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Pilate had wandered about almost her entire life. She was not aware who her real family was and really didn't care. Since she was a cub she'd chased after the wind and let her paws take her where it may. That was until she met her sister one fateful day. Val was the only real family, aside from her cubs, that she had. It had been a very long time since Pilate had seen her older sister. The vastness of Africa tended to at times cause exploration and Pilate was not one to resist. Curiosity killed the cat was the saying after all. Staying put was not something Pilate was very good at.

So now she found her selves in the sandy terrain of the desert wondering why in the hell she'd listened to her paws this one time. So far the desert was not a place the cheetah really liked. There was very little water and it seemed very easy to get led astray and wind up deeper with in the sandy death trap. Pilates tongue hung out and her head was dipped low as she slowly walked through the sands. The nuclear green cheetah hated to admit she was lost but at this point, Pilate was more then lost.

Luck seemed to be on her side though. An oasis greeted her with cool water and a bit of shade. It was the perfect place to rest before heading back the way she'd came. And Pilate did rest beside the small pool of water under the branches of one of the few trees that surrounded the oasis.

The sun continued to sizzle all that laid out of the shade. Even with the protection of a shady branch it was still hot and made napping almost impossible. Pilate lifted her head and let out a yawn. This heat was to much right now. The green cheetah got up, did a cat stretch, then wandered over to the small pool of water to soak. Instantly, Pilate felt a difference in temperature. It was really a wonder to the cheetah that a pool like this could stay so cool in the heat of the desert. She did not question the logic behind such a thing though. Nope, she accepted it and allowed her self time to soak.

After a small while the cheetah finally allowed her self to drag her self out of the pool. It was probably a good idea to head back the way she had come. Lingering in the desert did not sound like a good idea in the least.

The biggest problem was that the wind had blown away the cheetah's tracks before she had decided to go back. All directions almost looked identical to Pilate. Which way had she come from again? There was no time to wonder about that so Pilate went ahead and choose a random direction and headed down that path like a true wanderer. It wasn't long until she saw something she perceived as feline shaped up ahead in the distance. It caused the bright green cheetah to pause mid step and squint at the thing. Was the desert being kind again or was this one of its many tricks.

The distant shape stopped for a moment. Pilate watched it from afar and debated going up to it. There were many pros and cons but ultimately the cheetahs curiosity won out and Pilate found her self taking quick strides toward the shape. She came to a stop when she was in a clear good distances from the lioness. Pilate was sure this had to be the lioness. But then again, what was the lioness from her child hood doing all the way out here in the desert? The same could probably be asked of her. Pilate wasted no time. She had to know.

"Hot day?" Well okay maybe Pilate wasted SOME time to get the the point. It was still unclear if this lioness here was really the one from her child hood. The small distance that Pilate kept between her self and the lioness was slightly obscured by the waves of height baking off the sand.

"Val is that you?" Finally the nerve kicked in and Pilate found her self able to ask the question she so desperately wanted to ask. It was tactless and blunt but that was the fastest way to find out something you needed to know. Pilate needed to know for sure.

The cheetah heard her name not once but twice and then the lioness figure was moving rapidly towards her. At first the cheetah was excited and then she was terrified. Lions were a great deal bigger then cheetahs after all. The green cheetah found her self almost touching the ground with how low she got to the ground.

Pilate winced only to find her sister not barreling over her but being very gentle. The cheetah peered down at the lioness and returned her smile and even a laugh. It was a little strange running in to her sister in the middle of the desert but the cheetah didn't want to question it. She was just glad to see her sister was alive and doing well. Pilate assumed as much at least.

The the word years rang in her ears.

"Years?" Pilate looked down at her sister and frowned. It really had been. "Last time I saw you was with your cub Roth. He was tiny... I've since had cubs of my own," She let out a purring sound and nuzzled her sister. "Years... It really has been... My cubs are all now grown."

Pilate listened to Val's story of Roth and the cheetah could not hide the surprise and disappoint from her face. Val didn't have to say more then she had tried to forget his existence. That was enough for the cheetah to understand that he was taboo. Let alone, taking up with a demon. She was now sorry she'd brought Roth up entirely.

Then her head perked. Val had never met any of her offspring. It just now dawned on the cheetah.

"Your a great grandmother? Wow you are old," Pilate playfully nudged her sister, "But that makes me old too. None of my kids have yet to find mates though. That I'm aware... I have two sets of litters too. Ones full cheetah which .. I'm still confused about.." She was pretty sure the brown cheetah had to be the father but that was another story for another time, "And I had one half lion with my lion mate. Most of them are bright or brighter then me," She smiled.

"What are grand kids like?"

"I suppose it isnt," She playfully stuck her tongue out at her sister. Now she was acting like her old playful self. The smile didn't go unnoticed which brightened Pilates own smile.

"A mate... at one time yes," She confessed. "Its been a while since I've last seen him though. I wonder if he's gone back to his family." She lowered her head embarrassed about what she was about to confess, "Staying in one place has always been very hard. I suppose this is why you found me in the desert." She lifted her head, "I haven't seen my cubs really since they've grown up. I'm not a good mother..." Her head lowered again.

The cheetah was now reminded why she loved her older sister all over again. The comforting words and the physical assurance that it was going to be all right. And Pilate felt like a heavy weight was lifted off of her shoulders. Val was family and she her self felt like home even in the middle of the vast desert.

"Maybe they do take after me..," She'd never thought of it like that before. The cheetah pondered this a little longer. "I think the longest I've ever stayed put was actually as a cub with you."