Main Characters: show
Minor Characters: show
OCs: show
With his trail dragging behind him, and the struggle with holding himself up on his own two paws, Jean Valjean gazed ahead at the vast shrub lands that lay before him. With no tall trees or boulders to shelter beside for the night, he just had to continue trekking through the lands. He made no change of direction and no acknowledgement of the other life around him.
His purpose was to find shelter, food and water, then he could relax. The strangely cold night and lack of sleep wasn't good for his health. He was just past his prime, but his thick oak brown mane wasn't beginning to grey. His amber fur wasn't beginning to matte. He was still an impressive lion. Jean had seen many droughts, many plentiful seasons, many battles and yet he remained strong as ever. His strength was unnerving to some.
The ground under his paws seemed softer, and suddenly squidgy. Jean halted and examined the ground. It was muddy. This was surely a good sign that water was nearby. His lips curled into a small smile and he picked up his pace. Soon enough, he came to a slow flowing river. Had it been day, he would of seen it, but the water was coal black in the night without the light of the moon.
Valjean lent closer to the water line, observing his surroundings for a few moments cautiously, for he did not feel comfortable wherever he went. Satisfied enough, he began lapping up the liquid, mentally thanking whatever spirits had let him too it. Jean Valjean had not always been a thankful lion, with beliefs of others that are not the living.
As a juvenile young male, he felt responsible for his family members. He had a sister, who was struggling to keep her cub alive. The three of them traveled in search of food, but all lied on claimed territory. Jean knew it was against the way lions had lived if he tried to hunt there. He decided to take a risk. Unsurprisingly, it didn't go unnoticed. He fought with the leader of the land, Javert. He even explained his situation but the lion simply did not care. He was furious at Jean, and vowed to kill him if he ever returned.
With this failed hunt, Valjean left the territory in shame. He had let down his family, and he had gone against the way lions had lived for centuries. To his utter dismay, when he returned to his family, they had gone. To this day he does not know where, or if they’re alive. Hating and blaming Javert, he had to go it alone. Life was going downhill. After years of struggling, one day he could not find food, nor water.
He was going to die. However, small pride found him took it upon themselves to help him regain strength. They showed him what it was like to love, to feel warmth again, and told him of the great spirits above who guide them all.
With a new state of mind and new beliefs, Jean Valjean set off again. Although he was disheartened by the news that Javert was searching for him, he remained hopeful. He decided to journey across the lands. Along the way, he helped as many as he could, but never stayed in one place for long in fear of Javert catching up to him.
Here he is now, in the present, drinking and praying to the spirits he finds somewhere to rest soon. Not expecting nor hoping for anything drastic to happen.
