Pride of Exiles

[Ravvij]

"I'm afraid I'd become lazy though." he laughed softly, he didn't wish to wake Kaith, "From everything I hear, only the lionesses hunt. Except where I was born. Both males and females hunt for their food." Rav smiled at her. He was now feeling very tired from the events of the day and needed to sleep again. "Hey. Do you mind if I lay next to you while we sleep? You're very warm."

[TheWhistlerify]

Laini chuckled at Rav's remark about hunting. "There's no law that says you can't hunt, you know." she said, finding what he'd said to be rather amusing. When he asked if he could lie next to her while they slept, she smiled. Her cheeks turned a little red, though not as much as before. "I-i was actually going to ask you the same thing..." She too was tired, but was also enjoying their conversation. Still smiling, she crawled closer to him and huddled up against his large, muscular body. Purring in content at the warmth radiating from him, she nuzzled him for a brief moment before resting her head against his chest.

[Ravvij]

Rav felt a slight purr come on as well. He thought It might be hers, but it was matching his breathing. He lay his head down on the soft dirt and fell asleep fast, faster than he had before. He had strange dreams that night. Dreams about their journey so far and, because dreams do as they will, Laini ended up in his memories with him and his mother where she shouldn't be.

Kaith awoke just minutes before the sun came up. She jumped out of the tree and stretched and yawned loudly. Rav heard the sound of his mother's yawn and awoke. He shifted and stretched, still laying with Laini at his side.
"Good morning, my son." Kaith said tenderly.
"Good morning. No comments this time?"
"Why whatever do you mean? I would do no such thing." she said feigning innocence.
"Right, right. Your looks are enough."
"Why thank you, Rav! I'm glad you think so."
He knew she was was turning his words around. He said nothing passed that.

[TheWhistlerify]

Feeling completely safe with Rav by her side, Laini fell asleep very quickly thanks to the warmth of his body. She couldn't recall any of the dreams she had during the night upon waking up, but she did remember Rav appearing in some of them and that they were very pleasant. The young lioness woke up a short while after Rav and Kaith had. Smiling when she remembered that he was by her side, she gave him a short nuzzle as a greeting. "Good morning..." It was only then that she noticed that his mother was awake and looking directly at them. "Um... Good morning..."

[Ravvij]

Rav only looked at her and smiled. He was happy to have her with him. He would have said good morning to her, but then she noticed Kaith.
"Good morning to you too." Kaith said to her. She walked over to Laini and sat before them both. Her grace and power emanated as usual. "What is the plan for today?"
"I thought we'd keep going north and see what lie beyond those mountains. This seems like a good place, but I want to be sure."
"Good idea, my son. It is wise too seek out knowledge of your surroundings. But, the more appealing an offer seems, the more dangerous the journey is." she warned him proudly.
"I'd like to stay here in this valley, but it doesn't feel right. This place isn't as safe as it looks peaceful. No places to hide easily or to sneak up on prey. Hunting at night could be more dangerous and less filling." he assessed.
"You're right. But do you think, little Laini?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Laini was surprised when Kaith suddenly asked for her opinion, but she didn't think much of her usage of the word little because, literally, she was smaller than they were. She thought carefully, deciding she might as well figure out what her opinion truly was. "I think that these mountains can be even more dangerous during the winters." she said. "The rocks can get very slippery and there isn't much grass to cover for that. That, added to what Rav said about hunting and having no places to hide, makes this area not ideal for living in."

"So I agree that we should move on and leave the mountains. Getting a good look at our surroundings by going to the peak of one of these mountains will help us prepare; we might realize that it would be better to continue more to the west, for example... Um... We would also be able to see whether the lands behind the mountains are even suitable to live in. Any large water source will be easy to spot from the mountain tops... We should be able to tell whether there's enough grass ahead or not as well..." She fell silent, not knowing what else to say.

[Ravvij]

Kaith thought Laini's long winded opinion was cute. Even though it was correct, it was still very obvious, all the things she said. "And will you be the one to go up to the mountain top to see where we're going?" Kaith craned her neck down and stared right at, almost through, Laini. She wanted to see if the young lion would be willing to ascend to the peaks.
"No. I'm going to the top. I need to see what lies ahead..." Rav interrupted.
The sun was now half way down the face of the mountain behind them. Birds were waking and taking flight in the brisk morning air. Other animals could be seen and heard waking up and preparing for the day.

[TheWhistlerify]

Laini felt a little uncomfortable because of the way Kaith was looking at her. Her question surprised her as well. "I was thinking all of us would go together..." she admitted, looking at Rav in the corner of her eye. "Not only are these mountains steep," she continued, "but we also don't know what other animals live here. Should we discover other predators here, it would be best if we did so when we're together rather than on our own..." She hoped that Rav wouldn't insist on going alone. The idea of him possibly getting hurt was enough to make her uneasy.

[Ravvij]

"You would risk all our safety because you worry about the safety of one?" Kaith challenged her directly now. Her neck and head were upright and it gave her an appearance of pure authority. "Would you drag your cubs up those steep rocks because you worry for the safety of your mate?" Kaith's tone was harsh and disapproving as she gave her example.
Rav didn't speak. He agreed with his mother here. It was only a good idea to see what lies ahead, not a necessary one.
"Or do you think seasoned lion like myself or my son couldn't handle them selves against a few meager carnivors?" her harshness came like a knife until she spoke again, "Or perhaps you are worried for your own safety?"
Rav didn't like how his mother was mother spoke to Laini, but she'd done the same to him before when she scolded him. He hoped Laini could rise to the occasion.

[TheWhistlerify]

Laini was obviously greatly discouraged by the way Kaith spoke to her. The way she scolded her made her feel so little and even helpless. "I don't have any cubs..." she said defensively, her voice quivering a little. "And we would all be less likely to get hurt if we're together..." She could see where she was wrong but she also believed that each option had its downsides and upsides. "If I won't worry about my own safety I'll end up like that boar." Despite how her confidence had almost completely deserted her, she felt like she had to show the older lioness that she wasn't as clueless as the harshness was suggesting she was.