Kisoni
The salty breeze ruffled through his mane as a good friend might have done, and indeed it was a good friend. Hadithi smiled, watching the sunrise over the sea, casting its hot fire over the sparkling waves. It was a good day, he thought. The evidence seemed great for that, from the whispers of joy and light the wind brought and the song the Ocean sang to welcome the Sun's waking. Hadithi let the light was over him, eyes closing as he took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the calm and serenity the world offered. In the distance birds sang and chirped to their young and chattered with their family members, ever bickering. Hadithi's smile grew wistful, but only for a moment as he remembered the white-pelted beauty the Mother had sent them. She was the start of the rebirth, he thought; he just wished his sister were here to see it.
Kamaria would return in her own time, he knew, and and brushed the thought aside easily. It wasn't like him to worry over these things, especially when a family member was known for their wanderings. Time would come when they were together again. For now he stayed, a light-hearted guardian of their realm for any who might come across their shore.
His eyes opened again, blue as the sky that met them, and turned their gaze to the shore below his cliff-top perch, overlooking the long stretch of white beach they called their home and the tops of the trees that bordered it. Hadithi truly couldn't ask to be more blessed.
Gelfin
A single black lion walked wearily across the strip of white sand, head turning every which way to catch every little detail of this beautiful place. But when he saw the sea, he stopped dead in his tracks, simply staring at this marvel with undisguised wonder and joy flickering across his honest face.
"Oh my," he spoke aloud, more to hear a voice than for any other reason. "I wonder what the fish living in that river taste like!"
In the months since his parting words with the orange and blue lioness, Kere had wandered far, searching for himself and his place in the world. Perhaps he was a great deal thinner and scruffier now, but he also exuded an aura of calm and contentment. He knew who he was now, but he also knew he was tired of endless wandering, tired of always having to fight for his living.
But this place... he could fish or hunt and do well enough. But seeing the vast expanse of water was too much for the lion. He hurried towards the gently lapping waves and laughed happily as they tickled his paws. Then, he bent his head to drink, tongue darting out quickly.
And just as quickly, his first taste had him rearing back in alarm and gagging.
"YURRRGH! It's all salty!" he wailed. Had he come so far and found such a lovely place only to have to leave it again because the water wasn't fit to drink?
Kisoni
The male on the rocks hadn't missed the new comer or his exploits. It was easy to see, however, how Kereng'ende may have missed him; Hadithi blended into his surroundings rather easily. He couldn't have missed the laughter, though, loud and happy and not in the least mocking, "The Ocean isn't for drinking, my friend, at least not by our kind."
Hadithi stood, making his way carefully down to the shore below. The sands slipped under paw as he walked upon them but he was used to the subtle movements of loose earth and did not slip upon it. Rather, he drifted with the movement down to the very edge of the shoreline, letting the water greet and tug upon his paws as it lapped the sand away into the ocean from where it had come. "It doesn't much care for our insides, so much that it will come up again if you persist in forcing it down. If you're looking for drink you'll find something more suitable up a distance in the jungle here."
Hadithi stood, making his way carefully down to the shore below. The sands slipped under paw as he walked upon them but he was used to the subtle movements of loose earth and did not slip upon it. Rather, he drifted with the movement down to the very edge of the shoreline, letting the water greet and tug upon his paws as it lapped the sand away into the ocean from where it had come. "It doesn't much care for our insides, so much that it will come up again if you persist in forcing it down. If you're looking for drink you'll find something more suitable up a distance in the jungle here."
Gelfin
Kere blinked as a lion appeared and spoke. Glancing from the lion to the water, the black lion tilted his head curiously.
"Ocean? Is that the name of this river? Have you ever been to the other side? Why is it salty?"
The other's easy manner reassured Kere and the directions to drinkable water cemented his trust even further. If this new lion was an enemy, he wouldn't be acting so kind! Then, remembering his manners, Kere bowed low.
"My name is Kereng'ende, sir. Thank you for telling me about the water."
Kisoni
"Hadithi," The lion replied in kind an easy grin spreading across his features. "And you're very welcome. All who come here in peace are more than welcome to whatever our lands hold." The traditional greeting said, for it was as much a warning as it was a greeting, Hadithi looked out across the Ocean. He chuckled softly and shook his head, "Nay, I've never been to the other side.. for there is no other side to get to. The Ocean is not a River, it is the Ocean." Hadithi gestured to the horizon, "The Sun's bed lies over that border, and it rises from it every morning to greet us. This is the edge of the world, my friend."
Gelfin
The edge of the world... the thought caused Kere to stop dead and stare with wondering eyes at the watery expanse. To think that his travels should have brought him so far.
"I never thought that I would be so blessed to see where Sun makes her home, Hadithi," Kere murmured humbly. "Truly, you and yours are lucky beyond any other lions."
Kisoni
Hadithi's eyes roamed out across the waters as well, giving the faintest of content sighs. "Blessed," He agreed, "To have come upon so fine and generous a land." The beauty here had never ceased to amaze him, no matter that he had grown up in the place. Unlike most of his roaming family, Hadithi had never, nor would ever, consider leaving these shores. They were his home and the only place he could think of being.
That brought up a new point, and he returned his gaze to the new male that had wandered into their home. "What brings you to this place, Kereng'ende? You must have traveled from far away to never have seen the Ocean before."
That brought up a new point, and he returned his gaze to the new male that had wandered into their home. "What brings you to this place, Kereng'ende? You must have traveled from far away to never have seen the Ocean before."
Gelfin
Kere sat and scratched at a small burr stuck behind his ear as he thought of how best to answer.
"I've wandered almost my whole life, sir," he began. "As far as I know I was born in the deep savannah and when my parents died, I simply had to wander in order to surivive."
Satisfied that the burr was gone, the black lion gave his head a shake to dislodge any loose hairs or vegetation.
"I don't really know how I ended up here. I had to real place in mind to go. But," he added wistfully, pink eyes drinking in the beauty, "I think that had I known this place existed, I would have come here much sooner."
Kisoni
Hadithi nodded gravely to his story. "But wandering is important," He stated presently, sitting in the water without the slightest hesitation. A curious crab began to play with his foot, but Hadithi didn't mind. "Wandering can bring one great wisdom and experience from the things they find and speak with and learn from. It is a very important thing to do, especially when you have no other place you would rather be..... but at the same note, it is always good to have a place to come back to." The conversation may have seemed a little random, but for a lion who had grown up in a 'wandering' pride it made perfect sense. He smiled at the trees behind him. "That is why we came to this place, you see? It is our home when we are not wandering. But come, you wished for water.. I will show you to it if you like."
Gelfin
"I would appreciate that, Hadithi, sir," Kere replied humbly. After his sip of the salt-laden water, he was nearly mad with thirst, but curiosity and wonder had delayed his need for a few moments.
"Your words are very wise, sir. All the same, I think if I could live in a place like this til the end of my days, I would be content with my lot..."
Almost immediately, he flattened his ears against his skull in dismay. He had no right to say such things when he was a stranger in Hadithi's land. Still, he couldn't help but wish he could stay. This place seemed to very stuff of dreams to him.
Kisoni
Hadithi chuckled at the display. He got up to lead him into the jungle, his paws more dancing than walking the way up as if he listened to some internal tune. The wind whipped about him a little and he ruffled his mane with it, grinning at the caress, "Visitors are more than welcome here, as I said." He smiled, "We don't mind how long or often, so long as the peace is held. Our family isn't large at the moment, but it grows." He nodded with an assurity of the fact that he wouldn't have had a few days before. "Stay here as long as you need; it likes the feel of you."
