[Open] Feels Like Home... Sort of. (Aberforth and...)

[Cajanic]

The young male felt more like he was coming into a place he had never been to before in the whole of his life than returning home after a short absence. Everything felt different to him, somehow. Was it because he had been gone so long, or simply because he had lost all his memory and had only just regained the more recent chunk of it? Maybe, most likely, it had to do with the fact that the awkward male had never felt like he belonged in the pride at all- he had never really gotten to know a great many of the others, mostly hiding in his cave waiting for the days to pass.

There were a couple that he knew, of course, but for the most part he was a stranger in his own home. And a stranger all-the-more, now that he had been gone from it for so long. Sighing, he struggled with the notion that it would be just the same as though he had simply been gone for a day. He wanted to think that, because he knew so very few, none would have noticed his absence. But what if he was wrong? What if someone had been worried about him this whole time? He already knew that he had upset his dear avian companion after the quake, right to the point where she had nearly killed herself through starvation and dehydration just to find him.

Maybe someone else had been fretting just as much.

Sighing, he continued to walk, his pace nothing more than a snail’s crawl.

Perched on his back, Uchungu easily noted the unease about the still mentally young male. His pace was getting them no where and the way he sighed every three seconds could hardly be ignored by the pink vulture. She looked at the back of the male’s head, claws digging slightly into his white fur. Wincing, Aberforth peered back at Uchungu, frowning. “What is it?” he asked softly.

“Don’t be nervous. You should be happy!” she told him, “you’re coming home. What’s the matter, my dear?”

“I’m just… worried… I hope no one was upset by my absence.” Uchungu only smiled, letting him go back to his sluggish walking. She could never be upset with Aberforth when he got this way, as it was usually brought on by his concern for others. Silly creature, to be so concerned about those he knew when he was the one facing a challenge. Silently, she let him walk on, eyes on the path ahead. Whether he liked it or not, they were in the pride now. Home at last. And, as far as she could sense, things were indeed not the same. The air seemed different, somehow.

What happened, though, she couldn’t say. Nor could Aberforth, who was too busy peering about nervously, ready to react to the first sign of trouble to notice the shift in the atmosphere.

Even though, on a deeper level, it was another reason why he felt so much like a visitor.
 

[demonstration_evil]

Hifadhi was, so to speak, learning to walk again after his recent injuries. He doubted he would ever be able to fight again... not with his back. Retirement, real retirement anyway, was immanent for the old lion. There was nothing he could do about it now.

"Buck up Hifadhi," Pepo said, flying above him, seeming very pleased that he could once again fly freely, instead of having to worry about the vultures, "You're alive, Ngao's alive, Peke's alive... I'd say we did pretty well." He didn't mention the casualties. When cheering someone up, it was usually best not to mention the failures.

"Yes, well, that's all fine and good, but now I'm also completely useless." Hifadhi muttered, growling a little as he stepped down too hard... adgitating his back even more. Ngao would have his hide if she found out what he was doing.

And then... he saw something strange. In the distance... another lion? One of the outsiders...? No... he didn't seem to be... The old lion glanced at Pepo, "Pepo... who is that?"

The bird looked over, confused, then he took to the sky, "I'll find out. You. Stay. Here. Stupid old man..." He mumbled, going to check. The last thing Hifadhi needed right now was to be attacked by some outsider... but as the harrier got closer, he knew it was a lion he recodnized. Not someone he had personally known well, but someone he had known, "No way... is that... it is... Aberforth?"  

[Sasu Cherry]

Every day, her stomach was growing bigger. She took notice of the recent changes quickly, and though her mind whirled frantically, Hisia was making sure everyone knew of her pregnancy. It was a secret she disliked telling everyone, especially since the lion who had tried to destroy the pride was the father.

Looking past the horizon, she padded along, searching out any sign of anyone. She was still anxious to see if any of the members separated from their group were coming back. Optimist, she was still hoping they would return, and often wandered the valley in search of surviving members.

But today she had saw someone.

Silhouetted against the horizon, she caught sight of a white pelt. Hisia felt her ears perk excitedly. She knew this male, even though she had hardly spoken to him, she still remembered him. And with happiness surging rather greatly over her, the lioness darted after him, forgetting that she would probably be immensely tired after the run. Soon she caught sight of Hifadhi, his bonded flying ahead.

"Aberforth?" She called, stopping swiftly, sitting herself down.
 

[Cajanic]

Aberforth had been so concerned with trying to keep an eye on what was coming from around him that he neglected to notice the bird falling nearby, watching him. It was something one would think easy to remember- given the nature of the pride, but his concern and trepidations shielded his common sense from the light of day.

All he knew was that he was very nervous and didn’t want a lion not knowing who he was and attacking him out of the blue.

Then, fortunately or unfortunately, a voice filtered through the air. Yelping, he jumped, the arching of his back enough the send his avian friend flapping into the air with irritation. She wasn’t about to stay on him if he was going to play some kind of bucking gazelle or something. So she flew off of him while he looked about for the source of the call.

Soon his eyes came to rest on a round female, something like memory pricking faintly at the back of his mind. Had he known her? Blinking, he relaxed, initial fear ebbing away and giving him enough room to move towards her. A small smile crept along his muzzle, misshapen somewhat from his worry.

“H… hello,” he said, clearly his throat, “how do you know my name, miss?” He felt bad having to ask, but his memory had not completely returned. There were some faces that would only seem familiar, but never match up to names in his mind. At least, not off the bat.

Uchungu, meanwhile, met with Pepo in the air. She didn’t know him that well, but she was aware that he was not an enemy. “It’s nice to see you,” she commented lightly, “I brought Aberforth down there back from the rogue lands. What’s happened to your friend down there? He looks rather battered, poor thing.”

{OoC: Still an open RP. Well free to join in if you want to!}  

[demonstration_evil]

Pepo smiled at the other bird, "It is so good to see you, Unchungu! I didn't know what had happened to you... That's... well, he looks different than he did when you two dissapeared... It's Hifadhi, the old Captain of the Guard... retired, since you left. But... eh, you could say things have been... tricky, since the earthquake." He looked forward, and smiled, "Oh... good, Aberforth found Hisia..." He flew back down, "Come with me! We can tell Hifadhi what's going on... you know how things are... he's getting old."

Hifadhi looked up, and watched the bird fly back. He knew her... but what had her name been? U... Un... Unch... Unchungu!" The name came back to him eventually. It took him a moment. He was getting old... but if she was there... then... "Aberforth... is that really Aberforth?" He had known him as a child... not well, but the old Captain knew everyone.

Ukweli would have known him much better...  

[Sasu Cherry]

She blinked, worry spreading over her. Was he injured? Had he been hurt when the earthquake struck? Eyes scanning over the male's very being, her gaze drifted to stare at his face. He was fine, it seemed. Except he didn't remember her, and Hisia was sure she could be easily identified and recognized, because of her creamy-colored pelt. "It's me, Hisia," Better to see if he could remember, but she had her hopes down. "Do you remember me, Aberforth?"

Her train of thought was focused on him before a kick was delivered from inside her stomach. She winced, shifting her weight around in an attempt to find a comfortable spot to sit. Everything was happening in an instant. The cubs would be here soon.

Teal gaze regaining focus on the male before her, she turned her attention towards Pepo. Hifadhi wasn't too far off, and Hisia smiled softly. Members missing since the earthquake were being found. Aberforth was the first of, hopefully, many to come. And even though it seemed he might have lost his memory... Or so, maybe he didn't? She felt relieved they were back.

"Well," She realized she hadn't properly answered his question. "I knew you before the... earthquake happened." Too many painful memories. She flinched away, feeling tears come to her eyes. But as fast as they had come she had controlled herself, looking off towards the horizon.
 

[Cajanic]

Watching the female, aberforth couldn’t help but get the sense that she wasn’t lying to him when she said she had known him before. After all, Uchungu had mentioned that there were lions in the pride he had spoken to a couple of times that he might not recall right away. She proceeded to instruct him not to fret over it, and let his mind ease so he might allow the memories to flow back to him. Something he had promised her he would attempt to do. In the moment, though, he found all he could do was worry he had forgotten someone important.

“Hesia…” he said to himself, blinking slowly, “I’m sorry… I hurt my head during the earthquake and I’m having trouble remembering everything about my past. I really don’t mean to forget who you are, and I’m really sorry…” he didn’t know what more could be done outside of apologizing for something that had happened to him and was beyond his control.

Watching her wiggle, Aberforth couldn’t help but smile. Stranger or no, she seemed to be pregnant. Was that not call for congratulations? “You look well, in any case. Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked after a moment, noting how uncomfortable she seemed to be. It didn’t occur to him that he could have had a paw in that.

Then, as if feeling bad for how awkward he was becoming, something clicked in the back of his mind. “Oh!” he gasped, “Hesia! I do remember you now! We spoke a few times…” his voice trailed, her expression alerting him to some kind of problem. Stepping forward, he frowned, brows furrowing in wonder and concern. “What’s wrong?” he asked in a gentle tone unbefitting for an adult male lion.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You’ll have to fill me in when there’s time,” she replied with a disheartened expression. So the pride had suffered from the earthquake. A part of her had hoped that only Aberforth had been one to face misfortune. A long shot, naturally. But those injuries on the old captain weren’t rock-induced. They seemed to be battle wounds, only confusing the bird further.

Still, despite the news, Uchungu was pleased by the warm reception, her eyes flickering down towards Aberforth at his mention. Seems he was doing alright speaking to the female, his body language suggesting that he was only mildly uncomfortable. Good. Eyes returning to Pepo, she nodded, following him to the aged, battered male lion she had once knew to be a very stubborn, seemingly immortal lion.

Time, is seemed, was no creature’s true friend.

Setting herself on the ground, not finding it any less comfortable than a tree or lion’s back, Uchungu looked up at Hifadhi, offering a bow of her head in greeting before responding to his inquiry. “Yes,” she said lightly, “let’s Aberforth. He’s been through a bit of tough patch when he lost his memory after the earthquake, but he’s finally remembered enough to feel alright coming home. Of course, his problems seem to pale in comparison to yours. Are alright?”  

[demonstration_evil]

"Aberforth really is alright then... that is good. I had feared the worst." Hifadhi said with relief, while Pepo settled onto the ground in front of him, "Many of us dissapeared in the earthquake... seeing them all return is most certainly a relief, especially in light of certain events..."

Pepo knew that the old Captain would not want to relay the extremely bad news of what had happened while Aberforth and Unchungu had been away... so he did his best instead. Normally, seeing Hifadhi squirm had amused the bird, but since his bonded had been hurt, Pepo had been more 'mothering'... which, to be fair, Hifadhi hated just as much.

"We had a bad run-in... with some outsiders. They came in pretending to be friends..." The bird's eyes narrowed, "But friends were one thing they most certainly were not. There were a few battles with them... we lost..." Pepo hung his head, "We lost many of our own... Even a cub was killed."

"We cleared out the traitors..." Hifadhi snarled, clearly still very, very angry about it, "But they'll be back. We killed too many of them for the witch and her brother not to seek revenge."  

[Sasu Cherry]

Her ears perked rather excitedly when her seemed to remember her. Before, she had felt disappoint wash over her. The earthquake had done so much to everyone's lives, and she let out a sigh at the thought. "Many were lost during the earthquake," She nodded slowly. "Rogues... filtered in, but they were driven away recently." There was a trace of hatred in her voice at those words. Msiba, Mchawi. She wondered, somehow, where they could be now. She just hoped they were suffering for what they had done, and even though the thought hurt, there was no remorse in her eyes.

She looked towards where Hifadhi was, wondering what the male could be speaking of. She had caught the word 'outsiders' from him, and immediately turned away, memories flashing uncontrollably through her mind. She still felt guilty for what had happened, even if Ficha had comforted her with the problem.

Hisia glanced down towards her stomach.

"Well, I'm sure you have noticed, but yes, I'm pregnant." She looked over towards the white lion once more, nodding again. "It... happened during the earthquake." She seemed to cough meekly and looked down, eyes staring down at her large belly. They would be here soon, the cubs. They would be here soon.  

[Cajanic]

Uchungu felt her spirits drop. No wonder the air had been so altered; death was a heavy burden even for the earth to deal with. Her light-heartedness over what had been meant as a happy return was now thickly coated in the sludge of dismay, making the mood inside her switch to something heavier.

“That’s terrible news,” she said lowly, “I regret to hear such things happened. I wish we had been around. Though Aberforth is not the best when it comes to fighting, I’m sure he would have been willing to help protect this place. He’s quite fond of it.” Hearing that a cub died had during this altercation was particularly hard on the bird who lived with such motherly instincts that it was difficult for her not to pull in anyone who needed it and raise them as her own.

“Still… perhaps it would be best not to mention anything of it to him… just yet,” she said faintly, peering once more in the direction of the white lion, “he’s only just getting his memory back. I’d hate to have such tragic news hinder him. He’s prone to letting things eat at him greatly.”

Looking back at Hifadhi, she was at least pleased to hear that they had prevailed in the end. Though it didn’t sound like a certain victory that would last, with the thought of more lost lions returning home she could only hope they would be more prepared should any threats return to the lands. She wanted to change the subject. It was clear the older lion was not enjoying the conversation. Neither was she.

But what else could she bring up after being gone so long?

---

Frowning, Aberforth decided it best not to dwell on what was clearly an unsavory subject for the creature. Though curious, he would happily wait to be filled in on what could only be bad news. Being left in ambiguity to keep him from sadness always seemed to work in his past. “I’m sorry,” was all he could offer, “I wish I had been here. I don’t think I could have done anything… really… but still. I feel like I let everyone down by getting separated… like… I abandoned everyone.” No wonder he was a social outcast in the pride.

He couldn’t do anything right, not even deal with injury after an earthquake.

He followed her gaze to the wounded old male, though he had not heard that their lines of conversation were so similar.

Smiling, he brought the conversation back to the cubs. “Well that’s great! I mean, cubs are great. If you ever want a babysitter, you just let me know, alright? Not that… you really trust me enough… I just… it’s an offer.” He cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly on his paws.
 

[demonstration_evil]

Hifadhi nodded, "Probably best not to say anything to Aberforth just yet... he should be happy to be home, especially in his condition. Not burdened by the things that keep us all as we are... But I suppose it is best that you know. Perhaps you can tell him when the time is right."

Pepo nodded in agreement, "Yeah... it's a rought bit to toss at Aberforth now. But you've always had good judgement, Unchungu. I'm sure you'll know when it's right to tell him." Or at least Pepo hoped so... they needed as many lions and birds as they could be to on board with the situation.

Who knew if their enemies would return and try once more to attack them? That could only lead to tragedy, which no one wanted right now. Not after all that had happened to them.

"We'll do our best to make Aberforth comfortable in the mean time. It is good to have him home..." Hifadhi said, smiling a little, "The more the merrier, as they say."  

[Sasu Cherry]

She also frowned, eyes snapping back to stare at him with shock mixed in with anger glowing in her gaze. "You didn't abandon anyone," her voice was fierce, anger lacing her tone as her tail lashed back and fourth. "The earthquake caused a lot of grief, many were separated," Hisia's eyes were narrowing into a glare, fur bristling wildly at what he had said. After the interlopers had been driven away, most killed, she had grown untrustworthy of rogues of all kinds. That, however, didn't mean she wasn't trustworthy to members who had been separated prior to the tremor. He was still a part of the pride before the earthquake, and she worried for all the members. If they were dead- injured- if many were trying to get back, Hisia had worried for all of them.

Mixed emotions passed through her eyes as the lioness felt her ability to speak vanish. She listened to him as he spoke of her cubs- the cubs to be, the cubs that would be the children of Msiba. She pushed the thought of the green and white male away, pain evident in her gaze. Anger, too.

"I'll think about it," She nodded as well. Though Hisia thought she might not need as much help with them... Who knows. After all, she wondered if anyone would help with the cubs with whom one of their parents is. She hoped some of the pride members would. They were, after all, a future of the pride too.

"Also, how much do you remember, Aberforth?" Curiosity was itching at her furiously. The lioness couldn't help but worry and wonder, how much had he remembered?

She might just have to be the one to tell him the full details of what happened, but Hisia didn't feel up to it.  

[Cajanic]

The pink vulture was glad to have them all in agreement. Aberforth wouldn’t have to worry about what had happened with the pride for at least a little while longer.

“Why don’t we join the others?” Uchungu offered after a moment, “it seems like Aberforth is having a bit of trouble speaking to Hisia. I can’t help but wonder if he’s stepping on her toes,” she sighed, shaking her head. “He’s such an awkward animal, I swear. I can’t leave him alone for three minutes.”

Instantly Aberforth was against the ground, tail wrapping around his back left leg as he whimpered softly against the anger in her tone. It wasn’t that he had become completely frightened of her, though he was mildly worried that she would sit on him, he was just upset that he had managed to get her so worked up with something he hadn’t intended to cause any harm at all. Confused, he stayed against the ground, peering up at her after a moment. At least this way it was clear that he was the weaker of the two of them and thus completely alright with listening to every word she had to say.

“I’m so sorry!” he yelped, “I didn’t mean to upset you.” He worried that he had upset the babies inside of her with his carelessness, mostly. She was very angry. Was at him or memories shifting through her mind? It might have not even be rage at all that drove her words, how was he supposed to know?

After a moment, he started to get up again, feeling a little safer with apologies uttered. She seemed to be moving on too.

“Well,” he said thoughtfully, “not much. I remember being a part of this pride… and as I meet more members I start to remember them, sometimes. But… I really don’t remember much more than that. Nothing of my past or family… what I was like growing up or even where my den is. I had to have Uchungu show me.”

He hardly sounded like an impressive creature at that moment.  

[demonstration_evil]

Hifadhi nodded and approached the other lions, sighing a little, "Hisia... try to remain calm, won't you?" He looked at Aberforth and smiled a little... knowing he was being a little hypocritical, as his own temper did have it's way of rearing it's head sometimes, "Aberforth... it's good to see you again. Perhaps you don't remember... I'm Hifadhi."

Pepo watched from behind and sighed, watching Uchungu, "I know how you feel... leaving Hifadhi alone is like inviting chaos into my life. I don't know what that lion did before me, I swear. The old fool is going to go off and get himself killed one of these days without me." Of that, Pepo was fairly thoroughly convinced.

Hifadhi had gotten careless in his old age... and the more Pepo saw it, the more he worried that Hifadhi would do something that killed him. Or worse, killed both of them. But an old warrior was still a warrior... which had a tendancy to place brawn far above the brain.  

[Sasu Berry]

Hisia hadn't expected him to react like this. Instantly, she regretted it as a frown spread across her maw. She needed to remind herself that he wasn't used to others and that being angry might pose as something more. Half of her anger probably came from her being pregnant, too, but the other half was of her own doings. She didn't want him feeling put out though. He was a part of the pride, he shouldn't feel out of the pride despite memory loss, or anything else.

"I shouldn't have snapped, sorry," she said almost blankly as she looked toward Hifadhi. Her head rested on her shoulders while she looked down at the ground, feeling a fresh course of guilt course through her. "I really didn't expect to snap, I suppose after... what happened, I became a bit protective of loyalty."

She nodded toward Hifadhi. "I'll try to stay calm next time." she never expected to let another dose of anger out like that again. She never, expected to.