Majaliwa still couldn’t remember exactly where his den was located, but he had memorised the female’s instructions of how to return to the spot that they had met. He didn’t know much about Nketa, but she seemed nice and this could be his first chance to make a true friend. He had tried to talk to others, but he felt so awkward about it all. He still felt awkward around Nketa, but at least she seemed friendly.
He rustled the bushes as he tried to navigate through them, stumbling a little. He was pretty sure he had some twigs in his mane, but because he couldn’t see them, well, they didn’t matter.
Nessiaing:
Antara had moved to the spot a little before night fall. She didn't want to risk having other members of the pride be awake and see her skuking around the bushes. For her friendship to work with Maja she needed it to stay secret for now. Her stomach had filled with dread for giving her twin sisters name, a twin that no-one was suppose to know was a life, a twin she would give anything to trade places with.
Her green eyes searched the growing darkness. It wasn't too long before she heard the rustling of bush branches moving. She lowered herself in the bushes. She was confident that the she would still be able to see Maja's light coat while also being hidden from anyone who wasn't Maja. She waited patienly waiting to see who was going to come out of the bushes.
Velveteen Angel:
As Maja moved out of the bushes, he managed to catch his paw on an upturned root and squeaked as he hit the ground. He groaned, before laughing at himself and pushing himself back up. His pale white pelt was dirtied with dust but he was unconcerned. He had little concern for his general appearance, though he sometimes tried.
He cleared his throat and looked around, though he couldn't see anything when he did so. Because he had become blind at an older age, many of his traits were ingrained from well before he lost his sight. "Hullo?" He called out, quietly, because he wasn't sure if she was there and if she was, how close she was to him.
Nessiaing:
Antara heard the squeek and raised herself up. She couldn't imagine one of the other guards coming along tripping and squeeking like that. She moved quickly and wasn't surpriesed when she found Maja sitting in what in her head was their spot.
"Hi Meja." she said automatically shotening his name in her head. She was pleased to finally have someone she could be here with. Someone that was just hers, who didn't know who or what she was. "Are you alright, I heard you fall." she said quietly. She didn't think they would find others quite this far off the trails but she could never be too safe.
Velveteen Angel:
Maja smiled at the sound of her voice, his expression brightening as he realised that she had not stood him up. “I am quite alright,” he assured, “I have had far worse. When I first became blind, I would walk into all sorts of things. I am usually much better at walking than this, but the new pride is making it all a bit difficult.” He chuckled, a little bit sheepishly.
“How are you this evening, Nketa?” He asked.
Nessiaing:
Antara smiled, though it slipped a little when he said her sisters name. She didn't know realistically how long this friendship would work for but for now she decided she had to savour every bit of it she could.
"I am well Maja and you?" she wanted to know more about the pale blind male. She wanted to hear the life story of someone from outside the pride. She felt he would tell her truths and stories that no one else would tell the apparent heir to a horrible leader.
She wondered idealy if he knew how bad her father was, he had joined the pride recently so it was possible he had no idea what the pride was really like, that thier leader was actually a dictator who was upsettting everyone including the great lion
Velveteen Angel:
Maja continued to smile, unable to wipe the happy (and rather goofy) look off of his face. "I am very well, now that I get to talk to you!" He assured her cheerfully. "You are my first friend in this pride, Nketa. I am very happy that I made your acquantaince last night. People seem a bit reserved in this pride, and I just don't know how to cross that boundary."
He settled on his rump, making himself comfortable in their little get-away spot. "Do you have many friends in the pride?" He asked, curious as to whether it was just him that inspired reservations in other, or maybe they just weren't a touchy-feely pride.
Nessiaing:
ntara couldn't help but laugh a little, it was the first time the lioness was feeling something like joy. "I am glad to be your first friend." She told him sweetly and it was turth, it made her feel a little more secured that he had no other friends yet. She decided she wouldn't worry too much, she would cross the bridge of what to do when he made more friends when that time came.
"No, I don't have many other friends. I live fairly quietly and try to stay away from most of the others." she told him turthfully. "I am glad to have met you though Maja I think we will have a great friendship."
"Tell me about where you came from, I have lived my whole life in the pride for the most part so I don't know much about the ways of the lands outside of here." She was anxious to hear more about the male, she felt a little guilty knowing that she wouldn't really have any stories of her own to share, everything interesting about her were things she rather forget.
Velveteen Angel:
Maja honestly felt better than he had in weeks. Since finding the pride, he had felt relieved, but he had been alone for such a long time, that being in a pride was such a relief but the fact that he was still 'alone' had drawn on him a little. Now that he had Nketa, he felt cheerful. "I think we will have a great friendship as well," he said, warmly. He had no idea of the drama that surrounded his new friends life, but he was still warmed by the knowledge that he finally had a friend to call his own.
"Really?" He asked, curious. "Have you never visted the rogue lands, even for a moment?" Until he had been outcast, he had never left his home pride either, but it still sounded so strange. He honestly though that his home pride was the weirdest place. He felt a bit uncomfortable revisting his former life, but he supposed it wouldn't be the worst thing to talk it out
Nessiaing:
"I was born just outside the pride but I came into the pride when still very young. I don't remember much of the rogue lands" Antara told him honestly, it was possibly the only true thing she would be able to tell him truthfully.
"What was your first home where you lived before the rogue lands like?" she asked him. She had been appaulled when he had told her the night before that he had been cast out due to his blindness, though if she were to be honest with herself she was fairly certain her father would have no problems doing the same.
Velveteen Angel:
Maja nodded, intrigued by her story but he had a weird feeling that she was more uncomfortable talking about herself than he was talking about himself. He glanced down at his paws and and hesitated. "I don't know if you want to know the full story," he said a bit cautiously. "It is not a nice story. My pride...was not a nice one, and unfortunately, I think it drove us to our destruction." He smiled sadly. "I lost contact with most of my former friends, and I have no idea what happened to my family..."
Nessiaing:
Anatara shuffled her paws, it made her sad that this kind lion would have a hard life. He seemed so sweet. What made her even sadder was the fact that he had walked into a pride that may very well be worse than what he had left behind.
"You don't have to tell me." she told him softly, "I just wanted to get to know you better. Don't feel obligated though I don't have any stories to tell you about myself so the sharing would be one side."
She realized that this secret keeping could make for a very one sided friendship. She wasn't able to tell him her secret but she hopped against all hope that maybe she would be able to tell him the truth of who she was. For now though it was a completely terrifying thought.
"How are you finding life here so far. Is there anything I coud help you with?" she asked him opting to change the topic away from the thing that they were honestly both uncomfortable with.
Velveteen Angel:
Maja was grateful that she did not push him to tell his story. "Maybe one day I will tell you," he said softly. "But for tonight, I want to focus on the present, not the past." He offered a smile. "I like this pride so far," he said cheerfully, happy to change the topic although he was unaware that the topic of the pride was likely no better than the discussion of his home pride.
"I have to admit, I am not very good at navigating it," he admitted sheepishly. "I am still getting used to the paths. I sometimes forget where my den is as well." He felt a bit ashamed to admit it, but he felt like he could trust Nketa.
Nessiaing:
Antara thought about what the male had said. "Perhaps I could help you." she said, her mind trying to mull things over as she was speaking.
"Would you mind meeting me during the day while everyone else is asleep?" she asked. She wasn't sure how use to Maja was to the nocturnal life. "I can meet you back here since you found here okay and then I will help you by leading you around the pride." She knew the offer would sound odd but it was the only way she thought she could manage helping her new friend.
Velveteen Angel:
Majaliwa was a bit surprised that she asked to meet during the day. Was she ashamed to be seen with him? He wondered to himself, but he smiled nonetheless. "That sounds perfect," he said to her cheerfully. "I should probably report to my boss. I may be blind, but I think I can be a little help," he said a bit sheepishly. "I hope." She rose to his paws, and felt around him, finding the bushes nearby which would lead him back to the path.
"Take care of yourself Nketa," he said softly. "I will see you soon."
Nessiaing:
Antara watched the blind male go, hoping that he would continue to keep her secret. She liked her friend and she didn't want him to see her as anything other than a kind female. She turned and headed back towards her master. There were things she needed to learn still maybe one day she would become the shaman in the pride, she hoped that by that time her father would no longer be king.
- f i n -
