Ormr nudged Jin softly, the male's quiet pawsteps just enough for the female accompanything him to hear. They had travelled a pawful of days together, talking about their lives, about small things -- each trying to help the other better themself as they moved for the mountains carefully. Neither lion wanted to be caught by their prides -- because they didn't want ripped from one another's side, and neither wished to see the oither punished or harmed, and so, they moved, sleeping or eating or drinking as needed, but still keeping close. Safe. The company was well appreciated, the pair relishing the presence of the other as they did almost everything together, and today, well. They were close. Neither knew the location they were seeking, but some adventures suited the concept of not knowing, and so it was near the foothills that they sat to rest. Nobody had followed so far, and the pair was all but cuddled in together, admiring the scenery as they simply cuddled, enjoying one another in silence before Ormr rumbled.

"Would you like a story, Jin?" The male offered, voice soft and soothing. Jin nodded, looking to him with an eager expression.

"Of course. What kind are you thinking?" She asked. The male hummed thoughtfully, before nodding.

"Well, what kind do you want?" He asked. Jin considered.

"Something... Exciting." She responded. Ormr nodded, contemplating silently before a deep voice spoke from some shrubs, a lithe silver and brown cheetah merging with a calm, collected expression.

"Forgive my intrusion, but, if you might spare a meal, I might offer a tale." He offered. The pair startled, but the cheetah laughed warmly, shaking his head.

"Ah, no, no worries, I'm only passing by. My name is Zephirin, and I am a knight." He explained. Ormr nodded slowly, Jin looking confused.

"A knight?" Jin asked. Zephirin nodded, Ormr also tilting his head.

"We do like new stories..." Ormr admitted. He huddled against Jin, before nosing a Zebra haunch to Zephirin, the male smiling softly with gratitusw.

"A knight, my lady, lives in service of others. To protect, and to serve." He explained softly. "Although my paws are not so clean as others might be." Zephirin looked the lions in the face, allowing himself to memorize their features. They seemed so young, and the cheetah sighed softly, beginning.

"I lived in a cold clime as a cuyb, and was raised in a pride that saught to restore the glory of our goddess to the world. To do that, we saught to live free of sin, led by our priests. Or pride was born by the sacrifice of th3e saints, servants of the gods sent to purge the land of demons and dragons."

Immediately, Ormer shifted protectively, Jin huddling against the male warily as Zephirin watched both, sighing. Ormr watched with caution, a frown forming before Zephirin motioned.

"I don't hunt those. You see, my home's war dragged generations, long enoughthe last archbishop sought to return to us the tityle of king. To do this, he took the twelve best, in his eyes, knights. Pride members devout and loyal, and set to a plan with a dark lioness to purge what he thought was wickedness in the pride with his twelve knights. Only... When he rose, the pride was frightened, until those we once hunted came to our aid. They stopped him, and ran his knights and himself from hthe pride, as well as the dark lioness whispering poison into his ear."

At this, Zephirin was quiet, and bowed his head.

"I left my leader after we were exiled, a dark knight on the path of redemption for my sins. We were misled by a dark lioness bythe name of Nacht, and now I seek to serve aught bythe gods to atone for my misdeed. Perhaps someday,I may even be forgiven." Zephirin concluded softly, looking to his paws. Jin tilted her head, drawing near the smaller creatyure gently.

"Why wouldyoutell us this?" She asked. Zephirin smiled sadly.

"Nacht lives. She seeks to bringthe savannahinto a thrall for some unknown reason, and believes hers is the will of the gods. I havbe seen her visiting a nearby pride of late whom welcome all, and then I saw you both and worried. Especially as she seemed to have a follower." At this, Zephirin frowned. "I fear... She may poison another pride with this follower."

Ormr considered his words, looking to Jin, whom nodded, before the dark male reached a paw, placing it on Zephirin.

"We're... Well, I'm a demonic dragon, nd my companion is seeking to be a demon in the next life and... Maybe we cvan offer our strength? You seem sincere." Ormr offered. Zephirin looked surprised, Jin nodding.

"He's right. If there's trouble, we want to help. Besiudes, it's notyour fault this awful lioness is spreading lies." A low sneer formed on Jin's face, the fremale pacing.

"The pride I'm from knows a lot about bad lions. There is a rank called Nat. Things -- reserved for the criminals of the realm. One slew a leader, a goddess whom ascended from mortality. One is sister to another, a pale maleeating abomination to the Savannah whom seems to lean on her sister... A dark lioness whom is a monster in her own right. Theytried to kill our leader, Moricorm's children, and were seized. Interestingly, Mauji is trying to be better. He's usually qith one of the heirs, but the sisters.... They're... Something about them is wrong,and one had cubs. Mom says she raised them, and they're all much better. Still, those sisters..." A shudder, and Jin pressed into Ormr. Zephirin made a face.

"Cannibalism is an abomination. It is well your pride keeps them contained. They'd probably be better dead, but waste not, want not." Zephirin noted. Ormr nodded.

"My mother says in our pride we had a leader try to destroy the Old Ways without consideration of the muses or the reincarnation cycle. She left a long time to escape this mad lion, to protect hjer muses and the traditions she knew. She only returned when the pride was bneginning to right itself, and even now, they seek to heal from this black period of hate and bigotry. Mother says she hopes the pride mends, though." A deep sigh then came of him, the lion lookingto Zephirin.

"He made us thieves, liars, and intolerant, but... That was not our way or the goddess' way. The proper way was that of love, tolerance, of the arts. Of stories." Ormr sighed. "Mother emjoys performing now. As for me...I like stories."

The dark male smiled, shy and soft as he nuzzled Jin fondly, leaning into her with love and devotion. Here, he was happy, and Jin leaned back, grooming his ear with adoration and love. Zephirin soaked in the stories, allowing them to sit deep in his skin before looking between them curiously.

"Then why are you away from home?" The male asked. Ormr blinked, looking down, as Jin sighed.

"We're from two different prides. My home is ruled bythe demons following Sparda and Morifaer, while Ormr... His pride is different. They create, the sing, tell stories, they hear the world differently. We... we're different from our homes, and we were meant to help oe another be whom we're meant to be with our homes' lessons. But..." A sigh. "We... Our prides wouldn't like us together, and... We can't bear to be apart." Jin nuzzled at Ormr softly, Zephirin watching in a silet consideration. Ormr nuzzled at Jin softly, a deep rumble in his chest as he doted on the pale female, a soft warm smile on his muzzle as he cuddled her. Jin reciprocated with a warm rumble, nuzzling him back with a doting look, tail curling and entwining with his as Zephirin contemplated, head tilting.

"Would the gods not intervene for you?" He asked softly. Ormr blinked.

"I'm not sure if Muhali nor Datura would, or any others. We're not... High rank." Ormr said quietly. Jin nodded.

"The same for Hakuna'jina and Primitus, especially with their childfren. They might... Not be willing either."

Zephirin blinked in surprise. No less than four gods, and...

"Two of my brother knights migrated into the pride I'm watching seasons ago." Zephirin spoke suddenly, voice soft and reassuring. "Good men, who, as I did, believed our actions served the gods. They might know where our archbishop has gone, and he might... Gods willing, not have lost favor with them. If he hasn't, he might be able to offer up a wayto help. But..." Then Zephirin frowned. "There is still the matter of that blasted cultist."

Jin nodded then, grinning toothily, surprising Ormr aty her sudden ferocity.

"My mother taught me to fight. I would offer my claws to help." She affirmed calmly. Ormr looked sheepish.

"Oh, I'm not a fighter, but.." And then, he lit up. "I listen. Perhaps, I might even see what she is doing? I might even sway her follower to our side to help." Then he beamed. "Mother is a performer, after all."

Zerphirin blinked in surprise, sitting upright at the notion, before he nodded.

"That... I would be indebted to you both." Zephirin admitted. Jin motioned.

"No, it's. It is us repaying you. If your leader lived, and if he can help..."

"If." Zephirin reminded. Jin nodded, before glancing towards the mountains.

"It's the proper thing to do anyhow." Jin confirmed. "And maybe she's a demon who can't hear her own demon right. I can help, and maybe... This can end without bloodshed."

Zephirin looked doubtful, but Ormr beamed, nodding, and Zephirin sighed. It couldn't hurt....

"The pruide itself isn't farther than a day away, in the valley in the mountains. I think it best we greet my old friends, before we take action. They've seemed to adapt well there, so I might yet gain more information from them." Zepohirin smiled faintly, bowing his head.

"And... We might rest tonight for the journey, then."

Ormr nodded, stretching before laying down.

"This sounds wise." He noted, and nodded to Jin, whom shrugged, laying and curling into Ormr a moment before nosing him a bit closer to Zephirin, the cheetah surprised at the kindness of trust.

"Then we move in the morrow." Zephirin responded softly, and lay his head to slep, Ormr and Jin following suit silently as they nodded off into sleep, the area soon only filled by the soft snores of three exhausted felines.