[PRP] Welcome to the Desert (Huolongmai x Onwa/'Maini)

[mouselet]

Onwa’ohuru was not as cheery as usual. She’d been out in the middle of the day in summer before, but for some reason it was far warmer in the desert than it ever had been in the Mwezi’Johari. For the first time, she entertained a doubt about her decision to accompany Matumaini. But only one doubt. After all, ‘Maini was Low Class and he should have someone from any higher class to protect him from the Great Lion’s displeasure.

Someone should fix the desert to avoid Onwa’s displeasure though.

“Please tell me it cools down,” the lioness muttered.




‘Maini smiled at his friend. He was glad she’d insisted on coming, if only to be present as a friend. Not that they hadn’t become familiar with the Firekin who’d guided them, but none had really become more than acquaintances. So when the two saw Huolongmai, it seemed a good opportunity.

“Happy to be home?” the white lion asked as they came near the red lioness. As a conversation starter, it probably left a fair bit to be desired. But he didn’t want to be rude. And while Onwa wasn’t at her happiest today, ‘Maini figured he could keep her from offending too many people.  

[mouselet]

"I think we're still learning our way around your pride," Matumaini replied for both of them after a glance at Onwa'ohuru who had taken advantage of Huolongmai's unspoken invitation to lie down in the shade. "But I hope we can learn every bit as much as you did in our pride."

"So far the biggest difference, I think, is the weather," the white lion added.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sand is everywhere," Onwa muttered as she lay down. The lioness let 'Maini carry the bulk of the conversation for the time being as she knew she wasn't comfortable enough to keep the most civil tongue in her head. Besides, it was a good partnership they had. She protected him from the consequences of a Slave out on his own, and he kept her from offending the touchy red lions.

"It's wholly possible that, if we stay here long enough, this may seem like home," the black lioness observed.  

[mouselet]

"I had noticed that there seemed to be less and less water as we came closer," the white lion replied after a moment of thought. He hadn't realized that the substance was so incredibly vital that an entire rank was devoted to finding it. That was different, and certainly important to know.

"If you're anything to go by, the Motoujamii is quite welcoming," 'Maini told Huolongmai.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The black lioness made a face as their hostess mentioned the possibility of dehydration but didn't comment. The idea was unpleasant to contemplate, but obviously the red lioness wouldn't feel it necessary to mention if it wasn't a risk.

"We haven't been here very long," Onwa observed. "I'll hope we're as comfortable here as you were in the Mwezi'Johari." But only time will tell, the lioness finished to herself. Everything was so very different.  

[mouselet]

“Prickly, is it?” Onwa asked. “Let’s just hope none of them are psychopathic regicides then, now shall we?” She might not have been alive for it, but her pride’s past had shaped her life as well as that of her best friend. After all, his mother wouldn’t otherwise be Queen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Onwa!” Matumaini was horrified that she’d say such a thing out loud and to their friend and hostess. The white lion jabbed at the black lioness with a paw, though it wasn’t more than a touch, not even the fear of a bruise. Embarrassed, he looked up at Huolongmai.

“I’m so sorry, she’s just out of sorts because of the heat,” he apologized on Onwa’s behalf. Hopefully the Firekin lioness would overlook what his friend had actually said.  

[mouselet]

“They say one of the first things he did was force everyone to be nocturnal” Onwa mused aloud softly. That sounded rather appealing at the moment. “I could learn to hate the sun,” the lioness continued at a more normal volume. “But I suppose it would be rude to hold that against you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some days Matumaini wished he could just clamp down on Onwa’ohuru’s muzzle until she stopped talking. The black lioness had a bad habit sometimes of saying whatever thoughts came into her mind. It wasn’t the most diplomatic trait, and probably why her insistence on accompanying him to the Firekin had been greeted with several raised eyebrows. Even so, that didn’t render her own arguements invalid, and ‘Maini was generally agreed to be equitable enough to cover for her in most instances.

“Onwa, shut up,” the white lion sighed. Turning to Huolongmai, he told the red lioness “don’t let her fool you, nothing stops her for long.” As he had reason to know. So many reasons. Sometimes Onwa reminded him of a loving, if annoying, sister. But at least he had that familiarity in this strange desert.  

[mouselet]

“A bit of attitude? Oh, do you think we have what it takes?” the dark lioness asked her friend, eyes sparkling in the sunlight. She completely ignored his boldly stated request for her silence as was her usual wont. If ‘Maini wanted Onwa to be quiet, he’d have to work a whole lot harder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I think we have that,” the white lion sighed again as Onwa showed her flagrant disregard for sense as per usual. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t get us in trouble. After all, we’re guests here and we don’t want to cause trouble.” The last five words were spoken with emphasis and Matumaini had glared in his friend’s direction.

She, of course, blatantly ignored him once again.

“I suppose we’ll just have to wander around and see what the daily life of the Motoujamii is like,” he concluded.