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You wake up to a chilly breeze ruffling your fur and realize... you have no idea where you are. Panicked you quickly stand and spin around to look at your surroundings.
"Hey... easy now." You hear a calm voice, and turn to see a young Felis male sitting nearby. He's gazing off into the distance, almost as if he's on the lookout for something. You hesitantly ask who he is and where you both are currently located.
"I'm Alouis, and you're in my territory," he says without looking at you. Flustered, you profusely begin to apologize, knowing all too well that many kings didn't take kindly to trespassers.
He shook his head and finally glanced at you, "No, don't apologize. I am the one that brought you here after all." Confused, you remain silent, trying to remember what had happened in the past few days - at least, you assume it's been a few days. You suddenly feel stinging pains all over your body and see many scratches and bite marks. Your confusion and panic must have blocked out the pain for a moment. Alouis notices you wincing and speaks again, "I'm not sure if you remember how you got those." He looked away again, "I was patrolling my territory when I found you being attacked by a group of hyenas." Hyenas? Now that you think of it, you can remember vague echoes of chaotic laughter.
He continues calmly, "I was with a few of my pride members, so we chased them off and brought you here." You pause for a moment before asking why. Why would he endanger his and his pridemembers' lives to save a stranger? "I wasn't going to watch another lion die. There is no need to let anyone's life go to waste; especially if I can do something to prevent it." His bright eyes meet with yours, clearly he means what he says.
You are a bit taken aback by this, most kings would have chased off someone like you - or maybe even have killed them. You mention this, and he nods.
"I am a new king, and I know I have much to learn," he moves from his spot and stands in front of you. "But one fact I hold true is that there is goodness out there, you just have to help foster it in others." You smile, grateful that he acted mercifully. Your smile slowly fades, as you quietly realize that you need to get home.
He seems to notice this, "You are worried about your journey home, aren't you?" He looks to your right and gestures, "We found you in that sandy valley over there. I'm not sure where you are from, but that would likely be a good place to start." He then grabs something from where he had been sitting before - it's a meerkat carcass. "Here," he drops it at your paws. "I caught this not too long ago. I was going to snack on it, but I figure you'd need it much more than I would. You likely have a long way to go." You flash him another grateful smile and thank him before grabbing the gift.
"A safe journey to you, friend. Those hyenas should be gone, but just be careful."
You dip your head in acknowledgment and begin to head toward the direction you supposedly came from. You give a backward glance to notice that he was gone - he had disappeared as mysteriously as he had arrived.
Alouis is a new king, yet he strives to be a good and just leader. Although he has a serious demeanor, he certainly has a gentle heart. He is more likely to forgive someone than to ever lay a paw on them. That being said, that won't stop him from defending his pride-members' and friends' lives at all costs.
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