[Discord RP between Felyn's Roshan and KasaiLoki's Hali]

Another day had come in passed. Since the dispersal of her former pride, Hali found herself wandering aimlessly in no particular direction. She had met some characters along the ways, some boisterous, some quiet. Some with from prides, some were rogues. Rogues. The term felt foreign to her. She now was considered a rogue. The lioness did not know how she felt about it.

She missed the Einaliai Thalassai lands. The waves against the shore, the salty wind against her cheek. Even the wild life was different in her former pride compared to where she was now. There were less sea birds, and more hooved mammals. It definitely made it easier to hunt out here as the prey could not fly.

This is where Hali was currently. The hare she had recently caught was stripped of its skin, revealing the nutritious meat below. She would need to eat quickly. Pesky scavengers were always around.

Roshan missed many things in life but more, he missed the idea of safety and comfort and belonging. Before Nyx had made it her life long duty to be her father's right paw, it had been easier to ignore that little inkling in the back of his mind. He had been committed to wandering alone, removing Do'al's presence from the lives of those around him by simply disappearing from them too, but with her in tow he felt that need to settle and give her a life that she deserved. It was peculiar, all the different ways that fate pulled him along on a string.

It was a lazy night that found him following the scarce scent of blood - it was faint and small and he hoped it was perhaps an injured gazelle. His daughter was off scouting the lands around them, looking for prides they might encounter (and judging their hostility) while they travelled through. He felt useless but she was small and dark, not flashy like the bright colors of his own pelt, and she had always been much better suited to a task that required a bit of finesse. So, he was left to try and round up some food.

Only, as he stepped into the clearing and finally set his eyes upon the source, he realized it already belonged to another and that, without doubt, he would be viewed as a challenger.

"Pardon," he said immediately, dipping his head low as he bowed his front legs, making himself appear for all the world as unthreatening as possible, "I did not realize what was at the end of the trail I was following. I mean no harm."

Well, she wasn’t wrong. Her ears pinned to her skull as she heard another speaking. She didn’t face the intruder, but she could instantly feel a snarl rising to her lips. Her head turned, spotting the brighter pelted lion. Her snarl dropped when she saw the other, at least he wasn’t a hyena. Plus, his appearance wasn’t that of hostility. Still, it had been many moons since Hali had seen another, so the weariness was still present.

Rising to her feet, the lioness stood over her kill, as if daring the other to attempt to steal it. Even though he didn’t seem like he would, she did not want to take any chances. I mean no harm. she heard him say, but he was a male, and the former mermaid still was not easily trustful of them.

“What brought you this way?” Hali’s voice was quiet, and held a tone of suspiciousness to it. Her bright eyes shifted from the lion to the left and ran, as if analyzing a path to take if she needed to run.

A part of Roshan would have liked to chalk her attitude up to an over imagination or written it off as exaggerated but he knew better. His other half was the sort of evil that lurked in the darkness, waiting to prey on the weak and unexpecting, and he would have been a fool to think that Do'al was the only creature of his ilk.

"My daughter left me to hunt while she scouts ahead," he offered, attempting what he hoped was a gentle, reassuring smile. As she stood, he sat, drawing no closer and crippling any attempts he could have made to lunge at her (or her hard earned meal). "As you can see, I am not not nearly so skilled as she is at either job."

He paused as he considered her, reading the tension in her limbs and the general disbelief in her voice. It made his soul heavy to think of anyone being afraid of him but, too, that anyone had so much to fear. The thoughts dampened his pleasant smile just a touch and filled his eyes with that tell-tale heaviness that Nyx so often teased him over.

"I can assure you, I am just a wanderer. Nyx and I are just passing through these lands on our road to nowhere."

The lioness thought for a moment. Trust was something hard to come by in the roguelands. If she was in her former lands, then she could likely trust those around her. Out here though, out here was completely different. You let your guard down for an instant and bam, you were either taken advantage of, or worse, killed. At least, that was the stories Hali had heard of growing up.

Her nose twitched as she debated inwardly. So far, this male had not shown any signs of hostility. Plus, he mentioned about traveling with another, his daughter? Her ears perked forward in interest at this. A small chuckle escape her maw at the statement that he was not skilled. A hunt was always better suited for a lioness. Same for scouting (lionesses always had a keen eye, males…not so much).

The tension was slow to release on Hali’s side. She’d be ready though, if the other decided to do anything.

“Nyx is…your daughter?” She associated the two together. “And what is your name?” Assessing the situation, she relaxed more.

“Nowhere sounds just like the place I am heading.” There was a longing in her voice. Nowhere. It had to be better than here, right?

There was a sense of relief that washed over Roshan as the female visibly relaxed in his presence. It was always hard to bear the thought of someone distrusting him or, worse, wishing him ill. She was simply prepared and ready and he would never blame another for that but, too, he was always happier when they didn't really feel the need for such a thing to be necessary.

"Yes, Nyx is my eldest."

As she asked for his name there was a single, fleeting moment of hesitance. He nearly gave her his chosen name, the one he had taken before he had been accepted into the swamplands, but then thought better of it. He was Alekandaro no more - that lion and his fleeting happiness were a thing of the past. A memory, not terrible, but no longer his own. He bowed his head again to cover his hesitance and gave her the name he had held long before he had become a rogue in this world.

"I am Roshan, professional guide to nowhere."

He chuckled now and slowly set himself on his haunches, taking a seat in her presence to show her how little he was concerned with challenging her.

"Are you leaving something behind, my lady?"

Hali listened intently as the other spoke.

She caught his cautiousness when given his name. She didn't pry, she did not need to. The lioness did not need to know about his back story similar as she did not intend to give him hers. Who gave out all their personal details anyways on a first meeting?

"Well, Roshan," she spoke his name, committing it to her memory. One never knew when it would come in handy again. "professional guide to nowhere," she added, a small smile starting to creep on her maw. "I guess it's nice to meet you." She thought about her previous interaction just moments ago and how foolish she must've looked. This male did not seem to want her kill, and his overall attitude was rather warm.

At his next question, Hali's ears pinned back slightly. "It's Hali." she introduced. She did not care for the my lady.

"Leaving something behind?" she repeated as she thought. "I don't like thinking about the past. What has been done is done." Her message would be cryptic to those who did not know of her past. She was sure Roshan probably did not understand the meaning. "It's all about looking forward from here. And at this very time," she paused, flickering her eyes towards the male, "it's all about finding somewhere to call home again."

Home was so much better than nowhere.

It was a good point, he had to admit, and for just a moment she reminded him so much of Nyx that he had to fight not to look out at the horizon and wonder how far ahead of him she had gotten. It seemed there were small hints everywhere telling him to chipper up and forget about his past but, unfortunately for him, he knew his past did not stay in the past. Do'al was there, somewhere beyond, waiting to bump into him again.

Still, it wasn't in him to begrudge her the hope even if he was having trouble keeping a grip on it.

"I suppose we all just really want somewhere to call home, you're right. I've been fortunate to know two homes in my life although neither of them are really places I can return to." For different reasons, of course. He sighed, dismissing the thoughts, and tilted his head at her as he considered the words.

"Have you made a decision yet? Or are you still looking for the place you belong, Hali?"


Hali did not know if Roshan was fortunate or not to have two homes. To her, a home was some place you would never have to leave. It was where you could always count on family to be there when you needed. For her, leaving the desolate lands of the Einaliai Thalassai was difficult. Her ears perked forward intently, hearing that he could not return to those. "Then...perhaps those may not have been true homes? just places to stay until you find the perfect fit?" She offered, given her view of the situation. The mermaids were no longer around, so did that make it less of a home? Hali thought about her logic in the situation.

She shook her head at Roshan's next question. "Not yet." Already she had been through the borders of multiple prides. She thought the lands that almost replicated her home would have been perfect, yet here she was, wandering further from the sandy beaches and rocky shores.

"I guess I am just waiting for the right place to call home." Hali did not want to have a place to stay. She wanted to have a place to call home permanently.

"Have you heard of any place that may be worthwhile to check out?" She would be happy to take his thoughts on places he had either been, or maybe a place he had heard of.


An easy smile spread across his maw at the words she spoke and for a moment he forgot about the chip on his shoulder and the constant anxiety that was his brother.

"Oh? I suppose.. I have never considered looking at it that way." His tail flickered as his bright eyes considered her, almost as if he were looking through her in that tell-tale way a daydreamer often did. Did losing two homes because of Do'al truly mean that they weren't his homes? Was fate such a great force that the red lion could be moving his life along for him through his own selfish actions? He was reminded, again, of his first home and their idea of duality and balance.

"And yet, that idea is not so strange, I think. You may be right."

The smile remained in place as he chuckled gently beneath his breath, amused that she had managed to turn his thoughts around in the space of a moment. Wisdom came from many places in many forms.

"If you had asked me a day ago, I would have told you no," his shoulders rolled in a shrug that made his glimmering mane shift in the light, "but just yesterday I encountered an old friend that is headed for the Mwezi'Johari - a pride that bends their life around the moon. I'd be lying if I said I had not considered joining him, from what he tells me they are an old, steadfast pride."

Although, in truth, his consideration was hardly for his own sake.

The Mwezi'johari? The name was foreign to the lioness, as was a lot in the Southlands, however, the concept of a pride based on the moon was intriguing. While the Einaliai Thalassai did not necessarily worship the moon, they knew that the moon brought the tides, and the tides brought the fish. This pride could be the fit that Hali had been looking for.

"Do you know anymore of the pride?" the dark lioness inquired, wanting to take in every little detail she could. If anything, she would just make her way to the pride herself to find out more, but Roshan was saving her the trouble with their little talk right now.

Forgetting about her meager meal, Hali approached Roshan a little more closely, so the two were at a more comfortable talking distance. Once closer, she sat down, tail curling around her front paws.

"Like where it is located? What life is liked? Is it near water?" She doubt the last part, but it was worth a shot.The fact that he had described the pride as old and steadfast hit the nails in the head for a home.

The sudden curiosity that poured out of her like a tide was certainly unexpected but not unwelcome and Roshan had difficulty in suppressing the smile that stretched itself across his mug. He sat calmly as she did, watching and listening to the questions that poured out at him. He wished that he had known more, that he had thought to question Titere more thoroughly, but in truth he had only been focused upon Nyx's eagerness and, well, the bit of something else that seemed to shine through her eyes as she gazed upon his old friend.

"Ahh, well. Would that I had my old friend's gift of knowledge," he laughed and let his eyes roll skyward though they seemed to be concentrated not upon the sky itself, but on some distant thought that he was trying to pluck clean. "I know he said that one's rank is determined upon joining although the process is not.. entirely clear to me. Life is not altogether different than any other pride though, I think? They are not among the most peculiar as traditions go although I doubt very much that they are near the water. We were not near it when we encountered him."

He glanced over his shoulder, the direction he had come from, and then back to her.

"Honestly, we are not very far from them even here. We've been moving in a circle about them while we consider our decision."

She nodded, listening to Roshan's small description of the pride.

She shrugged. It was worth a shot about the water. If she truly wanted to leave near the water again, she would have stayed in the Bahari'mtoto lands when she had visited. Alas, she found herself wandering more and more away from the salty air with each passing day.

Her gaze followed his. She thought for a moment, locking eyes with the other before shifting it again past his form.

Although she did not hear much about the pride, something about it piqued her interest. She'd have to head in the direction he indicated after this meeting.

Hali's mind began to wander before it refocused back on the lion before her. She was thankful for the words the other had said to her, and maybe, just maybe, they would lead her in the right direction.



He pushed himself to his feet and glanced over his shoulder, almost as if he expected to see the dark form of his daughter slinking towards them from the horizon at any moment. He would need to head back soon and empty handed, no doubt, but if he knew his capable cub at all he would wager that she had done both jobs for them.

"I should rejoin Nyx, unfortunately, but if you find that you'd like to give the pride a try then you're welcome to join me - or you can meet me in that direction-" he paused and pointed a paw over his shoulder, north south east of where they were. "We promised Titere we would make a decision in two day's time and I am rather certain that Nyx has every intention of following him."

He took a hesitant step sidelong from her, but let his gaze rest on her still. She was kind, if guarded at first, but he couldn't blame or find fault in that. It was an admirable thing not to trust just any fool that wandered close.

"We would be glad of the company, truly."

If she did indeed find herself in the moon-based pride the other had mentioned, she'd likely see him again.

When he extended the welcoming for joining, Hali shook her head. Meeting in the vicinity was probably better off. The male was indeed nice, and finding herself in the company of a few others sounded exciting; however, she was did not want to intrude on the party (although, it seemed like the company Roshan kept would likely not mind).

"I appreciate the offer," she started with a smile, "but I think I should finish this part of my journey alone." She had gotten this far by herself, what's a few more days. Who knew what the future would offer. If the two ended up in this moon pride, then she would have to get to know him better.

"Who knows, our paths may cross again."

It wasn't surprising to be turned down and he accepted the denial with grace, dipping his head to her and taking that as his hint that he should be on his way. Nyx would be back soon from her scouting and he had no doubt she was eager to find Titere again - the two of them seemed to be forming a bond that Roshan recognized in young lions. It was the way of the world and who was he to stand in the way of it?

He pushed himself back up to his feet and took a step backwards before he half turned, intent to leave her with her meal, uninterrupted.

"I hope that they do, Hali." He bowed again, that charming smile in place, and turned to head back the way he had come. "Safe travels until then!"