Finally…after hours and hours of walking, Sariska began to get tired. All though she didn't admit it, Sarafina could tell.
"Come on, Sariska, let's take a rest…" Sarabi said after a little while.
"Just a little farther…" Sariska responded.
"We're tired, though!" Sarabi and Sarafina said together. Finally, Sariska gave in. The three plopped down in the grass, and dozed off.
Everything was quiet…as if the world had fallen asleep with them. Even the stars seemed to be asleep, for the sky was so cloudy that there seemed to be nothing there except an empty atmosphere. The three wanderers were fast asleep.
When morning came, and the world seemed to awaken, the three wanderers began to wake, satisfied with a good night sleep. Sariska was up and ready to go, but Sarabi and Sarafina were hungry.
"Let's go find some food," Sarabi said, and she dove off through the grass to find something.
Sarafina and Sariska just sat there, looking at each other. They were just sitting there, silently and peacefully, when an unexpected visitor showed up. It was a large, sandy colored lion with a mane almost the same color as his fur.
"G'day," he said to the two, but more to Sarafina. His amber eyes were staring blankly at Sarafina, as if he were love struck. And then there was silence.
"Howdy," Sariska squawked, interrupting the silence. "Are you a wanderer?" Sarafina felt shy because of Sariska's embarrassing antics. She stepped back, to let the stranger deal with the small plover.
"Yes…I am. I take it that you are…too?" He asked, seeming fine with Sariska. "I have been all my life. Grew up as an outsider, but left…because I hated that place," he explained.
"Oh. Well, you wanna come with us?" Sariska asked loudly, catching Sarabi's attention. Sarabi, who was in progress of dragging a lifeless baby antelope from the woods, hurried over to the scene, with the meat dangling from her mouth.
"I got food," she said, which sounded more like "I grad fud." She dropped the antelope at seeing the stranger. "Hello," she said.
"Hello," he replied, with one eye on the antelope. "I'm Keiro," he introduced himself, to the whole group.
"I'm Sariska," Sariska said before anyone else could get a word in. "And this is Sarabi, and Sarafina." Sarafina smiled a crooked smile, still a bit embarrassed by Sariska.
Sarabi pushed her catch into the center of the four, and tore off a leg for herself. The 3 lions took their shares, but Sariska didn't touch it.
"What DO you eat?" Sarabi asked.
"Well, I find a crocodile, and pick all the food off his teeth…" Sariska explained. "Mighty fine."
Sarafina seemed confused, but Keiro seemed to understand.
"Yeah. You must be a plover." He muttered.
Sarabi and Sarafina were fascinated. Wow, we have a bird expert here too! He would definitely be handy. Sariska flew off to find a pond, while the three lions kept feasting on the antelope.
When they were done, Keiro tossed the bones aside and mentioned his past. Sarabi found it quite dull, but Sarafina was listening with great suspense. She didn't even notice when Sariska returned. Sariska didn't seem too interested either. She listened for a little while, but then began to lose interest after a bit.
"Well, we better get going," Sarabi said when Keiro finished his story. They stretched for a few minutes, and started to walk.
Keiro and Sarafina walked close together…which only Sariska noticed. Humph, she thought. Love at first meal, it must be. She kept an eye on the two, and noticed that they were getting closer and closer together.
Sarabi kept an eye out for a nice place to make their pride. A long field with a tall
rock and a few trees was considered, but there was no pond with crocodiles for Sariska.
So they kept walking, and Sarabi kept keeping an eye out.
Finally, night came. The four wanderers found a nice, quiet spot to fall asleep.
Sariska and Sarabi fell asleep right away, but Keiro and Sarafina were delayed.
"What kind of place are you looking for?" Keiro asked Sarafina, quietly.
"Well, a nice place. A place with a pond for Sariska, a place with a lot of wood
and resources, and with a nice tall rock that stands above the entire place…" Sarafina
said, thinking of her previous home. She sighed. It was a nice thought.
Keiro smiled. "I'm sure we'll find it, even if it means a year of searching," he said, reassuringly. Sarafina smiled back.
The two fell asleep, snuggled close to each other. It was a lovely feeling to be close to someone.