The pride had fallen to ruins in the recent months, Graen'Tae reflected. He was surprised to see Thona had once again show his face around. Still, members feared him, and he found himself king again. Those who tried to overtake the land before him gone in a hurry. Perhaps they didn't realize that Thona would be back, it had been some time since his disappearance. All thought he was dead somewhere, some spoke the words, other's kept silent but thought the same.
The day he came back, everything changed. It went from a broken pride, to something completely different. Graen'Tae had decided to play it out and follow his great uncle. There was no other reason for him to not do such a thing. He was old for a leopard, but strong as any. The pride had taken different turns, and Graen'Tae couldn't say he was disappointed. He decided to take his round of patrol today, everyone doing their own bit to help bring the pride back. New faces had shown themselves. Ones he hadn't ever seen before, other's he recognized from the past.
Zillah was a lonely straggler, no real place to call home. She stumbled upon this broken place, mostly leopards were hanging around. She decided she would stay around too. She listened to what was going on, and no one seemed to really notice her. She had become just another face in the crowd. She decided this was her new home, and it seemed like the idea behind what Thona had to offer was what she needed. Though she couldn't say that she didn't feel out of place with the leopards.
Some lions here and there, she noted, but they had been there longer than her. From what she could tell, they had been there the whole time. She finally noticed a leopard looking in her direction not too far from her. "What do you want?" She asked as his eyes met hers.
He didn't realize he was being looked at until his eyes met the lionesses. What was she talking about? She was the one looking at him. "Did I say something?" he asked her curious. He didn't think he said anything to her, but maybe she was seeing things? He wasn't sure. He flicked his tail and moved closer to her. He had seen her a few times, but didn't know who she was. "I'm Graen'Tae." He said not really being formal. If they were going to be the same pride, he had to make sure he knew everyone.
He wasn't a jerk like some of the other's that use to be in the pride, and those still around. Didn't mean he trusted the female he was now talking to. Everyone was possible backstabbers from before, though he was sure this female wasn't part of the uprising. Infact, he had never seen her until after Thona came back and the old pride disbanned.
"Zillah" She said ignoring his question, figuring it was what he'd say to anyone he was caught looking at them. She was curious about what had happened, only got bits and pieces of the story. "Do you know what happened here?" She asked him, figuring he wasn't a bad guy after all. He wasn't too different from everyone else, but he was less harsh with words. Perhaps it was just because everything was crazy right now.
"I'm curious." She added. Not that it mattered, she could wait a bit to hear everything. Every day she got a bit more of the pieces. She could guess, but that was just speculation. If that didn't make it obvious that she wasn't from around here, she didn't know what was. There was rocks near the water which she and this male were at, it seemed most everyone hung around there. There was dens and other evidence that it was once a pride.
And the truth on why he didn't recognize her came out. He sat down in front of her. "Well, if you must know....." he started off. He told her everything he knew on the pride from when he was a cub, to the plague, and then afterwords. What happened to the pride, and where they were now. It was a long story to tell, and by the time he was done, the sun was starting to set. Perhaps it was a story he shouldn't have shared, but he did anyways. It made no difference to him, it'd be a story he could share, and keep alive. Knowing the past changes the future in some cases.
Thona had said to know the past would prevent the same thing from happening again. Even if that wasn't true, no one was going to question him. He was their leader for a reason, and would always hold up that title. Even if the pride continued to crumble. "That is all that needs to be said upon the matter." Honestly, he was surprised she sat and listened. Didn't speak a word at all while he told his little story.
Zillah was quite interested in the story that she had been told. Parts she already had, but now she had a bit more. Of course, it wasn't all the story. Had Thona actually abandoned them, or was it something else that kept him away for so long? The queen missing, from what she could see. Perhaps that was what it was? Mysteries were still there, and maybe one day they will reveal themselves, but somethings were meant to be mysteries.
"Well, that was quite the story." She said with a yawn. The sun was disappearing behind the huge rocks. She wasn't really tired, but she couldn't show him how interested in the story she was. She didn't want to seem like a child in such a place. "is it true, though?" She asked mostly herself, more than him. Sure he could be lying about some things.
He just shrugged. If she wasn't going to believe him, then there was no point in trying to get her to. He didn't care one way or another. Maybe he added or left out a few things, but what he remembered was what he told her. It wasn't that far off either, Tae was relatively young still. Though his mother had disappeared. It was strange, really. So many things were the same, yet felt so very different. The place he called home, still called home felt foreign to him.
He shook his head. "Either way, I think I shall part my way with you for now." he stood up and moved past her without giving a second glance. He wasn't done patrolling the area of threats. Deadly snakes, or something like that. Things were out to kill, it was kill or be killed sometimes.
Zillah watched him leave. More questions upon her mind now than earlier. She signed and head back towards the rocks where everyone else was. The oasis might have been part of their little pride, but they spent most the time hidden near the rocks. It was a homely place, and she didn't mind it. It was part of the reason she stayed. The other part was there was no water for miles from this place... She almost died coming here and felt lucky that she had stumbled upon the lands that she did.
-Finished-