Yasmin stood on the path outside of the Grimoire’s Labyrinth—its name beyond her knowledge. Pale starlight illuminated her lilac-gradient eyes as they traveled from the top of the yawning cavern to the rocky base that began its interior, all of it in deep, dark shadow and near-invisible at this late hour. Her tail swayed once with visible uncertainty, and she drew a step back before stopping herself. Her youthful features hardened; she was not afraid of the dark.

But she did miss her light. She half-turned and set her gaze skyward, seeking the soft glow of the moon above, but it wasn’t visible at this angle. Beyond the mountains, she supposed, though there was no way for her to get to the range’s other side before dawn. She was on her own.

She needed to be resourceful, she decided, returning her gaze to the cavern, the depths of possibilities that awaited her within—not all of them guaranteed to be helpful. Eyes narrowing, the midnight gray lioness backed up another step, purposefully this time, and harrumphed. No, she wouldn’t take the risk. Rather, she stepped aside to the rocky cliff side the Labyrinth was built into and tucked herself behind a fallen rock there at its base. With a large cavern so close, who would think to check beside its doorway for restful rogues?

Thinking herself clever, Yasmin couldn’t help grinning as she curled up in place, swept her little tuft of mane to the right of her face with a nod, and once more looked skyward. “I will see you soon, Itri,” she whispered to her deific guardian, out of sight but never out of mind.

@Reah

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Reah found herself outside the Labyrinth. It was late in the night, and she knew that she shouldn’t have been traveling in the healing state that she was in. However, she always had the urge to learn more about the lands of Amaryllis. To truly, familiarize herself with the world that she had found herself in.

So much had happened already. She had met a single plum-colored lion, and now they had started a family together. The younger version of herself was quite surprised but… She was okay with it in the end. She felt safe when she was with her mate, and she had even befriended Zaynab. It was much better, and busier than her prior life of solitude.

She had always adored the idea of attention, and affection.

Her paw steps were careful, and she couldn’t help but notice a fresh scent not too far off. The tip of her tail twitched and her eyes narrowed. She was quite surprised that someone else was out this late, but she guessed it made sense if she was out exploring too.

Like a swift shadow, she followed the trail of whoever had just walked along. The scent was getting stronger, but she didn't find anybody yet. “Hello?” she called out, her dark gaze searching, and finding herself near the side of the Labyrinth. It was very dark and very shadowy. “Where are you hiding?” she asked another question unless her mind was playing tricks on her… Or was it someone playing tricks on her? @Yasmin

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She was still watching the skies, wishing for even just a sliver of Itri’s gaze to find her here, when she heard a voice. Low, feminine, it called out into the night, a simple and inquisitive hello. Mina’s ears jumped forward, the singular eye visible around her sleek tuft of silvery mane widening in a moment of raw panic. Who was this woman calling for? Had she noticed someone else in the area, someone Yasmin hadn’t heard, and was trying to draw their attention? It couldn’t be her the woman was talking to, right?

But she couldn’t be sure. From where she lay, curled on her side, still as a dead beetle, the young Skygazer could see nothing, no one, her rock obscuring her view as much as she hoped it was obscuring her from the rest of the world. She knew she ought to stay still, to do nothing that might break her stealth and invite attention…but she couldn’t help herself.

Carefully, trying to be as quiet as she could, Yasmin dug her claws into the dirt and dragged herself slowly to her feet. Her tail swayed once, unbidden, and rustled gently against the tall weeds that grew between the rocks, but she didn’t think it enough to gain notice and so didn’t flinch as she inched slightly around one side of her hiding place. The world was so dark beyond it, the area a mess of pitch shadows and surfaces of gray. Mina frowned and shook her head, nudging her mane further over her right eye so she could see more easily through the left. Where was this lady who’d spoken?

@Reah

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A small, and extremely faint rustle. It was merely the movement of some weeds that could’ve easily been done a breeze. Nobody spoke, and nobody answered her. However, Reah was a stubborn woman at times. Especially in this instance, where it seemed like someone was playing tricks on her.

She let out a soft sigh, her dark gaze scanning further. Just some rocks and some plants and some dirt. However, the scent of some other individual still lingered in the air. They were hiding, but why?

“Well whoever is out there, I guess you won’t get the juicy hare I was tracking.” It was a lie. The inky-looking lioness had not been tracking a hare. Yet, she was sure that she could probably find one, especially in a dark and quiet place like this. Perhaps the offer would stir up some more attention? @Yasmin

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Her ears jumped forward when she heard the quiet exhalation following a moment of silence, recognizing then that the woman, invisible as she was in the darkness, hadn’t left. Drat. If only she would leave, Yasmin thought, she could go back to resting and spend an uneventful night here. Why did the lioness not leave? What was so interesting about the area that she had to try pestering someone out of hiding—particularly when that someone didn’t want to be found?

A casual statement followed another pause, and this one had the young lioness narrowing her eyes. A hare? Yasmin couldn’t recall seeing one on her way here, or even noticing the scent of a family of them nearby. But she was a skilled huntress, fully capable of taking care of herself. She didn’t need handouts from anyone.

But…it did sound nice. And if she could only locate where these hares were she might be able to catch one herself once the lady was gone—assuming she didn’t scare them all away before she left.

Licking her lips, Yasmin crept forward another step, daring to peek further out from behind her rock. It was dangerous; while the majority of her blended seamlessly with the shadows, the same could not be said for her pale mane and lilac facial markings. Still, a potential meal—caught by her own paws—was worth the risk, and her visible purple eye slipped further into view and scanned the shadows, the crevices, not for a sign of the lady anymore but the hares she spoke of.

@Reah

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There was some more movement that she could hear, though it was very subtle. If it was daytime, the normal bustle of chirping birds and buzzing bugs would’ve drowned out the soft sounds of the individual that was close by. Reah couldn’t help but smirk to herself, feeling accomplished that her words had been able to catch the attention of the other lion.. Or lioness that was nearby.

Suddenly she could see the movement, just barely though, as it was still very dark out. Her obsidian-colored eyes locked on, and just right before her, there was a smaller, much younger cub moving behind a rock. Ah, no wonder the girl didn’t want to come out then. She didn’t want to expose herself. Smart.

Yet, in the end, she did. And the stranger was lucky that Reah wasn’t some bloodthirsty being. “I’ve found you,” she said, though her voice was calm and even perhaps a bit motherly. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to harm you,” she added quickly. The last thing she wanted was for the girl to bolt off. She wanted her to stay, and she wanted to pry and ask some questions.

To prove that she wasn’t going to jump upon the girl and attack, Reah lowered her rump to the ground and took a seat. She curled her dark tail over her paws and slightly tilted her head to the side with curiosity. “Are you all alone? Do you have a mother or a father? Does anybody take care of you?” she asked quickly. She merely wanted to know, and if she was all alone then… Maybe Reah had found another lion to bring to the Plains.
@Yasmin

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No matter how her purple gradient eyes squinted into the darkness, Yasmin could see nothing of the hares supposedly in the area. Her ears strained for any sound of their movement, assuming she might hear them before she saw them, but even then she could only hear her own careful paw placement as she inched just slightly further around her rock. Maybe if she just leaned forward a little more—

I’ve found you.

The voice stilled her, and her eyes went wide. She couldn’t see anything at first though she heard the voice clearly enough, very nearby but thankfully lacking any true threat. It wasn’t until a shadow moved, suddenly materializing into the shape of a lioness, that the young girl saw who had spoken: a woman cloaked in deep, dark shadow, utterly invisible against the night when she chose to stand still. It amazed Yasmin how she could hide in plain sight like that, though it also made her wary.

Questions rolled forth, inquiries that might have been innocent enough but that raised suspicion in the young Skygazer. Her left eye squinted and she stepped back, half-hiding behind her rock again. “I am protected by Itri,” she growled in a quiet but firm voice, as much a warning as it was informative. “I am never without Him.” The latter phrase didn’t contain the same confidence; Mina was keenly reminded of Itri being on the other side of the mountain, his moon blocked from view.

But this strange shadow lioness didn’t need to know that.

@Reah

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As Reah spoke, the young girl stopped and stared at her for a moment. Reah allowed the girl to study her, watching carefully as well.

Then she moved behind the rock. For now, Reah stood still. She had no intention to hurt the girl, not unless she attacked first. She spoke. I am protected by Itri. It came out in a growl, and at first Reah didn’t really understand. I am never without him. If that was true, then where was he?

If Itri was around, then perhaps he wasn’t exactly too far. But Reah couldn’t help but wonder why he would leave her all by herself, at this late hour.

Or, maybe she was talking about something different. Perhaps Itri was a spirit or a god, or maybe even an imaginary friend. Or a companion of a different species?

Reah found herself a bit perplexed the more she thought about it. She decided to simply ask, to dig deeper. “Where is Itri?” She asked. “Why would your protector leave you alone?” She added.
@Yasmin

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She couldn’t see the woman’s expression in the dark, had no idea the train of her thoughts, but felt indignant on Itri’s behalf when she claimed He had left her alone. Nostrils flaring, Yasmin reclaimed the step she had taken back and added another forward, brazenly revealing herself from her hiding place with an even deeper scowl. “I am not alone,” she argued stubbornly, unwilling to see things from this stranger’s perspective.

Even so, she felt the darkness around them keenly. Had Itri been on her side of the mountain, He would have illuminated everything—this shadowy lioness included. A bit of her bravado deflated as she tried to see the details of the lady in the dark and failed. She thought to say more—He is just on the other side of the mountain—but she couldn’t admit it. It would make the stranger right.

Instead, she realized there was something else she couldn’t see in the dark and narrowed her visible eye judgmentally at the lioness, her tone accusatory. “You lied about the hare.”

@Reah

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It seemed that her words had upset the girl, and Reah watched closely as she stepped forward. The girl made sure to reiterate that she was not alone. Reah remained quiet, and then the girl mentioned the hare. Reah couldn’t help but smirk then. “You’re right,” she finally said. Reah’s dark gaze glimmered and watched over the girl.

And you seem to lie about your protector. That’s what Reah wanted to say, but she refrained. Reah already knew what she wanted to do with the girl, so she had to approach her a little differently. “I knew you were somewhere around here, but you kept hiding. So I had to say something to get you to come out. What’s wrong with that?” she spoke. She couldn’t wipe the smirk off her face.

“And, if you actually do want a hare, I can catch you one, little youngling… Or will you run when I leave?” she asked. She now wondered how the girl would react this time, and what comeback she had.
@Yasmin

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