Post by Arazia on Apr 9, 2008 13:58:44 GMT -5
Characters:
Atreyu - Kivuli Lord
Kinamisa - Jinjin'tau huntress
It had been abit since the group had arrived, Mizuka's queen-to-be. Atreyu was.. well... questionable. His brother and sister were always the royal ones, Attie never followed the rules. The lord who found interests in females that were rogues, or the daughters of murders and vagabonds. Anyu had long dissapered, taking a small piece of the pale lord with her, so Atreyu has focused more on things he never thought he would, like guarding, patroling, and making sure his brother was happy and that his future family would be safe. It was early in the morning and the pale lord sat sphinx like by the lake, his one ear drooping down while his other flicked fowards. Alabaster mane flutters briefly in a calm breeze as his golden eyes lazily open and close periodically. His nose and tail twitch every now and then as he rests, planning any second to get up and do something useful..... annnnny second.... maybe a few seconds...
It seems that the pale lord is not the only one out in this early morning. Kinamisa had little choice in accompanying her princess on this journey to Kivuli, and given the choice, she would have stayed behind. Still, loyal to a fault, the young lioness seems to be making the best she can of a difficult situation. Her grey form is only slightly visable within the dry Kivuli grasses, stalking along the edge of the savanah. Stealthily, she creeps forward towards a small group of wildebeast that had wandered from the herd, and at the last moment... she roars. The sound startles the stragglers, causing them to turn tail and run back towards the main group. As she rises upwards, Kina watches them go, and then turns to head back towards the lake, walking in an easy, relaxed stride. Her keen eyes notice the lion almost immediately, but she only gives a tilt of her head, and a quiet chuff by way of greeting. Afterall, she hadn't met most of the pride's guards, best to be polite.
So much for relaxation. The roar sends the hairs along his shoulder and back into a rigid salute and the lord is instantly on his feet, yellow eyes wide. First of all, it wasn't a familiar roar, and secondly... who roars this early in the morning?! Atreyu blinks his eyes faintly as he spots the young lioness headed back in the direction of the lake and then glances to watch the wildebeast go. Blink. The head tilt and chuff are met with a somewhat belated crooked grin as the lord rights himself and clears his throat. "Morning ma'am!" calls the pale lion, ear inching foward curiously. She didn't look familiar, but she seemed at ease... he guessed she was part of Ndalia's group. Attie shifts his weight and tilts his head curiously to one side, tail twitching behind him. "You must be one of the new gals.. er.. part of Mizuka's queen-to-be's group.... yeah.." He's an AMAZING conversation starter can't you tell?
As she comes closer, Kina seems to look over the lion curiously. He certainly didn't look much like the King, but she had heard that he had non-related lions as guards. Still, she doesn't jump to any great conclusions, strangers often were full of surprises. "Morning." Her soft voice replies, her white-tipped ears tilting forward as she listens to him speak. She seems, perhaps a little bit puzzled at his way of speaking. "Kinamisa." It's a one word introduction, as it's clear the lioness isn't used to doing a whole lot of talking. "Sorry for the roar. Herd needed to move." Quick, short sentences, all aimed at getting the idea out with very few words. Still, she seems a bit unsure if that's the way she should be handling a conversation with the lion. Huntresses are one thing... you listen quietly to gossip and stories, males are something entirely different.
Atreyu nods his head understandingly and smiles, "Pleasure to meet you Kinamisa. My names Atreyu, er Lord Atreyu. I'm Mizuka's brother," His unruley, rebelious, strange brother but brother none the less. The lion settles back on his haunches and curiously glances in the herds direction before grinning, "Not a problem, I needed to get up anyway." She seemed slightly cautious and quiet but Attie was used to that and simply met it with a beam of a crooked smile. "So... how do you like Kivuli so far?" Laaaame. Atreyu berates himself before 'aheming' and casting her a curious glance.
"Atreyu." The lioness says his name slowly, as if trying to commit it to memory. After a moment, she does nod, giving a somewhat shy smile. "Pleased to meet you, Atreyu." Kina simply isn't one for titles, preferring to see people as individuals instead of just 'lord' or 'king'. "I'm a hunter. The king of Jinjin'tau sent me." Just a huntress? Well, honestly she was the -best- huntress of Jinjin'tau, but she simply is too humble to start gloating over such things. She looks at his smile, and tilts her head, one ear moving up, the other down almost in a mirror image of his own ears. "Kivuli?" Pause. She seems surprised that anyone had asked her what -she- thinks about things. "I... I'm not sure." Her guard seems to faulter for a moment. "Is it always this dry here?" She finally asks, letting one paw pad the ground, sending up a puff of dust.
Neither was he, he normally forgot his title when talking to others, his little sister always berated him for it. The lord shifts his weight and nods his head, "Always good to have a few huntresses around. I personally am horrible at it. I can catch little things but uh, this blaring white mane doesn't really help in camoflaugeing me." He winks and chuckles faintly before eyeing the puff of dust and shaking his head, "No, we have our seasons. Good and bad." He rolls a shoulder casually before indicating the lands elsewhere, "There are other places that aren't as dry as here. Especially around the waterfall, things like that," he rummbles. "Maybe I'll show you around later if your up to it. I'm guessing you'll be here for awhile? Might as well know where your going." Beam.
"I didn't know lions hunted at all." Kinamisa sure is getting a glimpse of a far bigger world than the sheltered upbringing she once had. Both ears fold backwards slightly, as she looks up at his mane. She simply hadn't thought about it's effect on stealth, because she never imagined males to be terribly stealthy. "Well.. it may not be camoflauge, but -is- a nice mane. Sammar doesn't have a mane at all." She seems to find this quite a weird feature of the Jinjin'tau guard. Still, at the mention of a waterfall, she perks slightly. "A waterfall? I've never seen...err." She seems to cut herself off from babbling, taking a breath and then speaking with a more composed tone. "I'd like if you could show me around. I'm meant to spend my life here, so it would be good to know the lands."
Atreyu tilts his head to the side and grins rogueishly, "It is? .... It is isn't it.." he jests, chuckling faintly before blinking. "Ahhh Manless guy is he, I've seen one or two around... mostly from Mbaamwezi," and not very friendly if he does say so himself. He catches a peak of interest in her voice at the mention of a waterfall, analizes her effort to compose herself and restate the question. He can't help but let a small smile tug at his maw before nodding his head, "My pleasure to m'lady. Whenever you'd like to go, I'm pretty much available whenever.." he rambles, "Miz' is used to me wandering around.. Heh."
"I've never seen a lion with a white mane before." She manages to let this much slip past her carefully practiced composure. Looking away shyly for a moment after saying so. Then, she seems to gather up her courage and turns her pale gaze back at the pale lord. "Sammar..." Again, she cuts herself off, as if she were about to say something that isn't proper. Then, she simply shakes her head, ridding herself of the thought all together. Stepping forward on grey-tipped paws, she manages to bring back her own shy smile, looking at him with interest. "Just Kina... I'm no lady." She actually laughs softly, ears tilting back again. "But I'm free now, if you'd be so kind as to show me?"
"Wel now you have," he comments casually to her reply of never seeing a lion with a white mane before. He smiles at her comment to just call her Kina, and how she was no lady and Atreyu laughs faintly, "Kina', your 's much a lady as the rest of 'em. Alright, c'mon." He beams a smile and pulls himself to his paws, tail curling up as he turns in the direction of the Jungle, "It isn't that far away, you'll hear it before you see it anyway. So what is your homelands like? Anything like Kivuli?" he questions curiously as he slowly leads the way.
Kinamisa makes no more comments about the lion's mane, perhaps feeling a bit foolish for even mentioning it in the first place. "I was taught that ladies are royalty." She replies, beginning to follow the lion as he leads the way towards the jungle. "My mother was a rogue that Jinjin'tau took in, so we were never anyone of rank." Still puzzled, she reaches out a paw and idlely bats it at his curled tail, a childish gesture, but a playful one as well. She lopes forward to walk at his side, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "Jinjin'tau is... different." She seems to have trouble finding the exact words to describe it without saying 'not as dry'. "There's huge grasslands and savannahs... and a little waterhole where all sorts of animals drink."
The lord chuckles and shakes his head at the younger lioness, tail twitching at the swat, "A lady is any lioness who has a good head on her shoulders and isn't a brute. It isn't a term just used for royality." He pushes thick vegetation out of the way as they reach the thickening of the jungle and lets her pass before following and casually listening to her talk. "Sounds
wonderful," he comments, "I'm sure you'll miss it." He had many adventures outside of Kivuli but no matter how amazing or fun it was he always missed home.. and he doubted he'd ever leave it now.
The lioness seems to think about his words for a moment, trying to wrap her head around such a thing as referring to any lioness as 'lady'. Perhaps it is just a custom of this place that she may never come to understand exactly. "It was nice." Kina affirms with a nod of her head, "And I'm sure I will miss it, but..." She ducks below the vegetation, taking a step to the side and pausing once through to wait for Atreyu to follow through the gap. "I'm sure Kivuli will feel like home, eventually." She looks upwards at the light through the leaves, like pinpoints of starlight. "My mother said... home is where your heart lies. While she was alive, that was Jinjin'tau. With her gone... I need to find my own home." It seems strange, but perhaps that is the only way a young lioness can deal with having her entire life uprooted.
Atreyu listens as he leads the way, paw steps leisurely and steady. "Kivuli is a wonderful place and those here will treat you like family wether you are or not. It is a pleasure to have you Kina', I do hope you find this place to be a wonderful home, I'm sure you'd enjoy it... plus! It'd be nice to have you around. YOu seem like a fun kinda gal," he quips as he grins that crooked smile and pushes on. In the distance the sound of the falls begins to push its way through the growth and vegetation, his ear twitching to the sound of it, "Not far now."
A small big of rosy color washes over the grey fur of the lioness's cheeks, smiling as she looks at the surrounding area, her ears tilting forward to listen to the sound of the falls as they draw closer through the undergrowth. "There must not be many lionesses around, if you're giving a stranger those sort of compliments." Still, it's clear she appreciates it, as she even gives him a bit of an amused smile. Her nose twitches, smelling water in a land that is otherwise parched of it in many places.
He laughs softly and shakes his head, "No no, plenty of lionesses. Everyone deserves some compliments every once in awhile." He smiles and watches her a moment before leading on. His pace remains steady even as the falls become louder and louder in his ears. A few more moments and the pale lord grabs a thick branch in his teeth and pulls it away to allow her to walk past. The falls tumble into a pool of crystal looking water, a spray of it sent up into the air and coating the surroundings in a shroud of mist. Little rainbows dance here and there in the reflecting light as he releases the branch and quickly follows behind her, a comfortable smile gracing his features. "See, not all of it has been touched by the dry season."
The King of Jinjin'tau had not been that impressed with the lionesses of Kivuli, and that was largely the reason that Kinamisa had been sent along. Of course, she certainly isn't about to tell this to the pale Lord, or to King Mizuka either. Still, she withholds her own judgement, at least until the time when the two groups of lionesses can hunt together. As he pulls back the branch to let her through, Kina ducks down and wiggles her way through, gaping for a moment at what she sees. She's so stunned that she nearly forgets that Atreyu was coming through behind her, and is forced to take a quick side-step before returning to looking at the waterfall with wonder in her eyes. "Amazing..." She whispers, stepping forward and lifting a paw to swat at the mist in the air, watching it swirl. "I can see now why your ancestors would have chosen these lands..."
Atreyu nods his head in agreement as he catches her comment about the falls. "Yeah.. they're somethin' aren't they." He settles down off to the side in the mist upon his haunches, tail curling comfortabley around his forepaws and head canting to one side as he watches her. It must be something else to see a waterfall for the first time, he wouldn't know since he grew up with it but he can imagine the wonder and aw of it all. Golden orbs slowly follow the falling water up to its top, a soft smile being cast over his features.
Although Kinamisa is nearly an adult, there is still a child-like quality to her at times. She takes in a bit breath of air, and then blows it out, watching the mist as it swirls away from her. With a small laugh, she perks her ears forward and walks out towards the edge of the water. All her carefully practiced quiet and calm has vanished in a moment of pure wonder. "You'd think with all the water here... it wouldn't be so dry everywhere else." She seems thoughtful for a moment, and then turns to pad back towards Atreyu. "So... what exactly does a 'lord' do, anyways?" She tilts her head at him curiously. "Is it like... a border guard, or a diplomat?"
He watches her with calm golden eyes and chuckles softly before perking up as she heads back in his direction. "Ah ha, I'm anything but a diplomat. I think Mizuka would ring my neck if I even /tried/ to be," he laughs, "More like a border guard. I help him with patrols and other things, brotherly things. Keep his head on straight," he nods his head matter of factly. Obviously because Mizuka would be /nothin/ without his Attie. Hmph.
He grins and rolls a shoulder, "Higher up guard work I'd suppose... lend a helping paw here and there when needed."
"We met another guard when we arrived. Kishemu." She seems to take a moment to remember the name, having only met the lion once. "He's not a brother of yours, too, is he?" Kina had enough time trying to find a resemblance between Atreyu and Mizuka, much less the other border lion she had met. "In Jin... there isn't much choice in what you can be. A lioness can be a cub-watcher or a huntress. There's no inbetweens. If you aren't royalty, there isn't much else there for you." She slowly lowers herself into a laying position near to Atreyu, her pale eyes still looking at the waterfalls as if they were one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen. "Your brother must really depend on you, huh?"
Atreyu shakes his head, "No, not a brother. Good friend however, Kishemu has watched over Mizuka for.. well.. since we were little." He muses silently before glancing at her and arching a brow, "Really? In Kivuli Lionesses can be Guards, Huntresses, Storytellers, Nannies," he rammbles on, "They have a wide variety to pick from." Attie slowly settles down upon his belly and glances at her, a soft smiling covering his maw at the mention of Mizuka depending on him, "I'd hope so... I depend on him too, just as much probably, maybe more. He's my big brother ya know.." Attie sighs and shrugs a shoulder before settling his head down upon his paws, eye half lidding against the cool mist at his face.
"The lions tend to be guards, and storyteller and nanny are all the same thing usually." At least, as far as Kinamisa was concerned. "I don't mind cubs at all, but... I think if I had to be in charge of -everyone's- cubs, they'd smell my fear and -eat- me." Because cubs are dangerous like that, they chew on ears, tails, and anything else they can get a hold of. Of course, Kina's only joking, laughing slightly as she lowers her head to her paws. "I never had any brothers or sisters. Ndalia and Chaosti were royalty. Lilura was closest to my age, but... she doesn't like me." Kina sighs to herself, her smile fading a little. Better off not to talk of such things. "Mmm.." She seems to consider something for a moment, and then says quietly, "Thank you for taking me here, Atreyu."
The lion listens with closed eyes and perked ears. He hmms and lifts his head at her last statement and smiles faintly, "Your more then welcome Kina'. Just enjoy yourself, I'm gunna take a little nap, was up all night." He stretches his front paws and beams her a smile, "If you leave don't mind me, I'll be fine, and it isn't hard to find your way back to the lake." He gives her a wink and settles his head back down upon his paws, tail tapping the ground. "Glad you like it," is the last thing he murmurs before falling silent.
Atreyu - Kivuli Lord
Kinamisa - Jinjin'tau huntress
It had been abit since the group had arrived, Mizuka's queen-to-be. Atreyu was.. well... questionable. His brother and sister were always the royal ones, Attie never followed the rules. The lord who found interests in females that were rogues, or the daughters of murders and vagabonds. Anyu had long dissapered, taking a small piece of the pale lord with her, so Atreyu has focused more on things he never thought he would, like guarding, patroling, and making sure his brother was happy and that his future family would be safe. It was early in the morning and the pale lord sat sphinx like by the lake, his one ear drooping down while his other flicked fowards. Alabaster mane flutters briefly in a calm breeze as his golden eyes lazily open and close periodically. His nose and tail twitch every now and then as he rests, planning any second to get up and do something useful..... annnnny second.... maybe a few seconds...
It seems that the pale lord is not the only one out in this early morning. Kinamisa had little choice in accompanying her princess on this journey to Kivuli, and given the choice, she would have stayed behind. Still, loyal to a fault, the young lioness seems to be making the best she can of a difficult situation. Her grey form is only slightly visable within the dry Kivuli grasses, stalking along the edge of the savanah. Stealthily, she creeps forward towards a small group of wildebeast that had wandered from the herd, and at the last moment... she roars. The sound startles the stragglers, causing them to turn tail and run back towards the main group. As she rises upwards, Kina watches them go, and then turns to head back towards the lake, walking in an easy, relaxed stride. Her keen eyes notice the lion almost immediately, but she only gives a tilt of her head, and a quiet chuff by way of greeting. Afterall, she hadn't met most of the pride's guards, best to be polite.
So much for relaxation. The roar sends the hairs along his shoulder and back into a rigid salute and the lord is instantly on his feet, yellow eyes wide. First of all, it wasn't a familiar roar, and secondly... who roars this early in the morning?! Atreyu blinks his eyes faintly as he spots the young lioness headed back in the direction of the lake and then glances to watch the wildebeast go. Blink. The head tilt and chuff are met with a somewhat belated crooked grin as the lord rights himself and clears his throat. "Morning ma'am!" calls the pale lion, ear inching foward curiously. She didn't look familiar, but she seemed at ease... he guessed she was part of Ndalia's group. Attie shifts his weight and tilts his head curiously to one side, tail twitching behind him. "You must be one of the new gals.. er.. part of Mizuka's queen-to-be's group.... yeah.." He's an AMAZING conversation starter can't you tell?
As she comes closer, Kina seems to look over the lion curiously. He certainly didn't look much like the King, but she had heard that he had non-related lions as guards. Still, she doesn't jump to any great conclusions, strangers often were full of surprises. "Morning." Her soft voice replies, her white-tipped ears tilting forward as she listens to him speak. She seems, perhaps a little bit puzzled at his way of speaking. "Kinamisa." It's a one word introduction, as it's clear the lioness isn't used to doing a whole lot of talking. "Sorry for the roar. Herd needed to move." Quick, short sentences, all aimed at getting the idea out with very few words. Still, she seems a bit unsure if that's the way she should be handling a conversation with the lion. Huntresses are one thing... you listen quietly to gossip and stories, males are something entirely different.
Atreyu nods his head understandingly and smiles, "Pleasure to meet you Kinamisa. My names Atreyu, er Lord Atreyu. I'm Mizuka's brother," His unruley, rebelious, strange brother but brother none the less. The lion settles back on his haunches and curiously glances in the herds direction before grinning, "Not a problem, I needed to get up anyway." She seemed slightly cautious and quiet but Attie was used to that and simply met it with a beam of a crooked smile. "So... how do you like Kivuli so far?" Laaaame. Atreyu berates himself before 'aheming' and casting her a curious glance.
"Atreyu." The lioness says his name slowly, as if trying to commit it to memory. After a moment, she does nod, giving a somewhat shy smile. "Pleased to meet you, Atreyu." Kina simply isn't one for titles, preferring to see people as individuals instead of just 'lord' or 'king'. "I'm a hunter. The king of Jinjin'tau sent me." Just a huntress? Well, honestly she was the -best- huntress of Jinjin'tau, but she simply is too humble to start gloating over such things. She looks at his smile, and tilts her head, one ear moving up, the other down almost in a mirror image of his own ears. "Kivuli?" Pause. She seems surprised that anyone had asked her what -she- thinks about things. "I... I'm not sure." Her guard seems to faulter for a moment. "Is it always this dry here?" She finally asks, letting one paw pad the ground, sending up a puff of dust.
Neither was he, he normally forgot his title when talking to others, his little sister always berated him for it. The lord shifts his weight and nods his head, "Always good to have a few huntresses around. I personally am horrible at it. I can catch little things but uh, this blaring white mane doesn't really help in camoflaugeing me." He winks and chuckles faintly before eyeing the puff of dust and shaking his head, "No, we have our seasons. Good and bad." He rolls a shoulder casually before indicating the lands elsewhere, "There are other places that aren't as dry as here. Especially around the waterfall, things like that," he rummbles. "Maybe I'll show you around later if your up to it. I'm guessing you'll be here for awhile? Might as well know where your going." Beam.
"I didn't know lions hunted at all." Kinamisa sure is getting a glimpse of a far bigger world than the sheltered upbringing she once had. Both ears fold backwards slightly, as she looks up at his mane. She simply hadn't thought about it's effect on stealth, because she never imagined males to be terribly stealthy. "Well.. it may not be camoflauge, but -is- a nice mane. Sammar doesn't have a mane at all." She seems to find this quite a weird feature of the Jinjin'tau guard. Still, at the mention of a waterfall, she perks slightly. "A waterfall? I've never seen...err." She seems to cut herself off from babbling, taking a breath and then speaking with a more composed tone. "I'd like if you could show me around. I'm meant to spend my life here, so it would be good to know the lands."
Atreyu tilts his head to the side and grins rogueishly, "It is? .... It is isn't it.." he jests, chuckling faintly before blinking. "Ahhh Manless guy is he, I've seen one or two around... mostly from Mbaamwezi," and not very friendly if he does say so himself. He catches a peak of interest in her voice at the mention of a waterfall, analizes her effort to compose herself and restate the question. He can't help but let a small smile tug at his maw before nodding his head, "My pleasure to m'lady. Whenever you'd like to go, I'm pretty much available whenever.." he rambles, "Miz' is used to me wandering around.. Heh."
"I've never seen a lion with a white mane before." She manages to let this much slip past her carefully practiced composure. Looking away shyly for a moment after saying so. Then, she seems to gather up her courage and turns her pale gaze back at the pale lord. "Sammar..." Again, she cuts herself off, as if she were about to say something that isn't proper. Then, she simply shakes her head, ridding herself of the thought all together. Stepping forward on grey-tipped paws, she manages to bring back her own shy smile, looking at him with interest. "Just Kina... I'm no lady." She actually laughs softly, ears tilting back again. "But I'm free now, if you'd be so kind as to show me?"
"Wel now you have," he comments casually to her reply of never seeing a lion with a white mane before. He smiles at her comment to just call her Kina, and how she was no lady and Atreyu laughs faintly, "Kina', your 's much a lady as the rest of 'em. Alright, c'mon." He beams a smile and pulls himself to his paws, tail curling up as he turns in the direction of the Jungle, "It isn't that far away, you'll hear it before you see it anyway. So what is your homelands like? Anything like Kivuli?" he questions curiously as he slowly leads the way.
Kinamisa makes no more comments about the lion's mane, perhaps feeling a bit foolish for even mentioning it in the first place. "I was taught that ladies are royalty." She replies, beginning to follow the lion as he leads the way towards the jungle. "My mother was a rogue that Jinjin'tau took in, so we were never anyone of rank." Still puzzled, she reaches out a paw and idlely bats it at his curled tail, a childish gesture, but a playful one as well. She lopes forward to walk at his side, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "Jinjin'tau is... different." She seems to have trouble finding the exact words to describe it without saying 'not as dry'. "There's huge grasslands and savannahs... and a little waterhole where all sorts of animals drink."
The lord chuckles and shakes his head at the younger lioness, tail twitching at the swat, "A lady is any lioness who has a good head on her shoulders and isn't a brute. It isn't a term just used for royality." He pushes thick vegetation out of the way as they reach the thickening of the jungle and lets her pass before following and casually listening to her talk. "Sounds
wonderful," he comments, "I'm sure you'll miss it." He had many adventures outside of Kivuli but no matter how amazing or fun it was he always missed home.. and he doubted he'd ever leave it now.
The lioness seems to think about his words for a moment, trying to wrap her head around such a thing as referring to any lioness as 'lady'. Perhaps it is just a custom of this place that she may never come to understand exactly. "It was nice." Kina affirms with a nod of her head, "And I'm sure I will miss it, but..." She ducks below the vegetation, taking a step to the side and pausing once through to wait for Atreyu to follow through the gap. "I'm sure Kivuli will feel like home, eventually." She looks upwards at the light through the leaves, like pinpoints of starlight. "My mother said... home is where your heart lies. While she was alive, that was Jinjin'tau. With her gone... I need to find my own home." It seems strange, but perhaps that is the only way a young lioness can deal with having her entire life uprooted.
Atreyu listens as he leads the way, paw steps leisurely and steady. "Kivuli is a wonderful place and those here will treat you like family wether you are or not. It is a pleasure to have you Kina', I do hope you find this place to be a wonderful home, I'm sure you'd enjoy it... plus! It'd be nice to have you around. YOu seem like a fun kinda gal," he quips as he grins that crooked smile and pushes on. In the distance the sound of the falls begins to push its way through the growth and vegetation, his ear twitching to the sound of it, "Not far now."
A small big of rosy color washes over the grey fur of the lioness's cheeks, smiling as she looks at the surrounding area, her ears tilting forward to listen to the sound of the falls as they draw closer through the undergrowth. "There must not be many lionesses around, if you're giving a stranger those sort of compliments." Still, it's clear she appreciates it, as she even gives him a bit of an amused smile. Her nose twitches, smelling water in a land that is otherwise parched of it in many places.
He laughs softly and shakes his head, "No no, plenty of lionesses. Everyone deserves some compliments every once in awhile." He smiles and watches her a moment before leading on. His pace remains steady even as the falls become louder and louder in his ears. A few more moments and the pale lord grabs a thick branch in his teeth and pulls it away to allow her to walk past. The falls tumble into a pool of crystal looking water, a spray of it sent up into the air and coating the surroundings in a shroud of mist. Little rainbows dance here and there in the reflecting light as he releases the branch and quickly follows behind her, a comfortable smile gracing his features. "See, not all of it has been touched by the dry season."
The King of Jinjin'tau had not been that impressed with the lionesses of Kivuli, and that was largely the reason that Kinamisa had been sent along. Of course, she certainly isn't about to tell this to the pale Lord, or to King Mizuka either. Still, she withholds her own judgement, at least until the time when the two groups of lionesses can hunt together. As he pulls back the branch to let her through, Kina ducks down and wiggles her way through, gaping for a moment at what she sees. She's so stunned that she nearly forgets that Atreyu was coming through behind her, and is forced to take a quick side-step before returning to looking at the waterfall with wonder in her eyes. "Amazing..." She whispers, stepping forward and lifting a paw to swat at the mist in the air, watching it swirl. "I can see now why your ancestors would have chosen these lands..."
Atreyu nods his head in agreement as he catches her comment about the falls. "Yeah.. they're somethin' aren't they." He settles down off to the side in the mist upon his haunches, tail curling comfortabley around his forepaws and head canting to one side as he watches her. It must be something else to see a waterfall for the first time, he wouldn't know since he grew up with it but he can imagine the wonder and aw of it all. Golden orbs slowly follow the falling water up to its top, a soft smile being cast over his features.
Although Kinamisa is nearly an adult, there is still a child-like quality to her at times. She takes in a bit breath of air, and then blows it out, watching the mist as it swirls away from her. With a small laugh, she perks her ears forward and walks out towards the edge of the water. All her carefully practiced quiet and calm has vanished in a moment of pure wonder. "You'd think with all the water here... it wouldn't be so dry everywhere else." She seems thoughtful for a moment, and then turns to pad back towards Atreyu. "So... what exactly does a 'lord' do, anyways?" She tilts her head at him curiously. "Is it like... a border guard, or a diplomat?"
He watches her with calm golden eyes and chuckles softly before perking up as she heads back in his direction. "Ah ha, I'm anything but a diplomat. I think Mizuka would ring my neck if I even /tried/ to be," he laughs, "More like a border guard. I help him with patrols and other things, brotherly things. Keep his head on straight," he nods his head matter of factly. Obviously because Mizuka would be /nothin/ without his Attie. Hmph.
He grins and rolls a shoulder, "Higher up guard work I'd suppose... lend a helping paw here and there when needed.""We met another guard when we arrived. Kishemu." She seems to take a moment to remember the name, having only met the lion once. "He's not a brother of yours, too, is he?" Kina had enough time trying to find a resemblance between Atreyu and Mizuka, much less the other border lion she had met. "In Jin... there isn't much choice in what you can be. A lioness can be a cub-watcher or a huntress. There's no inbetweens. If you aren't royalty, there isn't much else there for you." She slowly lowers herself into a laying position near to Atreyu, her pale eyes still looking at the waterfalls as if they were one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen. "Your brother must really depend on you, huh?"
Atreyu shakes his head, "No, not a brother. Good friend however, Kishemu has watched over Mizuka for.. well.. since we were little." He muses silently before glancing at her and arching a brow, "Really? In Kivuli Lionesses can be Guards, Huntresses, Storytellers, Nannies," he rammbles on, "They have a wide variety to pick from." Attie slowly settles down upon his belly and glances at her, a soft smiling covering his maw at the mention of Mizuka depending on him, "I'd hope so... I depend on him too, just as much probably, maybe more. He's my big brother ya know.." Attie sighs and shrugs a shoulder before settling his head down upon his paws, eye half lidding against the cool mist at his face.
"The lions tend to be guards, and storyteller and nanny are all the same thing usually." At least, as far as Kinamisa was concerned. "I don't mind cubs at all, but... I think if I had to be in charge of -everyone's- cubs, they'd smell my fear and -eat- me." Because cubs are dangerous like that, they chew on ears, tails, and anything else they can get a hold of. Of course, Kina's only joking, laughing slightly as she lowers her head to her paws. "I never had any brothers or sisters. Ndalia and Chaosti were royalty. Lilura was closest to my age, but... she doesn't like me." Kina sighs to herself, her smile fading a little. Better off not to talk of such things. "Mmm.." She seems to consider something for a moment, and then says quietly, "Thank you for taking me here, Atreyu."
The lion listens with closed eyes and perked ears. He hmms and lifts his head at her last statement and smiles faintly, "Your more then welcome Kina'. Just enjoy yourself, I'm gunna take a little nap, was up all night." He stretches his front paws and beams her a smile, "If you leave don't mind me, I'll be fine, and it isn't hard to find your way back to the lake." He gives her a wink and settles his head back down upon his paws, tail tapping the ground. "Glad you like it," is the last thing he murmurs before falling silent.