[PRP] Home amongst the swampwater

[demon_pachabel]

Mmmm~

Gaza had found herself a nice spot to settle in amongst the darkness of the swamp's cover, stretching her body out in the singular sunny spot she'd found that day - a spot that would once be inhabited by one who had passed on since they had made their return into the waters. Not that any of their numbers had truly ever been inside the lands.

She'd only heard stories amongst the members of the family. A swamp, hmm? Well, she'd see how she liked it in the long run.

Currently, she'd found that there was very few nice 'sunny spots' for her to enjoy when she felt the desire to enjoy such things, and then there was the task of making sure any little swamp-creatures (as she was unsure of what to find in such a place) would keep their jaws off of her Dama - poor boy, was practically the embodiment of every mother's fear.

Outside of the fact that he was alive. She appreciated that much when he wasn't off causing a ruckus.

But no, it was time to sprawl out and relax for a little while, at least as long as she had the time to do so. Mmmm... now to think - where had that mate of hers run off to at this time?  

[Jynk]

It had been sometime since Takato-lilia had seen the swamps, long enough to believe they were something he'd only heard in stories from his mother. Being home was interesting in and of itself, reconnecting with his heritage and seeing his children do the same filled him with pride.

After feeling more settled, he'd decided to take a walk to familiarize himself once again with the pridelands. It also didn't hurt to see where his mate had wandered off to and see how she was adjusting.  

[demon_pachabel]

She'd only been basking in the sun for a few minutes when she heard paws moving towards her - even with the lack of solidity of the swamp she could recognize that stride even by ear - Takato. It earned a calm response, the lioness stretching out her legs with a yawn before she lifted her head from the ground and rolled over onto her belly.

It was only when she had assured herself that it was her mate that she heard that the splotched lioness rose to her paws to move to greet him - though taking care to not appear like a swamp-ghost.

"I see you found me." she greeted with some mild humor to her voice, moving to his side to bump her head gently against his shoulder. "Where were you heading off to, dear?" Gaza inquired, if only out of the curiousity of a lioness who liked to know where her family was.  

[Jynk]

Takato gave a happy rumble at the head-bump to his shoulder, moving his own head to nuzzle his mate. "I was, more or less, looking for you. I wanted to see if you're settling in here well and maybe have a look at how much my homeland has changed since my mother had been here."

He settled down on his haunches, looking about, then turned his gaze on Gaza. "The children seem to be settling in well from what I've seen, too."  

[demon_pachabel]

Oh, happy lioness. Prrprr. She seemed please by the return of the affections, though they should have been little surprise to her (and they were), remaining at the spot she'd assumed at his shoulder with a happy expression on her face.

Nothing over the top, naturally, but noticeably happy.

"Well, you found me." she replied, before turning her head to look over the swamp. "The children have been out playing, so they seem to be enjoying it. As long as there are no crocodiles in the swamp, we're pretty safe here.." she added, sighing with a sort of.. hidden wistfulness, before looking back to Takato.

"As for looking over the swamp, I think a walk wouldn't be too bad of an idea. Would you care if I were to join you?"  

[Jynk]

"I would love it if you would join me. Walks aren't fun without you," Takato answered, standing up. "We can go around the perimeter and check for crocodiles if you'd like." He was, after all, understanding to his mate's concerns for their children, and her concerns were usually justified when it came to their children's tendencies to be headstrong and adventurous.  

[demon_pachabel]

And knowing Dama, even if she told him to avoid anything that looked like a crocodile, it would give him something to AIM for. WAUUUGH! She could see it now, her child going to purposely jump on Crocodiles to see how immortal he was and how AWKWARDLY he could make his mother react to it.

HA HA HA. Nnngh. Please no. She didn't exactly like that idea, 100%. Or at all.

But a walk was a different story, especially with the one she loved.

"Mm, I think that's a wonderful idea. I wouldn't imagine the pride would be situated too close to such a danger, but crocodiles don't exactly believe in boundaries either..."  

[Jynk]

Takato nodded, his mane swaying a bit with the movement. "They probably keep a wary eye out for danger and the animals that cause it." He bumped his shoulder affectionately against his mate's. "Let's not worry about the children for a bit and just enjoy the day and our new home."

He had to at least try to get her mind off of the children, particularly Dama, and their antics. It was good to know they were settling down in the swamp, but a bit harrowing to know that it also gave them opportunities to get into trouble. Takato was sure that his children wouldn't intentionally try to wrestle with a crocodile . . . or at least two-thirds of them wouldn't.  

[demon_pachabel]

It was that one third that WOULD which bothered her, to be honest. But she didn't press the matter, instead just nodding at Takato's suggestion. It would be better for both of them if she was a mate instead of a mother for a while - and how long had it been since they had gotten to go on a walk without having a cub underpaw?

Not to say that Gaza didn't enjoy children. She loved them. They just happened to have the psychic power of stepping right where mother or father wanted to.

Kind of like a cat would.

"It is a rather pleasant day, give or take a lack of sunlight, though. Always a good sign.."  

[Jynk]

Takato shrugged a little, not minding the overabundance of shade in the swamplands. He, too, was glad to have the children occupying themselves with something other than bothering their parents. Though they hadn't been apart, he felt as though he and his mate hadn't spent as much time together as he'd have liked with the pressures of the move back to his family's homeland.

"Do you think you and the children will be happy here?" He asked softly, glancing at Gaza as he matched pace beside her. "I know it's a lot to adjust to, but . . . it's worth it." He just hoped she'd share the sentiment.  

[demon_pachabel]

Well she had adjusted an entire lifestyle! A new name she'd never expected to come her way, new way of thinking.. it had been a sort of refreshing thing, actually. So it would be small to say she didn't know exactly what this big change would be like for her children.

"I'm sure they'll adjust quickly. It's not as though we brought them to a graveyard. This place is at least located well enough for one to get by with hunts and even meander out into the grasses to bask in the sun."

Gaza... really really liked the sun, what could she say?

"But what of you? Are you enjoying it here? I'm sure it's much different from what you were told."  

[Jynk]

"Some of it is different, and some much the same," Takato said, giving another easy-going shrug. Truth was, he had as much to adjust to as anyone in their family. He wasn't sure what to have expected, just going on his mother's stories, but so far the swamps felt right.

He had to chuckle at his mate's comment on the sun, though. She wasn't alone in her love of lying in the warmth of the sun. "There should be plenty of places to stretch out in, although a few might be more moist than you're use to."  

[demon_pachabel]

"Well, that's good then." Gaza replied with a good measure of humor, before sighing lightly. "If everything was as you expected it to be, then none of it would be a surprise." Wisdom passed down to her from..somewhere or other, she wasn't quite sure where exactly.

Then again, that wasn't something that absolutely mattered.

"Ah, but if I lay somewhere moist, then if I'm trying to dry myself, it will take even longer. Unfortunate, yes, but perhaps that will keep me from indulging in our daughter's antics too heavily, yes?" Goodness knew that Bari had practically turned into a fish recently. She'd been a fish before, but now she was a fish in a swamp - she'd never be dry, really.  

[Jynk]

"Nothing wrong with a little mud. Helps keep the gnats and mosquitoes away, actually," Takato chuckled, thinking of his daughter as well. He shook his head in amusement, then looked about him and back to his mate. "You're right about the surprises. There have been some since coming here, but they haven't been unpleasant." He bumped against Gaza affectionately. "Besides, you're here and if you're here, then there's always something good about this place."