Ekundu took a deep breath in and inhaled the smokey air around her. It didn't smell like the savannah. "Bl'arza?" She coughed out from the smoke. She looked up to see fire burning above her. She let out a scream as it fell on top of her.--- Ekundu awoke with a jolt. She was out of breath and couldn't hardly breath. "Bl'Arza?"



Bl'arza stirred groggily as he heared his name on the lips of his breathless travelling companion. He was on the opposite side of the den they shared this night, giving her the space he thought fit of friendship. But when he saw her terrored face and labored breathing he was across the den in moments, nudging her and assuring her he was there.

He knew she'd had a nightmare, and like he'd seen mothers do with their cubs, he spoke comforting words. "It's alright. I'm here. It was a nightmare, that's all." He was curled around her, making it certain that he was there. "What did you dream?"



Ekundu shook with terror. "I.. I was in a forest. And you were behind me. There was... fire. Lots of fire. I hadn't noticed it and I started choking on the smoke. And when I looked up, it.. fell on top of me." She shivered. "It was terrible. I couldn't believe it. And it was close to here. Like I'd been there before.."

She shivered again. She felt his warm touch, but said nothing of it. She let a small whimper of fright out. "I thought it was real.. it felt so real!"





Bl'arza blinked. Near here? Was this really just a dream, or had Ekundu just seen the future? He gave a shiver of his own. He'd heard of special lions. Ones who could see the future, or the past, or even the present in different places. He frowned. He knew this couldn't possibly be the case for Ekundu, but he didn't like the thought of it. And he didn't want to risk anything.

"It was just a dream. You and I are right here, and there is no fire." He shook his head. "But perhaps we should move on. Find another place to stay." He looked out the entrance of the den to see the moon still high in the sky and the stars twinkling playfully, as if little gods were smiling down at them. There would be no problems if they attempted travelling on this night.




Ekundu shook. "O-okay.." She said, shivering. "Just.. don't wander off from me please.." She said, almost crying. "Don't wander off. Stay up by me please.."





Bl'arza frowned. He didn't like seeing her like this. It was heart-breaking to say the least. He wanted to console her further, but a friend could only do so much. "I'll be right by your side. There's no where I'd want to wander."

He stood then, stretching out his limbs and feeling just how little sleep he'd actually gotten. He'd have to be careful, as he wouldn't be able to move as quickly without a good night's rest. He didn't much like travelling at night, but he wanted Ekundu to know they were some place safe. "We'd better go now. You can choose which way we travel." Everything he was doing was to make her feel comfortable and safe.



Ekundu shook, standing up. Her body was trembling so bad she fell back down, due to her limbs giving out. "Dammit." She said, standing back up. She stepped out of the den, her pelt bather in moonlight. " I guess we can go east. towards the ocean. If there's a fire there, at least we can escape to the water.." She said, flicking her tail, her limbs shaking in terror from the dream still.




He felt so helpless as she fell again, and stood ready to steady her. Quietly, he followed her out of the den and looked to the east. Her words made sense. Ocean was water. Water was safe. At least, water was safe against fire. It had it's own terrifying and relentless power, but he dared not mention that. Anything could be dangerous, and right now they were escaping the danger of fire.

"To the east it is." He gave her a reassuring smile and began to lead her away from the den, keeping a careful eye on her movements. It had only been a few days since they'd started travelling together, but he was fond of her, and treasured her friendship. On day he'd tell her of his past. Hopefully she'd understand.




Ekundu started walking. "So.. I told you about myself. But you've yet to tell me much about yourself. So. Go ahead." She said, managing to let a smile out. Hopefully he'd tell her all about himself. She'd grown attached to him, and she felt like he was there for her. Maybe he'd be a great person. Maybe he'd be.. the someone important. She shook her head. o. That wasn't possible. Why was she thinking that?! She sighed shaking her head. "GO ahead. I'm listening."





Bl'arza frowned. He wasn't quite ready to tell her the whole truth, but he couldn't outright lie. "Ah. There's not much to me. I'm a soft-hearted lion, and it got me in a lot of trouble in the past. I was chased away from my home, and I have no plans of returning. Which has brought me to be here with you." He frowned. He didn't want to hurt her. He didn't ever want her to know. But he knew she'd have to.

The trouble in his heart swirled and he closed his eyes. Tonight seemed to be going badly already, and he'd barely been awake more than a few minutes.



Ekundu looked at him. "You couldn't have been bad." She said, looking forward. "You don't have the heart to be bad. She smiled. "Your to kind to people Bl'arza. That's what I like about you. You can't hurt someone." She smiled and looked at him. "Are you keeping something from me?"



His closed lids tightened at her words and he nearly choked, holding back a despaired sob. He was a bad person. He was a terrible person. He'd hurt the one person who had mattered the most to him. And now he'd fooled his only friend into beleiving he was something he couldn't possibly be considering his past.

"Ekundu... I'm... I'm sorry." He opened his eyes and stared at her, eyes wet and blurry, though no tears spilled down his cheeks.



Ekundu looked at him. "Bl'Arza.. Why're you sorry? You have no reason to be." She ran up to him, pressing the top of her head to his shoulder. "I'm not mad at you. Why're you upset?" She frowned. She couldn't figure it out..



"I'm a terrible lion, Ekundu. I'm not who you think I am, and I have hurt others." His voice was a bit higher than usual, and it sounded desperate. He'd been feeling terrible for days, knowing every day he did something nice for Ekundu he was dragging her deeper into a lie that would hurt her in the end. "And now I'm hurting you."

"I'm a father, Ekundu. I don't know my cubs. Any of them. And the female wasn't my mate. She was my brother's mate, Ekundu! And I hurt him. I hurt both of them. I had just been trying to make her feel better. They'd gotten into a fight and I was trying to console her! It went to far. I didn't know what was happening. And she got pregnant. Nazar tried to kill me for it. He doesn't know I'm alive and he finds out..." He shivered, disgusted with himself. Any glimpses of the happy lion he'd seemed to be were shattered as he stumbled to keep walking. He had to get to the ocean. Get her to the ocean and leave her in peace. All the while he kept from crying. He'd cried so much, he just wouldn't let himself do it again. "I'm so sorry... I should have told you."




Ekundu looked shocked. "Bl'Arza.. Y-You.." She blinked, speechless. "h-How long were you going to let me go on believing that?" She sighed, sitting by him. "I'm not mad. I can't be. Your different. I know that. It was lust. It happens to the best of us. And.. I know you wish you hadn't. But if you hadn't You wouldn't have found me. I'd be sitting all alone in my den! You know that I'm not mad. Please.. stop crying.. It's not very masculine and it's very demeaning.." She tried to tease to lighten the mood.




Bl'arza stared at her in disbelief. How could she not be angry? He'd told her that he had a whole other life and he was a very bad guy. "I was going to tell you... I just... I didn't want to hurt you..." He was so confused.. "How can you not be mad? I lied... And I'm not crying." He puffed out his chest in slight defense, but lifted a paw to his face just to be certain. He wasn't going to cry.

"I don't think you understand. I had cubs with my brother's mate, and now he wants to kill me. Ekundu, I'm a danger to be around. If Nazar finds out I'm alive, I'm in huge trouble."



Ekundu looked at him. "If he finds you, he won't kill you. If he killed you.. It'd be horrible for me." She frowned. She didn't know what to say. "I'm not mad. I don't know why, but I'm not." She sighed. "I guess I'm not mad because I now know how it feels to be wanted around." She looked at him. "So let me guess, since he will probably find out about you, your leaving once I get to the ocean?"




He bit his lip, watching her. "It would be safer for you if I left... but I'll only leave if you tell me to. I promised you I'd find us a pride, remember?" He didn't like putting her in danger, but he honestly didn't want to leave her side. Not that he'd really earned her friendship and caring so far.

"So, the question is; Do you want me to leave?"




Ekundu looked shocked. "NO!" She shouted at him. "Your oblivious! I can't believe you'd even think about leaving! I.. NO. I can't.. no!" She shouted, hearing echo's come from inside the forest. She might have yelled a little bit to loud, but that really hurt her.



He started as she yelled, jumping back a little. If she hadn't yelled at him for his past, he was certainly shocked that she was yelling at him now. With wide eyes he watched her. "Then I'm not leaving." He moved a little closer to her, being cautious uncase any claws came flying his way, and sat down infront of her. "You're such a stange little lioness. I tell you I've got this terrible past and you're completely fine with it, but when I ask you if you want me to leave you get so angry with me." Gently, with a purr of friendship and thanks, he nudged her hair from her face and smiled at her. "Let's keep going. I want to get as far as possible before the sun rises."




Ekundu followed him, her ears flattened. "I'm sorry you've had a bad life, but when you said you thought I was better off.. I couldn't stand that." She sighed, irratated. "Okay. Let's go."