[PRP] -- New Faces. (Zima x Kaleth)

[bipolar bee]

Uzima'azali was up early as she was most days. Oftentimes she'd beat the sun, preferring the early morning hours. It gave her a head start on the day, allowed for more productivity. She was still settling in, making herself known and helping out where she could.

Zima had missed this place. She had missed the feeling of being in a pride, the push and pull of day and night, the action and cadence, the ups and downs. This was home, and she loved it dearly. She would never leave again.

Padding softly from her den, she wandered about idly. It didn't appear that anyone else was awake. With a stretch she sat down for her morning grooming. Once finished, she would hunt.  

[Talencia]

Kaleth was not a morning person, not at all. He preferred the warm afternoons and dusky evenings and watching the stars come out. Not at all for him was the sunrise, with its coy brightening and pale colors. However, this morning he had little choice. One of his brothers seemed plagued by bad dreams. Curled together as they often were, he'd been kicked in the muzzle a time or two too much. Disgruntled and sleepy, he'd gotten up and staggered outside blearily to escape his softly growling and twitching sibling.

Once outside, he blinked up at the sky, which had lost its stars, but not gained the proper sade of blue at all for daytime. It was a weird, watery color, with brightness growing to one side. He toddled a few more steps, then stretched his back, paws in front of him. His cubbie claws dug into the dirt, and he yawned wide, tongue curling as he gave a little yowl of a sound. Stretch done with, he licked his jaws stickily. A drink was what he needed. Maybe that would help him wake up better. With a soft grumble, he padded in the direction of the water's edge.  

[bipolar bee]

Zima was always alert; as such, she noticed a cub make his way from his family den towards the drinking water. He looked sleepy and warm, slightly disgruntled. Zima didn't stifle a smile watching him. She loved the young of the pride, had always given them special attention. It was likely due to the fact that her own cubhood had been difficult.

With a final lick to her chops she rose to her paws, trodding softly towards the cub. She had yet to make many friends here in the pride; an early morning greeting would be just the thing to help her feel more settled in.

"Good morning," she cooed softly, not wanting to startle the little bloke. "Having trouble sleeping?"  

[Talencia]

He raised his head from his drink, muzzle dripping messily, to look at the grown up. He bobbed his head respectfully, sending droplets flying in the early morning light. "M'brother woke me up," he half grumbled, trynig not to sound too sullen. Mother would have his hide if he was disrespectful! "So I came to get a drink an wake up," he concluded. He glanced at the sky again. Other colors were mixing with the blue, oddly enough. It was a strange sight, considering the time of day. Why, if one didn't know better, one would think it was evening!

He peered up at the lioness again. "I'm Kaleth," he announced, pawing at his face to wipe the residue of his drink away. This led to a more sincere attempt to clean himself up, swiping his paw over his ears and across his nose several times, each time taking a lick at the side of his paw. He was certainly allowed to get dirty, but first thing in the morning, a wash-up seemed appropriate.

Cursory wash done, he gazed up at her again. "You can't sleep either?" It seemed a logical question, unlikely to be considered impertinent. If his being up meant he couldn't sleep, perhaps this was true for grown ups too?  

[bipolar bee]

"I'm Zima," she said quietly, charmed by the way the water dripped from his muzzle. Ah, cubs. She did adore them. "I'm sorry your brother woke you up, Kaleth." Zima fought a smile as she watched him groom himself, staying quiet for the time being.

"No, I prefer to rise early, little one." She took a deep breath and gazed around, exhaling once her eyes turned back to him. "Greeting the sun each day brings me happiness." Zima smiled at him before continuing, "Besides, I have duties to attend to, and the earlier I rise means the earlier I can finish these duties."
 

[Talencia]

Kaleth considered her reasoning. Absently he tapped a paw, tap-tap-stomp-pause, tap-tap-stomp-pause, while he thought about is own side of such an issue. "Mealtime makes me happy," he concluded finally, licking his lips at the thought of breakfast. When would mother get up so they could eat? Would it be soon?

This made him refocus on her secondary reasoning. Yes, he supposed that was true. "Do you suppose I can get my teachers to teach me early so I can play sooner?" he asked in plaintive cubbie logic. Not that he savored mornings. Not at all. But if it meant he could have longer to play later in the day, he'd be willing to sacrifice his sleep for a little more play later on when he was properly awake.  

[bipolar bee]

Zima let out a soft chuckle. Ah, such a charming boy. Cubs were so endearing in their simplicity. The smallest things could bring them such pleasure. Innocence in cubhood, Zima missed those days. But even still, she could relive the days of her own cubhood through meeting youngsters, interacting with them.

It was so refreshing.

"I think... teaching is different. I am a huntress. The pride relies on me to bring food in, and so the sooner I can do so, the sooner everyone is fed and happy -- and the sooner I can finish my chores." Zima grinned at Kaleth.

"Besides, you are young. There will be plenty of time for you to wake up early when you are older. When I was a cub, my mornings were best spent curled up with my family, enjoying the shared warmth and snores of my mama."  

[Talencia]

He yawned widely, reminded of what he'd rather be doing just now. His ears wilted and he gave a great sigh. "Can't do that if I'm being kicked, though," he complained grouchily. He paused to consider. "Though maybe momma's other side is nicer?" He gave the grown up a questioning look, unaware of how adorably sleepy he looked. His ears were pointed to either side, limp and without energy. His eyes were half-lidded and glowing in the pale light of dawn. His cubbie paws looked particularly large and clumsy as he moved, stumbling in his not-quite-awake state.

"But I"m cold now," he added with surprising consideration. "I might wake momma up with my cold fur and nose." He put a paw over his nose as if to warm it and then looked at his paw in startlement. It was cold too! "And paws," he added belatedly.