[SRP] Your New Reality (Adala/Sabit)

[Meepfur]

About a week prior, a Qyrhyeshti patrol along their southern border had discovered a rogue lioness on the verge of death in the desert. She had fallen to heat and dehydration, and had they found her only a few hours later, they would have found a corpse. As it was, they had managed to save the stranger and nurse her back to health. Immediately upon hearing of this discovery, Adala bint Attila had taken an interest, and had checked in on the rogue early on.

The stranger had still been in dire condition, however, and barely coherent, so Adala had not pressed her with questions. A week had passed, though, and now there was word that the pride's newest - and currently only - Borclu was up and about. Moreso than most of the rest of the pride, the Hatun took an intense interest in any and all Borclu, and always had, even before being raised to the rank of Hatun. Her own mother had been a Borclu who, after earning her rightful place in the pride, had bred with a rogue male and given birth to her before leaving the desert for good. Consequently, Adala had something of a soft spot for those who owed the Qyrhyeshti a life-debt.

As the sun set, the pale lioness made the short trek to the oasis where the pride's newest half-member was recovering to seek her out and speak to her.  

[Meepfur]

Sabit had risen briefly in the afternoon, spoken to a lioness who called herself Behiye and gotten a quick summary of the situation in this pride's lands, but the dark purple lioness had soon departed, leaving her to herself again. She had then gone back sleep, still weak from her ordeal in the desert; she couldn't seem to get enough sleep...or enough food or water, for that matter.

When she woke again, night was beginning to fall, and she was as hungry as ever. On many previous, half-remembered occasions when she'd woken up, there had been food set out for her, but there was none this time.

Hmm. Sabit stood and stretched with a great yawn, moving to lap at the clean water of the oasis. She'd investigate the possibility of a meal soon, but first, she needed a drink.  

[Meepfur]

It was easy to find the Borclu - the ragged, scrawny lioness would have stood out like a sore paw even if she didn't look half-dead. Her coat was darker than was ordinary in the desert, and touched with bright orange markings. Adala felt a whisper of pity for the poor thing, who looked like death warmed over. It would probably be weeks before she looked anything even resembling healthy.

The Hatun approached slowly, with a friendly greeting, "Good evening."  

[Meepfur]

Hmm? At the sound of a voice, Sabit lifted her head and turned her green-eyed gaze to her visitor, a white lioness. She remembered a white lioness...yes, it was fuzzy, but she recalled a starkly pale figure standing over her and speaking. She could not remember, however, what the figure had said. The words were a distant, muzzy jumble she had no hope of deciphering.

Well, it was no matter. She was here now, and Sabit actually had her wits about her. She still a tad disoriented, but that was more related to her surroundings and the details of her current situation than anything.

"Hello," she replied, and was dismayed by the gravelly way her voice stuck to her throat. She coughed and cleared her throat, bending to take another drink of water. Maybe that would help.  

[Meepfur]

Damn, but she sounded almost as bad as she looked. Adala kept the sympathy from her face as she closed the remaining distance between them, though, and sat a foot away from the dark-furred Borclu. She took a moment to study the rescued lioness, and noted that her fur was not only dark, but unusually thick. The tuft of hair atop her head was especially prominent as well, and continued in a short and spiky way halfway down her neck.

She'd seen plenty of rogues in her lifetime, and had recently met a lioness who had no forelock at all, but she'd never seen the likes of this outsider before. Now she was more curious than ever!

"I am Adala bint Attila," she offered, inclining her head politely. "I am the Hatun of the Qyrhyeshti - the mate of our leader."  

[Meepfur]

Adala bint Attila? That was a rather long name, now wasn't it? It didn't sound quite like anything Sabit had heard before. She stood unflinching under the lioness' scrutiny, her orange-tufted tail swaying behind her. "I'm Sabit," she offered in return. "I guess I've got you or that mate of yours to thank for saving me, since you're in charge here?"  

[Meepfur]

Adala considered this response, then nodded. "Yes, I suppose you could put it that way if you like, but the only credit we are due is credit for allowing you to stay. It's the patrol who found you who is due the true thanks, but they've since moved to another post. You will have to thank them another time."

"Gratitude aside, how are you faring?"  

[Meepfur]

"Well, I've been better," Sabit answered with a hoarse chuckle, "But I'm not dead, so all things considered, I'm doing just fine." She still felt like s**t, sure, but since she was alive to feel that way, she wasn't about to complain, especially not to a leader-figure of the pride who'd saved her life.

"Listen, I've heard this means I owe you in some sort of...formal way, and I'm fine with that, but would you mind explaining it to me? I gather you're in some kind of war, too, so I'd like to know more about that - hell, about pretty much everything, I guess."  

[Meepfur]

"Very well. I have my own questions for you, so what do you say we take turns?" Upon receiving agreement, Adala nodded again. "We have limited resources here, and so while tradition compels us to help those in need, it also compels us to ask for their service in return. You are what we call Borclu - you owe us the debt of your life, and you will stay with us until you repay it. Once you have, you are free to go on your way, or to stay with us as a member of this pride."

Her turn. "Where are you from, Sabit?"  

[Meepfur]

"I'm from the Aali'makabila. It is - was - a long way from here. I don't wish to speak at length about what happened, but suffice to say that the pride has disbanded." She looked off to the side for a moment, suppressing a sigh. "You say I need to repay my debt. How do I do that, exactly?"

Their exchange of questions and answers went on well into the night, and by the time the Hatun had taken her leave, Sabit was absolutely starving, but she finally had clarity on her new situation.

She was, essentially, stuck here indefinitely. Stuck in the middle of a damn war. Great.

But hey, she was alive. For now.