Malik had taken longer than expected to find the desert. Afterall, their coming accross the mountains in the first place was a result of a stroke of luck if anything. He'd fed himself by driving other preditors away from their kills. Small groups of hyenas, never more than three, leopards, and the occassional cheetah. The desert proved to be much larger than he'd imagined. But this is where Azize had been taken... he started the search as a cub. Only now as a full-sized adult did he stand a chance in liberating him if they'd turned him into a slave.
While not as large as a full-blooded firekin, he was a brute none the less. The blood of two royal lines running through his veins, he was impressive none the less.
--
Kidondo stood towards the borders of the desert, his eyes scanning the dunes for enemy or friend. So far tehre had been nothing, nothing except the hungry caw of a stray vulture of the chirp of desert insects.
The day was hot but Kidondo loved the heat, it was a part of him as much as the red of his pelt was. He looked up at the brilliant sky and drew in a deep breath of desert scent.
Soon his comrades would join him on these dunes. Soon, they would arrive and then they could save his pride from their doom.
He cast his eyes around again, expecting to see nothing. It surprised him, then, to see that there was something out there. Or rather, someone. He stood, gave a low, loud grunt of acknowledgment and made a steady step towards the other. He was male, golden as the stand he stood upon, and clearly looking for something. However he certainly wasn't a rogue that Kidondo had recruited to form his new pride. The colours of his pelt were all wrong!
--
Malik walked forward confidently, eyes narrowed against the glare of the sun off the sand. The grunt wasn't unnoticed. He returned it with a deep grunt of his own. He stopped himself in the sand and flicked his tail.
He wasn't sure if this lion was friend or foe, seeing as it was the land of the firekin, he could assume the later. he simply stood and watched, green eyes blazing.
--
Kidondo moved a few more steps than stopped himself, standing square. His wide shoulders stiffened as if he intended to brace himself against an attack. The slits of his golden eyes narrowed speculatively and it was a few moments before he spoke.
"Welcome to the desert." His voice was formal but not unkind. "You seem to have come here for a purpose, do you have matters to take to the Firekin? Because I must warn you, they won't take your presence well." He observed the male curiously.
--
"I don't 'spect them tah." Malik answered, squaring himself, equally expectant of an attack. "Dey took mah bruddah. Gonna make 'em a slave or made 'em dinner. I'm 'ere tah free 'em up or serve up th' b*****d that took 'em."
--
Kidondo took a moment to adjust to the lion's accent. Just where he had come from the firekin could not tell, but he seemed sound enough, if a little annoyed - rightly - that someone he loved had been taken from him.
"I'm sorry." Kidondo had never taken a slave and intended to abolish the act, however, he still felt responsible for what his kind had done. "But find peace in that your brother may not be a slave for too much longer." He smiled and looked at the golden lion with interest, choosing his next words carefully.
"I intend to free them all."
--
Malik narrowed his eyes, sizing him up. He seemed sincere enough but he wasn't an idiot. Blind trust was an idiot's trust. "... Yeah." He answered simply, glancing past the male towards the dunes. He didn't see other specks of red... maybe he was alone. It was hard to say. Unfortunately, they were upwind. "You da king or somethin'? Gonna let all them go or somethin'?"
...kind of disappointing if that was the case. He was spoiling for a fight.
--
"Not a King." He murmered. "A banished prince, thrown out because I wanted to help them. My words rang as heretcy in their foolish old ears and they did away with me, expecting me to never return. But as heir, they are my people and I will keep them from their destruction, I will make them strong again."
He nodded, proudly. He was a proud lion and he intended to make his people great again, even if it did mean the death of...certain family members. "A rebellion is gathering, here on the edges of the desert. In a few days time, the land of my kin will be ringing with the sounds of battle cries."
--
"Prince eh? Guess dat makes us related den." He chuckled, his shoulders relaxing a bit, "Mah old man's a prince from this place 'ere too. Got tossed out 'cause 'e's made nice with slaves tah."
A battle then. It wasn't as easy as waltzing in and asking for Azize...though a fight was already boiling in his veins. "ya recruitin' or somethin?"
--
"Then maybe my personality isn't such a surprise after all if this has happened before. Maybe your father and I share likeminds." Somehow, Kidondo took comfort in that. He wasn't so keen on being an oddball, but if others had felt the same in the past than he was more normal than he had thought.
"Yes, well, for a few months me and my mate sought the lands for worthy rogues, ones with pelts that match my own and ones with strength and will. You have the strength and will but not the pelt my friend." He hastened. "But if you'd like to join the fight to aid your brother, you are welcome to tag along. When the battle is done I will make certain you walk away as free as you arrived."
--
"I ain't so keen on joinin' up 'ere. I jus' wanna get mah bruddah free an' get on back tah mah buddy. Waitin' fer me tah come back an' all that." He smirked, "An' ya really shouldn't be judgin' on th' color of a guy's fur. Fire comes in lotsa colors dese days."
A fight. Souunded like a good enough cause. He'd not have to worry about any...potential future cubs being snatched up like Azize had been. "If yer lookin fer muscle, I got nuff of it."
--
"You're right. Really colour shouldn't matter. I've seen enough of rogue-country to realise that the current Firekin should be trembling in their caves. There is strenght out there that my kind can't even begin to imagine. So caught up in their little corner of the world they have turned a blind eye to all else."
He sat, confident now that he had found a friend in this male. "However, there is only so much I can change. The firekin in the desert that are beginning to think the same as me can only accept so much change. Ridding themselves of Finar-si and slaves is one thing, but too much could throw them against me."
"Then you are welcome to join us, friend. Your cause is just and we could use some more strength. And forgive my rudeness, I am Kidondo, future Regent of the pridelands."
He smiled. "Yes, I'm stripping the royals of their ranks too." Yes, there would be much change.
--
"I ain't much intah politics ya know. I'm kinda a simple guy. I know how tah fight an' how tah keep alive. But more power to ya if it's gettin' decent folk free an' outta harm's way."
He walked himself over and thumped a heavy paw on the lion's back, a strange greeting but his way of doing things, "Name's Malik. Half pride lander, half firekin, all awesome. Good tah meet'cha Kid."
--
He laughed and formalities were dropped. It wasn't often that Kidondo cracked a smile but this lion helped ease him into a somewhat casual state. He nodded his head, felt the breeze ruffle his mane, and stood again. "Glad to have you at my side, Malik. It's not often I come across a relative who is golden as the sun."
He paused, turned his head back and then gave an acknowledging smile. "If you have the time, come and meet my mate and friend. They'd be happy to see a new face I expect."
--
"A power like th' sun." He smirked a bit and tipped his head to the side, "I kinda like dat one." He'd never been exactly groomed in the manners of a noble. His mother was a nanny, Mufasa's sister and really not in a position for her cubs to succeed the throne. He'd been raised as a hunter, so why act like anything else?
"Meet'cher family? Sure I can do that I 'pose. Guess they'll be fightin' too eh?"
--
"And a useful power no doubt. Every Firekin loves and craves the sun." He stood, stretched and took a few steps back towards No and Kibela. "They're not too far off from here. This is where we shall stay until the rebels come to aid me and my cause." He looked towards the horizon admirably. "There is much talent out there and many good hearts. It really lightens my soul to think of all the rogues who would so willingly help my cause...though many of them are helping their own in the process."
Still, it was nice to have a connection with the outsiders. "My mate is not of the Firekin but she is as fierce as any and Kibela, one commited to this cause as myself, as one of the sharpest minds I have ever known."
He moved off, allowing Malik to follow.
