Tam Linn twirled one paw in the pool's clear blue waters, his expression between annoyed and faintly amused. Not surprising since he had just left Blodeuwedd's company. She always left him feeling like a cub, and all the presence, and self assurance that he had gained as he matured melted away like snow in the spring time sun. It amused him...and annoyed him. The dark lioness was the closest maternal figure he had, and their relationship was something between mother and son, and...mates. Yes, anytime spent with Blodeuwedd was both amusing and annoying. Well, perhaps more annoying. It hadn't always been this way, there had once been a time when there was true affection between them, and then there was always the time before the dark female.
His violet eyes focused on another time and another place, when he had first been found by her, here among the roses. Tam Linn's memories of the days before she'd found him were hazy at best. They were vague, misty, like a dream he only caught a glimpse of rather then an actual memory. Mostly they consisted of emotions, joy, sadness...love. Yes, Tam had been loved. That much was solid, tangible, but the rest, the rest was smoke.
Not for the first time, and the male was certain not for the last, he wondered who his family had been. The purple in his markings, the violet hue of his mane and eyes, told him that whoever they were, they had been among the upper caste of the Suka'fuma Pride. Did they look for him when he had been lost? Did they now, years later, mourn the death of a son? Or was it as Blodeuwedd had often told him as a cub, that they had not wanted him. Why else would they have left him alone in the enchanted wood, among the roses?
Had they even left him? In his mind's eye he could vaguely picture that fateful day. He'd been running, playing a game, he was sure of it. He couldn't remember if the game had involved the wood somehow, only that he had run to the edge of the tree line, and that is where he had caught the scent. It had been sweet and beautiful, nothing like the grass and leaves of home. It had tickled his nose, and beckoned him deeper into where he should not have gone. Tam had no clear memory of finding the pool he now lay beside, only that he had, and that he'd spent some time playing among the roses, not that he'd known their name then.
It wasn't until the morning light had become the dappled shade of afternoon that the young cub he had been realized his game had lasted far to long. He'd tried to find his way out, following his back trail, but he couldn't find it, and the scent of the roses lingered everywhere, confusing him. He'd wandered among the trees and thickets for hours, till twilight had begun to paint the woods a deep purple. Scared, frightened, Tam had finally found his way back to the pool and the roses. He'd curled up at the base of one of the largest bushes, and fallen into a fitful sleep.
The next time he had opened his eyes, he was warm, the smell of lion comforting against his cheek, and the soft sound of a song, a lullaby, being whispered in his ear. From that day on, there had only been Blodeuwedd and the Groundlings and this pool with its unusual flowers, and always the linger scent of roses.
How would his life been if he'd not been found by her? Would he have grown up as the others of the Pride along the forest line, rigid and unyielding in their caste system? Or would he have always had this desire, this need to be as he was? How much of it was Blodeuwedd, and how much was his own nature? Certainly the way she taught him did not bother him, even though he knew they sometimes did others, even other Groundlings. Yet he'd never balked or questioned what she asked of him. To him, the lessons came easily, and more then a few he'd even enjoyed.
No, something told Tam Linn in his heart of hearts that he would have sought out the hedonistic ways of the Groundlings even if he had not gotten lost in the enchanted wood that day. As a youth he would have come on his own, seeking the forbidden, desiring the decadence and deep enjoyment of life and freedom the Groundling ways offered. Fate was fickle, but she had reasons, and whatever they were, they had brought him here when he was still young enough to become one of them, and not some thin maned youth who was easy prey for pretty young females like Nuala, or older, wiser ones like Blodeuwedd. Tam Linn had seen the results of some of those who wandered to far into the forest, and it was without a doubt they left the woods changed. Good or bad often depended on who it was they ran into, and how long they 'chose' to stay.
Brushing a paw over the water lightly, he watched his reflection shimmer, a slow smile coming to his muzzle. Was it really worth leaving his forest home to try and find that missing family? No, not really. Blodeuwedd had been good to him, raised him as she saw fit, and in her care he had found a place he belonged. He would have been lost and restless in the Pride beyond the trees, driven by something he could never have given a name too. Besides, that missing family had not sought him.
As the water settled back into the calm surface of his pool, Tam Linn stared at the male he'd grown into, and smiled. Behind him the white roses curled over the trees, their perfume heady and sweet. This was his home, this was his place, here among the roses, and their lingering scent.
His violet eyes focused on another time and another place, when he had first been found by her, here among the roses. Tam Linn's memories of the days before she'd found him were hazy at best. They were vague, misty, like a dream he only caught a glimpse of rather then an actual memory. Mostly they consisted of emotions, joy, sadness...love. Yes, Tam had been loved. That much was solid, tangible, but the rest, the rest was smoke.
Not for the first time, and the male was certain not for the last, he wondered who his family had been. The purple in his markings, the violet hue of his mane and eyes, told him that whoever they were, they had been among the upper caste of the Suka'fuma Pride. Did they look for him when he had been lost? Did they now, years later, mourn the death of a son? Or was it as Blodeuwedd had often told him as a cub, that they had not wanted him. Why else would they have left him alone in the enchanted wood, among the roses?
Had they even left him? In his mind's eye he could vaguely picture that fateful day. He'd been running, playing a game, he was sure of it. He couldn't remember if the game had involved the wood somehow, only that he had run to the edge of the tree line, and that is where he had caught the scent. It had been sweet and beautiful, nothing like the grass and leaves of home. It had tickled his nose, and beckoned him deeper into where he should not have gone. Tam had no clear memory of finding the pool he now lay beside, only that he had, and that he'd spent some time playing among the roses, not that he'd known their name then.
It wasn't until the morning light had become the dappled shade of afternoon that the young cub he had been realized his game had lasted far to long. He'd tried to find his way out, following his back trail, but he couldn't find it, and the scent of the roses lingered everywhere, confusing him. He'd wandered among the trees and thickets for hours, till twilight had begun to paint the woods a deep purple. Scared, frightened, Tam had finally found his way back to the pool and the roses. He'd curled up at the base of one of the largest bushes, and fallen into a fitful sleep.
The next time he had opened his eyes, he was warm, the smell of lion comforting against his cheek, and the soft sound of a song, a lullaby, being whispered in his ear. From that day on, there had only been Blodeuwedd and the Groundlings and this pool with its unusual flowers, and always the linger scent of roses.
How would his life been if he'd not been found by her? Would he have grown up as the others of the Pride along the forest line, rigid and unyielding in their caste system? Or would he have always had this desire, this need to be as he was? How much of it was Blodeuwedd, and how much was his own nature? Certainly the way she taught him did not bother him, even though he knew they sometimes did others, even other Groundlings. Yet he'd never balked or questioned what she asked of him. To him, the lessons came easily, and more then a few he'd even enjoyed.
No, something told Tam Linn in his heart of hearts that he would have sought out the hedonistic ways of the Groundlings even if he had not gotten lost in the enchanted wood that day. As a youth he would have come on his own, seeking the forbidden, desiring the decadence and deep enjoyment of life and freedom the Groundling ways offered. Fate was fickle, but she had reasons, and whatever they were, they had brought him here when he was still young enough to become one of them, and not some thin maned youth who was easy prey for pretty young females like Nuala, or older, wiser ones like Blodeuwedd. Tam Linn had seen the results of some of those who wandered to far into the forest, and it was without a doubt they left the woods changed. Good or bad often depended on who it was they ran into, and how long they 'chose' to stay.
Brushing a paw over the water lightly, he watched his reflection shimmer, a slow smile coming to his muzzle. Was it really worth leaving his forest home to try and find that missing family? No, not really. Blodeuwedd had been good to him, raised him as she saw fit, and in her care he had found a place he belonged. He would have been lost and restless in the Pride beyond the trees, driven by something he could never have given a name too. Besides, that missing family had not sought him.
As the water settled back into the calm surface of his pool, Tam Linn stared at the male he'd grown into, and smiled. Behind him the white roses curled over the trees, their perfume heady and sweet. This was his home, this was his place, here among the roses, and their lingering scent.
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