[PRP] Homecoming [END]

[underthered]

Up the shoreline came Lefika, dancing and bounding, humming along to the song of the ocean, the song which it gave to her. Of course, she knew she couldn't do the song any justice herself, the ocean sang it so beautifully. Yet she could not contain herself from accompanying it. Her spirits were high this day, much higher than her usual midline mellow. Why, even the sun, hanging high in the sky seemed to be calling down 'Atta girl!' to Lefika, who only just now, at mid-adulthood, had finally found herself.

And finding yourself is all well and good. Finding home and family is even greater. Never since she left the pride in which she was born had Lefika seen a pride that felt so much like home.

But to truly take her place within the family, she first had to find their childlike king. And so, she skimmed the beaches for the form of Hadithi...  

[Kisoni]

Hadithi sat upon a boulder with his more grumpy of sons. Of course, Tau was rarely grumpy with others--he was loud and boisterous and something of a bully at times. Hadithi knew that, though, and was desperate to find a way to fix it. That his son would act in such a manner was disturbing, but worse than that was the idea that the other was... well... more than a bit of a priss, and just as poor a choice to lead the pride next. There was Rani, of course... but Hadithi preferred a male take his place, and her flighty dreamy ways would probably be as ill suited to the job as his own were. Hadithi held no delusions about how ill suited he was to lead.

"Go on," He growled at Tau. There was affection for the boy, certainly, but Hadithi had to show his heavier side with the boy more often than not. It was a fact he didn't enjoy, but... well Kings and Fathers often had to do much they didn't enjoy. Tau gladly ran off, happy to be free, and Hadithi turned his head in time to see Lefika dancing down the shore in his direction.

He smiled slightly at the Lioness, spirits lifting for seeing some joy in the world. Slipping from his perch on the rock, he lopped down to the shore to greet her, "Morning friend!"

They hadn't seen much of one another since she and her son had come to the shores, but regardless Hadithi would treat her as a friend. After all, she saw their ways and seemed to welcome them--that was more than some had done. "Your paws step lightly, and dance with the tides.." He pointed out, more amused than anything else, even as his own did the same. Oh he knew what he hoped to hear, but would he hear it?  

[underthered]

Watching the nganolinda's son scurry off, Lefika supressed her dancing a bit in her approach... although she still found herself stepping in time to the rhythm. She wondered momentarily if she was interrupting anything... but it did not occur to her to ask. After all, if she was being any sort of bother, he wouldn't greet her so warmly. Even if it was in his nature to be genial. She returned his good morning with a polite nod, which she felt was sufficient.

He called attention to her dance, and she nodded once again. "Indeed," she agreed with him. "After all, the sea sings so beautifully today that I cannot help but move with it." Smiling wide and cool, she seated herself respectfully before Hadithi. "I come bearing wonderful news," she told him. Indeed she did, but she'd wait for him to ask for it. She would not waste her breath until he was ready to hear it.

'No need to rush,' the sky assured her as the clouds above shifted. She looked fondly up at it. She couldn't agree more, and had never believed in hurrying herself. Perhaps that part of her nature meant that the sky had been with her all along? She wasn't sure, but she'd figure it out.  

[Kisoni]

Hadithi laughed softly, fully in agreement with her about the sea's beauty--especially its singing "voice." He moved to dance by her side, a soft song of his own bubbling up into a melodious hum in his throat. He wouldn't sing at the moment--that would be interrupting her, but he did think he felt a song coming on. "Wonderful news you say? That always makes for good hearing!"  

[underthered]

Remainder from AIM RP

VoiceOfDoom1739 (12:41:03 AM): Lefika smirked as she watched Hadithi sway. She knew he was only just barely containing himself from song, and she hated to keep him contained, but she felt she ought to inform him of the news she had. From the looks of it, he was all ready to hear it too. She settled down in the soft, wet sands of the shore, making herself comfortable in the sun and tide, and then she told him, quite plainly, "The sky spoke to me." She left it at that, knowing he'd be fully aware of the significance. Elaboration was unneccessary and a waste of breath. Contented, she tilted her head back to listen to the sea-music and let the sun wash over her face while Hadithi took in the information.

Covenmice (12:55:52 AM): "Did it?" He chuckled, not at all surprised but trying to seem so.. for her sake. Others liked such sorts of news to be surprises, he'd come to find after his (admittedly short, by some standards) years. Hadithi nodded, "Did it tell you where your home might lay?"

VoiceOfDoom1739 (1:02:27 AM): With her head still turned upwards, eyes closed to the warmth and light, she replied to the king. "It told me my heart belongs here," she said. "But more importantly... it reminded me who I am. It told me not to worry so much about my son, about everything. I'd forgotten how not to worry. It feels good to just let things... float again." Indeed, though she carried the strength of stone in her heart as her name dictated, she'd always been a child of the sky, the way she drifted and let her worries fly on the wind. She had been meant for this.

Covenmice (1:24:36 AM): Hadithi nodded. It was the same for many, he'd come to find, as it had been for his mother and uncle whome had joined their pride long before he'd been thought of. As it had been for Kere, and Misae, and others who had come to them in need. This was a place of peace, and it radiated such. "indeed. Even I, who have always lived here, did not always keep to the comfort of this place. Yet, when you find it again, or for the first time, it is... a relief. It gladdens my heart to see a sister among us again.. I do wonder if her Sky has renamed her yet."

VoiceOfDoom1739 (1:28:24 AM): Lefika's eyes snapped open here, and she frowned a bit. Perhaps her communication skills were not quite honed in yet. Looking to the king, she confessed, "She has not told me yet. I should ask her." But when she turned her eyes skyward once again, a passing cloud concealed the sun and cast a shadow on the beach where the two sat. "She's thinking," Lefika observed, more to herself than to the king. But, with a gracious bow of her head, she told him, "I thank you, though, for your warm welcome to your beautiful land which I now hope to call home."

Covenmice (1:29:33 AM): "if you hear the muses, then it was not my welcome to give you," He stated quietly. The male leaned into her and rubbed his cheek against hers as he would have any sister of his own blood. "That you hear them means you were meant to hear them. This has always been your home, waiting for you to claim it."

VoiceOfDoom1739 (1:34:04 AM): For a moment, Lefika froze, not quite accustomed to such affection. Not even her parents had been quite so close to her, and she'd been alone so long, save for her brief time with Koda. But it felt right to have Hadithi near her--indeed, he did feel like family to her. And so she returned his touch with a quick friendly nuzzle and a purr. "Of course," she said, and left it at that. The understanding was hers to have, and she took it to heart.

It was at that moment the clouds broke, and the sun once again warmed the back of her head, grabbing her attention. Lefika turned, grinning. "What is it?" she asked, ears perked. A very soft breeze travled the air, and she tilted her head a bit. "Oh?" She took a moment's quiet thought. "Interesting..." she muttered to herself.

Covenmice (1:36:00 AM): Hadithi took it in stride that he couldn't hear this conversation. After all, the muses said different things to different people, even if they were all having the same conversation. Others new to the concept thought it confusing, but it was how he'd been raised and he merely waited patiently for the explanation.

VoiceOfDoom1739 (1:43:54 AM): She pondered it a moment, mulling it over in her head. It sounded... right. She nodded. "Thank you," she said to the sky. "I had almost forgotten myself." Looking back to the patiently awaiting Hadithi, Lefika told him without ado, "She told me that in the tongue of the land of my birth that I have always loved, my true name would be Ka'Moya." She smiled at the sound of it on her lips. Yes, sounded right. Her eyes turned to the sea. "It means With the Air. Point of interest... it also means With Spirit." She chuckled a little bit. The sky always knew best, didn't she?

Covenmice (1:45:41 AM): "Ka'Moya it is." He nodded with a chuckle. "It fits you, but of course.. the muses always know best." He answered her unspoken question without knowing it had ever existed, and merely smiled as he did. "I must say it is good to have more family members about.. and the pride insists on growing alarmingly."

VoiceOfDoom1739 (1:49:11 AM): "More family is certainly always a positive thing," the newly rechristened lioness agreed. Long ago, when she'd only been Lefika, she hadn't thought so, thought that it was best to be alone. Life had taught her differently, and the muses now assured her the truth was otherwise. There was real beauty in having family around to support you, even when you preferred to keep to yourself. "When someday my son returns to us, we shall grow one more," she said, wholly unwitting that her son would be bringing another home with him... although she grew curious when a passing set of clouds almost seemed to make the sun wink at her.

Covenmice (1:51:12 AM): "Quite true, and from the size of my mate's stomach, its bound to be quite a large family before long." Hadithi looked out across the sea. Okay, he was rather proud of himself as only a male could be in this situation.

VoiceOfDoom1739 (1:54:49 AM): Lefika glanced sideward at Hadithi and smirked. Well, someone had certainly been busy in her absence. "Is she with child again so soon?" she questioned. "Well, I offer my congratulations and any help I can manage for you." Then she, too, looked to the sea, watching it's horizon and the way the sun sparkled on it's dancing surface. Yes, everyone was in good cheer today, even the sea.

Covenmice (1:56:05 AM): Hadithi chuckled, "It wasn't planned, but yes. Neither of us really mind.. we both thrive with large families, I believe."

VoiceOfDoom1739 (2:01:27 AM): "A good thing," Ka'Moya observed as she watched the sea. "For your family seems intent on spreading whether you like it or not." Indeed, families had a way of doing that. She'd never meant to get pregnant herself, but now she was glad she had, for Sepoko was a blessing to her. Still... she missed Ajabu every day, even if he had had a stubborn and willful heart. She hung her head, and a breeze brushed her mane to comfort her.

Covenmice (2:03:26 AM): Once more there was a bumped nuzzle at her cheek and the storyteller smiled. "Your family is far more widespread, i think." He lifted his eyes to the heavens and chuckled, "It keeps going, further than the eye can see. But yes.. i do believe you have a point."

VoiceOfDoom1739 (2:07:46 AM): Ka'Moya nodded and leaned her head against his touch, briefly. "It does not matter if I can see them, they are always within my heart," she said. With that, she stood and stretched her legs, feeling the breezes encouraging her to move once again. Moving was her nature after all, ever shifting like the sky above. It was in her true name, after all. "If you will excuse me, I believe the time has come for me to get moving. I think I ought to spruce up the cave I have been calling home. It is drab and rather in need of decorating." Indeed it was, and she would have to go hunting for flowers and seaweed and shells to repair the problem.

Covenmice (2:11:33 AM): He chuckled and nodded. Traditionallythe pride shared a common cave... but this was no longer the pride of his ancestors. If Ka'Moya preferred her place elsewhere he would not begrudge her that. "certainly, 'Moya. It was good to hear from you once more."

VoiceOfDoom1739 (2:14:42 AM): She smiled her best smile for him and bowed herself out. "I certainly hope you will come to visit," she said. "I shall be visiting you as well, and the lovely Misae to bring my well-wishings." With that, she turned her tail to take care of business. Perhaps someday she would join the rest of the family at the central cave... but she could only take one step at a time. Tail swishing easily, she took her leave.