It had been a long time since Jark had been back within these lands. He has started his travels when he was quite young, saying farewell to friends. It was never permanent, he always returned eventually, but this place was his fondest. It was the closest to a home he had ever had and had the closest friends of his, those who had been more like a family than any he could remember.
Jarkevaa inhaled deeply, even the air smelled familiar. The wind blew through his mane as if welcoming him, an old friend, back home. He came to a stop and looked at the plains ahead, a smile forming upon his maw. It was nice to be back. He enjoyed his travels quite a lot, all the new faces, places and things to see. Now though he was starting to be more keen on a place to settle. Jark had lived a nomadic life until this point, and his age was starting to catch up to him. He was getting on in age and his muscles were more easily wearied, and the cold seeped in much quicker now. A warm place to call home, or perhaps a warm body at his side, was looking to be a very nice option now.
However settling down somewhere would have to wait, before he could think of finding a permanent home he had a few old friends to find first. It had been so long since he had been back in this area, Jark was eager to see how his friends had fared in the time he was away.
Even as long as he had been away this place still looked as familiar as it had the last time he had been here. There were some differences, but they didn’t mask the old familiar sites he could remember. It was not hard for him to find his way to the old den of a couple of his close friends. He neared it’s entrance, grinning widely. “You two in?” He called out cheerily, waiting silently after for a reply. None came, and Jark risked a peek inside. It was empty from what he could see, and by the smell of it was being used by wild dogs. Jark looked around in confusion before exiting the den. Strange.
As he was leaving the den he came across a face he did not know, another lion who was walking by. “Excuse me, friend,” He called to the stranger, quickening his pace to catch up to the lion who had halted to look over at Jark. “I was searching for the pair who lived in the den behind me, would you happen to know where they are?”
“Those two? They left some time ago. I am afraid I do not know where they went, though if I remember they headed off towards the East.”
Jarkevaa nodded. “Thank you. I guess I shall have to keep looking then.” The other lion took his leave as Jark looked off to the east. “I suppose I shall have to keep up my travelling for a bit longer.” He made his way back to the empty den that had once been home to his friends. It may have smelled of dog, but it would work for the night at least. He was tired and rest would do him well.
As the sun starting to rise above the horizons Jarkevaa was just stepping out of the den. He let out a loud yawn and stretched his legs, trying to remove the cold sleep from his limbs. After a managing to catch a small rabbit he stared off towards the east as he ate, wondering if they were still in that direction, of if they had at any point turned in their travels. It was a big land, and wandering with no direction would prove just as pointless as not even bothering to look at all, but at least he had a start. It might be a vague one, but it was something. With one last look around him he started off, leaving his home once more in travel, though hopefully this one would finally be his last once he found Kujali and her mate.
The days wore on, seeming longer than they had before, as he left the lands of his birth. it had been a short but pleasant return. It was just as he had remembered it. Just as quiet and friendly a place, but lacking with the absence of his two old friends. He was determined to find them before settling down though. It wouldn’t feel right if he didn’t, or at least try.
Jarkevaa’s travels took him a bit further east than perhaps he had initially thought they would. Days passed, then lead in to weeks, though likely this was more due to his slowing pace. Any beast he managed to get in to a conversation he would ask if they had seen either Kujali or her mate, using what descriptions of them he could recall. It seemed as if he was getting nowhere fast. No one had seen the lions that he mentioned and Jark was starting to think perhaps they had changed direction. It was highly likely they had, or at least veered off perhaps a bit south or north. Either way it meant he was unlikely to find them on his current path. He was tempted to give up, just go ahead and settle down, but he decided to try for one day more. It might not get him anywhere, just as the previous days had, but it was just one more day.
The following day Jark woke early as he always did, found a quick meal and started back out. The day started to pass as he moved, catching up to those he could to question them about whether or not they had seen his friends and each time he got answers he was not hoping for. All no’s. No one had seen them. He was near ready to give up when the final person he came to seemed to have a better answer.
“Yeah, sounds familiar.” The leopard spoke, a pink tongue poking out from between his teeth as he thought. “It was not long ago if I recall, maybe a couple days. She was with some big ol’ brute of a male lion. Brown I think. Wasn’t gonna test my luck around him, so I kept moving. I think I saw the lady you described, but I don’t remember seeing the other guy.” Jark thanked the leopard, a bit of hope flaring back up in him. Well a couple days travel was not bad, he could manage that. After the leopard pointed him in the direction he recalled seeing the previously mentioned lions Jark started off. He was eager to finally find his friends, or Kujali at least. He wondered as he walked where her old mate was, and why she who it was she was now keeping company with.
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