Deep blue rippled and moved across the lands, leaving behind only her soft scent and light paw prints. The world had become so vast it was almost overwhelming to the lioness, she had been part of a group so small and so segregated from the outside world it was almost like she had been walking in a dream for the past couple of months. Had the feelings of pain, hunger and then of pleasure not taken her over she would be almost certain she truly had been part of a dream.

As if like clockwork the pangs of hunger set in again, tormenting her until she finally decided to stop. There was a few creatures roaming about, mostly lions, birds and occasionally she got a good hint of snake, but that wouldn’t help her. It had been nearly two weeks since her last meal.

Moaning, her glazed cyan eyes stared at the group of lions ahead of her. Perhaps they could be of help?




He wasn't easily visible, as strange as that was to say considering his pelt color. But for once, he was well hidden, this female however, was not. She was however elegant in nearly every sense of the word. Though her feet seemed to drag behind her as if she were carrying a large amount of weight upon her delicate shoulders.

The leopon squatted down further into the bush and watched her carefully as she eyed the pack of lions ahead of her. Was she aware of just how dangerous these lands could truly be? Lionesses didn't just walk up to strangers in these parts - especially male strangers .... His orange orbs scanned the area for potential ways in which he could intercept her. But the only real thing to do was simply watlz up and interact with her. Obviously not the ideal situation, but what else could he do?

Pushing against the weight on the ground, the leopon pushed himself up onto his feet and inhaled a deep breath. He'd never been much of a talker, and when it came to the ladies ... well he was even worse! But what was the worst that could happen? Well ... she could chase him away ... that was it! She wasn't entirely threatening looking, so he wasn't frightened by her strength.

"Best just get it done then." He mumbled, scurrying himself out from behind the brush and closing the distance between himself and the gorgeous beauty before him. "Hello there!" He shouted, "I couldn't help but notice, you seem a little lost"




Having been caught off guard, Hesper shrank away from the voice that called out to her. Normally she wouldn’t have had such issues with others coming up to her out of the blue, but with as weak as she was, even a loud blowing of wind would startle her.

It was after a couple seconds that she looked up at the leopon, he was seemingly friendly in a way she felt comfortable being around. However, gut told her to still be weary. Offering a weak smile, Hesper looked back to the lions then at the leopon in front of her.

“I am hungry…” Hesper stopped for a moment, her throat dryer than she had realized. Swallowing a little, she continued, “Lost, no. Those looking to not be found are never lost. They don’t have a way to go in the first place. Lost. Lost is their home.” A bitter scowl appeared on a normally beautiful, if almost placid face.

She would scorn the life of Botta for as long as he lived, for it was his doing that ruptured her entire world and sent her out into a dream, no nightmare.




Mezlijin's quick movements faltered as he noticed how quickly the female before him shrank away from his voice and acvances. She was wary of him, it was to be expected, it came with the territory of being a stranger! He stopped in his tracks, dipping his head and instead offering her a small smile as he picked his head up once more.

"Hungry huh? Well it's nice to meet you hungry! I, am Mezlijin, Scout of the Kitwana'Antara." He guffawed for a bit at his own little joke, and waved a paw in her direction goofily. He noticed her glances and he too stole a glance at them. "I wouldn't get much closer if I were you, these parts aren't too friendly. I only know because I patrol here quite often." He frowned slightly, realizing she might take that as meaning he himself was dangerous.

"Forgive me jokes, you seem to be in some dire straights. How about you come with me, I can offer you a meal and a fresh watering hole. Perhaps even some company if you would be so inclined to ablige me!"




Hesper gave the leopon, now recognized as Mezlijin a scowl at the hungry comment before finally smirking. He was trying to make the situation a little less uncomfortable for her and probably for himself. If he wasn’t a scam artist and truly was trying to be helpful to her then he was sticking he neck out to the world and the fates to judge. Luckily for him, she was trusting and rather needy.

“Hesper, I am Hesper. Still hungry mind you, but I lack the name hungry.” Looking again with him at the group of lions, Hesper made sure her eyes met his when they came back. She felt grateful for his intruding if his words were true then. Nodding her understanding and a thank you at the same time, Hesper looked to her paws.

She would have bent before them to be fed had the leopon not stopped her. Her humility having been broken and regurgitated before her. She did was she needed to survive now.

“I shall come, Mezlinjin, but I request that if this is a trap you off me quickly and bury me proper.” Her voice came out almost stone cold and her eyes held a cold fire. A challenge. A warning.




"Awww Hesper was it? Well I have to admit the name Hungry was growing on me!" He chortled once more, between the two of them. Hesper seemed quite a bit less tense now than she had when he has first approached her, of that he was grateful. "But I suppose I could also get used to Hesper as well." He nodded rather childlike and offered a toothy grin to go with it.

Mezlijin would have bounced back and forth on his heels at the female's acceptance, had it not been for her next comment. The very mention of the those things made his ears droop and his tail sag to the ground. "Well" He offered up, trying to clear his throat enough to offer her some form of comfort. "If my words stand for anything, than I promise you that this is no trap. I was raised to help those in need, and you seem like some one who could use a helping paw."



A quick scoff and eye roll was all Hesper allowed the hungry statement to gain as far as attention was concerned. She wanted to move passed the awkwardness that was this entire meeting and get fed and watered. Giving Mezlijin a tight grin, almost egging him to start moving, Hesper nodded.

From the actions of her companion, Hesper realized her point not only was understood, it actually hurt him. She hadn’t had the intention of harming his character, she merely wanted to live. With his emotions now sagging however, she knew she could trust him. Or at least, more than she could before.

“I can believe that, Mezlijin.” Her eyes held steady and a warm glow now filled her face. She would let him through her guard and trust him. Perhaps he could even hide her from her assailant.


She was grinning! The leopon could hardly believe that despite all the negative things this poor lioness had spoken to him, that she was still able to smile. It wasn't the most perfect smile in the world, but he would take it! A smile is a smile, is what Mlinzi would have told him, and he knew his mentor was right.

His spirits rose just a tad as Hesper spoke up to him, providing him with comforting words. She trusted him, but did she trust him as much as he trusted her? He was led to believe not, but could he really blame her? Someone who looked as downtrodden and beaten as her, well they had the right to be mistrusting sometimes. "I'm glad to hear it Hesper. Quickly and quietly now, let's slip back the way I came before someone notices us." Nudging his head in the direction of the brush he'd exited earlier, he began to back away slowly. "There's a atering hole just on the other side of this barrier. Its ... sort of hidden in plain sight."



Hersper held her breath as she took one last glance at what could have been her last encounter with her kind before looking back at the brush where her companion and first emerged. Searching his face for any reason to not move, she found nothing and quickly made her way in the direction, stalling a second to wait for Mezlijin to take lead. If the watering hole was hidden in plain sight then she would need him to tell her where it was.

“To think, I could have starved or been killed in but a few hours had you not taken action. I owe you…” Her voice was shaky and without her consent tears erupted from her tear ducts and threatened to soak her cheeks.

“I sure would have gave myself to them just to have been taken care of… for even a little.”



Mezlijin jumped into action quickly upon realizing Hesper was waiting for his lead. He was a scout, but he definitely wasn't used to this type of work. Sure, he lead Mlinzi around when he searched for herbs ... but that was nothing in comparison to this. He felt like he held her life in his paws, and in only a few short seconds his fears seemed to be confirmed.

The tears weren't noticed until her voice began to shake with each syllable she spoke. That was when he turned around, having safely escorted them past the brush. "You owe me nothing. My mentor, he has always told me that one good deed deserves another. Recently I was given the gift of friendship, and today it was my turn to extend that branch to you." He smiled gently at her, drawing close for the first time. He reached out a paw to try and pat her on the shoulder, but he hesitated. Fearful that she might misinterpret his actions. "You are being taken care of now, and that is all that matters."

As he watched the tears continue to soak her cheeks, he couldn't just stand idly by any longer. He was going to comfort her, whether she liked it or not! Biting his lip in nervousness, he reached his paw out once more and patted her gently on the shoulder. "There is no need to cry, you are among friends now. Everything will be just fine."