Well she had been traveling for at least a day and half in the same direction she had been going int and still no sign of any Pridelanders. Eonar hoped that her memory held up as much as she thought it did. After all, she had been born a Pridelander! Oh she put too much faith in her paws and fuzzy memory, hoping that they would carry her in the right direction home, but it seemed that they might have finally led her astray in her journey back to her homeland. Her orange eyes turned upward with her head to look at the sun in the sky. It was beginning to set again, marking the end of the day and making it to where she had been walking in the same direction for almost two days now. "Oooo, I sweat if that male has led me astray I'll tear out his mane." The usually calm lioness mumbled under her breath.
Njia had been away from her herd for seemed like ever now. Of course she missed Stommerd but at the same time she was glad to be away from him. His personality, while he meant well, could be overbearing as he wished to protect their herd as best he could, better even! Of course it was dangerous for a doe to go wandering by herself so the bull had sent two of their largest male guards with her on her diplomatic mission to seek out new lands for the herd to migrate through during the dry season. So far though, her journey had been a bust and after being away from home for a little over a month, she had nothing to show for it. Though her hooves were tired and her stomach empty due to no time to graze, she continued walking with the two weary-looking guards, who of course did not outwardly show their exhaustion, wandering close behind.
Up ahead, she saw them. Three figures, obviously hoofed, on a path for the two to cross at the rate they were currently going.. It was odd. Eonar was expecting to see more lions considering how close she thought she was to the Pridelands but in fact she was seeing more herds of zebra and gazelle then anything else. These three were different though. They were waterbucks. Two large, burly looking sort of fellows and one elegant looking doe who seemed to be in the lead. Was she a leader of some kind? A waterbuck leader? The thought nearly had Eonar on her back, laughing at the thought until she truly thought about it. It only made sense for any group of animals to have a sort of leader lest their ranks turn to madness and chaos. But what were these three doing out by themselves without the safety of their herd? That was what Eonar aimed to find out as she turned a bit to make sure their paths would meet.
Of course her two guards were the first to notice the bronze colored lioness approaching the three of them. "Matriarch," One of the two said calmly as they moved themselves in front of their female leader. They were under direct order to protect her with their lives and so they would. Her official title got Njia's attention as she turned her head to look at what the other two already had their horns pointed at. Sure enough there was a lioness approaching the three of them. While she of slightly smaller than average size and by how she moved, she knew her joints hurt. "She's an elder." Njia quickly said after coming to the conclusion. "What do you want with us, predator?" She called out, her own voice stern and demanding despite her own fatigue.
Never in her life had a prey beast spoken to her in such a way. She was at the top of the food chain, not some doe who spoke to her as if she were a peasant. Eonar's nose wrinkled in a mild disgust as listened to the words before finally responding with her own. "I am curious what three stray waterbucks are doing so close to the Pridelands." Or at least she thought the four of them close to the Pridelands. After all, prey animals usually stayed in herds didn't they?
"We are not strays, as you call them. I am a matriarch, one of the leaders of my herd and these are my two personal guards. We are a diplomatic mission to the Pridelands that does not concern you, lion." Njia replied, her head held high as she looked back into the lioness' eyes. With a stamp of her hoof she began to turn and leave back in the direction of their destination.
"Wait!" Eonar suddenly called out, taking a step forward which resulted in the two guards taking two steps of their own towards her, their head tucked against their necks and their horns pointed at her. She was quick to stop her movement as she saw how serious the two were. "I am heading to the Pridelands as well, perhaps we can travel together." It was at least a suggestion and this do seemed more confident on where she was going than Eonar was. In fact, knowing her luck, she was traveling in the completely wrong direction and would end up in some pride that would sacrifice her to their god or something.
Njia looked over her shoulder, her light pink eyes narrowed for a moment at even the suggestion of this rogue traveling with her and her guard. Her heart kind though and her expression became less serious. Finally she gave a nod. "Find, but you will travel between my guards, one in front of you and one behind and should you make any sudden movements, they will gore you." She would not take any chances. Her herd was depending on her find their migration path as their old one was not overpopulated with prides.
Despite the conditions put in place, Eonar nodded happily. At least not she could make sure that she made it to the Pridelands before the coming of the cold season. She moved herself into place, glancing once over her shoulder at the large male waterbuck that stood behind her. It was just a precaution. It wasn't like these things would eat her or anything. They just wanted to make sure that she didn't eat them. Or at least that's what she told herself.
"Come on then, lets get going. We don't have too much furth." Njia rolled her eyes after saying those few words which brought the company of four into a walk. It was such an odd feeling, walking with a lioness who she did know the reputation of. It was feeling though she may very well have to get used to though if she wanted to meet and discuss migration rights for her and Stommerd's herd with other leaders. Onward the four went silently towards their goal of the Pridelands.
[Word Count: 1,179]
