The earthy red male sat not too far from the last place he saw the lovely green lioness, staring off into the ocean. An orange glow splashed across his face as the sun rose slowly. A slight reflection bounced off the shell necklace he now wore. Aten felt as if it were watching him and speaking to the water because it all seemed surprisingly calm and serene for the waters that often beat the shore. His mind had no exact focal point, he did not think of Kamaria and the large family she had, or of his past but merely felt the ocean, smelled the salty air, and saw the sun.
Miani stretched in the pale morning sunlight, and padded lightly out of her den at the edge of the rocks. She gazed across the golden sand, a smile curling across her lips. The sea was so perfect. As she slunk towards the beach for her morning ritual, she spotted him. A red figure on the sand; surely it was the lion she had met before? She slipped towards him, long practice walking on the wet sand making her footfalls almost silent.
Aten's warm demeanor changed in a flash as something seemed to pinch his heel, he yelped in surprise, and turned his face to look at it. What he saw was a tiny creature, it looked like a spider, but with big things on its front legs. Aten had obviously never seen a crab and was confused why it had things that pinched. Picking his hind leg up he shook it vigorously and watched the thing sail a foot or so away.
"What are you?" He inquired and then caught sight of Miani, Miss Seaweed herself, if it were possible to look through his already red fur he would have flesh to match, his embarrassment about talking to the spider thing, and on top of that being caught doing so.
Miani watched in open amusement as Aten fought with the tiny crab, her tailtip flicking behind her idly. When she spotted her, she grinned and moved towards him fluidly, picking up the crab in her teeth. It wriggle and tried to swing around to pinch her, but she gingerly placed it on the sand a few feet away, where it scuttled sideways, its eye stalks waving at the two lions suspiciously. "It's a crab." She said cheerfully, smiling up at Aten. "Good morning."
"The Spiders..erm crabs are strange her, and the birds as well, not like the ugly ones that wait until something has died," he commented and then quickly added, "Good Morning, Princess." His eyes followed the crab as it escaped and he wondered if they were edible, she had placed it in her mouth so that meant it could not kill her by taste (poison), like some spiders could.
"The sea is very calm, is that a good thing or a bad thing?" He inquired nervously, it felt peaceful to him, but he'd heard the expression, 'a calm before a storm' and the story she told of a storm taking an entire pride stuck with him.
Miani cleaned her whiskers delicately, gazing out at the quiet lapping of the ocean. At his question, she turned back to him, tilting her head, bangles clinking. "Yes." She said slowly, looking up and down the strip of beach for the sea's gifts. "Yes, the sea is content today." She smiled brightly at the larger lion. "Would you like to help me collect the sea's gifts this morning, Ten?"
Content was just fine in the red lion's book, it meant there would be nothing to take him and this lovely place away, or to harm his friends. His smile widened as he heard the tinkling of her charms and trinkets, that sounds would probably always remind him of the princess.
"What are the gifts that the sea gives?" He looked down the shoreline and saw the reflection of a few bits of shell, and what he assumed was wood that drifted ashore. "So the waters give and take, I'll help you collect." He thought over the idea, what if the ocean gave gifts to trick them to the edge and then would take them? He pushed his paranoia away as fast as he could but it still left an uneasy look on his face.
"The sea brings us things it does not need, and we give offerings to the sea to keep her calm." Miani explained serenely, slipping gracefully towards the water's edge. She took a wide berth around a large chunk of driftwood. The pounding water had carved it into an eerie, skeletal shape. She gave it a slightly fearful glance, then looked down at her paws. A starfish lay on the sand between them, wet and wriggling slightly. She smiled back at Aten. "Come see this." She called, nudging the starfish gently.
"What types of offerings?" He asked and followed her along the beach, not sure why she avoided the wood, but did so all the same, her expression only adding to his uneasiness, it looked like a spine to him, but was obviously wood.
"What is that?" he blinked as he caught up to her and bent down his nose close to the wriggling entity and her paws, "It's alive!" he exclaimed.
"Oh, offerings of things we think the sea will like." She answered absent-mindedly. "Fur, bones... sometimes food, if she is angry." She smiled at Aten and laughed at his surprise. "Yes! Sometimes the sea gives us dead sea-stars to use for things, but when they are still living, we have to give them back to the sea." She informed him, nudging the starfish again. "Would you like to do it?"
"Would not want to see her hungry," he remarked looking up at Miani, and then he nudged the star fish with a paw feeling its odd texture. "I'll give it back, it can't live without water?" He poked the wriggling thing again and then slid it across the sand with a massive paw, it bumped and thudded making rivets in the sand. He didn't want to put it in his mouth, not like she with the crab, so assumed this was a positive alternative. Finally it reached the water and he shoved it into the slowly lapping water.
"Do they normally get stranded?"
"Sometimes." Miani answered, her eyes following the starfish until the lapping water took it out of her sight. "Most of the ones she gives us are already dead." She smiled and nudged Aten with her shoulder, continuing along the beach. "You did a good job!" She assured him. "I am sure the sea will be pleased."
Aten beamed pleased that he had given a living creature back to the sea and that she would be happy. He looked down blushing as she nudged him, he wasn't used to being close to anyone but Kamaria, and sometimes the cubs.
"It's sad that the sea would abandon them," he looked up at her questioningly, it was sad, wasn't it? Or is that something I have wrong again, he thought considering both sides.
Miani looked at him thoughtfully before speaking. "She does not abandon them." She said, curling her tail around her paw. "She cannot always control what happens to her children, and at least it landed here, where we could give it back to her." She smiled. "But the sea is not always kind. She is very powerful." The seaweed colored lioness gazed out at the water. "But she gives us life, and for that we must be thankful."
Aten found the concepts of this pride slightly hard to grasp, but as he spoke with Miani he was slowly beginning to learn from their previous meeting and now he realized that she truly loved the ocean and that many believed it to be a 'giver of life' he did not understand this concept, but knew that water meant life in the desert, why not on a beach as well?
"I still do not understand how she could give me life, I was born in a grave yard far from here," he commented and turned his face to the water, the sun had been rising steadily as they spoke and now he had to tilt his head to view it fully.
"I may not understand, but I do know one thing, this place has some magic in it, and the water is magic as well." How else could he feel so happy here?
"What other treasures can you find along the beach, show me? Why were you so apprehensive about the log?"
Miani smiled knowingly. "Have you ever gotten in a fight, Ten? Or cut yourself playing?" She asked. "When you clean your wound, or when you make a kill and taste the blood in your mouth, what does it taste like?" She tilted her head. "The sea runs through our veins, Ten. That's why you feel at home here." At his question about the log, however, her smile faded and a soft frown replaced it. "We don't talk about it much." She said slowly. "It's a sign of death. If there are more, I'll have to make an offering to the sea, in case she is angry." She glanced across the beach nervously, but no more shapes of driftwood were apparent.
He was about to answer her question, but then closed his maw as she went on speaking about the sea being in his veins. Blood did seem to taste something like the sea, when he cleaned his fur here he got a taste of the salty water and the two could be compared.
"I suppose the sea is in my veins," he answered a bit slowly, "But, Miani, why would I be called here? Even if Kamaria had not asked me to come along, I think I would have ended here anyways." He did not comment on the driftwood, merely mimicked her search for the wood along the shore, he saw nothing.
Miani shrugged fluidly, flicking her dark tail-tuft. "There are many things about the sea we do not know. She is a mysterious force." She answered, turning to smile at him. "The sea calls certain lions to her. Perhaps you have a purpose she needs you to serve." She tilted her head, and again, all of her trinkets clinked against each other. She padded over to him, looking up into his eyes curiously, thoughtfully. "Why do you think the sea wants you, Ten?"
He did not all together oppose the idea of the sea having a purpose for him, but the dark red male was a bit shocked by the very idea. He had just felt a push, a nudge and it had been right for him to find Kamaria who wanted to be here. He had flat out ran away from the Firekin's sands in fear of being kept by them, Kiun and the slave had made him believe this...but where was he running too?
"Perhaps time will tell, I have no idea, maybe it wanted me here for something to come, I see nothing now." He answered and racked his brain for a better one, did the water really call to me? he questioned, am I really meant to have a home, to be here? "Do others come with the same need to see the waters? To hear your great wisdom about the ocean?"
"No." Miani said simply, passing by him and continuing to pad down the waters edge. "They come for a safe home, away from pridal battles. They come for the sea air, and the small pride, and the lush jungle, and the fresh spring." She added. By now she had slowed, and stood gazing out at the water, its depths reflected in her eyes. "None of them have been interested in our pride's rituals or the power of the sea," She turned and gave Aten a quizzical look. "Like you have."
Aten listened to her reasons for others coming and nodded, understanding each and everyone, he had been running from a pridal war and could see the appeal in all she spoke. He followed her listening and when her final words were out he inhaled sharply. "You are easy to speak with, and have answered my questions kindly, it surprises me that no one has asked you the same questions. I find your lifestyle intriguing and comforting. Perhaps the sea wanted me to find you, and to learn from you." He glanced off at the sea as she did, and sat close beside her, not wanting to keep on his feet long, the fear of the old wounds resurfacing kept him off them.
Miani watched him with interest. "Yes." She said finally, also sitting with the soft jingle of shells clinking against each other. "I think the sea sent you to us." She said slowly. "Perhaps so that the old rituals would not be forgotten." She offered him a smile. "I can teach them to you, and you can teach them to your cubs. Or I can, if they all join." She knew he was traveling with a large party, but wasn't exactly sure about the specifics of what his relationship with all of the lions was.
"If I ever have cubs, I would be honored for you to teach them the way of your pride," he held back a laugh as she spoke of the cubs as his own, "I traveled many miles with Kamaria and Senalta, Senalta has six children, they are not mine but I treat them as if they are blood. If you were to look at the group of us, you might make the assumption they are mine though, they bare my markings, as well as their mother's, but even one holds the markings of Kamaria, and well all share no blood, it is odd," he spoke, the longest comments he'd ever said to her, he did not have a real reason to stress that the cubs were not his.
"I would love to learn your ways, and perhaps I will be able to teach my children, and you can fill in the bigger image, in the future?" he offered warmly his eyes were not on her as he spoke but on the ocean.
Miani listened to his explanation with some amusement. "Ah, I see. So Kamaria is your mate, and Senalta is your friend?" She turned her head back towards the sea. "It's lovely to have friends. You are all very lucky. Have you gotten them situated alright?" She inquired, tilting her head at Aten. "Did you find a safe den?"
"No," he snapped and instantly regretted it feeling guilty, "I mean Kamaria and I are companions..but..I maybe one day, we have not bonded together no." He looked down at his paws ashamed of his lousy explaination and knowing it would hurt Kam to hear such a thing.
"We're sleeping in the open for now, we havn't quite found a suitable place to stay."
Miani nearly flinched at his reply, eyes widening at the tone of it. He hadn't ever used a tone of voice that harsh in any of their previous conversations. She put it down to a touchy subject. "I see." She said simply. "I can show you where most of us keep our dens, if you like. There are several on the outskirts of the lands that I'm sure would fit you all." She offered, her tone slightly less airy than before; more businesslike.
Aten was lucky he did not see her flinch or it might have made him feel worse. He nodded quietly and then looked back up at Miani, his back hunched over so that he appeared smaller. He'd found Miani a very easy person to talk to, something he'd never had out side of Senalta and Kamaria.
"It would be good to know, so I can show them where we can stay, I wasn't sure."
She watched him curiously. He demeanor had changed quite a lot in just a few seconds. It was strange. Stretching, she shook sand off of her fur. "Alright, then. We'll have to walk along the beach a bit more; the dens are near the edge." She explained. "If you see any gifts on the way that you like... you may take them." Pausing to look back at him, she added, "For your friends or the cubs, perhaps."
He stood and followed her almost obediently he hadn't meant to turn the conversation so. The earthy red male straightened out and smirked as she looked back, "That would be fantastic, I'm sure they would appreciate them." He also wanted a few more shells along his own necklace.
"Do you collect every morning?" he asked trying to get back to the original topic, the sea.
"Oh, yes. Sometimes my parents and siblings come too. Usually my father is the one who leaves the offerings, though." She answered, her voice serene again now that the tension had gone from their conversation. "Of course, we all have to leave many offerings when the moon is dark." She added, as though this was obvious. "But most of the time, only once a day."
"That reminds me, your sister said that no one was allowed on the cliffs but the king and queen, is that when offerings are made?" He questioned and quickened his pace so that he walked beside her and not behind her.
"Why the dark moon?" he looked at her questioningly, not knowing the affect the moon had with the sea. He did not think he would ever be through with questions for the female.
"Sometimes. Father makes many of his offerings on the cliff-top, the rest of us simply leave our offerings on the beach for the sea to take." She answered, eyes scanning the stretches of sand for gifts as she padded across them. "We worship the moon." She explained, glancing up at the sky. "When the sky is dark, we have to give him gifts so that he comes back."
So this pride was the ones who brought the moon back each time it decided to run away, it was an interesting concept he never assumed the moon would not come back to its resting place in the sky. "I think I would like to leave an offering for the sea, as a thank you for leading me here." He nodded and thought that if he had charms as she did that would cause him to jungle and tinkle as well.
"Have you ever seen an eclipse?" He wondered, thinking that maybe they helped control that as well. His eyes drifted from the sun and to the sand, where there sat a perfect shining halfshelf, he paused and pointed to it, he had no way to hold into it with out jabbing his feet or not being able to speak.
Miani's eyes shone with excitement at the idea of his leaving an offering. She nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yes, Ten, I think the sea would love that!" She looked thoughtful. They didn't have anything to offer, really, but given the circumstances, she thought that a piece of him would be satisfactory. She leaned forward, and, taking a bit of his mane in her teeth, tore a small tuft from it. It didn't occur to her to ask him about this, or that it might be a bit painful; her mind was entirely on the ritual. She pawed the half-shell forward along the sand gingerly, and placed the tuft of mane in its hollow. "Now," she began, turning back to Aten, "you thank the sea, and bow to her, and then give her your offering."
He flinched as she pulled a tuft of his fur confused for a moment as to what she was doing. But, he quickly caught on when she placed his fur into the perfect half shell. "She'll accept my offerings? Even if I'm not one of you?" He asked and followed her to the water's edge.
"Thank you great sea, for giving me life, and bringing me to a place I can belong," he bowed deeply eyes closed as he spoke. Feeling more at ease he opened his eyes and slid the halfshell away from her paw, brushing against her and watching as the sea swept it away, he watched as it floated and then filled with water and sank.
"Right?"
Miani nodded silently, as if to give him a bit of privacy with the sea. She watched as he gave thanks and the offering, smiling happily. As the shell drifted away on the water, like a tiny boat, she grinned back at him. "Yes, that was lovely, Ten!" She said earnestly. "You're not from here, but that doesn't mean you're not one of us. Obviously the sea wants you for something." She assured him easily, for she believed it herself.
Ten flashed a broad smile and wondered what there was to do next, he still felt like watching the water, but they were on a mission she was showing him where to stay, did she remember?
"She brought me here," he repeated and nodded sharply, "Why don't we continue on our way to the dens, and then I'll go back for the family?"
"Oh,yes." Miani replied, getting swiftly to her feet and padding back along the beach towards the ridge of dark rock where the dens were. "Yes, you've probably been away from them for a while, now."
He followed after her towards the dark rocks and nodded, he'd seen this from a distance but did not want to venture towards the pride too much in case some of them were not welcoming.
"I feel like I need to protect them, I had no father growing up and I want to ensure her cubs have a male figure." he thought about his mother and father, how long ago it was he had laid eyes on them and if he actually remembered their faces.
"It is important to have loving parents." Miani agreed, glancing over her shoulder at him briefly, before continuing on. "I'm sure you'll do fine." She bent to nudge an interesting shell into the small bag around her neck. "You're very kind, and that is a very good thing for a parent to be."
He was looking the beach over for something interesting to take back, something he could show for his time gone and not feel worried that someone had thought he'd run off. Kamaria was very sad when people disappeared for periods of time, and he'd need something of an alibi to prove he was being productive."Thank you for helping me adjust here and helping me learn about your wonderful home, I could not have asked for a nicer lioness to run into this morning." he beamed at her. What the red lion would assume to be dens and places to sleep came into view. "Is this where everyone stays?" He wondered and quickened his pace.
"Not everyone. The dens are scattered all along the pride lands, and most of us stay closer to the middle." She explained, peering into one of the larger dens. It was big and dry, protected by a jutting rock, and made larger on the inside by having been dug out quite a bit. She waved a paw at Ten. "What do you think about this one? It's big." She curled into a sitting position, not responding to his praise. She wouldn't know how to react, anyway.
He followed her peering in himself, "I think this will be more than enough space, until all of them get bigger!" He exclaimed and cringed as his voice echoed back at him. "The cubs, they'll grow faster than I'm expecting I assume, being an 'uncle' is a hard job to six half lions." he smirked and walked into the cavern. "A big enough space, we could probably pull seaweed and grasses in for comforts."
Miani smiled at the thought of all of them piled in the den together. It was heart warming image. "Oh yes, there's plenty of soft leaves to gather in the jungle." She said with a nod. "Some use the furs of their kills, but I prefer not to." She rolled her shoulders. "Oh, and also... you will probably want to talk to my father, at some point. Tamu is the heir, but... well, father might be a little b it more helpful, right now." She smiled, thinking of her sister fondly. She was a bit confused, right now, but Miani was sure she would find her way eventually.
He did not like the idea of sleeping in another creatures skin. Leaves, grasses, and sea weed seemed much more appealing at this moment. "We intended on speaking with him, your father must be a very great man to have two very respectful and helpful daughters." He wanted to ask the king many questions to ensure the groups safety, it was hard because there were so many of them joining at one time that he hoped they would all be accepted together.
"I cannot wait to show this to them," he remembered to lower his voice so that it would not echo.
Miani smiled serenely. "Oh, yes. Father is a wonderful king." She said fervently. "I'm sure you'll get along." She said, eyeing Aten fondly. Then, standing, she took a few steps towards the beach. "I suppose you'll want to get back to them, then." The green lioness intoned, looking back at him questioningly.
"I am sure we will," he said warmly and watched as she left. This was to be the home of nine creatures, six of them still growing and learning something new each day. How the world was going to change, all they had to do now was meet the king, and learn more of the beautiful oceans. "I'll be getting back in a moment yes, may I walk you to the beach?" He stepped forward trotting after her.
Miani paused, then nodded. "Yes, that would be lovely." She answered with a smile, waiting for him to catch up with her before padding forward towards the shoreline again.
Ten caught up his pace matching hers as he walked silently to the beach beside her, there was little more to say for this day, perhaps in coming days he would want to learn more of the pride and it's inhabitants instead of the sea, but first the earthy red male would need to pry his eyes away from the water as well as Miani, they were both so intriguing and he wanted to know more. Once they came to the shore line he started to walk faster again, following his paw prints in the sand back to the waiting family, sure that by now they would be awake, and he had nothing to show for his morning absents.
