Like a bolt of lightning she shot down the strip of land. Beneath her paws sand flew, and she reveled in the stretch and pull of muscles she rarely used, so rare was it to just run and run at a full sprint for no reason other than the simple joy of it rather than the quick twists and turns and stops of a hunt. But the sudden flash of scent through her sinuses as they drew great gusts of air had her hitting the breaks hard, skidding to a halt in shock. Opening her mouth to huff the scent again in order to get a better grasp of it, her blue eyes widened with shock and delight. That was a cheetah scent! No thick musky dog scent, this, but an honest-to-goodness savanna dweller. A familiar, comforting scent. Her dull claws dug into the sand and threw her back into instant motion, up to her full speed in a matter of seconds she raced down the strip towards the southern continent until her keen eyes caught the golden form. No wonder the scent had been so familiar. Neemu! Her red-eyed littermate, here! She skidded to a halt once more in front of him, dipping her head slightly as words tumbled from her muzzle. "عَلَيْكَ" she spoke the traditional greeting with an impatient sort of rush through the words, a need to know just what he was doing all the way here prompting her to speed through the greeting, then to wait equally impatiently for him to return the greeting so that she could ask what he was doing here... ""

He had finally caught up with her scent once more, sucking in deep breaths of air. The sweet taste of her smell had him excited, his limbs working as he kicked himself into high gear in a matter of moments. He needed to find her, to hold her again and tell her that they could all be together again. It had not been the same when they had to part, when the brothers walked away and left their sisters behind. It had been the hardest moment of his life. And then to catch wind that she had left... well he certainly was not going to allow her to get far. Soon enough she saw him barreling towards him. Skidding to a halt he practically shoved his face into the earth just as she did the same. He stood and took short, quick breaths, hardly able to breath. It wasn't from the running, but more so from finally seeing her darker form again. A large smirk spread across his face as her quick greeting came out, the words running into one another. "وعليكم السلام" he replied, leaning forward to place a lick on each cheek, the left, right, and then the left and right again. So was the common greeting of their family, and they could not move on without it. His tail twirled behind him, his excitement bubbling at his breast. Ears pulled back slightly as he leaned forward to place another kiss on the top of her forehead, a soft purr rumbling in his throat. "Dada wangu wapenzi." "SPEAK!"

Asali purred happily as her brother returned her greeting, as he delicately kissed her face. "Neemu!" she laughed. "Unafanya nini hapa?" Her eyes gleamed at him with humor. "Kupata kidogo njaa bila mimi kukamata chakula yako yote, mifupa wavivu?" Though she teased, behind the laughter and the silly grin lurked genuine worry. Why had Neemu followed her so far? Had something terrible happened to her brothers in the few short weeks since she'd left? Duma rarely left the land of their birth except to travel among others of their kind, she couldn't imagine a reason why Neemu would be here instead of in their homeland with their brothers. "" ""

Neemu grew more and more content the longer he stayed in the company of his sister. It wasn't long at al before she rushed out more words, her soft laugh filling his ears and his heart. Oh how he had missed her so much in the short few weeks they had been apart. Very quickly she asked what she was doing here, but before he could even open his maw to speak she tossed more words in his direction. Neemu chuckled, picking up a left paw and trying to swat it at her cheek. "Mimi inaweza kuwa kama wenye ujuzi kama wewe, dada mpendwa, lakini mimi bado anaweza kuwinda." He tossed right back at her, the tip of his barbed tongue poking out between his teeth. Sure, it wasn't his strong point, but he could still chase down a hare or two. "Kama kwa ninachofanya hapa ..." he started, giving her a stern look that she should allow him room to speak. "Nimekuja kupata wewe. Sitaki familia zetu kuwa kuenea mbali, licha ya kile mila yetu inaweza kueleza. Nataka tuwe moja." It was against everything they had been raised up to know, the males stayed together while the females became solitary. But not in his book. To Neemu, his family was everything, and seeing them torn apart was destroying him. "SPEAK!" "-"