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~Found: January 8th, 2023~
Penumbra had been an outsider, a wandered from an old pride long forgotten. Her body was riddled with scars and her spirits seemed dampened, so when a black coated lioness approached her one tired afternoon, she didn’t fight the huntress. She looked up at her from the shade she had found, a bit of blood staining her muzzle and a strip of torn meat in her teeth, a tired, broken expression displayed across her face. The black lioness with the dark mane looked her over, a soft smile slowly forming across her muzzle. Penumbra didn’t speak, just gestured with a paw in an offer to join her. What could it hurt? Either the lioness would join her or she would kill her. She couldn’t bring herself to care which.
The silent lioness moved further into the shade, shifting her body every so slightly and laying down at the zebra carcass across from her. Penumbra dipped her head to take another bite, eyes ever watching the pride lioness. She looked over her form, seeing her own littered scars and the thick mane her neck and head sprouted. The tufts of Penumbra’s own looked ever similar, though hers was growing back in after being ripped out by her old king. She bore many scars that the lioness recoginized from her own body, but the most interesting was the way her back seemed to crackle with flames and ash. It was hauntingly beautiful.
“Your name.” The lioness’s voice pulled Penumbra from her blatant staring and she lifted her gaze to meet the blistering red eyes of the female. Penumbra gave a tired sigh as she licked blood from her muzzle and shifted her hips into a more comfortable position. Her belly was growing full and she doubted she would get much of a rest once this conversation was finished.
“Penumbra.” She replied, bringing a large paw up to nip between her pawpads, digging ever deeper at every particle of dirt and sand and stones permanently stuck there. She flicked her eyes back to the company she had and was a bit startled to see her staring at her. Her expression wasn’t one of malice, but amusement and concern. Her tail flicked and curled at the look the other was giving her. She wasn’t sure she liked it.
“Penumbra.” She purred out, trying the name on her tongue. “You have come a long way to get rid of whomever did those to you.” She gestured loosely at the scars on the younger female’s body. Penumbra immediatly bristled, fur spiking along her back and over her patchy mane. She quickly stood, dark claws unsheathing as she did so. She let out a snarl and bared her glistening teeth at the lioness. What she said was small, but it had set her off. She hated her scars. She hated the mention of them.
“You know NOTHING of my scars!” She snarled. “You know NOTHING of what they did to me! You do not *get* to comment on my scars EVER! I don’t care if you kill me, but don’t you DARE talk about my scars! You don’t know what they did to me! You don’t know what they made me do! You don’t know ANYTHING!” She roared it at her, tail lashing. She hadn’t realized tears had begun to slip over the fur of her cheeks and drop into heavy puddles on the ground and carcass under her. “You don’t know what they did to me.” She hissed, voice softer this time.
The lioness in front of her didn’t speak, just watched and listened. She wasn’t angry, tail only giving a little twitch in response to her words. She pushed herself to her paws, standing over top the lioness whose eyes had closed with the horrible memories thundering through her head. Noctus watched her head slowly lower between her tense shoulders and moved a paw over the carcass between them. She pressed her dark head into her forehead, softly erupting in a purr as she did. She felt Penumbra tense, body stiff with terror. Noctus didn’t move, letting her relax as she held her place and purred. Once she was sure the other could handle it, she moved and licked the space on her forehad, gently grooming her head in a calming, motherly fashion.
“Come, Penumbra.” She spoke softly and sweetly. “Lets take you to your new home.” Noctus’s tone was sweet, motherly even as she looked down at the tired, thin lioness before her. Her salty colored eyes snapped up at her, looked at her with equal amounts confusion and terror.
“What? B-but how? Won’t your king kill me? How can you bring me back to your pride?” She asked, voice trembling as she did.
“Because I am Noctus, the Mother of Hell. My partner is Nirah, the Manticore. I have been raising the pride’s cubs for many years and even raised Kehpri.” She puffed out her chest proudly, smiling. “I have been through the fires of hell to keep my pride safe and to protect my cubs. You may not be my blood and bone, but sweet Penumbra,” she reached out, tilting her paw to bring the female’s head up to look at her more properly, “you are my cub now. I will protect you. I will care for you, and you will grow with this pride and become our best huntress. I promise you that. And if anyone dares harm you? Their bodies will be at my claws.” She flexed her claws once her paw was off the other’s face, not wanting to startle the lioness.
Tears rolled down her face as she looked up at Noctus. She was hesitant, but shoved the carcass aside and moved to press her forehead into the older lioness’s shoulder. She hid in her mane and let her body tremble. Tears fell more quickly and soon a sob fell from her lips. She clung to the dark coated female and just sobbed against her. Notcus brought her paw up to wrap around her shoulder’s, comforting her.
“Shh, my Great Huntress… shhh. You are loved. You are mine now. And I will keep you safe.” Noctus’s words softly comforted the lioness as she cried into her side, just clinging to her like her life depended on it. In that moment? It really did.
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