[PRP] Check-up! (Gerda x Mittere)

[mouselet]

The brown lioness' disappointment was palpable and Mittere had to wonder what exactly Gerda had wanted out of this meeting. Curiosity was not one of her besetting sins and she used it only to acquire better strategic and tactical information. She also hadn't begun to realize that the same disease which was going to trap her here for the rest of her life also kept the lions born to the pride cut off from the rest of the world, and without experiences that she considered standard.

It was clear though that however curious the other lioness might be, she wasn't interested enough to put up with Mittere's attitude and disinclination to be helpful. Then again, there weren't many who really were that curious, the pink lioness reflected.

"Perhaps," she replied to the offer. It might be interesting to see the pride from a civilian's point of view...or it might be unbearable. Hopefully she would be able to learn more about Gerda before that time came so that she would know whether or not to take her up on the offer.

Assuming, of course, that the brown lioness wasn't...otherwise engaged at that time. It was quite likely her cubs would be born before Mittere was capable of leaving the den and gods only knew if Gerda even had a mate to help her take care of them. The pink lioness might not care much for mates and cubs, but she distinctly remembered that they were a handful and a major time commitment. And not something she was interested in wasting her time on. At all.

Her time was for more important things. Such as trying to figure out how many of the pride were too ill to be counted on to form a defense in the case of an attack...  

[troll toll]

Mittere sure wasn't talkative. Gerda supposed it might be because of her weakness, but she was beginning to get the distinct idea that it was just the pink lioness's personality. Oh, well. Mittere's surly snappishness didn't bother her much. Gerda was rarely cheerful and bubbly. Ill health and loneliness had kept her quiet as she matured, and as an adult quiet she mostly remained.

Gerda bowed her head slightly to Mittere, a polite good-bye. "I'll see you soon, then," she said softly, giving the pink lioness a small smile. Despite Mittere's grouchiness, she still harbored the small hope that they would be friends. Or at least that Mittere would tell her something about the outside world ... perhaps she would soften a little bit if Gerda brought her cubs to hear stories of the outside.

Meditating on this happy thought, Gerda padded out of the den.  

[mouselet]

Narrowed blue eyes watched Gerda leave, just as they had watched her enter. Oh sure, she had learned a bit about the brown lioness...but not enough yet to judge if the other was trustworthy on a personal basis. Mittere knew she wouldn't trust Gerda near a battlefield or even near a council of war. She was definitely more competent in a civilian capacity, but her naivete was worrying. What if a spy snuck into the pride? If Mittere was a spy, she probably could've gotten a lot of information out of the other lioness just by imitating her soft friendliness.

Not that the pink lioness would ever demean herself that way. She had her pride after all. And if she felt guilty for the missed opportunity, well, Mittere consoled herself that a civilian like Gerda would not be able to answer her questions with a militaristic eye.

There was also, of course, the question of what exactly Gerda wanted from her. The pink lioness still wasn't sure, but she would apparently have the opportunity to find out. A toothy smile crossed her face. She wondered whose questions would be answered first in that next encounter...her own, or Gerda's?