The sun was just beginning to rise as the light hit Pride Rock. Lelya was still tucked away, sleeping with her also safely snoozing companion Chiku. The pair had only been members of the Pridelands for a matter of days but already this pride felt like home. There were others to watch over them and in turn, the two watched over the pride. They were still learning the lay of the land and in time they would hopefully prove themselves to be proper hunters within the Pridelands. For now though, they were newcomers and former rogues but soon enough they would become Pridelanders.
With the clouds threatened to take the morning light from them, Chiku began to stir, first rolling onto her side from her usual sleeping position on her belly. Eventually she ended with her head on top of Lelya's and her eyes began to open. Green eyes opened, her mind still expecting to find themselves in the rogue lands, starving and surrounded by hyenas like that one night...
The paler lioness gasped as her eyes finally snapped open from their sleepy, half-open state. Her mouth hung open as she quickly turned her head from left to right, looking over the other sleeping bodies around it. Slowly her racing heart began to calm.
Pale blue eyes opened at the sound of her companion's gasp and the thumping of her heart that echoed in her ears. Lelya raised her head slightly from its place atop her folded paws and turned her eyes upward to look at Chiku. The poor thing looked tired, out of it and generally looked scared on top of that. A small frown of concern formed on Lelya's muzzle as she moved to place one of her paws on top of her companion's while she leaned in and gave her a reassuring nuzzle against her neck.
"Come on, lets go see if we can help in the morning hunts," Lelya suggested in a hushed voice. At least doing something would keep Chiku's mind or even her's from wandering back to memories of much darker days.
- - - - -
Mohombi on the otherhand was already wide awake, the wind blowing over his fur, causing his mane to sway as fallen leaves danced around him. He gave a content sigh as his amber-colored eyes looked over the green hills of the Pridelands. Every day seemed to be getting better despite the lack of visits from his children and grandchildren, but hopefully that would change soon enough now that he and Ankara were trying for their second litter together. Once again the den would be filled with laughter but that would mean all the more work for the aging pair.
His attention shifted to a returning hunting party, one carrying what looked to be a gazelle..no, two gazelle. It was an impressive hunt and one he could only envy. As the group of lions passed his post atop a flat rock, he gave a small, wordless nod of acknowledgement and respect to the leader of the group. Mohombi watched them walk passed before turning his attention back to the Pridelands and his morning routine of watching the herds wake. Soon enough his training would be complete and he would become a head hunter himself. Then it would be his job to help manage and send hunting parties like the one that had just returned out to retrieve food when needed to feed the pride.
- - - - -
Chiku gave a small, unsure nod by rose onto all four of her paws anyways. Perhaps some fresh air, seeing her surroundings again, would help her calm down and hopefully these memories would fade and she could get on with her life.
The smaller feline also rose onto her paws, giving time for a muffled yawn to keep from waking any others within the communal den. Lelya nodded silently as she gave her companion yet another affectionate rub with her head against her neck before walking passed her and out into the sunlight.
Blinking, she stepped into the sun.
The Pridelands was an impressive sight to behold, especially for someone who had never seen such green, such open expanse of land outside of her birth home. The roguelands seemed to get drier each day while the pair had been in it and now...now there was a watering hole that hardly seemed to empty as with each rain that fell filled it right back up! Green grass around them meant herds from all around would stop and graze here, if not make their permanent home there.
It was something that left Chiku in awe as she followed after Lelya into the light of the bright morning sun. Her emerald eyes looked over the grasslands, eyeing each herd with an empty stomach, only to watch as they scattered and moved as the morning parties picked from a few of them to provide breakfast. She swallowed hard. Soon enough she and Lelya would be expected to hunt too. Once they regained their strength and put back on the pounds they lost of course. Only after they learned the lay of the land and met other hunters to teach them how to hunt the herds that grazed in the Pridelands.
Mohombi's ears perked up as his head quickly turned to look over his shoulder at the sound of a pebble being displaced and tumbling down the rocky formation many lions called home. He half expected his mate to be trying to sneak up on him, but she was a better hunter then that. No, instead there were two lionesses, likely just finally growing into their adult bodies, looking around with such awestruck expressions that he could not help but let out a laugh.
"What are you laughing at?!" Lelya called out a little too harshly, her embarrassment speaking for as her voice broke mid-sentence. Emphasized with a firm stomp of her paw, she jogged over to the larger male, her eyes glaring up at him as he sat on his perch. She didn't exactly like being laughed at when there was no cause for it, especially from someone she didn't know.
Soon enough her anger fizzled into pure embarrassment and before the male lion could even reply, she was taking a step back, her tail swayed between her hind legs and her ears fell back while her eyes lowered to look at the ground.
Chiku took a little more time to join her friend beside the male, looking him over with judging eyes while her brows furrowed and her lips twitched. He wasn't aggressive but she was already put off by him. Her shoulder bumped against the other lioness' as an act to reassure her as she stood on all fours while Lelya sank and sat beside her.
"She asked a fair question; what are you laughing at?"
"My apologies ladies," Mohombi replied quickly as he tamed his laughter. Bits of his mane fell into his face as he dipped his head just as quickly as he had silenced himself. "I didn't mean to laugh, it's just a little funny to see any new rogues' first time seeing the Pridelands in the morning. It's a little much, I'll agree. I can't imagine what the roguelands look like these days." As he spoke of his previous home his head turned back around to look passed the herds and towards the borders. "You've only been here a few days, haven't you? I haven't seen you hunting yet."
"We're..." Chiku began but her eyes looked back down her side where much of her weight used to be. "We're still gaining out strength back. The roguelands took much out of us."
The little lioness nodded as she finally found her courage. "We'll be out there in a few weeks, just you wait. We'll show you Pridelanders what we can do."
More laughter came from Mohombi's mouth as he listened to the two speak. "Careful now, you're a Pridelander now too you know." The laughing ceased as quickly as it had started, which was good since he wasn't in the mood to be chastised by either of them or possibly by Ankara later on. "There were two gazelle caught earlier, make sure you eat before going out with a scout later to learn the markers around the Pridelands. You'll need your strength if you're going to be doing any hunting once you fill back out." In all truth, it was odd seeing them. Huozai had told him of how thin they had been when they arrived; it was a miracle they survived the night.
The tan lioness was ready to leave by the time he started laughing again. Her body curled as she made her way passed him and down into the grasslands. There was no way she was going to take from another's kill. Even the thought of hunting in parties was slightly odd to her, but hunting with Lelya had always been easier then when she was alone so maybe a few more extra sets of paws wouldn't be so bad.
Lelya took a few steps forward to follow after Chiku but paused for a moment to look back at the nameless dark male who was still seated on his rock. "You'll hunt with us when we're at full strength again, right?" It wasn't so much about showing off now as proving her worth as a Pridelander. To be called one by someone within the pride already...It felt something like an honor. It was an odd feeling.
Mohombi smiled and nodded curtly as he raised a paw to shoo her off.
The blue-marked lioness smiled widely as she turned back around to follow after Chiku finally who had also waited, watching the two exchange their little conversation. Lelya knew she would be asked about it later, but for now they needed to find breakfast.
'What an odd pair...I'll have to keep an eye on them.' Mohombi thought to himself as he watched the two descend into the plains he was so familiar with. Silently he wished them luck on their little excursion. Just as noiseless, he rose onto his paws and began heading in the direction of Ankara's normal basking spot to try and find her. Perhaps his mate would be able to lend a paws as well when it came time for the two newcomers to finally hunt like a true Pridelander.
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