The ground, warmed by the sun and softened with the grasses, was pleasant under her paws as she made her way though it. She’d traveled over many kinds of terrain, cold and stony, soft and shifting with sand, grass so tall she could lose even herself in it. So many fun and amazing places and things and people could be found in this great wide world she lived in. Even had the skies turned stormy and cast a deluge to soak her fur until she was chilled to the bone, it seemed unlikely that the hare’s spirits would be dampened by it.
Actually, she may well have been glad of it! Her soft white paws were hot and tired from the shifting sands she’d picked her way across, the black of her fur soaking up the unrelenting heat of the sun. Kisun could hear other creatures around her now, and somewhere up ahead she could smell water. Since it wasn’t about to rain, a lake or some small creak would have to do.
It was hot out today. Suha had tried, in vain, to find a cloud to watch. She loved to see the way they shifted shape as they sped across the bright blue skies. But today, when their fleeting shade would have been most welcome, there were none.
Instead, she had decided to make her way down to the watering hole for a drink. A quiet drink, since she was trying to be good and mindful of her place as a Banu. Dignified, for she was the sultan’s daughter, but respectful of the Pads and older Banu too. She still wasn’t entirely convinced she was supposed to go there alone, but no harm had come thus far…
Movement in the sparse brush ahead of her caught her eye, and the young cub paused, peering at the shifting shadow in the leaves.
“Hello?” she called timidly, for the shape seemed rather small.
Plants were growing more thickly as she traveled further into what smelled like a lion’s territory. Of course, she didn’t need to fear any penalties applied to trespassers, however fierce. After all, she was a hare, not a rival lion. Most likely the worst they could do was eat her. Not that she wanted to be eaten, not any time soon. Too much else to do.
Catching a timid voice, Kisun paused where she’d been scooting her way through some of the brush that promised cool fresh water nearby. Black ears twisting, she actually cast her bright blue eyes cautiously in the direction of the voice before making herself known. It was only a little cub after all, what kind of hare would she be if she couldn’t outrun a little cub?
”Hullo there!” she said cheerfully, rising on her hind legs so her head popped out through the leaves, giving both of them a clearer view.
Suha had been craning her neck, trying to get a closer look at whoever or whatever was there. It was hard to see through the leaves…
Suddenly, a voice answered her as a head popped out of the bush scant inches from her muzzle. With a startled squeak, the young Banu stumbled backward and sat down rather fast. What was that? It looked…it looked like…like… prey. But it was rather small for prey, though she herself was not much larger. Perhaps she should catch it? Her mothers hunted after all, so did all the Banu. A good Banu would hunt this prey… but it had said hello. It seemed terribly rude to eat something that had said hello. Banu were supposed to be polite as well.
What should she do?
Well. She hadn’t been intending to surprise the little lion, though the cub had squeaked rather adorable before she stumbled away. At least she hadn’t fled. Kisun was not particularly concerned that she was going to be caught and eaten. Not by this cub, surely. Not to mention, she’d met a few lions. They weren’t walking stomachs.
“Didn’t mean to startle you,” she giggled, loping a step out of the bush, “Was only saying hello back,” the hare explained, cocking her head so her ears lolled comically. “What’s your name?”
Suha blinked, slightly confused by the giggling voice. She hadn’t known prey could talk like this. The creature sounded like…like…like… a person. Definitely not food. Or at least, not that Suha was going to be able to hunt and catch, she’d feel horribly guilty for eating this cheerful person.
“I…I’m not supposed to talk to strangers,” the young cub said uncertainly. Did the rules apply to creatures like this? She really wasn’t sure… but she didn’t want to get into trouble, or worse, upset her daddy. Or… both!
Well. Wasn’t that cute? Kisun grinned, hopping another step closer. Still out of reach, she could leap away and be gone before the little lion here could snap her up. A quick glance around showed the two of them to mostly be alone. Good. No parents to come by and grab a late lunch. Or early dinner? What time was it anyway, the sun was so hot she didn’t want to look up and check the sky.
“Not supposed to talk to strangers?” she repeated, “Very wise, very wise. Smart even.”
And that said, the hair tipped her head the other way, long black ears flopping back again. “Well, my name is Kisun. So there, not a stranger any more am I?” Ah, logic. What was that again?
Suha sat where she was, though she shifted a bit to be more comfortable. She felt a little foolish, but also a little confused. And a little nervous. When the creature looked around, so did she, wondering if it had heard something she hadn’t.
She blinked when it introduced itself. Or, well, when she introduced herself. She sounded female after all. It was strange males Suha was really not supposed to talk to, right? She could talk to a girl if she wanted. Besides, Kisun wasn’t even a lion. And…and Suha supposed she wasn’t a stranger anymore.
“I’m Suha,” she said, because it was polite to introduce yourself once someone had given their name already. And then, “My daddy is the sultan,” she added, a bit proudly. She loved her daddy, he was the best Pad in the world. And he told such lovely stories… ooooh, stories! Maybe Kisun knew stories that lions didn’t know! She watched the ‘not-prey’ creature with renewed interest, wondering if she could just ask or if that would be rude.
Sultan?
Kisun frowned slightly. She wasn’t sure what that meant. But the cub, Suha was such a cute little name, had sounded quite proud of it. Perhaps it was a rank in the pride she lived in. Perhaps it was a very good rank, a distinguished and respectable one. Yes, that must be it.
“Well, Suha, it’s nice to meet you,” the hare said warmly, lowering herself to all fours and giving her fur a little shake to neaten it. Or at least give it a new sort of disarray. Whichever.
“You wouldn’t happen to know where the water is, would you?” she asked, looking extremely hopeful. She was thirsty, and since Suha clearly lived around here…
“It’s nice to meet you too,” she said automatically. It was, after all, only polite. And being polite was important, if she made a mistake it might somehow make her daddy look bad and that would be terrible! So being polite had become nearly reflexive by now, she was getting to be very good at it. So far, she didn’t think she’d offended anyone. Except maybe Rahim, when she accidentally thought he was Anwar. But they were brothers, and he hadn’t seemed to mind after she’d apologized. So… so that didn’t really count as offending someone.
“I do,” Suha replied, glancing around as she rose to her feet. She shook herself too, just in case she’d gotten dirty when she almost fell flat. Of course, she didn’t want to make everyone meet Kisun. She might look like a snack to some of the grown ups instead of a person, and that would be bad. She didn’t want Kisun to get eaten! But there was a smallish bit of the watering hole that people didn’t come to all that often. She could take Kisun there, it would be safer. And quieter. And she wasn’t as likely to get caught…not that she was sneaking around!
Cute little cub, trying to be all polite and such. Nice of her, being that some lions might like to snack on a hare rather than converse like civilized folks. Kisun was glad she’d met Suha, friends were always fun. Perhaps she could teach the cub to play after she’d had her drink. It was terribly hot out, they’d do better to play in the shade.
Or in the water. Might be fun to splash around with a little lion cub.
“Lovely,” she crooned when Suha said she did know where the water was. Of course she would, she lived here didn’t she? Yes, with her pride and her sultan-father. “Can you take me there?”
Suha nodded brightly as Kisun asked. Yes, yes of course. And maybe when she and her new friend…was Kisun a friend? She certainly seemed friendly enough. When they’d both had a nice cool drink, maybe she could ask her about the world outside the territory, and learn stories about creatures like Kisun. Maybe they would be like the stories her daddy told her. Or maybe they would be very different. Either way, she’d love to hear them!
”Of course,” she said, cheerful now that she was no longer worried about rules and getting into trouble over talking to a stranger. Kisun was no stranger to her now, such was the thinking of a young cub. “It’s this way, follow me.”
And with a few occasional glances over her shoulder, the little Banu led the way through the brush towards the smallish corner of the lake, where other lions didn’t come so often. Leastwise, not the grownups. Not much.
Kisun smiled broadly, bounding alongside the young cub as Suha began to lead the way. Water soon. And a little guide, and friend, to take her there and keep her company. It might be a swelteringly hot day, but nothing warms the heart like a friend. Not even the overwhelming sun.
If she ever came back this way again it might be helpful to have a friend in the area, one who might keep her from getting eaten by another pridemember. A less considerate sort. Of course, such thinking would be considered planning for the future. And who knew what would happen before then? Certainly not Kisun! So why worry about it?
Fin