[PRP] Re-Learning the Dance (Madaha x Mawi)

[Satsurashi]

The biggest problem Madaha had these days was that she still cared very much about dancing. At one point when she had been a cub, it had consumed her. In many ways it still did, but in a less direct manner. Her heartbeat kept rhythm for her and she moved in time with it, but it wasn't the same as actual, deliberate dancing. And by now she was so out of practice that she was terribly afraid she would never catch up again to the others her age. That was the one thing she had that made her feel truly connected to her pride... to lose that? Well, it was on her mind quite a lot.

That's why now, even though it was late at night and the moon obscured by cloud cover, she had gone out to practice. She was now so unfamiliar with the steps and moves that she didn't want to be observed by anyone yet, at least until she got her confidence again. The darkly colored lioness wasn't easily visible on a dark night like this. Her brighter markings betrayed her, but she kept herself well away from the dens, using the cover of night and some nearby brush to keep her concealed. As poor a huntress as she was though, someone was bound to notice if they were close by.

Madaha had to drums to dance to, out here alone, so she used her internal rhythm to begin. Only basic moves just yet, feeling out the way she moved carefully.  

[Yin-Bug]

There was some one pretty close by. Mawi Mai, a pretty cheerful lioness she was motherly and caring but most of all she was musical. Normally she would be settling her little ones into bed or telling a grandchild to scurry home to their father because it was bed time but with her youngest litter adolescents and her only litter of grandchildren the same age she didn't have any one to shoo to bed and her children were still up at this time and her mate was getting a meal before they settled so she found herself doing something else that she liked to do. Music.

She was an excellent drummer she was the Umshayi Wesigubhu she was the lead dummer and she was proud. Her mother was the past Umshayi, and she had learned a lot because of that. As a small cub Mawi craved to learn and she wouldn't give up until she was a Umshayi, and she was proud when her mother handed her down the rank. Mawi was proud she carried on the old beats from the old pride that her mother once knew. She wasn't around before the plague but it was for sure she carried the spirit that was around before the plague and she carried it on to the younger generations as she taught them how to make their drums.

She sat near the borders of the pride she was alone for once, normally she was a friendly creature but every now and again she wanted to be by herself where she could hear nothing but her own breathing and of course the drum. She paused for a moment closing her eyes before she let her front paws go to work, she banged her paws down coming up with something on the spot to her that was always the best way to go some times. It sounded beautiful.  

[Satsurashi]

The sound at first startled Madaha, who had thought she was alone out here. She jumped, wide eyed and peering around, before calming herself as she recognized the sounds of a drumbeat. After listening for a few moments, she relaxed fully. The rhythm was good. Not just good, but excellent. Whomever was drumming that beat was obviously of great skill, and the sound seemed to flow naturally into the surrounding area, lifting the young lioness's spirits.

Cautiously, Mada moved toward the sound, brushing through the foliage surrounding her to come upon the other lioness, who was not so far off from the spot where Mada had secreted herself. Madaha listened, not wanting to interrupt the drumming but also making sure that she was in plain sight to Mawi Mai. She had no intention of sneaking up on her.

Once Mada could see her, she recognized the other lioness as the Umshayi Wesigubhu of the Pride. Although Mada had not met her or been introduced, she had known of her since her return as one of the high ranking lionesses of the Pride. While she was nervous about approaching her, Mada also had a great amount of respect for Mawi, who's skill in music had earned her the admiration of the whole Pride.  

[Yin-Bug]

Mawi Mai closed her eyes and hummed quietly as she played, she knew it couldn't be heard to anyone who may have been listening but it helped her keep beat as she was drumming. She slowed her paws, letting them slowly come to a stop, she purred as she slowed down, she loved drummming and when she really got into it she founded herself very happy when she was finished.

She took a moment to calm her mind from the drumming keeping her eyes closed and slowing down the excitement which made her breathe heavily but she slowly calmed down. Then opened her eyes once more. a** he opened them she found another not that far away from her, she blinked for a moment surprise by the sight of the other lioness, she wasn't expecting any company. As she looked over the lioness she thought about it she was pretty sure she had never seen her before.

"Well hello there!" She chirped, Mawi never failed to be a friendly one she always was sweet and always had something to say, she grinned at her happily. "I've never seen you before, are you new to the pride? She questioned curiously.  

[Satsurashi]

As the drumming slowed and then ended, Madaha felt herself moved by the music in a way that she hadn't felt in years. It was a powerful force in her, filling her with excitement and making her feet feel light and energetic. She almost couldn't help but dance when she heard it, but as soon as she'd begun to try a few awkward, hesitant steps, it had ended.

The friendly lioness greeted Mada, and she felt a little nervous at first, being addressed by one of the highest ranking members of the pride. Mawi's tone helped pull her out of it though; the other lioness seemed very kind.

"Hello," Madaha responded, feeling her confidence rise as she spoke, "I guess you could say I'm new? Or old, maybe. I was born into this Pride, but I left with my family when the plague hit. But... I found my way back home." It seemed like the natural way to end her statement, even if it left a lot of question unanswered. "I'm Madaha. You're the Umshayi, aren’t you? What's your name?"  

[Yin-Bug]

The lioness's eyes lit up at the other lioness introduced herself. A new member? For Mawi the idea of a new member always got her excited she loved seeing new blood in the pride. On top of that this lioness seemed kind enough and that was always the best thingShe grinned a the lioness just that much more as the lioness spoke that she was in the in the pride before the plague. She nodded toward the lioness and sat back a little more keeping her paws rested on the drum.

"Welcome home then Madaha!" She laughed slightly before standing up, her shakers rattling as she walked, "you were well missed." She nuzzled the female, Mawi was very friendly she always was. She bounded back some before nodding to the lioness. "That I am!" She giggled some more before looking back at the lioness. "My name is Mawi Mai and it is very nice to meet you." She giggled pawing at the lioness playfully before moving toward her drum again. "Is there anything you want to do now that you are back?"  

[Satsurashi]

Madaha couldn’t help herself; she immediately blurted out, “Dance!” before she had even given the question considerable thought. Embarrassed by the small outburst and her own lack of control, she grinned shyly and said again, “I mean, uh… well yes, I was trying to practice dancing again. It was the one thing I felt really connected me with rhythm.”

She glanced down at her forepaws, suppressing a giggle at how absurd she felt. The Umshayi was very friendly and Madaha felt immediately accepted by her, which was probably what made her feel comfortable enough to tell her the rest.

“I’ve been on my own for a long time. I tried to keep practicing what I knew, but I was only a Intsha when my family left, so I didn’t even know much then. Now to be back among my pride, I feel like as an adult I should know way more than I do. It’s a little embarrassing!” Madaha looked sheepish, but tried to shrug it off.  

[Yin-Bug]

Mawi flicked her hair out of her eyes then grinned ear to ear at the lioness. "I'm glad you want to know how to dance!" She stood up and wiggled around some before nodding at the lioness. "Well I can say I'm not -the- best at the dance." She shrugged then laughed again. "But no worries! I know we have some WONDERFUL dancers in the pride. " She nodded proudly at the idea, that was very true there were a LOT of great dancers in the pride. "I'm more then sure tht you can find some one in here."

She shook her head at the lioness mentally disagreeing with what the lioness said. "You were young , and on top of that if you haven't been around in a while I don't blame you for not knowing all of the steps. If you don't practice often then you lose it and I don't blame you for not worrying about practicing at the time that you left." She looked around and then stood up shaking her coat out. "You probably are tired." She leaned over grabbing the strap of her drum in her mouth before moving herself so she moved it around her neck so it settled on her chest. "Come. I'll help you pick out a den to get all rested up in."  

[Satsurashi]

As Mawi spoke, Madaha listened and also thought back to her past. She remembered the dancers when she was a cub, how graceful and controlled they seemed. She couldn’t remember if anyone in her family had been particularly talented, she just knew that she always had a feel for moving with rhythm, more than anything else.

“I’m sure I will, if it’s anything like I remember,” Madaha replied, her smile insuppressible, “I just hope I can re-learn it quickly. Don’t want to be behind anymore.” Madaha eyed the Umshayi’s drum as she picked it up; Mada didn’t even have one of those, which was a rite of passage for lions much younger than she was. She had a lot of catching up to do.

“Thank you!” Madaha replied gratefully once Mawi offered her help, “I’m afraid I’m a bit lost still… so many dens, it’s hard to check them out when you barely know anyone still!” But she was learning, and that was a start.  

[Yin-Bug]

Mawi Mai looked back at the female and then chuckled with the large grin on her face. "The rhythm is something you can never Compeltly forget." She chuckled slightly before nodding. "You can be a little unsure and a little rusty on everything about it but you never really forget it compeltly. I'm sure you can relearn it quickly."

She flicked her hair ouf of her eyes and then grinned once more. "Yeah we've grown some." She then nodded. "There is still an old member here and there, we just had three old members move into the pride." She grinned before trotting a little slower so she could walk by the lionesses's side. "You know, I'm more then sure that you're going to fit in fine! Everyone is still pretty friendly to those who are coming in here." She grinned as she peaked into a few dens looking out for one that she knew was open. There were a few that she passed by that were emtpy but they were pretty small, she wanted to pick a nice sized one for the lioness sso she could feel at home. "Ah!" she grinned as she paused stopping in front of one. "Here we go!"  

[Satsurashi]

The den they had stopped before looked grand to Madaha, who hadn’t slept in one since she’d left the pride as a cub. It was specious, for one, and though it seemed as though it’d been empty for a while, it didn’t have desolate, abandoned feel to it. It would take only a little cleaning out and some light housekeeping before it was ready to be lived-in again.

“It’s lovely!” Madaha purred appreciatively, heading forward to look around the inside. It was large enough for her to stand normally without having to lower her head, which she liked, and roomy enough for her to even have guests if she wanted. This was way better than anything she’d slept in during her time as a rogue.

“Thank you for helping me find this, I’d be utterly lost without a guide,” Madaha admitted, grinning, “I’m looking forward to meeting everyone, but I guess I’ll have to wait for morning.”  

[Yin-Bug]

Mawi chuckled and nodded to the lioness, she really hoped that the member would enjoy her new home and would settle in nicely. She stretched her paw out and motioned toward the den for the lioness. "I really hope you make yourself at home here." She sat back on her haunches looking at the female and then nodding again. "Make yourself comfortable tonight and join us in the drum circle tomorrow morning, you'll be able to meet many of the pridemembers then." She was about to get up before she paused and then spoke once again. "I my den is right over there." She motioned her paw up some toward the area that she slept along with her children and mate. "You can stop by anytime you want to talk to need help. If I'm not there then one of my cubs can tell you where I am... well one of my children." She chuckled slightly some times she forgot that they weren't cubs anymore.

She stood up then and asked her one more question. "Do you need anything before I go. She offered a kind smile to the other female.  

[Satsurashi]

Madaha listened and was touched by the lionesses’ kindness. This was just what she needed to really get re-integrated back into the pride, and she was grateful for all the help Mawi was giving her. “I don’t think I need anything tonight,” Madaha replied, smiling, “But thank you so much for all your help!” The dark-colored lioness came forward and nuzzled Mawi’s neck affectionately, her way of saying thank you before turning and going back towards the new den.

“I guess I will see you in the morning!” Madaha added, and felt herself growing excited about it. She was so looking forward to meeting all the old and new pride members that would now be like an extended family to her. She would never have to wander again - she was home!  

[Yin-Bug]

Mawi nodded at the lioness's decline of her offer. She loved seeing new members wander into the pride. "No problem at all." She chuckled again before leaning toward the other female and then returned the nuzzle she was glad to see that the lioness was happy to also settle into the pride. It was very nice. That meant that more family was going to be joining the pride. To her all members were family. All of the pride was family to her.

Mawi chuckled and then nodded to the lioness as she started to wanderaway. "See you in the morning!" She chuckled back as she turned around and started to head toward the den. It was a nice day she met a new member in the pride and now she was going to head home and see her children and her mate it was nice.