Mwujuzi sat in awe as she watched the golden sun begin to rise on the horizon of the Kusini'mwesi pride lands, it's rays of light breaking through and bringing color to the dark veil that the night had draped across her home. It was a beautiful sight. The golden lioness wondered to herself why she had never watched it before now. She knew though, why she was watching it now. The sun breaking in the dawn of a new day, was much like the comings of her life. For now she was to set out on a new adventure, a new dawn in her own life.
Her heart gave a flutter, in excitement and worry for the unknown. She had always lived in the Kusini'mwesi lands. Here she was born. Here she grew up, learned the ways of the pride, learned how to be a good hunter, learned all that she could. Here she had become an adult, she had made friends, seen others leave. All the while she had remained content and happy to live her life the way she had always, in the ways of the pride. Yet now something in her ached. She yearned for more. The golden liones, descended from the royal line not only of the Kusini but also of the Pridelands, was finally longing for some of the travel and adventure that many of her ancestors had shown.
She didn't know how it had happened, but one day, sure enough, it was just there. This desire to up and leave. To explore. To see the world around her. Happy and content to sit and live within the confides of her Pride she was no more. Mwujuzi pined for adventure. It had come suddenly. The feeling was not a gradual one. One day it was not there and then the next it was. But it would not go. The lioness had tried to put it out of her mind, sure that it was just a phase, after all, hadn't she been fine with the way her life had been until now? But no matter how she tried to ignore it, the feeling stayed. It ate away at her until she could no longer bear it. Only then had she given in and decided. It was time to leave.
But where would she go? This was a thought that plagued her mind. It was always there, in the background. She was always aware, but did not give it too much thought. Besides, many she had spoken with about their own tales of exploration had said they'd often had no destination. They had just started, and traveled wherever their paws had taken them. It was a nice thought, but it was both comforting and frightening, for Mwujuzi loved the idea of the freedom to choose her own destination, but feared for the unknown of the rogue lands, and the other pride lands she knew nothing about.
She flicked her tail as she thought, the brown hair at it's tip ruffling from the movement as she thought of where she might go. The land was vast and wide, and there were many different lions throughout the region. Not only were there lions but there were other species as well. Mwujuzi did not mind the other cats. There were certainly some here within the Kusini, and she'd known them to be nice and pleasant, not too different from lions themselves. Perhaps she would meet some others on her travels. Though hopefully they wont be mean, she had as an off-thought.
Her reverie was broken by the croak of a near by frog. She looked to the noise and smiled. She would certainly miss her home, there was something about the lands that made her at ease. She was used to all the different sounds, the way the sun lit the area, the colors of the surrounding vegetation. She'd enjoyed her life here very much, but it was now time for her to move on. Perhaps one day, when she was older, once she'd had children, she would return. Yes, she thought to herself. I'd like that. For although she was desperate to leave, she was glad she had made the decision to return one day to her home. She would always remember the time she'd spent here, and would be happy to have her final days in the land she was born in.
The sun was almost wholey visible above the horizon. A sliver of it's bottom wavered beneath the edge of the earth. The Lands were now coming to life thanks to the new morn. The birds were flying, off to catch their morning feed. The bugs were busy with the tasks of the new day, giving a light hum to the lands. The frogs were singing in the reeds, welcoming the new day. A small tear rolled down the side of her face as she took in all the sights and the sounds of her home. For although she was eager to leave and to see the world she was still sad that her time here would be over. Not over, she thought to herself, just delayed, for she was sure that one day she would return.
The sun was fully visible in the sky now. It bathed the land in light, letting everyone know that the day had truely begun. Mwujuzi begun to rise from he spot. Well, she thought, I guess it is now time, for she had decided that she would leave when the new day was upon her. Now on all fours, Mwujuzi turned to head towards the pride borders. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Not yet, she thought to herself. I should at least have one last look around my home before I leave. So she decided that she should take in the sites of the Kusini'mwezi once more before she was gone, so that she could remember all the details, and when the time came would be able to tell her young of the home she once had and all the good times she had had there.
Her tour took her some time, but once she was satisfied she was ready to head off. She turned and walked towards to borders. She walked, away from the place she had know, the place she was comfortable in, and towards the unknown, towards the yearning feeling she was having. Excitement sped her step until at last she was free of the pride lands, and out into the lands where the rogues roamed.