((This is log being Kairi and myself))
It has been months of grueling travel for Zana and her companion, across jungles, savannas and the deadly desert. They had faced hostile prides and friendly rouges together, only to now falter at the finish line. Lack of food and water had taken it's toll on the two lions, driving them to harsh words and rash actions. Now, alone for the first time in what seemed like years, Zana was ready to give in to despair.
Stumbling over a small dune, the half starved lioness snarled irrationally, swiping at the sand as if it was the source of all her troubles. The extra movement was too much for her weary body, and she toppled to her side, panting in the heat. The sun glared of her white coat, but she made no further movement as if she seemed to be giving up.
He was crouched down, green eyes scanning the terrain. There it was - not too far away, a lone antelope grazed from a small patch of dry grass, unaware of the lion's presence. He inched forwards, paws gliding over the ground, finding the places where the least sound would be made. Just a little closer...just a little closer...
There was the sound of a thud, and the antelope scarpered. Rembo started after it, but soon gave up, realizing he'd only tire himself further, and he'd never catch up with it. Growling in frustration, he turned to snap angrily at the creator of the thud - only to find himself faced with a collapsed lioness. Eyes widening, he rushed towards her. "Are you alright!?" he asked, nudging her. Was she even alive? "Hello?"
A faint growl came from the still figure, "Go away you damn buzzard, at least let me die in peace before you scavengers descend on me!" Considering the birds were the only living things she had seen in days, it was hard for her to grasp that the smell was that of a lion and not a carrion eater.
At the nudge, she snarled again lavender eyes glaring at him slightly unfocused. Slowly sanity returned to her gaze as she stared at him, "You...am I alive?" She knew her body ached too badly to be dead but to see a lion so sleek and healthy out here, her mind could not grasp.
Her blindingly white coat had seen better days, the fur mangy and dirty as if she didn't have the energy to clean herself. Her slender frame had lost what little fat it once held, leaving only skin stretched over muscle and bone. The fur around her paws was stained slightly pink as if they had been bleeding for some time.
He shuffled backwards as she snapped at him - what was it with him and managing to piss off girls at the moment? Kauli still hadn't talked to him, and it had been several days...he hoped she decided soon. She finally opened her eyes, glaring at him before her gaze softened. Was she alive? "...I, uh...yeah?" Why wouldn't she be? A little confused, but not wanting to anger her again, Rembo frowned. What should he do now? Take her back into the pride? He couldn't leave her alone out here, she'd die within days - but to take her back into the pride? It was a scenario he'd never been in before.
"Can you walk?" he asked, mind made up, "Follow me. I'll take you to where there's food and water."
The words sounded as if they came from far away, but the promise of food and water made her force her weary body up once more. She stumbled a feet steps before she gained her balance and nodded. Once standing it was clear not all of the thinness was due to lack of food, her body was simply long, running towards a willowy dancer like build. "Lead on," Her voice rough and gravelly from lack of water still held a faint musical tone to it.
He smiled reassuringly, hoping to Mkodi that she'd make it as he started at a steady pace back into the Tuait'tekem lands, heading towards the dens, where the food was stored. Then he'd leave her to rest in his den, and go see the Pharaoh. Hopefully the Pharaoh would understand...
"Where are you from?" he asked, trying to strike up conversation.
She limped after him slowly, but steadily, her head hanging eyes fixed on the ground before her. "Very far away. I have come in search of a pride Tuait'tekem. I must find them." Her words were dull and hollow, she was there but just barely. Zana knew she was making no sense but the events of the last few days at finally broken the lioness's resolve.
Far away? He smiled, though it faltered as he suddenly stopped in his stride, looking at her with a frown. She was looking for the Tuait'tekem? "This...is the Tuait'tekem." Clearly she wasn't from near here - the place stank of the pride, and as far as Rembo was concerned the slightly lighter hue of the sand made it...well, obvious.
"Why are you searching for the pride?" It was something he needed to know before taking her any further, in case she was hostile.
She stopped when he did, slowly lifting her head to stare at him with hope in her eyes, "I...I made it? I really made it?" Her voice broke as she choked on her emotions. "Oh thank the Gods." She collapsed in her sand, her shaking legs unable to hold her any longer.
At his question, she gave him a weary but bright smile, "I have come searching for my Aunt Taikarana, my mother said she lived among you."
He smiled - she seemed...happy. Oh, she was searching for her aunt. Well, that made sense. Except...hmm. Rembo frowned, glancing to the ground to prevent any distractions as he wracked his brain for a face to match the name he'd just been given. Taikarana...he hadn't been in the pride long, but he'd made a point of learning the names of most, if not all members. He glanced up to take a look at the thin lioness - he didn't remember seeing anyone of a similar coloration, either.
"There...isn't anyone in the pride of that name," he finally spoke after much thought, watching her. Had she traveled all this way in vain?
He would see something in her eyes dim, as if a light had gone out. "No....that can't be.." Her voice again broke, thought this time with grief. She made a sound that was so soft but so filled with pain and anguish it would stop even the most callus of creatures.
It was all for nothing...leaving her family behind, the traveling and struggling. What hurt the most was...she had brought Kimya here to this place, where he had suffered and was now likely dead....all for nothing. She curled in on herself as if he had inflicted a mortal wound to her body, making soft sounds of pain and distress.
Ohhh...ohhh, he didn't like making her sad. This was the second time he'd seen that light go out in their eyes. The first was Kauli, and now this lioness. Was he just cursed to be the bringer of bad news or something? He wasn't sure what to say, so instead took up a sympathetic expression, moving forwards awkwardly to try and console her. She looked like a child, curled into a ball, all sad...
"C'mon, keep going," he urged her, nudging her again, "Lets get you some food or water, then we can find out for sure."
"I can't." She gave a dry sob, for there was little moisture left in her body. "I brought him out here and he died...for nothing." The ache went clear through to her soul. The last words she had said to him were words of anger, spoken out of stupid pride and rage.
Someone had died? Rembo swallowed a lump in his throat, continuing to urge her with insistent nudges, getting gradually more impatient. "No, it might not be for nothing. Uh...I don't know, I'm pretty new, so there might be. C'mon, we'll just get you fed and watered and rested, then you can see the Pharoh - please? There's no point in you dying too."
Slowly, his words penetrated the fog of despair that had closed around her and she allowed him to 'bully' her back to her feet. Without another word said, she once more began to follow him, though her eyes were once again flat and dull as if she had accepted a horrible fate.
...Oh. So there wasn't going to be anymore speaking? Rembo couldn't imagine how she was feeling, with everything she seemed to have gone through, so he merely continued onwards into the pride, head low. "...I'm sorry," he mumbled, but said nothing else as he guided her to the dens, where he'd allow her to recuperate. She needed it, by the looks of it.
