stay in the Kzingo. As you might have guessed... I chose the Bahari." It was another unfortunate reveal, though one that Kobe was less inclined to ignore.

"But... what about you? Have you settled in to any territory nearby? If you had any interest, I could show you around the Bahari..." It might have been strange coming from a near-stranger, but there was a part of the offer that quietly pleaded for the company of a familiar face. While there was a great deal of pain brought on by reminders of the Simbafutaji, there were also the pleasant memories of his cubhood - his family and friends.

Lightning Shadow X

Sorry for quiet during the holidays!

 

[Kieko]

Lightning Shadow X

Wanted to bump in case this got lost! ^_^