Takasika lingered on the edge of the Dawnwalker desert, where there was a tiny seasonal waterhole. The various others coming with him on their trip out of the lands had gone a bit ahead, milling about on the border. Tomorrow morning they’d take their first walk out of the lands, but for tonight they lingered here where there was water and familiar sand. For him, it was literally the first steps he’d ever really taken out of it….while his sister Safiya had been carried as far as the distant Graveyard as a cub by a dying caretaker or maybe one of their parents, he’d already been captured. Just a tiny bundle of yellow fur but already a slave of the vultures…
But now he was free and grown and strong. Going to see some of the world, rather than See it, before he settled in his beloved home pride and taking his place as High Priest until the day he died. It gave him a lot to think about.
*
Alamar had decided that deserts? Not for him, thanks. Even though his pelt blended in well with the sands and indeed, he looked like he could fit in the pride that lived there (not that he knew they existed yet)…no. Too hot, too dry, and he hadn’t yet perfected walking on sand. He much preferred grassland and so back the grasslands he headed, half sliding down the last proper dune. From its crest he caught sight of a small waterhole with a lion next to it and decided to check it out. After visiting the desert so briefly, he already desperately needed a drink.
“Hello?” He called, in a friendly manner, so he could sum up if the lion was also friendly enough.
*
“Greetings.” Takasika looked up and wondered for a second if another Dawnwalker had changed their mind and was coming too. But no, the pride was not that big and the adolescent while quite well grown was shown to be as such by his half-mane. As a teacher of religion and history to most of the younger generations, Takasika knew them all by sight and by name at the very least. Hell, he knew all the adults too come to think of it. This was definitely a stranger, though he had the classic looks…
“Do you live in the desert? Just I do not recognise you as a pride member.” He said polite as the lion got nearer – not wait! His scent. “Or are you a rogue?”
*
“Rogue and – no offence meant! – certaintly no desert dweller. Feel half dead for just a brief look in.” He joked and was relieved when the pale lion laughed too. He trotted over to the water and knowing by his soft smile that the stranger was happy enough to have him for company, took a long drink. Oh he had needed that….!
“There’s a pride in there then? I only wandered in for today and came from that way.” He pointed with a yellow-dipped paw, and sat down near the stranger with a golden smile.
*
“Ah, you came at an angle, else you’d have found our trail across the sands. The pride home is quite far away, where there’s lush plants and water. It’s not all sand and heat in there.” He explained, smiling. He liked this strange younger lion, he was friendly and open, easy to understand by his body language and he spoke frankly. Seemed to mean no harm. Curious. Good things.
“It’s called the Dawnwalkers. There’s quite a few of our younger members about, around your age, who are going to see the world a while now there’s peace here.”
*
“Now there’s peace…? There wasn’t once?” He enquired, relaxing though the sandy ground wasn’t as comfy to him as it was to Takasika. Give him more solid ground anyday, and good grass around and about him. Still it was nice to settle as evening fell and thankfully the heat of the day was going. The grass he could see not too far from here and the horizon was grasslands, home.
Since he never planned to come here again, best to learn all about it while he could!
*
“Yes. I was once enslaved by our enemies in fact. It was on ever since I was a cub but by time my companions were born, was ending. Fortunately the victors were the good guys though we lost some good and dear creatures in the process.” He explained briefly not wanting to dwell long on the past, he found, to his surprise. Taka was looking forward too much to getting out there into the roguelands himself for a while.
“Oh, forgive me. I have forgotton to introduce myself. I’m called Takasika, and am the High Priest in the pride.”
*
“A priest? Of what kind of god I wonder?” Alamar said with a friendly smile and a curious look at the pale yellow lion. He should have known. The other had that air about him, of one who knew much – or at least believed in much – and was confident in it. Found their own peace in it. He didn’t really disbelieve or really believe in gods either. So it was a peace not known to him – he just lived by trying to be a good lion, him.
“Pleasure to meet you and glad to hear then that peace reins in your lands now. My name’s Alamar. I’m from the Pridelands but I wander for the moment.”
*
“We are similar creatures then! For for a while I to will leave my pride to wander too. And the Pridelands you say? My king Muroki spent some time in the Pridelands long ago. He was found as a lost by a Pridelander pair, one named Mahiri the other Bahkti who found him a foster home.” Takasika said, unsurprised as his vision was clouded briefly by his Jua-blessed Sight, and he saw again the long ago past. Saw the body of Kwaheri, Muroki but a cub clinging to her, as two strangers approached with kind intentions. This was how he knew the history of his pride so well. He was a strong seer.
“We look to the sun, mostly. To the sunset and especially to the sunrise.”
*
“…really? Those are my relatives names.” Alamar said, surprised he had some sort of link to this desert pride. He was quite close to his immediate family but not so close to the rest for it was large and varied in age and location. But it was still a link. Well, fancy that! That really was a surprise.
“I never knew that but I believe it. My families quite big and most of the lions in it are a good sort or were. If you stop in at the Pridelands in your wanderings and bump into any of them you’ll see.”
*
“I’m sure I will without ever going, if you’re any example of your kin. It’s nice to meet such a friendly stranger on our borders Alamar.” He complimented, truly pleased. He then looked up at the sound of pawsteps coming their way and the sight of familiar lionesses and a maned wolf. All were browns and golds and creams, and looked quite fetching in the evening light. He could tell Alamar had noticed this and grinned in amusement.
“Now, on your paws for a moment because these females are royals. And I’ll presently introduce you to some of our princesses and friends.” He got to his own feet and watched the younger lion try to smarten himself up in a hurry. Ah to be young and hopeful!
He could see this would be an amusing evening indeed.
End!
