Cyprinnus lapped up some water at the edge of a small but clean pool. He rose from his crouched position and stood, surveying the land before him. It was a less-traveled part of the Firekin territory, and today he, along with some other water-seekers and some hunters, were scouting it out for resources. The splotchy white and red and black lion padded over slowly to speak to one of the hunters. It was getting to be late in the day and they had all decided to set up a camp near the small watering hole before deciding in the morning if they would look further or go back. It had not been a huge success nor a failure, but the water seekers' find had been, on the whole, rather insignificant for the huge pride. They would need to determine if there was a larger underground spring that the water was sourced from, and if that was the case then they could further dig it out and expand the minute oasis and possibly attract more prey beasts in the future. It was all about balance, preparedness and conservation in the desert. They could not drink all the water at once, now, as badly as they may have wanted to, because it would likely offer greater benefits if they rationed it and used it as bait in a trap for prey larger than small rodents and the like that were most common among the pride's lands. "Azar, what do you think of this place?" He asked the large black lioness. She had been born in the pride and was part of the many great bloodlines so she won her large size from her ancestors. Cyprinnus was about average sized so they stood about eye level. Their yellow and blue eyes connected before she cleared her throat to speak.
"Cyprinnus, I think it is a nice little watering hole but I am not sure how long it will be here." She frowned and examined the shallow depression that acted as a bowl for the water.
"I suppose we will record its location for future use and hunting purposes, but it may best serve us as just a resting point on the way to better known water reservoir and hunting grounds." She dug her toes into the slightly damp soil and inclined her head, inviting the lion to speak. He nodded before speaking.
"I think you are probably right." He sighed a very small, quiet sigh. The shadows were growing longer on the ground and the air temperature was beginning its nightly plummet. He shivered a little. It was always something that took getting used to on nights that were spent out of the den.
"Have you seen signs of prey?" He asked, tilting his head the same way she had tilted hers. The black lioness waved her head a little in a not quite a no not quite a yes gesture.
"Nothing too significant. There are some very old signs that herds of ibex and gazelle have used this place– signs that they rubbed their antlers and ate these sparse vegetations– but nothing fresh. The hoof prints are barely still there, the wind has blown them away enough and there are no fresh droppings or scent markings. It could be worthwhile to check back here in the future to see if maybe it is used seasonally with the migrations or something similar." She considered the water carefully as the pinpricks of stars began to appear on its reflection. The sky was turning rosy pink to amethyst purple to inky black faster and faster. She cast her yellow eyes up to the heavens and noticed that there would be no moon on this night which would only make the stars they sometimes navigated by even brighter. Eventually she looked back at Cyprinnus, who she became aware of watching her. Cyprinnus also was startled at noticing he had been watching Azar with such focus. Quickly he glanced down his light blue eyes down to the water again. Even at its deepest the sandy bottom was still visible. It would be heavy and difficult work to excavate it further but not something they had never done before. They would manage as they always had. His efforts to look deep in thought instead of at Azar seemed to be working. The lioness did not look still so surprised anymore, instead, when he looked back at her to check her demeanor, she was now the one doing the examining. He offered a small, shy smile.
"Hopefully we will find something more significant tomorrow," he said. Azar nodded in return and also smiled slightly too.
She considered the male who had once been a rogue. She liked the red and blacks and the patterns that they formed on his back. It was nice to be able to admire a male without having to be concerned or worried that they were actually first or second cousins or something. That was her least favorite thing about her home.
"Have you had any regrets about joining our pride? I seem to recall you mentioned before that you used to live by the sea, is that right?" She asked him, softly. Cyprinnus shook his head. He had never felt any remorse about joining the pride.
"I like it here. I feel useful as a water-seeker. I suppose it is not too different. I mean the ocean is not drinkable water either, you know. And the beach sand is not too different from the desert sand." He shrugged a little bit. They were actually vastly different and difficult to compare, but his pride had disbanded. It had not left him with much of a choice in the matter of staying or going. He knew that there were other prides along the coast but that probably would have been tougher to adjust to and just left him sad about his old home. He gave Azar another smile and hoped that the new falling darkness was disguising the slightly sad tint that his expression had. However, Azar saw it and would remember it for a long time to come.
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