Something was wrong, Kore knew it. She couldn't tell what, but her heart tugged at her to leave her home in the Pridelands and head out. I'm coming mom she found herself saying in her mind as she glanced one more time at her homelands and the iconic Pride Rock.

This was a few weeks ago.

Now, Kore found herself shuddering as the cold rain hit her skin. The rainy seasons were upon the lands, and while normally the dark female would keep herself warm and dry in the comfort of her den at home, that wasn't an option in the southlands. Rogue life did not suit the demigod. Her normally sleek pelt was duller, patchy like from the constant go and little time to groom. She bore a few scrapes from small scuffles she encountered, and her form was thinner from lack of meals.

The rain made her look almost like a drowned rat. Her long forelock fell over her eyes, and her tail dragged in the muck as she trudged on. Kore shivered, gazing around. There had to be some sort of shelter out her, right? A flash of lightning in the sky above caused her to freeze. She need to find it fast.

"I fear the rain will keep us still for the night, brother." a sultry voice spoke as a lioness dripped in white moved from her place beside the shadows, standing tall and proud. Her eyes were a mixture of black and white, one odd, a gift from her mother no doubt. "Kinsin will have to wait." as she spoke again the female flicked her tail in annoyance.

"As you say, Velka," a deeper voice replied as a large lion moved to stand beside the female, his gaze worn and tired. "-this storm will pass eventually. I should find us something to eat." unlike his sister this lion's eyes were both the same color, he wasn't born with a gift from his mother.

"Artorias-" Velka spoke as the male passed her, her tone firm and expression wary. "Be careful."

"As always, sister." as quickly as he responded the male left, heading deep into the abyss that was the night, lightening lighting his way.

He would wander alone for sometime before stopping dead in his tracks, the scent of another filling his lungs. It was faint, but it lingered. "Mmmm..." the large male mumbled as a frown crossed his maw. What was this? It was hard to tell if this scent was isolated, the rain was washing it away - still, Artorias would follow it. Perhaps he would find himself a meal to bring back after all.

Slowly he moved as lightening flashed behind him, his large figure casting a shadow over anything that stood in front of him.

The chill in her bones only increased with the storm. Great, not only was she alone in the roguelands, but an illness would plague her too? What luck.

If she had been more aware of her surroundings, she probably would have seen the lone male join her vicinity. Her senses were overwhelmed; between the heavy rain, wind, mud and other elements, Kore was a sitting duck in the storm. If she was more aware, Kore could have headed for the tree line where her small form would fit between the tightly clumped foliage.

If she were more aware....a lot of options would be loitering in her mind.

The lingering storm made the land dark, but an unusual shadow casted upon her, causing her to whip around, blue eyes wide. Mere seconds passed as she found herself falling to the ground, staring up at the much larger form. She had no sense of fight or flight, but Kore knew strange lions could be dangerous. The seer was more or less spoiled by her life in the Pridelands. A safety net so to speak.

"Ple---please d---don't hu--hurt me." She said quietly, her trembling increasing.

As light flashed against the dark sky his orange eyes narrowed on her figure, his own paws pulling him closer until he stood right over her. She looked sick and frail. This storm would take her for sure. A frown crossed his maw as the lion spoke out, his deep voice haunting and cold. "How pathetic."

Artorias was stoic, he has been this way for years. His up bringing had left him guarded, this armor he wore made him more disconnected than most. Slowly the lion lifted a clawed paw as his eyes narrowed onto her face.

"I promise to make this quick"- a true mercy would be this end. She wasn't going to live like this, not for much longer. If he had to be the reaper he would be. As quickly as the male raised his paw the voice of another called out, screaming. "Don't you dare!"

Artorias turned quickly to see his sister standing behind them, her eyes wide with rage.

"How could you be so heartless." Velka spat as she moved to push past her brother, hissing at him deeply before she lowered herself to the other lioness's side.

"Please, let me help you."

"Velka-" he stammered with a frown.

"You shut your mouth and help me, right now." her anger was steaming, he knew he was in deep s**t now. His older sister was frightening when she was upset. Slowly the male turned, glancing back down at the frail female Velka now stood beside.

How pathetic. The first words she heard from the male. Her form quivered as she locked gaze into his deep orange orbs. She shrunk herself further into the ground has he stood tall, the lightning flashing behind him only illuminating his stoic features.

Her eyes shifted towards his lifting paw, his long claws extended as he spoke his next words. Kore's eyes closed, a tear dripping from behind the closed lids, mixing in with the storm waters from above.

I'm sorry mother, Kore said to herself, waiting for the final blow.

It never came. A voice from behind the male, almost masked by the equally deafening rain, had stopped him. Kore's eyes did not open as the female approached, only when she spoke to her did her azure orbs settle on the female's disturbing sclera. She shied away from Velka, her movements sloppy as fear hadn't released its strangling hold on her form.

Help? they wanted to help her? But, didn't this male just try to kill her? Confusion was evident on Kore's features.

"W...who are you?" She stammered, finding herself unable to look away from that strange eye. Was she a demon? She appeared to be related to his male somehow, they shared similarities in their coats. But...he appeared normal...

"Forgive this deplorable beast." Velka spoke again with a soft smile. "My brother is a stone without a heart, you must forgive me." as Kore withdrew more she gave her another smile, trying her best to comfort this smaller lioness. "You need help. Let me help you."

"She is afraid of you." the male chuckled as he glanced over at his sister, growing in Kore's direction. "Your eye."

"I see." the lioness sighed as she nodded slowly, doing her best to shield this female from the storm. "Our mother is a goddess, this eye is one of hers. A blessing, a curse."

"Why help her when she can't even look at you?" Artorias's frown only seemed to deepen as he spoke, turning his gaze away from the females.

"I don't need a reason to help anymore." the female spoke softly as she gave the lioness another hopeful smile. "Please, let me get you out of this rain."

She found herself nodding, whether it was an agreement to Velka calling her brother a deplorable beast, or agreeing to the offering of assistance. The two lions before her looked healthier than she was, obviously able to better take care of themselves in this harsh land then she was.

"...okay..." Kore said quietly, looking down as Artorias began to speak about her being afraid of her. She wasn't afraid.

Maybe a little afraid...

"A goddess?" Kore found herself looking back at the pair of lions. "My mo..mother is...." She fell quietly. She shouldn't be telling random lions about her or her family. The trait made much more sense though to the seer.

Her eyes narrowed momentarily towards the male before she sighed. "I...would ve---very much like to get out o--of the rain." She had to be brave, she had to be strong. Even if these lions (mostly lion) wished to kill her in the future, if she could trust them just enough to gather her strength back, she would have a better chance of fleeing.

"I'm s--so cold." Her teeth chattered.

"Help me." Velka demanded as she barked the order at her brother before using a paw to help lift the darker female to her paws. "You need to carry her, hurry."

The lion snarled at his sister as another flash of lightening clashed in the sky. As quickly as he opened his maw the lioness used a clawed paw to slap him across the face, hissing deeply. "I am your elder and you will respect me." She was lean but built sturdy, and it was obvious Velka wasn't afraid of her brother. "You will listen to your Queen."

Artorias winced as he stumbled back at her slap, swearing under his breath. "She will be the death of us, Velka. I promise you this."

"Come here." she demanded a second time. The male made his way to the pair and lowered himself to the ground long enough for Velka to help the darker female lay cross the male's back. "Hold on, we will be out of the rain soon."

"..." the lion grunted as he lifted himself up, holding her weight firmly as the pair walked back to the cave the siblings had claimed to ride out the storm in. "Here, place here here." Velka spoke with a harshness only he could handle. "Keep her away from the entrance, she needs warmth."

Slowly the lion moved to lower himself again so that the darker female could dismount.

"Come, sit here." Valka spoke as she offered their company a place away from the rain.

"Brother, sit with her, keep her warm."

"I will not." the lion looked away as his sister slapped him again, this time flashing her fangs.

"What crawled into that void that once held your heart? Sit. Down. Or I'll have your eyes."

Slowly the lion sat, sitting right beside the newcomer. His larger body towering over her own. He huffed under a frown, looking off into the distance as his sister settled to sit in front of them. "I am Velka, and this is my brother, Artorias."

"...Wait...wh--what?" Carried? She didn't want to be carried! She should walk!

The flash of lightening caused a small squeak from her maw, and she found herself shying away slightly as the male was struck. The lioness packed a punch, didn't she?

Kore found herself obliging with being carried , figuring a fight to resist would only end poorly. She lay still on the male's back, finding his body heat comforting. A sigh escape her maw as she nuzzled into the larger lion's thick mane. Even wet from the rain, the male was warm to the touch. She was being lulled to sleep as they headed towards their shelter, waking just as Velka said to put her down near the back of the den.

The fidelity daughter shimmied off the other's back, missing the warmness he had unintentionally offered her. At least she was out of the rain. She could warm herself now.

She listened to Velka's instructions, sitting where she asked. She found herself freezing when the male was instructed to sit next to her.

She looked away when he was struck again, finding a nice spot on the ground to stare at during the small sibling argument.

Kore never looked at Artorias as he sat disdainfully next to her. His size was impressive compared to her petite form. Another trait from their goddess parent perhaps?

"I--I'm Kore..." The lioness introduced. It was only fair to offer her name when they had offered theirs and their temporary home.

"...Thank you...for helping..." And thank you for not killing me, she added silently.

The larger lion was finding it increasingly hard to sit still, yet he would for the sake of his sister. He knew that crossing her now would only lead to pain. His narrowed eyes settled on Kore's figure as he glanced down at her, speaking out in a firm, yet faint voice. "What on earth were you doing out there alone? Do you have a death wish? Do you know what type of creatures hunt the night?"

"Kore." Velka nodded as her brother spoke, chiming in. "My brother means well, I do promise you this." the white covered lioness gave her a warm smile before looking up at her brother. "Arty, please. She is in shock, look at her."

Maybe he was being too harsh, but he couldn't just say sorry now, no, that wasn't in his character. The male would sit in silence for a moment before moving to sit right up next to her, his body warmth now shared to her.

"Never travel alone again. This place is full of dread." he added with a deep sigh.

"Kore, would you look something to eat? I can go find you something to fill your belly." Velka offered with a half-smile.

"I..." Kore looked down again as she was scolded by the male. "I...left my home to find my mother....Something happened to her...I just...I can feel it." It was the first time since meeting the duo that she spoke without a stutter. "I just want to find her." She repeated, glancing up towards Artorias with wide eyes. "If...it wasn't for this storm I'd be fine...." A lie.

When the lion moved closer to her, she stiffened, glancing away from him quickly. She found solace in Velka's gaze, relaxing as he spoke again.

"But...that would mean staying with you two? At least until I can find my mother and get back home? Or..find someone else?" She clarified. She didn't want to burden the duo. There had to be other lions traveling the land they were in, right?

"Oh..." She shook her head quickly. Velka going for a hunt meant she'd be alone with the male who had tried to kill her early. Her stomach growled, indicating her hunger. Kore felt a slight warmth rise to her cheeks as her body betrayed her brain.

"...Only if you want to...he just said this place was full of dread..."

"Your mother?" the male glanced back down at her as his eyes narrowed. "What do you think happened to her?"

"I see." his sister nodded firmly before replying, "You can stay with us for as long as you'd like. We are also searching for someone. Our brother Kinsin. My brother's visions are leading us to him." she was honest and just, through and through. The lioness flicked her mane out of her face long enough for Kore to see both of her eyes, before Velka turned to glance up at her brother.

"The things of dread can not harm me. I am not a little bird, I will be fine." she was referencing Kore's smaller figure, smiling as she moved to stand.

"My brother will protect you while I am away. Please, make yourself at home. What is mine is now yours."

As his sister left the den and entered the black that was the night Artorias glanced back down at Kore for a long moment, sighing in deeply as he spoke, ending the awkward silence. "Your mother - why did she leave you alone?"

He was trying to open up a little.

Kore remained quietly, not able to answer Artorias just yet.

Velka's words were a comfort. She hadn't spoken that she, too, had visions, but the duo were more like her. She only wondered how many lions were born were direct descendants of the gods of the land. As Velka tossed her mane up, Kore found herself staring at the two colored eyes. The black sclera she had stared at earlier, and now of the purest white.

Her nose twitched at the comparison. Ironic she would use the term little bird. That was her mother's favorite form. Maybe if she had been born while her mother was in that form, she'd be stronger than what she currently was?

She glanced up as Velka mentioned her brother would protect her. She nodded slowly, still sitting awkwardly next to the male, his skin just barely touching hers.

As Velka left, Kore was looking everywhere but at her male companion. The hair on the back of her neck rose slightly when he spoke. "...She um...She was a pretty free spirit..." Kore began. "She...too...was---is" she quickly correctly, "a goddess." The visions that Velka spoke of, Kore experienced similar. They just didn't occur every day. "I...just think something bad happened to her as all. I can feel it." Unconsciously, Kore felt herself leaning against the male, enjoying his warmth once again as she answered his earlier question.