Hunted (Private)

[Ruby_Fehu]

Ezekiel sighed heavily. "Hit me, what's the matter?" He asked.

[Deleted]

Wasana bit her lip. "It hurts that talking to you about something upsets me bothers you so. I don't want to be a bother to you.
"Lail said you'd do anything for me, but I wanted to hear it from you. Is she right?"

[Ruby_Fehu]

"Do you think I'd travel three months gathering various items together if I didn't care about you so much. I would die if it meant keeping you safe." Ezekiel replied earnestly.

[Deleted]

"You would do anything to prevent me from getting hurt, yes?" she said.

[Ruby_Fehu]

"Yes." Ezekiel confirmed, curious as to where this was going. "Why?"

[Deleted]

"I know you're very strong, and very brave, and you're a hero for that boy you saved yesterday," she said. "You said to me you were going to do something, before you left. I just wanted to know what. To hear Lail say you were fighting a hyena... it scared me much more than if you had told me yourself. I don't like feeling unsafe... It hurts, in my chest. I would rather be struck there by a hyena myself than feel that fear every time you run off. I know you want to protect me, but it hurts me.
"If time's really that important, of course I'd prefer you saved the cub than tell me what you were doing. But please, can you spare me the pain of worry next time you want to go and do something?" She looked him in the eye, holding her breath.

[Ruby_Fehu]

"Next time." He promised, "But if it's life and death I can't." He said afterwards steadily. "Anyway speaking of my little birdy, where is she?"

[Deleted]

Wasana breathed a sigh of relief, then said, "I don't know. She left some time when I was out healing... She didn't tell you?" She smirked. "It must run in your family."

[Ruby_Fehu]

"Oh shush." Ezekiel laughed before turning at the sound of approaching footsteps, "Never mind, speak of the devil." He laughed as Lailah padded onto the scene looking rather upset and preoccupied. "Hey Lail, where have you been?" He asked going to nuzzle his sister, she smiled slightly and shrugged, "I went for a walk."

"All night?"

Lailah's eyes flickered behind her. "Y- yes." She stammered.

[Deleted]

Wasana knew something was up. She said to her mate, "Honey, do you want to let the humans know we're awake, so we can start breakfast?" She winked at him subtly.

[Ruby_Fehu]

Ezekiel nodded but being the curious lion he was when he padded out of the cave he began padding around the outskirts.


Lailah watched Ezekiel leave steadily.

[Deleted]

"Do you want to talk?" Wasana said. "Lioness to lioness?"

[Ruby_Fehu]

"It's nothing, it's fine." Lailah said quickly.

[Deleted]

"Okay," Wasana said with a shrug, and checked on the potion she'd been preparing since yesterday.

[Ruby_Fehu]

"How is it coming along?" She asked.

Ezekiel returned closely followed by a large golden male and two russet and golden cubs. "Lailah." He said steadily.

Lailah looked at her brother nervously.

[Deleted]

"It's nearly ready," Wasana said. "We'll need to give it to him in small doses, watered down. The idea is to train the body to... oh." She looked at the newcomer and the two cubs, and observed the tension in the room. "Umm... what's going on?"

[Ruby_Fehu]

Lailah gnawed on her lip but before she could speak the two cubs ran forward, "Mummy!" They giggled running over and nuzzling Lailah.


Ezekiel stared at his sister in dismay and then to Lailah's mate.

[Deleted]

Wasana couldn't help but smile at the cubs. "Well, this IS a surprise," she said.

[Ruby_Fehu]

"Yes. It certainly is." Ezekiel growled, glaring at the nameless male.


"These are my cubs Tamu and Wunjo." Lailah said warily, "And that's my mate Hasimu."

"The name is certainly fitting." Ezekiel growled

[Deleted]

"Hasimu. Welcome. I'm Wasana, and this is Ezekiel. I'm sure you've heard lots about him." She grinned at Lailah.

[Ruby_Fehu]

Hasimu nodded, "Indeed I have, I believe he was the brother that left his sister." Hasimu growled causing Ezekiel to growl back noisily.

[Deleted]

"Ah, I see," Wasana said, very slowly. She paused for a moment and added matter-of-factly: "So tell me, Hasimu: do you make a habit of entering other people's homes and antagonising its occupants in front of your mate and cubs?" She looked at Lail in a way that said, And is this acceptable to you, too?

[Ruby_Fehu]

Lailah lowered her head submissively and shrugged a little.


"When the occupants upset my mate I do. Besides what can you do? Roll on me." He replied aggressively.


"Don't you talk to my mate like that." Ezekiel hissed.

[Deleted]

That claw cut deeply. She tried not to let it show, turning her face away for a moment, trying not to let it impact on her actions. But she heard Zeke's reaction and knew a fight was not long from brewing, so she said, "Lail, until your mate finds better manners, I'm sorry. I have to ask him to leave." She looked at Hasimu and said, "Please leave. Lail is welcome, of course if you're concerned about me upsetting her - or perhaps rolling on her - you can take her with you." She turned her face away and put it down, pretending to be unconcerned.

[Ruby_Fehu]

Hasimu scoffed and gestured once to Lailah who followed him silently, their two cubs running along behind them.


Ezekiel watched them leave, snarling loudly at his sister's mate.

[Deleted]

No sooner had they left did Wasana burst into tears, though she tried to smother it into her arms.

[Ruby_Fehu]

Ezekiel padded to Wasana and lay beside her nuzzling her gently, "Hush now love." He whispered soothingly. "Don't let Hasimu get to you, he's pathetic and shallow." Ezekiel said softly.

[Deleted]

"But he's right. I'm disgusting," she said, pulling away from him. She didn't want him touching her body. She didn't want to pollute him with the way she looked. "I rely on the humans too much. I'd make a terrible mother. Why do you stay with me?" Before he could even reply, she turned to her herbs, picking through them with chubby paws. "I think I can make a potion that will staunch my appetite," she said. "I'm going to make it. I want to be a good mother." She started fussing with the herbs furiously.

[Ruby_Fehu]

Ezekiel growled and placed a paw on the herbs. "You're not disgusting and I love you for you, I'd stay with you forever. And you'll be an amazing mother. I'm not going to let you make yourself ill to lose weight though." He said firmly.

[Deleted]

"What if I'm endangering the cubs?" She said, glaring at him angrily. "Wouldn't it be better if I lost weight for the cubs' sake?"