Z o m b i k ii
Chausika did not know what to make of her peculiar situation or the strange male that she was in the company of. The black lioness had been ‘staying’ with Azzan for three days and apart from the initial confrontation he had shown no signs of aggression towards her; though she put that down to the fact she had not tried to run away. The female was unsure how things would change when this ‘Seer’ arrived but for now she could not complain about her circumstances. Life at the moment was palatable, unlike the wasteland that surrounded her.
She was confused to why a Pride would ever choose a place like this to call their home. Pale eyes scanned across the blazing landscape from the entrance of ‘their’ cave. The land was aglow with a red hue, the sky an angry shade of orange. It was so hot here with very little water or shade to offer comfort, more so food seemed to scarce she was unsure how a Pride would sustain itself. There did used to be a Pride here though, a successful one if Azzan would to be believed but she was unsure if she actually did believe him. He was her captor still, a pleasant enough cave mate, but a captor nonetheless.
She had woken at the crack of dawn, deciding that if she was to hunt she would do so when it was cool and shaded. The ground cracked under her feet as she moved, the dry dirt acting like ice, the rocks rough against and harsh against feet that were more used to greener pastures. Her kill had been a humble one, a creature that was skinny and dehydrated; but a meal was a meal and the lioness was more accustomed to taking out the weak than she was hunting larger beasts with a group. It was how rogues lived and when you were just feeding yourself that was no issue.
However, for the first time in her short life she was hunting for two in abid to score some points, it was a long shot but Chausika held some hope that Azzan might change her fate if she was cooperative. So she sat in the entrance to the cave and waited for the male to wake, blood smeared across her face with the kill resting in the shade away from the heat.
She was confused to why a Pride would ever choose a place like this to call their home. Pale eyes scanned across the blazing landscape from the entrance of ‘their’ cave. The land was aglow with a red hue, the sky an angry shade of orange. It was so hot here with very little water or shade to offer comfort, more so food seemed to scarce she was unsure how a Pride would sustain itself. There did used to be a Pride here though, a successful one if Azzan would to be believed but she was unsure if she actually did believe him. He was her captor still, a pleasant enough cave mate, but a captor nonetheless.
She had woken at the crack of dawn, deciding that if she was to hunt she would do so when it was cool and shaded. The ground cracked under her feet as she moved, the dry dirt acting like ice, the rocks rough against and harsh against feet that were more used to greener pastures. Her kill had been a humble one, a creature that was skinny and dehydrated; but a meal was a meal and the lioness was more accustomed to taking out the weak than she was hunting larger beasts with a group. It was how rogues lived and when you were just feeding yourself that was no issue.
However, for the first time in her short life she was hunting for two in abid to score some points, it was a long shot but Chausika held some hope that Azzan might change her fate if she was cooperative. So she sat in the entrance to the cave and waited for the male to wake, blood smeared across her face with the kill resting in the shade away from the heat.
Felyn
It wasn’t long before the older male woke and immediately the metallic scent of blood filled his nose. First, it filled him with panic - there was no good warrior alive that didn’t assume the worst at the scent of blood so close by - but then his mismatched eyes lighted on the lioness sitting so peaceably at the mouth of the cave he had claimed as his own for more years than he could count.
“You were up early,” he stated, pushing himself up into a sitting position with a skeptic eye trained on her dark pelt. He could just make out the faintest hints of half-dried blood on her face, dark as it was again her already dark fur meant that only the lights reflection was any aid in seeing it. She had been like this since she got over the worst of her rage - anger, perhaps, she still carried on her shoulders but the all consuming energy had mellowed. It made Taka’s Scion wonder if she aimed to correct her wrongs without judgement but, unknown to her, it wasn’t his right any longer to pass her sentence. He would, at least, tell Kat the truth of her behavior since the wrong. What she would make of it was the Eye’s decision alone.
Without protest, he rose to his feet to inspect the kill she had managed - small and unhealthy. If he had to guess it was probably one that got separated from the herd and couldn’t find the small opening in the river to escape the blasted lands again. He had purposefully failed to show Chau the way out and, ultimately, the way to their prized hunting lands. It was better to simply let her believe that he would catch her before she could cross a river or navigate over the dunes and crags.
Still, it was hard to deny the hunger in his belly, especially when it gave an audible grumble over the smell of fresh meat.
“Good job,” he responded honestly, “you are being very useful.”
“You were up early,” he stated, pushing himself up into a sitting position with a skeptic eye trained on her dark pelt. He could just make out the faintest hints of half-dried blood on her face, dark as it was again her already dark fur meant that only the lights reflection was any aid in seeing it. She had been like this since she got over the worst of her rage - anger, perhaps, she still carried on her shoulders but the all consuming energy had mellowed. It made Taka’s Scion wonder if she aimed to correct her wrongs without judgement but, unknown to her, it wasn’t his right any longer to pass her sentence. He would, at least, tell Kat the truth of her behavior since the wrong. What she would make of it was the Eye’s decision alone.
Without protest, he rose to his feet to inspect the kill she had managed - small and unhealthy. If he had to guess it was probably one that got separated from the herd and couldn’t find the small opening in the river to escape the blasted lands again. He had purposefully failed to show Chau the way out and, ultimately, the way to their prized hunting lands. It was better to simply let her believe that he would catch her before she could cross a river or navigate over the dunes and crags.
Still, it was hard to deny the hunger in his belly, especially when it gave an audible grumble over the smell of fresh meat.
“Good job,” he responded honestly, “you are being very useful.”
Z o m b i k ii
“It’s too bright during the day, I am used to darker places.” She said offhand, thinking back to the lands where she lived as a cub. The black female must have walked one thousand miles since then, so far she could not return ‘home’ if she wanted to. She remembered a lush climate with tall trees and green grass, it was noisy and damp; the complete opposite to where she was now. Her dark pelt was obvious against the sands and pale eyes had to squint to she could see. She looked over her shoulder as she heard him approach; her face vacant of expressions; she looked rather bored. Everything was so lifeless here, there were no distractions from the relentless heat; she was sure it was killing her. Making her weak, docile; truthfully, she did not have the energy to be angry anymore.
Good job. Her lip curled slightly, a small ‘tsk’ leaving her throat as her eyes rolled. The size of the male told her he was well fed, you did not build muscle like that on an empty stomach; which meant there was food to be had, somewhere. The female was smart enough to know he was keeping something from her, but had enough sense not to the sarcastic comment that was on her tongue escape her mouth. “Useful?” She mumbled to herself, brows knitting together in a way that indicated she was not used to the word. When you were a bit of a loner, like she obviously was from her lack of social skills, you did not come across many chances to be ‘useful’.
“Well it is yours, I already ate.” Not that she thought he was waiting for her permission, the peace offering was obvious enough. Chausika looked back across the wasteland then, her eyes drifting to her feet and the small insects that were marching just in front of her, termites? She put her paw in their path, raising a brow as they began to walk around it; the black lioness smiled, amused for a moment. Keeping her eyes on the ground, and after offering him a meal, she thought this would be the best time to ask him questions; when he had just awoken and, hopefully, did not have all his wits about him.
“Azzan, what's a Seer?” She had wanted to ask him since he had first mentioned it; but had not found the opportunity until now.
Good job. Her lip curled slightly, a small ‘tsk’ leaving her throat as her eyes rolled. The size of the male told her he was well fed, you did not build muscle like that on an empty stomach; which meant there was food to be had, somewhere. The female was smart enough to know he was keeping something from her, but had enough sense not to the sarcastic comment that was on her tongue escape her mouth. “Useful?” She mumbled to herself, brows knitting together in a way that indicated she was not used to the word. When you were a bit of a loner, like she obviously was from her lack of social skills, you did not come across many chances to be ‘useful’.
“Well it is yours, I already ate.” Not that she thought he was waiting for her permission, the peace offering was obvious enough. Chausika looked back across the wasteland then, her eyes drifting to her feet and the small insects that were marching just in front of her, termites? She put her paw in their path, raising a brow as they began to walk around it; the black lioness smiled, amused for a moment. Keeping her eyes on the ground, and after offering him a meal, she thought this would be the best time to ask him questions; when he had just awoken and, hopefully, did not have all his wits about him.
“Azzan, what's a Seer?” She had wanted to ask him since he had first mentioned it; but had not found the opportunity until now.
Felyn
Azzan had given little thought to her mumbling, careless over her feelings of boredom or containment. Things simply were the way that they were - his Aunt, the Queen, and their shared ancestors dictated that his place had been here to keep the pride lands (and his Aunt’s Eye) safe while they waited for the rebirth. That fact simply was, it had never been disputed. Boredom was not his place to question when there was a duty, no matter how trivial it seemed to outsiders, that he need maintain.
He was pulling a strip of meat away as she asked him her question at last, though he finished chewing it while he considered the best way to answer. The large, dusky orange male was not prone to lying and truthfully, what harm would come of explaining to her exactly who and what would be deciding her fate? She deserved to know who would place judgement upon her for her literal and figurative trespasses and her judge was one of the most capable even if, in his opinion, she was sometimes unpredictable. He swallowed his food down and turned his mismatched eyes upon her, studying her demure posture for a moment before he spoke up.
“A Seer is a creature with a gift from the ancestors, they have the ability to predict what may come before it actually does. Katiti is the strongest seer my pride has ever known, I am here to protect her should she need it. She is more valuable to us than the strongest of our warriors.”
The words were said with a finite attitude, no room for question. As he spoke of her, his eyes drifted up to the horizon, as if he might see her returning from her latest survey simply because she knew her name was upon his lips. She was not there, however, but she would be. Very soon.
“She should be back any time now. I think she is close to calling our pride home.”
He was pulling a strip of meat away as she asked him her question at last, though he finished chewing it while he considered the best way to answer. The large, dusky orange male was not prone to lying and truthfully, what harm would come of explaining to her exactly who and what would be deciding her fate? She deserved to know who would place judgement upon her for her literal and figurative trespasses and her judge was one of the most capable even if, in his opinion, she was sometimes unpredictable. He swallowed his food down and turned his mismatched eyes upon her, studying her demure posture for a moment before he spoke up.
“A Seer is a creature with a gift from the ancestors, they have the ability to predict what may come before it actually does. Katiti is the strongest seer my pride has ever known, I am here to protect her should she need it. She is more valuable to us than the strongest of our warriors.”
The words were said with a finite attitude, no room for question. As he spoke of her, his eyes drifted up to the horizon, as if he might see her returning from her latest survey simply because she knew her name was upon his lips. She was not there, however, but she would be. Very soon.
“She should be back any time now. I think she is close to calling our pride home.”
Z o m b i k ii
Chausika looked towards the large male as he spoke, her brows knitting together once more as he answered her question. Katiti? The black lioness had heard of creatures adept in prediction; but the female viewed the ability as much less of a binary than Azzan was making it out to be. Like any other sense there were varying levels of ability; in the same sense that not everyone was either deaf or not, there was a lot of grey area in between, some could hear better than others, but all could hear.
It meant everyone was a ‘Seer’ but not everyone could see clearly, that is what she had deduced over time. She could have explained to him, told him about what she had heard and what she had learned from her time travelling; but he did not seem in the mood to listen to her stories. “The way you see the world is very strange.” There was a smile on her face then, small and amused. Azzan himself was very strange.
The younger lion did not move from her sitting position, eyes drifting away from him as he ate. “You have always lived here then? These lands are the only ones you know?” The concept was almost alien to her; she had never felt a strong enough connection to any place or any creature to call somewhere her home, she did not understand why someone would become to attached to a patch of dirt. The lands were so vast, so large, why would anyone want to be caged? Why would anyone develop an emotional attachment that would trap them, then trick themselves into believing they enjoyed it? That was rogue mentality though, Prides were something very different; maybe she seemed as strange to them as they did to her. His Pride, his people were coming home. And by the sounds of it, this Katiti was the one that would bring them back?
She shook her head, rolling her shoulders in a small shrug. “You seem quite comfortable in your solitude, I can imagine being surrounded by a pride again being quite a shock. I know I wouldn’t like it very much.”
It meant everyone was a ‘Seer’ but not everyone could see clearly, that is what she had deduced over time. She could have explained to him, told him about what she had heard and what she had learned from her time travelling; but he did not seem in the mood to listen to her stories. “The way you see the world is very strange.” There was a smile on her face then, small and amused. Azzan himself was very strange.
The younger lion did not move from her sitting position, eyes drifting away from him as he ate. “You have always lived here then? These lands are the only ones you know?” The concept was almost alien to her; she had never felt a strong enough connection to any place or any creature to call somewhere her home, she did not understand why someone would become to attached to a patch of dirt. The lands were so vast, so large, why would anyone want to be caged? Why would anyone develop an emotional attachment that would trap them, then trick themselves into believing they enjoyed it? That was rogue mentality though, Prides were something very different; maybe she seemed as strange to them as they did to her. His Pride, his people were coming home. And by the sounds of it, this Katiti was the one that would bring them back?
She shook her head, rolling her shoulders in a small shrug. “You seem quite comfortable in your solitude, I can imagine being surrounded by a pride again being quite a shock. I know I wouldn’t like it very much.”
Felyn
Azzan ate at the small beast in relative quiet as Chausika strung together an odd series of questions, letting himself concentrate on the way the meat separated from bone with the smallest tug of his teeth. He recognized her words for what they were - doubt in his choices meant to make him second guess himself, scorn for the idea of being bound to something. It was easy to see why one such as herself would not want a life bound by duty and honor but she also wasn’t a Scion of Taka.
“These lands are the only ones that matter,” he answered, then ran his tongue along his blood-dampened maw. He was done with the beast now, annoyed by both the effort it took to pick meat clean from the smaller areas and, too, by the implications laden in her otherwise simple statements.
“And whether or not you like it won’t matter.”
But he hadn’t answered her, maybe pointedly, over whether or not he would find it a shock. He couldn’t have said even if he wanted to. His youth had been spent in the company of dozens of lions that revered his bloodline and sought to help he and his family reclaim what had been denied them. After so many years, that old dream seemed so far away when they were simply struggling to become a single, unified group again. He didn’t doubt, he had never doubted, but he couldn’t just impose his faith in his pride and his heritage on her so that she could understand.
“In time it will not seem that strange, that I can promise. You have never had the fortune of knowing a pride that protects one another above all else, who comes together to stare down your enemies on your behalf.” His eyes were not on her now as he sat and stared out at the horizon but neither did they seem to be focusing on what they saw. They were distant, almost dreamy. “You have never known something like us.”
“These lands are the only ones that matter,” he answered, then ran his tongue along his blood-dampened maw. He was done with the beast now, annoyed by both the effort it took to pick meat clean from the smaller areas and, too, by the implications laden in her otherwise simple statements.
“And whether or not you like it won’t matter.”
But he hadn’t answered her, maybe pointedly, over whether or not he would find it a shock. He couldn’t have said even if he wanted to. His youth had been spent in the company of dozens of lions that revered his bloodline and sought to help he and his family reclaim what had been denied them. After so many years, that old dream seemed so far away when they were simply struggling to become a single, unified group again. He didn’t doubt, he had never doubted, but he couldn’t just impose his faith in his pride and his heritage on her so that she could understand.
“In time it will not seem that strange, that I can promise. You have never had the fortune of knowing a pride that protects one another above all else, who comes together to stare down your enemies on your behalf.” His eyes were not on her now as he sat and stared out at the horizon but neither did they seem to be focusing on what they saw. They were distant, almost dreamy. “You have never known something like us.”
Z o m b i k ii
The black lioness listened to his words but did not know exactly how to respond to them. “Your right, I haven’t.” Chausika had been born into a Pride; but her stay there was short lived. Since then she had never been tied down, never had long standing companions that she could rely on or develop relationships with. It was a lonely life at times, but one full of possibilities. She could go anywhere, anytime, whenever the urge took her fancy. It had given her the chance to experience many things and see more sights than she ever thought possible. The scary part was; she had still seen to little of the world. Now she felt like she never would, at least not if this Seer had anything to say about it.
However, the female did not think such an existence was cursed or unlucky; life was surprisingly easy when you only had to worry about yourself. Maybe Azzan’s time alone had taught him the same thing? “But I have never considered myself unfortunate, not until I s**t talked the wrong lion. Now I do indeed, feel very unlucky.” A small laugh, it was a joke; to test the waters on how perceptible he was to humor; to gage what kind of mood he was in now his belly was full. The orange male talked about his future like it was a dream; but Chausika knew all that was coming for her was punishment. She was still so unsure of what to make of her captor. “At the same time, despite the circumstances; you are not the most terrible male I have ever been in the company of.” Small blessings.
Finally she got up off of her perch and approach him, the blood on his jaw was more obvious than her own. The younger female stopped a small distance away from him, trying to get his attention back from whatever thought or dream had occupied it as he looked across the land. “Are you really Royalty? It is hard to believe they would leave a Prince behind to guard anyone, even if that someone is a great Seer.” Her brow raised again; if he really was the heir to these lands; well, then she was even more unlucky that she had joked about being.
However, the female did not think such an existence was cursed or unlucky; life was surprisingly easy when you only had to worry about yourself. Maybe Azzan’s time alone had taught him the same thing? “But I have never considered myself unfortunate, not until I s**t talked the wrong lion. Now I do indeed, feel very unlucky.” A small laugh, it was a joke; to test the waters on how perceptible he was to humor; to gage what kind of mood he was in now his belly was full. The orange male talked about his future like it was a dream; but Chausika knew all that was coming for her was punishment. She was still so unsure of what to make of her captor. “At the same time, despite the circumstances; you are not the most terrible male I have ever been in the company of.” Small blessings.
Finally she got up off of her perch and approach him, the blood on his jaw was more obvious than her own. The younger female stopped a small distance away from him, trying to get his attention back from whatever thought or dream had occupied it as he looked across the land. “Are you really Royalty? It is hard to believe they would leave a Prince behind to guard anyone, even if that someone is a great Seer.” Her brow raised again; if he really was the heir to these lands; well, then she was even more unlucky that she had joked about being.
Felyn
The joke earned her a small smirk, though it was harder to see with the way he was staring out at the horizon and not at her. He couldn’t deny that she had found herself a terrible bit of luck in coming here but neither could he say that she did not deserve it - mostly abandoned as the lands were, he knew they still smelled of lions. How she had managed to survive so long as a rogue when she seemed so willing to take risks over where she went was beyond him. It wasn’t like she had a lot of strength, anyway.
“Yes,” he answered immediately, turning to look at her as he felt her draw closer to his shoulder. His mismatched eyes stared down at her own. “It is more than that, though.”
For a moment he looked puzzled over how he ought to explain things to her. She was going to be stuck here, whether she liked it or not, and that meant that she needed to have a working knowledge of who and what this pride was if she wasn’t going to make a bigger a** of herself. Now that most of his anger over her slight had passed, he was more keen to treat her with the respect due any lion that had not yet had their weight judged. He stood then, with a sigh, and nodded his head toward the closest entrance to the tunnels.
“Our kind takes a lot of pride in our prowess as warriors - we do not believe in yellow-bellied Kings or Queens. If they can not protect us, what is their worth?” He slipped into the entrance, assured that she would follow without a question. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the shift of light as he began to navigate the labyrinth by heart. “A long time ago our rightful King, my Great-Grandfather and a true warrior, had his pride usurped by his younger, jealous brother. That lion was not strong, nor was he brave, he simply hid behind a charming tongue and a pretty face to get what he wanted.”
It took little time at all for him to find the tunnel that inclined up to the top of their mound, picking their path along the outcrop that would eventually give way to the Queen’s Landing. There was a den beyond the jagged jut of clay and stone that belong to his Aunt but that was not their purpose. Instead, he walked to the edge of the cliff and stared out across the lands that were their own by right and blood. To the East, on their left, just beyond the termite mounds and the curve of the river he knew there lay the true lands of his ancestors - The Pridelands.
“Now his people sit in the lands he stole, fat and lazy and content. They are gluttons that take their safety for granted and it is only their numbers that protect them.”
“Yes,” he answered immediately, turning to look at her as he felt her draw closer to his shoulder. His mismatched eyes stared down at her own. “It is more than that, though.”
For a moment he looked puzzled over how he ought to explain things to her. She was going to be stuck here, whether she liked it or not, and that meant that she needed to have a working knowledge of who and what this pride was if she wasn’t going to make a bigger a** of herself. Now that most of his anger over her slight had passed, he was more keen to treat her with the respect due any lion that had not yet had their weight judged. He stood then, with a sigh, and nodded his head toward the closest entrance to the tunnels.
“Our kind takes a lot of pride in our prowess as warriors - we do not believe in yellow-bellied Kings or Queens. If they can not protect us, what is their worth?” He slipped into the entrance, assured that she would follow without a question. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the shift of light as he began to navigate the labyrinth by heart. “A long time ago our rightful King, my Great-Grandfather and a true warrior, had his pride usurped by his younger, jealous brother. That lion was not strong, nor was he brave, he simply hid behind a charming tongue and a pretty face to get what he wanted.”
It took little time at all for him to find the tunnel that inclined up to the top of their mound, picking their path along the outcrop that would eventually give way to the Queen’s Landing. There was a den beyond the jagged jut of clay and stone that belong to his Aunt but that was not their purpose. Instead, he walked to the edge of the cliff and stared out across the lands that were their own by right and blood. To the East, on their left, just beyond the termite mounds and the curve of the river he knew there lay the true lands of his ancestors - The Pridelands.
“Now his people sit in the lands he stole, fat and lazy and content. They are gluttons that take their safety for granted and it is only their numbers that protect them.”
Z o m b i k ii
Chausika opened her mouth to speak but closed it when he indicated she should follow. Her ears flattened curiously as she took the hint, walking behind the male and taking in the sights of the tunnels where he lead her; knowing full well she could easily get lost in them. Eventually she saw light, and pale eyes squinted in an attempt to adjust to the blinding glow, orbs still not used to the unrelenting light. She followed him to the edge of the cliff, hearing his words, looking towards the lands he was talking about.
“I understand.” The dark lioness sighed, it was not a complicated story nor was it that uncommon. Power caused conflict. The idea that one life was more valuable than another added fuel to that fire. Yet, Azzan was not talking to her; a rogue, a prisoner - like she would have expected. He was the heir, her brows furrowed at the idea as if the very concept pissed her off.
“Damn it.” The words left her jaw like a hiss. This was a warrior Pride and she was a scavenger at best, if Azzan was to turn her into this Seer it would be the end of her. More so, they had been, were going to be in conflict with a neighbouring Pride. How could this situation get any worse? The female sighed, taking in a deep breath and letting it escape her lungs in defeat. “I change my mind, we are both very unfortunate.” It was said as she shook her head, they were both trapped here; she was lucky enough to have experienced freedom first. Azzan on the other hand seemed so indoctrinated by the prides values that he did not even realise that he was a prisoner too. She would have urged him to run away, if she thought he would listen. Then again, why did she care how he decided to live his life?
Instead she just turned away from the ‘Pridelands’ to look at the large male by her side. To those oddly coloured eyes and his dark mane. “Azzan, I don’t understand what I am doing here. You say ‘our’ Pride like you intend for me to stay here.” It had not gone unnoticed, he hadn't once referred to the Pride as his. Her brows furrowed and she bowed her head, long red strands of hair protecting silver eyes from the sun above them. “I am no use to a Pride, but you already know that.”
“I understand.” The dark lioness sighed, it was not a complicated story nor was it that uncommon. Power caused conflict. The idea that one life was more valuable than another added fuel to that fire. Yet, Azzan was not talking to her; a rogue, a prisoner - like she would have expected. He was the heir, her brows furrowed at the idea as if the very concept pissed her off.
“Damn it.” The words left her jaw like a hiss. This was a warrior Pride and she was a scavenger at best, if Azzan was to turn her into this Seer it would be the end of her. More so, they had been, were going to be in conflict with a neighbouring Pride. How could this situation get any worse? The female sighed, taking in a deep breath and letting it escape her lungs in defeat. “I change my mind, we are both very unfortunate.” It was said as she shook her head, they were both trapped here; she was lucky enough to have experienced freedom first. Azzan on the other hand seemed so indoctrinated by the prides values that he did not even realise that he was a prisoner too. She would have urged him to run away, if she thought he would listen. Then again, why did she care how he decided to live his life?
Instead she just turned away from the ‘Pridelands’ to look at the large male by her side. To those oddly coloured eyes and his dark mane. “Azzan, I don’t understand what I am doing here. You say ‘our’ Pride like you intend for me to stay here.” It had not gone unnoticed, he hadn't once referred to the Pride as his. Her brows furrowed and she bowed her head, long red strands of hair protecting silver eyes from the sun above them. “I am no use to a Pride, but you already know that.”
Felyn
“Oh, Chau,” he spoke then, almost gently, as if there was some detail that she had overlooked in all the words that he had spoken. His gaze fell from the horizon to stare down at her pale eyes instead, watching her with a mixture of amusement and pity that looked odd on his typically apathetic mug. “There is no escaping for you, you know that right?”
He let the words hang heavy in the air between them for a moment before he let out a long, tired sigh. His station here had been a long one and he knew in his gut that everything was about to change. Perhaps two years ago, three, he would have chased her out of the lands out of annoyance but she had come when his hope had been lit anew and she would be bound by the rules and laws that defined them. It was true that she had been on her best behavior, that they had been getting along well, but this was out of his paws now.
“She will have already seen you. She knows there is a soul that is awaiting her judgement.” His gaze slid away from her then and out onto the horizon once more. This time he did see the lone figure he expected, merely a blip in the distance where she travelled from the direction of the river pass, but there was only one soul that would have been heading for them with such a proud tip of the chin. Katiti, The Queen’s Eye, their almighty seer.
“I do hope that she takes it easy on you after everything I know now but I must warn you that I very, very much doubt it. You will pay for that loose tongue.” He turned away from the cliff edge and settled himself just before the abandoned den of his Queen.
“Come sit with me while we wait, girl. She will be here soon.”