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 Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:44 pm
Avani was quite comfortable in her home in the swamps. But for old times sake, sometimes, she wanted to walk on more solid ground. Gharadi didn't always seemed too pleased about her taking time off, but he was certainly understanding. He never got angry or anything, and each day the lioness felt lucky to have him.
Still, she did enjoy a lonesome walk out in the grasses every now and then. It would usually take all day to get a good enough distance out of the swamp and then come back, but she was in no hurry. Now she was more or less heading out, and had been walking on dry lands for an hour or two.
It was so much brighter out here, and dry, and different. Avani had once been at home in a place like this, and the thought almost made her laugh. It felt so long ago!
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:48 pm
It had been so long, so long indeed. She couldn't remember how many moons had passed while she had been out on her pilgrimage, how many days and nights she had spent alone trying to find her new name so that she might return home to her mother and father, to her grandparents if they still dwelled close. She felt lonely, out there, and only wished to return to the swamps now.
Her light eyes looked to the mass before her as she made her way through the grasses. She never liked how the hard ground felt under paw.
She just wanted to be home, wanted to be accepted.
She had her name now, she could speak it, had it's story, and she was ready.
Walking forward, heading for the swamps whose great trees were sprouting up from the ground she smiled, finally, seeing her homeland before her.
Home awaited.
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:54 pm
It might be the greatest coincidence in a long time. Avani hadn't expected she would run into anyone known out here. Sure, she never doubted anything anymore, but it was just so far out of her mind. When she saw the shape of another lion moving about in the grasses, she assumed it was a rogue. One didn't need to greet every lion they happened to see, and the lioness might have ignored her.
But the 'stranger', quickly enough, proved not to be strange at all. It didn't take Avani long to recognize her granddaughter at all, and considerably more time was spent simply getting over the shock. Could that be Ahno? She had left so long ago, Avani thought she may have found her home elsewhere.
Yet there she was, coming back. "A– child!" She called loudly, picking up the pace to hurry over. "If it true? Are you coming back to us?" The older lioness certainly seemed quite pleased, a welcoming smile on her face.
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:58 pm
As she saw the older lioness come running, she felt tears brimming in her eyes and she ran to greet her grandmother. She nestled close to her, settling her head underneath her grandmother's curling close. She hadn't changed at all! She was still so young and vibrant looking, and so happy looking, much less grouchy than her own mother had been sometimes. "It is so glad to see you..see someone," she had been alone for so long, this moment was pure heaven for her. She wished it wouldn't end. Another being, even more so, family.
Family.
She was home.
She pulled herself away though, wiped a paw across her eyes, sniffled and smiled, nodding her head, "I am coming home, it took so long...but I am new again, name and spirit wanting to return home."
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:03 pm
It was so good to see Ahno again, even though Avani was quite sure that was no longer what she went by. She nuzzled the younger lioness happily, just glad to take in her scent once again. After so long! Her son would be so happy – as would the rest of the family! It was always a pleasure when some came home.
"I am so glad to see you as well! You are most welcome home!" She laughed lightly, and took the opportunity to look her over. she looked bigger, a full grown lioness... naturally. Avani smiled. "What do you call yourself now? What did you think of the world?" She remembered when she joined the pride, she had found the pride to have such strange customs. Sometimes she wondered if she had been cowardly, not changing her name entirely, merely altering it. But this was past, and Avani was simply who she was.
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:07 pm
"I am glad to be home, the world is not like home. Too wide open, too barren, it was hard finding safe places to sleep. I did not like being out in the open by myself, I did not come across others too many times, I did not like being alone," she said, ears flattening against her head. She looked to the ground. "I do not like how the rest of the world feels, how hot it is, and how dry it can become. I did not like it, but I could not find my name until I had found myself near a strange valley," she began, looking to her grandmother.
"You should have seen it, I though I was in a dream. It was a wide open view atop a cliff edge, and all I could see were these willow trees, intertwined, connected, part of one another, thats when I knew," she said with a smile, "Kai'dena, it means willow tree valley."
When she had realized, and seen the great expanse valley before her, she knew it was time to return.
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:14 pm
She felt a bit of regret to hear the younger females words. If she had disliked the outlands so much, it truly was a shame she had spent so much time out there. And... there was a time when it was Avani who had lived out there, and she had been happy, as well. Not comparable to what she felt here, with her mate, but... the outside world was where she had been born.
Still, she smiled on, sadly. "You need not fret. You are home now, and you can sleep safely, and you will not be alone." Though, they technically were still out of the swamp. Avani chuckled lightly as the thought occured to her. "Come, I will lead you home!"
She listened to the story with interest. She found herself trying to picture the valley described, and it sounded beautiful. "It is a beautiful name, Kai'dena. For a beautiful young lioness!" She stuck her tongue out, happily complimenting her grandchild, as she was wont to do.
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:19 pm
Sleep safely, thats what she wanted. "I want to be in the roots, and see the thick groves, I want to feel the moist mud, and see the mud pool, even the clay ones, as hard as it is to get our of your fur," she said with a nod. She walked with her grandmother, nodded as they spoke, "I wish I could have had you with me to see it, I think you would have liked it. Grandpa too. Not too sure about mom or dad, they were grumpy when I left."
Then again, weren't all parents grumpy?
"Do you know if any others came home too?" she wanted to see family, have family, but, she needed time to adjust too.
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:30 pm
"I can imagine myself there with you. Now, that is enough." She nodded. Really, what mattered was that her grandchild was back! "Perhaps they were grumpy in sending you off. I'm sure they will be overjoyed upon your return." And if they weren't, Avani might have a stern talking to her son. But it certainly wouldn't be necessary.
"Oh, yes, but you will see them soon! I'll leave that a surprise." she winked, Avani wasn't opposed to a bit of teasing. It was all in good fun!
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:36 pm
"That's not fair!" Kai'dena said pouting. "How can you not tell me," she pouted, but playfully. Then nudged her grandmother's shoulder. She never saw her grandmother as old, really. Avani had such life in her, such vibrance, and when she and her grandfather were together, it was as if they were adolescents. It was amazing, adorable, but something gag-worthy cute. Least, she remembered it being that way.
"Is grandpa good? Has he been good to you? Do you think he'll be excited to see me?" she asked hopeful.
She was glad to be home.
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:40 pm
"Because, surprises are sweet. I am only doing what is best for you!" She continued, mirthfully. Her tail thwapped the younger lioness playfully, and she picked up the pace slightly. she was excited to get in the swamp, excited for Kai'dena.
"Of course he will be excited!" She semed almost taken aback that her granddaughter might think otherwise. "Gharadi will be very happy to see you. And yes, he is good to me. He always was."
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:43 pm
"He better have been good, and still be good. I might have been gone, but I am tough," Kai'dena said puffing her chest out, but she exhaled the air and laughed. As they got closer to the broder of the swamp, she began to slow down a little. She could already feel the hard ground becoming softer, more moist, damp, was that the right word, and she slowed her pace to walk one step at a time. Her eyes on the ground.
The swamp was here.
She was here.
She was really home.
Looking up, she saw the underbrush and grove ahead, the thick roots, and thought to when she was younger, when she had to leave the cover of the swamp to go for so long, and now, now it was coming full circle. She was excited, but also nervous.
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:57 pm
The thought of needing Kai'dena to make gharadi treat her right amused Avani greatly, and she laughed. "I am glad I have you here now!"
She did notice a change of mood as they got closer. Kai'dena seemed to grow quieter, and initially, Avani was confused. She imagined the younger lioness would be rushing, dashing through the swamp, splashing up all the water and scaring the frogs. But.. some dealt with things different, and she resolved to give the younger lioness the space she needed. She trotted a few paces ahead, and looked back every now and then, but only to be encouraging, never nagging.
They were just reaching the part where the swamp really started to get thick, and she paused for a moment. "Come, this way. I'll lead you to your parents." She said, gently, before continuing through the swamps, almost melting into them.
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:03 pm
She took a sudden intake of breath as she stepped into the swamplands. It was like an old friend saying hello after not seeing them for so, so long. And she smiled.
LOoking up to her grandmother, who was being encompassed by the swamp, Kai'dena nodded excitedly and bounded in, "Take me home! I want to see everything!"
A long journey had finally come full circle, a long wait had come to an end.
She was finally home.
o longer the Ahno her family once knew.
BUt Kai'dena.
Again, within the swamp, where she belonged.
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