Wings had spent the whole morning getting ready for his visit to the Pride Of Sundawn.
He had only recently started out on his own, but had heard word of this pride in trouble. He didn't have much to offer.. But perhaps he could still negotiate something with their king. The loner had no intentions of wanting to join a pride, just resources to start out his own. The only thing he had with him now.. or someone, was a young young he had adopted at the giving tree.
Crest, that is what he had named her, a sweet little thing that was quiet as a mouse, but her imagination stretched further than the heavens. She trekked along at his side, not having once complained about sore paws. Which he was glad of. The male didn't think of himself as good with cubs, he didn't even know why he had chosen to take her to be honest.
Well, that was in the past now, she was with him, and she was his responsibility.
The sun continued to shine, the wind not too bothersome as the two traveled. Wings hoped he was going in the right direction, he was following gossip after all since he didn't get the message for help personally from the king in trouble.
Wing's eyes flickered to the young cub at his side, there was a drag in her step, a heaviness in her breathing. She was tired. Poor thing..
"Why don't we stop for a little while?" He spoke softly, to which the cub replied with a simple and quick nod of her head.
Sitting in the dusty earth the male looked around, there wasn't any water in sight, let alone prey. He'd had to keep an eye out once they had continued traveling.

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Aleafy Stretched, rising from where he had been sitting, laying and chatting with a few of his pride members.
Things had been well the last few days, they were still struggling with prey and predators, but it had seemed to die down.
The wind blew suddenly, a few strands of Aleafy's mane fluttering in his eyes causing him to squint. A storm was on the way, he knew it. Wind didn't usually blow warm unless something was brewing.
Giving his head a shake he smiles to Dark tigress, the old cub sitter returning the look. "Thank you for updating me on the young ones, I've heard that some more lionesses are stopping by tomorrow to visit our cubs looking for new prides."
"I look forward to it, and so will the cubs when they hear of the news." Her words turn into a small wheeze, Her legs shaking slightly as she stands.
"Please, rest a little my friend. Flowering River is watching the cubs for now"
"I don't need rest, The cubs will be wondering where I am."
The king went to protest once more, wishing that the stubborn cub sitter would just stop for one moment to take break. The cubs were a bit too energetic for her now, he had often seen her struggling to keep up with them, snapping more often too. She never yelled though, only spoke sterner, Aleafy was glad for that.
He feared her time was drawing near, she had served many days in this pride, looking after the young ones, and loving that role too.
All he could do now was watch as she trekked off the the den of the elders and cubs.
With a small huff he couldn't help but smile weakly, she really had such a devotion for those cubs. He hoped that Temptress shared the same devotion once she got older, she was the next to take on the role of Lead cub sitter. Chosen by Dark Tigress herself.
Another warm gust of wind ruffled Aleafy's fur, reminding him of his previous thoughts of a brewing storm.
He was sure now that one was on the way, and a bad one at that.

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Wings stretched, feeling more rested now. He looked down at the cub curled on the floor nearby, he'd have to wake her.
"Hey.. Crest" He gently nudges her with his nose. He tried to shake the guilt of waking her, they had to keep moving.
When she slowly woke, squinting at the sun, Wings couldn't help but smile. "Alright come on, up you get, we need to keep moving. I don't think it's too much further"
"Okay" The cub replied simply, her words breaking off into a yawn. Groggily she got to her paws, giving herself a few licks to flatten the ruffled fur on her side before trotting along with her king once more.

A few hours had passed and Wings caught a scent of a border marker. A pride was nearby, was this the one they had been looking for?
He could feel his stomach flutter with nerves, he as a lone male was about to walk right into the camp of another pride. They could tear him apart within seconds, or worse..
Giving his mane a shake he tossed those thoughts to the side, trying to relax. They wouldn't do that, they were seeking help! But.. then again, he wouldn't be much help on his own.
Still, couldn't hurt to try.
"We're almost there, can you smell the border marker Crest?"
He looked down to the cub as she raised her nose, breathing deeply a few times. "Ugh.. ew"
He took her answer as a yes.
"Not too far now" Wings chuckled, brushing his tail against her before walking along once more.
How should he approach this pride? Would it have been wiser to wait at the border? Did he just plan on walking into their camp? He hadn't actually thought this far ahead..

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HeartStrong pads along through the territory, It was his usual time to check things out, make sure nothing was a-miss. After everything happening lately.. you couldn't be too careful.
Aussie tagged along at his side, the young adolescent was still in training and didn't show a lot of promise. He was immature, lazy, wanted to o nothing but mess around and drink. It annoyed him to huge amounts that this male wasn't taking things seriously, even now he was dragging his paws as they walked. "can you go any slower?" Heart Strong growls lowly, causing Aussie to lay his ears back and huff before straitening and trotting ahead of him.
"I'm keeping my energy up for when we find someone." He slows again to walk at the Guards side. "Which isn't gonna even happen, ugh can't we just go back, did I really have to come with you?"
"You're in training, of course you had to come with. Do you honestly think I want you here?"
"Yeah well nothin' even happens when we patrol, I could be learning something useful, like fighting. Or I could be spending time with OceansSorrows."
The two were always hanging around each other. HeartStrong tried to deny it within himself, but it made him jealous. He and the Prince used to be close, he mentored him from a cub, and now the young fool was glued to the side of this dimwit..
HeartStrong worried a little about the influence that Aussie had on the Prince. The Prince was to be responsible, smart, careful. Not reckless and stupid and lazy, wasting his time laying in the shade and drinking fermented juice. Luckily he hadn't ever actually caught the Prince drinking.
Aussie opened his jaws to speak but HeartStrong slaps his tail across the adolescents face, stopping him.
"HEY-"
"Shh shut up!" He snaps, quickly smelling the air a second time, then lowering his head to smell the ground. Yes. It was certain, a lion had been here. But by the smell of it.. so was a cub. What was a lion doing here with a cub? All by themselves.
The Guard felt his heart skip a beat and ignoring Aussie's shouts for an explanation he sniffs at the scent again.
A relieved breath of air leaves him when he doesn't recognize the cubs scent, it was not one of their own.
They had lost so many cubs lately to hungry and desperate predators..
"Hey- man what's going on, you gonna tell me or wh-"
"There was a lion here, can't you smell it!?"
Aussie goes quiet, giving the air a sniff before laying his ears back. "Yeah I guess so. Don't get your mane in a twist, they're probably just passing through, it's only one dude"
HeartStrong growls lightly at the young lions flippancy. This could be serious, every lead should be followed!
With soft thuds of his paws, He turns and starts tracking the scent.
"Dude, seriously, it's probs not a big deal, can we just finish the patrol and go back??" He quickly trots after the larger male to keep protesting. "I was chatting with Hare and Russet, said i wouldn't be too long-"

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Wings ears prick the second he hears the approaching voices. Turning he spots the two lions, a small pink and white one with an angry face and a younger adolescent who looks both annoyed and confused. The younger one hadn't noticed him yet, but the older male certainly had.
Fur on the back of his neck prickles as he nervously paws Crest behind his arm and under his belly, just incase these males decided to attack. He didn't want her being in the way.
"I mean no harm! I heard your pride needed help!" Wings quickly calls out, hoping to ease the aggression that this sub male was clearly showing.
Stars above he hoped this wouldn't turn into a fight.
Crest cowered beneath him, eyes wide as she stares at the two strange approaching males. Her fur was fluffed, tail tucked firmly between her legs, she looked more hedgehog than Lioness at this point.

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HeartStrong's fur bristled, great, another lion who wanted to 'help'. "uh huh, seems a little odd you're all here by yourself. Listen, I know you've just wandered into our territory and need an excuse to get out of a fight. But I'm not buying it" He snarls loudly, taking another step closer.
"Bro chill, he has a cub with him" Aussie butts in, shouldering the Guard to the side. "He looks like he wouldn't hurt a fly anyway." He looks the male up and down, raising an eyebrow. "What's up mate, you really here to help?"
"Aussie you little-" The Guard snarls, shoving him to the side. "Do you have to be such a disrespectful, little, a##hole!" He yells, ears pinned back. He was done with this adolescent and his disregard for everything.
"HeartStrong, chill dude"
"GO BACK TO THE PRIDE. WE'RE DONE HERE." He swipes out at him, hitting empty air as Aussie quickly scrambles back, a look of surprise on his face before he turns tail and runs back in the direction of his camp.
Turning back to the intruder he bares his teeth. "Our king doesn't need help anymore."

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The Guard's behavior sends a wave of defensiveness through himself. "I got word from some friends that you guys needed help. I'd like to please speak to your king."
The last thing he wanted was a fight. This Lion before him may be smaller (By a lot) But he looked very well trained.
"I have a cub with me, I mean no harm, I swear it." His green eyes stared intensely through his mask, hoping that the male would be able to see how sincere he was.
Crest was still shaking behind his paws, her startled eyes peering out at the aggressive Guard.
"You have no reason to attack us, I came offering help" He takes a small step closer, raising his tail in a friendly manner, wanting to ease the tension. It was a shame that the Adolescent had left, but then again, he probably would have made the outcome worse. This Lion didn't seem to like him, at all.
"I'm alone, I'm no threat to your pride. I want to help"

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"You won't be much help" He gives the air a sniff. This lion carried no scents on him besides the cub and his side.
"You don't come from a pride. you're a lone male, you wouldn't be able to help us in any way."
He lashes his tail and jerks his head in the direction of the border marker. "Get a move on."
His eyes narrowed, staring at the young loner. He didn't budge an inch.
The message was clear. Move on, or there'd be a fight.

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