He was getting no younger and so far the large male lion has only produced two litters of children, one of which only had one survivor: his son Dumac. There we several females staying with him for the time being but only one had produced cubs. Proud as he was of his eight new children, he could not help but want to continue carrying on his legacy by breeding with other females. His blood was there in numbers, but thin and only one generation out. With a frown at the thought, Durin pushed himself up and onto his large paws. He glanced back at the sleeping lionesses and cubs that surrounded the brush of his trees. A humble smile graced his face as she moved out into the morning sun.
Golden eyes squinted at the sudden change of lights, his head raising to look to the sky. The sun was higher then it usually was these days but that was really nothing to be surprised at these days considering the drought his pride as well as many others had found themselves in. Though while it was nothing to be surprised at, it was something to worry about with eight young cubs around. They needed the water more then the adults did and the lack of it was starting to worry him. Their watering hole was starting to dry out, something he had observed over the days of wandering to it and just sitting there, looking at it as the sun burned the liquid away. Durin's paws carried him towards the familiar spot of beside the watering hole banks, his gaze turning to look at the depleted water source as the smile left his face and was replaced with a worried frown.
Noir had been traveling for days, having gone far from her original starting point in search of Pinot, a leopardess that she assisted with...well, basically everything. They had been separated and the black female was beginning to worry that some kind of buzzard or something had already gotten to that meticulously cared for pelt of Pinot. Her paws were weary, stomach empty and tongue parched. All of which came with her almost non-stop search, only breaking to rest for a small amount each time she would allow herself. Her limit was coming on quickly and she still had not found Pinot.
It was not long until her paws began to cause her to stumble as she walked. So long without water, food and sleep would do that to someone and it was not surprising it was happening to Noir. With a quick shake of her head, she continued on for only a few more steps before tripping this time, landing belly down on the dry dirt under her with a groan. She needed to get up, to keep going and to find Pinot! Who knew what horrendous things were happening to her mistress at that very moment and there she was, laying on the ground like a lazy oaf. Noir attempted to push herself back up onto her sore paws with her shaky legs. Of course she did not get very far and fell back to the ground before she had even managed to her back legs up off of the ground.
"Well maybe a small rest wouldn't hurt." Noir said to herself, her voice soft and cracked from not speaking for so long as her eyes slid closed, paying no mind to a vulture that was circling her from above. Lucky for the leopardess that a larger figure was not that far off.
The vulture landed next to her, hopping closer as it went to inspect the body to check for life. Before it could get a chance though a loud roar caused it to make its way back into the sky out of fear for it's own life. She would not become a meal to that buzzard that day. With hazy eyes, Pinot gazed up at her savior though all she could make out was a large brown figure before everything went black for the dark grey leopardess.
Durin had not been that far off when he had seen the smaller feline attempt to get up, fall and lay still. He knew there was still life within her and would not let some scavenger make a meal of a still breathing creature, especially not a fellow carnivore. Usually he would have been more cautious, but her body suggested she was a female. Females were becoming scarce and her life was valuable to not just him, but to many others. They could not afford o let her perish there where she could be saved. Thus Durin pushed his nose underneath the unconscious leopardess, getting her up and onto his back. A long, annoyed groan left the large male's mouth as he did so. It had been long since he had had anyone on his back like this and his aging bones did not agree with him as they once had. No matter, he would get her to safety one way or another.
He was still a distance away from his small pride, but he would make it back, he had to for both of their sake. "Come on then, lets go." Durin said, more to himself then to the female on his back though it could be taken as being directed to her as well. "I'm sure you'll be well taken care of by my children and lionesses. You seem like a loyal lady, helpful even. I hope I'm right about you."
"Who...are you?" Noir rasped out in a fleeting state of consciousness, her unfocused eyes looking back at her rescuer. Where was he taking her? Was he a slave trader?! Even if he was, there was nothing the weak leopardess could truly do at this point in time. If nothing else, maybe he would care for her enough to the point she could make a run for it and get back to her search for Pinot.
"Durin is my name. I'm going to take you back to my pride where we'll get you back to health. For now, just rest." He cooed back to her, his voice as gentle as he could make it as his paws carried both him and passenger across the dry plains. "There is no need to worry." Durin quickly added, hoping to ease any worry she might have had about him suddenly grabbing her like this.
With a nod of her head, Noir laid her chin back against this Durin's short pelt and let her eyes slide closed once again. Perhaps he wasn't as bad as her initial thought of about him, but she would and could not let her guard around him lest she be kept from finding Pinot which was her main goal at the time.
With a glance over his shoulder at the resting feline on his back and a quick smile, Durin turned his full attention back to the pathway in front of him and made his way back to his pride.
[Word Count: 1187]
