WC: 1,042
It was likely that something in the 'telephone' game between the prides had a mix up but when a canidate for an arranged marriage during the war was arranged. Men were needed, and likely the canidate was in danger of being killed. The war had started up and tensions rose to high, and quickly the Abila's family rushed underground to be protected by the setting war. Those whom had cubs were almost scared to leave their dens when fights broke out everywhere. No place was safe except undergound where most were protected by guards that were unable to pick sides. Species of every race were so interwined that it was hard to get messages out to one another. Maybe somewhere in between there was when the message got skewed and Abila was due in an arranged marriaged but she couldn't leave. No... the outside was too dangerous for cubs to be walking about even hevaily guarded. For a council woman's cub- Abila already was over protected enough.
When the news hit her- a safe haven.. No. She couldn't leave her family and her father wouldn't be too happy if she were to die on the way there.. Abila took the responsiblity and honor but as she told her new found best friend Espoir that she wished she could make her own decisions on who to marry then others. Little did she know whom she was being paired with and how they would react. "Some cub that might be too snooty for me~ or a total drag.." She complained and whined to her new friend, Espoir trying to calm the situation by adding more fire. "Maybe if someone found you- loved you ~ would fight against that marriage so you don't have to? Or .. Fake your death or something. No one would know?" "I can't do that~ Mother would kill me! Father would be heartbroken!" Her mother's orders were to bring the male to help aid in the war that was unleashed upon the pride, or. Was it Nyoka that pushed the orders.. Who knew? Not with this mess..
The striped male had fought many battles, but not a war. He had the scars to prove it. Jelani had been left for nearly dead many of times, and for that he hated lions…as they were usually the cause of his broken and bloodied messes. His mane billowed in the light desert wind. The cheetah had been informed he had been paired off to protect a female of high rank in a neighboring coalition that had an alliance between his own. He didn’t mind, it was his duty to follow orders so that’s where he was going. The sand between his paws was getting hot, he had left the previous night to travel when lions were sleeping, and the weather was cooler. Also he would be less noticeable in enemy territory, if he were to come upon anyone he could get away rather easily.
It wasn’t soon until he arrived to the pride. Or at least he thought…it was a lone acacia tree that marked the spot but there were no dens, no trace of anything. A few scents here and there but nothing…he had been not sent to a pride but either was a trap or a meeting a ground. He was hoping for the latter. It was enemy territory too…he rumbled unhappily. Jelani would have been more comfortable just being told that he was being sent to a meeting ground than a pride, his trust was a bit broken already. He sat on his haunches watching the distance to see if anyone appeared to the lone tree. His tail flicking back and forth uncomfortably and he waited.
The war was thickened, and it was hard to disguise friend from foes, and introducing more to the line of fire was hard to comphrend but Nyoka knew that the coalilation was helping them hold their cheetah families without a place to protect their family from harms way. Lowering her body as she came up from out of the rocky tunnels below in a darker shaded part of the lands. Night fell, and she was alone. There wasn't enough men to support guarding her any longer and she didn't need them. She wore a hood against the darkness as she saw the figure from afar. "Knight- of the coalilation." She barked harshly. Her face almost completely covered by the hood she wore. Tattered, and honestly looking like times were rough. From trooting and in to a stop, sand and dirt picked up and made smoke clouds beneath her..
A low growl emitted from Jelani without thought, being barked at didn’t settle him. He had the scars to prove it, if it were any one else in his own group he would have shown the female what was what. No matter how tough times were, courtesy and respect weren’t to be looked down upon. At least that’s how he had grown up, his mother had raised him like that. His own fathered had bailed like most cheetah males did. He however would vow never to leave the female he was betrothed to. Sure he had scars, looked a little beat up…but for a cheetah he was brawny.
Although he never noticed females gave him ‘the’ look. His mind often wandered and he didn’t give them much of a chance to speak to him, however if he did, he was not daft enough to realize that they were not interested in him. The trouble was the striped one had his mind pre occupied to whomever this royalty was he had been give the duty to protect, eventually love, and perhaps some day have cubs. He had cubs before two…but they were hybrids and no longer with him. It was the only lion he really liked, she was decent enough and somewhat conniving. But the mystery of her is what drew the warrior in. Normally he hated lions, they just pissed him off…mostly because they relied almost completely on brute strength. All in all it just made him better at what he did…which was never very nice.
He didn’t say anything to the female, he bowed his head slightly acknowledging her and waiting for what was next.