Resurgent Rue The Ruined

As you walk through the trade center, the sun beats down on your back. You've been at this for hours and still nothing has caught your eye. In the distance you see a very large tree that looks to be providing many lions much needed relief. As you approach, the shade slowly engulfs you providing you immediate relief from the sun's hot glare.

As your eyes adjust to the lighting below the tree, you catch a glimpse of a small cub. The cub looks to be no more than 7 months old, already up for sale by it's parents. Sad you think as you approach. You get about as close as you can before who you can only assume is her mother approaches you. She looks you up and down clearly assessing if you are even a contender to buy her daughter. Her gaze eventually softens and drops down to her daughter. "Money is money and times are hard" she says, not sure if she is talking to you or the cub. She is looking up at you now. The lioness starts to talk about how their pride has fallen into hardship as there are not enough hunters to bring in food, and not enough money to buy any. You pity the poor lioness in a sense and you would offer her a space in your pride, but you can tell by the way she talks about her king she truly likes it here.

After she gets done talking she offers you a price much lower than what you expected. "400sb is all I ask for" she says. She clearly saw the shocked look that escaped you for a second, because she starts to look away in shame. You reassure her that you understand her position and that I'm sure her daughter will understand one day why. The lioness looks back up at you and sadly nods while giving her daughter one last look over. "She's a good cub I promise. I told her she'd be a queen one day. Please atleast make that true for her" she says. You promise you'll take good care of her and start to part ways. You grab her and start the long trek back home, looking back once to see the lioness still sitting at the edge of the shade watching you. A larger male lion walks up behind her. He comes up infront of her and sits down. You can't see what they are doing from this distance, but you can assume they are talking. Right before you turn to start leaving again the male looks at you. You both lock eyes for a moment before both lions turn and walk further into the shade eventually disappearing.

You plop the poor cub down and give her another once over. She seems confused but okay. She needs some shaping up and lots of training, but she can be queen when you pass.