Naiya truly was in love with life. She had come from traveling many miles alone to living not only here along the beaches with the love of her life, but also with her sister and own family as well. The cubs were growing so quickly though! The lioness thoughts of her cubs brought a tender smile to her maw as she continued walking down the shore. As a hllare finding herbs were really important, but she also enjoyed just walking along so that she could see what gifts the ocean would provide. Mostly it was shells, but on occasion a strange object from some foreign land would appear. Mostly in pieces, but still what remained was unique in itself.
At the thought the lioness began to wade into the shallow waters and gently pressed her nose against the wet sand. Seemed like nothing but shells here…
Kaiaka often found himself drifting out to sea. While other lions may have been more wary of the currents the pomithi preferred to just nap and let the ocean take him away. Often though he was such a light sleeper that when the waves did start o turn against him the lion would just gracefully roll over and dive under the waters. From there he would kick it back towards shore. Today with the sun gleaming behind a few clouds found him doing that exact routine. Paws out in front of him the lion slipped through the waters as a fish before running into something more sturdy than sand.
“Excuse me?” Naiya jumped backwards with a sharp yowl as she studied the soaked lion who had emerged right at her paws, “Are you alright?” Her heart was racing in her chest. Here she had been looking for trinkets and shells when a body had appeared instead!
Opening his maw, Kaiaka let out a light yawn as he slowly backed away from his fellow pride member. It was just a bit disorienting to find himself back on sturdier grounds again so it took a moment for him to regain his balance before he could look towards the blue female, “I’m fine.” He offered a small smile, “Just trying to get the best nap out of the afternoon sun.”
Naiya actually laughed at the suggestion, “You know I’m not certain that’s good for your fur.” Even if he was a rather handsome lion, the mess and tangles of his fur suggested that he did truly spend most of his time out in the ocean. Once she may have appeared in the same light, but since finding Ramiz the lioness had taken to keeping her fur well kept. The thought brought a light flush to her cheeks. When she had first found him during that flood the poor lion had thought her a swamp monster, she was so unrecognizable.
“You think?” There was just the slightest hint of worry in Kaiaka’s voice as he reached a paw up to try and untangle some of his mane, “I never really bothered with it before…”
“Don’t worry so much.” Naiya smiled warmly, “I was just teasing you. Most of us probably are stuck with curls from all of this ocean water.” She shrugged as she glanced out over the gleaming waters, “It’s a well bought sacrifice though.” Oh how she adored the ocean. All of her life…she had tried to leave it and now here she was back again.
Still the other lion frowned, “Does it look unappealing?” He questioned thoughtfully. Perhaps it was because of a certain lioness who had been in his life lately, but Kaiaka was suddenly concerned. What did she think of his tangles? Was he such a mess that she couldn’t see him…in a special light? The thought brought the faintest frown to his maw before he shook his head. Surely not. Huwa seemed happy enough to see him, such little things shouldn’t matter.
“You’re fine really.” Naiya laughed, “Worried about looking good for someone, is that it?” She couldn’t resist teasing especially when she spotted the guilty look that crossed his features.
“Possibly.” He admitted quietly.
“Oh?” Gaze gleaming the lioness reached out a paw towards Kaiaka, “I can assist you then. I’ve lived my whole life having to fight these ocean curls after all.” And now that she had cubs, the struggle for their own appearances was constant.
“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.” Kaiaka chuckled softly, “I don’t want to lose too much of my wild look though. I find it helps me to tell the best tales to the cubs.”
Naiya chuckled at the story-teller, “Yes, yes. I’ll help you keep up your wild look, but let’s make it a bit cleaner...” Staying close the mother started to work on the lion’s mane as if he were any of her cubs. A little tug here and then a shell placed here and there in the curls along with a starfish…giggling the lioness took a step back to glance at her work, “A sea god indeed, Kaiaka.” She recalled his name from the times he had told her own cubs stories of the sea.
“Thanks…Naiya.” Surprisingly he did remember her name as well. Since meeting Huwa the once distant lion had found himself more grounded. It was easier to recall names when he spent more time in the pride and less in the ocean waves. Now even his traveling days were tamed a bit. So many times he had left for stories and adventure, but now he waited. He wanted to create a home and possibly more.
Still he couldn’t help chuckling as he left the lioness and later walked towards a still pool of water near his new den. Staring back was a very hopeful lion indeed. Yet, his appearance with the shells and other ocean accessories brought a goofy grin to his maw. When Naiya said sea god she truly meant it. Even with the shells here and there the lioness had managed to tame the usual tangle of a mane. Curls still poked out here and there, but overall his fur definitely shined.
I suppose I’ll owe her a few stories later. He smiled thinking of the lioness and her family. Every time he visited they were just so loving and kind. It created a small knot in his own chest, a mix of worry and anticipation that one day he would hopefully have one of his own. It had taken a while for him to find his footing on this sands, but now he felt that perhaps…just perhaps he was finally ready to try.
(1096)
At the thought the lioness began to wade into the shallow waters and gently pressed her nose against the wet sand. Seemed like nothing but shells here…
Kaiaka often found himself drifting out to sea. While other lions may have been more wary of the currents the pomithi preferred to just nap and let the ocean take him away. Often though he was such a light sleeper that when the waves did start o turn against him the lion would just gracefully roll over and dive under the waters. From there he would kick it back towards shore. Today with the sun gleaming behind a few clouds found him doing that exact routine. Paws out in front of him the lion slipped through the waters as a fish before running into something more sturdy than sand.
“Excuse me?” Naiya jumped backwards with a sharp yowl as she studied the soaked lion who had emerged right at her paws, “Are you alright?” Her heart was racing in her chest. Here she had been looking for trinkets and shells when a body had appeared instead!
Opening his maw, Kaiaka let out a light yawn as he slowly backed away from his fellow pride member. It was just a bit disorienting to find himself back on sturdier grounds again so it took a moment for him to regain his balance before he could look towards the blue female, “I’m fine.” He offered a small smile, “Just trying to get the best nap out of the afternoon sun.”
Naiya actually laughed at the suggestion, “You know I’m not certain that’s good for your fur.” Even if he was a rather handsome lion, the mess and tangles of his fur suggested that he did truly spend most of his time out in the ocean. Once she may have appeared in the same light, but since finding Ramiz the lioness had taken to keeping her fur well kept. The thought brought a light flush to her cheeks. When she had first found him during that flood the poor lion had thought her a swamp monster, she was so unrecognizable.
“You think?” There was just the slightest hint of worry in Kaiaka’s voice as he reached a paw up to try and untangle some of his mane, “I never really bothered with it before…”
“Don’t worry so much.” Naiya smiled warmly, “I was just teasing you. Most of us probably are stuck with curls from all of this ocean water.” She shrugged as she glanced out over the gleaming waters, “It’s a well bought sacrifice though.” Oh how she adored the ocean. All of her life…she had tried to leave it and now here she was back again.
Still the other lion frowned, “Does it look unappealing?” He questioned thoughtfully. Perhaps it was because of a certain lioness who had been in his life lately, but Kaiaka was suddenly concerned. What did she think of his tangles? Was he such a mess that she couldn’t see him…in a special light? The thought brought the faintest frown to his maw before he shook his head. Surely not. Huwa seemed happy enough to see him, such little things shouldn’t matter.
“You’re fine really.” Naiya laughed, “Worried about looking good for someone, is that it?” She couldn’t resist teasing especially when she spotted the guilty look that crossed his features.
“Possibly.” He admitted quietly.
“Oh?” Gaze gleaming the lioness reached out a paw towards Kaiaka, “I can assist you then. I’ve lived my whole life having to fight these ocean curls after all.” And now that she had cubs, the struggle for their own appearances was constant.
“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.” Kaiaka chuckled softly, “I don’t want to lose too much of my wild look though. I find it helps me to tell the best tales to the cubs.”
Naiya chuckled at the story-teller, “Yes, yes. I’ll help you keep up your wild look, but let’s make it a bit cleaner...” Staying close the mother started to work on the lion’s mane as if he were any of her cubs. A little tug here and then a shell placed here and there in the curls along with a starfish…giggling the lioness took a step back to glance at her work, “A sea god indeed, Kaiaka.” She recalled his name from the times he had told her own cubs stories of the sea.
“Thanks…Naiya.” Surprisingly he did remember her name as well. Since meeting Huwa the once distant lion had found himself more grounded. It was easier to recall names when he spent more time in the pride and less in the ocean waves. Now even his traveling days were tamed a bit. So many times he had left for stories and adventure, but now he waited. He wanted to create a home and possibly more.
Still he couldn’t help chuckling as he left the lioness and later walked towards a still pool of water near his new den. Staring back was a very hopeful lion indeed. Yet, his appearance with the shells and other ocean accessories brought a goofy grin to his maw. When Naiya said sea god she truly meant it. Even with the shells here and there the lioness had managed to tame the usual tangle of a mane. Curls still poked out here and there, but overall his fur definitely shined.
I suppose I’ll owe her a few stories later. He smiled thinking of the lioness and her family. Every time he visited they were just so loving and kind. It created a small knot in his own chest, a mix of worry and anticipation that one day he would hopefully have one of his own. It had taken a while for him to find his footing on this sands, but now he felt that perhaps…just perhaps he was finally ready to try.
(1096)