Hadithi shook his head as he walked the last little portion of beach to reach the safe enclosure of the cove. He'd left the crab, willy, behind in his home and finally let the last of his tension drain from his shoulders. Damn that boy, he thought, he should have known better. Still, the punishment Hadithi had assigned was oddly... poetic. That at least got a chuckle from the dark lion and he glanced out towards the waters that had saved his son and... perhaps sent a little blessing in disguise.
Instead of heading back into the jungle towards Misae and the other kids, Hadithi instead headed down the jetty that stretched far out into the water, beyond the drop off. He hadn't been down there since his grandfather had died, since he'd given the body back to the waves... but somehow it seemed right today. At the end he sat down and closed his eyes, letting Misae's wind wrap around him as his own ocean splashed against his fur. "Thank you for not taking him," He whispered to no one.
Had Kamaria a different upbringing, she may have found it odd, or perhaps even coincidental.
It was her tradition to revisit the memories of her grandfather before leaving on a journey and always, always as the first stop upon returning. After nearly ten months of travel with no trace of purpose or confines, her goal-- the first directed ambition since leaving, slight as it was-- would be to seek out her brother and drown him with her newest stories.
She traveled as a way of life; even as a cub, she could never just sit still. More than once in her cubhood was she declared "lost" by her anxious grandparents and, though always rediscovered and lectured quite severely, it would be hardly a full week before it inevitably happened again. Kamaria had long ago lost count of how many times she'd traveled away from the lands since her adolescence, but she was certain that of all those journeys, and all those returns, and all those visits to the memories of her grandfather, she never once saw her brother gracing this very spot.
And so it was odd, perhaps even coincidental, that he would be found there now, sparing her any effort in finding him. Others would chalk it up to random possibilities; she, however, considered it to be an affirmation of how right her lifestyle way. Her soul would never be bound by a clear set of purposes.
After a long silence passed with her never being noticed, she finally inquired softly of him, "Who, may I ask?"
Hadithi jumped; he really hadn't noticed her presence, an usual thing for him, really. He almost slipped, but years at the shoreside had taught him how to find his footing quickly. So it was that he turned about to face her, eyes going wide at the sight of the blue face he hadn't seen in so long.
Of course, hadithi was quite used to the ways of his last remaining sister. Indeed, he always knew she'd return, no matter how suddenly she'd left before, but seeing her again was always a very welcome thing. "Kamaria!" He laughed with joy and rushed the steps between them to press his forehead to hers. "You've returned!" Oh the gift of stating what was obvious.
She smiled, crooked and restrained at first, but only until her sincere delight beat out against her failing attempt to look unmoved. "Good to see you too, Diddles. I have returned, for now... although according to this strange hare I nearly feasted upon, I'm apparently never really all in one place. I recall him using the phrase "cracked rock" to describe me as well. Naturally, a creature as sophisticated and insightful as he just to be released..." Whether or not any of the tail was truthful was... questionable, no matter how convincingly she spoke the words. With the slightest hint of the frown, she carefully reiterated her previous question, "should I be worried to find you here? Your new mate is doing well, I pray?"
Hadithi chuckled softly as he backed off. He disliked his nickname, but as much as he'd never admit it.. it was nice to hear it. It'd been far too long since she'd returned to them. "Well its good you let so wise a muse go, though I hope you didn't let yourself go hungry in turn." Hadithi grinned and shook his head, "Misae is fine and well, that's not why I'm out here--" The brother paused, pondering what to tell his sister on this accord. If lions could blush, he might have, and he coughed in a somehow embarassed fashion, "Actually, I was remarking on.. well, my eldest son."
One of the many, many reasons for Kam's inexplicable desire to travel constantly-- though one toward the top of the list-- was her... somewhat severely lacking ability to fit in with others. She was strange, even for a member of the Kizingo'zaa; she lacked not only a desire to have any degree of stability in her life, but also the sort of natural humility that would, for instance, normally prevent one from referring to a king as "Diddles". Another example would be her shamelessness in regards potentially personal matters. "...well, it certainly didn't take you very long to warm up to Missy, now did it!!" She proclaimed this with a fit of chuckles and one gigantic grin.
"So," and then, without warning, her expression turned dark, serious and solemn. "...how and when should we first subject the little caterpillars to Auntie Kam? Shall we perhaps wait a bit, or rather should we do it quickly, like ripping off an especially disgusting scab?"
He would know she was joking, even without her mouth slowly quirking back upward, but others were generally fooled by her expert control, adding to the awkwardness.
"Well you do need to meet their mother as well," Hadithi reminded with a cough. Not that he minded her behavior in the slightest. Actually, it was nice; he knew that no matter what Kam said or acted like she never took herself terribly seriously... still, it was fun to treat her as if she were completely serious. "Though I think we should just chunk you at them and let you go. See if they sink or swim." He almost winced at that last line but didn't at the last moment. "There's five of them, by the way."
"Ah yes; a meeting I look forward to with indescribable enthusiasm, I dare admit!" Said with honest joy and... a bit of wickedness too, perhaps? And then, as though reading some thought that may or may not have actually existed, "Oh, don't worry, brother dear; I'll behave myself in front of your better half. Though, as for your cubs, well... I can promise to act older than them, at the very least." Another smile.
As much as her spirit craved freedom and movement, she knew in her heart the warmth of knowing family was enough to keep her content for as long as she lived... though she'd never, ever speak such thoughts.
Hadithi laughed, "I hardly expect anything different!" He shook his head slightly and caught her ear with his teeth. After giving it a gentle tug, like a child may have, he let it go. "I was rather hoping you'd show up before they were grown; its hard explaining an imaginary aunt." Though how that was harder than the spirits of the wind and earth was questionable, Hadithi didn't comment and stood to stretch, "Youl'll like the eldest boy, i'm afraid. He's like you."