[LOG][PRP] Checking in [Nkwusi x Keoyi]

[- Mynsed -]

Keoyi was tired. She had a long day, gathering her herbs and now, she was carrying them back towards the dens. She wasn't able to visit her daughter today; Obiike claimed she was away, tending to people. It made her want to snarl. That whelp had better be telling the truth. Sighing, she continued her trek... and saw a familiar purple pelt. Nkwusi. He was the surviving male of his family, she believed. With only his sister. Their parents weren't lost to the plague but she still felt sorrow for the male. The twins were too young to be without both parents. She couldn't imagine her own children being without her. "Nkwusi," she called out, placing her makeshift sack of herbs down beside her.  

[- Mynsed -]

Lost in his own thoughts, Nkwusi had not been paying much attention. He wasn't yet full grown, but lately he felt like he was... Old. The weight of trying to be strong, for his sister and for himself... And knowing that the survival of their family was up to him. He jumped at the sudden sound of his name, turning quickly toward the source. "Oh... Hello, Keoyi," he replied, wondering what she wanted. He had been thinking lately about possible mates but... Hadn't gotten too far, really. He didn't know a lot of the other pride members very well. Up until now, he'd mostly kept to himself and his family. Talking to others made him... Nervous.  

[- Mynsed -]

Keoyi eyed him critically. He wasn't her child but he was definitely young enough to be. Was he eating alright? Taking care of himself properly? She narrowed her eyes, attempting to find some sort of dishevelment.He seemed fine, if a bit jumpy. She frowned at that but pressed it to the side. "Have you and Naani been well?" she asked softly, glancing around. She didn't see his sister. Perhaps she was busy somewhere else. "Have you been eating properly?" Obiike could run off a cliff and anyone else who takes a pass at her cubs but the twins were victims and young. She couldn't help the mother henning.  

[- Mynsed -]

Why was she looking at him like that..? He fidgeted slightly, shifting his weight and flexing claws in and out. He felt like... His mother was looking him over, trying to find something wrong with him. Or, how she used to do. He shoved down a pang of loss and attempted to answer Keoyi's questions. "We're okay. I think. At least we're both old enough to hunt all right..." That was one good thing, that they were so close to being full grown adults.  

[- Mynsed -]

"That's true," she agreed softly. But she felt halfhearted about it. They should be learning to hunt but not be forced to support themselves. "Are you busy right now," she asked curiously. Keoyi wanted to support the twins a bit more, a motherly softness reaching out towards them. She was considered cold, bitter, and distant ever since her mate died. And she was, for the most part. She didn't want to be. And contrary to popular belief, the personality didn't sprout out from Ihe dying. She had always been bitter and distant. Ihe had accepted that of her, brought out her smile and her joy. And she had lost that ability when he died. Once her children were born, Keoyi learned to smile again... but only for them. Children were a joy, a blessing in the death involved pride.  

[- Mynsed -]

The younger lion shifted from paw to paw, kind of wondering... if he did have any excuse to get out of whatever she wanted to talk about. Talking to others made him nervous. But. He'd have to learn how to talk to girls, right? To get a mate? Even if Keoyi was older and all. "Uhm. Not really...?"  

[- Mynsed -]

Keoyi smiled her rare smile that was reserved only for cubs. That was well, perhaps she should invite him along. She was only able to gather herbs from the garden but now she had to search in the woods and thickets for those found only in the wild. "Would you mind helping me with today's chore?" she asked. Not that she didn't need any help but inviting the cub along would give her an excuse to mother hen. And perhaps she could send him off with a few treats for himself and his sister.