Aslan had moved over by the cave entrance, not knowing what Khalessi and Shani were talking about. He glanced over and saw the look on Khalessi's face and assumed it wasnt the friendliest. *I cant blame her* he thought as he looked back outside. As he watched, he saw birds flying high and decided to head out again. He didnt go too far, but he was far enough to gather some moss for the pride. *We can at least soften up the floor* he thought as he grabbed as much as he could and dropped it off just inside the cave before he went to gather more. Aslan did this a few times over until there was enough for at least the cubs to have nests to rest in.

"Well, I can't say that I didn't ask for that. You were honest, brutally so. You have to realize something Khaleesi. I have never been in a pride before, I am unlearned and ignorant in the ways of coping with other lions. I was my mother's only cub and she was a nomad. I grew up with her, learning the ways of the savannah, how to survive and cope. I watched her be gored to death by a wild boar and then I was on my own. Then, about two years ago, I met a fellow nomad, a male called Zamri. He was chivalrous and kind, funny and brave. He treated me like a queen. We traveled together for a while. I did become...pregnant, for a short time. But I lost them," Shani paused and sighed, "and then, one day, I was snared in a poacher's trap. I cried out for Zamri to help me, but a human had been watching the trap. He fired his thunderstick at Zamri and he fled, leaving me to face the poacher alone. I managed to kill the poacher and escape. After that, I searched for Zamri, but I never found him. So I returned to being alone and wandering aimlessly. And now there are other lions, so many! And I wish to be friends with them all, and for them to...like me. Aslan just...reminds me so much of Zamri. It sometimes makes me ache in side."

Nyasi

/

Nyasi looked outside the cave.

"Don't tell this to anyone, especially to mum, but I think I will leave this pack once I grow up", he whispered to Tara, almost thoughtfully, "I surprisingly miss being a nomad, even though it was tough for me and mum back then".

/

Ivy

/

Ivy regretted that she chose to start a conversation with such touchy subject. What is wrong with her? What if this somehow affects Chaos?

"Ah okay, you don't have to say anymore", she hastily said, as she saw Chaos somehow struggling, then raked her brains on how they could continue the conversation. Despite these awkward moments, Ivy still enjoyed spending time with Chaos. She somehow felt connected to him, and felt that he understood her without even being close.

She heard a bird chirp outside, and an idea popped into her head.

"I still remember catching a bird first time", she said, laying her head onto her paws, hoping that Chaos won't find her weird for changing subjects so fast, "I, alongside my siblings, was waiting for my mother and other lionesses to come back from hunting. Then all of a sudden, a small brown bird perched right before me! I just had to hook my paw around its fragile body and I got it!"

She laughed quietly, remembering the thrill she felt that day.

/

Jasiri

/

Jasiri looked at the lioness with her cubs with interest. He sniffed the air, checking for any lions and other lionesses, but there were none. He again looked at the lioness, studying her cubs.

Tara looked rather hesitant. "But being on your own, wouldn't that get lonely" she asked. She put her ears back slight as she looked at her paws, wondering if she would loose Nyasi now knowing he wanted to leave. *You can't make him stay* she thought as she shuffled her paws.

Khaleesi barely kept her skepticism from crawling across her face. "I'm supposed to feel bad for you, and instantly be nice just because you have a sob story?" she asked. "Is that what you are saying? I have my own sob story, but you don't need to know it. I know what tough times are like, and I don't use that as an excuse." She looked around at any Karaz pride lions, making sure they wouldn't say anything. Sadly, there weren't many lions who had survived the hard times that could tell her story. "There are some things that should just be common sense. If you really haven't seen that many lions, you wouldn't be so trusting of us." She wanted to protest, because Shani had already had someone special in her life. Khaleesi wanted to have that chance, but she refused to beg. Khaleesi's mother had perished under Karaz's rule, yet Khaleesi had been the only lioness willing to take the spot of dominant lioness under his reign. "But Aslan isn't Zamri. You can't treat him like he is," she protested. "It sounds like you've had enough experience with other lions to at least know that friendship take time and work." She wanted to add one more bitter scathing remark, "I would have thought you were at least smart enough to have that much common sense." She left off the last part. She felt that she had been mean enough.

"I am sorry Khaleesi, I-I will let you and Aslan alone. I just wanted so badly to fit in, to be happy again, to love and be loved in return. But it doesn't look like that is going to happen," Shani rose and padded out of the cave. She went over to Aslan who was apparently gathering moss. "Aslan, may I have a word with you?"

Khaleesi rolled her eyes as Shani went on having a pity party. She said she would leave them alone, but she went directly to Aslan, instantly breaking her word. On one side Khaleesi felt justified. On the other she felt intensely annoyed. She shifted herself and looked around, wondering who had eavesdropped on their conversation. Nobody was being particularly obvious, and it appeared that everyone was engrossed in their own business. They had tried to give Shani a chance, but she didn't appear trustworthy. She kept on running away, and honestly, Khaleesi was fine with that. From her own experience, Khaleesi had always fought. She wasn't one to run away even though she wasn't the strongest, smartest or most skilled. If Shani wasn't willing to put in the effort and be patient and take the time to figure out how to become a pride lion, there was nothing anyone could do to help. It was up to her. Khaleesi might have been able to encourage her, but she saw no reason to help. She got up, and decided that she was tired of taking care of everyone else. First it was nobody wanted to handle Karaz. Ever since then, she had taken on the position of caring for something or someone. While she wouldn't change anything she had done, she wanted to go hunting. She wanted to use her long practiced skills. She wanted to sink her teeth into something, and it would be looked down upon to do it to another lion even though it would be more satisfying than some helpless prey. She was sick of watching Shani try to get Aslan. "Anyone want to go hunting?" she stood up abruptly, her voice easily carrying around.

Reyla looked up at Khalessi. "Instead of hunting, maybe we can take the younger lionesses and teach them since there are two zebras here" she asked with a smile as she stood up. "Better to teach them when we arent worried about food right" she asked as she walked over to the older lioness. Her ear twiched as a bug flew around. "Just an idea." She didnt want Khalessi to think she didnt want to hunt, but too much food would be bad to hide here. "That way if we dont bring something back, it's not a big deal? But if we do, more food?"

/

Amara had seen words exchanged between Khalessi and Shani, but wasnt close enough to hear. She looked over and saw Luna plop down next to Fae, the two tired after all the running around. She smiled before she saw Aria nuzzle Siku, watching the cubs as well. *Ajihad made a good call* she thought as she watched the pride.

/

Aslan looked at Shani. "Uh, sure?" His mane was damp from the cool cloudy air. Shaking it out he picked up the moss before placing it in the cave and shaping nests for the cubs. When he was done he walked back up to Shani and sat down.

Astrid padded over to her sister. "How are you doing?" she asked. It had been a little while since she had checked in. Right now everything was good. Everyone had food and they were safe. She frowned at Khaleesi and Shani's interaction. "That didn't look too friendly between Shani and Khaleesi. Do you know what happened?" she asked. She wasn't close to any of them or Aslan, so she hadn't noticed the tension.

Luna lifted her head, looking over to her mother who smiled and nodded. Luna bolted right over to Khaleesi with a smile while Fae looked at her father who seemed hesitant, but gave the alright for her to go as well. Tara wasnt sure if she wanted to hunt right then, but she saw Amber getting up to head over, so Tara laid her head down, waiting to see what Nyasi would say.

/

Amara sighed. "I dont know what they would be tense or arguing about" she said with a small shrug. "I might have to pull them aside later and talk if this doesnt get resolved quickly." She nuzzled her sister. "Other than that, everything seems to be going well. The pride merge did better than expected, the cubs are all playing, even Amber is coming out of her shell."