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Her mothers lands had harbored far too many unwelcome ideals to the female, and her only escape was to take a little time to herself. She enjoyed being free, having left the pride even if only for a few days. But that few days had turned into weeks. She was lost. She really couldnt say she missed mother all that much, being that Kubwa was the type to read her the right act for anything differing from what her ideals were. Sometimes it was too much to take.

She still felt a pang of sadness at hte loss of what she knew, however. These lands were strange, and they werent always the most friendly. A few scars across her leg were definitely new and testament enough to that. She had run into one too many hyenas, and she was ready to just quit walking and take up a place and call it home already. She wasnt picky with where she stayed, she just wanted to.. be somewhere that was safe. These lands were far too unpredictable for her tastes.

When she felt she had gone far enough, she leapt on top of a large rock, and realized happily it was the perfect size for sunbathing. She would be quite alright with the idea of being warm. Smiling, she curled up and prepared to sleep.

Ilyas and Afsar had searched for Itzel for days. Literally, days. It hadn't seemed possible that the vague lioness with the striking swirled markings could have vanished so thoroughly in the span of less than twenty four hours, but all their searching had come to naught. Perhaps it would have been more effective if he had told someone besides Afsar, but he couldn't bear to admit to having lost a banu. So it had just been the two of them hunting.

Eventually they had been forced to give up and return, however. Life went on, and though Ilyas' pride smarted at the fact of his having lost Itzel, he knew he would get over it. The best way to get over it, he thought, would be to go out into the rogue lands and find himself a new banu. This time he would be more selective, making sure that the banu he chose was all there, mentally. Silly that it hadn't been a requirement before, really.

He had told Afsar of his intention, of course, since he would be bringing a new lioness into their den, but she seemed to understand without question or rancor his need to have a respectably-sized harem. So off he went, leaving Afsar briefly in the care of his father while he was on the hunt. He needed to find a lioness who was mentally stable, properly polite, and willing to come back with him to the Ukuucha'Wafalme. That shouldn't be too hard.

"Yeah," he said aloud, thinking himself alone and free to be sarcastic. "It only took me two months last time."

Her dreams had begun involving her life as a cub. She saw herself, small and wobbly, snuggling into her mother. Kubwa was having a rare moment of snuggles, hidden of course, as to not show any weakness. The little purple cub tried everything to get her mothers attention..and then all of a sudden mother had disappeared. Elsa cub was left there, standing alone, and cold. She didnt know where she was..She would have likely gone further if the voice hadnt called to her, jolting her awake.

She jerked upwards, looking around her for anyone that could have spoken. When she saw the male, she cocked her head. What an attractive fellow...She smiled, and nodded her head in greeting. She had been raised as a royal of court, and so she had been blessed with the manners that she felt everyone should have.. But it was much like common sense.. It wasnt as common as anyone thought.

"Hello." She said, voice soft and dainty, but still proud. She looked the male over, enjoying the gaze that she stole, before clearing her throat, and sitting up. She stared down at him, and smiled her half smile..

"May I help you?"

"I'm sorry to have woken you," Illyas said truthfully enough. He didn't means sorry as in regretful though. Rather, he meant sorry as in apologetic. There was a difference.

"I couldn't really stop myself, you see. There was a sunbeam - it's gone now of course - and it was shining on you like a higher power wanted to be sure I noticed you. With that kind of happenstance, I really couldn't do anything but talk to you."

Ilyas trying to be suave, but he wasn't used to it. At home he didn't have to be since it was his right as a pad to behave as he wished. He didn't have to worry so much about the regard of females. Pads were innately in charge. He wasn't sure how well that would go over when he had to explain it. Maybe he'd just do like Tariq'ra'd and bring back a lioness without telling her anything about the pride.

"My name is Ilyas, by the way."

She paused a moment, and thought about it.. A harem? She wasn't quite sure what that was, or what a beybanu was.. But she really didn't care. She had caught the part where he offered her safety, and she knew that was what she wanted. That was all she cared about.

So she put on her sweetest smile, and looked at him with her soft doe eyes that she was so good at using. She had always been told her best feature had been her eyes.. She hadn't known anyone with the color blue that she had been given. She purred, leaping from her rock, and then cringing in pain when her wound began throbbing from the shock of the jump. But she took a deep breath, and then stood tall once more. Walking over to him, she nodded, sitting in front of him, and drawing with her front paw in the sand.

"Oh I think I would love that, Ilyas. I'm so tired of being on my own. I'm not supposed to be on my own, or in pain! I've got royal blood.. though I've found it means nothing out here." She grumbled. Shouldn't everyone know that she was a noble? Sure she wasn't royal, but to her, noble was the same thing.

"As long as I'm protected, I would stay with any beybanu." She said. Though her mind did tick back and forth wondering what he was even talking about. She wasn't about to be stupid and ask though! It was probably common around here!

Ilyas could barely contain his glee at how simple this had been. Why couldn't it be so easy the first time he went out to find a banu to bring home. He'd been gone for months, and then the best banu he'd found had been Itzel, and she was very interesting and very lovely, but not very put-together, mentally. He hoped she was all right, but he was also pretty well convinced that Elsa would be a better prize.

And she was royally born. His pride didn't have nobility quite like that, but as the son of a vizier Ilyas knew he would be considered nobility in most other prides. This was truly turning out to be a good match. And since it was a match of convenience, there was no danger of Afsar feeling her position in his harem or his heart had been threatened.

"I think you'll do very well with us," Ilyas said truthfully. "And Afsar and I will explain everything you need to know, though I suspect you'll be ahead of the game, being nobly born."

He smiled. Something up there was smiling on him, and he was glad of it. As he set off for home he made sure to keep his pace slow so as not to cause Elsa needless discomfort where she had been wounded. Besides, a slower pace would give more time for explanations, and he knew at least some of those would be needed. Even so, he was beyond thrilled at how easily this had all gone.