Nkosazana was tired, very tired, her travels away from her family had been emotionally taxing and her pace hadn't helped with her physical taxation either. She had been all about speed at first, as if she could outrun the quiet whispering in her head that told her she needed to be stronger, better then what she was. Ruby eyes had been intent on the terrain directly ahead with no time to stop and enjoy the passing scenery. It was hunger that had finally given her pause, and luckily all her childhood hunting practice was finally paying off. No longer did she have stiff small muscles, or jaws too weak to crush large prey. She filled herself on a meal all her own her dark muzzle stained black with life giving blood before moving onward. Her pace was steadier now and she found the area familiar, the scents and sights drifting into her mind from her time as a cub.
She had been lost in this area before, where she had learned about demons trapped within lions. She wondered if it wasn't a demon that spoke to her before growling softly and pushing the thought away. Her paws moved slower now, and she set her feet down softer, this territory was claimed by a pride and she wondered if she could slip past unnoticed or if she should try and call attention to gain permission to pass.
Usare was currently out on border-patrol today ... having left his somewhat lazy twin back at the den. Amin had -said- he would join him later, but somehow Usare didn't believe him. Ah well ... it didn't really matter. Anything that came along, he could probably handle himself. Especially now that both of them were fully-grown.
Lifting his head to scent the wind, the large silver-maned male paused for a moment, frowning. Hm... there was someone coming this way. And ... aside from that, the scent was familiar, somehow. How odd... Well, he'd just wait and see who or what showed up here.
Zana slinked forward carefully her stomach to the ground and tail held low, it helped to keep her bright white fur from flashing too much, her dark fur gave her much better cover. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted a larger shape in the distance and a soft growl escaped her. No way to sneak past, she was just going to have to be brazen.
He doesn't look so tough, claimed the annoying voice in the back of her head. Luckily her logical mind was still functioning and she walked closer with caution. She could feel her muscles bunch and relax ready to defend herself if she needed to. Yet the closer she got the more relaxed she became and finally she smiled and tilted her head wonderingly. It couldn't be...and yet it looked just like one of the lions she had met in these lands so long ago. The only difference was there was only one instead of two, she held back a laugh.
"Usare? or Amin?" She called out her voice tinged with amusement.
Usare blinked in complete astonishment as the dark shape he had been watching for the last ten minutes quite suddenly called out his name. Well, his and Amin's. But -still-! C'mon, how likely was this? He blinked a few times, then peered closer at the lioness. "Zana...? Is that you?" he finally blurted out, staring.
How pleasant that he should remember her too, she smiled and moved in closer until only a few steps separated them. Just when she thought she was all alone in the world, she bumped into a familiar face. "It's me" She chuckled softly and looked him over.
"Looks like we've both grown!" Her voice finally held the sophisticated edge that she had tried to hard to emulate as a cub.
"It's strange, I remember seeing double, it's nice not to be so confused." Slowly she sat down her body relaxing as her tail flicked idly.
Usare laughed at that, just a bit, and nodded - plopping down as well, relaxing completely. Zana was no threat to the pride... in fact, he'd thought quite a bit about her recently. Thought... that if she ever showed up again, he might invite her to join them. From what he remembered, she seemed to have the right attitude and all. The only real question was... if she had a demon inside of her.
"Yup," he replied cheerfully. "Amin's back home right now... probably sleeping. He's lazy."
"How are your Demons?" She asked teasingly, though there was curiosity and a strange reverent tone to her voice as well. Her eyes were lost for a moment as if turned inward and deep in thought before the ruby orbs re-focused on Usare.
Zana held back a nervous laugh, she felt so strange her insides squirming and the soft voice at the back of her mind seemed to settle a bit as if saying 'Welcome Home'. It was such a strange out of place thought, of course most of the things she heard from that colder voice were strange and harsh. Still she was grateful, were it not for that voice she wouldn't be half as strong or fast or brave as she was. Still it annoyed her that she still felt incomplete, always striving for better.
Usare smiled at that, the expression almost a bit of a smirk. "Doing well ...the pride is still growing. Which is good... we need to try to find all of the demons on this plane. And bring them here..."
"What for?" Her voice was heavy with curiosity now and she leaned in closer. The smirk made her wonder, was there really a demon in him? Was there one in her? Was that the voice? Did it want her to be better, stronger, because she was some kind of vessel?
The idea made sense yet frightened her, was she supposed to control that demon or did it control her? So many questions, she wondered if she ought to share her curiosity with Usare, but if she did have a demon in her wouldn't he recognize it? The cool inner voice told her she was already recognized, else why else would she be here again?
He -did- smirk at that, eyeing her a bit... should he tell her this? But something within him told him that he should. Told him that... even if she didn't realize it, she was one of them. "So that eventually ... we can take over this world. Swallow up all the weak and become the strongest pride... the only pride." He kept his voice low, as if he was imparting some kind of secret... which he was, really.
"Do you think there are enough demons to do such a thing? The world is an awfully wide place Usare, we would need an amazing show of force to even attempt such a thing." Her voice was soft, awed, and without realizing Zana had included herself. We, but she was not a part of the pride, she was not a part of the great force. Not yet...she could join though, except she wasn't a demon, or was she?
That cold voice...was that her inner demon? She looked at Usare seriously her ruby eyes wide and worried. "How do you...KNOW if there's a demon inside of you?" Her legs trembled slightly beneath her, she felt as if this was one step into a whole new life, and she was never going to turn back, not now.
"Not right now there might not be..." Usare agreed, eyes shining a bit at his inner thoughts. "But eventually... if we keep on going as we are, there -will- be. Maybe not even until we're long dead... but it will still happen. Someday." Blinking, the male also suddenly realized that they'd both said 'we' without thinking.
Tilting head, he considered her question, and then replied simply, "You feel it... sometimes, the demon speaks to you ... sometimes, you just know it's -there-..."
"Does yours speak to you?" Her voice was still soft, wondering. Could she feel something inside? Of course, but she had always thought it was simply her inner spirit, her strength or her subconscious. To think that a demon dwelled inside her was...different. She wasn't afraid, the voice had only ever pushed her to improve herself after all. Still it was slightly unnerving to think that she might be some host to something else.
"I hear a voice sometimes..." She finally murmured.
Usare smiled almost ... encouragingly and nodded a bit. "Sometimes... mostly he's quiet and just kinda pushes at me to do stuff. It's how I knew to train as a Knight, even though I'm also an heir to the leaders. I ... don't really think that I'll ever be a leader here, though it would be kind of cool." He gave her a slightly lop-sided grin at that.
"What does the voice say?"
His smile helped, she found it comforting that he wasn't looking at her as though she were insane. His training as a knight sounded most intriguing, but she held back her questions.
She gave a soft laugh and shook her head. "Cool? Maybe but it's a large responsibility, too large I think." She shrugged and sighed softly. "She tells me things sometimes, she always wants me to be...better...it's as if she's insulted when I'm not at my best...and...and sometimes when I hunt...well the meat is the best part right? Except that first she wants to lick clean all the blood...I feel so...alive when my muzzle is wet with it." She edged back and stood nervously.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't be saying these things...I had to get away from my family, they woudn't understand. Except maybe my brother...he taught me a little...about the...the art of the kill. He was so in tune with everything my inner voice said." She shrugged and slowly sat again, it felt as if a great weight had finally been lifted in sharing what she had.
Usare nodded as though what she said was perfectly reasonable, though - that smile still on his face. "The blood -is- more important, actually ... we share that with the vampires in the jungle close by." Almost idly, he brought a claw up and sliced a small cut in his own leg, letting blood well up ... not even seeming to notice the slight pain of it. "Blood is where the true strength of any creature lies... it feeds us more than the meat. Though we eat the meat also, where the vampires only drink the blood..."
"Vampires?" Well this was all quite a bit of information, but still the way Usare understood put her slowly at ease. Her nose twitched at the scent of his blood and she leaned in with a soft sniff before relaxing.
"You mean theres...power in it?" She was trying to grasp everything while wrapping her mind around the idea that the cold cocky voice in the back of her mind could be...a demon.
"Yes," Usare replied easily, nodding his head once. "The demons crave the power of it. My theory ... is that the vampires over there are demons too, and they just don't realize it. We're allied with them now, but I suspect whenever we move... we'll absorb them first. They're halfway there, after all."
Zana was quiet for a long moment before she finally looked back at Usare her expression serious. "What if...I have a demon in me?" Her ruby eyes shone with determination, but deeper was concern. If she embraced this inner voice, would it become stronger? Would it let her lead her own life? Yet oddly she found that the life she had been leading seemed rather pointless, this was the closest she had felt to a purpose.
"Then you should be here, with us," he replied firmly, meeting her gaze. Not to mention ... especially now that they were -both- older, something in him found this lioness quite appealing. He wouldnt' mind seeing a lot more of her around the pridelands.
Yes, perhaps she should join them, but could she? Was she strong enough to live among demonic lions when she herself was only just learning to embrace hers? Would the experience make her stronger or weaker?
"Do YOU think I belong here?" She watched him intently her voice serious.
She wanted to join, to learn and understand. The cool voice in the back of her mind wanted it too. It was as if she was on the verge of finally breaking through a wall that would let her reach her true potential.
Usare blinked for just a moment at that. She... wanted his opinion? Well, he had grown up here... and he was a pridal heir, though he'd likely never actually inherit anything. Thinking for a moment or two ...he nodded slowly. "I do ... but the thing you should listen to the most is your demon... what does she say?"
"She says this is home...I say it's going to take some work, but I'd like it to be too." She nodded firmly and looked at him curiously.
There was so much she didn't know about this land, about their customs, but unlike a normal lioness the fear of the unknown did not make Zana step back. The unknown only made her brazenly push forward.
Usare grinned again at that, and nodded. "A'right... so ... first thing you should probably do is meet one of the leaders, make it all official," he said - quite ready to plunge right into things. "I'll take you to my dad. Iar ... eh. He can be a bit -much-."
"Right...meet a leader..." Well this sounded promising, after all it was just Usare's father. Granted the comment about the other leader made her grimace slightly. Still she would have to rise to the occasions be they easy or difficult.
She shook off slightly and smiled as she stood. "Lets go then..."
