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MidnyghtIce
Kiso's amber eyes looked up again to gauge the distance left until they reached pride rock. His expression changed to one of surprise as he realized that they had traveled much farther than he had guessed, and the giant structure was all ready close in front of them. He knew that his mother was living in a den underneath the rock, since she hadn't felt like living in the royal den, even though it had been offered. Turning off the direction that he had been going, he headed towards the area that he had spent many days when the lioness had first returned. Coming up to the den, he could see the outline of a lioness laying in front of it, and so he called out, recognizing his mother's scent, "Mother? Are you awake?" (c)

MidnyghtIce
10:38
Koho looked up, sensing that her son had returned and brought strangers. That was strange, he was usually far too protective to let her speak to anyone else, let alone bring strange lions to her den.... Rising to her feet, her back still towards the group she froze as her nostrils picked out a very old but very familiar scent from the group. Not being able to believe that her senses were true to her, the lioness stayed with her back turned towards them for a moment longer before convincing herself that she needed to see with her eyes. Turning slowly to face the little collection of lions, Koho's mouth dropped open and her eyes stared piercingly at the large red lion standing to the side of her son and mirroring him so much. It couldn't be.... (fin)

Thalion Koi
10:49
Mwali walked with a slight limp, though the rest of him stubbornly refused to succomb to his body's age. Just like his father, he'd carry himself proudly until the day he died. Unfortunately, for all the 'firekin pride' and 'fearlessness', his gaze faultered at the sight of his old mate.

His remaining eye fell down to his paws in the sand. She had every right to be furious. "...Kiso. Can you show your younger siblings around?"

MidnyghtIce
10:59
Kiso took one look at his mother and nodded instantly to his father. He was relieved that she didn't seem angry with him for leading Mwali here, but she might just be bidding her time. Looking to the others in the group, he muttered a "Follow me," and then headed off towards pride rock, since that was the major point of interest in the pride lands. He just hoped that his mother cooled down before he returned.... (c)
Koho hadn't even looked to the other lions accompanying her son, and so when they followed him off, she didn't give a glance in their direction either. In any other situation she might have felt rude doing such a thing, but there were no thoughts going through her mind at that moment, all she could do was stare at what seemed like a ghost. (fin)

Thalion Koi
11:33
"Hello Koho." Mwali said, quietly. A faint smirk worked its way to his maw, either out of the irony of the situation, or at seeing her. Perhaps both. "It's...been a long time. You look well."

In reality- she looked so weak, so worn thin. His heart tightened as he took a few more steps forward, his eye moving over her features...maybe he looked old as well. Without a steady source of water to look into, it was hard to tell.

MidnyghtIce
11:39
Finally breaking her silence and staring when the red male spoke her name, Koho simply said, "Mwali...." softly, almost to herself. From her expression it was fairly obvious she still didn't completely believe what was in front of her eyes, but her eyes did catch the smirk that flickered across his expression. Not entirely sure what had caused it, her thoughts centered on the expression strangely for a moment until his next statement drew them back to the conversation. It brought first a smile to her lips, and then a laugh, "You don't need to lie me, Mwali, I know what I look like...." Shaking her head slightly, she watched him almost warily as he stepped towards her, and then when she saw his eye roving, she raised her head high, standing as proudly as her joints would allow her to. Realizing with that instinctive response to scrutiny that she needed to take control of the situation, the old lioness asked, "What are you doing here?"

Thalion Koi
11:42
He chuckled again as she straightened up. That was the old Koho he knew. Proud, stubborn, and blunt. "Well then I must not look so great myself. You've always been much neater than I have."

He stopped perhaps a step away from her and shook his head softly, "I came home. My duty to my family and blood's over with. What happens with that now is completely out of my paws."

MidnyghtIce
11:49
The sound of her mate's laughter brought a smile back to the lioness' face, and she laughed mirthfully when he referred to his own appearance. Past the shock of his lost eye and the other scars he had endured, Koho saw nothing but the one lion she had ever loved. There was nothing else for her to see really, it would always be Mwali, no matter how much he changed. The thin space that separated the pair felt oddly solid to Koho, and something caused her to fear taking the last step towards him. She quickly realized, however, that it was a fear of this whole thing not actually being real, that she had dreamt it up once again, and that as soon as she touched him, he would disappear again. She couldn't bear that thought, and so she feared physical contact, not because she didn't want it, but because she wanted it so much. Home, this was still his home then? That thought brought tears to the lioness' eyes from both happiness and grief and all the emotions in between, and she gulped and took that last step, praying to all the gods that would listen that he wouldn't disappear again. She buried her face in his mane, relief finally pushing her emotions over the thin wall she had made to hold them back.