[Closed] Little Stranger (Taraji Chapter 1)

[KiarasMate]

Kiara couldn't help but smirk at Vitani's self confidence, even if it was just out of humor. She really did look up to her in more ways than she probably could imagine. The strength and courage that she had witnessed during the fierce battle against The Outlanders and the way she had stood up to her mother, who even gave Kiara the chills to this very day from the mere thought of her. It was just so inspiring to the young lioness as she thought for a moment on how to best answer her fellow lioness' question. After a moments time, Kiara spoke up inquisitively.

"Well, seeing as we just ate, I don't think hunting would be all that great. I mean, I'm bad enough at it as is, but add a full belly on top of that and I'd probably be an easier target for the prey instead of the other way around."

Kiara giggled as her mind thought of what exactly she and Vitani could do. There really wasn't much else to keep the two lionesses entertained within the Pride Lands themselves, aside from taking a walk around the tranquil lands. Figuring that this would be the best option, as it would allow for the two felines to get to know each other a bit more while they worked off their breakfast, Kiara casually spoke up to the older lioness sitting in front of her.

"Hmm, you feel up for a nice walk around The Pride Lands Vitani? We can chat along the way. Gotta keep up the eligant figure of mine that your brother just can't seem to keep his paws off of you know."

Kiara flashed Vitani a mischievous grin as she slowly rose to her paws, awaiting her friend's response to whether or not she fancied taking a stroll with her. Being polite, as was her nature, Kiara added in.

"If you have any better idea, I'm up for anything pretty much, just as long as it doesn't involve a whole lot of energy, cause I think I ate a bit too much zebra for my own good."

Kiara smiled as she patiently waited for Vitani to reply.

[Mike]

"A walk in the pridelands huh? We never did that in the outlands. I guess that's understandable though. Who'd want to see more of the outlands than you have to?" Vitani's voice took on a dreamy tone. "It's not like that here. I could lie in the grass for hours talking about nothing. Funny how a pretty scene can totally change a lion."

Vitani saw Kiara's eager face and overflowing energy, and couldn't help smiling. She tore one last bite out of the Zebra, then threw her head back and swallowed.

"I'd love to join you for a walk. Let's get moving."

On their way out of the den Vitani saw Simba asleep in the sun. She rolled her eyes at the sight of the mighty king sunbathing. To her though, Simba would always be the brave and proud warrior that held his own against a dozen outsider killers before turning to face Zira head to head. Vitani made her way around the sleeping king.

She hopped down the front of Pride Rock and entered the grassy hills that surrounded it. A small group of gazelles were disturbed by her presence and pranced away skittishly. Vitani wasn't interested in chasing them. By habit she unconsciously drifted in the direction of the outlands where Kovu had disappeared to earlier.

---------------

In the outlands Kovu watched in concern as the tiny cub opened her eyes, then almost immediately collapsed again. He bent over to sniff her, and then gathered the delicate life up in his gentle jaws. He felt the poor cub's bones through the skin.

As soon as he was ready Kovu started to run back towards the pridelands. He was happy to leave the outlands behind, and felt almost as if he'd come out from under a stormy cloud when he burst into the sunny golden-grassed drylands. Kovu made a beeline for Pride Rock in the distance, and soon entered the pridelands.

[KiarasMate]

Quickly trailing after Vitani, Kiara noticed her father sleeping peacefully outside the main den, causing a warm smile to etch its way upon her golden muzzle as she lightly stepped around him and made her way after her fellow lioness. Once the two were a fair distance away from Pride Rock, Kiara struck up a lively conversation with the older lioness.

"Yeah, I can imagine how The Pride Lands must be a nice change of pace compared to The Outlands. I mean, I've never had the pleasure, if you want to call it that, of actually living there, but your brother has told me pretty much all about it, along with your rough cub-hood too."

Kiara sighed softly as the thoughts of what her mate and his sister must have gone through under the rule of Zira. She sympathised dearly with the both of them and was just happy that all the unpleasantries of the past were now behind them both. Turning to meet the gaze of the older lioness now, Kiara spoke once more.

"I know I've never said this to you before Vitani, maybe because I just felt as though I didn't know you well enough, but back when my father's Pride and your mom's former Pride were fighting, you really inspired me with the way you stood up to your mom. I don't think things would have turned out the way they did if you hadn't done that. Despite all the horrible things that Zira must have put you through, you turned out to be a marvelous lioness who I really look up to."

Kiara gave Vitani a friendly smile as she continued to speak.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to speak ill of your mother, but from what Kovu has told me, it just seems like she wasn't exactly the best mom, but who am I to judge her. All I know is she really had a burning hatred towards my father, so that's the only thing I can judge her about. You know that I don't hold any feelings towards you though Vitani, in respects to that subject though."

[Mike]

Vitani answered warmly. "Kiara, all I have to do is look around myself to know I did the right thing that day. I'm glad that I did.You underestimate the other lionesses that followed Zira though, They were all just as ready as I was to stop the violence after you stepped in. That was the really brave thing. When a leader like you breaks the ice it gets much easier to follow. You're the one that saved both prides that day, and you the respect of everyone I know because of it."

Vitani and Kiara had reached a lone tree that was perhaps halfway between Pride Rock and the outlands. Vitani plopped down under the little shade it provided, and rolled over to scrath her back against the ground and grass. It was cool and lush thanks to the fertile earth.

"Zira died because of what you did that day. You pushed her off a cliff into the deadly raging waters. She was a killer, and a violent one at that. But she raised Kovu and I, and gave us the skills we need to survive. I admired her as a mother, and I guess I should hate you. But I don't." Vitani mused in a thoughtful and quiet voice. " She taught us to hunt and fight and respect authority. The only thing she didn't teach us was love. I never loved her. That's why her death didn't pain me. It's kind of ironic huh?"

[KiarasMate]

Kiara frowned slightly from Vitani's comment about her mother's death. She had no intentions on actually killing Zira when she tackled her to save her father, but with the way things turned out, she wasn't surprised about how Vitani saw the situation. Hoping to clarify this point however, Kiara retorted in a sympathetic voice.

"Well, I never meant to hurt your mom Vitani. I just wanted to protect my father was all. If I could have taken my actions back, I would have. There was something about the way your mom looked at me before she fell, which by the way, wasn't because I pushed her off, since I tried my hardest to help her up but she just wouldn't accept my offer. The look in her eyes though, it reminded me of a creature that wanted to change, that wanted to have a second chance at life. I don't know if it was just me, but I really think there was a good side to your mom Vitani, somewhere, deep down."

Taking a seat next to the tree in which Vitani was shaded under, Kiara quickly changed the subject, as she didn't feel comfortable talking about her fellow lioness' deceased mother.

"Well, I'm glad you don't dislike me Vitani, seeing as I'm head over paws for your brother. It really means a lot to me though, that you think I was brave back then. I just hope we never have to go through something like that ever again. Under my father's rule, I'm sure we won't anyways."

Gazing towards the distant horizon, Kiara noticed that they had been traveling towards the general direction of The Outlands, bringing a smile to Kiara's muzzle as she secretly hoped that they'd run across Kovu on his way back from his scouting duties, although Kiara knew that often times, Kovu's work took quite a while to complete. Still, the thought of seeing her beloved mate lifted her spirits from the previous conversation.

"So, speaking of mate's, do you have your eyes set on anyone within the Pride yet Vitani? I'm sure any available male would be more than happy to take your paw since you are a really nice looking lioness yourself." Kiara asked in a friendly tone.

[Panda-chan]

OOC: Can I join as Amanda?
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1428

[Mike]

[[OOC: *Psst!* you're supposed to PM Lodrill about that XD]]

Vitani laughed. "That's not a word that's often applied to me. I'm a hunter, and I'm good hunter. Like I said, my mother never really taught me how to love." She shrugged and said "Anyway, there aren't all that many choices at the moment. I'd have to wait for a rogue, or a lion from another pride, though it would be nice to have someone for myself. She finished speaking a bit dreamy eyed and gazed into the distance.

As she looked out at the fields before her Vitani caught sight of a distant figure running quickly. The lion wasn't headed straight to their tree, and he was probably going to miss seeing them.

"See that lion over there? I wonder why he's in such a hurry. Nobody but Kovu should even be in the pridelands." As Vitani spoke she recognized Kovu's fur and mane. She quickly got up and yelled out to him. Kovu heard and changed direction to the tree that the lionesses were under.

---------

As he ran Kovu heard Vitani call his name. He looked over and saw her under a tree, with Kiara there as well. Kovu changed direction without slowing down. He reached them a moment later and deposited the little cub between them. "I found this cub in the outlands," Kovu said quickly to forestall any questions. "She looks like she's starving to death, I have to get her to Pride Rock."

Vitani was surprised that Kovu made it all the way to the outlands and back in the same time it had taken her and Kiara to sit down under a tree and she said so.

"I ran the whole way there and back, and I uh, I never got around to any scouting in the outlands. When I saw the cub I decided to take it back right away in case she's in real danger right now. And to be frank, the place creeped me out. I didn't want to stick around." Kovu looked at Pride Rock, gauging the distance. It wouldn't take much longer to finish the journey. "You guys coming with me back home or what?"

"We're coming." Vitani said for both of them. "I couldn't stay out here not knowing if the poor thing was dead or alive.

"Let's go then" Kovu said, again gently taking the cub in his jaws.

[KiarasMate]

Kiara noticed Vitani's dreamy look as she thought about what the lioness had just said. She knew that there were other males in the Pride, although to whom Vitani might have some interest towards, she wasn't quite sure of yet, so she opted to remain quiet about the subject for the time being. Upon hearing her friends comment about seeing some random lion, Kiara's attention was shifted from her previous thoughts as she squinted to get a better view of the rapidly approaching figure. At about the same time Vitani called out to the nearing feline, Kiara recognized it to be her mate, who appeared to be carrying something within his muzzle.

Funny, I never thought of Kovu as the hunting type." Kiara thought to herself as she spotted what exactly was tucked safely within the jaws of her mate's maw.

As soon as Kovu had gently deposited the small figure of the cub upon the soft grass below, Kiara took a moment to give the young creature a thorough looking over. The bright red fur, the intriguing looking mark on the young cub's forehead, and slightly visible crystal eyes caught her focus right off the bat as the young lioness' heart melted from the poor condition the emaciated cub was in. Seeing as the situation was quite dire, Kiara kept from speaking, only giving a nod as she hurriedly rose to her paws and followed quickly behind both Vitani and Kovu as the small band of felines raced back towards Pride Rock.

As she ran, Kiara couldn't help but think of how her father might react to this new situation. Seeing as there was nothing known about this cub or where she had come from, Kiara knew that her father might be a bit untrusting to let such a foreign creature to be accepted into the Pride so easily, regardless whether it was a cub or not. She knew her father well enough though and realizing that the cub's life was quickly fading, that her only chance of survival would come with the mercy of the King, which Kiara would make happen for sure.

[SinChei]

Since Daxis was banished by his pride he walked towards priderock. He hoped to find a new pride there. He felt very weak and was very hungry. He looked up to the hot and bright sun and sighed of debility. And when he looked down again he saw a huge Rock and decided to went towards the rock. He set one paw after the other and was happy about every little breeze blowing through his little teenie mane. After a while he arrived the big rock and saw one lion running to the rock with 2 lionesses. Daxis decided to yell

"HEY THERE..."

Daxis disbelieved it was a good idea so he layed down and make himself looks smaller.

[Faolcho]

Gumu frowns at the red haired lion as he shouts out to the party of Pridelanders, and lowers himself in the tall savannah grass, blending in better than the strange lions, as his fur and mane have a somewhat light color. He silently watches from a reasonable distance at the scene, noticing two lionesses, perfect to start a pride with he thought.

The Southlander then arches his eyebrows, thinking that the strategy of Daxis is wrong, and also, Gumu sees him as a threat, plenty of reasons for that, he thinks.

"Come on.. slip.. make a bad move.. get killed.." He mutters under his breath.