[Log] Title to come (Middy x Ander)

[MiddyGlow]

Fur on the back of her neck standing on end, Sarraqa charged across the open plains. Even so often, neck straining from the effort of craning her head, she would look behind her to find nothing but the chirping of insects and the soft swish of disturbed grass in her wake. The starry lioness' pelt blended into the night, but it was scant solace. She could feel the pressure of his pursuit like a great weight, pressing down on her, and Sarraqa was scared. She wasn't proud to admit it, but there it was.

It had been several moons since she had run into the strange pair of males and their secret oasis. They had been kind, in their own ways. And they had been sincere in their desire to help her - or so she had chosen to believe. No matter how odious she found the idea at first, there had been some merit in it... Some possibility of happiness with those ruffians described as 'Stormborn' would surely be better than what she was stuck with now.

She wanted to believe in them. She did. There was a part of her that regretted leaving. But knowing that he had been there, that he had found her so quickly! That he'd spoken with them, besides! It had been too much for Sarraqa to bear. It was too easy to think that brute lions were all alike, that perhaps they might be in league against her. She wasn't sure she believed that any more, though. She missed them, surprising as that was. Compared to the silence of the roguelands, even their unusual brand of company was a comfort.

There was no comfort in the one she knew tracked her, however. Even if she couldn't see him, even if there was no sign of his passing...he was out there. Following her, even now. Whining low in her throat, ears pinned back, the lioness ran on.  

[MiddyGlow]

Dur sarn was walking along calmly as he best grumbly little friend, growled and shifted his shoulders beside him. Arakkig was a gruff fellow but he cared about Dur even if he would never admit it out loud. Arakkig hated the noise of the bugs and grumbled about just about everything. As Dur sarn smiled and took everything in stride because he never let anything get to him. He went with the flow and enjoyed each day to it's fullest. He had no need to hurry along. Arakkig on the other hand always wanted Dur to hurry the hell up. He growled "Come on Dur sarn why can't you move faster?"

Dur sarn laughed merrily and then said "Don't worry so much Arakkig, we have nowhere to go in a hurry." Arakkig huffed ruffly and rolled his shoulders and then said. "You don't know if we have something waiting for us in this direction that needs our attention quickly." He said firmly. The paired continued on as they moved on till they saw a figure running towards them. Arakkig made himself as big as he could as Dur just stood there relaxed waiting to see what was going on.  

[MiddyGlow]

Mercy of the gods, it was him. Sarraqa jerked back at the sight of the lion in the dark, paws fumbling over each other in their hasty skid to a halt. Had she been breathing this hard the entire time? The sound of her breath rattling in her chest was suddenly too loud. Though there was nothing but open plain for miles around, she felt tight. Cloistered. Caught. Any second now, he would look at her and smile, teeth within teeth, mocking her...

Yet...he had never traveled with small companions before. That was what that was, right? Something in front of the lion, bushy as a little porcupine and, seemingly, much angrier. Now that she looked at him, the lion seemed a bit more full in mane than he did. And search as she might, she did not see that false smile on his muzzle.

Another male, then. A stranger...but one who would soon enough, no doubt, sell her out to him. Just like those other two could have.

"I-I'm sorry, I d-don't mean to disturb you," Sarraqa stammered, trying to edge to the side of the lion and his puffy friend. Wide eyes cast once behind her, and once to the side, still looking for the prescence she knew for sure was lingering just behind. "I'd just like to get by. Please. I just n-need to..." Her breath caught ragged in her chest. Her legs began to tremble, suddenly unwilling to bear her weight. Just how long had she been running? It was the last thought to cross her mind before her eyelids fluttered, and everything went black.  

[MiddyGlow]

Dur sarn stood waiting for the female to stop and see what was going on, his posture was non aggressive. Arakkig moved in front of Dur sarn to protect him from the attack coming at them. He rolled his shoulders trying to make himself look bigger. Dur smiled and then said "You are disturbing nothing, are you alright miss?" He asked his tone friendly. Arakkig frowned deeply. "Why are you being so friendly? She could be a thief or a spy." He grumbled. Dur rolled his eyes. "I hardly think that is the case Arakkig." The familiar grumbled about his name being spoken. Dur sarn shook his head clearly this female was in danger and he wasn't going to leave her alone to face her fate. "Come on Arakkig we are looking after this female and don't give me any gruff." Arakkig grumbled the whole way as they moved the female to a den that Arakkig went into first to make sure there was no one else sleeping inside they didn't need a battle while Dur was looking after this pretty female.  

[MiddyGlow]

"...thief..."

"...Arakkig."

The lioness swayed on her feet, dimly aware of the larger shape supporting her. The mane beneath her head was pillowy, soft. Smelled like lying in the grass, basking in the sun. Sarraqa wanted to enjoy it - lose herself in it. But something about that seemed like a terrible idea. If she'd realized she was nuzzling into that sweet-scented mane, she would have stopped herself immediately. As it was, however...

"Come on, Arakkig..."

Sarraqa groaned softly. "Arakkig?" Her eyes fluttered again, paws finding the ground beneath them. She was a little sturdier. Not much. "Is that you...? I..." She tried to take a step away from the larger lion. It wasn't him - that much was plain now - but that didn't matter. He could still be used. He was still too close. "I'm so sorry."  

[MiddyGlow]

Dur sarn felt the female nuzzling into his mane, she was clearly out of it and had been stressed for far too long. She looked like she needed some support and a little bit of help even if Arakkig complained the whole time. He would just have to get over it. Dur sarn enjoyed helping others and Arakkig was going to be a grump about the whole thing it was normal.

Arakkig frowned as he watched the female nuzzle his friend and then asked if Dur was him "No I'm Arakkig I'm down here." He grumbled.

Dur rolled his eyes "Come on Arakkig cut her some slack she had clearly had a tough time, I'm Dur sarn and Arakkig is my friend, what might your name be??" He asked smiling with a grin. He hoped being relaxed and laid back would help her be less afriad.

Arakkig grumbled and dug his paws in the dirt and dust of the cave.  

[MiddyGlow]

Sarraqa blinked a few times, bewildered gaze hesitating a moment on Dur's face before drifting down to his paws and the small creature there. "Oh!" Whether she sank to the ground to greet Arakkig properly, or because she was still a bit woozy, it was hard to say; but her tortured form looked grateful to be down there either way. Beneath that pelt of scattered stars, her hipbones could just be seen, stark and scruffy against what might otherwise have been lithe lines. She was similarly gaunt around the ribs. The bronze jewelry glittering at her wrist was pockmarked with dust. She wasn't starving, nor in danger of it just yet - but it was clear to see that she was not a rogue doing well for herself. Well, if the panicked fainting hadn't made that evident enough.

"I'm sorry," clearly the lioness was very used to saying those words, "I'm not used to, ah...seeing lions with companions. Especially such small ones." She may have seen some with birds before? Maybe? Living in fear and paranoia didn't leave a lot of time for observing the neighbors. Well, not when it came to noticing things like this.

Speaking of which. As soon as she could stand, she should be out of here. She should get as far away from this male as possible, before he turned on her... But she was finding it so very hard to do so. Her eyes turned upward, seeking out the eyes of the strange male. So very striking. "I'm Sarraqa. I wish I could say it was good to meet you, Dur sarn. Both of you." Her voice was rough, especially at the admission of her name. She had spoken it more times in these last moons than ever - she wasn't used to it.

Nor should she get used to it. She had to go...  

[MiddyGlow]

Arrakig was gruff as he responded "I'm not small I'm compact and don't you forget it young lioness." He hunched his shoulders forward and fluffed up his fur in a grumpy manner he didn't like being called small he was powerful in his own right and wouldn't be looked down on by anyone.

Dur chuckled and pushed Arrakig over with his paw "Relax Arrakig there is nothing to get upset about, she didn't mean any harm, cut her some slack she has had a hard time lately clearly."

Arrakig frowned and grumbled and huffed

Dur shrugged not bothered that she was not happy to meet them, she clearly was dealing with a rough time and he wanted to know more but he wasn't sure if he would be getting that information out of her today. "If you need help don't be afraid to ask, we have no other plans." He said with a warm smile.

Arrakig grumbled "You want to play bodyguard to a lioness you don't even know? How is that smart she could lead you to your death you young fool."

Dur rolled his eyes "You worry too much Arrakig." Then he turned to look back at Sarraqa to see if she would let them help her.