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The large male shook from head to tail, red mane ruffling as dust and debris was flung from his tawny hide, dark paws disappearing beneath savanna grass as he stretched his limbs. It was a beautiful day, and the hunter had trekked through the pridelands in search of just the perfect game to bring home to his growing family.

Juhudi was very much a lion who preferred to remain close to home, watching over his children and caring for his very pregnant mate. But with new cubs on the way, a grouchy mate, and the never-ending bickering between his teenage children, the tan male had elected to wander from the den for a short time. And bringing home something special for his family seemed like the perfect task on such a beautiful sunny day.

He had not been searching for the white pelt that met his eyes, nor listening for the small voice that drifted to his dark ears. But though the young cub had not been the object of his search, Juhudi was not a lion would could ignore a cub.

"Hello there, you're awfully far out for one so young."

His voice was kind and gentle as he called out. The small cub seemed troubled, perhaps he could help her.

Juhudi quickly closed to distance between himself and the young cub, nudging her back to her paws with a gentle muzzle. It had certainly not been his intent to frighten the little lioness, having only called out from a desire to help. He was a large lion, slightly more than average, but his posture was gentle, a kind beast with the heart of a cub and a soft mane.

"Are you alright?"

Pale blue eyes echoed the kind expression on his maw, traces of concern etched into his features. And then he realized this cub look familiar, those same jade eyes he had seen in Mosi's brother, a slight trace of markings that matched his dark mate and her grandmother. Remembering that the older lioness had recently borne another litter, he guessed that this young female was one of hers.

"You must be one of Ausi's cubs? I guess that makes us related. You're lost? Well it's not so hard to find your way back if you know where to look, perhaps I can help?"

Silently he wondered to himself if his own cubs had ever lost their way while exploring the vast pridelands, not that he could ever imagine his oldest getting lost, not that he didn't find other trouble.

The small cub seemed confused, and for a moment Juhudi doubt his assumption. But another look at those unmistakable jade eyes and the faint yet distinct marking on her back assured him that he had been correct and this cub was indeed one of the older lioness' children. A detail that would be helpful in the more pressing situation, that the cub was lost and needed to be returned home.

"Mm-hmm, your mother is also my mate's grandmother."

But there was a more pressing issue, and relations could be explained later. For now he had a lost and frightened cub whom he needed to help find her way home.

The large lion lowered his head, pale eyes finding jade of the small cub, his posture gentle as the old king that had once greeted him as an adolescent searching for his place in the vast world. With a soft paw, he gestured to the north, toward the large rocks that loomed on the horizon, like the king himself watching over the lands.

"See that? That's pride rock. If ever you are lost just look there and it will always guide you home."

The gentle lion couldn't help the laughter that spilled from his jaws at the cub's words. Perhaps the lioness could have been thought of as old, it was certain his son thought she was, and soon the tan lion would find that he himself would soon be thought old by the younger lions. Not that his cubbish heart would ever let him think of himself as old.

"Well, I suppose she could be, but I wouldn't let her hear you say that if I were you."

A broad smile crossed his maw as he followed after the cub. He may have pointed her the direction home, but he couldn't in good conscience leave her find it alone.

"If you ever cannot see the rock, you can find your way back by following your own scent."

He walked with a slow steady gait, larges paws and a long gait carrying him much further with each stride than the cub's small paws could. As they trod toward priderock, Juhudi couldn't help but smile at the cubbish energy, and though she may have been confused by his words, he was certain he could see the spark of curiosity in those jade eyes as well.

"Every creature, predator or prey, has it's own distinctive scent, and we leave that scent behind wherever we go. If you learn to recognize it, you can follow that scent."

The large male could lead the cub home, but if she didn't learn to find her way on her own, it was very likely that the adventurous little one would become lost again, left to wait for a kind soul to show her the way again. And then it seemed she'd proven his point, bounding of again as curious cubs often do. This was going to be more difficult than he thought.

"Hey, wait..."

It only took a few steps to catch the cub again, his larger body placed in her path, head lowered to gaze into the young one's eyes.

"Weren't you lost just a moment ago? If you wander too far it will be much harder to find your way home."

The earthen lion sighed as he settled on his haunches before the young cub, pale eyes looking down at her sympathetically. Unlike his mate, Juhudi was a push over, and if there was anything guaranteed to melt his resolve, is was the cute and pitiful eyes of a pleading cub.

But he couldn't leave the cub to her own curious distractions either. If he had allowed her to chase after the flighted creature she could have grown even more lost, or worse, crossed the border. He could just imagine how well that would go over, "Ausi, I'm sorry, I saw your cub but I didn't bring her back because she wanted to chase a bird," not the best way to stay on the in-laws' good side.

That didn't stop him from feeling guilty though. Well, maybe he could get her excited to go back home then, maybe he could appeal to that curious nature.

"I know, but you don't want to get lost again do you? And, I bet you could find an even prettier bird, maybe you could even climb to the top of pride rock."

He sighed in relief, that kind smile spreading across his maw again as he rose to his paws. The little cub was happy again, to which Juhudi couldn't help but feel happy himself. There was nothing more beautiful than the happy smile of a cub...except the eyes of his mate, those were more beautiful than the stars themselves.

"Let's hurry home then shall we? We'll want to get back before all the birds fly away."

With her attention captured again, Juhudi could lead the cub back home to her family and adventures that awaited close to home. Now he only had to keep her from distractions long enough to get there.