- Astrona learned quite quickly that Blue was not nearly as bad of a travel companion as he made it seem like he was. The older lion was half-starved still when they headed back to Astrona's camp with blessings from Champion King Dylan but in much better shape than when Astrona first saw him. Blue wasn't very talkative throughout the whole trip, but Astrona was comfortable with silence. Not every moment had to be filled with chatter. Astrona took the time to consider just what sort of impact inviting Blue would have to her future relationship with the Champion King. At least, Dylan's pride was large enough and wealthy enough that a few instances of stolen food would not harm anyone, short term or long term. It made sense to her that Blue was supposed to be punished for breaking a law-- with so many lions to rule over, and Blue being an outsider, there was no room to let things slide-- but King Dylan seemed to be reasonable and even understanding of Blue's situation. Even though the older lion didn't say much about it, a rogue living alone with an injury like that... that is no happy story.
The three days it took for Astrona to reach the heart of Dylan's land was more than doubled returning. Blue's walking speed was slow-- and Astrona took care to ensure that Blue didn't push himself just to save his pride. Astrona was in no rush. There was no one at her camp waiting for her return-- well, not yet.
The idea of having another feline around camp with her was, if she was honest with herself, a relief. Even a prickly old male like Blue was entertaining in his own way. He wasn't hostile, either. Only when he felt cornered, which is easier to do to someone who doesn't have full use of their back limbs.
Blue was quite fascinated with the food Astrona provided. She tended towards hunting birds in trees and fishing out water life from ponds, streams, and rivers. Blue thought that Astrona looked in well enough shape to hunt, but then again he's never seen a tiger before now. He wasn't even entirely sure the Guardian wasn't a strange looking lion-- there are plenty of those in the valley, Blue's come to learn. From what Blue could gather, tigers were more solitary creatures, climbed and swam way more than lions. So far, everything that Blue has heard of is true.
Midday on the seventh day of travel, the unlikely pair crest a large outcropping of rock and thick savanna grass. Below, the grasslands spread far out to the horizon, cut only by the mountains in the distance and the dark green trees following the river across the land.
Taking their usual midday rest to avoid the worst of the heat while taking advantage of the nice breeze, Astrona leads Blue to the edge of the cliff and points out the dark smear of trees to the far left.
"That's where we're heading, those wetlands."
Blue eyes the long way they still have to go. "Too bad we cannot travel as far or as quick as the eye can see."
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