Mak're had been traveling, looking, searching for what he had heard to be the Pridelands. A sort of safe haven for all to come and join. That is what he had heard at least and that was what he was hoping to find. Maybe it existed or maybe it didn't, regardless though he began to get his hopes up, a little more with each step the cream lion's paws took. His head rose to the sky, it was already high noon and he had no idea how far off this seemingly magical pride was from where he already was.
A distance from Mak’re, the sound of two sets of thundering paws could be heard. “Catch me if you can slowpoke!” A female voice yelled out. There was a tan body attached to the voice, one that was far ahead of a maroon body, a male’s, that could only be assumed to be chasing after her based on the situation going on. Nzasi grinned as she looked back at her brother. While she had been keeping in shape, he was already starting to let himself go despite going on hunting trips with their father. “Maybe dad should take you out on all of his hunting trips instead of just a few!” The statement was followed by laughter.
“Nzasi, wait!” The male’s voice finally rang out. “Mother told us not to venture too far from the Pridelands! We should be lucky she’s letting us go at all!” Of course his words would be in vain as the lioness just laughed as his words and continued her quick step. Alor’el sighed, throwing his growing mane to the wind as he made an effort to catch up beside his sister. His mother was trusting him to protect her out near the border and he couldn’t exactly do that being so far behind her. It was no use though, she had too much of a gain on him with her fit body and was only putting more distance between the two as time passed. He slowed himself down to a trot, hoping that she would look back, notice him not there and stop herself.
Again, no such luck. Nzasi was having far too much fun and cared little if her brother was behind her or not. That is...until she came face to face with her first rogue. Not that far now from the lioness was the cream male, who stared back at the once laughing female. She froze so quickly. Mohombi and Ankara had never truly taught them how to react to a foreign presence and she had no idea if he was friend or foe.
“Hel-” Mak’re started to saying, hoping to introduce himself to the lioness who had taken the time to stop so quickly. He had assumed that she was going to start a conversation with him but it turned out to be almost the complete opposite when the young lioness let out a sudden roar.
Alor’el’s head sunk in it’s already low state which he sat on his haunches as he had realized his sister wouldn’t be coming back for him. Of course she wouldn’t. Nzasi was just too single-minded to truly care about coming back for him. The maroon teen got back up onto his paws and was started to turn to go home, hoping Nzasi would wise up and do the same sooner rather then later when he heard a roar. His ears turned towards the noise quickly as his head snapped to look in the direction it had come in. That sounded almost like...”Nzasi?!” No more thinking, just running. Running towards his sister.
“Hey, hey wait!” Mak’re stammered while he was utterly confused at why the lioness in front of him was suddenly roaring like he was going to hurt her or something. Oh man, did she think he was one of those rogues with bad intent? “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m just looking for the Pridelands.”
The screams subsided suddenly as Nzasi blinked, staring back at the male in front of her. One of her brows raised as she looked over the cream lion with her green eyes. She was still confused in herself at why she had roared, maybe it was just an instinct, maybe she had been hoping her brother would hear. Whatever the reason, she regretting that moment of weakness tenfold already. “I happen to live there.”
Mak’re expression lifted into a smile as he heard the the little lioness in front of her lived in the very place he had been looking for. That meant it actually existed! Oh happy days! But before he could even reply or ask if she could take him to the Pridelands so he could join, he suddenly found himself on his back with a snarling male on top of him.
Alor’el, her brother, had finally managed to catch up to where his sister had stopped. All he had seen was his sister sitting on the ground and another male looking at her. With her cry for help earlier, he did not think anything except that he was there to hurt her. Putting his weight into his jump, he had managed to put the rogue male off-balance and put him on his back, with Alor’el snarling down to him. “You alright, Nzasi? He didn’t hurt you did he?” He asked through clenched teeth.
Nzasi just rolled her eyes as she brought herself up onto her paws. She padded the way over to the two males only to headbutt her kin off of the other one. “He’s not here to hurt me. It was my mistake.” Her voice cool as she looked into the orange eyes of the stranger. “He’s looking to join the Pridelands.”
“But your roa-”
“A mistake.” She said once again to the confused Alor’el. Her attention turned to the stunned male who was still laying on his back. “What’s your name stranger?”
“M-Mak’re, miss.”
“Ah, manners! Something we could use back home. I’m Nzasi and that oaf over there is my brother, Alor’el. Why don’t we take you back home and get you introduced. I’m sure new blood like you would be happily accepted into the ranks of the Pridelands.” Nzasi made her way over to her brother’s side, nudging the male up and onto his feet as she tossed a glance back to the rogue. “You coming?”
“Oh! Uh, of course!” Mak’re replied quickly as he clambered up and onto his paws, following behind the siblings, but keeping his distance a ways back.
Alor’el on the otherhand was not as amused as his sister. What if that male was sent as a spy to the Pridelands from some pride that wants to take them over? What if he was just playing them and was only waiting for them to finally start trusting him so he could jump them and do whatever it was he had planned for the pair. Alor’el shook the thoughts from his head, but turned his face around look glare back at the rogue following them for a few moments before turning back around.
“Oh quit that.” Nzasi rolled her eyes again, throwing her head as she looked at her brother. “I’m sure you could take him anyways if he tries anything.” While she was usually a b***h to her family except Kanelin, she did sometimes have her soft spots with them as well. “Come on, lets go home and get this guy into the pride. After what happened to him today, I think he deserves at least that.”
Alor’el reluctantly agreed with a quick nod of his head. With that, the trio made their way back towards Pride Rock with an awestruck Mak’re walking behind them with his mouth hung wide open the moment they started to get towards the center of their Pride.
“Pretty impressive huh?” Nzasi asked with a wide grin on her way. “Oh come on, we see that excited look on your face. Pride Rock is pretty impressive the first few hundred times you see it.” She nudged her brother’s side who just grunted in reply. Obviously he still wasn’t too happy with the idea of letting the rogue who had scared her sister in such a way into the pride they lived in. Even if it was a mistake. Though he knew it would ultimately be up to the higher-ups to decide if this Mak’re was truly allowed to become one of them.
Mak’re nodded in response, a wide smile on his face. He finally had a home and possibly a couple of friends already. Well, maybe one. That Alor’el didn’t seem to like him too much. Nzasi seemed to be nice enough though she was a little...odd as well. It didn’t really matter though. He had a home and that was what was important to the ex-rogue now. Home. No more rogue life for him. It was time to start over in a new place with new people. “Thank you two!” He called out to the siblings as they all went their separate ways. The two most likely returning home to their parents and Mak’re heading in to find out how to finally become officially a Pridelander.
[Word Count: 1541]