Tepezade'd never known his father. His mother hadn't been shy about spinning him tales of their great love, nor about how his father couldn't stay, as he had to go with his people to find the desert warriors' pride. She'd told him, all through his youth, that one day he would return and fetch his tiny family, whisk them away to a land where all the lions were red and black and white and brilliant flame-colored orange. Her old pride had reviled such colors, but that, that was why Tepe had gone away to find them a new home.
And seasons had passed, and at last Tepezade was grown. To his mother he made the promise that he would go and find out what had happened to his father, and if they had found the land of the desert warriors, he would bring her there to make her a queen.
Of course, finding such a land wasn't the easiest thing. Plenty of lions had no idea what he was talking about. Others wanted nothing to do with the pride he sought. Avery few gave him good directions, and so it was that he found himself perched atop a low ridge, staring into the far distance. All he could see was tall waving grass and little trees, here and there a jutting stone - no desert. Not yet at least. A fleck of movement caught his eye, and he perked up at what he saw. A lioness! And better still, one who's colors matched the description of the land he sought! Perhaps she was one of the warrior people! Perhaps she'd seen his father! "Hello there!" He called down, all smiles.