[PRP] Hello mister leopard(Ijara & Ekaitz)

[Fairy Snails]

Ekaitz was wondering around the maze like pride looking for his papa. Today his father promised to play with him, but he couldn't find him anywhere. It wasn't unusual for his papa to disappear when he promised to play games with Ekaitz. He waas used to it by now. He was probably off flirting with a leopard somewhere in the pride. Ekaitz let out a sigh.

Oh well he would just have to find someone else to play with. He wandered around the pride looking for cubs his own age to play with, but had no luck. This was going to be a long day, he decided. Well he could help out with the chores around the pride. His papa had told him to help as much as he could around the pride. It was a difficult task, but his papa entrusted it to him and he knew he could handle it. He would make his pa proud of him.

He went to the main tunnel where the council slept. They would know of a job he could do he decided. "Hey! Mister council members! Anyone awake! I want to help out!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. He was afraid that the council members might be asleep. He had to be sure they would wake up and give him a task to do.  

[Innocent_Hybrid]

Ijara was a little startled when he heard yelling as he passed the Council dens. They were usually pretty quite at this time, most of them sleeping off a busy day. The voice sounded young though. Maybe a cub had gotten lost? He decided to check it out, at least to keep his fellow councilmen undisturbed.He detoured from his path and headed over to, sure enough, find a brightly furred cub in the halls.

"Hello young one, is their something I can help you with?"  

[Fairy Snails]

Ekaitz turned around and looked at the leopard. He felt his ears go warm and his heart skipped a beat. Who was this leopard? He wondered as he stared into the leopards eyes. He seemed so perfect, so nice and fluffy. THe gods must have sent him here today to help out this leopard! He decided as he grinned at the leopard.

"My name is Ekaitz and You cannot help me. But I can help you!" He said with excitement getting closer tot he leopard. "What ever you need I am here to help! I know I am little mate, but I can do big task. Huge task. My papa told me I should help out and so that's what I am doing." He said quickly. Once he finished talking he took a deep breath.

"SO Mister leopard what do you do?"  

[Innocent_Hybrid]

He blinked in mild surprised with how fast the cub spoke. So the cub, Ekaitz, was not lost but looking for something to do. Or at least his father told him to find something to do. Ijara remembered seeing the cub's name on the most recent amendment of the pride member list.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Ekaitz. My name is Ijara. If you are looking to help, I was just about to begin patrolling the tunnels. You may join me if you wish, but I must ask you to try and keep your voice reasonable. Most of our Brothers are resting now and we should respect their time."

As he turned to leave he looked back to Ekaitz. "Shall we begin?"  

[Fairy Snails]

Ekaitz grinned his biggest grin as he walked next to Ijara. "I'll try to be a little quieter mister Ijara, but my pa says that I have no silent voice." He did speak a little quieter, but not quite a whisper. "My Papa and I just moved here. We are from the rogue lands. Have you been there Mister Ijara. I bet you would like it."

He quietly admired the older leopards fur. The purple looked so beautiful against his tan fur. "Mister Ijara how do you keep your fur so pretty? My fur isn't nearly as pretty as yours" He asked as they traveled. He followed closely behind him.

As they walked questions poped into his head. He thought about his mother and his pa. "Mister Ijara, do you have a ma and pa? I only met my ma for a little bit. Than pa took me away. He said that he wanted company, but he's never around. He's always traveling to the rogue land. I sometimes wonder if he even likes me." Ekaitz had always had a problem of over talking. He never knew when to be quiet. His father constantly scolded him for it.  

[Innocent_Hybrid]

He made sure that the cub was walking with him before he moved onward. He listened to the comment about his voice and looked down at him.

"We will be walking the less populated areas so if you could keep it there that would be fine."

He paused at the rouge lands. Passed the tunnel entrance? The thought left a cold chill on his mind.

"I was born in the Brotherhood and have not had the motivation to venture further."

A silence settled on them again and just as he began to think the cub was loosing his energy, Ekaitz started up again.

"Hmm, bright colors are hard to maintain down here. If I was not on the council, I would settle for the dust baths I took when I was with tunnelers. As for my parents, they have both passed on quite a while ago." Though the comments about the cubs father did not fail to escape him. "Ekaitz, if you do not mind me asking, what is your father's name?" he asked a small frown on his face. During the time his father was alive, they were very close. He couldn't think of a reason for a father to ignore his son.  

[Fairy Snails]

"You don't want to go to the rogue lands?" He was surprised. Ekaitz thought that everyone wanted to go out there. Mazu was cool and all, but it didn't have the same things the rogue lands had. "Mister Ijara you aren't scared of the rogue lands are you? If you are I can go with you and protect you. Papa can come with us. He's big and strong."

As they walked Ekaitz looked at how dirty his own coat was. His white mane was covered in dirt from playing. "I get your pain. We are the same." he said with a beaming smile. Mister Ijara was really the perfect leopard. He couldn't wait to tell his pa about him.

"Your parents passed on?" he said with a moment of confusion. Ekaitz had never experienced death and was unsure what Ijara meant. Bukaera had sheltered him enough from the troubles of life, especially death. He felt like it was not something a cub should know about. "I am sorry Mister Ijara, but what does that mean?" He hated feeling ignorant, but asking questions was the only way he was going to learn.

"Pa's name? Torm-Bukaera!" He said having a little difficulty pronouncing the name.  

[Innocent_Hybrid]

Ijara lightly shook his head "I have never left the caves therefor I have no opinion on the Rouge Lands. My council duties require me to stay within the Brotherhood, so leaving would not be an option."

He looked back over when Ekaitz voice confusion about his parents.

"I apologize. I did not mean to confuse you. Sometimes my words get away with me. I meant that my parents died when I was a cub. I never knew my mother and only had a short time with my father."

Torm-Bukaera. He did remember seeing that name on the updated list. Now that he thought of it, right next to Ekaitz's. He'd keep the cub's words in mind if he ever met the leopard.  

[Fairy Snails]

Ekaitz sorta understood death. He had wondered why their meals, the prey his father caught was still. His father explained that they were just sleeping forever and would never wake up. It was their job to get rid of the bodies by eating them. It was what they wanted. It still confused Ekaitz, but he didn't bother his father anymore about it.

"So are they asleep somewhere?" He asked. He wondered if there was a room somewhere in Mazu where they stored the sleeping bodies of those who passed away. Ekaitz thought that would be creepy. All the bodies never waking up. He wondered if maybe if he tried hard enough he could wake up the bodies. Perhaps with mister Ijara's help he could help wake up his parents. That would be a great gift.

"Can we go wake up your parents? I can help you. I am really loud. No one can sleep around me." He said boldly.  

[Innocent_Hybrid]

Ijara stopped when Ekaitz asked about waking them up. Had his words failed him again?

"I apologize again for the confusion Ekaitz. Once you die, you can't be woken up again." he explained to the cub the same way his father had explained to him all that time ago. "The spirit leaves the body and they join the gods in the afterlife."

He hoped that this explanation would be clearer.  

[Fairy Snails]

But would that mean when his father fell asleep, died, would that mean he would be gone forever. Ekaitz couldn't even wake him up? The thought brought tears to his eyes. "Mister Ijara I don't want my papa to die." he cried out. He pushed his face into Ijara's fur, for comfort. "My papa can't die right. He's different than your parents, he won't die."

The whole thing was confusing to him. Did the gods take their spirits to keep them company, Ekaitz thought that was awfully rude of them. They should let their spirits stay in them. That way no one had to sleep for ever.

Ekaitz took deep breaths trying to calm himself down, but all he could think about was his pa dying. He was sure his father couldn't die. He was special. He didn't apply to the rules.  

[Innocent_Hybrid]

Ijara froze. What was he suppose to do? He'd never dealt with an upset cub before! He remembered an action his father used to do that had made him feel good. Maybe that would help?

He rested his head on top of Ekaitz's and spoke calmly.

"Ekaitz, your father is not going to pass anytime soon. He is young and healthy. But there will be a time when he does. As will I, as will you. I know it can seem... scary at first, but it is not a sad thing. Death is a natural part of life and instead of fearing it, let it be your drive. Try to accomplish your goals and make the most of what you are given. Your father gave life to you and your siblings. And when death comes for you, welcome it, for you know that you've done the best with this life."  

[Fairy Snails]

Ekaitz thought about what Ijara said for a moment than he grinned. "If you say so Mister Ijara!" He said with a laugh. His father had promised to be with him forever and his father always kept his promises. It was comforting though having Ijara's head so close to him. Ekatiz could feel his heart pounding. This was what they must call love, this feeling he felt. He wondered if Ijara felt the same way?

Ekaitz looked away. "I- er, I better get going back to the den." He said, not knowing what to do next. "I have um been away from them for so long. I- I- Don't want them to worry." His speech quickened. "Mister Ijara will you please take me back to the den? I- I don't want to travel alone."

He gave Ijara a soft smile, hoping the older leopard would escort him.  

[Innocent_Hybrid]

Ekaitz seemed to be okay for the moment, so Ijara let him have his personal space back. When the cub asked to be escorted to the dens he nodded.

"It would be my honor to lead you back to the dens. If you ever need any help, ask a guide to take you to me. Now, lets get you home."