A Phoenix Rising

[Kaen]

The wet stormy winds blew across the plains and shift some charred branches and ashes revealing the blackened outline of a lion. Mostly buried under the burnt remains of the savannah not much of the poor creature was visible and what was was as black and burned as the debris around it. The storm clouds were quickly rolling in and as if it was the sun's last plea before drowning behind the raging weather it caught off some blackened metal wrapped around what must have been the lion's tail.

It had been so long since Kaen had been this close to his home. He had spent far too long searching, hopelessly searching, for his long lost family. His heart was shredded and his body was weak. He could barely lift his paws and that's how he didn't hear, see or even smell the fire until the heat made him look up. A wall of flames stood all around him and he barely had the energy to cry. He curled up around himself and wedged his battered and broken body at the base of a small tree and resigned himself to his fate.

[Larka]

Ever since the fire Nuru had pretty much been on patrol, their numbers were few, and so everyone had more patrol duties than usual. Not too mention with the deaths, patrolling the borders was a must. They had been so short of food, that on her patrol's Nuru would try and track an animal, some kind of prey, anything to tide them over. She'd found a few meerkats, and lizards, but they were cubs prey, they couldn't tide over any of the pride, although with the rainy season now moving in, she hoped things would look up, and prey would begin to come back to their once beautiful land.

On her patrol today she was so desperate for some food, she was scenting harder than she ever had done, but something caught her off guard. A smell she didn't expect too find, she cocked her head as she stared across the bleak expanse, "It can't be..." She thought to herself. Nuru bounded forward a little way, before stopping to scent the air again, "Is there someone out there?" She called, as she saw nothing but burnt ash.

[Kaen]

He'd heard tell that in your dying moments those who meant the most to you came to take you away to the stars. But normally those loved ones were the ones who were already passed right? Shouldn't it be his beloved Nuri and Kayode and all the friends he'd loved and lost throughout his crazy life. Not Nuru. Please not Nuru. Don't let her be dead too. She just couldn't be. She had to be his living legacy. For she was the only on left... His family had been torn apart, ripped to shreds by horrible circumstances. Please let Nuru survive them all. She can't be dead. Please, please, please let this be his dying mind recalling happier times. A memory of her voice. A glimpse into his once happy past.

As if in response to Nuru's voice the wind blew a little stronger and the brush and ash covering his charred body blew aside revealing his haunches and part of his ribcage. The fire had devastated his body. All of his fur was gone except for one small patch of bright red along his hip, his skin was blackened and his body was hallowed and caved. It was a grim sight.

[Larka]

As the wind blew past, Nuru's mane flew with it, as she watched the ash begin too dance away. Then she saw it, a shape, unlike ground. She tilted her head to the side trying too gain a better look of whatever it was. Scenting the air as the wind blew slightly harsher, there was a vague scent of familiarity, "It can't be..." she thought to herself again, Nuru was certain all her old friends were gone, Aranum, Xylia, Kayode. She began tentatively forward, whoever it was she could still smell life, even if it appeared too be ebbing away. Nuru approached the body and gasped at the sight, it was horrific. Being a creature of fire it always amazed her how much damage it could actually do. Then she saw it. The red fur that was still left. Her heart knew it, as her scent had told her, "Kaen?....." Nuru murmured softly, part of her hoping it was her friend, part of her hoping it was not. She awaited too see if he'd open his eyes, that would be how she would know...

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