[PRP]A reputation to uphold.

[Split Personality]

Zii was out for a run. She was getting anxious lately and a bit over welmed. She was supposed to act a certain way and she was coming more and more adapt to not being that way. She was starting to fear that she was not a firekin at all. Her sister Azar had the anger of one and Zii was very kind and gentle. She was starting to doubt herself. She had been having a bad day as it was-she had heard some rumors about the safi that made her frightened.

For one, she really liked a Safi cub... and it scared her that she may not be his friend without some difficulty. Not to mention, she sort of had a crush on him as well. She knew her parents views on the Safi and it was starting to make her depressed. She had been taking a bit of time on her own to get her mind set.

But today was just to much and she was now heading towards the borders, the future place of her job... to be a guard. She didn't know if anyone would be there to interfere but she needed some space and perhaps a good cry. So she was heading out there, her head hanging and her heart heavy  

[Lithiasaur]

Iroh wasn't normally out by the borders, but he felt like he wanted to get a bit more exploring in. His legs were aching him, a side affect of being a growing boy, though he hadn't noticed any change in himself. He was still the pudgy, happy little body he was used to. Something he did notice, however, was how much more he was learning, from the same daily exposures, just because his mind was opening up in new ways.

That was the most exciting part of growing up.

The not so fiery firekin spotted something white moving toward him. That was not something he was used to. After all, usually he was the white one other people spotted. Tilting his head, he noticed she looked rather depressed. He recognized the spot on her chest and recalled Azar, his friend, telling her about her sister having the same mark as she had.

"Hello there!"  

[Split Personality]

She was looking forward to not having eight siblings prodding and asking questions about how she was or if she wanted to play. She didn't. She was a bit more excited about being alone for a bit, in the area in which she would protect. She wasn't aware of many others of her color in their home-all she knew was red and black siblings who looked nothing like her only for the goddess mark on their chests.

And even that barely did anything. She was less firey even from her closest sister Azar. She was calmer and more collected and rarely got angry. She was starting to notice the differences between her and a lot of people. The boy she liked, named Rowtag, was firey and great to be around. Her sister, firey. Her family-Firey.

And then there was she. The white lamb among the red lions.

She hadn't noticed anyone coming at her until he spoke. She lifted her head, her somber eyes spotting a boy just as white as she, only with light gold aboust him. She sat there. Stunned.  

[Lithiasaur]

Iroh blinked at the silent reception, but was not deterred in any way. Smiling brightly, the white boy lion tilted his head at the white girl lion, already knowing her name from conversations with her siblings, thought he knew it would be a bit rude to just address her by it without introducing himself.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry if I startled you! I was just out for a walk, and I saw you and thought I might say hello. I think you're related to one of my friends? She's Azar. Oh, sorry, I skipped a step there. My name is Iroh."

The slightly pudgy lion, more so than he would like to admit to even though he was the least vain creature around, bowed his head and waved his paw at her in greeting. He sat down nearby, all smiles and vaguely purring his broken, odd sounding purr.

"How are you today? You look a little confused."  

[Split Personality]

She really wasn't used to seeing others of her color. She was a bit of a recluse as far as it came to being a cub. She suspected being the Regents first litter of cubs added to that. She shook her head of the stunned gaze she was holding and smiled lightly, trying to hide the pain that was showing moments ago.

"No-I'm-Yes... I'm fine." She said, shaking her head and smiling sheepishly. When he motioned her sister, her head lifted and her golden eyes brightened. "Yes. Azar is my sister. We share the same chest mark but not much else. Hehe." She said, sitting down and shaking her head. "Hello. I think she may have spoken of you before but I can't recall. I am Zii'moto. Just call me Zii though if you like-it's easier!"

She looked a bit sad at his question. "Well.... I am not in the best of spirits right now.. I am feeling very very different from my family right now." She said lowering her ears.  

[Lithiasaur]

"Zii it is! I'm afraid it doesn't get much easier than Iroh, but if you wanted to shorten it you're more than welcomed to!" He grinned and laughed jovially, shaking his head at his silly suggested. Though, really, he had never been given a nickname before, so he would not be against getting one now.

His smile faded, though did not disappear, as she confessed she was feeling out of sorts. He tilted his head, ears perked forward in interest, his expression vaguely concerned, but interested and sincere. He was always interested in hearing what troubled others and, if he could, helping them in any way he could.

"Different? Because of your color? Or because of your temperament? I could relate to both, or either, if that would make it easier to talk about or deal with." His smile broadened again, warm and friendly despite having only just met this cub. He didn't know how to not be as nice as he could, after all.  

[Split Personality]

Zii gave a small shy smile at his little joke. She then softened again and gave a simple nod at his words, because he pretty much summed it up there. She sighed, lifting her head to look around and make sure no one was around. If her sister Azar heard some of the things she said, she may get rebuked beyond amazement. She sighed. "Yes... I feel out of place. I mean... my siblings are so different. I am like-the while sheep... I am different though i try not to be."

She sat back on her haunches. "I am so much more softer and kinder than other firekin I see. I am meek almost... quiet and reserved. I don't get angry much. In fact, I almost don't look anything like my parents. I have my chest mark but lately alot of cubs have had those... It's like I have no identity!  

[Lithiasaur]

"I don't think you should try not to be different," Iroh said with a shrug. He didn't say it like he was offering advice, or seeing something wrong in her philosophy. It was more an observation, and an anecdote of his own experience. He smiled warmly, destroying any sense of condescension that might be inferred, "because if you're trying to be someone you're not, you're probably not supposed to be that person, right? Being you should be effortless. I'd stick with what comes natural."

The pudgy young lion had listened as she explained why she felt so different, understanding what it was like to be the odd man out. Of course, he had never been truly alone, because his sister had always been a lot more like him than his other litter mates. Ursa was a softer heart, just like he was, and that had made growing into himself a lot easier.

"I think you're just too concerned with having an identity based on everyone else. You know? You're comparing yourself to your family, to your parents, to the other members of this pride. So you don't look like them, or act like them? You must look like something, and act like something. You should just be that lion, and see where that takes you. I think you do have an identity, and you know it, but you're just a bit scared to be that lion since it might not match everything that's around you."

He tilted his head.

"But I don't see anything wrong with that lion."  

[Split Personality]

"But its hard." She said simply, her head hanging. "It's really hard for me because I am the child of the Regents... and i have to keep their image up and bring them honor... " She lifted her head and puffed out her chest. "Especially with the Safi among us... I have to make sure to show no weakness or fault, so that they will see how strong our firekin lines are in us."

She lay down and mumbled for a moment. "I just don't want to let my parents down."  

[Lithiasaur]

"I understand that," Iroh said with a nod. He offered her a smile, unable to take her cares from her, but willing to give her an ear to vent to. He knew the stress that could come with worrying too much about fitting in, though he was not in the same position as she was. Still, he wasn't the most Firekin of Firekin, so he could relate.

"I think if you're strong in your own character, whatever that is, your parents will be proud of you. If you work hard and excel, even if you're not a brazen fighter or as, uh, fiery as some of the others around here, you're still going to contribute a lot to the pride. So maybe focusing on that, what will make you great, would be a better idea than dwelling on what you think makes you less."

He tilted his head, liking the idea of that advice himself. He rarely talked about this stuff with others, so it was interesting to hear his own thoughts on the matter drifting in the air over the sands.  

[Split Personality]

She sighed and nodded. She was really glad she had met this white boy.. he was helping her alot and his advice was good. She lifted her head and chuckled. "You know.. you're pretty smart Iroh." She said, giving him a nudge with her paw. "I think you'd be a great advisor someday..."

She sat back and looked around in thought.

"Do you get ridiculed by others for your color?" She asked. She had always figured it was mostly because she was the child of the Regents, both of which were absoultly not white like her. "I mean.. do you get special treatment because you are pale too.. I mean-you are paler than me almost."  

[Lithiasaur]

Iroh laughed and shook his head almost bashfully. He did pride himself on his dedication to learning and using that knowledge, but he in no way considered himself smart. But he appreciated compliments when he got them, and puffed out his chest when she poked at him.

"Well, I'm always happy to try and help, or just listen when people want me to. I wouldn't call that smart, though. Just... available," he grinned.

Her question took a moment of consideration. Looking surprised, he shook his head slowly, "not so much, really. Ridicule, I mean. Unless it's behind my back, but if it's back there I can't worry about it. It's already behind me, after all," he laughed, "but I don't think I get any special treatment either way, good or bad. People comment on it, of course, and there's the odd scoff, but for the most part, I guess, I've been pretty lucky in that regard."

He smiled, swishing his tail.  

[Split Personality]

That was lucky of him. She had been called some cruel names by the boy named Azar. He had called her the spawn of a slave and treated her cruelly. It was uncalled for and it really did hurt her feelings. She considered herself to be a nice lioness with a bit of an attitude sometimes and wished she would be treated just like everyone else.

"Well you are lucky then."She said, standing up and giving her coat a shake before gazing back at the dens. "I totally am going to talk to you when I need someone to give me advice. You seriously are a smart guy Iroh." She said, turning and giving him a head butt. "I should be going..." She added.  

[Lithiasaur]

Iroh smiled, nodding. He hoped he had helped her in some small way. That would mean she might come back to him to talk some more, and he would not begrudge her that. A natural listener, he liked to hear how others were doing, particularly after having such a nice conversation.

"I guess I am lucky," he said a bit enigmatically, thinking about other things. His attention was drawn back to her when he noticed her gaze moving off, and got that tell-tale feeling in the air that the conversation was coming to an end. He flexed his paws, getting his muscles to wake up.

"Well, I look forward to seeing you again! I hope your days improve. I think you'll be fine, though," he head butted her back, then padded away a bit to head back toward his own den now that she said she was going to go.

"I'll see you again, then! Though, feel free to come talk to me even if you don't need advice," he laughed.  

[Split Personality]

She nodded her head and turned to go, but stopped and looked over her shoulder. "I look forward to seeing you too. Your a great lion to talk too and I'll spread the word around!" She said with a teasing giggle before turning back and bounding away.

Fin