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He was unbelievably tired.

Still, this was nothing compared to what had become almost his daily routine, back before they returned home. He'd had to get up early, and he'd always gone to bed last - he had wanted to ensure the younger lions in his care had been asleep and safe. With a sigh, Sikivu continued onwards, making his way from the borders inwards, towards the dens. His first day on duty again, and he'd enjoyed it. It had been tiring, but he'd enjoyed it. Ngao had remained with him for the first hour or two, just to make sure he was settling in. Although her concern had been lovely, Sikivu had melted back into the role as if he'd never left. He felt truly home again, like he had purpose. Having had the purpose of guiding and caring for those in his care for several months, Sikivu knew he was never going to return to the pride and take the easy life.

He felt accomplished. Like he was making a difference.

A caw from the sky above turned his gaze up, the familiar black shadow against the sky diving down towards the ground. Fatiisha unfolded her wings with precision timing, landing softly on Sikivu's shoulder with a customary click of her beak in greeting. "How was your first day?"

Sikivu smiled softly, tilting his head to brush his mane against his bonded, as a sign of fondness. "It went well. Its almost as if...I never left." Fatiisha clicked her beak again - if she could, she would have been grinned, "Glad to hear it."







"Males are few and far between, my dear," Dhani said laxly to her bonded, Ajili. "but trust me, when I find one..." she raised one of her large, clawed feet and clenched it, symbolizing perhaps that she would latch on and never let go.

Ajili laughed, the sound coming out like a warm spring--a laugh one pictured when one imagined a Mother. She turned to look over her shoulder, pausing in her steps, eyes meeting those of her vulture's.

"And if you find your male, what will he do? Stay here?" she asked, smiling, obviously amused by their conversation. Dhani was never awake during the day very often, but when she was, her eyes were half-lidded, her voice was a drawl, and she often spoke to others in an almost warning type of way--get your claws on a male quick, keep your cubs under your paw at all times, always be aware of bushes in the middle of no where...and while most might just raise an eyebrow, Ajili always took her bonded's "warnings" to heart, and always considered her advice.

"Yeah~," Dhani said, stretching her neck out to peer up at the lioness. "but once I get tired of him...I'll kick him out."

Ajili burst out laughing, continuing her walk. She was an older lioness, and good-natured as she was, she was very easily amused. She enjoyed the company of her bonded--so much so that the two of them would go on a walk together once a day. Even Dhani walked, right beside the smiling lioness. And while nothing eventful ever usually happened, something a bit out of the ordinary came into the two creatures' view. It appeared to be a male lion and a bird. Ajili recognized him for a brief instant, memories showing her the guards, that didn't matter. Because Ajili realized something...something very, very dire...

...

She had never met him!

Eyes blinking in surprise as this dawned over her, she immediately shifted her course and hurried over to the male, ears lax and a friendly smile on her face.




Was that a laugh? A happy laugh. It was a sound, Sikivu realized, he hadn't heard in a long time. It was a pretty laugh, too - it reminded him instantly of his beloved Mkeke. Whilst in his travelling party, there had been plenty of laughter - young lions couldn't seem to stem the giggles coming from their maw - it had been a long time since Sikivu himself had laughed. Mkeke had always been the one to break his grin, and steal his laughter. He'd loved every second of it - her beautiful smile, her sparkling eyes, she'd been perfect. So...perfect.

"Sikivu."

Fatiisha's voice was gentle, but the sharp n** to his ear was anything but, Sikivu growling gruffly as he shook his ear free from the falcon's beak, glancing to her with harsh eyes. He wasn't angry, as such - more intensely curious as to what had prompted her to take such an action. It was often she got his attention quite so...painfully.

Indicating behind him with her head, there was an amused glint in the falcon's eye, "She's coming over."

She? Who? ...Oh, right, the owner of the laughter, presumably. Turning, forehead creased in confusion, the large lion found himself faced with an oncoming lioness, a vulture on...the ground beside her? What an odd way for a bird to travel, but he wasn't one to comment on such habits. Instead he turned his gaze to the lioness - her coat wasn't unlike his, blue and yellow in colour. However, whilst the colour of his pelt could be regarded as a little sun-faded, hers was still bright and vibrant.

A squeeze of Fatiisha's claws brought Sikivu back to his senses once more, making him aware that he probably looked a bit of an idiot, just...sitting there. Clearing his throat, and inclining his head politely, he managed a small, almost shy smile. "...Afternoon." Another squeeze of Fatiisha's claws, a little harder this time, prompted a suppressed growl. Clearly he wasn't doing well enough to please his bonded. "...Forgive me, but I don't think we've met? My name is Sikivu, and this is Fatiisha."




"Ah, hello!" Ajili greeted a bit breathlessly, finally having reached the unfamiliar face. It had been quite a hurried rush compared to her rather slow stroll just moments before, but after a few inhales, she was fine.

"No, we haven't. I am Ajili." she said, every inch of her face screaming friendliness.

Dhani gave a little creepy turn of her head, eyes half-lidded, and said, "Dhani." But at a look from her bonded, the lammergeier gave a comical little flap of her wings, and a short dance back and forth on each feet, though her expression was completely sleepy in the process.

Seeming now completely satisfied, Ajili turned back to the two new pack members and took the liberty of stepping even closer to them.

"So, tell me, have you just arrived in the Aka'mleli?"




Ajili? Certainly not a familiar name - she must be another newcomer to the pride, although the fact she had a bonded meant she was settling in very well indeed. Inclining his head first to Ajili, then to Dhani as the vulture introduced herself, Sikivu's gaze lingered on the bird for a few moments before he looked back up to Ajili with a warm smile. She certainly was very friendly - whereas Sikivu had remained a fair distance away, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable, she'd shuffled closed.

Just arrived? Sikivu frowned, pondering how to explain recent events, "I suppose...yes, yes I have." He paused for a few moments, and Fatiisha once again prompted him onwards with a n** to his still-sore ear, "I was born here, in the pride - a small group of us were separated from the pride when the earthquake struck, and we've only just found our way home a few days ago."

He shuddered, remembering what they'd all had to go through. All of them had lost something - they were all grieving. "When did you arrive, Ajili? ...If you don't mind me asking."




Ajili watched with interest and focus as the lion spoke, and she observed the interractions between him and his bonded.

Earthquake...

Ajili's smile fell.

But she recovered quickly, regaining her strong front, and offered Sikivu a kind look. Everyone had suffered during that time, and she couldn't imagine what he must have gone through--what with being separated from his entire pride--family and friends...and certainly more than one...loss.

Clearing her throat a bit, the lioness raised her ears at the sound of a question, always eager to do her best to help someone--in this case, to shed light on an unknown subject.

"Oh, quite some time ago," the lioness explained ponderously, eyes seeming to search for invisible memories. "Yes, I had a young cub when I first arrived after the quake, but he's grown now." At the subject of her son, a smile lit up the lioness's face and seemed to clear away any dark clouds that had begun to hover over her.




Her smile momentarily faltered, and Sikivu found himself frowning. Had he said something he shouldn't have? She seemed to recover, although she still didn't seem quite as happy as she had been before. Sikivu inwardly cursed himself for...well, whatever he'd done to upset her.

Quite some time ago? Sikivu nodded to show that he understood, smiling to try and reassure her. With a young cub in tow, too? He managed a small chuckle, though there wasn't really any happiness in it. "Young cubs certainly are a handful." He was about to mention being stranded with a few himself, but Mkeke's face suddenly flashed in his mind once again, and his smile, like Ajili's, fell. His recovery was much slowly, the lion sighing softly. He hoped she didn't think it was anything to do with her, the reason for him being so...unresponsive. Fatiisha gave another squeeze of her claws, though in a reassuring manner this time. His bonded always seemed to know what he needed - he didn't know what he would have done without her.

"I...sorry," he apologised, not entirely sure what for. But the lioness deserved an explanation. "My mate...she died during the earthquake. Her face keeps flashing up in my mind...I'm sorry, its nothing you've done."




The subject of cubs seemed to lighten up the air, but it was instantly fogged up once again as Ajili watched Sikivu's own smile fall. She frowned, lips barely parted as she observed him, like a mother about to fuss over someone. Dhani reclined her head into her chest and closed her eyes, seeming to brace herself. Or perhaps she was just trying to sleep.

"Are you--" Ajili started, but cut herself off at the sound of the lion's apology. Her expression was both bewildered and worried, every part of her wishing to know what was wrong so that she could better understand how to help. But when the answer was revealed to her, Ajili knew that she could do nothing to help. Nothing at all.

She stared silently for some time.

"I'm sorry..." she said softly, not sure whether to inch closer to offer him some gesture of comfort, or to back up and allow him room to breathe. Ajili was completely unaware of her constant maternal instincts, but when she felt them, they were strong. It was hard to ignore them.

After a few moments of watching the male and feeling a bit lost, the lioness took in a quiet breath and folded her ears, seeming determined. She paused a moment, then sat.

"My mate was also...lost..." she said, for the first time unsure of what word to use. 'Dead', no...never dead. He would always be alive in her heart, and in her memories.




Her apology wasn't needed, and Sikivu dismissed it with a sad smile and a shake of his head. Trust him and his ridiculous emotions to get in the way of a friendly meeting. She seemed lost for words, and he didn't blame her - it was a bit of a bombshell to drop on someone. Oh gosh, he really hoped he didn't seem pathetic or attention-seeking - looking back it made sense to think that. After a few tense moments Ajili sat, however, and revealed a bombshell of her own.

Sikivu looked up to her with wide, surprised eyes at first, though they immediately softened to those of sadness and understanding. She'd lost hers too? Her cub's father, presumably? Sikivu had yet to meet anyone who'd lost a mate - he knew mothers, fathers, daughters, sons and other family members had been lost, all of which were equally devastating. But Ajili was the first he'd met who'd lost her mate, and almost instantly he felt a strange...well, bond. Just the knowledge that they had both gone, and were still going through, the same grief and sadness meant they could instantly relate to one another.

"...I'm sorry, Ajili," Sikivu finally spoke softly, repeating her words. She looked so...sad, sat there, with her ears folded. Finding the same paternal feelings rising in him as when he'd first set eyes on the youngsters he had then cared for for several months, Sikivu shuffled a little closer to the lioness - he felt awkward, but the added warmth was reassuring. "They're never truly lost, though," he commented, managing a slightly brighter smile. He turned his gaze to the darkening sky - night was soon approaching, and the stars would soon be sparkling. "They're always with us."

He always looked up to the stars. He was sure Mkeke was up there, among them. Her personality was always so bright and full of life - it made sense that she'd become a shining star.




Ajili's eyes welled up with tears and her lower lip quivered. She turned to look at the male, truly understanding and appreciating what he had said.

"I--...I--..." she started, swallowing. Then she smiled, nodding. "Yes," she said with an agreeing gesture, and it was obvious that she had been thinking the same thing he was. The lioness attempted to recover, inwardly scolding herself for acting like an adolescent--she was well aware of the fact that she was a grown lioness, and by no means a young one.

Besides, it was unlike her to cry. So she didn't. She blinked back and took a deep breath, and let everything fly away with a refreshed-sounding sigh. Her mate had long since passed, and though it was still painful at times, it was quite some time ago. She could truly say she had recovered from the heart-searing loss, and was content with her mate's memory, and the legacy he left behind--their son.

She would see her mate again one day.

"Yes, they are," Ajili agreed, her eyes twinkling with warmth. And she remembered her mate fondly, without sadness. "In this life, and the next."

Her heart would always hold a place for her mate, and she was happy for the times when she could speak about him. Those times were rare, as it wasn't commonplace for some to talk about those who had passed. And while it was hard for Ajili to speak about it at the beginning, now she was glad that she had met Sikivu. He was kind, just like so many in the pride. And Ajili was very glad to call the Aka'mleli home.




Oh, he hadn't made her cry, had he? Sikivu lowered his head a little, showing his concern as he glanced up to Ajili - he'd feel terrible if he'd made a lioness cry. Especially over such a delicate subject. However, she seemed to recover quickly once again, and Sikivu smiled with her. Whilst he hadn't recovered quite as well as Ajili had, it was refreshing to see and talk to another in such a similar circumstance. Caring for four other lions had kept him busy, and at first Sikivu had believed that was what he needed - jobs and duties to keep him busy, so he didn't have time to think of his beloved. But returning to the pride, it had become clear that he was wrong. What he needed was time to think everything over, to remember the good times. He'd taken up talking to Mkeke, at night - because he was certain stars could listen. He'd been told they were good listeners, in fairytales as a child.

Ajili's warm eyes caused Sikivu's smile to widen and gain a warmth of his own, as he nodded in complete agreement with her words. He was happy to be home, in the Aka'mleli, once more, even if Mkeke wasn't with him. Perhaps it had just been her time - her time to pass on to the afterlife. Sikivu firmly believed that his mate would be rewarded, and she was truly in a better place.

"May I walk you to your den?" Sikivu asked after a few moments silence - not an awkward silence, though. A companionable. The large lion felt as if he'd known Ajili for months already, yet the truth was he knew very little about her. He was sure she was going to become a close and loyal friend, though.




It wasn't that Ajili had been crying over the loss of her mate--more that she had been so touched by Sikivu's words, and so surprised that he had voiced precisely what she had been feeling in her heart--it was just a bit overwhelming. But she had completely recovered, wearing her usual smile once again.

"Oh, yes!" Ajili agreed, standing up. "My son is probably back from hunting, and I would very much like to get back and see him." she said, always taking on an even happier and more motherly look whenever the subject of her son was brought up. Then a new idea dawned on the female and she blinked rapidly for a moment, head turning to look back at the male.

"Oh, I could introduce you two!" she said, turning back around and beginning to walk towards the heart of the pride. "Yes, I'm sure he would like to meet you. He is such a sweet boy! He always loves new members-well, in your case, sort of!--he especially likes to meet my friends..." Ajili said, words traveling on and at the subject of her son, and her ideas involving him and her new friend.

Ahh, yes...Sikivu was her new friend. How strange life was...and how lovely.

The Aka'mleli was truly a wonderful home.