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Us'kali stopped, lifting her nose. "Ama...goddess." she inclined her head politely, violet eyes already flicking towards where she'd last detected Binti's scent. "Please, continue ahead--I wish to go collect another companion, and shall meet you at the water hole." she murmured, her voice firm and sure.

Binti got to her feet, deciding that it was time to get back with Us'kali, and that pompous jerk of a son of hers, also. Inclining her head and murmuring something about wishing the other lioness a safe journey, she got to her feet smoothly and stalked back in the direction from whence she'd come, the muscles of her body playing smoothly beneath the skin.

Her stomach rumbled faintly, and it led the young lioness to wonder whether she shouldn't stop for a quick hunt, before rejoining the others...

Ama paused, glancing off at his mother as she turned off their current course. He gave her a questioning look, but nodded none the less, letting her go off on her own. His need for water overcame the urge to follow her and make sure she'd be alright. Besides, she wasn't going far, this he was sure of.

Limping along once again, the young male Ela'wadiyi nodded politely to the words of Rhin-hi. Once in a while, he glanced over a few times at her, catching her taking in the tattoos that adorned his soft brown coat. Curiosity overcame him, and in the interest of starting small talk, Ama cleared his throat. "You seem curious about them. Is there anything you'd like to know about them, that perhaps I might be able to enlighten you on?" Ama tried his best to seem as polite as possible, but not being used to showing such extreme manners to one so worthy, he hardly knew how to act. His words seemed almost stiff, a little forced, though he didn't mean them as such. Genuinely, he wanted to know if she had any questions about his tattoos, as the markings told the story of his life.

The nearer to water they got, the quicker Ama's limping steps became. His deep green eyes searched frantically for the source, nose twitched, taking in the scent of the cool liquid that was oh so close, yet still so far it seemed. As the pair topped a little rise, however, the big male seemed to forget all about his shoulder injury, shuffling faster to catch what almost seemed like a mirage to him. Water!

Reaching out for the cool clear, lifegiving liquid, Ama dipped his head completely under the water, letting the river's current gently wash the weakness from his face. Lifting his head, he shook out, having forgotten the goddess nearby for the moment and probably giving her an un-needed shower, and then lowered his head once more to take in a giant gulp of water. After several gulps, the big male dunked his head under one more time before raising up and letting the cool liquid stream down his back, staining his soft brown pelt a darker chocolate color. Turning back to Rhin-hi, Ama grinned apologetically, and bowed his head. "I apologize, goddess, I fear I might have gotten you wet, and missed anything you said. I guess I couldn't help myself." He looked quite the drowned rat from the shoulders up, giving his grin a rather goofy look all around.

Rhin-hi thought slowly on the individual markings as the lion asked most politely, responding with a fairly warm, if vague and distant, smile. She'd grown to feel little shame in staring quite plainly at others, in fact the Firekin were often flattered to be stared at at all if she remembered correctly.

She sensed their approach to the water and quickened her pace to stay not more than a few paces behind Ama. As they topped the hill she accelerated to a nice jog, keeping pace and coming to a stop just beside him, leaving some personal space between them and bringing her muzzle close to the cool water. She appreiciated how cool the water was though she knew that she was not particularly thirsty. The spray from Ama jolted her only slightly and the cool down from the warm climate was apprieciated. She laughed and took a couple slow sips from the water before turning to look at the lion, causing her to playfully laugh once more.

As the laugher subsided the goddess took a paw and dunked it into the water absently.

"Nothing to worry about at all I assure you...a little water won't kill me," as she spoke she smoothed the soaked paw over several disheveled patches of fur. "Besides, it would seem you're a bit wetter than I."
Rhin-hi chuckled a bit and looked up from her reflection in the water, fixing the lion with a quick stare before allowing her expression to fall into a gentle calm once more. Her narrowed purple eyes glanced over the tattoos once more before looking back to her reflection.

"Quite a lot of tattoos, I understand they keep track of the individual's life...I obviously can't...read them. Would you mind a brief summary," she was truely meaning it as a statement though polite conversation had influenced her into placing such expectations into a less demading form. She quickly realized however that as a goddess she was coming off a little ignorant.

"I'm just not terribly informed on your pride's culture is all," Rhin-hi's features fell into a mildly humbled grin.

Binti led the way, paws moving almost daintily along the familiar path--after all, these were the lands of her childhood, and she knew every blade of grass, or so she liked to believe, when taken with flights of fancy. As she crested a small rise, Shujaa a step behind her, she spotted Ama and the goddess, in what could only be described as a rather intimate conversation, in her opinion. Oddly, the sight nearly brought a snarl to her face.

Forcing herself to maintain an expression of impassivity, she inclined her head politely at the goddess before moving to a free space, dipping her head to drink daintily as if she hadn't a care in the world.

Shujaa flopped back onto his haunches before lowering his head to lap at the water, although his eyes never left the goddess, whose presence was nothing if not impressive. He'd picked up on Binti's odd tenseness, but would not comment on it--if she wished to talk, she would, and if not..he'd be earning himself a swat from one deadly paw for prying.

Us'kali followed closely behind, barely refraining from chuckling--oh, Binti was hard to read, that was for sure--but for a lioness as old as Us'kali, with such an extensive history of leading a pride, where one had to be alert to the subtle behavioral nuances, she was practically bristling. Nonchalant, the elder lioness went and sat beside her son, licking at his shoulder idly after having inclined her own head respectfully in Rhin-hi's direction.

Ama bowed his head in respect to the goddess, before his radar like ears caught the sound of footsteps behind them. Glancing back, Ama's smile was genuine towards his mother, glad that she was alright. It could be said that he was overly worrid of her, but at this point, she was all he had left.

As for Binti, silent regards were in order. Nodding towards the sandy female, and her companion, not giving either of them much thought. The fact that the haughty lioness was prickled by his apparently conversation with the lovely goddess was lost on the poor male. If he noticed Binti's attitude, though well hidden as it was, he would've chocked it up to her being herself.

Turning his attention to his mother, Ama nuzzled Us'kali's head as she licked at his shoulder. "I'm fine mother. It's getting better already. I just need to take it easy is all."

Rhin-yi looked away from her reflection in the water and towards the plains before them, beginning to silently travel around the group. She sat nearest Binti and observed the lands around her and enhaling the air thoughtfully, smelling it for hints of other creatures in the area.

She turned her head thoughtfully toward Us'kali, her brows raised slightly, "aside from finding family, what will you do when you reach your lands? What has become of your pride?"

A pride could fall to the wayside if order was lost. Order was something she much admired about the Firekin, though they were cruel and high-brow, they had a strict sense of status and leadership. She was unfamiliar in the Ela system and was curious what would befall the two members upon their return.

Us'kali smiled, somewhat sadly. "I do not know--when I left, I was the adu'ladi, and left to allow younger lions to rule the pride in my absence--however, if what Ama tells me is true, then the pride has since splintered, and so I have vague hopes of pulling what is left back together, although it may well be too late..." in that instant, every day of her long, arduous existence showed in the lines of her face.

As the leaf came free, finally, Binti stilled, unsure that she could even begin to comprehend such strong ties to not just one person, but to a group of lions. Feh. Probably just afraid of being on her own... even as she thought it, the younger lioness knew it wasn't true. In some way, the elder lioness, and perhaps Shujaa, had become...pride, to her. She'd never admit it publicly, but for what may have been only the second time in her life, the needs of certain others were important to her--if Us'kali wished to return to her homelands, Binti would accompany her there, although she'd never admit to her reasons for doing so.

Ama glanced off in the direction he'd come not entirely that long ago, before nodding solemenly. "Indeed, we aren't far at all. Although when I trekked across the land in search of my mother, I hadn't encountered a soul, living or dead. The only one I truly encountered, I can't say for sure was truly there, and that was our wanidatsi, Ina'li." Ama shook his head, still unsure if he'd really traveled across the sands with the black male or not.

The air around them almost seemed vibrant with energy. Ama had been getting slightly jittery to get back and find survivors, but had kept it in check due to the fact that his mother needed a much slower pace. But with the goddess' added excitement, Ama was getting that jittery feeling yet again, slightly anxious, though he should be resting, to get on with the travels. Looking to his mother, the younger male nuzzled her, giving comfort to the saddened expression upon her face. "Don't worry, mother. If I survived, it's a good bet that others have too. Just a little faith...that's all we need."