A reason to smile

Tumai sighed and waited. Her trial would be the following morning. A few tears streamed down her face as she tried to sleep. But it just wouldn't happen. She tried to find a reason to smile, but none came to her. She wished her mother was with her. She always, found this reason. Always.

**

Asha was like her name: full of life. She cared so much for Tumai and her older brother, Bahari. Tumai's father, Danladi, was also very loving towards his family.
She was so happy...
But then that day would have to come.
Asha was with Bahari, teaching him how to hunt. That's when the hyenas came. Asha tried to save her son and fought bravely, but at the end, both she and Bahari didn't make it.
Tumai couldn't believe when her father told her. But the look on his eyes made everything become real.
Tumai needed her father so much, but the loss of his mate and son broke him. He became depressed, and rarely showed her a look of love. He didn't teach Tumai how to hunt or to take care of herself, and all she wanted was someone to trust.

That's when Hasani appeared.
He was so pretty, and charming... And most important of all, he was wiling to give all that Tumai needed: Care.
Hasani had a small pride, as he called his gang. All of them were very nice with Tumai. She joined them, leaving her father behind.
As she left her teen days behind, becoming a beautiful young adult, Hasani slowly started noticing her as a lioness, and not as a annoying teenager.
They became very close, but Tumai wasn't ready for the next step. She wanted to be sure that Hasani was the right one for her. Then she would be his.

But Hasani didn't think that way. He wanted her, and he wanted her NOW. Tumai and Hasani had a terrible argument, and after that, he left her, saying that she was just a stupid bitch and that he could find a much better one.
She was alone.
Again.
Always alone.
Forever.
She curled herself in a small ball and cried.
Cried for the loss of her mother, who always cared for her. How much she wanted that she could be there to hold her.
Cried for her brother, who always found a way to cheer her up.
Cried for her father, that was so loving, so sweet with her, and now was lost, broken because of her mother's death.
And cried because she was alone. She would always be alone.

All Tumai wanted was to end the suffering. She didn't eat for days, hoping to slowly starve herself. She couldn't move. It was too painful. She was alone.
But at the end, her instincts were stronger than her. She tried to hunt, but she wasn't good at it. Hasani and his gang usually stole from others, but Tumai was too focused on Hasani to care.
How fool she was!
Now she didn't know now to hunt properly.

Trying.
Always failing.
With time, her body became weaker and weaker, and she didn't have enough strengh to keep on trying.
She would have to steal.
Tumai hated it, but she had to. Only until she was strong enough to try again. And so she did it.
The pride didn't even noticed when she stole a few zebra. Just a little bit. She did it again and again, with different prides, to don't harm them so much. She wouldn't want anyone stealing from her.
Plus, it was Hasani who stole for fun. Not her.

Tumai was finally getting strong enough to try to hunt on her own. She had been watching lionesses from the prides she stole hunt, and she was learning the cub's way.
Just one more meal and she would start again.
Hopefully.
But it didn't went well. Being caught is never good.

**

Tumai sighed again as she looked to the moon and shed more tears. She was going to a place full of lionesses that could be MUCH worse than her.
She was scared.
Tumai remembered her mother once again, and a small smile colored her face as she heard her whisper as if she was right next to her: "There's always a reason to smile. Always. Never forget that, my daughter. Even if you think there isn't one, there is a WAY to give yourself a happy life. You can ALWAYS be happy. You just need to see the good side of it."

A small smile crossed Tumai's face as she slowly stopped crying. Her mother was right. There was always a way to be happy. A reason to smile.

And that night she swore she would always find it.

__________________________________________________

So much fun with this Tumai is EASILY my fave character on EtPR world, after Lysha. I always loved her happy nature, how she was always happy. There had to be a reason for it. She's GOOD, and for me she will always be good. She just need care. She needs someone that would care for her.
Thus why I made Lysha Tumai's friend. Because Tumai needs someone to love her. Even if just as a sister, or as a best friend. Loosing Shupaa... Well, that broke her. I couldn't stand seeing Tumai so sad and broken.

And for me there had to be a reason behind her happy nature, and her need of a true friend. So I gave her one.

Oh, and sorry for the story, I was feeling sentimental today

About the pic... Well, Tumai, I always enjoy drawing her. Then we have Hasani, and Asha, Tumai's mommy. I REALLY wanna keep Asha as my chara XD If I don't win this thing, I'll be keeping her!

Tumai C *Koai
Hasani, Asha, Bahari, Danladi C me