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 Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:15 pm
It had been some time since Jua'Randa had met another soul while he was traveling. His mother had passed away some time ago, and he had never known his father, so such things were far from his mind. Any siblings that might have existed were lost to the land along with his mother's memories, but seeing as how he knew nothing of them, he did not mourn them either. As content as he was to be alone, however, Jua longed for companionship of any kind. Even a wild dog for conversation would be enough. Wandering the lands, occasionally he would see a creature in the distance that appeared to not be preybeast, but as soon as he neared the animal would be lost to the grasslands.
His amber eyes searched the horizon then, but the terrain he traveled over was rocky and some beast might be hidden amongst the many dips in the earth. It wasn't that Jua was desperate for company, but seeing as how he had so recently eaten, food was not at the forefront of his mind and, being a pride animal, he looked for conversation now. Dark tipped tail swaying behind him, the male lifted his head to the wind and snipped hopefully, but there was only a light breeze that carried scent far from the upper reaches of the atmosphere. There was no telling where that antelope herd was that he smelled, it was not a good wind.
He sensed someone, however, and near enough that his head rose higher and his ears swivelled foward with interest. Friend or foe, he was glad to sense some presence.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:40 pm
Baala did not notice Jua for some time, absorbed in her own thoughts, wondering when she should return to Kiuma's side. The wind was blowing in the wrong direction, so only her sight led her to realize that Jua was there. When she saw him, she seemed to pause, ice blue eyes investigating him, analyzing him and trying to figure out if he was a threat or not. When she saw no signs of Jua being violent, she slowly crept even further forward. "Hello." Her voice carried on the wind towards him, as small in sound as she was in stature. The life of a rogue had been hard on her. She was tiny, far more smaller then Jua.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:37 pm
The sound of another's voice was so strange and pleasant to the lion's ears, that his eyes glistened with excitement as he spun towards the sound. His large feet did not move from their position, though the rest of him moved so fast that his hind legs folded and he plopped rather unceremoniously into a seated position so that his body rested on one hip somewhat awkwardly. Shaking his rusty mane, his amber gaze found the speaker and he smiled slowly so as not to frighten her off. A young one! Despite her size, she did appear older, but perhaps she was still a youth. He was so bad at judging age. Would she be offended if she were thought young? Perhaps not mentioning it would be the best means of action.
His voice was decorated by a gruff purr that almost sounded like a content growl as it bubbled past his lips and over his white chin, but it was friendly nevertheless. Perking his ears, he leaned towards her, "Hullo! I'm Jua' Randa, who might you be?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:10 am
His actions, his words reminded her so deeply of what her life had been before she had met Kiuma. She had been desperate for conversation, for a little companionship... just one day with another lion or lioness that would just be her friend. Being a rogue could be a terribly lonely life, and Baala had not truly been born for it. What Kiuma had put into her head was a distrust of males, but seeing Jua, older then her, but so similar to her, made her put her guard down. What he wanted was someone to talk to for a day, and maybe Baala could let him have that. It was clear from his body language that he meant her no harm. All he seemed to be was... excited for her arrival. How long had he been looking for someone to talk to? Days? Weeks? Months? It could even be years if the fullness of his mane was anything to go by. So, she drew even closer to her, deciding to sit a short distance away from him (and definitely sit less goofy then he was).
"I am Baala. It is peculiar to see such a friendly face around these parts. It's a pleasure to see you." He seemed so happy to see her, and for some reason it made her a little bit happy to see him. Through all her travels, it was rare to see someone like Jua, someone who just wanted conversation. Baala could afford to stay a while, nothing more then a few hours just to speak with him. But, in the end she would leave again, as she always did. She'd go back to Kiuma.
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Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 3:30 pm
It was true. Jua'Randa was desperate for conversation of any kind. Even a negative confrontation would be enough at this point, though he hoped for some enjoyment from whatever encounter he might have from this young lioness. She seemed strangely... mature, given that she didn't appear to be so old. Perhaps he was misjudging her age completely? It wouldn't be unheard of. Jua certainly didn't see other lions enough to be able to distinguish ages immediately, though he supposed he might become better at it should meetings such as this continue. As for the duration of time he had gone without seeing another, he had lost track of the days. For a fact it was likely merely months as his mother had not been dead for a year yet, and with her he had chanced upon many other lions. Her death had been an unfortunate accident, kicked in the throat by a water buffalo. The death had been fairly quick, so Jua was left unscarred and the pain was buried by months of loneliness and a longing to meet knew people.
His tail flicked over the dust, causing a small cloud to rise as pebbles flew from his settled form. As she settled at an appropriate distance from him, his amber eyes shimmered with excitement that she had decided without words to sit and chat for awhile. Even a few minutes would be dandy for the strapping, young male. Her words gave him cause to smile, a bit less goofy and mildly more charming, "Pleasure to meet you, as well, Baala. Glad to hear you find me friendly, but we are very much in agreeance on that. Hardly a soul to be found on these lands." Peering about, almost as if he eagerly anticipated a third party, he let his eyes dart back to her, "Do you travel alone?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 4:00 pm
If Baala thought about it, her mother had died a slow death. She never really saw and recognized the signs, but they were there. Nuksani had deteriorated day after day, had made less and less kills until one morning, after having fallen asleep, she did not get up. Baala had waited for what may've been days for Nuksani to awaken from one bothersome, long nap. When she didn't... Baala had no choice but to leave and let the vultures pick the meat from her bones. It had been a tragedy for the young lioness, but she pushed through it anyways. It had helped strengthen Baala, and though it had been rough for her, being so young and without any parents, she had survived long enough to receive help from Kiuma. From then on, for the most recent time period in her life, Baala improved and got to the point where she was now, talking with this strange, but happy lion.
"No, I do not travel alone. I travel with another lioness, Kiuma. Sometimes I separate from her for a little bit, but I'll return to her soon." She smiled at him, almost pityingly. He so desperately wanted to meet other creatures, wanted some friends. He was going to make it hard for Baala to leave. He was being so much like herself when she had first seen Kiuma, and like Kiuma she had that little weakness in her heart. It was enough for her to feel sorry for him, and to want to help him a little bit, even if all she did for him was give him decent conversation that he had clearly been lacking for a long time. "These aren't popular lands. I'm surprised to find you here, when you seem so cheery."
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Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 4:24 pm
Jua'randa was certainly not one to be pitied. He was a big boy and could handle her having to take her leave, but that wasn't to say he wouldn't be sorry to see her go. Afterall, as we've already visited, he did so enjoy at last speaking to someone else rather than himself or a passing small creature. This individual of his own species and that alone made this a special meeting that he'd like to last as long as possible. His mother had been the last lioness he had spoken to directly, though he had had some strange greeting from a lion at a great distance, the gruff call bouncing off the rocks around him the evening the occasiona had passed. This was a face-to-face conversation, and the sensation of it was elating.
He resisted the urge to widen his eyes at the mention of another lioness, mind puzzeling over the idea of traveling with another. Such an opportunity may present itself one day to Jua, but that was an idea beyond his reckoning just then. Curling his tail around his paws, he nodded slowly, "Understandable. Some alonetime is never a bad thing, especially when you have someone to return to." She watched her smile, and had that strange sensation one gets when someone is pitying them, but he didn't bother correcting her. Let her think what she may, so long as she stayed for a few words. When she commented on his good cheer, he chuckled, "No reason to be anything but, truly. I've been sad for some time, but the sun is still rising and all must move on, regrettably."
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:28 pm
"It makes being alone for a little while easier. I can get hurt, metally or physically, and I always have my traveling partner to return to. It's a great comfort and luxury that I did not have before, and that time was one that wasn't the greatest in my life." She didn't want to think back to those days. They were long, endless, filled with an empty loneliness that refused to be filled. Upon reflection she realized how truly bad it had been for her to be alone. Baala had lived on small game, because that was all a lioness her age and size could catch. At one point she remembered resorting to eating bugs. Baala quickly decided at that point in her life that she'd much rather steal food then live off of insects. Every day was a new journey to a source of water, something that would keep her going until the next day. Now she obviously did not suffer through such strife. She had Kiuma to hunt with, to work with and live with. It was so much easier then being alone.
"There is plenty of reason to be otherwise. But it is good to put the past behind oneself and not let grief overwhelm you." Baala didn't bother to ask why he had been sad. It was not her place, and she had no right to dig up old memories. Baala was nothing more then an acquaintance, and as one she did not need to know Jua's past. She saved herself from learning that his past was not all that much different then her own. It may have further coaxed her into staying, but her loyalty to Kiuma was engraved in her very soul. At the end of the day, she had the red lioness to go back to, and she'd do so happily. She wouldn't necessarily forget Jua, but he wasn't that important in comparison to Kiuma.
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