[wc: 1076]
Seasons had passed, many moons and many suns. She didn’t think she would miss her homelands as much as she did. She wasn’t sure if it was her fear of being alone or if it was an actual need to return to the lands of her birth. She didn’t remember her mother, or her father for that matter. She could have seen them since cubhood and she’d never have known. The thought made her sad, but then she knew that going home would have more things opening up for her. Maybe she would even find a mate and start a family. She couldn’t be alone then! But that was a thought not in the forefront of her mind. She was ready to be home.
The little cub wasn’t allowed away from his mother much. But he had taken a break from his sister and the rest of his siblings. There were so many of them he simply couldn’t handle them all, all the time! A quieter cub, he wasn’t the first one noticed, and he was usually the first one forgotten. A beautiful pelt had been given to him, and it had caused his mother some dismay. She said that she was remembering things..Remembering them because of him. He didn’t know what that meant, but he wanted to. The inquisitive little cub barely could contain his excitement at learning about his mother. Father said that she couldn’t remember who she was. If that was the case then maybe Knox could help her remember. Yes, that would work. He smiled, his little blue eyes glittering with the possibilities.
She saw the cub not too far off, and she had smelled the border a while back. She was in the pridelands. Somewhere that she knew was going to be home. She felt herself smile for the first time in a long time, and made her way towards the cub. Her first thought was of scaring him, and how she wanted to avoid that scenario altogether. But she was a decent sized lioness, and she guessed it was possible for her to look intimidating. With a smile, she crouched to the earth so that her chest was touching by the time she was a few feet away from the cub. “Hello! Am I in the pridelands?” She asked. She knew she was, but hey..It didn’t hurt to ask for confirmation!
The cub blinked at her, his eyes wide as he gulped. Who was this, and why was she talking tohim? Mother had always said don’t talk to strangers. Maybe this lioness wasn’t a stranger though.. Maybe she was from the pride. His mind raced as he thought of the possibilities. Maybe she wasn’t from the pride, after all.. she had just asked if she was in the right place. But maybe she was like momma and couldn’t remember! There were far too many maybes for his small mind and he nodded with his jaw half hanging open. When he realized he was still gawking, his mouth quickly closed and a blush tinged his cheeks. Oh dear, he was such an awkward little thing. “Y-Y-..Yes.” He responded, though his eyes went to his ivory tipped paws. He didn’t look much like momma, he didn’t look a hell of a lot like daddy either. That was probably why mother was so affected by his appearance. Maybe he carried old blood within him! Though he focused on the task at hand, regardless of how scary it was. He hated meeting others, if only because he would prefer to be curled up in the paws of his mother, having a bath and knowing he was safe.
"Oh good! Im coming home. I missed this place, from what I can remember of it." She smiled warmly. She tried not to frighten him but it didnt seem like anything she did would ease his fear. So she just decided to be friendly. That had to win out over all right?
"Well I dont know you." He responded with a narrowed gaze. He was right, he didnt know her, and his momma had always said stay away from strangers. There were alot of bad things out in the world that could hurt you in a heartbeat if they tried. He gulped at the thought, his ears flicking back against his skull.
"Im not going to hurt you silly! And you're right, you dont know me. But I wont harm you. I'm a good guy." She smiled.
"You're not a guy!" The cub pointed out, his brows furrowing as he frowned. In his little mind, she was lying already. He huffed.
She frowned herself. Why was this cub so adverse to everything she said? She wonderred if it was the parents or if he was just an a**l little thing. She sat up, and looked away from the cub. He sat there as if she had struck him, this odd look on his face.
"Im going to tell my momma." He frowned again, his voice teetering on annoyed.
"Tell your momma what?" She asked, caught off guard and wide eyes. She didnt want to start off badly here, but she didnt feel she had done a single thing wrong to the guy. She sighed, her tail flicking her in irritation. Standing, she yawned, placing a paw over her maw.
"That you tried talking to me. Im not a'posed to talk to strangers and you keep talking to me. She'll be mad" he fibbed. Truth was, she was as likely to be mad as a rock would fall out from the sky out of nowhere and crush her. She simply didnt get mad unless her babies lives were in danger. That hadnt happened yet so he was just assuming.
"Im sorry!" She said with a frown and went to move past him.
"I should have left you alone. I do apologize." She nodded and walked away, her spirits a bit lower than they had been. She hoped that she hadnt just envoked a mothers wrath but if she had.. Well she would deal with it then. For now, she wanted to find momma, and get some rest. She wasnt even sure momma would remember her, but if she didnt it was okay. She had been gone for so long, she hardly remembered what her mother looked like anyway.
