Chemankari looked up to the twilight sky with a heavy sigh, eyes searching the muted colors and few clouds for the familiar form of her avian partner, Sesh-ratri. The eagle was scouting ahead for her, as he often did, and she was anxious to know if he had spotted anything promising. Not promising as in game, which more often than not was what they were after, but not today: today, and past days of which she'd lost count, they were looking for a home. Theirs was gone. Again. And this time, it wasn't coming back. Perhaps that was for the best.

She had only just returned to the swamplands in which she'd been born, her partner and namesake in tow, when the wildfire had sparked and swept through the drought-stricken lands, destroying them and sending the pride running for their lives. She'd then headed the rescue mission into the smoldering territory to locate their missing, and that had been...a disturbing sight. They had found almost everyone they were looking for - the thought that still haunted her and always would was that almost was not enough - but she would never forget the sight of her birthplace in such a wretched state. It would linger in her thoughts and dreams forever, she suspected. They had travelled, then, through the lands of the Ela'wadiyi and to the Great Mountain, which the divided prides of Sun and Moon had once called home but had long since abandoned. Many Jini-misemi - anyone descended from Asali'jua - were descended from the followers of the Sun, although technically speaking, Chemankari was not, as she understood it. Her mother was Mama Asali, who was...the same, but not. The goddess' emotional bonds to her family had remained, but her claim to that lineage, to that blood, had died with her mortal self. Not that it had mattered to her, for she had remained as devoted as ever to the pride and her descendants.

The Great Mountain had been a haven for them, for a time. Chemankari had even found herself with younger half-siblings, the children of Asali and Domevlo, but then the goddess had simply disappeared. No one knew where she had gone, and they had waited, and hoped, while a new Queen took her place and did what she could to stabilize a pride that had seen so much strife. But nature had been against them, and a landslide had destroyed their home. Among those never recovered from the rubble had been their Queen. Some had gone to the Ela'wadiyi, their tentative allies - and, for some, family - but more still had just scattered. Chemankari had been among the latter group, but unlike some, her wanderings were not quite aimless. Sesh-ratri, who now at last came into view and spiraled down towards her, had heard stories of a pride that revered the bonds between lions and birds, and it was this land that they sought. She halted her steps while the eagle made his descent, and braced herself for his landing upon her shoulders. No matter how careful he was, he was a large and heavy specimen, his claws deadly sharp, and he marked her every time he came to rest. It didn't bother her; if anything, she took the scars as physical evidence of their bond with each other, and treasured them.

She didn't even wince, just turned her head and smiled. "Anything?"

"I've seen no evidence of a pride yet, but I did glimpse a pair of lions travelling together over to the west. Perhaps we should see if they know anything. We're in the right area, I'm sure of it. I don't understand why we haven't found the pride yet..."

"Well, if it does exist or ever did, maybe we'll get lucky and they'll know something of it," Chemankari said with a doubtful sigh as she turned to the west and walked on. So far, no one they'd encountered had known anything of the pride, and she was beginning to wonder if it was nothing more than a legend, or if it, like the Jini-msemi, had met with trials it could not overcome.

"I have a good feeling this time," Ratri said in an attempt to reassure her, but his voice held the same doubt. They'd been travelling for what seemed like ages and had nothing to show for it. If what they sought didn't exist, what then? It was a question that weighed heavy on their minds and in the silence that fell between them as the lioness walked, until in the falling dark, they spotted the figures that the eagle had seen from above. One a lion, large and heavily-maned, the other a small, slight lioness.

Chemankari took a deep breath and called out, "Excuse me! Might you have a moment to speak with us? My friend and I are lost, and in need of direction. We were hoping you might be able to help."

The steps of the smaller form hesitated, faltered, and her companion stopped to see to her. He didn't quite nose at her, but presumably said something - was it reassurance or instruction? - and she ducked herself behind him as he came towards Chemankari. As he got closer, she could see that he was striped, although in the darkness, the exact color of his coat was lost. "We have a moment, yes. Are you just generally lost, or do you have a destination?"

"A touch of both, I suppose." The ex-swampie glanced curiously at the apparently shy lioness who peered at her from behind her larger companion, but the moment their eyes met, the other looked away. Hmm. What were these two to each other, and why was that one so afraid? "We've been following stories of a pride called the Aka'mleli. Have you heard of it?"

The male's expression fell, his posture sagged and he lowered his head. Meanwhile, the female perked up her ears and shuffled out and forward just a little. "You have the right direction, but I'm afraid you won't find it," the striped lion answered with a sad shake of his head. "The Aka'mleli is no more."

Chemankari and Sesh-ratri both let out soft sounds of despair. So much time, so much hope, and all for nothing... "Oh, no. What happened? Do you know?"

"I...would rather not speak of it," was the pained answer. "It was my home - our home." He looked back at the splotchy-coated lioness who had further emerged and now stood almost evenly with him, eyes fixed on the lioness-and-eagle pair. "I'm Faraja, and this is Anu-sok. Our partners, Amini and Jaza, are off scouting, as we find ourselves in need of a new home."

Chemankari would have sat, if it wouldn't have unbalanced Sesh-ratri, but she hung her head and sighed. "I'm Chemankari, and this is Sesh-ratri. We...we were looking for a new home, and we hoped..."

"I'm sorry. I wish I had better tidings for you. But since you're coming from the direction we were headed in, is there anything that way?"

Chemankari looked behind herself and gave a slight shrug. "Lots of unclaimed territory, but there are prides, too. We've been skirting around them, since we thought...thought we knew what we were looking for. Now...I guess we wasted our time. We'll have to find somewhere else."

"Maybe, ah...maybe we could travel together?" this from the undersized lioness, who shuffled her paws as she finally spoke. "M-more people is probably safer, and you p-probably know moer about...about...what's out there?"

Faraja nodded at his companion's words. "Anu-sok is right. This is my first time outside the borders, and I have no idea where to go or what we might find."

"Fair enough," Chemankari said after sharing a look and a nod with Ratri. "There are other places we could go. They weren't our first choice, but...we can talk about it, decide what would be best. For you, for us - we may not end up in the same place, but we can help you get there, wherever you decide."

"Perhaps we can discuss it in the morning?" Ratri suggested. "I don't know about everyone else, but I could use some sleep."

Agreement amongst the newly-formed group was unanimous, and soon they had all settled down for the night. In the morning, they would decide their future.