Isa stared into the darkness breathing heavily and feeling lost. It was so much easier to make her way to the Pridelands, but now that her visit was over, she couldn’t recall how to get back home, what was she going to do? Her soft eyes twitched back and forth as she searched the darkness for anything that felt familiar. The journey had been so delightful going one way, but now? Now she was scared and frantically searching.


Dalila’abadi had been given a task by one of the shrine keepers who was feeling worried for her friend. Find Isa, daughter of Salma and Tetemeko and guide her home. Avalon, the shrine keeper of truth, felt her friend was in trouble. Dalila’abadi had no way of sensing if the young lioness was, but she agreed to take a look for her. Often, mortals forgot, forgot someone was waiting for them, forgot their way, forgot the important things to that may mean so much to them..She fluttered her dragonfly like wings in the night and allowed her vision to adjust as she searched for the lioness.

She’d bumped into a lot of wrong lions, but assumed somewhere along the way she might discover Isa. She was following the path from the Pridelands to the Ulili-Milindaji, she’d crossed back and forth and adjusted her way to see where it would be easier for a mortal to walk. To Dalila she could always change her shape, and the way would become easier. She was trying to walk as a mortal walked, and struggle as a mortal would struggle.


Isa missed home, missed her brothers, and the shrines. She was feeling as if the adventure she found herself on wasn’t as much fun as she once thought it would be. Why had she thought it was ok to go alone? She should have asked Avalon to come along with her, or see if one of the boys would come as well. It was a test of her own merit she supposed.
In the quiet she caught the whispering sound of something trying to quietly move, the brown lioness froze. What was that sound?

“Is someone there?” She croaked quietly, trying, and failing to contain her fear.


Dalila was caught in the brush shrubs near a small outcropping of trees. Disgruntled she allowed herself to alter her size and slip through the brush, it tickled and pressed against her wings causing her to grumble more. She grew back to a normal, proper, size before also freezing in place.

“Yes,” Dalila said calmly and adjusted her vision, ready to throw up an illusion if needed to protect herself. “My name is Dalila’abadi, I am searching for a friend.” She walked slowly towards the voice and stopped near the young lioness.

Avalon had shared a memory of Isa, and because the goddess could not forget, she knew upon seeing the scared young mortal who she was.
“Isa,” she said trying to put gentleness into her voice.


The young lioness wasn’t eased at the Goddess’s words, for that was obviously what she was, a lion with wings couldn’t be anything else. A lion with wings...that knew her name. She’d never met this goddess, although she had run into other Gods. Boma, the goddess of Minerals came to mind and she frowned sadly.

“Do I know you?” She shifted her weight in her paws getting ready to run. It wouldn’t be much of a fight if there must be one, but the other lioness did not appear threatening. Isa trusted too easily though, and one day it may not bode well for her.

“You don’t,” she wanted to put the young female’s mind at ease. She thought it must be an uneasy feeling to forget, Dalila feared nothing more than forgetting everything. She sat down and fluttered her wings, spores drifting to the ground lazily. In each spore there was a memory.

“Avalon, your friend in the shrines, asked me to look for you, and to remind you of your way home.” Dalila sat stone still wondering what Isa was thinking.

“I am the goddess of remembrance,” she peered into the young ladies mind gently, pulling out the most recent memory..Isa was afraid, and had forgotten her way.

“Oh…” Isa exhaled not realizing she’d been holding her breath while listening to Dalila’abadi. “I um...am a little lost.” She admitted and felt so relieved that this goddess appeared to be a helpful goddess. She knew there were gods not to be trusted, but also knew that they all had worshippers one way or the other.

“Avalon sent you?” Isa thought about that, “she does tend to worry…” she trailed off looking back at the glistening wings and the spores drifting. They were almost mesmerizing, she felt like there was something inside the spores.

“Can you show me the way home?”


“Avalon sent me, and I can tell you’re a /little/ lost,” Dalila chuckled and her body shifting caused more spores to drift and sway in the air. “Would you like me to show you the way home, or would you prefer I restore the memory and you will always remember the way home.”

“Could it be both?” She didn’t want to go alone anymore, and being afraid in the dark wasn’t helping. Plus, she could spend time with something immortal! She had never devoted herself to a god before, but wanted to know so much about them.

“Could..could you really make it so that I won’t forget home? I don’t want to do this searching anymore. Nothing looks familiar enough.” She broke down tears streaming.

Dalila felt for her, although she could not sympathize, the goddess could never forget. Watching this young lioness pulled at her. She’d seen so many plagued by forgetfulness, or just simply being lost.

“Isa, I can stay with you as long as you need,” she said gently, there was a pang inside her. This young lioness reminded her of a child, although she was nowhere near a child’s age. She had lived such a short life so far. “How about I give you this memory back, and we stay here for the night, you can ask me what you need, and in the morning we’ll find our way back to the shrines.” Dalila had nudged the lioness’ mind with happy memories, just a few, to ease Isa’s mind. It could have gone either way.

“Ok.” Isa whispered feeling very small, “Ok.” She had to trust in Dalila, even if it wasn’t the smartest thing to do. She was so exhausted and so ready to rest and then find her way. She felt the warmth of happy memories and although she knew they were not naturally remembered, they felt safe and something she could relax into.