Private w/ Adofo

[Iri]

The mahogany-hued lioness hobbled across the African savanna, dragging her hind right leg behind her. Her expression was a cold scowl, although it was twisted slightly with pain. Finally she came to an abrupt halt as she flopped down on the moist grass at the edge of a riverbank with an exhausted grunt. She rasped her tongue quickly over the few cuts on her forepaw and shoulder, cleaning any blood off of them. Chaltuu rested her chin on her paws, letting out a disgruntled huff as she stared up at the sky, not really looking at any one thing in particular, just staring quietly, occasionally making an indistinct grumble or mutter.

She grimaced slightly as she shifted around a bit. All she could see in her mind when she closed her bright green eyes was the dark glare of the ox as she attempted to chase it down- a bad idea, it had been, but Chaltuu was not necessarily the greatest at making rational, well planned-out decisions, despite her cleverness and intelligence. Maybe it was her impulsive nature. Because the night was nearly silent, she heard the bellows of the angry oxen echoing in her mind. It hadn't just been a mistake she had made, but it had been a stupid choice to go after a massive, well-muscled ungulate like that, and it now resulted in a severely injured hind limb.

As Chaltuu spaced out, her mind drifted back to thoughts of her three sisters, the last time she had seen them. Kapuki, a young adult, and Shujaa, a mere youngster, and Ua, a very small cub practically the size of a newborn. They had attempted to travel together, but Kapuki and Chaltuu's constant scuffling and arguing resulted in them splitting up yet again, with the russet female's three younger siblings parting. She would be lying if she said she didn't miss them, but she kept her feelings well-hidden about their separation, and she had practically told herself over and over again to get over it... But she wondered if she could really forget about their estrangement. She probably couldn't, but she still tried.

[: Sorry if that was long and boring, I was kind of trying to get a little exposition in the story.]

[Adofo]

Not far from the lone lioness, a human washed onto the back of the very same river. He was out cold but alive. He had fallen into the river the day before when the river raged and dragged him far away from his home. He was lucky to survive

[Iri]

Sniffing, the russet lioness lashed her tail. The scent of what was commonly known as a "poacher" lingered in the air. She snarled and pinned her ears back against her head. She remembered them being called merciless, evil hunters who killed only for animal skins and nothing else. She did faintly recall herself having a run-in with a poacher, although she ended up being all right, only receiving a few scratches. Her ears still folded, she drew her lips back to reveal her long, sharp yellowish-white teeth fiercely.

As she heard nothing, Chaltuu heaved herself to her paws and dragged herself over to the poacher- who was unconscious. He was breathing, and alive, but he was still out. Cautiously, she poked his shoulder, but recoiled swiftly. After a moment of waiting, she dipped her paw in the water and flung the chilly liquid in the poacher's face.

[I'm not implying that Adofo is a poacher, but in my universe, that's what lions refer to humans as because of their reputation.]

[Adofo]

Adofo slowly awoke as he was splashed with water. He moaned and moved around slightly before slowly opening his eyes. His vison was blurred at the moment
Adofo: ......ugggh......where.........where am I?
He slowly rubbed his eyes so he could see more clearly and he saw a rust red colored lioness not too far away from him
Adofo: .....Hello? ......Who are you?

[Iri]

Chaltuu looked shocked. The poacher had spoken, and he had said things she could understand, instead of shouting those indistinct words that they usually shouted. "I should be asking who you are," she growled, her hackles fluffing up and her lips drawn back in a fierce snarl. She didn't care if this poacher was able to speak how lions spoke. However, if he was armed with a weapon, or multiple weapons, she knew she would most likely be killed. But he looked groggy and tired. If he attacked, she would retaliate without mercy. She thought about how her sisters would react to a poacher. Kapuki would probably growl and leave, Shujaa would cower, and Ua would not really care, being the silent little cub she was. Her ears folded back against her head, Chaltuu unsheathed her claws. "And just so you know, whoever-you-are, if you try anything funny, I'll rip you apart. Try me," she hissed viciously.

[Adofo]

Adofo: .....Me? ...how rude of me! I'm so sorry!
He gave a quick yawn and sat up straight
Adofo: My name is Adofo. Vice King of the Pridelands! And don't worry. I won't hurt you unless you try to hurt me. So you have nothing to fear. So.....mind telling me your name, madame?

[Iri]

"Me? Fear you? Hah, you poachers are more arrogant than I imagined," the rusty-coloured feline sneered disparagingly. "Name's Chaltuu. And do not call me 'madame'. And Vice King, huh?" She circled around this "Adofo", her bright green eyes peering directly at him and her tail lashing. No matter how polite he acted, she didn't like him. She thought his courteous nature was fake. Perhaps it was because she saw his demanour as too over-the-top, but maybe that was just her naturally suspicious nature getting at her. Whether or not he was being truthful, she disliked him. But then again, she disliked almost everyone she came across in her travels... As she revolved around him like a vulture circling a carcass, she curled her lip. What exactly was a "Vice King"? She had never heard that term used before.

[Adofo]

Adofo: Poacher? What?! I rule by my brother over our land! You see, I was adopted by the King and Queen of Priderock. Mufasa and Sarabi. I crashed near their home in some huge metal bird. I survived but my birth parents didn't make it. I was only a baby and my adoptive father found me and saved me! He brought me back home and they adopted me! I was raised with their birth son, Simba, my little brother! ...You can't find anyone in the entire world closer than the two of us! When we were little, he wanted me to rule by his side one day as his Vice King! ...As for why I'm here, I was helping to dam up where one of our rivers splits off so it wouldn't flood the smaller stream. But my leg got caught on a log that floated down the river and got dragged away.

[Iri]

Chaltuu rolled her eyes. "Yes. Poacher. That's what you're called when you're not in your 'Pride rock'. And listen, 'Adofo', I don't recall ever asking for your life story, all right?" She was sure Kapuki and Shujaa were just as close as Adofo and this "Simba" he was talking about. After all, Kapuki was deeply protective of her little sister, and Shujaa simply adored her elder sibling. If anyone were to so much as pinch Shujaa, there would be a hefty price to pay. But she pushed the irrelevant thoughts from her head and instead glared at the poacher in front of her. Maybe he wasn't the type to capture and slaughter animals only for their pelts and leave the rest of the body to be consumed by scavengers like vultures and hyenas, but she still didn't trust him. She glanced back at her broken leg and tried to hide it, not wanting to look weak. If he tried to help her she'd claw at him...

[Adofo]

Adofo: What's wrong with your leg? Do you need some help?
He talked like he was genuinely concerned. Because he was.