Truth be told, the life of a guard was boring these days. Rumor of the terrifying demon lions had spread, and few thought to stray near to the forsaken home of such a pride. Still, Hewa relished the time it gave him to walk around and think. Now and then he'd find someone, and he usually turned them away. Of course, no one ever knew he turned them away, but he felt it was part of his duty of keeping the borders safe.
Today was like no other day, and Hewa was taking a brief rest. He'd curled under one of the few trees along the route to hide from the blistering sun. As he rested, he watched as some insects skittered to and fro on the slightly worn areas left from his repeated use.
Abeni's cubs were growing just as quickly as Kas and her own siblings it seemed. At the time Kasdeya felt she was so much older and more mature then them, but she was soon realizing that that had all simply been part of her own pride and refusal to accept that others may be better or equal to her. With Abeni's new position in the pride and the cubs, Kasdeya assumed the lioness would be busy. Because of this, the young juvenile mostly kept to herself, figuring that if they came across one another that would be enough. To herself, Kasdeya felt a great longing to revisit the dark female she would have been glad to be her mother.
As far as Hewa, Kasdeya was furious. He was growing larger everyday, becoming muscled and stronger. He had been appointed position as the pride's guard and the younger lioness longed for the day in which she'd be able to take on a responsibility for herself. She knew she could prove herself and impress the Gods! Like Abeni, however, Kasdeya felt her heart ache. He was the only member of the pride that she actually might have considered her friend if the two didn't dread one another. It was all a charade, right? Like what she did?
Kas hadn't crossed Hewa's mind for some time now. Maybe it was because they lived split lives, she with the children, and he with the adults now. Lingering with those older than him seemed important now that he was starting to build his place in the pride, and he simply hadn't had time to visit her. It was a shame, really. For all their quarrels, she hadn't seemed so bad, at least not now, through the haze of time past.
He reached out with a paw and blocked the path of the insects. They bumped against it at first, not understanding that the way was blocked. Eventually, timidly, they began to creep around the paw to regain their trail. Funny creatures, insects. He watched as two seemed to either dance or fight...a large black beetle and a more brownish crawling thing. "Go, little brownie!" He found himself cheering the bug. Huh. Maybe he should think about getting some company for these long days alone.
As though her body wished to clarify her feelings for her, Kasdeya felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and curiously glanced down. The scar Mahewa had left her on their first meeting was still visible, even healed beneath the thin fur above it. She felt a warmth reach her cheeks as she recollected the embarrassment of being tossed about so easily by the larger male. She certainly took on more than she could handle when she fool-heartedly challenged Hewa. It was lucky for the smaller cub that the male was much gentler and still learning about his inner demon. That challenge could have easily ended the cub's life and she doubted her family was the type to bother missing her - in fact, they'd probably look at it positively thinking that there would be one less competitor for the position of heir.
With a shake of her head, Kasdeya brought herself to her feet and began towards the lands borders in search of the dark male who seemed to be stuck in her thoughts. She padded slowly at first, entirely uncertain of what she might tell him. Once a few excuses appeared, the cub quickened her steps and called out, "Hewa!" She didn't see him at first, lying low with a group of insects.
Hewa smiled. The little brown thing had flipped the black beetle over and climbed on top of it. Suddenly the black thing had rolled, and the brown one had had to act fast to not be smashed. Curiously, he'd slipped a paw between them, cutting off their battle. Both scurried around, bumping at his paw, no doubt furious at having their fun or their fight spoiled. As the moments passed, both bugs seemed to grow accustomed to the new barrier, and eventually the black one had found a way around, and charged the brown.
The sound of Kas's sudden voice so near startled him, and the jerk-reaction of his paw sent the bugs tumbling away and out of sight. He lifted his head and looked out from his shade. What was she doing so far out? Not that it bothered him, but he just hadn't seen her in so long... "Over here!"
While Iar had made sure to teach his cubs various lessons when they were younger, he did not give them much direction as far as growing up. Perhaps it was this lack of attention that had Kasdeya so desperate to prove herself to gain the highest position possible. If she became heir of the pride she was certain that her father would have to dote on her then. Only now a juvenile, Kasdeya was still considered a cub by the majority of the pride. To herself, however, she was still just a bit behind Hewa and should have been capable of all he was. It was this reasoning that led her so quickly to the borders and relieved herself of worry and guilt about being caught.
Noticing the male jerk suddenly as though he was surprised, the female slowed her pace and smirked. "Surprised to see me?" She wore a coy grin, making sure to keep her proud posture and show him just how big she was getting. Making a half circle around the male and looking him over, Kasdeya made sure to look as unimpressed as possible. Glancing out towards the land beyond their home, the small female asked, "So, just what is it that you do out here?"
Hewa got over the surprise of seeing his...could he call her a friend? He supposed so, yeah. He got over the shock of seeing her so far from her usual haunts, and watched her circle. It'd been so long since they'd really made time, the change in her was dramatic. She was getting big! Not too big, mind, but bigger than he remembered. Somehow she still seemed small though...the reason was made clear when he rose to his feet, a behemoth of a lion that wasn't even fully grown. He smiled to himself, glad that she was still small to him. Somehow he almost thought it made her seem...nah, he wouldn't think that. Maybe he'd been out in the heat too long.
He stretched lazily and yawned. "What do I do...well I walk. And look, and listen. Sometimes I meet people, and depending on who it is, I do different things. Some of them run before I get close enough to talk though." He looked back at the dirt-patch. All the bugs had gone. "What have you been doing?"
When Mahewa stood, Kas seemed to slink down to the ground. It was certainly intimidating seeing how large her acquaintance had grown. He immediately dwarfed her and dissipated her entire sensation that she had grown. She knew she had, but comparing the two it seemed as though she'd gotten smaller!
Shifting her gaze to regain her composure, the newly grown juvenile continued to pace curiously. Kasdeya didn't even have to feign interest when Hewa explained his position. The cub had glorified the various positions of the pride without understanding that even simple tasks were necessary in order to keep the pride together. With a lifted snout and a snubbing expression, Kasdeya slyly glanced towards the male through the corner of her eyes. He certainly had grown.. he was almost an adult. Kasdeya hoped that he didn't think of her merely as a cub.
Finding an awkward silence coming between them, Kasdeya quickly switched the direction of the conversation as though to explain herself. She hadn't come to visit - she convinced herself - she had a reason. "I have come to extend a proposition towards you."
Hewa was oblivious to Kas's discomfort with his size. To him that was how it'd always been, and that was how it would stay, because that made things normal. And he knew she was tougher than her size might show. He had scars to prove it.
"Hmm?" Oh, she hadn't come to visit. That almost upset him a little, and it upset him that it should upset him. Why did it matter? She hadn't visited before, so why would she now? She was probably just scouting around to try to choose a job...provided she didn't win the claim to the throne, that was. Which he thought she stood a chance of doing, despite not being the largest, or the best 'colored'.
"A proposition?" He prompted, stepping back onto his worn path and motioning for her to come along with him while he got back to work.
When Hewa questioned her, the cub narrowed her eyes as though to make it clear that she hadn't stuttered. Sitting upright and keeping her eyes on him, Kasdeya continued her question, "Well, as you know, I have been training since I was a cub for the competition in order to become heir to the pride. I've learned to hunt and I can take care of myself, but there is only so much I can do on my own..." Kasdeya's voice trailed off and she glanced away for a moment. It was strange to ask anything of Hewa. The cub expected him to accept her offer without any questions, but she knew that in reality that wasn't likely to happen. What reason did he have to help her with anything? "I have decided to extend the opportunity to you to become my sparring partner. We can both train in semi-mock battles. It's a win-win situation. As guard I imagine you'll have to protect the pride from threats at some point."
Mahewa listened to her idea. Hmm. Well he could use some excitement, and know it or not, he did want to help her succeed...of course, he knew things could easily get out of hand. Kasdeya was a different cub in battle, and part of him was afraid that their sparring might end with one of them being hurt. Still, it was better him than someone else. And the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. The other cubs were bigger than Kas, she'd need work dealing with that.
In the end there wasn't much he could think of by way of an argument against the arrangement. Despite what Kas thought, he didn't hate her at all. He was far too carefree for that. But then..."I'll do it, on one condition." He walked on a ways, looking constantly out over one shoulder at the lands beyond the pride. Eventually he added, "Tell me what to expect of the name-finding ceremony. No one has been able to explain it, and I don't want to wait until I'm there to figure it out."
Kasdeya did not reason things the way that Mahewa did. In truth Hewa was the only one the cub felt comfortable asking, as rude as she may have done it. And while she believed that it was purely a needed action in order to prepare herself for the competition, she silently felt glad to have Hewa to herself. He would help her and in turn they would spend more time together, perhaps improving their relationship. Kasdeya felt her cheeks burn as she quickly averted her eyes. What was she thinking?
Letting out a growl, the cub snapped, "Haven't you learned anything from the elders?" Kasdeya remembered clearly from her cubhood the trials that could be expected from the name quest. She was not certain how much was true and how much was fabricated in order to frighten them. Returning her gaze to the male, Kasdeya made herself comfortable and began. "As you must have learned, the Name Quest takes place inside the labyrinth of our great volcano..."
They would certainly be there for awhile.
