Long Way Home

As Nyota had fled the Coldlands, she tried desperately to make sense of what had just happened to her. She had been gone from the Lowlands for only one day, but she had managed to cover an enormous stretch of land in that time, going northward first, and now returning to the jungle in the south. Now, the exertion was beginning to slow the chocolate hued lioness down considerably. She had been running for hours, lost both physically and mentally, but she knew the Lowlands were not much farther now, if only she could force herself to continue.

But her legs were trembling uncontrollably, now weak from the miles she had traveled, as well as the total lack of sleep. How could she go home with nothing to say? She knew her dearest friend would accept her decision, but that it would hurt her. She knew Duara would look at her, with pain evident in her lovely indigo eyes, and the thought of it caused Nyota to sigh as she continued to pad onwards. The act had left her feeling terrible about herself, and no matter how much she tried to convince herself that she had done what was necessary, Nyota felt ashamed of herself. It had been a shameful rouse, even Nyota realized that. Hopefully the result of her deceit would justify the means she had taken, and she tried to focus her mind on the legacy she had secured for herself.

Her body would not allow her continued abuse, however. Finally, her legs gave way beneath her, and the tired lioness sank into the savannah grass, unable to continue. The grasses were soft, inviting, and now that she had stopped, sleep tempted Nyota. The lion she had seduced before dawn would no doubt be searching for her, and she could imagine how enraged Ismahel would be once he realized his new lioness was now gone for good.

The nights that had followed her and Nyota's conversation, Duara had been extra alert. She had stayed awake late into the night, and awoken early at dawn. Always, she had been relieved to see Nyota remained in the same position as they went to sleep that night. She had hoped that over those few weeks, perhaps Nyota had decided it was a bad idea. It was why, that one night, Duara had fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion and hope that Nyota would not leave. Her tired body had crumbled the moment the last rays of sun had disappeared over the horizon, and she had slept until dawn.

Her eyes fluttered open, the indigo shining brightly due to a night of actual proper and good sleep. She had rested well, her dreams not haunted of Nyota running off to mate with a strange white lion, and not being able to return. Her dreams had often been filled with that, and the most horrific part was when Duara found them, and Nyota had fallen in love with the lion - never wishing to return to the Lowlands.

Sleepily, she turned her head to where Nyota had slept that night, fully expecting to see the chocolate lioness dozing lightly. But, the lionesses spot was empty, and Duara let out a sound of fright. Within the blink of an eye, Duara had lept up and fled from their home, not being careful as she leapt and crunched her way through the jungle. She made quite a racket, but that did not bother her. Birds, startled, flew past her in a twittering hurry, and animals started as she passed by. She broke free of the jungle and was in un-known lands.

She did not slow as she looked around in panic, before continuing to run. She ran in circles for a while, and as the sun began to slowly rise from its half-peeking position over the horizon, Duara saw a brown body heaving and she bolted for it. As she saw the familiar markings on her that she knew to be Nyota, Duara relaxed and leapt over the body. She whirled around and faced the tired Nyota. Her eyes scanned the lionesses body, already knowing what she had done. Hurt, pain, confusion and anguish made themselves apparent in Duara's eyes, and she collapsed next to her friend.

Nyota had been dozing off in the savannah once she was unable to run, in plain sight of anyone who happened upon her, when suddenly she was aware of Duara's presence. When the other lioness collapsed beside her, Nyota looked over, and her dual colored eyes widened in disoriented surprise. Was she asleep or awake? Her friend said nothing, and for a lingering moment, Nyota was fairly convinced that she was dreaming. It was incredibly lucky that Duara had found her first.

Then, the reality of the situation seemed to dawn on the jungle queen. The sorrowful look in Duara's eyes brought her back to her senses, and Nyota looked away immediately. She couldn't bring herself to meet Duara's gaze now, instead staring off into the distance in the direction she had been traveling all day. Her eyelids still felt as if they weighed a hundred pounds each, but she remained awake now. Her heart was beating double time in her chest, and it was too painful to see the honest feelings in Duara's delicate features. For a few minutes, Nyota struggled to communicate. It was clear the other already knew what had happened, whether Nyota admitted it or not. "You should have stayed," she said softly, when finally she found her words.

"Please don't despise me for what I have done." Her voice faltered when she spoke again, but her expression remained stoic, as if it really had been strictly business. If the tables were turned, if it had been Duara who vanished, Nyota would have been furious. The thought of her friend having to go through what she had was unforgivable. At least now, it was over and done with, and if successful, the Lowlanders would no longer need to worry about the future of their monarchy. Normally, Duara's presence calmed Nyota, but now, her own shame made her uneasy. She knew her friend as well as she knew herself, but could not guess how the tan lioness would react to this.

Duara's rage began to build inside her as Nyota seemed to have trouble recognising her, the look on her face was confused. Her eyes were disorientated, and Duara let out a low growl that was mixed with a purr of relief at finding Nyota. She knew that if another lion had found Nyota, they would have taken her for their own. The pain that Duara would've suffered due to that would have made her go insane, for her nightmares would've come true.

In a gentle manner, Duara rubbed her head against Nyota's, allowing her rage to run away from her as she focused on the relief at finding her. She curled her body against Nyota's and rested her head atop of Nyota's neck, purrs racking her body lightly. "If I had not come then another would have taken you, and my nightmares would have been realised." Duara said in a soothing tone, knowing that her anger would best be saved for later times, when Nyota was not so tired and fatigued.

Duara pulled her head back and examined Nyota's body in a careful manner again. She licked the top of Nyota's head in an affectionate way. As Nyota spoke again, Duara felt her rage rise slightly, but she squashed it and nuzzled Nyota's head. "I do not despise you. I could never despise you, Nyota. No matter how much pain, hurt and anguish you have inflicted upon me, it is not fair that you should suffer it. You did what you knew was right."

Physically, Nyota was perfectly fine, but she remained silent as Duara inspected her body. No marks seemed to mar her coffee colored pelt, it was simply exhaustion. Nyota had been awake for over a day now, and fought hard against the delirium that accompanies such long periods without rest. Indeed, what Duara said was true: the tired lioness could easily have become part of a rogue's harem, had she been discovered in such a weak state. But Nyota was relieved to hear that her friend did not hate her, and that she understood why the queen had done it, regardless of the pain caused. There would be time enough for venting and apologies back home.

"It's over now," she mused allowed, a soft purr of her own beginning to rumble in her throat. Finally, with her closest companion so near to her, comforting rather than lashing out, Nyota began to feel some semblance of calm. With the deed done, the queen had no reason to leave her territory again, and this thought brought a smile to her weary features. Her eyes shut contentedly as she felt Duara's rough tongue on her forehead, and the nuzzle that followed. Nyota felt far better now, knowing she would not be rejected for her sins.

"With luck from the Spirits, I shall never have to go through that again." Opening her mis-matched eyes again, she peered to Duara with a reassuring smile. The experience had been unpleasant for Nyota, and not one that she cared to repeat. "Nor shall you," she added quietly. Though Duara had never expressed an interest in becoming a mother herself, the very idea bothered Nyota, and she would never allow a lion to come near her dearest friend. Then, the exhausted lioness stated, battling to fight off a wide yawn mid-sentence, "Now, I need not ever take a mate." She rest her head against Duara's shoulder, finding it to be quite comfortable, and she nuzzled her face against the neck of the other lioness, rough purr escaping along with a sigh.

Duara's thoughts and mind was still racing. Duara could envision snowy white cubs with Nyota's mis-matched eyes. Her eyes trailed down to Nyota's body, where hopefully, the cubs were beginning to grow. It would break Duara's heart if Nyota's mission had failed, and she must attempt again with another lion. A growl ripped up her throat involuntarily, and she decided she would not allow that to happen. Even if it meant she never slept again, she would do so.

Duara sighed and purred softly back at Nyota. She knew that though her anguish, frustration and hurt right now was deep, she would not attempt to scold Nyota at this moment in time. Her closest companion looked deeply exhausted and tired. "Yes, it is over." Duara agreed, relief washing over her again. Every time that thought crossed her mind, it brought calm to her. She was glad that now she could sleep properly at night, thoughts of Nyota running away no longer haunting her sleep.

"I will never allow you to go through that again. If your mission has indeed failed," Duara paused, taking a deep breath. As Nyota had said nor shall you, Duara had ignored that. If Nyota was indeed not pregnant, then Duara was going to take it upon herself to ensure that they had an heir. Even if the cub wasn't of royal blood. "I will produce an heir. Do not argue with me, Nyota. I am sure that you have not failed." Duara's tone was filled with hope.

Nyota wished for nothing more than to be safe back in the jungle now, but it seemed a long nap would be necessary before she found the strength to continue. In spite of her weariness, she attempted to stay awake a while longer, now that Duara had found her. She knew she was safe with her friend by her side, and she smiled faintly in spite of herself.

Nyota did not have the energy to argue with Duara's new idea about producing an heir herself, only shaking her head slowly. No, that would never work. As much as she loved her friend, only one of the pair had a regal lineage. Only Nyota could produce the same royal bloodline that had existed for generations in the jungle. The young queen was herself certain that her mission had been a success, though only time would tell. There was nothing to do now but wait and see if the chocolate colored lioness carried new life inside. The idea would terrify her, once she came to her full senses, but at least she had Duara.

Her eyes had drifted shut again, and she appeared to be asleep, resting against Duara for support and comfort. But even as her breathing leveled and sleep became irresistible, she murmured quietly, "Sometimes I believe I should have been born a male instead. It would solve so many problems." This was something the lioness who never said aloud before, whether or not it was a product of her delirium. "Then I would be king. You could be my queen. You're more like a queen than I fear I will ever be."

Duara decided to let their discussion drop. She fully believed that Nyota was with child, for it was a rarity that lionesses didn't become impregnated when they mated. Her dearest mother was an exception. Duara could remember how excited she had been when her mother was with child once more, after many years of trying. But, then her family was slain along with Nyota's and many of the other elders, and now all she had left from those times was Nyota.

Duara looked down at her friend, sympathy swimming in her eyes. Sh elooked weak and exhausted. Duara was torn - for she wanted Nyota to return to safety quickly, but she also wished Nyota to rest before that would happen. She decided that for now, Nyota should rest. She laid her head on Nyota's shoulders and purred softly. It was her way of offering comfort to Nyota, letting the Queen know that she was not mad.

Duara lifted her head back up and turned it to face Nyota once she spoke again. Surprise made her eyes widen, and when she envisioned Nyota as a lion she growled. Nyota was beautiful, and perfect, as a lioness. Duara made sure to let Nyota know of this. She licked the side of Nyota's face and nuzzled her head against the Queen's. "That is ridiculous, I will not hear of it. You are perfect as our Queen, and you are perfect as a lioness. I do not fancy myself more like a Queen than you, and nor should you. This is who you are, Nyota, and you are perfect."

Duara suggested that Nyota was perfect. The first time, Nyota thought perhaps her friend was being ironic, but when the word was repeated, the young queen scoffed out loud. A perfect queen would have accepted her responsibilities as a female of her species, the so-called weaker sex. A perfect queen would have found a perfect king, and Nyota had not even tried to locate such a lion. Fate had a funny way of playing tricks on the living. Ismahel was still without the queen he so desired, in spite of his acceptance of the lioness he knew nothing about, and Nyota was still on her own as well.

"I hope I have not disappointed my ancestors," she said, her voice as quiet as a shy cub. In her mind, she assumed she did the right thing, but her heavy heart suggested otherwise. "I do my best." Now, it was becoming impossible to resist the need for rest, and her mis-matched eyes remained firmly shut as she nestled in beside Duara. A short nap would do wonders for the queen, but her head was too full with negativity and worry to sleep just yet.

"Promise me," she began, but another wide yawn escaped. "Duara, you must promise that you will stay with me." Here, Nyota fell silent again, and it seemed as if she had finally given in to her exhaustion. She was racking her brain for the right words, even though she knew Duara was not the type to argue and certainly not one to say not to her queen. Had she been less tired, the next thing she said probably would have remained unspoken, but her current state clouded her better judgement and fearful honesty bubbled to the surface. "I cannot do this on my own."

Duara could feel the peace of the world around them seep into her body, and each of her muscles individually relaxed. To her, it was as if all of nature was simultaneously relaxing. It was a wonderful feeling, and though Duara knew she should be, she couldn't find it in herself to be mad. She only felt happy that Nyota was alive, well, and safe. Duara kept her eyes open, however, no matter how peaceful it was. She knew - judging by rumours - that Scar could attack at any time.

Now that Duara had thought of Scar, that feeling of dread began to build within her again. She realised with a little bit of surprise that it had become stronger than the last time. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and she held in a growl. She knew the time was drawing close, the time when Scar would attack them. She reminded herself that he knew not of their location, but that did not stop her mind from worrying and her stomach doing nervous flips. Still, it was not the time to discuss this with Nyota when she was in such a weak state. The time would come eventually, perhaps after Nyota's cubs were born. She did not wish to worry a pregnant lioness, but the threat was strong. Duara already had half a mind not to tell Nyota, but to increase her patrolling of the area. She had quickly decided that Nyota would not be involved in the fight.

Duara focused on happier thoughts. Those of sweet hearted cubs that were playful, sweet, and resembled Nyota filled her mind. A small smile appeared on her semi-dark brown muzzle. Duara was not against Nyota having the cubs, it was only the mating part that had upset her. The cubs themselves would be wonderful, and Duara could not wait to see what they would look like. She hoped they looked more like Nyota than their father, that would lessen the hurt when Duara looked at them. When Nyota expressed her concern, Duara rolled her eyes and sighed. "You did what you had to do. I'm sure your parents are proud." Duara pulled back from resting on Nyota's shoulders when the Queen confessed to not being able to do this on her own. "I promise I will always be with you. Forever and always, I am by your side."

The usual worries seemed distant now. Nyota wasn't thinking about Scar, or the threat of war. Duara reassured the young queen that her deceased parents would be proud, and though her choices were unconventional, Nyota would eventually make peace with her decisions. For now, she seemed perfectly content to be resting there with her oldest friend laying so close, and despite her fatigue, she purred softly when Duara promised her forever. "Good. You know I would be lost without you." She nestled her face into Duara's neck again again, inhaling her familiar scent with a happy, delirious sigh.

Nyota began to envision what her cubs would look like as well, now that she no longer needed to worry about Duara's involvement. She knew the other lioness meant what she said, and didn't doubt her sincerity, not even for a second. The way Nyota saw it, a cub didn't need a father to survive, but a mother's care was absolutely necessary. Without a mother, an infant had no chance of making it. Perhaps her unborn offspring would benefit from the influence of not one, but two mothers.

As she finally drifted off to sleep, the idea that Ismahel would someday discover the truth was the last thing on Nyota's mind. Her plan seemed to have gone off without a hitch, and the white king was probably miles away, still ignorant to the situation. Nyota would worry about the father of her cubs another day. For now, she fell into a deep, much needed sleep, snoring lightly. She wasn't normally the snoring type, but she also didn't normally stay up for days at a time.


[Should we skip ahead to after Nyota wakes up again and continue from there?]

[[Sure!]]

Duara felt the peace of the world around her settle into her body as Nyota snored softly. It was a soothing sound to Duara, and it calmed her as her eyes darted around, searching for any sign of a pure white lion on the horizon. Occasionally, the alert lioness would nuzzle Nyota as her breathing became short and sharp, but other than that there was relative calm within their surroundings.

At this moment in time, Duara could never know of the dreaded consequences of another lionesses actions to come. She could never know that the other chocolate lioness within their Pride had betrayed their trust on two occasions. She could not know, not with the peace calming her as she rested her head on top of Nyota’s, that the consequences of said lionesses actions would ruin everything they had. All of her life was being hung on the line, but this would not matter at this very moment.

After a long while, and the sun was high in the sky, Duara could feel tiredness sweeping over her in large waves as she watched over Nyota. She refused to succumb to this tiredness, for if something were to come across them as they slept there would surely be horrible consequences. Her worst case scenario was that Scar would find them, and if they refused to go with him then he would ensure they did not live to see another day. Her violet eyes trailed downwards as a bird tweeted its song above them. She could feel Nyota beginning to stir, and she waited for the lioness to arise from her nap.

Sound sleep was a fast cure, and the brief nap was sufficient for the chocolate colored lioness. The sun felt warm on her dark pelt, while her friend's presence offered some semblance of safety. When Nyota finally woke again, her mis-matched eyes were forced to blink repeatedly as she tried to remember where she was. Duara was still settled beside her, and the young queen was certain she hadn't budged from the spot the entire time. It brought a smile to her muzzle, and she nuzzled the other lioness one final time to show her appreciation. Had her subconcious made up the entire conversation while she dreamt? Nyota was not prone to confusion, but she couldn't make up her mind now. "Well, shall we go home? I am anxious to be back in the jungle."

Her mind drifted back to the kingdom in the mountains. It seemed as if days had passed since Nyota left the Coldlands, but it had been only hours. Now that she was awake and coherent again, the threat of being discovered dawned upon her once again, and she stood to stretch all of her limbs. She was still tired and was looking forward to sleeping for days, if she could manage it, but that would have to wait until they returned to the Lowlands. Now more than ever, Nyota was grateful for the jungle. The temperature was just right, not too cold as she had experienced earlier.

The Lowlanders were not currently engaged in a war for the first time in years. It would be the ideal environment to raise a litter of little ones. But the thought roused the guilt in Nyota again, and she sighed softly to herself as she gazed back at Duara. "There is no sign of the white lion?" Of course she remembered his name, but didn't care to utter it now that the deed was done, and to spare Duara's feelings as well. "I suppose we can tell the cubs that their father is dead, it the mission was a success." For one so honest, Nyota had slipped into the realm of deceit rather easily, but there was no time to feel guilty. The young queen simply reminded herself that she had done what was necessary. Whether or not she believed herself was yet to be seen, but she would have hell to pay if Ismahel discovered her in the jungle.

Duara felt relief when Nyota finally woke, and it had surprised the sandy coated lioness. She had not realised that she had been tense, ready to protect Nyota from any who dared to harm her. Duara could see confusion resting in Nyota's mismatched eyes, but this was to be expected. Often, one would become disorientated when they slept during the day. It was un-natural to them, so it become confusing to their minds when they did so. But, Duara knew that it had been necessary to catch up on some sleep. She also was tired from many nights of watching over Nyota's sleeping form and making sure that she did not flee. It still annoyed her that the one night she fell asleep, Nyota slipped away.

"Yes, we should go. I also, am anxious about being out here. It is to open, there is absolutely no protection." Duara agreed eagerly. She didn't like the open-ness, but rather her home was her haven. She could never imagine being a rogue, wandering lands like these were any can see you. Duara stood also with Nyota and licked the top of the others head on an impulse of affection. Nyota looked more alert now, more awake, and this relieved Duara. She wanted to get the maybe pregnant lioness back to their home before any harm could come to herself and Nyota. She also wanted the chocolate-y lioness to get some more sleep.

Duara was a tad surprised when Nyota referred to him as 'the white lion', but it made her feel happier for the reason that perhaps Nyota cared so little about him that she did not remember his name. A smile appeared on her muzzle, for that was a nice thought. "No, not one sign. If I had seen him, I would have distracted him so that he did not lay his eyes on you. I hope that by 'distract' you know I mean battle?" Duara teased lightly, but there was an under-lying tone of seriousness hidden in the words. "I suppose so." Duara said as they began to head back towards their homelands.

Nyota smiled faintly when Duara licked her head, but it quickly vanished as she nodded in agreement. "It is rather open here, you are right. The kingdom I ventured to was interesting, and that is generous. As the name implies, it was terribly cold. Quite unfriendly." An encounter with Ismahel out in the open neutral territories would indeed be disasterous. Nyota could only imagine how upset the white king would be once it was clear the lioness he had mated with was gone for good. She hoped that many miles now seperated them from the Coldlands, and she began to walk briskly in the direction of the Lowlands. Perhaps if one was raised in the colder climate, they would be better adapt to survive there, but the jungle queen shuddered at the thought of it.

Even more disturbing was the idea that Duara would have battled Ismahel, had he found them there. Duara was certainly a capable fighter, but it was the very last thing Nyota wanted. She was beginning to wonder if she was putting her entire pride in danger because of her decision, but she kept this thought to herself, where the worry would gnaw away at her. "If we are lucky, we will never see him again."

But luck had never been on Nyota's side, and she feared her misdeeds would catch up to her eventually. It took only a moment for life to change forever, and it was still too early to know what consequences that day would bring to the jungle. Nyota could sense that the day was important in a monumental way, and as she walked along beside Duara, she felt a strange contentment that was entirely unfamiliar. Pushing the unpleasant thoughts away for now, she brushed up alongside the other lioness, offering a half grin. "I never imagined I would find myself in this situation," she admitted as they walked along. "Being queen while not having a mate, but becoming a mother regardless. It's a funny thing, how life turns out."

Duara padded alongside Nyota carefully, protectively. The every rustle of the grass set her teeth on edge, and she growled when an eagle swooped overhead. A few times she wondered if she had really caught a glimpse of another lion, or if it was just her mind playing devious and heart-stopping tricks on her. Having always lived in the secluded and safe jungle, the open plains made her jittery and nervous, a feeling the normally calm and happy lioness did not appreciate. "I don't like it out here at all, ours jungles are much nicer and safer."

As Nyota hoped that they would never have the displeasure of seeing Ismahel again, Duara nodded in agreement and felt hope rise within her own chest, along with confusion. If he ever did show, she was not sure how to react. Should she tackle him straight away, or should she leave him be? She pushed such thoughts away, for she believed that they would truly never see him again. How wrong the lioness was.

A smile made itself clear on Duara's muzzle and she nudged her head against Nyota's. "It is funny, isn't it? However, I could think of none better suited to be a Queen then you, Nyota."

Despite her weariness, Nyota's desire to be safe at home pushed her to keep up her steady trot. It was clear to her now why her ancestors had chosen the jungle domain to claim as their own, and she was all the more grateful for her territory now that she had ventured so far away from it. She stopped in her tracks and lowered herself towards the ground, as if she was about to pounce on Duara the way the two had played as children, but quickly thought better of her game and regained her composure. Clearing her throat, she hurried to reclaim her place beside the other lioness. They were no longer cubs, and Nyota could not act like one any longer.

Nyota's chest swelled with pride at Duara's compliment, and she hoped her friend was being sincere and not simply trying to flatter the queen. Perhaps she wasn't the same type of queen as her mother had been, but Nyota figured she had to be doing something right to retain the loyalty of her subjects. "There is only one other lioness that I would trust to lead a pride as my queen, one who is as thoughtful and wise as she is lovely and kind. These are all the best qualities of a queen. You're more fitting for the title than I, Duara." She brushed up alongside Duara, smiling as she matched her pace, walking so near that their coats touched lightly with every step.

She was still doubtful that her father would approve of her recent decisions, but he was no longer there, so what was the use in worrying? Nyota had been taught that the spirits of those departed remained with the living in some ethereal, invisible way, but she pushed this thought from her mind. It would be something she would teach her children, naturally, but the imagined judgement on her family weighed heavy on Nyota's heart. Still, she had kept the independence she so desired. She had no king, only Duara, and that was enough for Nyota to feel at ease with her lot in life.