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Shujaa was...well curious. Otea had told him about this tall dark lady looking for a male, and well, it definitely piqued his interest. Getting the instructions from the pale lion, the golden male made a point to scoop out the out, find out if what the blue eyed beauty was telling him was correct.
Living near the borders, Shujaa left his home early in the morning. He swung by a local hunt party, sharing a meal with the group, before heading out. It would not take him long to find the den Otea had been speaking about.
Thoughts rang in his head. He had been out of the lady game for a while. If anything, Shujaa had indeed settled with his older age. Don't be a player, Otea had warned him. The brown eyed male rolled his eyes. "I'll do what I want." he muttered as he wandered down the path, spotting the few dens. Now, which one was the lovely lady's?
Living near the borders, Shujaa left his home early in the morning. He swung by a local hunt party, sharing a meal with the group, before heading out. It would not take him long to find the den Otea had been speaking about.
Thoughts rang in his head. He had been out of the lady game for a while. If anything, Shujaa had indeed settled with his older age. Don't be a player, Otea had warned him. The brown eyed male rolled his eyes. "I'll do what I want." he muttered as he wandered down the path, spotting the few dens. Now, which one was the lovely lady's?
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JB was an early riser - something she suspected she had inherited from her father. The Pridelands were their most welcoming in the morning light. There was still a slight chill to the air, which only made the warmth of the sun far more inviting. The dark lioness, her coloration not exactly typical for Pridelanders, stepped out of her den to spend the first few moments of her day basking under the sun. Living on her own had been peaceful, yes, but peace just wasn't something that settled well with the lioness.
The quiet mornings were something she should cherish, but there was always a longing for something more. She opened her eyes, as blue as the pond that resided near her den, and scanned her surroundings. Most of her neighbors were still asleep, and while she was located away from the heart of the Pridelands, the area was still populated. It surprised her little, then, to see the unfamiliar form of a male.
There were always lions coming and going from the Pridelands. Very few posed any actual threat, and almost all of them were friendly. Her gaze fell on Shujaa for only a brief moment before she turned away from the lion and headed out from her den. Not even a second glance was spared for the golden male. She had never had much interest in others.
The quiet mornings were something she should cherish, but there was always a longing for something more. She opened her eyes, as blue as the pond that resided near her den, and scanned her surroundings. Most of her neighbors were still asleep, and while she was located away from the heart of the Pridelands, the area was still populated. It surprised her little, then, to see the unfamiliar form of a male.
There were always lions coming and going from the Pridelands. Very few posed any actual threat, and almost all of them were friendly. Her gaze fell on Shujaa for only a brief moment before she turned away from the lion and headed out from her den. Not even a second glance was spared for the golden male. She had never had much interest in others.
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When the dark lioness stepped out of his den, Shujaa could not help but smirk. That /had/ to be her. She matched the description given to a tee. When she had gazed upon him, he flashed her a smile that almost instantly dropped as she turned away.
Well...Otea did say she may play hard to get. Shujaa would have to use more than his dashing good looks to get the other to speak to him probably.
Shaking his head as he thought, the male started to follow the darker lioness away from her home. "You there!" He called out, pace increasing to a brisk walk to catch up with her. Should he speak of Otea? Probably not in the best interest right now. he answered himself. "I...er...seem to have lost my friend. He's a little jackal, goes by Kituo...have you seen him?" So, he was stealing Arun's familiar for a little bit. She probably did not know the other male or his bond, so he would likely get away with it. "Little scout is always wandering away. He likes to play in water, and I hear this is a prime spot to swim?"
Well...Otea did say she may play hard to get. Shujaa would have to use more than his dashing good looks to get the other to speak to him probably.
Shaking his head as he thought, the male started to follow the darker lioness away from her home. "You there!" He called out, pace increasing to a brisk walk to catch up with her. Should he speak of Otea? Probably not in the best interest right now. he answered himself. "I...er...seem to have lost my friend. He's a little jackal, goes by Kituo...have you seen him?" So, he was stealing Arun's familiar for a little bit. She probably did not know the other male or his bond, so he would likely get away with it. "Little scout is always wandering away. He likes to play in water, and I hear this is a prime spot to swim?"
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JB was not rude enough to ignore a fellow lion, and so she paused to allow Shujaa to catch up to. Once he made his way towards her, it would be clear to see that her expression was carefully blank... The lioness was only a little annoyed at being hollered at. Her attempt to cover up her annoyance only made it that much more clear that she was irritated. JB sucked in a sharp breath, and released it with a painfully long sigh. This was why no one liked to talk to her.
"You just saw me walk out of my den - during which point would I have seen your jackal companion when you could not?" JB supposed she could have seen the jackal yesterday, but she had no idea how long the creature had been missing. Now that she had given Shujaa the information he likely did not want to hear, she suspected he would be on his way.
But he didn't leave, in fact, he seemed to completely ignore all the hints she was dropping about wanting to be left in peace. "Yeah, there's a pond just over the way that the cubs like to play in. I am sure your friend will return to you once they are done playing, there's no need to work yourself up over their disappearance." Her ears pressed down against the back of her head, and she sighed again. Her father would have had a heart attack to see her being so rude. "Come with me, I can show you where it is."
"You just saw me walk out of my den - during which point would I have seen your jackal companion when you could not?" JB supposed she could have seen the jackal yesterday, but she had no idea how long the creature had been missing. Now that she had given Shujaa the information he likely did not want to hear, she suspected he would be on his way.
But he didn't leave, in fact, he seemed to completely ignore all the hints she was dropping about wanting to be left in peace. "Yeah, there's a pond just over the way that the cubs like to play in. I am sure your friend will return to you once they are done playing, there's no need to work yourself up over their disappearance." Her ears pressed down against the back of her head, and she sighed again. Her father would have had a heart attack to see her being so rude. "Come with me, I can show you where it is."
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Well, that definitely wasn't the reaction that he expected from the lioness. Otea did mention she may be...a little tough around the edges. It excited the male to be honest, he was always up for a challenge, even if the female didn't think it.
"Oh...I don't know. You could have been out earlier?" He offered. "Yesterday even? He's been gone for a few days now. I just haven't wandered around this part of the pride yet to see if this was where he might be." He said with a shrug, either missing, or completely ignoring the fact she wanted to be left alone.
"Oh, that would be great!" Shujaa flashed a toothy smile towards the other. He knew her name, Otea had told him it, however, it would probably be awkward for him to use it without having her formally introduce herself. Somehow him saying 'Hi I'm Shujaa, your sister sent me here to hook up with you,' just didn't ring right in his mind.
"I don't think I have ever seen you before. What's your name?" The lion asked, trying to make small talk with the other. "You know, you have such beautiful blue eyes. They remind me of another lioness I know...Otea? Have you met her before?"
"Oh...I don't know. You could have been out earlier?" He offered. "Yesterday even? He's been gone for a few days now. I just haven't wandered around this part of the pride yet to see if this was where he might be." He said with a shrug, either missing, or completely ignoring the fact she wanted to be left alone.
"Oh, that would be great!" Shujaa flashed a toothy smile towards the other. He knew her name, Otea had told him it, however, it would probably be awkward for him to use it without having her formally introduce herself. Somehow him saying 'Hi I'm Shujaa, your sister sent me here to hook up with you,' just didn't ring right in his mind.
"I don't think I have ever seen you before. What's your name?" The lion asked, trying to make small talk with the other. "You know, you have such beautiful blue eyes. They remind me of another lioness I know...Otea? Have you met her before?"
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"If your jackal has been gone for a few days, either they don't want to be around you any more, or they're..." She stopped herself short of saying what was on her mind. That would be a little too cruel to say it so bluntly to another lion, though she thought that the male should be able to handle the possibility of his jackal being dead. JB kept her eyes ahead of her, intending to lead Shujaa to the pond in silence... but the lion just kept talking... and talking.
She glanced to the side, muttering something under her breath. Whatever charm Shujaa thought he possessed, it clearly was completely missed and went unappreciated by JB. "It's JB," she answered quickly. The next words out of his mouth made her tail twitch, the corner of her mouth turning downwards into a disapproving frown.
Ugh.
"Cut the crap. We're here to look for your jackal, not for you to flatter me." That was definitely too harsh, but JB did not have the patience for someone playing at being charming. She was not some weak-willed lioness to swoon over every male that came her way, and trust her, there had been plenty. "Otea is my sister. She enjoys flattery more, you should practice on her."
She glanced to the side, muttering something under her breath. Whatever charm Shujaa thought he possessed, it clearly was completely missed and went unappreciated by JB. "It's JB," she answered quickly. The next words out of his mouth made her tail twitch, the corner of her mouth turning downwards into a disapproving frown.
Ugh.
"Cut the crap. We're here to look for your jackal, not for you to flatter me." That was definitely too harsh, but JB did not have the patience for someone playing at being charming. She was not some weak-willed lioness to swoon over every male that came her way, and trust her, there had been plenty. "Otea is my sister. She enjoys flattery more, you should practice on her."
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Shujaa shrugged. He was sure Kituo was fine with Arun. He let the lioness continue to talk though. "or they're dead?" He finished her comment. He did not let the thought bother him. If paying attention well enough, one may have noticed the lack of compassion that seemed to be present. If Kituo was really his bond, maybe he'd be a bit more considerate.
"Please to meet you JB!" He did not give his name just yet, the lioness had seemed disinterested in receiving right now.
"Oh." Well, she certainly was a cut straight to the point female. "Well then, JB, I was just trying to make some small talk. My apologies if my words became offensive to you." He paused his walking for a moment, rethinking his strategy.
"You don't say! She never told me she had a sister. So, tell me JB, if you don't like flattery like your sister does, what do you like? are you anything like her?" He asked. "I am friends with her, but I promise whatever you say would be our little secret," if the lioness was looking at him, she would have seen him wink. He was forgetting about looking for the 'missing jackal' intent to learning more about the female.
"Please to meet you JB!" He did not give his name just yet, the lioness had seemed disinterested in receiving right now.
"Oh." Well, she certainly was a cut straight to the point female. "Well then, JB, I was just trying to make some small talk. My apologies if my words became offensive to you." He paused his walking for a moment, rethinking his strategy.
"You don't say! She never told me she had a sister. So, tell me JB, if you don't like flattery like your sister does, what do you like? are you anything like her?" He asked. "I am friends with her, but I promise whatever you say would be our little secret," if the lioness was looking at him, she would have seen him wink. He was forgetting about looking for the 'missing jackal' intent to learning more about the female.
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"Yes," JB answered solemnly. Now that she had gotten out her dislike for flattery, the lioness seemed to calm down. All she had done was set up strict boundaries with the lion, and so long as he did not cross them they would be fine around one another. JB had dealt with too many flirtatious males to give any more of them a proper chance at her. She just wasn't interested in many, and they few she had been were not suitable in other ways.
"I just don't have the patience for it. I don't need pretty words thrown my way when a simple 'hello' will suffice." But then again, she had nearly ignored him when he tried to catch her attention with a 'hello'. JB would not be an easy lioness to impress, which was likely the reason she remained cubless and mateless. It didn't bother her any.
They made it to the pond in no time at all. JB truly hadn't chosen a den all that far from it. She remembered all the times she had come to play here with her siblings, and there were some fond memories for her there. But, there was no jackal here now. "You certainly have a lot of questions..." she sighed, and still refused to turn her gaze his way. He just wasn't important enough to have her full attention when she was trying to find his damned jackal for him. "I'm not like her, and if you want to learn more about me, and if you're such good friends with Otea, you can always ask her." The words weren't... unkind. They were just very blunt.
"Your jackal is not here," she pointed out to him with a small frown.
"I just don't have the patience for it. I don't need pretty words thrown my way when a simple 'hello' will suffice." But then again, she had nearly ignored him when he tried to catch her attention with a 'hello'. JB would not be an easy lioness to impress, which was likely the reason she remained cubless and mateless. It didn't bother her any.
They made it to the pond in no time at all. JB truly hadn't chosen a den all that far from it. She remembered all the times she had come to play here with her siblings, and there were some fond memories for her there. But, there was no jackal here now. "You certainly have a lot of questions..." she sighed, and still refused to turn her gaze his way. He just wasn't important enough to have her full attention when she was trying to find his damned jackal for him. "I'm not like her, and if you want to learn more about me, and if you're such good friends with Otea, you can always ask her." The words weren't... unkind. They were just very blunt.
"Your jackal is not here," she pointed out to him with a small frown.
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Shujaa sighed. He didn't seem to be getting far today with JB. He'd have to reconvene with Otea, figure out how the charcoal lioness worked, and then try again at a later time.
"Sometimes it is better to hear things from that person's voice, rather than from someone else." The golden male shrugged, looking around, feigning interest in looking for the jackal. "So it seems he is not. Well, if you happen to come across a little black jackal, let me know? I live over on the Northern Border. Send him that way. Or, let Otea know and she can tell me." He shrugged, turning away. "Sorry to waste your time. Thanks for helping me look." He said, beginning to head down the trail.
The question was now, how to change the attitude of this female. He may need to partner with a few others, but he had a few plans in mind.
"Sometimes it is better to hear things from that person's voice, rather than from someone else." The golden male shrugged, looking around, feigning interest in looking for the jackal. "So it seems he is not. Well, if you happen to come across a little black jackal, let me know? I live over on the Northern Border. Send him that way. Or, let Otea know and she can tell me." He shrugged, turning away. "Sorry to waste your time. Thanks for helping me look." He said, beginning to head down the trail.
The question was now, how to change the attitude of this female. He may need to partner with a few others, but he had a few plans in mind.
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"I will be sure to," JB answered. She wasn't unkind, and if she did spot the jackal she would be sure to send it properly back towards Shujaa. JB didn't have to like someone in order to help them, it just sometimes eased the stress of it all. She did hope that she did not come across the jackal. The charcoal colored lioness did not need another reason to interact with Shujaa. He was... fine, but he was also a bother.
"Good luck in finding your friend," JB told the other lion as Shujaa turned away from her. With the gold lion disappearing in the distance, JB turned back to the pond to sate her thirst.
"Good luck in finding your friend," JB told the other lion as Shujaa turned away from her. With the gold lion disappearing in the distance, JB turned back to the pond to sate her thirst.