Darkness was slowly giving way to daybreak, the sky brightening but not quite changing colors yet. The stars were winking their goodbyes just as Iwa gave a mighty yawn, her shift finally over with the rising of the sun. She gave a little nod to the Herder that was replacing her as she began the long walk back to the center of the pride, glad to have a few days rest. Herders generally took a few days per shift since the Northfarthing was so wide and large. Going back and forth between the dens and the place where they worked was rather silly on a day to day basis. It meant that at the end of their shift the Herders were generally mentally exhausted from being on alert at all times but for Iwa it was a very rewarding job. She made her way to one of the local watering holes to get a drink before making her way back home and came across a rather interesting sight.

That interesting sight was Minza, a fully grown male with a beautiful pelt who looked for all intents and purposes like your average lion. The only difference was he was trembling as he drank from the watering hole, his eyes pinned to the deeper part of the small pond. He looked ready to pounce with how tense he was and when he finally pulled away from the water, he was gasping for air. He stumbled back a few paces before plopping down on his rear, staring at the water as if it were going to attack him.

Intrigued, Iwa padded closer to the dark male, a curious look on her face. She wasn't generally a very outgoing lioness but this male seemed rather troubled and, just like her mother, she couldn't help but want to assist those in distress.

"All right there?" she asked as she approached. The voice startled Minza out of his staring contest with the water and he looked towards the female, a sheepish expression on his face.

"Oh...yes," he mumbled, shifting to get to his paws, realizing how ridiculous he must look. "Just...um."

Iwa waited for an ending to the sentence but it never came. Her ears pressed back against her head as she stepped forward, a look of worry on her face.

"Just, um, what?" she prodded, wanting to get an answer out of him. Although she had only seen this male in passing they were pride mates and as such should be there for one another. The ways of the Hobbits were new to her but she could appreciate the sense of community and family that they offered. Minza hesitated as he looked at the large lioness, avoiding her gaze as she stared him down. He knew she was trying to be friendly but everyone he had ever told his phobia to had told him to stop being silly. Ah well...what was one more to the list?

"I...I'm afraid of water," he finally said. "So whenever I have to get a drink it's a bit scary." He braced himself for the snort, for the laugh, for the brushing off of his fear, but it never came. Instead Iwa gave a little nod of understanding as she glanced over at the drinking hole. It wasn't terribly large but the center would surely be over any lion's head. She didn't press as to why he was afraid but reached out with a paw to give the dark male's a pat.

"That's unfortunate. Maybe if you have someone stand next to you while you're drinking it won't be so bad," she offered. The idea to have a drinking buddy had never crossed Minza's mind before and the suggestion did make him perk up a bit. When he was a cub he had fallen in at the drinking hole which was why he was so scared, but if he had someone there it would definitely be less intimidating. They could pull him out if he did fall in again or just be there to offer support.

"I honestly have never thought of that," he said slowly, glancing at the lioness with a look of surprise. "That might actually help a little bit."

"Well, let's give it a shot," Iwa offered, motioning to the water. Minza glanced at the pond and swallowed thickly, summoning up the courage to get closer to it again. He really wasn't thirsty anymore but he was curious to find out of this little trick might help his anxiety when it came to one of life's most basic necessities. Taking a few cautious steps forward, he found that having the lioness at his side helped keep his trembling to a minimum. Sensing that he was getting a little overwhelmed, Iwa began to speak.

"I'm Iwa," she said as they approached the water. "I'm a Herder so I'm not around all the time, but when I am I'd be happy to help you out a bit. Perhaps there's others there that might do the same while I'm gone. It seems to be a very friendly place."

Minza lowered his head to drink as the lioness - Iwa, it seemed - spoke, listening to her words as began to lap up the water. It was still scary but not as bad as it had been before. Her words and presence distracted him from the water other than what was right in front of him and he didn't shake or freeze as he did at times. He lifted his head after a few laps and didn't feel the need to rush away from the edge of the water, although he did take a few slow steps back.

"That...that would be nice, actually," he said with a weak smile. "It did seem to help. I'm Minza. Just a Hobbit," he added with a little bow of his head in thanks. Iwa gave a little hum before stepping forward to drink as well, getting the dry, arid taste of the plains from her mouth. Once she had her fill she turned back to Minza who glanced away, a bit embarrassed for watching her drink without a care in the world. Maybe with enough practice he could do that as well some day.

"Let's head to the dens," Iwa offered to break the silence. "I'll show you where I live and you can do the same so we know where to look for the other." Minza glanced gratefully at his new friend with a little nod and followed the lioness away from the watering hole. Hopefully this would turn over a new leaf in terms of his phobia. Being afraid of water while drinking from it had made his life a living hell for years...perhaps now he'd be able to conquer it enough to quench his thirst without suffering through it.

FIN
WC: 1136