A reaver, midway through his journey of rising up through the ranks towards becoming a captain (as long as everything stayed on track and went according to plan) decided his schedule for the day should entail a solo scouting mission into the rogue lands for an idea of where to go and what to do next. And it was often his habit and preference of just spending a little bit of time alone. White his white mane fluttering in the slight salty breeze and his steel gray eyes scanning the horizon, he treaded slowly. He would save his energy in case he needed it, but he did not come out to the rogue lands for a fight. There was always the fighting pits if he really needed them, anyway.
However, he did not notice he was being followed. A thrall, bright and boldly orange, made up a flimsy excuse and trailed behind the reaver. She already had a master (whom she hated albeit mostly on principal alone) and she was not interested in this male for any specific reason, really she had hardly ever seen him around the pride's territories, but she was fascinated by his freedom. To get to leave the pride of her own free will and return whenever she wanted- if she even wanted to return, that is... It was something that had become strange to the lioness. She had not been born in the Jini-msemi before their home in the swamps was burnt down in a massive and engulfing blaze, but when they had already staked their claim in the mountains, and she did not even get to finish growing up there- she had been out on her name quest (the same journey that all adolescents in the pride traditionally had and were supposed to take) when a massive landslide (was there an earthquake, too?) destroyed that sanctuary of theirs, too. Bhaya and one of her 12 other siblings, Dhikkara, were together when they got the news, and they sullenly roamed the rogue lands, convinced their family was lost forever. But the fates are mysterious- and when they were kidnapped into the Stormborn pride as Thralls, they found one of their sisters, Kali, was there as well. Hopefully other things would improve, too, and they could be free. Dhikkara (the well meaning fool) had already had a litter with another slave of 9 cubs. Bhaya did not like thinking about more of her family being born into slavery, but she did not discuss it with her brother (and he had not even been in love with her mother! she found that odd, too).
By now, they had spent more of their lives as slaves than anything else, and she just wanted to pretend- even for an afternoon- that she was free again.
Hayato also seemed to have very poor luck throughout his life. Maybe the stars just had not aligned for things to go well for him in this life, he could not say for certain, but things certainly could have been better for sure. He had almost married his half-sister (in his defense they were both from different prides originally and took after their mothers- not their shared father) before he had to abandon the only home he had known out of shame, guilt and anxiety. Since then, he had not known another home, truly trusted another soul, or really had a peaceful night of sleep. He would join another pride eventually, he told himself, but the black and blue lion had found himself on the border of a few different prides' territories and had yet to receive any kind of warm welcome (really they were not the least bit welcoming so far), so he had kept wandering.
Today the air smelled a little bit more of salt and the slight breeze in the air felt just a little bit cooler, and he wondered how far he had wandered. As he padded along, he noticed a stark white mane making its way seemingly right for him. He slowed down with anxiety, then tried to quicken his pace, like maybe it just looked like they were on a collision course and if he walked fast enough they would just pass by one another harmlessly enough, but his racing thoughts must have confused his feet, and he stumbled a bit and before he knew it the blue and white lion was upon him.
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"Hello!" Yleva called out to the traveler.
"It's a-" he almost said 'good day to die,' as was the traditional greeting of the Stormborn, but he knew better than to say that to an outsider- they usually found it quite off-putting, and Yleva could tell at a glance that this black and blue lion was no Stormborn.
"Nice day, isn't it?" He slowed once he reached the other lion and stopped, but did not sit the way he might have if he was speaking to a lion he knew and trusted.
"I'm Yleva, a Reaver of the Stormborn."
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"I-I'm... My name is Hayato... And who is she?" Hayato asked, nervously, nodding at the orange spot that had finally caught up to them. It appeared to jolt like it was startled to have been mentioned, and it hunched down a little lower.
Yleva followed Hayato's gaze, confused.
"I'm not sure...
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With her head hanging low and her bright green forelock covering her deep, pink eyes, she sulked closer, disappointed to have been outed and only now realizing there could be very harsh consequences for her actions.
"I'm, uh, I'm Bhaya... I'm from the same pride as him." She jerked her head towards Yleva but without looking at either lion. She was a goner now, right? Or maybe they would let her live at a great price... She had seen a few thralls almost disfigured by the treatment of their masters, or at least evidence of punishment for trying to escape.
"I wasn't trying to escape, though!" She blurted out, and the males' confused expressions just left her lost, too. Didn't the blue male Reaver know she was a thrall? Had she said too much? Missed a chance to escape?!
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Hayato looked from the lion to the lioness slowly. ...Escape? He took a couple of steps backwards, feeling his heart pound. Was he in danger of whatever fate befell this lioness that she was under suspicion of trying to escape? He stumbled over a loose root but tried to play it cool.
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Yleva searched her face for meaning. He recognized her as a pride member, but her nieces and nephews (not that he knew their relation) seemed more familiar to him. He had to assume she was a thrall, from what she was saying. He frowned, but was just deep in thought.
"Would you excuse us for a second, Hayato?" He asked, and the black male nodded. Yleva ignored the new distance between them.
"It's only natural to want to stretch your legs and take in the sights just outside the pride, Bhaya, but it is dangerous out here..." He tilted his head and she nodded, but still avoided his gaze.
"Well I'm afraid it seems we have to cut our introduction short, Hayato, I should take Bhaya back to the pride's safety; but if you ever feel inclined to return to our lands or try joining, you may ask for me if you have questions or would like to challenge." He gave a polite smile.
"Are you alright?" He looked at the orange lioness- she appeared to be shaking but didn't acknowledge him beyond another stiff nod. He pursed his lips in concern.
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Bhaya's dark pink eyes peered at Hayato from under her mane. Her look was fearful and pleading. Yleva had not turned wrathful, but what if he was waiting until they were back home? Her ears laid flat against her head and she started sulking back the way they had come from. Her little jaunt- so short lived and probably the only chance she'd get to do something like that... Her heart was heavy.
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"O-oh, okay," Hayato said and kept walking backwards, "I'll be sure to look you up." He waited until the pairs' backs were turned and set off quickly in the opposite direction. It had been the first invitation to join a pride that he had gotten since striking out on his own, but it was not one he intended to take.
the end
word count: 1,401 words
word count: 1,401 words