[PRP] What's a Friend For (Zii'moto/Atesh)

[MoonRazor]

With each passing day, the cubs grew. Every day, Atesh and his siblings drew closer to a time when they would no longer be dependent on their parents, when life would be theirs to live and decisions would come to them for them to make and nobody else. Mistakes to be made, and victories to be won.

But not quite yet.

The time when he had been deaf and blind were but mere memories that lingered hazily at the back of his mind, and each morning the black cub awoke to find himself bursting with energy and the need to just be out and about, being active, having fun, enjoying everything it was to be Firekin.

Now that he was older, and big enough to hold his own against the other cubs that roamed the desert, his parents had loosened up the rules. Somewhat. At least now, he could go out on his own, but he had to stay within a certain area and he absolutely was not to wander any further. And definitely, most definitely nowhere near the border.

Well, that was okay with him. He still had plenty to explore where he was now.

The black cub blinked his exceptionally bright, gray-blue eyes up at the sun, a small frown curling his brow. His ears drooped slightly as his eyes dropped to scan the landscape. Nobody. The ears drooped more.  

[Split Personality]

Zii was going off to do some more what she called 'alone time'. Being that she had so many siblings the den was starting to get loud. And everyone was so busy lately, her sisters were getting grumpy and so was her Mom. So she decided to go for a walk to take her mind off things and to clear a little room for the others in the den. She for one, loved to explore and find new things. Her tortoise shell necklace she left in the den, along with her bangles and such. She wanted to be able to walk with her silver-white pelt with nothing marring it.

For she was the star in the sky with nothing to hinder it. Since her and her black sister decided that Azar was the night sky and Zii was the stars in life-she was more and more proud of her pale pelt.

She picked up her pace, walking past the other dens when she spotted a small figure of black and white. She paused.  

[MoonRazor]

Those bright, bright blue eyes - so reflective they could almost gleam in the sunlight - roamed the landscape, and suddenly... They stopped. They fell on the unmistakeable white shape that came padding along through the sand, and immediately the striped ears came up.

What was this?

The ever-inquisitive soul of a cub burned with questions as the white shape came nearer, and all of a sudden, he understood. It was another one! They were same, him and that white shape, although somewhat different. But that was all okay. They were still the same.

The other one, she wasn't like anyone he knew. Wasn't like Teketea, or Koro, or Vesta. No, no, not like any of his siblings at all. For one, well, she was white.

Like Mama. Instantly, he felt a strange sort of attachment to the other, and he scampered to his feet. There was no time to waste. He began the long and arduous journey toward her, his paws stumbling at times and at others slipping away with the sands that shifted constantly under his footfalls. But it was a small price to pay. After all, he was going to go and meet her.

"Hi!" He chirped gleefully as he skidded to a halt nearby. Not too close, no. He didn't want to scare her off or anything. Still, he craned his neck forward with a cheeky grin and fixated his bright blue eyes on her.  

[Split Personality]

Zii was pleased to be greeted by a cub younger than her. She smiled, looking down to the black and white boy with a grin. She chuckled, her tail flipping a bit, rather playfully. "Why, hello there!" She said softly, looking rather motherly next to the little boy. She for one was fond of his white tail and mane and the lovely white that streaked his body. What a handsome lad.

"And who would you be?" She asked, looking down at him with just as much glee as he had been looking at her. She felt she should know all the new members of the pride, because of who her parents were but figured she'd never know all of them. Especially since cubs stayed secluded in dens for a while.

 

[MoonRazor]

"M'name's Atesh," he beamed and straightened up proudly. Well, maybe his name didn't have any fancy, complicated meaning but it meant 'fire' and that one simple little word captured everything that the Firekin stood for. Yea, it was a good name.

"What's your name?" He added, eager to know. It hadn't been all that long since he had first been allowed to wander out of the den on his own, and the sea of new faces that greeted him every day was something he had yet to adjust to. Everything and everyone was new, fresh, and overly exciting for the young cub, whose natural curiosity would surely one day land him in a heap of trouble.

But until then, he would keep at it relentlessly, eager to learn and see everything. He was still like a sponge, absorbing absolutely everything, and.

"Y'know," he added, brightening up immediately, so that he seemed to fairly radiate glee. "You look kin'a like my momma. All white, y'know?"  

[Split Personality]

Zii gazed down at the boy and smiled at him. She lifted her head up proudly as well and puffed out her chest, golden eyes flaring. "I am Zii'moto." She said swiftly. Though it meant 'No fire', it only referred to her pelt and not her heart. She sat back on her haunches and beamed down at him. "But you can call me Zii."

Everyone called her Zii.

She lifted her head and smiled. 'I haven't met your Mom I don't think... But if she is white like me then she must be someone I should meet." She said, looking thoughtful. "Is she whiter than you are?"