Somehow, Shula had missed out on hearing from Kosuke. Likely having to track a lost lion in the desert had to do with it, and Shula couldn't blame him for not wanting to talk. It was, after all, annoying. Now, though, she had other things to do. She'd finally remembered her encounter with the white and gray lioness at the border, and poked around the dens. "Daddy! Are you here?" Of course he'd have to be, he was getting too old to move much.
Slumber seemed to come frequently now. Bodaway slowly opened his gold eyes, blinking rather blearily. It was getting harder to see. Tiredly, he rose to his paws, shuffling out of the cave. "Shula? What brings you to my den?" He smiled, a gentle smile. He stopped, sitting down with a bit of a sigh. "These bones are getting tired..."
The red lioness went over, rubbing against her father. "Oh, Daddy, you're not looking so good... But I have something that might cheer you up!" She sat down in front of him, smiling. "I met a lioness at the border a while ago, she brought word of a friend of yours..." She certainly hoped this would cheer him up. "A certain lion, she said he was white and gray... That you're old friends, from a while back..." He needed something happy to think about.
"Oh...?" An ear lifted, as he tilted his head. Who could be this old friend? How many white lions did he know? Or gray. Well, he knew his third daughter, Savitri.. And... No, that was all he could think of. "Did she leave a name..? I'm afraid I'm drawing a blank.." He sat down, carefully scratching an itch. "My mind isn't as sharp as it used to be... My age is beginning to catch up." He was sad to say that. He would rather have gone out in a blaze of glory and fire, not to die slowly of old age.
Sitting down next to her father, Shula smiled at him. "Well, the lioness said her name was Ying-tai, but it'd change when she got home... As for the lion she mentioned.." She wracked her brain, eyes rolling up to stare at the sky in thought. "Right now... His name is Mle'tonoka... Not sure what that means... But once, his name was... Oh, what was it?" She rubbed a paw on her cheek, then scratched an itch behind her ear. "Zambi? No... Zimbabwe? No, that's not in... Zim... Something..." Whatever his name was, it was eluding her like a ghost. Wait... Ghost... "Zimwi!"
The old lion's ears pricked as he listened, looking at his daughter. "Zimwi..." The name DID ring a bell.. "Oh yes... I remember him... Tiny thing, barley reached my elbow..." He let out a laugh. "He was an adult, too! Afraid of his shadow... With a name like Mle'tonoka now, I'd say he's gained his spine, so to say!" Maybe if things had been different, he could have brought Zimwi here, to the desert, and pretended the lion was his lost brother or something. "This makes me happy... He's found his home, and he's doing well."
She could see how much it cheered him up, to hear about his old friend. Rubbing her face into the old lion's mane, she quietly contemplated just how gray it was turning. He was getting up there, she knew, and the thought never really left her mind. "Daddy, I was thinking.." She noticed the look he gave her. "About Kosuke. I know.. You're protective... But.. He's a nice lion..." She drew in the sand with her paw. "I know he's done some less-than-great things, but his heart's in the right place..."
"Then he hasn't talked to you about it yet, has he...?" The confusion on her face amused him, making the old lion chuckle. Raising a paw up, he pulled his daughter into a hug. "You and Kosuke... Have my blessing, Shula..." He licked the back of her ear, rumbling. "I wish you the best of luck in your future together, and hope that many cubs follow both of your paw prints."
The lioness let out a surprised sound, looking at her father. "What, really?!" When he smiled and nodded, she hugged him, burying her face in his mane. "Oh, thank you, Daddy!" Then her ears flicked, before she sat back, tilting her head to regard her father. "Why the change of heart, though..? You were so against it before..."
The old male shrugged, still smiling. "Well, as you said, his heart IS in the right place..." He scratched his chest, pausing to examine some mane that had come out on his claws. "He's proven a very effective father. The Huria children he's sired left the desert well-prepared, and the rest are just as well-prepared for life. And... They know something of the pride's history that I think may be getting left out.. So they'll hopefully learn from the past to improve the future." Then Bodaway motioned with a paw, giving his daughter a happy look. "Now go on, he'll be waiting for you, likely..."
The lioness rumbled, rubbing on her father. "You have such a big heart, Daddy... I hope it never stops beating." How would the world be without him? It'd be... Not as bright, not as sunny... Maybe it wouldn't be as happy. If he ever DID come to an end, Shula would be.. Well, she might not function for a while. "I know all things must come to an end... But I want you to at least see your grandcubs by me, and maybe eventually Savitri..." She smiled at Bodaway, then licked his cheek. "I'll see you later, Daddy!" Getting up, she hurried off across the sand, looking for Kosuke.
Watching his daughter leave, the old lion let out a sigh. He looked down at the clump of mane he'd scratched out, before abandoning it to blow away into the desert. For now... He felt tired again, padding back into his den. Savitri would be by later with something to eat, likely. She was a very caring daughter, to spend so much time taking care of her father like this. It made him smile, as he lay down. He had a good feeling... He WOULD be seeing his grandchildren yet. He hoped there were plenty to spoil.
