Sadiki was not one to usually feel sorry for himself. No, as of late he'd been the staid and steady provider, taking on a small herd of cubs that were not his. No, his only cubs were full grown and on their own, each handsome son facing the world to take on their own lives and responsibilities. Even Bubu had moved on, finding solace in the fact that she'd birthed another litter. It was strange, really. He'd never considered her a mate of his, had never really thought of her as being HIS. No, he'd suckered her into the pride (thankfully she seemed to love the pride and the lions within it) and he'd suckered her into birthing him a few strong sons.

Today was different, though. Today, Sadiki was feeling sorry for himself. It wasn't the first time he'd wept since bringing Kima to the pride, and it would not be the last. It was weighing on him, watching her slowly disintegrate before his very eyes. It killed him to watch her cubs try and deal with their mother's mental illness. They were strong, and already Sadiki felt a close bond to one boy in particular. Nadhani was every inch his mother, a dedicated and smart little cub. Nadhani listened carefully to each and every little thing that Sadiki said, and that soothed Sadiki the slightest. He knew that Kima was doing the best she could. Sadiki knew this. It frightened the cheetah, really.

He did not want to lose the lioness. She had become a constant in his life, and he treasured the time he spent with the female. It was breaking his heart. This all-consuming need to be near her and protect her from all things terrible in life. At the end of the day Sadiki did not have what he really needed in his life. A friend to talk to with ears untainted, a neutral party with no opinion on what was right and what was wrong.

Making sure the cubs were being watched over by the ever-watchful and ever-patient Zurvan, Sadiki broke free from the constraints of the pride and he ran. He ran the fastest and farthest he'd ran in many months. This feeling of loss and despair was overwhelming -- he was losing his mother again, for the second time -- that's what it felt like. Sadiki ran until he could run no more, and there he collapsed. He wept. When tears could no longer fall from his eyes, Sadiki slept.

That is how the lioness found him. Vena been separated from her sister and was now wandering the savanna in hopes of reuniting with the only family she had left. She certainly hadn't been expecting to stumble upon a cheetah who slept out in the open as if he knew no harm would come to him. The moon was high and now was the time that the night-loving hyenas and other such beasts would rise and become active. Vena chewed her lip -- she couldn't very well leave him here. He looked wrung out, eyes swollen as if he'd recently been crying. Vena wasn't a very intrepid lioness, no, she was a simple enough female who had simple enough desires in life. Vena had dreams of romance and sweet words, dreams of family and laughter. Vena did not have adventurous dreams of conquering distant places, of taking slaves or anything remotely dangerous.

Honestly, this was the nearest Vena had come to stepping out of her comfort zone.

The cheetah stirred, and Vena watched him quietly with those strange eyes of hers. It took the cheetah a moment to realize where he was, and an even longer moment for the cheetah to realize that there was a lioness watching him. He stared at her for a long time, and she at him, before he decided that he should speak.

"May I help you?" It was strange, really, that there was a time he could remember that he would never had spoken words to a strange lioness. He would have rather chewed off his own tongue before admitting that he'd been kind to a lion that wasn't in his pride.

"I have been watching you," the lioness said softly as she stared at him with worried purpose, "You have been crying. I did not want you to be eaten by the beasts that roam when the moon is high."

Sadiki merely snorted, slightly disgusted at himself. It had been stupid of him to just ... fall asleep in the middle of the unforgiving savanna, but he had. Gritting his teeth, Sadiki rose to his feet. His body was stiff and his gestures stiffer, but he dipped his head in acknowledgement of her watchfulness.

"I am Vena," the lioness said softly, padding closer. Her head was tilted to the side curiously and she lifted a paw to dust a few pebbles from his shoulder. "Why do you weep?"

Sadiki exhaled harshly, drooping the slightest. "It is a long story, and one that I think would bore you. It is time --"

"I have time to listen to your long story," she paused as if waiting for him to introduce himself.

"Sadiki."

"I have time to listen to your long story, Sadiki," Vena said gently, dropping her paw to the ground before settling back on her haunches. "And I have the feeling you need to speak about it to someone who has a willing ear." She offered a smile, dipping her head in encouragement.

Sadiki sat, feeling slightly stunned. She was a willing party, someone who would listen to his woes, someone who might comfort him when he got to the heart of the matter, someone who might brush aside his tears when he began to weep.

Vena was exactly what Sadiki needed, and he was not stupid enough to turn her away.

Sadiki started at the beginning. The loss of his mother to a terrible sort of mental disease, one that ate away at her sanity. Being raised in a pride full of lions, part of the family yet always feeling alone. Meeting Kima, leaving Kima. Meeting Bubu, hoping that he could start a normal family -- something obviously too much to ask for where Bubu was concerned. Finding Kima with her cubs and bringing her home, calling her cubs his own if only to give them the family that they deserved. Being honest with them. Loving Kima like he did a mother, watching her slip away from his grasp much like his own mother had. The need to run, to escape.

It was an awesome feeling, having someone who swept away his heart-felt tears. Someone to take solace in, someone who offered everything and required nothing in return.

In the morning, Sadiki uncurled himself from around Vena. She slept deeply, a small smile on her face. Sadiki whispered a soft, "Thank you," before he returned to the pride to face his responsibilities once more.

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