The Journey

[Amani]

Amani was weary from travel. He was lucky, or he wouldn't have survived to make it here. He enjoyed the warm welcome from the pride lions, returning the greeting to the ones that greeted him. Amani sat down,listening to Uschi. He didn't want to talk about his past, not yet.

[Deleted]

"Amani?" Uschi said, not sure why he wasn't answering. (OOC: Sorry. Don't know what else to do:)).

[Lionel]

Wingu walked closer, looking at Amani's face.
"You look..." H stopped, rethinking.
"Do you need a place to stay? There is always a spot in my pride..."

[Amani]

"Huh? Oh, sure," he said, "I'd like that." What other choice did he have? He laid down with his head on his paws.

[Deleted]

Uschi decided to change the topic. "So. Wingu. How big is your pride now?"

[Lionel]

"Let me see... Now Me, my kids, my wife. A load of cubs and lionesses... About 30 adults, 10 teenagers and 15 cubs. A big pride, I must say. But the lands are big, and we always have a spot. The teenagers, most of them are going to leave soon. So then we'll have more place in the pride. I have place for all of you, my friends." He said, looking at Uschi.

[Deleted]

"I'd love to stay," Uschi said, smiling up at the lion she'd once had a crush on, but her smile soon faded. "Well, for a little while at least. I'm not a particularly good hunter, though. But I can help look after the cubs. Would that be... valuable?"

[Lionel]

"Of corse it would. We got plenty of hunters. The younger ones have to learn hunting, so nobody has time to look after the cubs. You can stay here as long as you want." Wingu said, smiling.

[Deleted]

"Thank you," Uschi said, then yawned and stretched, pushing her back legs out, despite not rising from her vast stomach. "I suppose it's getting rather late... do you know if there's anything to eat before we go to bed? I'm feeling a little peckish..."

[Lionel]

"I guess we have something..." Wingu said, looking at Uschi. Then he called a lioness and asked her something.
"If you go down to that rock over there, and then go right untill the tree and tthen turn, so the sun is shining in your eyes, walk ten steps, you'll find a pile of leaves. After you eat, if there is something left, put the leafs back, please." Wingu nsaid, and streched.

[Deleted]

"Thank you," Uschi said, and got up with some difficulty. "I don't really want to go alone though, seeing as I'm still a stranger here. Would you mind coming with me and showing me the way?"

[Lionel]

"Okay then, just come with me." and he walked in the direction, like he said to Uschi. They reached a pile of leaves.
"Under here."

[Deleted]

Uschi raised the leaves with some difficulty, and found a zebra. "Wow! Someone killed a whole zebra and left it here?" she said. "You must have some really good hunters." She sat down at the zebra's stomach and started worrying at the skin over its intestines. "Are you sure nobody will be upset with me eating this?"

[Lionel]

"No, no. This was hunted for the guests." Wingu said, yawning.
"So, how have you been? Have you got your own little family? " Wingu asked , just so e could keep up the conversation.

[Deleted]

Uschi started eating, gulping down mouthfuls of flesh and mumbling, "I have a family, back in the mountains. A mother and father and lots of siblings. I'm the eldest though."

[Lionel]

"So, your from around here, aren't you? But what about your own family. Don't you have cubs of your own? "

[Deleted]

"Ha! No. No cubs... not yet. I'm not that old you know. When I find the right someone, maybe. If any of you lowlanders want a lioness like me." She smiled up at him. "Any available young men you could introduce me down here?" She stuck her nose in the zebra and kept eating.

[Lionel]

"You know, right now, nobody would. But If you agree, than there is a lion, who could help you get off some of that fat." Said Wingu, trying to be as polite as he could.

[Deleted]

Uschi raised her head. "Who?"

[Lionel]

"There's me or my cousin. But he's away rightnow. And 'for starters. Eat less, but chew more." Wingu said, and smiled.

[Deleted]

Uschi smiled, and chewed before she swallowed. "You know, in the mountains, being a big lioness is a symbol of fertility," she said. "I don't think I can lose weight, really. My parents were big, as were their parents and theirs, all the way back to grandfather Figgy. The biggest females are the most prized when marriages are arranged." She chewed off another bit and swallowed. "Besides, I really really like eating!" She raised a paw to her hand to delicately stifle a burp.

[Lionel]

"Wow. Okay. There might be one lion who could like you a lot. My cousin. Actualy, he is from the mountains, but don't worry, he isn't your cousin or anything." Wingu said.

[Deleted]

Uschi felt her skin prickle into goosebumps. "F... from the mountains? Do you know where abouts, specifically?"

[Lionel]

"Somewhere from there." He showed tot the mountains behind him.

[Deleted]

Uschi felt herself relax, and bit off another lump of meat. "That's good... phew... that's good. Sorry. There's a reason I left... some people don't like me very much there." She swallowed. "And some too much."
Uschi winced. Her stomach was getting painfully full. "So... who is this lion that might like like me a lot? What's his name? What's he like?"

[Lionel]

"His name is Mantor. He's really nice and kind and stuff." Wingu said.

[Deleted]

"Mantor. He sounds... strong," Uschi said. Then she looked up, and realised just how much of the zebra she had eaten. There was a big hole where its stomach used to be. Just thinking about moving and going to bed sounded too difficult to even fathom, so she said, "Erm... well... I might sleep here tonight. It's nice out under the stars... I don't suppose you'd mind pushing those leaves over me, to help keep me warm? And when might this friend of yours be coming?"

[Lionel]

"you better not. Tonight...Things are going to happen. You should get inside." Wingu said, nervously. He remmembered something.
"Please."

[Deleted]

"Uhh... really" she said, suddenly worried. "What kind of things? Could you help me up? I'm... kinda full..."

[Lionel]

Smoke was coming from the middle of Wingu's lands.
"?f you don't want to brn alive, then get in the caves. I haven't told this to any oof the guests, but we are at war now. The mountain lions have started something."Wingu helped Uschi get up and quicly helped get her to the caves.
"I need to go!" He rushed outside and started getting troops togheter.

Nzuri called Uschi in and nervously asked: "Have you seen my cubs?"