[FinJRP]It's Alive! It's ALIVE! It's Pink!(Nawiri x Mittere)

[mouselet]

The pink lioness chewed her meal in silence as Nawiri spoke and finished. Not because it was rude to speak with her mouth full, but so that she had time to gather her thoughts, debate what to tell the other and what not to. She was sure, now, that the other lioness was more than just a healer, for why would a healer ask her such questions?

She swallowed the last bite of meat with relish and licked her muzzle clean before answering any of the questions. And what questions did she have about this plague-ridden pride? She should go carefully, since she would be spending her life here, apparently.

"I know nothing of your pride," she told Nawiri flatly. "I had never heard of it until I awoke in this den. So I do not know what ranks you have, or if there are castes by birth or by gender, or even what spirits you worship. If I must be stuck here for the rest of my days, I should know all of these things and more."

Mittere paused. It had been the most she had spoken not just since she'd awoken, but since her squad had died...

She swallowed the emotion and looked up again at the grey lioness, blue eyes dry and unshadowed and she laughed, a harsh, painful sound.

"Who would pursue me from a battlefield three days journey from the edge of your lands? In all likelihood, they would have seen my wounds and given me up for dead." She did not, would not, speak of those she had lead into battle as a midrank officer, of how they were so inexperienced and how they died. Those that died on the field of battle, and the few who survived the engagement only to die on the first day out. She had led them to those deaths, true, but she could not even now see any way it could have been avoided.  

[Uta]

Nawiri was relieved to know that there was an unlikely chance that anyone would continue to hunt Mittere. The last thing the Kitwana'antara needed was to have yet another war! Rogues or pride lions alike, there was a good chance they could all be exterminated if the force was large enough. After what happened with her mother as queen . . .well. . . . it would be quite unfortunate if history repeated itself.

She made a mental note to inform the guards and scouts that there was no one whom would be searching for Mittere. So if anyone did show up, unlikely an event as it might be, they were to report to Nawiri immediately. Best to be safe than sorry, after all.

"This pride is known as the Kitwana'antara. It's history is long, albeit unfortunate. We're a peaceful community, and there are many non-lions that also have ranks within our pride and are considered family." She didn't have to tell Mittere that they needed non-lions to keep the pride strong and healthy. That much was obvious.

"Because many of us suffer from the plague, I suppose we're a bit different than others. We're more of a community of equals rather than a system that's based on power and responsibility. Even the royal lines don't live a particularly cushier lifestyle than the rest - it's merely a title, a name, and little else." Oh, certainly some in the past yearned for rank or tried to use their position as being 'better' than another, but for the most part Nawiri'chiwa tried to encourage everyone to be equal, family. Life was too short to get sucked in to the heart of power. Unfortunately though, her views weren't shared by all.

"There are a few positions that require stipulations on health, or in some cases lack of health, but for the most part any lion or lioness is welcome to choose a rank befitting to them and their desires. We're always in need of healers and nannies to help raise the often orphaned cubs, but we also need those whom are fighters, warriors and guards to protect our pride.

"It is unfortunate, but while we try to stay secluded and isolated as we have quarantined the ill from infecting others, some neighboring prides and rogues don't take kindly to our presence. We're a liability, and often looked on as easy prey, so such warriors and guardians are a necessity to our prides survival.

"There are other ranks as well - hunters, scouts, bards, priests - truly there are many positions that are available.

"The Goddess of Pestilence is whom we most often worship. It is she who continues to strike us down with this disease, and it is only through our worship and devotion to her that she eases our suffering. There are others whom we sometimes devote our prayers to - Famine, Souls, and every now and again Healing - but we try to keep our faith primarily on Pestilence.

"Our pride has . . .felt her wrath before when we began to stray. It is not something we wish to repeat." The severity and gravity of her voice showed that it wasn't just a farce. Something had happened - something bad - and something obviously that had to do with falling away from religion.

That was a good start for now. She ran through alist of some of the various positions, to give Mittere an idea of what she might prefer to have a role in. And a very brief run down of their religious views and general idea of the pride. She hadn't explained everything yet, obviously, but she also didn't want to overwhelm the lioness.
 

[mouselet]

Mittere listened carefully to what she was told. She gave a mental snort at the "community of equals" comment - that she'd believe when she saw it. It wasn't possible, there always had to be one person that everyone else turned to, especially in an emergency.

As the positions were detailed, the pink lioness' ears mentally perked up at the admission that there were guards and even warriors in the pride's ranking system. She wouldn't be forced into a civilian role she was ill-suited for! Well...hopefully, she wouldn't. There was no guarantee she would be permitted to retain that position in this new pride.

But it was the religious summary which was most revealing. She found it interesting that it was to the Goddess of Pestilence these lions of Kitwana'antara gave their worship, rather than Healing. And whatever had happened when they strayed from that worship, whatever it was the grey lioness wanted to say no more about, that was very interesting indeed. Mittere filed that piece of information away to investigate at a later date.

"Thank you," she replied at long last after she thought she had put together a surface understanding of the pride, its values and customs. She would need to learn more, especially about how the pride functioned and prepared concerning outside forces. The blue eyes closed as Mittere realized that she had accepted the fact that she would likely never leave this place. Opening them, she looked at Nawiri again.

"As you may have guessed, I have held the rank of Warrior for most of my life. I would like to do so again, here, in the Kitwana'antara." She didn't add "when I recover." It was self-evident that she would need some time yet to get back on her feet, and the threat of the disease would always loom. Thinking about that, she reviewed the symptoms Nawiri had warned her about. Chills, aching joints...the latter she felt, distantly, but at this point it could still be related to her injuries. Mittere would keep her silence on the matter for now, but she would monitor it closely. Just in case.  

[Uta]

The lioness nodded as Mittere spoke. It was no surprise that the pink female was indeed a fighter - she had survived near-death and would likely recover more swiftly than some of the healers imagined. "If such is your desire, than consider it granted. We are in short supply of fighters, and I'm sure that both the border guards and current warriors could learn from your knowledge." She'd make an excellent Master Warrior down the road . . . or at least such was a possibility!

It was difficult to say now, without knowing much of her history or personality. But perhaps Mittere could find a little joy and comfort down the road, despite the unsavory circumstances that forced her to stay.

"Please, feel free to ask any one if you have any questions or would prefer to know more of our history and traditions. Is there . . is there anything else I can get you to make you more comfortable? I'll be sure to send for more meat, as your stomach hasn't yet objected!" She grinned a bit, pleased by this progress.

Baby steps. . . . It would take time, but Mittere would survive the attack. With luck, she would also be able to survive the plague.  

[mouselet]

Aha, another clue to Nawiri's true rank. She appreciated that the other lioness was happy to accept her in her chosen lifepath, and the fact that she could do so was yet another indication that the grey lioness was very highly ranked. This also, on reflection, accounted for the fact that she truly believed a pride could function on the basis of everyone being equals. Only someone so privileged could expect such an idealistic notion to work.

It would be good though to work mostly with people whom she understood. It took a specific mindset to be a fighter, and those who chose civilian occupations, such as a healer, usually didn't have it. It meant that Mittere had no good guesses as to what Nawiri was thinking, but she had a good idea what the other fighters of this pride would think of her.

"I'll do that," she assured the grey lioness. At the moment she did have questions, but it was more pressing to sit and analyze what she had learned before requesting more information.

Her stomach growled again, making its opinion on further food clear. A real smile touched the pink lioness' lips. "Thank you."