a bit of time post EM challenge

---

Exiled? Indeed. And he shuffled away stunned until he could hear no more of the jungle, not of the mire or its less swampy northern reaches. There seemed no clearer direction to go than north, until he felt an icy breeze off the mountain range and wondered why his paws tended him toward a place which he just realized he wanted to avoid. The Summit where his fathers and more dutiful or reticent siblings lived. Where Morrigan would be returning, blood-soaked as he had seen her, and would there be another war upon those brackish grounds? Another flood thereafter, maybe, to clear all their losses of consequence.

He didn't want it. A common theme of his dreams drummed at his thoughts, seeming an inevitable future. Himself, with his young and average form, tugging against the massive arm of his father Seraphiel as the dark male strode to battle, and naught he could do would delay him even an inch. If he slept he would see it. And he was certain, if he headed past the fields to the mountain, he would see the nightmare replay its basis. Certain his family would again head to war. Again return bloodied, maybe broken, and would he count himself relieved if their enemy had broken instead?

He didn't want that. He wanted hope. He'd seen an ideal of how lions could work together. With each other, with other creatures. It was fitting that the Plains lay in the way of his paws, for otherwise his wandering might not have an end. There was no way to smile with hunger and nausea in his throat. He also didn't perk up as he dredged through a constant light rain, long grass swishing at his elbow tufts. He just seemed like a walking lion, no mission or thoughts, until he met the border. Where he expected it, smelling slightly different. Of that guy. The hero. Reti. And he wasn't going to worship the ground the guy walked on. Pinky promise to himself. He let out a cautious chuff to anyone. He was just a refugee seeking sanctuary, after all. He had no standing for dramatics.

Perhaps he should not be wandering about so soon. Perhaps prudence would suggest the chimera took it east until wounds turned fully to scars. But to laze around his pride and simply ... wait ... would drive him insane.

Not to mention Reti could not afford to let any of his muscles soften nor his skills loose edge. The lands had become far to dangerous to allow for any sort of complacency.

He was wise enough not to venture -unnecessarily- from the plains until his leg at least knitted. But Reti would keep in shape while keeping his weight off the wounded foreleg, slowly but steadily patrolling the borders.

The chuff came from not to far off and was a welcome break from the stack of problems his mind had been turning over the last few days. Heading towards the sound Reti let out a silken rumble of greeting, his multihued gaze soaking in the visitor.

The coloration and patterning was extremely distinct.

Ahhh. He knew this one.

From one of the prior challenges. The younger male had seemed a friendly sort, if obviously stressed by the tense and chaotic nature of the challenge they had encountered one another during.

"Welcome. Nice to see you once again. What can I help you with?" a little smile touched dark lips as the older lion came to as smooth as a halt as possible when keeping one leg a bit lifted. Curiosity clearly backlighting his searching gaze.

@Weimar

code by corvus

He exhaled a transparent breath through the humid rain. Somewhere in the distance winter was coming, but not here and not now. The urge to tell his family where he was sat undigested. Even in the waiting time after the echoes of his call, he made no progress on it. Instead, his nerves tingled. The tranquility of the Plains answered him. Until it - and he had said he wouldn't make an idiot of himself - but, it was That Guy!

His ears perked at the base but leaned sideways, contradicted between fleeing and freezing. That guy was injured. Not freshly, but walking tenderly on cleaned and pulling wounds. When he stopped it was with care, keeping weight off one leg. Weimar wasn't sure where else to look except his face. He didn't like the sight of blood. Even all cleaned up and medic-approved. "Um. Hi. I'm looking for a new home, since the old one sorta. Just exploded. There was a challenge and... we were exiled. I could go back to the Summit but winter is coming and my parents are there and I wanna... get out on my own... you know?" Maybe he didn't. He was older than your average lion. Younger than Weimar's parents, though. Not sure how that averaged out.

He scuffed a paw and actually pinned his ears back, trying to look appeasing. It would be hard to make his day any worse, but @Reti ♔ disapproving of him might do it. Just the possibility of having the very baddest extremely worst day might have Murphy of Law Inc. rubbing his fingers with glee.

The younger lion ( @Weimar ) did not seem .... comfortable ... as Reti walked up and offered a greeting. A fact the Sovereign noticed with some bemusement. Still his guest did not flee and seemed to focus on Reti's face before speaking.

Reti's brows lifted fractionally as he noticed the focus but said nothing, simply listened with a little smile as the exotically colored lion spoke.

'Um. Hi. I'm looking for a new home, since the old one sorta. Just exploded.'

Dark brows arched just slightly in surprise. It exploded? Obviously that was figurative. Well, hopefully. But as Reti had seen no signs of any volcano going off, or roomers of a massive rockfall he was willing to bet this was figurative.

'There was a challenge and... we were exiled. I could go back to the Summit but winter is coming and my parents are there and I wanna... get out on my own... you know?'

Ahhhhh. The Mire then?

"I do know." he assured with a soft but slightly larger smile and dip of his head. "My mother and a few relatives of mine also live on the Summit, but I find the Plains suit me far more. A little distance to breathe can be therapeutic. You are welcome to join us here in the plains."

he paused, tail flicking thoughtfully for a moment "I don't remember if we were ever fully introduced. Incase not, I am Reti Hodari, Sovereign of Lorien. Its nice to see you again." as he recalled the fights prior seemed to distress the young lion - so almost certainly not a warrior.

However there were many ways a soul could contribute to a group, fighting was only one of them. The plains was not a brutal bride - he expected the male would find it comfortable here.

code by corvus

Weimar re-flated rather like one of those pumpy sacs on a blood pressure cuff; it was a motion not of confidence or posturing, but of an unnatural pressure being lifted and one's native relaxed state being restored. His tail hung with less of a taut downward pull. Even though the hero was basically the same age as his parents, he understood the need to get away from your parents. Which was very heroic but also super cool. "I'd like to join here. I'm not saying they're bad," he wanted to clarify, because what sort of cool or good person would he be if he let someone think so? He'd never been drilled into filial piety and as a result rather naturally respected his parents. "Just. You know, yeah." Was he a teenage angst superstar? Maybe. @Reti ♔ was cool about not embarrassing him about it though.

"I probably forgot to give my name. Since I've always been distracted by the fighting. The part of the fight where I try not to look at the fighting. And the - uh, I'm getting around to it. Yes. My name. Weimar Kriger-Latsym. My dads are Bronx and Seraphiel, so Maua made me, and I respect Maua and I want to pay them back with like peace and love and stuff. Not to be a square." He flattened one ear. Was he being a square? Shit. Maybe.

ooc: my sincere apologies for the wait! I'll be more prompt with responses in the future. Feel free to exit any time you wish as he is accepted now! :)
-------

IC: If the older ion had any inkling what the youth was thinking, could hear and lear of the high esteem the other male held him in - Reti would have feel a little ... bad.

Such a high praise, lofty regard as 'hero' was not a title he was well suited to in his own mind. Prone to actions that while committed with a 'good' goal in mind - were often short of 'heroic' by varying degrees.

But Reti did not know what flattering thoughts the other held for him, could not know, he only knew the words heard and the body language displayed.

'I'd like to join here. I'm not saying they're bad' 'Just. You know, yeah.'

"Sometimes a bit more space is needed, room to breath deep and enjoy quiet?" he smiled slightly more noticeably, a tad more warmly for just a moment, dipping his head. "I think I may understand. Welcome to Lorien as an offical member." wanting a bit more room to grow into your own person - did not mean loving family or friends left. It just meant ... a change was needed for growth.

'probably forgot to give my name. Since I've always been distracted by the fighting. The part of the fight where I try not to look at the fighting. And the - uh, I'm getting around to it. Yes. My name. Weimar Kriger-Latsym. My dads are Bronx and Seraphiel, so Maua made me, and I respect Maua and I want to pay them back with like peace and love and stuff. Not to be a square.'

Reti would listen quietly, tail calmly swishing occasionally - seemingly unbothered by the amount of talking done by @Weimar. In fact, every indication given he was paying full attention, interested even, by the information on offer.

"I got the impression you are not fond of combat. I know there many find any form of violence upsetting, even if they are not participating...I respect your wish to avoid it. Worship Maua as peacefully as you desire here, several members honor that deity in the plains. I did not know that Maua could grand cubs, but I find it pleasant surprise." the other lion had seemed...distracted, uneasy, tense, the last time they spoke at the challenge so it was not a surprise he didn't wish to be involved with it.

The fact Weimar had...two fathers...that he was created by Maua, that was ......New.

Reti had not known that was possible before this. He knew about revival and rebirth, about the spirit world in various forms - but this was the first time he was hearing about two lions of the same type being gifted children. This new information was absolutely fascinating. The chimera would have to ask his mother about it and see if Hanneth knew about the local Deity's 'cub granting' ability later.

Should Reti become friends with Weimar perhaps it would not be too odd later on to ask... just how that worked. Did a cub created by Maua just appear from the air, as he once had? Was there some kind of prayer or ritual? Still those questions could wait, they would have to wait for a bit at least.

"Its a pleasure to meet your formally Weimar. Would you like me to give you a tour? You can ask me any questions about your new home you may have, I will be happy to answer."

code by corvus

Weimar had quite a bit of inner respect hinging on being the 'cool one'. He couldn't be the responsible one or the quiet one, because his siblings had that covered. Or so he wanted to believe. He was sure they were just fine in the Summit. With both fathers aging but one unreliable on memory. With an aging, beat up queen. But mostly they'd been fine so far and he didn't want to think about it more than that. He wanted a life without bad possibilities nipping at his heels. Without being surrounded by unknowns.

He turned a paw inward, scuffed wrist into the dirt. "Yeah. Quiet. Thanks." He dared to gaze past the chimera to the golden lands within. The grasses darkened there, seeming rich and forever autumn, maybe magic. The Summit had been magically always winter, but obviously savanna life seemed better. He didn't like striving against the elements.

"It's not like I won't fight ever," he had to debate and correct. "Just I don't think it should be the first choice. Or seen as inevitable." He didn't want to cast disrespect on Seraphiel - his father who had come back broken and bloodied from war, too many times; he was sure Seraphiel thought it was the best choice. Was motivated by the good things. But he didn't think the maroon male ever placed violence off the table, once an enemy was declared.

"I'm glad there are other Maua worshippers here. We can be friends." It had never been harder than that. Friends of Maua were friends of his. "Maua gives good lions what they want, I guess," he shrugged. He couldn't understand living elsewhere, where he would be hindered from having a family just because there were no wombs involved. "I'll take that tour, yeah!" he perked up. There had to be other landmarks here than simply grass. "Glad there's not as much mud here. Or snow. I hate snow, when it gets all slippery. You think it's pretty and sparkly and innocent, and then you fall on your face!" he frowned theatrically then skipped on ahead, keen on receiving this tour and giving his professional landscaping advise on the way.

-- exit