Simple And Clean

[Malenga]

Nkiru looked over the territory. All that her mother had worked for and all she had cultivated from a small inkling of a pride and turned it into a large family had paid off in the end, and when she had passed it down to her young daughter, Nkiru couldn’t help but admit to the small tremor of fear that she wouldn’t be able to hold it up as well as her mother did. Queen Hova was known as the grand matriarch, after all. Nkiru was just the daughter. The pressure was on to carry on the grand tradition of the Rogue Akila pride and also to prove herself worthy of the title. The young, gray-brown lioness with a striking dark stripe down her nose that stretched all the way to her back let her jade coloured eyes pierce through the green and water to the lands beyond. The place her mother grew up; the Balnasi pride. She knew that there, she would find what she needed to show she was worthy of being the queen of this land. She would make her mother proud. Once the ice blue eyes of queen Hova were shining down on her from where the great kings and queens of the past lived on forever more, Nkiru would be able to live a more peaceful life. For now, it was nothing but the grind and staying focused on where she wanted to go.

Soft steps could be heard behind her whilst she stood perfectly still and tall on the overlooking rock. Next to her settled one of her pride mates, Kukiki. “What’s the plan for today, your highness?” The tan lioness asked almost knowingly, but for the sake of conversation she would ask once more. Nkiru drew in a long, steady breath. The wind had picked up, carrying her fur and scent to the direction of the lands she was hoping to conquer one day.

“I have my scouts looking over the Balnasi lands just beyond us. They will find answers for me, and then we’ll go from there.” Nkiru spoke as though she had been in this battle long before her time. In the caverns of her mind that she covered up under intelligence and cold exterior, the royal lioness didn’t know what she was doing. Her actions thus far had been merely lucky coincidences that had lead her to look like she was something she wasn’t: a warrior.

“They must have gotten what they were looking for then,” Kukiki spoke whilst Nkiru whipped her head around and looked at her with confusion.

“What...?” But Nkiru got her answer when Kukiki nodded her head in the direction that she queen was looking in just a moment ago. Nkiru whipped her head back and looked to see her scouts returning. Mostly they were females but there were a few males who were just slender enough to make it seem like they were as agile as the females. ‘They’re back so soon... what happened?’ Nkiru asked herself before she took steps in front of Kukiki, who had moved herself back slightly and watched as the queen sped her way down the rock and over to her approaching group of scouts. She was hoping they had good news even though their early arrival wasn’t a very good start.

. . .

Chezna had been caught looking in the same direction of the opposing pride just on the other side of the river. The older female with scars to match a fighter far past her age looked on and nervously tapped her tail on the small hill in the grasslands. Any day now there was to be a war and there would be news of who would be the ruler of not just their own lands, but the entire family’s lands that stretched for miles. She lived in a paradise, she had to admit. The grasses were a mixture of yellow and green. They were a sea that hosted trees of all different shapes and sizes that seemed to be ladders to the sun. Chezna knew her secret places in those trees, where she would often escape from the duties and responsibilities of being the queen. Even more so, she would watch and listen as lions passed by looking for her and even conversed asking where they had last seen her. The darker silver lioness knew all too well she was no queen fit for the responsibility of running a pride this large and this needing of someone to lead them. She couldn’t ask them to fend for themselves for once for that would be asking them to go against the nature of the beasts.

A gentle jump down and Chezna was back wading through the grasses where she made her way through and into the shaded areas of the territory. A perfect way to hide from others, but a perfect way for others to hide from her. Others that were not of her pride. The thought made the ruler female hop out of the way of the darkening grasses and keep to the sunlit paths woven into the land by constant pawsteps. Paws that belonged to her parents, and her parents’ parents had since been mulled over by the new generations. Walking deeper and deeper into the more greener areas of the territory, Chezna flicked her larger ears in hopes yet fears that there was someone else with her. She couldn’t tell at this point so she counted herself lucky. Counting her lucky moments were what she could do to keep herself sane in the times like this. The pride was tense and they grew even more fearful that their leader was not ready for when the going got tough. Scars all over her body were one thing, but when push came to shove, Chezna needed to have a bite worse than her roar.

Continuing her walk through, she came across the river. Ignoring her marked and tattered reflection, the leader female leaned her head down and lapped at the clear liquid. Her chest rushed with cool water, which was a relief after being out in the sun all day.

[Lyonize]

"Oh! Uhh... I'm sorry, is this territory owned?"

Uriah had accidentally snuck up on a lioness. The blue-eyed lion had once again fallen into a daydream as he followed the scent of water. Only now, at the water's edge did he notice the scarred female. Looks like she's had some fights. Uriah thought as he noticed her rough appearance. Better be careful.

[Malenga]

Chezna's head sprang up as though she were prey, looking into the eyes of a predator looking to take a bite out of her. With a gasp, Chezna's first thought landed on him being part of the Rogue Akila pride. And if that were the case, she couldn't have someone coming back to Nkiru and telling them that her aunt was weak and unsuspecting of their attack. As a result, the dark silver lioness curled her lip to reveal her teeth - which were way more intact than her pelt. She leapt over the river, landing with only one paw in it before stepped in front of the lion and snarled. Her claws raked at the ground before her. "Who are you? Why are you in my lands?"

[Lyonize]

"Whoa, hold on, I can leave, that's fine. I came here by accident." Uriah said with a smile as he turned around and disappeared into the grass. Like flipping a switch, Uriah went right into stealth mode. Instantly, he was aware of which direction the wind was blowing, how many climbable trees were nearby, and, most importantly, the scent of everything in the immediate vicinity, including this aggressive lioness.

One of two things was about to happen. Either she would try to pursue him, or she would be content that he was leaving. He suspected it'd be the former, considering how defensive and protective she seemed to be. Either way, Uriah planned to stick around. There was no way he could pass up an opportunity to check out a new pride, even if from a distance.

[Malenga]

Chezna stood there, astounded by her own forcefulness. Were she on the receiving end of her 'order', she would have seen herself as a rude lioness. Someone she didn't want to be. As a result, her eyes quickly whipped over to where the male had been before. He was gone in an instant! 'How did...?' she asked herself, dumbfounded by the lack of noise he made whilst sifting his way through the grasses. She turned her head from left, then to right. The speed of her looking in each direction caused her cheek tufts to slap against her face - and even hit her in the eye a little.

"Wait!" she called out as she hopped through the grasses. "Are you with the Rogue Akilas pride?" she attempted to call out, as though she were going to get an answer from the winds. She trudged forward still, wanting to know his intentions at least. Whether he was from the opposing pride who wanted to harm her family or not, she needed to know how he got here when the guards were posted.

[Lyonize]

It was always such a satisfying feeling, being able to disappear like that. Though, it rarely ever worked on his brother, Zoba.

"Wait! Are you with the Rogue Akilas pride?"

"Nope!" His voice came out of the tall grass at a distance. "I actually don't know of any prides around here! Hence the accidental intrusion!" He shouted casually as if to an acquaintance. His voice was just enough that she could follow him but she wouldn't likely be able to find him in the thick brush and long grass, and he wasn't about to let that happen until he was sure she wouldn't be any more trouble.

[Malenga]

The answer came and Chezna once more looked around for where it came from. She stood there, allowing more of his voice to drift through the air and into her ears. Once again she heard him, walking in the direction she figured it was coming from. The dark silver female allowed her icy blue eyes to settle over the grasses in attempts to notice if any of the blades would give away the existence of someone living in them.

"So, you're... a rogue...?" she asked whichever direction seemed appropriate for the time being. "If that's the case, please don't feel like you need to hide from me. I don't want to harm you," she spoke up, although she wasn't too sure if that was believable at this point. "I know it doesn't really seem like that, and I'm sorry."

[Lyonize]

"So, you're... a rogue...? If that's the case, please don't feel like you need to hide from me. I don't want to harm you,"

"Oh, good!" Uriah replied facetiously. This time, his voice came from a generally different direction. The wind had changed direction and so he moved through the grass in the same way. "Because it seemed like you wanted to attack me at first! You sure you don't want to hurt me?" He continued, with a fake inflection indicating relief.

"I know it doesn't really seem like that, and I'm sorry."

A moment passed and a gust of wind swept through.

"Apology accepted!" Came Uriah's voice from above. There, on the branch of a tree behind the lioness, lay the blue eyed male. He hung a paw below, swinging it playfully with a grin stretched across his muzzle. With a nudge, he slid himself off the branch in a way that almost seemed accidental at first and then landed gracefully on his paws. "I guess I should introduce myself first. I am in your territory after all. My name is Uriah. And I apologize for intruding." He said, humbly.

[Malenga]

Chezna turned her head to now note the swinging paw that was attached to a lighter coloured male body above her in a tree. While the queen of this land didn't quite know how to react to being unable to find him to begin with, she was more pleased that he didn't seem the type to want to want to bring harm to her. Or her pride, which was far more important to her. Her eyes followed him as he dropped to the ground before her, noting how tall he was and how he had no scars on his body. Unlike her. She didn't want to assume he was one of those pretty boys; if he was, how would he have survived this long?

After she regained her composure, Chezna nodded her head and smiled meekly. "Nice to formally meet you, Uriah. My name is Chezna," the lioness replied. "I'm just glad you're not looking to harm my pride in any way," confessed the anxious female.

(When we gonna go to Nkiru and Zoba?)

[Lyonize]

It was always nice to meet a friendly lion or lioness. Being on the good side of a local pride usually made traveling easier if Uriah ended up walking through the same area later on.

"Nice to formally meet you, Uriah. My name is Chezna," the lioness replied. "I'm just glad you're not looking to harm my pride in any way,"

"It's good to meet you, Chezna." Uriah's mischievously facetious voice was replaced by a genuine one. "I take it you've got problems with a rival pride? I'm sure I could help. I have experience with similar situations. Perhaps you could take me to your leader." He added with a note of concern. She seemed to care a lot for her pride.

(Oh, is Nkiru part of the other pride? I was just going to wait to introduce Zoba for when the two prides confront each other for the first time. But if Nkiru is IN the other pride, then yeah we can do both their stories simultaneously and then have them all meet at some point. Sorry, I must have misunderstood your first post. I thought both Nkiru and Chezna were in the same pride.)

[Malenga]

"Oh, we won't have to travel very far for you to meet the leader," Chezna replied with a shoulder roll and a flick of her ear. She allowed for that to sink in, and if he hadn't have gotten it by now, then she would offer more of an explanation. "I am the leader of the Balnasi pride," Chezna would say more straightforward than the original retort. How he would react, she did not know. She had come across lions - and even some lionesses - before who figured a lioness was not fit to lead a pride all on her own. Chezna didn't think that one lion leading a pride, be they male or female, was a good idea; it took a great deal of work and stress management.

She looked out past the green and to the other side of the large river. She could see the large rock in the middle of the opposing lands that housed their rival pride. "The Rogue Akila pride live just beyond there," she said, her head gesturing to the direction of the opponent lands. "Nkiru, their leader, who is the daughter of the lioness who wanted to rule this pride long ago lives there and she believes that she has the right to what was her mother's. And so, here we are in the middle of a war." Chezna kept one very important detail to herself. Not that it was really needed since it wasn't a story about intimate family relations; it was an explanation as to what was happening so this stranger lion didn't get caught in the middle of the crossfire unexpectedly. "So, you've walked in on quite the dramatic unraveling of events, Uriah," Chezna cracked another smile before she walked on. Whether he followed or not was up to him.

(Oh, that explains it. :3 I'll just re-post what I wrote for Nkiru and we can go from there.)

. . .

Nkiru looked over the territory. All that her mother had worked for and all she had cultivated from a small inkling of a pride and turned it into a large family had paid off in the end, and when she had passed it down to her young daughter, Nkiru couldn’t help but admit to the small tremor of fear that she wouldn’t be able to hold it up as well as her mother did. Queen Hova was known as the grand matriarch, after all. Nkiru was just the daughter. The pressure was on to carry on the grand tradition of the Rogue Akila pride and also to prove herself worthy of the title. The young, gray-brown lioness with a striking dark stripe down her nose that stretched all the way to her back let her jade coloured eyes pierce through the green and water to the lands beyond. The place her mother grew up; the Balnasi pride. She knew that there, she would find what she needed to show she was worthy of being the queen of this land. She would make her mother proud. Once the ice blue eyes of queen Hova were shining down on her from where the great kings and queens of the past lived on forever more, Nkiru would be able to live a more peaceful life. For now, it was nothing but the grind and staying focused on where she wanted to go.

Soft steps could be heard behind her whilst she stood perfectly still and tall on the overlooking rock. Next to her settled one of her pride mates, Kukiki. “What’s the plan for today, your highness?” The tan lioness asked almost knowingly, but for the sake of conversation she would ask once more. Nkiru drew in a long, steady breath. The wind had picked up, carrying her fur and scent to the direction of the lands she was hoping to conquer one day.

“I have my scouts looking over the Balnasi lands just beyond us. They will find answers for me, and then we’ll go from there.” Nkiru spoke as though she had been in this battle long before her time. In the caverns of her mind that she covered up under intelligence and cold exterior, the royal lioness didn’t know what she was doing. Her actions thus far had been merely lucky coincidences that had lead her to look like she was something she wasn’t: a warrior.

“They must have gotten what they were looking for then,” Kukiki spoke whilst Nkiru whipped her head around and looked at her with confusion.

“What...?” But Nkiru got her answer when Kukiki nodded her head in the direction that the queen was looking in just a moment ago. Nkiru whipped her head back and looked to see her scouts returning. Mostly they were females but there were a few males who were just slender enough to make it seem like they were as agile as the females. ‘They’re back so soon... what happened?’ Nkiru asked herself before she took steps in front of Kukiki, who had moved herself back slightly and watched as the queen sped her way down the rock and over to her approaching group of scouts. She was hoping they had good news even though their early arrival wasn’t a very good start.

[Lyonize]

"Oh, we won't have to travel very far for you to meet the leader,"

"Perfect!" Uriah replied, waiting for her to take the lead. There was a pause.

"I am the leader of the Balnasi pride,"

Uriah sat down in a combination of surprise and embarrassment. Great job, Uriah, you met a queen and the first thing you did was play mind games and be sassy toward her. He thought to himself as his ears lowered.

"Oh! I didn't know you were-" He cleared his throat, restarting as he lowered his head slightly. "Please forgive me, I didn't mean to offend."

"The Rogue Akila pride live just beyond there. Nkiru, their leader, who is the daughter of the lioness who wanted to rule this pride long ago lives there and she believes that she has the right to what was her mother's. And so, here we are in the middle of a war. So, you've walked in on quite the dramatic unraveling of events, Uriah."

Uriah collected himself as she finished speaking. "So it seems."

---

Zoba tried going around one teritory, but he was met with the border of another. The river he so carefuly crossed seemed to be the border between the two but now things were getting ridiculous. He seemed to be going the long way around but it was too late to turn back and go around the other way. He tried to make a point to be respectful of the borders set by a pride. The last thing he wanted was trouble. A scent caught his attention. He almost didn't pay any attention to it because it was the scent of a lion, which he already expected to smell here. Was that... No, Uriah would never just walk into another prides territory. He assured himself.

Zoba continued pacing along the border until finally, he became sure it would be easier just to announce his presence and perhaps ask for directions. Zoba lifted his muzzle, drawing in a deep breath, filling his powerful lungs, and sent out a deep, bellowing roar. Now all he had to do was wait. The large lion sat down, leaving his shoulder facing the border. He didn't want to come off as aggressive or confrontational. All he wanted was safe passage through or around this territory.

[Malenga]

Chezna couldn't help but laugh as the lion shriveled himself up. It didn't much matter to Chezna as she had little to no regard for her title being that of a queen. On the contrary, she would have kept it a secret as long as she could have were he not in need to speak with the leader of the pride. Chezna shook her head before she tapped her tail on his shoulder as she passed.

"Please don't think of calling me 'your highness' or 'queen Chezna'. My name is just Chezna, Uriah," the lioness pointed out to him. She hoped it would soothe out his mood out. "Please don't feel like in order to stay in this land that you have to fight for my pride or anything along those lines," she spoke whilst she walked back over to the river. Her meeting with him had come as so much of a shock that she had forgotten that she was in need of a drink.

---

Nkiru rushed down to the ground where the scouts all formed in a coordinated group forward. She met them there, and they stopped just before her. Obviously they knew she was eager to hear some good news, but the expressions on their faces suggested anything but that.

"Well?" asked the curious princess. Some of the females looked at each other before looking back at the queen. Not wanting to keep her waiting, they nudged forward one of the males. "Someone tell me what is going on, now."

"Your highness, there is a stranger lion in the territory," he said.

"And you're casually walking around like there is no need to get the warriors and defend the lands?" Nkiru asked, her voice growing from a sarcastic growl to a roar. Some of the lionesses shrunk away as much as they could, not wanting to listen to the rise in volume, where some males just looked away. With one final growl, Nkiru walked through the scouts and made a path for herself. If they didn't want to get budged, they needed to move for themselves. With a look over her shoulder, the queen snarled, "Get the warriors and get them to find me. Have Kukiki with them." before she sped off and made her way over to the part of the territory they came from. She had to pause when a mixture of unfamiliarity and male musk flooded her nostrils. Nkiru scowled as she looked, but when a roar was heard she took off running in that direction. Soon enough, she had made it to the edge of the territory to find a male body she did not know sitting there as casually as her scouts had been. Slowing her pace, Nkiru let out her own roar. Though not as deep as his, it held a lot more warning and territorial judgement. "Get out. You are not welcomed here, and you are not going to be alive for much longer if you don't leave."

[Lyonize]

Uriah was relieved to see that Chezna was one of the more understanding queens, and quite humble at that.

"Please don't feel like in order to stay in this land that you have to fight for my pride or anything along those lines,"

"If I'm welcome, I'd like to stay a bit. Whenever prides go to war, it tends to affect everyone in their sphere of influence. I'd like to see what I can do to help." Uriah assured her that he was interested in staying. What else was he going to do? Keep walking? He'd been doing that for several days and he'd be doing it again for days after this was over. Whenever he and his brother stumbled upon someone in need of help, they stayed to help. It wasn't even a question.

---

It didn't take long for the pride to show up. They must have seen me traveling along the border. That must be why they were so quick to respond. Zoba mused. He was imediately greeted with defensive aggression. He could hardly blame them. No point in letting your guard down, no matter what. And if Zoba was honest with himself, there wasn't much he could do to make himself look less threatening. His size made it difficult to appear harmless despite his efforts.

"Get out. You are not welcomed here, and you are not going to be alive for much longer if you don't leave."

Zoba bowed his head respectively, keeping the top of his head pointed towards the lioness and his gaze toward the ground. It was a submissive pose that left him vulnerable, but he hoped it would indicate his intention NOT to fight.

"I've struck a nerve. I apologize. I didn't mean to create such a stir." He began. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to the lioness. "I'm looking for passage either around or through these lands but the territorial borders of this pride and another have me all turned around." Zoba's voice was calm and composed and his focus was unshaken, however, he had already planned out an escape route should things get violent. He didn't want to fight them, though he could probably take on two or three. "Could you at least point me in the right direction? Or I could just follow the river through with your permission." He hoped his appeal would be enough. Then again, as on-edge as they appeared, it was likely they'd just turn him away to go back the direction he came.

[Malenga]

The fact that a stranger lion was willing to help out with this war was endearing, to say the least. Uriah didn't know Chezna or her pride members from a worm in the ground yet he was willing to put his life on the line? Others might have thought it was a little fishy. But Chezna was both blessed and cursed with the family trait of being too trustworthy. It worked out in her favor sometimes, but most of the time... well, her scars were a pretty good example of how it didn't work out in her favor other times.

Finishing up with her drink, Chezna brought her head back up and looked at the leo a ways away from her before she padded forward. "That is appreciated. Thank you," the queen nodded before she set off to lead the way to her home. "So, Uriah, tell me about yourself. How'd you end up here all alone?"

---

Nkiru watched as the lion lowered his head, literally leaving himself open for the lioness to strike him if she wanted. With a few more gruff snarls escaping through the gaps in her bared teeth, the dark female made her way over to him so she was in striking range and pulled her paw up for the wind up of a good smack to him. However, the noise of stampeeding pawsteps toward her made her pause, and the voice of a lioness took her out of the moment of range.

"Your highness, please stop!" Kukiki called out. Behind her were the three main warriors, while she was sure the others were at home making sure that the territory was secured for the other members of the pride. The males trotted up to her along with Kukiki, standing behind her whilst the lioness took her place next to the queen who had lowered her paw down to the ground but continued to glare at this stranger. 

"Swim across the river for all I care! Just get out," Nkiru barked. Her claws had already started to scrape along the ground as she paced in front of her pride members.

"Your highness...," Kukiki spoke softly as she walked up beside Nkiru. It caught the queen's attention though her shoulders were still rolling in preparation to pounce if need be. "Might I have a word?"

With a huff, Nkiru turned herself and walked grumpily over to the side where the other lioness was leading her. "Watch him," she ordered the males, who did as they were told, setting themselves down in a triangle formation to make sure that this light coloured intruder didn't make his way off. Meanwhile, Nkiru and Kukiki conversed to themselves. 

"It might be best to keep this lion around," suggested Kukiki.

"What for?" Nkiru asked.

"Look at him. He's huge. Who knows what sort of damage he could do were the Balnasi pride to come over here looking for a fight?" The thought made Nkiru pause, looking over her shoulder for just a moment at the rogue male before she looked back at Kukiki. "It's just a suggestion, your majesty, but I think it would be wise for us to see if we can get him to stay." 

With a few seconds more of thought put into Kukiki's proposal, Nkiru turned around and walked back to the warriors currently guarding the male. "What is your name?" Nkiru asked.

[Lyonize]

Finally, the two were headed toward where Uriah assumed the rest of the pride would be. He was admittedly curious to meet the rest of the members.

"So, Uriah, tell me about yourself. How'd you end up here all alone?"

And there it was. The question they all ask. "I travel around. Usually alone, sometimes with my brother. We generally go wherever we like. Every so often, we find a pride or someone to stay with for a bit while we figure out where we're going next." It was the usual answer answer he gave to anyone who asked. He then turned to Chezna. "I assume you're here because you inherited the place?"

---

Zoba remained motionless as the lioness approached him and raised her paw. This first blow, he would take. But after that, he'd do what he needed to escape.

"Your highness, please stop!"

The new voice pierced the silence and the hit never came. He hoped that, whoever it was, they were here to talk some sense into the aparent queen. Two males were instructed to watch him while they talked. He couldn't make out what they were saying but he suspected it had to do with him. By now, Zoba had lifted his head back up. He made his appeal. There was no point in keeping his guard down now. A minute passed and the two lioneses aproached him again.

"What is your name?"

The lion wasted no time with pleasantries this time. He knew it would be wasted. "Zoba."

[Malenga]

"Your brother?" Chezna questioned. The thought of another lion in the lands unknown to the rest of the pride made her swivel her head around, hoping he would be near and not out where some of her scouts could mistake him for a dangerous intruder. "Is he here with you?" She hoped he was, since she didn't want a surprise to take her pride back. However, his next question returned her back to the process of finding out about one another. "Oh, yes. I inherited this land from my parents. Being the youngest of my sisters, I didn't expect to have the position for myself," Chezna softly revealed. They continued to stride forward slowly, allowing the soft patter of their paws to make way through the grasses.

Eventually the pair walked into the main territory where the pride lived. Uriah would see scattered rocks that appeared to be caves, each with a family inside. It was like dozens of families that made up one larger pride. A lot of them were older lions and lionesses, but there were a few youthful ones running about with their cubs. More of them were out for now and would return around dinner time. Once the queen entered, there were rising bodies to greet her with an obvious pause as to why there was a male whom they did not know.

"Everyone, this is Uriah. He is going to be staying with us for a while." At least she assumed for a while; she didn't think the male wanted to settle into the pride life with the way he talked about himself and his brother making their way around as they pleased. "Please make him feel welcomed," she smiled. Chezna walked on, waiting to see if Uriah would follow. However, when she turned her head, there were female bodies of both teenagers and young adults whizzing past to go up and meet him. Most of the males simply stayed put, observing this new body while the lionesses were giving him the once over and asking him questions ranging from "Have you been everywhere in the Pridelands?" to "Do you have a mate?" Chezna almost felt sorry for the new lion, having to deal with the spouting of all these somewhat personal questions.

---

"Zoba," Nkiru repeated. She let the name sit in her mind for a moment, mulling over the names of the Balnasi pride as she remembered. It didn't seem like someone who was part of the rival pride so she didn't need to worry too much. On the contrary, if what Kukiki suggested were to happen, she would have a far more reliable fighting force than she had intended. She looked at her warriors, as they looked back at her. "Take him with us," she spoke before turning herself around and walking back the direction she came. She walked alone for the most part, the males lingering behind in attempts to pushing the large male forward with the queen. Kukiki looked after the queen where she stood, then walked over to Zoba.

"Please come with us, and I will see to it that you are fed and given more of an explanation as to why things are so... well, not very welcoming right now." She hoped her explanation and demeanor would persuade the lion as she attempted to walk beside him were he to do so - with force or not. "I'm Kukiki, by the way."

[Lyonize]

"Your brother? Is he here with you?"

"Oh, no, I haven't seen him in weeks!" Uriah replied, remembering the last time the two were together. He wondered where Zoba could be right now.

The two lions talked as they traveled to the central grounds of the pride. It was quite unlike most dens. There was an open area in the middle surrounded by rock formations that provided shelter for each family of lions. Among the females and cubs were a number of males. It felt more like a community of mini prides. Uriah liked the idea of that. He then realized the number of eyes on him as Chezna spoke.

"Everyone, this is Uriah. He is going to be staying with us for a while. Please make him feel welcomed,"

Before he could react, the blue-eyed lion was rushed by lionesses greeting him, asking him all sorts of questions. He tried answering them as fast as they could fire them at him. "I mean, I travel all over the place so I suppose. Uh, no, I don't have a mate. I guess you don't get visitors very oft- WHOA, hey that's my tail!" Someone had definitely yanked his tail tuft playfully. It could've been a mischievous cub but he couldn't be sure. Uriah was drowning in a sea of fur. Is this how Zoba feels all the time? He thought. Normally his brother received all the female attention. He was bigger and stronger after all. Lionesses seemed to like the strong silent type.

"Uhhh, Chezna?" He called out, hoping she hadn't left him behind. The lionesses gave him a little breathing room. He took a deep breath and addressed the lionesses. "Maybe we can continue this later. I'm interested in helping resolve the conflict between the two prides here." Uriah looked at Chezna, wondering if she would lead him somewhere to talk or allow the whole pride to help explain the situation to him.

---

"Take him with us,"

Most lions would've probably tried to escape. Zoba knew better. If he tried to run, he'd probably escape. But going with them guaranteed his safety for at least a little while. Besides, he was also curious to see what was going on.

"Please come with us, and I will see to it that you are fed and given more of an explanation as to why things are so... well, not very welcoming right now." The other female spoke to him in a hushed tone and Zoba listened. An explanation would be nice. "I'm Kukiki, by the way."

"It's good to meet you, Kukiki." He said politely though he couldn't say the circumstances of their meeting were pleasant. He was basically being taken hostage. However, the idea of food was appealing.

[Malenga]

Chezna's ears tipped backward and she let an apologetic smile cross over her muzzle before she slid her way down from the hill she had propped herself up on and made her way through the crowd. Without saying anything, the lionesses had parted their way to make room for their scarred queen as she reached Uriah's position and stood before him. "Sorry," she smiled sheepishly. Looking to the others, she smiled at them. "Pardon me ladies, I have to steal the new guy away." Some of them sighed in defeat, but most took the hint and left the surrounding circle that enveloped both the queen and her new friend. With a little more stubbornness, the other lionesses went off to their business somewhere else, leaving the two together. Chezna looked up at Uriah and smiled. "We don't get many new guys around here, as you can probably tell," she laughed slightly before leading the way. The narrow dark lioness wandered her way back up the hill that she was sitting on, but instead of stopping she continued to walk up a larger rock that was painted with grass and a few flowers. But the further up they got, the grass dwindled away into rock and dirt. And as Chezna reached the top, the wind started to whip around her. They were at the top, and you could see the lands all around them. To the left there were the trees that had secluded their first meeting, in front of them were the multiple caves that housed the families of the pride, to the left there were wide open plains that held herds of prey. And in front of them was the river that separated the Balnasi pride and the Rogue Akila pride. 

The queen took a moment to look on before she turned to see where Uriah was. "You would think that all that land would be enough for queen Nkiru," Chezna thoughtfully observed. It was a vast land across from them, and it was baffling as to how someone could want more on top of all that. "Of course, I have to give credit where credit is due, the young queen is definitely more of a leader type that way," she spoke as she nodded. "Sometimes I think giving up this land to her would be best for both prides. We wouldn't have to hurt innocent lives just trying to live out the rest of their days peacefully...," Chezna trailed off in thought as she looked at her paws. She remembered standing here with her father and mother, being reminded of how being queen was not going to be easy and that it was her responsibility to keep this land within the family. She picked her head up and looked on. "But then again, Nkiru and I are different leaders. The way I lead is what this pride has been used to for so long, and if they're comfortable that way then I don't want to break tradition." 

The lioness continued to look on for a bit before she looked over to her side at the lion again and cleared her throat. "Sorry, I tend to ramble sometimes."

---

They ventured forward until they reached the pride's den territory once more. Some of the lions had herded around to await what would come back with the part of the pride that had gone off, only to find that a new addition was to come along with them. Nkiru walked past the group that was curiously circling around Zoba already surrounded by the warriors. They didn't look terribly convinced that he was going to be too much of a threat, as their shoulders rolled and their heads were relaxed. They didn't give him nasty looks or anything; they seemed to look at him with interest. Mostly for his size. 

"Your highness, what would you like us to do with Zoba?" Kukiki asked, standing beside the large male as she awaited for the queen to speak.

Nkiru kept walking forward without acknowledging the voice of her pridemate. But then she spoke, "Put him up in one of the caves in the east. Watch him and don't let him out of your sight. He's a wanderer." With that, Nkiru sauntered off again but not before looking at a gang of lionesses who had cubs huddled around their feet. She seemed to speak to them before looking over her shoulder at Zoba, then back at them and walked away. Regardless of the queen speaking most likely of not going anywhere near Zoba, a little brown cub watched as the grumpy queen walked past before looking over to the light coloured male. She smiled and put her paws forward as if she were going to walk over to him, but her mother took her tail and pulled her back before she could advance any further. The mothers herded their cubs off as they all made their way away, leaving Kukiki and the warriors with Zoba. 

Kukiki looked up at Zoba and smiled, almost apologetically. "Why don't you come with me," she suggested and began to walk most likely in the direction that Nkiru spoke of. As they continued forward quietly, the tan lioness cleared her throat and looked around the trees passing overhead. "So I bet you're hungry. How long have you been out here on your own?"

[Lyonize]

"You would think that all that land would be enough for queen Nkiru. Sometimes I think giving up this land to her would be best for both prides. We wouldn't have to hurt innocent lives just trying to live out the rest of their days peacefully...,"

Uriah listened intently. The more he understood about the situation, the better.

"But then again, Nkiru and I are different leaders. The way I lead is what this pride has been used to for so long, and if they're comfortable that way then I don't want to break tradition."

There was a long pause while Uriah allowed her to put her thoughts together.

"Sorry, I tend to ramble sometimes."

"Oh, it's alright. Voicing your thoughts can be helpful sometimes. And I understand. You and queen Nkiru have vvery different leadership styles and both seem to work for your respective prides. But what does she want with yours? What do you have that she doesn't?" Uriah asked, trying to understand the intent of Nkiru's pride. "Nobody goes on a conquest for more territory for no reason." He added as he flicked a pebble with his paw.

---

The big lion had decided by now that he'd much rather go along with everything that was happening. As long as they weren't hurting him, what was the point in trying to escape? After all, they were apparently feeding him. Until they hurt him, or tried to, he'd begin formulating plans for escape. But for now, his curiosity had taken over.

As the leader barked orders to take him places and watch him, Zoba observed each member of the pride, gauging their probable role in the pride and whether or not they could be a threat to him at any given moment. He was steadily becoming more and more distracted by the cubs. One, in particular, attempted to toddle toward him but was stopped by her mother. Cubs always seemed to have two different reactions to him. Some were initially afraid of him, but others had a curious fascination with him. The faintest smile showed through as he glanced at the cub. He didn't want to worry her mother so he didn't linger, but Zoba couldn't help but grin just a bit.

"Why don't you come with me," Zoba's attention was drawn right back to Kukiki. He only barely caught the conversation that revealed where they were taking him. "So I bet you're hungry. How long have you been out here on your own?"

"Quite a while." Was his simple answer. His deep voice was calm and smooth. His answer didn't reveal much. "Since I was young." He added, still not revealing any great details. He glanced back once more to see the cubs watching him intently. "Your queen leads a fine pride." It was a compliment most in his situation wouldn't have given considering the circumstance, but it was true. They were all strong and healthy, but her apparently irritated state seemed to have everyone on edge. "She never revealed her name." Zoba pointed out. He didn't know if it was intentional or not, but he would have liked to know the name of his captor.

[Malenga]

His question was understandably curious, as she would be were she in his paws. With a flick of her ear, Chezna looked from Uriah to the lands on the other side. She could only imagine what was being talked about over there; what they were scheming and trying to figure out about the Balnasi pride. The thought of her standing there while their warriors invaded the territory lines to potentially attack them? That horrified her where she stood. Chezna could practically feel her legs shaking at the idea, which was leading her mind into numerous other ideas. She stood there, quiet and wide eyed, as scenes played through her mind what could happen if she let her guard down for even a moment. But out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a few of her scouts heading out to the borders. That meant they were going to patrol, which brought a relaxing sigh to her. Her chest caved in and she composed herself once again. Uriah probably would find out sooner or later, so why not tell him now?

"My older sister was to be queen of these lands, but when she found out that I was the one who would inherit the title from our parents, she ran away and started a pride of her own. Queen Nkiru is... she's my niece, and she's taking back what she feels rightfully belongs to her mother, and by extension, her." Now it was out in the open. Uriah could either choose to get involved in family conflict, or leave. She wouldn't blame him for the latter, but now that she had invested in telling him so much of the backstory of his war, she hoped he would stay around.

---

Kukiki scoffed with a soft smile as she looked from Zoba to the direction they were heading. The males who had once surrounded him in a strict triangle had moved into a lazy line behind Zoba. He didn't seem like he wanted to harm anyone nor did he make any sort of strange move, so there was no point in putting in effort for someone who had no ill intentions.

"Our queen is named Nkiru," Kukiki spoke before she stopped in front of a cave. It had a gaping wide mouth but it was low. A lion like Zoba would have to duck to get into it, but laying down in there would prove to be no problem - perhaps even cozy if he liked closed spaces. "She's usually less grumpy," spoke the tanned lioness to which she earned a scoff from one of the warriors. Kukiki looked over at him with a frown.

"Right, and zebras are actually spotted, not striped," he commented over his shoulder while he sat down. The males had formed a little cohort over by themselves, and snickered at their friend's remark. Kukiki raised an eyebrow before she looked over to the side.

"Oh hi, your highness." Immediately they sprang up and looked around, but to find nothing but a fib told by the tan lioness. The three turned around and looked at Kukiki who was shrugging her shoulders with a smile. "Oops, guess it was a trick of the eye," she retorted. The males rolled their eyes and let out a breath of relaxation before laying themselves down. Kukiki shook her head, reminded of just how lazy they were before she looked over at Zoba. "We're in the middle of a war against the pride on the other side of the river. The Balnasi pride rightfully belongs to queen Nkiru, and she wants to take it - even if that means by force. If you ask me though, she's gotten a lot grumpier and short tempered because of how stressed out she is. She doesn't want to say anything to anyone, but I can just tell. I've known her since we were cubs, and while she's always been very proud, these days she just looks...," Kukiki trailed off into thought before she snapped her head out of it and smiled. "Silly me, you need some food. I'll be right back," she smiled at him before trotting herself off to the hunting grounds and leaving Zoba alone with the males who only watched her go and then looked over to Zoba.

"So," One of them tried to make conversation, "Where ya come from, big guy?"

[Lyonize]

"I figured she was probably family." Uriah said. "It's more common than you might think, prides split between siblings or father and son." He spoke from experience. Uriah and Zoba had come across more prides than most knew existed. "What we need is a neutral party. I could go and speak with Nkiru.
I could be an ambassador for your pride." His offer was sincere and he hoped she would take it.

---

"So, where ya come from, big guy?"

"Never had a home, if that's what you're asking." Zoba said as he turned over on his back in the small space. He didn't do well in cramped areas. He was a big guy and he didn't fit through openings others might easily squeeze through. He was prone to get stuck in thick jungles.

"Well..." He continued as he remembered the one place his family stayed for any length of time. "Eden. The cubs call it 'Happy Valley.' My family was nomadic but we stayed there for long enough that it felt like home."

[Malenga]

It was good to know that her family wasn't the only one with problems. As self absorbed as it might have seemed to others from the outside looking in, in the middle of the drama and the heartache it was hard for the pride to look past it as a normal day occurence. Chezna smiled to Uriah as he offered some kind words to put things into perspective. However, his next set of words made her sigh and look back out to the lands before them.

"There's no talking to her, Uriah. She's set on war and thats the only way things are going to be resolved." She hated to admit that there was no other peaceful solution other than fighting, but once she thought more on it, she wondered if there might have been a better way to do it coming from someone who was, again, on the outside looking in. Maybe it would help if if were someone other than her or family and friends. With another thought to it, Chezna raised her head up to him and nodded. "I'd like for you to give it a shot. Who knows what could happen?" the queen smiled at him. "What's your plan for this then?"

---

The males looked at Zoba as though they were just expecting a standard answer like 'east' or 'west'. When they got more than they bargained for out of the strong silent type, they rested their heads on their paws with minimal perking once they noted a tan lioness returning back to them. Kukiki strode in and, with her, she had the carcass of an old antelope. Her head was cocked to the side and she walked on her tiptoes to try and avoid tripping over the body. When she was in front of Zoba, she dropped it down and smiled at her work. "Dinner!" she announced. As the brood of males got to their paws, she turned her head around to look at them and flicked her tail. "Time for you boys to go catch some of your own," she smiled.

"Kukiki...!" they groaned.

"Come on, I didn't spend all that time teaching you how to hunt for nothing. You're grown men!" she spoke as they stepped away and over the same direction as she had come from. Now all who was left was just Zoba and Kukiki, who didn't seem to mind being left alone with a rogue. "I don't think you need to be guarded like this. You don't seem like a bad guy. Just... a man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, maybe." She seemed to be thinking out loud whilst she awaited to see how he would react to the kill.

[Lyonize]

Chezna seemed unsure, but she was still open to the idea, which he was glad for.

"What's your plan for this then?"

"I dunno. Maybe I'll just shout from across the river. See if anyone shows up on the other side. Maybe tomorrow?"

---

The males around here are so whiny. Zoba thought.

"I don't think you need to be guarded like this. You don't seem like a bad guy. Just... a man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, maybe."

"Typical." He grunted. He lay there for a moment before approaching the gazelle. He ate silently and only took what he needed.

(Sorry for the short(ish) replies. Just lacking my creative flow but I definitely want to keep this going. haha)

[Malenga]

"Well, that's quite an... idea," she spoke as she thought it through. At first, she could just see Uriah standing at the edge of the river and yelling out out for someone to come and listen to what he had to say, but then the idea of Nkiru being the one to answer his call with a smack to his face popped into her mind. Of course, the thought of it made Chezna's tail flick irritably. She didn't want to think about Uriah putting himself on the line for her pride, especially when he had only just met her less than an hour ago. And to think that he might have harm come to him? With a sigh, Chezna let her head fall for a moment before she looked over at the lion defeatedly. "I don't want you getting hurt."

---

Kukiki figured Zoba was getting tired. After all, it wasn't an every day thing - at least she hoped - that he would get captured by a pride that was lead by a queen under a whole lot more stress than she should have been. She remained quietly sitting in her spot before she noted the males had come back. She didn't see any catch brought back with them but she noted the blood on their claws and muzzles meaning they must have had something to eat. With that, she got to her paws and smiled down at Zoba.

"Things will be better tomorrow," she told him before heading in the direction they had come. Before she did, she looked over her shoulder and spoke softly, "Good night." to Zoba and then nodded with a soft smile over to the three guards. They lazily nodded back over to her before continuing a conversation between each other. That left Zoba to himself as he saw fit, one male constantly awake to make sure the oversized cat didn't make any stupid moves. But of course, eventually they all fell asleep which lead for one little predator to make her way into the area. Making her way up to the lion, whether he be asleep or awake, the brown cub from before who seemed to be entranced with Zoba had made her way over to him and was now right in front of him. Fearless, as only a cub could be; unaware of dangers that the parents saw. 

"You're big," she pointed out before sitting down. "Mommy tells me in order to get big I have to eat my meat and drink lots of water. Is that true, mister?" She tilted her head to the side, which lead her large ears to move as well. "Oh, I'm Ikani. Who are you?" The cub batted her amber eyes as she awaited his answer.

[Lyonize]

"I don't want you getting hurt."

"Oh, I'll be fine." Uriah shot a smile at her.

It was getting dark and the glowing orange sunset cast a faint warmth that fades slowly. In the east, the stars began to twingle into existence across the blueish-black sky. Uriah yawned as he realized he hadn't had much sleep in the last week. There were always dangers to keep an eye out for when he was alone. Finally, having a pride around would give him the opportunity to rest with little to no worries.

---

Zoba was glad to hear that everything would be better the next day. Whatever that meant.

As the sun began to set and crickets began to chirp, the guards predictably fell asleep. This would've been the easiest escape ever. That is, if escape was even part of the plan in the first place. Instead, Zoba chose to see it as an opportunity to let his guard down and rest. Normally, he'd have to wake up every so often to make sure the coast was clear. Being a prisoner under the watch of a whole pride afforded him time to get a more restful sleep. But not a moment after he closed his eyes, the voice of a young cub reached his ears.

"You're big," Zoba opened one eye to see the dark-furred cub sitting in front of him. "Mommy tells me in order to get big I have to eat my meat and drink lots of water. Is that true, mister?" Zoba lifted his head and blinked the sleep out of his eyes.

"Your mother is right." He told her. "But you also have to work extra hard. When you're chasing your prey or running from danger, and your muscles want to give up, use your heart to keep going." It was the advice he gave all cubs who asked.

"Oh, I'm Ikani. Who are you?"

"My name is Zoba." He said, straitening himself, paws crossed in front of him. "It's good to meet you, Ikani. But you should head back to your mother.
I'm sure she wouldn't like you talking to strangers."

[Malenga]

Wasn't that just a typical male response though. Chezna couldn't help but roll those icy coloured eyes of hers before shaking her head with a smile. She hoped that even if it was just a boast of his confidence, that it wouldn't be false. The lioness looked away from the leo and over to the skies ahead of them. Just as light was fading from their day and replacing it with a warm blanket of African evening, she sighed and began her way back down the way they came. "You gonna sleep up here, or are you going to come and sleep down here with everyone else?" Chezna asked over her shoulder.

---

"Mommy wouldn't like me doing a lot of things but I still do 'em," smirked the cub. A little too eager to break rules and be older than she was. She made her way closer to the large lion and sat down, back legs sprawled out in front of her front legs whilst she looked up at him with that goofy cub-like innocence. "Daddy said the same thing as you did. 'Use your heart to keep going'. He wasn't as big as you, but he was still a pretty big lion. But he's gone now...," the cub fell on a somber note before she let it pass, looking back up to Zoba. "So why're you not sleeping with the rest of the pride? Did you get in trouble? Mommy puts me in time outs whenever I get in trouble too. Did auntie 'Ruru put you out here?"

[Lyonize]

"I'll follow you." He answered, pacing away from the precipice overlooking the kingdom and the lands beyond. Uriah waited and as she passed him, he nudged her shoulder with his. "Hey. Everything's going to be okay." He reassured her, keeping his air of mirthful confidence. In reality, he didn't know how to go about this. If Zoba was here, he'd think of something.

---

"Mommy wouldn't like me doing a lot of things but I still do 'em,"

Oh, boy. Zoba narrowed his eyes and smiled. Just like Uriah. His smile widened as she sat down in front of him.

"Daddy said the same thing as you did. 'Use your heart to keep going'. He wasn't as big as you, but he was still a pretty big lion. But he's gone now...,"

His smile faded, suddenly feeling all the more compassionate toward the cub, and now toward her mother.

"So why're you not sleeping with the rest of the pride? Did you get in trouble? Mommy puts me in time outs whenever I get in trouble too. Did auntie 'Ruru put you out here?"

Auntie 'Ruru. That's cute. He thought. Better refrain from calling Nkiru by that name. Assuming that's who she's talking about. "I'm new here. Your Auntie just wants to make sure everyone is safe. Not all lions are nice." The big lion rested his chin on his paws, bringing his eyes down to her level. Her bright, wide eyes contrasted with his tired ones. Sleep threatened to take over but he fought it back. "What's your name, little one?" His voice rumbled deeply in his tired, relaxed state.

[Malenga]

Chezna smiled over her shoulder at him, taking the chance to give him a gentle whip of her tail to his cheek. "You act like I'm stressed out or something," she mused before she took the few beginning steps down the rock, leading the way back down for them. When they had arrived at the bottom, families were already beginning to form into their respective groups. Parents had to pry their cubs away from others and promising them more play time the next day, couples groomed one another before they nestled to cuddle into sleep together, and some nuzzled their loved ones before they went their separate ways; one lion going to guard the borders, and the other going to sleep on their own for the night. Chezna smiled at a few of the tired faces who looked her way before she walked over into a cave that was unoccupied; Her cave. It was nothing too special other than the fact that it had a tree that could very well help someone climb up and rest on the top of it were they to watch the stars. The dark lioness leapt up, latching her claws into the bark and propelled herself up higher and higher on the trunk of the tree. Finally she let herself go where she landed on her feet on the top of the cave. The queen walked to the edge of the rock and smiled down at Uriah. "You comin' up, or are you gonna sleep in there tonight?"

---

Ikani looked at Zoba like he was speaking a foreign language. Her eyes were wide and wanting to understand, but her brain could just not process how lions could be mean. Other adults told her that too. "So why are you out here then?" she responded childishly. "Why don't you just tell auntie 'Ruru that you're not mean and don't want to hurt anybody? Beats sleeping out here without having someone to cuddle with," Ikani spoke, and before she knew it she was getting to her feet and walking over to the lion even closer. She walked over to his side, looking Zoba's frame over and scrunched her mouth to the side. She seemed like she was looking for something.

"My name's Ikani. I already told you, silly," she giggled before taking a place at his side. Her paw felt him out, trying to find a tender spot. "You must be really tired," she commented. "That's okay, I am too. Today, me and Jani - that's my friend's name, Marjani. She's really cool. She once caught a bug and ate it and didn't spit it out. What was I saying again? Oh yeah, me and Jani, we went down to the waterhole today and we chased the birds. And this one bird... he... he flew up... really... good night." Ikani had been speaking as she made herself comfortable at the side of Zoba, nuzzling herself in before the warmth of his body combined with her sleepiness took hold of her, and eventually from a rambling mess she soothed herself out and just fell to sleep. Curled into a little ball with a sweet, sleeping smile on her face.

[Lyonize]

"You comin' up, or are you gonna sleep in there tonight?"

Without a word, Uriah followed Chezna's movements to get up the tree and onto the smooth top of the rock. It was a flawless recreation of what the lioness had just accomplished, except for one thing. As he landed, one of his hind legs slipped out from under him briefly. He recovered quickly but there was no recovering from the minor slip. A crack of a grin slowly emerged on one corner of his muzzle. "Easy." He said, relaxing his shoulders and resuming his normal casual posture.

---

"So why are you out here then? Why don't you just tell auntie 'Ruru that you're not mean and don't want to hurt anybody? Beats sleeping out here without having someone to cuddle with,"

Zoba couldn't argue with that logic. If only everyone was as innocent as this little cub.

"My name's Ikani. I already told you, silly, You must be really tired. That's okay, I am too. Today, me and Jani - that's my friend's name, Marjani. She's really cool. She once caught a bug and ate it and didn't spit it out. What was I saying again? Oh yeah, me and Jani, we went down to the waterhole today and we chased the birds. And this one bird... he... he flew up... really... good night."

Zoba listened intently as she spoke, watching with a bit of surprise as she snuggled up to him. Some cubs didn't take long to warm up to him but this one definitely set a new record. The lion wished the same innocence could have remained in himself and others. At the same time, he couldn't help but think the cub was lucky. There were certainly bad lions out there. And if he was one of them, he could easily take advantage of the situation. It was an unpleasant truth, but Ikani needed to learn to be careful around strangers. The last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt. If only there was a way to teach her that while preserving her innocence.

Zoba began to wonder how best to go about the current situation. What would happen if Nkiru should come looking for her and see her with him? That probably would not bode well for him. He decided it would be best to take her to Nkiru. He waited a while to be sure Ikani was fast asleep, then he carefully lifted himself up and gently picked her up by the scruff of the neck. Getting past the guards was easy. They were asleep after all. It didn't take a master of stealth to get through. Zoba followed the scent of Nkiru and the other pride members to where they all lay sleeping. A bit of careful navigation so as not to wake anyone, and his sleeping captor lay in front of him. With the same gentleness he showed picking her up, Zoba set Ikani down next to the lioness and carefully turned to head back to the small cave he was being kept at.

The big, exhausted lion slumped back down in his cramped quarters and let himself drift off to sleep. He already missed Ikani's company.