Welcome to Gaia! ::

The rising sun brought a sense of returning dread over the young male, having taken to retreating his sad little carcas back into the safety of the jungles of home. He'd tried the outside world.

But all he'd found was a lot of the unfamiliar and earthquakes of all things. He leaves home and the ground starts shaking! It had been a rather horrifying experience, leaving him to hide somewhere familiar...
..

But where he wouldn't have to see -her-.

Her, being so happy without him. So happy with happiness she'd gotten from him and then run off to that other male with.

Surely he had never done anything bad enough to have earned that sort of karma. But alas, it wasn't time to complain from his little niche amongst the jungle foliage and the sun RIGHT IN HIS EEEYYYYYEEEES. Well, at least it would have been right in his eyes if he'd been foolish enough to open them without a paw stretched across them for safety.

Ahhh....
..
....

Well.

It was morning. What was he to do that day besides get himself stuck in a space his larger body (oh to be a cub again) wouldn't fit through.

Kifijo hadn't known what to think about the earthquake, to be honest. His old bones had creaked and his eyes had been shut the whole time. He had grabbed Tana and held her close, offering whatever comfort he could even though he was just as scared as he was.

His children all had families, now. Moyo was gone. Bakari...no one was really sure about him. Riku had his mate and their children; Kif's eldest was now getting to be as old as he. The lion gave a hoarse chuckle at the thought. And his four youngest had gone on with their adventures. Nitesh had stayed, though. The poor boy had gone through a lot, what with his love...the whole thing made Kifijo worry in sympathy.

And now he wasn't sure where his son had disappeared to. He and his mate had surely noticed his sudden absence from the pride, but at first they didn't think too much on it. Lions had that in their blood, you know: the wandering syndrome. But it had been quite some time since anyone had seen the big brown lion. The one who acted more like a child than an adult.

Kif had promised Tana that he would go looking for Nitesh today. It was worrying her. So after taking a moment to wake up fully, smile upon her sleeping form, he slowly pushed himself up and made his way out of his den and off towards the beginning of a search.

Yes, more like a cub than an adult, having still found time to play by the waterfall and admire the foliage. Who had also found that settling down had, with some push, not suited him in the least. But like all good things, he'd hopefully grow from it someday.

Perhaps on a day when his poor pale eyes weren't being assaulted by the rays of the sun, shining down upon him almost like a beacon of light trying to point him out.

Even under the shade of a new tree, where he squinted and tried to fix the bright feeling of woe from his expression. He probably looked comical with said look, eyes squinted and nose skewed. Another one of those little 'cub faces' that he was oh so versed in.

Today...

Hmm. Well. He truely had no plans for that to do with that day, just like any other day which passed by like a very long sneeze. Painfully and pointlessly. But...
..

A walk wouldn't hurt.

If Nitesh wouldn't grow from a relationship one day, then Kif certainly hoped he would grow into one. Almost all of his children had children of their own, now. And they had children, too. Nitesh needed a good girl for a mate. If anything, perhaps his travels would yield him such a mate.

Kifijo's joints creaked at first, but as they got warmer he moved with the grace he had prided himself on when he was younger. His old paws took the path they knew best into the jungle, heading towards one of the big waterholes. Maybe he would find Nitesh there, then.

Water was indeed something on Nitesh's schedule, having found that his little trek was taking a tad longer than he would have liked. But that was expected when he was trying to fit through spaces that weren't fathomable for him.

Oh yes. Dear little Nitesh got gotten stuck a couple of times, trying to sneak through little gaps in trees he definately wouldn't fit through as well as getting himself caught in dead ends more often than not.

That might have been why, upon his arrival to the little clearing with it's pool of water he seemed so winded, just like a cub at play would have been. Only he wasn't playing to cause such a lovely result. But that was of little matter for him as he had managed to not get himself stuck in a tree (which would have been a reasonable place for him to have ended up).

Instead, he'd arrived at his actual destination, slinking over to it's edge and slumping over it to lap at the water.

Mm. That made all the 'getting stuck' and 'Dead ends' worth it.

"Fancy meeting you here."

Kifijo's deep voice rumbled through the chirping trees and reaching his son's ears. The sight of Nitesh had given his father such joy. It was a blessing that he was alright. Kifijo had only walked a little ways into the jungle itself before getting to the waterhole. His thirst was different as he had gotten older. He wasn't as young as he used to be.

And neither was Nitesh, according to the stories Kif had heard. Some say that Nitesh had gotten...'stuck' in between some really small places. Places that he could have gotten into as a cub, if he could have pushed himself through. Nitesh had always been big for his age.

The larger male jumped a tad at hearing his name, his heart automatically sinking into his chest in response, before he looked up to see a rather familiar looking face. Oh.... =OH=.

It was dad, not someone else.

The sight, after the initial shock, earned a weak smile as he lifted his head from the water. Playing 'All is well'? He certainly was. "Ah! Hello to you too." he replied brightly, sitting up properly and stretching his limbs to cross around the edge of the pool of water and join his father on the opposite side.

Family reunion?

Yes and no. He hadn't been away that long, but it wasn't as though he was right around the corner to say 'hello' either.

"What brought you out here this morning?"

Kifijo stopped and bent down for a drink of his own, lapping up the cool water with an inward sigh of happiness. It was delicious. He finished his drink before returning and sitting down, albeit slowly, to continue this chance meeting with his son.

"Hello," he responded with a smile. "I'm actually out looking for you. Your mother is worried, you know." He gave a little shake of his head in a silent 'tsking.' Tana would just say it aloud, but he wasn't as verbal as she.

"We've both been worried about you. We want you to know that you are always welcome at home, whether you stay inside all the time or go out and do whatever it is you do, but come home. We miss having cubs around," he added with a chuckle. "Even if you are bigger than you used to be."

Empty nest syndrome much?

But it was a welcome notion for him, taking a seat next to the golden lion and staring at his reflection in the water. Was he looking for something in it? Certainly not, as he soon looked from it to turn his attentions back to Kifijo.

Oh.. was that what he was out there for?

"Oh.... I'm sorry I've worried you two.." he replied, albeit with a slight nervous-sounding tone. He didn't sound very enthusiastic about that sorry he was boasting. Perhaps an edge of hesitance on the idea of 'going back home'.

Home would bring back the possibility of seeing someone he... really didn't want to see.

"But it's nice to now you've been thinking about me." he added with another weak smile.

Kifijo was glad that his son took a seat next to him. It was nice to know that he still liked Kif enough to be so close. He chuckled again.

"It's always what you kids do," he responded, elbowing his son jokingly. "Your job is to worry your parents. We knew what we were getting into with the four of you, that's for sure. Your older siblings gave us some good practice to count on." He winked.

"Though it's alright. I understand."

Kifijo nodded knowingly. "And we worry as well. It's what we do, as parents. We worry. And our offer still stands."

He and Tana had talked about it, though. About adopting and all. They currently had already run into one cub in need of a family, so Nitesh wouldn't be the only one there, technically.

Well it wasn't like he was trying to avoid everybody or anything. If he had been, he would have stayed in all the trees to remain hidden away.

Nitesh flinched a little under the elbowing, lifting a paw to rub the spot with a pout (oh their big baby) and fidgetting a bit. There was something oddly anxious about his posture and the given company. But the words of reassurance of him having a place to return to were.... well, pleasant.

"I......will have to take some time to consider that offer. I'm not sure if I'm ready to go back within the walls of the pride or not." he admitted, his shoulders sinking just a tad.

He would be someday, though. Perhaps it would take a nice female to drag him home and to his own little place. Lord, the image of the 'big baby' with cubs was probably mind-boggling in it's own way.

Then again, little siblings to take care of wouldn't have been all too horrible.

There was a long pause when he didn't say anything, before he sighed a bit, his posture sinking a bit.

"Dad... did someone you love ever leave you for someone else?"

Kifijo wondered why Nitesh seemed so...shy. It wasn't like the cub. Yes, cub, even if he was grown. Kif called all of his children cub one time or another. Just a fatherly thing of his.

"I understand," he repeated to his son's response. "Take all the time you need; we won't be leaving any time soon."

If his son didn't get a girl soon, Kif had half a mind to go find one for him. Or send word to Moyo to be on the lookout and send any available in the Pridelands. Maybe that would work. Or he could send Nitesh to see his older sister. Perhaps along the way he'd meet someone? Or even at Moyo's new home?

He frowned at the Nitesh's question.

"Someone I love would leave me for someone else? No, son, that's never happened to me. I was very lucky to find and be able to keep your mother all to myself. Although, I do love all of you. My children. So whenever you leave me, or like when Riku was cubnapped, it was a very sad time for me. And the rest of the family."

It certainly wasn't like the normally outgoing Nitesh who offered another weak smile then looked back at his reflection with a sort of scrutinizing leer. Perhaps he -was- looking for something in his own reflection.

He didn't -really- need a girl, but a quest to 'revive' himself might have been semi useful in it's own way. And who would have known the mind of a female better than a big sister? Or any of his sisters...... wow.. was he really the only cub from his litter who was still at home? That was almost...... depressing.

No wonder there was that 'empty nest syndrome' going on.

But listening to his father caused Nitesh to swallow his very.. bruised dignity a bit, before smiling awkwardly. Ah ha ha. How did he answer that? Well, he kind of had an idea of what to say to it:

"So is it more likely that someone you love.... will only leave you if they don't really love you or have no choice? Like... My sister's don't really count. They.... well... they left to be with the one they love, not because they didn't care about us...

But.. -she-.." Oooh, elusive reference to a female, "Just -LEFT- me. No explanation, and next thing I know, she's settled down with a little family of her own and her mate? He looked like me... "

Blow to the ego there.

"It made me hurt inside."

Kifijo pretended not to notice the sad smile that crossed over Nitesh's face. It wasn't everyday that something this big hit you, even after the fact that the entire event had happened before this moment. It's just the fact that the feelings and the emotions all centered around that event was hitting you right that second, and you couldn't help but start drowning.

It was hard reaching out for help. It was even harder to accept help that was offered.

He chuckled.

"Your sister don't count, huh? I can see that. But I can't explain why your female left you and settled down as quickly as she did. I'm sorry that it happened. But I cannot tell you why. That is a conversation between you and she, and if you don't want to have that talk, then no one is forcing you to. You can go and explore and have an adventure. You can go visit your sister in the Pridelands, and see what new friends you can find.

"I know you hurt. It's a hard wound for me to help heal. But perhaps time away from home is one of the ways to help that."

Thank god for parents (though they were kinda obligatory), they always seemed to know exactly what was going on.. or at least what to say. Maybe that was more of them being 'Old' as opposed to being 'smart'.

Or maybe that was him thinking far too much. Huuuuh.

But it was advice he had definately been needing to hear. Sure he hadn't been wanting to talk about it, but there had been no better time than while he was there practically melting, emotionally, in front of his father. Besides, father's knew sons best. Not to say mother's wouldn't know, but father's had been little confused boys once upon a time too.

There was a noticable shudder at the idea of chatting up said 'female', before he scrunched his nose up a bit. He obviously didn't approve of that particular idea.

But the idea of going out to see his sister and 'making friends' earned a sheepish smile.

He'd never been to the pridelands! And how would he find his sister?!?

But..

again...

"I.. think that might be something good for me. I... might."

Oooh.

No, parents weren't 'old.' They were 'smart.' At least, Kif only thought age was a number. No one could stop him from doing what he wanted. And he gave some of the best advice. For all of his years, all the time on the earth had only taught him what he needs to tell others.

And fathers, though surely grown up now with families of their own, had once been young and just as confused as their sons were now. Mothers could only help so much when boys were having their troubles.

He chuckled again at the cub-like face Nitesh scrunched up. He used to do that often enough as a cub; it wasn't a surprise that he still did it now.

Kif nodded with pride. "Your brother, Paki, left quite a while ago for the Pridelands looking for your sister, too. I can only tell you so much, but once you reach the pride, the lions there should be very helpful. Just ask for Moyo or Kiwi, and they'll lead you to the right place," Kif promised.

Well, from his point of view as a still rather-young-fellow, old was 'older than him'. So even his older siblings were.. 'old'. Not old like digging one's own grave old, but.. yeah. More experience than him. Especially in terms that he would...

...

Probably go get himself lost in the next MONTH or so he was away.

Oh yes, he was definately taking his father's advice.

But then again, he also wanted to come back after getting there, not be gone and lost forever like his brother had been. There was no loss in being gone and away, though. It might have been.. 'good' for him.

"D.... Do you think so?" he asked, sitting up just a little straighter. Pooling his confidence? Definately so.

But then again, there was one other thought on his mind.

"Would.. you and mom be okay without me for that long?"

Moyo would be mad at him if Nitesh said that to her face. Kif hoped his cub-of-a-son would know better than that.

Kifijo didn't mind so much being left alone, by now. He had Tana, and most of the cubs were gone anyway. And as much as they loved Nitesh, they wanted him to be happy. That was most important to them: their children's happiness. Most, by this time, had found it. All except this one bird, who apparently needed a little help flying out of the nest.

"We're perfectly okay with you going on a journey. As long as you come back or visit us a bit more often than your siblings," Kif joked with a chuckle. "No one has really stopped by to say hello much any more.

"I think you'll find a lot of different things on this journey, Nitesh." Kif's voice deepened with sincerity and with all joking aside. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

Well, he'd never been to the Pridelands, and from his recollection, only had met one. Hard to be determined that everybody would be helpful toward him just based off of that. Really.

Though he probably would have been less skeptical upon actually seeing said lands he was going to meander towards. But it was a good destination for him to have, of all things. This way he.... it would give him more of that distance. Distance was the goal, apparently.

But he had to be sure his parents would be 'okay' without him, as opposed to just getting up and running away into the night. That would have been... bothersome, really. That, and having someone help him make up his mind would make him more determined to leave.

Indeed, he was the little chick getting kicked out of the nest.

"Well.....I... can do that. I'd hate to be away -forever-." he replied with a more certain grin, though still an ounce of sheepishness to it. They'd really never be truely rid of him, even if they had wanted to be.

He awkwardly leaned against his father's side before rising to his feet and pacing a bit.

Should he leave now? Should he wait?

WHICH WAY WAS THE PRIDELANDS?

"And I can give you the direction towards the Pridelands, if you'd like. That would probably make it easier on you." Kif's raspy chuckle sounded through again, and he coughed. His lungs wheezed and he bent down to take a quick drink, soothing his throat. After a moment, he drank again, longer and slowly.

"Excuse me," he asked, rising.

"We would hate to not see ever again, too." Kif smiled. He nuzzled Nitesh's head when he leaned against his father, and watching him rise. He nodded towards the opposite way he had come. "That way is towards the Pridelands. I wish you luck on your journey. Be careful. Don't be afraid to stop and rest when you need to, and just be yourself when meeting others. We'll see you soon." With a last, proud grin crossing his muzzle, he pushed his old body to his feet and shook himself, watching his son about to leave for an adventure of his life.

He felt his heart sinking a little further into his chest. That sense of impending loneliness. But it wasn't the same. Not that 'THERE THEY GO FOREVER', but a.... feeling of knowing that this 'goodbye', though unspoken, was going to last a long time.

"I'll be sure to come back." he called after the older male's retreating form, before he turned to start walking in the other direction, as he'd been nodded in, taking a careful and calming deep breath as he stepped out of his 'known' and off into the nowhere he'd never.. truly been before.

Possibilities were laid out in front of him in all directions, but he only needed to head in one:

Off to meet his sister, for whatever advise she could hold for him, and... 'make new friends'.

With that, there was only one thing left for Nitesh to do: Go out and hopefully come back more cofident than he had been upon leaving.. and happier. Change was meant for that.

Change was waiting.

.::FIN::.