Ardilana's Plight

[Narifia]

Continued From "Has the Outcast Found a Home?"[/size]

Running at perhaps her topmost speed, Ardilana fled to Kube to escape the one thing that she was beginning to hate the most; home.

"Home," she spat in her thoughts, "It isn't home for me. Not with Narifia as queen."

She stopped at the Kube river and sat, panting. Bending down to drink some water, she heard footsteps running up behind her. "Of course," she thought, "Anasi's been following me the whole time. Like I really need to hear her lectures..."

"'Lana!" Anasi stopped next to her without much more than a single pant. Her endurance while running had always been far better than Ardilana's. Nevertheless, she bent down to drink as well, then sat and watched her friend for a moment.

Ardilana didn't give her time to begin the conversation, "What do you want, Anasi? Here to tell me how wrong I am? Here to tell me that I should be a good little lioness and follow Scar and Zira's little princess?" She scoffed, "Yeah, right..."

[Narifia]

"That's not it at all, 'Lana."

Those unexpected words were enough to make Ardilana stop and look up at Anasi. She silently stared at Anasi, and Anasi took that as a sign to continue.

"'Lana, I understand how you feel. It scares me too about how things have changed. But change isn't always bad. You have to be open-minded, and embrace change sometimes. This could lead to a lot of good happenings for us. It's a marvelous thing, Prideland influence or not. Don't let your prejudices get in the way of the whole picture."

Ardilana looked thoughtfully at her friend for a long time. Anasi had always been her guiding light, from the time they were mere cubs. She had never steered her wrong before, and had never overreacted at anything Anasi had said or done. Solemnly, Ardilana nodded. Anasi smiled and and took a paw and pulled Ardilana close for a lion-hug.

"Come on, now. Let's go home."