Stone walls towered, arching towards the sky like a maw closing in. Salehe’s blood-hued gaze looked bored, even at the thought of some earthen monster devouring anyone that dared to walk within its toothy grasp. The passage narrowed and then widened again. Dust coated his blackened paws. Above him, in the middle of the sky, the sun stared down like a burning eye, heating his black-on-black pelt uncomfortably. A resting sneer touched his features as the yearling moved along. He wondered in passing where the hell he was, but truly, it was of no true importance. He kept moving, just as his father had taught him. Settle no place too long, unless a job offers itself. If it's repetitive jobs, perhaps some time in the same area is warranted but… otherwise, keep moving. The nature of his raising, the nature of his occupation did not lend itself well to settling down. A vagabond by pure nature and nurture, Salehe did as his instincts and father had bid he do. Kept goddamn moving. His paws never stopped moving, never stopped carrying him forward. Forward, a constant motion that was needed. Never back. Never back. He paused only slightly to glance around, to gather his bearings at the world around him began to open up more. In the distance, he could see a hazy forest, just barely growing above the horizon. He could see a multitude of things from the passage, which… was good, the young man decided. Plenty of things to do here, plenty of places to hop around to. He was sure that at least he could find work here. Surely someone needed a task he was built for doing. - do i look civilized to you -

there are moments in ulla's life where she wonders if the life of a pride lion stunts her growth and bars her from a perfect future. but then, when she joined magnus, she realized she is missing very little as a pride lion. now, she is here, sitting on the throne once belonging to her brother while magnus himself sits elsewhere. she has power, she has control, and she is as strong and as cold as the winter storms. vellen is with her, though he may have been there in full force with her kin near the lagoon. even still, he is with her. and it's with that thought in mind that she treks into the passage, chest rumbling and chin held high. a young man wanders alone, from one place to the next, while ulla watches, wondering if he is truly by himself. when no one joins him, she decides to show herself. is it a home you're looking for, stranger? she asks him, aware that yearlings are fickle and the hardest to pinpoint their wants and needs. @Salehe

table by ferus

Salehe pauses to shake himself, loosening red dust from his darkened pelt. A voice drew his attention to the side, his gaze narrowing slightly at the woman’s approach. She’s a large creature, larger than he, but it is of no consequence in Salehe’s mind. She did not approach him with aggression in her body but instead offered a question to him. ”Is it a home you’re looking for, stranger?” the yearling remains quiet for a moment before he speaks in a thick voice, accented upon some words if only because his father had spoken with such an accent. “No,” Salehe stated. “I look for work.” He was honest at least but gave little in terms of what he meant by work. But he did tell her the truth in the fact that he did not seek a home. He needed not for a home, for he had never had one. One cannot seek and cannot miss what one never had. His life was traveling, moving around. A life of a vagabond in earnest, and always had been. He knew that the only time in his life he had actually been still, been in one place for any true extended period of time, was when he had first been born. But even then, that had not lasted long, and as soon as his mother had been well enough to move, and he had enough stability to be moved, they were on the move once more. Even after the departure of his mother, Salehe and his father had kept moving. He blinked at the woman, ears angled slightly towards her through a thick mop of a tar-hued mane, waiting to see what else she might say. - do i look civilized to you -

@Úlla

this is the first time ulla hears such a response. normally, lions seek home and a place to extend their ambition and practice their strength. this one is different, one who may or may not need the ranks nor the honor of joining a pride. one who simply wants work, and whose loyalty is tied to the employment. ulla will have to be careful, but she's also curious about him. work you say? then work as one of my lions; help protect the pride, hunt alongside other lions, and aid in battles during wars and raids ulla says, watching him for any sign of interest or disinterest. you will be repaid with honor and a chance to be ranked. what do you think? @Salehe

table by ferus

Salehe can see a ghost of surprise filter across the woman’s face. His head tilted ever so slightly to the side, just a fraction of a movement. It was enough to stir the longer hairs close to his chin, to make the ones around his ears shift ever so slightly. She hadn’t seemed to have been expecting his answer, but… then again, to be approached so boldly by someone holding the scent of a pride, Salehe presumed that it was her own job to do as such. That, or she was just a brazen woman in general. Either truly worked for the mental image he painted of her and would stow away for any possible future use. ”Work you say? Then work as one of my lions; help protect the pride, hunt alongside other lions, and aid in battles during wars and raids.” Salehe blinked at this, his head tilting farther to the side in what could have been taken as thought upon her words. ”You will be repaid with honor and a chance to be ranked. What do you think?” The yearling blinked and shook his head. “I will help in battle, but only from afar. I don’t make connections, to put things simply. I don’t accept payment in honor or ranks. They’re meaningless to me – I’ll do any job, however, for the right price.” He offered up to her, studying her features to see how she might respond to his own statements. - do i look civilized to you -

@Úlla

name your price úlla is quick to respond now that she knows that this yearling is not like the typical lion. he needs a goal and needs something to do, which úlla respects him for. on the other paw, his loyalty is still a concern of hers and the topic alone is not something she can tread lightly upon. making sure she won't forget, úlla adds i ask only for loyalty and your hard work. perhaps she can somehow convince @Salehe to work for her permanently as part of her pride. keep him a little longer and make sure his interest is kept and forever tethered to the pride. she cannot lose another member when her nieces and nephews have left her and a few others have upped and disappeared.

table by ferus

Amara watched the pair for a long moment before deciding to join them. The male was nearly as large as the lioness but he was still young and someone so large could be useful. Her ears picked up the last bit of words between them and Amara couldn't help but chuckle slightly in amusement. She arrived and left a far amount of distance between @Úlla and herself as she spoke. She knows nothing of loyalty or respecting those who are loyal. If she had then she wouldn't have run back to the Hollows crying to her family about her loss. She would have respected that the Lagoon was a loyal group and left them alone. It is the very make up of my family and something that isn't expected based on some words here. You would have to earn the loyalty just as much as I would have to earn yours. Her golden gaze remained on the male and only a single ear pointed toward Úlla to make sure that the lioness didn't attack because she couldn't handle the truth. Once earned, it's not easily forgotten. Amara would risk her own life for all those she counted loyal to her. I am a warrior and battle is in my nature. I can teach you if you wish. She had beaten Úlla but decided for the moment to leave that little fact out of this. What would the yearling do now that he had another choice?

Table by Ice. Graphic by Lars.

Salehe’s ears twitched slightly, one corner of his lips twitching ever so slightly in something of a smirk. ”Name your price.” The woman said quickly. Salehe’s head tilted to the side in thought. These moments his father had taught him well for; it was his game, his moment to get whatever he wanted. So, the true question was what did he want? He had chosen and almost spoke until another lioness approached and interrupted. She spoke of the other in such simple terms. ”She knows nothing of loyalty or respecting those who are loyal.” The lioness stated. That was fine – Salehe cared little for loyalty, just so long as he received his payment. He was loyal only as long as the terms and conditions of the agreement requested, and then his ‘loyalty’ was up in the air once more. The yearling huffed slightly in amusement. The woman continued. ”It is the very make up of my family and something that isn’t expected based on some words here. You would have to earth the loyalty just as much as I would have to earn yours. Once earned, it’s not easily forgotten. I am a warrior and battle is in my nature. I can teach you if you wish.” She offered something, something almost tangible. The yearling smiled slightly. “I think you mistake the things you’ve overheard. It’s not loyalty I want – my own loyalty comes with a price, no doubt, but that agreement’s termination or completion ends my loyalty.” Salehe stated bluntly. “It is not loyalty I seek, either way. It’s payment; food, amnesty, useful things.” - do i look civilized to you -

@Úlla @Amara

@Amara's presence goes by unperturbed. and why should ulla give the speckled woman even a sliver of her attention? she's her rival and enemy on this field; her family's worst foe since the rike. ulla will not let the woman take @Salehe, but the yearling proves to be a hard one to please. before amara's appearance, ulla thought she is going to go home with the boy. but now, it seems the bluffs lioness is keeping both of them here. very well. ulla will hold on until salehe makes his choice. food, honor, glory, blood - so many things you'd want and so many i can provide as your prize. her voice is smooth and word choices deliberate. i'll buy your loyalty for the right price. the choice is yours.

code by corvus | image by rabbit