Extending A Helping Paw [Simba]

[Kivuli]

If the stone hadn't already been worn smooth Kivuli was sure his pacing would have ground it down to a glassy surface. He hadn't stopped since he'd reached the meeting place that he had alotted for himself and the King of the Pridelands. It had been a risky move but he'd heard that the king there was fair and level headed so he had felt confident that his request for a meeting would be well met. The Lowlands King had brought nobody with him from his own pride, but he hadn't specified the same for the other King, call it an olive branch.

He'd been fed up with watching his kingdom wither and die, it was obvious that if something wasn't done soon that his pride could face death. They still had enough water to keep them from dehydrating as long as they were careful and their food was scarce but there was still rare occasions of prey animals roaming the mud fields in search of moisture to cool themselves. In some ways he supposed they were better off than some but that didn't mean they were doing the best and he wouldn't see them die if they finally did run out of resources.

His proposal would be simple, and it was certainly beneficial to the both of them. That was if the Pridelands weren't any better off. He didn't think they were, it was hard to believe that a kingdom with no shade would be doing better than one that wasn't always directly in the heat of the sun. The dark King loathed this heat, the rock was shaded by trees but it wasn't quite as cool as he would have liked and the sun was drawn to his dark pelt making his tongue feel heavy and swollen.

He finally sat, his blue eyes glancing to the sky, he was sure the King would show soon and he didn't want to be caught pacing or disheveled. It wouldn't do for the other male to think he was a weak King, or a poor one, and he straightened up regally and searched the trees with what he hoped were calm sweeps of his light blue pools.

[Simba]

S I M B A

The king of the Pridelands moved silently through the dried out brush that surrounded him on all sides. His steps landed one after the other in a steady rhythm on the cracked earth beneath his feet. The harsh rays of the bright midday sun beat down tirelessly on the golden fur of his back as he carried himself forward. With no clouds to be seen in the bright blue sky, the sun baked the landscape beneath it like an oven. Waves of heat could be seen radiating off the savannah, resulting in unbearable temperatures that were unseasonably high.

Despite the heat, Simba kept moving forward, never once slowing his steady pace. It was only a short time ago that he had received a message from the Lowlands' king requesting a meeting at the gathering stone. From his message, Simba had gathered that the Lowlands was in no better shape than the Pridelands currently was. Just like his own territory, the Lowlands was suffering from the effects of lack of rainfall and unbearable heat. The vegetation was drying up and on the verge of death, while the watering hole was slowly beginning to disappear. Some of the herds were beginning to move on in search of edible food elsewhere, making hunting much more difficult for the lionesses.

To Simba, the message from the Lowlands king came as somewhat of a relief. He felt a sense of comfort knowing that the Pridelands were not the only territory suffering from the unseasonable climate change. But just as he was thankful to not have to suffer the current conditions alone, he could not help but worry more than he had been previously. Not only were the Pridelands suffering, but the Lowlands as well, meaning that the damage the weather was causing had stretched much farther than he had originally thought. If these two territories were similarly affected, than the surrounding territories would be just as much, if not more so. If every surrounding area was in the same state, how far would the prides have to travel to find food or water should the rains not come? Would there be anywhere for them to go in a land that had been dehydrated by the brutal rays of the sun?

For now however, Simba pushed his worries aside, focusing solely on the meeting that had been arranged by the Lowlands king. He was thankful that out of all the other pride leaders, the young king had requested a meeting with him. Although he had never formally met Kivuli, Simba was more than willing to work something out with the young king. With their prides suffering equally, he was certain that they could come up with some kind of arrangement to protect their prides from the harsh weather conditions that did not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Simba had decided that moving his pride would come as a last resort should the rains still fail to arrive. The least he could do now was accept the help that had been offered by another king to find some temporary solution to the problem they were all facing.

As the king of the Pridelands stepped into the clearing, he instantly spotted the other king seated on the large silver slab of stone. He lessened the distance between them before coming to a halt before the Lowlands king. "King Kivuli." he greeted him, bowing his head low in respect, before glancing up at the Lowlands king once again. "I'm King Simba of the Pridelands. I received your message." He continued, ready to determine what could be done about the current situation.

ooc: so sorry for the wait!