(This takes place prior to the disbanding of the Jahy Sarlarin)

Damnit.

It had taken longer for him to return to the nearest Burkut oasis. The attack on the last remaining Qyrhy stronghold had been unsuccessful, obviously, and Gaspard was embarking on his walk of shame. But it had been two days walking already and the lion was already in no mood for a journey. His wounds had dried with caked blood and sand. The red-black coated his maw and claws from battle. A wound over the right side of his face rendered him blind (temporarily, he hoped) and wounds marked his hide. He'd have more scars, surely, but none he would be proud of.

He was growing near, and Gaspard was more anxious than ever to be home. He had walked for a long while in silence, having been separated from the rest of his group after his defeat. Ashnh had flown ahead to scout and signal his return. The eagle had returned to inform him that yes, there were resources to take care of his sorry state at the nearest oasis. Yes, other members were returning. And yes, Evren was there. Ashnh had since departed to locate other wounded individuals nearby, leaving Gaspard to continue his trek alone.

He released a breath of relief. He found that his affection for his protégé have increased in the past moons. For one of the first times, he did not voice a veil of disdain when Ashnh pushed his "necessary and eventual" relationship with Evren onto him. His feeling of worry, now, was undeniable. But she was safe. With some wounds that would become new scars, he heard, but nothing debilitating. As the worry faded from his mind one thought shone brightly. Damn it all, he just wanted to get home.

Things weren't going much better at the oasis. Being the one closest to the battle, it was the destination to many individuals returning from their defeat. Eagles had been flown in to inform the rest of the pride of the loss and the individuals there had been ready to deal with injury. Evren bint Tolu had been one of the early arrivals, coming in with a small band of some well off individuals helping to bring back a couple that were a bit more worse off. After tending to her own, Evren had assisted in tending to the wounds of others.

There was a somber hush over the oasis. Eagles were arriving and departing to exchange information; who was on their way back and what state they were in as well as more unwanted news such as the locating of the deceased on the battlefield.

With each passing eagle, Evren hoped and waited. She had seen Gaspard wounded on the battlefield. He saw blood on his face, blood that was his own that darkened his pelt. She didn't have time to worry about it then—Gaspard was a capable fighter and she didn't feel as worried then—but now she couldn't shake the deep and sinking feeling that grew in the pit of her.

When Ashnh arrived at the oasis he came to her first and the could feel that pit being filled. Gaspard was safe, and hopefully he would be here soon.

She distracted herself by tending to others. No one wanted an obsessed worrier, after all, and there were other important matters at hand. Evren wanted to leave behind the persona of someone young at mind whose feelings for Gaspard existed as youthful fangirling. Time had passed. She wasn't a child anymore, in any regard.

Still, the lioness couldn't help the feeling of her heart jumping out of her chest as she heard a murmur from a group nearby. As if her ears were turned to hear it, the words rang out like a bell. "The Bey's uncle has arrived." Evren felt as though she lost her breath and it took all she had to finish her work on a lioness' wound before bolting up. The pair that had spoken were already looking at her, unsurprised as she bolted away.

Gaspard felt his muscles grow weak as the sight of the oasis came into view. The sun was starting to set and the feeling of the cooling evening air felt glorious. Someone who was moving near the edge of the border of the oasis saw him and rushed to his side and at this point he couldn't even distinguish who it was. He felt sands turn into soft grasses, felt his weight leave his paws as he was laid down on his less wounded left side. He felt water over his winds and the numbness becoming a sharp sting. He winced and grimaced. And then he heard her voice.

He was more wounded than she thought he had been and that sunk her heart. But he had made it back and at this point that's all that mattered. He had been laid down next to a reservoir and a lion was bringing water over his wounds. Evern sat beside them. She looked over his body, taking in all the details she could. He was tense—she could see his flexed muscles and his clenched jaw. "Gaspard…" she murmured. His eyes jolted open immediately, the sage green eyes searching until he found her. Something in her chest fluttered as she heard his voice, that rumbling low tone, speaking her name.

"Evren."

---

The night was a long one. When Gaspard's wounds had been cleaned was he was laid down in a spot that would provide shade when the sun had risen anticipating the lion's temporarily immobility. The vision in his right eye was questionable but there—better than nothing. He could still walk. All in all, it could have been much, much worse. Still, he felt little desire to move (not that he could. Not well, a least). It was understandable—not many would want to move for at least a day or two, given the state he was in. So he stayed put through the night and the next day. He spoke no words of argument towards Evren, who had settled next to him, even as she settled in to sleep with her head set over his foreleg. In a tree nearby, Ashnh watched with smug satisfaction.

(WC: 103 cool