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Damla:
Damla crep along, paws flexing as she felt each twig, stone, and bit of sand in her new environment. It was hot, dry, and miserable. Worse, she felt lonely-- there was noone her age she'd seen, and she didn't fancy being near her captor.

Not that she knew her way home, and that too, troubled her. She was, essentially, trapped.

Komali:
Trapped....was very close to how Komali was feeling.
He stood at the mouth of the cave, his paws just on the edge of shadow. Ahead of him, the shadow broke into the sunny outdoors....he'd only been outside when his mother had forced him to go- even then the cub had stood, wide-eyed, frozen in place.

The very first time he'd left the cave, he had met....him. Gannon. The lion's eyes had fallen on him and had burned with a quiet disapproval that soon had elevated into anger.

His mother favored him, saw him as a gift from the gods.... a potential sucessor to Gannon. Gannon saw him as a threat. Now every second outside of the cave felt like a second under that beast's gaze. Komali, if he had his way, would have existed quite happily in the safety of the cave against his mother's side.

But the cave seemed...confining now. He spent much of his recent days starring at the sunny outdoors, she shining sand, and the crator that rose up above their homeland. He'd be expected to raid the lions there in his older years. Another terror he'd rather avoid.

Damla:
Damla padded along, sizing the dens up. Maybe she could run away, and make it on her own. It wasn't unheard of- her great aunt survived alone. It was family honour! Damla squared her shoulders, and marched forward. Now, was her family in the big mountain THING? No, no, her home surrounded a river. She'd have to find one, and leave the dump before the crazy lioness came back. The one convinced she was some kind of gods given gift.

Yeeaahhh, this was the same lady who stole her. Damla was Not Amused.

Komali:
Komali jumped as a figure moved. His imagination instantly took command. In his mind's eye, the massive lion with eyes furious as flames stormed past, mane flying through the wind, furious as a sand storm.

He jumped back and threw his paws over his eyes, his rump sticking straight up in the air. In his mind- he was invisible.... little did he know the 'beast' was...really just a female cub.

Damla:
Damla blinked, hearing movement, and jumped herself, paws kicking up dust as she scrabbled behind a dune, peering over the edge timidly. Was it another lion? A member of this house of horrors? She swallowed, whimpering.

Komali:
Komali froze, his breath coming in sharp, quick studders. After what felt like eturnety- in reality it was perhaps two minutes- he slowly pulled a paw off his eyes. Frightened red eyes scanned the sands.

He was alone again...
He slowly pushed up to his paws and took a cautious peek out, scenting the air. "..h-hello?"

Damla:
Damla stayed hidden. Oh gods. She's been found. Oh gods. Oh gods. Oh gods. Damla whimpered, then swallowed, peering slightly, red tuft, ears, and eyes appearing.

"I am a sund dune! No escaping cubs here!"

Komali:
"Huh?" Komali's nose wrinkled as he tipped his head off to one side. Escaping cub?

He shook himself off, rolled his shoulders back, and stepped slowly out towards the sunlight. His paw trembled and slowly landed on the sunlight sand, sending a flinch rippling up the cub's body. He glanced around, half expecting a massive paw to come out and crush his head down into the sand.

It never came.

He sighed in releaf then slowly padded forward. "W-who goes-s-s-s there?"

Damla:
Damla's ears pricked, and she dropped again, terrified. Another one!

"N..no--ACCKK!!" The cub tumbled back, rolling down the dune to the base, and she stayed there a moment, before she suddenly snuffled, crying.

"I want mamaaaaa!"

Komali:
"....h-hey...what....what are you doing?" He bit his lip and took a step backwards. What was she doing!? Crying!? Oh god...what did he do? Did he hurt her feelings? Was she afraid?

"You okay?"

Damla:
"..N....no!" Damla snuffled, curling up in a ball.

"I'm never gonna see Mama or Daddy or my brother and sister again and it's not fair!" She snuffled, pulling tighter into a ball. "An' I'm stuck here an' it's icky 'n' hot!"

Damla didn't care about dignity. If possible, she just wanted a hug now.

How brave.

Komali:
His ears drooped down. She was lost? "Oh....that's....that's terrible."

He took another step forward and extended a paw to nudge the cub. He didn't reconize her... she wasn't one of his siblings, she didn't look like any of the other cubs...then again- he hadn't been out of the cave...how would he know?

"Hey...it's okay."

Damla:
Damla peered out, snuffling. He looked nice... The cub shifted, cuddling into him and shaking.

"I.... I.." She kept hiccuping. She was trying to be friendly-- he seemed nicer than others-- "I'm Damla. I.. I.. It's nice to meet you."

Komali:
"....don't cry. It's okay." He smiled, lopsided.

"Ooh...I'm...I'm Komali. Nice to meet you to." He took a step back, "Don't cry though... it's not so bad. It's...warm. You can get sun, then it gets cold at night- and you can see the stars."