A Shadowed Past

[Lorien]

Zander thought about it for a second, realizing that his head was still throbbing, not only from his visions, but from his wounds. All of a sudden, some of the pain from the other wounds came pouring back to his consciousness and he nodded his head to Fire.

"I suppose you're right, Fire." He smiled and looked out at the grasslands as the rain began to clear. "I think I would only slow the hunting party down."

[Fire]

"Ok. Then I will go with Baheekra..." He looked out into the sky and the land and saw that the clouds were disappearing slowly, letting the light peek through the holes. "If we hurry, we can catch the food while they are unaware of other predators being out."

[Deleted]

Bahreeka smiled at the lion. "Let's go then.." She said in a playful tone and ran off slowly infront of him. "You coming?" Bahreeka was so happy she had company.. she hadn't seen anyone since before she left on her search.

[Fire]

Fire smiled back at Bahreeka and then starts following her with the same pace that she is going at. "My, your mood changed quickly."

Bahreeka seemed liked a nice lioness. She had that certain playfulness that Fire liked. His tail flickers back and forth as he follows behind Bahreeka.

[Deleted]

Bahreeka laughed. "Well i haven't seen anyone in a long time.. so i'm pretty happy, yeah." When she finished her sentance she sped up and hid behind a big rock. She lay there waiting for Fire to catch up.

[Fire]

"I think anyone would be happy if they hadn't seen anyone in a long time." He laughed after his comment, wondering now where Bahreeka went.

She somehow managed to disappear as Fire wasn't fully concentrating on what was around him. He looks around as he fastens his walking pace, smiling as he looks for the cheetah. "Hmm... Where could she be?..."

[Deleted]

Bahreeka watched as Fire walked past the rock she was behind looking around for where she had gone. As he kept walking, she crept out from behind the rock and crept up behind him and pounced on his back. "Gotcha!!!" She yelled while laughing. "Now..." She said coming back up beside him again... what should we try and catch??"

[Fire]

Fire continued walking to find the cheetah when all of a sudden, he felt a sudden shift of weight and the sound of "Gotcha!" through his ears. He meeped a little when Bahreeka pounced him, going to the ground in the pounce and laughing too. "Hey! I never knew cheetahs could pounce like that..."

He felt Bahreeka get off of him, contining to follow and walk towards a place to find food. "Well, since you already caught me.... But, since I don't count as something on the food chain." He laughed after his comment, going down to a giggle and his tail flickering around playfully.

[Deleted]

"Well i could always drag you back there..." Bahreeka laughed as she turned to look up ahead. There was a little antelop and it's mother. " You go for the kid..i'll go for the mum.." She said as she arched her back and bent down to the ground, sneaking forward a little bit then looking back at Fire.

[Fire]

"Heh heh. Don't think you're strong enough to do that." He winks at Bahreeka, seeing the antelope and mother and crouching down as well with her. He then circles around the two antelope, making sure he was hidden in the tall grass. When he got to a certain point where the antelope had few options to run to, he nods to the cheetah. He mouths out the word "Now" to her, bounding to the path of the two animals and taking down the meal easily. He had hoped that Bahreeka had been successful with her kill.

[Kirsui]

While Fire and Bahreeka were hunting, the white lioness started dreaming.
She dreamt about two young lionesses. Other of them was dark brown and other white with long, blue hair. They were talking with eachother. The white one seemed to be teasing the other lioness.
"Meri, stop that!" the brown lioness said when her friend pulled her from her tail.

The dream changed. The two lionesses were still there, but the brown one was lying on the ground. Meri held her head low as she cried. She lifted her head to see a fairly large male lion in front of her. She saw how he lifted his paw that had long, sharp claws.
Suddenly Meri felt pain on the right side of her face. She moaned, the pain was horrible! She felt how her own blood dripped down her cheek...

The white lioness suddenly woke up. She had no idea how long she had been sleeping. She lifted her paw and touched her face, but there was no pain anymore. She was already half blind.
She sighed and quietly placed her head down, not falling back to sleep anymore, just trying to relax a bit.


((OOC: In case that anyone is wondering, she was dreaming about herself... ))

[Lorien]

Zander watched over the young lioness as she slept, noting the peaceful look on her face as she did so. He smiled to himself and then turned to the fire. As he stared into the depths of the flames, his mind started to wander about his own dreams and visions he had been having of late, and the same question came back to his mind. Should he ask his new friends to assist him in his journey? or should he face the long haul alone and not put them in any more danger than they have to? Sighing deeply, he tried to push the thoughts from his mind. He then glance over to the sleeping white lioness as she suddenly awoke. He moved as if to say something to her, but decided against it, thinking it was better for her to rest than to carry on a conversation.

[Deleted]

Bahreeka laughed at Fire's comment. She circled round the opposite way to the lion and watched for his signal. As he mouthed the words she was waiting for she lept out of the tall grass at the mother and pinned her down on the ground. "That wasn't too hard.." She though to her self and stood up. The antelope was obiously strong as it got up and tried running away, but Reeka pounced and aimed her mouth for the throat. "Yep, i got her this time." She said and grinned. She picked up the mother by the throat and started dragging her back to their camp. "C'monph fiwah, wets gwough." She managed to say, it was hard talking with an antelope hanging out of her mouth.

They reached the camp and Bahreeka lay the antelop down next to the fire. "So who's hungry? Oh, and fire caught us something extra encase someone is extra hungry." Bahreeka smiled at everyone and sat down next to Meri.

[Kirsui]

The lioness lifted her head when Fire and Bahreeka came back. She looked at the others around her a bit shyly and then slowly took a piece of meat from the antelope. She started eating it in silence. She hadn't realized how hungry she actually was until now that she was eating. She ate rather quickly, as if trying to eat as much as she could before someone would steal her food - even though she knew no one of the group would steal her food.

[Fire]

Since the baby was light, Fire could pick it up by the neck and carry it easily. He followed Baheekra back to the camp and placed the other antelope beside the mother. He watched a little as the unknown lioness ate, pretty sure of himself that she hadn't ate in a while. He tore a piece of meat off the mother antelope and chewed. He giggles while chewing since he thought about when Baheekra tried to speak with the antelope in her mouth. Swallowing down his food, he looks over to Baheekra. "Didn't your mother tell you to never talk with your mouth full?..."

[Lorien]

Zander looked around as the others endulged themselves in the antelopes. He too then stepped up to the mother and started ripping his way into the delicate meat, chewing fast and swallowing hard. He didn't know how long it had been since he had eaten last, but it sure felt good when the meat slid down his throat. When he had gotten his fill, he licked his muzzle clean of any blood and went by the fire and lay down, warming himself. Staring into it, the question came back to his mind, but this time he just pondered on the past few hours' events...his visions. Deep in thought, he continued to stare into the dancing flames, his head rested on his paws.

[Deleted]

Bahreeka laughed at Fire. "You're lucky I didn't make you carry it!" She replied as she ripped off a big chunk of meant from the antelope.

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Amaiza watched as Reeka and Fire came back with some food. Amaiza licked her lips and tore a bit off the baby." Poor thing probably feels left out, being untouched." She laughed a little before eating the small piece and grabbing a bit of the adult.

[Kirsui]

When the lioness had finished eating she looked around curiously. She hadn't given that much attention to the other members of the group, so she decited to take a good look now that everyone was there. She felt very curious about Bahreeka that had joined the group of lions. Never had she been this close to a cheetah before, even though she had seen some at the savannah.

Then she turned to look at Fire. She smiled slightly when she remembered he was the one who had brought her to the shelter.
Yes, she would remember him.

Then she turned to look at Zander, who stared at the fire. He seemed to be deep in his thoughts. She wondered what Zander was thinking, but she still didn't say a word.

Now her eyes turned to Amaiza. Something about this grey lioness reminded her of someone she had known a long time ago. Was it the colour or how she behaved... The lioness didn't know that. She sighed and looked down to her paws, not knowing what else she could have done.

[Fire]

"Heh heh. I think being untouched in this case would be a good thing, wouldn't it Amaiza?" He laughs a little as he finishes his meal, walking over to the fire and sitting down near the blue-haired lioness. Something about her made him curious as to find out more about her. The scar across her eye... It sent Fire into a gaze of questioning upon himself.

Zander seemed to be deep in thought. It wasn't something unusual to the fire-red maned lion. He does this sometimes as well. Yet, when he looked over at Zander, he seemed really out of it. "You have something on your mind, Zander?"

[Deleted]

Bahreeka got up from the group while they were all looking at Zander and ran off down the hill. She looked around and saw a rock, so she went over to it and sat down. She looked up at the sky and sniffed the air. No smell of her brother anywhere. Although it had been ages since she had seen him last she could still remember his scent. She sighed again and slowly started walking back up to the group. This had become a ritual for Bahreeka. Every afternoon she'd would find somewhere quiet and bare to sit down and look out for any sight of her brother or any one else. So far, she hadn't been very sucsessful.

[Lorien]

Zander was drawn from his thoughts as he heard Fire's voice. He looked up, lifting his head from his paws, and sighed slightly. "Hmm? Oh...it's nothing." He couldn't bring himself to ask for their help. He couldn't put them in danger like this, especially after they saved his life. He then looked back to the flames. "Don't worry about it, Fire." He looked over to Meri, who also seemed to be thinking to herself. He smiled, glad that she had recovered from her collapse. He then stood up and watched as Bahreeka ran from the group. He wondered where she was going, but didn't say anything. He then looked into the fire again, searching for answers throught the flames, his visions still playing in the back of his mind. What should he do?

[Deleted]

As she got back to the group she walked over, with her head drooping, and sat back down again. And looked around as if she hadn't gone anywhere. She put her head down on her paws. "Am i ever going to find him?" She thought sadly to herself.

[Fire]

Fire had nothing to say to anyone, really. Everyone looked like they were deep in thought. He hated it when he was left in the dark. Not physically, of course since the fire was there, but... It felt awkward when he didn't know what was going on with others. He walked over to where Amaiza and Meri were and sat down beside them, looking over at Amaiza with a soft smile. "Heh heh. Never expected to have new friends all in one day, eh?"

[Kirsui]

Suddenly a very quiet voice spoke.
"Mostly the same way I never expected to loose them."
It was no more than a whisper, but it was clear that the white lioness had been speaking for the first time. She was still staring at the flames, as if she had just said nothing. Though she didn't show it, was surprised that she had spoken at all. It was unusual for her to speak around other lions.

[Deleted]

Bahreeka sighed at what Meri had said. "Agreed." She was thinking about her little brother still. She missed him dearly.

Amaiza smiled at Fire. "Yeah.. alot.." She turned to Meri. She was suprised to hear her talk, she had hardly talked at all so far.

[Fire]

Fire raised a very hint of an eyebrow over at Meri and then smiled warmly at her. It was the first time that he had heard Meri talk... He wish that he could have heard more since he barely caught her words.

[Lorien]

Zander's ears heard the words that they were speaking, but his mind wasn't comprehending them. His eyes just watched the dancing flames...watched as his recent visions danced in the flames. Watched as the vision of his father towered over the dead body of his mother. He saw the grinning face of his father in the orange glow of the fire. Then he saw the lion come out of the flames, standing real before him. Collapsing on the ground, Zander went into another spell...

Lying on the ground, trembling from the cold, Zander lay on the ground. He woke to night time in a jungle. He went over to a nearby waterhole and peered over the edge, ready to get a drink. To his suprise, the reflection that stared back at him in the water was that of a cub. Quickly, he looked up, the sight scaring him a little. He then looked around his surroundings. All he could he could see was green. Closing his eyes, he tried to figure out the situation. As soon as his eyelids came together, the sight of his father's grinning face burn in his mind. He opened his eyes quickly, breathing hard. Looking to the ground, he sighed heavily. Then he heard the noise. It sounded like someone was crying...

Zander followed his ears, followed the sound of the sobs. He then spotted a small figure underneath a bush, their paws coving their eyes as the creature's body heaved up and down with the sobs. Slowly, he approached the small being.

"Are..Are you okay?" Zander couldn't believe the sound of his own voice, it was so...young. He watched as the creature, a lioness cub now that he got a good look at it, looked up from her crying as a soft whimper escaped from her mouth. Her eyes went wide as she jumped to her feet, frightened. Zander took a step back to show that he wasn't hostile. "I-I'm not going to hurt you..." The lioness closed her eyes as she reclined to her slender haunches. Zander then smiled as she seemed a lot less frightened. "What's the matter?"

The lioness, who was a greyish brown color with light blue eyes, looked to the ground and sighed. "I don't know where my parents are...or where I'm at for that matter..." She then looked up at him, the tears staining her fur. "Who...are you?"

Zander started to speak, but before he could, he was being pulled away from the scene, being pulled away from the lioness cub who faintly came back to his memory. Soon, he was back next to the fire, his head wrenching in pain once again. He let out a roar as he jumped to his feet, eyes clenched shut and paws grasping his head to make the pain stop. He completely forgot about the rest of the group, the pain and lioness cub the only things troubling his thoughts.

[Fire]

"Woah!" Fire was scared and shocked for the moment as Zander roared out, falling back for a moment and then regaining his position to a sit. "Hey... You do realize that there are other lions and lionesses in this, right?..." He said this in a comical tone, yet at the same time was serious about the fact. "Vision again?..."

[Lorien]

Zander calmed as he heard Fire's voice, bringing him back to reality. Keeping his paw at his head, He sighed deeply looking at the ground. "Yeah..." He then looked up at the rest of them, a pain in his look that couldn't be explained. "I...I don't know why I keep having these..." He closed his eyes. Yes he did, the purple eyed lion in his dreams had told him why. He was suppossed to go on his journey, was suppossed to ask them for help. The visions were those of his past, he knew this. But...it was too difficult to talk about it with others...

[Kirsui]

The white lioness turned to look at Zander when he roared in pain. She was startled, loud voices had done that to her after her other eye went blind.
She listened as Fire talked to Zander.
"Visions?" she whispered quietly but still loud enough that she could be heard.
"Why don't you tell more about it, hum?" she suggested. "Talking usually helps..."
She stopped speaking. What had she just said? Was she giving instructions to talk? After all the years she had kept silent?
She sighed and smiled faintly.
"Name's Meri, by the way..." she whispered a bit shyly, looking at the ground.