The moon had crawled its way to what Dareia knew to be its peak. Before long, it would be headed back down, continuing on its path until it disappeared. Until the next evening, that is.
Dareia, ambling away from her home den, was headed toward the Eastern border. There was a spot on the river, under a rare, big, and beautiful tree, where she preferred to go for a drink. And there she went, leisurely working her way to her sacred watering hole.
And then, she spotted her.
Instantly, she crouched down, as if hiding behind tall grass. A ghost of her past elsewhere, in lands far away. The Mwezi landscape was not so forgiving: flat and open. The moon shone too brightly, her coat too white. Deep blue eyes flashed, glancing back at the other. This could be bad.
Dareia hadn’t seen the other lioness in quite some time — in fact, it almost felt like she was being avoided; but of course the pride was quite big, so it was also very possible that wasn’t the case at all. But if the other was avoiding her, she absolutely understood why.
Unfortunately, she hadn’t evaded direction. Zaniah’s ears flicked and her head snapped up at the sound of another body nearby. Having not been born in the pride, she was extra alert at all times — a vestige from her days as a lone rogue. Pale eyes flickered, she surveyed the scene around her. It took a moment, but soon enough she spotted the other lion: none other than Dareia.
Oh, gods. This wouldn’t be good.
The last time she’d run into Dareia was quite awkward. Zaniah, a bold and brash little flirt, had been trying to cozy up to a very non-receptive Ki’jivu. In the midst, Dareia — which she now knows to be Ki’s mate — walked onto the scene, and in a sugary sweet way told her to leave them the hell alone. And so she abided by that, flicking her tail in annoyance and stalking off, upset her flirtations did not work out. It was uncomfortable, sure, but she wasn’t not entirely used to it. Typically, though, she was a wandering rogue and knew she’d never have to see the pair of them again. Unfortunately, she was in a pride now, and running into lions like Dareia was only to be expected.
Dareia saw that she had been noticed and awkwardly rose to a full-fledged standing position, placing a soft smile on her face as she padded forward slowly. “Zaniah, I hope you are well.” She was ever-polite, even when telling others off — it was both a blessing and a curse.
“You as well, Dareia. How’s… how are things with Ki’jivu?” Zaniah meant for the question to sound cursory, not morbidly curious, and hoped her tone conveyed that. Her pale eyes raked over the other female as she approached, silently musing that while she understood Ki’s attraction to her, Z herself was much prettier. Oh, well. His loss.
Appraising the other female, Dareia settled on the fact that she was not a threat. She was nice, and being polite, and Dareia really couldn’t hold her flirtation against her. It had been innocent, after all, and when she had suggested that Z leave, she took the hint and stalked off. Something that some lions may not so readily do.
“He’s well. We’re, ah, we’re hoping for cubs soon. Working on it, you know how it is,” she replied. Of course, Zaniah didn’t know how it was — she had never borne cubs of her own, but she did understand it could be quite the process for some couples. While others, like her own mother, happened to bear fruit with one evening with a male. Dareia’s off-handed comment was meant to be taken as a slight, but Zaniah wasn’t offended. She didn’t know that she wanted cubs ever, so she truly wasn’t upset at the remark.
“Oh, that’s so exciting! I hope the gods bless the two of you soon. Those cubs of yours will be absolutely adorable.” Zaniah smiled and she meant it, she wasn’t being catty she was just being nice. It was a new tactic for her, but Dareia seemed receptive.
“That’s kind of you, Zaniah. Thank you.” With that, Dareia padded forward, over to the river’s edge, and dipped her head down, bringing her muzzle to the cold water and taking several long sips. After all, she had come to this spot — her spot — for a drink. She was mildly irked that her spot had been commandeered by this other, but she was being kind, and Dareia greatly appreciated that. Anything to quell the awkwardness of their first meeting.
As she brought her head back up, she turned to Zaniah and cocked her head, curious. “Have you been able to find anyone of your own? You would make beautiful cubs too, you know.”
Well, duh, Zaniah thought to herself, holding back a roll of her eyes. She was quite the looker and anyone that came from her would be much the same. Though she was jealous that Dareia’s cubs would have Ki’jivu’s starry night sky coat — it was beautiful and what attracted her to him in the first place — she knew that her own coat was quite brilliant.
She dipped her head, a tad uncomfortable. “Oh, you know, still settling into the pride. I’m sure I’ll find someone… or someones.” She flashed a smile hoping the joke would land, but she figured Dareia wasn’t the type to find non-monogamy amusing. Luckily, though, she was wrong: Dareia herself was born of the sultan of a harem-based pride, so she was used to non-monogamy in the many forms it could take.
Dareia was about to say something when Zaniah cut their meeting short. “It was great talking to you, but I was going to get some nighttime hunting in, if that’s alright with you.” D blinked, a bit surprised, as their meeting had been going so smoothly, but understood. She was a lady and in the past didn’t have to think about those kind of things, but with the recent dissolution of the nobility, she was going to have to take on responsibilities of her own soon.
“Take care, Zaniah. Best of luck.” She smiled and turned her back on Z, dipping her head low for one more swig of water, thankful that the crisis was averted and she was now left to her own devices. She surely preferred things that way.
Dareia, ambling away from her home den, was headed toward the Eastern border. There was a spot on the river, under a rare, big, and beautiful tree, where she preferred to go for a drink. And there she went, leisurely working her way to her sacred watering hole.
And then, she spotted her.
Instantly, she crouched down, as if hiding behind tall grass. A ghost of her past elsewhere, in lands far away. The Mwezi landscape was not so forgiving: flat and open. The moon shone too brightly, her coat too white. Deep blue eyes flashed, glancing back at the other. This could be bad.
Dareia hadn’t seen the other lioness in quite some time — in fact, it almost felt like she was being avoided; but of course the pride was quite big, so it was also very possible that wasn’t the case at all. But if the other was avoiding her, she absolutely understood why.
Unfortunately, she hadn’t evaded direction. Zaniah’s ears flicked and her head snapped up at the sound of another body nearby. Having not been born in the pride, she was extra alert at all times — a vestige from her days as a lone rogue. Pale eyes flickered, she surveyed the scene around her. It took a moment, but soon enough she spotted the other lion: none other than Dareia.
Oh, gods. This wouldn’t be good.
The last time she’d run into Dareia was quite awkward. Zaniah, a bold and brash little flirt, had been trying to cozy up to a very non-receptive Ki’jivu. In the midst, Dareia — which she now knows to be Ki’s mate — walked onto the scene, and in a sugary sweet way told her to leave them the hell alone. And so she abided by that, flicking her tail in annoyance and stalking off, upset her flirtations did not work out. It was uncomfortable, sure, but she wasn’t not entirely used to it. Typically, though, she was a wandering rogue and knew she’d never have to see the pair of them again. Unfortunately, she was in a pride now, and running into lions like Dareia was only to be expected.
Dareia saw that she had been noticed and awkwardly rose to a full-fledged standing position, placing a soft smile on her face as she padded forward slowly. “Zaniah, I hope you are well.” She was ever-polite, even when telling others off — it was both a blessing and a curse.
“You as well, Dareia. How’s… how are things with Ki’jivu?” Zaniah meant for the question to sound cursory, not morbidly curious, and hoped her tone conveyed that. Her pale eyes raked over the other female as she approached, silently musing that while she understood Ki’s attraction to her, Z herself was much prettier. Oh, well. His loss.
Appraising the other female, Dareia settled on the fact that she was not a threat. She was nice, and being polite, and Dareia really couldn’t hold her flirtation against her. It had been innocent, after all, and when she had suggested that Z leave, she took the hint and stalked off. Something that some lions may not so readily do.
“He’s well. We’re, ah, we’re hoping for cubs soon. Working on it, you know how it is,” she replied. Of course, Zaniah didn’t know how it was — she had never borne cubs of her own, but she did understand it could be quite the process for some couples. While others, like her own mother, happened to bear fruit with one evening with a male. Dareia’s off-handed comment was meant to be taken as a slight, but Zaniah wasn’t offended. She didn’t know that she wanted cubs ever, so she truly wasn’t upset at the remark.
“Oh, that’s so exciting! I hope the gods bless the two of you soon. Those cubs of yours will be absolutely adorable.” Zaniah smiled and she meant it, she wasn’t being catty she was just being nice. It was a new tactic for her, but Dareia seemed receptive.
“That’s kind of you, Zaniah. Thank you.” With that, Dareia padded forward, over to the river’s edge, and dipped her head down, bringing her muzzle to the cold water and taking several long sips. After all, she had come to this spot — her spot — for a drink. She was mildly irked that her spot had been commandeered by this other, but she was being kind, and Dareia greatly appreciated that. Anything to quell the awkwardness of their first meeting.
As she brought her head back up, she turned to Zaniah and cocked her head, curious. “Have you been able to find anyone of your own? You would make beautiful cubs too, you know.”
Well, duh, Zaniah thought to herself, holding back a roll of her eyes. She was quite the looker and anyone that came from her would be much the same. Though she was jealous that Dareia’s cubs would have Ki’jivu’s starry night sky coat — it was beautiful and what attracted her to him in the first place — she knew that her own coat was quite brilliant.
She dipped her head, a tad uncomfortable. “Oh, you know, still settling into the pride. I’m sure I’ll find someone… or someones.” She flashed a smile hoping the joke would land, but she figured Dareia wasn’t the type to find non-monogamy amusing. Luckily, though, she was wrong: Dareia herself was born of the sultan of a harem-based pride, so she was used to non-monogamy in the many forms it could take.
Dareia was about to say something when Zaniah cut their meeting short. “It was great talking to you, but I was going to get some nighttime hunting in, if that’s alright with you.” D blinked, a bit surprised, as their meeting had been going so smoothly, but understood. She was a lady and in the past didn’t have to think about those kind of things, but with the recent dissolution of the nobility, she was going to have to take on responsibilities of her own soon.
“Take care, Zaniah. Best of luck.” She smiled and turned her back on Z, dipping her head low for one more swig of water, thankful that the crisis was averted and she was now left to her own devices. She surely preferred things that way.