[PRP] Lost and Found - Part 1 (Kubwa'Jazi, Roho) - FIN!

[Mogami]

Jazi had snuck out of the den early in order to do some hunting before Taabika woke up. He stuck to the tall grasses, his pace quick as he headed for a small waterhole where herds and lone animals often stopped by to drink. He wasn’t too worried about Taabika’s reaction to his absence – they’d come to trust each other quite well so he didn’t think she’d be too anxious – but hopefully, he’d be able to catch something quickly and return to the den before she’d realized he was missing. She’d been sleeping peacefully just a few moments before and Jazi didn’t have the heart to wake her up to tell her where he was going. He decided to surprise the lioness instead by presenting her with a fresh kill for breakfast.

Even though he was in somewhat of a rush, the blue-eyed leopard would often stop to catch the scents brought by the gentle breeze, cautiously evaluating his surroundings before he moved forward once again. It never hurt to be careful.  

[Hopefolly]

Jazi would find the watering hole sorely absent of any potential meals. The cub fidgeting by the shore could be justly blamed. He hadn't earned the claws and teeth it took to be dangerous yet, but a full grown lioness was another matter. Seeing a lone youngster his age warranted speculation of a mother in the proximity. He didn't give the impression of having been abandoned and he was obviously well-fed. Somewhat disheveled in visual presentation, but what cub hadn't gotten filthy in their games? What cub hadn't sat with the same anxiousness in their eyes? The situation looked nothing if not routine and little Roho was the typical son who didn't like waiting around for mama.

Jazi's appearance disappointed him and there was no reservation in his expressions. All of them were clear as the sun in the sky-- or the stars when the sun went away! Roho had watched them all alone the night before last. No mom meant no rules and no rules meant no bedtime. He should have gotten himself lost a long time ago, he'd thought.

The complaints from his stomach made a convincing argument he was wrong. Roho found it was not the only thing empty; something else in his chest felt hollow after the second night crept up on him. The stars weren't so pretty anymore and they were boring company. Even though they made him share his stuff, he was starting to miss his siblings. Definitely missed his mom.

He did the smart thing and hunkered down by a water source. Two days later he was still here and the rest of his family still wasn't.

Roho trotted up to the leopard. Under the circumstances, it said something about just how curious he really was to ask something of such insignificance. "What happened to yer mane?" His nose went up and back and his brows drew tight together, resulting in a comical mix between concerned and bewildered. "Jeeez. Did you get in a fight?"  

[Mogami]

Jazi’s eyes narrowed as he found the waterhole unusually quiet. He came out of the tall grasses and his eyes surveyed the area for a few moments until they locked on the little dark shape near the water’s edge and the leopard frowned as he realized that it belonged to a lone cub. His initial reaction was probably the same as many animals that had come before him even if the outcome was different. For even if he failed to find an adult to take responsibility for the young lion, Jazi would never leave any cub on his own.

He hesitated, unsure of how the little one would take the sudden appearance of an adult of a different species. For all he knew, the cub might actually have never seen a leopard before so Jazi prepared himself for every possible reaction though he was mostly just expecting the young lion to show fear and maybe bolt. As such, he was pleasantly surprised when the little cub started walking in his direction and he took a few steps towards the cub to meet him half way.

“I never had one. I’m not a lion, you see.” He told the cub with a little smile, clearly unable to hide his amusement. “I’m a leopard.” He looked around again, this time searching for a lion that might resemble the little lion before he looked down again with a gentle expression. He did not ask the obvious question but instead decided to introduce himself while he waited for the brown cub’s parents to show up. Surely, they had to be nearby.

“My name is Kubwa’Jazi. I have a den nearby but I come here to hunt sometimes.” He smiled again, hoping the cub would return the introduction perhaps with some tidbits of information attached.
 

[Hopefolly]

Mogami

This was Roho's very first leopard encounter. He'd heard about them, and -- and didn't they live in trees? He was pretty sure someone had told him that. Maybe his sister or his brother? Then again, what did they know? They probably lied to make him look dumb.

Uh uh. He was too smart for that!

"Oh, okay." Roho nodded in an exaggerated way. He'd plopped down a few seconds ago, and ever since his tail thumped against the ground. The end of it with the finest, darkest fur, was matted something fierce; small rocks and twigs were tangled in every just about every strand. "It's good to meet cha. I never saw a leopard with my own eyes before."

Oops. Manners!

He rushed out, "My name's Roho." The plucky cubs always did say their names like they were earned titles to be proud of. "Just Roho. Nothin' long like yours."  

[Mogami]

Hopefolly

Something didn’t seem right. At first it was just a tiny feeling on the back of the leopard’s mind but the more he looked at the cub, the more Jazi was starting to believe that there was more to this situation that one would initially assume.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Roho. You can call me Jazi if you like.” He smiled a little when the cub mentioned his name but his concern was outweighing his amusement now. It didn’t seem normal for a cub to approach an adult stranger quite so easily but it was far stranger for a parent to allow him to do so without being quickly reprimanded if not physically stopped. It showed a worrisome kind of neglect from the parents’ part, a thought that almost seemed to be confirmed by the state of the little one’s coat. The question had hung in the air for long enough.

“Where are your parents, Roho?” the leopard looked around again, hoping not to see an angry lion sneaking up on him but actually feeling a little disappointed when he confirmed that apart from a bird or two, the two of them were quite alone. In all honesty, it didn’t feel right to approach a cub and ask him questions in his parents’ absence but that was actually the problem, wasn’t it? They weren’t there.
 

[Hopefolly]

Mogami

True, they weren't there. Roho's absent parents were the obvious scapegoats if blame need be distributed. This was a crisis if the leopard's suspicions were true. A cub out here faced certain death with no protector or caretaker and to anyone with a heart that was distressing. Beyond that, the negligence could bring a deep feeling of resentment from those not necessarily sympathetic, but upstanding enough they still expected parents to be responsible and keep an eye on their own cubs.

Roho didn't know his father and he would never blame his mother for this. Not ever. It wasn't her fault he wandered off all the time or sneaked away intentionally.

He sure did wish she'd find him. Just let her find him and he'd never leave her side ever again!

"Um..." Roho tried to put on his best brave face. Those darn ears of his always gave away when he was nervous. "I don't have a dad, and my mom is... I don't know where she is. I'm waiting for here. Have you seen her? She looks just like me almost."  

[Mogami]

Hopefolly

Jazi resisted the urge to narrow his eyes thoughtfully, wondering how long it took for a lost cub to get his coat in such a state after being separated from his mother. He didn’t bother correcting the boy to explain to him how every creature had a father even the ones that had never met the missing parent. He figured the cub might actually know it already anyway. From his part, Jazi couldn’t remember the leopard that had left his mother with some of his siblings when they had been so very young. The fact that he had family that he didn’t know did bother Jazi on occasion.

“I haven’t seen her, no.” Not now, not since he’d been here and not on his way to the waterhole either. It would probably not be a good idea to point out that little guy was lost to his face. “When was the last time you saw her? Are you starting to get hungry?”  

[Hopefolly]

Mogami

Roho, like most cubs, dealt with things in his own time. A good minute went by before he answered Jazi, filling in the gaps with "uh" and "well" and "um" to stall. He was on the foolish side, not the stupid one. It was easy to tell by the way his shoulders slumped and his eyes could no longer keep away from his paws that he had come to a conclusion. Not a happy one.

"The sun has been up and down a few times," was all he said.  

[Mogami]

Hopefolly

Jazi did not think the cub was slow or downright stupid but he thought he could see some form of denial at work in his eyes. He’d been separated from his family for a few days and either his mother had abandoned him here or he had strayed from her and ended up lost. Neither option boded well for a happy reunion. If his mother had abandoned him, she would probably be long gone. If he had been the one straying too far, she would probably never be able to find this place and her missing cub.

“Where were you when you last saw your mother?” Jazi asked as he sat down, still keeping a comfortable distance from the little lion. It was a difficult balance, trying to be far enough not to appear pushy and intimidating but close enough to be a source of reassurance. The important thing right now was to make sure the little cub understood he was no longer alone especially now that he appeared to have become aware of his situation. “Do you mind if I help you look for her?”  

[Hopefolly]

Mogami

Roho walked in a circle, having a good look in every direction. "It was..." He knew better than to lie when someone was trying to help, but he felt like he had to say something. "It was that way," he replied, determined.

The cub had managed to convince himself if nothing else. "It's definitely this way. C'mon!" And so he marched East with a tacit prayer his mother waited for him there. She was not East, not West, not any which way he led his new leopard friend.

Unfortunately for Jazi, it was up to him to decide when enough was enough.

"She's close, I can tell," said Roho. Again.  

[Mogami]

Hopefolly

Jazi followed after the brown cub without a word, not entirely convinced that he knew where he was going but willing to give him a chance anyway. When it became clear that his hopes were little more than wishful thinking, the leopard finally stopped walking and cleared his throat.

“Roho.” He said quietly, his tone even. “She doesn’t seem to be here. She could be moving at the same time or maybe she’s already too far. I don’t think we’ll find her like this.”

He sighed, looking around again as he waited for an outburst. Perhaps blunt honesty wasn’t the best policy when it came to cubs but Jazi had little hope of finding the cub’s mother and he didn’t want to deceive Roho or raise his hopes only to see them crash down once he accepted the painful reality.

“How about this… I’ll take you back to my friend and you can stay with her while I get you something to eat. And then I’ll look for your mom. I can move a lot faster and I can make a lot more noise.” The leopard lowered his head almost all the way to the ground. “But you should rest. And eat.”  

[Hopefolly]

Mogami

Roho had become garrulous throughout the search, as if his witty observations and incessant reassurance his mother was close (for real this time!) would be enough to keep them going until they really did find her. He had lost not only his guardian, but his voice; the cub resolved to keep quiet as Jazi doled out the truth.

She could be moving or too far.

Or, maybe, she'd left him on purpose.

His ears must have weighed a ton to fall so quickly and so dramatically. Then Roho inhaled for such a mighty sigh his front paws just about lifted off the ground. "Okay," he mumbled, directing his pout at the ground. "I guess I can do that. Is she a leopard too?"  

[Mogami]

Hopefolly

Jazi sighed. The cub looked so down, so… lost - in every sense of the word now. He did not push the young lion into meeting his gaze. On the contrary, he walked a little ahead of the cub, leading the way back to Taabika.

“No, she’s a lioness.” It might not make any difference but Jazi wondered if that little tidbit of information would make Roho more comfortable with their little arrangement. “Speaking of my friend… her name is Taabika. She’s a little special. Her skin is very very sensitive so you can’t touch her, alright?” He realized that was an odd request especially considering Roho’s age but he couldn’t risk bringing Taabika a boisterous cub that would hurt accidentally her.  

[Hopefolly]

Mogami

Jazi hit the mark again: Roho perked up right away when he got word it was another lion they were to visit. The information following that went in one ear and out the other, but he nodded vigorously just the same and said with utmost assurance, "I'll remember."

His entire mood uplifted with every new rock or insect they passed, many of which he ran ahead to pounce on. There was food and company in his future, and as long as he focused on that, things would only get better.

He'd just, um, kind of ignore that stuff about his mom for right now.  

[Mogami]

Hopefolly

Whee, I think we're done! We can start something with Tal next!! =D

Perhaps Jazi trusted Roho’s firm acceptance of his request a little too easily but the cub looked so serious that it was very difficult to doubt his words. He still planned on giving the cub a little reminder as they neared the den… you know, just in case.

As the cub’s spirits seemed to be lifting so did the leopard’s hopes that this situation would end well. So far he’d managed to get the cub’s trust so now all he and Taabika had to do was to decide what to do with him in case they failed to locate his mother – the most likely scenario, he believed. A pride might be the safest place for the cub but there wasn’t one around for miles and…

“Alright, let’s go then. Let me know if you get tired.” Walking side by side with one so small made Jazi wish that they’d be able to keep him, watch him grow and develop as he turned into a full grown lion. A strange new feeling for the leopard.

- FIN -