Private: Upon New Horizons [Closed to Zoketi and Baya]

[Baya]

"You two are the strangest couple I've ever seen." The lioness commented, but with a chuckle of amusement. She did not mean it as an insult. They liked to fight, and yet they loved each other so much. What could be the backstory to all of this? She would ask much later, when they had settled in. She didn't want to be left behind as an annoying limb on the body of the pride.

"Always? Were all your defeats imaginary?" Baya poitned out with a raised eyebrow and a smirk as he too rolled over and stood up. He shook his fur clear of sand and looked to the sky. He looked around, and frowned slightly. There was a very unfamiliar, almost alien, scent dancing along the air. It wasn't a lion, nor was it any sort of animal he'd seen before. It was a sweet scent, almost like... a flower. Or some odd fruit. Something that was completely alien to him.

"You two smell that?" He asked with a look of disgust. It was far too strong.

[Zoketi]

Vitani again ignored the other lioness, even though her comment was not offensive. She grinned back at Baya and flexed her claws in the sand, blinking. She raised her head as the faintest breeze floated past, carrying a strange scent. Her eyes flew to Baya, and she guessed he had smelled it as well, from his puzzled expression. She flared her nostrils with distaste, and nodded slowly in reply.

[Baya]

Baya frowned as he began to follow it, motioning with his muzzle that Vitani and the other lioness should follow. As he walked, the scent got stronger and stronger until they got to a small little burrow. There was a cactus right next to it. Baya pawed at the burrow, wondering if any sort of creature lived there.

"Ey! What you wantin' stupid sand lion?" A voice called as an odd rat like creature stuck it's head out. Baya rolled his eyes, expecting something better, as the scent was sort of sweet.

"Nothing. Your den smells like flowers. Thought it would be new lands." Baya murmured silently, really wanting to take a bit off the little thing's head for calling him stupid. It seemed to be wearing white paint on its face, with bits of soot as decoration. The creature also seemed old, and did not have a full mouth of fanged teeth.

"Woah woah! Hold on thar little lion. You be the boy of the crazy one! I forget his name, only because it is not worth remembering." The little creature pointed out as he fully came out of his burrow. Much bigger than a rat, but still far smaller than an adult lion. What the creature said peaked Baya's curiosity. The creature walked over to Vitani, and examined her fo a moment, pulling out a rather large staff from the burrow, making her turn her head with it.

"Hm. Quick to anger I am guessin'. Yeah yeah. Quick to anger. Strong too. Give you good cubs." The creature said with a nod of approval. Baya was getting a bit agitated now, as he pawed the staff away from his mate.

"How do you know my father, and how do you know Vitani is my mate...you just met me." Baya growled. He felt like this creature was a bit more than he was letting off.

[Zoketi]

Vitani followed Baya curiously. She stepped softly through the sand, her nose twitching at the queer smell. As Baya paused, she padded around him and halted as well. Blinking, she dipped her head to inspect the burrow, only to recoil at the strong smell. Her whiskers twitched and she glanced to Baya.

Her head whipped around at the voice, and she stared for a moment. She didn't move though, but watched the rat-like creature haul itself out of its burrow. She took in all its odd decoration and strange appearance silently, still slightly shocked.

As it ambled over to her, Vitani's ears flattened and she unsheathed her claws. The only thing that kept her from swatting the creature away was her initial surprise. She let herself be prodded for a moment, until Baya knocked the staff away. Shaking her head, she felt a growl rise in her throat. She twitched her tail with agitation and snorted in annoyance, but let Baya do the talking. She feared if she opened her mouth it would clamp around the weirdo's neck.

[Baya]

"Yeah, you have not met me, but I have met you cubby Baya. That be not your name, but I'll hold you to it." The creature said with a smirk. "I am the Witch Doctor of the desert, giving you special cubbies loving spells and charms to keep you well and good. I gave you the charm of fortune when you were born. Right here." The mongoose said as he poked Baya's forehead with the staff. Baya snorted at the gesture, letting a low growl rumble in his own throat.

"I should probably kill you before your insanity gets on my nerves..." Baya warned. The mongoose cackled and poked Baya gain.

"Try it boy, try. All you can do is try, but not succeed." The Mongoose murmured. Baya's eyes widened. Was this thing serious, or did the insanity really drive such things in creatures like this one?

"Hold on! You want the new lands right? The ones with the beautiful pastures and many gazelle? Like the pride lands, ey?" The mongoose asked with a grin. Baya's interest in keeping this creature alive just rose.

"Go on..." Baya said slowly, looking to Vitani, wondering if she bought it at all.

[Zoketi]

Vitani flattened her ears again, not satisfied with the creature's babbling. Her curiosity was roused slightly as the mongoose mentioned "new lands". She flicked her tail and stepped nearer to Baya, her eyes meeting his. She was a bit annoyed that the little creature wasn't thrown by the presence of three full-grown lions, but apparently it gave them spells and other such magic.

She huffed softly, wanting to believe. For who didn't? She remembered asking Zira if magic made plants grow. Zira had told her magic did not exist, but apparently this mongoose thought differently. Then again, Zira had never looked into the matter. Surprisingly, Vitani had found it highly intriguing as a cub. Not all of her interest wore off as she grew.

She gave Baya a tiny nod, knowing she would easily bite off the mongoose's head if he got too crazy. She felt a flicker of embarrassment to be believing in these little matters, but pushed it away and shook her fur lightly.

[Baya]

"Listen. Go that way, and you will come across land, ey. It is beautiful, but you must do something for the land for it to give you what you want. Nothing is free, ey." The Mongoose mused.

"How do you know this? Desert Witch Doctor?" Baya asked, figuring they would come across another land eventually if they went in that direction anyway.

"Just because I heal wounds, does not mean I am forgetful of lands I visit, ey, little Baya." The Mongoose pointed out with a sneer. Without another word, Baya began to go in the direction the Mongoose had pointed out.

"You aren't really going to listen to that...crazy little rat thing are you? We could be walking to our deaths!" The lioness hissed. Baya snorted.

"Not like we aren't running that risk in the desert anyway. Doesn't hurt to check." Baya pointed out.

[Zoketi]

Vitani swiveled her ears as she listened to the mongoose. She rather disliked its lofty tone, as though it knew much. Which it probably did, but whatever. She snuffled softly and began to follow Baya. She gave the mongoose a last glance, filled with calm annoyance. She pattered to catch up and padded beside Baya.

"I certainly hope that that silly creature knows his geography." Vitani snorted softly. She despised the feel of sand under her paws and hoped that they could find a way out of the desert, with or without a mongoose's advice.

[Baya]

"If that thing is lying, I'll snap it's neck. One way or another." Baya smirked, loving how annoyed Vitani was getting. Even as cubs, her annoyance was something to marvel. Usually she would fight him to vent out the annoyance. He gave her a light lick on her cheek.

After a few more days of walking, Baya noticed something in the distance. It seemed like a mirage, which was common in the desert, but as they got closer he noticed it was a large stone structure. "Pfft. And here I was ready to turn back and lop that thing's head off..." Baya murmured as the sand turned to hard crusty dirt when they walked a bit further. He noticed there was few very animals, and a drying river nearby. This would take some work. He also smelled something else faintly on the air. Lionesses. Three of them.

[Zoketi]

Vitani huffed lightly. She could tell Baya was enjoying himself. It's all very well for him, he's used to this stupid desert. She thought angrily, then blinked as he gave her a lick. Feeling a bit ashamed of getting annoyed at Baya, she nuzzled him back with an apologetic smile on her muzzle.

Vitani raised her head slightly, coming out of her thoughts. She focused on the strange structure, and moved quickly after Baya. Her fur bristled faintly, but she was really more curious. "I hope this gets bett--" She closed her mouth as the scent of lioness wafted in. Her ears perked and her tail ceased its twitching.