Mchezaji's heart soared into the heavens. Just the other day he had witnessed a true miracle. Mingmei, his little Mingmei, had delivered three beautiful babies. Two young daughters, and a son with fur of the finest silver. How he had been so lucky as to have been witness to such an event, he would never know.
As was his duty, he went out to find proper foliage for the nursing mother. He had ever so carefully been moving the family day after day back towards her home lands so that she could raise her first and second litters side by side. And right now, she craved green, so there he was, in a field of tall grass, snipping off stalks with his teeth into a neat little pile.
The lioness moved smoothly in the tall grasses. The sun was warm on her back, but the waves of grass which smacked lightly against her felt like a beat. A melody of life in which the gentle breeze only added harmony too. Her gentle gaze was desperately searching for water though. It was one of the truest treasures of her life and the lioness was once again wishing that she was a cub back home with her mother and siblings in their sanctuary of water.
But that was not possible.
She was grown now and her mother had made certain that all of her cubs grew up on their own away from their home. Faliha sighed. She didn't like her mother's view on life. Should she ever have cubs then they would all be welcomed to grow old right next to her. The lioness smiled. Cubs. The cycle of life. Maybe one day she would contribute little ones of her own to it. The lioness laughed at the thought before stumbling across another in the grasses. A leopard. But what was he doing? Fascinated by his actions the lioness quietly sat and watched.
At first, he paid no attention to the gentle shifting of the grass around him. There was a wind out today, after all. Then he happened to look up, and notice a pretty face. Mchezaji didn't miss a beat. He smiled, little tuffs of grass sticking out eat end of his mouth before he caught on, and spat them out onto the pile.
"Hello, mi'lady." His thick tail scanned the ground below him, ghosting over the area before coming to a rest near his bottom. "What brings you out today? And alone, at that? That is, if you don't mind me asking." Of course he was curious. Wasn't he always? Life had a way of making things grand even at the best of times, and maybe this lioness would contribute to it.
Faliha couldn't help but to smile back at the leopard. Nor could she help the small laugh that escaped at the sight of the grass sticking from his mouth. "Hello, sir." She nodded politely before blinking at his questions. A bold leopard it seemed. The thought made her heart warm in memory. It seemed she had a habit of meeting leopards like that lately.
"Traveling." Faliha smiled, "I've been alone for a while so I can't give you much reason for that part. But I've been searching for a pride to call home." The lioness looked at the leopard, "But an even better question is why is a leopard out here tearing into grass like this?"
"So am I!" Mchezaji smiled, feeling an instant companionship with the lioness seated beside him. With two souls such as their's, destiny was surely close to telling him what lay before him in life. "A pride, you say?" He shook his head with a chuckle. "I would be more than happy to walk with you to one, but sadly, I'm not familiar with any."
The dancer's eyes turned down to his grass pile with a tender hearted gleam. "I'm gathering food for my companion. She's a hare, by the name of Mingmei, and recently she's given birth to three of the most glorious kits you'll ever see. Two girls and a solitary boy."
Faliha smiled at his enthusiasm. So he was a fellow traveler then. She shouldn't be surprised since both of them were out here in the rogue lands after all...but still it was nice to hear that she wasn't alone. "It's alright." She laughed softly, "I'm not familiar with any either, so I'm taking this as another adventure full of surprises. No telling where I'll wind up."
"A hare?" Faliha blinked at him before shaking off her surprise, "I'm sure they are beautiful kits then." She looked around at the grasses before moving down closer, "Do you need any help gathering food then? I've nothing else to do so lending aid to a mother is never something I would purposefully avoid."
What a beautiful way envision her life! He could see it now; the lioness on her travels, her heart full of lyrics just begging to be sung, and her steps the walk of a Goddess. Mchezaji stopped himself. If he became too caught up in this, he would break into song.
"That would be wonderful. Thank you, Miss." He tossed her an prize winning smile, and started back in on his work. "I'm sure that she will be as grateful for your aid as I. We're not long for companionship, so I'm trying my best to give her the best start I can before we are forced to part ways."
Faliha smiled at the leopard. There was no telling what he was thinking, but she felt a bit amused just watching his expression. This was definitely an interesting male that was for sure. And he was helping a hare. It was kinda sweet...she had never run into anyone before who took care of smaller animals like this.
She nodded before beginning to follow his lead and break off the grasses for the hare, "Then you're both welcome. I'm just glad to help, honestly." She smiled back, "Ah. So you must part ways? It's always sad when good friends have to seperate...but surely one day you two will be able to meet again."
"Unfortunately," He sighed, moving his pile to the center so she could have easy access to it. The grass was still cool enough that it gave his whiskers a zing. "She's been on my quest for longer than I can remember, but I always knew that what we had would come to an end. She had older kits in a pride, and now, she has these to raise."
Mchezaji would have asked the female to travel with him for a while, but not only did he still have a duty to Mingmei, he had one to the hybrids. Hopefully his genes were already creating the life that would complete their lives, and as for himself....well, that was too selfish, wasn't it?
"Ah." Faliha gave him a gentle look, "It's always sad to seperate once your paths stop going together, but it doesn't mean that they won't cross again. Maybe once her new kits are raised and settled in she may find you again. Who knows?" The lioness shrugged before pushing more grass into the pile.
"As it is I hope our paths cross again." She smiled, "You are a very kind soul and I'm glad to have been able to share your company." The lioness shook her head, "Anyway let's finish this so you can bring it back to your rabbit friend." She quietly resumed working, a small song humming in her head.
( AIM Log between Sabra Knight and I. WC:1,257 )
