Shenzi

Shenzi had taken to the water when it was calm, leaving Salem behind once more. In her heart, there would always be a connection to Nyimara, and she had faith that it would not be the last time they saw one another. As torn as she was about her hardwon freedom, she grew restless as the days passed. Though it was a risk to swim so late in her pregnancy, instinct drove her to return to the Forest where she would seek out Hasan.

As she rested on the shoreline of the Crossing, gathering her strength for the swim to Luthien, the brown mare pondered over their earlier reunion. She had ventured from Salem, to Atlantis, to Luthien, seeking her wayward daughter, while her son remained in the Desert, growing up without her, as Zuri had before him, because her search had been endless. Kamari. Ahadi. Tendaji… Rehoboam. Geçersiz.

Azizi.

The Forest had felt claustrophobic after the barren sands of Salem, but she had pressed on, unwilling to leave without at least searching for Zuri. A flash of white and her heart had leapt in her chest - but it was not her daughter that she had found. It was Zuri's father, Hasan. He was in worse shape than when Shenzi had crossed paths with him seasons ago on Salem, though the injury he suffered didn't leave scars like the ones Shenzi bore. His sight had failed him. In some ways, Shenzi realized in those days she spent with him, hers had too, albeit in another way entirely.

She'd told him of Zuri, of how she had taken after him in appearance, save for the richness of the dark areas of his coat, which mirrored Shenzi. She promised she'd keep looking for Zuri, and tell her where he was, so that Zuri could come and meet him. Then Shenzi departed to continue her search.

And now, all these months later, she still had not found Zuri. Jaziri was gone too, perhaps on a search of his own. Shenzi had never felt more alone, and as the birth of her child loomed ever closer, there was a desperate need to return to Luthien, just to have Hasan near. She had the chance to raise a child and have their father in their life, for the first time. Perhaps this would be her last chance to try and get it right.

The sun hovered just above the horizon as her hooves dug into the sand of Luthien. Breathing heavily, Shenzi ventured as far as the treeline, to shelter from the wind and tuck herself out of immediate view. There, she fell into a light sleep, and hours later, she woke at a twinge in her abdomen, and after a time spent grazing, Shenzi headed for the border of the Forest, feeling that she would be welcomed there, that she would be safe.

As she navigated her way through the trees, taking gret care with her footing on the areas where the ground sloped, was littered with leaves in various states of decay, or the roots broke through the earth. Eventually, she stumbled across a familiar trail. It was not a forest path she recognised, the trees were all too alike, especially in the dark. It was a scent, one that brought her comfort. "Hasan?" The name was called out quietly, just to better alert him of her presence if he were nearby.

But the lack of a response told Shenzi all she needed to know - he must have passed by among these trees recently, and so she followed in his hoofsteps. And then, minutes laters, the trees became less dense, and finally there was a flicker of recognition - a place that she remembered. She had come here with Hasan, during their brief reunion. And there he was, standing in the center of the clearing.

A sigh of relief fell from the barb mare's lips, but as she approached, her honey-brown eyes taking in the stiff lines of his body, the odd posture with his head lifted high, sudden concern gripped at her, squeezing in her chest so that her breath caught. There came another ripple of discomfort from her belly. Ignoring it for now, she nickered softly to announce herself. "Hasan, it's me - it's Shenzi. Are you okay?"