Word Count: 1031

User ImageIt had been a few weeks since Chozi brought her young daughter back to the pride. She was flourishing under the attentions of the pride - after all, it was rare for a hybrid to have biological children!

Today, however, Chozi needed to finish a project. She left her napping daughter within the den he had lived in since the pride settled a few paces away from the mouth. It was a relatively dry area, but Chozi was not working with feathers today, so it did not matter much.

She didn’t know how hard being a parent would be, and to think she already had multiple litters roaming around. Penny was the first child she would be raising, and on her own no less. Chozi gave a small sigh. She was exhausted, if she was honest.

She wouldn’t be able to leave the pride lands that often either, until her daughter was an adult.

She didn’t realize how long she had been sitting in front of her materials until a silver cheetah began talking. “-ou okay, sir?” the voice came. She flinched back at the sound and words.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I was just thinking,” she frowned at the use of the masculine title, but shook her head. “I’m fine.”

The cheetah looked a bit put off by Chozi. Anyone would be, really, by the snappish answer, but she was a slave. “You looked a little dazed, is all. I’m sorry for interrupting,” the cheetah said kindly.

“It’s alright,” Chozi sighed. “I’ve been a little stressed lately.” The cheetah gave him a small, unsure smile. “I’m called Chozi. I’ve never seen you in the pride before.” Chozi was curious. She did look a lot like Kuu. She wondered if they were related at all, but it could just be a coincidence.

“Oh! Nanth is my name, I’m new around here. I thought these lands were interesting and stumbled in,” she gave a small chuckle. Not a capture then! That was interesting. Most of the orja in the pride happened to be captured. There was a particularly memorable capture of a pair of lions that he had not yet met.

She remembered them being brought in however.

The cheeton focused her attention back to Nanth, smiling at the cheerful cheetah. She was realy a very kind little thing, Chozi decided. She was fairly new, as well, and had joined on her own. She probably didn’t belong to anyone…

Of course, the cheetah would have been provided a space to sleep, but it could get cold at night with the water surrounding them. Air that had been chilled by the water often swept into the open mouths of dens.

User Image If she wasn’t careful, she could get sick!

“Do you have anywhere to sleep?” She asked the cheetah, concern written on her features. Nanth gave her a small smile, the grey cheetah looked very much unconcerned.

“Oh, I take shelter where its dryest!” She assured, but the cheeton just frowned more. Chozi shook her head, a distressed noise pulling from her throat without her bidding.

“Oh, no, that won’t do at all. You’ll get soaked and get sick,” She made a clucking sound with her tongue. “You have to come home with me.” A look of determination crossed Chozi’s face, as if she would not take no for an answer.

The silvery cheetah reeled back, confused. “Oh no, I couldn’t…” She shook her head. That was just too much. She could find her own dry-ish patch, or sleep with the slaves around their dens. She just needed to try harder.

She was just so new here, she didn’t know how to find her footing - especially with so many different creatures with different ideals in the pride. It made her somewhat nervous, but now this stranger was showing a mere slave kindness.

“I insist,” Chozi said firmly, standing. She nudged the cheetah lightly, hoping she didn’t overstep her boundaries. “At least for tonight. You’ve very sweet, I think my daughter would really like you,” the cheeton was determined to get the slave back to her den. She hoped it would work out.

She watched the cheetah shift, uncertainty on the slave’s face. “Just tonight,” Nanth agreed after a long moment of consideration. The little cheeton, of course, beamed brightly. A smile lit up her face and she nudged the cheetah again.

“I live just this way, not so far from here,” Chozi explained, imploring the cheetah to follow her, and follow she did. Chozi kept up a small stream of hums as the cheetah followed her back to the den.

It didn’t take long to get to the mouth of Chozi’s crafted den. She had built it up herself, making it large in hopes of having lots of children one day, but so far it had only been a huge source of the small girl’s loneliness. If she was honest, she often plucked others to come lay with her so she wouldn’t feel quite so alone.

“Here we are, home sweet home,” Chozi gave a small laugh, trying not to let the bitterness shine through, especially when Nanth smiled at her.

“Thank you,” the cheetah returned. It was sincere and heartfelt. Nanth would not have to find a place or tonight - if just for tonight. She could spend longer searching tomorrow, for sure. She hating imposing on the kind, though quirky, cheeton.

Chozi returned the smile. “Come on in,” She said softly, stepping into the open of it. It was cool and dry within, though the furs made up for the chill. The cheetah followed her in, glancing around for a moment. There was a small cheeton that was curled in a thick pile of furs, still slumbering away.

Nanth knew it felt homey, it was nice, if a little large and empty. It made her sad, seeing the near empty den with only the two - well, three for the night - stand within the open space. She wasn’t sure, but she would continue talking to Chozi and perhaps they could be friends. Chozi needed a friend, after all, but so did she.

Because without friends, what did she have?