Just having left what was now her former, er, lover, Kayitz sheepishly approached what she could tell was the border of the peace-loving Bahari that Tethys had described. She was a bit hesitant to head towards their lands, but she figured a friendly pride was a good place to start in search of the pieces of her family. Armed with a single flower clutched between her teeth, she sought out the nearest lion to inquire as to their whereabouts. It didn't seem like there was much of a patrol happening between the rogue lands and the Bahari lands, so it appeared that Tethys had been correct in pegging them a friendly group of lions, all too happy to have well-meaning visitors. She can't imagine they were great defense against visitors like Tethys himself, but that was another story altogether.
Opochtli didn't mean to be near the border, he simply ended up there. Slowly, he meandered about, looking for some small critter that he might be able to bring back to the pride. In truth, he was doing his best to avoid thinking further about the future of the pride. They were in a sort of tatters and would need a lot of energy to keep things moving forward, but as he heard it, this was nothing they hadn't needed to do before. Each time, the Bahari'mtoto lived to thrive again. It wasn't long before encountered a pretty lioness with bad posture; she seemed to shrink into herself as if she thought she shouldn't be there. By the straightness of her fur, he could tell she hadn't been to the sea before. So, he decided to greet her. "Hello there!" Opochtli called, launching into a run to meet her. "Opochtli, current Bahari'mtoto ambassador," he said with a slight duck of his head. "How do you do?"
Soon enough, Kayitz found herself the subject of another lion's gaze, this time a big blue one with fluffy, kinky fur that immediately ran up to greet her. In contrast to the lion she had just spent some time with, this one was immediately warm and welcoming. Although Tethys had been welcoming and, in the end, quite warm, this one had a youthful, exuberant air about him. Smiling, Kayitz dropped the flower at her feet, suddenly feeling awkward and unsure what to do with herself. She couldn't exactly explain the reason for her pithy bouquet, as that would betray that she knew Tethys, something that she was sure would get her run out of the pride without any answers, regardless of how nice this fellow, Opochtli, seemed. "Greetings," she said, "My name is Kayitz, and thank you for welcoming me to your pride. You have beautiful lands here, truly," she stated, figuring being complimentary might help her on her mission.
At the compliment, the big blue male grinned. "Why, thank you!" He took a lot of pride in growing up in this beautiful wonderland called the Bahari, and it was always lovely when others (particularly rogues, whom he expected saw much more of the world than he) recognized what incredible lands they had to call their own. It really was an incredible place to both grow and remain; he was ever thankful that he was born here. Remembering himself, Opochtli inquired, "Might I help you, or are you just passing through? We recently, ah, encountered a bit of trouble with some... rogueish fellows, so I don't suggest wandering too deep for fear of, ah, attracting the wrong kind of attention. That is, if that's your intent - to wander." He grinned, hoping he seemed both helpful and kind, regardless of his eerie warning.
The immediate offer of help came unexpected to the older lioness, but she accepted it graciously. "Actually..." she paused, not quite sure what to ask. "I'm looking for my family. I uh..." her face screwed up a bit as she wondered where to start. "Honestly, I'm not quite sure where they are. But I was wondering if you'd had anyone pass through recently, or even join I suppose, that might look like me?" It was a total stab in the dark, but it was always worth a shot.
Opochtli cocked his head a bit, squaring his shoulders as he allowed his gaze to slide over the female, checking out her coloring and her markings. Pursing his lips, he shook his head. "Like I said, we recently had some unwelcome visitors, but none that looked like you. Other than that, I can't think of anyone, really..." he trailed off, wondering what other information he could gather that might be able to help. "Would you happen to have names?"
"Of course!" The lioness exclaimed, happy that Opochtli seemed eager to help. The younger they were, the happier they were to have interaction, it would seem. "My sisters - Malkia, Ahava, and Karnia - all look relatively like me." She watched as the lion shook his head, not recalling any of those names. "What about..." she thought for a minute. "I have two cubs. I mean, they're... full-grown now, but ah... Zawadi, she's all black with brilliant purple and pink eyes, hard to miss, and Alki, big and tan, he has bright pink eyes like mine. Would they ring any bells?" She doubted either of her offspring ended up oceanside, but it was, again, a shot.
Opochtli made a small show of thinking for a moment, but he knew he'd remember the eyes she described. Her own were a shocking shade of pink - a shade he knew he'd recall if he'd ever seen it. "I'm sorry, miss, but I'm afraid they don't. But ah, feel free to check out the lands if you like - if anyone gives you trouble, just tell them Opochtli gave you the okay." He flashed a big smile and spoke once more before heading off, "I wish you the best of luck, Kayitz. I really do."
And with that, Kayitz was back at square one. What would she do next? Start pride-hopping until she found a clue? What if they were all still rogues, content on living without the purpose a pride provided? She sighed and thanked the lion before turning tail and walking back from whence she came, feeling more hopeless than ever.
(WC: 1,040)
Opochtli didn't mean to be near the border, he simply ended up there. Slowly, he meandered about, looking for some small critter that he might be able to bring back to the pride. In truth, he was doing his best to avoid thinking further about the future of the pride. They were in a sort of tatters and would need a lot of energy to keep things moving forward, but as he heard it, this was nothing they hadn't needed to do before. Each time, the Bahari'mtoto lived to thrive again. It wasn't long before encountered a pretty lioness with bad posture; she seemed to shrink into herself as if she thought she shouldn't be there. By the straightness of her fur, he could tell she hadn't been to the sea before. So, he decided to greet her. "Hello there!" Opochtli called, launching into a run to meet her. "Opochtli, current Bahari'mtoto ambassador," he said with a slight duck of his head. "How do you do?"
Soon enough, Kayitz found herself the subject of another lion's gaze, this time a big blue one with fluffy, kinky fur that immediately ran up to greet her. In contrast to the lion she had just spent some time with, this one was immediately warm and welcoming. Although Tethys had been welcoming and, in the end, quite warm, this one had a youthful, exuberant air about him. Smiling, Kayitz dropped the flower at her feet, suddenly feeling awkward and unsure what to do with herself. She couldn't exactly explain the reason for her pithy bouquet, as that would betray that she knew Tethys, something that she was sure would get her run out of the pride without any answers, regardless of how nice this fellow, Opochtli, seemed. "Greetings," she said, "My name is Kayitz, and thank you for welcoming me to your pride. You have beautiful lands here, truly," she stated, figuring being complimentary might help her on her mission.
At the compliment, the big blue male grinned. "Why, thank you!" He took a lot of pride in growing up in this beautiful wonderland called the Bahari, and it was always lovely when others (particularly rogues, whom he expected saw much more of the world than he) recognized what incredible lands they had to call their own. It really was an incredible place to both grow and remain; he was ever thankful that he was born here. Remembering himself, Opochtli inquired, "Might I help you, or are you just passing through? We recently, ah, encountered a bit of trouble with some... rogueish fellows, so I don't suggest wandering too deep for fear of, ah, attracting the wrong kind of attention. That is, if that's your intent - to wander." He grinned, hoping he seemed both helpful and kind, regardless of his eerie warning.
The immediate offer of help came unexpected to the older lioness, but she accepted it graciously. "Actually..." she paused, not quite sure what to ask. "I'm looking for my family. I uh..." her face screwed up a bit as she wondered where to start. "Honestly, I'm not quite sure where they are. But I was wondering if you'd had anyone pass through recently, or even join I suppose, that might look like me?" It was a total stab in the dark, but it was always worth a shot.
Opochtli cocked his head a bit, squaring his shoulders as he allowed his gaze to slide over the female, checking out her coloring and her markings. Pursing his lips, he shook his head. "Like I said, we recently had some unwelcome visitors, but none that looked like you. Other than that, I can't think of anyone, really..." he trailed off, wondering what other information he could gather that might be able to help. "Would you happen to have names?"
"Of course!" The lioness exclaimed, happy that Opochtli seemed eager to help. The younger they were, the happier they were to have interaction, it would seem. "My sisters - Malkia, Ahava, and Karnia - all look relatively like me." She watched as the lion shook his head, not recalling any of those names. "What about..." she thought for a minute. "I have two cubs. I mean, they're... full-grown now, but ah... Zawadi, she's all black with brilliant purple and pink eyes, hard to miss, and Alki, big and tan, he has bright pink eyes like mine. Would they ring any bells?" She doubted either of her offspring ended up oceanside, but it was, again, a shot.
Opochtli made a small show of thinking for a moment, but he knew he'd remember the eyes she described. Her own were a shocking shade of pink - a shade he knew he'd recall if he'd ever seen it. "I'm sorry, miss, but I'm afraid they don't. But ah, feel free to check out the lands if you like - if anyone gives you trouble, just tell them Opochtli gave you the okay." He flashed a big smile and spoke once more before heading off, "I wish you the best of luck, Kayitz. I really do."
And with that, Kayitz was back at square one. What would she do next? Start pride-hopping until she found a clue? What if they were all still rogues, content on living without the purpose a pride provided? She sighed and thanked the lion before turning tail and walking back from whence she came, feeling more hopeless than ever.
(WC: 1,040)