Moto was on the borders this night. Namely the border nearest her old friend's pride. It was odd...She could tell something was wrong, but she did not dare enter Kiuma's lands. They were KIUMA'S. Not her own. And the Mwezi respected Kiuma far more than the old lioness probably knew. But dammit....why had she seen no females pass by on their Quest for Cubs? Why had she scented full grown males on the wind when it blew just right? IT WASN'T RIGHT.
And once again, Moto could do nothing. That seemed to be happening a lot lately. "Damn it....Karma, did I do something wrong?"


Caellagh limped toward the lands of the Demon Hunters slowly, pacing herself. Part of her was ashamed-- ashamed of defeat, and of leaning on a male. Yet...

This male, she felt was different. He could be trusted. All the same, the journey wasn't easy by any means. Quite contrary-- but she wouldn't give up.


Laini was near to Cae, refusing to go far from her and yet giving her enough space that her pride would not be completely ripped to shreds. She needed something to hold onto. But he was close enough that if she fell, his large body would be there to keep her up with just a sidestep. "We're almost there, Caellegh. We're at the borders now." And almost on cue, he saw the golden form not far off, and smiled. "Excuse me!"


Moto started at the new voice and spun towards it. And blinked. Glowing markings....She forced down a pang of guilt. She drew closer, seeing and scenting how hurt the female of the pair approaching was. "If you've sought a place to heal, strangers, I'm afraid this is not it. This is a pride of Demon-hunters, and there is unrest in the lands east of us."


I know, my lady." Caellagh said. She straightened as best she could, revealing her scars. Her marks as an amazon

"I come from... The pride to the east... The Antianeira..." She quivered, forcing herself to keep standing. "I need to find the leader... Our pride needs help..."

She swallowed.

"Mother is gone and Grandmother is dead."


Laini could only inch closer to Cae, to offer his support by just being there. He only knew the basics of what was going on...and he knew that Cae needed to see the leader urgently. His poor Amazon...Wait. His? He needed to stop thinking like that.


Moto blinked. Who was....No. She had a feeling she knew. "I am one of the leaders, the Mwezi Moto'nyota." She stopped only inches from the pair. If this girl was from Kiuma's pride, why was the male so close to her? Was he a brother? Or one of the rare male friends some Antianeira had from outside the pride? "Who...who are your mother and grandmother, child?" For the girl was a child, compared to Moto. Nowhere near the age Kiuma had been, but Moto wasn't exactly young anymore herself.


Caellagh swallowed again.

"My mother is Hippolyta... My Grandmother is... Was... Kiuma."

As if admitting that took some unseen energy, Caellagh crumpled to the ground in pain, and began sobbing. Her family-- gone... She still barely accepted it... Her defeat at Soro's claws...


Laini was down beside Cae immediately, his nearest front paw carefully stroking her foreleg. Comfort was all he was good for at this point. Comfort and protection until she healed. He looked to Moto, pleading. She had to do something...


Moto's heart skipped a beat. No...She was at the younger lioness' side, sharing her grief and holding back her own tears. "No...Oh no..." Kiuma...her second friend, her first ally, the one who had SAVED her...gone. "Our pride is open to you, and any of your sisters that come this way. There...there is much to be done. Can you...can you be strong in front of others for a short time?" She didn't want to interrupt the healing tears...but there were those who HAD to know. "Do you know where...where Hippolyta may have gone?"


Caellagh whimpered, looking to Moto.

"She mentioned... She mentioned... Kiuma having a brother..." Caellagh sobbed further, paws reaching to both, swallowing. "I can... Try to stay calm...."

But mostly... Right now... She wanted comfort, and both forepaws touched each of theres, shaking. Her sister... Her mother... Kiuma... No, she had to keep strong. For them. For revenge.


Laini nuzzled her side, carefully. And stood so Cae would have a support when she was ready.


Moto nodded. A brother...Her daughters would have their work cut out. Her daughters were the only ones she could send. They knew the...the Queen (it was WRONG thinking of the black lioness like that somehow) and were her best female warriors. And both had spent part of their cubhood in the pride. Dogo especially. Just as Kiuma had saved Moto, Hippolyta had saved the leopard. "I have two daughters I can send to find Hippolyta. They know her, and are strong and capable warriors. They shall be my envoys, and she shall know my pride is at her disposal. Your pride saved me and my family once...it is time we repay that favor, as friends should."


Caellagh smiled wearily, gratefully.

"Thank you..." Then she looked to Laini, then Moto.
"Please... May Laini remain too? He's... He's... My friend."

Was that the word? It didn't feel right. It didn't seem to describe him.


Laini felt his heart swell a little. Friend...So he was more to her than just a protector! That...made him feel rather warm inside. It was an odd warmth, but one he liked. "I can pull my weight, so to speak. Just...just as long as Cae is safe." Right now, her safety was what mattered most.


Moto was surprised once more...but pleasantly. She nodded. "Yes. He can stay. Just avoid the northern part of the pride. The demons conducted a raid on us once...we have no idea when they will strike again." Hopefully, that would change soon. With Mai's lion in there now...things would change. "Follow me...Dogo and Tarajia must hear this from your mouth. The rest of the pride...I can tell." But her daughters deserved to hear about the tragedy from the mouth of one who'd suffered it.


Caellagh nodded, rising slowly and leaning on Laini for support and comfort.

Slowly, she moved to follow Moto, trying to look as strong as she could.


Laini was a steady warmth against her, his larger form bearing the weight she put on him easily. And willingly. At this point, he would follow her to the ends of the earth, just to ensure she was safe. As if to let her know that, he smiled at her, a soft expression that was strangely not out-of-place on his large visage.


Moto moved as quickly as she dared with Cae's injuries, letting loose a roar to call her daughters. They would hear. They always did. They HAD to hear this time, no matter what. And once the tale was over...Moto would call Kaimel and Farlest to help her with Cae's healing. Healing she so badly needed...It pained the Mwezi to have to stretch the girl so far when she'd already been through so much.


Tara was the first to answer her mother's call. The gray leopon loped into sight, falling into step beside her mother and obviously disturbed by the sight of Caellegh all beat up. Who....who did they have here? And why was her mother not sending them to the Matembezi or keeping them on the borders? "Mother...what is wrong?"


Caellagh watched the new leopon silently, blinking slowly, However, she was paitent, allowing for more to come. The Mwezi would allow her to speak when it was time. For now, however, they walked, gathered, and waited.


Laini was a bit startled by the appearance of the leopon. The half-breed was, it seemed, a hunter-incarnate. He hadn't heard or scented her approach. What startled him more, however, was the form that brushed past him, leaving his blue eyes wide. What sort of felines dwelt in this pride?!


Dogo was not far behind her adopted sister, giving a cursory glance to the white, red, and black male as she brushed by him. The female with him...looked vaguely familiar. Like someone she'd seen in passing. Hmmm. She knew she needn't echo her sister's question...but she had a feeling it had to do with the injured lioness with them.


Moto nodded to her daughters, then looked to Cae. "This lioness is from our allies, the Antianeira. And...you two MUST hear the tale she has. For once you've heard it, you must go out into the rogue lands to search for someone." She hated to pull Dogo from her cubs...but Luta and Nima could take care of them easily enough in her absence. Luta was already their main caretaker anyways, being a Mlisha.


Tara blinked and looked to Cae as they stopped. The Amazons? How...how had an AMAZON ended up so hurt? Tara knew she wasn't going to like this story.


Caellagh took a deep breath slowly before speaking again, leaning.

"Our pride was taken... By males. They've exiled our Queen Hippolyta and killed Queen Kiuma."

She frowned.

"The others... Slaves."


The lion steadied himself even more, to ensure Cae had someone sturdy to lean into. It was odd, knowing this independent female needed him. And it was both a comfort and chilling at the same time, that she'd been brought so low by the invaders of her pride. That she'd been pulled so low she could see the good in a male when she'd been raised to not trust them.


Dogo could only stare in shock at Caellegh. No...NO! She growled and her claws found purchase in the earth beneath them. "How dare they..." And suddenly, she was all business. "Mother, we're to find Hippolyta?" Even if her mother said no, Dogo would go. She would say goodbye to her loved ones for a time, and go find the lioness who had given her sanctuary so long ago. Dogo owed Hippy her LIFE.


Moto nodded. "Yes. You two are to find the Antianeira Queen. You are to offer her your aid, and you have permission to offer the aid of the pride. The invaders of the Antianeira will NOT get away with the crime they have committed." Not while Moto lived. 'Old friend...you will be avenged, and your pride freed.' She hoped her thoughts reached Kiuma's soul, wherever she was now.


Tarajia held in her own sorrow, knowing there would be time to grieve once all was over. "Understood. We shall prepare for the journey, mother, and begin our search." She and Dogo knew how to follow a cold scent. They'd done it before. And she refused to let the lioness beside her down. Right now, Moto was not her mother. Right now, Moto was her Mwezi, the founder of her pride and the only one she answered to besides her Jua, the Moto, and the Udole. "Might you have any clues as to what direction she went?" This question was directed to the Amazon before them.


Caellagh shook her head.

"I don't know the direction... But I know whom she sought last, in rumour. The brother to the queen... But... I don't know much else."

Nothing of use, anyhow. If only she could be more helpful!


Laini spoke up now. "Perhaps...you might start in her birthland?" It only made sense. "If the old Queen was born elsewhere, perhaps her family is still there? Or someone who would know where her family went?" It was all he could do to help, besides keeping Cae together.


Dogo nodded at the male. "Yes...Perhaps..." She looked to her mother. Surely Moto knew more about Kiuma than they did?


Moto nodded. "That is an insight." Where had Kiuma been born? To the north, like Moto herself...But where north again? She thought...and thought...But north was all she knew. And that Kiuma had royal blood. "North. She was born north and east of here. Sadly, beyond the fact she has always been of royal blood, that is all I know." Kiuma had never told her much, preferring the past be the past.


It was a start. Better than the one they'd had. Tara nodded and turned towards where her brother's den lay. "I will say my good byes now, and meet you at the spring, Dogo. I will send the Jua to the spare dens." The last bit was to Moto, who nodded in thanks. With that resolved, the leopon took off as fast as her lithe, strong form could take her.


Caellagh smiled, watching the leopon go, then blinked, remembering something. Slowly, she pawed her ear, removing the slightly tattered, glowing feather earring she'd worn since cub-hood, and approached Dogo, offering it to her.

"Please, when you find my mother... Bring this to her, so she knows how you know, and so she knows I'm alright..."

She looked hopefully to the leopard.


Laini watched the leopon take off, a little hopeful. Yes...they could do what he could not. Help give Cae back her home.


Dogo carefully took the earring, nodding. "I will." She felt a kinship with this girl...Hippy had given both of them life (though Dogo's was not by birth), and somehow...well, there seemed to be more between Cae and the male beside her than just friends. Perhaps, the Amazon had found what Dogo had with Nima. She nodded to the group and took off, to say good bye to her cubs, Luta, and Nima. Oh how she would miss them...


With her daughters gone, Moto started forward again, leading Cae and Laini to a spare den. "You can stay here. I'll be back soon with two of my Mfuma to help you. One IS a male...but he has no interest whatsoever in females except as friends."


Caellagh nodded, appreciating the head's up as she limped in, tail touching Laini as she moved, refusing to lose contact. Once in, she turned and bowed gratefully.

"Thank you for your kindes.... It means so much to a broken heart."


Laini followed, giving a thankful look to Moto. Then he turned back to Caellegh and nuzzed where her neck became her back. "I pray this helps to mend that broken heart, my friend." Laini wasn't sure if he could stand it if she stayed broken much longer.