[PRP] Early Mornings (Ayize x Budek)

[RuIerr]

It was morning and Ayize was still blinking the sleep from her eyes as she rose from her position beneath a rather large, craggy rock upon the plateau - the perfect shelter for a good night of rest. The old lioness got up slowly, feeling her bones creak like they always seemed to these days. She tried to avoid thinking about the dream she'd just cut off by opening her eyes, but it was difficult not to mull on the feelings of loneliness it had drudged up. Reluctantly, she looked around, hoping for someone to speak with. She hadn't seen her blood sister, Sitala, in some days and wondered idly if she'd be able to seek her out for a sit down.

Unwilling to go to such lengths having just woken up, the lioness instead padded out to the edge of the plateau, looking over the desert that lead to the Motoujamii lands. She scowled, seeing a lone scorpion skitter about, realizing she should probably get on checking the rock formation for critters like scorpions and snakes while she had the time. Turning back around, Ayize started sniffing under the rocks, checking in their nooks and crannies for the nasty little buggers.

 

[RuIerr]

Ayize had been sniffing under a rock when she heard a voice. Her ears flicked and her head snapped up, catching sight of a pale male with a thick, deep red mane. A deep conservative, the mane was always the first place she looked when meeting a new male. You could tell a lot from its color, she believed - the darker the better, after all. Sliding her gaze to his bi-colored eyes, she realized she recognized this male as one of the current Inselele. It was a position of honor considering it displayed a great amount of strength on the part of the male.

Dipping her head slightly in a show of reverence, the old lioness smiled and gestured her nose towards the rocks. "Early morning I like to check for snakes and scorpions - I don't want those little buggers running around and sneaking up on others. Besides, it gives this old lady something to do other than hunt and search for water." Remembering herself, she added, "Ayize, by the way. And you are...? My memory fails me, although I do believe I knew your name once upon a moon," she finished with a sad smile.

AstoriaFallen

 

[RuIerr]

"Ahhh, that explains it. Newer blood to the rank," she observed with a smile. She was sure she'd heard his name pass through the pride when he'd initially earned the rank several moons back, but her memory apparently wasn't as good as it used to be. She was surprised when the male decided to join her in this rather boring task, but happily accepted the help. "The snakes are easy - if you just pin them down with your one paw near enough to their head," she she quickly used her left paw to mimic pinning down a small snake, "You can easily sink your teeth in and kill them rather quickly. The ones that hang around here, well, haven't been poisonous to kill thus far." She shrugged. "The scorpions... I guess it's more scaring them off than anything. Though that can be tough, they really don't take well to surprises." Ayize scrunched up her nose, thinking of their terrifying stingers. It wasn't a fun task, but she relished getting to contribute ever more to the welfare of the pride in any way she could.

AstoriaFallen

 

[RuIerr]

Ayize's ears flicked and she turned in time to catch Budek crushing a scorpion underneath a rock. The sight oddly made her feel very satisfied, and she couldn't stop herself from saying "Nice," under her breath. "Uh..." she shrugged, bringing her nose up from the ground. 'I don't think so..."

At the mention of food, Ayize visibly perked up. Although she hadn't been snuffing out the lives of lesser critters for long, she also hadn't gotten to eat breakfast yet. She was quite hungry. "That," she said with a smile, "sounds like a wonderful idea." She stood up straighter and glanced about, sending her gaze back to Budek. "Lead the way?"

AstoriaFallen

 

[RuIerr]

At his offer, Ayize's face visibly brightened. Although she'd never had the desire to leave the boundaries of the Bonelands, it was the fascination of every eternally-pridal lion and lioness what lay beyond. With a role that kept her mostly within the outer limits of the pridelands, it was unsurprising that she was so curious about life in the beyond. Turning to Budek, she smiled. "I'd love to hear about your travels! I'm an old lioness, born here in the Bonelands, so I can't consume enough tales of the outside. Although I don't wish to see it - hearing about it does wonders for me." Her grin was toothy and a bit sagging, a result of her age showing in her face. "Is this the first pride you find yourself apart of?" she asked curiously.

AstoriaFallen