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The last thing Siku saw before slumber’s dark tendrils ensnared her vision was Eyal, lying his head beside her. This sight gave her the feeling of safety and security as she drifted away.

A lovely dream had taken hold of the young cub’s thoughts, but just as she was racing across the savannah, the ground began to break. The next thing she knew, she was staring at a pink nose. Beautiful blue eyes raised up to connect with Eyal’s stern forest green orbs. A less than pleasant groan fell from the cub’s maw as she tried to roll away from him. “Mmh….Eyal...” The cub whined under her breath.

As much as she hated being stirred away from her eventful dreams, Kisikusiku knew that she couldn’t lie around forever. Eyal was right, sad but true. If she didn’t find the way into her pride’s territory soon, she’d have to go with Eyal, where he wouldn’t think twice about giving her up to the next female he saw.

“Alright….” Siku told the older lion as she stretched her front paws out in front of her, flexing the muscles. Small claws tilled the dirt ground as Siku flexed her paws and moved her sore joints. When she had finished, the cub did a little figure-eight around Eyal’s large front paws just before she stopped in front of him, grinned, and said. “Let’s go!”

Siku grinned up at the lion as he pushed her forward, urging her to move ahead. So she was the leader now? Perfect!

The once exhausted cub then bolted forward, her energy certainly renewed after the catnap. With each step Siku took, more and more dust kicked up behind her. Her senses were awake now! She could smell the strange scent in the air the heat created as it mixed with the plants surrounding them. Ah…the feeling was wonderful!

Suddenly the lass’s paws came to a halt, and with quick reflexes, Siku whirled herself around to face Eyal. “Well, come on, you! We need to reach the rock wall.” Her head bobbed in to the right where boulders and tall trees could be seen in the distance. “I think that’s it over there.”

Siku certainly wasn’t expecting to be grabbed once more by Eyal’s strong jaw. She probably never would. He wasn’t like her mother or her father. They held her gently, as if she was some kind of precious stone. With Eyal, he was rough as though she was some hunk of meat.

It didn’t take too long for Kisikusiku to begin to gasp and wriggle in his grip for air. The big lug was moving too fast for her to maintain a decent amount of oxygen. “E-Eyal!” She gasped as the scenery raced past her wide eyes. “Slow d-down!”

As they moved forth, the savannah became less open and much more green. Trees had begun to take over where dunes once resided. The land became dense, and the sun barely made it through the tree’s large leaves. Cool shade covered this earth. They had reached the outer jungle.

Siku voiced her complaint: how she couldn’t breathe, until Eyal finally set her down. The cub turned her angry eyes on him and shot him a scowl. She already had a rough day! Why did he have to make it worse by hurting her sides?

Eyal’s words to hurry up reminded her of what should be her main priority. She still needed to find a way back inside her homeland!

With that in mind Siku quickly darted forth. She expected Eyal to follow her across the fallen trees and through the large grassy bushes. Eyal was led all over the jungle that surrounded the rock wall, through twists and several turns until they finally reached the stone structure.

“Now, the rock wall circles my home. We need to find the flower now. That’s what I remember on my way out. It has to be around here somewhere!” Not waiting for Eyal, Siku took off running close to the wall, her eyes turned to examine every nook and cranny. The area felt familiar, so the secret entrance must have been lying nearby.

“I don’t think you have much to worry about, Eyal.” Siku spoke with a calm voice. The tone was one that didn’t seem to fit with the cub. For someone who was so boisterous and outgoing, to be quiet and well-minded was very rare. “My parents are both very peaceful. My mom is a healer and my dad is a priest. They wouldn't hurt a measly fly.” She revealed to him.

The cub stepped over a branch as she spoke to Eyal, her tail swaying with each step. Her distant tone was understandable, after all her eyes were too preoccupied looking for the flower that would reveal the way home. They had made it this far and she didn’t plan on turning back to face Eyal’s plan B.

After a handful of minutes past Kisikusiku’s sudden cry spilt through the bird calls that sounded throughout the lush jungle. “Eyal! Eyal I found it!” The little one yelled with sheer joy. She darted back to Eyal only to grab onto his bushy mane and drag him to the spot she had been standing at. “It’s right here.” Siku managed to muffle through Eyal’s great red mane.

Indeed it was. When Siku led Eyal back, a beautiful flower was perched, it's stem twisted around a great rock that rested outside a dark cave.

“Hey! Eyal! Wait!” The youth shouted after him.

It seemed Eyal hadn’t lost her yet. In seconds she was beside him again, trotting alongside the great male. “Where are you going to go now?” She asked with curiosity. As she spoke her eyes trailed over Eyal’s muscles that bulged with each step he took. The blue orbs that belonged to the little tyke came to rest on the wound Eyal suffered in her defense. Concern rippled across her face when she realized how much pain the other must be in. He had gained the wound all because of her. It was her fault.

“Um….Eyal…?” Siku paused in mid-step, no longer trailing beside him. “Doesn’t that…hurt?” She said, referring to the sickening wound. Surely he was in pain, how could one not suffer with a seeping gash like that? “You know…you could stay here in the jungle if you want. I mean, you can’t come inside where I live, but you could live out here for a bit and I could help heal your wound.” To Siku this idea was perfect. Since mother was a healer, she’d be more than happy to answer any questions her little daughter had about the subject. Plus, with Eyal remaining in the jungle, Siku could learn more about him AND the mysterious outside world.

Siku’s thoughtful eyes followed Eyal, as if she was studying his every step. Even a little cub knew that he wouldn’t get very far with that limp. It was holding him back, and the longer he ignored it the worse it would become.

The lass’s fluffy black ears flattened against her head as Eyal turned on her with that gruff voice of his. Yet she did not cower or shake for the older male’s tone had grown on her. She knew it well now after spending an entire day with him.

“Well of course I can!” She scoffed acting as though his question was the stupidest thing she had heard all day. “Weren’t you listening? My mother is a healer, which means I know how to too!” Of course she only knew a few things, little bits and pieces of various facts. Siku wasn’t the type of cub to sit around and listen for very long, so it had become very difficult for her to remain seated and still during her mother’s teachings. The act of healing was just so…boring! Could one blame her for choosing adventure over that? This little problem of not knowing exactly what she was doing was not made known to Eyal. Siku had decided the moment she spoke of healing that she would play it off like she knew what she was doing. Besides, how hard could it be?