+5 Observe and study a new scent

Try as he did to stay undercover during the light of day, Kiton had found himself smacking his lips with a cottonmouth as the sun rose in the morning. As tempting as it was to curl up in the shade and sleep, the lion knew that he would not be able to rest very well with thirst aching in his throat. It forced the dark beast to make his way slowly toward what he suspected was water, but he had no way of knowing for sure in this strange land. He tilted his nose upward and flared his nostrils in search of understanding the scent, veering slightly to his left in pursuit.

"speech"

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under a black flag we sail

and the sea shall be our empire

The lake was a welcome respite from his wandering, providing Argo a much needed drink of water as well as entertainment. No matter what time he found his way here, there were always others crowded around as well - usually a pair of lions gossiping over languid sips, a scuffle of young cubs eager to push each other into the water, and there were even animals Argo hadn't seen outside of hunts. Warthogs which grunted to each other and ignored the presence of lions completely, as well as zebras whose gazes never left him just in case he made any sudden moves. His favorite to watch though were the birds, all kinds which would arrive in flocks and then take off into the air with a great rush of wings. It was exhilarating, and Argo always liked to image what that kind of freedom must be like.

At the moment, the lake was rather empty, only a few ibises stood in the center, pecking their long beaks into the still water. Argo moved his head back up from the lake, his tongue catching the drops which made their way down his chin. As he looked forward, he saw a figure approach, large enough that he wondered if it could be a fellow lion.

@Kiton

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+5 Observe and study a new scent

Not only did he think he smelled water, but remnants of many creatures lingering on the breeze. The closer he got the clearer the aroma became, that of congregation and predation. Kiton determined that he was approaching a watering hole the moment he was able to see it in the distance, with various flocks of animals frenzying in their groups.

He let out a snort of air as he approached, more skittish types fleeing at his presence as he walked. It was something a lion grew used to early on in their life, being a walking symbol of death for the others. Kiton liked to think of himself more as a symbol of adventure.

Finally approaching the edge of the water, Kiton settled down into a crouched lay and began lapping quickly to try and quench his thirst before bedtime, his gaze shifting around to try and spot any lurking crocodiles before they had time to strike him.

"speech"

code by corvus

@Argo

under a black flag we sail

and the sea shall be our empire

Keeping his gaze on the approaching figure, Argo watched as the large shape came into focus. The first and most noticeable aspect was that, yes, this was in fact a lion. The second was his large, dark mane that covered the other male like a storm cloud. Argo liked to think he was physically mature for his age, but he could admit that he still had some filling out to do. He hoped that within the next year his own still respectable and mature mane would beef up like that. The magnificently-manned stranger reached the edge of the lake almost directly across from him to fulfill what must have been his goal in coming here - taking a break to drink - but Argo never liked to let the opportunity for friendly conversation pass him by.

The older male hadn't seemed to notice him yet, so Argo made the awkward trip walking around to the other side of the lake in what he hoped was a covert way. By the time he made it within a respectable distance, he called out "Hey there!"

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Able to drink his fill without any crocodile altercations, Kiton lifted his head from the water's edge and swiped his tongue across velvet lips to take in any remaining drops. He was contemplating that the water seemed to taste different here than it had in his previous home when the sound of a lion's greeting caught his attention. Kiton craned his neck to his left to spot an approaching yearling, his frame golden and spotted like that of a leopard.

"Hello" he returned the greeting simply, unsure if the lad wanted something from him or was just trying to make conversation. He figured that his tone should not be so light if this was to be a matter of contention. "I'm Kiton Hodari--not affiliated anywhere just yet. And, you are?" He put on his best diplomatic facade as he straightened back up into a standing position, attempting to pivot his body slightly so that he could face the stranger conversationally.

"speech"

code by corvus

@Argo

under a black flag we sail

and the sea shall be our empire

At the other male's greeting, Argo felt the need to match his cool and mature tone. He straightened his posture from its slouch and attempted to move the mane hanging in his eyes with (what he hoped) was a suave flick of his head. "I'm Argo. My crew and I arrived here not too long ago, but we're still trying to find our spot." He responded, then without waiting for Kiton continued, "Are you here by yourself, or are you with a group, too? Personally, I think it's cool if you're traveling alone, that would make the journey more exciting, yeah? I don't think you can have an adventure when there's a bunch of lions always wondering where you are. I might break off one day and do my own thing, but I just haven't had the opportunity, you know?" At some point in his speech, Argo fell into the rhythm of his own voice and forgot that he was supposed to be impressing this other male with his maturity. "I like my crew because they're also adventurous, but sometimes a lion just needs to explore on his own, yeah?"

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The younger male introduced himself as simply Argo in turn, not specifying either a surname or which local pride he might be a part of, but that he had a crew--whatever that meant. Kiton quirked one brow with interest as he regarded the yearling, letting out a sniff of laughter as he began speaking like words were just tumbling out of him. Silently, he wondered if this was a local dialect he spoke.

"I have a lioness with me, but probably not a crew like yours," Kiton answered, instantly regretting specifying that it was a female he had with him. There was no telling what reason a lion would have for loitering around the watering hole waiting for travelers, and carelessly giving away the knowledge that he had a lioness could get them both in a heap of trouble. He tried not to allow his concern to show on his expression despite the way his stomach wound in a knot.

"Adventure is certainly great, but being alone is overrated," he advised with a friendly shrug. He understood the desire, especially when he thought back to his youth spent in a crowded pride, but Kiton thought he would give almost anything to have his family back. At least finding Silver had been a way for him to rediscover some of his previous life.

"speech"

code by corvus

@Argo

under a black flag we sail

and the sea shall be our empire

+5 learn about another trade's skills

At the mention of a lioness, Argo frowned. The other male wasn't the cool, rogue traveller Argo had made him out to be in his head. Oh well. He'd wondered if he would get some good stories out of Kiton, but at the mention of being alone as overrated Argo figured this guy had some baggage. He shrugged one of his shoulders, and thought about replying with something like, okay but you're alone right now though? when the congregation of ibises made a few loud chirping sounds before taking off into the cloudy sky. The black rim of their wings made for an interesting contrast to the rest of their white coloring. His attention thoroughly diverted, he'd forgotten the topic of conversation by the time the ibises were too far to hear.

"So what do you do?" he asks his new friend after the moment of interruption. "Wait, let me guess..." Argo made a show of looking Kiton over, tilting his head this way and that, making little affirming noises as he went. "Are you...a paladin? You definitely give off those 'good guy', 'ready to defend' vibes," his voice dropped and he made another show of posing with his ears straight ahead, putting one of his paws in front of the other, a defensive stance as if he were protecting a litter of cubs...or whatever it was those guys did.

code by corvus

He could practically feel the younger male calculating his worth as they stood a short distance apart, this obvious show the only thing that managed to tear him away from anxious thoughts of Silver's fate. Kiton flicked one ear backward as Argo asked him what he did. It was an odd question, he judged, when the actions of a typical lion had little variation. Still, he did not consider himself a typical lion.

"I like to travel," he answered simply, straightening his posture at the subject. It was something he had always dreamed of as a youth, and the hidden blessing of losing his home and family was that he had been freed of any perceived shackles tying him to one location. He dreaded the day he was asked if it was worth it. While this was his hobby, the youth's elaboration made it clear to him that he had not fully grasped the question on the first try. Letting out a sputtering laugh, Kiton sought to clarify.

"I do dabble, yes. My father was a paladin and that was certainly his thing," he explained with noticeable warmth. "I followed mainly after my mother's trade as an ambassador. We were a line of royalty when I was born, and she was the pride's beloved princess. I don't think they ever found me that cute, though," Kiton snorted in jest. His face felt flushed with heat as he spoke of his own life, unable to recall the last time he got to share something like this. Strangers did not usually ask.

"And, you?"

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under a black flag we sail

and the sea shall be our empire

+5 learn another trade's skills

Argo's position dropped as his new friend - who was apparently some sort of royalty? - spoke fondly of his parents. Argo's own memory of his parents was foggy to say the least, he doesn't remember much aside from his mother's scent, but Kiton seemed happy to mention them. Even Argo could pick up on the note that they were no longer in the picture, and so he didn't continue that line of questioning in case something sad came up.
"So, you like a prince or somthin'?" he asked, "Interesting, a prince who likes to travel. I thought your lot were kind of cowards, you know? Staying safe in your territories and being fed what your pride brings you." His tone was light as he spoke, as if this were common knowledge of all royals and not the type of anti-authority propaganda his older brother fed him as a cub. "It's nice to know you're not all like that, though. I guess it goes to show," whatever it went to show was never explained as the rest of Kiton's answer registered in his mind.
"Oh! An ambassador, well I don't know any of those. What does that mean? Do you go around and ambass people into your pride? But, you don't have a pride, do you?" This trade was one Argo had very little familiarity with, and he hoped the older lion would elaborate, and that it would be interesting.

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