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The sun had risen and was slowly crawling up the sky to take it's place and watch over every creature in the heart of Africa. It had been bright and sunny for days, clouds scattered sparingly across the vast blue skies. It might have seemed nearly perfect in the eyes of any other. A leopardess, whom had left home a long time ago, saw it as a terrible dry day. The sun beat down on her black coat and she gasped for air. Why was this taking so much out of her?

Matawi tried to ignore how every step made her feel more tierd. Was this dry weather really what was wrong? or something else maybe? Her paws kicked up dirt that hurt her eyes, and clung to her fur as if to cling for life.

A distant roar could be heard when Matawi stopped to catch her breath. It had become harder and harder to breath and now she was begining to think that it was the pure lack of water that pained her so. She puched herself to reach the sound of water and get a hopeful drink. Maybe. Just maybe the constricting of her lungs would then be relived.

Matawi needed a break. She sat and rested, trying the get her breath back. For the first time she really got to look at her suroundings. Grass tickled at her tummy and a river was coxing her in for a drink. In a distance she could see multiple trees that immediantly sparked some joy into her. The small spark was quickly eliminated with the remembrance of her hated home.

With her breath returning to her and the tight feeling in her lungs loosening she sniffed around. There was no way that she could be the only one around. With a satisfied smirk she stood, awaiting what she knew was coming. At least there was a minute or two before a little lion was upon her.

Matawi licked at her normaly black fur to brush away some of the specks of brown that now adorned her shiney coat.

Matawi giggled a bit before wandering closer to the little, but loud, young lion. She wondered why this young one had been so loud in her stalking. Had she not been out and practiced yet? Or was it pure misfortune that dry twigs were scattered all around her

"You can come out now. I will not hurt you." Matawi was to sweet tempered to hurt anything that was younger and still had such a life in frount of it. She knew what it was like being young, and how easily dreams could be shattered.

"Who are you little one?"

A small chuckle passed through her dark lips as she shook her head at the little one, eyeing her with out intent to do harm in the slightest bit. Matawi let the name roll around in her mind for a moment, thinking about it carefully. 'Jini' That was short and easy enough to remember, even for a confussed leopardess like herself.

Matawi grinned, white teether gleamed in the sunlight as she announced, "I am a leopardess named Matawi." This wasn't the first time she had been asked what she was and she knew it wouldn't be the last. After all, it wasn't often that you saw a leopard out of the jungle.

"Little one, do you think you could walk with me to get a sip of water?" she asked as simply and politly as she could.

Matawi smiled down at her. It looked as if Jini had never seen a leopard and was genuinely currious about her. Matawi happily followed the young one in the direction of water and wondered if there was any way to explain what she was.

"Thank you, young one." Since she obviously didn't want to be 'little' "Do you know anything of my type? Anything at all young Jini?" He voice was smooth and quite, almost calming to the ears and restful to her soul.

A small cough escaped her. She liked Jini already. Shuch a helpful young girl would grow up sweetly and hopefully kind. Her words were comforting, even if she was still young in mind and body.

"Hmmm." She thought and told her about leopards as they walked together in under the warm sun, "Leopards are from the jungle and rarely come out of it. I was tierd of it so I came to the savannah, and quite frankly I like it better. We sleep in trees usually but I find the ground more comfortable."

Matawi laughed at herself. She was an odd one. Matawi never much liked the jungle and now it was almost like she was was a lion herself.

Matawi stopped and thought about it for a moment. THe jungle was her best subject, always putting in details that made the words flow more freely with more Rythem than her normal sentances that always felt to choppy and awkward for her own ears to listen to.

"It is quiet, peaceful with a sence of security." she sighed with happy rememberance and continued. "Everywhere you turn there are trees so green with vines of many shades of yellow and green that hang around. The springs that are scattered through the jungle are crisp and pristine. It's clear and the lovely silver fish swim through and the few sun rays bounce of thier shining scales."

Her eyes were sparling with the rememberance of her old home. It was so gorgeous to her.

And with that she stopped cold. Matawi missed the place she hated most.

How could that have happened? She hated the jungle. HATE. A Four letter word that was creeping into her mind, corrupting the sweet nature and temperament for her mind and body. It was a growing passionate feeling, taking over for longer and longer.

She forced a smile, "Yes. It is a very nice place to visit." The word 'visit' was noticeably forced for emphasis. How Matawi managed to live in such a fantastic waking nightmare was beyond her. The only time it was even worse, was when she was lulled into a fitful sleep. It had been for the best, for her sanity, to leave. She couldn't go back to that.

Matawi coughed, composing herself, before nodding and following the young one do a drink of water. Her throat was burning from lack of water. The pure imagined thought of drinking it was fantastic, needed.

"Thank you, little Jini."