Life had taken quite the unexpected turn for Faraja, who'd been born to an easy life of peace and little to no concern. He'd been comfortable and content in the Aka'mleli, but his world had been turned upside-down, and the little haven he'd been so happy to call home was no more. So here he was, out in the great wide world for the first time, with no idea where he was going or even what he was looking for. All he knew was that he needed to stay close to Anu-sok and take care of her, as the splotchy-furred lioness had little hope of surviving on her own, even with the falcon Jaza to take care of her; it was why the pair had come to the Aka'mleli in the first place. From what little he'd been told, Faraja knew that the falcon had essentially raised her, but raising a lioness was a nearly insurmountable task for one small bird of prey, and he'd had trouble keeping her fed, which was one of the reasons she was so small.

Some might have mistaken Faraja's focus and care as being from a lion in love - and Amini had once teased him about just such a thing - but in truth it was simply good-heartedness and a resulting need to help. Anu-sok had been such a sad, fragile thing when he'd first seen her, and it had pulled at his heart. Although she'd filled out and strengthened since, he couldn't help but see her as he first had all that time ago. She improved physically, but she was still shy, and incredibly uncomfortable in the presence of strangers, if not downright frightened. He still didn't know what had happened, and doubted she would ever tell him, but her distrust of other felines had yet to be shaken. He hoped that one day it could be. Maybe their new travelling companion, Chemankari, could help with that, or maybe where they were going, she would find someone to open up to. Maybe this, maybe that.

Faraja sighed and looked over at the brown-pelted lioness who paced beside them as they followed after her eagle, Sesh-ratri, who had spotted prey. Behind them, they had left Anu-sok and Jaza, as well as Faraja's eagle, Amini, so that the lioness would have company while they hunted. He'd done his best to teach her, and perhaps he wasn't a very good teacher, but she'd never succeeded in picking up the skill.

Chemankari, catching both the sigh and his eye as he glanced her way, asked curiously, "Is everything alright?"

"Hmm?" Caught in his thoughts, Faraja rushed to assure her that nothing was amiss. "Oh, no! I was just thinking. I'm sure Amini would tell me I need to do that more, but lately I feel like that's all I've been doing, and it doesn't get me anywhere."

"I know the feeling," the former swampie sympathized. "There's not much else to do when you're walking, day after day, other than think about where you've been and where you're going."

"Exactly," the striped lion said, relieved to have someone to speak to who understood...relieved to have someone he could speak to with more honesty. It wasn't that he couldn't trust Anu-sok, far from it, he just couldn't bring himself to share all of his thoughts and doubts with her. She already fretted enough about too many things, and he didn't want to worry her further with his own concerns.

"You worry about her," Chemankari observed, "Your friend. I can see it in the way you watch her, sometimes. I know you'd rather not speak of the Aka'mleli, but..."

Faraja shook his head and let out another sigh. "You want to know if it's because of what happened. It's alright. It's not. Anu-sok had a hard life before Jaza brought her to the pride, and even as long as she was there, she never quite adjusted. She doesn't say much about her past, and I know that even if I pried, she wouldn't tell me, so I don't bother trying. All I know is that Jaza raised her, or tried to."

"A falcon raised a lioness?" She considered the implications of that, and how difficult it must have been, and surmised, "That does explain some of it, I suppose."

"She's better than she used to be, believe it or not," he admitted.

"Still, it's good of you to take care of her the way you do. Are you...?"

"Am I... Oh! Are we together, you mean?" Faraja chuckled and shook his head.

"Sorry, if that was too personal a question," Chemankari apologized and ducked her head with a self-deprecating smile.

"No, no, it's fine," the hunter told her with a grin. "It's not the first time I've gotten that question. Even from Amini, but no, we're not. She just...needs someone to help her, and I like to help, I guess. Someone needed to." She'd needed help when she'd come to the Aka'mleli, so he'd given it, and with the Aka'mleli gone, well, she'd needed him again. Maybe even more. The poor thing had been terrified at the prospect of being alone and prideless again, always on the edge of starvation.

"You're a good person, Faraja," Chemankari told him, approving.

"Me?" He looked surprised by her assessment and shook it off with a laugh. "I'm just doing what any decent person with half a heart would, I'm not anything special."

"Once you've been out here awhile, you'll realize that that's not true. You're better than most," the lioness insisted, even if she felt somewhat awkward saying it, and he certainly felt awkward hearing it. He needed to. "I've met all sorts, and you're one of the good ones."

"I..." Faraja fumbled with what he might say, put on the spot and simultaneously flattered and embarrassed. "I'm not sure I see it, but, well, thank you." He looked away, first into the distance and then up to the sky, and there found salvation. "Look, there's Ratri!" he pointed out, clearing his throat. "We should go see what he's found!"

The striped male trotted off in the direction the eagle was leading them, leaving Chemankari to smile and shake her head before following.