Welcome-Saralin, Still A Newcomer

[Saralian]

A growl, like a roll of thunder, was heard from amidst the shadows. Following it, a crack from a twig being pressured to break under a lioness’s weight. Two green-yellow eyes scanned the ground in front of them, shooting out from the darkness. They glanced around their surroundings before slowly beginning to come out to the open, where a golden lioness could be stood. Her head drooped, her pride was hidden for she was new to the lands, and if that were the way it would be, so be it. She took one more glance around her surroundings before pushing off on her hind legs and taking off across the land.

The trees, lands, rocks, dirt piles passed her on her way across the land; it was obviously barren. A thick smell filled the air, obviously the remains of a deadly plague. She shook her head, glad to have been too far north to catch it herself, but she had to be extra careful around these parts nonetheless. She took a breath of air, the damp, thick openness clogging her lungs. She screeched to a halt and gave a great cough to get rid of the awful feeling, but it didn’t work and she ended up having a coughing fit. She let her legs give way and she sank to the ground, embarrassed but glad to be alone. When her trauma had passed, she licked her jaw with her long, warm pink tongue and smiled. It had been so long since she had eaten a proper meal, but no matter—she would not be disrespectful and eat before she had met the proper lioness of the area.

She thought about taking off again, but thought of her coughing fit and settled for a light jog across the area. She gave a smile, which showed her sharp, bloodthirsty teeth, but her pride was still hidden behind her thick coat and years of disrespect. Her tail hid between her legs, her ears stayed hidden flat against her head. She turned her head to the side, watching the forest where she had emerged from, then to the other side, looking for another sign of life. Taking it that there wasn’t, she leapt up on a high rock, and then turned to face the whole area. Wow, the feeling of power flooded through her body, and she was proud of it. She was happy, she felt for once important in her life. Why, if she weren’t standing here, what would this rock have to hold? Giving a chuckle at her stupid accomplishment, she gave a loud roar to the land, and her tail began to rise, like she was the leader. Quickly she returned it to its pride-less state and she jumped down from the rock just as quickly, who was she to feel happy? Who was she to feel needed?

“Oh, flaei (pretend cuss word ;-)), who am I to be important? I’m just Saralin, cub of nothing,” she sighed, “cub of nothing .”

[Lyansi]

A low lion purr rang from the tall grass from around a large bolder. A large female lioness stepped out from behind it, with a smile playing upon her maw. Lowering her golden face to the cub, a sweet chain of soothing words erupted from her open lips. "Don't say such a thing, young one. Never about yourself or another. Everyone is something, even if you don't know the purpose of your life so far. It will come to you. I'm Lyansi, lioness of Lavala. And I believe you are Saralin. Welcome, to Memravi. But I'm afriad you will be alone here. No one resides in these grasslands but hares and grazers." Lyansi pointed with her golden paw to the empty lands, save for the grazers, the few trees, the grasses, and the rocks. No lion was in site, and it was quiet. The silence over the empty lands was disturbing, and was not a comfort for the creatures that thrived in large groups, like the lions.

"If you desire, you can come to Lavala till someone comes here. You can't live on your own, sweet. Smiling sweetly to the young cub, she knew, that the young lioness would soon be grown-up in a matter of a year, less even, and she could live on her own in Memravi. Company was scarce after the Great Illness and Lyansi wanted someone to care for, to help, to talk to, to teach. A leader wasn't a leader without someone to lead. Sitting down on her rump, the lioness waited for an answer.


((grazers you eat, are not actually members.))

[Saralian]

Tilting her head slightly to the side, Saralin nodded. She gave a bow, and then sat down as the leader was, thinking in her head appropriate questions to ask. Or maybe she should ask none. Despite what Lyansi had spoken about, Saralin couldn't decide to accept herself. Not yet, anyway. Give her time, give her plenty of time, and she'd come around. But not yet, of course not yet. It was too soon. She still had to find out her place in the circle of life--whether she was a lion, top of the food chain, leader of them all, or a producer, just a measly plant that couldn't do or provide anything but for one animal, she began to ponder. She shook it out of her head and turned her face up to Lyansi’s, looked in her eyes, and spoke of her thoughts.

”I am not as young as one may think I am. Typically I am young to be living on my own, but I’ve been doing it for many springs now. I’d love to keep you company, or even have company of my own, but I am old enough to live and…hunt on my own.” She turned to face the grazers that sat, staring, in the field. Her mouth watered, yet they left her lips dry—her brain was a blur of thoughts, traveling this way and that, not being quite able to focus on her main topic right now: welcome into the lands. Yet she jerked her head away from the tasty, warm meat that she could smell and turned back to face Lyansi.

”Forgive me, lady—I haven’t had a piece of food since I left my home, at least two springs ago. I traveled with somebody all the time, don’t you worry…but I just,…” She shook her head to rid the thoughts of food again. “Yes, m’lady, I’d like to live here—even if it’s on my own. I can’t lie. But if it is your wish, I’d also love to keep you company—help you be the leader that I know you are.” With that said, she gave a great bow and awaited an answer.

[Lyansi]

The lioness sighed happily at her. It would be nice to have a companion after all this time alone. But that is truly your choice, and your choice alone. And the deer here, are truly, tasty and fat from lack of hunters! As she spoke, a unusually round anitlope crossed the rock, not seeing the pair. Smiling, she pointed her paw toward it. Go on, I'll garentee that that animal, is perfect and juicy. Soon after her words were spoken once more, another joined the fat one, this time a little skinnier, but still round on grass and leaves. Lyansi looked around at the trees and shook her head. Most were lacking leaves since the grazers had feasted while the lion was away. The grasses were small and tiny, not fit for eating yet. Cruel little things the grazers could be, even if they are low on the food chain, compared to the mighty lion.