Koura was a long way from her original home, that was for sure. The forests of the Suka'Fumo were in the past, but the crimes she had committed against her pride and those that had been committed against her, haunted her. She hadn't been comfortable in the Rogue Lands. Her familiar, Themba, was her driving force. Themba was such a mothering type that she was always nagging the purple lioness to hunt and drink. It was also Themba who had spotted the jungle and led her companion towards it.
Themba had been scouting when Zambarau found Koura. She wasn't there to see it for herself, but apparently Koura had been preparing to be attacked, when her fog of despair lifted long enough for her to process the coat color of the lion nearby. She cried out in relief and collapsed at the large male's paws. Zambarau had taken Koura back to the camp to be treated for exhaustion and evaluated by the lionesses of the pride and he had sent his own avian familiar to scout out any other newcomers.
That was how Zabibu and Themba met. Themba was all in a fuss, with ruffled feathers when her lioness wasn't in the same place she had left her. Then in swooped Zabibu, with his jovial speech and his guiding wing. She flew after him eagerly and perched close by the Healers' Den until she could peep in and check in on her friend.
When Koura finally awoke with her strength returned, Zambarau kindly explained to her what had transpired. He then introduced her to the Queen and bowed out of the way as the lionesses of the pride took control of the situation. They offered her a home and she readily accepted it, happy to have somewhere to belong and a chance to start anew. She told them that she had left her old pride and that she was a good fighter, even showing her skill in a sparring match with another lioness to prove her point. She did not tell them about her actions with the rebellion troupe or that she had once driven the Suka'Fumo out of their homelands, just for wronging her. She did not tell them because she could not. It was a fact of her past that she would take to her grave. Or so she had thought, anyway. She had taken a liking immediately to Zambarau, mostly for his purple hue. He had requested that she visit him regularly for a while after she had first joined them and after that, well, it just became habit. She started spending more and more time with him until finally, she came started going to him for everything.
Which brings us to today, where the jungle was warmed pleasantly by the sun and Koura was just entering the pride camp, cursing viciously with Themba flying nearby.
"Stupid thorn bush, stupid hare, stupid, stupid, stupid," She growled and Themba flew into the Healers' Den.
"Hello, hello? Anyone in?" She called, peering closely around at the den.
"Good day, Themba. What brings you here today?" Rumbled a familiar voice as Zambarau approached.
"Hello Zambarau!" Themba chirped pleasantly. "It's not for me that I'm here, it's for Koura. She's out front you see, she's got a thorn wedged deep into her paw. I tried pulling it out myself, but I don't have the beak for it and, well, Koura has very sharp claws, you know." She said sheepishly.
The indigo lion smiled understandingly and nodded, grabbing a few of the leaves from his den and heading outside where he saw Koura, draped dramatically over a rock in the camp with a forepaw stretched out far away from her. She was moaning about the pain as he and Themba came forward.
"Good day, Koura." Zambarau greeted as he moved to examine the injured paw.
"No it isn't!" Wailed Koura, turning quite a few heads towards her, including one of Zambarau's former students, Kivuli (now a Healer himself), one of the older members, Dhati (another Warrior) and even Zambarau's own familiar, Zabibu. Zabibu flew down into the camp from the trees that surrounded it and pressed close to Themba with a pleased coo. At least they weren't shy about PDA, Zambarau thought, before dashing it away with a swing of his tail.
"Zambarauuu," Koura whined. "Talented Zambarau, you'll make my paw better again, won't you?"
"Well, it's hard to ignore such a plea from a lovely lady, such as yourself, Koura." The healer purred back. The purple lions had been courting each other for long enough that it had been expected for a while for them to approach a Master about their union becoming permanent, but Koura kept putting it off to train or do her tasks given to her by the pride as a Warrior. Zambarau was a patient lion, though and he would gladly anticipate the day when Koura finally came to him and said she was ready.
"Oh dear, Themba! Whatever happened to your poor lioness' paw?" Zabibu asked, his voice concerned.
"There was a hare in the rainforest and I was ready to follow it anywhere to get some of its succulent flesh, but nooo." Koura growled. "It just had to run directly into a thick thorn bush and I, running too fast to stop fully, landed right on top of it!"
"It was really quite lucky that she only got one thorn stuck in her, Zabibu-dear. There were dozens of thorns-no, hundreds! Koura ought to be covered in them, but she isn't, thank goodness!"
While Koura was listening to the two birds, Zambarau had taken the thorn into his teeth and in one strong pull, jerked the thorn out of the pad. Koura roared her displeasure and the two birds spooked into the sky together.
"That HURT!" She snapped at Zambarau who merely spat out the thorn and began to lap at the small p***k of blood that was welling up from the wound in Koura's paw. She paused at that and looked fondly down at him as he treated her paw and then wrapped a sticky leaf onto the front. Finally, she breathed a sigh of relief as the pain faded and leaned forward to lick Zambarau's cheek, purring. "Oh, noble Zambarau, you have saved my paw. I was sure we would have to bite it off to save it from infection or something."
"Come now, Koura, you know better." He replied with a happy rumble. "With me looking out for you, I will always be there to take care of you."
The two nuzzled each other and then Koura began to stand, leaning on Zambarau's shoulder and purring loudly. Zambarau began to lead his closest companion to the co-ed dens, where they had been known to sleep together on occasion, but Koura stopped him.
"Wait," She purred and looked around the clearing. "I... I think it's time to go seek out Naledi. Don't you?"
Naledi? Zambarau was puzzled before he realized what his violet companion meant. Naledi was the only Master thus far in the pride! She could help them meet with the Queen for their Soulbonding Ceremony! Purring and nodding, but still taking care to walk slowly for Koura's benefit. It was finally going to happen! They were finally going to be bonded together as a single soul! Above them, Themba and Zabibu cooed.
WC: 1, 231
