Sakhr was worried for his wife. Since coming to the pride, it seemed that they'd been separated from both Alouette and Tasnim. His cousin was deep in lust with a trio of strange males that stuck to themselves, and Tasnim seemed to be quite taken with a lion that wooed her - a married lion, at that, but one of high importance in the pride. While Parmelia had never really been a social butterfly, much preferring to mind her own interests, she had always had friends or family around.
Here, he could tell she was lonely and just perhaps a little homesick, and it broke Sakhr's heart that he had to see her as such. He had never been very close to his family - it was difficult to be when you were related to nearly everyone in it - but Parmelia had been, despite having a large family. It had been one of the things that had drawn him to her - her big heart and warm soul. She was a genuine lioness, and he only wanted to make her happy, to see her smile again.
With this thought in mind, he sought to find his wife a thrall - one that could keep her company when he could not, one who would tend to her while he was out on patrols in hopes of rising himself to the rank of Reaver. It was not such a high aspiration, but he was used to working hard and taking on patrols. He much preferred to be of use, and with no other skills to call his own - nothing that he could use to help the pride prosper - it seemed Reaver was the proper rank for him.
If there was one lioness who could point him in the proper direction of a good thrall, it would be the dark-colored lioness who seemed to mother the entire lot of the rest of them. And so, with this thought in mind, Sakhr set out to find this thrall-mother so that he might find a suitable female for his wife.
It would not take Sakhr long to find Badoura, as she was busy flaying meat from a kill that had just been brought in. Her paws darkened with blood and a very serious expression on her face, she did not see him approach - and so as to not startle the female, Sakhr cleared his throat from a fair distance.
Badoura looked up and offered him a tentative smile. He was a new member of the pride - had come in from lands unknown with a small herd of females.
"Greetings, Freeborn. How can I help you?"
She did not stop in her duties, carefully using her sharp claws to separate meat from pelt.
"I am in need of a personal thrall. One for my wife. A substantial female, one who.. one who will be more of a friend to my Parmelia than aught else." He cleared his throat, realizing how utterly ridiculous it sounded.
Badoura merely smiled.
"Of course. Of what age?"
"Pardon me?"
"What age? There is a young thrall, barely juvenile. Meera. She was brought in with her mother, but she would do well in a home with a purpose. Or there is Miela, a nice lioness who was captured with her dear friend Sabah. If these two are not suitable, I can see what else I can find. There might be one other that would be a decent thrall - and in truth, I worry for her safety as one of the general populace of thralls. It would do well for Lollys to find a home, though she is not of the greatest mental capacity."
Badoura added a large chunk of meat to a nearby bed of leaves before turning back to the carcass. Sakhr watched her quietly, enjoying the graceful way the lioness worked.
"Tell me more of Lollys."
"She is a hybrid," Badoura began, feeling that information the most crucial to speak of at first, "but she is a gentle female. Dutiful when she is permitted to carry out her duties. She has a difficult time with a handful of the males in the pride, as they seem to think she is their personal.. plaything."
Sakhr's eyes widened only slightly. There had been males back home that had not been kind to their Banu and Beybanu. It had never appealed to Sakhr. The entire pride had never appealed to him, in all honesty.
"Tell me of this youth, Meera."
"She was brought in unwillingly, of course, as thralls often are, with her mother and her sister. Quiet, unassuming. Gentle, but young. She has likely seen far too much in her life already, but she is a good and sweet young lioness. Hard-working and strong - but as I've said, she is young… so certain conversations might not be the best for her."
Sakhr nodded, looking thoughtful.
"And this Miela?"
"Miela was captured by Captain Thorgrim himself, along with his sons - or so I have heard, they were captured before I was. She is a nice female. Quiet, soft-spoken, unassuming of those around her. She is also talented in the healing arts. Perhaps she could teach your wife? Does Parmela have a hobby, or something she is passionate about?"
"She has always been fond of being useful in one way or another. Send this Miela to my den, won't you? Tomorrow morning I will keep my schedule clear, find another to take on my patrols. I am certain that this lioness you speak of, this Miela, will be exactly what my Parmelia needs."
He was excited already, eager to see the look on Parmelia's face when he introduced the females.
"Of course, as you wish. It is always a good day when a thrall is moved from the general populace into a home where they can be well looked after. It is a dangerous time for thralls these days - a thrall in a home is a fortunate thrall, after all - and Miela is a prime candidate for a home."
Sakhr was pleased with how this meeting had gone.
"Very good, then, Badoura. I thank you for your time."
She offered him a soft smile.
"I thank you, Freeborn, for seeking to provide a thrall with a good, safe home."
Sakhr excused himself, excited to return home so that he might inform Parmelia of the news.
WC 1057
