Away to the fields the lioness mustered. A place of serenity and focus that let her have a few moments to really connect to the world around her. Much of her family knew that she was a little different from them at times but perhaps it was because she spent a lot of it meditating. Attempting to always find something good and to focus on her belief in Maua. The Creator could do all things, really, and it was in their guidance that she wanted to excel.

Never would she push that belief upon others, of course, but she wished for them to see their Creator as she did. As the Valour, did. So far she hadn't seen very many outsiders but she was always willing to invest her time in their presence. In the hopes of learning more about them and why Maua had chosen for them to be led here when they had always done well on their own. Maua saw all of them as her children but sometimes, it was hard to see their Creator's reasons but when you've served a long time with those familiar with you it can be hard to let the change in.

It was why the Fields were so important because they were always changing, particularly with the season. While the rainstorms might've passed, it was clear in the dark and cloudy sky that winter was not over quite yet.

talisa valour

code by corvus

@Farrow

Even as the dark bitter clouds held the ceaselessly blue sky, Farrow enjoyed the serene grayness of the land, the ease of which his eyes could see the fields as it sprawled before him. The briskness of this place reminded him of the foothills, but was quite flatter, and not so covered with the soft grasses that now tickled between his toes. His pawsteps left temporary prints, flowers and foliage pressed down until tickled skyward by the wind once again. Farrow's gnarled, tousled mane trembled in the wind, tickling the corners of his eyes and prompting him to brace his cheek against the wintry heralds. Momentarily, it kept him from seeing the silhouette in the near distance, but her scent was carried so heavily in the downwind that he was able to notice her presence. By the time the gale passed, he could see her form slipping daintily between the fernbeds.

Farrow was no stranger to pleasant company, and he'd had more a keen interest in learning about this place than he had exploring it all alone. Although his entry into this land had not been plagued with solitude for long, Farrow was a wandering soul at heart, and often spent days meandering about the island in search of all its pleasant secrets. “Hello there!” he called out, his voice, though gruff and brutish, otherwise pleasant, “you wouldn't happen to be a native of this place, would you?” So far, Farrow had scarcely any luck finding true nobles; all those who had crossed his path were just a curious stranger to this place as he. Hopefully, he wouldn't have scared her off.

@Talisa

It would take a hell of a lot more to scare the brown Valour from her position among the neutral territories. Talisa recognized that she should be skeptical and should be cautious, yet she was simply too caught up in the what-if's to think about the negative. Instead of thinking about how these foreigners could hurt them or endanger them, she wondered what they could to help them. Not that Vermeda or the Valour's had ever needed help as they had plenty here but Maua obviously had a plan for all of this.

So when a voice came through the fields she felt her heart leap in her chest. Finally! As the voice was not a familiar one and it made all the more sense that she might be in the presence of something spectacular. And she was! A male, of deeply contrasting colors that seemingly blended so well into the fold of nature. The bronze of his nose the lightest point and the dark of his cheeks - but the brilliance of those ruby red eyes. A handsome stranger that called upon her sweet. It's your lucky day, for I am a Native. A cheeky grin showed upon her face as she lifted her head and watched him ever so curiously. All she could hope for was that none of her family or pride mates were here to ruin her sense of adventure.

talisa valour

code by corvus

@Farrow

Farrow had been lucky indeed; scarce had he encountered a snarky and brutish stranger, instead welcomed by both the land and her inhabitants. He had at first had reservations about settling on such an enclosed, bottlenecked place, but now this island seemed as if it were a whim of fate. Farrow had played all his cards right in life, certainly, in order to be handed such sweet surrender—especially in the form of a beautiful lioness who could answer all of his questions. Her smile was contagious, eliciting a toothy one of Farrow's own. It's your lucky day, for I am a Native, she replied, and the man firmly nodded.

“My name is Farrow,” he replied coolly, his smile softening out into a more neutral expression, “I passed by this place often, when the land bridge was impassable. You have...been here all your life, then?” He had never anticipated lions having lived on the other side, but given that the fog had lifted now, it was entirely possible that it had lifted once before many ages ago. Or, perhaps, her kind had always been here. He was desperate to know more.

@Talisa

The Valour woman was built of kindness and tolerance, patience and inclusivity. She didn't know what it meant to be prejudice but she had spotted small pieces of it within her family of natives. The idea that they should shun or shut out the strangers was beyond her and she simply didn't understand, therefor she couldn't follow it. With wild glee she smiled a little more after he mirrored her own, seeing the faintest hint of teeth as he gave her a right smile back. Talisa, she offered as she put her right paw to her chest to indicate that this was her name just as Farrow was his.

I have, yes. Just a little over two years. Talisa hadn't been on this blessed earth any longer than that but she did intend on sticking around for a while yet to come. After all, her father had been graced as a Spectre in this grand land of theirs and she hoped to one day join him. Not until she was good and ready, of course! While Amaryllis had always been such a large place for a singular native pride, they had always done well and she placed great reserve in the makings of Maua.

talisa valour

code by corvus

@Farrow

Talisa, she responds, and Farrow smiles, committing her name to memory. He was already thankful that Talisa spoke a common tongue; Farrow had traveled places where their natives spoke not a lick of the same language as he, and though Farrow tried to learn, it was hard to teach an old man new tricks. I have, yes. Just a little over two years. Her response elicited a brow raise from the man; her age was indicative of her appearance, the wiles of youth etched into every pleasant girlish curve, yet still a mature woman capable of holding rank and stature among her pride-mates; and yet, hearing it still seemed to draw Farrow back to his own younger days. When he'd been two, he was only just beginning to step out into the half-wild world, releasing the tethers of his old company in favor of solitary adventures.

“Well, Talisa,” he responded, leaning back onto his hind paws, “would you be opposed to showing me around?” She smelled like a cumulation of scents; whether they were a pride, a family, or a band he was uncertain. The culture of natives changed from place to place, though he imagined in a land so plentiful it would be safe to assume wherever she lived had a lot of mouths to feed. And while Talisa had been kind and open so far, Farrow also knew how secretive and protective some were of their most precious secrets, and the Bearslayer was never quite one to poke and prod. He would respect her boundaries, but it never hurt to ask.

@Talisa

While she might be far more open to their new neighbors than her family was, she still remained cautious and did not wish to give more than she should. The two years she had been here had given her nothing but comfort so she had thought that she knew all there was to know. This world being the only one available to her and she had known most if not all that had lived within. Now, with everything changing, she had an interest to continue to learn and grow from this evolution of Amaryllis.

Farrow seemed amenable enough but she also knew that when it came to their neighbors, she had to really think about her actions. So while his question was met with a smile, she felt a sadness creep into her heart. Avoiding the idea that he meant that he wanted a tour of their pride which she couldn't give him in good conscience. That was out of her paws, at the moment, given the new situation that the Brook had found themselves within. For starters, this is Celosia Fields. Because if he was intending to ask for a tour of Vermeda, then she was going to play coy and give him a tour of the place they had both wound up!

Talisa would much rather appear as secretive and protective of her home while she still could. If this were a second meeting perhaps she'd feel more inclined but she didn't quite have a handle on her thoughts of Farrow just yet. Sunflower had been easy to get an idea of as he had offered her help right then and there whereas Farrow hadn't gotten the opportunity.

talisa valour

code by corvus

@Farrow

Had Farrow known the implications of the rogues' large exodus into Amaryllis, he would have been a bit more polite. But the old man had been slow, and while the scent of other adventurers had well overwhelmed the ancient tracks of native lions, he had not yet borne witness to the greed and ambitions of the incoming foreigners. He did not catch the slight sadness hidden in Talisa's eyes, but the sudden change of her demeanor gave Farrow some pause. For starters, this is Celosia Fields, she began, and Farrow's orange-red gaze spanned across the rolling hills, the grasses that reached skyward and tickled their legs.

He did not mind her refusal to tour her home; she smelled of a pride, and it was understandable she remain protective of her borders. Nevertheless, Farrow was curious if eventually she'd bring him to her borders to snuff out other valuable information (value information to Farrow meant many things, however, and often only meant where he should avoid chasing prey and meandering about aimlessly). The Fields, despite remaining uninhabited, seemed flux with the mixed paths of natives and rogues alike, prey scents mingling among the grasses alongside hunting parties and casual flits by adventurous cats. “There are many scents that linger here,” he remarked with a broad grin, turning his gaze back toward the maiden, “popular place, I assume?” He leaned forward a little bit, interested to hear more of Talisa's tales.

@Talisa

you don't know

you think you own whatever land you land on, the earth is just a dead thing you can claim. but i know every rock, and tree and creature, has a life, has a spirit, has a name

More than she might divulge to her family, she wanted more than anything to be able to be inclusive. To open their arms to the newcomers and greet them with an open mind, though she knew that Vermeda as a whole might not take too warmly to the idea. They were strangers as far as they knew, not all would be as gentle and kind to these lands and their ways as they were. Not all would respect Maua and that was perhaps was Talisa's biggest worry.

Farrow was, admittedly, one that she didn't seem much harm coming from but it mattered little when it was only a fair few minutes shared. Anyone could put on a false face and act a certain role, and as naive as she might be - she would swear to be as thoughtful as possible when it came to these strangers. So her secretive nature towards the Brook was met with caution as she wasn't sure how her family wished to handle those on the outside just yet. Talisa cleared her throat and looked out to the Fields with him, admiring its beautiful gaze and the sun that sparkled off the tips of the flowers. The mountains looming to the north giving shade to some of the valley but not to all.

As of late, yes. My family, as I mentioned, has lived here for many generations and only now has our Creator, Maua, introduced us to the outside world. Though, she happened to bob her head to the side as she found a second-thought. Perhaps I should say has thrown the outside world at us. We aren't used to... new folks arriving in masses. There had been the occasional trickle that came in with a fair few but this recent influx had brought them great change. An unexpected twist of events that led the Brook into mild concern that might only grow worse (or better) by the day.

As it were, he had wanted a tour so she'd be happy to let him know a little more about the Fields. The Fields also offers a garden, a watering hole and a flamingo hangout. I'm.. not sure if you're familiar with flamingos? Bright pink birds, typically stand in water on one foot. Very strange but fascinating things, but she kept her distance from the birds and had never attempted to hunt them, either. They were rather quick to dash and take flight out of the water, plus they typically hung out in ridiculously large groups.

+5 Preach your beliefs to someone (1/2)

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@Farrow

As of late, yes. My family, as I mentioned, has lived here for many generations and only now has our Creator, Maua, introduced us to the outside world. Farrow's gaze did not leave her, even as she peered out across the meadow. Thoughtfully did he consider her words. It was not uncommon for the man to come across others who believed in higher powers, spirits, tales of ancient beings said to have forged the countryside in their bountiful image or blight and curse its inhabitants with plagues, droughts, and famines. Farrow had never found one so convincing, but had long learned his lesson to be respectful of whatever culture he needed food or shelter from. He would dare not challenge Talisa's own beliefs, instead finding a distinct curiosity in the way she viewed her world: was this Maua benevolent and kind, or did they wreak havoc and sentence to death the island she had created by opening it up to an outside world that would seek to ruin it? Talisa's words reaffirmed Farrow's ideas of the native attitude toward such unexpected newcomers. Perhaps I should say has thrown the outside world at us. We aren't used to... new folks arriving in masses.

Farrow had been nomadic for the majority of his life. He'd never known what it was like to have a home invaded upon, to have what he'd known to be true forever shattered in an instant. He was not naive. He knew ambitious rogues could be unkind; he'd seen the worst of them. He knew what corruption greed could sow. The concern written in Talisa's tone could have Farrow assuming the worst. “Do you think Maua has your best interest at heart?” he asks, bluntly, yet not unkindly. Was opening up Amaryllis truly what was best for the creatures who'd lived here for countless ages?

The Fields also offers a garden, a watering hole and a flamingo hangout. I'm.. not sure if you're familiar with flamingos? She changed the topic hastily, but Farrow did not press her more on potentially sensitive topics. Bright pink birds, typically stand in water on one foot. Farrow smiled and nodded. “I saw some long ago, in a distant oasis of a large desert. They'd nearly chewed my tail off trying to chase me away from their pond.” He'd been traveling alone at the time, and had almost died crawling out of that endless wasteland. Had the flamingos been nicer, he might have been better off; as it were, Farrow was a stubborn man, and had survived out of sheer spite.

@Talisa