Kauli was bored.
There wasn’t anything to do...anywhere! All of the other healers were busy dashing about, fulfilling their duties, and Kauli really wished she was with them. But she’d already completed all of the tasks asked of her for the day, and even seen if the huntress’ needed an extra paw (since she knew one of her patients had been a huntress). But no, they were fine, everyone was fine, and so she was now a little bit of a loose wheel. Kauli wasn’t very good at amusing herself.
She’d paid the cubs in the temple a quick visit and played with them for a short while, but then it had been time for their lessons and so here she was outside again, patrolling the borders now. She stared out at the rogue lands, almost wishing for something interesting to come along. Ooo, maybe she’d meet a God – she’d heard there had been quite a few of them about lately, most of them flaunting their...fertility.
He was here.
He was finally here.
He’d been travelling for a long, long time. Longer than he could remember, although he wasn’t really that old. Certainly not a child anymore, Rembo liked to classify himself as a ‘young to middlish-aged adult’. He was still in the prime of his life, that was for sure, there wasn’t any creaking in his joints just yet. And now he was here, in the pride his mother had told him to seek before she’d sadly passed, Rembo felt he could finally begin to live the life he’d been meant to. The life he would’ve been living, if his mother hadn’t left.
He didn’t blame his mother. She’d been in love, and as far as he understood love did funny things to you. He did feel so, so sorry for her, though, having fallen for such a cruel trick and paying the ultimate price for it.
But no, he wouldn’t think about this anymore. He’d honoured his mother’s request by returning to the Tuait’tekem, and now he’d honour her memory by living a normal life, and being happy. It was with that thought on his mind that Rembo surged forwards, a smile on his face.
Kauli had settled on the borders, dropping herself into one of the comfier looking bits of grass, head in her paws. Maybe an afternoon nap was what she needed, that’d pass the time just fine...
...Was it just the heat, or was that someone in the distance?
Wondering if she’d perhaps fallen asleep already and this was a dream, Kauli dragged herself to her feet again, forehead furrowing in a frown as she looked out across the rogue lands before her, watching as a large, pale figure made its way towards her. As it got closer, she could make out that it was a lion, and he was...smiling? How strange. Not wanting to step over the borders, believing that would be a foolish choice (especially if the lion was hostile), she instead took a step back, calling out as she did, “Who’s there?”
Was that a voice? Pausing in his strike, Rembo frowned. He looked first to the left, then to the right, then straight on, spotting a dark figure in the distance. Was that who had called? Struggling to catch exactly what had been said, he took a few more cautious steps forwards – he didn’t want to give the creature a reason to attack him, should he be unwanted in this territory. He was fairly sure this was the exact position of the Tuait’tekem borders, so perhaps it was a guard.
“My name is Rembo,” he called once he’d come a little closer, “I wish to join the Tuait’tekem pride – my mother was a member before I and I’m returning to my true homeland.”
Hopefully that got...everything across.
Rembo?
What kind of lion called themselves Rembo?
It wasn’t exactly a...bad name, she supposed. It just didn’t really suit a lion, especially not one of his stature (which she could see now he was closer). Rembo was some fat ugly lion that sat in his den all day and frightened others into getting food for him or...something. No, this one certainly didn’t fit that description. Kauli remained put, not moving from the spot, only frowning more as she waited a few moments before calling back.
“Well...come closer then!” she grinned, settling his hind on the ground, “No point in staying all the way out there. Welcome to the Tuait’tekem, Rembo.”
...Welcome. He was being welcomed. Quick to follow the instructions given he surged forwards, a few more steps confirming his suspicions – a lioness, her coat decorated with a large variety of different browns, all seeming to flow into each other. It was strange, he’d never seen anything like it before, but she certainly wore it well. Turning his attention to her face, he smiled widely, bowing his head as a brief greeting. “Thank you,” he started, claws kneading into the ground lightly – the ground of his homeland, “For welcoming me. I assume there are procedures that need to be followed?”
It only made sense. He wasn’t expecting the pride just to start let him wandering around freely. They had cubs and other members to protect.
Oh, he wasn’t bad looking, actually. Kauli smiled as he approached, trying to look as friendly as she could. It wouldn’t do to scare off possible joining members, now would it? Really there should have been a guard present, just incase Rembo was hostile. But he didn’t look it, and Kauli could handle herself enough that she could hopefully daze him whilst she turned tail and ran.
But she was sure it wouldn’t come to that.
He was looking at her coat a little strangely, but she ignored that, faltering a little when he looked at her with a huge grin. Woa, he was kinda...handsome. Her heart gave a small flutter, but Kauli acted quickly to hush it, her faltered smile quickly returning, albeit a little fakely. “I, uh...y-yeah. I need to take you to the Pharaoh – this way!” Her voice sounded weird, and she moved quickly, striding in the direction of the dens. What had come over her!?
Woa, that was a...fairly high-pitched voice. Still, Rembo wasn’t one to judge, so he merely smiled some more and followed her, having to pick up his pace a little to catch up with her. Meet the Pharaoh? Perhaps he remembered Rembo’s mother – he wasn’t sure how old the Pharaoh was, so he didn’t hold his breath. Still, to meet the leader of such an amazing pride would be an honour indeed.
Picking up the pace a little more so he could walk beside the lioness rather than behind her, he glanced over to her with a small frown, “I...I never caught your name.”
He was staying behind her, that was...good. Kauli was a little afraid of the reaction that had happened inside of her chest, and didn’t want it to happen again. It had been strange...not unwelcome exactly, but completely different from anything she was used to, and Kauli didn’t like change. Everything needed to stay exactly the way it was. When he asked for her name, she looked up, eyes a little wider in surprise. Oh, damn, she’d looked into his eyes again. His rather handsome eyes, that were a striking shade of green...
“Oh, uh...Kauli. I’m Kauli.”
She really needed to get a grip.
Kauli? His smile softened, “That’s a pretty name – what does it mean?”
Kauli was acting a little strange, especially for a guard. Thats what he assumed she was, after all she’d been at the borders. No other rank required a lion to be so close to the borders, so it was only logical to assume she was a guard, or perhaps a scout. Looking for a conversation topic, not wanting to ensure an awkward silence while they walked, he spoke, “I wasn’t aware there were many female guards?”
”I...T-Thank you.”
Ohhh, she was acting like an adolescent having her first crush. Walking beside Rembo, she stared fiercely at the ground beneath her, mentally telling herself to calm down and get a grip. Rembo was just a lion, a lion that might not even be allowed to join, so she should stop being so ridiculous. She was an adult, she could handle situations like this a lot more maturely than she currently was. Having calmed herself down and giving herself a good talking-to, Kauli turned to face Rembo again with a smile, which soon faded to a frown. “I’m not a guard...?”
Why had he assumed she’d been a guard? Kauli seemed confused, until suddenly it hit her, and she gasped, “Ohhh, no, I’m not a guard – I’m a scribe, a healer. I was just on the borders because I’d finished all my duties for the day."
”You’re welcome,” he responded with confidence and yet another smile – it was strange and unusual for the lion to be smiling so much, but he was quite enjoying it. It was a nice change from the thoughtful or confused frown he was usually found with.
“You’re not?” he asked, that confused frown returning. Wait, if she wasn’t a guard what was she? And why did she seem confused? Rembo stopped in his stride, unable to think quite as deeply as he was walking (multi-tasking wasn’t his forte). She seemed to get there before he did, though, and he watched as the realization hit her. A healer, hmm? “Well, that makes sense then,” he spoke, nodding as he took up the walking pace once again, “What kind of healer are you?”
Oh dear, it seemed she’d caused a lot of confusion.
Pausing as Rembo did, though she was a couple of paces ahead, Kauli turned to look back at him. He took a little longer to process it than she had, but they were soon on their way again – in fact, they were pretty much there. Indicating the temple up ahead, she frowned at his question. What kind of healer? “Well, uh...” She wasn’t really sure what he was asking, “A...good one?”
Pulling herself up onto the porch of the temple, Kauli took a few steps forwards before pausing to look back at Rembo, “He’s in here. Just...y’know, be polite and explain everything and you’ll be fine.”
A good one? Rembo chuckled at the small joke, following Kauli up onto the temple, glancing up at it with a small gulp. It was huge – he could easily see how a while pride could make its home in such a large building. Glancing back down to the lioness he nodded at her advice, this time flashing a grateful smile. He looked inside, taking a deep breath before he strode forwards, into the new temple he was (hopefully!) soon going to be calling his home.
FIN
