It was the calm between snow storms, quiet out apart from the other lions that were enjoying the time outside. Though when being there long enough, one could tell that it was only a few hours before the next storm was soon to hit. Everyone was enjoying the time before rushing back into the caves they hid to keep warm during such the time. It was a time to be joyous and happy. Snow was a good thing, and blizzards were blessings. It brought a smile across Chuntao's face at the thought of first sight of snow fall.
She moved softly leaving light foot prints in the snow behind her. Not that it mattered. In a few hours none of them will ever be noticed, covered by the the storm in the mists that hadn't shown itself. New cubs had come into the land, not just any cubs were different. They were the cubs of the Queen and King. She was taking a break, letting another snow angel handle the little bundles of joy. It took her back to when her own were young. Now they were all grown, and she was missing the time when they were small. There was nothing like being a parent, that much she could say. It made it easier being a snow angel have being a parent.
As she walked, in the distance she saw Daichi. Someone she hadn't talked to in quite a while. She felt it was time to see how he was doing. She moved towards him with a smile upon her face. "Good day, Daichi"
Relnaartum had been right behind Chuntao. She knew he was there, yet there was no conversation between them. His words were little, only when he felt he needed to talk. Today hadn't been one of those days. He just watched from her back as they moved across the snow land to Daichi and his companion, Aakrelnah. He liked her as any would a friend, he decided.
A smile, however, didn't cross his face like Chuntao. He wasn't one that smiled very much. He was quite the opposite from his companion. That might have been why he stayed with her. She could talk for the both of them, and he'd just listen and nod his head. It worked for him. He just nodded his head in recognition when they got closer, to show that he wasn't ignoring the others at all.
Daichi was enjoying the day outside of the cave as much as he can, just like everyone else. Though, he wasn't expecting any small talk from anyone. He was not one that made friends very good. Though Aakrelnah helped with that, she was amazing with everyone and could keep anyone close to him. She was his true friend. Everyone just wanted to know what he could see and if there was any danger to be expected. Truth be told, he wasn't very good at harnessing his seeing powers, and most things that came to him he didn't understand. Though he told them how he saw them. Always giving that disclaimers warning saying he wasn't sure what it meant.
He almost jumped when he heard Chuntao's voice. Even though he had been basically looking right at her the whole time. Though he wasn't actually looking at anything. His mind was wondering again, and he was completely unaware of what was going on in front of him. All he really knew was there was a storm coming that was going to be long, not as long as the last storm, but just as cold. He had seen it. A storm, then a calm between, then another storm. Good blessings, he knew. They always were when it was like that.
"Oh,Chuntao!" He said with a chuckle "You startled me!"
Aakrelnah giggled and shook her head. "Hello Chuntao, Relnaartum." she smiled at both of them and gave a little bow out of respect. These two were quite the pair, she thought as she was looking at them for a moment. Relnaartum hardly said a word unless he needed to. Little words, but important when spoken. She liked that. Though, she couldn't say she was the same way. "It's quite a lovely day, before the storm to start." She said with a nod. "It will be a cold one." She said looking to the sky.
It was something everyone could agree on. Though, she knew that Daichi's words were always correct. Even if he thought they weren't. He could read his visions better, she thought. When he first came here he didn't know what he was saying at all, now he got a good idea what they were telling him. Of course, nothing was bad yet. Nothing had happened since that avalanche. They had been considerably lucking.
"I'm sorry, was I interrupting something?" She asked, hoping that she hadn't ruined a vision, or perhaps something else he was doing. It wasn't that he looked like he was doing anything, so she thought it was going to be okay to come over to talk to him. She knew not to bug him when he was busy. There wasn't very many seers in the pride, and that was something that surprised her. Only two, that she could remember, though more could just be hiding. Not wanting that responsibility.
"I could leave if you want me to." She said as she went to turn away.
Relnaartum shook his head. "He was just thinking" he said in a low voice. It was high enough for them to hear his words. He always made sure of that. He didn't like to repeat himself. It was annoying when you had to do that. He hopped from Chuntao's back to get to the level that the other hare was at. He nodded at Aakrelnah. "Hello, Aakrelnah." he said finally. Since words had come out, he might as well say a few to her.
Only a few though. After that, he probably wouldn't talk for the rest of the day. If things went well. They normally did, but who knows. He scratched his long ear with one of his back paws, then stretched as if he was getting off from a long ride. Still, no smile crossed his face.
Daichi smiled. "Oh, no." he started. "You're not interrupting anything." He looked to the Relnaartum and nodded. "Just that, little man." He said with a smile. Always smiling, Daichi spared no muscle in his face when a pretty lady was there wanting a word with him. It was part of his charm, he liked to think. "How can I help you, Chuntao?" he asked her, curious on this visit.
The air was slowly getting colder, he could feel it, but was ignoring it for the moment. Soon, the storm would be upon them. He could see some lions and hares in the distance slowly going towards the caves. A bit early for it, but the colder it got, the more lions would be drawn to go back inside. He looked back into Chuntao's eyes, trying not to let his mind wonder more than it was already. He never use to let things bother him like that, but now he couldn't keep his thoughts separate. He was slowly losing his mind, he figured.
Aakrelnah knew something was wrong with Daichi, but she wouldn't question them til they were alone. He wouldn't tell her anything otherwise. She ignored it for the moment, as she was gonna try to see how many words she could get out of Relnaartum. It was a game she liked to play, though normally it didn't go as well as she hoped.
"Having a good day, Relnaartum?" She asked sweetly. He nodded, and that was something she had expected. She smiled at him. "Any plans tonight?" She asked him curiously. Of course, again she didn't expect words to come out. It was fun trying to get him to talk. It was a game only she played, she figured. No one else really tried to talk to the hare. One day they'd hold a conversation. Perhaps she was just crazy to think that, but she liked to think it to be true.
"Are you sure," Chuntao asked just in case he was just trying to be nice. She would just grab Relnaartum and walk away if it wasn't something he wanted to do. She was that kind of lion, she knew when to disappear. "I mean, it looks like the storm is about to hit. " Though she knew it wouldn't for a good hour or so. The sun was still out and clouds were just now appearing. Once the sun was blocked out, that was when she knew it was time to go back into the caves.
"I was just curious on what you were up to." She said with a smile. "it has been a while since I've talked to you." Not that she could remember why. She wondered if it was just because they were so different in jobs. He was busy keeping them safe from warnings, and she was busy with cubs. Not many cubs lately, but enough to keep her on her toes as of now.
"It's a nice change to get away from work, sometimes." She said with a smile. Though she suppose it was a bit harder for him, his job was all the time depending when something happened. She couldn't imagine that happening to her. She'd hate it. However, she was very grateful that he had such a gift. A gift giving to him and then lead him here. There was no mistaking that he was something this pride needed.
Relnaartum was annoyed with all the questions. This was how it was every time he ran into Aakrelnah. He wondered why, but never dared to ask. He didn't want to talk more than he needed, and that wasn't really needed. He frowned at her and then shrugged. She'd give up eventually. Normally no one even tried to talk to him, but she was very persistent. He looked up at Chuntao in hopes that she was going to say it was time to leave, but it didn't look like they were gonna leave soon.
His eyes moved to fix on Aakrelnah. Watching and waiting for her next question. it wasn't hard not to answer with words, what was hard was that he didn't want to snap at her for asking them. He was trying to be polite.
Daichi looked to the sky. He knew as well as Chuntao it wasn't soon. Him more than most, he supposed. Though his readings could be wrong. "It has been a while, hasn't it." It wasn't that he didn't have time to visit with her. It was quite the opposite. He had all the free time in the world. She didn't, however. She was busy with cubs day in and out. She also had her own kids, but he had yet to see the father for them. He had noticed she'd been looking, but yet to see him. A longing he'd show up, but now he noticed she had stopped.
Did she give up? Assume the worse had happened? He wasn't sure, but wasn't about to pry into her life. "The snow has a bit before it'll start falling." He spoke as he looked from the sky back to her. "But I suppose you knew that as much as any." He said with a smile. Sort of calling her out on her excuse. Why come talk to him if she was just going to bounce away so soon. Then again, he might have been the reason why. "you're not bugging me. I was just thinking about the snow to come. I ended up losing all sight in front of me." He said with a smile. "One can never be too careful on what they cannot see." Maybe she'd understand that, but probably not.
"What do you plan to do, while being stuck inside for a few days?" He asked her. Not that he couldn't find out then. The storm would keep everyone to the caves, and they were all linked together. He wasn't sure why they had been like that. The caves had been that way for many years before they were. Some liked to say it was a gift from their goddess.
Ignoring the conversation between the lions, Aakrelnah attention was on Relnaartum. "Eventually you'll have to speak to me, Relnaartum." She said finally. "You can't be silent all the time, and I know you can talk." She said prodding him with one of her paws. He was just stubborn, she decided. He would speak to her, and she would not give up until he did. "Don't think I will stop trying, either!" She didn't care if he knew her plans to make him talk.
Someone had to. Was he shy, and that why? Or was it something else he'd never tell anyone. Questions she wanted answered, but knew that would take time for them to be. Or maybe they won't ever be. She poked him again and gave him a smile. "One day, Relnaartum, One day." was all she said. She knew they'd be departing soon, she could feel it in Daichi's stance.
She smiled and gave a shrug. "Suppose I will be doing what everyone else will be. Enjoying the warmth and being annoyed by everyone else." She giggled. That wasn't exactly how it was going to go, but she could do a little joke, right? She wasn't sure how long they'd be in the caves for, no one did. It was something that was just gonna happen how it did. "I thing I will be able to get some beauty sleep. " She thought about that. She probably wouldn't, since there were new cubs to look after. Cubs born in the dead of winter, it was a good omen. But, that didn't mean that the cubs would find being inside very pleasant.
They were small yet, and by the time summer would come about, they'd be sick of being in side all the time. That much she knew. Her own kids did the same thing. "And yourself?" She asked him. Snow had started to fall lightly, and that was the first sign of the storm they had seen since the last one passed. Time to hide was slowly coming to. Though, she wasn't about to flee into the shelter yet.
So it was a game this hare was doing with him, he noticed. Finally, he knew exactly what she was up to. Or at least, he thought he did. He looked at her and gave another shrug. He would make it very hard for her to win at this game. Two can play it. She just had to ask the right questions, and she hadn't yet. Now, he knew to resist answering anything she asked him. He wanted to give a smirk, but that'd give him away.
When he noticed it was snowing, he grabbed the fur on Chuntao's leg gently and decided to climb back to her back. It was almost time to go. He bowed instead of saying fair well to Aakrelnah. Now he could have his own jipe.
"I guess that's something we'll have to find out." was the answer he gave. He was going to stick to that too. He wasn't sure what he was going to do. It was always so boring for him in there. He hardly got any visions when they were inside the caves. Thought that was something he was okay with. Every time he got them, he felt a part of his mind disappear. Or, at least, he thought he did. maybe it was a curse of some sort. He wasn't sure. He smiled at her and looked to Aakrelnah. "But, I do know we should probably get inside before it gets too dark. I don't want to lose my way."
"Care to accompany us in?" he asked her as he turned towards the caves. He was sure their conversation could continue inside. At least, that was what he was hoping. He wasn't sure what she was doing, other than he had heard rumors of more ice princesses and princes. He was surprised when she agreed and started to walk beside him. Their conversation was to continue!
Aakrelnah smiled at Relnaartum. She could try longer now! Of course, that was if he didn't smack her. She was half expecting him to prod her back, but he never did. He just sat there in silence, then when the two lions started to move, he followed.
She followed as well. "Have you ever played a game called "I spy"?" She asked him. And started to explain the rules. Of course, she didn't think he'd actually play with her, which she didn't. Not that there was much to spy. Snow, snow, and more snow. So perhaps he was the one that was smart about not playing. She shrugged and gave up sooner than she thought she would. She would have all week to try to get him to talk. That was, if he decided to avoid her.
Finished.
