[PRP Crossover Suzat/Iknimaya] 3. Among Friends

[SilverLutz]

Twilight was edging closer when one of the Herders trotted up to Arkani who had been waiting for the message to come. The lions from the Iknimaya pride we’re on their way and the Herders had been told to relay the message through Northfarthing so Arkani and Yepa would know when to head out to meet them. Faramir had agreed to wait at the spot the better part of the day so the travelers wouldn’t show up to no Hobbits to greet them. Now, though, they were in the pride’s reaches.

“All right, Yepa. That’s our cue,” Arkani said, motioning to the lioness to join him.

“Lead the way,” the blue lioness said with a soft smile. She had grown up within the pride and knew nothing but the gently rolling hills of the Suzat and when Arkani had approached her to ask if she’d be willing to be a part of a marriage with an allied pride due to the lack of his own heirs she’d been honored. Yepa wasn’t anyone terribly important in the pride so the fact that the Thain had sought her out made her feel special.

Together the duo headed into Northfarthing, traveling quickly as the sun slowly set. As it reached the tips of the mountains to the west Yepa and Arkani spotted the caravan of blue and a speck of grey and peach among them - Faramir.

“Greetings, my friends,” Arkani called out as they drew closer to the meeting spot. “I hope your travels were uneventful.”

Yepa remained quiet for the time being, her eyes darting over the slim lions before her. Now she could see why Arkani had chosen her - her own pelt seemed to fit perfectly with theirs.

“Welcome back, Tuktirey,” the Thain said as he approached the visiting lioness, a warm smile on his muzzle as he gave her an affectionate head bump. “And to all the new comers, the Suzat welcome you whole heartedly. What is ours is yours and I hope you’ll make yourselves at home during your stay.”

AstoriaFallen

 

[SilverLutz]

Arkani smiled broadly at the weary travelers, making eye contact with each in turn for just a moment, nodding his head in greeting. As Tuktirey introduced him to her immediate family he stepped forward just a bit, lowering his head in a bow to Ila'Tahni respectfully. He was very grateful both of the leaders of their ally had come to visit and he hoped their pride would be in good paws without them there.

As the youths were introduced Arkani turned his attention to them in turn, first to Seze to whom he returned the bow, and then to Sayrip. He was still young, not quite grown into his mane and still lanky and lean, even for an Iknimaya lion. There was uncertainty there but that was to be expected. It wasn't every day you left your home and family to come to a strange new pride and marry a lioness you've never seen before.

The language was strange to Arkani but he smiled all the same before turning his gaze back to the leaders.

"The same goes for you," he said jovially. "I'm honored that you and so many of your pride came this long way to be here with us. There's plenty of room and food for all of you to stay as long as you'd like after the celebration." Turning, he motioned for Yepa to step forward.

"This is Yepa," he said as the blue lioness joined him. "Her family lineage traces back farther than I care to track," he chuckled, leaving Yepa to smile softly as she bowed respectfully to the rulers.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," she murmured as she lifted her gaze, her eyes first settling on Tuktirey. Though she had no cubs of her own, Yepa was very maternal and knew it would be hard for the other female to see her son stay here with relative strangers. She hoped they could all build a strong bond before the other lions left to return home. She then turned her gaze to her future mate, Sayrip. He was young - still not quite an adult but nearly there from the look of things - and she could tell her was nervous. She gave him a soft smile and a little bob of her head as well, a bit of nervousness on her own face. Yepa had never expected to be approached by Arkani and to be asked to wed for alliance purposes, but she was happy to help her pride in any way she could.

"Hello, Sayrip," she said gently. "It's nice to finally meet you."

As Yepa's attention shifted from Tuktirey to Sayrip, Arkani moved a bit closer to the leaders of the other pride.

"Come, let's continue the journey. There isn't much farther to walk and warm dens with fresh food and water await you."

AstoriaFallen

 

[SilverLutz]

"I do hope our accommodations are sufficient," Arkani went on as he led the group through Northfarthing. They still had a little ways to walk but conversation would make it go by quicker. "If there's anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable don't hesitate to ask." He knew these lions came from a very different area of the world with lush jungles and trees everywhere so he assumed being in a place so open might make them feel a bit vulnerable. The Suzat weren't a pride that trained to fight, but despite the openness of Northfarthing, they were probably the safest here. Herders doubled as guards and they were typically a pretty sturdy bunch.

Yepa gave a soft smile as Sayrip lifted his head, trying to represent his pride and his family well. He was young still bu nearly fully grown, his mane coming in nicely. Hopefully they'd be able to build a bond together that extended further than simply a marriage for an alliance. Yepa wouldn't mind if their relationship was more symbolic than anything, but she had always hoped to find someone to spend her days with. This wasn't the manner in which she'd envisioned it happening but perhaps Sayrip truly was someone she could grow to love.

"Was your journey uneventful?" she asked, deciding to walk with him rather than peeling away to be on her own. If she wanted a positive relationship to build she needed to start now and, being the older of the two, she took it up as her responsibility to make the young prince feel welcomed and like he'd have at least one friendly face here in the pride. She was positive he'd make friends given how welcoming and friendly the Suzat were as a whole, of course.  

[SilverLutz]

"Good, good. There will be a feast tomorrow to welcome you and your traveling party, as well as young Sayrip," Arkani went on as they all headed slowly for the main area of the pride. A few Herders watched the group as they moved through Northfarthing and Arkani periodically nodded to them or gave a little roar of greeting, to which the lions would return the wave or call.

"Tonight, though, you all will have whatever you'd like to eat and rest. I'm sure the journey has made your paws weary." As hospitable as the Suzat were, Arakni knew the value of recouping with familiar faces. His Hobbits would be curious about the lanky lions that had joined them but they would just have to wait until tomorrow to meet them all properly.

Yepa, despite keeping her focus on the young male, could feel another set of eyes on her. She glanced behind them and spotted Seze and gave her a little smile before the younger lioness glanced away again. As nervous as Yepa was to make a good impression and prove to the Navi that she was a worthy mate for their son, she could only imagine how Sayrip and the rest of them must feel. This was far different from their home and he would be leaving his family behind to stay here.

Sayrip's question made Yepa focus again and she gave a soft hum before answering.

"Oh, this and that. I mostly stay in the center of the pride and help when it's needed, whether the Farmers are bringing crops out to Northfarthing or the iboga harvest requires a few more paws. Although now I suppose I'm something of an ambassador as well." She wondered if they'd ever venture to the Navi lands and she had to admit she was excited at the prospect of it. Perhaps if cubs were in their future they'd make a trip once they were old enough to visit their father's home.

"And you? Did you do anything back in your pride?" Or was the son of the leader expected to grow up to take his parents place?  

[SilverLutz]

As they neared the heart of the pride, Arkani could see curious eyes watching from the gently rolling hills that the dens were housed in. Surely there would be lots of excitement and whispers tonight, but tomorrow everyone would get to meet their new allies and friendships would certainly be formed. For now he knew there were a few Hobbits standing by to lead their weary travelers to their temporary homes, dens where food was already waiting for them. He'd also stationed a few Hobbits to lead them to the water sources should they need them during the night.

"And you shall have plenty of both. We will celebrate soon, but for now, rest and recover. Make yourselves at home. If you need help, there are plenty of Hobbits around that are willing to do so if you can't find myself or Faramir. If you follow this path the dens will be around the bend." He nodded in the direction they should continue to walk in, stopping to ensure the whole group made their way safely without getting lost.

Yepa gave a soft hum as Sayrip spoke, wondering what it was like to have the possibility of ruling a pride hanging over your head in your youth. She supposed that wasn't a problem he faced now, though being an ambassador of sorts was certainly a daunting task in its own right, especially since he had to leave everything he knew to live here.

She noticed the group of lions continuing down the path to the free dens and she paused, not wanting to follow. They all deserved a rest and she was sure Sayrip would want to spend as much time with his family as he could.

"It all sounds so interesting," she said honestly, her tone kind. "I look forward to hearing more about your pride, Sayrip, and I do hope you'll rest well tonight. Until tomorrow." Together the Hobbits watched the lanky lions as they made their way around the bed in the path, only retiring to their own dens once they were sure they were safely tucked away for the night.