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The pride was still in its migration state, but the collective group had decided to stop for a day or two to let those that had been injured in the rogue attack heal up a bit. While she had insisted the wounds she had acquired were nothing - especially with poor Ifunci getting the worst of it - Nehanda had to admit that she was grateful for the rest. Although her visible injuries were minor and healing nicely, it was the ones that no one else could see that really troubled her. She had surprised herself with a rather successful initial attack against one of the rogues, but had been pinned down almost immediately and had to struggle to free herself. Thankfully Jasiri had come in and distracted the rogue long enough for her to wiggle free. What she had done had been more than enough to make her weak lungs act up and for the few days since the fight she had had more trouble than usual breathing.

That wasn't too out of the norm for her, though. Whenever she went on a hunt she'd have to recover for a few days before feeling her normal self. She hoped the burning, straining sensation in her chest would pass as it always did and she had no reason to believe it wouldn't, but with the constant walking Han felt like it would stick around longer than usual.

Her thoughts turned to the male that had saved her, her chest burning for a completely different reason. She owed her life to Jasiri, she was sure. Even though the rogue hadn't drawn blood or left marks on her she wasn't sure she would have survived the struggle that had followed her attack. She wasn't strong and he had been much larger and heavier than her. Simply pinning her down might have suffocated her.

Finding a tree to sit under, Han was left with her thoughts of the pale male. She had always found him interesting ever since he had arrive and although he wasn't the typical sort of handsome, he did his job very well as yesterday had proved. He had already had a litter with another female and they had all turned out very lovely and she knew she had some dark pelts in her family...

Wait. What on earth was she thinking?

Han looked up in surprise as a familiar voice called out to her. Kokumo had accidentally sneaked up on her while she had been lost in thought. Letting out a little breath of relief, she smiled at the darker lioness. Although she called her Auntie they really weren't that far off in age. The family ties within the Bonelands were very strange at times, so it was usually easier to call those that were older aunts and those that were younger nieces, if they weren't first cousins.

"Ah....yes, I'm all right," she said, hoping to ease any worry Kokumo might have. "Just a little tired is all. What about you?" she asked, knowing a cub had gotten lost while she and the other group had their own troubles. "Did you go off in search of the cub?"

She had no idea if anything had happened while they were out, although she did know the cub had been found and returned to the pride with them all. Phew...two dangerous excursions and no loss of life. They were lucky.

Han winced slightly at the thought of that tiny little cub in a herd of elephants. It was a wonder he hadn't ended up squished, or any of the lionesses that had gone after him for that matter!

"Oh...I suppose it could be looked at either way," she said as Kokumo began to groom her. "As you say, he's just a male, but at the same time he's still so tiny it's a surprise her mothering instincts didn't take over. Or perhaps she was too distraught and knew she'd just get in the way." There were many reasons for not joining in the search but Han wouldn't be the one to say why. She didn't want to make any of the lionesses here seem like they didn't care. She had a feeling if the cub that had wandered of was a female, though, Thula would have been among those searching.

"If I were in her place I know I'd probably stay behind, just because I'd slow everyone up and probably pass on my worry to everyone else," she added with a little smile, tilting her head to nuzzle Thula's in thanks.

Han nodded slightly at Kokumo's statement. She glanced in the direction of the few males that occupied the pride, watching them carefully. Both were new - one more than the other, of course - and she knew there were those in the pride who weren't happy with the red-pelted male being in charge, but now that this neutral colored male was also a head honcho perhaps they'd settle down. Han had been raised to appreciate a dark pelt and mane in natural colors, but that didn't mean she felt as though those with bright or unnatural colors were any worse.

At the mention of Jasiri her ears twitched a bit and a tiny smile showed on her face. "Ah...yes, it's a bit strange, but at the same time not at all. His markings and coloration don't really sit well with the rest of the females. He doesn't really have the personality of one who would be in charge, either. He does his job very well, though. Without him I doubt I'd be talking to you right now."

He had distracted the male that had her pinned during the fight, after all. She should really find him to thank him at some point. Glancing back at Kokumo, she felt her ears twist back a bit in embarrassment. "Perhaps it's the fact that he saved me, but I've been starting to find him more...suitable to be a father of cubs in the pride, I suppose. One of his sons was in the group I was in as well and he's got a good head on his shoulders, if he's a bit feminine."

Kokumo's question made Han nod again. She knew there had been different versions of the story going around - the other females in the group, for instance, probably would have twisted the story just a bit so it didn't have so much of them slipping in the mud. She had really made the only attack on the males before Jasiri and Andhaka had shown up, even though it ended on a sour note for her.

"There were two rogue males that appeared and one started to attack Ifunci, as I'm sure you know. The other was trying to hold us off from getting to the other two. I attacked the male and actually held his attention...long enough for him to pin me down in the mud."

She lowered her head a bit out of embarrassment, even though for someone of her size and strength it was impressive that she had landed the sort of attack that she had all on her own.

"He wasn't using his claws or teeth or anything but he was very heavy. I was having trouble breathing already because of the high energy of the situation, plus the attack...but then Jasiri came in and attacked the male long enough for me to wiggle out from under him and get to safety."

Well. 'Safety'. It was just a few minutes later when the herd had gone off in a stampede and she had gotten hurt. But that was a minor detail.

Han gave a soft 'mm' at the question, confirming the stories she had probably heard. "The one that attacked Ifunci. They were locked in battle for a while...it was obvious the other male knew if he didn't win he'd be killed, so he was fighting for his life. Andhaka bested him, though, and didn't give him a chance to repeat his attack later down the road. It helped scare off the other two males, too...there was a third that had been hiding behind the rocks they had come out from."

She shivered at the thought of that third male joining in the fray. It would have made for a far worse situation than there had already been. She returned the little nuzzle, a smile on her muzzle as she pulled back.

"I certainly would. I feel like he doesn't get much appreciation for everything he does for us. I remember when he joined and he was teased about having flies around him...as if that's not a problem for everyone time and again," She shook her head slightly before yawning just a bit. "Oh...excuse me. I'm still a bit exhausted from the other day."

The rough tongue was appreciated and Han didn't hesitate to lower her head to her paws. She didn't need to be told twice to relax.

"Thank you," she said with a fond smile, turning her head to nuzzle Kokumo's chest with her nose for a moment. "I owe you one. Next time you need a little doting don't hesitate to come to me."

After that she closed her eyes, her ears twitching from time to time as her tired brain tried to sort out everything that had happened. Jasiri kept coming back to her thoughts and, just before she drifted off, she made a promise to herself to find the male and thank him for what he had done...and possibly pay him back in some way, if he would allow it.