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He had been out walking the outskirts of the pack again, hours and hours spent walking, sniffing, searching. He had to find the pups, not for himself, not to prove his innocence, as indeed him turning up with them was likely only to condemn his further, who would believe he had found them the old fashioned way and not just changed his mind about hiding them? No, it was for Daktari that he kept up the search, day and night he walked, often till his paws bled and his body forced him to rest for a few short hours, then he would be up again, walking, searching.... It was the only thing he could do for the red-furred male. Kimya was no female, he could not be his best friend's mate, nor could he bare Daktari's pups. The only thing he could do was to reunite the pups with their parents, to reform the happy little family...

Closing his eyes against the pain of imagining the scene, a scene with no room for him, he ducked his head and pulled his weary, battered body up the last few steep steps of the path and finally scrambled over the edge. He came up here frequently, needing the wide expanse of sky above him and the sweep of the valley below.. here, where he could see for miles without interruption and where his mind could wander, drifting back to when they were pups together and his days were filled with nothing but Daktari's laugher and his constant companionship.

Sighing heavily he set off along the path, for even though his paw pads ached terrible, his body could not stay still, too many bottled up emotions that had been churning away inside him for so long... As he walked he let his mind drift, slowly relaxing as he remembered the long lazy days with their old pack, not that it had all been easy, but he had always had Daktari at his side and nothing, it had seemed, could have changed that fact...

The reality had been completely different.

Pausing he lifted his head, jerked through his thoughts by the sound of a growl not too far along the path, but then the wind shifted and a very familiar and badly missed scent drifted to him. Suddenly all his doubts and pains vanished as he hurried forwards, crimson eyes alight. He rounded a bend in the path and slowed to a halt, his chest constricting all over again.

Daktari!

His friend looked terrible! Clearly he had not been sleeping well, or eating much, and his coat had lost its luminous sheen. Swallowing past the worried lump in his throat, he padded forwards quietly, dark ears pricked and expression concerned.

"Daktari?" The soft, husky voice of the typically silent hyena whispered through the shadows into which Kimya blended so well. The light touch of dark shoulder brushed the fire-hued male's flank gently, offering unspoken support.

The light touch melted his heart on the spot, crimson eyes softening. Yet the caress was far too brief and Kimya had to hide the sorrow as Daktari pulled away. Taking a careful breath he put on an easy smile for his beloved Fireheart, letting himself settle on his rump in a mirror to Daktari, though his was in order to rest his paws for a moment.

"I like it up here... it lets me think.." He murmured softly in his husky voice, crimson eyes dipping almost apologetically. "I can go if you wish to be alone." he offered despite the pain in his chest. he missed Daktari's comforting presence badly and of late after the pup-napping, they had even less opportunities to spend time together than before, and it wasn't only because of Silva any more. Swallowing a weary sigh he finally gave in and lowered himself to the ground, letting his muzzle rest across his dark forelegs, though bright blood-hued eyes remained on Daktari. he never had regretted confessing to his best friend, but he often wondered if Daktari did... gone was the easy companionship between them, replaced by this awkward half-distance. It was perhaps the only thing Kimya truly regretted.

"Have you eaten yet?" He asked softly, as Dak looked as bad as Kimya felt....

Kimya smiled faintly, but it was a saddened expression. Yes, they had always been alike, ever since they had been little pups themselves the pair had found a strong bond between them. For Daktari's sake he kept the smile in place even as he turned his head to look out across the view, hiding the sorrow that single word struck deep within him. From up here the valley dropped down below them before opening up into a beautiful vista, the mountains rose up behind them like some great protective barrier and the low lying plains stretched out all the way to the horizon.

Realizing his friend had noticed the state of his feet, he guilty tucked one under his chest quickly, his tail curling round his hind to hide his rear legs. Still, Daktari's sudden growled concern eased the pain within his heart, the sound was so very familiar and so like it had been before this mess had occurred, that he found himself relaxing for the first time in too long. He couldn't even help the small but genuine smile that curled across his muzzle as he ignored the question and pursued his own.

"You haven't eaten today have you...." he murmured softly, stretching his head out to lick at Daktari's cheek, briefly forgetting the recent awkwardness between them. Pulling back suddenly he blinked at the other male, embarrassed that he had probably upset him, but then he swiftly went on with his idea, hoping Dak wouldn't notice...

"How about we go hunt together? There is time yet."

Unabashed by the expression on his friend's face, the dark-hued male shrugged one shoulder, though did look away as Daktari lifted his paw. "I've just been looking for the pups.. thats all." He murmured in reply, ears pressing back against his head as he glanced back up at Daktari. Yet even though he knew the other male was irritated at him, the sheer familiarly of the tone Dak used made Kimya smile faintly. It was so very like when they had still be best friends that he felt as if a weight had been lifted from him, though there was plenty other problems to bear down on him.

Puffing softly he glanced away. "Im too busy and besides... none of them really want to see me." Always one to stay in the background Kimya didn't feel comfortable with confronting the very hyenas who were whispering about him each day.

The shadow-coated hyena couldn't help but smile this time, a full honest expression at his friend's curt command. Of course they both knew he would obey, there was nothing Daktari could ask him that he would deny the red male. So with a deep sigh he expelled the tension that had filled his body for so long and let his head drop to his paws, eyes closing as he settled down to wait for his best friend's return, most likely with a healer in tow.