Word Count: 1023It had been a long time since Maua was truly alone. She had found a home and family in the Ukuucha'Walfalme, but everything changed so quickly. It happened so fast. Suddenly they had been alone in the rogue lands, and then there was death. So much death.
And then she had gotten lost.
She was lost to everyone, all alone in the world. It frightened her greatly, but she was strong. She would persevere! She had been on her own before. Before Achal had found her and took her to the pride with Tsubame. That had been so long ago. She had be so young and naive, but now she was old and had a litter of grown children.
Children who were beautiful and that she loved dearly. Children that she would probably never see again.
Still, the leopardess walked on, trying to keep herself from panicking. She took a deep breath, trying to remember how she had survived before Achal. It took her a moment, but she could do it. She could!
"You okay, Miss?" a voice startled her out of her revere. She flinched back before looking at the owner of the voice. It was a rather large lion, dark in color with a shocking blue mane. He looked quite concerned, stepping forward a bit before thinking better of it.
"Do you need some help?" his spoke once again before Maua could find her voice. However, she simply shook her head and gave a soft smile.
"No, I'm alright," she told him. She could swear she recognized him! He looked very familiar, just... She couldn't quite place him. Maybe a lion in her old pride looked like him? She huffed a little. "I'm just trying to find my way again..."
She sighed, tilting her head a little. One day...
The male still looked concerned. "Are you sure?" He asked. He didn't want to leave her and she neaded help with something after all. The leopardess gave a sigh, another! And she shook her head. He smiled at her, but his brow was still furrowed in concern.
"How do you want me to help?" he asked after a moment. He was ready to do just about anything! He hated seeing anyone in distress, especially a lovely lady. "Oh... I don't really know..." The Leopardess answered. "Walk with me for a bit? I could used someone to talk to right now," she suggested after a moment. The lion nodded at the female. She smiled a him, and began to walk.
It was an aimless direction. She had no idea what she would find there, but it would be somewhere else. The lion followed her. "I am Maua," which was a pretty common name and one not easily forgotten for the flowers that adorned her fur.
"Nice to meet you, Maua. I'm Ajitabh. Or Aji, really..." Maua gave a bobbing nod and they continued on. The leopardess gave a bow of acknowledgement, tilting her head towards him and giving him a small Nice to meet you, too.
They were silent for a while, simply walking and enjoying the fact that they were not alone for the moment. Aji's large form was comforting to Maua - his size might scare off anything that would try to attack her. She looked weak, and she couldn't say she was terribly strong.
She missed being in a pride, and she longed to be in one again.
"I think," Maua started. "I think I'm lonely." It was a sudden remark, but it was truly the first time she had felt content in a while. Perhaps the male just had an air about him that was comforting?
"Lonely?" he asked after a beat of silence. She was out here alone, but he thought leopards were solitary cats. She gave a nod, pausing for a second in the trek to change directions.
"I used to belong to a pride. It held mostly lions... But it was nice... safe..." She sighed, dragging a paw against the earth. It was exhausting to be alone. She was constantly worried that she would not be able to find food or shelter. She was worried for her own safety.
The dark lion stumbled a bit over his paws when the leopardess changed direction without warning, but he managed to keep pace with her easily. She was a lot smaller than him after all. "Where are you headed, then? Back to the pride?" Of course, Maua shook her head here. There was nothing there for her!
"Well then, maybe you can travel with me for a while. Until you can find where you're going..." He suggested, frowning slightly.
The leopardess smiled brightly at him, but the words she spoke were apologetic. "I don't want to inconvenience you, kind sir," and then she looked away. Maybe if she walked away she wouldn't have to do anything further.
"Oh, but wait, Ma'am, it's no trouble at all!" He rushed to catch up with her, and the concerned look had returned. "I have no where to go either. We can stick together for a while until we each find a place..." Truth was, he did not really like to be alone. He had mothers and sisters and brothers that he had been surrounded with and now he was alone as well.
She sighed, looking down. She was unsure if she should take him up on his offer, and she sat in her spot, pondering her decisions.
"Are you sure it's no trouble?" She asked once again, nervous. The lion grinned at her, sitting down with the leopardess.
"If it was a trouble, I would not have offered. You're welcome to travel with me as long as you wish," the lion stated. "And it would be a pleasure to travel in your company." The leopardess gave a bright laugh and nodded.
"Alright, alright, it's settled then! We shall travel together for a time, until one of us finds something else." It was a loose promise. One of them could find something tomorrow! Or even in a few hours from now! But that didn't matter in this moment, and that was what mattered.
