'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

[Thomas]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/332lzqf.png][scrolly:h(370),w(305),sy] It had been another long journey. Riddled with aches and pains, his muscles sore from the sea's harsh waves and his open wounds stinging from the ocean's biting salt, a large, ocean-drenched lion slowly made his way through the thick, dark muck of wet sand, the sea behind him now playfully calm and lapping at his expansive paws. With one paw in front of the other, the figure slowly and haphazardly made his way out of the sea and finally onto semi-solid land, his each painfully slow step sinking inches deep into the wet grit. His body noticeably quivered with each step, his eyes struggling to remain open, his nose wrinkling in a grimace with every move forward. A thoroughly beaten and now useless tail dragged in the sand listlessly behind him, his muscles screaming in protest no matter his movement: standing up was painful, walking was painful, blinking was painful, breathing was painful. The ocean water that had crushed him throughout the night had been like a sheet of rock with every clash; eventually, he was pounded into real rocks and bore scrapes and cuts from the encounters. There was, however, possible relief on the horizon. It was finally dawn with the morning hours fast approaching. The atrocious, deadly night was finally over and nature resumed her normal pleasantries. Overhead he could feel the rising sun beating down on his soaked frame, slowly drying his massive sponge of a mane that covered his head, neck, throat, chest, shoulders, stomach, and even reached to his loins, weighing the whole length of his body down with forgotten dedication If only the sun would rise faster, he thought with a grimace as he took a notably painful step forward, his entire leg shaking in protest of the abnormal weight. I can't bear to carry this much longer... The lion's thick, expansive mane left dots of varying sizes in the dry sand behind him as it steadily dripped. Some of the salt infested water raced down his slicked legs to the raw paws at their end, burning with renewed vigor and now mixing with painful grains of sand that nestled inside the wounded pads. The sun was higher up in the sky now and the lion could only hope for a faster dry time, but the thick salt residue that would stay locked inside his now tangled fur was nothing to look forward to. Now with solid footing, the lion feebly tried to shake the excess moisture off, but instead collapsed onto the cool beach sand beneath him, promptly passing out as he closed his eyes for what he feared might be the final time, one word on his mind: Mala... This wasn't supposed to have happened. He'd already been shown the sea's mighty strength and unrelenting fury once before: washed up and thrown out, he had arrived on a beautiful island and met many beautiful creatures, including someone he had fallen desperately in love with. Those times, however, were long gone and the sea had swallowed him up once more. The lion now found himself barely alive and completely defeated on more familiar terrain that brought back memories of being a cub on the rocky ledges of Morocco. But he wasn't fooled; he knew this land was alien territory to him the instant the sea finally spit him out. It was, somehow, hotter here and even less alive than his native land. Could it be, perhaps, that he was given another chance, another shot at life and love? Or was he really living a life of no love lost, no love found?

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[RUSH!?]

[atrb=cellSpacing,5,true][atrb=cellPadding,5,true][atrb=border,0,true][cs=2][bg=82714b] PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE // MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

[rs=6][atrb=width,450,true] The rising sun painted the sky in a variety of different hues and provided both the light and the heat that was always sorely missed during the cold night-time. However, it was only the sun's rise and set that provided a semi-bearable temperature, for, as it rose higher in position, it would also rise higher in intensity and the heat would be very uncomfortable. Not that such things mattered right now, anyway. Wide-eyed, the little feline watched as the sun gradually cast more light upon the land. She had always loved watching both the sun's rise and set with her small family, and she still did, even though now she was alone. They had had a safe place to reside, well, as safe as safe could be in a world such as this, and she had enjoyed a semi-comfortable life for a while. But these were desperate times, and desperation brought out the worst in others. Looking back, her family had been perhaps too trusting in a world were trust was folly. But, being as young and naive as she was, Kaiya had learned little from her experience and, though she understood a little more of the world, she still had very much more to learn. Quickly growing bored of the scene playing out before her, though still appreciative of the fond memory it brought, Kaiya moved her attention to the vast sea, waves moving up and down the beach to a steady beat. From her position atop the small cliff, she could make out a never-ending expanse of grey-blue. If she squinted, she could just about make out the far-away shapes of land, proving that there were other worlds aside from their own. She wondered, briefly, what they would be like. If they were just as decrepit, lonely, and harsh as her own. Sometimes, it seemed this place was on a mission to wipe the smiles off everyone's faces and cast them into the black pit of depression. But the young serval was determined that there was good in the world, yet. And suddenly, her eyes caught a movement on the beach and another scent was presented along with the salty sea air. As soon as it was detected, she dropped herself to the ground - survival instincts taught be her parents still in mind - and stared at the figure, ears standing traitorously up on her head. The movement was strange, shaky and awkward and her curiosity was piqued. When it fell to the ground, she decided to investigate - it might be hurt and need help! Moving back from the cliff edge, Kaiya swiftly made her way to the slippery path leading down onto the beach. She hopped down on rocks that looked like they might be less slippery than others, almost slipping a time or two, but laughing the sudden adrenaline off; it was all part of the game. Upon touching stable and sandy ground, she searched about for the figure, locating it and rushing over to its side. A few feet away and the full view of its form and the stronger scent made her stop in her tracks and her heart leapt into her throat. It was a familiar shape, a familiar smell (even if not as thick with strong iron). But, at the same time, it was unfamiliar - not the same, different from back then. She swallowed her wild heart and continued towards the beast, albeit a little slower. "Not the same..." she told herself and that was enough for her to move perhaps a little to close to the creatures face with nose quivering inquisitively and eyes wide. Peaceful. Was he sleeping? Her fears were passed because she was convinced he was not the same and she had been taught that everyone was their own and everyone had a smile. Now that she felt safer, she was mesmerised by the soft and comfortable looking mane and a paw reached out to bat at the beast's ear before settling in the tangled mass and a loud voice (so he could hear her) asked a question only a cub could think of seriously. "Hey! Are you alive?"

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<sup><sub>SIMPLE TABLE BECAUSE I COULDN'T BE BOTHERED TO MAKE A PROPER ONE. I ACTUALLY QUITE LIKE THIS, ANYWAY~

SIMFILAN'S TABLE IS COMING - I COULD ONLY FIND ONE CC PIC OF A BARBARY LION SO HE MAY TRANSFORM INTO A DIFFERENT BREED.</sub></sup>

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[Thomas]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/332lzqf.png][scrolly:h(370),w(305),sy] There was white, blinding white everywhere. He sank inches deep into it, his belly dragging along as he awkwardly made his way through the thick substance. Nearby he could hear light cavorting growing quickly closer to him, a slight giggle now sharply louder. There you are! She said, and Simfilan looked over, trying to ignore the stinging cold at his paws. I wondered how'd you like snow! Oh, but I don't like it at all, Mala, the lion replied, looking his love over once more, her wolven forn, pure white for the most part save for a streak of a lightning blue running from the fur of her nose all the way down to the tip of her trail, staying between her furry ears. I think you'll grow used to it though, Mala said at his side, bringing her muzzle up to his face. Yes, I think I will, he replied, turning to look at her when suddenly she was gone and the whiteness started to rapidly darken, and he was completely alone and unfeeling and there was a scream in the air - Hey, are you alive? "Hey, are you alive?" Wearily, Simfialn struggled to lift his eyelids, shifting his head slightly so that both of his deep brown eyes could be seen. He focused on the creature who had batted at his ear and who was now all but nestling in his still rather wet and salt-encrusted, horribly tangled Pollock painting, a far cry from his usual soft and well kept locks. He didn't have the strength to force her off and since he wasn't quite lucid yet, he wasn't even fully aware that he could do something about the other animal. She was a feline of sorts, but one that was much, much smaller than himself. She was spotted, too. Breathing heavily, Simfilan took a few deep breathes before he parted his mighty jowls and spoke, his voice raspy, "I am, ma'am."

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[RUSH!?]

[atrb=cellSpacing,5,true][atrb=cellPadding,5,true][atrb=border,0,true][cs=2][bg=82714b] PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE // MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

[rs=5][atrb=width,450,true] As the beast moved, Kaiya hopped back from his mane and sat down near him, cocking her head to the side as she watched him. She was tempted to jump into that mass of fur, but held herself back; he could be hurt and probably wouldn't like her doing that. Instead, she waited for him to speak and, when he did, she rolled backwards, laughter ringing from her. To think that he would call her such a name! "Nobody even called Mother 'ma'am'!" She moved closer when she could, still giggling a little, and gently batted the side of his nose. "You're so silly!" Kaiya was now completely convinced that this lion was not the same - he was not even the same inside, she thought. He had not moved to attack her and he had not snarled or growled at her. He had not tried to attack her like other bigger cats had, either, though maybe that was because he seemed hurt. She hoped it was because he was nice; things were much more boring when you were alone. She leaned closer and moved her face right up to his, so that it was probably the only thing in his sight, and blinked. "I thought you were dead! But I'm glad you aren't." It was the truth. She was glad he wasn't dead because, lying so still, he had looked like her parents whenever they wouldn't wake up, no matter how much she had poked and prodded at them. Moving back from his face, the little serval walked around the lion's large frame until she came to his tail and sniffed at it in interest. It looked like so much fun to play with, with that tuft of fur on the end. She couldn't resist and started to bat it with her paws, giggling a little, before looking up at where his head was. "Hey, aren't you going to get up? There's lots of better places to lie than here! And how'd you get all wet, were you swimming?" She shuddered a little at the thought, she didn't know how to swim and the sea looked dangerous at times.

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[Thomas]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/332lzqf.png][scrolly:h(370),w(305),sy] The bouncing creature that danced around Simfilan was the physical antithesis of the once mighty lion, his weary eyes struggling to keep the other cat in focus. She had moved off of his mane (though there was currently little difference) and near his side, sitting down and studying him. At his response, the cat fell backwards, howling in laughter, saying that not even her mother had been called "ma'am". Well, all that really shows is a less formal upbringing, Simfilan thought tiredly, blinking his heavy eyelids slowly. During the drawn out rest of his eyes, the other cat batted the side of his nose lightly. Simfilan had a delayed flinch and forced his eyes open, staring with open defeat at the smaller feline. "Am I?" He questioned her, his eyes looking upwards towards the rising sun, his jaw hanging slightly slack. She's a similar silly you were, Mala," he thought to himself with a far away smile, breathing in deeply and exhaling slowly, fighting off the pain both actions induced. "You seem quirkier yourself," he commented idly, meaning no disrespect. Of the two of them, she was the one with a more creative streak. One of the last things anyone who properly knew Simfilan would say he was would be silly. The spotted cat's first judgments amused the lion, who managed the strength to bring his eyes back down to the smaller animal, wanting to give the proper amount of respect to his conversation partner. Who then leaned in close to his face, confusing Simfilan, who remained perfectly still as her face grew larger and larger, her whiskers getting closer and closer to his face. Soon she took up most of his field of vision, but before she was too close, she blinked and told him how glad she was that he wasn't dead, and then retreated. Simfilan blinked in surprise after she had stepped back. It was awfully kind of her to care about his - a stranger's - survival. He smiled warmly, his facial muscles groaning as they adjusted. "I am happy to not be dead," he said truthfully, taking a short moment to reveal in the miracle that he was even alive and in one piece. The female cat was walking around him now, inspecting him. From her behaviour it certainly seemed as if she had never seen a lion before, or at least Barbary lion. He felt her bat at his tail, but was too exhausted to turn around and give her a proper playground. Instead, his tail rested listlessly in the sand, unresponsive to playful paws. "I... Yes, I should be getting up," Simfilan replied, wishing he had some of her energy. He was beaten to exhaustion and his every muscle ached; the last thing he felt like doing was withstanding his mass and extra weight, but he also knew that it would be the best thing for him. Wearily, Simfilan breathed heavily as he slowly brought himself up on shaky, aching legs. "I do hope you're right about there being better places to rest at," Simfilan told the chipper cat through ragged breaths. "And... Well, that's an interesting story, but to be clear, no, I was not swimming," the spent lion chuckled painfully. "I'm not too fond of water, actually. Just look at what it does to my mane," the older lion finished, stretching his front and back legs and tail out some to help with the pain, his drenched fur at the bottom sagging low, some dryer spots now in a salt-encrusted tangled mess. "It was once beautiful, if you can believe it," Simfilan said with slight awkwardness, turning his neck some to look over at the cat, enjoying the burning feeling using those muscles caused.

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[RUSH!?]

[atrb=cellSpacing,5,true][atrb=cellPadding,5,true][atrb=border,0,true][cs=2][bg=82714b] PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE // MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

[rs=6][atrb=width,450,true] The little feline was disappointed in the lack of movement coming from the lion’s tail. It was no fun to play with if it just lay limp at her paws and she wondered if he was angry at her or if he just didn’t want to play. She raised her head, looking over his body before jumping back as he began to move at her words. It seemed to be somewhat difficult and she bounded up to his front again. “You should be happy you’re not dead! Because…” Because there were others who were dead… She stopped herself and dropped her gaze to her paws. That was why she wanted to help this lion – she didn’t want more deaths. The serval cocked her head to the side and looked at him; he must be hurt, but there wasn’t anything she could do. Except find him a better place to rest than the cold beach! Kaiya grinned widely at him and ran around him once before bounding a couple of paces in front of him. “Of course! This is my favourite place to explore!” Though dangerous, the sound of the sea sometimes comforted her – when it was at peace, the gentle rhythm of the waves helped her get to sleep, or made her feel safe. Perhaps it was because the pace was constant, like a heartbeat, the world’s heartbeat. It reminded her of the soothing beats of her family and the warmth in their den. She missed that, but it was something her parents had been preparing them for anyway, leaving to venture the world on their own. It had been inevitable, either way. Golden eyes swept around the area and then turned back towards the lion. “Let’s see…there’s plenty of places around here!” She hopped a bit, unsure of where to take him – what sort of place would be best? “And if you don’t like it, why were you in the water? And then you lay so close to it…did you know that the water comes further in sometimes?” Walking forward, Kaiya motioned for the lion to follow. There were a couple of places she could think of that lay in this direction and she was sure they’d be fine to rest for a while. After all, she frequented these places – not many other cats decided to come down to the beach, so it was usually safe enough. “There’s a cave in the cliffs a bit. It’s a bit wet, but it’s high enough so that the sea doesn’t come into it! There’s also a good place to sun at the top of the cliffs! There’s some grass you can roll around in to dry as well!” Some of the other places, she decided, would almost certainly be too small, narrow, or hard to reach for the bigger cat. These were the first two places that came to her mind and she wondered which one would be better for the lion. She should probably let him choose. “Which one do you want to go to?” She had already been at her sunning spot today – that was when she had spotted him, and it would certainly help the lion dry off, but it was harder to reach than the cave. She was going to tell him about this, but a thought occurred to her and she stopped suddenly and swirled around. “Oh! But before i take you there, you have to promise that you won’t tell anyone about them!” There was no way she wanted someone finding out about her ‘secret’ places. “Promise?”

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/LATE LATE LATE. BUT SIMFILAN IS SO LOVELY ❤

[Thomas]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/332lzqf.png][scrolly:h(370),w(305),sy] "Oh, I am happy that I am not dead," Simfilan said, his voice still heavily weighted with exhaustion. And, truly, he was: he cherished life, even when it was nothing but pain. That did not, however, mean he didn't feel the toils of survival. "But tired nonetheless," he finished telling the other feline, breathing heavy now and groaning as he shifted his weight. He noticed that she did not finish her sentence, but let it pass by; he didn't have any energy to expend towards delving into a conversation. Keeping coherent thoughts was difficult enough. The other cat, of course, didn't seem to find any difficulty in the situation. She was fit and well with energy to spare. She ran around him once and then bounded in front of him, suddenly excited. Simfilan watched her with a lagging gaze and managed a nod in response. Her favourite spot, he thought to himself, his eyes glazing over as his mind wandered. "...enty of places around here!" Her enthused voice jolted the dozing lion awake, his claws climbing out of their sheaths and digging into the sand beneath, struggling for a solid grounding to reality. "T-tides, yes," Simfilan commented. He knew about how the Moon controlled how far inland the waters came. He also knew that one could get carried off to sea by tides and washed ashore -and this was probably the feline's main point. It would take more than a mere tide, however, to have swept Simfilan away. "What swept me away was a hurricane," he politely told the other cat, swinging his head to look at her properly. "It dragged me out to sea and then coughed me up here." He finished, trying to remember the past few nights for the first time. Everything that came flooding to his memory were painted in blood and alive in pain, leaving Simfilan to snap his eyes shut and twitch his mighty head, trying to expell the fresh recollections from his short-term memory. "Ah well, there wasn't much left there anyway..." He concluded quietly to himself, the first few inches of his tail curling up as he spoke. The other cat was leading now. Simfilan brought his left front leg up and down in his first painful step in the smaller paw steps of the cat leading him. She continued to speak as they clamored on, Simfilan having a difficult time remaining standing with frequent slips and minor falls. Each time he fought with himself as he pulled himself up, his excess weight load decreased and steadily dropping, but drying his mane was a slow process and he was heavy enough when it was dry. Despite the small setbacks, the pain, and the slow pace, the pair was making progress. While walking, the smaller cat described to him two of the most ideal places that were close by. Simfilan found the cave to be more appealing and practical, but was surprised when she asked him which he'd prefer. Panting heavily to catch his breath and starting to suspect that the rising heat could possibly do more harm than good, Simfilan swallowed once, about to answer, when the feline spoke up again, this time to add an important side note. "A promise to not tell anyone else about these places?" The lion inquired for clarity, his voice rough, dry, and raspy but clearly surprised. "Easily done; you have my word," he told her with a small smile after a short moment of musing over the promise. The request, though it may have been easy, was also slightly odd. Did this cat have a wealth of enemies she had to constantly hide from? Was she an outlaw, refugee, or outcast? Or perhaps just simply... reclusive? "Why the secrecy though?" He asked evenly. In a slight undertone, he added, "Is this land dangerous?"

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[RUSH!?]

[atrb=cellSpacing,5,true][atrb=cellPadding,5,true][atrb=border,0,true][cs=2][bg=82714b] PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE // MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

[rs=6][atrb=width,450,true] “Hurri…cane…?” Kaiya’s ears perked up and she turned her head to face the lion. Of course, the small cat had no experience of such a thing and neither had her parents (or surely they would have taught her about it), so she wasn’t quite sure what it was. She was about to ask, but his next words made it clear what a hurricane was – it must be some sort of sea-monster! If it could drag a big lion out to sea…it must be huge! Her eyes widened and she looked out to sea; maybe she could catch a glimpse of it, or, or what if it came after them? She hopped to the side a little, putting more space between herself and the sea – if it had just left the lion on the beach, then maybe it didn’t like the land. Still, she had to be sure. “So, it ate you up? Does it stay in the sea, or does it come onto the land as well? Will it leave us alone if we go to the caves? Maybe it won’t find us there!” With that, also, their destination was decided and the young serval put an extra spring in her step so they could get there faster. She did not think to look back and check to see if the lion was keeping her pace, or if he was alright. She just wanted to get away from this ‘hurricane’, in case it came back. Something else about what the lion had said tugged at her mind. There wasn’t much left there. Was he…? But, she left it for a while and continued with her half-skipping towards the cave. She actually quite liked the cave – it wasn’t overly large, but it ran back just far enough to avoid the rain and the wind during cold days and nights. However, the path leading up to it was narrow and slippery and the lion would have to squeeze a bit to get past the rocks at the entrance. She was sure he could do it, though, because he did have an expert guiding him. After multiple times coming back to the cave, she knew which rocks were slippier or looser than the others and, well, as long as this lion could keep his promise, she’d be fine telling him how to get up. After all, he hadn’t given her a reason to not trust him. A smile tugged her lips upwards as he gave her his word. That was that, then, she would trust him. It did shock her that he would ask why she wanted it to be a secret. To her, the reason was obvious. “It’s a secret so that others don’t find it, silly!” He was an adult, though, and adults just didn't seem to understand some things. She wondered how they could know so much and yet not know why a secret should be a secret. Besides, didn't he know that there were things it was best to hide from? His next words, however, confirmed that he wasn’t from here. She wondered how he could have crossed such a large expanse of water. He would be tired after that; they should hurry up so he could rest safely. Kaiya looked at the lion through the corner of her eye, keeping her gaze half on the cliff-face as they neared the path, as well. “Aren’t you…from here?” She wondered what it would be like to come to a strange land – to leave one’s home completely. It must be sad, lonely, and scary. That’s how she felt when she left her family, or rather, they left her. Luckily though, the lion had someone who knew the land; she would be his tour guide! And…danger. Almost everyone knew how dangerous it was. Not just because of a lack of food and water, but, some cats were driven crazy. She looked down at her paws in the sand, moving her head further down as she walked so that she could see the pawprints as she left them. “Wasn’t it dangerous where you came from?” To her, because she couldn’t know any better and because this was her whole world, she hadn’t thought of other places being…different.

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❤

[Thomas]

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	[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/i51vg1.png][scrolly:h(49),w(120),sy] Word count: 393 Sorry it's so late! [/scrolly]
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[cs=2][atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/hsrf46.png][scrolly:h(170),w(430),sy] Despite the agonising pain he was in with every step forward, even minor slip, even intake of air, Simfilan paused and let a raspy, nearly screaming voice emit from his huge jowls, his chest beating as he laughed. He was well aware of how his voice sounded, how drastically different it was from his usual deep, rich rumble. His chest was aching in soreness and he felt needles pricking his lungs. Taking a harsh gulp of air in, Simfilan steadied himself and smiled warmly at the smaller cat, ignoring the searing pain all across his body. "A hurricane is not a sea monster,"

[/b] he explained with kind eyes, very grateful to have stumbled upon this glorious creature. "Rather, it's a storm on the ocean. It gets the power of the wind and water and then tears up the land, tossing rocks around and uprooting great old trees..."[/b] Verbally discussing the event with someone else brought back the memories, and brought them back clearly. There was nothing he could have done, but he had tried anyway, only to end up a complete and total failure. Perhaps, he thought sorrowfully to himself, it would have been better had I washed up dead.

The young cat had dashed ahead now, unknowing of Simfilan's sudden change of attitude. He stumbled dutifully but slowly on after her, somehow marshaling the energy to at least keep her in easy enough sight. The worst part of the whole adventure was, however, just about to start.

Seemingly satisfied with Simfilan's word, the other cat followed up with a ridiculously childish explanation, albeit it was entirely true. Simfilan decided to bite. "Yes, but why do you not want any company?"[/b] This cat was far too friendly to live a life of solitude; she needed company and the thought that the cave was a secret to everyone seemed a bit of a stretch. Though maybe she was new here?

"Ah. no,"[/b] Simfilan told her, confirming for the last time that he was indeed a stranger in a strange land. "This is not the first time I have been tossed to an alien land, however,"[/b] he continued, pausing when his guide began speaking, his lips curling up in amusement. "Where I was originally from, no,"[/b] he told her, slowly following in her pawsteps. "In my native land, my kind were the biggest predators alive. We feared nothing."[/b]

And now...

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[RUSH!?]

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[rs=6][atrb=width,450,true] The noise that emitted from the lion’s jaws actually scared the little cat a bit and she nearly jumped, worried that he might be really hurt or something. She knew he was hurt, of course, but she had thought he had been calling out in pain. When she realised it was a laugh, however, she cocked her head in confusion, wondering what he found funny. And when she realised that he was laughing at her, she frowned and pouted, about to tell him that laughing at people wasn’t nice, when he started his explanation. Her frown faded into a small smile. “A…storm? Oh, I know!” She had experienced a storm before, strong winds and heavy rain coupled with roaring thunder and lightning. It was during those times that she missed the wet but warm fur of her family as they huddled together to wait the storm out. “Storms are scary too, and they’re harder to hide from than monsters are…” She felt like she should teach him that, in return for him teaching her about a hurricane. He reminded her of her father, when he used to teach them about the land and tell them stories. She was glad she had met this lion and that he was alive. She hurried her pace ahead of the lion, moving quickly towards the path they would have to take to reach the cave. When she reached it, she turned around to wait for the lion, gazing between him and the path and wondering if he would be okay. He was a lot larger than she was and the path was narrow…but he would be able to make it. She was sure, because she would be helping him. Kaiya smiled to herself, happy that she could help someone. Her head cocked again at his words – she couldn’t understand why he didn’t seem to understand why it was a secret. “Mother used to tell us to stay away from stangers, so I’m not going to show anyone our hiding place. Besides…” She pawed at the ground, eyes down, remembering. “I always had my brothers and sisters with me, anyway!” Kaiya’s smile was forced, though she couldn’t fully understand why. Death was something that came frequently in this world and she was certainly no stranger to it – they had never felt sad over the deaths of their pray; why was it so painful to think about her family? His next words interested her. So he wasn’t from here. She wondered if he missed his home, even if he had been separated from it before, but she said nothing about it, instead grinning toothily and sticking her chest out proudly. “Well, you don’t have to worry about getting lost! I can show you around!” Though, when his other words had finally registered in her brain, she frowned again. It must have felt good, to not have to be afraid of anything. “…Here, I’ve seen big cats scared…My father said that they were scared of each other and of the land…but I don’t know why…” She didn’t understand why the bigger cats would be scared of each other; she knew that they had been scared of bigger cats, because they were smaller and weaker. But that couldn’t be true for ones of the same size and strength.

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UGH...THIS IS JUST...UGH

[Thomas]

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	[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/i51vg1.png][scrolly:h(49),w(120),sy] Word count: 319 [/scrolly]
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[cs=2][atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/hsrf46.png][scrolly:h(170),w(430),sy] "Heh,"

[/b] Simfilan chuckled, his head bowed low to watch each pawstep he took. "Yes, storms are far more difficult to hide from than monsters,"[/b] Simfilan agreed. Soon they reached the bottom of the narrow path that led up to the cave. One look and Simfilan instantly knew that climbing it when healthy would be difficult, never mind with his current health problems. He did, however, have his new guide.

"Do you have a large family, then?"[/b] Simfilan asked, assuming she no longer lived with her siblings although she clearly implied otherwise. Simfilan knew that most other cats lived in solitude from others of their kind for most of their lives unlike him and his species, but perhaps this was another type of cat who was also social?

Perhaps, perhaps.

Up above the sun was high in the sky now and burning strongly. Simfilan's massive mane had mostly dried, but the dark fur on his stomach and and back front legs was still wet. Although his weight load was now smaller, he was now also quite thirsty and could feel the sun's hot rays absorbing his energy. He'll needed shelter - and something to drink - before too long.

It seemed like the two would continue to make an odd pair, judging from the smaller cat's enthused offers. Simfilan could only smile in return, letting her talk until she was finished. What she ended with, however, was quite upsetting.

"That sometimes happens,"[/b] Simfilan said, even though he knew that the cats were attacking for an atypical reason. Perhaps something having to do with the land? "The land?"[/b] Simfilan inquired, wondering what horror he could have had the misfortune to wash up on.

Looking past her and up at the path to distract him of his thoughts, Simfilan suddenly remembered something and cleared his throat to say it. "And I am sorry, but I didn't catch your name. Mine is Simfilan."[/b]

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[RUSH!?]

[atrb=cellSpacing,5,true][atrb=cellPadding,5,true][atrb=border,0,true][cs=2][bg=82714b] PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE // MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

[rs=6][atrb=width,450,true] Standing at the bottom of the small path, Kaiya glanced up towards the dark entrance of the cave, at least, what she could see of it from her position. It wasn’t too far up, but it was still far enough to be difficult for the lion. She had simply nodded knowingly as he repeated what she had said about the storms and now she had returned to looking between him and the cave. The sooner they got up the path, the sooner her new friend would be able to rest and get better and that thought made her even more determined. She stepped foot on the path, moving up a little so that she was higher up and looking down at the lion. His words stopped her from speaking again and she looked at him for a moment before answering. “I had a sister and two brothers.” Her tone was fond yet sad, remembering how her and her siblings would play together. She also recalled how her mother would often tell them that they would have to leave the den and find their own way soon, though she had never expected it would be as soon as it had been. “What about you?” She returned the question to him, aware that lions often lived together. But if he was away from home, he would also be away from his family and she wondered if he was lonely because of that. He seemed to be confused when she told him of how other cats seemed to be scared and Kaiya tried to think of how to answer him, as she didn’t fully understand it all herself. She sat down, still looking down at the beast and brought back the things her parents had told her. “Umm…Well, there’s not enough food or water for everybody.” The little head turned downwards, gaze fixed on the ground as she thought of the hunger that even they had faced at times. She wondered how it would be for the bigger beasts who needed more food to keep themselves satisfied; but then, deep down, she knew how it was. They were desperate and that’s what her family had been lost to. Another’s desperation. “But no one wants to share what they find…” If they would share, everyone would be happier, right? Kaiya stood up after a moment and stretched out, wondering if the lion would be ready to face the small challenge that lay before them. She smiled widely at his introduction, however and replied with her own. “Oh, yes! My name’s Kaiya!” With a small giggle, Kaiya hopped around so that her body was pointed up the path towards their destination. “Are you ready?” Her head cocked to the side as she turned it to face Simfilan. “It’s not too far, so it should be okay”

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❤

[Thomas]

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	[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/i51vg1.png][scrolly:h(49),w(100),sy] Word count: 216 Sorry for all of the shitty, short posts lately. :l [/scrolly]
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[cs=2][atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/hsrf46.png][scrolly:h(170),w(430),sy] "I had a sister and two brothers."

[/b]

How odd; Simfilan had a sister and two borthers, as well. "I had a sister and two brothers as well,"[/b] Simfilan replied, looking up at the cave's shadowed and dark entrance. "My species of lion, the barbary, don't live in prides,"[/b] he added as an explanation, just in case she knew anything about lions. She hadn't seemed to find his appearance at all shocking, despite it being very different from her pelt.

"Ah,"[/b] was all Simfilan said at first, as a deep sorrow and fear washed over him. "So this place is... a wasteland?"[/b] he asked evenly, wanting to be sure of his assumptions. From what she told him, though, what else could it be? Definitely not a desert, Simfilan thought to himself as he looked to his left, seeing the foul-coloured and sorry looking ocean that went on for seemingly forever. And what lies past that?

Kaiya. What a lovely name. She stretched then, and moved about, preparing herself for helping him along the rugged path. Simfilan didn't have the strength for a warm-up and instead answered with a simple "yes" when she asked if he was ready. "I'll be fine,"[/b] Simfilan affirmed the creature who had so much faith in him. Then, as an afterthought, "Thank you."[/b]

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[RUSH!?]

[atrb=cellSpacing,5,true][atrb=cellPadding,5,true][atrb=border,0,true][cs=2][bg=82714b] PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE // MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

[rs=6][atrb=width,450,true] “Really? It was strange that they had had the same number of siblings and the little femme wondered if she and this lion had been destined to meet. Her mother had always believed in something called ‘fate’, but her father had only scoffed every time she had brought it up. Between her mother and her father, Kaiya didn’t know what to believe, but she entertained the idea of such a thing at times, wondering what was fate and what was simply coincidence. She shrugged it off and looked down at Simfilan with wide eyes. “I was the oldest. She boasted, puffing the little chest out again, before responding the lion’s other words. “Hmm…That’s weird. I thought all lions lived in prides…Well, there are no big ones here, but I heard that there are some prides that have all kinds of different cats in them and not just lions. Some prefer to stay alone, though.” Even she could understand that – her parents had been hunting for a whole family and they each only had a little to eat; if they had been looking out for themselves, then there would have been more food, but at the same time, they could all rely on each other while they lived together… There were, of course, lots of differing opinions about the matter, but the lion’s speech brought her away from her chain of thought and she nodded slightly, not sure how best to describe the land they lived in. Was this what a wasteland was like? “I…guess. There’s not much to live on…and it’s hard at times.” She bit her lip a little; maybe he had described it better than she could. A small smile crossed her features. “If that sounds like a ‘wasteland’, I guess it is!” Wasteland…Thinking about the word, it began to seem like it suited this place. Where the plants were dead and water and food was scarce. The name did seem right and this lion seemed smart, so she was sure he would be right, anyway. Simfilan affirmed that he was ready for the trek up the path, so Kaiya moved up a bit and indicated towards its start. There were a few small boulders along the way, as well as the larger one sheltering the cave entrance, but he should be able to squeeze through, she thought. “Okay, then! We should get started so you can rest and get better!” She flicked her tail, watching the lion carefully. “It’s a little slippery, more in some places than others, so you’ll have to follow me carefully!” She would be sure to stay close to Simfilan.

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DON'T WORRY 'BOUT IT~ LENGTH DOESN'T MATTER TO ME AT ALL~ AND THE POST WAS PERFECTLY FINE :) THIS ONE, ON THE OTHER HAND D: ❤

[Thomas]

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	[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/i51vg1.png][scrolly:h(49),w(100),sy] Word count: 192 Ugh, looks like I'm on a horrible roll with these short posts. When a post is done though, a post is done. [/scrolly]
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[cs=2][atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/hsrf46.png][scrolly:h(170),w(430),sy] Simfilan smiled at Kaiya's surprise and pride at being first born. "I was not first born,"

[/b] the mountainous lion told her, wondering if that admission will make her feel "better" than him somehow.

"There is an exception to every rule," he told her, his lips no longer curled upwards in a smile. "And prides of mixed cats? Madness! Sure desperation," Simfilan said, unable to calm down now that he realised just how dire the situation was, and what kind of hellhole he'd really landed in.

And there she goes: "If that sounds like a 'wasteland', I guess it is!"

Wasteland. He really was in one. More than ever before in his life, he'd have to really fight to survive. Did he have that kind of energy, that kind of spirit?

Kaiya's words snapped him out of his dreary thoughts and focused him on the task at hand: climbing up the path. Kaiy'a confidence was high but Simfialn couldn't say the shame. He exhaled slowly. "I will match your every pawstep,"[/b] he assured her, his eyes trained on her. With a slight, weary shake, Simfilan steadied and readied himself.

Just think... about rest...

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