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 Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 9:06 am
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It had been a long journey since the pair had left Malkia and Tabani behind near the Mwezi'Johari. Kiwi himself had felt the parting to be a bit bittersweet - the golden lady had always been kind to him even for a pride that was, well, full of religious zealots for lack of a better way to phrase it. Leaving her behind, especially with that smooth-talking creep, always made his heart a bit heavy. Luckily, this time, the purpose she had given him was enough to make him forget whatever worries he had for her.
"I think we are nearly there, Lamia," he said gently, casting his eyes sidelong to the female whose face was always grinning. If it weren't for the small furrow of her eyebrows he might have never known what she was actually thinking. She really didn't know what a clever trick her father's gift, as he had learned during there journey, was to her.
"Truly?" the furrow of her brows lifted as she brought her eyes up to study the looming peak in the distance and the rocky landscape littered around the base of the structure. With each step of their journey, her anxiety had turned from fluttering butterflies to a hive of bees that battered the inside of her ribcage but she could not deny the excitement that it brought too. "But that means you're leaving soon, right?"
Kiwi paused next to her as she stopped dead in her tracks, wishing he had some better news for her. She was such a gentle thing. He truly hoped the demons did not chew her up and spit out her bones but, too, he knew this was their best shot.
"Lamia, we have been through this, I can't -" his words died on his jaws as his gaze shifted from the dark female's face, past it, to a figure sitting in the shade of a rock. If it weren't for the bright mane that surrounded his face, the smaller male might not have noticed. Seeing his hesitance, Lamia whipped her head in that direction as well, curious.
All Kiwi could do was bow his head, polite and non-threatening. Was this someone that could help her?
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 2:44 pm
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Qual watched from his shady spot as the duo walked together, speaking quietly to one another. One was a lioness for certain and the other he originally thought was a small lion, but upon closer inspection he realized something was off. He had a mane, certainly, but his tail was much thicker and didn't end in a tuft. Hmm...
It was then that he was spotted by the green male and both turned to look at him. He gave them a wide grin and pulled himself to his feet as the female grinned back and the male lowered his head a bit. Qual didn't feel the least bit threatened, not even as he approached and realized just how many teeth the dark lioness had.
"Good afternoon, travelers," he said in a smooth, cheerful voice. "I'd like you both to know that you're approaching the border of my home and it wouldn't be wise for you to walk in without knowing where you're going. I'm Qual, an...ambassador of sorts." As he shifted his gaze from the green male back to the black female it dawned on him that the rather intimidating grin was, in fact, a rather stunning marking rather than an actual grimace. His eyes widened marginally in delight, appreciating the grim beauty of it all.
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Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2018 7:56 am
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As the lion drew closer, the leopon did his very best not to appear too uneasy for Lamia's sake. This was about finding her somewhere that she felt she belonged and if he had learned anything during their travels together, it was absolutely that she always feared the worst in others. It made him sad for her, to know why she reacted that way, but he supposed that it had simply been her life.
"Good Afternoon," he managed as politely as possible even his muscles were pulled taught, "we have.. actually come seeking your home. Or rather, my companion here has."
Lamia hesitated and then, finally, pulled her maw into a true smile. Although the other male's eyes had lingered a tad too long, he did not seem taken aback by her presence. She dipped her head politely, spurred forward by the solid foundation of Kiwi's resolve.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Qual, I am Lamia. I've.. come to see if, perhaps, um.." she hesitated, throwing her eyes nervously at her bright companion, suddenly uncertain how to ask if she could just walk into a pride and call it home. "Well, I just wanted to see if maybe.. I might not be so.."
She couldn't do it. At last she simply turned her head and looked at Kiwi with that smile of hers slipping and her brows drown down into a furrow of frustration and nerves. Oh, but his heart did ache for her.
"What my beautiful friend is trying to ask is if you would consider bringing her to your pride. We have come a very long way to see if she might belong here."
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Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2018 11:39 am
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Once Qual managed to tear his gaze from the female, he sized up the male once more. Finally it clicked - a hybrid. A lion for certain and perhaps...a leopard? He was too stocky to be part cheetah, that was for sure. Qual wrinkled his nose as the thought of a lion and a leopard mating before deciding it wasn't important to worry about. The female was speaking and oh, she was so adorable!
As the leopon clarified what was being asked, Qual gave a low chuckle and moved towards the lioness, ignoring the hybrid openly. Now that he knew what was bringing them here he would devote his full attention to Lamia, not only because she was gorgeous but because it was his job to recruit new members to the pride, It was a win-win for him, really.
"Oh, I would more than consider it. Lamia, if you wish to join us here all you need to do is follow me. I will be happy to bring someone as lovely as yourself to your new home." While none of the demons he knew here were marked like her, he did know her appearance would go over smashingly. He'd have to play his cards right if he hoped to keep her attention on him.
"May I ask what made you seek us out?"
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Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 6:02 pm
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Qual kept his gaze on Lamia, cornflower blue eyes taking in every bit of her body language. She was nervous, that much was clear, and it seemed she used the hybrid as a sort of crutch. She'd have to become a bit more confident in herself if she wanted to thrive here, but he was sure that given time and the proper guidance that wouldn't be an issue.
A laugh left him as she spoke, powerful but not cruel. She was right in calling him out on his eagerness and perhaps he should have played his cards a bit closer to his chest.
"It's not every day I see someone as stunning as you, my dear," he said, deciding to just be honest about his delight with her markings. "You might want to anticipate appreciative stares. Markings like that are quite enticing here." Her colors were spot-on for the pride as well, dark red and greys and blacks. All she was missing was a little gold and she'd be about as 'royal' as he was in terms of coloration if not of rank.
"If you're ready I can bring you in," he offered, still ignoring Koya. He had no time for the hybrid and didn't want to have to chase him off. Hopefully he'd just leave.
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Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 6:28 pm
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A nervous laugh fell from Lamia's lips because she was uncertain of what to say in the face of such bold, open appreciation. If her fur had not been so dark she was certain he would have seen the heat she felt crawling up her face. Just like that, if only for the briefest of moments, she forgot about the crutch she had been using for the past several weeks.
And he knew.
A pang pulsed in Koya's chest as he realized just how okay she was clearly going to be here, peculiar pride or not. He took a few steps backward and away from the pair but did not quite turn away to leave just yet. He knew he couldn't linger; these lands were not a place for him by any stretch of the imagination.
"I'll try," he heard her say, more clear and bold than she had before. It made him smile and as he did, their eyes connected.
If you're ready.. the demon's words echoed in her ears and she knew, looking in Koya's face, that she would never be more ready in that moment. The grin on her fur stretched wider as she pulled her own firmly into place. She could feel the bittersweetness of the moment and a chasm opened in her chest that she knew would ache. They were a lot alike, she and her hybrid friend, but there was more eagerness than fear settling over her now.
"I suppose there's no reason to wait. This is what I came for," she offered, finally, and pulled her eyes back to Qual's.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 7:26 pm
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Those brilliant eyes followed Qual as he slid his tail beneath her chin and stalked forward, so confident and sure of himself that it had settled over his being like a second pelt. There was a moment of envy for that before she shot one last, careful look in her companion's direction. For a wonder, he was smiling.
"Go on," he mouthed before dipping his head in a polite goodbye, backing away a few steps as he did. It hurt a little too much to stay and watch her leave so he didn't - with a smile on his face, he tore his eyes away and turned, stalking away from her as surely as the demon was in the opposite direction.
Caught in the middle of familiarity and hope, Lamia felt herself rooted as sure as a tree. Her mind was abuzz with a dozen what-ifs that were too easy to stay and dwell over, to fret about and asses over and over and over again. She turned her head to follow the sight of Qual as he took a few steps and tossed her a knowing grin.
No, there was no hope left on the safe path; she had run that one to a dead end.
With her breath caught between her teeth, the lioness turned her cheshire's grin toward the male and the pride that lay beyond him - it was time to put her hope in the unknown for once.
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Another day, another stint at the border. Qual had grown since his last recruitment attempt - which had actually gone quite well! - and he felt far more confident in his abilities to draw others in now than he had been before. He hadn't ventured far from the pride since that outing, though, and he was starting to get that itch that drew him to the border. Peering out to the horizon he could just make out two shapes moving in his direction and he wondered if they were travelers seeking the pride out or simply two rogues wandering aimlessly. If the wind was blowing right they'd be able to smell the pride long before they came upon it, but it was fairly still today.
