Things had happened very quickly in the Bahari. A sudden threat, a small war, the arrival of members of another pride to fight off the dark-pelted intruders, and everything had ended in the death of the leader, Ram. Moana could hardly wrap her head around everything that had transpired and confusion and sadness permeated the pride.The other pride - Stormborn or something - had gathered up their personnel and had left, leaving the Bahari in shambles in her honest opinion. Ram was dead, one of his sons was stepping up to fill a role he had little training in, and there were injuries and even some casualties strewn through the pride.

She found herself on the beach where the height of the battle had taken place, the sand still stained red in some places, the tides washing away other evidence of battle. She sat down just out of reach of the gentle waves, the water over the sand soothing but not quite calming her. Moana stared out to the horizon, passed the island where some members had come from many moons ago, and wondered why this had happened at all.

Ahe was seeking comfort on the beach as well, the quiet lion padding along in the waves. He had done a fair bit of fighting and had a few superficial wounds to show for it, but his heart was heavy in his chest at the losses the pride had endured. He had done what he could to help but in the end it hadn't been enough to save everyone. He wondered why the Kizi hadn't come to help or why the Stormborn had been here at all. It seemed they were the ones to bring the lions here. If they hadn't come, perhaps this would have never happened.

As he walked he spotted Moana sitting not far from where he walked. His ears turned forward and for a moment he forgot his woes. He and the lioness had been talking a bit as of late and it was always good to see a friend. He was glad she seemed unharmed physically, but he knew the weight emotional distress could put on someone. Turning his path just a bit so he'd end up beside her, he walked on. Hopefully she'd want to talk.

"Good evening," he said quietly as he got within earshot. Moana turned, surprised at the approach, but relaxed when she recognized the male.

"Oh, Ahe...is it really good?" she asked, her voice sad and soft. "So much pain and loss...even with a beautiful night like tonight I can't appreciate it as much as I should."

Ahe nodded and sat down beside his friend, close enough so their legs touched for a bit of comfort. Moana leaned against him instantly, pushing her head under his chin to keep as close as she could. He let a paw rest against her's, feeling the need she had for comfort.

"I know it's hard," he said quietly. "But think of all the lives that were saved and spared. We lost a few, yes, but thanks to the bravery of our brothers and sisters many more have lived. We will mourn those we lost but we shouldn't let it drag us down too far. They wouldn't want us to live in misery."

"I know you're right," she said with a sigh. "It's just so fresh and difficult. I didn't lose anyone close to me but the pain of those that did...and Ram. He went off the cliff with the leader of the group that attacked. Neither of them even broke the surface again." She shuddered at the thought and hoped the fall had killed Ram instantly so he didn't have to suffer a death by drowning. As much as she loved the sea there was little worse than being aware of your own mortality and death.

"He did what he thought was best for the pride," Ahe agreed. "And in the end it was that that helped us win. His death should be mourned but celebrated for saving the pride. Who knows what might have happened if those beasts stayed longer." He didn't care to dwell on it, but the thought crossed his mind a time or two. The Bahari were a generally peaceful pride and the lions that had come to attack where clearly well-trained. As much effort as they might have put in, Ahe knew it would have only been a matter of time for the enemy to overpower them with skill. Home advantage only helped so much.

A soft sigh left the both of them and Moana's mouth curled into a little smile because of it. She pulled back from the male to look up at him, feeling a bit better just by having him close.

"Thank you, Ahe...sometimes it takes another to put something like this into perspective. It's sad...but we will survive and recover, as always. Ever changing, just like the sea." She glanced out over the water again, this time finding peace in the scene before her. Ahe looked out over the sea as well, silence settling comfortably between them for a bit. Gulls flew overhead completely unaware of the sadness below them, cawing and swooping to feed from the ocean. Life went on, that much was clear.

"I believe some of the hunters went out for fresh meat to try to brighten the pride's spirits," Ahe murmured after a bit. "We should go see if they found anything interesting." He glanced down at Moana who turned to look up at him and she nodded in agreement. Standing, the two stretched and shook off the sand from their pelts before turning to head to the trees.

"Thank you, Ahe," Moana said as they walked, bumping into her friend fondly. "You always know how to cheer me up."

"It doesn't take much," Ahe said in return, a little smile on his normally stoic face. "You just need a little push in the right direction."

The two continued to chat as they made it to the jungle, picking their way through the foliage to the place where the hunters would leave their kill. Hopefully a good meal and more chatting would help to lift their spirits a bit more and those of their pridemates around them.

FIN
WC: 1045