Velma & Fred

Marcella,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Twesh

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In the air was a crisp chill. Something on the border of uncomfortable when the breeze whipped up but otherwise tolerable. Marcella breathed in the fresh air and felt it cool the inside of her mouth, she considered the aromas around her with thoughtful analytics. The steppe lands were less barren than she'd first thought they might be. There was harshness to them, the unforgiving rolls of earth blanketed with hardy shorter foliage unlike the fertile plains and grasslands to the south. After a time travelling it was the first place Marcella had found a contentment, security in the roughness of it all. She'd found this world to be more sparse than she'd like but part of the Faust woman was tired of moving her children from place to place. There was essential work to be done and she could not afford to waste any more time in search of a place for her to meet her social wants and goals of ascension. In this land, with its fewer inhabitants, her attention must shift. She would not, could not, mourn the life she had before too hard lest she risk losing her ability to adapt to this one.

The maned woman stood upon a crest of a gentle rolling bit of land, hardly a hill at all, and turned away from the daylight sun to glance outwards. Her green eyes traveled the length of the steppe until they met the horizon, surfing the ground while her other senses trained elsewhere in observation. The peace she felt here was enough for now, her heart felt enough contentment she decided.

@Daphne

Daphne,

Lioness of Junior Member

Played by Max

---

The child had yet to wear away every trace of the swamps from her adolescent figure. She tromped along through the soggy grasses of the steppe, flicking her nub of a tail about with the rhythm of her pace as she moved through the vast lands with her characteristically-tufted pelt gelled in wayward directions. She was pleased with her disguise as a way to avoid unwanted attentions--who could recognize her as an adorable child when she was smelling like such a swamp monster? She thought that it would do nicely to intimidate any foe who came her way.

Even with her cleverness, the light in the youth's gaze had begun to dim in recent days. She was lonely and tired. Her frame was little more than skin and bones held together by pure determination. The goal of finding her way back to her pride was seeming more and more like a dream she could not catch up to, despite her ceaseless pace.

With all of this mental weight placed upon Daphne, it was no wonder that she was not paying such rigid attention to her surroundings as usual. It was a cub's mistake, sure, but it was inevitably bound to happen.

speech

Table by Naboo

Marcella,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Twesh

---

When Marcella spotted Daphne moving out at a distance her gut wrenched a little bit. It was hard not to feel concern but Marcella was astonished by the intencity with which she felt the wave of emotion. It drove her to move before her brain thought it through entirely. Her feet were in motion as if they had a mind of their own and within moments bringing her into clear sight of Daphne. Her green gaze flickered left and right across the steppe in search of any signs of someone larger who this child might belong with. Without immediate signs of someone who fit that bill however Marcella gave her attention over to Daphne. "... are you okay?" Marcella softened the volume of her voice in hopes of appearing less threatening of a creature. But she nevertheless struck a mature tone with the child despite her size and apparent age- the Faust woman's concern and curiousity did not immediate lead into a need to baby or coddle the child.

@Daphne

Daphne,

Lioness of Junior Member

Played by Max

---

The lioness was already approaching her by the time Daphne noticed the movement in her peripheral vision. She flattened her large ears against her skull and shifted her stance slightly so as to face her, her heart racing in her chest as she realized her carelessness. There was nowhere to run--no trees to clamber up or thickets to duck underneath. The feeling of vulnerability enveloped her and made her want to cry out in defiance.

The question pierced her heart. No I am not! Do I look okay! Do you know where my mom is? Who will help me? I have dug my own grave! The raw sentiments bounced around her mind in a frenzy, her lips refusing to move still. Even in her emotion, she knew this was not the question, and she knew that she could not answer it if it was.

" 'm fine, just passing through," she offered in a hollow tone, standing rigid and staring at the lioness with wide eyes.

speech

Table by Naboo

Marcella,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Twesh

---

She let her head drop down a little bit, aiming to get closer to the youth's level and intending to seem just a little bit less of a threatening presence. Daphne's reaction had not gone unnoticed and it flew in the face of Marcella's concern to scare the child any further than needed. "Passing through..." Marcella tempered her words and tried to hold back most of the disbelief she had that this was true. "...on your way home?" The thought and question hung thick on the tip of her tongue and the mother looked intently down at Daphne with the best 'don't lie to me young lady' look she could. Her children had given her plenty of practice but this would be the first real test of anything maternal growing in Marcella.

@Daphne

Daphne,

Lioness of Junior Member

Played by Max

---

Daphne remained unblinking as she regarded the lioness, waiting with held breath to pass over the lie and move onto escaping the intimidating encounter. She did not know what the lioness would do if she found out she was alone--did not know why strangers were supposed to be scary, only that the lesson was ingrained within her from the time she could understand her mother speak. To her dismay, the woman questioned her.

"Yeah, I'm almost there," she lied weakly. "Do you... do you know where it is?" Daphne asked hopefully. Though cautious, it occurred to the cub that this lioness might be just the guide she needed.

speech

Table by Naboo

Marcella,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Twesh

---

Her brow raised a little bit with a question, a curiousity. Her ears twisted around front facing and curved in the child's direction while Marcella's shoulders sank down into a relaxed position. "Where my home is?" Her paw lifted up and brushed along the light painted fur of her chest just below where her boa of a mane peaked. "Yes." With that same paw she curved it around and gestured, paw pads up, towards Daphne and let her muzzle become streaked with a soft frown. "Yours? No." Perhaps if she was less of a stranger here herself she could have picked up some useful scent on Daphne's pelt? Everything around here smelled new and strange though- if there was a chance of some freak ability to track down her home Marcella certainly did not have it. "You're lost aren't you?"

@Daphne