Finally free of Kaanga and her entourage, No did not waste much time in returning herself to the slave quarters. It had been almost two days now, and it was becoming apparent to the black cat that she had yet to sleep. But try as she might- she couldn’t settle. It wasn’t fear, but it was close to it. Something looming... she chuffed and adjusted her paws. There was much to be done, that was for sure. But with the unmoving and slumbering mass of the remaining slaves, No found herself somewhat perplexed as to how to go about it. She needed something to promise them. Something that wouldn’t make her sound like some raving lunatic.

She grew tired of trying to sleep, and stood back up. If there wasn’t going to be any sleeping getting done, she’d try her hand at getting some food.

There was certainly one thing good about the desert night- it was dark. Chillier then it had ever been in the pridelands, too. With her ears folded she cold meld into the rocky crags of the dark rocks. Animals were more active now too- overhead she heard the near soundless wing beats of a vulture, while elsewhere, she watched a long black snake slowly shift through the sands like water. Despite night, the Motoujamii was most definitely alive.

But how was that to bode for prey animals? Following Kidondo’s advice, she started instead to track for water.

Elsewhere- the dark lioness was not the only figure to be stalking in the darkness. Siraj; only recently himself having returned to the desert, found himself stalking down his first hunt in the desert in some time. He found his thoughts on Vanhi, although he wasn’t sure why. Back in the fell lands she had begged him to stay after he’d done his service and killed their retched king. He hadn’t cared to- the only reason he had helped the struggling pride had been because it seemed an adequate way [nay, a sign from Finar-Si herself] to restore his honor and return home. But still, the thoughts lingered. And he did not like thinking himself sentimental.

It was good to be back home, that was for sure. As much as he loathed the fell races, he couldn’t help but have a fear that being away from the Motoujamii was akin to being poisoned. And eventually, he too would lose his great heritage and become nothing more then a riving mass of aimless creatures. Seeing that other lioness had done him good as well. Both in reassuring him that members of his own age had survived the retched plague- and also, dispelling the notion that there was anything alluring in the world outside. He had everything here, if only he settled.

The hulk of a lion shifted, his tired face crinkling as he surveyed the land around him. Hunting was a lioness’s job- but in his time offlands, he’d learned and even come to enjoy doing a hunt on his own. In the distance a kind of scraggly antelope was carefully crossing the dunes, but he knew better then to charge it. He’d keep following to see where it was off to, and if the distance between them shrunk.

It was then, in a glimmer of his ruby red good eye, that he caught the shadow dancing across the sands. The old male snorted and pulled his great head back, a flicker of caution floating through him. Some apparition- he wondered?

The black shadow descended off the dune and danced to the left. But when it took no interest of him- and instead started to follow the tracks of the antelope in the distance, he recollected himself and realized that it was no ghost he saw, but a black figure. Black was not one of the fell colors- so at first, he did not take any care to her presence. But she was awfully small- perhaps too young to be out so late?

Siraj gave a low roar, and the antelope scurried away. No stopped in her tracks and turned towards the caller, her green eyes flashing once in the night air. The fellow was approaching, and No lowered her head cautiously, winding once around him as he passed.

“What are you doing out here, child?” The old male spoke. The age in his voice settled No a bit, and she shifted her jaw.

“I apologize,” The farce constructed. “I was hunting for my lord.”

The red male shook his tasseled mane and squinted his bad eye, thinking to himself. A slave? Strange for a firekin to pick a fell blood that resembled their own kind. In fact- it was a bit discerning. Was this what Ripuka meant when she said the youth were losing their ways? “You wander by yourself?” He balked.

No shifted her head. “I have no reason to run. Even a slave needs food.”

Siraj snorted in agitation, and No slightly regretted the comment. But although it visibly troubled him, he didn’t seem to want to act out on it. Was it because he thought slaves were naturally addle minded? The black lioness skulked, and shifted her tail. “My master lets me hunt,” She corrected. “He’s often too busy to come with me, and I feed both of us fine.”

Again! Troubling! Siraj twitched. “Your master-?”

“Lord Kidondo,” She explained, nodding her head in a bow as if it was some sacred term.

This seemed to calm the old man, and he shook his head. Ripuka spoke highly of her pupil- and perhaps it was understandable for the slave of a future king to be allowed such freedoms. In fact, he supposed it was likely. And now- he couldn’t help but feel somewhat apologetic for inadvertently stealing the future king’s kill, even if it had been No to come upon the scene secondly.

“I apologize then for disrupting the hunt,” He thrummed, and sauntered past her. “I’ll leave that to you then, and find another.” He motioned towards the footprints, and No followed them as they moved up and over a sand dune, and into the darkness lit only by the half moon.

No bowed her head, a bit unsure of how to reply.

“But watch where you tread, slave.” The old man bitterly recollected, clapping his jaws together once. “I’ll respect the hand of the prince, but had you been any other I would have beaten you for disrupting my kill.”

In response, No drifted her head lower. At her paws- she scowled. Every time a situation like this fell upon her, No reminded herself that someday, they would know while they had berated her, she had kept quiet despite it all being a lie. The lioness licked her teeth and snorted as the male sauntered away.

An old lion- he’d be an enemy for sure. She had wished she caught a name however, as she wondered if this was one of the ones Kidondo had spoken of. But yet- she changed her posture back to the proud, sleek form that was herself as the male vanished. Perhaps he had bluffed. How held were the traditions in the pride? This male on the side of Ripuka and the King... the black cat turned, and stalked off after the forlorn antelope. She’d wait and see what else the night brought.