A šum - -_Wish of the Goddess_-
&
Zalag - Das Tor
Zalag couldn't help but look at the lands before her with...trepidation. They weren't...IDEAL, but they could travel no further. So few of them were up to long journeys, and they'd lost so many along the way...The old lioness bowed her head, shaking it a bit to stave off the tears. She'd known some of those lost her entire life...and the entire life of some of those lost. The loss of the little ones had been the most devastating to the group. They'd had no chance to truly live. The old lioness sighed and raised her head back up, turning to one of the oldest of the youngsters, one of those who had been barely young enough to escape the wrath of the gods.
"We stop here, A šum. We will make this land work for us, should the Gods will it." She prayed they did. She prayed with all her heart that they would left what was left of them survive...and maybe one day thrive.
The young adolescent looked around, her eyes calm as she sniffed the air of the land. So much had gone wrong within their lives, and she'd been only a cub. So when the adult lioness finally stopped and looked at her, those ears flicked. Her paws took to the earth, and she moved about in a quick trot, taking in the feel of ground beneath her paws, "I think you are right, Zalag." A smile split her maw, and she moved over to the elder female, rubbing her head under the elder's chin, "The Gods will Will it so, Matriarch Zalag."
Zalag smiled slightly, glad to see the young Fighter in agreeance. Hopefully, their Mystics would be as well. Especially those the gods gifted with Sight. "Yes. They have brought us to the ends of our endurance, to find this place. It is...rough...but it is very, very different from where you and I were born. It should keep us from falling into the soul-darkness that took hold of the Urun." Yes...it would keep them on their toes, and keep them grateful for all that they had.
The Elder smiled and noded, "I can deal with roughness, Matriarch. We have no qualms about settling new land. We care only for holding off the Soul-darkness from the rest of the Pride. We will be strong, and some day bring about a new Era for the Zagmuk. We will create an amazing world for our People. We will ensure that nothing more goes wrong, and that the Gods smile in favor at us."
The Battle Matriarch (she was still getting used to that title) nodded, chuckling. "Yes. We shall strive forward, living as the Gods intended us to. With blood from the old lines, and new blood untainted by the soul-darkness of the old lines. And let us pray the Bar never, ever falls upon us again." So long as they stayed faithful and true to their Gods, the Bar would hopefully never plague them again. That...that was the worst punishment the Gods had ever sent, and the memories of watching so many fall to it still haunted Zalag.
The cub nodded, tail flicking as she remembered the horror of the Bar. Her own family had fallen, and though she was fine with the family she had now, she missed her family. Her ears flattened softly, and she tried to ignore the fact that she felt the pain and missing swelling in her chest. No. She was an Elder now. She HAD t obe strong, keep her paws up, and make sure she was still able to lead her Pride in the way she was supposed to, "....The Bar will hopefully never fall upon us again, Matriarch..."
Zalag placed a paw on one of A šum's. Those that had been of the Urun...the memories were still fresh, save for the youngest of the cubs. "So long as we never turn our faces away from the Gods again." She and Šag Šed and the Elders would ensure that. Never again would the Gods lack songs of praise, prayers, and faithful hearts. "We are Zagmuk now...we are starting from the beginning, with knowledge of the old cycle so that we do not make those mistakes."
The Elder licked her paw, and she looked up at the Matriarch, eyes weak, "Yes.....We will keep our Eyes on the gods. And the other Elders and I will carry out their will and take care of our Pride." Taking a breath, she closed those eyes, allowing her tears to be pushed back. A šum was a proud creature, and was not going to allow herself the luxury of crying over this in the public that was...here. Once a den for herself had been established...once she was alone...then she would cry. Then, she would grieve. This was not the time, nor was it the place.
Zalag nodded. "Good." She motioned for the adolescent to follow her, to look this place over. She wanted the other to help her see just how defensible this new land was, and how they would make up for any gaps. "We need to make sure we can defend our new home, and the little ones. We cannot afford to let those who have no respect for gods try to wipe us out." That would not be the will of the gods, for the gods had given them free will.
She nodded, agreement whole within her, "They could try. But I would not allow it." Her claws dug in as they began to move, slowly. She'd become stronger since what had happened last, and she was intent that never again would she allow herself to be so weak as to bawl the way she did when that happened had happened."We will make this the perfect haven for our people and the cubs who are our new future."
Zalag chuckled, a fierce grin on her face. With this new home, and the challenges still to come, she felt more alive than she had in seasons. "We shall stand strong against any mortal enemy." With that, she began to take stock of the caves that could be used as dens, with tunnels between the caves in the largest of the rocks. Yes...they would make this work.
