[JRP] TBT (Upholi and Rada)

[Mtorolite]

The sun was going down, and Upholi was attempting to find someplace quiet to sleep. Unlike the lions that made up the majority of the pride's hunters, Upholi was a day hunter and did most of her work when the light was out. The problem was that most of her colleagues were up and moving in the night.

Zo'bwa, her snakey friend, slithered behind as Upholi looked for a cozy hollow to rest in for a few hours. While Zo'bwa was virtually useless when it came to Upholi's main duties for the pride - herding sacrifices - but it was nice to have someone else to talk to that didn't quite fit in the pride.

"Yes, well, they act like they're brothers. I'm not sure what to make of them."

"I think sssomeone'ss coming thisss way, Upholi. They don't tasste familiar."

The cheetah and the snake following her both stopped.

"Hello?" Upholi said tentatively.  

[Conrad The Mighty]

Rada's heart beat quickly, he had been spotted already. Finally, after all this time, he was back to his pride.

Without waiting for long before his reply, he silently cleared his throat, it had been a few days since he had spoken out loud. "Hello, sister. I am a Popo'joro member, lost and now found. I wear on the lao I am named after, Rada, that I mean no harm."

Stepping still closer at an unalarming speed into the last remaining rays of light left of the day.

Rada was home.

 

[Mtorolite]

An old pride member, lost and now found? Another lion. So she should help him, right? Yes. She should help him.

"Welcome back! Um, do you want me to take you to anyone? The Mama? Your family? Do you need food? The other Gatherers should be back with food soon. I can take you there."

Lions still made her nervous, but a newcomer needed help. Even an old newcomer.  

[Conrad The Mighty]

"Ah, I've waited to hear words of familiarity like those for too long. Thank you, sister. I would love to be taken to my family, my brother should be expecting me!" Rada's cheecks rose to his eyes as he smiled, he had many stories to tell. Then his stomach gurgled loudly, as if a dragon were inside.

"Perhaps we could wait for the Gatheres first though, could you tell me what has happened around the lands? Have I missed much?" This question he had thought about often on his travels, what were his brothers and sisters doing with their days while he was living his?  

[Mtorolite]

"Well, I guess not too much? I mean, I do not know when you left. We have cheetahs and leopards now - obviously, I mean I'm a cheetah - but I don't know about you and if you new about that before you left. Um. There are a few new cubs and the like, but nothing really crazy has changed. Just. Um. Life."

Upholi tried to think - frantically - if anything else had changed, and if she should inform the lion of anything, and tried to figure out who this lion's family was. He was dark, but that wasn't exactly something that stuck out in the Pepo'porojo. He could belong to any number of families - but which one?

The young cheetah started to pick up her forepaws, fretfully, as she tried to figure out who should see this new lion. Whoever it was, it certainly wasn't her.

Zo'bwa was neither as patient or as respectful of lions as Upholi was. She went right to the heart of the matter.

"Sssssssso what'ss your ssssstory, ssstranger? Where have you been, and who iss going to be looking for you?"  

[Conrad The Mighty]

Mtorolite

The darker colored lion chuckled a little and shook his head slightly while he grimaced. How could such an ambiguous question be answered with any clarity? None the less, it was good the answer was life instead of death.

"Obviously my social graces are rusted, I've been alone. I remember the forging of this pride. But, one day I went out on my quest given to me by The Mama and I got very lost until now. I was cursed with a wretched memory, which lead to a guilty soul." Rada's eyes misted as he looked into nothingness for a moment. But he snapped back into reality." I hope my brother is among the happy new parents, he has probably marked me off as dead since it's been so long. But, more importantly, Brother Snake" he looked down and smiled, "I found the true nature of the spirits and I've returned with a clear conscious and light heart. I was a Poupe, but now I believe I'm ready to be a Houngan."

A dark spout of luck had fallen over Rada's life in his youth and he had blamed himself for an unfortunate serious of events leading to a death in the pride. It was a matter that was surely now forgotten, or so he hoped, so he would be welcomed with open paws.

The thought of the past made him antsy, "Perhaps you could just take me to the dens, I can find my way from there, Upholi."