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She was the second to wake. Umande was already up by the time she'd opened her senses again properly. They'd had a short talk while Bakar was asleep, just plans to stay in touch with one another if the chance presented itself. When Bakar woke and began to pray the two respectfully quieted down and waited until he had finished.

But now it was almost time to part ways...

Isuzu swung her head around to greet Bakar casually, paws crossed in front of her in a relaxed position. "Morning, Bakar. Sleep well?"



"You'll need it for escorting her." Umande quipped before a great yawn and a stretch of his own.

He should be going with her, he'd realized. She might very well be carrying his children but... he promised himself that he'd find a way and a time to come see how they were. He'd at least been able to see to it that she had someone to take her there, but he still felt unsure about not doing it himself. The idea of finding Meilin in as poor condition as Ausi'juu, however...

His expression betrayed none of this, of course, eyes closed and a lazy rumble rolling up from his chest.

Isuzu rose, shaking herself off. She didn't seem to mind the comment or the half-laughter at all, stretching languidly with an arch of her back. If she was surprised by Bakar's offer she didn't show it. Someone else might have even been bothered by the fact he was inserting himself into their business more than invited-- Isuzu wasn't phased. If Umande wanted to come around she wouldn't stop him, and Bakar meant well.

She gave a yawn, moving to the remainder of the kill from the day before to have a bit to start the day while the males sorted things out.

The white and gray looked to the former executioner with only a little of his surprise visible. A paw was raised as if to suggest he wait a moment.

"Hey, now. I wouldn't want to trouble you more than we already are..."

Umande shut his eyes, exhaling quietly. He really didn't want to put Bakar out any further, but the other male had him figured wrong. didn't love Isuzu the way his parents had each other, but that didn't mean he wouldn't miss the chance to father his cubs either, something he'd realized the night before. He'd thought over it for hours after the other two had fallen asleep and for hours more when he woke up the next morning. In fact, he'd barely slept at all!

He glanced discreetly to be sure Isuzu wasn't listening, but just to be sure he rose to his paws and gestured for Bakar to follow him a little ways away.

There was a heavy pause as he waited to see if the other was following, then he spoke.

"Don't misunderstand me now, Bakar. It's not that I don't want, it's that I don't know where I'll be by the time the cubs might be born, if there are any." A glance back at Isuzu-- "I know where she'll be, on the other paw. It'll be easier for me to come find her than for you to come find me."

"Well, when I first agreed to this I can't say my head was in the right place." He shrugged casually, not wanting to dwell on it. For all he knew his travels would take him clear across to the other end of the world (because a mortal lion can't fully grasp that the land he walks is merely one of many land masses separated by the sea). He didn't want to think about the fact that he might not get to see his children. He'd rather not know that she was pregnant than to know that he was missing out.

Suddenly he felt bitter inside about it, conflicted, but again there was no indicator or change in his posture, expression, or tone.

"Isuzu and I have already said our goodbyes, so I'll be going now. I appreciate your help and I trust she's in good paws."

He inclined his head.

"Thank you, Bakar."

Umande offered a small smile, watching Bakar turn away to return to Isuzu. Yeah. Good paws, both of them really. Maybe traveling together would do both of them good in some ways. He didn't know Bakar's full story, but losing one's pride was never an easy thing to face. The trip, Isuzu herself might lift his spirits some from the way they'd found him the day before.

Well... not to be blunt, but that wasn't his situation any more. Umande turned back to his path and set off without another look back.

By the time Bakar returned she had actually eaten just shy of her fill of what remained. It wasn't like she thought she was pregnant, but they'd have a lot of walking, and she'd be helping with the hunting for a while, might as well build up her strength while there was a chance.

She licked her muzzle clean and groomed at her fur with a paw while he closed the distance.

"Mm. Sure have." She rumbled appreciatively. "Thanks again for sharing."

"We'll have to work on that. Hunting for two means bigger prey, and we can't have the local buzzards getting fat and lazy now, can we?" She joked, chuckling at herself. Maybe not the funniest, but it didn't stop her from finding humor in it. She let him stand closer and moved into an easy pace, like Umande not sparing a glance back. If they were meant to see one another again then they would, so there was no point in moping about goodbies. Those had been her mother's parting words when the four females split up. To that very day she still wondered what happened to their youngest sister, though.

Probably better not to dwell, she couldn't have done well stuck at that rock...

"So, tell me about yourself, Bakar. We've got a long trip ahead so we might as well get better acquainted."

"..."

She just stared at him for a moment after that, and when he looked at her the expression remained, one eybrow arched as if to ask why on earth he thought telling her THAT was a good idea.

That wasn't what she felt or thought, but it might be easy to get that from her look anyway.

Finally she broke character and began to laugh, a bit of a bounce to her step after.

"I get what you mean. It kind of explains some things. Can't say I know that much about pride life, born and raised a rogue, myself."

Her tail lashed back and forth, mulling on his question with an audible "Hmm...".

"Probably half of a cycle of the moon? A few weeks I guess, depending on pace and weather. We'll have to travel around the long way because of a few prides."