She looked at the pirate before her, and smiled warmly as he complimented her figure. Of course it was a little brash, and she was more used to the honest
manners of others. Living here was a culture shock, as most of the males had no idea how to compliment anyone respectfully. She sighed, stretching her toes in the sand.
She loved it here, the warm sand, the sun, the sound of the oceans waves rushing over the sandy shores. It was all just a thrillingly beautiful place to call home. She
looked back towards where all the pirates were gathering, and respectfully bowed her head, excusing herself. She knew that he would want to join them, and she'd not stop him.
No, someone else was on her mind. Nemeios, as always seemed to be the case.
Finally having a break from her duties this afternoon, she excused herself from her 'sisters' and took her leave to the water. She stepped in it, kicking and letting the coolness
of the liquid cool her body from the heat.
Zawadi wasn't sure what to think of this place. It wasn't like life with her loving parents - but surely that would change soon, and she would gt what she wanted again. That always ended up happening, and if necessary she would make it happen. The cheetah sighed softly and rolled her eyes, prepared to spend a day singing the praises of the lion she so despised. She made a face at the thought of him; of how he had kidnapped her and brought her... here.
Sure, this was a lovely enough area, if one liked that sort of thing, and that handsome cheetah she had seen around certainly added to the appeal, but the mere fact that she had been brought here against her will was enough to make the beautiful scenery look ugly - and her parents must be so heartbroken, to not have her in their lives any more... but she couldn't think about them. She needed to sell her 'devotion', and that was all she could do right now. She would be the good, sweet and devoted little female. Someday this pride would see reason, right? They had to.
She heard someone approaching, and her ear swiveled and her head soon turned the direction her ear had directed. She cocked her head, looking over the young female cheetah. She was younger than Kena by a good few seasons, or at least that was Kena's guess. She smiled, her eyes taking on a soft gaze. She remembered when this female joined. Or, more like, was forced to join. She could have neded up in worse places, but her circumstances werent the happiest of times. She felt for her, but she could do nothing to free the lions hold on the poor gal.
"Hello." She said softly, approaching not so quietly since her trinkets jingled and jangled as she walked.
Oh, she hadn't even noticed that someone else was approaching. Zawadi stayed quiet for a moment, trying to think how to react - should she act infatuated immediately, or let some of her displeasure show? She thought it through, then finally decided to be just a little honest about her state - it wasn't like her captor would interrogate the females of the pride for how she acted, right? Probably not. So it might be worth the risk, at least.
"Oh, hello," she replied, taking a seat and gazing out over the water. She wondered, briefly, if she could try to swim away or something - but that was a crazy thought, and immediately discarded it. Perhaps getting to know others in the pride would be good for her - allies were something good to have, right?
"Is there something you want?" Perhaps that came out a little... rude, but she had every right to be in a bad mood.
Makena stopped a few feet from her, but when the other female replied in a bit of a harsh tone, she sighed. Were all the newcomers all bad apples? She truly just wanted to be welcoming but they were all proving rather difficult.
"Well I wanted to welcome you, for starters." She said, her own tone firm, however it still held that tilt of happiness. She wasnt offended, she could understand why the cheetah would be so hostile. She had been taken against her will, and she just couldnt imagine it being a pleasant experience.
"What is your name?" She asked.
Stretching her paws a little, Zawadi sighed and turned her head away from the other female. For a moment she felt a brush of shame at being so unpleasant, but it was quickly washed away as she thought about how unfair it was that she had been forced into this situation, where she wasn't getting what she wanted. She had the right to be as rude as she pleased! ... But she probably wouldn't win many allies that way, either. So what should she do? After deliberating back and forth on the idea for a moment, the cheetah shook her head and offered up a weak smile.
"Zawadi'Nzuri," she said at last. "And you are...?"
When she announced her name, Makena felt her tension ease and soon she was able to smile. She was one of th emost friendly in the pride. Befriending her you had a friend for life. So she never quite understood brash behavior. With a c**k of her head she smiled again, warmly and wide.
"Im Makena'Lesedi.. But I go by Makena, its much too much of a mouthfull to say that every time."
Zawadi nodded, resigning herself to being mannerly and sweet - for now, anyway. Perhaps that would get her the information she sought, if not directly what she wanted.
"You can call me Zawadi," she offered, turning her gaze away to watch the water. It really was pretty, she thought - and so much of it, at that. Maybe she should have said 'nice to meet you', but it wasn't, not really - not under these circumstances, anyway.
She nodded, smiling again. Obviously she was a happy female, as she always seemed to keep smiling. She was hoping to make this little ladys time here manageable. After all, shed likely be here for the rest of her life.. It was best to love where you were from. It had taken time, to become a corsair. She had to learn how to behave, as she had always been raised with just her father and sisters. It was so.. different here.
"Pleasure Zawadi.. Id ask how you like it here so far, but I think that would be a stupid question." She said, ruby eyes looking out at the ocean
"How can I like it?" Zawadi asked, less to Makena than to the world at large. "This isn't my home; I didn't ask to come here - I didn't want to." She knew that the chances of ever leaving this place were small unless she got permission or someone else stole her away - like, perhaps, that handsome cheetah?
Maybe they could even run away together! But if she was to have a chance at gaining something resembling freedom again, Zawadi would have to sell the belief that she was happy here, and that would take time.
"Perhaps you could ask me again in time?"
"Youll find that we arent all like your lion companion. You can trust me, anyway. I cant vouch for the rest of them. Most of them are brutes." She smiled, her tail flickng side to side as she walked closer to sit beside the female.
"I can ask you, maybe after I show you around some. Some of the trinkets are enough enough reason to like this place." She said with anouther chuckle.
Oh, and here was her chance to start proving her 'loyalty' to her captor. She would have to start small, probably, if she wanted it to be even the slightest bit believable.
"He's... not so terrible, I suppose," she said, feeling as though she had just bitten down on something particularly sour and unpleasant. The words just didn't feel right on her tongue, and were so untrue to how she felt that it was almost painful to speak them.
"But I would like to look around, if it's not too much trouble," Zawadi added, her ears flicking a little at the mention of trinkets. What sort of trinkets could Makena possibly mean?
Makena didnt notice the fake feeling in the cheetahs voice. Though she was rather surprised that the female actually had an interest in her captor. She had not expected that at all.. From anyone really. Though she could see how it was possible. She smiled, nodding.
"Thats good then. So long as he treats you well most times, hes better than some of the guys round here. But they are all rather amusing at times." She said with a grin. She had her favorite male, and so she never slept around, as he was a captain and had that right to lay a claim on a favorite corsair. At least, so long as Pirato didnt object, which he didnt.
"What kind of things interest you?" She asked, wanting to not waste her time but to point out the great things about the place shed be calling home.
Zawadi relaxed just a little as it became apparent that the lioness had bought her fib. Maybe she really could pull this off! At Makena's question, however, she tilted her head thoughtfully and curled her tail around her.
"Kind of things?" She echoed, her eyes crossing briefly as she tried to think. At last, she shrugged. "Pretty things, I suppose. Freedom." That mysterious male cheetah... not that she could mention him. "It's been a challenge to think of my interests lately, really." She paused for a long moment, then added, "I guess I need to try and find new ones."
(Word Count: 1665)