Word Count: 1015Faudi was exhausted. He had travelled far searching for a home to call his own. He had not found one yet - not even a peep! His bones were weary and he just wanted to stop all together to find a home, or at least a group to belong to. He sat where he was standing, frustrated and alone. He was unsure of what to do next. What direction should he head in now?
He huffed a frustrated sigh, standing abruptly and turning sharply on tail. He stocked a few meters and promptly ran into a figure, tumbling over the poor sleeping creature. The figure yelped loudly, startled and baffled. He shuffled back, apologizing profusely.
The figure he ran into was a brown lioness, and she looked particularly fierce. She had snarled and snapped her teeth at him in anger and pain. “Sorry, Sorry, oh my gods, I really didn’t see you,” he looked frightened and continued to babble apologies. They stuck in his throat and he stuttered them out as well as he could.
“Oh hush, please,” the lioness said sharply, stretching and yawning. Pain echoed in her side where he had run into her, and even more so when she moved. She was annoyed at being woken, but these things happened when you slept anywhere you felt like it. “It’s quite alright,” she grumbled, yawning once more. “What’s your name - what are you doing wandering this time of night?”
Faudi flinched back at being told to quiet down. He gave panicked puffs of air and waited for her to speak again. He wanted to run. Even though she was quite a bit smaller than him, he was still frightened. He could not fight - he never could and avoided confrontation at all costs.
“Um, my name is Faudi. I’m trying to find a home.” He informed her. Mati smiled at the male gently. Everyone seemed to be trying to find a home lately. it made her heart ache - she was looking for the same thing.
“You’ll not find one here,” and he sighed, downcast. “Don’t fret, though. Life has a way of making things work. You may find one soon…” Her memory worked sometimes, but other times it did not. She could never remember her family, but she remembered the warmth on her fur and being surrounded by love. She remembered feeling safe…
That was what she was looking for - to be safe and loved. She craved it and looked for it constantly, but she had no luck.
And it seemed he had not either.
She huffed a sigh and stood, shaking the sleep from her being. She probably would not get to sleep again, but she didn’t blame the other. It was dark, and while they could see quite well in the dark, she was the color of the earth and sand. She was hard to see even during the day if she was still enough!
Faudi bit his bottom lip as he watched her. He was still shy, waiting for an attack or harsh words to be aimed at him, but none came - and none would, for he tripped over the kindest lioness he could possibly ever accidentally trip over. The lioness was quick to forget any misgivings against her - not that she had much of a choice! She could barely contain any of her past memories and would forget this situation soon enough anyhow.
“What direction are you headed, I will walk with you for a way,” the lioness asked, her green eyes twinkling merrily in the moonlight.
“West, I think,” Faudi answered. He tilted his head a bit to the side, a confused smile crossing his maw. “If you’re sure that you wish to come with me…”
The lioness nodded, “My name is Mati,” she told him and looked to the west. She had been walking north, she thought - she often forgot. Perhaps she was walking in circles? Maybe Faudi could keep her on track.
“Nice to meet you,” the multi-colored lion told her in return… He recalled telling her his name, and was afraid to repeat it lest she became annoyed. She did seem to annoy quite easily, but she forgave even easier, it seemed.
“Well then, Faudi - that was your name, correct? - Lead the way! There is no use of me trying to sleep again on this night, i would never tire now that my side in bruised!” She winced a little at the pain of the movement, and she saw Faudi wince again.
“I’m really, really sorry about that,” Faudi’s ears flicked back. He ducked his head and looked away. The guilt of his actions pressed high in his chest. He wanted to grovel and beg for her forgiveness, but she had already said he was forgiven.
Still, apologizing more could not hurt.
But the Lioness only laughed and waved him off, so he began walking. He wondered what laid in the west - hopefully a home, or someone who would find him one… He began his trek in the direction he had been walking in before he stumbled over the kind lioness. She watched him intently for a moment before moving to follow.
The pain was still pinching in her side, but quickly fading - perhaps just a smarting blow and nothing more. He was quite larger than she was, being one of a large litter and sometimes she did not remember to eat.
But this was just another chapter of her story. Perhaps one she would remember, but she could only hope. Sometimes, the gods did not work in her favor, but she hoped remembered meeting this lion. Maybe traveling with him would cement him in her mind.
It had not let her family stick to her mind, but one day something would, and she would hold onto it dearly. Mati took a deep breath and started her new journey with Faudi - one that would hopefully end in a home for one or both of them.
But for now, they traveled simply to the West.
