Kabichi ventured from her normal area. Maybe it was a feeling. A thought. A dream. Or maybe instinct. She knerw Shin was dead. This alone hurt, although there was naught to do for it.
Somehow, she felt she failed. At least... Part of her did. Had she? Kabichi looked up at the stars, feeling the wind in her fur. She was no seer, so she couldn't know. She was a grandmother, with grandchildren. Was she old? How old did her mother feel? The lioness touched a stone, fossils inside it, trying to think. The rock was beautiful, although the pattern fascinated her. Bones? She felt like bones. Looked like them too, some days. No longer could she hide her scars, and no longer could she hide the pain.
Sairin followed the scent, wondering why he didn't scent his nephew. He spied the younger lioness, then frowbned. Last he'd seen her, he'd attacked. He almost didn't approach, but.... He was different now. Perhaps she was, too. The male approacvhed slowly, touching her cheek gently from behind. Kabichi jumped, and spun.
Seeing who it was frightened the lioness, her eyes widening in fear a moment before calming when he smiled. Shin's smile.
"What do you want?" She asked, weakly. Sairin shook his head.
"Shouldn't Shin be keeping you company?"
"Shin's dead." Kabichi closed her eyes. "That's all I know."
Sairin went silent. Dead? His nephew? Sairin wondered if Toshiro was involved, and knelt, nosing her.
"I'm sorry."
"Why? I failed. As his mate."
She shuddered to think of her time as a slave. Her time carrying cubs of another. Time she forgot her love. Sairin put a paw around her.
"For everything. Our battle. Your loss. Your pain. I swore to look after my Nephew." Sairin looked up.
"I failed."
There was silence between the two as they looked into the distance, a firefly weaving between them.Several minutes passed, and Sairin looked to Kabichi finally, softly.
He failed Shin. He couldn't fail again.
"Are you alright?"
Kabichi sighed, shaking her head.
"I'll be fine. Thank you." The lioness rose, turning to walk to her dens. A moment more, and she looked to Sairin.
"...Come on. Best sleep in a safe place at night."
With those words, the lioness began for the dens. Wordlessly, Sairin followed her into the darkness.
