A Lioness in Human Skin

Chapter 22

She laid in the sand by her father all night. The humans had moved the other bodies, but she snarled at them when they came close. She wept and wept until she could no longer produce tears. When she could no longer produce tears, she sobbed dryly.

She loved her father. More than anything. She had always strived to get his praise, even if it meant running her body ragged. He raised her best as he could, even when she was still a toddler and could hardly eat the meat he fed her. When she few teeth, he would chew the food for her. Even then she would get sick and puke it up day after day. Yet he still kept hunting fresh meat for her. Little by little her body had accepted it, although barely. It took years to fully stomach the raw diet lions had.

There were the many times she came back bloody from picking fights, he would simply lick her clean and ask her if she won. The few times she lost, he merely nuzzled her and said losing was just as important as winning.

Yet he still accepted her fragile little self. When she could hardly walk in sand, he would push her along with his muzzle, encouraging her. When she had fainted due to the heat, he drug her to a water hole and gave her water by paw. She was out for days, but he stayed by her side diligently. When she had reached her first blood, her taught her about mating and cubs.

Her father was always there for her, even when she would wake up crying. Although faint, she could remember her parents leaving her, and the loud yowls of their screams echoing through the night. Over time she realized the only reason she survived was because all the humans ran away, so the hunters chased. She was little, so little she was just starting to run and talk human. She could also remember the abused she faced, the way her parents would leave her for hours on end, and neglect to feed her. When she was little and still cried over it, her father would curl around her and bump her with his nose. Its fine, he would say. I will protect you from now on, he would say.

But now, he was gone.

Another sob racked her body, but she was starting to get so tired she could barely muster up the strength to morn. She nuzzled into her fathers fur once more, her fingers gripping the thick coat.

"Thank you, Father." She whispered, before raising her head.

She was a lion, and she mourned. Now, it was time to move forward, like her father always did. First, she had to take his body to rest.

She knew just where.

It was night still, and the lights of the human house were off. They must have been sleeping, she decided. Good, it would be easier to leave her mates this way. Taking a long and deep breath, she hoisted her father onto her shoulders. He was heavy, so much she felt like she would be crushed. Shakily, she took one step forward, then another.

This would be her punishment and trail for letting her father die. One step after another, she left the camp with her father's carcass on her shoulders.

XXXXxxx With the humans XXxxxx

Itachi woke up expecting to see their lion girl with her father, what he seen made his skin go cold.

Nothing, he seen nothing. Their lioness was gone, along with the lions corpse. There were no tracks, they must have been swept away by the morning wind. By the looks of it, he had to be the first one to notice.

Patiently, with a little bit of anxiety, he strode toward the main house. He blinked as he reached for the handle, he didn't realize until now that his hands were shaking. Did the little lion girl have such power over him? Yes, he liked her. She was cute, despite her animalistic ways. She had this playfulness about her, and this beautiful light. Then there was her smile, and her angelic eyes. Yes, he liked her. But as he stared at his shaking hands, he decided might have to reevaluate his emotions. He was a bit off in his calculations.

Closing his eyes, he took a slow breath. It was just one girl. He had plenty that flocked to him. Hell, the lion girl didn't even know how to stand properly half the time. Yet, the way she smiled when she learned something made something inside him feel mushy.

He slowly twisted the handle, letting out another breath.

He would have to sit and rethink just how much he valued her.

It was hard to think of her as human at times.

Or maybe that was just a way he tricked himself into not giving into his heart.

Sasuke was sitting at the table. He had his fingers crossed in front of him, his eyes were dark. He must have noticed she was gone as well.

They shared a look, he could tell his brother was a bit confused as well.

Why did the girl leave?

XxxXXXx

She trotted through the sand despite her sore body, dehydration, and growling stomach. Sooner or later she would have to stop for food and rest, after all she was a few days from her destination. She would have to push herself in order to make it before he father started to rot. The heat didn't help, his body was already starting to attract flies. Soon it would start to attract the scavengers, and maggots would eat his flesh.

She had to make it there quickly.

XxXxxxxx With the boys- Sasuke XxXXxxx

They had come to an agreement. Sasuke didn't like it, but he would go along. They would go and attempt to track the girl, and get her back. Itachi had decided that she was acting irrationally due to her loss. After all, lions didn't have any burial rituals. In fact, her behavior was enough to completely puzzle his brother.

He packed another container into the vehicle. He hoped they could find her soon.