[R-RPR] A visitor (Musa’wenkosi x Kuma)

[Tanakako]

Musa hadn't meant to come so far. He had begun to recognise the land as he travailed but the drive for food had kept him going. It was days since his last meal and that had been far too small for a full grown lion. So he had stuck to the trail he had been following, but it was weak and kept peetering out until at last he lost it altogether. By the time he had to give it up as a lost cause he had become distracted by the sheer devistation of the land around him. Drought had been prevelant, and food scarse. But this? The earth was dust where it was not blackened and scorched by what looked like a recent fire.

Worry for those he had left behind in the Ithambo churned in his gut. Should he go back and help? Or would his arrival only cause further issues? Lifting his head from where he had been trying to identify a lump of charred something-or-other, he frowned. He wanted to know if his sisters and mother had survived whatever had happened here...  

[nessiaing]

Kuma was out again hunting she was out everyday looking for even a hint of food, she was getting to the point where she would even eat grubs. The sad truth was that even the grubs were gone after all there wasn't exactly any food for them either. Sighing Kuma found some shade and laid down. The lightly coloured lioness was exhausted to say the last. It had been close to a week since she had last eaten, and she knew that she wasn't the worst off, not by far.

Laying her head on her paws Kuma closed her eyes. Perhaps after a little sleep she would find more luck. If nothing else she hoped she would dream of plenty of food and a full belly.

Tanakako

 

[Tanakako]

Something off to one side caught his attention as he walked along. The shape of a lioness maybe? It was golden and lay collapsed under some shade. Ears perking forwards he slowly made his over, uncertai of his reception. After all, he was a rogue now, not a Bonelander, no matter that this land still felt like home.

"Hello?" he called out carefully, not sure if he was speaking to a dead corpse or if the shape would prove not only alive but violent too.

nessiaing

 

[nessiaing]

Kuma hadn't been asleep for too long when she heard the voice of a male near by. Her ears twitched and she slowly lifted her head blinking away the sleep as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. It didn't take long for her to remember and soon her stomach was rumbling with hunger again, she grimaced not enjoying the reminder of her extreme hunger.

She eyed the male suspiciously, he had the colours of a Bonelands but she didn't recognize him. Normally she was a friendly lioness even to those who were an outsider but today she was hungry and had less patience than normal. "Hello" she answered her voice quiet but strong. She hadn't bothered to get up not wanting to use energy that she would need to hunt even though she wasn't likely to find anything.

Tanakako

 

[Tanakako]

Well, at least she hadn't outright attacked him, even if she did sound a little miffed. Uncertain if he should hang about he looked her over, noticing the exrteme thinnes of her body and the rather dry dullness of her fur. Worried about the pride he slowly stepped closer.

"Are you alright?" Clearly she hadn't eaten well in some time but she could also be injured, after all she was a long way from the pride's mani area and he hadn't spotted a vulture nearby so she was unlikely to be Cinga.

nessiaing

 

[nessiaing]

The lioness's deposition softened when the male expressed concern. Sighing again she raised herself to a seated position. She moved slowly and carefully not always trusting her body anymore. "I am hungry, we are all hungry." she said.

Now that she had woken more she eyed the male more closely. "Are you from this area?" she asked. He couldn't possibly be from this area he looked far to well fed. He wasn't as hungry as the rest, for a fleeting moment she was jealous. Kuma didn't know of a life outside the pride but she began to wondering if life would be better away from what was becoming a death sentence of a pride.

Tanakako

 

[Tanakako]

He frowned as she spoke, having guessed as much from the state of the land all aruond them and her own skinny frame. Worry gnawed at his gut for his sisters Nhalahla, Gede and Chikomborero, and his mum Mvua. Of course his dad Bangizwe but he was Umholi so Musa figured of all of them, the big male would be best off.

"Is it bad in the pride?" He asked, his voice strained with his concern. He didn't even pause to consider if answering her was a good idea, he just nodded automatically. "Bangizwe is my father." He oaused, but he simply couldn't help asking. "How is Mvua? And my sisters? Chiko, Nhala and Gede..."  

[nessiaing]

Kuma was surprised when the male listed off members of the pride and a Umholi none the less. It was clear that the male was no longer a member though as was the way for most males in the pride when they reached maturity. "The pride is in rough shape." she told him with a sad bow of her head. She hated passing on the bad news, particularly when she knew there wasn't really anything the male would be able to do to help his mother and sisters.

"I do not know them personally, but there has been no death as far as I am aware. We are all hungry though." she told him her eyes full of apology. She wished she was able to give the male a bit more piece of mind, but truly there was none to be given. Even she was running out of hope and she was an upbeat lioness by nature.

"I was out hunting, Trying to find food not only for myself but those who are hungriest back home." she told him. Perhaps the male had been travelling had caught the scent of some food.  

[Tanakako]

His head drooped as she spoke, his worry not at all alleviated by her words. But then she mentioned hunting as his own empty belly rumbled. After a moment he nodded slightly to himself as an idea struck him, casting one more glance back to the pride. He could hunt and feed this female, then hunt again and send her back to his mother and sisters with the kill. He knew he couldn't go himself but this way he would at least be helping to feed his family.

Turning to her with renewed determination he nodded again. "Let's hunt together..."  

[nessiaing]

It didn't even think about the offer. "Yes" she answered. It might not be safe to go out with the male and put herself even further from the pride than she already was but frankly she just didn't have the energy to hunt on her own. She needed to get food.

"Hopefully two hunters will be better than one." she told him with a nod. "If we are successful I will bring food back to your mother and sisters... I know you are worried and can't get back to them." she told him her eyes filled with kindness. Kuma wasn't sure how she would handle having cubs and the chance of having sons that would likely have to leave the pride one day... it was a bridge she would have to cross when she got to it.

"Let's get going" she said as she rose to her feet and headed even further away from the pride, hoping soon to find food.