It had been weeks since Mrengo had departed on her naming quest, and each day had found Szürke up before dawn and stood on the very edge of the boarder, gazing out across the drier landscape of the savannah in the direction she had gone. At first he had simply told himself that he was making sure she had left safely.. for it would kill him if she was hurt close by and he never knew about it. But as day by day he continued to go to the boarder just as dawn was breaking, he had to admit that it was more than just worry for a young female, or even worry for a friend. Sighing heavily he lowered his head, realising he had been staring out across the plains with a tense posture. Mrengo would think him silly if she ever found out.
Huffing he turned away from the view but paused, his sharp eyes having caught movement just beyond the tree line. For a moment his pulse sped up and his heart pounded painfully as worry surged like a hot iron brand through him. But then he realised the blob was brown, not the beautiful moss colour Mrengo sported. Narrowing his gaze to try and see clearer, he stayed put as the shape slowly grew closer. It was a brown lioness.. a rogue judging from her size and the direction she was coming from.
Mashika had been walking for days, though in reality she had been walking her whole life, born a rogue she had never stayed in any one place for any length of time. But during her wanderings she had heard of a withdrawn pride based in the far swamps. They had piqued her curiosity and she had set off on this voyage to find them. Now she was nearing what had to be the right area, judging form the increased moisture in the ground and in the air... the slight dampness was a relief after the heat and barrenness of the savannah. She had been born a rogue and had lived her entire life on her own after leaving her family to set out on her own path. She hadn't heard from her siblings for some time and did wonder how they were doing, but she was a full adult now and had something else on her mind... she wanted her own family, but first, she wanted to find a pride that would be suitable for her and her unborn young, some place she could settle down and eventually raise a family...
That had been one of the reasons she had come all the way out to this particular area... and now that she had arrived, she felt almost.. at home here. The dampness suited her, for she had been named for the rain that fell during her birth. She had always loved to get muddy, playing in watering holes from the earliest age. She seemed drawn to water, more so than most other lions, and this place was simply full of it.
Suddenly a pale grey shape not too far away caught her attention, pulling her from her thoughts. A male...? Frowning slightly she tensed, wondering if he was going to cause trouble.. as most rogue males seemed want to do. But the male was calm, watching her almost lazily yet with a kind of cool detachment that was strange and not a little unnerving...
Szürke stayed still as he watched her walk slowly closer. She didn’t seem in a rush, nor did she seem particular worried when she spotted him, though she was instantly wary and on alert. Being an ex-rogue himself he understood her reaction. A rogue male was not always a welcome sight, and many had only two things on their mind.. ok maybe three things. Food, fighting and females.. But as he had hunted daily as something to keep himself occupied he wasn’t hungry, and his thoughts were full of only one female in particular who was a long way away by now. As to fighting, he had not enjoyed it as a rogue and saw no reason why he would change now, rather he had become something of a recluse and avoided meeting other members of the pride more often than not. But he was the only one this far out and on this side of the territory that he could figure, so it was his duty to warn her where she was and discover her intentions. Huffing softly he kept his pale gaze on her, waiting as she drew steadily closer.
Mashika was wary as she slowly approached, though despite him watching her intently, he did not move either towards her or away. She figured he had to be a member of the pride that s rumoured to live out here.. and he was quite possibly guarding the boundary. Would she have to fight to prove herself as she had heard some prides favoured? Or would simply explaining her wish for a pride to settle among be enough for him? Well.. there was only one way to find out. Striding forwards she walked until she came right up to him, halting a few yards away from where he still stood, like some ‘kind of grey stone carved into lion form. He gave her the willies but she wouldn’t admit it in front of him, or even behind his back, she did have some pride after all.
Szürke waited until she drew close and stopped, noticing her eyes were different colours, that was unusual enough to make her memorable, but that wasn’t his concern for the time being. “State your business here.” His low, graveling, rough voice broke the silence that had descended over them, his blue eyes fixed on hers.
Mashika studied him until he spoke, one ear tipping forwards, noting the husky tone of his voice, as if he didn’t speak often. But he hadn’t been hostile yet, just... reserved, so she answered truthfully, her own voice clear and strong. “I come seeking to join the pride here. I wish to make a home among my own kind and settle down. It is time I left the rogue lands and the swamps called to me.”
Szürke frowned faintly as she spoke, but as he listened and studied her, he saw she was being truthful, if a little guarded. She wanted to create a family and he couldn’t blame her for wanting to do it in the relative safety of a pride. She would certainly fit in with the members, for her coat was already the rich brown of fresh mud and her eyes were the colours of earth and water, respectively.
“What do you call yourself.” His gruff voice replied.
“Mashika.” She returned, meeting his gaze levelly, bold but not prideful.
“Come. I will take you to our King.” Turning he stepped back into the shadows of the swamp, the young brown female following behind.
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