Ivy Walls, Smoky Cafes and Lights [Event]

Iseult

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Ivy Walls, Smoky Cafes and Lights [Event] Nov 19, 2019 2:35:34 GMT

Post by Iseult on Nov 19, 2019 2:35:34 GMT

(OOC: Closed to Mandisa, Feb 9th)

Okay so maybe Iseult had initially returned to Paris to see a certain high-ranking human, but upon arriving plans had quickly changed. For one, the silver lion hadn’t anticipated the city to still be celebrating the festival- let alone still in full swing. They blinked at the sight before them, confused. From what they heard, the festivities and spectacles should be winding down around this time, not being continued in the same manner it had been when it began. They’ll party until the last second. Iseult surmised as crimson eyes watched a juggler and contortionist perform in front of a small crowd, mildly horrified by what the latter was doing with their body. But still, even Iseult couldn’t deny that they were curious by the act.

It would be harmless to see how the other half celebrated the Rainbow festival, wouldn’t it? And besides, when in Rome… Dropping down to a stalking position, Iseult moved silently through the street as crimson eyes flicked left and right to scope out the area. But even with the stalls dotting the sides of the streets, they still looked little different to Iseult- so it was unsurprising that they had gotten lost. Alone in a strange city, surrounded by strange people, during a strange party. A scowl settled on their muzzle as they flicked their tail. Needless to say, it was not particularly high on Iseult’s list of “fun” things.

And that was when they had spotted a familiar patchwork pattern of chocolate hues in the corner of their eye.

Instinctively Iseult whipped their head around, trying to get a better view, thinking it had been something they had seen. But no, it really was her. They blinked, then furrowed their brows.

They didn’t intend to see Mandisa. At least, not in Paris and especially so soon after having last met her. But still, a familiar face in a sea of unknowns was a welcome option to the alternative. Silently, the silver lion padded up to her, gently bumping Mandisa’s flank to alert her that she was no longer alone.

“You’re a long way from India.” They noted, much less gruff than if they had been speaking to a stranger. “But… It’s good to see you again.” Awkwardly and slightly forced, they added on something extra to their last statement. “Should we talk? It’s… Too loud here.”

Maybe they could get a private tour of the city from her, and the idea of unravelling the enigma that was the pretty lioness and getting to know her, did appeal to Iseult quite a bit… Even if they would never willingly admit it.

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Ivy Walls, Smoky Cafes and Lights [Event] Dec 29, 2019 3:44:39 GMT

Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2019 3:44:39 GMT

Mandisa enjoyed a good party. Well, she enjoyed being social and a good party was the best place to do it. Especially big ones, she found that big parties were the best of all. You'd never know who you'd see or who'd hook up with whom and whatnot.

It was ripe for drama and there was nothing she loved more. Especially in Paris.

The City of Love had grown quickly on an animal who had only known wide savannas and deep, dark jungles. Humans interested her, fascinated her, and she liked to observe them in their natural habitats. There was also the matter of the Festival. Bright colored lights, intriguing and exotic smells, it would've overwhelmed some other lioness, but not her. Before she could ruminate on her environment any further, Mandi felt a small tap on her flank and turned around to see a familiar, yet grumpy face.

"You're back."

She said it plainly, but not unkind. It was rather warm, almost relief in a way. She enjoyed Isuelt, found her grumpy friend fun. There wasn't anything better in the world then getting on someone's nerves and knowing that on some level they're enjoying it, too. The lioness nodded vigorously in response, a smile widening on her maw.

"Of course!" Mandisa said brightly, "We have so much catching up to do. Would you like to talk over by the park? It's quite pretty at night, you know." The smiled morphed into a smirk and the lioness bumped against Iseult. "You are too, you know."

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Ivy Walls, Smoky Cafes and Lights [Event] Dec 31, 2019 10:05:29 GMT

Post by Iseult on Dec 31, 2019 10:05:29 GMT

(OOC: this is way shorter than I thought it would turn out)

Iseult raised an eyebrow and shook their head, disdained, secretly relieved it was disguising their relief that Mandisa wanted to go with them… And not to mention, the fact that her smile made something melt inside of them.

“Park? Is that what they’re calling that plain? Tsk.” The two legs were intelligent beings, there was no disputing that. But their naming habits? Iseult was very much inclined to disagree. On some occasions, it was downright disappointing. Next thing they’re gonna start calling savannahs “fields” or something else. It’ll never work, or catch on. Behind them their tail twitched, but whether it was out of mild irritation or an involuntary response from Mandisa’s offer was unclear.

“But...” They continued, “I’m happy to talk there. Led the wa-”

At the suddenness of the compliment and the contact, Iseult froze a little and tensed up. To them, receiving kindness was sparse, to the extent that it became alien. However, that didn’t mean it was unwelcome either. Especially when it came from Mandisa. Unsurprisingly, Iseult wasn’t entirely sure what they should do. Was silence the best option? Or was acknowledging it? Iseult sighed a little under their breath and frowned as they compared their options. While they were far more comfortable reacting via not reacting whatsoever, there was a possibility that it wouldn’t be received very well by the patchwork lioness. They would never admit it aloud, but Iseult cared about Mandisa’s opinion, to the extent which they were factoring a potential reaction into their decision.

So to avoid making themselves uncomfortable and to avoid scaring off their friend(?), they took the middle of the road.

“Umm thanks?” They scrunched their muzzle and flattened their eyes, a clear indication of how unsure they were. Flirting with pretty lionesses had never been a strong suit of Iseult’s, who preferred to silently pine over them indefinitely. Mandisa, however, was very outgoing and bold. She knew exactly what she wanted and went directly after it. There was no way Mandisa would let them retreat into their comfort zone of eternal grumpy cynicism and pining, that much was obvious. So in a rare show of faith, they lowered their walls and took a step closer to the other lion. If one looked close enough, then they would see the tension between Iseult’s shoulder blades slowly fading away.

“What have you been up to?”

Last Edit: Dec 31, 2019 10:05:45 GMT by Iseult

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Ivy Walls, Smoky Cafes and Lights [Event] Jan 11, 2020 5:03:50 GMT

Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2020 5:03:50 GMT

Mandisa chucked in response, light and airy almost like bells. She liked the frumpy, grumpy lioness. It was fun to break down the walls, lean in close, get to know her better. It was also nice to have a friend, maybe something more, just someone outside the Thorns. It wasn't as if the patchwork lioness didn't like the side she choose. Well her father choose. But there was an element of competition, a cutthroat sensibility. Mandi could handle it fine, she was trained to, but it was her people, her pride. She could see the toll it was starting to take on them.

But the lioness put that out of her mind for the time being and brought herself back to the present. She let out a small sigh before responding. "I haven't been up to much, truthfully." she looked up at Izzy, blue meeting amber. "Just...you know...Thorn stuff." she said the last part playfully, shrugging as she made herself comfortable on the soft grass.

"How about you? Been on any adventures lately?" Mandisa was eager to hear about things going on beyond the territory where they had been staying. She was curious as to what was out there, what occupied so much of her fellow lioness's time. A small thought also drifted to her brother. Even though he was estranged, some part of her wanted to make sure that he was okay, that he was still alive.

The night was nice for the season, and Mandisa enjoyed the breeze blowing through the town. It was nice to be like this, with someone she cared about. The sky was clear and bright. Mandisa looked to Izzy patienly, eager for her response.

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Ivy Walls, Smoky Cafes and Lights [Event] Jan 14, 2020 6:02:23 GMT

Post by Iseult on Jan 14, 2020 6:02:23 GMT

Truth be told, something in Iseult’s chest leapt a little at Mandisa’s laughs. It was lovely, even they couldn’t deny that. And then confusion and fear set in, followed quickly by a sense of alarm. Where the hell did that come from? They wondered, blinking, at how quickly they felt so warm and fuzzy. It...It was weird and needless to say: they did not like it one bit. So as usual Iseult stamped down all the fuzzy feelings, and threw them away into the hell pit most of their emotions went into, trying to school their features into neutrality.

Trying and failing. As far as Iseult was concerned, Mandisa was astoundingly perceptive and could read the silver lion easily. No doubt she could see right through their facade and probably determine what they had been thinking already. It would be surprising if the patchwork lioness couldn’t. On the one hand, something told them that they had to be hyper vigilant when it came to keeping their guard up around Mandisa but on the other...There was something liberating about being open. That Iseult could just… Be, for once. Unease settled into their spine as they flopped onto their side upon arriving at the park, sprawling out their limbs in the grass.

“Thorn stuff?” They repeated, crimson eyes focused directly on the princess. “Hmm, any areas to avoid?” Iseult teased, however there was still a degree of caution in their tone. The silver lion didn’t want themself or their children to unintentionally caught in the middle of a crossfire between the three factions after all.

“I’ve been alright. And you could say that.” They murmured and settled further into the grass, blinking when their nose had unintentionally booped a dandelion. “I met a few people, got to see some of the other territories. It’s, pretty...” Iseult trailed off and neatly folded their paws underneath them. The more interesting news of the recent adoption of their children rested on their tongue, but… How were they supposed to tell her? Yes, Mandisa was a friend but… This wasn’t exactly small news. And not to mention, their status as “neutral party” was also cause for concern. The war could change at any moment; yesterday’s allies could become tomorrow’s enemies. And while they didn’t want to extend such sentiments to Mandisa, there was also a small voice in their mind whispering to be careful with how much information they divulged.

So, they stuck with a half-truth instead. One with enough information to avoid being vague, but also without any specific pieces. Like the names of their children, or where they had met them. “I took a couple animals under my wing in between. It’s been uh, interesting.”

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Ivy Walls, Smoky Cafes and Lights [Event] Jan 17, 2020 4:16:31 GMT

Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2020 4:16:31 GMT

Mandisa smiled softly at her companion. Iseult was an interesting one, that was for sure. Mandi enjoyed the challenge of trying to break down her walls, see through the cracks. Upon the question of areas to avoid, well where shouldn't they avoid within Thorn territory. The patchwork lioness stared, almost boring holes into the other lioness. Bright blue on warm red. Fire and ice.

"You know, China, India," It was said lightly, almost causally, but there was a steeliness under there. A warning. "We just recently had a victory, you know," Mandisa added, a note of pride carefully placed. She knew that while Izzy was looking for places to avoid, the two of them were in arguably the most dangerous spot. Lots of Thorns had come out to celebrate the festival. It wouldn't do to hear one of their own tell an outsider to avoid certain areas. While most of the recruits were volunteer, Mandi wouldn't put it past them to do forced conscription.

"Queen Zira has been quite pleased. Her campaign in India has really been strengthened since." Mandisa hoped that Izzy understood what she meant. It was a coded message of sorts. We had a victory. Zira feels more empowered. Be careful. Izzy trusted her and the lioness didn't take that lightly.

She smiled softly at the mention of their cubs. "That's wonderful!" Mandisa said brightly, "I'm sure they're grateful to have a mentor like you." The patchwork lioness stretched out, relaxing on the soft ground. The sky was bright with stars, twinkling and shining. It made her think of her brother. In all honesty, Mandisa was worried about him. While it was his fault he left in the first place, he was weak and couldn't handle himself. Stories were about as protective as tissue paper. But still, Iseult had said they had done some traveling, maybe they had seen him around. After all, he was quite hard to miss.

Mandisa sat up again, locking eyes with Iseult once more. This time there was more of a question in them than warning. "On your travels, you didn't happen to run into a white lion did you? One who happened to tell stories?"

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Ivy Walls, Smoky Cafes and Lights [Event] Feb 28, 2020 10:12:38 GMT

Post by Iseult on Feb 28, 2020 10:12:38 GMT

“I heard about that one.” They sighed and placed their head onto the ground. It seemed everyone had an opinion on the Thorn’s victory and the Sun’s defeat, Iseult could hardly blame them of course but it was starting to get a little stifling. A semi-haze of miasma that seemed to hang over everyone ever since the news had broken. “Shame. I was hoping to visit. Enjoy the quiet of the jungles, you know...” They were joking of course. Iseult had been hesitant to travel towards India for a while but with the Thorn’s current situation in addition to Mandi’s warning, there was absolutely no way they would step foot inside.

Or let their children get even close to their territory for that matter. Iseult had promised to keep them safe and they very much planned to keep it for as long as possible, at least until Missy and Nia no longer desired it.

It was especially telling in the way their silver fur bristled at the news of Zira. Mentioning her often translated to bad news on the horizon, everyone knew that. However, a confident Zira? Iseult didn’t even want to think about what she was capable of, or what she would come up with bolstered morale. “I see.” Concern shone in their eyes for a moment, gaze pleading. With Zira satisfied, that didn’t necessarily mean she would allow her soldiers to sit around and do nothing. If anything, she would probably push them even more. And thus derived the basis of Mandi’s own secret message: don’t push yourself too hard, and tread lightly above all. This is a precarious position to be in.

Slowly, Iseult rolled their shoulders. Tension had settled in them and so a moment of levity, or even a distraction, would be very much welcomed. Which was partially why they had grabbed onto the topic of their children. “Debatable for them, of course.” Another joke, of course. But in reality, Iseult was very much attached to Missy and Nia. Their young ones had melted their hearts, they would be the first to admit it. But they were also quite proud of them as well- their hunting skills were coming along nicely and they had no doubt in their mind that their girls would grow up to be talented hunters and trackers in their own right.

“But… I like them.” Their voice dropped to a whisper as Iseult rolled over closer to Mandi, and leaned forward. Fitting, since they were essentially telling the other a secret. “I want to keep them safe for as long as possible- they’re innocent... Say what you will about that but no child should get dragged into a war.” Under their breath, Iseult sighed as a distant glint appeared in their eyes. Thinking about that particular aspect of the war always crushed a little part of them. It pained them to think about the countless children being trained as soldiers, sacrificing their childhood and their innocence for the sake of whatever held their allegiance.

But they were in Paris, the city of love. It… It wasn’t the right place to think about such things, nor was it fair to Mandisa. So Iseult sniffled, swallowing their pain only to get drawn out of their thoughts by the question.

“Yes.” The answer came easily from the silver lion, almost too easily. But in truth, it wasn’t easy to forget someone like them; white lions weren’t exactly common amidst the war or the savannah. Another ghost, so to speak. The distantness in their eyes gave way to curiosity. While stories managed to travel far and wide, there was something suspicious about Mandi asking about Mzuka. How would she know about him? Wouldn’t the news of the Thorn’s victory overshadow speculations of a white lion, after all? Especially in India and Paris of all places.

So they leaned forward, watching her reaction carefully.

“But my question is how do you know them?”

Iseult was assuming Mzuka and Mandi were close or had been at some stage, but other than that the nature of their relationship was unknown to the silver lion.

Last Edit: Feb 28, 2020 10:13:55 GMT by Iseult