Krysin
He moved through the dim morning light like a phantom, steps soundless as large paws touched the earth. His pace was long and graceful, covering far more ground in one bound than the lioness behind him could. The air around him carried the scent of a neighboring pride, which was why he was being so cautious. Na'resh was a rogue to the core of his being - he had never known anything else, and he wasn't willing to risk running into any other creature now with his child in tow. They had suffered enough hardships in their lives that he avoided the chance of running into more at all times.
Na'resh hadn't seen his own family in ages, but that was for the better. His father had disappeared, and his mother had doted on him to a point where it was sickeningly clear that he was just a stand in for the love she had lost. They were scattered about the lands now, but if Na'resh ever caught a scent of any of them, he vanished. He loved them to some extent, but they were a burden upon him. The dark blue lion was not strong enough to carry the weight of their tragedies as well as his own.
Rose colored eyes glanced behind him, and his heart seized with panic to discover that Amaryllis was not within his sight. 'When had she disappeared?' he thought anxiously. His daughter was the only thing in his life that truly mattered to him. She was the only thing he had to remember her mother by - a young lioness taken far too soon by the nature of the world. He should have been used to it, but he wasn't.
Na'resh had never recovered from that loss.
"Amaryllis!" he called out, trying to keep his voice steady. He tried to be a sensible, reliable father figure for his daughter, but it was times like these where the facade slipped. He was utterly dependent upon the only light in his life.
Na'resh hadn't seen his own family in ages, but that was for the better. His father had disappeared, and his mother had doted on him to a point where it was sickeningly clear that he was just a stand in for the love she had lost. They were scattered about the lands now, but if Na'resh ever caught a scent of any of them, he vanished. He loved them to some extent, but they were a burden upon him. The dark blue lion was not strong enough to carry the weight of their tragedies as well as his own.
Rose colored eyes glanced behind him, and his heart seized with panic to discover that Amaryllis was not within his sight. 'When had she disappeared?' he thought anxiously. His daughter was the only thing in his life that truly mattered to him. She was the only thing he had to remember her mother by - a young lioness taken far too soon by the nature of the world. He should have been used to it, but he wasn't.
Na'resh had never recovered from that loss.
"Amaryllis!" he called out, trying to keep his voice steady. He tried to be a sensible, reliable father figure for his daughter, but it was times like these where the facade slipped. He was utterly dependent upon the only light in his life.
Felyn
Amaryllis enjoyed a life that was relatively carefree if a bit, well, cloying. Her father would go to the ends of the world for her and it was something she had never taken for granted but, too, she could never rid him of the little inkling of worry that seemed to be nestled so deeply in his heart. She had never known her mother and knew very little about her apart from the fact that she had died very young and, apparently, that the beautiful rose color of her own fur was her only gift to her daughter.
The young lioness should have known the moment that she stopped (and failed to call out) that he would immediately begin to panic. She was truly not so far away, simply tucked behind a little stone outcrop, but she was halfway through a drink of water that she so desperately wanted to finish. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Inkumba take flight in a flurry of blue feathers - the faithful, steady companion that she always was. In the space of a few breaths, she was circling close to Na'Resh, aiming to draw his attention away from his panic.
"She is just around the bend there, Na'Resh, only getting a sip of water. I stayed with her, do not worry."
Yet even Inkumba could smell the scent of the pride they had cut too close to and as Amaryllis appeared, maw dripping with water droplets, she leveled a worried gaze upon her. The feathered friend did not think her so weak as Na'Resh worried she was but she did absolutely fret over her safety if she were left alone. Amaryllis' view of the world was through rose tinted quartz, she had never met a lick of danger due to her father's strict care.
"I'm sorry papa," she offered once she was within speaking distance, closing it quickly so that she could nudge her head beneath his chin, "I thought you saw me stop."
The young lioness should have known the moment that she stopped (and failed to call out) that he would immediately begin to panic. She was truly not so far away, simply tucked behind a little stone outcrop, but she was halfway through a drink of water that she so desperately wanted to finish. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Inkumba take flight in a flurry of blue feathers - the faithful, steady companion that she always was. In the space of a few breaths, she was circling close to Na'Resh, aiming to draw his attention away from his panic.
"She is just around the bend there, Na'Resh, only getting a sip of water. I stayed with her, do not worry."
Yet even Inkumba could smell the scent of the pride they had cut too close to and as Amaryllis appeared, maw dripping with water droplets, she leveled a worried gaze upon her. The feathered friend did not think her so weak as Na'Resh worried she was but she did absolutely fret over her safety if she were left alone. Amaryllis' view of the world was through rose tinted quartz, she had never met a lick of danger due to her father's strict care.
"I'm sorry papa," she offered once she was within speaking distance, closing it quickly so that she could nudge her head beneath his chin, "I thought you saw me stop."
Krysin
When she did not immediately answer his worried call, his chest tightened with anxiety and he felt his breath fall short. His daughter was a vision of innocence, a creature far too delicate for this world. The thought of anything ill befalling her could darken the brightest of days. Na'resh had lost her mother - he refused to lose her too. Before panic could truly set in, Inkumba appeared overheard. The bird was not panicked, and so he could only assume that Amaryllis had simply drifted away accidentally.
Inkumba told him not to worry, but he still did. After all, the avian was no longer by his daughter's side to keep watch for her. "She should have told me that she was thirsty," he answered with a sigh. He would have stopped, but he suspected that she did not want to bother him with it. It was true that he was being hyper vigilant, moreso than ever before now that they were so close to another pride's territory. There were lions out in the world that were far too dangerous to become entangled with.
The dark blue lion took a few steps forward to backtrack and retrieve his daughter when she finally appeared. His lips parted to speak, his intent to scold her for vanishing on her, but he couldn't go through with it. Na'resh was simply relieved that she was safe, and that not even a smudge of dirt tarnished that beautiful maroon coat that reminded him so much of her mother. "I didn't," he replied, and again tried to think of a way to impart the severity of her slipping away from him.
But he just couldn't do it. Instead he nuzzled his daughter tenderly, a deep purr rumbling in his chest. "We just have to be careful here. I smell too many lions, and if anything were to happen I alone would not be enough to keep you safe..." Taking a step back, he looked down at his delicate daughter with kind eyes. "For at least my sake, stay close. I cannot survive another heart attack," he joked tenderly.
Then his eyes cast up towards Inkumba, his expression serious. "Inkumba, can you scout ahead a little bit and make sure we didn't attract attention?"
Inkumba told him not to worry, but he still did. After all, the avian was no longer by his daughter's side to keep watch for her. "She should have told me that she was thirsty," he answered with a sigh. He would have stopped, but he suspected that she did not want to bother him with it. It was true that he was being hyper vigilant, moreso than ever before now that they were so close to another pride's territory. There were lions out in the world that were far too dangerous to become entangled with.
The dark blue lion took a few steps forward to backtrack and retrieve his daughter when she finally appeared. His lips parted to speak, his intent to scold her for vanishing on her, but he couldn't go through with it. Na'resh was simply relieved that she was safe, and that not even a smudge of dirt tarnished that beautiful maroon coat that reminded him so much of her mother. "I didn't," he replied, and again tried to think of a way to impart the severity of her slipping away from him.
But he just couldn't do it. Instead he nuzzled his daughter tenderly, a deep purr rumbling in his chest. "We just have to be careful here. I smell too many lions, and if anything were to happen I alone would not be enough to keep you safe..." Taking a step back, he looked down at his delicate daughter with kind eyes. "For at least my sake, stay close. I cannot survive another heart attack," he joked tenderly.
Then his eyes cast up towards Inkumba, his expression serious. "Inkumba, can you scout ahead a little bit and make sure we didn't attract attention?"
Felyn
With only a polite chirp for her agreeance, Inkumba altered her swirling path around the two lions and swept up on a draft that carried her forward into the path they were travelling, edging in toward the direction she knew the pride lay. It would show her if any lions were approaching from that direction and, hopefully, give her enough time to warn her two wards if there were.
Amaryllis watched her go as she leaned her weight into her father's side, taking as much comfort as she was offering. She knew that he was young and that he had suffered a great tragedy in his life that might have forever changed him and there was naught she could do to quell his fears apart from staying at his side. It worried her for his future, for when he grew too old to handle his fears with such grace as he managed now, but that was a long time away yet.
As her feathered companion dwindled in the face of the sun, the rose-tinted lioness shifted her weight and look up at her father with the most gentle, reassuring smile that she could manage.
"I will stay close here, I understand," she reassured him, but turned her gaze up to the sky as she heard a shrill call from Inkumba in the distance. With a frown, she edged closer to her father, doing her best to hide her small, petite frame behind his larger, darker one.
"Is someone coming?" For all the times she felt his fears were unjustified, now she was the one beginning to worry.
Amaryllis watched her go as she leaned her weight into her father's side, taking as much comfort as she was offering. She knew that he was young and that he had suffered a great tragedy in his life that might have forever changed him and there was naught she could do to quell his fears apart from staying at his side. It worried her for his future, for when he grew too old to handle his fears with such grace as he managed now, but that was a long time away yet.
As her feathered companion dwindled in the face of the sun, the rose-tinted lioness shifted her weight and look up at her father with the most gentle, reassuring smile that she could manage.
"I will stay close here, I understand," she reassured him, but turned her gaze up to the sky as she heard a shrill call from Inkumba in the distance. With a frown, she edged closer to her father, doing her best to hide her small, petite frame behind his larger, darker one.
"Is someone coming?" For all the times she felt his fears were unjustified, now she was the one beginning to worry.
Krysin
He patiently waited for Inkumba to double back towards them. This wasn't the first time he had the bird scout ahead for the pair. It was a small blessing that Amaryllis had formed such a close bond with the avian, for Inkumba's gaze could travel as far as her wings could carry her. She was a reliable source of information and a great comfort to Na'resh. Trusting another lion around his child was one thing, but an avian was nothing he had to fear over. "Thank you," he mumbled softly, but sincerely to his lone child.
Inkumba's call broke the moment of peace, "Yes." The single word was spoken low, hiding his own fear under the bravado and need to protect his child. He angled his body to shield Amaryllis behind himself. Inkumba hadn't gotten very far before making the call - whomever was in the area was close, and Na'resh did not trust that they could get away quick enough to avoid them. "Just stay behind me and remain quiet. If things start to turn for the worse, I want you to run."
There, in the distance, he saw the shape of a lion, as gold as the sun behind him. He was smaller than Na'resh, but older, likely more experienced. If a fight were to happen, Na'resh was uncertain who the victor would be. But when the lion stopped a few metres away from the pair, Na'resh noted the kind features of his face, the pristine pelt free of any scars or injuries that would signal a threatening presence.
Na'resh did not trust him still.
"Good day! My apologies if I startled you." Uzalishaji examined the pair of lions curiously. The two were similar in appearance, and seemed to be rather wary of him. That wasn't unusual for rogues. Some were drawn in by the promise of the Pridelands, while others simply stumbled upon the area by chance. "Welcome to the Pridelands! I'm Uzalishaji, just a hunter, nothing more." He hoped that would sway the two to relax a little bit.
"We are just passing through," Na'resh spoke up, subconsciously moving back against his daughter to keep up the illusion of a safe distance between the two parties. "We mean no trouble." Na'resh was far too wary, far too paranoid to let his guard down even around a friendly face.
Inkumba's call broke the moment of peace, "Yes." The single word was spoken low, hiding his own fear under the bravado and need to protect his child. He angled his body to shield Amaryllis behind himself. Inkumba hadn't gotten very far before making the call - whomever was in the area was close, and Na'resh did not trust that they could get away quick enough to avoid them. "Just stay behind me and remain quiet. If things start to turn for the worse, I want you to run."
There, in the distance, he saw the shape of a lion, as gold as the sun behind him. He was smaller than Na'resh, but older, likely more experienced. If a fight were to happen, Na'resh was uncertain who the victor would be. But when the lion stopped a few metres away from the pair, Na'resh noted the kind features of his face, the pristine pelt free of any scars or injuries that would signal a threatening presence.
Na'resh did not trust him still.
"Good day! My apologies if I startled you." Uzalishaji examined the pair of lions curiously. The two were similar in appearance, and seemed to be rather wary of him. That wasn't unusual for rogues. Some were drawn in by the promise of the Pridelands, while others simply stumbled upon the area by chance. "Welcome to the Pridelands! I'm Uzalishaji, just a hunter, nothing more." He hoped that would sway the two to relax a little bit.
"We are just passing through," Na'resh spoke up, subconsciously moving back against his daughter to keep up the illusion of a safe distance between the two parties. "We mean no trouble." Na'resh was far too wary, far too paranoid to let his guard down even around a friendly face.
