"Hmmm…"

Yithemba clambered up a small incline, pausing to look back towards where the pride had been settled. She paused thoughtfully, narrowing her eyes, then looking back in the direction she had been walking. Eagerness got the best of her, and she was a little less than graceful on her descent down the hill.

"This should be far enough," she called up towards the lion as she settled into the dried riverbed.

Ahlaq made his way after her, more thoughtful in his steps. "Why so far?" he returned when he had gotten close enough to where he could speak without shouting. It seemed an unnecessary walk. He thought back to his well-chosen resting spot. A sigh escaped him. So much for a comfortable day.

Or maybe that was a bad way to be thinking. Maybe it was good for him to stay on his toes. Nothing good could come from his getting lazy.

The lioness returned his question with a shrug. "You know how they are," she started, motioning back towards the bulk of the pride with a nod of her head. "Can you imagine? Coming across the Umholi fighting one of the lionesses? Some Abazingeli would be less than pleased. Plus. You know how they talk."

Ahlaq considered her, blinking. "You talk of them like you're not one of them," he said without directly acknowledging what she had said. Yes, he knew how they were. No more words needed to be said of it.

"Meh," Yi responded, waving a paw in a 'disregard that' sort of motion. "They're my sisters. It doesn't mean that they're perfect." The dark lioness' paw settled back onto the ground. "But that's enough of that. It's time to get down to business." Yithemba's chest grew close to the ground, her tail straight out and her back legs straight. The fighting pose of an eager child. "Teach me how to fight!"

The Umholi snorted and rolled his eyes. The sandy lion walked towards her. "First of all," he started, reaching out a paw and nudging her body downwards until the entirety of her body was crouched close against the sandy dirt. "Fighting another lion isn't polite. It's not like you face each other and politely wait until the other person is ready. Ideally, they wouldn't even see you coming."

The whole talk gave him flashbacks. Memories of teaching the youth how to enter a war back in the Burkuteshti. Little scappers, those cubs.

Ahlaq paced circles around her. "In some ways it's similar to hunting prey. You look for a weak spot. But you don’t have your sisters to back you up. Not when it's one-on-one. You can't go in like a pack and try to wear it down. Your opponent has just as much strength and stamina as you do."

Yi's eyes had been on him, edging around as he circled so he was never behind her. She was watching him, but still managed to be caught off guard when he lunged forwards suddenly, pushing her over. The lioness could tell he wasn't using the entirety of his mass to attack—even though he was smaller than Umkhombo, a full strike from Ahlaq would hurt much more than it did, she imagined. Still, she tumbled over.

"Hey!" She accused, glowering up at the lion that had her pinned down. "You didn't say we were starting.

"It's a pleasure you wouldn't get if this was a real fight."

"Yeah but this isn't a real fight?"

Another roll of the eyes was given as Ahlaq got out from on top of her. The idea that she was pushing his buttons—Yithemba couldn't help but smile.

"Your turn," he started, getting into a defensive position a few paces away.

The lioness nodded and mimicked his movements, pacing a circle around him. Admittedly, she didn't really know what she was looking for in a weak spot. "So," she started idly. "Did you guys win?"

A furrowed brow was the silent and only response that she was given.

"You know. In the war. Against the Qyr-whatever they were called. The lionesses and Umkhombo. They seem pretty bitter. Is it because they lost?"

"Everyone lost," Ahlaq muttered in reply. It was his default answer. One that he had clearly thought about time and time again ever since the Burkuteshti dispersed. Those last days, it wasn't something that he really wanted to think about. But it was also something that he didn't want to forget. Even with the sickness. The war. The miscalculated battles and plague-ridden loved ones. It was all too important to just let go. It was all a weight on his shoulders. Truly. "Now focus. This isn't a time for idle chatter."

"Eugh. Look at you." Yithemba replied, jumping towards him as she spoke. "Sure do act like you have a big 'ol stick up ye-oomph!"

Her words were cut off when her blow was pushed aside by the lion's burly mass. Ahlaq had moved to the side to avoid the brunt of her blow, changed direction, and came back at her to knock her in the side. Yithemba hit the ground in a puff of dusty dirt.

"You're not committed enough to the strike. Not focused enough to hit the right spot. Anticipate movements. Focus. Try again."

Yithemba grumbled as she got to her feet. Maybe this was a big mistake, after all. She might have been better off at the Outpost. If she really wanted to learn, one of the redpelts might give her a lesson without being so… tough. But this was route was much more interested. And besides. Ahlaq and the other two had beaten Bangizwe and Andhaka. Sure, there was gossip that they hadn't been giving their all for reasons, but the victory wasn't something to be taken lightly.

And hey. Maybe if she continued at it she could get something from the lion. Something more than short, blunt sentences. Sure, he was a tough nut to crack. But the tougher it was the more worth it, right? And Yithemba was a very determined lioness.

The lioness gave a toothy grin and returned to her original spot, waiting patiently for Ahlaq to resume his defensive stance. Poor guy, she thought. She was going to make it one hell of an afternoon.

(WC: 1048 )