The world was a big place. Jalila still found her paws hesitant with each step as she ventured further away from her home and into the mystery of a new day. She was still baffled by how this pilgrimage was supposed to help her find herself in this strange land…wouldn’t it take her several moons just to get used to this place away from home? The thought made her wince. Even home was changing into a new place with her family moving and spreading out and new lions appearing at every corner. Such a crazy world to live in with everything changing so rapidly. Still she was adapting to it and keeping her smile there for those she loved.

Eventually there would be a light right?

If only I could find myself as well. Jalila sighed as she stalked through the tall grasses. The open plains of the rogue lands was so strange to get used to…but at the same time she was finding it more and more refreshing. Strange, but nice since the feeling of the wind against her fur was a blessing. It was odd how it was starting to make her want to linger rather than hurry home.

Maybe that was why she had been out here for weeks now rather than just a few days. Already her paws had taken her far away from the swamps she had known and into the rogue lands past mountains and towards the glistening image of the ocean. Such a strange view. Jalila tilted her head in admiration as she watched the rising sun’s rays dance across the waters.

It simply was breathtaking for an outsider like her to see.

As Jalila stared across the waves another lioness was moving along the beach. Unlike the swampie this lioness was used to the crashing waves and felt each movement of the ocean in her own soul. Naiya’s focus then was on the stranger who seemed content to be sitting in the sands. Quietly like a ghost the blue and white lioness slipped up behind Jalila, “You do realize that you’re letting the tide in really close, right?”


Startled out of her daze Jalila bounced in the sand, but the strangeness of the land beneath her resulted in the lioness flopping right back down. Welp. That’s embarrassing. Flushing the smaller lioness wiggled her way back up on her paws to move around the stranger, “The tide…what is that?”

Blinking Naiya had to take a moment to swallow the laughter at the younger one’s reaction to her, “You don’t know the ocean do you?” She smiled at the obvious newness of the other lion, “It’s the water moving in on the sand. If you slept here you might find yourself drifting far away in the waves soon.”
“O-oh.” Jalila flushed even harder, “That sounds dangerous then…”

“Mmmhmm. Some though are used to the ocean’s waves and enjoy swimming in the deep waters. But even they try to avoid the pull of the tide.” Naiya moved a little further up the beach, “Come then unless you really are wanting to swim today.”
“No-no I’m good!” Hurrying Jalila lifted up her paws and headed after the lioness, “So…do you live around here?”

 “Somewhat.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m a traveler of sorts. The ocean has always been my home though. I’ve just seen all sides of it.”

Jalila frowned, “That sounds nice…but don’t you get tired?”
“Not really…do you?” Naiya smiled back at her as they finally started walking on solid earth again. To her the sensation was strange, but she could tell that the other lioness was already walking more comfortably on the solid ground.
“Huh?” Jalila shook her head, “I’m actually not a traveler…I mean I have been away for a bit, but I have a home.” She smiled weakly. It was just taking her a bit longer than expected and though she was enjoying it the lioness did miss her home at times. There was just something nice about having a place that she knew she could rely on.

“Oh?” Naiya grinned, “That’s good then. Traveling can be a lonely business.”

“Coming from personal experience?” Jalila found herself teasing the other lioness as they started to slow down.
“Maybe.” Naiya grinned back towards her, “I’ve not always been alone though. Plus the stories I find are interesting.”


“Hmm.” Jalila still shook her head before wincing as a sudden step made her remember why she had been sitting in the sand. Stupid paw.
“You alright?” Immediately the other lioness was inspecting her, “I saw you wince.”
“O-oh. I just stumbled the other day and am still a bit off.” Jalila waved a paw towards her, “But it’ll be fine! Just a few more days then no problem!”
“Here…” Naiya nudged her gently, “I can try to help.”


“Re-really?”
“Mmmhmm. I might not be a healer like my sisters, but I can help with some herbal knowledge.”


Sitting Jalila watched as the other lioness moved around the area as if searching, “So what’s your name, miss?”
“Naiya.” The lioness replied quietl been my home though. I’ve just seen all sides of it.”
Jalila frowned, “That sounds nice…but don’t you get tired?”
“Not really…do you?” Naiya smiled back at her as they finally started walking on solid earth again. To her the sensation was strange, but she could tell that the other lioness was already walking more comfortably on the solid ground.
“Huh?” Jalila shook her head, “I’m actually not a traveler…I mean I have been away for a bit, but I have a home.” She smiled weakly. It was just taking her a bit longer than expected and though she was enjoying it the lioness did miss her home at times. There was just something nice about having a place that she knew she could rely on.

“Oh?” Naiya grinned, “That’s good then. Traveling can be a lonely business.”

“Coming from personal experience?” Jalila found herself teasing the other lioness as they started to slow down.
“Maybe.” Naiya grinned back towards her, “I’ve not always been alone though. Plus the stories I find are interesting.”


“Hmm.” Jalila still shook her head before wincing as a sudden step made her remember why she had been sitting in the sand. Stupid paw.
“You alright?” Immediately the other lioness was inspecting her, “I saw you wince.”
“O-oh. I just stumbled the other day and am still a bit off.” Jalila waved a paw towards her, “But it’ll be fine! Just a few more days then no problem!”
“Here…” Naiya nudged her gently, “I can try to help.”
“Re-really?”
“Mmmhmm. I might not be a healer like my sisters, but I can help with some herbal knowledge.”


Sitting Jalila watched as the other lioness moved around the area as if searching, “So what’s your name, miss?”
“Naiya.” The lioness replied quietly in the soft manner that Jalila had started associating with her, “What about you little bird?”
“Jalila.”
“Cute.” Naiya smiled towards her, “Though I was not expecting it.”

“How come?” Jalila was obvious intrigued, “How do you think it’s not my name?”
“Feels disconnected.” The blue lioness gently bent down to grab a mouthful of green plants and tearing them free began to claw at them so that juices ran down Jalila’s leg, “The way you said it that is. Almost like you were hesitant about yourself.”


“Oh.” Her brown gaze dropped towards the ground, “That’s because it won’t always be my name.”

“Hmm?” Naiya frowned, “Why would you lose a name?”

“Traditions…I have to find my new name. It’s kinda why I’m still out here and not home.”
“Ah. Sounds interesting.”


“Can be, but I still need to know else I might really start living out here.” She offered a weak laugh, “Doesn’t even matter if I do manage to find my way again if I don’t have a new name.”

“You poor soul.” Naiya clicked her tongue in her mouth as she finished wrapping the paw, “You really are like a small bird lost from home, a Suzume.”


Suzume…the name made Jalila blink, “What did you say?”
“Sorry.” Naiya flushed lightly, “I picked up pieces of another tongue on my travels. Suzume is a small bird. It always flies away from home every year, but like a star comes back to rest at home in the end. You reminded me of one because of how flighty you were when I first saw you.”


“Suzume…it’s cute.” Jalila flushed, “I really like the sound of it.”

Naiya laughed then, “Why not become a Suzume then?”


“Eh?”

“You love the wind and seem to love traveling though in your heart you will never forget to return home…just like the little bird.”


“Suzume…” Jalila smiled, “Thank you Naiya! Maybe I will be like that small bird after all and will return home then. ”

“Mmhmm.” The lioness nudged her playfully, “Now come along so I can show you the way to follow the ocean home.”

Smiling brightly the young lioness willingly followed. Maybe it really was time to go home then…Suzume. I like it~

[1515]