Xiang had been out hunting, he'd killed a gazelle, now as he dragged the carcass through the pride's lands towards the dens, his mind was on Yaretzi, she was due to give birth any day now. More specifically, his mind was on cubs. He's known for while that they were on their way, and yet, he'd never paid kids much attention, better late than never, maybe.
He stopped for a moment to rest, dropping the meal to the dirt, his gold colored eyes scanned the den area, his den was further away from the rest of the pride's, but also far from the slave's dens. He didn't associate with the pride's slaves either... one step at a time. For now he looked over the members they were about, most paid him little attention, he was nothing more than a na'artu reaching above his station in their eyes, that was what Xiang believed. Though some would look past his pale scarred pelt and acknowledge the demon within.
Levana hadn't been part of the pride for very long. She and her brother and sister were cubnapped from their mother to live with their father. She often wondered why this ritual had taken place. Out of all her siblings, she did look most like their mother, her lighter blues and the bit of white. She often silently questioned the things her father was teaching them. Why exactly was it bad to have a pale pelt? She assumed when she got older she would better understand but she would always keep her mind open. And what exactly was this Demon within stuff too... She didn't feel like there was something else in her.
She had wandered further from her den then she ever had. The area looked different, and she wondered who lived so far from the rest. Maybe it was a social order thing? She didn't get to further when she noticed a brighter coated male up ahead. She stopped walking, and watched him.
Xiang had chosen his den to be apart because he was more comfortable that way, he had been on his own and pretty young at the time, and now it was just home to him, he was lucky that the space he'd claimed as his was large enough inside that his mate was content with it, that's where she was now. Xi had almost grabbed up the carcass and continued on, but for the little one that stopped to watch him. Xiang never smiled, but now at least his expression was plesent, at ease, he nodded, "Hello little zera'ne," he called to her, just jumping into conversation, never sure on how approaching others of the pride, how they would react to him at first meeting, at least if this little one was going to judge him, there wouldn't be a fight over it.
"Are you hungry? I have enough to share." He had not seen this youngling before, but he rarely paid attention to the cubs, but if she was wandering around, what was she searching for?
Her dark eyes looked him over. She would seem to judge him, but that was just how she was. She never actually was. She stayed quiet and she padded her way a little closer to him. She sniffed at the dead animal, but she wasn't all that hungry. But it was still pretty fresh. He must have been going to feed someone, a family maybe. Otherwise there was no reason for him to drag it back to the pride lands, right?
Levana watched him. He didn't seem to aggressive and was there fore deemed safe by her own judgment. "Levana." She simply stated her name. "You?" She cub was always little for words, and was more interested in how this lion moved, and why he did as he did. She craved that knowledge.
Xi bent his head and tore a small chunk from the hind leg, setting it down for her as she came closer. He bent again to lap up the blood that pooled, before it spilled to the dirt, it was a ritual he always followed before feeding, as it was pride tradition.
"I am called Xiang, Levana. That's a very nice name, did your mother name you?" He raised a brow when she only sniffed it, perhaps she wasn't hungry after all. Now Xi was at a loss for words, he settled down onto his stomach next to the carcass, so that he wouldn't be looming over her, and wondered what such a young cub was looking for. Younglings were allowed to wander of course. Xi thought back for a moment at his youngest days, he smiled inwardly, he'd only ever gone looking for trouble.
Since he had given her the food, she might as well be polite. She took a couple small bites from the leg. before she sat back licking her lips. "I don't know." She blinked a couple times before looked over at him. "Not suppose to talk about her." She wasn't part of the pride either which was probably the reason. When he had settled down near her she looked over at him. It seemed like he wanted to talk or something? She took another couple bites from the leg.
"Live near here?" She asked him. Since he had the pale pelt, it would make sense. He was the first, aside from her mother that she had actually met. "Family?"
"Remember to drink the blood before eating," He murmured to her, "blood is strength, passing from the prey into you, me and the pride, we don't let it flow into the world." He nodded at her words, understanding dawning, he knew of the practice of taking cubs and bringing them into the pride, her mother must not have been worthy of a demon, "Ah, I see. It's alright, your father, your siblings and the pride will take care of you." He shifted, stretching his limbs, extending his claws, the scars that criss-crossed his skin pulled and caused stiffness, he hardly noticed it anymore.
"Oh, yes. Soon. My mate rests in our den, she'll give birth any day now." His tone wasn't proud like a father's should be, the truth was, they were not his cubs, not by blood. They could be demons none the less, dark pelted little ones to grow the prides numbers and he would raise them as if they were his own, because they were hers.
So many rules. It was hard for her to remember to do everything right. She made sure not to let any blood touch the ground. The blood wasn't very good tasting in her opinion. And it still hurt her tummy a bit. In truth she felt bad about being taken away from her mother, but that was a weakness she wasn't to show. Her mother never existed basically.
"Oh?" Her ears twitched to the tone in his voice. She wondered why. But she was to young to ask such things. "You should get back to her?" That must have been where he was taking the dead animal, to feed her. She must have been very hungry.
"Well she was sleeping when I left, she probably is still, she won't mind me resting here for a bit if she's asleep?" He chuckled softly. "I suppose you're right." He made to stand and stopped for a moment more, "Levana, perhaps when they are born and big enough to come out from the den, you'll be able to meet them. You seem like a good, smart little one to me, by then I'm sure you'll have come to be comfortable here, find your strength, it lies inside."
Xi stood and nodded to her, as if to silently say, 'it'll be alright', he then picked up the carcass of the dead gazelle and made to turn away, hesitating a little, if there was more she wanted to say before he took the meal back to his den.
