A Wandering Prince and the Seer

Nuru watched completely transfixed as Midas turned his paw over in the flame. It was strange. As if the flames ignored his intrusion. His expression was stoic, the fire reflecting off his focused gaze. Time stood still, she wasn't sure how long. Finally after some unknown amount of time, he pulled his paw back and blinked as if remembering where he was. He stared at his paw, silent. Contemplating.

"How... Did you know you could do that?" Her voice was soft as she asked.

"I..." He glanced her direction before once again looking over his paw. "No. It just... I somehow knew it'd be okay."

"But how?" The seer observed him, trying to see more of him. Anything that could help her or even him understand. "Do you think it has to do with your past? Where you came from?"

"No. Maybe?" He sighed, quite uncharacteristic for him. His expression grew tense as though conflicted. "I cannot say."

"It's okay not to know. It's okay to feel frustrated." She reached out and placed a paw on his, a moment of comfort before she slipped into a vision. Her eyes glowed brighter, unseeing to the world around her. She faintly heard Midas call her name before she was fully absorbed into the revelation.

"Father, why are you doing this? You cannot just kick me out."

"I can and I will, Midas. Until you can learn, you are hereby banished to wander among the prides of the valley." Nuru was watching as if an invisible bystander to the scene. Midas was clearly visible and his father a towering lion who shone of golden light and majesty. Suddenly, Midas was dissipating leaving only his father who sighed heavily after his son was gone. "Please, let him learn what he must."

"Nuru. Nuru! Can you hear me?" His voice was slowly coming into clearer focus as the glow of her eyes dimmed and the vision faded. "Say something?"

She blinked a few times, clearing her mind. "I'm fine. Sorry, I'm fine."

"What happened?"

"I... I had a vision." She looked up to him, his eyes widening with interest. At that moment, she realized her paw was still resting over his. She flushed and gently pulled her paw back, looking toward the ground. "When I touched your paw, I was pulled into a memory of sorts."

"A memory?"

"Yes. A memory of you." She looked up at him again. "It was brief and I don't understand what happened, but-"

"Please," he interrupted as gently as he could. No doubt his curiosity was running high. "Anything you can share will help. Please"

The seer gave a small smile then nodded. "Very well. I imagine this was just before you got here. At the very lest, before you arrived at our pride. It appeared to be an argument or a disagreement between you and your father. It was what you called the other lion present. He said 'until you can learn, you are hereby banished to wander among the prides of the valley' and after you were gone, he pleaded you would learn what you must."

Midas turned to watch the flames, his eyebrows coming together in thought. "Was there more to this vision of yours?"

Nuru shook her head. "No. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize. Thank you for telling me." His expression turned pensive. She left him to his thoughts, thinking it best to allow him time to ruminate about this latest information. She wasn't sure what it meant or if it had even helped him remember anything but she hoped it helped regardless. "I... I would like some time to myself."

"Of course. Take all the time you need. I'll head back out to the entrance." She turned to make her exit, glancing back towards him when she reached the start of the cavern. He was again looking at his paw before turning to observe the flames. With a small smile, she turned back and made for the surface. The trip back up didn't take long. Being back out in the open air was refreshing. She took in a deep breath, even the humidity of the jungle not bothering her so much. Caves always made her feel stuffy. The lioness wandered to the edge of the small island to get a drink from the river.

It had been an interesting morning, if she had to say so herself. If she had to guess, it was nearly afternoon by now. Probably best to stay the night with the pride again. They could make way for maeneo ya kufa tomorrow morning which would have them arriving either late the following morning with continuous travel or if they were to stop for the night they could arrive by nightfall the second day. Would probably be easier to stop for the night. Get some rest. Catch some food. She'd have to make time to visit with Faraji while she was there. Princess Banou and her mate Amaziah would no doubt be more than hospitable to her and Midas. Ever the dutiful princess and devoted partner those two. It was the least populated of the subprides. Perhaps for its location. The deadlands were unforgiving and harsh. Not to mention a hub for outcasts and rogues. If she had to take a guess, the hyenas had probably moved to the farthest reaches of maeneo ya kufa, just beyond the prides borders. Still, the pride would be safe and the cave containing the wondrous metal wasn't terribly far from the prides main location. So lost in thought about their next destination, she hadn't heard Midas come up to join her at the river. He was quiet though he looked and felt more relaxed than he had been earlier. Perhaps all that time alone helped him collect her revelations. She was unsure of what to say, if anything. There really wasn't much left for them to do here. The cave while having quite the tunnel to get to it was rather small considering. Perhaps one of the reasons this particular magical anomaly was so intriguing. And why the statue? She was curious as to what brought it about. What it meant. So many things she could learn about it if only she had the means to get answers. She was once again pulled back to the present as Midas cleared his throat.

"Thank you, Nuru."

She turned to him, head tilted slightly. "What for?"

"For everything, I suppose. For sharing the vision you had. For allowing me my space. For taking me on this tour of your home. For your hospitality." He also turned toward her, his gaze soft and even a hint of a small smile on his lips. "Thank you for being you."

She held his gaze a moment longer before her face flushed and she looked down at the ground. "Oh." What is it about him that has me acting like a lovesick adolescent? The seer cleared her throat softly. "You don't really need to thank me for-"

"I do. I want to. This has been a strange time for me. I can't remember anything about why I'm here or where I even came from. You had a vision of my arrival to your pride months ago. A total stranger you didn't know and you've done nothing but take me in and show me kindness. You've entertained my want to explore your home and see these magical anomalies. You're even helping me find who I am, in a way. You have my gratitude, Nuru of Pekee Pamoja."

The lioness flushed harder but forced herself to meet his gaze again. It was interesting to see how different he was from merely yesterday. There was a softness about him. Not heavily so but just slightly. His expression was less stoic, a small smile now a little more present. She smiled back at him. "Then...I suppose you're welcome, Midas."

His own smile widened before he nodded his head gently toward her. "Now then. Where are we off to next?"

"Actually, I was thinking we could stay the night here again. Maeneo ya kufa is quite the journey from here. It would be good to catch some rest and perhaps have a meal. Surely the hunters have caught something for the day. We'll leave first thing in the morning. Depending on how we feel, we may have to make another stop before we get there. But we can discuss that tomorrow when we're a bit closer to our next destination."

"Sounds like an ideal plan. This next region- it is the home of the cave with endless gold?"

"That it is. An abandoned mine with never ending gold. An oddity."

"The fact that it is never ending or that it is abandoned?"

"Both."

"Mmm. I see."

Nuru stretched out her limbs, her claws extending and digging into the soft ground. Then she stood and shook out her pelt. "Should we start heading back? There isn't much else to do here."

"Lead the way."

"Ah, Nuru! Back from your visit with the mysterious flames?" Ahadi smiled as she approached the two.

"Yes. It was..." she turned to look at Midas who shared a knowing smile with her. "Illuminating."

His smile widened. "Indeed."

"I'm glad you enjoyed your trip." The glances between the two went unnoticed by the young princess. "Will you be staying another night with us?"

"If we could trouble you one more night?"

"Oh, no trouble at all! You're practically an aunt to me."

Nuru chuckled. "Thank you, Princess Ahadi. We'll also be needing a meal. We'll be leaving first thing in the morning, making our way to maeneo ya kufa."

"Be sure to say hello to Banou for me."

"Of course." She bowed her head to the princess who nodded back in return before taking her leave. Nuru turned to Midas. "We've secured our stay and a meal for the night."

"Excellent." His smile faded leaving his face a little more neutral. "Is there anything else you wish to do while we're here? Any family you need to visit in this region?"

She had mentioned to Azizi the night previous she would make her rounds with the pride. They hadn't had much time this morning before leaving for the cave. Perhaps now would be as good a time as any. A slow smile grew on lips. "Not any immediate family, but definitely those close to me."

Midas nodded his head in understanding. "Of course. I will take my leave. Perhaps fetch that meal."

"Oh. Of course."

"...was there something else?"

"Huh? Oh! No, sorry. Go ahead and get something to eat. I'll meet back up with you later."

He stood a moment longer as if contemplating her words. "As you say."

With that he took his leave to get himself food. Nuru stood and watched him for a moment before also leaving in search of Tishala. She wasn't family but as she had told Midas the night before when arriving here that Tishala was basically an honorary grandcub of hers being adopted by Faraji whom she had adopted when he was just a cub. The seer found the lioness in question at the edge of the resting grounds.

"Tishala!"

The striped and spotted lioness turned, startled. Upon seeing Nuru, she let out a breath and smiled. "Nuru. I had heard you were here. Was afraid I missed you this morning."

"I'm only here for the night. I'll be taking my leave in the morning. But I wouldn't have left without saying hello to you first. I hope you've been doing well."

"I have. It's nice out here. At least, I enjoy being here. It's also nice being so close to the family. Watching Mosiya come into her own as a mother, watching Azizi and Nalah grow up. My heart has never felt so full."

Nuru mused. "Ah, the feeling of parenthood. And being a grandmother," she added with a chuckle.

Tishala groaned with a smile. "Don't remind me of my age."

"Of your age? And what of mine?"

The lionesses shared a glance before they both laughed.