OOC: Set some time before the drought, directly after this RP. Savitri played by Andranis, Hodari by Kieko, with Rashmi sleeping through the whole thing.

When Savitri woke up, the light coming into the den was moonlight. She let out a yawn, rising to her paws and padding out, leaving the sleeping bundle behind her. The desert was, to say the least, breathtaking at night. Ice cold, but breathtaking. Night and day were so different. The white lioness took a deep breath, smiling. She felt so good now... Her life felt just a bit more complete.

Her gaze turned to the den, to the pale ball in the back. The cub slept so peacefully... She was completely unaware of how close she'd been to death. Savitri let out a light sigh, before turning back around. The cub would be okay for the moment. With silent strides, the lioness went down to the watering hole, hunching down to take a drink.

Hodari was a soldier in the Motoujamii army, but that did not stop him from patrolling the borders every evening much like a guard. He had a family to protect within the borders and while small, it was priceless to him. Dark paws padded along the entire perimeter of the territory, yellow-green eyes scanning all of his surroundings. When a suspicious shape moved too close for comfort, he held his stature, large body tall and daunting in an attempt to pursuade any threats from causing problems within their home. Once or twice, he stopped, waiting until he felt it was safe to continue on. He passed by official guards and bowed his head in respect as he passed by.

Once he had concluded his round, he began to make his way towards his new den with Savitri. As Hodari walked, he caught the familiar, sweet scent on the breeze, coming from the direction of the watering hole. His stiff expression melted and he smiled warmly as he shifted his direction and quickened his pace to acompany his mate.

She didn't smell him coming, but Savitri, ever attuned to the sounds of the desert, heard Hodari's paws. The lioness sat up, licking her lips and looking over. When she spotted the green orbs, the smile on her maw was inevitable. Rising to her paws, the white lioness went practically skipping over to her mate, happy to see him. Every moment away felt like forever, and made every moment with him all the sweeter. "Hodari! Welcome home from patrolling!" Her voice carried an air of mischief, and something of teasing. She herself wasn't sure why, though. Maybe it was the knowledge of the cub back in their den.

Hodari quickened his paces, shrinking the gap between them. Once he reached her, he reached a paw out to wrap it around her neck and pull her in for a firm nuzzle to the side of her head. A deep purr rumbled in the back of his throat as he sat in silence for a moment, entirely satisfied with her company. He stayed out to make sure that things were safe, he did it for her, but that did not mean he regretted the time he spent away from the den. It was already late tonight, he was surprised she was still up.

Pulling back, he gave the female some space before he smiled and offered a reply, "And the most wondrous welcome that I could desire." His smile didn't fade, he looked curious before he asked, "What has you up so late?"

"Oh, stuff..." She pressed against him, curling her tail as she circled him. "Mostly small stuff..." She returned to the watering hole, taking a drink, before stretching in the direction of their den. "You could say this family I've been watching on the border finally paid off, in a manner..." She knew, at least, that they apprently didn't like white cubs. It was a very harsh thing to do, abandoning a cub like that, but at the same time... Maybe it was a sign from their seemingly long-abandoned goddess, of what she wasn't sure. Maybe she could ask her aunt about it later.

Something about the mischievious way she answered had Hodari nervous. He almost eased up when he felt her press up against him, but he tried to focus and pay attention. "Stuff?" he repeated, eyeing her curiously. He had known she had also been watching the borders, but hadn't entirely known for what. She didn't pace the entire perimeter as he had been doing. When she mentioned it paying off that she was keeping an eye on a family, he looked confused. "What do you mean?" He would be concerned, but she didn't seem upset herself. He watched her take a drink and stretch. She seemed calm, but she was being rather... vague. He followed after her in the direction of their den.

Her paws were silent as Savitri entered the den. She paused, looking back at Hodari and dropping her voice. "There was this family of rogues traveling by the pride, along the border... I'd been watching a couple days, when they stopped at a dead tree. Within a day of them leaving..." She stepped aside, revealing the sleeping cub. "She was all alone... From the looks of it, she WAS with them, but they abandoned her." Blue eyes returned to the cub, looking at them in that tender way a mother looked at her own cubs. It had only been a number of hours, but it was there - A bond with this strange and orphaned cub.

Hodari followed in silence, concern growing despite his attempts to convince himself that Savitri wasn't nervous so he had no reason to be. Once they entered and before Savitri had an opportunity to explain, he caught site of the cub. If he hadn't known any better and been with Savi every day for the past months, he might have thought the cub was hers... There wasn't a way she could have had a single cub without showing? Certainly she'd be more distressed than.... Hodari's eyes were wide, his mouth hanging slightly opened as he looked between his mate and the cub. Even her ears were black, she could very well pass as theirs. The young male's mouth slowly shut as he listened, his brows furrowed and his pale green eyes glancing out from the den in the direction the cub had come from. He looked back towards the cub and said quietly, "She's beautiful."

Savitri let out a rumble, a smile on her maw. "She is... She was so hungry, too... And thirsty... I was almost afraid she'd drink the whole watering hole!" The pale lioness went over, laying so the cub was tucked against her. "I've been calling her Rashmi... It means 'ray of sunlight'..." It felt somewhat fitting, too. Then a quiet giggle escaped her. "She even looks like us, doesn't she? She's even got the prettiest green eyes..." She let out a bit of a yawn, then smiled lazily. "I'm afraid I was only awake long enough to get a drink there..."

Hodari looked closely at the gentle way his mate looked down at the cub. There wasn't anything he could say, nor even want to say to break these two from one another. He had been eager to start his family with Savitri and this was the perfect opportunity. The story she had told tugged at his heart and he was certain that he would have done the same in her position. "Rashmi.." he repeated quietly. He followed his mate into the den and layed down behind her, his body wrapped around hers. Hodari propped his head on her shoulders so he could peer down at the cub. "She really does," He stared in awe at the dramatic similarities between the three. She was perfect. "I think that sometimes, things happen for a reason, Savi. I think you were supposed to find Rashmi and I think she will be a perfect addition to our family. Our family." He made an emphasis to show his thoughts on the adoption. He would be entirely accepting of the addition and he would most happily be Rashmi's father.