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Times were hard in the Kizingo'zaa. Not, perhaps hard as other lions would see it, but hard for Elips. She was an Usher, and as such, something of a loner. Her dearest friends were those she tended as they lingered on the edge of death. If you could call them friends. The rest of her family was lively and friendly and fun, making friends and dreaming away the days...not her. Something about the insanity of the pride had not hit her very hard at all. Sure, she occasionally had spells of absurdity, and was completely sure that she was part of the spirit of the leopard...but other than that, she was a sensible creature. She struggled to make friends with those pride members who really were off their rockers.
Ame was happy! She had run into her muse early in the day, and the grasshopper's chattering had told her plain and clearly to go and make a new friend! The hoppy little friend had told her all about this lioness, a special lioness in the pride. A lioness who did her job well, and followed all the rules, but did not have any friends at all! How sad! Well that wouldn't do, and Ame had sprang away to help assist the new friend right away! The hopper had said she was a white lion, and aha! She saw her now, coming down the hill!
Oh, boy. There was someone coming right her way. At least she looked half sensible, not like the glaze-eyed males that'd come stumbling across her path the day before. "Can I help you?" She asked, trying to step around the red female. It had been a long, tiring night of tending those who were sick and dying. She wanted to find her den, maybe a bite to eat, and sleep. Not be social, even though she probably should. She frowned, her usual expression, and tried to remember who this lioness was. "...Ame...fungwa, is it?"
"Right right! Amefungwa! Wow, you're cranky, aren't you? I don't need help, no, but you do! My muse told me you don't have ANY friends, and you're ALL alone! That really sucks I bet! I bet it's because your face looks so mean with that frown... But it's okay, because I'll be your friend!" The red female prattled on, regardless of the impact of her words. She'd always been a blunt one. Thank goodness the vast majority of the pride was so good natured. She grinned wide, half bouncing on the spot. She was so full of energy! Unlike Elpis, she'd just woken up, and was eager to interact!
Oh. Heaven and gods above help her. She remembered Amefungwa now. She was talkative and loud and friendly. A perfect fit in the pride, but not for Elpis. What was she again? A fortune teller? Great, she could spend her working hours talking too. That probably meant that like it or not, poor Elpis was going to get an earful. Maybe she could just...indulge her for a little bit, and then ditch her. Maybe someone else would come by and distract her. She could hope, right? "Ahhh...I see. You want...to be my friend...well. I'm going that way. Come with me?"
A walk? together? Yay! That was perfect! She'd get to make friends just like she'd been told! She bounced along beside the pacing white lion. "Of course! Sure! I'll go with you! Where are you going anyways? To bed? That's silly! You should come with me! We'll go sit in the flowers and watch clouds and talk!" She grinned happily, that sounded great! She heard a sigh beside her and looked back. "You okay? You look really tired or something. Why? Don't you sleep? You know, you should rest more, then you'll be pretty and the boys will like you!"
Elpis sighed. Just being near the red lioness was exhausting. Flowers? Sure. Clouds? Okay fine, what ever. She longed for her den, and stared at it as they walked on by. The darkness called to her, singing, come to bed, come to bed... Another sigh. Maybe she could nap in the flowers and just let her new 'friend' talk herself to distraction. That sounded like a good idea. She was already learning how best to ignore her...Just tune her out, nod now and then, and pretend to look alert and interested. Like with a cub.
Thankfully Ame was more than happy to go along with Elpis' plot. She kept right on babbling, and led her new best friend to the flowers that grew inside the pride. There they lay down, and she talked until the lioness she was with fell asleep. And then, she kept talking for a while longer, just in case. This was good. She'd made a friend. She smiled and got up to go back to the rest of the pride, leaving her new best friend to slumber in the flowers.
Hours later Elpis woke up. She yawned wide and sat half up. The red lioness had gone, and it was just quiet. She huffed. Just as planned. Distantly she hoped she hadn't offended the other lioness. She'd just been so so very tired. She yawned again and heaved up her bulk from the floral bed. She shook off, a wave of pollen scattering from her fur. She looked around, and still seeing no one, headed home. It was time for a real nap.
Ame had checked in on her friend several times over the course of her nap. It was okay with her that she'd fallen asleep. She'd asked around and the grasshoppers had told her she took care of the dead. That was a hard job. No wonder she'd been so tried. Even now she was peeking as her new pal slipped into her den. Maybe tomorrow they could play before she got so tired. Yeah, that sounded like a great idea! Just then a bug sprang up from the grass and lit through the air past her ear. It chirruped that she was doing a a very very good job...she turned a little circle, she was so happy! Thrilled with her muse's approval, she bounded after it, pouncing through the grass at nothing.
