Chunuka, sad but determined, was preparing to leave the lands. He had said goodbye to his mother and was now moving slowly towards the borders. Like his mother he was kindly, gentle and loving. He was also sensitive and as he moved he was battling to keep back the tears, sniffing to keep them at bay.
He was a big softy. A pushover, a gentle soul who wouldn't harm a fly. Yet he didn't have many friends. He tended to be a little shy at first. Even at an early age, with his father teaching him to flirt, he had felt uncomfortable. Soon the flirtation had become a routine and then it had faded altogether. Yes, he certainly would have loved a mate. He just didn't know how to talk to girls!
Even his fathers advice had been useless.
In fact, his father was the reason for him leaving. He was going out into the lands, preparing to find him and bring him back to his grieving mother.
The pale female reclined on a boulder out of the way of the main activity of the pride, closer to the central monument that was Pride Rock. She was new to these lands, here as part of an arrangement between her parents and the king and queen of these lands to enter into being mates with one of the princes so as to cement an alliance between the prides, and to make future heirs for the pride.
But even though she was facing what some would call a grand future, she was uneasy.
It wasn't Akida that made her uncomfortable. Never. She'd known him since they were both cubs, and slowly, she'd watched him come out of his shell. She liked him a lot, appreciated his kindness and the friendship they shared. She had even begun to suspect that she may truly be falling in love with him, as unexpected as that may have been to her. No... it wasn't her future mate that was causing her to worry.
Nor was it her impending duties. One day, when the king and queen of these lands stepped down, she would join Akida and two others as rulers. Even that didn't faze the confident, tomboyish lioness. Or the propest of becoming a mother, when she was sure she didn't possess the femininity to pull it off. No... it wasn't that, either.
To put it simply... this wasn't home. While on visits she had marvelled at the beauty of the land, she had always known she would return home to the graveyard that she knew and loved. She missed the dark ground, and the elephant skulls that always horded the most fascinating bugs. She even missed the dirt and the grime, for didn't it mean you'd had fun if you were filthy from nose to tail?
Here in the Pridelands, where everything was bright and clean, she felt oddly out of sorts. She didn't really know what to do with herself. And she couldn't tell Akida how she felt, for fear he'd worry she regretted coming to be with him. They were each other's only real friend, after all, the only ones who were always there for each other. She didn't want to upset him, and besides, her pride wouldn't let her go and cry to someone to make her feel better, not even Akida.
With a sigh, she glanced around, hoping to magically see... something that would give her an idea of how she could adapt to this new home of hers.
But even though she was facing what some would call a grand future, she was uneasy.
It wasn't Akida that made her uncomfortable. Never. She'd known him since they were both cubs, and slowly, she'd watched him come out of his shell. She liked him a lot, appreciated his kindness and the friendship they shared. She had even begun to suspect that she may truly be falling in love with him, as unexpected as that may have been to her. No... it wasn't her future mate that was causing her to worry.
Nor was it her impending duties. One day, when the king and queen of these lands stepped down, she would join Akida and two others as rulers. Even that didn't faze the confident, tomboyish lioness. Or the propest of becoming a mother, when she was sure she didn't possess the femininity to pull it off. No... it wasn't that, either.
To put it simply... this wasn't home. While on visits she had marvelled at the beauty of the land, she had always known she would return home to the graveyard that she knew and loved. She missed the dark ground, and the elephant skulls that always horded the most fascinating bugs. She even missed the dirt and the grime, for didn't it mean you'd had fun if you were filthy from nose to tail?
Here in the Pridelands, where everything was bright and clean, she felt oddly out of sorts. She didn't really know what to do with herself. And she couldn't tell Akida how she felt, for fear he'd worry she regretted coming to be with him. They were each other's only real friend, after all, the only ones who were always there for each other. She didn't want to upset him, and besides, her pride wouldn't let her go and cry to someone to make her feel better, not even Akida.
With a sigh, she glanced around, hoping to magically see... something that would give her an idea of how she could adapt to this new home of hers.
