[hr][hr] [center][h1][color=Goldenrod]Simba Lionhart[/color] and [color=LightSteelBlue]Kidagakash Nedakh[/color][/h1] [img]http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/o620/Vicier/Vicier%20-%20Through%20The%20Pages%20Roleplay/Character%20Collab%20Gifs%20-%20Everyone/Simba_zpsmy9i5ymf.gif[/img][img]http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/o620/Vicier/Vicier%20-%20Through%20The%20Pages%20Roleplay/Character%20Collab%20Gifs%20-%20Everyone/Kidagakash_zpsccv52ncy.gif[/img] [h2]♦ Atlantis - Rivenspire ♦[/h2] [b]Interacting With:[/b] Each other. ⚜⚜⚜[/center] [hr][hr] Simba wasn't sure how long he stood there, watching where both Kidagakash and Kerchak had exited, but eventually he wrapped his mind around the fact that he should probably get some clothes on. The fire had done a decent job in drying off his skin and hair, but his pants, he feared, he wouldn't ever be able to wear again. It was just as well - he picked the shirt and pants off of a stranded man who had wandered too far into The Wildes on their own, half-eaten by the buzzards before he happened upon it to salvage what he could before leaving the birds to their lunch. Thankfully, that meant a change of clothes from the ones he had been wearing since he had left The Pride Lands. His current clothes that had been drying on the line were already small as they were, and he was sure he had grown an inch or two since taking them from the corpse. Kidagakash had offered him new clothes, and that sounded rather lovely. Quietly, Simba made his way over to the table and stripped himself from the only article of clothing he had been left in, tossing the pants over the pole where his shirt remained drying by the fire. Picking up the blue bundle of clothes that had been lain out for him, he began to undo the folding, finding that it was only a single strip of fabric that he wasn't really quite sure what to do with... After examining the cuts in the fabric and a few holes here and there, getting nowhere in his ideas as to how to wear the damned thing, he tapped back into Kidagakash's mind, searching specifically for a single brief moment on the other men in her kingdom that wore... whatever this was... and soon found the proper way to dress himself. The blue fabric went around his waist and between his legs, covering up all the necessary bits with a longer stretch of fabric that wend down both the front and the back. [color=Goldenrod][i]/Kinda like a tail.../[/i][/color] Simba thought to himself as he turned himself around, trying to see how it looked on him. Despite knowing that he was doing it right, he couldn't help but to shake the feeling that he might have over-looked something and would make a complete fool out of himself in front of the Queen. But with nothing more to go on, and at least covered up properly, Simba swallowed his pride and headed outside to meet back up with Kidagakash. Maybe... just maybe... Kerchak had moved on to other and more important things than himself... [color=LightSteelBlue]"میں ٹھیک ہوں. ایسے معاملات پر اپنے آپ کو تعلق کی کوئی ضرورت نہیں ہے. تاہم؛ ہم بات چیت کرنے کے لئے ہیں کچھ زیادہ نہیں ہے. ملاقات کی ضروریات کو دیکھنے کے؛ ہمارے مہمان کے لئے ایک دعوت اس رات کو منعقد ہوگی."[/color] Unable to keep the soft smile from crossing over her delicate features, Kida allowed her eyes to stay trained on the man standing before her, her hand lifting up from her side, though with her palm faced flat out towards him in an effort to get him to stop as he began to bow- the action… while it showed her nothing but respect, was not necessary in any way. She might be his Queen, but in her mind there was very little that stood between them but name and title. Frowning ever so slightly in confusion as his expression caught her attention, she took pause for but a few moments, watching on as he straightened up, though it soon became more than clear that his eyes were lingering just over her shoulder and in the direction of something behind her person. That was quicker than ever before… He hadn’t long come out of the room and stormed off so that he could ensure than no other had followed. Had Kerchak truly returned so early once more back to her side..? Following his gaze, she turned her head back so that she was able to look over her shoulder, her own bright crystal blue eyes both widening ever slightly in surprise as they came to rest upon the figure that was their newly acquired guest; the sight of him stood in the dress of her people causing her smile to grow, and for a small sense of pride to swell within the confines of her chest as just how well they not only suited him, but just how well they were adorned upon his body. [color=LightSteelBlue]“معبودوں کی طرف سے…”[/color] Her voice was soft… delicate as she spoke out, but as realisation that both men around her had more than likely heard the words falling from her lips, she quickly turned away, her cheeks flushing a bright shade of red as she once more returned her attention back to the man she had been speaking with not moments beforehand, nodding to him once in order to dismiss him from her side before slowly, she turned back to where Tarzan stood, taking a moment to calm herself back to her usual content demeanor before she began to speak once more, though this time seeming to think through her words before allowing them to pass through her lips, [color=LightSteelBlue]“..you wear the dress of my people well; it suits your temple. Please, allow me to show you my city. When we return; a feast shall be held in honor of welcoming you to Atlantis.”[/color] Stepping outside of the smaller room and into what he could only assume was the Main Hall (it looked so much different than his father's castle back home), Simba had managed to catch the tail end of Kidagakash's conversation with another man in the language he did not understand by words, but was slowly starting to understand by inflections. It was a strange thing, bonding with a human. Though it was still very much the same as when he bonded with an animal. A warthogs grunts and snorts, he understood as words. The same went for the foreign language that passed through Kidagakash’s lips. Putting his attention past her words, he couldn't help the subtle sigh of relief seeing that he had indeed put on the garments correctly as the man across from Kidakagash wore the same thing and in the same way. Feeling, rather than seeing, the other man's gaze on him, reflexively Simba kept his head bowed down; something he had gotten into the habit of to keep his facial features hidden from anyone who might recognize him as Simba, Prince of The Pride Lands. Even years later he knew that it was far-fetched, but he wasn't about to leave that to chance. His bare feet scuffled slightly on the stone floor and his hands went to his hips where he would have stuffed them into his pants pockets but when his fingers brushed up against the pocket-less material Kidagakash had provided him with, he awkwardly let his arms hang back down at his sides as he could now start to feel the gaze of others passing by on him. By her second (and much quieter utterance), it was clear that the Queen approved of his dress. Turning his gaze just a bit, he caught a glimpse of a small dragonfly buzzing by them, able to pinpoint it's location with ease having sensed its energy. His palm was glowing a very soft blue color, in which Simba knew wouldn't stop until he returned back to the plains since everything and everyone here was entirely new to him, and thus the only creature he had bonded with here was the Queen of the hidden city, standing before him now. He didn’t bond with insects very often. They had incredibly short life spans and weren’t exactly good for conversation. Simba shrugged his broad shoulders, flickering his eyes to Kidagakash for half a moment before looking back to his feet. [color=Goldenrod]"You... you don't have to do that..."[/color] he said modestly, shuffling his feet about him a bit again and put his arms behind his back, holding onto his wrist and resting them against his lower back to give him something to do. Since when had he ever done anything that would warrant a feast? [color=Goldenrod]"Really, I'm... I'm not exactly a people-person. I'm uh, well, thank you for the clothes, and bringing me here and everything... but I gotta get back to Pumbaa..."[/color] [color=LightSteelBlue]“..I see…”[/color] Pausing a spell longer, Kida lifted her hand up, her head tilting lightly to the side as she scooped her hair around and over her shoulder, her crystalline gaze lowering and wandering off to the side as she listened to his words, the reluctance she could visibly see over his features slowly seeping in through the bond to fill her own body and mind. [color=LightSteelBlue]“..if this is to be your choice… than I shall escort you from the city…”[/color] Sadness. That's all Simba could feel coming through her as though the emotion were his own, overpowering his own nervousness and insecurities to a point where he started to feel a knot forming in his chest. But, why would she be sad about him wanting to return back home? She had tried to kill him earlier - twice in fact. He didn't belong here, and they both knew it. Drawing in a deep breath, she held it a moment before slowly letting it out through her nose, her arm reaching out and gesturing towards the main entrance, and with it, the doors that would lead them back outside as she took a step back, her body turning as she led the way, her arms once more returning to her sides and her gaze set as she did all she could to avoid eye contact with him; though just why she was doing so, she wasn’t quite sure. [color=LightSteelBlue]“..the people have not had new visitors in years. I shall inform them of your decision; and call the feast off before such events come to light.”[/color] Continuing on the path, though at a much slower pace than earlier, Kida’s voice was soft, her head nodding lightly in greeting towards those who were greeting both her and Tarzan, [color=LightSteelBlue]“..I wish for what you have done, however, to be undone. I have not witnessed magic such as this, and though it interests me, I cannot allow it to affect my judgement, nor my duties as Queen.”[/color] Simba kept his eyes off of her figure as she led them out of the construct and back outside, letting them rest on a few areas that looked slightly familiar to him as he had seen them from the cliff's edge what felt like only just a few moments ago. But at the same time, it felt like hundreds of years ago - memories that were not his own, he was sure, though it remained a challenge to separate his own thoughts from hers. He kept his head down, feeling only slightly better as the throng of people around them subsided with each step they took towards the exit of the city. [color=Goldenrod][i]/Hang in there Pumbaa, buddy. I'm heading back now./[/i][/color] There was a slight pause as Simba reached out with his mind to contact the warthog, and for a moment he thought that he was simply just too far away to be able to form a link strong enough for conversation until he heard a rather grotesque burp in his mind and an emotion that he could only describe as contentment.. [i]/Better hurry, Tarzan. Timon and I just found a rotted log[/i] filled [i]with nutritious yummables to snack on. Can't guarantee we can save you any-/ /Is that Tarzan? Hey! Tell him I said hi!/ /Timon! Get off my back! You can talk to him yourself, you know.../ /I know that! I just get better reception up here. Hey Tarzan! What gives? I thought we were going to the wateri-/ /Timon! I can't see!/ /Lighten up big guy, this will only take a second!/[/i] Shaking his head and suppressing a smile, Simba pushed the bond of the warthog and the meerkat to the back of his mind, feeling Kidagakash addressing him once more, able to understand her words this time though as she spoke in his language. Guilt pulled through him then as she asked for him to remove it. He hadn't exactly thought about that before, all of the animals he had bonded with in the past showed no reluctance or hesitation before with letting him in. But, he supposed, human beings were a bit different... if only just slightly... [color=Goldenrod]"I... I can't remove it..."[/color] Simba said ashamedly, keeping his head down and simply watching his feet carry him. [color=Goldenrod]"Once you've bonded with someone, it's for life. I... the only other option I hold knowledge of is by death, but even then... I’ve felt death before. I’ve felt myself die when animal I have bonded with has traded in this life for the next. I've only experienced this fewer times than there are stripes on a cheetah; I would not have others go through this for anything. I'm uh..."[/color] He lifted his head, just a bit to let his blue eyes land on her figure. [color=Goldenrod]"I'm sorry to have bonded with you, it did not occur to me that it was not something you wanted. Please, accept my sincerest apologies. I did not know how else to get through to you."[/color] Tilting her head lightly to the side to show that she was indeed listening, Kida closed her eyes, her brows furrowing in both confusion and frustration towards the fact the connection that had been forged between the two of them was unbreakable, even by the one who had created it in the first place- it was irreversible… there was no going back on what had been done… Turning her head back around to the path ahead, she pushed herself further, seeming to pick up the pace if only so slightly as if maybe adding some distance between them was going to be something that would help to kill the bond naturally. [color=LightSteelBlue]“..we are stuck… bonded as one…”[/color] Repeating the words, though more for her own sake rather than his own, she opened her eyes once more, her bright blue orbs staring straight ahead as she continued to lead the way through the inner city, and towards the ruins that were the outer remnants, her heart growing heavy as her own grief began to take over her body, her hands balling up into fists down at her sides as she mumbled under her breath, punishing herself for her own stupidity which had led them both into the situation in the first place, [color=LightSteelBlue]“وہ صحیح تھا. میں اپنے لوگوں میں ناکام رہے ہیں.”[/color] [color=Goldenrod]"What? Oh no, no. We are still two very different people."[/color] Simba said, not quite understanding the context in which she used her words, however his explanation was cut off short by her next phrase in which he understood quite plain and clear, not even having to dig through her mind to find the implications or meanings behind them anymore. Knitting his brows together, Simba picked up the pace a bit quicker than she had, coming up behind her and placed a strong hand on her bare shoulder, willing her to stop and turn to face him. [color=Goldenrod]"You have not failed anyone Kidagakash, most of all your people. Your mind and memories reveal much to me. You are a fair and just ruler with the well-being of your people and culture put before yourself. Samahani. Tafadhali nisamehe. The fault is mine for putting this on you, I was not thinking."[/color] The moment she felt weight upon her shoulder, her body tensed up, her jaw clenching as she reluctantly allowed him to turn her around so that they were instead facing one another, her eyes however, choosing to glide past him and down to the ground beside them in a show that she was still not willing to make eye contact, his words causing an unsettling feeling to settle within her before she could take it no longer, her head quickly snapping up so that she was able to meet with his gaze, even against her own will. [color=LightSteelBlue]“یہ نہیں میری غلطی کیسا ہے..! I was the one to lead you to this place..! Had I not been careless, you would not be here, nor a bond created between us.”[/color] Keeping his jaw tightly closed shut, he let her talk; both in the tongue of her people and English, though he was at a point now where he didn't notice the difference in speech much anymore. If she wanted to continue to blame herself despite his words, then fine. He wasn't going to waste any more energy on something both he and Kidagakash knew that she firmly believed in, regardless if it was the truth or not. Dropping her head back down once again, she took a step back, pulling her shoulder out from under his grip, her hands both balling into fists down at her sides in her frustration, [color=LightSteelBlue]“I-... I give the people false hopes of a life once more as peaceful, and thriving as it was before the big waters… I once had faith of my own; faith that the world outside would accept our culture. But I was wrong. I see that; and now I must fix the mistakes of my past.”[/color] Turning her back to his person, she closed her eyes, allowing the gentle breeze to blow back through her long white locks before she allowed herself a moment to look out over the city around them, hesitation clear in her actions and mind as she thought over the paths in front of her- she was at a crossroads… keep him from going; or allow him to leave on his own... Finally making her choice, she turned on her heel, her feet slowly carrying her down the path that led to the entrance of Atlantis, [color=LightSteelBlue]“..come… you must leave…”[/color] Simba's otherwise hardened expression let up a little at her words. His head tilted slightly as he watched her turn back around and continue walking, but she only got in a few steps before he rushed forward and once more pulled her attention back to him by placing his hand back on her shoulder despite her earlier reaction of tensing against his touch. [color=Goldenrod]"Why do you believe the outside world will not accept your culture?"[/color] he asked, his brows knitting together in genuine curiosity. Looking away from her for a moment, he turned his neck to look over his bare shoulder, back at the city in which she had brought him to. An unexplainable sense of pride began to well up in his chest, and it took him a couple of moments to realize that the pride wasn't coming from him, but Kidagakash instead, an understanding of the love of her hidden city washing over his mind like a quick breeze. Smiling, unable to help it with the new feeling inside of him, he turned back to look at her. [color=Goldenrod]"I know not the years it's been since I've last been in a city, but what you have here is... amazing..."[/color] Simba only had The Pride Lands to reference, as he spent very little time outside of the castle, let alone the Kingdom. But what he saw and understood of Atlantis… really the two Kingdoms were not all that different from one another. Unable to help the way that her eyes once more fluttered to a close as she felt the weight of his hand resting upon her shoulder for the second time, she came to a stop, her body freezing in place for but a moment before she turned around to face him, her crystalline gaze catching with his own, showing him nothing but her own worry and caution over the matter they were now in discussion about. [color=LightSteelBlue]“..outsiders all think alike… You are not capable of accepting my people, or our culture. Others will be far less understanding than you…”[/color] Shaking her head lightly, she let it drop, her gaze hitting the stone beneath their feet before she allowed it to wander off to the side, her eyes following the moss that had grown over the ruins before she lifted it to once again look out over the city, [color=LightSteelBlue]“What we have are the now crumbling ruins of a once great civilization… My people have suffered much; I cannot ask much more of them. Now please… Come. You must go.”[/color] With her emotions flooding into him like a broken beaver dam, Simba's body relaxed substantially as he bore the weight of her worry and caution as though the entirety of the city was his very own burden to bare. Returning his hand to his side, he moved his fingers to instead run through his tangled mess of blonde hair with a dejected sigh. He just wanted to go home - return to Timon and Pumbaa and eat and sleep the rest of the day away. But with this new bond, he wasn’t sure if he physically could anymore. [color=Goldenrod]"Well... maybe... there is a way I can help…”[/color] Simba sighed, running his hand over his face. It was decided. Timon and Pumbaa would just have to wait. [color=Goldenrod]“You made earlier mention that food was getting harder to come by; I... can help with that."[/color] He relaxed his arm back down to his side, his fingertips brushing up against the material that now covered his waist and down his legs a ways, bringing his attention there for a moment. [color=Goldenrod]"It's the least I can do for the new clothes... but I'm afraid making other Kingdoms understand a different culture, as you put it... that's out of my hands.”[/color] He paused. [color=Goldenrod]“I don't particularly see what isn't to like... or what is different, really. Then again I haven't spent much time anywhere else but the Wilde's and The Pr-"[/color] He stopped himself quickly and shook his head lightly at his near mistake. [color=Goldenrod]"Watering holes..."[/color] He corrected. Lifting her head up as his words fell upon her ears, her soft pink lips parted, the look upon his face causing her to think twice about her action of sending him away, though only for a brief moment before she once more tore her gaze away from his, her long white locks falling forward and over her shoulder. [color=LightSteelBlue]“You… wish to help bring game back to the people..? You-... You are kind to offer your skill to Atlantis. I-... You have my gratitude…”[/color] [color=Goldenrod]"It's just a matter of asking the herds to move closer. It’s possible something just scared them off in the first place."[/color] Simba remarked with a gentle shrug of his broad shoulders, absentmindedly moving his hand back up to his head to scratch the back of his neck out of habit. [color=Goldenrod]"There was a buffalo herd not too far from here just yesterday, I'll go see if I can't track them down."[/color] Simba moved his eyes from Kidagakash towards what he now knew as the exit of the city by the information he had learned from her earlier through their bond before looking back to her with a soft smile, both physically and through their bond telling her that everything was going to be okay in an effort to still her anxiety. Maybe once she was in a better place, he could go back to the way things were. [color=LightSteelBlue]“You... would go to such lengths to help us..?”[/color] Her eyes flicked back and forth between his own, seeming to search for something that would tell her just why it was he was willing to go out of his way to help her and her people; unable to find anything betraying his honest words and offer, she relaxed, comfort leaking into her mind through the bond they both shared while the smile that graced his features only helped to set it in, causing her to take a single step closer, her hands both reaching out to take a hold of his wrists, however gentler than when they had first met. [color=LightSteelBlue]“..gratitude, Tarzan… you have much gratitude for these actions.”[/color] Unable to help the small smile playing over her lips, she fell into the comfort offered, her thumbs brushing lightly back and forth over his wrist as she continued to hold his gaze, [color=LightSteelBlue]“I shall be eternally in your debt for such help.”[/color] Shaking his head no and keeping his smile, Simba simply looked back down into her eyes, turning his wrist slightly in her hand and pulling it away just enough so that he was able to take hold of it, the pad of his thumb brushing over the top of her flesh in a soothing gesture. The mood between the two of them now was a much more comfortable one. There was honor here, respect, gratitude and even familiarity. In that moment, Simba felt as if he had known Kidagakash all of his life simply by being one with her mind. There was very little about her he didn’t know, and she didn’t have to utter a single word. It was… serene. [color=Goldenrod]"If you have need of me, just open your mind. I shouldn't be too far and the bond should keep us linked together."[/color] Releasing her hand, though somewhat reluctantly, he kept his smile before continuing to walk forward, no longer needing her to show him the way out of the city. Just what the hell was he doing?