[PRP] The Arrival (Refugees + Guards)

[Kimaria]

If anyone had underestimated the strength of the sun and the dry wind that shaped and caressed the swaths of golden dunes, it was Roho. Her paws and lips were blistered, her mouth painfully dry. When she breathed it was as if she breathed in the sand. It grated in her lungs and had her wheezing as she moved onwards. Ever onwards across this never-ending plain.

How long had it been since they had left the comfort of the cool, lush grass? How long since she had felt hard, firm ground planted beneath her paws? How long since she had drunk herself fat at the edge of water? Too long. Far too long.

She paused and cast a withering look back over her shoulder. A stray gust of wind funnelled a cloud of gold that partially concealed her companions from view. Narrowing her eyes so that the lashes helped keep out the dust, she drew in another rasping breath and turned back, determined to see this through despite the fatigue that burned in her chest. Steeling herself; head low, jaw set, she wound between two dunes, following the gentle curve that opened out to a short 'clearing' of flat, wind-smoothed sand. It was uncomfortably hot underfoot (even so late in the day) but the pain seemed rather normal, now.

Then, another wind came, and this time, accompanying the bite of the sand was a scent. No, not one scent. Two, three, maybe more.

"Lions." She hissed under her breath. "There are lions near!"  

[Mimsey]

Once, Adiel had crossed the outskirts of this desert under an old name and an old dream. She'd been heading to the place that was to be her home. Any hardships, struggle, had been in leading to her home. And once she was there, she'd vowed never to leave it.

Now, they were walking the path backwards. Away from their ruined home- at her advising. It didn't seem right. The red lion sniffed, the scent of dry earth burning at her lungs. They were nearly there now. It brought her some comfort to have at least not lead them all back into the hands of the Nameless... but, from what she knew of the motoujamii, they were far from safe. Taking a careful glance over her shoulder towards Nawvlee, Adiel moved forward towards Roho.

"We must be careful," she said lowly. "We don't want to seem to be an invading force."

After all, there was no telling just how far the Nergui had spread.

"Well, that would just be fantastic." Mizuka responded bitterly, pulling up the rear. The young male had been mostly silent over there travels, no doubt largely due to the argument he'd had with his sister just a few days prior. They might have been at a truce, but... the wound remained.

Adiel was not too endeared by the sarcasm. She narrowed her eyes and opted not to respond.

 

[Kimaria]

Roho exhaled sharply, turning her head to watch as her companions drew closer. She silently laughed at the thought of being mistaken as a threat. She was so tired that she doubted she'd put up much of a fight at all. The thought of her vulnerability angered and scared her. They were in a dangerous position...

What if they had escaped their first death, only to jump straight into the jaws of the next one?

She discarded the thoughts with a rough shake of a head, taking one slow step forwards before thinking better of it and turning to regard her friends. "Adiel is right." She confirmed, though the words were rather unnecessary. "The last thing we want is to draw their anger now." They'd come too far to meet an untimely fate here at the paws of those they hoped would help them.

"What do you think best, Nawvlee, Sir? Should a couple of our group head alone whilst the rest wait here?"  

[Mimsey]

Adiel nodded, although not before a fleeting look of apprehension passed over her face. She didn't like splitting up the group, even if it was the only logical course of action. They could not risk sending the wrong message to the Motoujamii inhabitants. With Nawvlee, they could at least hope to introduce themselves with as little incident as possible. But it still didn't wipe the feeling of apprehension. It might have been logical to split, but the feeling went beyond logic. They'd survived by clinging together. Pulling apart felt wrong.

But even as she settled into the feeling, she took her spot besides their leader. She only hoped what she remembered about the Motoujamii would work in their favor. These were warriors, and the last she'd known of them they'd been steeped in civil war. Surely, these were the kind of lions who would appreciate a threat when they heard one. They had to...

"We should be intercepted by a guard regiment if we keep heading towards the scent," she confirmed, looking off into the direction they had been moving in. "Hopefully we can get them to allow us passage."

Mizuka twitched his tail, glancing curiously over at Roho. "And what of the rest of us? What are we supposed to do if this backfires?"

Adiel shifted uncomfortably, but did not answer. She'd only ever had this one plan. It didn't have a backup.  

[Kimaria]

They were really going to go, then? Out there into the unknown? Risking their lives for all of them? And what if the worst did happen? What then? She barely had enough strength to make an escape let alone avenge them.

She took a small step back, nodding silently. Her chapped, blistered paws seemed little bother now. Not with the fear of what the next few moments might bring.

"Be careful." She whispered, taking another step back to join with the huddle of others still waiting amongst the dunes. She would do her duty. She would stay with the group and ensure their safety - as much as she was able to, at least. She was partly taken aback by her brother's question to Adiel, her head snapping round to look at him, eyes narrowing. "It won't backfire. We have Nawvlee. He will make them see sense." And that was that. Setting her jaw, she sat, flexing her claws into the shade-spread sand.

Now it was just a waiting game.

--

And not too far away, a lone sentry was joined by another. The similarities in their looks was unmistakeable, labelling them clearly as father and son. The younger male turned to greet the older, not standing, but turning his head and giving a low chuff. He seemed lethargic and...bored, but that was hardly surprising. The Motoujamii did not see many passers by, but vigilance was always needed just in case. It was the vigilance and the empty horizon that was tiring.

"Slow day." The younger said, his mottled red pelt scored with black stripes.

"As always." Came the tired response. "That crazy female came looking for you earlier."

"She's no more crazy than you, Dad."

The older male snorted, giving the younger a rough shove. "Go on, get back with you. Leave me to my shift in peace."  

[Mimsey]

She trusted that Roho would know what to do if the worst happened. She hoped. Adiel almost wondered if it would have been better if Nawvlee had stayed behind, sending her with one of the others. At least then the group would have its leader. But while those might have been comforting notions, Adiel knew she was not capable enough to broker some sort of amnesty between the two groups. Not without their leader. She only hoped the motoujamii would take it as a sign of good faith to have their leader amongst the first sent to greet them.

As Nawvlee turned to leave, Adiel gave a short nod towards the rest of the group. She didn't have any words. She'd always been gifted with foresight, but not the heart of a leader. Hoping that it would be enough, she fell into step with him. She tried not to let her mind get ahead of herself. Worry could make her mind erratic.

But while scent was thick in the hot air, it took a while for the pair to manage to catch sight of anyone. Over the distance Adiel had been mostly silent, repeating a series of mantras in her mind to keep her nerves still. And then, knowledge. There were two lions up above on the sand ridge before them.

Silently, she looked over to Nawvlee. She doubted they'd have much of a chance to formulate a plan before they were seen.  

[Kimaria]

Roho watched them go, moving yet further back to join with the huddle of refugees. Watching Adiel and Nawvlee head off alone gave her a wave of despair that griped and curled uncomfortably in her gut. To be parted after so long a time of sticking together was...a disagreeable concept. And yet...it would not do to allow that fear to show. So, she schooled her expression, stiffening her features, and drew herself upright, eyes fixed on their position until the dunes rose up to consume.

"Everything will be okay." She whispered under her breath.

--

The younger male, Heti, stretched lazily, flexing his clawed toes in the sand, before pulling himself upright. Shaking loose sand from his mane he made to pad away, aware that his father had turned his gaze to watch him. "What are you looking at me like that for?" The son asked, sounding amused.

"When did you get so big?"

Heti laughed. "I grew up, Dad." He made to swing back around then and depart, except for something that caught his attention. Two somethings in fact. He blinked, staring off behind his father to the slope of the dunes extending out into endless desert. No Water-Seekers had been expected to come back this way so... "Uh, Dad, we have company." He felt a thrill of excitement run through him and trotted back to stand at his father's side. Azar'bijan pivoted with surprising grace for so stocky and large a lion, stretching out his neck and breathing noisily through flared nostrils.

"Outsiders." The words left the older Firekin's mouth as a growl.

"Shall we go and say hello?"

"Yeah, yeah, just let me do the talking, all right? It's my shift now, remember?"

"Hoping to battle two rogues to the death to win some honour?"

"I'd never turn down the opportunity to boost my reputation." Azar'bijan snorted, moving forwards now to draw the two outsiders to a halt. "Stop there! You trespass on Firekin territory. State your business or risk your health."

Heti let a wry grin stretch across his face. His Father, for all that he was a goof, could put on a good 'serious' voice.