It had been a long time since Nantale and Ndoto had been in a pride. Nantale had given the leadership role of the Nchi to her dear friend, one that she hoped would be able to run it better than she, and then the pair had left. There was too much history at home for Nantale to bear, to much failure. She needed a new start and Ndoto, ever loyal, went with her without question. They'd been traveling the rogue lands for some time now and as nice as the freedom to do what they want and go where they wanted was, it was clear that living on their own would be a lot of hard work. They'd been talking about trying to start a family now that Nantale didn't have the pressure of running a pride on her shoulders but she refused to seriously entertain the thought until they found somewhere safe to raise them. She wouldn't have a litter of cubs here in the rogue lands where anything could happen to them.

And so for the past few moons they'd been traveling to different prides, speaking with the members they found to see if it was a good fit. Ndoto liked every one they'd come across so far but Nantale always turned them down. Some were too militaristic, others had classes that didn't sit well with her. Some were too withdrawn, others too mysterious. Nothing seemed to fit.

"If this pride doesn't work out, I don't know what to do," Ndoto admitted as they walked through the vast fields of Northfarthing, a Herder leading them to the main part of the Suzat. "I know you have standards, Nantale, but I thought the Bahari was a good place to settle. Nice and peaceful, the ocean was wonderful-"

"And the air was thick with tension," Nantale cut in, silencing her mate. "I've told you, Ndoto, I'm not settling in a pride that doesn't feel like home." The Nchi hadn't felt like home when they'd left but that was because of her history there. She wanted a place that was relaxing, peaceful, calm. Ndoto sighed but nodded and bumped against the dark lioness fondly as they continued to make their way into the heart of the pride.

Yepa was watching the trio of lions coming in from a gently rolling hill, her head tilted in interest. Two of the lions she'd never seen before and she wondered if they were coming to rest or were interested in becoming Hobbits themselves. As a sort of ambassador now she figured greeting the newcomers would be a good way to get her paws wet in dealing with outsiders and strangers. Surely she'd make the journey back to the Na'vi at some point and she didn't want her first time representing her pride to be among her mate's family and friends.

Walking down from the hillside, Yepa met the Herder with a smile. They spoke softly for a few moments as Ndoto and Nantale stopped a few paces away, and eventually the Herder gave them a nod and went back to his duties. Yepa gave the pair a warm smile and bobbed her head in greeting.

"Hello there. I'm so delighted you've come. My name is Yepa and I'd be happy to help you with whatever you need."

Nantale was quiet as ever, sizing up the lioness before her as Ndoto spoke for the both of them.

"A pleasure, Yepa. I'm Ndoto, this is my mate, Nantale. We've been wandering for ages it seems, hoping to find a new pride to call home."

"Oh, well, you've come to the right place," Yepa said warmly. "The Suzat is a wonderful pride to call home. If you'd like, I can show you to a den that you can call yours for as long as you'd like to stay here, whether that's permanently or just to rest. And then perhaps I can show you around later after you've eaten and relaxed a bit?"

Ndoto glanced at Nantale to see what she was feeling. The brown lioness gave a slow nod after a few moments thought, deciding the pride was safe and welcoming enough to at least restore their strength before heading back out to the the rogue lands. Ndoto turned to Yepa with a follow-up nod and a grin to which the blue lioness motioned for them to follow her.

"As we walk I'll tell you a bit about the pride," she said as they walked, falling into step beside Nantale so the two lions could hear her. "We're very welcoming to outsiders whether or not they're lions, but only lions are permitted to live here. We have a few different roles you can take if you'd like, things that are rather unique to the pride as far as I'm aware. Farmers raise crops near the river and once they're strong enough bring them to Northfarthing to plant - that's where you two came through - to feed the herds that live there. The Herders protect the animals in Northfarthing, as well as hunt for the pride. Marsh Waders cultivate a special crop called iboga, something we like to chew after a meal to relax. Then there's Brewers who make brew, a drink that is much enjoyed by those that call the Suzat home. And if none of that sounds like something you'd enjoy, you could always just become a Hobbit, like me. We do as we please. Some plan celebrations, others sing and dance, others craft, and others just enjoy being alive."

"Sounds like a great place to me," Ndoto said with a little chuckle, but Nantale wasn't as impressed. She flicked her tail back and forth as she considered what had been said before jumping right to the meat of her concerns.

"And what about neighboring prides? Is there conflict here? War? Do your members go out and bring back slaves? Is there any sort of ranking system that belittles others just for the time of the month they were born?"

Nantale's direct questions threw Yepa off guard for a moment, the lioness stunned into silence. But she cleared her throat and pressed on, determined to make a good impression for the other lioness.

"Oh no, none of that. The Suzat are a welcoming pride. We greet any creature that comes our way with open paws. We have celebrations and parties that bring in strangers, but this is a peaceful place. There is no war here, no discrimination. Everyone is equal. Our Thain - that is, our leader - recently made a few pacts with other prides to be allies. War is not something we wish to bring here, nor any sort of imprisonment or degradation of others."

Nantale was silent again as she let that sit, turning it over in her mind again and again. It sounded good, but she supposed the only way to know for sure was to stay here a bit and see for herself. If the lions here really were as friendly and hospitable as Yepa claimed she was sure she'd get a good feel for it in a moon or so.

"How long can we stay?" she asked, not beating around the bush.

"As long as you'd like, of course," Yepa said. "I suppose after a certain point Arkani would expect you to declare yourself members, but we've had guests stay for moons at a time before moving on. You're welcome to this den so long as you'd like it." She nodded to a welcoming hole in the hillside as they approached the den she was speaking of. It was dry and clean and Nantale had to admit she was impressed with what was being shown to her. She stepped in and sniffed around before returning to Ndoto and Yepa.

"This will do," she said to which Ndoto breathed a sigh of relief. His mate was picky, but for good reason. He trusted her instincts beyond his own and if she was content then he was as well.

"Could you show us where the watering hole is? And the food?" he asked, turning his attention back to Yepa. "I'm sure we'll be able to find our way back here on our own so once you've done that we'll get out of your fur."

"Oh, it's not trouble at all! And it's just this way," Yepa said, motioning again for the pair to follow. "You can certainly take your time eating and resting. I'll come by tomorrow to show you around the pride. It's quite large," she added a bit apologetically. "It's nice not to be crowded but it will be a bit of walking."

"That's all right," Ndoto said with a grin. "We're used to that."

The trio moved along to the feeding grounds, Yepa explaining more as they went. Ndoto would glance at Nantale from time to time to see how his mate was taking the information in, and to his delight Nantale was nothing if relaxed and curious. It was the most content he'd seen her in a while and, if he had to go with his gut, he felt like they'd be staying here for good. Delight swelled in his heart at the thought of finally getting to start a family with her, something he'd been aching to do for years. Hopefully this pride was their new home and their seemingly endless wandering could finally come to an end.

WC: 1568