With Kymashungi. It really wasn't his business. He wasn't part of that pride, or any pride for that matter. He was a rogue, a loner, by his own choice. He'd wanted to see the world, get stronger, figure out who he was. Well, apparently he was someone who worried over a stranger just because they looked a lot like another stranger but in a worse way. What did it matter happened to her? What did he care about one lone lioness in some pride he'd never heard of before? He didn't even know her name.
Of course, in general he thought slaves were distasteful things. His parents had been free, and the only life he'd known was one where he could go where he liked and do as he pleased. The idea of someone telling him what to do was foreign and he didn't really care for it. His father's home pride had...well they didn't have slaves. But he'd been told what to do. Told to kill his brother. and he was going to do it for the longest time. He supposed that was like being a slave, in a way. Being told you had to do a thing, and if you didn't, you'd be hurt or killed or cast out. It was cruel, and harsh.
That, he decided, was really the only reason he couldn't stop thinking about that lioness. Not because she'd seemed so sweet and kind, unassuming and genuine when she'd come to share his kill. Not because he'd appreciated that she had sensed that he didn't care to get to know her or get attached. Damn. And he had gotten attached, hadn't he? Otherwise he'd never be thinking about her this way, and wondering what'd happened or how she was or why. Double damn.
He picked up his pace, as if he could out distance the racing of his mind.
The sun had set halfway from where it'd hung, low and heavy in the sky, before he thought about her again. Or rather, until he caught himself thinking about her again. He scowled and broke into a run when he realized he was trying to imagine a name to put to that face, sprinting towards a low stand of shrubby trees. He blew past them, snarling, racing on towards the sunset. Damn it all! How'd she done it?! Without two words to him, he felt she'd sunk in her claws! That was it, he decided. He'd never, never go back towards that pride again!
Instead he would keep running and exploring and soon enough all the new experiences would just wash the image of her right out of his mind. Her smile...her soft fur...the fear in her eyes especially. He'd be more than happy to forget that, and he'd just run until he did.
With Halus-Bulu. Her legs were aching by the time the lioness collapsed into the corner of the communal den that she'd timidly staked out as her own. It wasn't a hard area to defend from the other thralls - it was on the windy side, and often subject to mist from the sea cliffs further out. The fact that it wasn't so much a true den as a simple open cleared area didn't help either. It was cold, despite being huddled near to other exhausted bodies, but there were some up sides. She could watch the stars, their distant twinkling soothing her tired mind.
It'd been a strange day. She was getting better at her job. Jobs. There were a lot of things to do, and honestly now that she'd got a few landmarks memorized it didn't take her as long to do what she was told. She'd still had her share of cuffs and sneers, but it wasn't half as bad as the first or second day. She still didn't like being a slave...but she was getting better at moving quick and with her head down so no one would mind her. She was all but invisible to most of the pride as it was. She was weak, she was small, she was beneath notice to most of them. That was a good thing. There might not be many people to talk to (most of the other thralls were too busy with their own toil to spend time chatting) but that also meant fewer to give her grief.
And strange a thought as it was, today she realized she was starting to recognize a few faces. They all belonged to the various reavers and freeborn who would come and give her commands, usually cruelly or firmly, but it was...oddly nice to at least be used to seeing other faces. The first day was terrifying. She'd known no one, recognized no one. Even now though the only ones she knew were her captors...at least it was something. And they didn't always look at her with cruelty. Usually if she did her job quickly and well, without complaint, they would even compliment her. A good slave, a good thrall.
She didn't want to be a thrall. She wanted to be...well she wasn't sure what. Free? Maybe not to leave the pride...she didn't know anywhere else. She only knew here a tiny bit...but it was more than anywhere else. Each time she'd tried to think back to before the pain in her head had surged back, and for now she'd decided it was best she forgot. Knowing where she as from, who she'd been wouldn't help her when a male sent her on an errand or a female had her come babysit (and be an attack toy) for her cubs. It probably would only make things harder to bear.
She let her head thunk back onto the dirt with a sigh. This was her life, it seemed. Well. It'd get better. Maybe she could find a way to be free without leaving. Would they let her? Maybe if she behaved and proved she wasn't going to try to escape. That made her think! Thank goodness no one had seen her with that stranger near the border. She shivered thinking of how he'd stared at her. It was almost like he'd known her...but surely if they'd met before he wouldn't have just left her there. He'd have called her by her name (at least she still knew her name!) and taken her away. Reminded her of where she was from.
He hadn't done anything like that. He hadn't known her. And she tried not to wonder at why that made her so very sad to think about. Another sigh. Then sleep. She'd have to rest up for another hard day.
[Words: 1114]
