Princess_Feylin
It was a welcome change to live with a group again. Mana had not liked living alone. He had been raised in a pride - not this one - and the majority of his experiences had not been ones of solitude. Now, with a den to call his own, Mana could devote time to healing and recovering his strength. For the first few days since he was brought in he'd indulged in the little luxuries he'd foregone in his time on the run. Long, thorough baths. Eating until he was sated. Sleeping a full span. Little things people in prides tended to take for granted.
His injured paw was healing nicely and the psychological damage from the failed rebellion was, too, though more slowly. Lady Nyoka, with her offer, had done more for him than he could find words to express. He would be hers until he died. At least, once he was fully recuperated. He was anxious to heal so that he could contribute to his utmost. It gnawed at his conscience that so far he had been of little use to her. A cheetah who couldn't run and wasn't familiar with the territory wasn't much good to anyone, but he didn't dare wander too far from his den for the time being. If he tired or ran into trouble, he still wasn't equipped to deal with it. It would not serve Nyoka well if he got injured again or killed. Or lost. Gods and spirits, that would be embarrassing.
What he really needed was a guide. Someone who could walk him around and help him get acquainted with Nyoka's lands. He'd considered collaring that cub that followed Nyoka around - Enzi - and convincing him to do it, but he knew from experience that children had almost no discretion. He didn't want it made public that he would probably get lost if he strayed more than a few hundred yards from his den. The land would eventually become familiar to him, he knew, and after traveling so long in strange lands it was good to recognize even a few things. It did wonders for his peace of mind. Oh, he remained suspicious and tended to jump when unfamiliar people came up on him, but he was forcing himself to get over that.
He rolled onto his side and gazed out at the rest of the lands - those he could see from just in front of his den, anyway. It was good to have a home.
His injured paw was healing nicely and the psychological damage from the failed rebellion was, too, though more slowly. Lady Nyoka, with her offer, had done more for him than he could find words to express. He would be hers until he died. At least, once he was fully recuperated. He was anxious to heal so that he could contribute to his utmost. It gnawed at his conscience that so far he had been of little use to her. A cheetah who couldn't run and wasn't familiar with the territory wasn't much good to anyone, but he didn't dare wander too far from his den for the time being. If he tired or ran into trouble, he still wasn't equipped to deal with it. It would not serve Nyoka well if he got injured again or killed. Or lost. Gods and spirits, that would be embarrassing.
What he really needed was a guide. Someone who could walk him around and help him get acquainted with Nyoka's lands. He'd considered collaring that cub that followed Nyoka around - Enzi - and convincing him to do it, but he knew from experience that children had almost no discretion. He didn't want it made public that he would probably get lost if he strayed more than a few hundred yards from his den. The land would eventually become familiar to him, he knew, and after traveling so long in strange lands it was good to recognize even a few things. It did wonders for his peace of mind. Oh, he remained suspicious and tended to jump when unfamiliar people came up on him, but he was forcing himself to get over that.
He rolled onto his side and gazed out at the rest of the lands - those he could see from just in front of his den, anyway. It was good to have a home.
Velveteen Angel
Nanashi liked the security of the pride, knowing that his rather foolish sister couldn't get herself into too much trouble within the pridal lands was a nice thought, and that his brothers were being taken care of and didn't need to be on guard all the time, though he had a feeling they would be anyway. It was a weight of his shoulders, being in a pride which could provide them safety, more than just a warm den to sleep at night.
Nyoka had been kind to them, and in return, Nanashi had been helping her all he could, with the pride, with her own life, and occasionally when she requested his presence to discuss matters. It was strange, being in a partnership with someone who was rather obvious in affection to someone else. True, Nanashi slept beside Nyoka at night, but that strange leopard male, the one who could calm Nyoka with ease, slept in the den as well, along with his two hybrid daughters who looked nothing like Nyoka. The pride was a confusing place, but it was worth it for the safety, or so Nanashi told himself.
He was strolling around the pride now, his own pace leisurely and soothing, more as if he was just walking for the same of walking, not for going somewhere. A flicker of movement caught his eye, and soon the pelt colour was hard to miss as he spotted Mana-something or other. He could never remember long names. He set off towards the male though, knowing he was close to Nyoka as well. "Greetings," he called out, his voice calm and unobtrusive. He had seen the male in passing before, but had never stopped to speak to him.
Princess_Feylin
Mana's attention had been on the scenery, but several weeks on the run had made him capable of dividing his attention and discerning the sound of someone approaching. Cheetahs, being unable to retract their claws, were particularly easy for him because of the soft clicking their claws made when they walked over hard surfaces. However, it was not the sound of Nanashi's approach that caught Mana's attention, but his vocal salutation.
The cheetah's head swiveled quickly around to look at whomever was addressing him. When he recognized Nanashi he winced inwardly and hauled himself to his feet. There were many ways of showing respect, he had learned, and rising at another's approach was one of them, but Mana also tended to use this particular method when he was in company he knew he ought to hold in higher esteem than he did. For those he held in truly high esteem, he abased himself.
He was sure Nanashi was a decent guy, but he'd never had much opportunity to interact with him, and so he preferred to reserve judgment. It was still a struggle not to judge people on the color of their coats, and so he forced himself to make the effort with everyone, which tended to mean that he needed to talk to a person to formulate an opinion of them. Perhaps this afternoon he would be presented with such an opportunity regarding Nanashi. It would be good to know more of the cheetah Nyoka treated as her partner.
"Greetings," Mana said, returning the salutation without a great deal of deference, though there was also nothing in his manner that was challenging. He was simply compensating for his injury. People knew he was injured - some of them - and so he had to make sure they knew he was not weak because of it.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" He figured it would be best to get to the point quickly.
The cheetah's head swiveled quickly around to look at whomever was addressing him. When he recognized Nanashi he winced inwardly and hauled himself to his feet. There were many ways of showing respect, he had learned, and rising at another's approach was one of them, but Mana also tended to use this particular method when he was in company he knew he ought to hold in higher esteem than he did. For those he held in truly high esteem, he abased himself.
He was sure Nanashi was a decent guy, but he'd never had much opportunity to interact with him, and so he preferred to reserve judgment. It was still a struggle not to judge people on the color of their coats, and so he forced himself to make the effort with everyone, which tended to mean that he needed to talk to a person to formulate an opinion of them. Perhaps this afternoon he would be presented with such an opportunity regarding Nanashi. It would be good to know more of the cheetah Nyoka treated as her partner.
"Greetings," Mana said, returning the salutation without a great deal of deference, though there was also nothing in his manner that was challenging. He was simply compensating for his injury. People knew he was injured - some of them - and so he had to make sure they knew he was not weak because of it.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" He figured it would be best to get to the point quickly.
Velveteen Angel
Nanashi felt a little bad when the male got to his feet, having heard, more in passing then great detail, that he had been injured at some point and wondered if it had hurt him to get to his feet, but he ignored that fact. He wouldn't have wanted any injuries, whether they were in existence or not, to be brought to attention by someone you barely knew, so he held his tongue on that issue.
Slightly amused at the male's rather to-the-point question, the dark coloured male was instantly reminded of his younger brother Baride. He was always a rather no-nonsense male, so perhaps this male was like that as well. Well, in that case.
"No," Nanashi responded honestly, tilting his head and glancing back out across the lands. "To be honest, it was merely an impulse to come and see you, no agenda." He didn't know if the other male would believe him or not, but it was the truth. He really needed to stop acting on impulses.
"Did I interrupt something?" He asked, quirking a look at the male and wondering if he had. Perhaps that was why he was being so forward, Nanashi had interrupted something, even if the other cheetah hadn't actually appeared to be doing anything of importance when Nanashi had approached. Curious.
Princess_Feylin
So Nanashi didn't want anything from him. Not at the moment, anyway. Mana knew his position was not going to be one of any great rank, which suited him perfectly. He didn't like total autonomy, he'd learned, and needed direction from higher-ups. Not micromanaging, mind. Mana preferred to be given freedom to choose the manner in which he would accomplish a given task, but he had to first be given a task. The no agenda thing, however, seemed debatable, though Mana kept his thoughts on that to himself.
"It's a pleasure to see you, of course," Mana said. It was neither the truth nor a lie. The young cheetah hadn't yet come to a decision how he felt about Nanashi, and therefore had no opinions on surprise visits from him, as long as they weren't going to involve lots of pointless displays of power.
"And you've interrupted nothing. I've spent the morning being spectacularly unproductive and trying to convince my paw it wants to heal faster. So far I've had little success on that front, but it is healing."
True, he wasn't standing with his full weight on the paw, but he was able to stand on it without visibly favoring it, which was an improvement and it was clean and uninfected. All in all, he was recovering well, considering the weeks of abuse he'd heaped on that particular appendage. He wasn't looking for any sympathy, though. Pity and sympathy were two things his innate sense of pride would not tolerate.
"It's a pleasure to see you, of course," Mana said. It was neither the truth nor a lie. The young cheetah hadn't yet come to a decision how he felt about Nanashi, and therefore had no opinions on surprise visits from him, as long as they weren't going to involve lots of pointless displays of power.
"And you've interrupted nothing. I've spent the morning being spectacularly unproductive and trying to convince my paw it wants to heal faster. So far I've had little success on that front, but it is healing."
True, he wasn't standing with his full weight on the paw, but he was able to stand on it without visibly favoring it, which was an improvement and it was clean and uninfected. All in all, he was recovering well, considering the weeks of abuse he'd heaped on that particular appendage. He wasn't looking for any sympathy, though. Pity and sympathy were two things his innate sense of pride would not tolerate.
Velveteen Angel
Nanashi was not worried about how the other male saw him, but knew that he was close to Nyoka, so it was important that the male did not hate him, though Nana did not particularly mind.
"Ah, yes, I had heard your paw was injured. Do you need anything to encourage it to heal faster? I do believe Royal Dysi knows some herbs which may encourage faster healing, but you would need to ask him what they were. I'm afraid that I'm not well versed in herbs." He inclined his head.
He had been injured before, it was quite annoying, waiting for it to heal. He offered a small amount of sympathy but did not pity the male. Pity was a useless emotion, he knew.
Princess_Feylin
"It is healing," Mana said with a dismissive shrug. "I am told that all I can do at this point is wait and not put any undue strain on it."
His ears twitched forward when Nanashi mentioned Dysi. He had not yet had an opportunity to meet the leopard, but he knew unquestionably that Nyoka cared more for him than she was willing to let on. He was not an idiot, and he could see the signs when they were right there in front of his face. It had dashed his thoughts of maybe becoming more to the small cheetah once he was healthy. The fact that she had a mate had been less of a deterrent than her attraction to Dysi. She liked other species, and that was...mildly sickening.
"I will have to meet Dysi sometime and ask his opinion on the matter, then, but I hope to be in good working order shortly, so perhaps it will be more of a social encounter." Though the spirits only knew what he would find to talk about with the leopard. The fact that cross-species relationships were an affront to the spirits and he thought Nyoka could do better didn't seem like a particularly good conversation point. Nor did a warning about having relationships with mated females seem to be appropriate.
"If I may ask, what are your plans for your pride?" Mana had no illusions that the pride was more Nyoka's than Nanashi's, but he had to come up with something to say and it would be good to know more of what the leadership wanted for the pride and how he could help them achieve that goal.
His ears twitched forward when Nanashi mentioned Dysi. He had not yet had an opportunity to meet the leopard, but he knew unquestionably that Nyoka cared more for him than she was willing to let on. He was not an idiot, and he could see the signs when they were right there in front of his face. It had dashed his thoughts of maybe becoming more to the small cheetah once he was healthy. The fact that she had a mate had been less of a deterrent than her attraction to Dysi. She liked other species, and that was...mildly sickening.
"I will have to meet Dysi sometime and ask his opinion on the matter, then, but I hope to be in good working order shortly, so perhaps it will be more of a social encounter." Though the spirits only knew what he would find to talk about with the leopard. The fact that cross-species relationships were an affront to the spirits and he thought Nyoka could do better didn't seem like a particularly good conversation point. Nor did a warning about having relationships with mated females seem to be appropriate.
"If I may ask, what are your plans for your pride?" Mana had no illusions that the pride was more Nyoka's than Nanashi's, but he had to come up with something to say and it would be good to know more of what the leadership wanted for the pride and how he could help them achieve that goal.
