[PRP] A Need for Routine (Suditi and Roho)

[Kimaria]

Roho woke perhaps a little earlier than expected, taking care to disentangle herself from her fellow companions and step away from the huddle. Judging from the moon above, there was perhaps a short time before Suditi's watch was over and done with, but seeing as she was awake now...

Well, might as well go and take her friend's place and let her get some valuable sleep. After all, they were drawing ever closer to their destination and once they arrived, things were not likely to be as calm as this. Calm, of course, not being the best word to describe the fidgety, flighty concern that nipped at their heels and had them pressing on for safety. Roho found that she didn't like this, though. She missed her training regime. Missed teaching the children how to fight and defend themselves. For the last days there had only been fleeing and watching and resting and eating. No duelling or training or taking orders or carrying out specific tasks. They simply hid themselves away whenever possible and hoped that they could pass by without being noticed by another living soul. She hoped that, once they reached these Firekin, that they might be able to slide back into a similar routine. Perhaps that would help her forget...

Stepping carefully over the sleeping form of Adiel, Roho moved silently across the compacted earth, taking only a few steps before she spotted the form which had to be Suditi.

She gave a low, gentle chuff as she drew close. "Suditi. It's only me." After all, if Suditi was as jumpy as she was, she probably wouldn't appreciate being snuck up on.  

[Sabra Knight]

A lone lioness stood watch over her companions. Silent, she watched the moon with a somber gaze. Lately it seemed that her mind could not stop replaying the sight which she had stumbled upon. The ruins of something once so full of life. Now dead. She wondered how the dead slept. Was it anything like how the living slept or far more peaceful? Could it be peaceful even for those who died in so much pain? Who left so much pain behind for those still alive? What was it like? She could not help but to keep wondering about it.

"Stop it Suditi." She whispered to herself. This was insanity; she was even losing valuable sleep because of her restless mind. Hearing her friend's voice the lioness turned and nodded. While she was glad to see the other lioness, Suditi couldn't help but to flinch. This was bad. She had even missed hearing the sounds of Roho approaching her. She needed to focus. If she didn't she may never become the alert warrior that she once was. What her pride had raised her to become. Suditi sighed softly to herself. Maybe once they reached the Firekin she may be more like her old self. The routine of life would become normal again.

"Roho." Suditi smiled softly at the other lioness, "It's still my watch....Could you not sleep?"  

[Kimaria]

Roho gave the other female a soft smile and drew up alongside her. "I slept well enough. Rose early is all. If you like, I can take over from here and let you get some rest. No doubt you must be tired."

The female sat and cast a glance back at the sleeping forms of their companions. They were all exhausted, in fact. Running on nervous energy and fear would do that to a lion, though Roho had to admit she did feel herself beginning to feel a little better now that they'd put miles and miles between them and their homeland.

Well...better and worse.

They would never go back there now. Never again to set paw on the red mountains of their homeland and feel that fresh, crisp air in their lungs. She sighed softly and turned to glance at Suditi. "How do you fair?"  

[Sabra Knight]

Suditi gave a soft laugh before shaking her head, "Tired, but restless at the same time. I think it may be a while before I allow myself to sleep." Growing quiet the lioness turned her gaze away to look up at the night sky. It was interesting to see how despite everything being changed, the night sky still looked the same. Dark and distant, yet beautiful.

The lioness blinked at Roho's question. "How do I fare?" She repeated softly before turning back to look at her friend, "How any of us fares, I suppose.Tired, exhausted of running and empty inside. Honestly terrified of everything." This tiny whisper, this truth scared her. Yet she could give Roho a tiny smile, "I suppose I'll manage. As long as we stay together..." She shook her head, "What about you Roho? How - How are you?"  

[Kimaria]

"If you cannot sleep, you may always sit up with me until you feel you are able. I would be glad of the company." Roho would prefer companionable silence over being alone any day. She nodded a little in understanding and leaned against the female gently. The pain of what had happened had at least brought them closer together. She considered Suditi to be more sister than friend, now. She meant the contact to bring the other comfort and hoped that it had.

"Me?" She waved a dismissive paw. "I'm fine. You know me. I always bounce back." Her face was solemn as she spoke, however. "I'm beginning to crave a normal routine, I must say. A training schedule. Some teaching. Just a little normality would be good."  

[Sabra Knight]

"I would like that. Thank you." Suditi leaned back against the other with a small smile. She was beginning to consider Roho as more than a friend, more like a sister as well. She was thankful that she had run into the group of refugees as she had. If not for them, the lioness did not know what she would have done. She would have been completely lost.

"Oh, really?" She scooted a little away from Roho with a small sigh. "Why is it that I find that hard to believe?" Her golden gaze was narrowed in accusation before it softened. Leave it to Roho to be the strong one. "I agree." Suditi nodded, "Even as exhausted as we are I wouldn't even mind a small practice match. Just anything at this point."  

[Kimaria]

Roho gave a soft snort. "Life is hard sometimes. If we make through the troubled times we'll come out the other side stronger than before." She didn't feel stronger. In fact, she felt like she was hanging on by a thread, but the saying was a good one and she hung on to it. Maybe if she kept saying it, eventually it would ring true and her strength would return.

"How about tomorrow morning, at sun up? We have a bit of a brawl whilst the others rub the sleep from their eyes?" She looked eager for the first time in a long time, a familiar faint spark igniting.

"The last thing we want is to arrive at the Firekin lands unpractised and useless. They might turn us away and then we'd really be stuck."  

[Sabra Knight]

"So?" Suditi frowned, "Ignoring the pain may just allow infection in the wound, and then you risk your strength." She sighed, "But maybe you're right. Then we all must become much stronger by the time this is settled." The lioness was looking at the sky again, but managed to peek over at Roho from the corner of her gaze. "A friend, however, has the ability to mourn and feel the pain for any friend who won't show it." She whispered blinking back the sudden tears.

Tomorrow? Suditi's looked over at Roho with surprise, "A brawl might be nice for a change." Her gaze warmed to see her friend's eagerness and the lioness couldn't help but to agree, "You have a point. We must get ready to meet the Firekin, we don't want to appear weak before them. So...let's do it."  

[Kimaria]

Roho visibly flinched and turned away, unwilling to allow Suditi to see the possible hurt lingering in her eyes. She was strong. She was better than this! She could not allow herself to grieve, not when her strength was needed now more than ever. She drew in a breath and held it for a moment, calming her again and she pressed a smile into place, nodding eagerly as her friend accepted the offer.

"Perhaps all of us should. A routine might help us focus. Might help us overcome what has happened and give us something to think on." She paused. "A sparring match it is, then. When the others waken, we should ask them what they think."

Mizuka might not think much of the idea but she told herself she didn't care about his opinion.

"I just hope that the Firekin live up to our expectations. It's the right thing to do - us going there, I mean. I just...hope that the stories of them were not exaggerated." She blinked. "I hope they will heed our warnings, too."  

[Sabra Knight]

Suditi was pained to see how Roho reacted to her words. Though the lioness could not see the hurt in her friend's eyes, she had a feeling that something akin to that would be there. I'm sorry, Roho. She quietly nudged the other lioness with a sigh. "One of these days we'll just roar at the sky and if you don't then I'll yell doubly loud just for you. I would do it now, but I don't think the others would appreciate it." She gave a choked laugh.

"Perhaps." Suditi nodded, "I think it's a good idea." Hearing Roho's worry about the Firekin made the lioness pause, "Surely they aren't. No pride should have a reputation like that for doing nothing - and if they don't heed warnings from us then they are fools. Maybe our presence will even put them back into shape should they be slacking off." She commented quietly before stretching out on the ground. All this talk about the Firekin made her even more eager for the next morning. Not just for the sparring match, but also so they could continue on their way.  

[Kimaria]

Roar at the sky...

She smiled at the thought of it, realising how long it had been since they had made such a sound. A roar could give them away and so they had silenced themselves. They were refugees. They were...not even true lions until they found a new home, unable to act true to their nature.

"I worry needlessly, I'm certain. You are right and, even if they are not as legendary as the stories say, with our guidance, they can become more than what they are now." She nodded firmly, trusting in her skills and those of her brethren. They might not have been infamous across the lands but Roho had no doubt that, if they'd been given time, the Hongshan would have made a name for themselves, too.

Then, quietly, but with feeling, she added: "I'm glad to have you with us, Suditi. I truly am."