Furiza was still reeling about the very idea of there being a whole pride situated in the snow- she had always thought she had been alone up there. To think that she had only had to explore a little more than normal and she would have found the place sooner. Though, really, she still didn't know much about it. she had been alone for so long, so getting to know others was a little bit difficult for her. She didn't really know how to open up to people. More than that, she didn't know if she was really welcome in the pride at all. She had met someone already, and he had been very nice. She had felt safe and secure while he was around, but she wondered if that would hold up now that she was away from him again.
She sighed softly to herself, moving over the snow and thinking to herself, off in her own little world again. It was a place she was very familiar with- normally she didn't have to worry about accidentally ignoring someone. So it was okay to get lost in thought.
Growing up, she had only ever known life on her own. From an early age she had been left alone by her mother, effectively abandoned the moment she was old enough to be on her own. Maybe she hadn't been the right color, or she had been too small. Whatever it was, she had not been welcome more than was needed. Still, at least she had been raised a little and not left for dead. She could at least thank her mother for that. After that, she traveled on her own, growing and learning through what she saw from those around her. She had never been given any real lessons in things like hunting or social skills. That being the case, she didn't really know how to properly do much of anything. Maybe the pride wouldn't like her for that- they would think she was weird.
When she had gotten a little older, she had discovered snow for the first time. And she had fallen in love with it. Who knew going up high would unlock such amazing things? Cold weather and snow- she loved them both.
She wanted to stay there forever.
Naturally, she was so involved in her own thoughts that she hadn't seen the other lioness ahead of her. She hadn't been expecting anyone at all, still stuck in her preconceived thoughts. She slammed right into the gray, almost brown lioness, gasping as they were both knocked over.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Yelped Furiza, quick to her paws, "I didn't see you there! I mean, I thought I was alone! I mean... I don't normally have to worry about bumping into others when I'm in the snow and I didn't think about it..." she looked down at the floor, toes shuffling in the white powder. The other lioness, meanwhile, let out a laugh.
"Don't worry, dear!" She hummed lightly, getting herself up and shaking herself off, "thankfully the snow makes for a soft landing! There was no harm done, so you don't have to be concerned. You actually came at just the right time! come over here." She used her head to motion the other over, turning around and taking a few steps away from the blue lioness. curious, Furiza followed her, peering over a small snow bank into what looked like a shallow den. There were two small hares lying there, sleeping and completely oblivious of them both. They looked to be babies, but the mother was nowhere to be found.
"The mom's dead," said the lioness, as though she could read Furiza's mind, "I thought maybe I would take one to look after- they're helpful in our pride. Would you like to take the other one, erm, what's your name again?"
"Ah! Furiza," the lioness replied, "and you really keep them as pets?"
"Friends, most of us would say," replied the gray lioness, "and it's nice to meet you, by the way! I'm Aiskrimu. Are you a new member of the pride?"
"Um, maybe," replied Furiza sheepishly, "when I saw there were other lions who lived in the snow, I really wanted to be involved. But I don't know if I would be welcomed here... I don't really have a lot to offer."
"No? You can hunt, can't you?"
"Not really."
"Oh... well, you still have claws and teeth, so why not be a guard instead? You look like you could do well in a fight! No offense, of course." Aiskrimu smiled and she moved around the snow back to collect the two hares. They had woken up, but it didn't seem as though they were frightened of her. Perhaps they were just too young to know that they needed to run away from lionesses. It was a shame. They really would have died on their own, and before they could get big enough to even be a useful meal. Even if she hunted them, she felt some pity about them.
"I do know how to fight," she replied, "do you really think I would be of some use to you?"
"I certainly think so," hummed Aiskrimu, "my father would definitely approve of you being here, you don't have to worry about that! Now why don't we had back to the pride and you can tell me more about yourself. We should get some water and food for these little ones or they'll never get old enough to help us out, you know?"
"Ah! right," replied the nervous lioness quickly, moving to join Aiskrimu. She picked up the remaining hare and took it with her, the two heading back to the pride together. It was nice, really, having someone to talk to. Someone so encouraging. And she looked a lot like the other lion she had met, too! Perhaps they were related?
She hoped so- she wanted the connections. She hadn't had a family, so to meet and learn about how they worked really interested her. She just wanted to know what it was like, in case she ever went about making a family of her own.
One day, perhaps.
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