The sun hadn't even come up yet, the hints of its promise on the horizon to the east. Most of the pride was asleep, some sleeping off the effects of various revelries the night before. What they each celebrated, Yu didn't know. He wasn't one of the ones who had been celebrating. Instead, he was up before the sun, walking through the pride. There was a young lion he was dragging out on a Viking, his first Viking. A protective middle cub... He had to admire the younger lion for that, being in the middle and wanting to protect everybody he knew and loved. Even if his older siblings may not have wanted it... The gold-haired black lion found the grey lion already waiting for him. "Good, you're already up. The band waits for no lion." It was the only greeting he gave young Vali before heading to where the Viking band was meeting.
He'd been waiting for this day, rather excitedly. He was finally old enough to go on his first Viking! Vali would no longer be a Freeborn, a lion with no ambitions for big glory. Which there was nothing WRONG with being a Freeborn. There was a quieter glory in what the Freeborn did, and to declare they wouldn't be a Reaver took, to him, a very different form of bravery than going out and fighting others. It had to take quite a lot to tell one's Reaver parents that they wished to stay home, to hunt or prepare food, paint, tell stories... Become a Law Speaker. It was a social version of bravery, and Vali respected it very deeply. But he wanted to be a Reaver, to tell glories of battles, and go beyond the borders to better protect his family by fighting other prides to keep them back. He hurried after the dark Reaver, an excitement in his step as he moved. "Where is the band going this time, Yu?"
The other lions soon joined them and the group left. Yu was pleased to see a couple lionesses in the group on their first Viking, much like Vali was. Coming from a background as open as the Pridelands was, he didn't think there was much issue with a lioness becoming a Reaver. Who knew, maybe one would become the Warlord one day. He glanced at the young lion walking beside him, his responsibility for this foray into the lands beyond their border. "We're heading east, and we'll be passing an old haunt of mine and the former home of my mother."
The grey lion tilted his head, looking at the Reaver curiously. "Where would that be?" He couldn't imagine leaving his home to live somewhere else... Of course, there were many lions who did it all the time. Yu's family, or instance... Several lions within it had moved to the Stormborn from outside the lands, finding the culture far more to their liking. Though in the case of Yu's mother, it had been because she sought out her son and safe harbor. She hadn't fought her way in, but she was still a member regardless. She was of no condition to fight, and so her son fought for her.
As the group passed through a cluster of trees, the light of the rising sun dappled their coats and manes in fiery reds and the emerald of leaves. The dark-coated Reaver looked at the younger and smiled. "The Pridelands. It is a place many in the Stormborn have blood ties to, in one manner or another. In fact, there's many prides we have shared bloodlines with." He thought of the many prides he'd heard about, some having long passed to the sands of time, such as the Dawn Walkers. Others were still going strong, including the Pridelands and the Firekin. What other prides would they find out there on this Viking?
Vali's eyes were filled with wonder as Yu spoke of the other lands. He hadn't mentioned anything beyond the Pridelands, but it was still tantalizing to his mind. As they journeyed, he asked many questions, and got many answers. The miles seemed to melt away as they headed for some unknown destination, as the one question the younger lion never asked was... What was their FINAL destination? After being told what pride they would PASS, he no longer cared about where they were GOING... Only who they would be near.
When the time came and they finally passed the proverbial Pridelands, Vali found himself looking into the distance. Something stood out on the horizon, above any trees. "What's that in the distance?"
Yu stepped up next to Vali, squinting at the distant horizon. "That, young Vali... Is Pride Rock." He looked over, finding blue eyes filled with curiosity staring back. "That is where the pride lives. By now it's probably quite crowded... The Pridelands knows no end of new faces, both from the inside an the outside. It's a very open pride that lets lions join mostly as they please." As they began to travel again, he nodded toward a shadowy area. "But THEY may never step paw across the border."
Confused, Vali looked to the dark place that Yu had indicated. "What do you mean? Who lives there?" He paused, then bounced after Yu. "Will we be going there? Maybe we can bring one of them back! Or somebody from here!" He then skid to a halt at the look the older lion gave him. If looks could kill, he'd probably be very very VERY dead.
"This band is NOT stepping paw into the Elephant Graveyard. Hyenas live there, and hyenas in a pack are NOT to be messed with!" He turned, advancing toward the other lion. The other Reavers and Captain had stopped, watching with mild curiosity. "Adults and especially cubs are NOT to be stolen from the Pridelands! Their numbers are vast, and they WILL come after us and start a war WE didn't ask for, so I will NOT hear talk from you again about capturing a Thrall from the Pridelands!"
For a brief moment, Vali felt terror. He backed up, shrinking down and ears back. When the black lion had stopped, he rose slightly. "I didn't say the lion had to be a Thrall! We can always convince somebody to join with us!"
His mouth was a hard line and brows still furrowed in anger, but Yu decided he WOULD give the younger lion THAT one. "We are still not going into the Pridelands as a group." He turned and continued to walk, as the band did. "If you wish to step paw in there, you can do that on our way back, and do that on your own time while we make camp for the evening. But right now, we're NOT. Now get moving!"
He looked for a moment at the distant promenade of Pride Rock, then turned and hurried after. He'd have to remember... Any threats of enslaving a Pridelander would get him killed by the reaver Yu. But he wondered... Who would he find there on the way back?