Rani and Pakwa were both tucked into their den enjoying a small doze, finally the sun filtered down enough that Rani blinked and stretched. With a smile she slid out of the den and moved down to the clear clean water source nearby to drink.
Pakwa woke quickly when he no longer felt his mate by his side and leapt to follow her. He frowned and looked around uneasily for a moment. "You should not wander off alone mon ami...the spirits are thick here."
"Pakwa, we won't live our lives in fear, the spirits here are benevolent and know nothing of us. what happened to your pride was because of your mistake in interacting with that dark -nevermind it, don't you fret. We've come here to make a new life and thats what we'll have." Rani-rana nodded her head firmly and lapped up another refreshing mouthful of water.
Segoka was stretched out on a long in the middle of the swamp. He had rested on the log when it was at the bank but once waking and noticing he was now in the middle he was a bit lost but didn't seem to be scared he was just waiting for seomthing it seemed.
His sad eyes looked around seeing a female at the waters edge his ears flicked a moment as he watched her. He then noticed the male as he glared softly he no lnger liked males he hated his own self for being male.
It was his father that had done all the killings his own flesh and blood. He cursed himself everyday and this was the reason he was in the perdicament he was in now he simply didn't care for his life now.
Pakwa lifted his head and blinked, there was a cub floating out in the swamps. He nudged Rani and nodded his head over towards the cub, they shared their love of youngsters. His eyes narrowed as he looked closer, hmm not a cub a fair bit older, yet not looking as gangly as an adolescent male might.
Rani looked up and smiled brightly "Hello out there!" She stepped into the swampy water her fur darkening as a shade as the water soaked it. "Need a little help?"
He blinked a moment as he looked at the log before back to the female. He tried to stand but the log wabbled a ltitle as he laid back down on his stomach as his hair stood on end. THough he might not care about his life he didn't wanted to drowned as he looked to the two adults fear in his eyes.
"Please!"
"Oh don't move! You'll fall! Hold on honey we'll get you back onto solid ground." Rani surged forward her legs kicking her out as she swam with ease.
"Rani wait! You can't carry him back alone!" Pakwa surged after his mate worried the young lion would drag her down once he was on her back. She would need someone to help hold her head above the waterline if she was going to tow the boy back.
Rani swam up to the log and smiled up at the juvenile trying to reassure him. "Come on honey just climb on and hold tight, you'll be just fine."
He was nervous as he looked to the female then to the mal that was coming toward them as he back away from him getting to the back of the log one of his feet slipping. He let out a yelp as his claws dug into the log. He panted hard he was fine still on the log but sadly he was no safe a loud growl came from behind him chilling him to the core it wasn't from a lion. it was from a crocodile.
He paniced for getting about the male lion for now moving over to the female he quickly climbed onto her back rapping his paws around her best he could without clawing or stranglnig her.
"Hurry!" He whined out shaking from fright.
Rani's head dipped a little as the young male climbed on and she gulped in a mouthful of swamp water. There was a crocodile, now that was a more serious issue then trying to swim with a young lion on her back.
Pakwa helped Rani lift her head before turning in the water to stare at the crocodile as it headed for them with surprising speed.
"Rani hurry! I shall distract it!" Ha that was funny, distract it? He was it's nearest target and he was sure it was the far more adept in the water.
Rani swam quickly her head bobbing along on the surface and below it. Finally her paws scrambled into the mud and she lurched back onto the firm ground. "You okay honey?" She rolled her eyes up to see if the young male was alright.
Pakwa growled at the croc hoping to intimidate it, he swiped at the large water beat with open claws, but made not even one scratch against the thick hide of it's snout. He turned trying to swim back to land where he might get some advantage.
He nodded softly as he shivered a little his tail wrapped tightly around him as he looked to the female giving her a boy of his head.
"Thank you Lady." He said useing his manners as he looked to the male nervously before he stood moving over to a tree clawing at the vines as the tree trunks in the canopy feel ontop of the croc leaving the male to get free. He crouched down onto the ground now backing away from the two. He'd never seen them before but they seemed nice enough to help.
Pakwa quickly took advantage of the tangled croc and swam back to shore with a gasp. "Whew, quick thinking, thank you little floater." He offered the young male a smile. "Are you alright?"
Rani-rana relaxed as Pakwa made his way back onshore and smiled. "Your welcome, and thank you, whats your name hmm? I'm Rani-rana, you can call me Rani, and this is my mate Pakwa."
"Sego...Segoka." He offered softly as he looked at the two before taking a deep shaking breath. "Are you coming to the pride?" He asked curiously as he looked at his paws before looking to them. "Or are you coming back?" He asked curiously knowing soon he would be leaving for his naming quest.
"We've just joined." Pakwa smiled and shook off trying to get his fur smoothed down and dry again. "Segoka, the log napper..." He chuckled softly.
"Yes, we're new to the swamps, but we love the pride already. Are you sure your alright Segoka?" Rani asked and moved closer to softly nudge the young male.
He jumped slighlty from her nudging giving a small nod as he took a deep breath. "Mmm...mm-hmm." He mummlbed softly looking to the female. "Just...cold." He said as he shook the water from his pelt before licking it here and there trying to warm himself.
"Come here honey we'll make sure you warm up." She gently placed a paw around the young male and nuzzled the top of his head licking the swampy water off of his fur. "You be more careful about a snoozing spot next time yes?"
Pakwa watched Rani as she tried to soothe the cub, she was so...maternal. It made him slightly nervous, he knew they were going to settle here...and maybe someday a family. Yet how could he really have a family, he felt so inexperienced. He wasn't ready to be a father, what if he bungled it?
Segoka looked up to the feamle with his large eyes there full ful of much curosity. They where not yelling at him for sleeping on the log or being scared...they even didn't seem to know that his father was the one that had brought great sadness to the pride. He looked to his paws before he began to sniffle softly before he leaned into her chest as he began to cry out of no where his poor little body was so stressed and he didn't understand much things and all of it was getting to much for his young body.
Pakwa's eyes widened as the young male suddenly leaned into Rani and started to cry. Mon dieu! Did young ones always react as such to being rescued? He wondered what brought on the tears and watched Rani quite hopelessly even starting to back away a bit.
"What's wrong?" He finally choked out.
Rani was mildly surprised as well but instantly she curled closer around the young male and nuzzled him. "Sshhh shh, it's gonna be alright sweetheart, your just fine now. We won't let anything happen to you...now come on and tell us what's the matter?"
"Its n-n-nothing really....just that I'm tired of them looking at my like I did something wrong...Momma didn't know he was bad!" He exclaimed looking to the female. "Momma didn't know she just wanted us she wanted babies!" He said as he began to cry more. "Now people hate me cause I'm white and pink cause I'm like him!" He wailed out loudly.
Ahhh, so this was a cub of the...yes they had heard of it, but they hadn't suffered as others. Rani nuzzled Segoka softly and murmured reassuringly against his cheek. "Sshh honey, your not your papa...you know that. We don't hate you, and once you prove what a clever thing you are no one is going to judge you for the things you didn't do, only for the ones you did."
Pakwa slowly stepped a bit closer listening as his mate tried to calm the boy. That poor family, he felt angry at the unknown male for having left them like this, broken, and shamed. He frowned and sat down beside Rani.
Segoka sniffled as he looked to the other male nervously He felt bad he was breaking down infront of them but really he couldn't do this with his mother he felt bad each time he went to her. His pelt colors really where a curse to him reminding him and other of what had happened. He finally nodded taking another shaky breath. "I'm...I'm okay." He said looking to them. "I'm sorry." He said softly looking to his paws his ears relazing against his head.
Pakwa smiled at Segoka reassuringly and lowered his head. "Don't be sorry, there's no shame in needing someone to listen eh? You are very brave to have held onto those feelings alone, you should share them, even if only with the air, she listens."
Rani smiled and nodded softly at Pakwa's words and licked Segoka's cheek softly. "You'll be alright...you'll see."
He nodded softly smiling as she took a deep breath this time not as shaky. "Thank you...for saving me from the croc I thought I was in trouble just because of the log." He said as he began to laugh a ltitle thinking of the adventure they had.
Rani laughed softly and nudged him "That was quite a scare, but you overcame that too." She licked his cheek and slowly uncurled from around him. She couldn't coddle him forever after all.
Pakwa chuckled softly as well and winked at Segoka. "Next time make sure your napping place won't move."
He laughed softly nodding as he stretched out a litlte before looking around. "I beeter get home...Momma will worry." He said softly as he began to run off to the pride to get to where his mother was in the pride.
Pakwa glanced at Rani as the cub ran off and smiled softly. "Come cher, we'll have a nice dinner by moonlight hmm? You did so well with that young one..." He licked her cheek.
"Poor thing...I hope he'll be alright." She smiled softly at Pakwa's words and nodded softly standing and following him.
