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Morning came soon enough and Njiru stretched himself out, a rare smile of content, however small, on his maw as he felt the sun's rays already starting to warm his back. After leading Ruya, a visitor to the Mwezi, to a nearby den for a good night's rest, he found his way back to the watering hole and decided to spend the night there. A good decision, as he was rather parched upon waking so he went ahead and took a drink before glancing in the direction of the den.
For a moment he considered going to check up on her, but ultimately he decided to head out to get an early start to his duties as a hunter. For now, at least, he would provide for himself and his guest, first. He didn't imagine he would take very long as he was only looking for smaller game, so the dark male set off to first stretch his legs before starting that hunt.
For a moment he considered going to check up on her, but ultimately he decided to head out to get an early start to his duties as a hunter. For now, at least, he would provide for himself and his guest, first. He didn't imagine he would take very long as he was only looking for smaller game, so the dark male set off to first stretch his legs before starting that hunt.
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Ruya did not know how long she was out for, but she awoke to the sun shining brightly in the sky, trickling through in the den's entrance. Her bright eyes blinked slowly, memories from the evening coming back. She was in a pride's territory, and a lion had helped her out to where she was now. She looked around. That lion was nowhere around.
Lifting herself, her bones cracked from lack of use. She stretched, stepping towards the den entrance, heading to the outside world. She must have been tired as she did not wake at early sunrise.
Ruya looked around. Where was that lion? Did he just...up and leave her by herself? A frown was placed on her maw as she sat. Should she stay here in case he returns? Or head out? It was rude to not even thank the lion who had helped her.
Lifting herself, her bones cracked from lack of use. She stretched, stepping towards the den entrance, heading to the outside world. She must have been tired as she did not wake at early sunrise.
Ruya looked around. Where was that lion? Did he just...up and leave her by herself? A frown was placed on her maw as she sat. Should she stay here in case he returns? Or head out? It was rude to not even thank the lion who had helped her.
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The dark lion made his way back to the den soon enough, and with breakfast ready should she be awake and, by chance, hungry. He stopped at its entrance and peered inside, and when his eyes landed on the lioness he cleared his throat to sound his entry before he made his way inside, setting the food down for her before again clearing his throat.
"Good morning, Ruya," he greeted, just a ghost of a smile on his face as his eyes settled on her once he was seated. "I hope you slept well. I thought it might be a bit intrusive to keep watch even as you slept, so I found a place nearby to lay my head down for the night. And," he paused and gestured to the food at his feet. "I thought you might be hungry so I brought you some breakfast."
"Good morning, Ruya," he greeted, just a ghost of a smile on his face as his eyes settled on her once he was seated. "I hope you slept well. I thought it might be a bit intrusive to keep watch even as you slept, so I found a place nearby to lay my head down for the night. And," he paused and gestured to the food at his feet. "I thought you might be hungry so I brought you some breakfast."
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When she hadn't seen the male, the lioness returned to the depth of the den. She'd wait. She was sure the other would still be here. He was keen on making sure she did not cause trouble last night, therefore she did not feel he would just up and leave her right now.
When he returned, Ruya's eyes spotted the meal he had brought her. Her stomach grumbled a little bit, indicating it's need for the food. She hadn't hunted very well since leaving her pride.
"Good morning, Njiru. I was hoping to still see you today. I wanted to thank you for last night," for showing her to the water hole, and even allowing her to stay in the den here. "It was a much needed rest, yes." She missed sleeping in a den. "And you are too thoughtful!" She squealed quietly. "There looks to be plenty of food to share for the two of us, please join me?" Ruya smiled, nudging the fallen prey towards the male.
She took a small bite, wanting to make sure he was able to get some as well. "You told me a little bit about the pride lands last night. Do you like it here?" She inquired. It probably was a silly question, but Ruya would be interested in hearing other opinions on a land. So far, she enjoyed it herself.
When he returned, Ruya's eyes spotted the meal he had brought her. Her stomach grumbled a little bit, indicating it's need for the food. She hadn't hunted very well since leaving her pride.
"Good morning, Njiru. I was hoping to still see you today. I wanted to thank you for last night," for showing her to the water hole, and even allowing her to stay in the den here. "It was a much needed rest, yes." She missed sleeping in a den. "And you are too thoughtful!" She squealed quietly. "There looks to be plenty of food to share for the two of us, please join me?" Ruya smiled, nudging the fallen prey towards the male.
She took a small bite, wanting to make sure he was able to get some as well. "You told me a little bit about the pride lands last night. Do you like it here?" She inquired. It probably was a silly question, but Ruya would be interested in hearing other opinions on a land. So far, she enjoyed it herself.
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Her words and reactions were met, again, with just a small, very modest smile before he scooted just a bit closer at her offer to share the meal. "I'm glad to hear that," he said before leaning down to take a small bite after her, chewing and swallowing quietly as he gave her question a bit of thought. It was one that he'd never posed in his entire lifetime; their way of life was simple enough and while he would change some events in his life, as far as the Mwezi being home?
"I do," he said after a moment, "It's a simple and straightforward way of life. Everyone has their place in the community and we all work together to keep things running smoothly, of course under capable leadership." He paused to take another small bite. "And as far as the lands are concerned...it's expansive and beautiful, in my opinion. Especially under a full moon."
"I do," he said after a moment, "It's a simple and straightforward way of life. Everyone has their place in the community and we all work together to keep things running smoothly, of course under capable leadership." He paused to take another small bite. "And as far as the lands are concerned...it's expansive and beautiful, in my opinion. Especially under a full moon."
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Ah, simple and straightforward? Those were words that Ruya liked to hear! "Sounds like the Kusini," she said with a sigh. "I never understood some prides that were very complex," she was an old soul really. The more simplistic, the better. She licked her lips before consuming another piece of her meal.
"Would you be able to show me around the pride?" The lioness asked. "After breakfast of course," she quickly added with a small smile.
"What is the process like to...become part of the pride?" She finally asked. The lioness just felt at home, a feeling she hadn't felt since leaving the dispersed Kusini lands.
"Would you be able to show me around the pride?" The lioness asked. "After breakfast of course," she quickly added with a small smile.
"What is the process like to...become part of the pride?" She finally asked. The lioness just felt at home, a feeling she hadn't felt since leaving the dispersed Kusini lands.
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He was a rather old soul as well, and with all the changes happening to the leadership of the pride over the years he found he rather liked that despite those specific changes life was still generally the same. So he could very much appreciate the consistency of his home.
Njiru took a couple more bites as he listened, mulling over her questions as he ate, mindful of his portions to ensure that she had her fill. He did perk up a bit at her interest in the pride, though, and once he gathered his thoughts he smiled, small but bright--a stark change to his usually harsh expression.
"I can show you around, yes," said the dark lion, eyes steady on Ruya's. "As for the process, it involves going to see the queen and taking part in an initiation, if you are invited to stay, to determine your place in the pride's social heirarchy."
Njiru took a couple more bites as he listened, mulling over her questions as he ate, mindful of his portions to ensure that she had her fill. He did perk up a bit at her interest in the pride, though, and once he gathered his thoughts he smiled, small but bright--a stark change to his usually harsh expression.
"I can show you around, yes," said the dark lion, eyes steady on Ruya's. "As for the process, it involves going to see the queen and taking part in an initiation, if you are invited to stay, to determine your place in the pride's social heirarchy."
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Ruya listened intently as the other spoke. Meeting the queen? It had been awhile since she had spoken with someone of that title. Back in the Kusini, she was friends with the former monarch, but after her untimely death she did not mingle with the royalty anymore. She stuck to her job.
She felt a smile deepen on her maw. "Shall we get started then?" Her eyes shown with amusement and excitement.
"What kind of ranks does this pride have? Anything like yaya---er---nannies?" Ruya had to correct herself. She was aware that not all prides had the same terminology for ranks, but perhaps they knew more with the generalized term. She loved watching children, and if that was something she could do here then great!
She felt a smile deepen on her maw. "Shall we get started then?" Her eyes shown with amusement and excitement.
"What kind of ranks does this pride have? Anything like yaya---er---nannies?" Ruya had to correct herself. She was aware that not all prides had the same terminology for ranks, but perhaps they knew more with the generalized term. She loved watching children, and if that was something she could do here then great!
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He was starting to lean down for another bite when she voiced the request, much to his surprise. Again tere was that hint of a smile on his maw as he straightened himself out, eyeing his guest curiously for a moment, as though he doubted she was being serious about her joining, before ultimately nodding. "If you're certain, then of course," he said, the smile lingering and just that much brighter as he nudged the rest of the meal toward her.
"After breakfast, though?"
He cleaned up his maw, then, while shaking his head to her question. "No, there is no official rank of that title," came his answer. "I believe cubs are raised by their parents, though there might be some of the lower-ranked members assigned an unofficial position of that nature if it is deemed necessary. Was that something that you did in your old home?"
"After breakfast, though?"
He cleaned up his maw, then, while shaking his head to her question. "No, there is no official rank of that title," came his answer. "I believe cubs are raised by their parents, though there might be some of the lower-ranked members assigned an unofficial position of that nature if it is deemed necessary. Was that something that you did in your old home?"
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Was she certain? Ruya contemplated the thought. It had been so long since she was in a pride. She was getting older, and the rogue life definitely did not suit her. She nodded.
"Oh, right!" She grinned sheepishly. Njiru had gone all this way to get her breakfast. She took another bite of the meal, enjoying the taste. It was nice to have something a little bit ore substantial. It was definitely something Ruya could get use to.
Ruya nodded, although she held a hint of a frown. Nannies definitely weren't for every pride, but if it was a duty of the parents to watch, that would just mean in the future the gray lioness would need to have cubs again to fulfill that part of her. Her own children were long grown. "I was. I definitely do miss have the little ones around all the time," she smiled fondly at the memories that started to flood back. Shaking her head, she did not want to think too much into.
She took one more bite, licking her maw as she stepped back from the meal. She had her fill. Once Njiru was done, they would be off!
"Oh, right!" She grinned sheepishly. Njiru had gone all this way to get her breakfast. She took another bite of the meal, enjoying the taste. It was nice to have something a little bit ore substantial. It was definitely something Ruya could get use to.
Ruya nodded, although she held a hint of a frown. Nannies definitely weren't for every pride, but if it was a duty of the parents to watch, that would just mean in the future the gray lioness would need to have cubs again to fulfill that part of her. Her own children were long grown. "I was. I definitely do miss have the little ones around all the time," she smiled fondly at the memories that started to flood back. Shaking her head, she did not want to think too much into.
She took one more bite, licking her maw as she stepped back from the meal. She had her fill. Once Njiru was done, they would be off!