She had been told that sunlight would be healthy for her, that spending time outside of the shaded shelter of the den would do her a world of good – more good than any herbs or roots could really bring. Alastriona was willing enough to take up the suggestion, as long as being out in the sun didn’t entail anything other than lounging. She had been sick for as long as she could remember, and while she had accepted it for lack of a good reason to do otherwise, she couldn’t help but remember always the fact that she never felt healthy enough or strong enough to really run about like some of her siblings did.
She had been told several times that the disease could abate for a while, that perhaps her symptoms might fade and she might one day find herself ready to play about in the sun all day like some of the less sick cubs did. The pale gray cub eagerly awaited that day, but until then, she had other things to occupy her mind.
She lay on her side, eyes half closed as she enjoyed the warm touch of sunlight against her fur. It was certainly relaxing, and she had all but drifted off into a light sleep when a sudden gentle prod brought her back.
“Hello!” A voice said brightly. “Who’re you? You’re new here, aren’t you? Haven’t seen you ‘round before.” She could almost hear the beaming smile on the cub’s face. The little lioness opened her violet eyes and, lo and behold, there he was, a cub with lavender eyes, beaming down at her as if he was the happiest creature in all the world. He seemed like quite a large fellow, though he couldn’t have been much older than herself, and with Alastriona being the youngest… she wasn’t a runt, but there was certainly a notable difference between herself the litter’s firstborn. He was far too big for his own good.
“I’m…” Alastriona stopped herself. “Well, who’re you?” She said, slightly cautiously. She trusted the lions in the pride, but it wasn’t worry that made her put her guard up. The mere fact that he was a stranger was enough to do that.
“My name’s Yezekael, but, I fink y’can call me Zeki,” the cub replied, offering his identity without a second thought. Clearly, he thought she was a potential playmate. Or just somebody who needed cheering up. Alastriona imagined she could be both.
The little cub giggled. “Oh ya? Tha’s funny, tha’s me daddy’s name,” she blurted out, without batting an eye.
“Really?” Zeki’s eyes widened in wonder.
“Hey, tha’s me momma’s name.”
“Really?”
Alastriona nodded. “Yup.”
Zeki furrowed his brow briefly in confusion. “No it’s not,” he declared with an adamant shake of his head. “Nobody’s named Really.” The little gray cub simply shrugged, keeping her wide, unblinking violet eyes fixed upon the older cub as he struggled to riddle through her words.
“Well what’s your name?” He said finally, apparently abandoning the previous issue.
“I’m Nobody.”
“Are not,” Zeki retorted. “Come on, wha’s your real name?”
“Don’t got a name. I’m a orphan.” She replied.
“Y’are not! Orphans don’t get nice homes like you got.”
“Well, maybe I’m a special orphan.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Fine,” she said, sticking out her tongue defiantly. “I’m Alastriona. I’m the guardian of a big, big pride secret that me daddy says never t’tell nobody.”
“You’re lying.”
“No’m not! Tha’s what my name means, I defend stuffs against lions like youu!”
“Oh yea? Well then why are you lying in the sun where anyone could just kidnap you and beat you up? Wouldn’t you have to have bodyguards all the time and stuff?” The older cub challenged, unconvinced.
“Well, if they put guards aroun’ me all th’time, people would know that I’m the guardian, and they can’t know stuff like that!”
“You just told me y’were, voluntarilary n’ ever’thing!”
“Well… Some people can know. Only a few. Like, two.” She said with a small frown. “So you know, and me daddy knows. Tha’s it, so if you goes and tells anyone, I’m gonna have to kill you.”
“… You’re not gonna kill me.” Zeki rolled his eyes.
“How do you know I’m not?” Alastriona replied indignantly. How silly he was, thinking she wouldn’t be able to follow through on her words!
“Well… I mean, lookit you…” He said hesitantly. “You’re like… half dead in the sun is what you are. Looks comfortable, but s’not that intimidating, if you know what I mean.”
“Oh…” The little gray cub flipped herself right side up. He had certainly managed to punch a hole into her fantasy with that comment. Alastriona pushed herself into a sitting position, and regarded the older cub carefully. She was feeling slightly defensive, but that was more from their heated argument than from any remaining doubts she held against him – not that she had had all that many to begin with anyway. Whatever awkwardness she had felt to begin with had miraculously melted away, and she felt comfortable sitting and perhaps talking to him like she would her siblings.
“So, Alastriona, issat really your name?” Zeki asked, filling the silence. She nodded. “What’s it long for?” When she turned a quizzical look on him, he added, “I mean, you got a nickname or anything? Like me, I got Zeki. What do you got?”
The gray cub shrugged. “Well, tha’s the on’y name I got. Tha’s what me daddy calls me.”
“Well, howsabout I give you a shorter name, then?” Zeki offered. “Alastriona’s kinda too long to yell from far away.” He pulled a cheeky half smile when she said nothing to stop him, and furrowed his brow in concentration. “A… las…. Tree-na. Well, I fink you makes a great Lass. Like, Lassie, you know? Cause y’kinda are one anyway.”
Alastriona grinned for the first time in their brief meeting. “Well, okay, if’n you fink it sounds better.”
Zeki shook his head. “No, not better,” he corrected her. “Jus’ shorter. Easier to say, is all, see. Quick and short, Lassie.”
The gray cub nodded. “Okay, quick and short. Sounds good to me.”
Zeki beamed triumphantly. “Glad you like it.” He said rather exuberantly. “Now, do you play hide-n-seek?”
WC: 1048
