"Hey, can you help me with something, please?"
Azar was so startled by the unexpected voice that she very nearly jumped out of her skin. The large, black Firekin lioness slowly turned her head towards the source and was surprised to find a significantly smaller, white, orange and pink lioness. She could tell with just one glance that this was one of the outsiders who had joined the pride- no one yet had been born in looking like that. Their golden eyes met and Azar cleared her throat.
"...Yes?"
The other lioness stammered and scratched at the dirt as she struggled to find the words she was looking for.
"I, uh, I am still sort of new to the pride, I have heard about a watering hole shared with the Bonelands pride, but I still have not been able to find the darn thing on my own..." She trailed off, looked away at what was suddenly a rather interesting speck of dirt, and let the silence hang in the air. '
Azar cocked her head at the lioness' request.
"Sure... not a problem..." She continued to eye the lioness suspiciously.
"How long did you say you've been here?" She asked.
"Oh, a couple of seasons, I suppose," the white and orange-pink patterned lioness answered somewhat absentmindedly.
"And your rank is...?" Azar questioned.
"See- that's the worst part of all, I'm a water-seeker!" Msafiri laughed at herself and was met with an increasingly strange look from Azar.
"Maybe you should reconsider your choice of rank."
Azar began to lead the way and, with a shrug, Msafiri fell into line behind her.
"Well, I actually grew up near the desert, you see, and I've traveled extensively. I've been quite successful with keeping myself alive and finding the next water source. I'd say my greatest struggle is with the pride boarders. That's new; I'd never been in a pride before I joined the Firekin."
Azar nodded politely and began to realize that Msafiri was going to prattle on the whole way. At least they weren't far, she mused. The large, black Firekin lioness remained silent, which Msafiri took as an open invitation to carry on with her monologue about her whole life's story.
"Yeah, I struck out on my own right after I grew out of adolescence. It was pretty rough at times, leaving my family and all of that, but I've just always had a real insatiable wanderlust, you know?" Her question was rhetorical; she carried on.
"I traveled from the ocean to the mountains. I've seen peaks covered in snow and ones billowing smoke-" she laughed and shook her head- "stuff you would have to see to believe!" Msafiri's eyes were about as starry as the pattern on her coat as she half remembered, half daydreamed about her explorations.
"Have you ever traveled?"
Azar was surprised by Msafiri once more. She honestly was not expecting for there to be a response portion of this "conversation." Quickly, she had to think of how to answer.
"Well, I... No, actually I have not. I have never left the pride's territory- excluding the outposts we share with some of our allies like the one we're going to- the one we share with the Bonelands pride." She paused, wondering for a second.
"I'm not sure why not, though. I don't have anything against it..." She shrugged.
"Just never gotten around to it, maybe. If I get the chance in the future, though, I'll have to act on the opportunity. It doesn't come along very often."
Msafiri nodded as she listened intently.
"OH!"
Azar flinched again.
"...What is it?" She clenched her teeth, not altogether surprised Msafiri had apparently forgotten something, but hopefully it was nothing that they would have to turn around for. They were very nearly to the watering hole. Azar could smell the faint scent of water on the breeze- or maybe she imagined it because she was hoping for it to be the case.
"I forgot to introduce myself! How silly of me!" She laughed at herself and bopped her own head with a white paw.
Azar struggled so hard not to roll her eyes that she thought for a moment that her retinas might just detach.
"I'm Msafiri! It's nice to meet you." She bowed deeply- far too formal for what Firekin custom usually dictated, but Azar did not want her afternoon to turn into a lecture about the do's and don't's of pridal etiquette.
"It's nice to meet you, Msafiri. I'm Azar." The black lioness turned back around and continued walking on towards the water. They were nearing the descent between the cliff faces that was cut away by some powerful force of water eons ago, and that was the best indicator that they were getting close to their destination. Azar could not help but think that for all of those ancient, endless seas, all that remained in the area was little to nothing.
"Azar, what is your rank? If you don't mind me asking." Msafiri had sped up to walk alongside Azar now that she was questioning her larger traveling companion. The white lioness had to almost jog to keep up with the taller lioness' longer strides.
"I decided to become a huntress, Msafiri." She said, flatly, and looked down her nose at her companion. The look on the white lioness' face was so bright, cheery and eager that Azar wondered how she would ever fit in- not that she would ask her that. As long as Msafiri believed it was the right choice for her and no one else said otherwise, she had might as well stick around. Azar sighed under her breath quietly. Was this what having a cub was like? Her golden eyes quickly glanced at Msafiri again. If this was just putting up with one source of air-headed talk and silly questions, how did anyone ever put up with the amount that came from an average litter size? She shook her head, lost in thought while Msafiri began another monologue or something.
"Well, we're here!" Azar interrupted whatever Msafiri had been saying. She winced when the white lioness squealed in delight.
"Oh thank you, Azar! It's beautiful here! And now that you've shown me, I'll remember my way here and back. I truly do appreciate your help!" If Msafiri had been a wild dog, her tail would have been wagging right about then. She beamed at her guide and strode to the water's edge for a deep drink. Azar followed, then turned to leave.
"I'll see you back at the pride!" Msafiri called after her.
"Yes, I'm sure you will." A small smile crept over Azar's lips. She couldn't help herself. Msafiri wasn't that bad, she supposed.
the end
word count: 1121
word count: 1121