Kofi.... No Azuka now was on his way back from his naming quest. Of course, somewhere along the way he got lost.... very lost. This mountain he thought was home, was not at all. Colder that he had remembered, snow.... He didn't remember much snow where he was from. But he continued. Where was he? How did he get lost? He wasn't sure. All he knew was he was cold, hungry, and desperately needed a place to settle down for a while. He was sick of walking. Lost wasn't as fun as he had originally thought it was.
Snow was falling heavily and he could hardly see anything. What was he doing here? He asked himself that many times in his head. Shivering as he moved, hoping beyond hope that there was someone out here to help him. He saw caves up a head, the day was still young, but slowly getting darker as he went. But, there was caves, shelter. Something ahead of him.
If Natintrapa hadn't been use to this land, she might have missed the lion in the distance. His fur was that of many of the pride, so at first she thought he was one of them. As he got closer, her mind of that changed. He was someone she had never seen. And with the pride being small, she knew he wasn't part of the pride. Though, she could tell he needed help. She normally wasn't one to greet new arrivals, but she couldn't see anyone else about. Everyone had gone in for the night, and the guards were farther out than this male was.
She decided to take it upon herself. If he had been bad, he would not have found this area at all, she told herself, though that didn't make her less cautious. She wondered if anyone can trick the goddess that watched over them, but that wasn't something she should question, she'd never actually admit that out loud. Moved towards the male, the snow falling harder by the second as the blizzard increased it's winds. "Hello!" She called out when she thought he was close enough to hear her.
She couldn't let him die out here in the cold regardless if he might be bad or not. She just wasn't that cruel. Everyone who had came here had reasons to find this place, and he was just the same. "Do you need help?" She asked. Of course he did... but she still wanted to ask.
Azuka heard a voice in the distance, it seemed far away. It took him a good couple minutes to find where the voice had come from. Oh thank god! He was saved. "P....le.....ease...." he said with every ounce he could once he was close to her. He was shivering, wet, and he couldn't feel is paws anymore.
She looked much more ready for this weather, perhaps she lived in this area. "I..... can't feeeeeeel my p-ppawsss" he said. his body was shaking harder than he had noticed til he got closer and she was moving... well no, he was moving and it made it look like she was bouncing all over the place. "If it's no trouble" He said managing to say stuff between a shiver.
She smiled at him. It was clear he needed warmth, and probably some food. "Come quickly." She said as she moved to his side and put some of his weight on to hers. That way he could walk a little faster. They moved together, slower than she had expected, but all the same they got inside the caves where the hot springs kept everything at a reasonable temperature. The part of the caves that they had entered was not being occupied at the moment. That was probably for the best once she got to know the male she had saved before introducing him to everyone.
"Get warm, then I shall show you where you can eat and stay for the night." Or longer, she was always hopeful when new faces came about. Though she tried not to seem like she was.
He didn't speak, he couldn't speak. Not for the moment at least. He let the warmth wash over him as he sat there not moving. His fur was heavy and dripping now that the snow melting. After a long minute, he looked back at her and smile "I'm Ko....Azuka." He said to her finally. She didn't ask his name but it was good to show that he had one. It was a sign of being nice, and hopefully she didn't murder him.
"Thank you." he said after a few more minutes. He was truly in her debt, if she was the kind hearted lioness she suggested when saving him. "What shall I call you?" he asked her.
"You may call me, Queen Natintrapa" She said with more of a firm voice to make it more believable to him. "Get warm, and you shall see the rest of the pride." She said as she stood up to her fullest. "I want you to get more comfortable before being questioned by everyone." She said with a smile. "Unless you are up for that sort of thing?" She asked him.
She was curious about him, but didn't want to be rude. He needed rest and food. "I don't want you to die from being overwhelmed. " She giggled. She sat down in front of him waiting for him to say he was ready to move.
He just needed rest. Everything was too much for him to comprehend. "Sleep... I need sleep" He said as he curled to the floor, now warmer than he had been in who knows how long. The feeling to his paws were finally coming back. All he had to do now was dry and sleep. He'd talk about things in the morning. If she was a Queen, he was safe in her hands. She hadn't done anything to suggest she was going to hurt him.
Soon his eyes were closed and dreams came to him. Deep sleep came easy now that he knew he was safe. Something he hadn't fully felt since he left his home land. Perhaps this was his home now?
