Laif - NovaCracker
&
Viwimbi - Das Tor
Viwimbi was perhaps not the best hunter, but she was diligent. Thorough. And she made sure she did her part, pulled her weight. She knew her gentle nature was better suited to healing or tending little ones or gathering, but she had no talent for tending plants, too many little ones often overwhelmed her, and healing...well, she was all back paws when it came to that. But hunting? Ah, that was a thing her quick mind and her diligence could do! Perhaps it was part of why Ringwe had been drawn to her in the first place...
Her thoughts drifted to her long-distance mate as she stopped to take a rest from her tracking, near the borders of the pride. Ah...she missed him. Hopefully he came through soon for a visit!
Laif had no idea where she was really. Her brother had left shortly after destroying their birth pride to weed out deep rooted corruption, but Laif? Laif was still kin, and Laidf was one of the survivors, so it was with idle paws she took up hunting for herself guilt free. It was rather nice, too, the light female padding along with her favorable markings on her pelt gleaming as she moved, humming cheerfully. After all - it was a lovely day for it, and the female was ever so eager.
Viwimbi found herself pulled out of her thoughts by a scent she didn't recognize. Perhaps another pride might have rushed for the Guards on the border. But Viwimbi was of the Coileani Draiochta, and they welcomed others. Curious, she bounded towards the scent, always happy to meet someone new. "Merry meet, stranger!"
Laif was startled from her stalk by a stranger, and stared, wide eyed, at the lioness in the same emotion as she opened her mouth, squawking a moment before nodding. "I. Uhm. Hello."
Viwimbi couldn't help her giggle, nodding her head to the other. "Apologies if I interrupted anything. I'm Viwimbi! If you're hungry, we've got plenty to share. It's been a good season to us." It had been such a wonderful beginning time. It was like Mother Moon and Father Earth were truly blessing them.
Laif blinked, then coughed. "Oh, this.. Is pridal land? Sorry, I didn't intend to poach." She apologized respectfully. Then she cocked her head. "Share?"
"It's quite all right! We're a newer pride. Less than a full cycle of seasons, really!" She gave the other a small bow, smile on her muzzle. "Yup, share! We've been blessed with a bountiful season, why shouldn't we share with thos who might need it?"
Laif blinked. "Ohhh. Uhm." A pause. "I... But I'm an outsider. Those can be dangerous." Evidently, her past home did not share, or Laif was just unaccustomed to it.
"We've not dealt with dangerous outsiders since we got here. And it is not our place to judge others. If someone attacks us, then of course we will fight back. But peace brings peace, so why start a fight?" She motioned to the jungle that she called home. "Besides, how could we keep this piece of land all to ourselves when it does not truly belong to us?"
"Well, it's your home. Your space." Laif explained calmly. "As for dangerous, I've seen outsiders act kind whom are not." And natives whom turned on a pride and tucked frightened siblings to them for protection. "You should always be careful."
"We know. Several of our founding members had rough lives before the pride. But we use those experiences to help us better protect ourselves while still having open minds and open hearts. And we are not without our defenses." She smiled, not elaborating on those defenses. On the fact the pride housed one god on a regular basis, with three others regularly visiting. Or the fact the pride was riddled with seers.
"I just don't want to threaten anybody with my presence. After all, rogues have a place, and that place is outside." Laif said. "Unless joining a pride, rogues have no place amongst prides. It's not done and the rogue may have filth." It was a rhetoric the old pride leader had spewed, a rhetoric that kept his pride under his paws and opressed and that got so many killed when the time came and his son and daughter had fled. Not that she blamed them.... Like many females, he'd enslaved his own daughter, and the fact Laif wasn't enslaved was only to please his General. That and the hope for strong warrior cubs.
Viwimbi looked so confused and startled. "That...that is not how we think here. Come, you are getting a good dose of Coileani Draiochta hospitality!" She moved to nose the other into the jungle proper, to introduce the other to what being a guest truly meant. "You see, we were all rogues at one point or another. My father raised me while rogue! And one of our leaders was once a rogue! You are among kind souls who will not chase you out, miss."
Laif gaspped, letting herself be nudged out of habit, eyes wide and round as she made confused squeaking noises and tried finding words of protest. "But you don't know me!"
"Perhaps not, but that doesn't mean I can't get to know you! Or perhaps make your life a little easier for a short bit. Being a rogue is not easy." Into the thin mists that still lingered, into the magick. They would not gain another member, she did not think, but she certainly was intent on leaving a good impression! The poor rogue seemed so spooked and like she'd been taught that rogues were bad. And rogues were, most certainly, not bad.
Laif looked around, ears pinning some as she did so before looking to the female nervously. "My brother might find us." She said. "I don't know if he'd be angry or calm, too. Our pride was terrible, so he killed the leader and half the pride, took me, and ran. I don't want to harm others."
Poor girl..."You are safe here. And if your brother comes...he will be welcome as well." She sighed. "You may be best talking with one of our older leaders. They are very familiar with the horrors others can inflict on their fellows. You are safe, miss. I promise."
"It's everyone else. My brother is.... A war veteran. It hurt him. He came home for a time before a job, and he was tense all night, clinging to me for dear life. He's all of my family too." He reason for being safe, as well... Safer than poor Seito had been!
"We have our ways of ensuring our safety, I promise. Do you believe in the gods, miss?" Perhaps it would be best to soothe this one's nerves with knowledge of Baba Croix's existence. It was handy having someone around who could literally sit on any mortal!
"Gods?" Laif asked softly, and shivered, looking down. "I have heard many tales of many gods and the ancient lions living in our pridelands said often their gods were the life force of the land." She said quietly. "When we die, we rejoin them."
"Well...the gods are very large, and very powerful. And we have one that lives among us, and another three who visit often. They are part of why we stay so safe. I promise..." She nudged the other comfortingly. "You are safe, and we are safe."
"Large...?" Laif blinked, head tilting curiously as she blinked, and then shook herself down. "But the gods can't be seen, I thought."
"Only when they don't wish to be seen." Viwimbi giggled. "But I can guarantee that Baba Croix is very visible most of the time. After all, his mate is here."
Laif stared. "Mate?"
The blue lioness nodded. "Yup! Mate! She's mortal like us, and he dotes on her so. Ngoma is a sweet girl, if very..." She paused, then sighed. "Adventurous. Sometimes to the point of recklessness. Come...you'll possibly meet everyone or at least catch sight of them. Welcome to the Coileani Draiochta, my friend. Merry meet."
[Word Count: 1,353, according to Google Docs]
