[PRIVATE] A Rogue's Light II: A Shattered Pride

[AustralianChaos]

As Imani gave no answer to his question, it slowly settled into Tanga's mind what was troubling Imani so terribly...they had to leave, and fast...they could not wait for Ra, or go searching for her...she was going to have to be left behind. The revelation hit Tanga like a charging rhino, and his face showed equal regret for their position as he watched Imani, stopped from moving to comfort her when Kioja got there faster, Imani's uncomfortable look only increasing as Tanga, realising that Kioja wanted some privacy for the two of them, moved away, sitting down next to Kamau, shifting in nevous worry.

He had seen the look on Imani's muzzle...seen the sheer amount of raw emotion hidden there, but did not immediately catch onto the fact that there was more troubling Imani than just Ra. He simply thought, that with Ra being Imani's sister, that she was understandably crushed over having to leave her behind...along with her unborn cubs. Tanga knew that the guilt of this was hurting him badly enough already, he knew Imani must be feeling ten times worse...

Sighing heavily, Tanga eventually turned to Kamau. "I don't want to do this...leaving Ra behind, with her unborn cubs...and having Imani upset because of it...it's almost too much," he said, as much to himself as to Kamau, simply looking for an outlet for his own emotions. "But...I understand that there's no choice. "We either leave now, or we die here...I just, I wish I could change it...bring Ra back, or something...all this pain and suffering...and the cubs..."

He eventually trailed off, glancing over at Imani and Kioja to find them having a hushed conversation, Imani clearly looking uncomfortable as Kioja did all the talking, although Tanga could not hear what, and had no intention of prying...although Imani's obvious discomfort did pain him. "Why?" he finally asked helplessly. "Why did it come to this?"

[XxRinaRoguexX]

Kamau didn't feel like he needed to answer in order for Tanga to be able to figure it out on his own-- it was pretty obvious; seclusion changed lions for the worst sometimes and this was obviously one of those times. But would he say anything? Not about Imani; or his sister. He knew it had taken a hit for all of them in this journey to stay alive. Kamau had been away from his pride for too long, Kioja had learned what it was like to love and she lost it, Imani was turning to the strange, and Tanga was reverting back to a stage that Imani had broken him out of. The larger and older male stood back up on his fours and made his way down the hill over to the girls but not before turning his head to his sister's mate, "come on" it was more of an order than a light suggestion for Tanga to follow. When they made their way down to the girls, they instantly perked their heads up and closed their mouths, only Imani though was bulging her eyes a slight bit when she realized that her brother might have heard something-- or even Tanga. "If we're going to go, we better do it now". The leader in her older brother had taken over his submissive nature while in her small pride and it appeared that Imani was either too weak or too distracted to withstand Kamau's dominant stance and movement.

Kioja only followed before giving Imani a look like she knew she had to do something about what they were talking about without the sound reaching back to the two males that accompanied them. But when Imani walked forward with her family, she was stopped when Tanga moved too close and she thought that he would have asked her by now. Unless they were more quiet than she had thought they were...in which case, she was lucky. But how was she going to cover up when he figured out that she was keeping a round tummy all this time of deprived hunger, and how was she going to cover up there being little ones running around soon enough? She wasn't sure of how many were kicking around inside her, but she knew it was more than one. The violet orbs of this lioness shot to the ground once again and she sped off to the best of her ability to the lioness and lion ahead of her to keep in close contact with them for the long trip ahead.

As she trotted along, Imani halted herself when she felt a jolt of pain in her stomach. A growl escaped her stomach and her eyes tightened before she shook it off. It's close..., thought the nervous and shy lioness. Kioja had already taken notice and was there before Tanga or Kamau could get the chance to escort her away from the small group but still moving so they were able to start their journey to the best parts of the Pridelands.