Ndoto yawned as he left the den he and Nantale called theirs and set out for the river that bordered one edge of their new home. They'd been with the Suzat for about a moon now and he felt like it was safe to say they'd found their permanent pride. He'd been nervous Nantale wouldn't like it, but she seemed to have settled in nicely after getting used to the lay of the land. The pride had quite a bit of it, after all. Ndoto had walked around the whole of it by now but it had certainly taken a few days to do so and he'd taken his time to ensure he got a good look at everything the pride had to offer. The marshes were very odd in his opinion, a bit smelly and very messy, but the river was enchanting. He liked watching it flow by at its lazy pace and he wondered what it might be like to swim in it.

Not that he was going to do that today, of course. He just wanted to look again.

As he headed down the path, a familiar face appeared over one of the small hills that made up the dens in the pride. Yepa was out and about as well, though her path wasn't quite as planned out for the day. She enjoyed strolling through the pride to see who was doing what, to chat, and to help if she could. When Ndoto gave her a little chuff in greeting she turned her paws in his direction, a warm smile on her face as she reached him.

"Good morning, Ndoto," she said cheerfully. "A lovely day to be out, don't you think?"

"Oh, certainly," the male returned with a chuckle and a toss of his head. "Heading back to the river today. I've never seen anything quite like it before, it's fascinating!"

"I'm glad to hear it," Yepa hummed, motioning in the direction Ndoto had been heading in. "Mind if I join you? I was going to see if the Farmers needed any help."

"Of course not. I'd love the company." So the two set out, falling into step easily as if they'd known each other far longer than a few weeks. Yepa had been glad to see Ndoto and Nantale making a home for themselves in the den she'd shown them to as well as making themselves comfortable in the pride. Nantale had been a bit standoffish at first but the more Yepa spoke with her, the more she got to know that she was simply a quiet lioness who wanted an easy life for herself and her mate. Surely they'd come to the right place.

"And how is Nantale today?" she asked as they finally reached the last of the small hills, on a flat path from now until the end of their journey.

"Oh, she's doing well. Decided to nap a bit this morning but I'm sure she'll be out later," Ndoto said with a nod. "She truly does like it here. It's so peaceful, everyone is so kind...this was exactly the place we were looking for all these years."

"I'm so glad to hear it," Yepa sighed, a relieved look on her face. "I was worried she might find it too dull, or the other members too nosy. Sometimes they can come off as such. They do mean well, but I know it can be a bit stifling to those who aren't used to it."

"Well..." Ndoto glanced around, a little grin on his face. He leaned in a bit closer to Yepa who, realizing she was about to be told a secret, tilted her head closer to the male. "Don't tell anyone else...but Nantale used to rule the pride we were from. So a bit of well meaning if nosy pride members definitely don't bother her at all. She's used to far worse."

The reveal certainly surprised Yepa who drew back, eyes wide. She realized her mouth was wide open a bit too late and it sent Ndoto into peals of laughter. She quickly shut it and trotted to catch up with him, feeling rather embarrassed by her reaction.

"I- I'm sorry, that never- she doesn't...I mean, not that I think all rulers have a tell, but she doesn't...seem the type to rule."

"Which is why we left," Ndoto said, his smile fading just a bit. "It was a birthright, you see. She tried very hard to do well, but nothing ever seemed to work out for her. She passed the title to one of her dear friends, stuck around long enough to ensure she could do the task, and then we left."

"So...you were never..." Yepa trailed off, unsure how to pose the question. Ndoto thankfully picked up on where she was trying to lead.

"Me? King? Oh no, never. We weren't mates when she was in charge. Not officially at any rate." He'd been fond of her almost since the day they'd met, but he'd only started making his intentions and feelings known just before she gave up the title. She'd returned his feelings but had been too stressed as a ruler of a pride to act upon it, putting the needs of her pride members before her own. Once she'd relieved herself of the pressures of ruling she allowed herself to indulge in her own desires.

"Oh...that's...I mean, I'm sorry things didn't turn out in whatever pride you came from, but we're so very glad to have the both of you," Yepa said earnestly. "And don't worry, I won't tell anyone." Most Hobbits had trouble keeping a secret but Yepa was not one of them. She'd take things like that to the grave if she must.

The river came into sight as they continued to speak and they parted ways, Yepa heading to the seedling area to speak to the Farmers while Ndoto continued on to the water. He was glad someone knew their little secret. It was a burden he didn't enjoy carrying but he understood why Nantale didn't want others to know. It could change how others treated her. Ndoto trusted Yepa, though, and he was sure she'd continue to treat the pair as she always had.

WC: 1040