|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 6:27 am
 It was a few days after the ball that Hima finally slipped away from the Kizi. She didn't want to seem too eager to join the neighboring pride, but at the same time she didn't want to take too long in getting over there. There was a fine line between being over-eager and uninterested and she had to walk it carefully, especially after how she had said goodbye to Ram. She certainly hadn't been subtle in her flirting towards the end and now that she was going to live in his pride she'd have to measure her words and actions just a bit more. He was the leader, after all. She wasn't aiming to be kicked out for being over zealous in her pursuit of the lion. Picking her way through the jungle, Hima finally reached a stretch of beach between the prides. She walked along the sand while tilting her head back a bit, enjoying the warm sun on her face. It was morning so the heat wasn't oppressive just yet and, coupled with the sea breeze, made for a very enjoyable walk. Ram's words came back to her mind and made her smile a very small bit. Curly fur would suit her, he had said. Both in appearance and personality. She couldn't argue that and tossed her head, letting her blue tuft flop out of her eyes. Finally new scents reached her nose, letting her know that she had crossed into the Bahari territory. The beach here suddenly shot upwards, the forest receding, giving them a much larger sandy patch than the Kizi had. She could see rocks in the distance that provided a nice pier out into the ocean and, if she followed the direction it pointed, she could see an island not too far away that looked reachable at a lower tide, perhaps. Curious about what was within the jungle of her new home she turned her paws to the foliage, careful to make her way slowly. She hoped whoever she ran into first would be friendly, although if she was going by the other Bahari she had known to come to the balls, she wouldn't have a problem.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 7:48 am
 Today was not a good day, or, Ram would have said that this week had not been a good week... This month had not been a good month, etc etc. Then again he knew of few pridal leaders who would have been particularly impressed to have prey beasts stampeding all over their territory. It was one thing to be blessed with a bountiful harvest, it was quite another to be so inundated that said beasts would do more harm than good and he really, really, really didn't want the accursed things stampeding homes.
...Or smaller lions.
...Or cubs.
It was for that reason that the pride had been working hard to keep them inside the forest and while the stampeding had settled the damn things still hadn't moved on. For all intents and purposes, Ram had dismissed himself and left the diplomacy to the paws of a more capable lion. His strategy involved wiping them out and simply sharing the meat with every neighbouring pride in existence - the more peaceful in the Bahari were more inclined to request a more 'measured' approach.
Fortunately for them he was a reasonable lion and he tempered his fury for the time being. He would give them the chance to resolve the issue peacefully, or he would invite every pride from far and wide to feast. Either way, the buffalo were going to get off his damn lawn one way or another!
It should have come at no surprise that the lion therefore had a scowl upon his maw as he strode out of the jungle and back towards the beach where 'sanity' prevailed. So distracted was he by his own musings in those moments that he only briefly registered the lioness approaching... and promptly walked passed her.
It took him another few paces before he came to a halt to do a double-take, that pelt colour was familiar but he was fairly confident she wasn't one of the Bahari... so it would probably be advisable if he...
"I wouldn't go in there," he spoke up and slowly turned his head to glance over his shoulder. "It's not - oh..." he blinked.
"It's you," he remarked, recognising the lioness who had bapped his chin instantly. "Your timing could be better," he mused and shook his head. "The jungle isn't safe, you'll have to wait."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 11:44 am
Just before she stepped into the light grass that ended the beach and started the jungle, Hima's ears twitched. There was someone coming her way. She paused, not wanting to take whoever it was by surprise, and was quite pleased to see the one familiar face in the pride scowling at the ground. Well, wasn't he a basket of sunshine today? Not that he'd been particularly smile-y when she had met him... She stood there waiting for a greeting, a coy look on her face, but it quickly turned to one of mild offense as Ram walked right by her without so much as a glance. She was so stunned by the lack of acknowledgement that she couldn't speak, but could only turn to watch him continue on as if she hadn't been there at all. Finally the blue lion stopped in his tracks and turned, facing her once more. She returned his rather scowl-y gaze with one of her own until realization dawned on Ram's face. At that point she turned her scowl into a small sneer. "Yes, it's me. A fine welcome, I must say." Oh, she'd never let him live that one down. As he advised her against going into the jungle her sour expression fell, instead replaced with a mildly amused one. "Well, that's something you failed to mention the other night. I wasn't aware the Bahari were in possession of a dangerous jungle. What makes it unsafe?" Having lived in the rogue lands most of her life Hima knew better than to laugh and bound in regardless of the warnings. She was new to this area despite her close proximity for the past year or so and she didn't feel like getting injured on her first day in her new pride.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 9:41 am
Yes, she was most certainly the lioness from the Mummer's Ball - she had enough sass to brow beat even the strongest of males into submission, or at least that was the vibe he was getting from her. Leader he might have been, but she didn't seem shy about putting him in his place... The sarcasm positively dripped from those lips of her's and he couldn't help it as his brow quirked in response. No one had done that to him in years, and the last person who had, happened to be related to him!
"Charming," he murmured after a few moments and shook his head. "I was unaware that foreign diplomacy was something one discussed in the middle of a Mummer's Ball," he replied and cleared his throat. He fully turned to face her at this point, regarding her with an expression of bemusement... Truthfully, he wasn't entirely sure how he should be treating her at this particular moment in time!
"Last I checked, the ball was a time of joy rather than 'you may possibly lose a limb' material," he added and tilted his head to the side. He took a moment to glance at the jungle and heaved a sigh. What made it so unsafe...? Well, he could think of a few things.
"We have some unwanted visitors," he said at last and returned his gaze to the lioness. "I'm fully in favour of mass genocide and inviting neighbouring prides for a feast, but the majority of the locals would prefer a more peaceful resolution," he shrugged his shoulders. "You can tell they're rather more fond of their fish than their red meats," he remarked, raising both eyebrows at the thought.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 6:23 am
Hima snorted softly at Ram's reasoning behind not saying anything. It was a fair point, she supposed, although they had been talking about her possibly becoming a member. Perhaps he hadn't wanted to scare her off as well. It obviously wasn't extremely dangerous since he had just come out of there unattended and unscathed. "Visitors?" she echoed, turning to the jungle to give a few delicate sniffs of the air. There was a scent she was familiar with that was leaking from between the leaves but she hadn't come across it in a very long time. It was certainly a musky, prey beast smell. A herd of some kind? Any large herd could spell danger for a lone predator, but this was a pride of lions. They must be big and heavily armed to be considered a threat. "Hm. Well. If their way doesn't work, I'm all for a slaughter," she said with a grin, turning to look at Ram once again as she dug her claws into the sand. "I'm sure there are others that feel the same even if the majority are looking to shoo them out with words rather than actions."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:27 am
"Ah, see..." Ram lifted a paw and gave his toes a wiggle. "A lioness after my own heart," he declared in reference to her acceptance of more forceful resolutions. Nevertheless, after a moment or two he waved his paw and beckoned for her to follow him. "They have a certain amount of time to resolve it, and if they don't, then we do it my way," he pointed out and began to move away from the jungle. If he lingered, he'd simply trudge back in again and scowl... which would probably benefit no one.
"I'm sure there are others who may feel the same way I do but the Bahari have always been a much more peaceful pride," he raised his eyes heavens-ward. "If the prides beyond our borders realised that they may assume we were weak," he clucked his tongue. "Fortunately, we aren't, but sometimes I do have to wonder..." he shook his head.
"To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit so soon after the ball, hm?" he asked at last and lifted a brow. "Curiosity?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 12:36 pm
Oh, if only Ram knew. Hima dug at the sand with her claws as he spoke before sheathing them again. She was very good at waiting when it was for something she knew would happen one way or another, and whatever exactly was in that forest was going to leave soon. That must mean their homes were elsewhere... "Permanent residency," she said, flashing another grin. "I cleared out my den with the Kizi over the past few days and here I am, ready to start over fresh." She hadn't been joking about joining. Once she knew Ram was the leader there was no hesitation in her jump. He was the only lion she knew within the Bahari but she honestly didn't mind. "So, jungle not included, do I get a grand tour from the king himself? Is that what you go by? King?" she added, moving closer to the male. "I'm unsure of what ranks are here."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 12:46 pm
A sharp whistle escaped from his maw at her answer, she certainly hadn't spared herself any time in making her move. He'd thought it had all been in jest, or polite conversation... Suffice it to say that all the Kizi had always seemed very much attached to their quirky ways and traditions. Unsurprisingly, both of his eyebrows raised as he regarded the lioness for a few moments longer... next time he would make a note to be more mindful that those of conviction did exist in the neighbouring pride.
"Well you certainly don't wait around, do you?" he sounded impressed and shook his head. "Fair enough, I bid you welcome in that respect," he mused, though he cleared throat when she queried the possibility of a tour. Did he look like a tour guide? He was a mild mannered sort, but even he regarded her with amusement for a moment before releasing a small chuckle.
"You know what I go by?" he leant in and clucked his tongue. "Would believe that I go by 'Ram'," he replied. "Who'd have thought, eh? Turn up for the books, it's a positively splendid term of address," he continued, his tone containing just a hint of sarcasm. "But if you're going to refer to me as 'King' then by all means, perhaps it will come into fashion for a while," he pointed out.
"However if you desire I tour I'm sure I can show you around some of the region at least."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 1:27 pm
"Not when there's something I want that can be had as soon as possible," Hima said with a charming smile. Why wait if it was something she could have now? So here she was, ready for a fresh start with the Bahari. As Ram dismissed going by a certain title she let her tail flick back and forth with amusement. It really was relaxed here, it seemed. Not that the Kizi wasn't, of course. Riddle Mouth never went by his title even though he had it, nor did Fireheart. They went by their gypsy names. Ram went by Ram which was just fine for her. "Ram it shall be, then," she said with a little hum, drawing out the 'm' in his name. Nodding at the offer of a tour, she moved to stand beside him so he could walk and they could talk together. "So this is the beach. A beach," she said, kicking a bit of sand as they went. "It's much larger than the Kizi beach, that's for certain. Wider. More...rocky things in the water," she added, nodding out to the rock outcroppings that stretched into the sea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 1:58 am
"Your powers of observations know no bounds," Ram replied dutifully as she kicked at the sands and motioned for her to follow. "Yes, this is one of the trails, it leads to the dens and center-most point of the pride." he continued and cleared his throat. "Head further down and you'll reach the full expanse of the coast which stretches far a considerable distance..." he paused to regard the 'rocky' things and glanced over his shoulder a touch to peer at the lioness. Was she referring to the boulders or something else, he was fairly confident the Kizi had boulders...
"Are you referring to the boulders and outcroppings," he began after a moment or to. "Or are you referring to the Islands?" he asked curiously, shifting his gaze towards the Isles that could just be seen from their vantage point, though they would be much more significant by the shoreline. "If you are advising me that the Kizingo'zaa had no boulders then I may have to speak with Riddle Mouth regarding his definition of what some things are, and are not..." he mused.
"Then again it would not surprise me if the Kizingo'zaa did possess a more bizarre name for such things, it would be very like them, if only to confuse some poor sap who arrives for a visit."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 7:31 am
Hima listened to Ram as he described the path they were on and where it would lead. She nodded to show she understood and was eager to see the dens, but Ram's confusion made her scoff. "That big rock out in the sea, yes, but also the ones that stretch from the land," she said, nodding to the large rocks that held tide pools and had the waves crashing on them. "The Kizi did have a few but not quite as many or as grand as these. I didn't venture much out of the jungle when I was there," she added. "And I didn't grow up with the sea so close. The first time I saw it was when I joined that pride. It's all still new." She let her tail, which was already swinging behind her, reach out to swat Ram's leg. "Thank you for making me feel like an idiot for being fascinated with something fairly new to me." She wasn't really offended, of course, but it was fun to tease him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 8:03 am
"You are most welcome," he replied smoothly and raised both eyebrows. "I imagine a lioness with such fire could do with a jab now and then," he pointed out, lifting a paw and turning a 'finger' around in the air. Pleasant as he might have been, he was by no means blind and he knew when he saw someone with a little bit of sass. She would back chat him continuously, and she'd probably get away with it, she seemed the type who knew how to word it properly to avoid 'controversy' anyway!
"And might I offer an explanation?" he motioned to the islands in the distance. "Those are islands, at low tide you can wander across and bit hello to the natives - most islands seem reasonably segregated between cheetah, lion and leopard... Or rather they were until they fell into line with this pride," he shook his head. "To my knowledge they have since mixed which has worked to their advantage," he pointed out.
"Those are rock pools, fabulous for crab fishing but it might take you a while to learn how to eat them properly; do be careful to watch your nose, they are somewhat unforgiving when interrupted," he took a breath.
"And if you think I grew up around the sea you have many things to learn, I'd never seen the ocean until I had to clean up my daughter's mess." he cleared his throat. "That being said, if you're feeling curious I would be happy to introduce you to some of the tamer pools until you're more comfortable with the lay of the land..." he offered and continued on his way.SilverLutz Belated edit: If we close this one off today-ish with a last/open post, I can use it in the purge (forgot it was coming), and start part 2 for ye. :3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 12:00 pm
Hima clicked her tongue at Ram's reply, a little grin on her face. Good. He wasn't taking offense to her personality. She knew far too many lions that wouldn't talk with her simply because she spoke her mind and knew what she wanted in life. Ram could volley back her words and keep going as if nothing had happened. As he described the various curiosities to her, Hima tracked the objects from one to the other. Islands with inhabitants, rock pools, something called crabs...all very interesting. Her ears perked at the mention of a daughter and she wondered, for a moment, if she had ever asked if there was a Mrs. Ram he went home to every night. He hadn't made mention of a mate before and just because he had children didn't mean he wasn't available. Still, it would be something to inquire about later. She was a very forward lioness and wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted, but she wasn't a den wrecker. "Oh, I'm always curious," she purred. Just because this new bit of information was there to take didn't mean she'd let up on her flirting. "I'd love for you to show me more." Hima didn't hesitate to follow Ram, sticking close enough so their shoulders bumped on the odd step. Epine de Rose Yes we can stop this one here! We could even do a bit of a time jump to when she's more familiar with the pride so she can put more effort into wooing him XD
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
