Kalyani (Kaori_luv)
Fenja
There was such a thing as being too lucky. That’s why Fenja, despite having had a few good weeks of the easy life, still hadn’t become any less vigilant than her usual cautious self. She’d met a lion who was an amazing hunter and he’d been very friendly and chivalrous. As he never displayed a hint of dodgy intentions, Fenja stayed with him for almost a week. She had then spent a few days with a travelling group, a couple of days with Hantan (how did he always find her?) and so on. Lately, it seemed she barely hunted at all and the nights were spent in the safety of a group, sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller. It was nice, the bright lioness thought to herself, like being part of a pride…for very short periods of time.
And now she was alone again, doing what Fenja loved best. There was nothing like spending a nice cool morning, swimming in a waterhole, right before all the herds and the predators that followed them came for a drink. Oh, yes. This was the good life.
Kalyani
Kalyani had slipped away from Jicho this cool morning deciding to let him sleep in for now. He was so kind to her and was always so gentle, so willing to help her in her quest. She was looking for her brother and she knew she always would wonder, but she was also falling in love.
Walking up to the water hole she spotted a lioness swimming about and she did not wish to disturb her, but she wanted to swim as well, so she sat at the waters edge.
"Do you mind if I joined you," she called out.
Fenja
As long as it wasn’t a strange male (or a hyena), Fenja was usually pretty open to a little bit of company. It was particularly easy to accept it when the lioness whose voice had made Fenja turn her head so abruptly turned out to be a bright specimen like herself. It reminded of her old pride, where soft colors and bright markings were so often seen and the pale lioness took one long appreciative look at the newcomer, lingering on the shiny wings on her chest.
“Please do.” She smiled but her expression was somewhat quizzical. “You look very familiar. Have we met before?”
Kalyani
Kal rose and wadded into the water enjoying the cool feel against fur warmed skin. "Oh do I," she asked as she headed toward the swimming female with such lovely marking and colors.
"I am not sure we have met before, though it is possible. You could be from my pride. I am not sure how many members are still about if any, but I was to become queen so very long ago."
She swam about thinking about her mother, father, her brother, her pride. She missed the easy life she had so much. Everything about it just spoke to her and that the pride was now history saddened her.
Fenja
There was something strangely familiar about this lioness’ toes, Fenja though as she watched them submerge. Blue and bright. She’d seen them before, she was sure of it! Well, she was almost sure of it… maybe.
“No… we didn’t have kings and queens in my old pride. It was destroyed a long time ago anyway.” Fenja said thoughtfully, digging through her memories to find some shred of information. She felt she was missing something very obvious. “You wouldn’t look out of place there though and I can’t say that about many of the rogues I’ve met in my journey.”
Kalyani
Kalyani nodded at the words that Fenja spoke giving a small smile and laughing lightly. "My pride was lost to a plague long ago, who know maybe we were neighbors even sister prides. We could be distantly related."
She swam in a figure 8 enjoying the coolness of the waters when a though struck her. "Though," she said softly, curiously, "it is possible you might have seen my brother. We were separated as cubs and we look so very much alike, expect he sports shaded of blue and purple, while I am yellow and green for the most part."
Fenja
Sister prides? Family connection?
“Perhaps.” She said slowly and found out that the idea was oddly comforting. Considering the possibility that she might not be alone in the world was not something she believed it would call to her and yet… it did. Wait, brother? Purple! Of course, it made sense now that it had been so obviously pointed out to her but the wing markings should’ve given it away right from the start.
“Oh, you’re Rajanya’s sister! ” Fenja said quite loudly. “Those wings! I should’ve realized from the start!”
Kalyani
Kalyani started to hear her brother's name and she quickly swam out of the water. She stood on the dry land her fur dripping wet and looked at the girl as if she was a lifeline, a savior.
"You have met my brother. You have really met my brother. In all my life I have not come across someone who knows him and now. So you know where he is?"
Kalyani was so happy, so excited, so currently uncomposed. If Jicho saw her she could be certain he would think her another lioness.
Fenja
Fenja was startled by the lioness’ reaction and followed the green girl as she made her way out of the water. It seemed the situation had suddenly become a little serious but at least the lioness looked happy. It was rather confusing, really.
“Ha… he was… in a pride. I can’t remember the name. They called themselves the Navi or something like that.” Shaking the water from her coat, the bright lioness closed her eyes and tried to remember the name that was just barely out of reach. “Are you looking for him?”
Kalyani
Kalyani smiled the brightest smile she had smiled in her life. Her brother was alive and this lioness knew where he was. She sat before the lioness, with as much grace as she could muster as the news, Fenja's words of her brother sank in.
Kal nodded giving a sad smile, "I was kidnapped as a cub after fleeing the plague that claimed my mother. At first I was with my father, brother, a hunter and a healer, but the healer betrayed us and took off with me one afternoon. I have not seen my brother since. I have been looking for him since the healer died and I was free from her."
Fenja
“Oh, that’s terrible! Why would she do that?!” why would anyone steal a cub from her family? Was Rajanya looking for his sister? Was that the thing he had to do, the thing he’d talked about during their brief encounter?
“I met him at the edge of a jungle… I can point you in the right way. I do hope you find him.” Fenja walked past the green lioness, looking around as if trying to get her bearings. “He had a fancy title so I don’t think he’ll be going anywhere… we just talked about his children and how he missed them but he said there was something he had to do so he couldn’t be with them... something like that.”
Kalyani
"She wanted something she couldn't have and never achieved. It was a sad thing, but so long as I might find my brother, the past is just that."
Kalyani smiled and tear ran down her cheek to hear she would know where to go to find her brother. Not only that she was an aunt, Raja had children. She was so truly overwhelmed in the moment. "Thank you," she said softly.
Fenja
“I… huh. It’s nothing really. Glad I could help.” Fenja said quickly, feeling a little uncomfortable in the face of the overwhelming emotions the other lioness. “Kimaya! I think the pride name was something like that. Let’s go find some kind of high ground so I can show you where to go.”
“Just follow me.” She took a couple of quick steps, putting a small distance between herself and the green girl in a small attempt to give the green lioness a bit of space to express herself and regain her composure without having someone gawking at her.
Kalyani
Kalyani swiped a paw across her eyes to wipe her tears away. She was extremely happy and grategul and more than that hopeful. She was so much more hopeful than she had been that she would be reuninted with her brother.
It was a moment before she followed Fenja, but she did eventually follow her, walking up to the lioness with a smile. "Thank you again, you may lead the way."
She made to follow, but stopped, "I have been so rude. I am Kalyani, will you allow me you name so I may tell my brother who it was who helped my find him."
Fenja
Fenja offered the lioness a gentle when she caught up, surprised to find that she felt a strange sort of kinship towards this pretty lioness who was as bright as herself. And as alone as Fenja as well – or so she assumed – but hopefully not for long. She was happy to think she’d play a part in reuniting the two brothers.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t even introduce myself. I’m Fenja but I’m sure my coat and eyes are far more memorable than my name. We only spent part of day together, he might not even remember me that well.” She laughed, though in truth she found it hard to believe that someone could forget about meeting her that easily.
- THE END -
