"The moon whispers sweet nothings, Mawimbi. It whispers and we dance to the song, forward and back, forward and back. We love the moon. Can you love it as we do?"

"Yes," he had whispered back, feeling as the waves lapped at his ankles, closing his eyes to bask in the moonlight, "yes."

"Rive? Rive!"

Soft blue eyes blinked rapidly of a sudden as he felt the gentle shove against his shoulder. The night of his memories faded as quickly as it had come and he woke to the present once more, sitting between the two pale lionesses that were staring at him with such peculiar looks on their faces. The night did not feel so differently than that one, suddenly. It, too, was just barely past the break of the moon overhead and the dark twilight was only just beginning to shroud the land and the ladies in its shadow. It had that same, odd air of mysticism.

Was that why he had felt like he was travelling in time?

No, no, it had been because of her words..

"The Great Lion? A moon diety?"

Amused, Taraiya nodded, though it seemed she nor Alkaid really understood where his thoughts were travelling though Alkaid was watching him with a different sort of expression from the lioness marred with those hues of purple and blue. He thought she might have suspected somewhat of what he was feeling deep in his chest but he didn't want to explain it now, not in front of this stranger. All he knew was that for the first time in a very, very long time he felt like that muses had reached between the folds of his memories to show him one last, final gift.

Was it possible that this was home?

"Yes," came that same, beautifully lilting voice that did nothing to abate that strange feeling that he was still stuck half in a dream, "you seem as if that is important to you. Have you heard of him before?"

Alkaid was silent throughout this whole interaction. The look on Rive's face had not been unpleasant but she could have sworn that just for a moment she saw some part of his broken heart plastered and bared for the both of them to see. It had worried her that he'd shown that to someone else so blatantly but as she'd shaken him to draw him back to himself she realized, perhaps, that he'd had no control over it. Whatever memory had claimed him had been one that she could not follow him into - it was a good sign. A very, very good sign. She tried to stifle the smile that pulled at her maw but it was hard. At the very least, she let him have his moment and simply watched him, enrapt with the sudden breakthrough that this stranger had pulled from his heart.

"Yes, of a kind," he said at last, hesitating not only because he wanted to phrase his past in a way that wouldn't make her think he was insane as so many often did when he admitted to their pride's old customs but also, too, because he was very aware of offending others and their beliefs. "I come from a land of many spirits and one of them was very, very fond of the moon."

Taraiya smiled at that - it was not the first time she had ever heard of prides worshipping other deities. In fact, it was not new to anyone in her pride. They had seen these so called Gods, spoken with them, and knew them to insight worship among other mortals - but it was The Great Lion that ruled all. Even Gods had to answer to someone. To know that perhaps one of these spirits, God or no, had spoken so kindly of the almighty one was enough to warm her heart.

"Well, if you are so inclined, I am sure you would both be more than welcome in our lands. It is, of course, not within my power to give you that permission. I am quite a low ranking as far as those things go," a shrug was placed here, dismissive and unconcerned about her place in life from all outward appearance, "but so long as you are willing to abide by our law then we will generally extend our protection to those who seek it."

Alkaid's warm amber gaze flitted from Taraiya to Rive and back. This was not her choice to be made. At last, Rive turned and looked at her, brows furrowed and jowl clenched in thought. She knew he was leaning towards saying yes but, ever careful as he was, he could not give a direct answer just yet.

"Will you be around here if we come back tomorrow?"

Taraiya's ears shifted forward and a genuine surprise stretched across her face. Of course he had said that he wanted to find a new home and it was so rare to find another that cared at all about their deity without having been born in the lands but to know that he was considering it so seriously that he would come find her again? She glanced to Alkaid where she sat just behind his shoulder and saw the smile on her maw. There was somewhat happening here that she was not privvy to. This was an important moment for this rogue. Stirring back to the question, she answered his blossoming curiosity with her best smile.

"Of course. I will make a point of hunting in this area and I'll wait until after sunset on the morrow if you decide you would like to follow me back home. That is all I can justify lest someone come looking for me, I've been gone a long while as it is. Would that be alright?"

There was not a moment's pause as Rive nodded and stood.

"Absolutely. You will have my answer by the sunset. Thank you for entertaining my curiosities, Taraiya." She was surprised again as he bowed, low and appreciative.

As he turned to leave, Alkaid stood and offered her a polite inclination of her head as well.

"You have no idea how much you have done for us, I know it seems simple but he has not looked so certain of anything in quite a long time."

She left the Mwezi lioness there with a parting smile and Taraiya stared after them, curious and a little bewildered, until they began to dwindle on the horizon.

(1,085 words)